George Fox Digged Out of His Burrows, Additional proofs (2 of 3)

George Fox Digged Out of His Burrows · Additional proofs (2 of 3)

p. 3824. That receive and believe with a false and overly, and loose, and sandy Belief: A fourth, only with a deep and rockie Belief, closing and uniting p. 383to God? Thus the men of Samaria told the woman that they did not believe because of her word, (that must be taken Comparatively, for the Hearing from her this glad News, was. he first means of their believing) but because they had heard Christ themselves.

5. I know these poor Foxians do hear a kind of Motion within them,The Quakers how cheated by Sathan as Queen Mary was of her Conception. but it is but as poor women that go with false Conceptions with Tympanies of wind and water, or with the mola that will resemble the Motion of a true Child: but after all their thoughts and fancies by day and night after all their seeming feellings perswasions, Experiences, and preparations, this false Conception, false Faith, false Christ, false Light shall vanish in shame and grief, as did Queen Maries after the Thanksgivings and Ringings for her deliverance.

6. For my self I dare these self Confidents to particularize any one Scripture where the Spirit of God directs any poor Soul to listen and hearken to a Light and voice within him,Challenges to the Foxians. affirming that [41 this is the Hearing by which Faith is wrought? I dare them to clear Candidly and solidly, this, 10. to the Rom. wherein (as in the 8th is the Golden Chain of Election, &c.) so in this 10th Chap. the Golden Chain of the means of praying, preaching, &c.

3. I ask for some sollid Instances where Souls have been truly Converted (the whole Soul unto God) by any such Notion, and not by some External means and outward hearing of this glad News and Gospel?

4. I ask if it be not a ridiculous Contradiction p. 384in them to fill the World with the sound of their new and only preachers He Apostles and she Apostles, &c.

5. I ask if this Light within (without and opposite to the hearing without which is the question) be the means of Faith,Pauls famous Case how is it possible, that so many serious Enquiring men in all Ages should not perceive a breath of this wind, no not in their own bosomes? and that famous Paul should be Conscientiously and fully perswaded that he ought to do many things against Christ Jesus, &c.

If it be said, Paul had not only the Light within him, but he had heard of the Doctrine of Christ and of his Followers: he heard Stephens Sermon, and yet he believed not: and therefore it is Grace doth all. I Answer, this is something, but reacheth not home, for, if all the men in the world have this Light (which is s…fficient without hearing) why should not some, (especially the wise and Enquirours, &c.) perceive it or something of it, as Paul did not, until he had heard something, (and because God had a purpose to make Extraordinary use of him, an Extraordinary hand from Heaven humbling and preparing him to publish or preach unto the Nations.

The 21 Instance, 80 Tko. Pollard.is in pag. 80. where G. Fox brings in Tho. Pollard, saying, [To say the Officers of the Church are Invisible, It is plain of their Father the Devil] He Answers, The Holy Ghost made the Officers of the Church Overseers, and that made the Officers the Overseers to be Invisible, for they saw with an Invisible Eye, and so they was in p. 385the Spirit which is Invisible, and not in the Flesh: else they could not be Overseers in the Church of God,The Fox like and dog like Impudency of G. Fox &c. and you are the visible apostatiz'd from them.

I Reply, This is one of the most impudent Fooleries that either Fox, or (as the Proverb is) any Dog could be impudent in: For First,

42] 1. He acknowledgeth a publick Assembly of Christians; as well as of other pretending Worsh ppers, Turks, Iews, &c. Also he acknowledgeth the Ministers, Officers, and Overseers of their Assemblies.

2. His Reason is notoriously silly and impudent, viz. The visibility of Christs Church and her Officers.because the Church is in God, and the Overseers are made by the holy Spirit: For are the secret works of God alwayes secret, and never revealed? The Child in the Wombe, the precious Stones, and Minerals when brought forth, are no more Invisible then the Sun in the Firmament.

3. The Christian profe…ion and professours, however they were wrought and prepared, and by divers means by Gods Spirits: yet the Lord Jesus compares them to the most visible Conspicuous and glorious things and persons. To the Sun and Moon in the Heavens, and the Heavens and Stars also, to Mountains, and Cities on those Hills or Mountains: To Kings, To their houses and Palaces, yea, to Armes with Banners, &c.

4. Although the Lord Major of London, and the several Officers of the City are not made and ordained in the public Streets, nor Generals and other Officers appointed by his Majesty, &c. are they not p. 386therefore visible, because their making and appointing was not Solemnized and performed in Cheapside, &c.

5. It is most true and most sweet, that the Church is in God,The Church in God. &c. and is it not also true, that in one Sense, we live in God and move in God, have our Being in God, and yet the whole Creation is gloriously visible in another Sence, the Saints, their Assemblies and Officers are in God visible to the world abundantly, though in an heavenly and spiritual Sence, transcending the Being of the first Creation.

6. G. Fox denies not, but that although the first Churches were in God, and the Officers of the Church, and some of them were appointed immediately, yet they were visible and audible by those with whom they Conversed:

7. Yea,G Fox a most visible and idle prater of Invisibilities. G. Fox and his Foxians, for all their being in God, and some of their proud and silly Answerings in Courts, that they live in God, and dwell in God, yet they disowne not their own visible Congregatings and Assemblings, their visible Teachers, Overseers, or Bishops, their visible and audible performances and Worships, praying, preaching, singing, &c. and w…y then doth this [43] poor notoriously visible Cheatour thus prate of Invisibilities especially in times of peace and not in Elias Case?

The 22 Instance is in pag 84. where G. Fox brings in his opposite Magnus Byne; saying, [The Scriptures may be understood by the help of Tongues.Magnus Byne.] He Answers, [All Scripture was given forth by Inspiration, and so without the same Inspiration, it is not understood again, Pilate had the Tongues, yet did not understand p. 387the Scripture, nor Christ the Substance of it: And this you have set up since the Apostacy, your Tongues, you Raveners from the Spirit.]

I Reply, First, I make use of G. Fox his Confession, viz. that all Scripture is inspired, God hath many words.&c. therefore say I, he Consesseth that every word, Syllable and Tittle in that Scripture or writing, is the Word, or immediate revealed will of God: against his and his Foxians common Song: hath God any more words but one?

2. As to the Scriptures,The understanding of the Scripture threefold. the understanding of them is threefold.

First, Literal: who understands not, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not Steal? &c.

The second is Metaphorical, as I am the Dore, I am the Bread, &c.

The third is saving and Spiritual, when it pleaseth God to set home the heavenly Commands Promis…s, &c. in particular, Soul Application.

3. I observe the End of G. Fox (and especially of the old Serpent and Fox that acts him.The Devils End in Cavilling against the Scripture Tongues, yet J. St…bs vapourd that he understood as many Tongues as I, and may be more.) It is to destroy the coming of Gods holy Records and writings to poor lost men to their Salvation, that he may foist and whisp in what his hellish malice pleaseth to their Damnation: For if no knowledge of the Tongues in which the most wise and most holy Lord pend his Letters or writing to us, then no preaching of the Doctrine in them to the world witout some new miraculous way, then no translating and reading of them, which is, that the Devil in all Ages and at this day aims at with all his might.

4. I therefore charge upon this proud Ignoramus, p. 388and all his blind Disciples and Followers the horrible Crime of Unthankfulness, The horrible Ingratitude of the Foxians.and Ingratitude: for were it not for Tindal, burnt to ashes, and other heavenly Spirits set on work from Heaven to dig out the knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek, The Transltion of the Scripture.and to turn it into French, Dutch, English, and now praised be God into the very [44] Indian Language of this Country, how would these Seraphical Doctors know whether there were such a Creation of Heavens and Earth, or of man and his wife, which we now so talk of?

I put this question once to a Soul in this Country,The Quakers Spirit for all pretences a lazie Spirit who told me although they had no English Scripture, Gods Spirit would teach them Greek and Hebrew: but I can declare to any that ask me the dreadful End of that party.

5. I Charge upon this Foxian party the horrible Crime of a proud Laziness for not studying the Original Languages themselves; It is a shameful Trade and deceitful, when persons have mony in their hands, to take up all on trust! I have known very Eminent Men and Women Independants and Baptists, give themselves up to serious study of the Hebrew Language: I never knew any of the Foxian Spirits so inclind, but according to the Lazie fool under the Fig-Tree which I have seen in an Embleme almost threescore year since, they lie down and cry.

Sweet Figs drop down in yielding w…se

For Lazie will not let me rise.

6. I Judge that G. Fox and his wild Spirit can p. 389not prove that Pilate had the Hebrew Greek and Latin, The three Languages upon the Cross of Christ.for though he caused by an heavenly finger of God such a Title to be set up in the three then most known Languages Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, yet he himself might have no knowledge of any more then the Latin, which was his Mother Romane Tongue: As a Book seller may deal in Books of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, &c. and yet understand no more then his Mother English.

7. I know the Devil abounds with Tongues, and can speak all Languages,The Devils skill in Languages and Subtlety in Revelations. and I know, and have seen his Inspirations, and three thousands verses in sh…w very heavenly, inspir'd by him, in an English woman of this Country, who had no such skill, ex tempore. They were taken and written from her mouth, and I have read them: and do believe from many Reasons which I have to shew they were from Satan, yet I know also that Ignorance is shameful, and that it pleased God miraculously to infuse the knowledge of Tongues to his first Apostles, or Messengers, to the Nations, and what he will further do in this kind, [45] before this Worlds glass is out who can tell? only I am sure these Foxians talk (like little Children in their grave Consultations) without the least knowledge at all (genrally) of any thing, but their mother English, and yet as proudly and imperiously vapouring and triumphing,Theora John &c. like Theora Iohn proclaming to the World his mad Quaking Revelations, Inspirations, writing of Languages, many which he Confest, he understood not, but Mysteries, Mysteries.

p. 3908. G. Fox is no wiser in affirming that Tongues came in place of the Spirit since the Apostacy. The Lord raiseth his Witnesses against Babel by his Spirit and blessing upon Tongues and Translations.For before the Apostacy the Lord furnished his Servants with understanding of several Languages miraculously: with the Apostasie, those heavenly miraculous gifts ceased: In the Apostacy the Father of Spirits gave to his two witnesses power, Authority & Ability to prophesy, preach, declare & witness to the Truths of Jesus against the Popish Inventions: with the rising of Luther, Calvin, &c. The Lord raised up the study of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues in many heavenly Witnesses, who brought to Light the truth of the first Copies in Opposition to the Corrupt Latin Translation (bruitishly settled under a Curse by the Counsel at Trent): The Papists former Ignorance & now their abuse of knowledgeThis mighty work of the Lord in his Protestant Witn…sses drove the Popish Foxes into their holes, and hath driven (for shame) the Iesuits to study the Hebrew and Greek, and by a new Stratagem partly made up of the pretence of their Spirit and partly of the pretence of Corruptions and Variations in the Copies) to assault the Camp of the Protestant Witnesses.

