Quakerism is Paganism BY W. L's Confession In a BOOK Directed to Mr. N. L. Citizen of London OR Twelve of the Quakers Opinions called by W. L. The Twelve Pagan Principles or Opinions for which the Quakers are opposed to Christians Examined and Presented to WILLIAM PENN By W. R. a Lover of CHRISTIANITY Is this thy kindness to thy Friend desiring to be a Teacher of the Law understanding neither what thou sayest nor whereof thou affirmest 2 Sam. 16. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 7. Tuum Testimonium quod in aliena releve est id in tua quoniam contra te est gravissimum esse debet Cicero Orat. Pro. L. Q. p. 12. Thy Testimony which is but light and frivolous in anothers Cause yet is weighty in thine own when it 's against thy self LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1674. QUAKERISM is PAGANISM By W. L's Confession c. OR Twelve of the Quakers Opinions Examined and presented TO WILLIAM PENN SIR AS I design not to traduce the Person of any Man nor wrong him in his Sentiments about Religion much less your self in this Undertaking having a high 〈◊〉 of those natural and acquired Parts which manifest themselves more conspicuously in you than in many others of your Friends But these being alon◠〈◊〉 but Meteors adding Blaze little of true Brightness They have an umbrage of Grandeur not a Spark of Saving Grace or Dram of Heavenly Glory The Enamel of those attainments are apt to fully and expire and the Possessor in endeavouring to stand accerseth his fall It is an Interest in 〈…〉 Conformity to his Will as it is Revealed 〈…〉 Scriptures and a Constant Perseverance therein that would make you truly happy to Eternity But Sir I would imploy my Pen at this time humbly to intreat you to examine what Ground you stand on whether you have good Principles to support you for I fear you stand in a slippery place and that great will be your fall without a timely Prevention It is my design to be Instrumental among others to perswade you to own the Man Christ Jesus whom to me you seem to deny And to submit your self to his Laws recorded in Holy Scripture which you now Slight and Trample upon That those Parts which God hath been pleased to Honour you withal might be imployed to his Glory and the Salvation of your Soul which are Matters most sublime and weighty It is certain Christ will come in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on those that obey not the Gospel as it was at first delivered to the Saints and much greater Vengeance may they expect who Deny him and Oppose themselves against it For God will Judg Men by the Gospel as a Rule and by the Man Christ Jesus as their Judg Rom. 2. 16. For he hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath Ordained and whom you Reject Acts 17. 31. I pray God you have not cause one day to remember that you have been told so but refused to be Admonished Sir If upon second thoughts you find you have gone too far and have espoused a Cause not to be Justified by the Principles of right Reason and Christianity count it not a dishonour to Retract It 's no wrong to you or any man but a kindness to be delivered from an Error it will be your advantage and honour to imbrace Truth when-ever you are convinced and inlightened But Sir If you are confidently perswaded of the Truth of the Quakers Principles as you profess pray tell the World the Reason why you are so shy in discovering so unwilling to confess them for Truth seeks no Corners to hide her self stand forth and declare you own those Doctrines or let us know you are of another Mind by rejecting the Men and their Books in which those Opinions as charged upon you are Asserted Think not to hide yourselves under a Mask of Evasive pretences and Clouds of Impertinences and Railery for that is seen through and will be daily more and more by those that are judicious to your great Reproach notwithstanding all your Stratagems to prevent it Among which I do find That as you have taken New-ways so there are New-Advocates risen up to plead your Cause and propagate your Principles one of which I have now taken upon me to Examine I do promise you to do him Justice though he hath been Unjust to himself and others and do present my Sentiments of him to be Considered by you for these Reasons 1. Because I understand he is an Intimate Friend and Associate of yours and it may be you are more privy to what he hath done in this Matter than another Man and so more capable to Judg of what I shall say 2. Because he hath Espoused your Quarrel and Gratitude obligeth you to assist him 3. Because he hath opposed your Sentiments concerning Mr. HICKS You call him a Lyar a Forger and what not W. L. layes no such thing to his Charge but calls him his Friend c. 4. Because I would have you return an Answer in Print that we may know whether your mind be yet altered or not touching Mr. HICKS and these Twelve Pagan Principles 5. Because if you shall insist upon the Confutation of Mr. HICKS in all or any of these Particulars that you would be pleased not barely to call him a Lyar Forger Slanderer c. but shew wherein he hath belyed you in any of them I will first speak to the Title of William Luddington 's Book which is The Twelve Pagan Principles And my Opinion is he hath rightly named them although I think he may have the honour of the Invention and if W. L. say true then a Quaker is a Pagan and no true Christian for he Confesses they hold those Opinions he calls by that Name and as He and I are agreed herein so is T. H. also by his own Confession for he saith it is for those Opinions he hath Published the Quaker to be no Christian He saith he hath seriously considered them but he gives me ground to think otherwise in passing-over some things slightly extenuating others and avoiding simply what he could not subtilly evade or soundly confute But whereas he saith Presented to Mr. N. L. Citizen of London I do make bold to tell him That he is much displeased with that causeless and impertinent Present and were not he known to be a worthy Citizen a Man of Integrity and sound in the Principles of the Christian Religion This had been Indication sufficient to bring him into some Suspicion with others as if he were tottering in the Fundamentals of Christianity W. L. being known to be a Man fast of Whimsies and Enthusiastical Notions about the most sacred and weighty Points of the Christian Religion of which this Book is no small Testimony But by this we may see what ways are invented to impose upon the World
