THE DEVIL THE Greatest Sinner IN THE WORLD: Or, A REPLY to THOMAS POWEL, who calls himself A Minister of the Gospel, yet Affirms, JESUS CHRIST was the Greatest Sinner in the World.  
By JOHN VAUGHTON.  
The Lord frustrateth the Token of the Liars, etc. Isaiah. 44.24, 25.  
He that justifieth the Wicked, and he that condemneth the Just, even they both are Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17.15.  
Printed in the Year, 1676.   

AN Epistle to Thomas powel.  
T. P. here follows a Copy of the Words thou gave under thy Hand, the 29th of the 2d Month, 1676. to J. V.  Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms. 
SInce thy giving forth of the  Words, thou hast published in print a Paper in Vindication of the aforesaid Word●, though thou wast in Love several times desired to condemn them before the printing of the said Paper, & so no more to have been made of them; but thou refusing to do it, put forth thy printed Paper, as aforesaid, to which Paper thou hast received an Answer, entitled, A Vindication of Jesus Christ, etc. to which thou hast replied, still vindicating thy former Words, viz. That Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World; In thy printed Papers thou sayest, by Imputation, but thou saidst not so in thy first Paper. In thy Epistle to thy Book entitled, Mr powel 's Answer, etc. thou sayest, Christ was the greatest of Sinners; I query of thee, whether thou believest the Devil was not, and is not the greatest of Sinners, he being the Original and first Cause of it, by whom it was brought into the World, and by whom it's continued and increased in it? I hope thou wilt not deny but that the Devil is the greatest of Sinners; and dost thou think that the Devil must have no Sin imputed to him, who is the greatest Sinner? dost thou think he must bear no Punishment for the Sin of Mankind, seeing he is the Original and first Cause of it all? Consider of this thou and the Divines of thy Way, and answer in Plainness according to plain Scripture, which you profess to be your Rule, remember what God hath said unto the Serpent or Devil, the greatest of Sinners, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all , and above every Beast of the Field, etc. Here thou may'st see what Punishment God justly brought upon him for leading Man and Woman into Sin; here thou may'st see how God both imputeth Sin to him, and punisheth him for it; and thou may'st consider Christ's Words to the Goats on the left Hand, Mat. 25.41. Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; here again thou may'st see God imputes Sin to the Devil, the greatest of Sinners, the Original of all Sin, and not only to him, but also to his Disciples, and doth and will punish them both for it; John 3. & 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sinneth from the Beginning; for this Purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil (which is Sin) john doth not say, he came to take the Gild of Sin upon him, which is the Devil's Work, but saith, he was manifest to take away our Sins, and in him is no Sin; and john further saith, In this the Children of God are manifest, & the Children of the Devil, whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother, 1 Joh. 3.10. T.P. I would have thee to consider whether thou hast not charged that upon Christ Jesus, the immaculate Lamb of God, which is justly and properly to be charged upon the Devil, to wit, that he was the greatest Sinner in the World; I could rejoice to know thee to come out of that Spiritual Blindness which thou art fallen into through the Delusions of that Evil One, who certainly is the greatest of Sinners, whatever thou or any other may think or say to the contrary.  
And in Order to convince thee of the Falseness of thy Charge against Christ, to wit, That he was the greatest sinner in the World; I ask thee to show by plain Scripture, if thou canst, how Christ can be a Sinner, or the greatest Sinner in the World, and not sin? Sin is the Transgression of the Law of God, Christ did not transgress the Law, but fulfilled it; that which renders Man a Sinner in God's Sight is the transgressing of his holy Law, which the Serpent did when he tempted the Woman to eat of the Tree, which God commanded she should not eat of, he told her a Lie to encourage her to transgress God's Law, and she and the Man did transgress the Law of God in eating that which God had forbidden, and thus they were lead into Sin by him, who is the greatest of Sinners; for he became a Sinner by transgressing the Law of God, and he being the first Sinner, and the Original and first Cause of it in all Mankind, doth justly merit the Name of a Sinner, and not only so, but the greatest of Sinners, by Action and Imputation, and to him belongs the greatest Punishment; and thus the Man and Woman came properly and justly to merit or deserve the Name of Sinners, by transgressing the Law of God, & to have it imputed unto them, or charged upon them, and to be judged, condemned or punished for it in their impenitent and unbelieving State.  
T. P. take notice, that though we deny and oppose thy Charge against Christ, as unscriptural and unsound, when sayst, He waes the greatest Sinner in the World. And in thy Epistle thou sayst, that the Word, He was made Sin for us, many understand, a Sacrifice for Sin, etc. which thou sayst, thou acknowledges to be a Godly Sense; the Godly Sense is the true and right Sense, which Sense we own, and hadst thou kept to this Godly Sense, thou hadst not been opposed by us, but thou giving another Sense contrary to this that is an Ungodly one, and therefore we oppose it; yet we own that holy man Christ Jesus to be that one Offering, who hath perfected forever them who are sanctified; I say, we dearly own him, who offered up himself through the Eternal Spirit, as a Lamb without Spot and Blemish; he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but for the Sins of the whole World, we have received Power from God the Father to preach Forgiveness of Sins that are passed in the Name of Christ Jesus, through the Forbearance of God: John Baptist saith, Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the Sins of the World; be did not say, behold the greatest Sinner in the World, neither did he say, he was guilty of the Sins he took away And so T. P. and thy Brethren, keep to Scripture Language, which is a Form of found Words, which Words were given forth by the holy men, as they were moved by the holy Spirit of God, which Spirit gave them a right Knowledge of God and Christ, and led them to speak right things of God and of Christ, which Spirit thou and thy Brethren being Strangers to, speak wrong things of God and of Christ, and of the Scriptures also, for which in Love to God, Christ, Scriptures, and your immortal Souls, we do justly blame you. Christ saith, I am the Light of the World, he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness (or Ignorance) but he shallhave the Light of Life; Joh. 8.12. he also saith, Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light. Joh. 12.36. We would have you to take Christ's Counsel, believe in the Light, and that will give you the Knowledge of God, Christ and the Scriptures, & will lead you to speak right things of God and Christ, and to live a Godlike and a Christ like Life, and then you and we shall not differ.  
