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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33735	The perfect pharisee under monkish holinesse opposing the fundamentall principles of the doctrine of the gospel, and scripture-practices of gospel-worship manifesting himselfe in the generation of men called Quakers, or, A preservative against the grosse blasphemies and horrid delusions of those, who under pretence of perfection and an immediate call from God, make it their business to revile and disturb the ministers of the gospel published for the establishing of the people of God in the faith once delivered to the saints, and in a speciall manner directed to beleevers, in Newcastle and Gateside.	Weld, Thomas, 1590?-1662.; Cole, William.	1653 (1653)	Wing C5045; ESTC R37653	40,293	52

of the great businesse of justification of sinners by Faith of Iesus Christ that dare trust to so filthy raggs in the presence of so just and so holy a God Position 10 No reall Saint but he that is perfect and perfectly holy in this life and doth not sinne Proofe It is the designe of Nayler in his Booke in severall Paegs to prove this see his Book pag. 21. 22. Nayler hath oft spoken it of himselfe and said he witnessed it So G. Fox hath done others some of us doe know have said they witnesse perfection in Nayler Nay so farre doth Farnesworths ignorance of the Gospel proceed that in his Booke pag. 20. he thus writes They say they can never overcome the body of sinne or be made perfect here and they say no un ●l●ane thing shall ever enter into the Kingdome of God How doth this agree It s one of their ordinary out-●ryes against the Ministers because they oppose this Doctrine And t is the most generall Doctrine of all their Books and Papers Confut. 1. Let the Reader consider there must be of necessity a distinction of the word perfect and perfection in Scripture though we know this Generation of men will cry downe distinctions and pronounce that cur●e against us Rev. 22. as if we added to the word Yet the following cases will evidence the absolute necessity of distinctions if the unity of truth and the faithfulnesse of the word be owned at all Reade 1 Iohn 1. 8. 10. If we s●y that we have no sinne the truth is not in us compared with 1 Iohn 3. 8 9. Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne Reade 1 Iohn 5. 16 There is a sinne to death and there is a sinne not to death So Isay 9 7. Of his Gouernment there shall be no end compared with 1 Cor. 15 24 Then commeth the end when he shall deliver ●p the Kingdome c 2. Now as to a necessity of it in the case in hand consider the various use of the word in Seripture Phil. 3. is very full ver. 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect compared with ver. 15. where t is a word of the same root the Apostle speaking of the Saints and taking in himselfe in that expression adds Let us therefore as many as are perfect be th●● minded In which is plainely evident that Paul shall grossely contradict himselfe unlesse there be a distinguishing betwixt the variety of the sense of the word perfect 3. That perfection therefore ver. 12. is perfection in Glory as the verses both before and presently following it doe fully cleare it s that for which Paul was apprehended of Christ as is evident 1 Cor. 13. 10. where t is opposed to Pauls present state When that which is perfect i● come then that which is in part shall be done away clearely meaning his injoyment of God in glory as is plaine ver. 12. Now we see through a glasse darkely ●●en face to face Now the same word perfect in ver. 15. that it cannot possibly be meant of the same sort of perfection is evident For as the Apostle tells you that he enjoying the perfection v. 15. is yet short of is pressing forward towards the perfection in ver. 12. as to a thing that 's yet before so taking the word in both places in the same sense it were a contradiction for him to say he is perfect and is not perfect For the true meaning thereof we give you three Scriptures 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speake wisedome amongst those that are perfect 1 Cor. 14. 20. In malice be yee children but in understanding be yee men or be ye perfect for the word is the same with the former Text Heb 5 last Stong meat belongs to those that are of full age or that are perfect In all which places it is evident in it selfe that the word imports Christians growne up to more knowledge in the Gospel then others had who are in these quotations called Babes From the consideration of this Text it may be fully seen that perfection of Saints here is not that absolute perfection in glory which Paul professed he had not attained to but that comparative perfection of being growne up to more then ordinary measures of Grace and understanding much beyond the attainement of Babes in Christ 2. As for our perfection by justification the Scriptures fully hold it out upon the account of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ whereby the spouse appeares altogether lovely not upon the account of her own holinesse for so she is blacke and an infant in her blood but we know that t is not this perfection they speake of as he that hath but looked into their Books may presently discover 3. There is a perfection which the Scriptures expresseth integrity by as that word speaks the truth of grace in opposition to hypocrisie Thus Iob is called perfect Iob 1. 