true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world But I would faine know why these Quakers confound this Light with Conscience as if they were both one is the Conscience and Christ all one what folly is this Secondly But what doe they mean that Christ lighteth every one who cometh into the world with saving light Fruits of fast pag 23. as Parnel his 29 Querie intimates this is manifestly false For how great a part of the world is there who know nothing of Christ Redemption Justification by Christs righteousnesse Originall sinne Saving faith c. They never heard the sound of these things The next Verse confutes this for the 10 ver saith The world knew him not How then doth he lighten every one with such a knowledge when the Text saith plainly the world knew him not What miserable blind Consciences doe we find where people have lived under the revelation of Christ I am confident many know not the essentials to salvation The meaning then is 1 If we speak of the Light of Reason Understanding so Christ lighteth every one who cometh into the world 2. Or if we speak of Saving light As many or every one who hath that saving Light it is Christ who illightneth him 3. So we may say of Common Light Christ giveth that also As Psal 136.8 The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down What every one we see the contrary but those who are raised it is he who lifts them up none else can Againe Conscience may and doth erre this is a further proof of the imperfection of it Acts 26.9 Paul was there guided by his Conscience but it erred Did not of old Doe not now all Errors and Heresies plead Conscience Papists Socinians c I doubt not Queen Mary would say her Conscience led her to burn the eminent servants of Christ Now let us hear what the Quakers say Quakers glory c. p. 2. They exhort the Magistrates to let the Priests alone and to receive the Law of God which is perfect according to that in the Conscience herein have truth in all ages suffered by them who made Lawes contrary to that in the Conscience No matter for the Word then Fell. pag. 5. The Priests of thy high places Oh England bear witnesse before my face against thee which thou hast set up contrary to my will which I have made manifest in every mans Conscience No not every mans you are not perfect Fell. So once before in the same page Wooddrove p. 15 16 Turne your minde within you to the pure Light of Christ in your Consciences see by this light within you who rule within you No matter for the perfect rule without you to try the light within you nor to help it J. N. against Harris p. 15. Make our Light within to be the Light of the Covenant of Grace How many millions of soules know nothing of it Bishop p. 21. Sink down to that of God in every one of your Consciences the light of Christ In all their Books the Word of God written is made of no account But while the Quakers thus call on all men to turn to that within them their Consciences why doe they so cry out upon the Magistrates for sending them to Bridwell and Prisons since they doe as the Light within them bid them They practise their doctrine but the Magistrates have the Light without them in the perfect rule to guide Conscience within them What a wofull Nation should we have where Consciences are so blinde erroneous sleepy benummed and some cauterized if men should lay by the perfect rule and goe to that the Prince of darknesse would make strange worke Conscientia est regula regulata non regula regulans This Argument differs from the third Argum 6 Major That Light which destroyeth the Institutions of Christ is the Light of Satan not of Christ Minor But the Quakers light destroy the Institutions of Christ his Ordinances Ergo it is the light of Satan not of Christ Major The Major is clear for then Christ must oppose himself if he hath left Ordinances wherein people shall attend upon God till the end of the world and now have a light to destroy them Christ hath changed his minde 1 Cor 11.26 In the Lords Supper we shew the Lords death till he come Christ is not come yet Christ bid them eat and drink in remembrance of him his words at the Institution of the Lords Supper What were the Apostles onely to remember him or the Corinthians and those first Churches Must not all Churches till he comes so remember him Mat. 28.19 20. Teach and Baptize I am with you to the end of the world What doe you limit this teaching and baptizing to the Apostles They are dead many hundred years since yet the end of the world is not come how then can these words be fulfilled but in the ordinary Officers who succeed the Apostles is the rule of Christ Mat. 18.15 16 17 18 c. come to an end I am sure there are offences still and you perfect ones are as vile offenders as any but you have taken a course to prevent all discipline for your Church is within