9. I despise not, yea, I praise God for, and honour the helps and helpers we have in English: yea, I would not discourage the weakest English man or woman (in Christian humility) to sound forth the praises of God in writing, English helps a great mercy.speaking and printing in English what they have Experimented of the Son of God, No, though they should not write or print, or speak true English, as G Fox hath not done: But when they lift up their Horns on high (or their bruitish Ears as Foxes do, in stead of Horns) then I p. 391must tell G. Fox, that although he prat le amongst the English, A close Queryand they be cheated with his dying Spirit: yet if he go to other Nations, (as they simply pretend to do to Turks and Pope) they must either be furnished with the Gift of Tongues miraculously, or they must fling of their lazie Devil, and study the Tongues of those Nations to whom they carry their (pretended) glad News or Gospel.

46] The 23. Instance: G. Fox in pag. 86. brings in the same Author, saying, [Notwithstanding thy passing through the first and second Resurrection (as thou saith) there remains a Torment so thee at the last day and Woe.]

He Answers, They are blessed that have part in the first Resurrection:86, Magnus Byne The second Death have no power over them, but are made free from Wrath that is to come, and are passed from Death to Life, and are translated into the Kingdome of the Son of God, and are in union with the Son of God and the Father both; and so thou utterest forth Lies.

I Reply, G. Fox here Arrogates to himself and his Foxians.

1. A Passing through the first and second Resurrection.The first and second Resurrection.

2. He triumpheth in their Blessedness pronounced to their first Resurrection, viz. of Communion with God and Freedome from Wrath to come:

1. The Truth is G. Fox is in his Burrough of Words of divers …ignifications: He wrests and winds what is for his wicked ends, but you shall never take him in Distinguishing and Defineing what the first and second Death is, and what is the first and second Resurrection.

p. 3922. The Truth is, as soon as they hearken to this familiar Spirit, they are so Elevated, that they be in the heavenly glory, the Resurrection is past, and (with K. Agags dream) the Bitterness of Death and Wrath is past for ever with them.

3. But no such grapes will be gathered of these Thorns, The great Expectation of all the four great Religions.nor Figs of these Thistles: For if we talk of escaping wrath to come, and of enjoying Blessedness: we must prove to others, as well as to our selves, that the Expectation of the Iews, and Mahumetans expecting a Carnal Blessedness to come, is false: We m…st prove the Papists and Common Protestants (for all their Prayers and Alms, &c.) are under that Sentence, Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity.

4. The Lord Jesus being questioned about the great point of Salvation:The great point of Salvation. he seems to Answer two things.

1. That the most will hang their Souls upon the Hedge, and venture like the high ways and hedges.

2. Others will fear and look after Redemption, Deliverance, Salvation, &c. and of these two sorts.

First,Two great Sorts of minders Eternal Life. Some that will endeavour and seek to enter I Judge both [47] of Pagans and Mahumetans, and Iews, and Papists and Protestants, and shall not be able.

The second is of such as sensible of the Narrowness of the way, straightness of the dore, and the Infinite necessity incumbing, and the Infinite Excellency inviting, fling away Preferments, Profits, and Pleasures, and choose to enjoy the Mediator, as lost and damned in our selves, and follow him from his p. 393Cradle and Manger to his Cross and Gallows, and labouring to draw other poor drowning Souls out of the pit of Eternal Rottenness, & howling with us.

5. The Spirit of God tells us of three sorts of perisht Souls.Three great sorts of Me

First, Those without Law, of which are Millions of Millions innumerable.

Secondly, Such as had the Law or Word, or will of God revealed to them in the Covenant of works, Obedience or Iustice, of which sort were11Insert "and are," R. W. Ms. Ann. Millions of Millions also.

A third is of such to whom Infinite pity hath vouchsafed the joyful Tidings of the Son of God, his Mediation, Interposition, and Intercession.22And "lost in themselves but saved by grace," R. W. Ms. Ann.

Amongst these the Papists, Jesuits and Puritans the two great Antagonists.and the Protesters against the Papists are chief: of the Papists the Iesuits: of the Protestant (thereso called) Puritans run for it: of these the Quakers pretend the highest, but no otherwise then, O thou Capernaum, which art Exalted, & Exaltest thy self unto Heaven, thou shalt be brought down to Hell, &c. For Tyre and Sidon, Sodom, and Gomorrah, &c. the poor Iews and Mahumetans, yea, the Papists and common Protestants shall have an easier Cup to drink off then the Foxians, &c, that are so high, & pure, and lofty, and yet abound with Luciferian filthiness.

The 24. Instance, is in pag. 89. where G. Fox brings in the same Author, saying, [The Saints are neither in the Fulness of the Godhead,pag. 89. Magnus Bine. nor in part: Away with this Blasphemy that saith this is] He p. 394Answers, The Quakers in the Fulness of the Godhead of their hellish mouths and pens ay be believed[The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the Unity of the Faith, to the measure and stature of the Fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints; and God will dwell in them;] And thou saith, They have no part of the Fulness of the Godhead, and Iohn saith, of his Fulness have we all received, in whom dwells the Godhead bodily, and ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the Fulness.

I Reply, It was doubtless an horrible Crime which the Jews though maliciously and falsly Objected. 48] 1. Against the Lord Jesus, viz. that be being a man should make himself God. What shall we say to these bruitish and blasphemous Foxians, vile worms of the Earth, yesterday creeping out of their holes, slaves and Hellhounds, as we all b… Nature are, so horribly to set their faces as David speaks again the Heavens, vapouring themselves to be in the Godhead, yea, in the Fulness of the Godhead, and that also bodily, so that what was applicable and proper to the Body of the Son of God, is proper and applicable unto them, his Body in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily.

2. See the horrible Egyptian Darkness the Lord hath justly poured upon these feigned Goshenites. They exclaim against us for using that Title Godman, The Quakers grutch Christ the Title of God-manand ask where we find such a phraze in Scripture: And yet they rest not in that Title Emanuel God with us: nor the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ, but Sacrilegious Robbers (in Effect) p. 395arrogate the Title, and thing to themselves to be God-men and God-women, the Godhead dwelling in them bodily.

3. Whereas G. Fox here saith, the work of the Ministry was to bring men to a perfect man, &c.Ephes. 4. The work of Christs Ministers.Eph 4

I Answer, He grossly abuseth that heavenly Ephes. 4. which concerneth the Fulness and perfection of all the Elect of God, the whole Body, the Church of the first-Born, applying it unto every particular deluded Convert of theirs, as being as perfect, as holy, as much God as Christ Jesus, God blessed for ever himself.

4. I may use the Exprobations of Moses against Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Is it not enough for you, &c. but will you seek the Priesthood also. Is it not enough that the most High Potter made us Men and Women and not Serpents and Toads,The horrible pride and Haughtiness of the Quakers. &c. not Pagans, Turks, Iews, Papists, &c. but English Protestants, &c. but we will be also Infinites, & Eternals, Omnipotents & Omniscients? Will not the Infinite favour of Leave to drink of some heavenly drops of the Infinite & Inconceivable Ocean of his Goodness, satisfie and content us, but we will be Gods, with the Devil and our first Parents: We will be the Inconceivable Ocean it self. Is it not enough for a Proud Rebel to be fetcht from the Gallows by a smile of his Prince, but he must be the Prince and King himself.

5. The Pagans of the World as they are wild to all Civility, The Indians base esteem of the Godhead.so to all Divinity and heavenly matters: They apprehend a Doity, [49] as a Lyon, Whale, Dragon, Giant, Tyrant; they feignedly will strive to p. 396pacifie him, to make use of his help in Sickness, in Wars, in Plagues and Droughts: but they will call Men and Women Gods too, yea Dogs and Geese, yea any Creature Manittoo, God, that is, or doth any thing strange unto them: And thus the Melitans presently cried out of Paul, that he was a God, And the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men, &c.

6. Therefore doth it please the most High and only Wise to meet often with the Pharaoh's the Absolom's the Nebuchadezzars, God and the great Adversary to all Proud spirits.the Hamans the Herods of this World, yea, with whole Nations, Cities Armies and Navies for their Pride, as he did with Sodom, in signal and remarkable strokes and Judgements: yea, with his Iobs, and Hezechiah,'s and Paul's in danger to be puffed up, in voices and questions out of the Whirlwind, till we more and more come to see how perfect we are in Dirt, and Stink, and Filth of Death and Hell crawling like Monsters of Pride and self-conceitedness upon this Earth his Glorious Footstool.

The 25. Instance is in Pag. 90. He brings in the same Author saying, [There is a kinde of Infiniteness in the Soul, and it cannot be Infiniteness it self.]

He Answers:The Soul of men horribly abused Is not the Soul without beginning coming from God, and returning into God again, who hath it in his hand, which Hand goes against him that doth Evil, which throws down that which wars against it: and Christ the power of God the best11Change "best" to "rest." R. W. Ms. Ann. of the Soul, which brings it up into God, p. 397which came out from him; hath this a beginning or ending? and is not this Infinite in it self, and more than all the World?

I Reply, More brie…ly, (having spoken of the Soul before) That the Soul or Spirit of a Man should be boundless or without limits, without beginning or ending, is a Blasphemous Monster begotten of Hellish Pride the Father, and Hellish Ignorance the Mother: for Infinity and Infiniteness in that sence can be no other but the Infinite and Eternal Power and Godhead transcending the Capacity or Men or Angels to receive it or conceive the nature of it.

2. It is true in a secondary way (a posteriori) as they say the Spirits of Angels and men are as a Lamp lighted by the most high and In- [50] finite Majesty never to go out or be extinguished in joy or sorrow, This Notion dazles the most sober and steady Eye and Braine; but who can finde a Centre or Clod of standing from whence to entertain a thought of no Beginning; no created finite power can reach to what Infinity is.

3. We see the mighty Kings and Emperours, their mighty Armies and Navies have Bounds as the-roaring Waves of the Ocean have: the most Glorious Sun and Heavenly Bodies have their limited Motions:The changes of all things created and their Periods the Dayes and Nights, the Summer and Winter, the Light and Darkness know their periods of beginning and ending &c. All have their hitherto and no further set by the Infinite, Eternal Arm, & no further. But all the stars of heaven, the drops of the Ocean, the Sand on the Sea shore, the p. 398Leaves and Grass of the whole World are all too short to reach to the thought of one Minute of that which properly is Gods only propriety, to wit, Infinity.