when they are in a strait Touching these Pagan Principles as W. L. calls them I am more confirmed in my Opinion that these are the very Principles of the Quakers from what he hath written being perswaded That if he continue writing for the Quakers and against the Baptists as he hath begun not only in this Book but also in that Impertinent Letter of his to Mr. Ives he will do the like kindness for the Baptists as that Man did for his Enemy of whom it 's Storied That he thrust his Sword into his Body with an intent to kill him but instead thereof let out an Imposthume which was a means of his preservation And my Reasons for it are these 1. Because he doth not deny any one of those Charges laid upon them by Mr. Hicks but under each Head he acts the part of an Advocate I wish he had better Clients and a better Cause The Principles he saith are Pagan and the Men are no Christians Neither indeed do they impose upon us to believe them so nor have they that Appollation given them bur instead thereof they call themselves and are called by others Quakers He endeavours to Excuse them from what they cannot Excuse themselves without a manifest injury to their own Opinions And where this will not do he labours to Extenuate the Fault by substracting from and adding to the Quakers Sayings and then tells us it is but a little word as putting in OF and taking away IRRELIGIOVS But sure less than either of these may totally destroy the sence as will appear by these following instances 1. The first is That a Compositor that was a Papist being imployed at the King's Printing-House in the Days of King James took out of the 7th Commandement the Particle NOT and then it was thus read Thou shalt Commit Adultery and that was less than the word Irreligious and it was then esteemed so great a crime that it 's said the Printer was fined a 1000 Pounds In the 1 Cor. 15. 51. where it 's said We shall not all sleep but we shall all be Changed leave out but C and then it must be read we shall all be Hanged and yet this is less than OF Such liberty as this being allowed I will make my Antagonist speak what I list but this is the practice of this Author I hope I may be allowed the liberty of thinking that the man is in a strait 2. Because where he cannot deny but those words were spoken by the Quakers which T. H. charges upon them and that they do also bear the same sence which he puts upon them there he endeavours to perswade us that they may also bear another sence and saith It 's a sign of hatred to catch at the worst Now from thence I perceive if W. L. say true That the Quakers Words are delivered as Ambiguously as the Heathen gods used to deliver their Oracles that so the falsity thereof may be the less capable of detection A Man of great credit among the Graecians named Oenomaus who for that he had been much delighted with Oracles and more deceived wrote a Book in the end of their Falshoods and Lyes and yet sheweth That in many things wherein they deceived it was not easy to convince them of open Falshood for that they would involve their answer on purpose with such Obscurities Generalities Equivocations and Doubtfulness that they would always leave themselves a Corner wherein to save their Credits when the event should prove false As for Example When Craesus that famous and rich Monarch of Lydia consulted with the Oracle of Apollo whether he should make War against the Persians and thereby obtain their Empire or no Apollo desirous of Bloodshed as the wicked spirits are gave his Oracle in these words for deceiving of Craesus If Craesus without fear shall pass over Halys this was a River that lay between him and Persia he shall bring to confusion a great Rich Kingdom Vpon which words Craesus passed over his Army in hopes to get Persia but soon after he lost Lydia by an evil understanding of this doubtful Prophecy Eusebius Lib. de Praep. Evan. Cap. 10. Surely all such dark unintelligible language in my understanding ought to be exploded by all the Ministers of the Gospel and all true Christians for it hath no better tendency than to deceive and beguile ignorant and unstable Souls This was not the Practice of the Holy Apostles of our dear Redeemer the Man Christ Jesus who delivered their Doctrines in the most plain and intelligible words that might be for the instruction and information of their Auditors especially about the great and most important Truths of the Gospel as the blessed Apostle Paul doth testify 1 Thess 2. 3 4. For our exhortation was not of Deceit nor of Vncleanness nor in Guile but as we were allowed of God to be put in Trust with the Gospel so we speak for if the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the Battle So likewise you except ye utter by the Tongue words easy to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the Air 1 Cor. 14. 8 9. The direct contrary is found in the Quakers as appears not only by this Man's Confession but also by their Writings and Expressions as is obvious to all that have experience of them Surely they are not guided by the Spirit of the Lord their Practice being so contrary to the first Ministers of the Gospel and so agreeable to the Method used by the False gods among the Heathen whose Words and Writings are like their Oracles i. e. full of Deceit and Ambiguity And if W. L. thinks this to be the way to make Men in Love with Quakerism it must be such that are men of corrupt Minds Reprobate concerning the Faith As for me I will say of all such vile and deceitful Practices as Jacob said of Simeon and Levi touching that wicked Act of theirs Gen. 49. 6. O my Soul come not thou into their Secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united 3. Because in these 12. Pagan Principles he hath cleered T. H. of those Black Charges the Quakers have laid upon him in calling him Lyar Forger Slanderer c. For if these words were spoken by the Quakers or written in their Books then he cannot be a Lyar Forger c. And that they are so take W. L.'s Confession under each Head as they stand in his Book in the method following 1. Pagan Principle THe first Opinion Charged upon the Quakers is That the Light in every man or the Light with which every Man is enlightned is God W. L. His Answer is How small a Word would stop this Breach put in but OF and all 's well Rep. By the same Rule where the Apostle John saith He that doth good is of God John 3. Epistle v. 11. Take out but OF and then it is thus He that doth good is God