so shut up that none can come at it no nor believe it Minor But the Quakers light destroy all the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ Parnel Wat p. 8. They who brought the profession of the Christian Faith into England first had two Sacraments Infants Baptisme is one that which they call the Supper of the Lord is another and they had the carnall bread and wine as the Priests and people hath now See what esteem this youth hath of the Ordinances against the Baptists he talketh much for their baptizing with water but I will not transcribe his babling Naylor against I. Reyner pag. 3. Church Prayers Baptisme Singing we witnesse to be all within None of these outward Naylor Saluta p. 7. Is not Christ the Ordinance no that he is not and the end of all Ordinances I here is truth in this and it overthrows the former for if he be the end of the Ordinance how can he be the Ordinance it self are the means the end a few lines after Is not he the Sabbath Baptisme Supper No that he is not In p 33. there we have the bottome he will not deny but these Visibles as he calls them had their place and time but what are they now He meets with an Objection of ours which is this They are commands of God and there is no Scripture for taking them away This is an Objection indeed to which he answers I say those carnall things are but commands as Circumcison and the Passeover were and many other yet were they taken away without letter by that spirit that gave them when they were abused what letter had Hezekiah to take away the brazen Serpent what scripture had Paul to cry down Circumcision c. so runs on But why doth not Naylor make up his
STABLISHING AGAINST SHAKING OR A Discovery of the Prince of Darknesse scarcely transformed into an Angel of Light powerfully now working in the deluded people called QUAKERS WITH A sober Answer to their railings against Ministers for receiving maintenance from their people Being the substance of one SERMON preached Feb. 17. 1655. at Shalford in Essex BY GILES FIRMIN Pastour of the Church there upon occasion of the Quakers troubling those parts LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the black Beare in St. Paul's Church-yard neer the little North-dore 1656. To the Worshipfull DVDLEY TEMPLER Esq Justice of the Peace in ESSEX SIR I Should be very ungratefull now this Sermon comes to be read if I should forget you without whose assistance it had scarce been * Twice I was interrupted as I was preaching heard I wished much for your presence though I did not request it but what I feared your self apprehended and seasonably coming in stopped those mouthes by your Civill power which neither reason nor the solemnity of the Ordinance would have silenced had you been an Anabaptist an enemy to the Ministery and Learning as some have unjustly reported you might have spared this care if this act will not clear you let my pen answer for you for I think no Minister hath more inward acquaintance with you than my selfe I never heard him so much as question his own Baptisme but I have heard him disapprove of persons for being Re-baptized and two of his Children my selfe have baptized how then is he an Anabaptist When a Minister was nominated to succeed his deceased Pastor because it was told him that he was a Minister that would admit Tradesmen into his Pulpit he told me he should never come there and for Learning such an enemy he is unto it that I have heard him say Take away Learning and England becomes a dunghill This I am sure be a Minister Classicall or Congregationall so he be learned able and godly holding to the old sound Divinity he makes no difference but can embrace both beteaming them not onely amaintenance but an honourable maintenance How then men will prove their reports I know not unlesse thus He is a Souldier Ergo but it is easily answered Non sequitur unlesse this Proposition be true All Souldiers are Anabaptists and enemies to the Ministery c. which I am sure is false of some though true of too many Goe on then good Sir let not these reports trouble you though I know they have done God will in time clear up your innocency more by your actions than by my pen and give his Church as much cause to blesse him for your faithfulnesse to it as the Common-wealth hath cause to blesse him for the unbyassed integrity and painfull diligence which you have manifested in the execution of your Office as related to it What I have here presented to you I pray accept as a testimony of that honourable respect I beare unto you subscribing my selfe Feb. 28. 