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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27231	The principles of the Quakers further shewn to be blasphemous and seditious in a reply to Geo. Whitehead's answer to the Brief discovery, stiled Truth and innocency vindicated / by Edward Beckham ..., Henry Meriton ..., Lancaster Topcliffe ...	Beckham, Edward, 1637 or 8-1714.; Topcliffe, Lancaster, 1646 or 7-1720.; Meriton, Henry, d. 1707.	1700 (1700)	Wing B1653; ESTC R34193	145,045	110

Wenching and Fornicating which were the Wolf in him were not discovered till some time after Leeds in his Trumpet sounded p. 64. tells us of a counterfeit Quaker who tho a silly Woman could put a cheat upon their pretended Spirit of discerning how she travel'd from Meeting to Meeting through several Countries and held forth most powerfully and was entertained by Friends as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their great refreshment and admiration and never discerned to be no Quaker till discovered by others So that now they admit none to travel upon Truth 's account without Certificates Whitehead in his Quaker plainness tells us they have a record in peoples Consciences but now they must have a record in their Pockets too or their Friends will not receive them upon a Conscience-Record Who doubts but Judas was wicked enough yet the people might hear him and follow him whilst in his Doctrine he followed the Instructions of his Master Nay there is no doubt he might convert some by his Ministry and they receive Nourishment from this Wolf as Romulus and Renues from another seeing the efficacy of the Ministry depends not so much on the worth of the Minister as upon God's Grace Far be it from us to plead for the profane and scandalous we could heartily wish there were no more of such Wolves in the Church than there are of the other sort in the Kingdom because tho God may cooperate with the Ministry of such if their Doctrine be according to Truth and Godliness yet he does not so usually do it unless their Preaching be accompanied and enforced with the visible Doctrine of a holy Life Remember Judas was one of the Twelve sent out by Christ to gather a Church and it were an impeachment of the Divine Wisdom to say he made choice of an 2 Cor. 2. 17. Instrument which was no ways fit for the work As for the two Scriptures 1 Thess 1. 5. which he produces when he tells us what he brought them for whether to prove Infallibility or Transubstantiation we will return an answer P. 7. But there is another Quotation out of G. Fox given him by the Brief Discovery which George Whitehead is pleased to take no notice of and it is P. 96. this He says to the Priest Thou not being infallible thou art not in the Gr. My●● Spirit and ●o art not a Minister of Christ and art not able to judg of Powers that is not infallible nor Magistrates nor Kingdoms nor Churches So then it seems Powers Magistrates Kingdoms and Churches are to be judged at this infallible Bar. 'T is to be feared 't was this Judgment of such a Light within that c●ndemned and cut off the Head of one great Magistrate in our own Country for nothing can stand before its High Court of Justice all Power P. 13. in Heaven and Earth as W. Smith in his Primer saith being given to it Let the Magistrates look to this perhaps ere long they may find it as necessary for their preservation to cause People to renounce the Authority of a Pope within as of a Pope without Whereas Edward Burroughs was charged in the Brief Discovery as saying Hereticks are infallibly known and discerned by the P. 7. Spirit of God in the true Church of Christ and by every Member of the same George Whitehead endeavours to justify him by desiring the contrary may be P. 13. inverted upon us and then saith he it must be thus That Hereticks are not infallibl known and discerned by the Spirit of God in the true Church of Christ nor by the Members thereof But George wilt thou never play fair with us always dropping the Card out of thy hand that may spoil thy Game Shouldst not thou have said by every Member thereof No that were too invidious and it would have been hard to have brought off Brother Burroughs handsomly for making too large a stretch if he had said every Member therefore he cunningly shuffles in an Indefinite for an Universal The Members of the Church which cannot imply every individual Member as Burroughs said but may mean some few of them as the Church-Representative in their yearly Juncto But does not Burroughs expresly say Hereticks are known infallibly by the true Church of Christ and every Member thereof And is this a fair Conversion of such a Proposition to say The Members thereof Whitehead hath some Scriptures which he hopes may help him at a dead lift to prove this Infallibility of discerning amongst the Quakers but 't will easily appear they have not the least disposition to testify to this Infallibility nay that 't is impossible to wring such a sensless Blasphemy from them for can any imagine the Scriptures of God should go about to set up another God which they would do should they assert another infallible Yet give us leave out of pure Love to them to rescue them from such barbarous violence that they may only give their voluntary and unconstrained Testimony in this matter We will begin with the last being a reserve he places the greatest Confidence in Enoch prophesied of this Behold the Lord cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he Jude v. 14. 