obscure something without them is A RVLE of the Quakers Faith and that 's not all neither But if what Sam. Fisher said be true then VV.P. hath a NOSE OF VVAX for a Rule of his Faith and Practice or one of the Quakers Rules for their Faith and Practice is no better than a Nose of VVax Nay if you will believe Sam. Fisher himself is not CAPABLE of being ANY OTHER to them that have the Scriptures which the Quakers have and as to them that have them not they can be surely nothing at all not so much as a Nose of VVax And is not this an Excellent Rule according to the Quakers own Confession that they now say they have for a Rule of their Faith and Practice Sect. 7. I am sorry that before I conclude I should have Occasion given me to Tax Mr. Pen of INSINCERITY and deceitful dealing about this matter of the Quakers Doctrine touching the Holy Scriptures by Reading the late little Book he set out Entituled A just Rebuke but more properly a huffing Rebuke p. 10. Those very words he tells his Opponents reflect most justly as a just Rebuke on himself I must tell him he hath Acted with them herein far from a Man of Common Ingenuity For whereas W.P. asserts The Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God in that sence wherein they deny them viz. The Word that was God the Essential Word Does not W.P. in his Conscience know that none of these Presbyterians Independents nor any others ever asserted against the Quakers that the Scriptures were in that sence the Word of God and consequently is no part of the matter in Dispute And not onely so but doth not W. P's Conscience witness that the Quakers have and do deny the Scriptures to be the written Word of God In which sence those men do not deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and the Quakers do and therefore W.P. must Act against his Conscience in taxing them of being herein far from Men of Common Ingenuity when it is onely his own dis-ingenuity thus to Quibble and deceive People And Secondly The like Fallacy double dealing and Insincerity W.P. manifests in his words about the Scripture being a Rule as if the Quakers owned the Scripture to be a Rule in some things or some parts of the Scripture to be a Rule to them whereas it is manifest that the Quakers have over and over again denyed the Scriptures in general and not some part of it onely to be their Rule yea in these express words The Books of the Old and New Testament called the BIBLE See the beginning of this Section Oh Quakers REPENT REPENT of such wickedness and for shame leave off such double hearted dealing and most unparallel'd Confidence Do not think all your Countrey-men Fools besides your selves as if they could not discern such petty slights and Quibbles and take Notice of them and you also as not single-hearted in them Sect. 8. For my Part I never thought any man blame-worthy nor would be he that should blame any man for changing his Opinion or Judgment if so be he did it upon better ground and did not pretend to INFALLIBILITY nor scorn nor blame others for Confessing their Fallibility but did Honestly and Ingenuously acknowledge that he was before mistaken and in an Error But for Men to change their Opinions either really and yet endeavour confidently to vindicate and justifie their former Absurdities and Errors or pretendedly onely to fawn and flatter or curry favour with their Adversaries or any others of the World and yet still to pretend to Infallibility is so low abominably base and Hypocritical or so Impudent that it is not to be admitted by or among any Sober and Honest Men. Now whether this change alteration and difference in the Quakers words and Writings Epithets and Phrases about the Holy Scriptures be real or onely Hypocritical and Temporizing out of design to blind others and to ingratiate themselves a little more into Peoples Affections and good-will of the World God and their own Consciences best know yet the last is much to be feared for this Reason because they are so far from dis-owning their former mistakes and mis-expressing themselves that they stand to vindicate and justifie it But be it either way they thereby shew their uncertainty inconstancy and self-contradictions Confusions and the effects of their Fallibility Sect. 9. And therefore I would onely desire G.W. to tell me honestly if there be any such thing left in him or that he may return to without Quibbling or Equivocation or if not me that he would acquaint his Countrey-men 1. Whether he doth NOW Believe That the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible be the Letter which is Death and Killeth or whether they be the Letter mentioned or meant by the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 3.6 And 2. If he doâ—h NOW believe That were the Scriptures never so certain and entire yet that they are not capable to be to all men any other than a Nose of Wax 3. And whether he or W. Pen and the Quakers do NOW Witness and Believe that the Letter of the Scripture is CARNAL A proper direct Answer is desired and required to this without any Quibbling or mental Reservations if the Quakers are indeed what they now would pretend to the World they are and will manifest themselves to be no Dissemblers The Conclusion To Sum up all in short and to Conclude this Mess and Medly of their most irreconcileable Contradictions and irrecoverable Gulph of Confusions in which they have plunged themselves o're Head and Ears take it thus Sometimes they can call yea and positively assert the Letter of the Scripture is CARNAL and the Letter is DEATH and KILLETH But their own pityful Scriblings or Books they can call The LIGHT and LIFE of Christ within and yet to go round again at other times they tell us that they prefer the Bible BEFORE all other Books extant in the World but then to go round again they tell us without excepting one that THEIR WRITINGS and BOOKS are given forth from the immediate ETERNAL SPIRIT of God Yet to face about again That their Intention and Principle NEVER WAS to bring their Books in COMPARISON with the Scriptures but yet to go round again though to their own Confusion the same man hath given us to understand that what the Quakers speak from the Spirit of Truth is not onely of AS GREAT Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are but GREATER And the Quakers can sometimes tell us that one might AS WELL condemn the SCRIPTURES to be BURNED as Their WRITINGS But come once more to turn about Robin Hood W. Pen now hath the Scripture positively says Mr. Keith as a Secondary Rule of Faith and Practice and yet to step half-way back again and Janus-like look two ways at once it is but much like the SHADOW of the true Rule and in that Respect
a Man of no Conscience nor Credit in what Relates to them i. e. the Quakers he did not dare say he was a man of no Conscience nor Credit in what Râ—â—â—ted to others because then he might have been disâ—â—â—ved but onely to the Quakers they themselves being Judges also when as you must note if a man does but oppose the Quakers that That is enough to make him a man of no Conscience or Credit with them Oh neat Quibble pray let the Quakers name you ONE man that does oppose and Contradict them that they will say is a Man of Good Conscience and Credit in what Relates to them Who is so silly that cannot see the baseness of such slie and Quibbling Suggestions Pray before I leave this Section hear another of them about the same Person p 39 Mr. Pen says he had as good as confest that he had been Hired by some Professors to disturb us who sees not the Quibble in the words as good as confest That is in plain English he did not tell him so neither is it at all likely but well on the contrary I have heard that some Years since a Quaker would have Hired him to have let them alone the Story runs thus He owed a Quaker a certain sum of money and the Quaker would have forgave it him and writ or would write him an Acquittance as Received so much money of him provided he would not disturb them any more Mr. Chadwel Answered him to this purpose that if he writ he had Received so much money when indeed he Received none that would be a Lye and he would not consent to it So here it seems Fran. Chadwel had more Conscience than the Quaker Sect. 8. And besides the Truth of their abusing punching haling thrusting and throwing the said F. Chadwel out of their meetings by main Force depends not upon his Testimony alone but there are some scores that have been Eye-witnesses of it that can testifie it And if the Quakers can Justifie doing thus to one whom themselves shall alone Judge to be a man of no Conscience nor Credit then they may do it to another and another and to Twenty on the same Ground and at last to whom they please as far as they dare And to be sure none shall want their Judgment and Censure of being Forgers Lyars or Tiplers Men of no Credit nor Conscience if they do but oppose them And so at present I 'le leave them with their Apostatized Persecuting Spirit as to this particular wishing they may for the Future learn more