by no less than 22 Persons of Credit who testifie they have Compared Tho. Hicks his Citations with the Quakers Books out of which they were taken and find them truly cited Thus far Edw. Paye in Vindication of his Brother Tho. Hicks to regain his long since lost Reputation Which I did not think any of the Baptists would have undertaken to defend at this time aday especially since he was so publickly and often detected of many Gross and Notorious Forgeries Besides those few Passages wherein he pretended to clear himself as his 22 Witnesses also attempted who were of his own Party and willing to cover him what they could but all would not do they did but thereby disgrace and defile themselves as we made it plainly appear in a small Treatise Entituled The second Treatise wherein the Forgers Compurgators are Impeached in a strict Examination of divers Citations and doctrinal Matters in their Book Entituled The Quakers Appeal Answered In which Impeachment they are proved both Unfair and False Witnesses as well as Unjust Judges even in Matter of Fact as to Citations But of this Treatise E. Paye takes no notice but is willing to credit and vindicate his Brother Hicks 1. Upon his own Testimony wherein he is Witness only for himself in his own Cause 2. Upon the Credit of his 22 Compurgators who were of his own Party and willing to say as he would have them for a cover to himself whereby they got no good but shame and disgrace as is clearly evinced in the said Second Treatise And many of the said Hicks his deceitful Forgeries are discovered both in our Friends Narratives of the Two Meetings with the Baptists in 1674. And also in our Answers to Hicks one Entituled The Counterfeit Christian and the other Reason against Railing With more Books wherein his Deceits Forgeries and Abuses are detected And therefore the more shame for E. P. thus to credit and justifie Hicks as he has done whom we well knew to be a very Envious Person and so seems this Paye very much to resemble him therein by espousing so many of his Lies as he has done and now has the more pull'd an old House about his Ears by owning Hicks and his Romantick Fictitious Dialogues so much as he has done so that now E. P. is the more bound to stand or fall by Hicks his Dialogues seeing he has so cordially espoused his Interest And by E. P.'s Method of Writing against the People called Quakers we may charge all the Baptists and their Society with Hicks his Dialogues and E. Paye's disingenuous lying Pamphlets But some among them wiser than himself should consider whether his Method may be safe or reputable for them His crediting and quoting Hicks against us who was a bitter and virulent Adversary is somewhat like his quoting J. Faldo's confuted Book stiled Quakerism no Christianity to support his scurrilous Story from the Westmorland Petitioners viz. That Mr. J. Faldo saith How generally were their Meetings viz. the Quakers either silent or taken up with sudden and violent Eruptions of dismal Howllings and horrid Ravings Persons suddenly taken as with the Falling sickness Shaking and Foaming at the Mouth and some lying flat on the Ground as if stark dead p. 15. Here 's a long Question containing strange Stories but never the truer for his Mr. J. Faldo's mis-insinuating them by way of Question neither are Questions Proofs But we who have known our Meetings and the Manner of them all along do know it to be a great untruth That they were generally taken up with those sudden and violent Eruptions or Breakin gs out mentioned though many times silent we grant which is a far different posture from horrid Ravings dismal Howlings Foamings c. But how does your John Faldo make out his Story E. P. tells us viz. And saith Mr. Faldo some Such things as these I have seen and heard Which is short of proving these things according to his general accusation against our Meetings some such things as these are not the same things Then How poorly does E. P. come off against us herein Yet fain thus to fly to our Adversaries Books for such Subterfuges lame Proofs against our Meetings But would the Baptists be so serv'd would they take it well to have Books made out of their Adversaries against them Whereof I could instance not only that stiled The Anabaptist wash'd and wash'd and shrunk in the washing long since writ by Rich. Carpenter Independent probably as much a friend to the People called Anabaptists as John Faldo was to the Quakers or them either and many others of their Adversaries Books against them as E. P. has done against us which I presume these Baptists now would not take well nor accept as proof against them so that in suffering E. P. in such his credulous and unfair Dealing thus to gallop on against us surely they would not be so dealt by E. P.'s Story accusing the Quakers out of Hicks's Dialog 1. Pag. 24 25. with saying as for us had the Scriptures never been we could have known what is therein contained This E. P. saith he hath also heard from their own Mouths Antichrist in Spirit p. 14 15. But in the Name and Behalf of the People called Quakers I deny both Hick's and Paye's Accusation and that he hath heard this from their Mouths This I look on as a Lie of his own making my self and many thousands never spoke those words nor so believed viz. that we could have known what i. e. or whatever all that is therein contained c. we disown the Expressions as they relate to our selves And E. P. has varied and fallen from his own Testimony as 't is general against the Quakers Now to tell us He has heard it from a Quaker himself in p. 18. of his Railings and Slanders So in one Book 't is thus I have also heard from their own Mouths In his other Book 't is I have also heard this from a Quaker my self Thus the Man faulters and varies in his own Evidence to defend a Falshood And his unlearned Questions or rather Challenge he pretends to be grounded on the said false Story against the Quakers they are as impertinent and insincere on his part namely to resolve him what those things were that Jesus did that are not written Joh. 20.25 or what were the the Contents of that Writing on the Ground Joh. 8.6 8. or else let their proud boasting of Immediate Inspirations be condemned to perpetual silence Which is a sad Sentence both unnaturally and unjustly deduced from a Proposition made altogether in a disbelief and contempt of the Matter proposed viz. To resolve all those other unwritten things that Jesus did c. by immediate Inspiration But now the Challenge is altered and abated too Now let him resolve me in some of those things that Jesus did that was not written and what was wrote on the ground and let him or any other Quaker do it either