of Gold for a pound of Clay 1. If the same body shall not be raised as the Quakers say then he cannot mean the glorious form of this body which shall be made incorruptible glorious and full of majesty like to the glorious Body of Christ with which they shall shine forth as the Brightness of the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Phil. 3. 21. Matth. 13. 43. 2. If he means That this body which goes into the grave shall rot there and not be raised and reunited to the same soul But that instead thereof some other matter shall be formed into a body and possest with the soul This is not to be allowed for it 's highly rational That if any body be raised and re-united to the soul it should be the same body because the Scripture declares That the end of the Resurrection of Man is that he might receive a reward according to the deeds done in the body 2 Cor. 5. 10. and that the Righteous shall go into life Eternal Matth. 25. ult Seeing it was the same body in which these good deeds were done why should not the same body receive the Reward together with the same soul why must there be a new another body to enjoy it made of they know not what 3. If this be so Then whether it be not most absurd to imagine seeing some men shall be damned that one body should commit the sin and another body that never sinned should suffer Eternal punishment in Hell for those sins another committed This is to condemn the innocent and acquit the guilty Both which are an Abomination to the Lord And the Quakers can no ways avoid this Absurdity unless they will say That no man shall be damned Which I take to be the necessary Consequence of their affirming The Soul to be a part of God's Being and their denying The Resurrection of the Body 4. If so then all that W. L. hath done is but Quibling for all the Resurrection he and they must be understood to intend is only within men while they are in this World And in truth their Opinion about the Resurrection as worded by some of their noted Teachers is this 1. The Resurrection of the unjust is sins rising in man and getting above the Light 2. The Eternal Judgment is the Lights condemning and reproving for sin 3. And as any one comes to hearken to the Teaching thereof the Light comes to rise up in him Which say they is the Resurrection of the just Now from hence they infer That they are in the Resurrection and past the Eternal Judgment even in this life and that it is not they themselves that shall rise but the Light within them Which Light say they is sufficient to lead them into all Truth cleanse them from all sin and will Eternally save them Thus you see that W. L. hath discharged T. H. of Forgery in all these Twelve Pagan Principles of the Quakers But how the Quakers can clear themselves of Lies and Forgery would do well to be considered seeing they tell T. H. that he hath belyed them when he hath not charged them with any thing in all these particulars but what is truly chargeable upon them As appears by this brief Account and W. L.'s Confession under each Head But saith Geo. Whitehead I hope you have considered that moderate Account which your Friend and Brother W. L. hath given in his Book entituled The Twelve Pagan Principles or Opinions c. and what a serious Check it containeth to Thomas Hicks for his immoderation and unfair dealing G. W. in The Quakers Plainness detecting Fallacy p. 88. Now that there is no reason to account him a Baptist as G. W. doth in these words because they are the persons to whom he writes I will here insert a Testimony given under the hands of two of the eminentest Baptists in those parts where he hath had his abode for above seven years past that in all that space of time he hath not been a Member with them nor any of the Churches to whom they belong much less a Sober Baptist-Preacher as the Quakers had the confidence to call him in the Title-page of their Book touching the Barbican-Meeting Octob. 9. 1674. THis is to certifie That WILLIAM LUDDINGTON hath never been in Communion with the Congregations in the Country to whom we belong either in Buckinghamshire or the County of Hertford which are the places in which he hath lived for above seven years last past so as to partake with us in that Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Witness our hands Tho. Monck Tho. Heyward Decemb. 1. 1674. I have two things to tell the World and I have done 1. An Account of some Slanders and Abuses of the Quakers cast upon me for my opposing their Doctrine 2. Open and manifest Confessions of some Eminent in the Quakers Ministry concerning the Man Christ Jesus and His dying for our sins 1. As touching the first of these I being at the Bull and Mouth May 8. 1674. and demanding of them to prove that Great Principle of theirs which Geo. Whitehead was so baffled about in his Dispute with Mr. Ives in the Market-place at Croyden in the County of Surrey April 24. 1674. before hundreds of people The Question was this Quest Whether every man that comes into the World is enlightned with the Light of Christ They did then affirm it But when they saw they could not prove it I was so pulled struck and abused that I was not able to keep my standing and attend the Discourse They also made such a Bawling on purpose to prevent my being heard that it was impossible to hear what was said And at last to prevent any further Discourse one of them concludes the Meeting in prayer A Gentleman that was a stranger being present and observing the violence they offered to my person came up into the Gallery where I was and said Sir I perceive that if a man comes to dispute with these men he had need to take a Guard with him to secure his person And as we went out one crys out Children of Babylon Brats of Babylon another Thou art a Blasphemer c. I being there again May 15. 1674. to hear whether they had any thing further to say to that Question before-mentioned And when their Friend in the Ministry had done and I began to speak to the Question one that is called a Friend in their Ministry whose name is Samuel Thornton thrust in between me and the post where I stood and another Quaker crushed me up on the other side the Rail of the Gallery was before me and a crowd of Quakers at my back thronging upon me and my leg between the Banisters which were turned with knobs he pitched his knee against mine and his elbow against my breast leaning upon me with his weight and I having no liberty to give way my breath was in danger of being forced out of my body and my shirt wet with