4. Among all the Opinions of the Souls Being and Rise, this of Infinity making it God himself, commits two horrible Murthers:11Add "in its tendency though not in effect." R. W. s. Ann.

First,Two horrible Murthers▪ attempts It Murthers and destroys the Soul.

And Secondly, The Infinite God himself.

For the Soul of Man by such a world of woful experience being so subject to change, to sins and sorrows of all sorts. If this should be the Infinity of the Soul and so of God hims…lf, there would be no Infinity at all so stopt, so limited by sins and sorrows.

5. We use to say (hyperbollically) that such and such a doing is Infinite Pride, but surely it is wonderful and devilish lifting up of the mind of a poor Earthen Pot, though never so high, so wise, so learned, so holy to entertain thoughts of being the Eternal and boundless Infinite power and Godhead.

The blessed Lord proclaime his Infinite Power, his Infinite Wisdome, his Infinite Greatness, and Goodness, and Patience to poor sinners (as he did unto Iob out of the Whirlwind) and then for all Iobs Perfection and their own, (which so simply as well as proudly they prate of) they will with Iob see cause to abhor themselves in Dust and Ashes.

6 Such is the inconceivable Infinity in God beyond the reach of all Creatures, that he is not only Infinite but Infinity it self, [51] Eternity it p. 399self, Omnipotency it self, Wisdome it self, Goodness it self, Justice it self in all their eminences and perfections.

7. Therefore notwithstanding most gracious and most glorious Appearances to, and influences from Infinity, upon poor finite Worms below, sure it is not so sober a Language as that of Birds and Beasts, who keep their Native Tongues and Tones: Only men honoured with so high Naturals above their Fellow potts,Mans doleful Degeneracy the Irrationals, and in many respects above other Rationals; yea, in pretence and some really dignified with Spirituals in the Minde, Will and Affections by Priviledges, by Promises. Mankinde I say so honoured and degenerating, we are not only like to, but Infinitely (as I may say) worse then the wildest Beast that perish.

The 26. Instance is in Pag. 93. where G. Fox brings in Robert Simson,Robert Simson the body of Christs Church &c. saying. [The mystical Body may be sometimes subject to Distempers, and Humors, and Wants.]

He Answers, Are you Judges? can you judge of the Mystical Body which the Saints are Baptized into? is there Humors, Wants and Distempers in the Body which the Saints are Baptized into? is not the Wants, Humors, Distempers in your Body? do you here in this divide the word aright, distingu…sh things in the Ground, and speak aright of things, and yet you would not be judged, and say, Iudge not: and is not Mystical Spiritual?

I Reply, In our late Dispute at Providence, Io. Stubs and W. Edm affirmed that God was a Spirit p. 400litterally and properly, in which for all his boast of Learning, it may be as he said, above my self,11Put "it may be as he said above myself," in parenthesis, R. W. Ms. Ann. he shewed but little Philosophy or Divinity: and William Ed. affi…med that properly and really that Scripture of Wolves coming in Sheeps cloathing, was to be understood litterally without meaning and expositions; but sober men and aware know how to unfold Parables, and Similitudes,The Parables & Figurative Speeches of Holy Scripture and Metaphors, and Allegories: they know God is called a Son, and a Rock, and a Father, and a Husband; &c. and so is Christ Jesus, and they know how such Similies are to be expounded.

They know that Believers in Christ Jesus are called a Body, an House, a Flock, a Friend, a Center, an Army, and ye are no such properly and litterally but by similitude.

2. The Papists tell us of an Universal, or (as the Greek) a [52] Catholick Body of Christians: Amongst them are two great Factions. The one maintaing this Catholick Church to meet in the Representative of an Occumenical or General Council of the whole World: The other in the Assembly or Conclave of the Pope and his Cardinals: and in the Pope himself, while he sits in Peters Infallible Chair.

The Protestants build also a Catholick or Universal Body of true Believers in Jesus,The Protestant Churches scattered over the World, &c. the more Reformed affirme this Un…versal and Catholick Church to be visible in the Assemblies and Congregations of Christian Worshippers separate from the Church of Rome and her Abominations.

p. 401The Devil seeing the Protestant Witnesses contending about the matter and Form of the true Churches and Congregations, He (by Gods most holy and wise permission) sends out his old and known Spirit of pure Invisibles, The Quakers and Ie…uits Spiritpure Immediate, pure Worshippers in Spirit and Truth, &c. This Spirit being Cozen German to, or sworn Brother in hellish equivocation with the Iesuits, when it serves their turn maintain a Church Invisible, and Ministers and Officers Invisible: and yet when it serves their turn practice (as well as Papists or Protestants) visible Churches and Congregations, visible and audible Apostles, preachers, Ministers, with audible preachings, prayings, singings, Admissions, Excommunications, (more or less professed and Explicite.

The Qukaers Churches they are (as they childishly vapour) Bodies without wants or distempers,The Foxian Churches fair as the Sun, clear as the Moon, terrible as an Army, &c.

1. But this11Add "is." R. W. Ms. Ann. contrary to the nature of all our Natural Bodies, All bodies liable to Distemperswhich turning upon the two hinges of Sins and Sorrows, are full of wants and distempers, until the dashing of all in pieces by sudden or lingring Deaths.

2. Contrary to all Figurative or Metaphorical Bodies, domestick in Families, Political in Cities, Nations, Armies, Navies, &c.

3. Contrary to Experience of the Bodies or Churches of Worshippers in the Scripture Iewish or Christian, who gave up the Ghost, through distempers) into the hands of Mahumet, who brags he hath Conquered Moses at Ierusalem, and Iesus at Constantinople. &c.

p. 4024. Contrary to the Experience of the World in their daily observing of the Quakers Bodies and Worships. (beside the Char- [53] ges against them for their wild Doctrines and Disciplines) what known Divisions and Passions about I Nailors and others Cases? what Envyings Cursings, Apostacies, and moral Idolatry, as that of Covetousness in this Colony known notoriously?

But since G. Fox speaks so Rationally to his Opposite,The sendency of the Quak. Spirit Do you distinguish things in the Ground? I shall remember them of the fairness of my fourteenth Position against them, viz. that according to the Principles, Roots and grounds of things I have fairly Collected, that the Spirit of the Quakers tends to Incivility and Barbarisme, and to sudden Assacinations, murthers and Persecutions. &c.

The Eternal Father of mercies (I believe that I have, and can further make it good:) stops millions of mischiefs in the world daily, which the Natures, grounds and Principles of men (and the Quakers Spirit also) now11Change "now" to "tend." R. W. Ms. Ann. to overrun and overwhelm the World withal.

A 27 th. Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in pag. 103.Jonathan Clapham, &cs where he brings in Ionathan Clapham, saying, [Men may be called of Men Masters, and it is but a Cavil to deny it, and they may deny to be called Fathers as well as Masters] He Answers, Thou hast in this denied that Doctrine of Christ, and slights it, who saith, Be not ye of Men called Masters, for you have all one Master which is Christ, and you all p. 403are Brethren, and thou hast show'd thy self out of the Brother-hood. And there is a Birth to be born which can call no man Father upon Earth which thou art ignorant of.

I Reply, 1. Amongst other foolish passions and Affections haunting all men, and the Quakers especially, these two are notorious, viz. pride and a lazie Ignorance: Those two are the Sire and Dam of most of these wild monsters.

2. For doth not this proud man know how many of his excellent Opposites have laid open their Foxians scornful pride in robbing all mankind of many due respects and favorable glaunces of Gods care, of order, and prudent distinctions and differences amongst the Sons of men in Families, Cities, Nations, Armies, Navies, &c.

3. Sure he can not but remember, and his own and all the Light in the Quakers (if seriously minded) will tell them, that [54] in robbing all the world of their several due moderate, and sober Titles and Respects, they do but by a jugling Hocas pocas; The Pope and Quakers compared.a back dore, &c. rob all others of their points, Ribbons, and Laces, wherewithal only to adorn and trim, and trick their foolish selves: Just as the Popish party practice to cry up their Pope, servus servorum Dei, and yet be Domine fac totum your holiness, &c. and yet the Pope and Papists herein out shoot the Quakers, for the Papists give all men their Civil and Courteous different Respects, and Acknowledgements, which the dogged and scornful Quakers, are far from their Spirit being prouder then the Papists,

p. 4044. G. Fox knows how others of his Adversaries have in print told him that the English word [Master] Answers to many words in the Greek [Kathegerese Didarkalos, &c.] and that these words Rahbi and Pateer, Of Fathers and Masters.all shew that the Lord Jesus only Condemned the Pharisaical, Popish, and Foxian Itch of being called Masters, Fathers, Leaders, Teachers in Religion, undervaluing and slighting others, &c. Thus amongst the Papists their Magister noster, The Popish priority an… the Foxian is of and in their Doctors.their Patres, &c. their Irrefragable, Seraphical and Angelical Doctors: thus among the Foxians, Iames Naylor, Hosanna, &c. and G. Fox (at this Town of Providence) called the Eternal Son of God. Christ Iesus.

5. Half a Humane and sober Eye may see that in all his Declamations against the Pharisaical, or Popish, or Foxian Rabbies, the Lord Jesus I say, comes not near in a Title, the Civil and Natural Respects of Inferiours, Meer Civil Respectsto Heads of Families, Cities, Kingdomes, &c. all of which, the very nature of man being von politikon 11Change "von politikon" to "animal politicon." R. W. Ms. Ann.a sociable Creature, and the holy Scripture is all over (from end to end) full of most frequent Examples, yea, Commands, and practices.

6. How Childishly doth Fox Answer his Opposite, viz that although it be unlawful to call Master, yet it is not unlawful to call Father, The Quakers Masters and Fathersfor there is a Birth which his Opposite is ignorant of, &c. I ask if G. Fox mean not their Immediate Birth of Light (which for a Cover) they call Spirit and Christ, &c. in Opposition to that true Christian Regeneration and p. 405Change,True Regeneration which it pleaseth God ordinarily to Effect by means, as Paul said, though you have ten thousand Teachers, yet I have begotten you, &c, Sure it is, their Immediate denies the mediate.

55] 7. Where there no Ordinary means appointed by God for Natural or Spiritual procreation: yet how simple is that Consequence, that because God is an Extraordina…y Father, therefore I may call men Fathers but not Masters! when God is both Father and Master, and both Titles are forbidden in a true Sense, by one and the same heavenly Breath, at the same time.

A 28 h. Instance,106. William Thomas. is pag. 106. where G. Fox brings in W. Thomas, saying, [Men are saved, but not by Christ within us.]

He Answers, [How is mans Salva…ion wrought out but by Christ within? How is the Iustification fels but by Christ wit in? And the Seeds we manifest that suffered without is made manifest within, there is Redemption and Life: He that hath the Son of God hath Life, Redemption to God out of the first Adam, and who feels Christ within, feels Salvation, and who doth not, are Reprobates, though they may talk of him.]