The Contemned QUAKER AND HIS Christian Religion DEFENDED Against Envy Forgery In Answer to two Abusive Invective PAMPHLETS The One stiled Antichrist in Spirit Vnmasked The Other Railings and Slanders Detected Promoted by some Persons commonly called Anabaptists at Deptford in Kent who have unwarily begun the Contest Jer. 48.30 His lies shall not so effect it LONDON Printed for Tho. Northcott in George-yard in Lombard-street 1692. THE CONTEMNED QUAKER AND HIS Christian Religion defended WHereas in a small Treatise entituled Antichrist in Flesh unmask'd and the Quakers Christianity vindicated from the Malitious and Injurious Attempts of Edward Paye William Alcott and Henry Loader in their late Defaming Confused Book falsly stiled Antichrist in Spirit Vnmask'd I did near the Conclusion of the said Treatise seriously enquire only of William Alcott and Henry Loader in these four Questions following viz. I. Was Edward Paye Deputed and approved by your Congregation or any Select Assembly of Elders or Mininisters of the Baptized People or Churches to Write and Publish his said Book against the People called Quakers or did he do it on his own Authority and Head with your Approbation only II. What Ministers or Elders of your Churches besides your selves did peruse and approve of Edward Paye's said Book before printed and of the Printing thereof to Defame us as a People III. Is the said Edward Paye indeed esteem'd among you and your Society a good Christian a Person of a Godly and Sober Conversation of Sound Judgment Piety and Parts meet to manage Matters of Controversy about Religion IV. Do you intend to stand by him the said Edward Paye in all Matters that he has written in Charge both against certain Persons and against the People called Quakers in his Book Having also given my Reasons for these Questions in the said Treatise Antichrist in Flesh p. 26. Now let it be observ'd that to these Questions I find no answer from the said William Allcot or Henry Loader to whom they were put but a pretended and evasive Answer from Edward Paye himself having only his own Name subscribed a few Lines after but no William Allcot nor Henry Loader subscribed thereto but Edward Paye left to shift for himself and they slunk back for all they highly commended his Work and defamed us in their Commendatory Epistle to his other Pamphlet i. e. Antichrist in Spirit against us And yet as if he had a Plurality of Advocates to answer for him he gives us his slim Answer in the Plural thus viz. We will give an answer to G. W's impertinent Questions though I think they are not worth taking notice of His Questions are four but his Reasons for asking them vanish in answering the first And in the pretended Answer it is said E. P. did Write and Publish his Book by the Approbation of the majority of this Congregation and so he did not do it on his own Head neither did we see it needful to desire the Approbation of others herein though several have approved of it since p. 37 38. But what We are these give this Answer besides Edward Paye we find no Body's Name else to it but his own If by WE will give an Answer neither did we see it needful to desire the Approbation of others be meant William Allcot and Henry Loader why did they not put their Names to it Why do they now shrink back and decline their Brother in his Work seeing the Enquiry was so fairly made of them Can they or Edward Paye either reasonably suppose that we as a People defamed and injured by E. P. will accept of his own Answer or Justification of his perverse Work and himself too and believe that he says true in saying That he did Write and Publish his said Book by the Approbation of the majority of their Congregation at Deptford For my Part I do not believe him herein in Point of Charity I do not suppose the majority of the Congregation or Hearers of the Baptists at Deptford are so grossly corrupted and deluded into Envy and Prejudice as really to believe and approve of such a Bundle of Malicious and Numerous Slanders Forgeries Notorious Lyes Perversions and Abuses as are contain'd and apparent in the said Pamphlet styl'd Antichrist in Spirit by Edward Paye and many of them repeated in his second and highly approved by William Allcott and Henry Loader But if either the majority or minority of their Congregation have given their Approbation for the Writing and Publication thereof as is pretended I and others of us should be very sorry for their sakes that they should be so miserably deluded as not only to believe but approve of the Publication of such gross Slanders and Defamations against their Innocent Neighbours as are contained in the said Pamphlet And that they should be so implicit and blindly credulous of such gross and notorious Falshoods and Reproaches invented by envious Persons and Persecutors And you E. P. W. A. and H. L. who have so far deluded any of your Hearers have much to answer for and a sad account to give before the Righteous Judge of all But now seeing the Writing and Publication of E. P's said Envious Pamphlet i. e. Antichrist in Spirit is at last so far dedicated to the majority of the Baptist's Congregation at Deptford as having their Approbation it may not be unseasonable to shew them and others some of Edward Paye's and William Allcot's notorious Falshoods Slanders and Perversions contained therein and in his last Pamphlet also stiled Railings and Slanders c. which I shall here recite in their own Words as in Charge against them and all that approve or publish them to their Shame and Disgrace The Holy Scriptures this Generation of Men i. e. the Quakers contemn and vilifie Commendatory Epistle by William Allcott and Henry Loader to Antichrist in Spirit and that the Quakers are great Enemies to and Contemners of Holy Scriptures p. 20. This is their General and a most odious Charge which in our very Souls and Consciences in the Sight of God we the said People do utterly deny with Detestation and I find that all their pretended Proofs do fail of any real Proof of the Matter charged the chief whereof being hereafter examin'd more particularly That the Quakers prefer their Lying Pamphlets above the Scriptures p. 9. Their pretended Proof is That G. W. affirms That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scripture and greater p. 11. quoting Apology p. 49. In which Apology no Pamphlets at all are preferred above the Scriptures but the immediate Living Ministry of the Holy Spirit within above the Letter the Divine Inspiration which was before the Scriptures were written for they proceeded from it I am very unfairly and unjustly dealt with in this Charge my Intentions and Words perverted after the Word Scriptures in mine or Chapters are here left out and after the Word Greater all these