1655. Your servant GILES FIRMIN To the READER NO man I think was more resolved against medling with this Sect than my selfe insomuch that though they came into divers Towns about me yet I let them alone judging silence to be best and was apt to blame other Ministers that kept Fasts against them being a generation not worthy the taking notice of but I saw at last when I would not trouble them they would trouble me sent divers of their Books into our Town invited my people to come and heare and prevailed with some to hear now I was forced to change my resolutions Dury calling upon mee now to speak twelve of their Books were brought to me besides Toldervy's who said his foot was out of the snare but I could not so judge of him and what I said of him is since come to passe which when I had perused I made one Sermon to discover this generation and I bless God for the good successe I found of it Some people desired my Notes but my Sermon being very long it was too tedious to write over my Notes and some friends counselling me to print them I chose this as the easiest way some passages I have added which I would not use in a pulpit when will the blessed God remove these spiritual judgments from this poor Nation Stablishing against Quaking c. 2 Cor. 11.14 And no marvell for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of Light THis Chapter may be divided into foure parts 1. Is a Preface the Apostle makes to his Apologie defiring the Corinthians to give him audience and weigh well what he had to say from theâ— to the 6 verse 2. He answereth to what they had alledged against him from the 6 to the 13 ver 3. He makes a little digression and points out these false Teachers in their colours from ver 13 to v. 16. 4. He compares himself with these false Teachers For the first he giveth divers reasons why they should heare him and that carefully 1. The ardent holy love he bare to them ver 2. taking his Metaphor from the jealousie in Conjugal relations he speaketh as a wooer though he did not wooe for himselfe but for Christ and so explicates this in the next words For I have espoused you c. 2. From the holy feare he had illustrated by a comparison what the Serpent was to Eve the same he will be to you if he can ver 3. 3. Verba haec quaÌ„dam quaâ—i irontaÌ„ prae se ferre videntur quâ Corinthios novitatis avidos false ridet Weinâ— in loc If your new Teachers can bring another Christ a more excellent Gospel or conferre more excellent gifts of the Holy Ghost then let them be heard but since this is impossible they cannot preach Christ nor open the Gospel nor conferre such gifts therefore hear me ver 4. The same we will say to these Quakers or any despisers of the Ministers if they can open the Gospel can teach Christ have better gifts than the Ministers then run after them but if not then stay with those who first taught you Christ the Gospel c. 4. I am not onely superiour to these false teachers but I am equall with the best of the Apostles therefore hear me and thus ver 5. From Pauls using thus many Arguments to get audience observe When once people have lent their eares to false teachers they will hardly lend them again to true True Teachers must plead hard for their peoples eares and it is well if they can with intreaties prevaile it was so then and to be sure we finde it so now 2. He answers what they objected against him 1. They object that he was rude in speech ver 6. He did not lard his Sermons nor Epistles with Athenian eloquence nor flourish with gallant strains of wit yet surely not so rude as they made him he could speak so well that Act. 14. ver 12. the heathens took him to
be Mercurius one of their gods Well he answers am I so rude but examine me in my knowledge consider me in all things that are requisite to an Apostle and so if I have not manifested my self in all things to be a true one The same we say to these Quakers and all others if by their knowledge and all things else requisite to Ministers or Apostles if there be any more to come for they tell us they are sent out with an Apostolicall spirit they can manifest themselves to us to be Ministers or Apostles we will listen to them but by all we can finde in their Books they scarce appear to be rationall men 2. The second Objection was the humility of his person ver 7. he abased himself wrought with hands taught the Gospel freely To this he answers you need not object this against me for my humiliation was but your exaltation for I spared you but how then maintained by other Churches ver 8 9. the Churches of Macedonia supplied my wants But as for you I have not been burdensome to you neither will I be ver 9. to the end In the Regions of Achaia none shall stop me of this boasting which he confirms with a kinde of an oath as Calvin Piscator Weinrichius and others judge of the words As the truth of Christ is in me ver 10. as I am a true Minister of Christ or let me not be esteemed to have any truth To be sure this is more than Yea yea and Nay Which the Quakers make so much use of But why will you take no maintenance of us it is because you doe not love us