26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth and altho' after my Skin Worms destroy my Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and not another Mine Eyes shall behold him tho' my Reins be consumed within me We say the Quakers sincerely Believe That God will Judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the Day appointed even in the Great Day of Judgment and that Harvest which is the End of the World Observe their sincerity to that end see G. Whitehead's Light and Life p. 41. What is that Glory of the Father in which his Coming is Is it visible to the Carnal Eye And when was that coming to be Is it now to be looked for outwardly We do acknowledge the several Comings of Christ according to the Scriptures both that in the Flesh and that in the Spirit but Three Comings of Christ not only that in the Flesh at Jerusalem and that in the Spirit but also another Coming in the Flesh yet to be expected we do not read of Vid. his Nature of Christianity p. 29. Dost thou look for Christ as the Son of Mary to appear outwardly in a bodily Existence to save thee if thou dost thou maist look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him c. To this purpose see Dewsbury's Discovery of Man's Return written from the Spirit of the Lord p. 7. Printed 1654 where he quotes Rev. 20. 12 13. I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of thâ—se things which were written in the Books according to their Works and the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them and they were judged every Man according to their Works And 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the Bâ—â— Observe here his gross Perversion he applying all this to the Light within and the Judgment within so that the outward Judgment at the Last Day which is here so plainly described is not by him professed as a thing to be expected His words are these Every one arise out of your Earthly Wisdom and mind the Light in thy Conscience and wait on the Power of the Lord in it and it will bring thee to Judgment before the Throne of the Lamb viz. within thee where the Righteous Law will be opened in thy Heart that will cry through thy Earthly Heart for Righteousness and Judgment and the Book will be opened IN THEE where thou shalt see all written that thou hast done in the Body and shalt give an account for every idle word i. e. to the Light within and receive thy Reward for what thou hast done and thy Reward is Wrath and Condemnation which will pass upon thee from the presence of the Lamb within thee for thy Disobedience and breaking of the Righteous Law And thus according to Scripture i. e. according to their Interpretation of Scripture do they believe the Doctrine of Eternal Judgment viz. the Judgment of the Heart or Conscience accusing or excusing them We Believe say the Quakers That the Soul of Man tho Created is Immortal and never dies c. OBSERVATION They seem here to Confess and Believe That the Soul is a Created Being and indeed to it is as also Immortal But hear what G. Fox says in his Gr. Myst p. 100. where he makes the Soul to be part of God Is not this that cometh out from God which is in God's Hand part of God And is not that which came out from God which God hath in his Hand taken up into God again which Christ the Power of God is the Bishop of is not this of God's Being lb. p. 91. Christ the Bishop of their Souls brings the Soul up into God from whence it came whereby they come to be one Soul If it be of God's Being it cannot be a Creature And that it is not a Creature see further G. Fox's Myst p. 29. One Magnus Byne had said The Soul is not Infinite in it self but it is a Creature and saith R. Baxter It is a Spiritual Substance c. To which he answers Now consider what a Condition these called Ministers are in They say That which is a Spiritual Substance is not Infinite in it self but a Creature That which come out from the Creator and is in the Hend of the Creator which brings it up and to the Creator again that is Infinite in it self And p. 90. Is not the Soul without beginning coming from God returning into God again who hath it in his Hand And Christ the Power of God the Biship of the Soul which brings it up into God which came out from him hath this a beginning or ending And is not this Infinite in it self A Infinite in it self it must be God nothing being Infinite in it self but God consequently the Soul is then no Creature or Created Being These Passages are vindicated by W. Penn in his Tract Entituled A Brief Answer to a False and Foolish Libel c. p. 16. after a very Brief Vindication he thus concludes Where is the Heresie of this For a Conclusion if the Quakers be Sincere in this their Profession if this little Pampalet under Consideration as well as many others of the like nature of late dispersed about the World do really truly and unfeignedly contain their Faith it is but then reasonable to expect that they should by some Publick Act of theirs Retract