1. but that this perfection doth not imply a totall absence of sinne is plaine witnesse his sinfull passionate cursing the day of his birth Iob 3. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was borne Job 6. 8. 9. Oh that is would please God to destroy me that he would let goe his hand and cut me off See his owne confession Job 9. 20 2● If I say I am perfect my owne mouth shall prove ●●● perverse Thus Asa is called perfect 1 Kings 1● 14 The high places were not removed neverthelesse Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes Here is the perfection of Asa's heart with God and that all his dayes yet you shall ●nd● first He tooke 〈◊〉 away the high places which was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly He tooke the gold and silver ou● o 〈…〉 the ●●●se of the Lord and sent them to the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 ue ●Chron 16. 7. 9 Thirdly 〈…〉 an● put him in the Pri 〈…〉 ppressed the People at 〈…〉 And ●● his D●●●as● sought not to the Lord 〈…〉 So that you may clearely see in wh 〈…〉 h● was s●●d to ●●perfect As for other examples in this kinde ●● this time it may be clearely understood in what sense the spirit c●l●● them perfect who otherwise had their personall grosse infirmitie● 4. You are to disting●●sh betwixt the perfection of God and the perfection of the creature in reference to that Text Mat 5. last In which place perfection cannot signifie that which brings up to an equality with God but a similitude unlesse you runne upon that blasphemous Principle of equallity with God of which we have said enough before 5 By our thus comparing Scripture with Scripture we expect from their former usage in this kinde they will charge us with pleading for sinne though we are but discovering the imperfections of the best Saints lest they shou'd live upon their owne righteousnesse which to set up and establish in opposition to that of Christs imputed is evidently the designe of Quakers And that so the strength of the Lord may

in his Answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 21. affirmes If the promises there named be fulfilled in any man then what need have such of Scripture teaching without them when they have received the same spirit within them by which all true Scripture was written Pap. 22. If any soule be once made one with God who dare deny but that all * true Scripture is fulfilled in them and that such soules have no need of any to teach them Farnworth in one of his Books p. 29. minde the light within here is your teacher this light obeying it and here is your condemnation this light disobeying it See James Nayler in a Book of his called The Glory of the Lord shining out in the North pag. 2. All people cease from your outside lights and returne to the light of Christ in you and this light is not a Chapter without you in a Booke and this light did the Apostles every where bid to take he●d to till the day dawned 1 Pet. 1. 19. Let the Reader observe the palpable blindnesse of the man in the grosse mis-interpretation of so plaine a Text What need we the teachings of men saith another in a Paper of his in the hands of one of us William Strickland walking up the streets in Kendale naked except that he had a shirt on published the said Principle one of us both heard it and saw him in that immodest garbe Miles Bateman affirmed the same before the whole Congregation at Kendale And George Fox pretended he had all from within though his jugling was presently discovered a Concordance being sent to him from Yorke to help his Memory Miles Hawd in the same Congregation affirmed That whosoever did referre any man to any light but that which is within him is a Deceiver And being by one of us admonished to take heed of such Blasphemy and urged with Christs referring to the Scriptures and Pauls referring to the Doctrine he had Preached before Gal. 1. 8. he Blasphemously and in much heat of spirit repeated the same againe John Andland affirmed No need of outward teaching in discourse with us as Newcastle Confut. 1. This is clearely to make Scriptures uselesse for as they are a light without so there is no taking in of them but by Hearing or Reading the Spirit going along therewith And are the Scripture● uselesse Then why doth Christ command the Jewes to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Paul commands Timothy to Reade the Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading 2 Tim. 13. 15. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable c. and so not uselesse Col. 4. 16. the Apostle saies When this Epistle is Read amongst you cause it to be Read to the Laodiceans and that you also Reade that from Laodice● Luke 4. 16. Christ himselfe stood up for to Reade the Scriptures 2. Wherefore were the Apostles sent forth if outward Teaching be uselesse or needlesse Mar. 16. 15. Mat. 10. 7. As you goe Preach Goe Preach the Gospel to every creature Mat. 28. last Goe teach all Nations And let the Reader observe they did not onely goe to Preach for conversion but for the building up of Saints as Acts 14. 23. they returned againe to Lystr● and Iconium and Ant●och confirming the soules of the Disciples Acts 15. 36. Let us goe againe and visit every City wherein we have Preached the word of the Lord ver. 41. they went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches And why left they Elders in every Church but for the building up the body Acts 14. 24. Acts 20. 17. Ephes. 4. 11. 