ver 11. So my enemies may suggest to you I love the Macedonians but not you But this is not so God knowes he appeals to God this is more than Yea yea again True here is a weighty case why Paul useth these expressions But why then will you not c I will give you the reason in v. 12. because first I would cut off occasion that is should I take maintenance of all Churches my enemies your false teachers would tell you that all my preaching is but for money profit but now they cannot say so for I take nothing of you Again your false teachers they glory that they teach freely they require nothing of you no more doe I nor will I in the regions of Achaia Now you have the Reasons Before I goe any further I have here as fit a place as I could desire I did not think of it when I chose my Text but I see Providence hath fitted a place for me to take up that great clamour which with one mouth all the Quakers make against the Ministery I must name them all if any for all their Books are full of it and with the Quakers the Separatists we are no true Ministers but why we teach not the Gospel freely as did the Apostles we preach for hire divine for money we are covetous and much of this strain divers of their pages have little else but this kinde of stuffe Thus the silly Women told me in the Church I was a Hireling c. To all these I answer 1. False teachers may and have preached freely then be sure free teaching could not prove us to be true Ministers Yet the Quakers teach not freely for at one Towne by me I hear that one of these Quakers had about five pounds gathered for him besides his entertainment This is plain from the Apostle here in ver 12. for the false teachers did glory in this and therefore Paul he would teach freely to Corinth and be even with them in glorying Thus Parnell who tells us he is sent from Christ if any man could believe him but the youth thinks others have as few brains as himselfe he teacheth freely and well he may but this doth not prove him to be a true Teacher nor none of his Sect or any other Sect whatever but he is a false teacher though a free teacher as were these but Teacher is a word he deserves not 2. It is false that All the Apostles taught freely and wrought to maintain themselves This is plain 1 Cor. 9.6 in which Chap. the Apostle proves by no lesse than seven Arguments that the Ministers may take maintenance ver 14. speaks as fully as can be being the winding up of his arguments Even so hath the Lord ordained c. Here is an Ordinance from heaven for the maintenance of right Gospel-Preachers if the authority of the LORD who made it be as good as the authority of the Quakers and Separatists and by vertue of this Ordinance we claim our maintenance How learnedly the Quakers talke of these arguments you shall hear anon But to come to the 6 ver Or I onely and Barnabas have not we power to forbear working The word Onely plainly carryes it that the other Apostles who were married and were trained up to fishing divers of them those did forbear but what have all the Apostles thus power to leave of take maintenance but I onely and Barnabas c No no we have the same power as well as they But ver 15. I have used none of these things c. Again in the 12 ver If others be partakers of this power over you c. Their own Officers it seems or others did take maintenance So could he 3. It is false also that Paul took no maintenance for in the 8 9 ver of my Chap he saith He took wages of others to serve them i. e. the Church of Philippi Paul could take his liberty where he saw cause If Paul than we 4. We desire none to speak for us more than Paul whom these Quakers object against us For we have his own example he did take wages Secondly he as moved and guided by Gods Spirit doth not onely show it is the minde of God but he proves it also by divers reasons 1 Cor. 9. Adde to this 6 Gal. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth or catechizeth as the word properly signifies in all good things Will the Quakers allow this Text to be Scripture then let Him be he or she what they will high or low It s possible the Quakers will object against the she but I will let them alone to see if they will doe it master or servant is he or she taught catechized then communicate in All what All this word will not be liked yea all good things fit to be communicated or communicable So 1 Tim. 5.17 one part of the honour Ministers must have is maintenance the 18 ver proves it marke it is honorarium the maintenance of the Elders is not as the pay I give for a servants worke but it is honour an honourable maintenance The same Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2 4. So 1 Tim 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be in these things No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affaires