Censure and Condemn all those Tenets or Doctrines which as I have shown are directly opposite and contradictory to these New Creeds THIS INDEED and NOTHING but THIS can satisfie or convince the World of their Honesty and Sincerity But how little of Sincerity there is in these Confessions I leave it to the Reader and the World to judge for they are so far from Censuring Condemning or Disowning those Books which contain in them these Horrid Blasphemies that they tell you They have not deviated in any one Paint of Doctrine which they first held For Joseph Wyeth in his Primitive Christianity Continued p. 6. Printed 1698. thus affirms That our Principles are now â—o other than what they were when first a People And in their Yearly Epistle Printed 1696 they say We cannot but recommend unto you the holding up the Holy Testimony of Truth which had made us to be a People and that in all the Parts of it for Truth is one and CHANGES not And in a Piece called the Quakers Cleared p. 7. thus they declare God is the same his People the same and their Principles the same And says G. Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert Printed 1694. p. 72. I may see cause otherwise word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same Thus do they stifly maintain That they are not changed in any Point of Doctrine they do but word the Matter otherwise they mean the same with them only it is convenient now to disguise our Meanings for at the same time we will stand by the Testimonies of our Ancient Friends as being all given forth by the immediate Dictates of the Holy Ghost to this end they inserted a Paragraph in the Postman Numb 568. upon occasion of the late Conference at West-Dereham in Norfolk wherein are these wards The Quakers not questioning but to acquit their Ancient Friends and their Writings from those black Charges nor being Conscious of deviating in any ONE POINT of Doctrine from what they first held So that as I said at first there is just Cause to suspect them in all they say FINIS
AN ANTIDOTE Against the Venom of Quakerism BEFORE I enter upon the Examination of the Quakers Principles as here Professed and as I suppose Owned by them I shall very briefly desire the Reader to take Notice what is understood by the Term Christianity or what is necessary in a strict and proper Sense to Entitle a Man to be a Christian For the making up then this good Composition it is not enough for a Man to know and acknowledge God as the One only true God Creator of all things to Depend upon and to be Subject to him to Love him our Neighbour and our Selves to walk Soberly and Honestly and to practice all those other Duties which by the Light and Law of Nature he may be Convinced of for these a Man may believe and be consormable thereto and yet be no Christian For who doubts but that some of the Heathens thus far believed and practiced who were not only altogether ignorant of Christ but also vehemently opposed him and the Christian Name Tho' according to Will Penn's Notion of Christianity in his Address to Protestants p. 119. Second Edition these must be Christians For what is Christ says he but Meekness Justice Mercy Patience Charity and Vertue in persection Nay even the Jews themselves who were once God's Chosen People and must be Saved thro' Faith in the Messiah that was to come cannot in a strict Sense be called Christians their State being no Christian State however Obedient they might be to the Legal Dispersation they lived under yet they could no from thence be Entituled Christians For to Entitle a Man to be a Christian 〈◊〉 must necessarily believe 〈◊〉 to be already come nay that Particâ—â—â—â— and Numericâ—â— Man Christ Jesus who was Born of the Viâ—gin Mary and was of the Seed of Abrahaâ— according to the Flesh to be the Christ 〈◊〉 God that was promised to come in due time that this very Man was Crucified Died aâ—â— Rose again from the Dead and is Ascendeâ— c. Without Controversie great is the Mâ—stery of Godliness God was Manifest in tâ—â— Flesh Justified in the Spirit Believed on the World Received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 This Christ God-Man as come and crucified was that main Foundation of the Gospel and Christianity These were new Articles Founded upon a new Dispensation without the belief of which not to name some others which may be thought by some also necessary such as Baptism by Water and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by Bread and Wine a Man cannot be called a Christian Many there are indeed who lay Claim to this Holy and Honourable Profession but without a Just Title who fiercely contend for the Name tho' woful strangers to the Nature of Christianity who set up for more Pure and Refined Christians than are to be found in other Societies tho' they have scarcely any better Title to this Name than their being Born in a Christian Nation And thus the Quakers impose and put upon the World they set up for the great Modellers and