3. The great worke of Christ at his Ascending to his Father was to send forth Officers for the perfecting of ●●ints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ as is most undeniably proved Eph 4. 11. 12 and to continue to the end of all things till all the Saints even those yet unborne be come to a perfect stature 4. The Apostles in pursuance of the will of Christ Ordained Elders in every City Acts 14. 23. who are Officers for the teaching the house of God labouring in Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. Set downe qualifications of Pastours 1 Tim. 3 Bishops and Deacons to Tit. 1. 5. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest Ordaine Elders in every City 2. Tim. 2. 2. Commit that thou h●st heard to faithfull men able to teach others Now let every Christian judge to what end doth Christ send forth his Apostles and other Officers if outward teaching be needlesse what folly nay what sinne had they been guilty of to hazard nay to ruine themselves 1 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 4 8. 9. 2 Cor. 11 ●3 if outward Teaching were needlesse To what purpose should Christ so eminently engage by Promise to goe along with them both in their successe and sufferings Mat. 28. last Luke 10 16. 1 Thes. 4 8. he that despiseth despiseth not man but God if outward Teaching be needlesse For they can but speake to the eare as appears by the fruitlesnesse of their labours often and the worlds resisting them Acts 7. 54. Acts 13. 45. the Jews spoke against the things spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming And though it were necessary the word of God should be first spoken to them yet they put it from them Acts 28. 24. How cleare is it from Scripture assertion and example That Faith coms by Hearing and not by minding a light within as Rom. 10. 14. 15. Gal. 3. 2. Acts 13. 48. Ephes. 1. 12. 13. And lastly though we might much more yet we shall adde but this the Lord was pleased eminently to seale to their outward teaching as to his owne Ordinance by those ●aire Epistles Ministred by them and written by the spirit of the living God viz. the multitudes of men converted from darkenesse to light by their Ministry and from the power of Satan unto God 2 Cor 3. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Acts 2. And we dare appeale to the experience of the Saints in England whether the Ministry in England have not full and undeniable seales to their Ministration in the witnesse of Christ thereto in making them fruitfull Fathers to beget many soules to conversion by the Gospel Position 13. That the Scriptures are not the Word of God but a declaration of the conditions of them that spoke them forth Proofe Iames Nayler being asked by the Justices in Westm●rland whether he beleeved the written Word to be the Word of God answered I know no such thing See Mr. Higgis●●s Booke pag. 78. and this Passage one of us also heard Farnsworth in his Booke called A discovery of Faith pag. 6. cryes out against Ministers because they say The Letter is the Word and the foure books Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Gospel pag. 12. A Paper one of us hath from them hath this passage in it they say the Letter is the Word which is false To this purpose is

be made perfect in their weakenesse Did the spirit pleade for sinne when he rehearsed the faults of Saints or Paul Rom. 7. when he cryed out of the body of this death or when he discovers the unevennesse of Peters Judaizing Gal. ● or Christ when he writes to the seven Churches and discovers their sin Rev. 2 2. 3. 4 and tells the purest of them their strength is yet but little Rev. 3. 8 Hence you may discover from Christ the Spirit c. their manifesting the imperfections of the choysest Saints that to discover it is not to pleade for it unlesse you will blaspheme the holy one of Israel And let all Christian Readers consider that it is farre from us to pleade for iniquity but the great part of our worke is to reprove it in whomsoever and to presse Mortification and spirituall life and communion with God that so they may presse forwards to perfection as the designe and marke of their soules Phil. 3. 14. and have the attaining to that blessed state upon their hearts exceedingly though it be to the best at present a thing before and that which they have not already attained nor shall doe till this corruption have put on incorruption Yet are their glorio●er and fuller measures of holinesse then yet the best enjoy that may be attained here which though attained to doe leave us short of that perfection we doe wait for in glory yet may be a quickning Argument to draw out and exercise their souls in pressing forwards continually Position 11. That every man in the world hath a light within him suffici●●t to guide him to salvation without the help of any outward light or dis●overy Proofe Farnsworth in his Book pag. 51. Every one minde the light of God within you James Nayler in a Booke of his pag 2. All people cease from your out side lights and turne to the light of God within you and this he ignorantly makes to be the sure word of Prophesie 1 Pet 1. 