believe That the Bishops in the late Kings time were persecutors that that generation was pulled up in the Lords anger that the powers that supported them were swept away in the Lords sore displeasure that the Lord was terrible to the men of high stature that the Lord did break in upon them with a furious blow of horrour and amazement that he smote with an incurable wound the Bishops and their King and their Nobles and their mighty men of war their Captains and Councellors their Priests and their Officers and their whole strength that the Lord left the name of Bishops King Nobles mighty men Captains Counsellors Priests Officers to be an astonishment and a wonder and a curse unto posterity See Numb 113. ARTICLE XCIV We Q. do believe That Oliver Cromwell was the man who did bear as on a common shoulder the sufferings of the oppressed for conscience sake who with himself were appointed to the same destruction that their sufferings went to his heart that he had a fellow-feeling of them on his own shoulder that he could have laid down his life for one of those sufferers that his heart was then very tender that his bowels did sound for them that the hearts of all his fellow-sufferers flowed in to him that in them and him there was but one spirit and one heart that for this cause the Lord did call Oliver Cromwell and raise him up to head the Lords armies that this Oliver Cromwell was made the Lords sword that the Lord did by him execute his vengeance on those generations See Numb 114. ARTICLE XCV We Q. do believe That the Puritans were great sufferers under the Bishops that Charles Stuart was inexcusable touching their sufferings for not remedying them according to his power that the disaffection of great men and Nobles and Rulers and Bishops and Priests to that way of the Puritans did not keep them from the judgment of God that the judgment of God hath taken hold of Charles Stuart and his Children and his party and hath made him his Children and party a dreadful example of the Lords vengeance and that this judgment was executed on the late King his Children and party by Oliver Cromwell's sword as an instrument See Numb 115. ARTICLE XCVI We Q. do believe That Oliver Cromwell was the Lords battel-axe and his weapon of war to the cutting down of the late King See Numb 116. ARTICLE XCVII We Q. do believe as our friend Nicholas Knight hath written That all the Teachers of England whether they are Episcopal or Presbyterian or Independent are false Ministers no true teachers who are not sent who have no commission from God who go forth in their own names only in the will of man that they are no Ministers of Christ that their doctrine is false and traditional that it is not from heaven but men below that they do teach for doctrine the traditions of men that they are the false teachers that they preach a divination of their own brains that they come not in at the door that they climb up another way that they speak in the wisdom of mens words that they are men-pleasers by feigned words that they are deceivers that they are seekers of their own praise that they seek more the fleece than the flock that they preach for hire and divine for money that for a pretence they make long prayers like the Scribes and Pharisees and devour widows houses that they say and do not that they limit the Church of Christ to a Nation that they are blind leaders of the blind that they do hold the truth in hypocrisie and unrighteousness that they hate to be reformed that they have a form of godliness and deny the power that they are deceivers and being deceived cause the name of God to be blasphemed and evil spoken of that they do observe months and days and consecrated places that their preaching is limited to days hours hour-glasses to the wills of men to outward observations traditions and ceremonies that these trees may be known by their fruits that out of the evil treasure of their hearts they bring forth evil things that they are an ill savour that they are Clouds which hold no water that they are sounding brass and tinkling cymbals that they do not profit the people that they are too light in the balances of the Sanctuary that they do neither believe nor understand what they preach that they have no experience of the word of life that like those silly women they are ever learning but are not able to come to the knowledg of the truth that they flee the Cross that they are unwilling to forsake all for Christ that they do chuse rather to be subject to the corrupt laws and wills of men than to Christ that they lay heavy burthens on mens shoulders which they touch not with one of their singers that they respect their own interest ease profit and security that they count gain to be godliness that they are hirelings that they do preach up the power and dominion of the devils leading into sin above the power of Christ over sin in this life that they do exalt the devils power who is their master above Christ that they preach up outward worship bodily service outward forms ceremonies and observances of outward ordinances and traditions of men of worship in outward Temples and consecrated places and outward conformity out of the life and power of godliliness in Common-prayer service and singing of Davids Psalms that they please themselves with an outward melody of voice and organs that they labour to bring people to an outward communion under an outward profession and name of Christians that they make them Christians by an outward washing that their fellowship is only in and with the world that they do not what God requires at their hands that they are preachers up of the Kingdom of the Beast and false Prophet that they are bewailers of the great City Babylon that their trade and merchandize