Refiners of Religion and Condemn all others as full of Filth and Dreggs whenas they themselves as deceitful Workers 〈◊〉 themselves into the Apostles of Christ cannot be looked upon any otherwise at best than good Moral Heathens and many of them short of that Indeed could we take them at their word or would they take words in their common Acceptation it must be granted then that their Profession throughout the greatest part of this Pamphlet as well as some others viz. Will. Penn's Key Crook's Principles c. would seem Orthodox but this they will not do no you must Construe them by their Intentions for says George Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 72. I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same You may then see Just Cause to mistrust them in these their seeming Orthodox Confessions They have a Nauseous Pill to give you but that it may not be Distasteful and Loathsom to the Palate they Gild it over as the Writers for Popery in the Late K. J's Reign the other Day did to make it the more Glib and Easie to a Protestant Gust and Swallow they are Masters at the Art of Painting using feigned words and fair Speeches which was the old way of deceiving the Hearts of the Simple by which means many Poor Unthinking and Well-meaning People are now Ensnared and Involved in the same Errors with themselves By these and the like plausible Professions and smooth Pretences have they endeavoured to insinuate into and impose upon our Governours who no doubt can easily discern however Artificially Gilded and Varnished their Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to our Government And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were Two Books presented to Both Houses of Parliament the one Entituled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles c. The other Entituled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entituled Some Reasons humbly Offered Why the Quakers should be Examined But to proceed to an Examination of their Pamphlet in its several Parts Quest What is your Belief concerning the Blessed Trinity as our Term is Answ Our Belief is That in the Unity of the Godhead there is Father Son and Holy Ghost these Three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the H. Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony OBSERVATION Note It is said of the Oracles of the Heathen that they were made to look with Two Faces that they might the better effect their Deceits and agreeable hereto whatever was delivered by them was spoken in such Dubious and Equivocal Terms as that it should either way tend to the Satisfaction of the Devotee Just so do the Quakers now it being necessary to serve a present Turn give out a very cunning and plausible Profession but in such Dubious Terms as may look like Good and Orthodox and yet be in a great Measure Reconcileable to their Ancient Friends Principles and Testimonies It is well known that the most Virulent Poison may be Gilded over and that Varnish and Paint may be laid on the Foulest Cause and consequently the Quakers may be guilty of the grossest Errors under the Mask of Innocence and Zeal Religion and Purity But I shall not trouble the Reader with their Intentions and Meanings nor Trace them into all their Equivocal Reserves wherein they may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuites but rather have recourse to their own Books which can't but be allowed to be the best and only way to know and understand their real Principles as well as Meanings they being most if not all pretended to be Wrote from the Mouth of the Lord. First They pretend to make the World believe that they own the Blessed Trinity that is they pretend to acknowledge a Three
but deny a Trinity which is to confess the same thing in English and deny it in Latine Trinitas being only Latine for the Three they Profess to Believe in the Holy Three or Trinity of Father Word and Spirit as Penn tells you in his Key p. 15. but not as Three Persons But if not Three Persons What Three are they But for your satisfaction give Ear to the Ancients in their Ministry to that end hear what their Great and First Apostle George 〈◊〉 says in his Great Mystery p. 246. who earnestly opposed his Adversary one Christopher Wade for affirming That the Holy Ghost was a Person and that there was a Trinity of Three Persons before Christ was Born The Scripture saith he doth not tell People of a Trinity nor Three Persons bâ—t the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by thy Father the Pope And Will. Penn tells us in his Sandy Foundation p. 13. Printed 1668. That if we pretend to Credit the Scriptures we must necessarily Conclude our kind of Trinity a Fiction And lest the Reader should not be satisfied with his Scripture Proofs and Interpretations he labours hard to refute it from right Reason so called by him as in p. 13 14. to give you a Taste of them The Divine Persons are either Finite or Infinite if the first then