Honesty Humility and the Royal Law of Charity which never fails and that they may put on Bowels of Compassion and Lowlyness of mind to others for if they shew Love to their own Friends onely what are they better than the Publicans Don't they do so SECT IX The Quakers Quibbles and Hypocrisie in their former Practice of Disturbing of Ministers in Parish-Churches with reference to their Practice now Sect. 1. THat it was the Common Practice of the Quakers for many Years to pretend They were sent and moved by the Lord and by the Spirit to come into the Parish-Assemblies to oppose the Ministers and accordingly did commonly every Moneth and sometimes oftner come in and disturb the Ministers and Congregations with their Messages Visions and Revelations from the Lord as they said is so generally known that I need bring no Instances and I think they will not deny it Sect. 2. But now since His MAJESTIES Happy Restauration and Government I do not find but those ORACLES are generally ceased or at least for the most part and now their Common Practice therein is altered which shews either their great Hypocrisie now they think they cannot do it but with more danger or that these motions were only pretences and so very unreasonable as most likely they were or if true motions from the Lord then the Quakers have rarely if any of those true motions from the Lord now among them nor do grow in MORE Experience of such Revelations but are withered Where 's G. Foxe's Lambs of CHRIST which have been sent forth to reprove Sin in the Gates of Cities Markets High-ways and Countries What are they all asleep G. F's Professors Cat. p. 22. What is there no Sin to be Reproved within the Gates now as then What no such Messages from the Lord now Oh Hypocrisie Sect. 3. By this it would appear that Muggleton is the best Prophet of the two and that his Sentence and Curse hath taken hold of the Quakers viz. Because I saith Muggleton have passed Sentence upon the Quakers they shall never grow to have more Experience in Vision and Revelation but shall wither See G. Fox his Answer to Muggleton's Book The Quakers Neck broken p. 11. SECT X. The Quakers Quibbles about the Holy Scriptures Sect. 1. THis is a very weighty Point Dear Friends and Countrey-men consider it well you shall first hear what G.W. himself and three more Quakers say in Answer to one Sampson Townsend a Minister in Norwich in their Book Entituled ISHMAEL c. The Ministers Propositions which he and they opposed were these two 1. That the Scriptures contained in the OLD and NEW Testament Commonly called the BIBLE is the Revealed Will and Word of God 2. That the Scripture which is the Word of God is the onely Foundation of our Faith and onely Rule for our Obedience Now in their Answer to thiâ— I onely desire the Reader to Observe the several Epithetes G.W. gives to the SCRIPTVRE viz. that commonly called the Bible which ONELY the Minister affirmed to be the Foundation and Rule of our Faith and Obedience as above THIS G.W. calls NATVRAL and CARNAL p. 3. Obscure something without them p. 3. Bids him prove that ever it was called by the Saints a Written Word of God and that with these thy Lyes thou hast deceived the Blind p. 4. That which is Written is the Letter which is DEATH and KILLETH p. 10. Thou that sayest that the Scriptures Reveal God thou art a Lyar p. 10. Where did ever any of the Holy men of God say that the Scripture Converts the Soul or makes Laws for mens thoughts p. 11. He calls it a Lye to say the Scripture is the means by which Faith is wrought p. 11. Now that which Matthew Mark Luke and John wrote of Christ could not give Life for that is called a Declaration of those things which was freely delivered among them Luke 1.1 And that thou callest the Word which is DEATH and KILLETH as thou mayst Read 2 C. 3. p. 9. And that which the Minister then called the WORD as G.W. himself and the Quakers tell you just before in the same page was the sayings and doings of our SAVIOVR which are frequently Recorded in the NEW TESTAMENT and hence IT the New Testament is called the word of CHRIST says he and in the Quakers Answer to this G.W. and they tell the Minister and that thou callest the WORD
WHICH IS DEATH and KILLETH Oh horrid abominable and wicked besides the falshood of it how near to Blasphemy is it Not to say much to his words in p. 5. where he maketh himself a Judge for others to be Judged by viz. Let all that read these Scriptures Judge thee BY ME to be a Lyar. Nor to their words in the Title Page where they say these their Words or Writings were GIVEN FORTH from the SPIRIT of the Lord IN VS You may enough ghess at it and the Impudence of it your selves Will not the Impartial Reader now think this Book ISHMAEL a Rare Piece for the bigness of it for 't is but about three sheets I must needs think that many Sober Readers that shall see and duly Consider these Words will almost conclude it incredible it being so abominably gross but that they may see it with their own Eyes in the Quakers own Book if they dare give Credit to their Eye-sight more than to the Quakers false Tongues and therefore I refer all such to the Book it self for better Satisfaction Sect. 2. Sam. Fisher in his Addit Appendix p. 21. Speaking of the Holy Scriptures says Which Transcriptions and Translations were they never so certain and entire by Answering to the first Original Copies yet are NOT CAPABLE to be to all Men ANY OTHER than a Lesbian Rule or NOSE OF WAX Forasmuch as even where Men have them as half the World has not they are lyable to be wrested and Actually twisted Twenty ways by Interpreters whose Expositions Sences and meanings which are as many and various as the Thoughts Conceits and Inventions of men are who Comment upon them must be the Rule to such as can Read them neither in Hebrew and Greek nor in their own Mother-Tongues neither And further the said Sam. Fisher in the same page tells us that He and the Quakers have put it to the Question How it may be known assuredly uncontroulably infallibly that the Scripture is at ALL of God and not a cunningly DEVISED FABLE and INVENTION of Men Do ye not think now Impartial Readers that the Quakers are High Honourers of Holy Scripture to use such Terms and Language in Querying about it as a cunningly devised FABLE and INVENTION of Men And in his very next words he gives us and the World to understand that the Church and Clergy of England do but go-round or Dance in a Circle when they tell the Quakers and us That the Scripture may be known to be of God by the Testimony of the Spirit and that we may try and find assuredly that Spirit to be of God by the Scripture Sect. 3. Ed. Burroughâ— p. 834. The ONELY perfect Rule of â—onscience in the Exercise to God is the SPIRIT of Christ and not any other thing G.W. Again the Question being put Do you esteem of your speakings to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible makes this Answer in his Serious Apol. p. 49. viz. That which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY â—s of AS GREAT Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and GREATER c. Sect. 4. W. Pen also that he for his Worthiness and sincerity may not Complain as left out shall give in his Verdict in his Spirit of Truth Vindicated p. 38. Thus the Scripture is much like the shadow of the True Rule c. Now all men know a shadow is an empty and vain thing and the most uncertain thing in the World sometimes shorter and sometimes much longer than the Substance it self Sect. 5. But now to wheel about and run round again though one would think no man possibly that pretends to Honesty or common Reputation could either have the Face or Confidence to do it having so rivetted and fixed the Contrary in Print as above nay some cannot believe that any Ordinary Romancer would Publish it in Print with such a Stupendious confidence as the Quakers have lately done viz. G.W. Quakers Plainness p. 70 71. Nor did we EVER prefer our Books before the Bible as unjustly we are charged but do prefer the Bible BEFORE ALL other Books extant in the World Our Intention and Principle NEVER was to bring our Books in Comparison to the Scriptures No G Is this True Does not thy own Conscience smite thee and fly in thy Face Nay is this possible to be true When G.W. himself calls the Scriâ—ture which the Minister asserted was the Foundation of Faith as I have already told you NATURAL and CARNAL the LETTER which is DEATH and KILLETH What can be worse than Natural Carnal that which is Death and Killeth Are your Writings worse than that Then further do but consider the Titles and Epithets this very G.VV. gives to some of his own Books viz. The Glory of Christs Light within Expelling Darkness Another The Light and LIFE of Christ within well go thy ways GEORGE not onely for a QUIBBLER but an AUDACIOUS CONFIDENT surely Geo. thou hadst not forgot that your Book ISHMAEL was given forth from the SPIRIT of the Lord in you Or did you deal therein falsely with the World And with God too Was any of the Holy Scriptures any more