15. would have it rendred in ten thousands of his Saints and denote only Christ's coming in the Spirit into his Saints and then it must be only a Christ in them must execute Judgment upon the Ungodly and convince them c. and so Christ will have as many Courts of Judicatory as there are Saints in which he shall judg and condemn Sinners But all this while tho Christ in executing Judgment be every where infallible in judging or discerning how proves this the Saint is so in whom he is But perhaps he means every Saint must be infallible in his Judgment having such an infallible Director and Mover within him But the Lameness of this consequence is shewn before it will be still with us as with our Watches tho the Spring be never so strong and good yet by reason of some Cracks and Bruises it got by the fall there may be some Errors and Stops in the motion even of this Masterpiece of the Creation which was at first so fearfully and wonderfully made by God But after all 't is plain the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred as in our Translation with and it was never otherwise interpreted by any Christian Writer than of the coming of Christ to Judgment with his Saints to this day till it fell into Quaker hands We have a parallel Deut. 33. 2. place He came with thousands of his Saints So The Lord my God shall Zach. 14. 5. come and all the Saints with thee At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with 1 Thess 3. 13. all his Saints Which he explains by being caught up together in the Clouds to Chap. 4. 17. meet the Lord in the Air. Mind but the Context and it will necessarily ●●ad to

nay when they say 't is Blasphemy to say they are the Word of God and they are no rule at all to us All is for the wonderful deference they have for those ●●●●ed Books For shame ●ir after all the Wounds you have given to the Scriptures to add Mockery and Scorn to Stripes and after you have spit upon them reviled and buffeted them to put the Purple and the Crown upon them as the Jews did upon their Author after such Indignities to cry out O how we love and honour them after the Treason to bestow the Kiss See Will. Penn's Courtship to the Scripture * Re●●inder p. 1●● but especially Sam. Fisher's † Additional Append. p. 21. He calls the Scripture a Nose of Wax and it 's capable of being made no other a Character he took from the mouth of a Jesuit Andradius but Quakers we hope like it never the worse for that We could easily shew you that all the Arguments that Fisher and Pen use to prove the Scriptures are not the rule of Faith are the same the Papists have used this 100 years if they had been 7 years at School at Rome they could not have spoke Italian plainer than they have done A little further Fisher tells us he and the Quakers have put it to the question how it may be known infallibly that the Scripture is all of God and not a cunningly devised Fable He tells us of the uncertainty of Translations the various Lections and the loss of many Portions of them which they needed not have taken such pains about for the Papists have done that before and Penn in the forecited place hath mustered up a great many more such Popi●● Objections against the Scriptures which were cast in our dish by Papists and as often answered before Quakery was born but all that you must understand is said for the great respect they bear to the Scriptures Reader if thou desirest to see more of such respect to the Scriptures see Parnel p. 16. You Teachers are doting upon Scriptures without with your dark Minds with the blind Pharisees seeking for life where it is not to be found P. 18. We can do all things without the Scriptures or any thing without Solomon Eccles coming into a Church at London naked and besmeared with T d carrying his ●ands fu●l of the same Filth compared it to the Bible which the Minister carried in his hand into the Pulpit Fisher in his Velara Revelata p. 845. says Such Men as the Scribes are ever scraping in the Scripture to find God yet never know him nor see his Shape To call our love to the Scriptures a sensele●s Dotage to compare David's Hony and Hony-comb as he calls the Word to a stinking Excrement and our reading the Scriptures to a Brute's scraping or rooting in a Dunghil must needs manifest a mighty respect they have for those Writings By the way does not Fisher deserve to be accounted Angelicus Doctor for talking of the Shape of God how glad would some Papists be if he could shew it them that they might draw his true Picture by it Lorreto Market would go near to be spoiled by it and most of her Votaries would come thronging hither sure to worship an Original But as a further Testimony of their respect for Scripture hear what Smith Morning-Watch p. 22 23. says Reading in the Scripture that there were some that