do depend on her that they are pretended Ministers of Christ that they are Antichrists Ministers that the Gospel preached by them is of Antichrists setting up that they are led by the spirit of Antichrist that they make merchandize of the words of God that they are not Ministers of the Spirit that they are hypocrites who draw near to Christ with their mouths but deny him in their works that Episcopal Presbyterian and Independent are alike corrupt teachers that they do all preach in their own wisdom of words that they do differ from the true Ministers of Christ his Gospel and life that they do all want a thorough-reformation that they have taken up their stations in formalities that they are rejected of God that they are such from whom the Lord is departed that they are denied of the Lord to be his Ministers that they are such teachers to whom as our friend Knight saith the Lord saith who hath required these things at your hands wherein you have polluted my name that they seek their own more than Gods that they have not the Spirit that they are turned aside to fables that they are quenchers of the Spirit that they are despisers of Prophesie that they do speak evil of that which they understand not that they are none of Christs Ministers in the Spirit that they convert not any unto God that they go forth in the will of man that they are not of God that they are false shepherds that they speak their own words that they compose their own Sermons in their own wills and wisdom that they are no true guides in the way of life that they are deceivers and seducers who wax worse and worse that they run in the way of Balaam that they are false guides who lead to destruction whose ways are the ways of death whose end is everlasting misery that they are ready to blaspheme that holy name whereby we Quakers are called See Numb 116 117. ARTICLE XCVIII In the last place We Q. do stedfastly believe as George Fox and Richard Hubberthorn our friends do That our dear friends W. P. G. Whitehead William Smith G. C. and George Fox the younger James Parnell George Fox the elder and Richard Hubberthorn Edward Burrough George Bishop and Nicholas Knight have written and printed their fore-named Books and given them forth from the immediate eternal Spirit of God and therefore by good consequence they and their writings are no less to be believed than the Penmen of the Scripture the Prophets and Apostles are FINIS The Names of the Books cited in this Treatise with the Page where the Author begins to extract the Quakers corrupt Creed out of them I. THE Counterfeit Christian detected and the real Quaker justified By a lover of Truth and Peace W. P. Printed 1674. Page 4 II. The nature of Christianity in the true Light asserted Written by a Servant of Christ G. Whitehead Printed in the year 1671. Page 13 III. The Quakers Primmer by S.C. and George Fox the younger Page 27 IV. Two Treatises viz. a new Primmer and a new Catechism both written by William Smith Printed 1668. Page 33 V. A Collection of the several Writings given forth from the spirit of the Lord through the servant of God James Parnel who bore a faithful testimony for God and died a Prisoner under the hands of a persecuting generation in Colchester Castle in the year 1656. Published 1675. Page 59 VI. The Heathens Divinity set upon the heads of all called Christians G. F. Printed in the year 1671. Page 118 VII The power and glory of the Lord shining out of the North or the day of the Lord dawning By one whom Ishmaels brood calls a Quaker whose name in the flesh is James Naylor London printed 1653. Page 128 VIII A Warning from the Lord by one named of the world Edward Burrough Page 129 IX The Warnings of the Lord to the men of this generation particularly to those in power who are lately passed away and to them that remain as they were given forth in sundry Letters and sent to Oliver Cromwell Richard his Son late Protectors c. by his servant George Bishop who is moved of the Lord to publish them London printed by M. Inman 1660. Page 135 X. A Comparison between the true and false Ministers by Nicholas Knight Printed 1675. Page 141
account that the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance or any other Oaths injoyned by any Authority on earth are altogether unlawful because Christ hath commanded not to swear at all that no swearing is warranted by the Scripture that the dispensation of Oaths where strife was is ended by Christ who saith Swear not at all that vain Oaths and solemn Oaths are both alike forbidden by Christ See Numb 51. ARTICLE XXXIV We Q. do believe That all Holy-days are set up in the Apostacy that there is no observation of particular days that in calling the first day of the week the Lords-day or Sabbath-day people speak they know not what that the name Sunday is heathenish that every day is the Lords-day See Numb 52. ARTICLE XXXV We Q. do believe as our dear friend James Parnel hath written that they are no truly faithful Christians who do deny that there is a perfect freedom from all manner of sin to be had in this life that their faith is not the true faith if it doth not cleanse them from all their sins See Numb 53. ARTICLE XXXVI We Q. do believe That the Scripture is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judg nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the tryer of spirits See Numb 54. ARTICLE XXXVII We Q. do believe That the people and teachers are ignorant of Christ the Light that they dote on the Scripture with their dark minds that they do like the blind Pharisees seek life in the Scripture where it is not to be found See Numb 55. ARTICLE XXXVIII We Q. do believe as our beloved James Parnel saith That the Scripture is a dead letter See Numb 56. ARTICLE