he made upon our Saviour And I believe a Quaker that says he hath attained such perfection that he doth not commit one sin cannot say but the Devil tempts him to many Now if the Devil be such a fool to attempt that which is never effected why may not the Jesuites do the same For I always thought the Devil was too cunning for a Jesuite and I doubt they will find it so too at the last 4. But why doth W. L. make such a stir about this Book called The Quakers Pedigree I am of opinion there is some wit if not much truth contained therein But why doth he insinuate as if the Baptists made it and as if they promoted it This must needs be to render them ridiculous which is a very unworthy design But to prevent him from persevering therein for the future I will tell him what the man is not which made that Book HE is not one of the People called Baptists I could let him know who did write it but I will not humour him so far at this time because he hath so pleased himself to throw dirt upon us in Print about it for which he deserves a sharper Reproof than I will permit my pen to give him at this time Will. Pen who seems to have dipt his quill in Gall and Wormwood may do that piece of Justice for me if he please But said W. L. Why should we think they deny the Person of Christ it is not long since they were railed on as the Spawn of SOCINUS for denying the Divinity and now they are faced about to oppose his Humanity either they are very unsettled or T. H. misunderstands them Answ Will. Luddington is no sooner got out of General Venables Wood but he is got into one himself But I 'le do that kindness for him as the Law required when a man saw his neighbours Ox or Ass going astray to bring him home if I can There is a man hath written a Book very lately entituled The Christian a Quaker The Quaker a Christian Which they seem to glory in very much and do him the kindness to sell his Books And one Reason he gives to prove that the name of a Christian doth most properly belong to a Quaker is this Because a Quaker is an Ass His words are these He being before speaking of Antioch saith The Disciples were there first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Christ's Asses And in a break made for that purpose he inserts these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ's Asses page 23 24. And continuing his Discourse upon this subject in the latter end of p. 25. and beginning of p. 26. he hath these words But these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom this Author calls Quakers meaning T. H. walk by a better Rule for if they receive a Blow on the one Cheek they turn to them that give it the other also so they profess patiently undergoing all manner of Affronts Persecutions Reproaches and Revilings returning not evil for evil according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God So that they may truly enough be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ's Asses To which I answer Answ 1. This Author doth abuse his unlearned Reader for that word in the 11th of Acts vers 26. is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which the Learned Leigh in his Critica Sacra p. 288. renders thus Qui Christi discipulum se profitetur à Christo se denominat Who professes themselves Disciples of Christ and derive their name from Christ And it is so used also in Acts 26. 28. and in 1 Pet. 4. 16. both quoted by the said Learned Author But suppose we should interpret the word as the Quakers Advocate doth then we must read Acts 26. 28. thus Almost thou perswadest me to be one of Christ's Asses and 1 Pet. 4. 16. But if any man suffer as one of Christ's Asses let him not be ashamed But how ridiculous this would be I leave to all that hold the name of Christian as Venerable to determine If this will not make a Quaker to blush what will 2. But secondly Besides those he mentions I am perswaded he consulted as his Oracle in this point that famous Conjurer Cornelius Agrippa who at the end of his Book called The vanity of Sciences gives the like ridiculous account of a Christian by comparing him to an Ass But what have the Quakers gained by this man's Book He hath proved them to be Asses and he that took them to be otherwise was mistaken in them And I am much afraid I shall find one property of an Ass in W. L. which is given by a very Learned Author now living his words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Ass some way or other saith he it seems to be a troublesome Beast by its name for the root is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was troublesome and so any Ass tanquam Davus aliquis perturbat omnia troubleth all where he cometh But let the trouble be as great as it will I will go on to prosecute my purpose and perform my promise to bring him out of this Labyrinth if I can 1. W. L. saith They railed on them as the Spawn of SOCINUS for denying the Divinity 2. But now he saith they are faced about to oppose his Humanity From whence he draws this Conclusion Either they are very unsettled or T. H. misunderstands them And till this Dilemma be removed it seems W. L. can 't go forward If this be the difficulty I 'le do him that kindness to remove it 1. I do affirm That in this point T. H. doth not misunderstand them for the Quakers do say That Christ is not a distinct Person without us Geo. Whitehead in Dip. pl. p. 13. saith Jesus Christ a Person without us is not Scripture Language but the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians The Socinians tell us of a personal Christ and that the Man Christ Jesus our Lord hath in Heaven a place remote from Earth a Humane body But doth he believe him to be the Eternal God whilst he imagines him to be a personal Christ a Humane body so limited and confined to a remoteness Geo. Whitehead Append. to Reas against Railing p. 21. Therefore you see the difficulty lies not here 2. If any persons did rail on them as the Spawn of Socinus for denying the Divinity I suppose they were mistaken But suppose they should have said they held that part of Socinus Doctrine that saith Christ gave no plenary Satisfaction to the Justice of God for the sins of men herein they had not wronged them For while the Quakers believe Christ to be only God he is not capable to suffer death it being absurd to imagine that the Deity can become Mortal And because they deny the Body to be a part of the Christ they are forced to say Christ never died and so consequently he did not satisfie Justice