met together exhorted one annother edified and comforted one another they observe and do as near as they can what is the Saints practice and so conceive a Birth in the same Womb and bring it forth in the same strength that others do these are Bastards and not Sons for these adulterous Births have provoked the Lord and g●●●●●ed his Spirit What an hellish Sm●ak is this a Belch sure from the bottomless Pit to say that our meeting together according to Scripture Examples to exhort comfort and edisy one another is no better than going to a Brothel-house for there can be nothing but Bastards got by it and adulterous Births This may pass for another Quaker-Panegy rick upon Scripture Penn calls Searchers of Scripture as Faldo quotes him p. 113. and in his Answer Penn does not deny it Lettermongers We suppose though he differ in expression from his Brother Smith his intention is the same he means Whoremongers or Bastard-getters All these Quotations have we brought to prove Friend Whitehead's Assertion That Quakers have a marveilous Honour for the Scripture though we believe he●ll hardly be so grateful as to give us thanks for our pains In a Testimony from the Brethren in London met 66 together signed Farnsworth Parker Whitehead see Brief Discovery p. 11. l. 5 they say If any difference arise in the Church we declare and testify that the Church with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ hath power without the assent of those that differ to hear and determine the same and if any of ours will not submit so to be tried nor submit to the Judgment given by the Spirit of truth in the Elders and Members of the same being consistent with the Doctrine of such good antient Friends as have been and are found in the Faith agreeable to the witness of God in his People viz. the Light within then we testify in the name of the Lord that he or she is to be rejected and joined with Heathens and Infidels Mark we pray if he or she kick against their Judgment consistent with the Doctrine of antient Friends and agreeable to the Light within Here is no notice taken of the Scriptures how agreeable or disagreeable soever it be to them And p. 23. l. 26. yet Whitehead hath the face to say this makes nothing against them It seems to be a small fault or none with G. to take away the Commission God hath given to the Scriptures to be Judg of Controversys in matters of Faith The Question G. is not whether the Church hath any Power in matters of Religion which is all thou provest from Mat. 18. 17. and we know none deny it 1. If it be exercised about indifferent matters in Discipline and Worship we allow her not only a Judgment of discretion to discern what 's fit to be imposed but also an authoritative Judgment to oblige her Members to obedience or else she would have less Authority over her Members than every Master hath over the Servants of his Family 2. As for things that are necessary to Salvation we think our selves only obliged to submit our Faith and Practice to the Authority of God in the Holy Scriptures and not to the Authority of any Church pretending to Infallibility meeting together in Treat or in Gracechurch-street So then that which we find fault with you for is a profane neglect of Holy Scriptures in determining matters of Faith or Doctrine that your Church should censure its Members only for this cause that you will not submit to the Authority of the Churches Judgment

that ruffle indeed and make a noise for the present but would e're long wither and fall of themselves We could wish the Issue might make good their Presage But tho many of them are absurd and unreasonable Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have no Topick to build a rational Discourse on but are given rather to railing and raving the Logick of Bedlam yet are there some among them that pretend to Art and do express much cunning in their evasive and elusive ways of Discourse whereby they are apt to deceive the simple and wellmeaning and 't is for the sake of these weak Ones Children as the Apostle calls them who are too easily spirited away with good words and fair pretences that we have undertaken this but we hope there will be no occasion for us any more to appear upon the Stage in vindication of these great Truths of our Religion but that the more worthy Sons of our Mother whose Learning and Authority may conciliate a greater reverence to their Writings will espouse so excellent a Cause and by their clear and close Discourses stop the mouths of these proud Boasters who truly know nothing but doat about Questions and strife of Words from whence come po●●erse Disputings of Men of corrupt Minds and destitute of the Truth Being in the following Pages to discourse of Blasphemy we think it necessary first to settle the Notion thereof BLASPHEMY is originally a Greek Term which signifies at large to hurt and injure ones Fame with evil words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famam laedere calumniando vel maledicendo and thus 't is oft used by our Holy Writers Tit. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak evil of no man Eph. 4. 