T. P. I have yet mere to say unto thee in Way of just Rebuke for thy unscriptural and ungodlike Words which thou hast given forth in thy Epistle to the aforesaid Book, which take as followeth; thou having affirmed that Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World by Imputation, etc. thou sayest, all that I shall urge in the defence of this great Truth is this, either Christ died justly or unjustly, I mean God the Father in punishing his Son acted therein either justly or unjustly; unjustly, who dares to assert, justly, who dares to deny. & c? T. P. in these Words laid down by thee, thou chargest God with punishing his Son, but how wilt thou prove it? If thou continues of this mind, I would have thee offer us some proof for what thou sayest, if thou canst. which is either Scriptural or Reasonable: By God's punishing his Son, I can understand no other by thy Words here inserted, or any elsewhere in thy Book, than his being spit upon, crowned with Thorns, call●d Beelzebub the Prince of Devils, betrayed, murdered and hanged on a Tree.  
If thou sayest, this was the Punishment wherewith God punished him, than I ask thee, who were the Instruments God made use of in inflicting these punishments upon him? Christ said, He that dippeth his Hand with me in the Dish, the same shall betray me; and after Judas had taken the Sop, Satan entered into him, and he went to the malicious High-Priests and betrayed his Master, and they sent a Band with Swords and Staves to take him; and as Steven said, those bloody High-Priests, Judas and the rest of their Company were the Betrayers and Murderers of him, and they laid their wi●ked Hands upon him, and crucified the Lord of Life, Acts 7.25. Him being delivered by the Determinate Counsel & Foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked Hand, have crucified and slain, Acts 2.25. Now if thou charge these  Cruelties exercised or inflicted upon him as God's punishing his Son; will not this prove thee a Ranter in Principle at least? for dost thou not hereby justify the Devil and all his bloody Train to be God's Servants, and Doers of God's will herein; for I have heard, that some of the rude Ranters have said, that the Devil is God's good Servant; & what dost thou say less? for if all these Cruelties be esteemed PRINCIPALLY God's Act, it's easy to prove from Scripture, that the Devil and wicked Men did inflict those Cruelties upon him; Christ told that bloody Generation, They were of their Father the Devil, and the Lusts (or Works) of their Father they would do, he was a Liar and a M●derer from the Beginning; here thou may'st see that Christ told this bloody Crew, That the Lusts (or Works) of their Father they would do, which Lusts (or Works) was Lying and Murder; Christ did not tell them, that their lying and murdering of him were the Works of God, or his punishing of his Son, but that they were of their Father the Devil. Thou sayest in the same Page, Christ may thank Sin for all his Sufferings, etc. If so, than he might thank the Devil, who is the Author of it (but he i● not worthy of Thanks) this is some of thy dark divining.  
There is another Thing I am not willing to omit, that is in the same page; thou sayest. That Sin set the Father against Christ: It may be thou may●st call this a Thesis, but it is a dark one; it may be thou mayest say, It's D●v●●try, and ●●e Quakers are a Silly Ignorant People, and do not understand it; but come Tho. Powel, thou sayest, Scriptures is thy Ru●●●, show us plain Scripture for it, if thou canst; for t●● Quakers love Scripture very well, and God hath given them the Knowledge of them, and Comfort of them by the Holy Spirit, by which the holy Men were moved to give them forth; Glory to his holy Name for the same, and for all his Blessings and Mercies. Now Christ saith, The Father hath not loft me alone; for I do always those things that please him, John 28.29. and the Father saith of the Son, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him, 2 Pet. 1.17. T. P. I desire thou mayest believe the Father and the Son's Testimony , and Repent of thy dark and unscriptural Affirmation.  
T. P. There is one more dark unscriptural Saying of thine, which I must rebuke thee for; thou sayest in the same page of thy Epistle, the words are, viz. Christ was accounted a Sinner by Wicked Men; but that is not all, he was accounted also a Sinner by his Father.  
Answ. In this Position or Affirmation thou holdest forth, that God and Wicked Men are of one Mind (which never was or can be) Wicked Men say, He cast out Devils by Beelzebub; and said, Say we not well, thou art a Samaritan, and hast a Devil? And Wicked Men told the Blind Man, whose Eyes Christ opened, Christ was a Sinner; and thou sayest, God accounted him also a Sinner, or else (sayest thou) he would not have dealt so severely with him as he did.  
T. P. This is written in Love and Rebuke to thee; and remember that it's written, The Rebukes of a Friend are better than the Kisses of an Enemy.  
John Feild.   

THE DEVIL THE Greatest Sinner IN THE WORLD.  