than given forth from the spirit of the Lord And if that you say be true I am sure your Books must be EQUAL at least with the Scriptures but what need I talk of that when Geo. himself assures me that some of their Writings or speeches were GREATER if ever the spirit of Truth spoke in any of them it is of AS GREAT Authority says he as the SCRIPTURES and CHAPTERS are and GREATER Sect. 6 And to face quite about again G. Keith told us positively That W.P. hath the Scripture as the Secondary Rule of his Faith and Practice Narrative of the Second Dispute published by the Quakers themselves p. 57. Who doth not see now that these men will say any thing Or care not what they say Mr. Pen himself at best does but say The Scripture is much like the SHADOW of the true Rule so far is it from being any either Primary or Secundary true and Substantial Rule to him but onely much like the shadow of it and a shadow is sometimes three or four times longer or shorter than the Truth and Substance and in that Respect says VV.P. it may be a KIND of a Secondary Rule Observe Reader how mincingly and Quibblingly VV.P. words it 1. In that Respect as it is much like the shadow 2. a kind of Secondary Rule a shadowy Kind but neither the true substantial or certain Rule and it all comes in with it may be suppositively now which of these two Quakers is the Quibbler Both May be one Must be But that is not all neither for worse absurdities will still follow for if that be true which G.VV. said then that which is DEATH and KILLETH is A RULE of VV. Pen's Faith and Practice and that which is Natural and carnal is A RULE of the Quakers Faith and Practice then an
if he can and till then he may with more Justice keep his Title to himself But when these Men cannot bite yet they 'l bark Sect. 2. Sleighted a true word â—or as he hath Published it 't is to say SHIFTED or dealt deceitfully and Craftily with and in the Apostle Paul's Time we find there were some such Eph. 4.14 Be no more carryed about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning Craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive But G. art thou no wiser to play Hocus Pocus and shift me but that thou must tell me and the World of it in thy Title Sect. 3. But suppose his Intention is slighted for it seems a Quaker can hardly speak or Print much now without the Art of Directing the Intention or speaking by a Figure Then we have a slight Title fit for such a slight silly sheet yet Proud and Arrogant denoting rather the Pride of Quakers than the Humility of Christians alias we have a new-coyn'd Quibble for Evading an Answer or an Old term for running away and timerously quitting the Contest Sect. 4. Slighted no wonder they that have slighted the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas slighted the Church of England slighted 21 Learned Divines at a Clap slighted all the Baptist's Churches yea and slighted all Teachers and Professors in Europe besides themselves how is it possible but that I must be slighted too except I 'le Banish my self to the Indies They that have slighted the Writings or Books of Holy SCRIPTURE so far as I have shewed you out of their own Books and more particularly G.W. himself in his own words but in the last precedent Section can you reasonably expect they should not slight other Mens Books and mine too Are these the Despised People or the Despisers by G. W's own Testimony What they cannot so well Answer they pretend to slight a poor shift For thereby they manifest but their silly scorn and disdainful Pride and Arrogance Though it is not yet six Moneths since that his Brother Pen could take Notice of a ridiculous sorry Mouse as he calls it and so turn Mouse-catcher and are the Quakers thus Elevated on a sudden Sect. 5. A Reprehension what for want of an Answer It is indeed well known you are free enough of the first however timerous as to the latter Their Confidence though usually too great yet at this time it seems did not serve them to say it was an Answer Sect. 6. But by some suspected to be the Author of the two Pamphlets the one Entituled The Spirit of the Quakers tryed the other Controversie ended VVhat Infallible and yet suspect How now what suspitious George Other Men's Fallibility then is as good as the Quakers suspicious Infallibility Is this your Gift of Discerning and Prophecy But that 's not the worst of it For the Suggestion is of a matter absolutely false Satan owing them a shame as the Proverb goes hath suggested a false thing which the Quaker hath here Published to the VVorld as true to their own dishonour and shame Besides this Quaker hâ—th hereby wronged me and abused another Person whom Mr. Pen in his winding sheet says is Hâ—n Hedworth by Name Sect. 7. First G.W. hath here grosly wronged me in Publishing a Suggestion and that in Print that I was the Author of the two Books Entituled The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed and Controversie Ended when as I was not nay did not so much as see or hear of either of them till after they were in Print But in these Books Mr. Pen hath in the Quakers Name declared to the VVorld there are several falshoods scandals lyes and Forgeries and yet here G.W. hath endeavoured to fix and fasten them all if any such be there upon me as suggesting or representing me to the VVorld as the Author of them Now ye that are Quakers of G. W's Church and pretend to be the true Church of God I will try your Truth Honesty Conscience and Justice in this particâ—lar viz VVhether you will cause G.VV. to make me satisfaction for the Offence and wrong he hath done me in spreading abroad a suspition and suggestion of me in a Matter that 's absolutely UNTRUE and UNJUST in the same manner as he hath done it viz. in Print I hereby require it and demand it of you and him as you profess yourselves to be a true Church And that you may not say I am or may be unreasonable I hereby Declare that his bare acknowledgment of the wrong in Print I shall accept of as satisfaction And for your further and full assurance of the falshood of the Matter I do hereby Declare and solemnly Testifie IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY GOD That I who did write and was the Author of the late Books Entituled The Quakers Quibbles was not the Author of the two Books Entituled The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed and Controversie Ended and if there be any need I doubt not but that Common Justice will Oblige Mr. Hedworth if called thereunto to witness the same thing in the presence of your Church he being it seems better acquainted with you than I am or desire to be with such unreasonable dishonest and dis-ingenuous People as some of you thus demonstrate your selves to be And that you may not make your being unacquainted with me any Excuse of not doing me Right I shall here take that off before hand For if your Minister G.VV. can abuse and wrong me in Print by a false suggestion though unacquainted with me he may and can as well and easily give me in Print the satisfaction required though unacquainted with me viz. onely acknowledge it so you having it evidenced by my own solemn Testimony and if that be doubted though you can have no Reason to doubt thereof it being the Highest Testimony that Men can give And you desâ—re further Evidence signifie it to the Book-seller and I presume Mr. Hedworth will be so Just as to clear me he being the best Evidence that it is possible for you or any one to have to clear me in this Matter if so be he was as Mr. Pen says he was the Author of the two Books before mentioned but is not the Author of the Quakers Quibbles So that ye Quakers can have no just Excuse and therefore I do again complain to you as wronged and demand that you see that just satisfaction given me that I require from G.VV. If not I 'le mark you and declare you to the world to be Abettors and Publishers of false suggestions Sect. 8. Secondly By this G.VV. hath wronged and abused the said Mr. Hedworth in raising or spreading abroad a false suggestion touching him as if he was the Author of the Book Entituled The Second part of the Quakers Quibbles in which Book G.VV. hath Asserted and published to the world there are gross perversions and abuses p. 4. Yea manifest perversions lyes and slanders that he is chargeable with and as yet he