XXXIX We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are the peoples leaders who cause them to err that the Scripture is their Idol to get money by that by the Scripture they do lead the people into blindness that they do in vain worship a God whom they know not that they do dethrone Christ Jesus by exalting the Scripture See Numb 57. ARTICLE XL. We Q. do still believe That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor the Light nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Teacher nor Judg concerning matters of faith and life See Numb 58. ARTICLE XLI We Q. do believe That the Priests of England do maintain the authority of the Scripture which is their Idol only for their own ends to uphold their corrupt maintenance and deceitful Ministry See Num b. 59. ARTICLE XLII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England have nothing but the Scripture without which is a dead letter that they are without the true Light that all those are in darkness and confusion who call the Scripture their Rule and Guide and that the Priests of England are like them and that they know not the truth See Numb 60. ARTICLE XLIII We Q. do believe That they bring another Gospel into the world who call the four books Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel See Numb 61. ARTICLE XLIV We Q. do believe That it is a false light in any which leads them to profess the Scripture to be their Rule who do not live well See Numb 62. ARTICLE XLV We Q. do believe That all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all accursed of God and shall be cast into hell and that they are no better nor shall fare better than Lucifer Dives Haman Pharaoh Herod and the rest of their forefathers See Numb 63. ARTICLE XLVI We Q. do likewise believe That all who are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all very wicked that they do only make a profession of godliness that their worship is formal and imaginary that their Chaplains are wicked like themselves that they are like the worshippers of the golden Calf that they and their Chaplains are Heathens that Priest and people do live without God in the world that they are all accursed of God that their works are the works of the Devil that they serve the Devil with their hearts and actions that they are no Christians but Heathens both Priest and people See Numb 64. ARTICLE XLVII We Q. do believe still That all Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam young and old rich and poor and beggars men-servants and women-servants who are no Quakers are the children of the Devil fruitless trees that cumber the ground which are for the fire stubble to be burnt unrighteous persons to be cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone that thither they must go that there they must lye for evermore with Dives and Haman that they are all as bad as Dives Haman and the High-Priests Pharisees and Rulers were who put Christ to death that their belly is their god that they and all their earthly honour shall be laid into the fire See Numb 65. ARTICLE XLVIII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses that they do likewise withstand the truth that they are University-men with their Magick Arts and Imaginations that they do get a form of the Prophets Christs and Apostles words to trade with that they do deny the power of godliness that they are Traytors to Christ men of corrupt minds reprobates concerning the faith See Numb 66. ARTICLE XLIX We Q. do believe still That the Scripture is a dead letter that it is the husk which is usually thrown away that they are Swine feeding on husks who make the Scripture their Rule and Guide that he is a deceiver one that erreth that knoweth not the Scripture who saith the Scripture is the word of God that he puts the shadow for the substance who takes the Scripture to be the word of God that that man is without that he is a swine feeding on the husk that he is ignorant of the true light who saith that the Scripture is the rule and guide of the people of God See Numb 67. ARTICLE L. We Q. do believe That there is no other baptism but the baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost and with fire that baptism with water is but a formal imitation and the invention of man that it is a meer delusion and that they are all heathens and no Christians who are so baptized and cannot witness the other baptism See Numb 70. ARTICLE LI. We Q. do believe That there is no such thing as Sacramental bread that it is only the bread which the world breaks that it is carnal and natural that the cup is such like that there is no such thing as the holy Communion for it is the communion of the world that communion which is natural outward carnal that that which is called the Lords-table is the table of devils that in receiving that which they call the Lords-supper they do feed upon the husk and shadow See Numb 71. ARTICLE LII We Q. do believe That the