following are left out viz. as received and proceeding immediately from that Spirit and spoken in the Sense thereof as Christ's Words were of greater Authority or Power when he spake than the Pharisees reading the Letter and them in whom that Spirit speaks not and their Speaking we deny whereby I did prefer the Spirit in it's Living and Powerful Ministry above the Letter but not a Word of preferring any Pamphlets to the Holy Scriptures God knows it never entred into my Heart to prefer any Pamphlets or Books extant in the World much less Lying Ones before the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament but do prefer and esteem them before all other Books or Writings extant whatsoever When Humphry Smith 's True and Everlasting Rule came in date the Scriptures became no better than an Old Almanack this from a Story of Tho. Hicks against one Tho. Holbrow though we know no such Person Dialogue p. 27. to which Edward Paye c. addeth these Words viz. These are the Men that in their Pamphlets profess so high an Esteem for the Holy Scriptures Antichrist in Spirit p. 13. Pray observe here These Men here accused with esteeming the Scriptures no better than an Old Almanack are therein most wickedly belied and scandaliz'd being those of us who publisht the Paper in Print entituled The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers asserted wherein we sincerely declare the quite contrary to what 's here implicitly charged by E. P. c. against us namely That we do believe and own the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration c. Tho. Hicks in his Dialogue I. p. 24 25. and Edward Paye c. on his Credit Falsly and Wickedly Personate the Quaker thus viz. When we make use of Scripture it is only to Quiet and Stop their Clamours that plead for it as their Rule but for us had the Scriptures never been we could have known what is therein contained I hope quoth Edward Paye the Reader by this may perceive the Reason why the Quakers talk so much of Scripture in their Paper Observe we own not the Scripture we seemingly allow it but our End in this is only to stop their Clamours that plead for it as their Rule You see here quoth E. P. the condescending Spirits of these Men c. Antichrist p. 15. We do in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ utterly deny this Passage and Declaration as laid down in the Quakers Name and Person as no Declaration or Speech made or thus declarable by the Quakers on their Principle but a Horrid Abusive Forgery of Thomas Hicks long since detected and which you Baptists now may be horribly ashamed to bring forth or suffer to be renewed in Print The Names they i. e. the Quakers give the Holy Scriptures viz. No better than an Old Almanack a Dead Carnal Letter p. 18. But on second Consideration E. P. deems it a difficulty to prove that the Quakers do now in the present Tense say The Holy Scriptures are but a Dead or Carnal Letter as his other Pamphlet Raylings p. 23 24. and yet chargeth them in the present Tense with giving such Names to the Holy Scriptures but now 't is a Difficulty to prove his own Charge Among the Names which E. P. falsly chargeth the Quakers to give the Holy Scriptures viz. That they are the Precepts and Traditions of Men p. 18. That Obedience to the Scriptures is the Harlot's Child p. ibid. These are both utterly denyed by us the said People and the pretended Proof of the first is hereafter examined and proved false The latter I really believe could never be so said nor ever was held by the Quakers so to term sincere Obedience to the Holy Scripture but rather to reflect upon an Hypocritical Profession and Imitation of some Shadows and outwardward Things and neglecting the Substance of the New Covenant Dispensation That the Heaven they i. e. the Quakers intend wherein the three Divine Witnesses bear Record is No where else but within their Mortal Corrupt Bodies they intend no other Heaven than what is within them Antichrist in Spirit p. 20 21. This is expressly contrary to our known professed Principle of the omnipresence of God and his Spirit both in Heaven above and in Earth beneath and whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain And I take the Charge to be but E. P's own Consequence which he himself has drrawn from some Words he has partially and mincingly taken up against James Parnell Thomas Lawson Edward Burroughs c. First For a Pretext quoting James Parnell's Book as he calls it Satan's Design Discovered But I know no Bok of James Parnell's so entituled upon the Reviewing the Titles of his Books nor any of the rest quoted that oppose or disown God's Omnipresence much less that the People called Quakers are guilty of any such Charge I would desire E. P. if he will still be so injurious as to reassume this Charge against the People called Quakers that he would yet be so ingenious as fairly and fully to cite the whole Passages of the Authors quoted by him relating to the Matter intended and for Proof of his Charge without his own Consequences and Perversions That if it shall appear that any of them have opposed or denyed the Omnipresence of God or his Eternal Spirit we may shew our dislike thereof But I believe there 's enough in our Friends Books to clear them if honestly viewed and cited and we have great cause to Question and detect his unfair Citations as I have this following Instance against my self for Proof of his said Charge 8. Quoting Dipper plung'd Christ without us is not Scripture Language but the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians Antichrist in Spirit p. 22. But E. P. in his other Pamphlet Railings p. 29. varies in his Repetition of his Charge thus viz. G. W. Dipper plung'd Jesus Christ a Person without us is not Scripture-Language c. Observe here in the one it is Christ without us where after Christ E. P. leaves out God-Man a Person i. e. without us which I said is not Scripture-Language c. In the other it is Jesus Christ a Person without us is not Scriture-Language where after Christ he leaves out God-man again and yet both charged by the same Credulous Person E. P. though both be falsly cited and unjustly charged upon me as mine For to Tho. Hick's strange Phrase viz. Jesus Christ God-man a Person without thee Dial. p. 9. My Answer was This is not Scripture Language but the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians who profess a personal God denying him to be an Infinite Spirit Dipper plung'd p 13. Wherein my Objection was not against the Words Jesus Christ without us for he is both without us and within us but my Question was of the Words God-man a Person without us including God as well as the Man Christ Jesus as