I Reply, This subtle Fox is in his Burrough Confounding (under the Terms Christ) the person of Christ,The person of Christ and the Grace of Christ distinguished. and the Love, and Spirit, and Grace or Favour of Christ, as if they were all one: As if where the Name and Authority, and writing of G. Fox comes, there of necessity must G. Fox in person be: Or, to rise higher, wherever the Name and Authority, of a King, General, or Admiral is, there must their persons also be.

p. 406This Popish Ubiquitary Fancy all sober Reasons have long since laught at,Christs perso…. and justly, as being most Fancyfull and Frantick: what,

2. What is this,Not Ubiquirary. but to make the Kings of men, yea, the King of Kings poor Mechanicks, yea, lower, that can do nothing by any Means, Servants, Ministers, Legates, Embassadours, &c. except they be personaly present?

3. The Spirit of God resolves the Question, Ephes 3. He dwels in the Heart by Faith, or believing in him,Faith not Christ himself. and Gal. 2. I live by believing, or Faith in the Son of God: This Faith is given of God to some and not to others: This Faith or Belief is wrought by Christ Jesus, and …in…shed by him, and may with as good Sense be called Christ himself, as a shoo which G. Fox hath begun and finished be called G Fox himself.

4. With what Colour of Reason or Sense is it that if I believe King Charles the second to be the King of English Men and my King, K. Charles King ye… not personally present in all his DominionsI must of necessity (because of my belief which He by gracious [56 means hath wrought in me) I believe that K. Charles is personally present, & Ubiquitarily present in person in all his Dominions and all the world over where ever his Loving Subjects have their Residence?

5. I grant if we as some Quakers and Humphry Norton by Name resolve Christ only into a Spirit,Humph. Norton yields Christ ubiquitary and God only he is Ubiquitary: But as man, why may not the General of an Army say, to his whole Army, and every Individual Souldier, as Paul to the Corinthians, though I am absent in Body yet am I present p. 407in Spirit, Christ Jesus is in his Command, and Courage and Example in every Regiment, every Squadron, every Band and Troop, and every Souldier of the m…ny Millions that have, and shall believe in him, and that in a Sense,11Add "by faith." R. W. Ms. Ann. both as God and man.

6. The Hinge and pinch of the Difference lies in the Opposition, Which word & the word humane they startle a…which the Quakers make against the Manhood of Christ Jesus to be yet Extant, many of them alleadging: why stand you gazing, Acts 1, &c. as if it were but gazing after a Manhood and all now were Spirit and Light within.

7. Who ever questiond,Christ Jesus in the Soul makes it a palace for 3 Kings &c. but that the Spirit or power of Christ Jesus worketh in the Souls of his Elect the great saving change or regeneration, gives Repentance, opens the heart to Believe, and makes the heart of this Believer a Palace for three Kings, yet but one, the Father, the Son and the Spirit, in Holiness, Love, Meekness, Patience, &c. and all these22Change "these" to "their." R. W. Ms. Ann. Royal Attendants.

8. Who questions but Christ Jesus (as the Sun in these Heavens) in…luenceth all parts of the World in several respects,The variety of Christs workings & appearances and nothing is hid from his heat, He is felt in the bruised Reed and smoaking Flax; in the poor in Spirit, in the hungry and thirsty after Righteousness: sometimes in the hope of Glory to come, yea, in present joy unutterable and glorious; Sometimes the Lambs Wife is visibly asleep though her heart wakes, sometimes she is Alarmed by his knocking and is sluggishly unwilling p. 408to open to him, sometimes she rises and opens but he is gone, and she seeks for him by day and night and cannot find him.

9. There is also a false feeling of Christ Jesus (as I spake before of a false Conception in a Woman) How many are bold to cry Lord, False ConceptionsLord open; for we have prophesied in thy Name, &c and yet I will not say as G. Fox. here saith, of his Feeling that all that have not my feeling or working of Christ are Reprobates: yet [57] this I say as Solomon, A Whore is Loud and Clamorous (not so the Chaste, and Sober, and Modest Women) and the Devil spake as Holy and Heavenly words as Angels could have spoken, yet it was but the Divil in Samuels Mantle.

The 29th. Instance is in pag. 117. where he brings in Giles Fermin saying, Giles Fermin[Paul Swore after Christ, and the Angels Swore, I wonder Paul should so forget himself and sin so fearfully in Swearing, so the Quakers Light that denies Swearing, is of Satan and not the Light of Christ.]

He Answers, Christ the Light (which Satan is out of) which is the Oath of God, ends all Oathes, Sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever; and who Swares be fallen into the Condemnation of the Devil: And it is no where said that the Apostle Swore, but such as thou art matters not what thou speak; so that Spirit that Preacheth for Swearing is not the Spirit of Christ but is the Spirit of Anti-Christ, &c.

I Reply, first G. Fox dares not deny but that the Angel and Paul Swore after Christ, only he keeps p. 409his old Song, viz That Christ put an end to Swearing, and that it is not said that Paul Swore.

But 1. He waves that Sweareng of the Angel,Paul & the Angels Swearing or Christ himself, Rev. 10. for there he knows the very term of Swearing is used.

2. As to Paul, if the attestation of the Name of God be the formality of an Oath, then if ever any Man Swore in this World Paul did, saying to the Corinthians, I call God to Record on my Soul, that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth, &c.

Secondly, It is true that all Nations have used to Swear by,Of Swearing in General or Appeal to the Gods they owned and worshipped. It is true also, that they have used to put Creatures into the room of God, and Swear by them as the Iews did; and som write out of a Superstitious Reverence in forbearing the Name of God, and indeed the Reasons Christ Jesus gives, Mat. 5. look that way.

Thirdly. It is true also that for abuse of Swearing by, and Prophaning the Holy Name of God, a whole Land may mourn as Ieremiah speaketh.

Fourthly There seems to be a very fair colour put on a universal Prohibition of Swearing by Christ Jesus, and by his Apostle Iames, Swear not, &c.

58] This Conjuror11Cha…ge "conjuror" to "conjecture." R. W. Ms. Ann. hath taken with many precious Servants of God former and latter, even with many of those called the Fathers, and with those Famous Protesters against the whore of Rome, the Waldenses, and with Famous Usher, who doth more then seem to vindicate their not Swearing when Convented and Examined by the Popish Inqui…itors.Famous Usher.

p. 4105. Notwithstanding this, and more which may be granted, and though I should humbly motion to all higher Powers for Christian tenderness,Moderation as to Swearing. (as to the holy Majesty of Heaven his Name, and to the Souls of any making Scruple:) yet I must proclaim against G. Fox, his lame and simple Return to the Objection of his Opposite concerning Paul and the Angel.

For, why may not Paul and all the Apostles, and Christ and all the Angels of Heaven, and all the Saints of God upon the Earth (in the words of Paul) call God to Record upon their Souls, that this, or this was the Cause and Truth, &c. Considering

1. That neither the most holy God nor the Lord Jesus (who I think is the Swearing Angel Rev. 10.) nor the heavenly Spirits, the Angels, nor Paul, nor any of Christs Apostles, or Messe…gers would have practiced a Ceremony, or a Shadow (like Circumcision or the Passover) at the11Change "the" to "y^t." R. W. Ms. Ann. time of the Day, &c.

2. Swearing or appealing unto God immediately in Oaths or Vows, Swearing no Ceremony.or Lots, or Fastings, though higher and above the practice of ordinary Invocations, Supplications, Thanksgivings, &c. were never accounted Ceremonies or Types of Substances to come, but Real and Substantial Services and Addresses unto the most holy and most high Creatour written in the hearts of all mankind before ever Ceremony or Moses was born, and therefore as the fear of God is put for the whole worship of God, so also is swearing in the holy Scripture: and we may as well deny all p. 411worship and Service visible,The fear of God and Sw…aring by him put by God for his whole worship. and all External Acts of Homage and Devotion of the Body unto God, yea, and all the fear of God is there11Erase "is there." R. W. Ms. Ann. in the mind, Soul and Spirit, or in any External Obeysance or Reverence, as this Service and worship of calling upon God, and appealing to his holy Majesty, as Witness and Iudge in some Cases, &c

3. Whereupon it follows, that this high point of Gods worship is as real, Swearing as real a worship of God as Prayer, preaching, Baptisme, Lords Supper, &c.as moral, as holy, and perpetual as Prayer it self, as preaching, yea, as Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, and no more Ceremonial, though I know the Foxians make Baptisme and the 59] Lords Supper but Ceremonies for a time, and ere long if they continue to hearken to Samuel within them, they will account Prayer and Preaching (whether Apostolical or Pastoral) but Types and Shadows also.

4. It is a most simple and un-Christian and Atheistical whimsie that Christ was the end of Oaths, Christ not the abolisher of Oathsthe end of the Prophets, the end of the Scripture, the end of Reghteousness, (in their Sense) though as Mediatour he was the End or Perfection of, and fulfilling of the Law of God, which never Soul beside the Lord Jesus ever kept in thought, word and deed, what ever the proud Pharisees and Papists, and Foxians prate, &c.

5. It is a gross Fancy to imagine that the Lord Jesus in the 5 of Math. gave new Commands,The fifth of Mathew. or Contradicted the holy pleasure of his Father concerning Revenge, Adultery, Oaths, Prayers, Fastings, p. 412but opened his Fathers Law in the purity and Spirituality of it against the rotten Expositions, Traditions and practices of the Pharisees.

6. In particular, let all the Reasons be expended and carefully weighed, which the Lord Jesus so wonderfully, exactly gives why they should not swear by Ierusalem, nor the Temple, nor their Head, nor any Oath, to wit of such a Nature, and half a sober eye may see that the Lord Jesus intends only to reduce them to an holy Swearing, only by God, in Gods way, &c. and in their Common Converse, to use yea, and nay, &c.

7. I have read a sober and man like Answer of F. H. called a Quaker against A. S. called a Doctour,The Quakers plainly Confess Swearing in Cases lawful concerning Oaths, not like G. Fox his bruitish barkings against all his Opposites and any that prate11Change "prate" to "please." R. W. Ms. Ann. may see F. H. yields to A. S. that himself, (and I presume he speaks the mind of all the Quakers) could yield to give a Testmony in weighty Cases, by the Name and in the Name of God, as in the presence of God, and attest or call God to witness, &c. And he saith, that they had offered so to give a Testimony, and that his Opposite Doctour Snalwood, and I think Bishop Gauden so called, assented that this was Substantial and Formal Swearing: only the Ceremonies were enjoyned by Law, to which the Quaker could not yield, but suffer as indeed they have done upon this Account most lamentably in London and Bristol, and all England over.