13. Let all evil speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be put away 1 Cor. 4. 13. Being defamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we intreat we return Prayers for their Reproaches and speaking evil of us Rom. 3. 8. As we be slanderous●● reported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Blasphemy strictly taken denotes 1. A speaking evil or reproachfully of God 2. A vilifying or speaking contemptuously of those things which have a peculiar relation to God 3. An attributing to others or an assuming to our selves that which is proper to God alone 1. A speaking evil or reproachfully of God That this and the next particular also is Blasphemy that place Rev. 13. 6. does evince The Beast is said to open his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And Naboth was charged to blaspheme God 1 Kings 21. 13. to speak evil or reproachfully of him 'T is true this like other Crimes admits of Aggravation and degrees of Guilt for there is a Blasphemy of impious outrage and downright defiance against God such as was that of Rabshakeh openly denying the Power of the God of Israel as sufficient to rescue out of his Master's hand Such that of Mezentius in the Poet Dextra mihi Deus telum quod missile libro And this sort of Blasphemy in an Israelite was that which as we conceive was punish'd with Death Levit. 24. 11 15 16. Again Blasphemy against God may be charged upon Men when from their avowed Professions Principles or Practices it follows by clear Evidence and uncontestable Reasoning that the peerless Majesty Holiness Immutability Truth Unity or other Perfections of God are rival'd vilify'd injur'd or deprav'd because there is none Holy as the Lord and because in him is Light and no Darkness at all Thus to ascribe to God a sinful Impulse or a lying Divination to detract and derogate from his adorable Perfections can never be excused from a deep Tincture of this dangerous Crime 2. A vilifying or speaking contemptibly of those things which have a peculiar relation to God as in the forementioned place Rev. 13. 6. the Beast is said to blaspheme his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven The mocking and abusing our Saviour who as the Messiah had a peculiar relation to God sent by him as his Servant for a particular Office and Imploy is called Blasphemy Luke 22. 63 64 65. Thus also the denying him to be the Christ of God being attended with speaking vilely and contemptibly of him is upon this account reckoned Acts 18. 5 6. Blasphemy and was the Blasphemy St Paul was guilty of before his Conversion Jam. 2. 7. and which he compelled others to Depraving the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 13. and thereby renouncing of it is reckoned Blasphemy as we find in Hymeneus Acts 26. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. for it gives occasion to speak evil of the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christianity upon which account the vilifying and depraving the speaking evil and contemptibly of Baptism by Water and the Supper of the Lord by Bread and Wine which not only were but are yet the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ as we hope is made evident in the following Discourse is no less Jude v. 8. than Blasphemy they having so near and peculiar a relation to God and Christ 2 Pet. 2. 10. Hence reviling Magistrates is in several places stiled Blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 21. 13. they speak evil of Dignities 'T was laid to Naboth's charge that he blasphemed the King Speaking evil of the King is blasphemy because of the peculiar and special relation he bare to God being his Vice-roy and Representative Thus reproachful words against the Temple and the Law they bearing a special Acts 6. 13. relation to God were accounted Blasphemy This man ceas●th not to speak blasphemous words against this Holy Place and the Law Yea speaking contemptuously and by way of derision against the Mountains the Land of Israel is for the same reason reckoned Blasphemy as we read Ezek. 35. 12. I have heard all thy Blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountains of Israel saying They are laid desolate they are given us to consume Much like that of Tully's Quam chara Diis immortalibus esset quod eam victa quod elccata c. deriding Jerusalem for accounting it self the peculiar Care and Darling of Heaven whenas it was storm'd and taken by Pompey And if reproaching and reviling Things and Persons that have a near and special relation to God and Christ be Blasphemy then those we fear are guilty thereof who affix to the Ministers of the Gospel such vile Names as Conjurers Thieves Witches Devils Orat. 24. pro L. Flacco Blood-hounds and the like We hope we shall not bring a railing Accusation against them only say as Michael the Arch-angel did to him that inspires this Earthly Sensual and Devilish Temper into the Minds of Men The Lord rebuke thee 3. An attributing to others or an assuming to our selves that which is proper to God alone Upon this account Idolatry is so often in Scripture said to be Blasphemy because men attribute to the Idol that which is peculiar