refused the least acknowledgment much lesse performance of duty to any Parnel Goliahs head c. p. 68. speaking about Ornaments Moderation in every thing I owne but what is wast is for the lust both in Kings Princes and great Personages as thou callest them but with us there is no respect of persons Conclusion Since then the Light of the Quakers doe put out this Light of Nature I conclude their Light is the Light of Satan not of Christ Argum 3 Major That Light which teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures setting up a Spirit in man which shall not be examined by the Scriptures is the Lightâ—â— Satan not of Christ Minor But such is the Quakers Light Ergo. The Scriptures are left by God to be our Light and our Rule Major proved Prov. 6.23 Psal 119.105 The Prophets bid us goe to them Isa 8.20 Christ bids us search them Ioh. 5.39 The men of Berea Act. 17.11 Tried Paul by these for Paul to tell them of his infallible Spirit and so they might believe him without searching the Scriptures he had as good say nothing those men were commended for this action Apollos a mighty man in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 convinced the Jewes by the Scriptures ver 28. Minor But the Light of the Quakers teach men to forsake the Scriptures setting up a Spirit in man which shall not be examined by the Scriptures If you aske me before I goe to the proof Doe the Quakers cast off the Scriptures I answer when they can finde any thing which they think make against us then they will urge the Scriptures very much Golich p. 63. yea they will run to the Apocrypha rather than faile to help themselves as Parnel to evade the strength of Levit. 19 32. runs to Chap. 4 of the Booke of Wisdome v. 8 9. but mistakes Yea further when Satan hath gotten strong hold of persons in their way yet he will then provoke them to reade the Scriptures much but casteth strange glosses upon the Scripture p. 21. 21. as I. Told confesseth when he was in that snare Herein he worketh like an Angel of Light But to speake truely the Quakers make nothing of the Scriptures miserably abusing that text 2 Cor. 3.6 You shall hear them speak 1. I. Toldervy p. 6. reporteth of that Quaker who was the means of his seducing that he expressed with firme confidence that searching of the Scripture was not the way to finde out the knowledge of Christ but the turning the minde to within quite crosse to Christ why did not Christ bid them turn to that 2. Mason pag 12. in his defence of Craven Thou sayest to his Opponent the Old and New Testament is thy rule the same was writ for thy imitation He answers But did Paul or any of the Aposlles walke by any literall rule or was not their rule a â—â—asure of the Spirit of God committed to every one of them but it were well if these pecuniary Priests would walke answerable to the precepts left upon record in the Letter By this you may see what Mason makes of the written Word 3. Parnel Watcher pag. 8. where you may have a learned discourse how the profession of the Christian Faith Religion came into England two pages before Let those who are ignorant read it But p. 8. he addes and those had the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which is called Scripture and so was the Keepers of the Letters and that they took to be their rule to walke by as they doe now but knew not that which gave it forth to lead them unto the life but had the letter and the forme To the same purpose he speaks p 40. and in his Goliah p 77. 4. Naylor against I. Reyner p. 3. speaking against us hath these words Whose Law is without Light without their Word without their Church without Baptisme Prayers without All which we witnesse to bee within Farewell then the written Word Naylor Saluta c. p. 29. tells those that will follow their doctrine then you shall not have your Light and Life to seek in a Book without you c. Naylor against F. Harris p 9. speaks out The Infallible Spirit by which the Scriptures were given forth is the sole tryer of spirits and doctrines neither hath it need of any addition where it is you bring the letter to oppose Christ and so deny the end of the Scriptures which is to see up the Spirit of God for Judge and not themselves c. So then the Scriptures must not judge of his Spirit but your spirit is Judge of the Scriptures 5. Priests Ignorance p. 4 5. The summe is this it is all one to them Scriptures or no Scriptures for they have the Spirit that did give forth the Scriptures As for the written Word you see how they contemn it and condemn those who make it their rule to walke by when they doe use it it is at the pleasure of their infallible spirit what shall be the meaning of it Here I will give you a taste of their spirit Parnel entitles one of his Books the Watcher and tell us in his Title-page of the stone that struck the feet of the Image quoting Dan. 2.31 32 