Mind it well this is no piece of a Quakers faith That the Scripture is the Word of God or that it is the Rule of faith and obedience to any Real Quaker amongst them Behold this Quakers Logick Because St. Peter knew Christ to be the Son of the living God by a special revelation from Heaven therefore the Scripture is not the Rule of faith May it not be said without offence Surely this Quakers Light within burnt dim in his socket he saw not well to write by it It 's no imposing upon the weakest understanding to say That the Light within is no such infallible Teacher as the Quakers brag of like the Papists infallible Judg it 's not without its gross mistakes Q. pag. 103. Q. Numb 8 And for Christs bidding his Disciples Go teach baptizing Mat. 28 I told thee that no water was mentioned and that Luke in Acts the first says before the Commission mentioned by Matthew could be given at least executed John baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence and then comes the Commission in force Go teach baptizing how with the Holy Ghost turning people from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God Pr. Pr. The full import of this Quaking-Harangue is to tell that there is no such thing as Water-baptism You see plainly that baptism with the Holy Ghost thrust strangely by this real Quaker into Christs Commission hath outed Water-baptism from being a Divine Institution observe it well no water was mentioned a pitiful Cavil what then therefore Go teach baptizing is no part of Christs Commission according to the title of his Book this Real Quaker saith they are all Counterfeit Christians that hold baptizing with water the Real Quaker is for Go teach baptizing how with the Holy Ghost and with fire yet neither of them are by name exprest in Christs Commission If this be not in some measure to turn people from light to darkness from God to the power of Satan let the sober-minded Reader judg However this is most certain that to deny Water-baptism to be a Sacrament ordained by Christ himself is not the received Doctrine of the Church of England nor of any other serious Christians under Heaven Q. p. 105. Q. Numb 5 Now as for Water-baptism what Paul says of himself I may say of his Commission It was not behind any of the rest yet he denies Water-baptism to be any part of it and is as plainly rejected by him in point of institution as any thing in Scripture So that either Water-baptism is none of Christs Institutions or else Paul had no Commission to perform Christs Institutions which were strange Pr. Pr. I may without just offence ask Is not this stoutly argued from the Light within this Real Quaker to evince Water-baptism to be none of Christs Institutions Is it not a dishonour to an ordinary understanding to encounter such child-like reasoning May I not truly say Surely W.P. was at Oxford to lick glass-windows Is it the manner of his Light within of his bosom-teacher to dictate at this low rate However let it be duly considered that it is the avowed judgment of a real Quaker That Water-baptism is none of Christs Institutions and that this Quakers Paul was of the same mind which is a most gross mistake Q. p. 106. Q. Numb 10 C. i. e. Counterfeit Thou supposest the Doctrine of Justification by that righteousness which Christ fulfilled wholly without us to be a sin-pleasing and dangerous notion Quaker I do so Pr. Pr. Here we have consitentem reum the Real Quaker confessing himself guilty of a base Doctrine That Justification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled wholly without us is a sin-pleasing and dangerous notion Thus this great Gospel-truth Justification by faith articulus fidei stantis vel cadentis Ecclesiae a main Article of the Christian Faith in Luther's eye is but a sin-pleasing and dangerous notion in this Quakers account as the Papists call it a Putative righteousness so the Quaker accounts it no better than a sin-pleasing and dangerous notion Thus Justification by Christs righteousness imputed by faith which is a comfortable doctrine in the Church of Englands eye is basely murdered betwixt these two thieves Q. p. 107. Q. Numb 11 C. i.e. Counterfeit It is horrible wicked to conclude That what Christ hath done and suffered without us is to speak peace to the wicked whilst such Quaker Right Pr. Pr. To pick up the plainest sense out of these dark lines it seems to be this That it is horrible wicked to conclude that any are made righteous in Gods sight by what Christ hath done and suffered without us that it is no less than speaking peace to the wicked Thus the received Doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ is run down at a base rate Unless the perverting sense of a deluded Quaker be received that man commits an horrible wickedness that holds justification by Christs righteousness without him This is that daubing with untempered Mortar a sinpleasing-notion a doctrine which speaks peace to the wicked At this rate the Church of England is highly to blame for affirming that we are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith That we are justified by faith only Artic. 11 is a most wholsome doctrine and very full of comfort Without doubt the Homily of Justification referred to in that Article is tainted with no Quakerism in this point Behold the Case is sad that imparted Righteousness may not be retained but imputed Righteousness like Ishmael the bond-womans son must be cast forth yea loathed as a sin-pleasing notion which is dangerous rejected as that which is horrible wicked Q. pag. eadem Q. Numb 12 But what sayest thou to my distinction about Justification Christs work was twofold First to remit forgive or justifie from the imputation of sins past such as truly repent and believe Secondly By his power and spirit working in the hearts of such to destroy and remove the very nature of sin to make an end of it to finish transgression present and to come the first removes the guilt the second the cause of it Methinks this should a little allay thy clamours Pr. Pr. It 's an old truth qui bene distinguit bene docet but this Quaker hath missed the Cushion With this distinction he doth only play the Mountebanks part he doth vainly please his fond admirers this counterfeit Balsom is ineffectual he juggles here is neither the whole truth nor nothing but the truth Like the Devil this Real Quaker hath the knack to deliver some truth according to the Scripture that he may the better manage his devilish design and put off his bad Wares The first part of this Quaking-distinction is very lame which any sober Christian will soon perceive The latter part of it is full of false doctrine the base design of this distinction is to make