and Canting-Language c. By which one may perceive the Man has learned to Cant for in his Book you have this Canting-Quibbles Envious Canting and Canting Language and much more of the like Nature How now Quakers Is this your impartial plain Man Is this one of your US GOD'S PEOPLE As though your Sect ALONE had a Patent to be God's People Or is it not an Impropriation Can you think he hath well palliated-matters either with indifferency moderation or impartiality between us or that such work will make a Pacification or end the Controversie No No. Such deceitful dealing Hypocritical pretences will stand you in no stead And yet I must think he hath dealt kindly with me too that he hath not been pleased to afford me some of his and his friends Old Language of Conjurer Sorcerer Blasphemer Serpent Sott and thou Reprobate thou Dragon thou Antichrist thou accursed thou Cain thou dead Beast thou art unredeemed from thy vain Conversation and so art not justified 〈◊〉 nor never shalt be Oh! thou dark Beast and Conjurer with much more which Ed. Burroughs did use in the compass of about three Leaves the like I never heard in my Life before from one Man And what think you should be the occasion of all this no more but a Ministers sending or proposing twenty Questions to him whereas he and they have put hundreds and hundreds of Questions to others I am of the Opinion that any sober Man which shall read this would hardly think it credible but that he may see it in Ed. Burroughs work pa. 29. and so on And Reader that thou mayest know that George Whitehead himself hath been no ill Proficient in this Quaking School of Quakers Complements and by the way note these are the men that are offended at using the word Sir or Sirs I will give you but a taste only what you may find in a leaf and two lines more in one of his Books I dare affirm you will say it's proof enough and too much for a thousand leaves of any sober man's The Book is intituled ISHMAEL AND HIS MOTHER CAST OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS among the Wild Beasts of the same Nature in Answer to Mr. Townesend Minister in Norwich set forth by G. Whitehead and three other Quakers which they say was GIVEN FORTH FROM THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IN THEM p. 11 12. THOU PRIEST OF BAAL FOR THAT IS THY NAME thy lies are made manifest shamâ— covers thy face THOU FULL OF ROTTENNESS and most FILTHY Dreams THOU BLIND SOT SEE thy Confusion They that are not stark blind may see thy Rottenness and thy Foundation to be in tâ— mâ—re and dirt and may see Thee to be a SENSLESâ— NATURAL BRUIT-BEAST Who with thy liâ— art MADE to be taken and DESTROYED OH THOU BLASPHEMER and Slanderer of the Juâ— when wilt thou cease from thy LIES and BLASPHEMY Priest to conclude thy filthy rotten stuff thâ— sayest they that make not the Word of God the Rule fâ— their Actions are led either by their own Fancies or tâ— Devils Temptations or both Thou PRIEST TOWNâ— END art here laid open thou art uncovered and heâ— thou art found to be a denier of the Word and Rule anâ— Foundation and thou art led by thy Dreams and Faâ—cies and thy Foundation is in the Dust THOU ARâ— RESERVED IN EVERLASTING CHAINS VNDER DARKNESS FOR EVERLASTINâ— FIRE And here thou in all these thy Lies ARâ— SHUTOUT FROM GOD and all the Children â— God among the DOGS and SORCERERS and THâ— LAKE IS THY PORTION which is the portion â— all Lyers THUS have we returned a FVLL Answer unto thy senseless stuff c. Pag. 10. THOâ— BLIND BEAST Thou that sayest that thâ— SCRIPTURES REVEAL GOD THOV ART A LYAR These are his words and much more which I aâ— weary of Transcribing in two Pages and two lineâ— only and the rest of the Book is much of the same sort And what do you think all this was for that should be so high a Provocation Only the Ministers saying that the Scripture was our Rule so long as we live on Earth or to that effect Now for G. Whitehead and his fellows to entitle and Father on the HOLY GHOST such Beastly rotten stuff on SUCH AN OCCASION and say that this their rayling cursing and damning a man everlastingly for such a cause was given forth by the SPIRIT OF GOD as they audaciously do how nigh it borders on BLASPHEMY INDEED I leave the serious Reader to Judg and consider whether these Fruits do not more resemble those of the FLESH than them of the RIGHT SPIRIT do but compare them with the notes the Apostle gives you Gal. 5.19 c. Let the Quakers at other times make what fair pretences they will By their Fruits you shall know them and our Saviour saith out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh This was not done in haste only on a suddain surprise of passion which might have been the more excusable or upon the highest provocation but upon such deliberation as Men use to take in writing of Books and upon a Consultation and Approbation of three or four Quakers together UPON NO OTHER OCCASION THAN WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD which seems so abominably gross that I am doubtful while I am writing my Reader may suspect it and some Quakers pretend I have wronged G. Whitehead Wherefore that all doubtful persons may be satisfied that I have not wronged them it 's my intention if conveniently I can to procure the Bookseller to let G. Whitehead's Book be shown at the Shop for their satisfaction If this be their Spiritual Heavenly Doctrine their immediate Revelation and infallible Inspiration God preserve me from it and from spiritual pride and keep me humble and little in my own eyes still to confess my fallibility whil'st it pleases him we should be in this state and condition Possibly one may find thâ— worst of the Rabble the very dregs and wickedness oâ— the World INSPIR'D with such-like RAILING and damning language upon slight occasions But hardly any where else that I know of except among the Quakers or Muggletonians who have used it so frequently as if they took the greatest Pride in it As though they think themselves set over all others to to judg and damn them in a serious manner at their pleasure If I should believe such a cursing damning Spirit in the Quakers to be the Spirit of God then on the same ground I must believe Muggleton's Spirit to be the Spirit of God for his is likewise a cursing damning Spirit to such as oppose him But in this respect Muggletons spirit is the more charitable of the two that he curses only the Ministers and such as pretend they have a Commission to be teachers But the people that hear them he says may be saved iâ— they do not personally oppose him or his Commission Then judg sober Reader where you think theâ— malicious Spirit reigns most now which is the
only and absurd G.VV. p. 18. acknowledges that they have plainly and often confest That the DIVINE NATURE or Word cloathed with the MOST HOLY MANHOOD and as having taken Flesh of the Seed of Abraham was and is the Christ Yet says he we must own that if he was the Son of God BEFORE he took Flesh he was Christ And in p. 19. he grants he doth not own the Humane Nature is the Christ for want of Plain Scripture that saith so and says some do conscientiously scruple it and pretend it is a deviating from Scripture-Language which they cannot do in their Creed 2. Reply What a pretty medly of Hypocrisie Quibbling and Confusion here is I will now shew you For Hypocrisie how palpable is it in that they pretend they conscientiously scruple owning in their Creed THAT THE HUMANE NATURE IS THE CHRIST because it is a Deviating from Scripture-Language and they pretend they find no plain Scripture that says so when yet at the same time they tell you they have often confessed that the DIVINE NATURE or Word as CLOATHED with the most HOLY MANHOOD is and was the Christ and this they do without scruple of Conscience And yet there 's no plain Scripture that I know of that says so yea and it is a Deviating from Scripture-Language for where can they shew me this Language in Scripture CLOATHED WITH THE HOLY MANHOOD or such a word there as MANHOOD and until they have done that I must charge them with HIPOCRISY and their pretended Scruples to be nothing but pretences and DECEIT 3. As to their Quibbling herein it plainly appears that to blind the eyes of the simple they sometimes pretend as in p. 18. to own the Holy Manhood to be Christ And yet p. 19. Deny the Humane Nature to be Christ By the first they would seem as if they owned the Humane Nature to be Christ when-as indeed they utterly deny it as you may see by the Latter But since they own the Divine Nature Cloathed with the most Holy Manhood and as having taken Flesh of the Seed of Abraham not only was but is the Christ and yet say that the Light which is in every Man is the Christ I considered with my self whether this most holy Manhood was in every Man and the Manhood was the Light in every Man or a part of that Light Taking these words in their proper and common signification among us English Men but so I could not find it consistent with their Doctrine of the LIGHT WITHIN and therefore would it not appear a pretty Quibble if some of them do mean by MANHOOD not MAN really and essentially but only a GARMENT or a certain quality as Power Fortitude or Valour So when they confess Christ Cloathed with the most Holy Manhood they mean Christ was Cloathed with the most Holy Power Valour c. or Cloathed with a Garment Or else if they deny this they must confute their other Principle of the Light within every Man being the Christ or speak as absurdly if they say Christ's Manhood as he is really and essentially Man is within every Man 4. And then I further enquire of the Quakers Whether the most Holy Manhood be indeed the Christ or a real part of Christ And whether the Flesh that Christ took of the Seed of Abraham since AS