8. I have much to add both as to that Fancy of Christs end- [60] ing Oaths as Ceremonies, Cases of Swearingand of p. 413Cases that have be…allen my self in the Chancery in England, &c. and of the loss of great Sums which I chose to bear through the Lords help, then yield to the Formality (then and still in use) in Gods worship, though I offered to Swear as F. H. mentions they have done, and the Judges told me they would rest in my Testimony and way of Swearing, but they could not dispence with me without an Act of Parliament.

I believe this highly concerns the high Assembly of Parliament and all Law makers,Sin established by Law, is Sin multiplied and multiplied, Judgement here and for ever. to search well and to appoint a Committee of Searchers to Examine, if the Laws upon new appearances from Heaven have not need of rectifying and some of cancelling for sin against God or the Souls of men established by Law, is like Iereboams making Israel to sin, and most commonly after much patience of God brings double punishment in the end.

The 30th. Instance where G. Fox brings in Tho Moor saying [It is not properly nor in a full sense that God is manifest in the Flesh of his Saints.]30. Thomas Moor.

He Answers, The Saints are the Temple of God, and God dwells in them, and they come to witness the Flesh of Christ. And they glorifie him in their Souls and bodies: And the Lord is glorified in their bringing forth much fruit. And the witness is the Seed, the one offering for sin to be manifest within, and such are not Reprobates, yet witness the one offering Christ Jesus, and them that have not Him within, they are Reprobates.

I Reply, a great Designe of the Devil in all Ages p. 414hath been to Cavil at,The Devils great work in all Ages. and hinder Gods love t… mankind: Hence he plotted and effected Mans Fall from God: God Infinite in wisdome and mercy, out-shoots and out-plots him, and designes a Reconciliation and a Marriage between the Son of God the Prince of Life, and lost mankind: He promised his coming in our Flesh; prefigured Him, prophesied of Him, and in the Fulness of Time sent Him, &c.

Against this Lord Jesus, this old Serpent hisseth and rageth before his Birth, at his Birth, after his Birth, and in all Ages ever since, as fearing the crushing of his Brains, and the downfall of his Throne,Sathans Emissaries to destroy Christ Jesus. if the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus stand: Hence not long after Christs Assention, he stirred up many Anti Christs, [61] Simon Magus and his Followers, the Arrians, the Gnosticks, Cerdonians, Manicheans, &c. the great Anti-Christ of Rome, and since the Reformation, the new Manicheans, those in Luthers and Calvins time called the Spirituals and Libertines, and in our times the Adamites, the Ranters, The person of Christ Jesus the Devils great Eye sore.the Quakers, and all in order to his Dragons war against the person of the Arch-Angel, Michael the word of God, the Individual person, the Man Christ Jesus, and after him all that should dare to follow him.

Some (as the Arians, &c.) have denied him to be so, but Man, and not God; some (as the Manicheans, &c.) deny his Manhood, affirming him to be God, and a Spirit, but, with Christs manhood and the Scriptures, the Devil and the Papists, and the Quakers, (for most of them) could with all their hearts make p. 415an Everlasting parting: The Devils and11Change "and" to "end." R. W. Ms. Ann. is to destroy this Saviour and Salvation to poor lost man: The Quakers pretend their end to be the Exal…ing and glorifying of God in the Flesh of his Saints,The Manicheans the great Opposers of Christs Manhood. therefore some of these Manicheans render his Birth, Life and Death to be only Imaginary, and Allegorical: a Figure of what should be done in, and by Christians: others of them say it is real, but he only lived and died for an Example, others, that he was really so born, he so lived and died, but he is now only within, &c. and after his Flesh no Inquiry.

G. Fox here plays upon the various meaning of the word Flesh. Also he plays upon those holy Scriptures, viz. God is glorified in the Souls and Bodies of his Saints, &c.

This subtle Ionadab he knows also,That Individual Man Christ Jesus must have the preheminence of the only Messiah and Mediator. that the Protestants maintain that the Godhead and the Spirit of God so dwels not in the Souls and Bodies of his Servants as in that Soul and Body of the Lord Jesus. It is true he was not22Erase "not." R. W. Ms Ann. born of a Woman, but against their wills they are forc't to Confess that he was not born of a Wife, but a Virgin, though many Fancies are Coyned about that: They Confess that no man was Father of his fleshly Nature:The Godhead of Christs Body after a Transcendent way. He knows also that the Protestants hold that the Godhead dwels in him, and dwels in him as the great Mediator and Propitiation surety and Undertaker, so as not in any of the Bodies, or all the p. 416Bodies of his Saints, besides, and after a more high Transcendent, and Inconceivable manner.

G. Fox knows that his Opposite intends such a manifestation of God in the Flesh that renders the11Change "the" to "y^t." R. W. Ms. Ann. one single person Christ [62] Jesus the Head of his Church, &c. And that they hold that there is as much difference between that one Individual person Christ Iesus the Head and his Followers, as between our Heads and our Bodies, the King himself and his Body or Subjects, yea, every one singly in particular: yea, as between the Foundation and all the building thereon raised.

Now how poor and lame is it, that because the Saints are Gods Temple,The six great points. therefore they must be God himself: because 1 Tim. 3. Christ dwels in his Saints by believing, Ephes. 3. therefore they are Christ himself:Dreadfully inverted upon the Quakers. Because God in an holy Sense, became Flesh: Therefore our Flesh is God and Christ, therefore will they find those heavenly particulars, 1 Tim. 3. affi…med of that man Christ Jesus to be inverted and dreadfully turned upon their proud and divilish Flesh in this manner, viz. The Devil is manifest in their Flesh, Condemned of the holy Spirit of God: Abhord of the heavenly Angels: The world shall abhor their memory, and except Repentance, they shall descend with all the Enemies of the true Lord Jesus into the Lake that burns with unquenchable Fire and Brimstone.

The 31st. Instance is in pag. 136. where G. Fox p. 417brings in the same Authour saying,136 Thomas Moor [Christ is distinct from every one of us, and without us, and our particular persons.]

He Answers, [The Apostle saith Christ was in them, except they were Reprobates, and they were slesh of his slesh, and of his Bone, and eat his flesh, and drank his Blood, then it was within them, and he is distinct from none but Reprobates who hate the Light.]

I Reply, 1. This and the former look face upon face as in a Glasse, and yet G. Fox herein carries two faces under one hood: A Face for God, and a Face for the Devil; one Face for Christ another for Antichrist. For is it not known by all, that there be divers wayes of eating Christs Flesh and drinking his Blood? Although there be a Mystical and Spiritual feeding upon Christ Jesus his Love, his Passions,Eating Christs Flesh a…d drinking his Blood. his Merits, &c. which we maintain against the bloody Transubstantiators of Rome and Hell, yet can ought but Hellish Bewitching and Impudence conclude, that litterally the Flesh profiteth nothing, and therefore their Flesh is as good as the Flesh of Christ, and their Blood (as some of 63] the Quakers have Printed) is of as much virtue as the Blood shed of the Man Christ Jesus: Hence so many of them contend that Gods Blood,The Foxians horrible pride exalting themselves to be God and Christ Act. 20. and Gods Flesh Redeems us, &c. and their Blood and Sufferings are Gods Flesh and Blood Redeeming, Saving, &c, I know what one of their chief said [He is a Fool that speaks all at once] and I know also, that in the Bottome (which their Herods and11Erase "Herods and." R. W. Ms. Ann. Apostles know better then I) these Foxians are God, p. 418and Christ, and Spirit, and Resurrection, and Life, and Heaven, &c.

2. But for true Believers in Jesus it is enough for them to believe,Christs coming again to them. Ioh. 16. That for a little while he must leave them, and after a little while he would come again to them, even the same Man that left them, that God man, and the Man Christ Iesus.

1. I know these poor Foxians say, that he did come again to them, and I know also that a Man may feel this Lye with a pair of Mittins: For I11Change "I" to "We." R. W. Ms. Ann. know that the Comforter came not to them upon his Resurrection (for then he was forty dayes with them) but after his Assention.

2. Who knows not that the Foxians maintain Christs second coming to be Spiritual, and count all gazing Fools that look after a Man, for he is come anto them in Spirit, and in them he maintains his great Assizes, and now passeth Judgement upon all the Children of Men by them.

3. If these poor filthy Dreamers lived without Food and Evacuations, without Physick (which some of them cry down, and no Physick but Faith) without Procreation,The Foxians natural and spiritual Defilements therefore not God but filthy Dreams. and bringing forth of Children without the filthiness and stinks of Nature; yea without the many thousands of Holy Words, and Thoughts, and Actions omitted, and the many thousand passionate, impertinent, unreasonable discontented Words and Actions, &c. then might we say as the men of Iconium (touching Paul and Barnabas) The Gods are come to us in the likeness of Men, till then we must look upon the Foxians (eating so p. 419Christ his flesh, &c. until they become Christ himself,) as Simple, and Monstrous, and Blasphemous as the Papists in their Foolish, Monstrous and Bloody Transubstantiations.

4. Alas!The Foxians in Calvins time. these are old tricks plaid by the Manicheans in former times, by Quintinus and Pocqueius, &c. in Luther and Calvins time: Did not some thousands of this frantick spirit [64] then, say, is Christ in us? how is he Distinct from us? what need you ask me how I do? can Christ be sick? can Christ do but well? speaking of themselves: But I observe Gods strokes in the World most just & wonderful upon three sorts of persons 1. Voluptuous. Gods strokes in this world wonderful upon three sorts.2. Oppressors and Tyrants. 3. Ringleaders of Blasphemies, 11Change "Blasphemies" to "Blasphemous." R. W. Ms. Ann.Opinions. Let every Soul consider: I can give abundance of Instances of former and later times had I here time and season for it, and were not all Hystories full, &c.

The 32d. Instance is in Pag. 186. where G. Fox brings in Samuel Hamond saying [What warrant have you to go out to the Quakers?186. Samue… Hammond. shall a Man go hear the Iews and Popish Masse because Paul bids try all things? No, No.]

G. Fox Answers [Paul bids us quench not the Spirit, and where the Spirit is not quenched they may try Papists, Iews, Protestants, who quench not the Spirit: But who quench the Spirit and draws people from the Light within, they draw from that they should see withal, then you stuff them up with old Authors and lying stories, as you permit abroad.

p. 420I Reply, 1. And ask of G. Fox and all his Foxians: About true bearing.Have the Papists the Iews or any Idolaters the Holy Spirit of God amongst them, whom we may go to hear God speaking in his own holy Promise, Ordinance and Appointment unto us?

2. May I hear a Papist, or Iew, or any other False Worshippers or Idolaters to try them when I am convinced and satisfied already that they speak not by the Holy Spirit, &c.