THat Thomas Powel should call his Pamphlet, An Answer to John Vaughton and John Field, their Fictious Pamphlet, as he doth falsely style it in his Title-page, I might indeed very much admire, but that I do find him grown to a very great height of Confidence or Impudence [that he hath said, That he is satisfied, that neither Christians nor his Aequaintance will give Credit to any thing that the Quakers should say of him, pag. 1.] A notorious Untruth indeed; for many, both Christians and his Acquaintance do believe, That what the Quakers have said of him is true, and he himself is made to confess to much of it, as hereafter I shall make appear; and notwithstanding he doth find fault with that Account that I have given of that Discourse that past between T. P. and myself, which Account given by me I shall stand by; and I could have added something more, that at that time passed between us, which might have tended further to the manifesting of his Folly, but I did not at that time think it material to the Controversy, that was then and is still between us; but inasmuch as he hath undertaken to give forth a Narrative, and to tell his Reader it's a True One (when indeed much of it is false, and its much short of giving an Account of much of our Proceed, and the Fairness of our Deal to him is omitted) but such is the Practice of many, who would assume to themselves the Name of Gospel. Ministers, and pretend to the People, that Scripture is their Rule, and the only Rule of Eaith and Practice; and when we call to them for plain Scripture, for the proving of their Doctrine (though so fundamental that they confide in it, and upon it lay the whole stress of their Salvation) we cannot obtain it; but instead thereof they give us their dark Meanings and feigned (humble Conceivings) and their Hopes (though vain) that its according to it, as this my Adversary hath done, who hath passed over much of the material Passages of my Book, and hath taken no notice of them, and yet, as I said before, calls his Pamphlet an Answer to it; for Proof whereof I refer my Reader to the 8th page of my Book, which is as followeth; But Thomas Powel having now in print declared, that he meant by Imputation, than we must read his words thus, I Thomas powel Minister of the Gospel affirms, Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World (by Imputation) Now T. P. with the rest of the Divines of thy Way, give us plain Scripture that saith, Jesus Christ was by Peter, Paul, or any of the Ministers of the Gospel, affirmed to be the Greatest Sinner in the World by Imputation; and give us plain Scripture that saith, He took the Gild of our ●ins upon him: for though it is said Isa. 53.6. That he laid upon him the Iniquity of us all; or as the Hebrew word hath it, He made the Iniquity of us all to meet on him; or as in the 10th Verse it is said, He was made an Offering for Sin; it doth not say, he was gulity of Sin. Now T. P. give us plain Scripture that saith, Jesus Christ by taking, bearing or suffering for Sinners, that he became guilty of Sin, and that he was the Greatest of Sinners; and give us a plain Scripture that saith, He hath more Sins to answer for then any particular Sinner: For although I have read of the Sins of David, whom I suppose you do believe was an Elect Person, whose Sins were (as in Scripture recorded) Murder and Adultery, yet I do not find by any Testimony of Scripture, that Jesus Christ was guilty of David's Sins, nor of Paul's Sins, who was a Persecutor of him in his Members; nor of Peter's Sin, who denied him. And T. P. I query with thee, Whether thou be an Elect Person, or nay? if yea, then tell me, whether Jesus Christ be guilty of thy Lies, some of which are hereafter mentioned, viz. T.P. affirmed, That he had writ the word Imputation; but the Original being showed, his Lie appeared; and then he said, he had writ the word Imputation, but that John Vaughton 
* Note. After T. P. had writ Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, and had laid the Paper by, and after several words more had passed between us, he said, God made the Devil, and I gave him the same Paper again, and in it he writ, God gave the Devil his Being. And of this I have Witness.  snatched his Paper from him; and this also was and is testified to be a Lye.  
So much of my Book, and more that might be mentioned, he hath not taken notice of it, and it standeth over his Head.  
And now I shall proceed to clear myself from the Lies that he would cast upon me (for they are his and not mine) I shall begin with the first that he charges me with, which is in the 2d. page of his Book; his Words are these, If J. Vaughton had been a Christian he would have done like a Christian, i. e. done me right by acquainting the World, that though Thomas Buy denied the Word Imputation, as spoken by me before, yet he denied not but that it was spoken by me just after it was written. Reader, is not T. P. in a passion thinks thou or void of Understanding, first to note me as a Liar, and then to query whether I am a Christian or no, and at another time to conclude me to be none, and to charge me with doing him wrong, because I did not tell the World that he spoke the Word Imputation after he had written, when he had told the World himself, and had brought his Witness to prove it, a thing that I did not in my Book contradict, that which I contradicted him for was his saying, that he mentioned the Word Imputation before he gave me those Words under his Hand, viz. jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms; so that his saying, and bringing his Witness to prove that he spoke the Word Imoutation before, was and is a Lie, and for his saying, he can produce the Original under T. B's Hand, but this neither proves the Words true, nor I. Vaughton a Liar, as T. P. would have it, who after all his Bustle doth confess, t●at his Witness having called to Mind cannot remember that T. P. had the Word Imputation before, but for all this T. P. makes a great Noise, and in page 3. saith, that he doth not say positively he had it not, and counts john Vaug●ton as a flagitious Relator; what his Witness now saith is not the matter, but what his witness did then confess and acknowledge, that is it I related in the 8th page of my Bo●k, i. e. Thomas Powel did not speak nor mention the Word Imputation before he wrote those Words: Now if this be not a positive Assertion tell me what is one, and then let me know whether thou hast not abused me in accounting me a flagitious Relater, and thy Witness also, by getting desiring or procuring him who cannot read writing to subscribe as a Witness to that which he cannot call to mind, will this evidence pass or be taken by any that's conscientious? but this is T. P's. Witness still, who indeed hath said, he is