SUCH G.VV. sometimes viz. p. 18. confesses he IS the Christ be or can be the Christ the Light or a part of that Light which at other times the Quakers say is in every Man Or will they say that Christ's Flesh which he took of the Seed of Abraham is in every Man or is it another Christ See their confusions and absurdities 5. And when they say before Christ took Flesh let them deal plainly with us and tell us WHEN Christ FIRST took Flesh and whether they do not Believe he took Flesh BEFORE he was Conceived and Born of the Virgin Mary and what plain Scripture they have that saith so And if Christ took Flesh BEFORE whether it was Real Flesh and what sort and whether hâ—s Flesh that was born of the Virgin Mary was the same or had Christ at the time of his Birth two different sorts of Flesh not Figuratively but Really and Properly so called and all this will shew their Confusion and the Ridiculousness of their Fancies for by I. Pennington's Question p. 20. it seems the Quakers do hold that CHRIST's OWN FLESH BLOOD AND BONES are of an ETERNAL NATURE And that the FLESH AND BLOOD which Christ took of OUR NATURE was only OUR GARMENT and so of an EARTHLY PERISHING NATURE And thus would make Christ's Flesh Blood and Bones to be GOD for nothing can be of an ETERNAL NATURE but GOD. Monstrum Horrendum hear O Heavens and hearken O Earth What can be either Confusion or Equivocation in the World not to say worse of iâ— if this be not 6thly G.W. pag. 19. and in several other places says The Quakers must have not only Plain Scripture but Express Scripture viz. Scripture that saith so or else they cannot admit it into their Creed So in G.F. and J. Stubb's Epistle before G. W's Book intituled The Divinity of Christ Their very first Words are Whether do the Scriptures speak of three Persons in the God-head in these express words Let us see where it is written Come dâ— not Shuffle for we are resolved that the Scriptures shall buffet you about and that you shall be whipped aboâ—â— with the Rule Give us Plain Scripture for it without adding or diminishing or shuffling We charge you Presbyterians to give us Printed Scriptures for these following Words and let us see in whaâ— Chapter and verse they are Printed viz. Concrete Abstract Relative c. and so in this manner they arâ— giving Names to CHRIST and God besides the Rulâ— of Scripture c. And so they run on with it over and over again But now since they Impose Command and Charge others at this Rate and not only so but also pretend that they cannot admit of any thing in their Creed but what they have plain and express Scripture that saith so How Reasonable and Just is it to Charge them and accordingly I do here Charge them to produce where it is written in Scripture in these express words The Divine Nature or Word Cloathed with the most Holy Manhood was and is thâ— Christ which they have admitted into their Creed Let us see in what Chapter and Verse it is Printed So p. 24. The distinction of Father and Son is Real in the Divine Relation known as Co-workers in the Order and Degrees Where 's Chap. and Verse for these words Come G.W. Come Quakers shew me or any other the Chapter and Verse where these words are written viz. Manhood entire Manhood the most Holy Manhood Divine Relations Co-workers in the Order and Degrees Or henceforward be ashamed of your silly doings and such ridiculous scribbling I might think W.P. may yet have so much Ingenuity left in
there such an expression in the Scripture as Proper least Proper c. are not these Philosophical Terms SECT III. In Reply to his third Section shewing G. W's and the Quakers Ignorance of the true Spirits Evidence who deny the Gift of Tongues Prophecy Signs c. to be such 1. IN my Epistle to W.P. p. 8. I minded him of the Apostle Paul's words 2 Cor. 12.12 13. Truly the SIGNS of an Apostle were wrought AMONG YOU in all Patience in SIGNS and WONDERS and MIGHTY DEEDS For what is it wherein ye were INFERIOR to other Churches Here was a Church indeed that had the Spirits evidenee and here was an Apostle indeed that had Divine Revelation the Gift of Prophecying Tongues and Interpretation of Scripture such an Apostle was one who indeed was not of Men neither by Man but sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Gal. 1.1 But no such Apostles nor Friends of the Ministry can I find amongst the Quakers who yet pretend to be Apostles not of Men nor by Man but immediately sent by God and pretend to have the same Spirit Calling and Power that the Apostle Paul had And yet alas do not EVIDENCE it any MORE than OTHERS do who pretend to it with as much Confidence as themselves Nay and so far are they from that that I do not see they are able to produce any MORE or give any better Demonstration of it than those who do not pretend at all immediately to it and therefore I told W.P. if he had had the GIFT OF TONGUES given him by the SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY upon his turning QUAKER Or if he could shew but ONE in all his Church that had such a spiritual Gift or Gifts upon his Conversion to their way it would put a clear difference betwixt them and the Baptists Churches and herein would the Quakers plainly then exceed and excel them and that one such Testimony if true in the Quakers Church would more confute the Anabaptists and Convince their Auditors than a hundred such days brawling disputes where the Quakers shew'd no more POWER OF THE SPIRIT than their Adversaries only fenced with words as well as they could as their wits would serve them best to Distinguish Evade or Answer And therefore I told W.P. I found his Church as Poor and Low as the Baptists whom yet they condemned I finding he had the words of Man's Wisdom in making plausible Orations but askt him Where was the Demonstration of the Spirit in Power and Sign 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 2. Now at this I find George is put to a great loss saying p. 14. What if God will not bestow such Gifts and Signs now Being afraid to say God will and yet not daring to say God will not what George art thou in a Maze Is not this Scripture-Phrase Is not this according to Scripture-Language 1 Cor. 4.19 20. I will know not the Speech of them that are puffed up but the Power For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power see also Revel 2.2 And is not this according to your own Language G. Foxes Epistle before thy Book Divin of Christ have you the same Power and Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And such miraculous Gifts are no more than what we find testifyed to have been and remained in the Christian-Church about two hundred or three hundred years after Christ Irenaeus who lived one hundred and eighty years after Christ affirmeth that in his time the working of Miracles the Raising of the Dead the casting out of Devils healing of the sick by laying on of hands and Prophesying were in being and that some that were so raised from the dead remained among them alive long after Niceph. Eccles. Hist Tom. 1. lib. 4. cap. 13. Tertullian and Cyprian which last lived till above 250 years after Christ do both make mention of the ordinary casting out of Devils and challenged the Heathen to come and see it 3. But says he p. 31. this is very strange But what then George It is not more strange than true And I say Is it not very strange that you will pretend to the Power and the Spirit and talk of being sent immediately by God as Paul was and have a Dâ—vine Commission to Prophesie and yet cannot bring any Evidence to prove it more than Others And instead of Producing one such Apostle Prophet or Minister in thy Church the best thing which yet alas is bad enough thou canst say for thy self Oh! our opposers do argue as just like the Papists and Jesuites as if they had served seven years at Rome Reply Ah Quibbler this will not serve thy turn above all Persons for who Argues more like a Papist or Jesuite than your selves about proving the Scriptures not to be the Rule of your Faith Who uses the Jesuites Arguments to prove good works the meritorious cause of our Justification more than you Was it not one of the most eminent and learnedst Men that ever you had amongst you that positively asserts THE SCRIPTURE TO BE A NOSE OF WAX yea and says it is CAPABLE of being NO OTHER Sam. Fisher Additional Appendix p. 21. And is not this the Jesuites Phrase in terminis And none but Papists except your selves use it Andrad Orth. Explic. lib. 2. p. 104. What had S. Fisher served seven years at Rome Nay I can shew you and others may see if they mind it that almost all the Arguments that Mr. Fisher uses to prove the Scripture is not the Rule of Faith are the very same that the Papists and Jesuites have used these hundred years and so G.F. in the Epistle before thy said Book says where doth the Scripture say that it self is the Word of God Just so do the Papists Argue What now George Is the Argument the better or the worse because the Jesuites have used it Dost thou think in thy Conscience this is a good Answer You can sometimes tell us that the Papists may use good Arguments and so the Jesuites make use of the Scriptures yet never the worse for that nay do but see how thou hast Answered this matter thy self in thy own Book Divin of Christ p. 38. It is but a mean way of Arguing to accuse or miscal any for owning any Truth that any sort if they do err in some things do hold for by that way I may as well be reckoned a Papist a Jew or a Turk c. How now George and yet dost thou use this mean way of Arguing against me For shame do not forget thy self and shuffle backwards and forwards thus but use some Consciencâ— in thy Scribling if thou hast any tenderness and plainness in thee lay thy hand upon thy Mouth 4. But further I 'le tell thee that I have oft used this Argument against the Papists and to chuse would use it before any other and the first and best thing as I verily think that I could use if I was to Dispute with a Iesuite