I have reason to suspect W. L. also For in a certain Discourse he had with R. S. a good Friend of mine about two years ago he pleaded for a sinless Perfection here in this life as it 's opposite to that Imputed Righteousness of Christ made Ours by believing as the way by which he expected to be justifified Whereupon R. S. asked him Whether he had yet attained it W. L. told him he had not Whereupon R. S. replied You do not know but you may die before you have attained it how then can you think to stand justified before God It cannot be by your own personal Righteousness for that you confess you have it not I should be amazed to hear him utter such expressions so contrary thereunto as these are in his Book but that I consider he may have learned the Art of Equivocation from W. P. by his often converse with him But now I am upon this Head I would make so bold as to ask W. P. and the Quakers one Question Quest Suppose they do attain to a state of sinless Perfection here in this life yet seeing many of them have lived in a course of sinning twenty thirty or forty years before they attain it What must make Compensation for the sins they have committed in the time past of their lives If they shall say Their own Obedience which they perform to the Light within them after they are thus perfect That is to suppose the good deeds they perform in the latter part of their lives should make Compensation for their former evil deeds Which will proclaim to all intelligent men not only that they hold Justification by their own personal Righteousness exclusive of Christ's Righteousness which is to be justified by Works in the strictest Notion being the next Principle we are to enquire into but also that they do hold that other Popish Principle To believe that they can do Works of Supererogation And yet this Author is much displeased that any should suppose the Quakers do derive their Pedigree from Rome W. L. Goes on to excuse his beloved Friend W. P. by telling us That forasmuch as many Teachers so word this Doctrine of Justification as the weak are thereby misled into a vain hope that God will justifie them or look upon them as just and righteous THROUGH Christ at the last day though they live and die in sin Hence saith he so great a zeal might arise in W. P. against such Expositions of Scripture-Justifications and chiefly against this phrase THROVGH CHRIST Answ To which I answer If W. P. hath so great a zeal risen up in him CHIEFLY against this phrase THROVGH CHRIST Then it follows That if we should word the Doctrine of Justification so as to please Will. Penn we must say That men are justified WITHOVT CHRIST But I hope I shall never make that one of the Articles of my Creed But farther W. L. saith These words Wholly without us may very well satisfie us That they level not at Scripture-Justification but at our conceits of it Reply Then it seems W. L. concludes That Justification by that Righteousness Christ fulfilled for us wholly without us is not a Doctrine agreeable to Scripture but a conceit I perceive now T. H. is no Forger for W. L. doth not only own the words to be spoken by W. P. but owns the Doctrine of the Quakers about it And yet forsooth we must be very tender of calling this man a Quaker Howbeit I conclude he avoids the name for no other Reason but that he might be the more serviceable in propagating their cause An excellent Stratagem As for what he saith about the Doctrine of Justification springing from the Doctrine of Predestination misunderstood and as held by Calvin Beza Piscator Synod of Dort c. As I do not believe it in the sense that I have defined it and as Protestants generally hold it So for those mens Opinions about the Decree of Absolute and Irrespective Reprobation I shall leave it to them whose concern it is to clear themselves of it for it 's none of mine at this time 9. Pagan Principle W. P. SAith His ninth Charge against the Quakers is That Justification is by Works Here W. L. hath followed his own advice viz. To leave out words most material in this Charge For the words laid down by T. H. are That the Quakers hold Justification by Works in the strictest Notion And brings these proofs out of the Quakers own Books God accepts not any where there is any failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every Demand of Justice Edw. Burrough's Works p. 33. And in Answer to Quest 14. Was not Abraham justified by Works We must not conceive that his personal Offering was not a justifying Righteousness but that God was pleased to count it so Nor was there any Imputation of anothers Righteousness to Abraham But on the contrary his personal Obedience was the ground of that Imputation Therefore that any should be justified by anothers Righteousness imputed and not inherent in him is both ridiculous and dangerous W. P. Reas against Rail p. 80. Now I hope T. H. is no Forger But let us hear what W. L. hath to say W. L. This is almost of the same nature as the former and it 's a greatdeal of pity to Heathenize men for preaching up Good-works especially in a day when they are so scarce Reply Rarely well guest Is T. H. finding fault with mens preaching up good Works Surely that 's none of the Question Neither doth he Heathenize any for so doing that 's no part of the Charge nay he doth not so much as mention the words Heathen Pagan or Pagan Principle in all his twelve Charges I wonder how W. L. did to give them so right a name The honour of that belongs to himself and not to me nor T. H. But seeing so great a Friend of theirs as W. L. is hath so often called them so I hope they will not find fault with me for writing after his Copy As for what he is pleased to say of his own renouncing meriting by Works and that he thinks no rational Papist can be so weak to imagine that forty or fifty years spent all in Good-works nay forty or fifty thousand years can deserve Eternal Recompence of Reward is no Argument to the contrary but that an infatuated Quaker may be of that mind And why we should not think so of them till they have cleared themselves of it by renouncing Edw. Burroughs Will. Penn and their Books with all others who have asserted such Doctrines as these I see no Reason 10. Pagan Principle THe tenth Charge is That Christ fulfilled the Law ONLY as our Patern The proof cited by T. H. is W. P.'s own words For not the hearers of the Law are just before God But the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2. 13. From whence saith W. P. how unanswerably may I observe Vnless we become doers of
is Because no one of them singly nor the whole Body conjoyned know how to clear themselves of those things he hath charged upon them without rejecting the chief of their Ministry whose Tongues and Pens have so often asserted these pernicious Doctrines But that I perceive they are not yet willing to do But let us hear how well W. L. can bring up the Reer in excusing their denial of that great Fundamental Principle of the Christian Religion The Resurrection of the Body W. L. saith Of all the Articles against the Quakers none hath made many honest serious People more afraid of them nor the vulgar more rail at them than this 1. As for the vulgars railing it concerns not me they should have forbore divulging such dangerous Notions 2. But whereas he saith This Principle of theirs in denying the Resurrection of this Body that dies hath made many honest serious People more afraid of them than any other Article they hold I think it hath not been without just cause from the perniciousness thereof And I have good Authority to justifie me therein for the Apostle Paul saith If there be no Resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain and ye are yet in your sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished And if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable These are some of those evil and dangerous Consequences charged by the Apostle Paul upon this very Doctrine as maintained by the Quakers in denying the Resurrection of this Body from the dead as you may see at large in 1 Cor. 15. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 c. But let us hear W. L. speak his thoughts about it W. L. saith But to tell you freely my thoughts about it there is less cause for it upon this account than any of the former Reply I hope those that read this will be fully satisfied that there is no more difference between the Quakers and W. L. in this Article than there is between Four-pence and a Groat which with us in England is the same piece of Money But hath W. L. no way left to excuse his Friends at the last gasp now their Cause is expiring Yes yes don't think you shall find him without a shift 1. W. L. Flies to what he supposes the Charge suggests viz. That there is no Resurrection insomuch saith he that I have heard lewd men swear and curse them for denying the Resurrection Reply But here W. L. evades the Question which is so plain that it needs none of his Suggestions to darken it Why don't he answer to that For the Quaker saith This Body that dies shall not rise again Speak out and be not afraid to answer now it comes to the point 2. But saith W. L. Doth not their exposing themselves to all the miseries of this life confute the charge Answ I answer No For the Sadducees were men that professed Religion in opposition to the common received Opinion among the Jews and so consequently were exposed to sufferings and yet they denied the Resurrection of this Body and the Being of Angels which are Spirits c. Acts 23. 8. For it 's evident a man may give all his goods to the poor and his body to be burned and have no love to God nor be truly Religious 1 Cor. 13. 3. And what think you of the Esseans a Sect among the Jews of whom Josephus reports That nothwithstanding they denied the Resurrection of the body saying that it is corruptible and that the matter thereof is not perpetual Yet could they not be forced to revile their Law-maker or to eat any forbidden meats by breaking off the members of their bodies fiery Torments and all kind of Tortures which were laid upon them Nay in the very midst of their griefs and pains they scoffed at their Tormentors and laughing joyfully yielded up their Souls as though they hoped to receive them again Joseph Of the Wars of the Jews Lib. 2. p. 616. 3. Whereas it may be objected That they would be more Immoral in their lives if they expected no Resurrection of the body Answ I answer That the Sadducees were men of such strict lives that it 's reported they had their name Sadducees from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tzidek which signifies Just or Righteous and yet they deni'd the Resurrection from the dead Matth. 22. 23. And for those Esseans before-mentioned if he will read Josephus he may find that they were exceeding zealous for the Law and stricter in their lives than the Quakers are by many degrees It 's too long to be here inserted But if W. L. will take the pains to read that Book of Josephus I have mentioned Chap. 7. he will find what I say to be true Besides it 's well known that there were men among the Heathen full of Moral Vertues and men of great strictness in their lives and yet agreed with the Quakers in this That this body shall not rise again Quest If that be not the Resurrection intended what then is it that shall rise from the dead W. L. answers The Apostle has given us as good an account of this Doctrine as we may desire and to that they refer us But suppose saith he they should tell us This very Body should not rise what care I c. Reply 1. I am well satisfied with the account the Apostle Paul gives of the Resurrection in 1 Cor. 15. but not at all informed of the Quakers meaning about it by their referring us thither because I know they can Allegorize some of the plainest Texts in the Bible and why may they not be supposed to do so by this 2. I cannot possibly understand that the Quakers intend the same Resurrection the Apostle doth in 1 Cor. 15. for he tells us That the same body that is buried which he calls sown in corruption shall be raised in incorruption Which agrees with the saying of our Saviour The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth They that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of damnation John 5. 28 29. As also with the Prophet Daniel And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12. 2. with many more that might be alledged all which do plainly prove the Resurrection we contend for But the Quaker saith Such a Resurrection is inconsistent with Scripture Reason and the Belief of all men right in their wits Will. Penn. Reas ag Rail p. 133. 3. But what doth W. L. mean when he saith He is willing to part with this Body for a better and that he will never be angry with him who promiseth and assures him a pound
as it is by him applied to that Sacred Person before defined His words are these Messias doth solely and singularly betoken Christ as it is interpreted John 1. 41. and 4. 25. For though the word Mashiach in Hebrew in the Scripture signifieth any Anointed one whatsoever yet in this Greek form Messias it never signifieth but only Christ Nor is the Hebrew word used in Hebrew Authors but in the same sense and so it is used infinitely among them Sometimes set single without any other addition and very often with this addition Melech Hamashiach the King Messias In this propriety the word is used Dan. 9. 25 26. Psal 2. 