something Finite is inseparable to the Infinite Substance whereby something Finite is in God If the last then Three distinct Infinites Three Omnipotents Three Eternals and so Three Gods Secondly If each Person be God and that God Subsists in Three Persons then in each Person are Three Persons or Gods and from Three they will Increase to Nine and so ad Infinitum c. Again in p. 32. he tells us That our Trinity or our imagined Trinity as he Terms it in p. 16. has not so much as a Foundation in the Scriptures it being but Man's Invention and doubtless it hath occasioned Idolatry See further George â—â—itehead and Three other Quakers in their Book Entituled Ishmael and his Mother cast out p. 10. where is this Passage He i. e. Mr. Townsend a Minister in Norwich against whom they Disputed is shut up with the Three Persons in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit I shall add here nothing by way of Inference but leave it to the Reader to judge whether they own the Trinity being Those Three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit But what Heaven is that which the Quakers mean not the Glorious Heaven above but it is the Heaven within thee where these Three Divine Witnesses are for says Geo. Fox in his Gr. Myst p. 214. There is none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them Again see his Trial at Lancaster Assize c. p. 21. I was moved to Pray and the Thundering Voice answered I have glorified thee and will glorifie thee again and I was filled so full of Glory that my Head and my Ears was filled full of it Mark Reader here was Thunder within Glory within yea full of Glory aurum tenus up to the Ears And says W. Penn in his Rejoinder p. 179. To deny the Locality of Heaven is not very offensive and that it looks too Carnal and indeed Mahometanism viz. to assert it Now Reader let this serve to Construe their meaning in their Pamphlet when they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say the Heaven within them Quest Do you believe the Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God or that Jesus Christ is truly God and Man Answ Yes we verily Believe that Jesus Christ is truly God and Man according as Holy Scripture Testifie of him viz. God over all Blessed for Ever the True God and Eternal Life the One Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus OBSERVATION Now let us see whether they believe as they say or whether it be only Paint or Varnish to deceive the Hearts of the Simple To that end see Geo. Whitehead s Nature of Christianity p. 41. where he thus speaks That Christ Existeth outwardly Bodily without us at God s Right Hand What Scripture proof hath he for these Words See also his Truth Defending the Quakers p. 22. where he affirms Christ s coming in the Flesh to be but a Figure or Example Which is also the saying of R. Hubbertborn and Justified by G. Whitehead in his Judgment Fixed p. 336. who tells you plainly what Man Christ the Quakers own i. e. their Light within only His words are these Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body or Flesh And Christopher Atkinson in his Book called The Sward of the Lord drawn which was written as he pretended from the Mouth of the Lord and this I cannot omit quoting for tho his Person was disowned and denied after he was Hanged for Felony by some of the Quakers at West-Dereham Church at the Conference yet I never heard it before No he was a good Man then and Inspired however fallible afterwards and therefore those his Writings must be Valuable and Venerable and that they are by them so accounted is evident from matter of fact for when the Quakers were pressed by a Clergyman and others there present at the Second Day Conference to reject and disown his Writings under their Hands they would not be brought to such a reasonable compliance I must therefore beg leave to insist upon this Book where in p. 5. he hath these words Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your Carnal Christ is utterly denied and testified against by the Light And that this Christ is God and Man in one Person it is a Lie And again Because as Will. Penn says it is not reasonable that a Body of Men should be Concluded by the Word or Act of any one Member vid. his Brief Answer to a false and foolish Libel c. p. 25. Printed 1678. I shall therefore add One or Two more to that end see G. Fox Gr. Myst p. 206. If there be any other Christ but he that was Crucified within he is the false Christ And says Smith in his Primer p. 8. Printed 1668. They that are false Ministers preach Christ without and bid people believe in him as he is in Heaven above but they that are true Ministers they preach Christ within and direct People to wait to feel him in themselves And in p. 9. he affirms That these have no more fellowship than the East hath with the West Nay Will. Penn in his Address to Protestants p. 119. makes Christ nothing but Meekness Justice Patience Charity and Vertue in perfection In short nothing but an Holy Princiciple as he elsewhere hath it Now whether these Quotations do not amount to a plain denial of the Humanity of Christ let the Reader Judge whatever in this Pamphlet or in Will Penn's Key is pretended to the contrary But yet once more to corroborate