3. May I go to Worship God with them who either (as I believe) Worship a False God, or Worship the true and living God, in Wayes and Worships of Mens Inventions and Appointments?

4. May I hear a false Prophet, or be present at any false worship, but with actual reproving of them, and labouring to reduce them to the true God and his most holy Institutions and Appointments?

Upon this Reason I went to the General Ass…mbly of the Quakers at Newport the last year, I queried with them about the true Christ, and the true Spirit: but I was stopt by a sudden Spirit of Prayer in a Woman, and the unseasonable Spirit of Prayer in a man, which forced me to stop, and occasioned me to take this [65] way of offering an appointed and solemn discourse and disputation with them.

5. I ask, may any Soul out of Curiosity go to hear a strange Preacher, in whom I have not Faith, that he is sent from God, &c. especially, if there be not a free liberty for my Queries and Objections, and searchings as the Bereans did?

6. Are there not two great Cautions given, us by p. 421the Spirit of God! Take heed whom you hear: Take heed how you hear, and both of these in reference to Gods worship and mine own Salvation?

7. What do these Foxians mean by the Spirits quenching? What the quenching of the Spirit is.Can the Spirit of God be really quenched, or put out, any more then the Sun in the Heavens by all the water in the Ocean? Is the Spirit of God Metaphorically quenched any other ways then by withdrawing the means or fuel which were to keep the Fire burning that came down from Heaven upon the Altar? why then do these proud, lazie Souls so horribly slight reading, studying Books, yea, Gods Book, as one of their chief said to me, (laying his hand upon the Bible of Iunius, &c. art not thou past these yet? And why do they worship a dumb Devil in their dumb meetings, and stand still and listen, and lie upon their beds of laziness for Revelations and Notions, &c.

8. As for G. Fox his scornful sling against old Authors, Old Authors.what is it but pride and Ingratitude: pride to underval…e, much more to scorn my Progenitors and Ancestors: Ingratitude to God for so many helps, &c. and to them who have laboured and broke the Ice, and left their Labours behind them for the benefit of after Commers: yea, what Injustice, when I disregard and slight their writings, and reproach them, calling them Old Authors, compared with their new Fancies, as W. Edmundson did me frequently at Newport, Old Man, Old Man, &c.

The 33 Instance is in Pag, 206, where he brings in Iohn Burton,John Burton. sading, [It is a Scripture of the Devils making, to apprehend Christ within.]

p. 422He Answers, If there be any other Christ but he, who was Crucified within, he is the false Christ, and the Scriptures hold forth this, and the Devil never made it, but he and his Messengers are against it. And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and [66] Crucified within is a Reprobate, though Devils and Reprobaes may talk of him without.

I Reply, This is the great dispute between the Christians and the Pagans, The g…oat dispute about the true Christ.the Christians and the Iews, the Christians and the Mahumetans, and the Christians among themselves so called, viz. Who is the great Prophet?

2. To what purpose should I alleadge the whole history of the Birth, Life, Death, &c. of the Lord Jesus, since the Quakers acknowledge all true, &c.?

3. Why should I alleadge the Sermons and Preachings, and Writings of the Apostles or Messengers of Christ Iesus after his Ascention, all harmonizing with the four Evangelists, writing his Life and Death, &c.

4. Certain it is, Christ without and withinthat he that shall turn over all the former Relations and Histories, and all the writings and Sermons of the Apostles since, and predicate a Christ that was risen within, Crucified within, (in Opposition to that Iesus of Nazareth without) he must have the Forehead of a Reprobate and Devil, (as G. Fox phrazeth it)

5. G. Fox knows the Protestants predicate (in Life and Death) the believing in Christ Jesus so born,The Protestants belief of Christ. so living and dying: And the applying of the price of his Death and merits unto God for Propitition: p. 423And the Applying of the Promise and new Covenant and Bargain in that Blood for a new Heart, a new Spirit, &c.

6. What shall then become of G. Fox, his believing in a Christ that was Risen and Crucified within, in Opposition to this Lord Jesus so Promised, so Prophesied of, so prefigured, so brought forth, so living and dying, so preached, so believed on, and what a Forehead of Hell must he have that calls all those Reprobates and Devils that talk of Christ without?

The 34th Instance is in pag. 214. where G, Churches in Wales.Fox brings in the Elders and Messengers of several Churches of Ilston, Abergevenny, &c. saying, [We are Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity, &c.]

He Answers, [David doth not say, you who were Conceived in Sin, but I, and W. saith, Iohn was sanctified from the Wombe, and the Scriptures speaks of such as were sanctified from the Wombe, and Children that were clean. And so you do not speak as Elders and [67] Messengers of true Churches, or Men dividing the Word aright, but you are one against another, though you are all against them you call Quakers, that be in the Truth.]

I Reply, 1. In the11Change "the" to "this" R. W. Ms. Ann. passage G. Fox discovers to any Intelligent and Savoury Spirit, not only a weak and deluded Soul,The first Cry of every Chi…d of God. but a Popish and Arminian poyson about the Estate of all mankinde in their first Birth, a strong presumption that he never felt what the woful Estate of all mankinde by Nature is, and p. 424what to Cry out in his own particular, with David, I was Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity, which Cry is one of the first Soul Cries of every Child of God.

2. About 120 years since the Father of Spirits stird up the Spirit of his Famous Servant Calvin to batter down the Babel of a Franciscan Frantick, Whence Devils and wicked men come.who maintained, that God from the first Created both Devils and wicked men in the same Condition of wickedness wherein we now find them: Contrary to the holy Scriptures Testimony (as that Excellent Soul proved) declaring their pure Creation, their Fall, and their respective future Estate and condition to Eternity.

3. In the Reign of our late Royal Sovereign K. Iames it pleased God to let loose this Devil of Pelagius, The low Countries hazard by the Pelagians.who rowzed up the wits of Arminius and his Followers in the low Countries, (during their twelve years Truce with Spain) so that the Civil Discord about this point and other Pelagian and Semi-pelagian Doctrines had almost ruined Holland, &c. but that the Lord mightily assisted them. First, By the personal presence and Forces of the Prince of Orange, and Secondly, By the Famous Assembly and Disputes of the Synod at Dort.

4. To follow the Fox into his Burrough, Davids Conceptions vindicated from G. Foxes Aspersionswhat if David say not you but I? why should the Papists and Arminians, or Foxians have a more holy Birth then David? Wherein could holy David, Father Iesse and his mother be charged? Is not the English of the word Devil Accuser, Reproacher, Slanderer, Is not Nature that Law and Order which the most p. 425Infinite Creator hath set, in the propagation of all his Creatures, though the choicest of them Man be degenerated into the soure Vine, What Nature isat first a sweet Vine, Nature or Gods Order goes on, though mankinde be Corrupted from the Womb, and the Imagination of the Thoughts of mans Heart be only evil and that continually, Gen. 6. and millions of [68] Experiences all the world over Confirm it what the Trade of all mankinde is from the Birth. The Spots of the Leopard, and the Blackness of the Neger comes not by Accident, &c.

6. The perversness and Crookedness of the motions of Nature may continue, though Nature and the Course of it run on, as we see in Rivers turn'd out of their Chanels, in Clocks and Watches, and D…al, and Lutes, and Harps when out of Tune they give their Natural and Artificial (though distempered) Sounds and operations.

7. Beside the holy Testimony of Moses, Gen. 6, and David, Psal. 51. and the Lord Jesus declaring what the heart of man is, Mark 7. How doth Paul, Rom. 5. and 7. declare the Entrance of Sin by the first Man, until by the second Man Sin and Death, and Hell be Conquered, and at last Sin in Gods Children fully dissolved, and abolished?

8. I end this passage with Appellation to all that kn…w what Children are all the world over,The pureness of the sweetest Infants. the sweetest and the fairest born of the holiest and sweetest Parents, how froward, how proud, how Revengeful against their Fathers, Mothers, and most tender Nurses.

1. These rotten and crooked Dispositions in every p. 426Childe bring forth wilde Asses fruits in Youth, of Rebellion against Superiours,The rottenness of nature and of wicked desires of Wine and Women, and fighting and pleasures in persons of greater growth, this rotten Nature appears in their rooting (like Swine) for earthly profits, or preferments, or fighting like Lions & Tygers in Wars and Law-conttntions, and oppressing of Inferio…rs, especially if they dare to reprove or witness their Idolatries, Superstitions and Abominations.

2. The experience of all the Saints of God in the Holy Scripture,The experiences of Gods Saints in Scripture who maintained a Battel between the Flesh and Spirit all their dayes, accordto Gal. 5. A Battel within them, sometimes the Spirit (or new Man, the new Creature, or the Grace of Christ) prevailing, sometimes the Corruption or Rottenness of Nature (like the two Houses of Saul and David) the old Man getting the victory, as we see generally in Abraham, Isaak, Iacob, Moses, Aaron, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon, &c. till we come down to the highest Saints Paul and Peter: the one shamefully again and again vanquished, and the other (Paul) crying [69] out, that the good he would do he did not, and yet when he did evil he had two men within him, the Law of his Spirit Heavenly, and the Law of sin which dwelt within him, …tc. they that know not and feel not this, they are either dead or rotten, and so feel nothing, or if there be any life of God in them, and yet say in the litteral sense they sin not, their weakness is such, that like very low and far gone weak bodies their p. 427Filth and Excrements come from them, but they know nothing of it, nor will believe or acknowledge any such matter.

The 35. Instance is in Pag. 217. where G. Fox brings in Iohn Iackson saying, 217 Ioh… Iackson[False Prophets and Christs, and Deceivers, many should come (if it were possible) to deceive the very Elect.]

He Answers, [Yes, Christ said they should come to the Apostles, which before their Decease they did come, and went forth from them, which Christ said should inwardly Ravin, and get the sheeps cloathing: which since the dayes of the Apostles all the World went after them, as thou maiest read in the Revelations: and now are People but coming from them to the Rock, and now shall the Everlasting Gospel be preached to them that dwell upon the Earth, over the heads of the Beast and their false Prophet, and they shall be taken, and the Lambe, and the Saints shall have the victory.

I Reply, 1. As that great Fox, the Pope of Rome and his Foxians (the Worsh…ppers of that Beast) maintain that Antichrist is not yet come,The great and little Foxes. that so he may scape a scouring, or rather a burning or dashing in pieces, so doth our little Fox, G. Fox and his Foxians cry out another Lurry, [Antichrist why he is come and gone long ago, &c.] As if false Christs might not be then and now too: as if there were no more greedy Wolves to be found then in Act. 20 and no more Sheep-skins for them in Matthew, 7. &c.