which neither they nor others can give before you can be tryed by that because that is the question whether you have the SPIRIT and the POWER OF GOD or no MORE than others 7. And then let me tell George That if he could Demonstrate it this way it would not be nay it could not be any Imposing upon me if G.W. did visibly Evidence and demonstrate to me by Power and mighty Deeds that he had indeed that Power and Spirit that he says he hath Therefore thou talkest deceitfully as if that would be an Imposing But now yours is imposing when you condemn Men for not-believing that you have immediate Revelations or in that you assert and would have us believe you are MORE inspired than other Men or other Societies and Bodies of Christians And you tell us you have the Spirit and are in the Truth MORE than others whom you Condemn as false and yet you produce NOTHING except YOUR BARE SAY-SO MORE than others who SAY SO of themselves as you do of your selves Now here 's the IMPOSING you pretend you are Infallible and yet produce no more or other effects of your Infallibility than other Men can or do Nay on the contrary the same effects of Fallibility are evident among you as among others and yet if any deny it in you you Censure and Curse them for not believing you and this is your way of Imposing And you Quakers say you are immediately sent of God and commissioned from God to deliver such or such a Message or Curse and that this and that is given forth by the Holy Ghost in you or from the Spirit and yet you shew no more certainty to prove to us and for us infallibly to build our Faith on that you are so sent and SO Commissioned from God than Muggleton does or other Churches which yet your selves say ARE NOT SENT OF GOD nor Commissioned by him Now here 's imposing upon Mens beliefs and this I say you are guilty of yea and most eminently guilty of next to Muggleton or the Pope of any Person or People I know and this is the thing George thou shouldst have Answered if thou hadst Answered me to the purpose and main bent of my Epistle to W.P. But this thou pittifully evadest and slâ—ly wouldst slide from But now since you pretend to such high things if you had the visible Spiritual Gifts that were amongst the true Primitive Churches and Apostles to evidence and demonstrate the Truth of what now you ONLY SAY and pretend I should never nor I suppose any Man in his wits call or esteem it any imposing on my Faith But the other is so indeed as I have shew'd you and therefore G. I would take thee by the hand and lead thee back again praying thee not to shuffâ—e and Cut also but Answer this and not that which I never desired of thee nor W.P. That 's the very thing I found fault with you before viz. That you would Answer to that which was not askt you instead of returning Answer to that which was and yet still thus thou servest me but it will not do For my design is that I may know you better what Real Power Evidence and Authority you have BEYOND others that so I may have a good Foundation for my Faith and give Credit to it and you Or that for want of it you may be brought to a better fight of your selves and see your nakedness and Poverty though you say as the Church of Laodicâ—a that you are rich and so may learn to be humble and not Censure others except you can better evidence your own 9. And yet why wilt thou say you have not imposed thus your Faith on others Was not and hath not your Language been such as this viz. It 's true that Timothy Titus and others WHO HAD GIFTS IN THEM for the Ministry were approved by Paul and others of the Primitive Elders for the work but this is no Proof that these opposers Ministers are either so gifted or approved G.W. Enthusiasm above Atheism p. 5. And so say I neither is it any Proof that the QUAKERS MINISTERS are SO GIFTED or APPROVED and the Words before-cited of G.F. before thy own Book Have you the SAME POWER and SPIRIT that gavâ— forth the Scriptures G.W. Wilt thou believe thy own words Then see thy Answer to Mr. Richard Baxters two sheets for the Ministry p. 16. We never understood that they that set up these Priestâ— were called as Peter or Paul or the Elders who had Power to lay on the hands that the HOLY GHOST FELL ON THE PARTY ON WHOM THEY LAID ON THEâ—R HANDS and shew me any ONE of thy MINISTERS CALLED SO George G. F. To all People in all Câ—ristendom says thus p. 2. All Sects have the words of the Apostles but out of the Power and Life A Paper sent forth into the World from the Quakers p. 5. We are against the Pastors that NOW STEAL the words of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles W.P. Reason against Railing p. 115. Many may run into the Practice of several outward things mentioned in the Scriptures to have been the practice of Saints in former Ages and yet not be led into the Truth for all that is but will-worship Imitation and unwarrantable And all this I may say against you which you have said against others and if they were good then why not still For you have but the Names and Images of things you have got the words used in Scripture the Power and the Spirit the Gifts of the Spirit the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power But alas where is the thing it self viz. the visible Power and Gifts of the Spirit the Demonstration of the Spirit that the true Apostles had and the Scripture speaks of To this George can poorly say what if God will not bestow such Gifts now why then George I say thou hast them not only hast stolen the words out of the Scriptures thou hast got the Name the Image and words as thou sayest the Baptists and others have done but alas art as barren of the Gifts themselves as they are only art got into a Form but denyest the True power of God and Demonstration of the Spirit in Signs and mighty Deeds 10. Pa. 33. G.W. hath this further to say That he doubts not but where the Spirit of God lives and Rules it will manifest it self by its Fruits for it is self-evidencing and that they have a record in Heaven and also in many Consciences of the blessed Power of God with them and in them Reply And cannot the Baptists say all this nay and do not they many times They can say thâ—y have a Record in Heaven and in many Consciences also who believe them and pray tell me G. how thou wilt get up to Heaven to search the Record there and disprove them Did one ever hear such silly stuff as this man writes did he indeed think to shufflle it off with such
and that 's all I ask of them 15. And thus G.W. says amiss when he talks as if I did not acknowledg the sufficiency of the Spirits Evidence and Teaching for I do fully acknowledg it where it APPEARS indeed to be and do more fully own it than yet the Quakers seem to do who are loath to own Real Miracles and the Gift of Tongues to be a certain EVIDENCE of the SPIRIT But must I therefore own that to be the Spirits Evidence which every one calls so or will G.W. himself acknowledg it so I dare say not why then it remains that G.W. others must Evidence to us That that is indeed the Spirits-Evidence which they call so Before that either he or they can justly call us UNBELIEVERS or accuse us for not owning the sufficiency of the Spirits-Evidence and this G.W. and all the Quakers in England must confess or else I may as justly accuse them for not acknowledging the sufficiency of the Spirits Evidence and Teaching in the Church of Rome or in Muggleton and let them clear themselves of it if they can 16. Now since the Quakers will not produce any of their Miracles I would not have them angry with me if I should produce one or two that are the likeliest that I know of if that which they say be true I never found any upon Record in their own Writings except this may be Recorded for one viz. in G. F's Professors Catechism p. 13. And is not the POPE the MOTHER of all your observing of Days Saints days as you call them According to this it seems G.F. their Grand Prophet Converted a MAN into a WOMAN and that a POPE too which if true must needs be a Miracle and that it was not the Printers fault his next words assured me And is not SHE your Example and not the Scripture And again