2. and so it was confessed by the ancient Jews Mr. Lightfoots 2 d Part of his Harmony Critica Sacra p. 136. Now seeing Christ is thus exalted at the Fathers Right-hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give us Grace here to enable us to do his will and Glory hereafter far surpassing all our Obedience let us therefore believe in him for the pardon of our sins as he is a Priest receive his Doctrine as he is a Prophet and submit to his Laws as he is a King For whosoever shall be found so doing and continue therein faithful unto death they shall certainly receive that Crown of Life and Glory which God hath promised to them that love him I shall conclude in the words of the Apostle Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen Quakerism is Popery Revived OR Some of their Old Opinions put into a New Dress and Asserted by the Quakers to be New Discoveries of the Light within them THere are two General Principles must be received by every one that will be either a Quaker or Papist 1. That the Scriptures of the Old and New-Testament are not the Rule of Faith and Practice 2. That there is some other Rule of Faith which is Infallible To prove this I shall quote their own sayings that you may know I do not wrong them The Quaker saith thus Will. Penn in Reas ag Rail p. 48. We deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Practice in honor to that Divine Light that was the Author of them Edw. Burrough's Works p. 62. He that perswades people to let the Scripture be the Rule of Faith and Practice would keep people in darkness Geo. Whitehead Dip. pl. p. 13. It 's Idolatry to call the Bible the means of our knowing God And in his Book entituled Christ Ascended p. 11. You are walking by your fancies and imaginations who set the Scriptures in the place of Christ as your only absolute Rule and Ground of your Faith and Knowledg G. W. in Enthusiasm above Atheism p. 20. saith As for W. Penn's saying That our Belief concerning the Scriptures is that inward Testimony that we have received from the Holy Light within us to the truth of those sayings He concludes thus Wherefore the Scriptures are so far from being the great Rule of Faith and Practice that the Light of Christ within is both our Warrant and Rule for Faith in and Obedience to them And in p. 27. he blames his Antagonist for saying The Doctrine contained in the Scriptures is the Rule of Faith and Practice telling him He should rather have said A Rule subordinate to the great Rule of Faith and Practice to wit That Divine Light And yet saith p. 49. But if he pretend the Spirit to be his Rule then the Scriptures are not Having heard what the Chief Men in the Quakers Ministry have said be pleased to hear what some eminent Popish Priests have said and you will see that this is no new Doctrine The Papist saith thus Eckius Luthers Antagonist in his Book of Faith and Justification The end that moved the Evangelists to write was not because they would have their Writings to rule over Religion and Faith but rather that they should be subject unto it Coster saith the same in his Enchiridion of Controversies And in Chap. 71. The Scriptures are as a Nose of Wax that suffers it self to be turned this way and that way Turrianus p. 250. If Christ had left no other Rule of our Faith than the Scriptures we should have had nothing else but a Delphian Sword Bellarm. de verbo Dei non Scripto Lib. 2. saith The way to keep men sound and undeceived about Religion is to forbid to the Laity or worldly men the reading of the holy Scripture as being the occasion of many Heresies Lib. 4. For although the Scriptures is God's Word nevertheless it can have no Authority without the Churches Approbation being an imperfect broken and lame Rule for there is not comprehended in it all things that are necessary for God's Honour and our Salvation but what is wanting must be supplied by unwritten Tradition Lib. 4. cap. 12. The proper and principal end of the Scripture was not that it should be a Rule of Faith but a profitable Admonition to make men entertain the Doctrine of Preaching Secondly There is some other Rule of Faith which they both say is Infallible 1. The Quaker saith It 's the Light in the Body immediate Inspiration or Enthusiasm by the Light within them which is the Infallible Rule George Keith saith That Will. Penn hath immediate Inspiration as the primary Rule of his Faith and Practice See the Quakers own Account of the Wheeler-street-Meeting p. 56 57. And in answer to Mr. Ives 's Demand To give one evidence that they had Divine Inspiration for the Rule of their Faith and Practice he saith p. 62. It is sufficient that we have the witness in our selves Page 65. We profess and experience Immediate and Divine Revelation as the Ground of our Faith and Testimony And in his Looking-Glass for Protestants p. 29. he saith And this is our Faith in all these particulars who witness unto the Immediate Teachings of God by his Spirit in our hearts Geo. Whitehead Enthus above Atheis saith p. 19. But Enthusiasm taken simply as a Divine Inspiration or breathing into by a Deity we do assert and contend for in the best Acceptation I never thought the Quakers would have owned themselves to be Enthusiasts in Print But what may they not come to in time Page 22 23. he saith We do therefore assert the sufficiency of this Divine Illumination as being of it self able to shew and reveal to us what we ought to believe and do in all things And p. 24. he saith By their Preaching and Writing they proclaim the sufficiency thereof And p. 52. to shew that they are free from Error and Incongruity he saith It is true that we affirm the light of Christ within to be an Absolute Rule teaching men that follow it what they ought to know believe and do And in the same page he saith That he viz. his Antagonist falsly supposeth a defect in the Light and in our Ministry directing thereto Then they must be both of them sufficient and infallible if
there be no defect in either But to proceed In p 69. he saith The Apostles Doctrine contains Rules but the Light within that gave it forth was the Rule the chief or highest Rule for Guidance and Power and that wherein was the Power of Rule and Government to all true Christians And in p. 58. he is displeased much because his Antagonist doth not believe that their Light is sufficient to direct men to believe in Jesus Christ But is it not manifestly insufficient for that the Quakers who pretend to be guided by that Light do not believe in him as I have made appear Now when G. W. hath thus asserted the sufficiency and infallibility of the Light at the close of his Introduction p. 16. Dictator-like he comes forth like a Pope and General Council with a most dreadful Sentence against all that will not believe him in these words To deny the true God who is Light is Atheism But to deny his immediate Light in man is to deny the true God Surely this is a higher piece ofVncharitableness than Mr. Ives can be supposed to be guilty of in saying The Quakers are no Christians I could have alledged many more Testimonies but these are sufficient Now to prove that this is no new Doctrine let us hear what the Popish Priests say to this point The Papist saith It is that Body called the Church or Divine Revelation which is the Infallible Rule A Book entituled A Manual of Contr. written by a Pomish Priest lays this down for an Article of Faith That the Church of Rome is Infallible in all her Propositions and Definitions of Faith and is so to be received under pain of Damnation And this is known to