c. By this title we shall â—â—pect some great matter about the Image p. 21 22. It is one thing to allude to a scripture another thing to inteâ—pret it as doth Parnel here his spirit interprets the Image Now the head of the Image which is of gold and are those that have had a light shining into them and have seen the emptinesse of many Forms and have gotten the thing in their comprehension with more of this stuffe which I am loath to transcribe and the breast of the Image which is of silver and the thighs of brasse are the rest of the sects and forms and the legs of the Image which is of iron is the beast and the feet of the Image which is part of iron part of clay are the Priests and Pharisees joyned to the powers of the earth c. But Parnel the Spirit in Daniel gave another Interpretation of this Image in the same Chapter and we have seen it fulfilled in the greatest part How darest thou then set down thy Interpretation thus crosse to his Oh that any Christians should admit such a Fellow into their houses Let us hear Deusbury's spirit interpreting Revel pag. 20. 17. Babylon is within you the Beast is within you which all the world wonders after what a wonder is this I hear there is a Doctour of Divinity in London hath given the same interpretation of this Beast c. that all the world should wonder after that which none of the world ever saw is your wills your wisdome is the great Whore that sits upon the Beast But why doe you stay here Deusbury goe on to 9 10 11 12 16 verses and tell us what they are when you have done turn to the last clause
striving after perfection in degrees such perfection we own i. e. uprightnesse but for the Quakers perfection let them keep it Paul found a body of death Rom. 7. and saith he was not perfect Phil. 3.12 Where sinne hath no dominion that man is perfect i.e. Evangelically Psal 19.13 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall be perfect or complete upright yet such an one may have sinnes ver 12. so not perfect legally Who knowes his errours not David but the Quakers Minor But the Quakers light teach people to say they have no sin they are perfect not in our sense This their books are so full of that it were tedious to transcribe Mason spends the seven first pages of his book about this quoting some texts for it where perfection is mentioned which we owne in a sound sense then railing upon the Priests and damning them to hell because they crosse them Mason p. 3. makes great use of Ephes 4.12 c. perfecting of the Saints c. thus he argues if the Saints could not be perfect in this life were not these Apostles and Pastors put upon a needlesse imployment Can the Priests of the nation prove that Saints are tossed in heaven Were Englands blinde watch-men commissionated from Christ they would not prate thus against perfection But if Mason had well understood the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendered perfecting he might have known that the word is translated by others For the gathering together of Saints by others the Coagmentation joyning gluing together of Saints to Christ by faith to the body by love not noting the perfection of the growth but such a perfection as when a body hath all its members He addes presently for the Edifying of the body of Christ What need of Edifying when there is compleat perfection so that till this Mysticall body have all its Members the Ministery must last When a body hath all its Members none wanting broken or out of joynt yet then those Members must grow If he will fetch his strength from the 13. v. a perfect man c. and that perfect man to be meant of every singular believer to what I have said before about perfection I adde we acknowledge there are thousands through mercy of perfect men in England as perfect is opposed to children tossed to and fro in ver 14. saints who stand so unmovable and firme that all the windes of Quakers and other Hereticks doctrines cannot shake them here upon earth But by the former words Till we all come or meet c. he seems to speak of the whole mysticall body which shall be a perfect man when they meet All in the unity c. and of the knowledge of the Son of God But I doe not believe any man hath that perfect knowledge of him in this life which they shall have There are abundance of these true members who dye before they are perfect in inherent holinesse I am sure or else you must cut off most of the members nay all which your friend Castelio in this point dare not doe but hath so much charity to say that such shall be saved but there are no Pastours in heaven to perfect them then the Pastours worke is not needlesse though the members come not to the perfect growth in this life Nay the need of Pastours argue imperfection for when perfection is come there will be no need of these what need of Nurses Tutors School-masters