NO SENSE can properly be called the Word of God c. yet with Respect to their own Scriptures I mean what is given forth by their Light within is in some Sense the Word of God else why did G. Fox in his Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth and in which Book he also calls the Scriptures Dust Death and Serpents Food p. 3 4 45 46. thus writes p. 62. To you all this is the Word of the Lord I charge you in the Presence of the Lord God to send this Book among Friends and Brethren every where to be READ in ALL Meetings to you all THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD. Now if Fox did not believe this Book of his to be in NO SENSE the Word of God why did he charge his Disciples to send it up and down as THE WORD OF GOD to charge and command them to read it as THE WORD OF GOD in SOME SENCE at least and that in all their MEETINGS whilst they say as above noted the Scriptures are not the Word of God No not in ANY SENCE And therefore as Mr. Bugg has well observed that in all the time of his being a Quaker which was 25 Years they never Read one Chapter in the Bible or one of the Epistles of the Holy Apostles in ANY ONE of their Meetings nor can they disprove what he says in THAT as well as in OTHER things Now whether they have such a great Esteem and Veneration for the Holy Scriptures valuing and preferring them before all other Books extant in the World as in their new Creeds they tell us and as they made frequent Outcries at West-Dereham Conference before Thousands let the Reader judge Quest Do you believe the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead and of Eternal Judgment and the Immortality of the Soul Answ We sincerely believe and confess the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead and of Eternal Judgment according to Holy Scripture Heb. 6. 2. That God will raise the Dead and judge the World in Righteousness by His Son Jesus Christ in the Day appointed even in the great Day of Judgment and that Harvest which is the end of the World Tho' the Soul of Man tho' Created is Immortal and never dies even as these Doctrines are more fully testified in Holy Scripture by Jesus Christ and His Apostles 1 st For the Doctrine of the Resurrection see Mat. 13. 43. c. p. 15. OBSERVATION The Answer is VVe sincerely believe and confess the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead according to Holy Scripture that is according to their Sense and Interpretation of Holy Scripture which is no ways agreeable to the Sense and Interpretation of any Orthodox Christians To that end see Will Penn's Reason against Railing p. 134. it is objected That the IT in the Text 1 Cor. 15. be not the same Body how can that be called a Resurrection For that supposeth the same To which Penn answers If a thing can yet be the same and notwithstanding changed for Shame let us never make so much stir against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation for the Absurdity of that is rather outdone than equalled by this Carnal Resurrection Ibid. p. 138. It was objected by his Opponent That the Joys of Heaven would be imperfect if the Bodies did not Rise He Answers Is the Joy of the Ancients now in Glory imperfect Or are they in Heaven but by halves if it be so unequitable that the Body which hath Suffered should not partoke of the Joys Caelestial Is it not in measure unequal that the Soul should be rewarded so long before the Body But why must the felicity of the Soul depend upon that of the Body Is it not to make the Soul a kind of Widow and so in a state of Mourning and Disconsolateness to be without its beloved Body Which State is but a better sort of Purgatory In short if the compleat Happiness of the Soul rests in a Re-union to a Carnal Body for such it is Sown then never cry out upon the Turks Alcoran for such a Heaven and the Joys of it suit admirably well with such a Resurrection See his Invalidity of John Fâ—ldo ' s Vindication p. 369 370. I do utterly deny that this Text 1 Cor. 15. 44. is concern'd in the Resurrection of Man's Carnal Body at all but the two States of Men under the First and Second Adam Men are Sown into the World Natural so are they the Sons of the First Adam but they are Raised Spiritually thro' him who is the Resurrection and the Life and so are they the Sons of the Second Adam who came to Raise up the Sons of the First Adam from their Dead to his Living their Natural to his Spiritual Estate But perhaps it will be objected that the 47 vers The First Man is of the Earth Earthly and part of the 49 vers We that also bear the Image of the Heavenly seem to imply a Bodily Resurrection but let the whole Verse be considered and we shall find no such thing c. See Tho Ellwood in his Answer to G. Keith's first Narrative p. 149. Printed 1696. In 1 Cor. 15. 