19 The said Nayler in discourse with one of us W. C. at Kendale affirmed That every man in the world had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation c. and this he extended even to Indians that never heard the Gospel But the generall streame of their Words and Papers speake it fully Confut. By their constant expressions both in speaking and writing and by their calling off from all outward teaching it is evident that by this light they meane the principles within left in the spirit of every man since the fall the same light which an Indian hath that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery For one of us in discourse with Nayler proposing whether Indians that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation ●e affirmed they had and when the experience of the Saints in New-England to the contrary was produced he answered If any Indian were present he would justifie the contrary Thus will men to beare up an opinion affirme the things they doe not know Now that this naturall light which an Indian that never heard of Christ may have cannot bring to salvation we desire to propound these considerations following 1. No light ean bring to salvation but that which discovers Christ 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it s hid to those that are lost Where the Apostle positively concluds the hidings of the Gospel to an evidence of a lost estate John 17. 2. Now Christ is not knowne by the light of Nature Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed those things unto th●e 2. God doth clearely shew a distinguishing grace in the discovery of Christ Mat. 13 11. To you it is given to know the mysterie of the Kingdome of Heaven to them it is not given in which is apparent all have not the knowledge of the Gospel given 3. Those that lived in the highest improvement of reason being without Gospel discoveries did not and could not apprehend God in Christ 1 Cor. 1 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God c. neither indeed can be c. here is the impossibility of naturall principles to give out the knowledge of Christ 4. Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God not by the inward light or discovery which all men have but by the word of the Lord outwardly made knowne 5. If they shall say that every man hath the knowledge of Christ by speciall revelation and that immediate then they speake that which is contrary to the common and knowne experience of thousands who conversing with Indians never found the least hint of a Christ amongst them Many of them whose confessions are in Print having bin wrought upon by the Preaching of the Word by Mr. Eliot c. have clearely declared they knew nothing of the true God and Christ before their Publishing of the Gospel to them 6. We pray the Reader to consider what sad and lamentable effects will flow from this Doctrine to the utter undoing of the soule 1. This is to forsake the Fountaine of living Waters not going out to Jesus for light but Ier. 2. digging to themselves broken ●isterns leaving the Sunne of Righteousnesse to live by the light of their owne Candle 2. T is a confining our attainements to the improvement of this naturall light which must needs keep men both as to light and power under Legall performances and discoveries 3. Hence doe men account their tremblings and quakings as their perfection they being at the best but the improvements of an awakened naturall conscience without the soules applying of Gospel Promises as to justification by the blood of Jesus 4. Hence the soules beleeving and the acts of Faith in the blood of Christ are such strangers to these People as never to have the least hint in any of their words or writings and what they have spoken of Faith in generall as Farnesworth in his discovery of Faith doth manifest their exceeding ignorance and darknesse in the great businesse of the soules beleeving in the Lord Jesus 5. Hence come men under the unavoydable chains of Satan who leads them captive at his will whilst by this means they deprive themselves of any standing rule to try the spirits by but walk in such irregular and sinfull wayes as doe evidently speak how unable that their light is to distinguish betwixt duty and delusion 6. And what is else the reason of their bitter rayling and reproaching the Institution of the living God the Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel of Christ Crucified speaking all manner of evill against us for the works sake their designe being in their reproaching of the Ministers evidently apparent to strike downe the very worke of Preaching the Gospel Position 12. That there is no need of any outward teaching by Reading or Hearing the Scriptures opened or applyed c. Proofe George Bateman

is profitable for Doctrine for reproffe for correcti●r for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Position 14. The Spirits are not to be tryed by Scripture Proofe Miles Hawd in the Congregation at Kendale asserted that he that referred to any light without was a deceiver In a Paper of theirs one of them reckons this up as one of the Errors of the Priests as he ●alls them they professe the Scripture to be the rule and the touchstone to try withall A Book called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. sayes the worlds touchstone is without them and they try the living by the dead the spirit by the letter the Saints touchstone is within whereby they try the spirits whether they be of God or no which evidently demonstrates they allow no tryall of the spirits by the written word Confut. ● Heare what the spirit saith Isay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this it is because there is no light in them 2. This is to withdraw the soule from the judgement or determination of God whose revealed will the Scripture is as above is shown 3. This is to open a gap unavoydably to all Satans delusions as you may see by the short Relation of the Quakers Shaken in the case of Iohn Gilpin and we can no otherwise look upon this then the very Hold Satan hath to keep this people under his delusions by cousening them thus to stop their eyes against the light Iohn 3. 