in another place in the same Page is not the POPE the MOTHER Then I considered what Pope this was whether it might not be Pope-JOAN that did first Institute Saints Days and so G.F. the Prophet by a strange impulse speak more Truth than he thought of But my Authors assure me 't was not Pope-JOAN but that it was a MAN Pope and the name Pope signifieth as much as FATHER and yet for all this G.F. hath turned the HE into a SHE and Converted the MAN into a WOMAN yet this is the Man that hath helpt to set out a whole Book in Folio shewing the sinfulness and impurity of saying you and not thou to one in the singular What a Prophet What a Scholar is this that cannot tell the MASCULINE Gender from the FEMININE was he can any one think skill'd in so many Languages as he hath set his Name to that does not write true English 17. The other thing which I shall leave to your own Judgments whether it be a Miracle or not is what is Recorded of them in the Court of Chancery THAT THE QUAKERS CAN TAKE AN OATH AND YET NOT SWEAR AT ALL If this be so some think it must be miraculous That they cannot swear that they swear not at all is their Principle That several of them have taken Oaths and have been sworn in Chancery is upon Record in that Court as Jer. Ives hath satisfied the World by Certificates in his Questions for the Quakers and yet the Quakers still say they did not Swear nor take an Oath which if true must be wonâ—erful at least But these are not such Miracles and Evidence as lie necessarily incumbent on the Quakers to produce for the better Evidence and Proof of what they say and pretend to and therefore I shall say no more of it here but refer them to produce such Evidence as will indeed prove them to be sent of God to go forth as Apostles Prophets c. more than all others and be satisfactory in Answer to the foregoing Particulars SECT IV. In Reply to his fourth Section shewing the Comparison betwixt the QUAKERS and MUGGLETON to be both Just Rational Honest and Necessary G.W. P. 35. TO compare Muggleton and them he says is both Idle Quibbling and Envious Canting What if W.P. does not pretend to more than Muggleton does will it therefore follow the Quakers are Impostors or like him who holds many Blasphemies The Baptists may be ashamed of such gross and abusive Insinuations as these Reply Stay George be not so hot run not so fast give me leave to call thee back again and tell thee that if the Comparison in my Epistle was any abuse that it was not the Baptists that did it but I and therefore if so I am to bear the blame of it But neither they nor I need to be ashamed of doing it that I see as I shall now shew you and if you had exercised a good Conscience you might have seen it your self and spared me the Labour 1. Then I say That if W.P. does not pretend to more than Muggleton yet if he or the Quakers pretend to have received immediately a Commission from Heaven and Divine Revelations and inspired by the Spirit of God to go forth as Apostles Prophets c. as Muggleton does and yet he be an Impostor as he is then if the Quakers can produce no more for theirs than Muggleton does for his it will follow that the Quakers are also Impostors And do thou Answer it if thou canst and so thou hast thy idle Quibbling and envious Canting return'd on thy self 2. And for thy accusing Muggleton with Blasphemies it is as certain that he accuses you with Blasphemies and many others have condemned you also as holding apparent Blasphemies then by this thou art as well condemned as Muggleton is condemned by thee so that this will be no Proof and besides How wilt thou evidence to others That all what thou sayest and callest Blasphemy is such indeed or doest thou think thy bare word is sufficient for all others to give Credence to and build their Faith on so that here the doubt and Question will remain still 3. I am verily perswaded in my heart that many Quakers have censured several Doctrines for Blasphemy which yet are not truly so as if they had the Romish Authority and every one of them a Pope within him Take an Instance out of G.W. himself Ishmael p. 9. For a Man's saying That it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith G. calls him thou Blasphemous Beast dost thou make no difference between the Scripture and God here let all that reads this see thy Blasphemy Now George let me ask thee if a Man should affirm it is all one to say thy Book Ishmael saith and the Spirit of God saith whether this would be Blasphemy since in thy Title Page thou asserts it was given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us and was not that given forth by Scripture Writing or Speech If thou sayest no then thou hast condemned the Man wrongfully unless thou wilt say that that Book
in other Matters which by the Quakers were at first made very weighty also however now they are Declined from what they once Pretended And if that be admitted neither themselves nor others can have any Certainty in them or of them for they may pretend the Spirit leads them to this to Day and that to Morrow and to a third thing quite different the next Day and they may say as some of them have done that they had not a clear Discerning of the Lord's Voyce in this thing then nor in that thing now and so they may as well pretend seven and seventeen Years hence for it depends onely upon their bare Word to others and thus they make their Religion as unconstant as the Moon and as wavering as the Wind. But how all this should be and yet the Quakers all this while pretend to INFALLIBILITY and That such their Writings and Doctrines were given forth by the Spirit of the Lord in them though thus Contradictory is such a Quibble and Riddle as would puzzle Oedipus himself were he here to un-riddle I should not delight in this threatning day to be uncovering their Nakedness did I not judge it a Duty to warn you and endeavour to lead them out of all False Coverings which in vain they would hide themselves under in their Defiled State rendring themselves by so doing but the more Naked in the sight of God and good men and giving the Enemy greater Occasion against them I have mentioned but some of those many that might be Collected by any that does but seriously Observe them and their Writings I had a large Field to walk in For who is it that knew them formerly and doth not see their palpable and grand Alteration now in their Gestures their Words their Salutations for now they 'l greet one in the Market-place which they use to tell us the Pharisees did asking in the Market How doest thou do In their Freedom in Eating and Drinking the Furniture of their Houses their Cloaths both for Fashion and Fineness of the Stuff minding the World and the things of the World their heaping up Riches and particularly in their now going to Law and having one or more Lawyers or Attorneys of them besides their Swearing in our Courts or if not doing therein something that is worse and almost in their whole Practice and Conversation as well as in many of their Doctrines and Principles Which if some abler Pen should undertake to set forth it might be the better and not unnecessary as it is possible hereafter some one may be moved to do Neither I think should I have done thus much but that I find they are grown of late Years so excessive High Proud Imperious Scornful and Hardened in a strange kind of Confidence and Quibbling Equivocations beyond the bounds of Modesty and Reason that they have need of something to make them sensible if it may be and better to know themselves that they may not thus proudly Despise Curse and Condemn everlastingly others that are not of their Body Church and Way Certainly the Old Serpent was the first Equivocator Evasive Quibbler and so the grandest Hypocrite that ever was when he deceived our great Grand-Mother Eve and it is as certain by what we see with our Eyes and hear with our Ears that he hath not yet forgot that Old Trade no small instances whereof the Quakers late Practices and many of their Pamphlets which you will find here cited most evidently appear to be I beseech you therefore give me leave in the Bowels of Love and Compassion seriously to warn and admonish you and such of them as will hear to look well to your goings and consider upon what it is you stand whether it be not very much upon Mens bare words or your own Fancies or at best in Naked likenesses and meer Imitations after you have been so long crying out against all Humane Traditions Literal Imitations making of Likenesses and Figures to your selves of what you find was once the Condition of others and beware of such uncertain variable changeable Lights and Doctrines as have no certainer basis than Geo. Foxes Light or Mr. Penn's Sandy Foundation Be not High-minded but Fear and let the Royal Law of CHARITY continue above all amongst all and I shall subscribe my self An Vnfeigned desirer of thy Souls Welfare THOMAS THOMPSON THE CONTENTS SECT I. THE Quakers Quibbles about their Quaking and Trembling and discerning the Lords voice SECT II. Their Quibbles about