be their professed Principle Bellar. de verb. Dei Interp. Those that speak against the Popes Decrees and Humane Institutions are false Teachers For the Pope hath Power and Authority to judg in all Controversies in Doctrine and to give forth the right meaning of the holy Scripture and no man may appeal from his judgment Charon's Third Truth chap. 2. having said That the Church and the Scripture are Judges together He adds But the Church is primarily and principally and with great preheminence and a little after The Scripture is not nor cannot be the last Rule and Soveveign Judg of Doctrine And chap. 3. p. 2. Faith that is necessary to Salvation comes from the Churches speaking and not from the Reading of the Scripture Without knowing of which after a sort yea and without believing or obeying it expresly a thousand millions are saved And to be short a man may be a Christian and a good Christian and be saved without the Scripture but not without the Church for the Scripture hath no Authority Weight or Power over us but only so much as the Church doth allow and assign unto it In a Boook entituled Reason against Railery c. p. 7. are these words It may be asked when one pitches upon a determinate sense of any place beyond what the Letter inforces by what light he guides himself in that Determination And then answers That that Light whatever it is and not the Letter is indeed the formal Revealer or Rule of Faith 〈◊〉 in the next Paragraph The Letter-Rule secluded I advanced saith he to prove That Tradition or that Body called the Church taken as delivering her thoughts by a constant Tenor of living Voyce and Practice visible to the whole World is the absolute certain way of conveying down the Doctrine taught at first In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stillingfleeton c. Part 2. p. 19. it 's said That Divine Revelation is firmer and more Authentick than either Scripture or our seeing and again It is the sole standing unextinguishable general Light set up for the assured Guidance of all men And p. 27. They are certain and know themselves certain and declare so much before the face of the Sun and all the eyes of Heaven by their stability fixedness and immovability in Faith In another Popish Book entituled A Rational Compendious way c. p. 31. The Roman Catholick Religion doth not teach any thing as an Article of Faith which is either an Error or a Corruption And p. 30. The Roman Church is infallible and perpetual Now from what hath been said we may draw this Conclusion 1. That if W. L. say true That he is no Christian who denies the Divinity of Christ If he means in the common sense viz. as he is the Second Person in the Divine Essence then the Quakers are no Christians for in that sense they deny the Divinity of Christ in denying the Trinity of Persons 2. That they do really deny the Humane Nature to be a part of Christ and that Sacred Person whom God hath Anointed with the Holy Spirit who is both God and Man The man Christ Jesus to be the Christ the Saviour of the World And so fulfil that Prophecy Even denying the Lord that bought them 3. From hence it follows That the Quakers have no Christ at all but one of their own setting up and adoring For the name Christ cannot be properly applied to the Divine Nature taken Abstractively as I have fully proved And they confess they own no other Christ but the Light within them which they say is only God though in truth it is but a created Light and they Idolaters in worshipping a Creature instead of the Creator 4. If he be no Christian that hath no Rule for his Faith and Practice then the Quakers are no Christians for they have no Rule for their Faith and Practice For 1. They confess the holy Scriptures are not their Rule 2. It 's apparent notwithstanding their high pretences they have not Divine and Immediate Revelation for their Rule for they cannot demonstrate it by Scripture right Reason nor any other way Thus I have used my endeavour according to the Exhortation of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will The Lord open the eyes of their understanding and bless this Treatise to all those good ends and purposes for which it is intended To whom be glory in the Churches by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages World without end Amen William Russel Here followeth a Letter from the Baptized-Congregation in Reading concerning William Luddington Brother Ives I Received yours and advised with the Brethren about it and the Answer which is That we do not own William Luddington in any such Relation as Communion with us neither do we know any Principle of Religion that he is stedfast to But about ten or twelve years since he was here in Prison and blamed much for refusing to give God thanks for any of his Mercies or to joyn with them that did with many other strange Humours as Mr. Mason can tell you not suiting with Christian Religion But was looked upon by all to be a Quaker and sometimes a supposed Behmenist which uncertain Fictions best suited his wandring Fancy Sometimes he is for universal Communion with all sorts as he calls it And sometimes speaking against Forms and says He never preached for Baptism nor never would For that Text Mat. 28. 19 20. To the end of the World he says was to the end of that Age. And he had wrote a Book two years since to that purpose and going to print it But Mr. Maynard perswaded him to the contrary So that for this Ten years past we have been so far from any Communion that we have had little Religious Converse neither did we ever find he desired any with us And as for his writing on the behalf of the Quakers he hath done them so little service here that he hath only discovered his folly and made his best Friends ashamed of him and many others say they were deceived in him So that we may say He hath here met with the just reward of his folly and is discerned by all sober rational Christians and left only to be supported if by any by such giddy Brains that will lay hold on any rotten Post to support a Tottering Building But at last yours came and was so acceptable that your Enemies say you have gained great Credit by your discrcet managing that Business And you have morae raised the hearts of all your and the Lord's truly loving Friends towards you And as it is common for men that want Wisdom or good Argument for what they would have to supply it with Railing and abundance of words so your Adversaries have done But God hath furnished you better as appears by your managing this business To whose guidance we leave you with our prayers that you may be kept to the end And rest Your Brethren in Christ Signed by consent By Daniel Roberts Reading this 6th of Decemb. 1674.