of proving the Charge That G. F. takes the Name to himself he alledges That G. F. is so charged in the Lancaster Petition G. F. is so charged with taking to himself the Name of the Eternal Judge of Quick and Dead Though here E. P. misses again He is there charged That he professeth himself to be the Eternal Judge of the World And who did so charge him But his Persecuting Adversaries in Lancashire whose Charge he denies in the very Title of his Answer thereunto as well as in the Matter viz. The Answer of George Fox to the Matters falsly charged upon him by the Petition and Scedule aforesaid Now Edward Paye mayest thou not be ashamed to make that thy positive Charge to Defame a Person which thou hast but upon Trust from his Adversaries without taking notice of his Defence Was this Justice or any Judicial Course of Passing Judgment before both Parties are heard thinkest thou It seems thou art as Censorious as Credulous to defame others And how knowest thou the Lancaster Petitioners were Men of Credit and Repute that thou shouldest have more Reason to believe the Affirmative of so many than G. F 's Negative And why wast thou so positive in thy Charge as if thou hadst spoken ex certa scientia when now thou art put to it to plead the Credit of thy Authors and for the Reason of thy Belief of their Defamation Now who can think sayest thou that such a Number of Men should agree together in Charging G. Fox with a Falshood Although it is well known that 't is no New nor strange Thing for False Witnesses to arise and joyn together against the Innocent as they did against the Prophets against Christ and his Servants See Psal. 27.12 Matt. 26.60 Act. 6.13 And we have sufficient Instance thereof at Hand How apparent is it that Edward Paye and his Brother William Alcott c. and those that have approved of the Writing and Publication of E. P's Malicious Book stiled Antichrist in Spirit have agreed together as False Witnesses against us in their manifold notorious and gross Falshoods to Defame the People called Quakers That the Quakers do not own the Kingly Office of Christ that Dyed at Jerusalem no more no nor so much neither as the Kingly Office of G. Fox pag. 47 48. We utterly deny this Charge as contrary to our very Intentions and professed Principle The Matter is farther examined hereafter That they deny the Place where Christ our Highpriest is entred which is the Heavens Heb. 4.14 The Quakers deny Christ to be entred into the Glorious Heavens above p. 49. This is a notorious Falshood detected elswhere They deny the Blood of the Sacrifice Christ our High Priest offered upon the Cross and scornful Contempt they have cast upon it p. 50. The Lord who knows the contrary rebuke this Envious Lying Spirit How can they deny the Blood when they have owned it to be a principal Part of that Sacrifice offered for an Attonement The Quakers cannot believe the Priestly or Mediatory Office of Christ because they have no need of a Mediator If they are Perfect c. what need have they of the Mediatory Office of Christ p. 51. This Charge is falsly deduced for our sincerely believing a Perfection without Sin attainable by the Power of Christ in this Life this cannot oppose Christ's Mediatory Office 1. Because 't is by him that we attain unto that Perfection 2. 'T is by him that we must be kept in it 3. It is through him that we enjoy Life Union and Peace with God and receive all our Spiritual Blessings In Christ Jesus See Parnel 's Shield of Truth p. 12. where he calls Water-Baptism a Formal imitation and Invention of Men and so a meer Delusion p. 59. No He does not call Water Baptism so but sprinkling Infants for in the Place cited he saith I received Water upon my Face as my Parents told me which they called Baptism So that J. P. does not call it Baptism no more did the Baptists heretofore Smith's Primmer p. 39. Thy Baptism Bread and Wine rose from the Pope's Invention p. 59. Again the Charge is made far worse in E. P's recital of it viz. Thy Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper are the Pope's Invention See how barefacedly they can lye against the Truth p. 71. I find William Smith wronged in both these Charges and that very grossly in being charged for writing That Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper are the Pope's Invention This is a notorious Forgery for what William Smith renders the Pope's Invention was Sprinkling Water in a Child's Face making the Sign of the Cross in it's Forehead Godfathers and Godmothers to undertake for it Bread and Wine so used and received i.e. by a Sort of Priests and People as the Body and Blood of Christ which they tell them is Broken and shed for them and did not these rise from the Pope's Invention trow ye In opposition to our Belief and Profession of Christ's Merits and Work for the Salvation of Man our Envious Adversaries endeavour to fasten some strange Inconsistencies upon us or Absurdities as I may call them as perversly Stated and Construed by them quite contrary to our said Profession and to insinuate that our Belief of Redemption and Salvation by Christ is neither Redemption of Body nor Soul but only of a lost God and Christ p. 41 42. which are very Foul and Notorious Perversions and Falshoods One Instance E.P. gives is against G.F. about the Soul that it is part of God without Beginning or End and then it needs no Redemption for God did not send his Son to Redeem himself p. 41. This gross Perversion was Thomas Hicks's and now taken upon Credit by these too credulous Anabaptists E. P. W. A. c. But did G. F. say That the Soul of the Creature Man was part of God or of his being without Beginning or End No sure but that Divine Breath or Spirit which God Breathed into Man whereby Man became a Living Soul Wherein is a plain Distinction between that Divine Breath or Spirit of God and the Creature Man or his created Soul as may be seen more at large in G. F's Great Mystery quoted where he speaks of the Soul of Man being in Death in Transgression so Man's Spirit there not Sanctified and declares Christ the Bishop of the Soul Great Mystery p. 91. which therefore needs Redemption by Christ which cannot be said of God or Christ himself that he Needs or Wants Redemption what Gross and Silly Nonsense would that be to affirm These Adversaries may be ashamed of such gross Perversion and Abuse as their thus rendring the Quakers to confound the Being of the Creator and the Creature as if they were one and the same Being Another Instance is against G. Keith Speaking of Christ That he came to Save that which was Lost in Man's Heart and after speaking of Christ's Ministers