not willing to have T. Powel run down, but he will help him what he can, though to little purpose, except it be to ensnare himself: So its evident the Lie is between T. Powel and his witness, and I am clear of it, but T. P. saith, to clear him from the ●ie (a thing he would not be guilty on for a World) believe him who will, I cannot so long as I can trace him in them, but T. P. said, that T. B. said to clear him (though he could not remember the Word Imputation before, yet he gave him his Hand freely and voluntarily The greater is his wickedness, if it be so, and he must bear his Burden. Another Lie of John Vaughton's, as he falsely terms it is in the 9th page of my Book where in I make use of William Farrinton's Name, telling my Reader that he said, T. P. was a Liar, and that he had told many Lies about it; though Thomas Powel counts this a Lie, and saith William Farrinton denieth it, yet I can prove it by a witness who heard him speak it, and William Farrinton since hath given it under his Hand that T. P. hath spoken some Untruths about it; I would have this Equivocater to tell me what Difference there is between an Untruth and a Lie; but he saith, that William Farrinton said, If he knew him to be a Liar (which I question not but he doth) yet he would not have told such as the Quakers. What he means by such, I need not much inquire, but that he hath since T. P's Book was written, told the Quakers that T. P. had spoken divers Untruths about it, so that I shall still note T. P. for a L— The third thing that he charges upon me as a Lie, is no Lie of mine; the matter is this, That W. F. upon sight of what T. P. had written, said he would not stand by his Words for 10000 Worlds, and that he should not preach in his Meetinghouse till he had publicly condemned it; did he publicly condemn it before he preached? no such matter, than no Lie of mine; but he saith, 
Note. And W. F. in whose meeting house he preached, did when he had done, stand up and publicly condemned what T. P. brought in Vindication of his Doctrine out of Luther.  that I know that he condemned it in a Sermon; He might be ashamed of his Confiidence, if he is not passed it; for instead of condemning it, he told the People, he hoped he had proved that Evangelical Doctrine, which was, that Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, as he affirmed; the People at that time being desired to turn to their proof to see whether he had done it, many answered No, nor never could; but T. P. tells me, he doth now condemn it, as I in my Ignorance take it, page 4. viz. That he was a Sinner Actually. Why Ignorance? It's Blasphemy to affirm that Christ Jesus was a Sinner by Action or Imputation; for though wicked men did say Christ was a Sinner, yet they could not convince him of Sin; and God doth not impute Christ a Sinner, that never committed Sin, and Christ cannot justly be imputed a Sinner except he had committed Sin; for he only is a Sinner that committeth Sin, which Christ never did, therefore no Sinner by Action nor Imputation in God's account; for it is evident, that Sinners are out of a converted estate, and are in Error, as in James 5.20. Let him know that he that converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Way, shall save a Soul from Death, etc. but Christ Jesus was never in Error, & therefore no Sinner; for God is holy and pure forever, and Christ Jesus is the Brightness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Father's Substance, etc. Heb. 1.3. It is said Mat. 9.14. Christ came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance; if Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, as T. P. hath affirmed, than the greatest Sinner calls the lesser to Repentance, which is absurd. Again, Rom. 5.8. God commended his Love to us in that whilst we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us. If Christ Jesus was the greatest Sinner in the World, as T. P. hath affirmed, than the greatest Sinner died for the lesser, which is contrary to the Apostle Peter's Testimony, as it's recorded in 1 Pet. 3.18. Christ also hath suffered for Sin, the Just for the , that he might bring many to God. Again, James 4.8. Cleanse your Hands ye Sinners, and purify your Hearts ye double minded: So that by this Scripture it doth also appear, that SINNERS are in an unclean Estate, and have need of cleansing, and if the lesser Sinners have Need, much more the greatest, for so T.P. hath affirmed Christ Jesus was: And though he calls himself a Minster of the Gospel, yet is he an Enemy to God and Christ, also a Contradicter of plain Scripture Testimony; and such is his Wickedness against us, that when we have given our Belief of Christ Jesus, and have confessed unto him in all his Manifestation, both within and without, in plain Words, such as our Adversary confesses in themselves good, yet unsavourily, says he, smells a Quakers Rat in them, and he doth also avouch, That all we say concerning Christ without is but a mere Equivocation, vide page 10. of T. P is Book; and yet our Adversaries do confess, though to the Contradiction of themselves, that it is but a reasonable Thing for Persons to give their own Meanings to their own Words; but this reasonable Thing we have not yet obtained from them. The fourth Lie he charges John Vaughton with is, his denying the Quakers to be no Christians: The Quakers are Christians, and Christ is the hope of their Glory, and J. V. no Liar in denying the contrary; and T. P. saith, the Quakers have been proved no Christians, that I deny, except such Quakers as have been of the Forger's making: And for his terming Thomas Hicks an ingenuous Man for undertaking to prove the Quakers Hetrodox, both in Principle and Practice, is a vain Flourish and an empty Boast; for in undertaking that Work he has procured himself a Name that will certainly render him odious to Posterity; and for his Pains and Labour therein, he shall certainly have his Reward with the Liars and Maker of Lies in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone, except he repent: But why doth T. P. say we are DUMB is it not because he is in Consusion; for he tells his Reader, that we drowned him with our Voice, and T. H. may give him the Lie herein, for doth he not know that the Quakers Voice hath been loud enough to prove him a Perverter, a Liar and a Forger. The fifth Lie he charges me with is, my denying that to be our Principle, which (he saith) we have so often declared, viz. Christ died only as an Example; I deny that it is our Principle, or that we have often declared that Christ died only as an Example; for we do own (and ever did) that Jesus Christ was an Offering or a Sacrifice for Sin, And he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but for the Sins of the whole World, 1 John 2.2.  