20. for what else shall be the Touchstone but the Word of God 4 And how strong are the perswasions of errour how fully doth Satan pretend in the soule to be an Angell of light and wherein shall man distinguish The Berean● searched the Scriptures whether these things were so Acts 17. 11. trying the Apostles themselves by the Written Word 6. And Christ himselfe leaves the very proofe of himselfe to be the Messias to the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have ●●●●●all life and they are they which testifie of me Position 15. That there ought to be no sinse meaning or exposition given or studying of the Scriptures Proofe Their common expression is to him that opens or shews them the interpretation of any Scripture Cursed is he that addes or the plagues are upon thee for adding to the Scripture John Audland a few days since being for his Rayling and Publique disturbance called before the Magistrates and there pleading against the Ministry alledging that Text Ier. 5. 31. The Priests heare rule by their means One of us laboured to convince him of this ignorance in that grosse mis-interpretation for by means he understood by their maintenance shewing that that Text doth most evidently hold this sence That those Priests bare rule by the means of the false Prophets The said I. A. presently cryed out Thou addest thou addest The same man having called another of us Deceiver was asked Whether he heard him Preach any thing contrary to the truth the day before telling him withall he Preached that which he had Prayed and studied the Scripture for presently the said Audland as if studying the word were enough to convince a man to be a deceiver cryed out there thou shewest thy selfe One of their Papers in the hands of one of us wickedly rayles thus Away with all your conjuring studying away with all your stage play Preaching And t is their knowne and constant Princip●e Though their grand master Fox was not able enough in this point but discovered his Imposture by his Concordance to the Bible sent him from Yorke to Kendale Confut. As to this let the Reader consider Neh. 8. 8. Ezra Read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the Reading Luke 24 27. Christ began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded therein all things concerning himselfe Marke 4 34 He expounded all things to his Disciples Acts 28. 23. Paul expounded and testified the Kingdome of God out of the Prophets Act 8. 30. to ver. 35. Philip expounds the mende of the holy Gho●● in that Prophecy of Isaiah to the Eunuch who Read it and yet without Interpretation knew not the meaning of it Christ sends the Pharisees to study the meaning of Scripture in stead of cavelling Mat. 9 13. Goe learne what that meaneth And Peter tells you in the writings of Paul there are many things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also other Scripture unto their owne destruction But to say there is no sense or meaning in the Scriptures shewes so grosse ignorance nay such senselesnesse in these people that this may suffice And for the studying of the Word reade the command of Christ for searching it Iohn 5. 39. of Paul 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome Ti●ethy must be nourished up in the Word of truth and of that good Doctrine to which he had attained 1 Tim. 4. 6. must give himselfe wholly 1 Tim 4 15. to Reading Exhortation Doctrine that his profiting might appeare to all 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approved unto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a childe thou hast learned the holy Scriptures c. out of which the man of God must labour to be throughly furnished unto all good works Position 16 They cry downe Baptisme with Water and the Lords Supper a● being but types and shadowes ceasing upon the appearance of Christ within them Proofe A Booke called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. thus The worlds Baptisme is without them the Saints Baptisme is within them the worlds Communion is without them taking a little Bread and Wine c. which is carnall the Saints Communion is within Compare this with George Batemans answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 29. disputing with him about Baptisme c. sayes That Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. Christ when he was in the flesh left them as types of another nature and this pointed at Christs appearing in the spirit and as the types under the Law ended when Christ appeared in the Flesh so these types viz Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord for of them he speaks there end when Christ appeares in spirit To which adde that of Farnsworth in his Pamphlet entituled A Discovery of Faith pag. 11. All your Baptisme such as are invented from the Letter the carnall minde invents them these are for the Fire for they are the workes of the Flesh Reade him also pag. 13. Confut. What soule that lives under the Kingdome and Scepter of the Lord Iesus will not abhorre these opinion● that destroy and wholly take from the Saints these two grea● Mysteries