to the Civil Governments Belief and Acceptance thereof thereby contradicting and consequently affronting the Government in its Belief and Charity towards us and to set Subjects at Variance and to raise Persecution against us again instead of being humbly thankful for their and our present Liberties The very Nature and Tendency of these their Bitter Lying Invectives being to bring Persecution upon us as a People not to be given any Credit unto in our Solemn Profession before Authority 3. When we have solemnly and sincerely declared to the Government That we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are given by Divine Inspiration two or three Anabaptists so called divulge the contrary to the World in Print c. Unto which E. P. replies viz. to all which I answer 1. We did not know till our Book was published that you had professed this as your Faith before the Parliament The more Shame for you to be so precipitant in your Unjust and Censorious Attempts to the Contrary your Ignorance herein will not excuse your Rashness much less your Falshood in charging us as a People i. e. the Quakers in general with being great Enemies to Vilifyers and Contemners of the Holy Scriptures and now their chief Guides as E. P. terms them and our former Writings directly to oppose and evidently to contradict this Confession of Faith p. 3 4. which is our believing the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration Now I challenge E. Paye and his Abettors W. Allcot and H. L. 1. To produce plain Proof That the People called Quakers do Vilifie the Holy Scriptures This is Matter of Fact charged What Vilifying Terms or Characters hath that People put upon the Holy Scriptures We do in good Conscience still deny the Charge 2. What Expressions of Contempt hath that People put upon the Holy Scriptures it being contrary to our Consciences and Intentions either to Contemn or Vilifie them The Matter of Fact charged ought directly to be proved against us as a People or else retracted and for ever condemned 3. What former Writings of ours or our Ministers do directly Oppose and Contradict this our Profession That we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by Divine Inspiration Where do we the said People or our Ministers declare That the Holy Scriptures were not given by Divine Inspiration or only given by Human Tradition We demand plain Proof of the Indictment or Matters herein charged against us and by us denied E. P. proceeds viz. 2. We must the more admire your Presumptuous Confidence herein that you should so affront the Government except you had at the same Time renounced your former Writings that so evidently contradict it p. 3 4. Both which are still to prove being sincerely denyed by us Our Confidence in what we professed to the Government was from an honest and good Confidence in the Truth of what we professed and not to affront but to answer and satisfie the Government in what was required of us as Christians and under a Christian Profession and therein to be allow'd our just Liberties both as Men and Christians as the Parliament then desired we might approve our selves which Christian Reputation you seek to deprive us of and like Persecuting Incendiaries falsly charge us with affronting the Government in our Profession which God knows was both Sincere and Christian both with respect to the Eternal Deity and the Holy Scriptures E. P. Which way could the Quakers expect to escape being defamed or discredited Why it 's like they did suppose That the Honourable Assembly of Parliament had Matters of greater Moment in Hand than to compare their former Writings with their new Faith So that if we had not concerned our selves to peep into their Writings and compare them with their newly-professed Faith and published this to the World namely That the Quakers former Writings and their late Profession of Faith are as really alike as an Apple to an Oyster and agree as directly as Light and Darkness it had not been known p. 7. Thus far E. P. 'T is very rare to find such a Piece of Presumptuous Proud and Fallacious Insinuation as this implying not only that we dissembled a Profession of our Belief in Words before the Parliament as directly contrary to our former Writing as Light is to Darkness but that the Parliament was drawn into a Mistake or deceived concerning us by such Dissimulation Wherefore to undeceive them and the World concerning us these Adversaries to make themselves wiser than the whole Parliament and every Member thereof have peeped into our former Writings to find out Matter to Defame and Discredit us in our Christian Profession before the Parliament Herein they have acted like Peepers in the Dark but they have peeped to little purpose for a Dark Lying Spirit has attended their Peeping as is clearly in this and our other short Treatise made manifest And that E. P. has but peeped indeed into some of our former Writings and not seriously or honestly read them with due Observation is apparent in his manifold Perversions Mincings and Curtalizings Concerning Primitive Errors and Corrupt Principles in Point of Faith unduly charged upon the Quakers p. 8 9. To the first I answer We never denyed the Scriptures to contain the Words and True Sayings of God whereas Christ is the Word his Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19.9 13. Exod. 20.1 But that they are the Rule that is the only Rule of Faith Life and Practice as he terms them p. 8 17 33. In that we cannot so call them he must excuse us herein until he produce us Plain Scripture that SO calls them though the Holy Scriptures be a Rule of Doctrine subordinate to that Spirit from whence they first came But seeing it is an Article of his Faith That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith c. He had need to produce plain Scripture that SO saith otherwise his Failure therein will be an Indication That the Scriptures are not the only Rule of his Faith because there wants Scripture Proof of this great Article of his Faith and then where 's his Faith 2. Truly I never knew the Quakers affirm the Scriptures to be of NO Use in order to the true Knowledg of God but that the Holy Scriptures are very useful with the help of the Spirit of God 3. I never knew the Quakers hold it a Sin much less of Idolatry to take the Practices of the Saints Recorded Commanded and Continuing Commands in Force in the Scriptures for our Examples and Rules because the Spirit of Truth which is our chief Guide and Rule does not lead to Reject but to Own and Follow its own Precepts and Commands which are in Force in Scripture 4. I have not known it asserted by our Friends That whatever is commanded in Scripture is no Duty to us except we receive the Command by immediate Inspiration as