c. when perfection is attained More may be said but I forbear Another Text the Quakers use is Phil 3.15 But what say they to the 12 ver Paul saith he was not perfect Here appears a contradiction But Perfect men may be considered two waies 1. Either with reference to the perfect rule so no man is inherently and legally perfect Or 2. Comparatively with other men thus some are but young scholars they understand not the fulnesse of the righteousnesse of Christ c. but are troubled about Circumcision v. 3. and other Jewish matters others are more growne in the knowledge of Christ and his grace more solid in judgement who are perfect in comparison of others and this perfection he means as the next verse and the observation of the Chapter proves thus some little children young men Fathers 1 Joh. 2.13 Some think he calls the false Teachers the perfect men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch in loc speaking ironically and nipping them for their boasting Musculus upon this Text tells us of a debate he had with a Franciscan who with great impudencie boasted he was perfect but saith of him he did so rage that he seemed perfect in fury and madnesse the same is evident in these Quakers when crossed for fierce countenances fury raging railing I have not read nor seen the like of such as talke of perfection By what I have said you may answer all they alledge for perfection Thus also Priests ignorance p. 4. Parnel fr fast p. 24. But stay Parnel are you perfect too have you no sinne doe you so dwell in the righteousnesse of Christ I omit thy abominable pride which thou manifestest in thy Books with other sinnes easily to be proved I onely turn thee to 1 Pet. 2.23 When Christ was reviled he reviled not againe Doe you show this Spirit of Christ Let any reade your Reply as you call it to Dr. Draton where you have cut off Goliahs head then judge as you have printed your adversary yet any one shall see what he speaks is with reason scripture and sobriety but what is your return to a man of his quality and yeers Impudent lyar blinde sot blasphemer lyar hypocrite deceiver the book is stuffed with this language Come to the Civil power and see how your infallible spirit carry you there Fru fast p. 10. in your reply to your Mittimus as you call it thus you speak to the four Justices naming them In the Mittimus you finde severall lyes slanders c. I shall reply to the same and return the venome upon your venomous spirits c. This is the perfect man without sinne such also is Naylor and Mason I will give you leave to brag of your perfection but reade Jude 8.9 2 Pet. 2.10 Concluson I doe conclude both from your doctrine and your practice that your light is from Satan Argum 10 Major That light which teacheth people to revile and throw filth upon the true Ministers and true Churches of Christ that is the light of Satan not of Christ Minor But thus doe the Quakers light teach people c. For the Major none will question that 1 Tim. 5.17 There is double honour allowed the labourers in word and doctrine For the Churches they bear such an honourable relation to Christ that sure Christ will not thus teach people to revile them 2 Cor. 11.2 Minor But the light of the Quakers teach people to revile and throw filth on the true Ministers and Churches of
Christ even all in England and the world that differ from them This they avoid by denying with greatest abhorrency that any of the Ministers are such or the Churches Priests igno p. 2. Woodâ—d p. 16. but especially Parnel twice in his Frâ—fast tells us of the Church in God 1 Thess 1.1 and Parnel saith he ownes that Church and amongst his Queries to the Priests he would have them tell him what Church that is I wish Parnel had set down the interpretation from his infallible spirit I believe we should have found a blasphemous one But let us examine the Text this Church of the Thessalon which was in God ch 5. ver 12 13. had Rulers over them and they were to esteem them highly c. But Parnel you deny all Church Officers so doe all your sect then you are not in God as this Church was In the 14 ver they were to warn the unruly in the 2 Epist 3. ch 11. there were disorderly walkers how can unruly and disorderly persons be in God tell us this This Church was taught to pray without ceasing but you bid stay till the spirit moves But note this by the way a Church may be said to be a Church in God and yet there may be some unruly and disorderly persons amongst them If you say but they must be exhorted warned c. that is true and so doe we exhort warn c. this will help save our Churches some at least I am sure But what is it to be in God still should I say as some hyperbolically but very harshly and unsavourily After a sort Deified this I believe would please the Quakers but how are unruly and disorderly persons Deified shall I say Church in God so this Church and others is differenced from the Assemblies of Pagans as they were before not in God but Idols And in Christ so differenced from the Iewes who refused Christ They professed the Faith of God and Christ or they had an inward fellowship some of them and union with God and Christ as I Ioh. 