And for T. P's saying, That the Quakers are conscious to themselves, that they are no Christians, is surely a Lie of his own coining.  
Now having cleared myself from his Lies, which he would have made mine, I shall take a little notice of his Passage, wherein he tells his Reader, He shall make him Smile, by which those that are serious may see what Spirit this Man is of, who scoffs at Revelation, and makes ado about my going (as he saith) into the Country when he was at London, and there was neither Preacher nor People. Now I declare, and that in Truth, That at that time I went into the Country to a Meeting of our Friends, and I being told that it was T. P's Day to be there, according to his usunl manner, and having Time enough before our Meeting to go to his Meeting, I did go, not upon Revelation after that manner as he would insinnate, but upon the Information, as I had before; and when I came to his Meeting, I was told that he altered his Day on that day I was there before, whether it was to prevent my meeting with him or not, I shall leave: & I do say, that we do not place our going to inquire for a Place or Person upon Immediate Revelation. And I shall refer my Reader to that Passage of his to his Reader, that saith, They made us who were a great People, to desert our Place, whether we met with him and his People or no: So that I have good Cause still to trust in the Revelation of God's Power, which did not only confound and drive him away from disturbing 
‖ Note. T. P. came into his Meeting when I was speaking to the People in the Fear of God, and the People were generally still; and after he came in, he endeavoured to stir up the Bad, but the Lord's Power was with us, and T. P. went away, and took the roughest of the People with him, & then we had a Peaceable and a Quiet Meeting for about Three Hours, and though he tells his Reader, That we were so rude, that one would have thought that we came out of a Bear-Garden. Yet I say, this is a great Untruth, for such Behaviour was not on our Parts, who were sober, and kept in God's Fear, and to Scriptural Expressions, but on thine, whose saying to one of us, when at thy Meeting, was, Sirrah, come down; which I am sure savours more of a Bear Garden Expression, then of a Minister's of Christ Jesus. And thou further saidst at that time, and in thy Book since avouchest, That we deserve to be whiped, scourged, and put in the Stocks; by which people may see, was thy Power as great as thy Will, that Whipping, Scourging, and putting us in the Stocks should be the Weapons or Arguments that thou wouldst use instead of the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and true Ministers Weapons) So that its manifest, that a Measure of the old persecuting spirit, that ever was a Mark of the false Church and her Ministers, hath entered thee; but thy Horn is too short. We were sober, and kept in God's Fear, and the Rudeness was with him, and those that followed him, of whom I do say, Except they come to Repent, and turn from the Evil of their Do, they cannot lay down their Heads in Peace: For it is not every one that cries Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven.  of us, and hindering the Testimony which God had put into our Hearts that day, but also settled the minds of the greatest number of the people, and the Hearts of many were tendered; and I hope the Sense that a Remnant had of God's immediate Power, will be as an Engagement for them to wait daily for to feel the same, that so their Hearts may be engaged unto the Lord, and that his Fear may be ever placed in their Hearts, that they may know him to be to them as a Fountain of Life, to keep them from the Snares of Death.  
And for Thomas Powell's Railing against me, and calling me False Prophet, and pronouncing me accursed, and such like Expressions, comes from the Heat of his Spirit, and so may justly be reckoned amongst his Bedridden Performances, and his Flyblown Duties, as he calls them, which Phrases (he says) Christians understand very well. I would have T. P. to tell me, Whether the Spirit of God leads to such Performances and Duties, or the spirit of Satan? And mayst not thou be ashamed to take Money of People for such Duties and Performances? Well, God's Hand is against thee and thy Practice; and it had been better for thee to have stood still, as I have formerly told thee, and to have known God's Salvation, and his Power to have kept thee from venting forth such Bedridden and Fly blown Stuff; and if thy best Performances be such, what is the worst?  
And T. P. in his 5th Page saith, He shall first consider the Title of my Book, which is this, A Vindication of Jesus Christ, the Immaculate Lamb of God. Note, He leaves out what I vindicate him from, which was from the Foul and Blasphemous Imputation of one Thomas powel, a Preacher among the Independents, who affirmed, 
* Note, It was not a Position, as he would insinuate; but it was an Affirmation.  That Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World; he takes no notice of it, as though it concerned him not, and yet he calls his Book an Answer to mine; surely he still persists in Lying, notwithstanding I warned him to the contrary.  
But he goes on, and says, He admires at my Confidence, to style my Book A Vindication of Christ Jesus; if I had not been a Quaker (he says) it had been something. What! is it nothing now? or, is it become a Crime for a Quaker to vindicate Christ Jesus from such foul and blasphemous Expressions, as he hath uttered? and is his admiring at it, and his saying, He cannot believe it, and calling my Title but a Pretence, and a Bait to catch poor Souls, a sufficient thing to prove it so? But it is no Wonder why the Man is grown to such a Degree of Incredulity as to believe after this rate, seeing he excludes having any Dependency on Christ within, as the Quakers own him; and how do the Quakers own him as to his inward Appearance? To be the True Light that Lighteth every man that cometh into the World.  