37. he makes the Apostle thus speak The Body that shall arise is not the same Carnal Body that Dies and is put into the Grave No the Body that is put into the Grave or is Sown is a Natural Body but the Body that is Raised is a Spiritual Body It is Sown a Natural Body it is Raised a Spiritual Body Ver. 44. And that none might think this Spiritual Body was the same with the Natural Body he adds There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body He does not say the Natural is made a Spiritual Body or the Natural Body and the Spiritual Body is but one and the same Body But he sets them in Opposition as two distinct Bodies and that none might think this Spiritual Bodies was the same he adds there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body Further see Rich. Hâ—bberthorn's Collections p. 119. he there tells his Opponent That he Lies concerning the Saints on Earth saying The Saints in Heaven hoped for the perfection of their Bodies at the Resurrection c. And his Envy hath reached to Heaven to prove that the Saints in Heaven are not perfect but wait for the Redemption of their Bodies which now if People mind the Scriptures there is no such Doctrine in it as the Saints in Heaven have not receiv'd the Redemption of their Bodies And again Ibid. p. 121. These are they viz. the World's People or Truth 's Enemies that say that the Saints Glorified in Heaven do yet hope for the Resurrection of their Bodies and so not come to the end of their hope tho' in Heaven But whatever whimsical Notions they are possessed with and whatever false Glosses they put upon Scripture yet I hope all Good and Orthodox Christians will readily believe and say with Job c. 19. v. 25
all I have said on this Head as well as to shew you how inconsistent Will. Penn is with himself see his Serious Apology p. 146. That the outward Person which Suffered at Jerusalem was properly the Son of God we utterly deny Quest Do you believe and expect Salvation and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ or by your own Righteousness and Works Answ By Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works God is not indebted to us for our Deservings but we to him for his Free Grace in Christ Jesus whereby we are Saved thro' Faith in him not of our selves and by his Grace enabled truly and acceptably to Serve and Follow him he is our All in All who works all in us that is well-pleasing to God OBSERVATION Now to unfold their meaning herein as is said before let us hear what their Approved Authors say I shall begin with Geo. Whitehead who in his Light and Life c. p. 16 blames us for laying so much stress upon the shedding of Christ's Blood p. 38. The Quakers says he see no need of directing Men to Jesus Christ or his Blood as it was outwardly shed at Jerusalem for Justification c. And p. 55. Where doth the Scripture say that the shedding of Christ 's Blood outwardly was the Meritorious Cause of Man's Salvation And in p. 64. It is false Doctrine to lay the Meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon the shedding of that Blood let out by the Spear And says Will. Penn in Conjunction with his Brother Whitehead in his Serious Apology p. 148. This indeed we deny viz. Justification by the Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us wholly without us And boldly affirm it in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now Deluge the whole World And says Geo. Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 17. 18. Printed 1694. That it is the Light and Life within in which is the immediate and efficient Cause of Man's Salvation and as for the Sufferings and Death of Christ in the Fresh they do but instrumentally Contribute thereunto And agreeable hereunto see Isaac Pennington's Questions to Professors c. p. 25. where there is this Question put Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience c. Which tho' by way of Interrogation is a very plain and manifest denial of the efficacy of the Blood of Christ shed upon the Cross for Man's Salvation Again Thomas Lawson a thorow-pac'd Quaker in his Untaught Teacher p. 4. Printed 1655. tells you That you must not look for Salvation from any Means without For when his Opponent had urged that the Means that leads to Salvation is without Man he answers For all thy Profession thou art got no further than the Pope who talk of a Christ without Means of Salvation without as thou dost p. 5. Thou art a Foolish Builder seeking a Way to Salvation without thee If this be not the Mystery of Iniquity I know not what may be called so When you have thus compared them then Reader judge of the Sincerity of their Profession for as they thus undervalue the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ purchasing Salvation for us so do they set up extol and magnifie their own Righteousness and Works like to their Brethren in the Church of Rome