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son c. Others had an outward fellowship as owned the faith partaked of his Ordinances and so visibly did professe themselves to be the body of Christ But let M. Mason observe the Apostle makes a distinction here between God the Father and Christ but he p. 8. saith to make God Christ and Holy Ghost three distinct persons Afterwards p. 9. he calls it a bold and a blasphemous assertion is such a piece of Divinity as was never known till the Merchants of Babylon broached it then quotes 14 Ioh. v. 7 8 9 10 11. But what will M. Mason gather from hence that Christ as he is the eternall Son of God is of the same Essence with the Father so that the Essence is but One this we yeild But I pray what doe you make of the Humanity of Christ was it reall or imaginary if reall what is the Humanity of Christ the same Essence with the Godhead this is new Divinity indeed what is there no difference between Christ and the Divine Essence subsisting in the relation of the Son if the word Person be so offensive you say for the simples sake p. 9. you will set down what the Lord gives you in vindication of his honour Then quote the 14 of Ioh. the simple ones are much obliged to you and Parnel but you have shown your selfe but simple in this and have notably vindicated the honour of God to make Christ who is God-Man and without the Manhood is not Christ that the Manhood also must be one Essence with the Godhead But to return to Parnel I have already given one ground from the Church of the Thessalon to prove there are some true Churches in England I scarce thinke Parnel know what a Church is for if he define it right he must overthrow divers of his own principles I wish his infallible spirit would have let us known his minde that we might have tried the Quakers Church but I will leave this with all the Quakers Seekers Separatists in England that if they will own the Church of Corinth to be a true Church then I will prove there are now many Churches in England that are true also For the Ministers whom you and others call Priests and say we run before we were sent you doe well to begin first to cast that upon us which you know will fall upon your owne heads no we can prove our sending Bishop p. 23. he brings against us the 1. Tit. 7. Well and are there not many Ministers who doe in a good measure walk up to those rules though they dare not brag of your perfection Covetousnesse is the great thing you object but to this I have answered before As for anger we may be angry and if an excesse in anger sometimes will cut us off from being true Ministers then Paul and Barnabas were not true Apostles Reade Acts 15.39 if infirmities cut us off then Peter was no Apostle who the second time halted Gal. 2. Then Ieremiah Ionah were no true Prophets But G. Dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepriè qui adhaeret alicui velut unguibus affixus nec sese finit avelli Bulling in loc Bishop why doe you leave out the 9 ver where a Bishop must hold fast the faithfull Word here is no mention of the infallible spirit which he must forsake this faithfull Word to listen after Then he must be able by sound doctrine not Quakers dreams to exhort and convince gainsayers Where are these quaking Pratlers and others also if these rules must trie them who doe not know how to speak sense but their reason is railing and their answers you lye c. Also G. Bish why did you not quote the 5 ver where Titus a Church-Officer was left to Ordain other Church-Officers these persons so qualified Lay these together and here is the true sending of a Minister the peoples choice supposed which we we also have Thou doest quote also 1 Tim. 3.3 Take in the 2 v. also there is one apt to teach take in the 6 ver And though Parnel be farre enough from the abilities required in a Bishop many miles short yet as he is a Novice lifted up with pride so let him take heed of the next words And why did not thou quote the 4 chap. of this Epist 14 ver 5 chap 22. Lay hands suddenly c. and there you should have seen how these qualified men came into their places Trie us then for abilities if you can all you Quakers and Separatifts in England then see what is required by the Aposties example to bring us into the Ministery and prove we have it not Object You are Ordained by Bishops Answ To this I have answered at large in another Book though it be false of abundance of us we receiv'd no Ordination from the Bishops yet I wish that the Separatists would think of one