The Spirit of God proclaims, 1 Cor. 11. that p. 428there must be Heresies, and Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. that there must be false Teachers, false Prophets, and Damnable Heresies, for the trial of the sincere, &c. And were all the Foxes hunted out and destroyed in the Apostles dayes, and none left since Iohns time to our times to be hunted after and digd out of their Burroughs.

70] Are there none sound, sincere, and chaste to be tried at this day to the Lord Jesus the Heavenly Bridegroom, and to his Eternal King and Father, God blessed to Eternity.11Ends with a "?" not a "period." R. W. Ms. Ann.

2. The Protestants maintain that the Pope or Papacy is the great Antichrist, the Man of Sin, with seven heads and ten horns, &c. why should not the Devil be able to raise besides the Pope, The Heresies of several Ages.the Ceredonians, Valentinnians and the Arians, Manicheans, Gnosticks, &c. and since, or at the beginning of the Reformation, the Quintinians, and Munsterian Mousters? why should he not be able to raise in our time the Nicholaitans and Foxians.

3. It is true that in the times of warm peace, &c. many Vermine breed,Concerning false Christs &c. whom the cold winter of Persecution utterly destroyes. I know also that in the late times of Freedome to mens Opinions in England, Many Opinions and promoters of them arose: Sharp times God hath to make discovery, I know some say that Iudas, and Theudas, and Barchochas, and Rabbi-Iudah, &c. were the false Christs the Lord Jesus spake of: I know also that amongst the Professours of the Christian Name, false Christs p. 429and false Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, &c. must pretend to the Christian Name, also.

4. I know some affirm that though the Pope be Antichrist, yet that he that letted was not the Roman Emperour until he was taken out of the way,Concerning him who letted Antichrists rising but that he that letted was the Holy Spirit to which the Quakers now pretend, which Spirit being taken away the Popes arose: But in the dayes of Iohn when those gifts did most flourish, yet then there were many Antichrists, and the gift of the Holy Spirit did not hinder their rising; so that all ages are full of false Teachers.

5. What Ignorance doth this little Fox, yet great Boaster discover in saying [Now are People coming forth from them, &c.] doth he proudly look over all those Glorious Protestant Witnesses of Jesus, before and since Luther, whose Names many of them, God commanded that Heavenly I. Fox to make Record of.

6. Do the Foxians just now about twenty years preach the everlasting Gospel:The everlasting Gospel Now saith W. Edm. in our discourse we preach the everlasting Gospel to you, that you shall be free from sin, &c. But Gods Spirit tells us in Peter and Iude of pretenders to liberty, while themselves are the Servants of Corruption or Rottenness.

71] 7. Both Jews and Gentiles have done by the Name of Christ as the Jews and Romans with Christ Jesus before they murthered him: they mockd him, &c. and then Murthered him; that so they might be the Heir and Messiah themselves: Just as the great Fox the pope and these little p. 430Foxians pretend to be the sole great Heir apparent to the Crown of Heaven, and all other Rebels and Reprobates against and from their Heavenly Majesties.

The 36. Instance,John Jackson is in page 218. Where G, Fox brings in the same Author saying, [I hope you will not condemn the Generation of the Righteous because they are vot perfect.]

He Answers, That which condemneth is Righteous; it condemns that which is not perfect, and the Generation is Righteous and not to be condemned.

I Reply, He Answers four things: First, that which Condemns is righteous. Secondly, That which is Righteous Condemns that which is not perfect.The horrible pride of the Foxians Thirdly, That which is righteous is perfect. Fourthly, The Generation is Righteous (that is them selves being perfect) and not to be Condemned, the Summe of his Answer is, Himself and his Foxians are Gods, as pure, & holy, as God is, and therefore now keep the Eternal Sessions and Assizes at the Tribunal of their high Court, must all the Generations of the World receive their Eternal Doom and Sentence, I know they know this is the bottom.

1. But stay, this Fox is in his Burrough of Equivocation: for Iudgement is twofold: First, Iudgement Righteous: False appearancesSecondly, According to Appearance, as the Lord Jesus distinguisheth: How many are declared by Appearances to their Eyes, Clouded p. 43111Insert "with." R. W. Ms. Ann.pride, malice, Envy, Lasciviousness, Covetousness, Ambition, &c. And therefore away with the Son of God, hang him, and give us Barrabas, though a Boutefeau and Murtherer, &c.

2. It is not true, that all that is not perfect (in the Foxians Sense) is not Righteous: The word perfect in the greek and HeqrewFor 1. (as hath been before observed) the words Tam and Tomjin in Hebrew, and Telos and Teleios, and Teleion in the Greek, have divers significations, and accordingly, must be, and are translated and expounded, Contrary to the proud Ignorance of these Cheators.

2. The Generation of all Gods Children (in all the holy Scrip- [72] ture) have ever acknowledged their weakness, folly, pride, and many Transgressions, with true Quaking and brokenness, and bitter weeping, &c:

3. In a true Sense,The Saints pardon of Sin and Justification perfect. that which is Righteous is perfect Iustification or Remission of Sin for Christ Jesus sake is perfect, it admits (as they say of no magis & minus) more or less, the truely humble Ethiopian is as truly and perfectly pardoned and Iustified as David himself, and the blessed Mother of the Lord Jesus, the Virgin Mary.

4. We maintain, though pardon of Sin and Justification, and Acceptation with God before Angels, Men and Devils be perfect, and though a poor Child of God be born of God,The Saints battel and daily Combate be past from Death to Life, can not Sin in a Sense, nor suffer the Devil to touch him: yet there remains till Death a Combate to be fought between the Law of the Spirit, and Law of the members, the old Man and the new Man, the Flesh and the Spirit, &c.

p. 4325. Hence (in an holy Sense) Paul saith, it is not I,Heavenly Piradoxes but Sin that dwels in me, that is in my Flesh wherein dwels no good thing, So that David might say in one Sense, It was not I that committed Adultery, and Murther, and Peter say, It was not I that denied my Master with Swearing and Cursing, &c. but the rotten old man and Sin dwelling in me.

He that knows not to untie these Knots,Devilsh T…nents of the Spirituals in Calvins time. and yet prates of Righteousness and perfection: He is proud and foolish, and ignorant, and he will proudly and foolishly sooner or later commit these five great evils.

1. He will not discern what the Generation of the Righteous is.

2. He will say Sin is nothing but Imagination.

3. He will cast wickedness upon God, and say God doth all, and what God doth that is good, therefore no Sin.

4. He must call David and Peter fools for Confessing their Guilt and weeping bitterly, &c.

5. That it is in vain to watch against Sin, and to cry Lord lead us not into Temptation, &c.

In the last place I Affirm (and have made it good) that the Generation of the Papists and Quakers: though so pure in their own eyes,The Papist and Quakers perfection yet they are not cleansed from their filthiness: The Papists are justly charged with Superstition and Idolatry & with drinking the Blood of Saints. And have not the Generation of the Quakers: [73] their Images and Idols also, (as I have manifested) their pride and Ignorance & Idleness in not using means, and their passionate Railings and Cursings? and I believe if p. 433their Spirit get a Sword (what ere they ignorantly prate) they will drink the Blood of all their Enemies as Hereticks, Idolaters, Reprobates, and Devils.

The 37th. Instance is in Pag. 220. wherein G. Fox brings in the Author of Hosanna to the Son of David,220 Hosanna to the Son of David saying, [Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again.]

He Answers, the Scripture speaks of discerning the Eternal Power and Godhead, and that was a thing of the Spirit of God: and the Apostle saith not that they were born again: And yet I say that none knows the things of God but the Spirit of God, and that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewd it to them: For that of God in them was of the Spirit, who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, which brings them to discern the Eternal Power and Godhead.

1 Reply, 1. With Amazement at the dreadful Justice of God hardening this daring Soul for playing away his own Light and the Name of God,G Fox his Judgment from God and the Light which the Lord hath sent him from so many Excellent pens out of which he hath raked nothing but handfuls of Reproaches to fling in the Faces of his best Friends, and turned Truth into Lyes, and poyson to murther himself and others.

2. It is clear, that (as in all Answers to the Quotations of his Opposites which he picks out) that he holds the Contrary to his Opposite, so here viz. That a man may be able to discern the things of God before he be born again.

3. He proves his point from two Scriptures, p. 434Rom. 1. Cor. 2. As to the first, I will not repeat what I have before written as to the Nature of the holy Spirit, his Godhead, his Operations, seven Eyes, & seven Horns, and seven Lamps, his Common workings in all men! his special working in the Elect, Regenerating, Iustifying, Sanctifying, quickning, Comforting,: &c. Nor will I repeat matters concerning the power of Nature in the Philosophers, and all mankinde: Only from this Rom. 1. I observe,

1. That the Eternal Power and Godhead cannot be seen by mortal Eyes.

2. We may reach some mental Light of this Eternal Power [74] and Godhead, by a serious pondering of his works.

3. All mankinde are bound by the Law of their Nature to put forth their utmost in searching after God.Kom. 1. Discussed as to the Eternal Power and Godhead.

4. We may gain a great sight of the Godhead, and yet not see him nor glorifie him, that is love him as Paul, 1 Cor. 8.

5. Natural men until changed and born again of Gods power and Spirit, doe but prate (as the Devils do and tremble) their imaginations are vain, and their foolish hearts are darkened.

6. Yet this sight of God which men and Devils may get of God by their own Remainders of natural Abilities will leave them without excuse whatever Papists, The natural power of men and Devils.Arminians and Quakers talk of Gods requiring no more then he gives, for in Justice God is not bound to give Sampson his Locks or his Eyes when he hath willingly suffered Dalilah and by her the Philistims to cut them off, and pluck them out.

p. 4352. Beside our wils and wisdome are now become Enmity against God, and no man spends equal Care and pains for God, until Gods Spirit in free grace ch…nge and quicken him with what he does for these temporary Dreams and Shadows.

The second Scripture is 1 Cor. 2. viz. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: 1 Cor. 2. as to Gods Spirit discussed.1 Cor 2For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God: For what man knows the things of a man save the Spirit of a man, &c. now we have not received the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God.

In ver. 6. the Spirit of God speaks of a twofold wisdome, first, the wisdome of this world, and the Principles11Change "Principles" to "Princes." R. W. Ms. Ann. of this world which come to nought.Wisdome. Secondly, the wisdome of God in a Mystery, even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory.: Again, ver. 12. God tells us of two Spirits: The Spirit of the world, Secondly, The Spirit of God. Now this woful Cheator finding the word Spirit, Confounds as his Course is all together, and because Gods Spirit regenerates the Corint…ians, and opens to them a glimpse of the Godheads power and wisdom, and Goodness by Pauls preaching, and opens their hearts to it therefore he must also enlighten the world with the same Light, whereas that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, The Case of G Fox and most of his Foxians.and that of Flesh is Flesh; This Change and renewing of the Spirit by the Holy Spirit, I fear G. Fox and most of his Foxians never Experimened, [74] though they enjoy in p. 436common a Light of Nature, though God hath endowed him and many of them with excellent Natural Parts: yea, with a Light from the holy Scripture: yea, with a Light of Experience and common Motions from Gods holy Spirit, and have been lifted up by their own thoughts and others (as Capernaum) up to the Heaven! and therefore my Soul fears (as to most of them) that God will bring them down to Hell with the greater Condemnation.