by a Mediate or Immediate Inspiration or Revelation p. 21. And what follows If by neither of these ways we can resolve him then not to pretend to Immediate Inspiration And yet he himself pretends to Mediate or more Common Gifts of the Spirit and then confusedly tells of the use of these more immediate or common Gifts p. 19 20. And yet by these his pretended more immediate or common Gifts of the Spirit or rather mediate Gifts in his sense I presume he cannot resolve himself his Two Questions before nor can he upon his own Principle either resolve them or be resolved them either by any mediate or immediate Gifts For the immediate he has disclaimed he needs it not he says but pretends the Scriptures to be the Only Rule of Faith By what Rule then should he be resolved what those or any of those other things were that are not written John 20.25 Therefore he has insincerely and temptingly imposed unlearned Questions and Propositions which he does not believe can be resolved to his conviction or satisfaction and thereupon has past unjust Judgment against our having immediate Inspiration yet in contradiction to himself tells us of common and more immediate Gifts and Graces of the Spirit and of the use of these more immediate or common Gifts to help our Infirmities p. 19 20. Altho I presume he would be loath to have his own Judgment and Condemnation against us return'd upon himself on the same condition For 't is certain he that has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his And what are these more immediate Gifts and Graces of the Spirit he pretends to the use of seeing he and his Brethren pretend not to immediate or extraordinary Inspirations p. 19 20. There 's another Contradiction in the Case to prove their Call to Baptize People in Water He saith they have a sufficient Call for it from the Commission of Christ our Great Prophet who is to be heard in all things Matth. 28. Mark 16. and the frequent Examples of his Apostles c. So that we need not immediate Inspirations for our Call or Authority herein p. 21. Ans. Which is to tell us you may take upon you to be Preachers and Baptizers in Water without being inspired by Christ because he gave a Commission to his Disciples to teach all Nations baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost But 1. This is no proof that you are called by Christ to either 2. Here 's no Water mention'd in the Commission 3. And to baptize into that Name is a work of the Spirit attending a living and spiritual Ministry given and authorized by Christ himself which this proves not yours to be no more than that the false Prophets were true and truly commissionated because they said thus saith the Lord when yet God never spoke to them no more than Christ hath spoke to you to Preach and Baptize with Water when as you do both without his immediate Inspiration Commission or Spirit and consequently you do not hear him in all things 4. Neither does it follow that you hear Christ because you Preach and Baptize People in Water by imitation of others whom he sent to Preach and Convert People by his Spirit whereby they did Minister 5. You might as well argue that because Peter James John and Paul c. were Apostles and Ministers of Christ therefore we Edward Paye and William Allcott c. are Ministers of Christ. 6. If Reading Christ's Commission to his Disciples Mat. 28. Mar. 16. be sufficient authority for persons to turn Preachers and then to tell People they hear Christ because they read his said Commission and presume to take it upon them without immediate Inspiration from him why may not the Priests of England c. be his Ministers as well as you and why do you dissent from them Thus we see how you have proved your Call and Authority for what you pretend even as well as any sensual Impostors blind Guides and Deceivers may On Rom. 10.6.7 8. E. P. saith neither did the holy Apostle understand the Word here to be Christ p. 22. Ans. How does he answer the Questions then which the Righteousness of Faith gives answer to Say not in thy Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ from above Or who descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is near thee c. Is this all one as to say the Scripture is near thee even in thy Mouth and Heart Or was the Enquiry after the Scripture Who shall ascend or descend to fetch me the Scriptures No sure Was not the antecedent Question of Christ And surely none can savingly believe with the Heart and in true Faith confess with the Mouth that God hath raised Christ from the dead so as to be saved but by that Living Word of Faith in the Heart which works a true and living Faith therein and therefore that Word of Faith which begets and works this Faith is Christ in Spirit who is the Author of this Faith otherwise the Questions who shall fetch Christ c. are not answered For where with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth maketh Confession unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 he must needs first feel that Living Word of Faith in his Heart to work that Faith in him which produceth that Righteousness in Man which attends Salvation 'T is true that I did complain of E. P.'s injurious way of Writing in accusing us with giving better or higher Titles to our own Books than to the Holy Scripture instancing that of H. Smith's Book where E. P. gave these words only for the Title A True and Everlasting Rule being but the first words of the Title and leaving out the next following in the same Sentence viz. From God discovered This I did deem very disingenuous Now to extenuate and excuse the Offence he asks me Does those Words from God discovered added to The True and Everlasting Rule diminish the Heighth of the Title p. 23. Answ. Yes as the first Part was only by E. P. attributed to the Book contrary to the Design of the Title and Matter contained in the Book to which the Title had plain reference as taken together entirely that True and Everlasting Rule from God discovered being the Holy Spirit the Eternal Light and Manifestation of Christ within or what may be known of God being manifest in Man plainly testified unto in the said Book as that True and Everlasting Rule that was from God discovered so the Perversion and Abuse is plain I think E. P. might have spared his Labour of giving the Reader a Breviate of what he Ironically calls The Sweet Convincing Language the Quakers use to treat their Antagonists withal unless his own Language had been sweeter and more convincing than it is and less Partial and Abusive in his Accusations as to Matter