And T. P. says, We say we own every Principle of the Christian-Religion. Is that become a Crime in this pretended Minister's Account? It's very probable it is so; for he tells his Reader, That our owning Christ, or any other Principle of Religion, to be a mere Mystical Romance; and that we own such a Christ as Vnchrist's Christ; such kind of Stuff and Matter as its like he has learned from Thomas Hicks the Forger (and the rest of his Brethren) he communicates to his Reader, instead of bringing plain Scripture to clear himself from his soul and blasphemous Charge of Sin to Christ. I need not much enlarge to prove we own Christ Jesus, or ourselves Christians, seeing it never entered into the Hearts, nor was ever the Doctrine of any of the Leading-Quakers, as he terms them, to Deny Christ Jesus in any of his Appearances or Manifestations, whether within or without; and though Men in their prejudiced Spirits do judge us as Denyers of Christ Jesus: Yet be it known unto all, That we expect Salvation and Redemption by no other Thing or Means whatsoever, then by that Christ Jesus declared of and born witness unto in the Holy Scriptures: But if our Adversaries, and men of corrupt Minds, who are satisfied in their Bedridden Performances, and their Duties Flyblown with Sin cannot believe us, be it known unto them, That we never did go about to impose a Belief upon any without inward Conviction; but we still did and do commit our Testimony to the Witness of God in the Consciences of all men, knowing that it is God only that can persuade the Hearts of men and Women to love the Truth, and to walk in Subjection thereunto.  
The next thing I shall take notice of is in the 6th page of my Adversary's Book, his words are these; They acknowledge such a Christ as Vnchrists Christ; for his Proof he hath these words, They deny him to be God Man in one Person, they deny him to be a Distinct Person from the Person of the Father, and they deny him also to be a Distinct Person from any of his Members.  
We own God, the man Christ Jesus, by whom God will judge the Secrets of all Hearts, and the true Unity and Fellowship, as they owned them that writ the Scriptures, howbeit we confess, both that Christ after the Flesh was born of the Virgin Mary, yet is God over all blessed forever, that the Father is greater than the Son, and yet one; and that Christ is Head and Lord of his People, yet one with his People; but for T. P's School-Distinctions, and School-Gibberish we shall not trouble ourselves therewith; for his Words are not according to the Form of sound Words laid down in the Scripture, yet he pretends the Scripture to be his Rule.  
If any desire further Satisfaction concerning us in the matter above hinted at, they may peruse these Books entitled, The Divinity of Christ asserted; The Christian-Quaker; and Quakerism a new Nick Name for old Christianity.  
And for his saying, that it had been better for me to have entitled my Book, No Christ but Conscience; and in this, said he, thou wouldst have been true to thy principle. Here's a notorious Untruth; for we never preached such a Christ as could be defiled with sin; but Conscience may be defiled, and may be seared, and if this be his State, Woe and misery will be his Portion, notwithstanding his Imagination of Christ's Righteousness to be his, and his Sin Christ's. And to proceed he saith and avouches that the Discourse between us, save a passage or two was feigned, page 6. of his Pamphlet; in which he saith, I relate this as our greeting one another, i. e. you Quakers hold damnable and erroneous Doctrines; And to prove him a L— in this I refer my Reader to the 3d page of my Book, and the Title of that part of the Discourse which passed between us; my words are these, Something of a Discourse, etc. not all, nor yet our greeting; for he having formerly given me a Book, wherein he pretends he discoursed the Devil? and that he had almost persuaded him to believe he was the true God; the thing seemed to be fictious; but however, I asked him, whether the thing was real? and whether he had seen the Devil? if he had, after what manner? he said, He was clothed with black like a Minister; I queried, how he knew that he was the Devil? he said, he asked him whether he created the Heavens and the Earth; and he said, Yea, and you too; by this (said he) I knew him to be the Devil: my answer to him was this, how doth this prove him to be the Devil? for he that did create the Heavens and Earth, and gave man Life, Breath and Being was and is the true God; but T. P. said, He told me also, that him whom I and the greatest part of the World worshipped was not the true God, and by this also I knew him to be the Devil: How doth this prove him to be the Devil? waste not thou at that time in Distraction? he said, he w●s, than said I, thou couldst not worship the true God; for a man must first know him before he can worship him; & then he in his Fierceness breaks forth and said, You Quakers hold damnable and erroneous Doctrines: And though he saith, the Discourse is fictious both in its Dependency, and in its Matter; yet I do affirm, that the Discourse that past between us, his Questions and my Answers, and my Questions and his Answers are placed in my Book according as they were spoken; and if I had done otherwise, it had been somewhat like that notable Forger Tho. Hicks, a man so much in his Esteem for his Dexterity in such matters, that he counted him a Divine in the presence of the People at his Meeting in Hartford Shire; but T. H. gives him the Lie, and in plain Words said, I am no Divine; if T. P. thinks that I have placed this passage of T. H. and his upon my Memory only, he will be mistaken; for I have it, and much more of that days work in writing from divers Persons who took it in short Hand from their Mouths.  