Set-days and Set places SECT III. Their Quibbles about their Body alias the Church and Forms as the Hat and Hand SECT IV. Their Quibbles about Flesh being Silent SECT V. Their Quibbles about the Annointing SECT VI. Their Quibbles about the Spirit SECT VII Their Quibbles and Hypocrisie about Scholarship and Languages SECT VIII Their Quibbles and Hypocrisie about punching People and thrusting and haling them out of Meetings SECT IX Their Quibbles and Hypocrisie in their former Practice of Disturbing of Ministers in Parish Assemblies with Reference to their Practice now SECT X. Their Grand Quibbles about and gross abuse of the Holy Scriptures Collected out of their Own Books The Conclusion Sam. Fisher Transpos'd on the Precedent Occasion Remarks on G. W's slight Sheet containing SECT I. Of G. W's Title and his false Suggestion 2. Of the Authors Name and Letter 3. Of Socinianism and the Divinity of Christ which the Quakers own 4. Of Scornful Reflections 5. Of the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit and Prophesie 6. Of the Manifestation of the Spirit 7. Of the Discerning of Spirits 8. Of Vnbelievers and Muggleton c. 9. Of the Quakers Jesuitical Art of Directing the Intention G. W's Letter to the Author and the Author's Answer The Third Part OF THE QUAKERS QUIBBLES Being a Continuation of their Quibbles Equivocations Contradictions Riddles Rounds and Confusions in several particulars THAT Flood of Follies and Absurdities that Cloud of Confusions and Self contradictions which shatters it self up and down by Plats in sundry Showres throughout the sundry Pages of those Mens Books every Eye that Reads them as they there lye at a distance 't is possible may not so easily set sight on them Therefore I shall cull some few of them only out for the whole Number passes my skill to cast Account of and clap them a little closer together not so much to shame them as to honour the Truth which they would shame That they may be the more Ready to be Read and apparent to the view of every Ordinary Reader That any save such as seeing will not see may see the Sword of the Lord already laid on the Arm and Right-eye of the Idol-Prophets to the drying up of the one and the darkening of the other for perverting the right way of the Lord so that they see not the Sun of Righteousness nor yet the Moon of so much as Common sense and Reason but grope about in the mist of their own muddy minds so as to need
of yours was given forth more by the Spirit of the Lord than the Holy Scriptures are If thou sayest yes it is Blasphemy then thou provest thy self a Blasphemer by Intitling that as given forth by the Spirit of the Lord in you which he did not say and give forth 4. Wouldst thou not think it very hard and unjust if one should accuse the Quakers of Blasphemy for saying That the Church of Christ is his Body and that there is but one Spirit and one Body which is the Church and so deny that Christ hath any other Body than that whereof the Saints are Members and united to him as thou talkest to this purpose p. 29. Now some look upon this as Blasphemous wouldst thou not say it is very hard and uncharitable and why because this is according to Scripture-Language sayest thou And yet thou hast accused Muggleton p. 37. as a Blasphemer and Impostor for holding this Blasphemous Doctrine That the Soul of Man dies or is Mortal Now may not Muggleton tell thee â—â—at the Scripture saith in express words The Soul that sinneth it shall die Ezek. 18.20 God shall deliver my Soul from the Power of the Grave Psal 49.15 Thou hast delivered my Soul from Death Psal 56.13 Thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Grave Psal 86.13 Keep back his Soul from the Pit his Soul draweth nigh to the Grave Job 33.18 22 28 30. Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Matth. 26.38 spake of the Resurrection of CHRIST that his Soul was not left in Hell or the Grave Acts 2.31 Is not this Scripture Is not this according to Scripture-Language Thus then thou condemnest something as Blasphemy which is according to Scripture-Language and so it seems it is all one to thee be it according to Scripture-Language or not thou joynest them all together as alike false and Blasphemous Besides there is no Protestant Church in Europe that I know of but what can approve the third Doctrine in thy 37. pag. which thou callest Blasphemous for True in the indefinite Terms thou hast expressed it viz. That the Soul of Man is Mortal i. e. Subject to the second Death if not Redeemed And because G.W. hath a Multiplying-Glass when he writes against his opposers he hath made here to lengthen them out eight several Doctrines which indeed can be reckoned but one or two in effect or much the same and as for those other Blasphemous Doctrines of Muggleton respecting the Godhead Life and that the Godhead died thou G. according to thy Principles must hold so too or else thou must run into another Blasphemy by holding that THE CHRIST INDEED did NOT DIE only put off HIS GARMENT with which thou sayest he was Cloathed but was not THE CHRIST nor no Real part of HIM And therefore upon this account your Predecessors who held much the same Doctrine with you concerning the TRINITY of PERSONS found a necessity on them to hold that the FATHER Died as Muggleton does and therefore were called PATROPASSIANS for without that they found they could not Really believe that THE CHRIST HIMSELF DIED and this Dilemma if not Blasphemy the Quakers are got into and if the Quakers did not come very near this Blasphemous Doctrine of Muggleton What is the meaning of Isaac Pennington's words Quest p. 20. But he CHRIST is of an Eternal Nature and his Flesh and Blood and Bones are of his Nature that is then his Flesh Blood and Bones are Eternal and so must be GOD for nothing is of an Eternal Nature but GOD and now let the Reader Judg how far this falls short of Muggleton's Blasphemy and let them clear themselves of it if they can so that it appears this is only a Pitiful begging the Question still betwixt the Impostor Muggleton and you which cannot be granted you by Muggleton nor yet by others without your producing better evidence for you see he can speak according to Scripture-Language as well as you when he hath a mind to it 5. Whereas thou sayest the comparison is unjust and wicked Thou dost not so much as Instance any one particular of the ten that is unjust or false But thou wilfully mistakes me when thou insinuates as if I did basely design by the Comparison to make others believe that the Quakers were Muggletonians or the Muggletonians Quakers No that was never my intent but thy own perversion on purpose to Evade and shuffle it off where thou foundst it lay too heaviâ— upon thy Shoulders neither canst thou find any such word in all my Epistle but well to the contrary as the tenth particular witnesseth That the Quakers Condemn Muggleton and Muggleton damn's the Quakers therefore any Man might see except G. who is wilfully blind that I never thought them all one or alike in all things and G. might have spared all his needless labour to set down wherein the Quakers differ from Muggleton in other Doctrines but that the poor Man could easier do that than Answer what I demanded of W.P. But this is the old Shift that I have formerly told them of they used in the Dispute Answer that which was never askt them to give the go-by and evade Answering what is askt and thus he serves me here The thing that I demanded of W.P. was this in my Epist p. 32 33. Why shouldst thou or thy Friends be believed MORE than Muggleton or an Impostor Since Muggleton says he hath received a Commission from Heaven that he had it by Divine Revelation to go forth as a Prophet c. That he is inspired by the Spirit of God and is infallible c. and so say the Quakers that they have And again in my p. 35. Is it not highly necessary one should know which of these are the Impostors Or whether since they both are such confident Pretenders they may not both be Impostors What canst or dost thou produce or pretend to more than Muggleton does Surely it will be a strange piece of Confidence for you to claim Credence from People if you cannot produce something considerable beyond such as your selves own to be a GRAND IMPOSTOR and a DECEIVER But very deceitfully G. gives the go-by to all this which was the only thing in Question and yet calls his Treatise an Answer to my Epistle Is it possible that the Quakers that prâ—tend so much should be Men of no better Conscience How can any look upon such to be tender and Men fearing God and hating deceit and falshood Is this think you for the Credit or Commendation of your way will such unfair dealing shifting and shuffling of Answers convince the Baptists or me or any other sober and discreet Men that you are immediately sent and Commissioned for to go forth as Apostles and Prophets from the most Holy God No surely Dost thou call this the Quakers-plainness detecting Fallacy It is the Quakers own Fallacy it then detects Let thy own Conscience if thou hast any that is not