they know not but what they know naturally as Bruit Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain c. 12. These are Spots in your Feasts of Charity c. 13. Raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame wandring Stars to whom he is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever Many other Instances might be given of the Prophets Christ his Servants and Ministers giving severe Judgment against the Wicked And what think you now do not these Instances contain as much Sharpness of Language and Judgment if not rather more as either the said E. B. or any of our Friends have given their Envious Adversaries and yet 't were not warrantable to compare them to the Muggletonians much less to the Devil's Vileness or prodigious Arrogancy The Lord open these Men's Eyes and soften their hard Hearts and make them more charitable if it may yet stand with his good Pleasure And I perceiving the very same Bitter Envious Spirit of Persecution in these present Adversaries Pamphlet styled Antichrist in Spirit I could do no less than tell them of their Hypocrisy Envy and Bitterness their Turbulent Persecuting Lying Spirit their Gross Lyes and Falshoods c. for which I am not condemned of the Lord nor conscious to my self of Wrong done them for these Evils are apparent in them but really believe the Just God will Rebuke and Judge them and plead our Innocency And seeing Ed. Paye upbraids us with the Sweet Convincing Language of the Quakers I will not so unequally retaliate and say I shall give the Reader a Breviate of the Sweet Convincing Language the Anabaptists use to treat their Antagonists withal But to speak in his Terms of the Sweet Convincing Language which Edw. Paye and his Brethren Will. Allcott and H. Loader have treated the People commonly called Quakers withal in their said Pamphlet Antichrist in Spirit viz. Quakerism a great Delusion their Deceit their pretended Faith proved a Counterfeit Title their Profession a Labyrinth of Confusion a Compound of Heresies corrupt Notions Equivocal Reserves Proud Boastings the Pride and Ignorance of these Impostors these deluded Impostors the Quakers great Enemies to and Contemners of Holy Scriptures The Quakers dream This Generation of Impostors the Quakers who say Behold he Christ is within thee to deceive the Hearts of the Simple Horrid Blasphemy They labour to keep a Christian-Mask over their Anti-Christian Face a Bundle of Blasphemy Could the Devil himself have been more Vile Why should these Impostors talk of the Blood of Christ their Pofession but a Painted and Deceitful Flourish The Quakers Grand Deluders Blasphemous Absurdities By no means their Word must be taken blasphemous Confidence The Title on each Page is Quakerism a great Delusion above 70. times over and Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker 7. times over in three Pages repeated in Derision and set in Opposition to Christ's Doctrine c. The Spirit of Delusion and gross Ignorance in the Quakers These Clouds of Popish Darkness These Men care not for the Scriptures except it be to abuse them A Spirit of Delusion Their impertinent Evasions and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures The Quakers are greatly deluded What Horrid Contradictions and gross Absurdities attend this Spirit of Delusion The Quakers vainly feed themselves with Wind in Imagining that they have the Holy Spirit who rebel against Christ contemn his Blood despise his Ordinances c. With much more such like Treatment in their said Pamphlet in pages 8 16 18 20 24 25 28 29 34 35 37 39 40 43 46 54 55 56 58 62 64 69 70 71 75 76. which as 't is unmerited so it is utterly denyed by us Take a View farther of some of Edw. Pay's Sweet Language he treats us withal to convince us in his Second Pamphlet styled Railings and Slanders detected viz. The Folly and Heresies of the Quakers Quakerism a great Delusion in the Title Slanderous confused Raileries Ill-shapen Cub Your Defects in Truth and Reason Gross and abominable Errors All their Authors Books full of Railings and Blasphemy that they have formerly called it a Doctrine of Devils viz. Justification by Christ's Works Righteousness and Merits which is an abominable Falshood I have seen them Quake and Foam at the Mouth Your Corrupt Notions and Deceivable Gestures Suppose you formerly used to Quake Tremble Roar Swell Foam c. G. W. an old Stickler for Quakerism Mr. J. Faldoe saith How generally were their Meetings either Silent or taken up with sudden and violent Eruptions of dismal Howlings and horrid Ravings Shaking and Foaming at the Mouth c. G. W. is so daringly Confident his Impertinent and Absurd Evasions This small Bundle of Railery written by G. W. Like raging Bears Their Ragings The confused Profession of Faith that G. W. makes p. 1 2 6 7 9 10 11 12 15 22 24 27 28 34. I am not willing to trouble the Reader in this Place with more of E. P's sweet Treatment or rather his sowre scurrilous Contemning and undeserved Detractions he had better have let what he calls the Quakers Sweet Convincing Language alone than to have reflected so scornfully upon us unless his own had been sweeter than 't is and more Convincing and obliging though I confess this his latter Pamphlet is not quite so bad as the other An Examination of those Exceptions and Passages which Edward Paye has set opposite as the Quakers Contradictions of their Profession of Faith in his said Pamphlet styled Railings and Slanders detected Excep SMith's Primmer p. 9. They that are false Ministers preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above p. 29. and not within also nor in Peoples Hearts they preach Christ without and in Heaven only excluding him Men's Hearts as William Smith's Book shews that to be his Intention Excep Your Carnal Christ. Who so wrote and on what occasion We know not But suppose if any Quaker did he struck at some Carnal Imaginations about Christ for the true Christ of God could not be intended for he is a Spiritual Divine and Heavenly Christ. Exc. Your imagined God beyond the Stars Who hath so writ I know not nor on what occasion but if any among us did the Intent was this viz. That the True God is not such a God as you or some Men imagine he is not an imagined God limited or circumscribed only beyond the Stars but is also on this Side the Stars a Real True Infinite and Omnipresent God both in the highest Heavens and lowest Hearts 'T is true I did question some Socinians and Baptists their defining Christ under the Terms of a Personal Being a Human Body and consisting of a Human Body asking them what they meant by Human Body in Heaven And if Human Body be not an Earthly Body Appendix to Reason against Railing printed in 1673. p. 21 22. This is impertinently alledged against me by E. P. p.