One thing more I shall take notice of, that is, his telling his Reader, He durst not enter into Disputation with us on the Lord's Day, yet notwithstanding he sends me a Challenge to meet him (on that Day he calls the Lords Day) and procures T. Hieks to help him; the Words of his Challenge I thought meet to insert, to the End that his Brethren might see what Attempts this late upstart Preacher, though in vain, doth make, who threatened, with one more, in one day, to shake our Foundation quite down, which is more than all his Brethren have, could, or ever shall do. The Words of Thomas Powel's Challenge are, viz.  
John Vaughton, I expect thee for to make good what thou hast fathered up on me next Sabbath Day at my Meeting in the Country; I shall be sure to be there, and another with me, where I with him shall shake your Foundation quite down; for it is sandy, and I perceive you are upon your last Legs already; this day I go into the Country, being the 31. of August to prepare myself for expelling that Soul-damning Doctrine which thou hast vented in the poor Country; thy Friend Tho. Powel.  
By this People may see the notorious Falseness of this man, who challenges me into the Gountry, & yet would insinuate into his Reader, that we assaulted him, dogged him, and followed him into all places, when I can truly say, that since this Controversy hath depended between us, that neither I, nor the Friends concerned with me, have followed him into no other place but public Meetings; but the Spirit of Cain having entered him, from whence his Fear comes, which makes him to say, he dare not go alone.  
Now you Divines of his way consider, whether Tho. Powel be a Gospel-Minister, or a false Prophet, and (take his own Phrase) run on the Devil's Errand? But for our Foundation, it stands sure, notwithstanding his Attempts, and the Skirmisher's too.  
I have also taken Notice of a Marginal Note in Page 6. of his Book, his Words are these, Reader, if thou believest that this Discourse passed between J. V. and myself, thou must value his Memory at an high Rate; but I am apt to think that his Memory is as fallible as yours and mine, though he had the Confidence to tell me that he was perfect: A Forger indeed, I never told Tho. Powel that I was perfect; he would insinuate into his Reader, that the Discourse was feigned, from his Supposition of the Fallibility of my Memory, his Thoughts of the Fallibleness of my Memory is no Proof of the Discourse feigned; and for the Fallibility of his Memory I have an Instance, that he said, I told him I was perfect, which Words he never had from my Mouth; for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus; and the Doctrine of Perfection is the Doctrine of Christ, and they that oppose it are Anti-christ, and the State of Sanctification, through the Spirit of God, I do believe is attainable on this Side the Grave; for I do declare that I have no Faith in the Papist Purgatory, though our Adversaries number us amongst them: And in page 7. he notes me for a Liar, in saying he said, Burn the Bible; hear his Proof. Mr Buy my Witness doth also attest, that as far as he remembers, I said no such Word, but away with the Bible, which was the Words I spoke, I very well remember. Must the fallible Memories of T. P. and his Witness go for a Proof, and I from thence termed a Liar; no such Matter, for I have a Witness that heard, and can very well remember that T. P. said, Burn the Bible more than once or twice. And in page 10. he avoucheth, That one of the Quakers Principles is, that all except themselves shall be confounded and damned; this he brings for the Vindication of his former Assertion that he had given in the Name of the Quakers, in Answer to a young Man that put this Query, Seeing you are but a People of about 25 Years standing, and you say that your Way is the right Way, what became of the People that died before you were a People? they (said T. P.) believe they are all damned; This he would not have imputed to his Envy and Malice, but to his Judgement, and that Judgement (he saith) is grounded from an underiable Consequence, that resulteth from several Phrases scattered up and down in their own Books; one that he mentions is this, that their Way is the only Way; Now how doth this prove, that our Saying Christ Our Way is the only Way, to be determined as our Belief, that all that died before we were a People are damned? for we do believe the Way of God, which is but one, was in all Generations, and that there was a Remnant that walked in this Way, and found Acceptance with him, and this Way was and is Christ, who is the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and this Light is not Conscience (as he would wickedly insinuate) but it shines in the Hearts and Consciences of all the Sons and Daughters of Men, to discover and make manifest those Things that are Evil; and they that receive it in this its Manifestation, come to know the Power and Sufficiency of him who said, I am the Light of the World, he that believes in me shall not abide in Darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.  