as will be made appear in the next Observation only in this they exceed all the Meritorious Boasts of those their Kindred in affirming that their Sufferings are Greater and more Unjust than the Sufferings in the Days of Christ His Apostles and Martyrs See Burrough's Works p. 273. Quest Do you believe Remission of Sin and Redemption thro' the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ Answ Yes thro' Faith in Him as He suffer'd and died for all Men and gave Himself a Ransom for all and his Blood being shed for the Remission of Sins c. OBSERVATION Here their Profession seems to be very Orthodox but observe if we will give Credit to their Ancient and Approved Authors who pretended they wrote from the Mouth of the Lord it is still but Paint and Deceit for Remission of Sins or Redemption thro' the Sufferings or Righteousness of another is not by them believed See the Works of their Prophet and Son of Thunder and Consolation Edw. Burroughs p. 33. God doth not accept any where there is any Failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every Demand of Justice This Reader were there no other Instance confutes their Plausible Pretence to Justification and Remission of Sin by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ But for your further Satisfaction see W. Penn's Sandy Foundation p. 25. Justification of Persons is not from the Imputation of another's Righteousness but from the Actual Performing and Keeping God's Righteous Statutes Again see his Serious Apol. p. 148. Justification by the Righteousness of another or which is fulfilled for us in his own Person we boldly affirm in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World Again once more see his Sandy Found p. 25 30. It is a great Abomination to say That he Christ having satisfied for our Sins we may be Justified by the Imputation of his perfect Righteousness and yet they tell you in this Pamphlet That he Died for our Sins and Rose again for our Justification when as ib. p. 31. W. Penn saith The Consequences of such a Doctrine i. e. Imputative Righteousness is both Irreligious and Irrational Again in his Serious Apol. p. 148. he tells you That Death came by Actual Sin not Imputative therefore Justification unto Life came by Actual Righteousness not Imputative Here Reader as G. Keith has well observ'd in his Abstract you may observe how far this contradicts his late Doctrine of Justification in his Primitive Christianity and late Creeds And why indeed should they believe Remission of Sins and Redemption thro' Christ's Sufferings and Justification by his Righteousness when as they believe themselves to be Perfect as God and Free from Sin First Perfect as God see G. Fox's Great Mystery p. 282. One said Surely they cannot be Perfect here or hereafter in Equality but only in Quality Fox answers Christ makes no Distinction in his Words but saith Be ye Perfect even as your Heavenly Father is Perfect and as He is so are We and that which is Perfect as He is Perfect is in Equality with the same thing which is of God and from God 2 dly They profess to be free from Sin as you may see in G. Fox's Great Myst p. 101. It is the Doctrine of Devils that preacheth that 〈◊〉 shall have Sin and be in a Warfare so long 〈◊〉 they be on Earth And p. 231. he says Aâ—â— who come to Christ the Second Adam they come to Perfection in the Life of God out of the First Adam p. 271. For who
are Sanctified have perfect Unity perfect Knowledge perfect 〈◊〉 And Will. Penn in his Truth Exâ—liâ—d c. as the Authors of a Book Entituled A brief Discovery c. takes notice laughs at the Church of England for confessing themselves Sinners or praying to God for Mercy Alas poor Souls saith Penn are not you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy upon us miserable Sinners there is no Health in us from Seven to Seventy This Doctrine of Sinless Perfection being the approved Doctrine of the Quakers and that in Opposition to all Professors of the Christian Faith there is no Reason why they should believe Remission of Sin Redemption and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ because they themselves pretend to be Perfect as God yea as Perfect and Free from Sin Quest Do you believe and own the Divine 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ in his Church Answ Yes verily we sincerely believe and own Christ not only as He is the Light of the World enlightning every Man coming into iâ— but also that he is given for a Leader and for a Commander and that He is both King Priest and Prophet to and over His Church and People c. OBSERVATION This Profession of theirs if Sincere would indeed comprehend a great Part of the Christian Religion but if the above Quotations be true they will give you just Cause to suspect them even in this Observe then how they believe the Kingly Office of Christ For that examine whether they do not attribute that to G. Fox their first Apostle which is due to Christ Himself alone See Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected p. 19. where Solomon Eccles thus celebrates G. Fox viz. Blessed be the Man that came out of the North blessed be the Womb that bear him and the Breast that gave him Suck And ib. see there a Letter written by 〈◊〉 Coale a Quaker from Barbadoes to G. Fox 24. Day 12 Month 1658. which is justified by W. Penn in his Judas and the Jews p. 44. 