The 38th Instance is in Pag. 222. where he brings in the same Author saying, 222. Hosanna to the Son of David[Salvation and Faith are the gifts of God distinct from Christ]

He Answers, They are all of him, and from him, and with him, And how is he the Author of Faith in whom it ends, and from whence it comes.]

I Reply, as Potiphars wife cries out against Ioseph:Christs Name hotribly abused and pretends Chastity, so doth this subtle Whoremonger, pretending that all is pure Christ: the Light is Christ, their Hope is Christ, their Faith, their Spirit is Christ himself, yea, the Saints are Christ: No distinction between Christ and them, for they are all of him, from him, and with him?

In short,Colossians 1. Considered.Col 1 I pray the Reader to mind with me the first Chapter to the Colossians, where ver. 1. The Spirit of God declares how Gods Children (poor slaves at first in Sathans Clutches) are Translated from the Kingdome of Darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son: The Nature and admirable Mistery and Excellen-of Christ JesusIn whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins. I know the Foxians turn Christ, yea, his Blood also into a Spirit, a God. How admirably doth the holy Spirit of God declare p. 437the Godhead, or Divinity of Christ Jesus and his Manhood or Humanity, unto ver. 21? out of both which I shall select two or three Attributes of the Lord Jesus.

1. The State of Christianity, amongst many other high Expressions in the Scripture, is here called the Kingdome of Gods dear Son, which argues a distinction from all other Kingdomes, and a distinction from his Saints, as a King is not his Subjects, nor their Gifts and Honours, and Estates, and peace, and Ioy though given by him to them,, and procured by his great wisdome and love for them.

Oh poor Ungrateful Monsters, not content to be taken from [76] the Kingdome, from the Dungeon, of Darkness and Hell, and that by the Ransome and price paid and Blood and Death of his only Beloved the Prince of Life, but we must be the King of Heaven and Prince of Life our selves.

2. I observe,The Blood of Christ. The Blood of God. The Instrumental and purchasing Cause or price, is said to be his Blood, which argues the Infinite value of his Sufferings, in which Respect only it is called the Blood of God: I know the slight esteem that some of these Foxians have of the Blood of the Lord Iesus saying, that wicked men the Souldiers shed it; that it was spilt upon the ground, that there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint: That by Gods blood is only meant godly and heavenly power, and Spirit by which God applies Mercy and pardon, Iustification, Righteousness, &c.

I have read the Blasphemous Discanting of the Iesuit concerning Maries white Milk,The Blood of Christ despised by Papists and Quakers. and Christs p. 438Crimson Blood, & in the close, his preferring the Milk of the Mother before the Sons Blood.

I have heard also the foolish Blasphemy of one of my own Neighbours, saying. That the Blood of the Quakers, and by name of W. B. was Saving and Salvation to the World.

3. But I pass on, The Lord Jesus is here called the Image of the invisible God:Christ the picture of God. If this should respect the Godhead only, which is invisible, how could Christ be a visible Picture of Invisibility? If the Manhood only? is God a Man, and Man his Image or Picture, as the old Heretick, and late in London, Reeves and Mugleton fancied.

The Truth is, as Christs Blood is but figuratively for an Antitipe and fulfilling of all the Figures foregoing him,Christ God and Man. and for all his Sufferings, and many Blood-sheddings both of Minde and Body, so this Image or Picture, this Blessed Lamb of God, consisting of the Godhead, wonderfully assuming such a none such Manhood, both which the Papists and Quakers are forced to confess, I say, it is clear he was the brightest Image or Picture of God to the World that ever God appeared in, and therefore called the Word of God the fullest and loudest of all the Words of God in which ever he spake, &c.

4. Many more I might insist on, but I must abbreviate, and only mention ver. 18. where the Lord Jesus is made the Pallace of [77] the Godhead,Christ Fulness filling all. that in him as the Head of the Body, his Church, should all fulness dwell, reconciling and making peace, through the Blood of his Crosse, &c. Iohn tells us, that of this fulness in him, we receive: all the p. 439World receives the Mercy and Patience of God by him; all his Followers receive his Grace and Spirit, Converting, Sanctifying, Comforting, &c. so that his most holy and glorious Manhood, visible amongst us,A wonderful Conduit. &c. was as a fair and spacious, beautiful Conduit, into which the eternal and inconceivable Counsels of the eternal Power and Godhead flowed, and from whom by all those blessed means and Ordinances, as by so many Cocks turned and let loose, flow and run into poor empty Souls as Pails and Tankards all sorts of mercies to the whole World, and especially to the Elect, and Chosen, his Church and Body that believe in him:The proud phrenzie of the Quakers. what poor Children and Frantick Souls are we then that cry out (poor Pots, and Pails, and Tankards) that we are the Conduit it self; yea, we the Well-head, Fountain and Spring, and (as this frantick Fox in his Book once and again affirms) no distinction between God & Christ & his Saints, yea, though he often acknowledge that Christ is the Author and Finisher of Faith; So that the Gift of God, the words of God, which are his Tokens, Love Tokens, and Love Letters, they are God and Christ, themselves the heavenly Father, and his Son the heavenly Bridegroom.

John the Baptist cried out to all such proud Souls, I am not He, I am not worthy to untie his Shoe Latchet: He it is that Baptizeth with Fire: He is the Lamb of God,The Papists and Quakers Christ &c. He, even that man upon whom he saw the Spirit descending like a Dove, &c. and blessed Paul with Iob, abhors himself, and counts his Holy Life, his Prayers, his Fastings, his Righteousness p. 440Dung and Dirt compared with that of Christ Iesus, in Opposition to that of the Law, &c. In which mud still the most zealous Papists and Quakers stick, and talk idly of their fulfilling of the Law now, by Christs Righteousness, Grace and Spirit in them, which they will at last find to be no more but the first Bargain or Covenant, let them pride themselves never so much in their filthy menstrous Clouts and Rags of Holiness, that is their Christ within them.

The 39th. Instance is in Pag. 223. where he brings in the same Author saying, 223 Hosanna to the Son of David[The Light which discovers Sin and Iniquity [77] in Mans Heart is not Christ the dore] He Answers, [The first Adam was the Dore wh…reon all Sin and Transgression entred: Christ the Light, the second Adam which doth inlighten every man, &c. saith, I am the Dore, the Way, and the Life, which finish Sin and Transgression, and brings in Everlasting Righteousness, and the way of Dife11Change "Dife" to "Life," R. W. Ms. Ann. out of Death, which Light discovers Sin]

I Reply, Edmund Burroughs in his large Epistle to G. Fox thi… h…s Book, he tells us that this Light (which they thus boast of) shews mans threefold Estate,The Estate of mankinde before Transgression: in Transgression and what he is by being saved out of Transgression: It is true, Christ Jesus doth this by many gracious means, but not Immediately, nor to every man that comes into the world: For the World lies in wickedness and Darkness. We are not only bleeding in our wounds, but we are lost in the Wilderness: We are stark dead in Sin, and know no more that we are p. 441dead then a dead man knows of his Condition: what do then these poor deluded Souls tell us of a Light and Christ within every man in the world discovering his pure Estate, his foul Estate, and his raised Estate, which no man or woman in this world that I have read or heard of by Nature had any Spark or shine of such a Light: no nor these proud Ignorants neither, but they have read or heard of these things (more or less) from the holy Scriptures and Records.

2. It is granted,Convictions of Nature one thing, Conversion another that Natures Light discovers a God, some sins a Judgement, as we see in Indians: Education and preaching discovers more, as in Saul, Achitophel, Iudas: The Word and Afflictions makes Pharoah cry out I have sinned: Miracles make Nebuchadnezzar and Darius cry out There is no God so great as Daniels, and to make dreadful Laws against blasphemers of him, though themselves continue in their old Idolatries: yea, doubtless Natures Light is able (in self deceitfulness) wonderfully to Counterfiet true heavenly Light, and the Devil seem an Angel or Messenger of Light from Heaven!

3. What is this to a saving Conviction which Gods Spirit worketh in those that shall be saved,Saving Convictions when they cry out as the wounded Iews, what shall we do to be saved? and as the Gaolour, what shall I do to be saved?: until this saving Sense of my Condition, and Gods Justice, what is Christ, a Physitian, a Saviour, a Redeemer, Bread, Water, Wine and oil to me? All is needless, yea, loathsome, (though an bony Comb) to a full Soul: what talk [78] you of a pardon to an honest man? or if a Rope or Barr to save a secure Epicure in his downe Bed?

p. 4424. Again,The State of Adam in his Fall how poor a plea is this, Adam was the dore to sin, therefore Christ is the dore to the discovery of sin? For, look upon Adam in his Fall. 1. He saw his sin? 2. He had horrour of Conscience: 3. He run from God. 4. He hides himself. 5. He He fals to mincing end excusing his sin. All this is revealed to us, and not a word yet heard of, Christ the promised Seed, or a Light, Christ Jesus to Convince him of sin: That was another work, a saving work, which we may hope the Spirit of God wrought in him upon the preaching of Christ Jesus, the promised Seed …nd Mediatour to come.

5. I know the Song of the great deluder is: Turn to the Light, Sathans Cunning with the Quakershearken to the Light; thou seest it chides thee for thy Stealing, for thy lying, &c. Is not this the Christ, &c. listen to him, be still, sink down, obey him, he will teach thee & save thee, &c. But the Bottom is, the English and meaning is, hearken to Sathan, the God of this world, be ruled and taught, and guided by him,: The Scripture is but a dead Letter, the true Christ is within thee, he will turn thee from these sins, and make thee perfect as God is perfect,Christs coming &c. Christ is come now in us the second Time without sin to Salvation. He is come in us (Ten thousand of his Saints) to Judgement: He within thee is the word of God, the Christ of God, the Light of God, the Spirit of God, God himself, and He seeks Worshippers in Spirit and Truth, for the visible things are temporal, &c

6. But what is there in all this, but the noise of p. 443Fenny bitter in hollow Canes, Two common Traps and Engines of Sathan in cheating the Foxians&c? What is here but that common Businesses may reach to?

1. The Conscience of good and evil which every favage Indian in the world hath.