And my Adversary talks of several Quakers Books, yet he says, He hath but one Quakers Book in his Study, i. e. a Catechism of G. F. and (he says) it's to his Purpose, he quotes it thus, Quest. Father, Are Jews, and Gentiles, and Christians that do not believe in the Light, that which doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World, all out of him who is the Life, the Light of Men? Answer, Yea Child: From these Words this passionate Man falls a railing, and says, It's a Hellish Book, and that the Principles contained in G. F 's Catechism are Principles that the Devil in Hell hath hatched; ergo, Soul-damning Principles. Principles that are of the Devil's making, or hatching, as he phrases it, are Soul damning; but that G. F's Words are of the Devil's hatching, that I deny; for they are in themselves safe and sure; for how can People be in him, i. e. Christ the Light, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and not believe in him? and if not in him, than out of him; and this is no ways to his Purpose (as he said it was) to prove that we believe that all were damned that were before we were a People, or that our Principles are Soul-damning: And now I come to my Adverversary perfect Confirmation of his Assertion (as he calls it) which seems to be very fictious; but however hear it, page 8. he saith, For a perfect Confirmation of my Assertion, viz. That the Quakers do hold, that all who die not in Belief of their Principles shall be damned; see in this ensuing Relation that I shall stand by; Once a Maiden-Acquaintance of mine was courted by a zealous Quaker, who during the Time he was Suitor, had prevailed with her to go with him to hear his Friends, scil. Quakers, and that once or twice; at last he demandeth of her how she liked them? she answered worse and worse, which occasioned him to break off from her, and withal to say, that if she heard any other, she would certainly be damned. Would T. P. and his Brethren have their Faith and Principles be concluded and determined Damnable from the Words of one Man? Certainly no, and that such an one as they have not so much as the Knowledge of his Name; but this is perfect Confirmation (as he calls it) not to mention his imperfect Ones) But I shall at this Time leave it amongst his Flyblown Stuff. And he tells his Reader, He hath preached almost three Years for only Charges defrayed: But I may take Leave to tell him, that that doth not clear him from preaching for what he could get; but if his Charges were so great every time he went into the Country, as it was that Day he met with the Country-Priest he told me of, and two of his Companions at a Tavern, where after their Friendship, threatened to kill him for preaching against the Papists; and as they were going to have him to the Place of Execution, which was upon a Bed he having about five Pounds in his Pocket, as he himself related, it tumbled out, of which he said, It was as the Ram that appeared for the saving of Isaac, to save him from being executed by them; for after they perceived his Money, they consulted and agreed to save his Life; but it may be supposed, if this Story of his be true, that he had taken so much of the Vintner's sweet Wine that he was not in his Right Senses; for he also said, They put him into a Coach, and set him down at the Stocks Market London, and that he knows not the Persons, Tavern nor Street where this thing was done.  
To his Reader I take notice of these Passages, where he saith, viz. The Father accounted Christ a Sinner— and that the Father punished his Son, or inflicted Punishment upon his Son— Sin set the Father against Christ— that Christ's Sufferings are penal— God the Father punishing his Son— and that Christ suffered justly. For these Say, I desire thee, or any of thy Divines to give me plain Scripture for, seeing you call it your Rule; and give us no more your Corrupt Meanings upon it, neither your Feigned Humble Conceiving, nor Vain Imagination, but let it be plain Scripture itself.  
Here follows some of T. P's brief seasonable, soul-affectionate and good Advice, as he calls it, unto the Principal Leaders of the Quakers, etc. O profligate flagitious Wretches! that must imbrue your Hands in the Blood of Souls, that you cannot go to Hell alone, but you must have Company with you— O ye Promulgaters of Errors— Leaders of a great many to Hell, etc. This with much more Stuff that is flyblown with Sin, as he saith his Holy Duties are, who also says, Our Books have Croaking Toads, and Creaking Vipers, that swarms therein, etc. Which Expressions of his savour more of Railing Rabshekah's spirit, then of the Meek Spirit of Jesus.  
Thomas powel, thou in thy Postscript having desired us to clear ourselves from those notorious Lies and Forgeries that thou hast charged us with; I have done it, and do return them upon thee and thy Witness, with the rest of thy Confederates, to whom they do belong.  
And T. P. as to the Promise that Thomas Hicks hath made thee, it will be unsafe for thee to give Credit to it, or to conside in it; for that which he hath promised thee is a Work too ponderous for him, to wit, to prove the Quakers No Christians, and their Religion a Cheat; for Gog and all his great Army cannot do it. Moreover, Thomas Hicks of all men should cease boasting of what Help he will minister to thee or others, seeing he hath undertaken more Work of his own already, than himself or any other that he has brought for his Assistance could perform; the Task he hath already undertaken lieth still at kiss Door.  
JOHN VAUGHTON.   

Postscript.  
CHrist Jesus was the Father's free Gift, as it is said, God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son a Light into the World, that whosoever bolieveth in him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life; so that Christ Jesus was not bound or forced, for saith he, I lay down my Life freely; so that it was his free Love; and will the Professors now, after all their seeming & pretended Love to him, brand him with being guilty of their Sins? Well, we do say, he is not guilty of any man's Sin, but hath all power in Heaven and Earth-committed unto him, and can pardon Sin without being guilty of it, and is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World; and the Father hath committed this Power unto him, and he doth not charge his Son with the guilt of the World's Sins; therefore T. P. and the rest of the Divines of thy Way, repent of your Evil, and of all your hard Speeches which you have uttered against the Spotless Lamb of God, and those that follow him in the Regeneration, and content not yourselves in saying, your Sins are imputed Christ's, and his Righteousness imputed yours, whilst you are in the Act of Sin and Rebelling against his Spirit; for this Covering, or vain talking will be too short in the Day of the Lord, that hastens to be revealed against all Unrighteousness of Men, who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness, or make a Profession of Christ the Truth, and live still in the Unrighteousness, and in the Sin, and in Rebellion against God's Light and Spirit, which, makes Sin manifest, and reproves for it in the very Heart, where Sin hath been and is committed; and this Light many of you have been calling with many opprobrious Names and Terms, for which you must repent, or else you cannot lay down your Heads in Peace, that is the Word of Truth unto you all, whether you will hear or forbear.  
John Vaught●on.   

Thomas Firth's Testimony to the Truth of so much of the Discourse that past between Thomas powel and John Vaughton, as was printed in J. V's Book Entitled, A Vindication of Christ Jesus, etc.  
WHereas Thomas Powel relates, That the Discourse in the aforesaid Book was Feigned or Fictious, save a Passage or two; I, who was an Eye and Earwitness, do affirm it to be True, as it is there related and I have Unity with the publishing of it.  
Thomas Firth.  
THE END.