and yet I did not call you Anabaptists on that score nor in derision as is wrongfully suggested p. 12. but only for distinction-sake my words at first being the People commonly called Anabaptists p. 1 'T is far from me to design any derision or to put any ridicule upon the People so called from E. Paye's particular abuses for I hope as some of them are more honest than himself so many of them will be ashamed of his malicious Pamphlets tho' he pretends the Approbation of several since p. 38. which we have little cause to credit without their own testimony for some eminent among that People have declared their dislike of his work already And it will be far more for their credit and reputation to stop him from his scribling to defame others than to suffer him to persist therein And as to his Challenging any to charge and prove against him any thing unbecoming a Man and a Christian respecting either Life or Principles Human Frailties excepted p. 38. I ask him if to bear false witness against his Neighbours to belie slander and defame them to take up reproaches against them to pervert and corrupt their words to gather up credit and publish their Adversaries malicious Defamations against them all which E. P. is proved notoriously guilty of be either becoming a Man or a Christian or be to do as he would be done unto What an easie matter is it for a wicked person to write malicious Pamphlets at that rate Or must these Enormities be reputed only as Human Frailties Will his Religion and Conscience allow him to slander to lie to defame others and yet for all that to be a moral Man and good Christian and Minister to others I am sure the just God will not so esteem him nor any one else in such a state Upon a serious View and Observation of the Method which he E. Paye c. has taken up against the People commonly call'd Quakers I find it thus 1. To quote and cite divers of their Adversaries Invectives against them 2. To mis-cite and abuse some of their own Authors Books and Writings against them sometimes leaving out the most emphatical Expressions in the middle and sometimes in the end of a Sentence and many times the most explanatory part of their Answers thereby greatly altering perverting and corrupting matters contrary both to the Authors own Words and Expressions 3. To invent and forge notorious falshoods contrary to our express Christian Profession and Perswasion 4. From such indirect and unjust Premises to draw his own perverse and evil Consequences against the People called Quakers in general to render them and their whole Society and Profession as odious and obnoxious as he can 5. Divers of his Authors to whom he has given credit and whose odious defamations he has raked up against us were persecuting Priests and others of party with them who were as much enemies to the Baptists as to us and long since answered and refuted 6. He is so credulous as he seems to take all for granted that such Adversaries have maliciously writ against us but in many cases takes no notice of our Answers to them and where he doth he is very subject to pervert mince curtailize and abuse them as before Now I am perswaded the Ministers and People of the baptized Societies would not be thus served after such injurious Methods And to me and divers others 't is a wonder that those Ministers and Elders of that Society who appear more discreet and judicious than this injurious Adversary E. P. do not give a severe check to him and put a stop to his perverse and contentious Scribling tending to Strife and to aggravate Divisions and cause Animosities among Neighbours and to make Breaches wider among People and rather seek Peace Mutual Love and Charity among all for I must tell them these crooked Methods which E. P. takes will be no small disrepute and disparagement to them that are of the same Society with him or that own him as a Brother or Minister among them And since in conclusion of his last he has given us a Threat as if he would frighten us That if he be foolishly provoked we may it is like have a quarterly Packet to keep our Fame in remembrance And truly if he will be so foolish as to be foolishly provoked or to make a foolish Provocation the ground of his Packets or Pamphlets against us we shall have little cause to be affrighted or deterred by his Threat from making our Just Defence and now since he has so loudly alarum'd us he has given us occasion to watch him narrowly and warily really believing he 'l make no great earnings of such his undertaking nor advantage of his atchievements but bring Infamy upon himself and an unnecessary Charge upon others and be no small Disparagement to his own Society I have traversed the Controversies long since and I bless God that he has made me a Witness for his Truth and for Christianity in Life and Power even from my Youth upward against Deceit Envy and Hypocrisie that I have seen in these our Adversaries and Opposers what personal Detractions or Reflections I meet withal I value not my Innocence and Christian Conversation being well known to many and my inward Peace with the Lord in my own Conscience but wherein I find the Truth abused and God's Heritage reproached I am constrained in God's holy Fear and Zeal to stand up for Truth and in its Vindication against its Adversaries and Gainsayers and their Contradictions and hope ever shall so long as the Lord gives Life and Ability And I humbly thank the Lord my God who hath hitherto helped and supported me and many more in his Work and Service and in Christian Love and Good-will towards all Men. G. Whitehead The Conclusion I Have hitherto been mostly on the Defensive Part to remove these Adversaries Calumnies and Misrepresentations of our Principles much I have to except against divers of their Unsound Doctrines particularly about the great stress they lay on their Water-Baptism and what they call The Lord's Supper 't is easy to make it appear that they exactly run parallel with the Rhemists in the manner of their defending ther Water-Baptism and the great Weight they place upon it contrary to Scripture and the Doctrine of the Ancient Protestants Please to take a View of some of these Baptists Doctrines and some brief Observations and Questions upon them as followeth 1. That by Baptism i. e. Water-Baptism we must put on Christ and so become Members of his Mystical Body Heirs of the Promise of the Holy Spirit c. Antichrist in Spirit p. 69. Observ. This is Popish Doctrine and contrary-to the Apostle's See 1 Cor. 12 13. 2. That the highest Attainments or greatest Measures of the Holy Spirit do but fit Men for Gospel Ordinances p. 64. Whereof their Water-Baptism is rendred a Sacred or Holy one p. 57 63. Qu. Where doth the Scriptures say That