45 46. viz. Dear G. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached thro' us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting of many again to a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou rule and governest in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is established in Pâ—â—â—e and the Encrease thereof is without end Now by these Expressions as Edw. Pâ—ye in his Antichrist in Spirit Unmasked well observes whether the Scepter be not wrested out of Christ's Hand and given to G. Fox let the Reader judge by considering the several Parts of it 1 st Then observe he doth expresly ascribe to him a Kingdom Thy Kingdom c. and thou Rulest and Governest must not then such a one be an Actual King 2 dly He describes the Subjects of this Kingdom who those are you may with some Assurance venture to guess viz. Josiah Coale and the rest of the Ancient Society of Quakers to whom the Life of G. Fox hath reached thro' such Illustrious Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting them again to a lively Hope and these are great in Numbers and therefore he calls him the Father of many Nations 3 dly As Mr. Paye says he tells us what kind of Power and Authority it is in which this King Rules and Governs namely In the Power of the Highest viz. a Spiritual and Divine Power not like that of the Kingdoms of Men. 4 thly You have here the Stability of this Kingdom Thy Kingdom is established in Peace 5 thly You have the Extent of this Kingdom also namely The Encrease thereof is without end it is a Boundless Kingdom Lastly Take notice of the Excellency of this Kingdom which is such and Fox this King's Happiness so great that not only the present Age but Generations to come shall call him Blessed From hence judge if G. Fox is not Invested and Throned in Christ's Kingly Office They have then no Reason to take it ill if we call G. Fox the King of the Quakers since it plainly appears from the Testimony of Josiah Coale an Eminent Teacher of theirs and vindicated as above quoted by Will. Penn and approved of by their Second Day Meeting that he is so even as Christ is King of the Christians but possibly it may be objected That it is Christ in G. Fox that hath this Regal or Kingly Power as G. Whitehead asserts in his Innocency against Envy p. 18. we might have then reasonably expected that it would have been so expressed Meanings are not to be understood but by Words and as for Words none can be plainer and more expressive which W. Penn affirms to be no Blasphemy but harmless and Innocent See further Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected p. 45. as also Judas and the Jews p. 85. where you have this Saying of King George repeated Friends altho' I have not told it you I do now declare it I have Power to bind and to loose whom I please And who can deny it since he hath deprived Christ of His Kingly Office and assumed it to Himself But I do still expect the Quakers will say as G. Whitehead in his Innocency against Envy p. 18. plainly intimates it is not G. Fox but the Light or Christ within him that Assumes this Kingly Power but it will then follow that every Quaker is a King because every Quaker has the Light within which Light must be obeyed since all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed to it See Smith's Primer p. 13. also Josiah Coale's Works p. 93. See G. Fox Jun. p. 50. whom you may observe to speak plain and home to the Point viz. I the Light will fall upon you and grinde you to Pouder All who will not own me the Light in you And I will make you know that I the Light am the true Eternal God which created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can save Now Reader compare these Quotations with this their late Profession now under Consideration and then judge whether the Quakers do really own the Kingly Office of Christ For whereas they pretend to be obedient to the Laws of Christ our Lord and His Ordinances are they not both by their Doctrine and Practices made Void Contemned and Rejected as will further hereafter appear But to proceed 2 dly Let us now see how they own Christ's Priestly Office For who as above can believe that they really own the Priestly Office of Christ when they deny his Humanity as owned by all Orthodox Christians To which I shall add these Reasons with some little Mixture of Matter of Fact to let the Reader see that notwithstanding their Plausible Pretences they must be thought to deny the Priestly Office of Christ For First If they deny the Person or Humanity of Christ as above shewed they cannot own Christ's Priestly