the Scripture observe it well to read in to meditate of to study to believe to live according to the Scriptures is as this Quaker calls it our doting on them and this is done with our dark minds there except Quakers who cannot but have a very good opinion of themselves who follow the Light within them as their Lord God and Saviour all others both people and teachers of this world do but dote on the Scriptures with their dark minds nay to take this Quakers mind more at large they are like the blind Pharisees the people being blind themselves are led by their blind teachers thus they go blind-folded seeking life in the Scripture doted on where it is not to be found I may now truly say according to this Quakers mind that the Scripture is basely accounted of either as a dead letter which hath no life in it or as Christs tomb or empty grave where Christ the true Light is not to be found Q. p. eâd. Q. Numb 56 Thus with your dark minds you would take the authority from Christ and would give it to the dead Letter Pr. Pr. Now this Quaker speaks plainly but not yet like righteous Abel he doth harp still upon his old string as if Christ were dethroned because the Scripture Gods Word is a light unto our feet behold if either people learn or are taught such true doctrine as this is then the people and their teachers with their dark minds do as this Quaker saith take the authority from Christ and give it to the Scripture which is saith this Quaker a dead letter Without doubt this is a base slander the Grand Seignior would not suffer his Alchoran to be thus reproacht however in this point their elder brethren the Papists and our modern Quakers are well agreed to both of them the Holy Scripture is no more but a dead letter By the way let it be observed that here is James Parnel a servant of God whose Writings were pretended to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord a Martyr one that gave his testimony for God who called the Scripture a dead letter is not this corrupt tree plainly to be known by this bad fruit do you not espy a wolf in sheeps cloathing are not those streams which make glad the City of God basely fouled by him I am sure the testimony of this Quaking-Martyr is not the testimony which the Scripture bears of it self no undeluded Christian can believe that it is from the true Spirit of the Lord to term the Scripture a dead letter without controversie it is a standing-shame to Christianity that Christ the light of life cannot be rightly exalted but the Scripture must first be declared to be a dead letter this abominable doctrine was first hatcht amongst the Papists and and is now maintained amongst the Quakers Q. p. 16 17. Q. Numb 57 Your Leaders cause you to err for their own ends and of the Scripture they make an idol to get money by which they lead you in blindness in vain are you worshipping a God whom you know not crying up the Scripture exalting it in the place of Christ Pr. Pr. By this Quakers testimony all Ministers of the Gospel are basely bespattered they are in this Quakers account such Leaders as cause the people to err they are no better than a base sort of self-ended Teachers who lead the people into error for their own ends nay worse they are Idolaters and the Scripture he saith is their Idol to speak this Quakers mind more fully as Diana of the Ephesians was Demetrius his Idol so the Scripture saith this Quaker is the Idol of all Gospel-Ministers to get money by by instructing the people out of Gods word Ministers if you can believe this Quaker do nothing else but cause people to err and lead them in blindness by following the Doctrine taught by Gods Ministers the people are like the heathen Athenians this Quaker saith they do in vain worship a God whom they know not by making the Scripture to be the rule of their faith and life this Quaker saith they cry up the Scripture to the Lord Christs high dishonour exalting it in Christs place if this be not high base doctrine then what is such The Turkish Alchoran was never so debased by any Mahometans nor Heathen Priests so vilified in any part of the world by their Vassals as the Word and Ministers of the Most High God have been by this deluded Quaker Q. p. 18. Q. Numb 58 He is the Word and the Scripture is not He is the Light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and the Guide and Teacher and Judg and the Scripture is not Pr. Pr. Here we have this Quakers cramb the second part of the same tune this Quakers dream is double according to this Quakers mind his false doctrine is established if any are so foolish as to regard it it is an Oracle from this Quakers lying spirit That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor a light unto our feet nor the Rule Guide Teacher or Judg because Christ is so this is the Quakers old weak reason fit to be dismissed as such But whither doth this Quakers wild doctrine tend Is not this the true meaning of it That the holy Apostle St. Peter was grosly mistaken that the holy men of God mentioned by him did not speak the word of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That the sure word of Prophecy is no light shining in a dark place That those primitive Christians did very ill to take heed to any such light without them as the Scripture the sure word of Prophecy is To speak a little more according to this Quakers mind by no means the Law and the Testimony mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah may now be our Rule we do all follow a blind guide if we are led by the Scripture Hath not this man quaked to purpose Is not the Scripture by him shaken to nothing for it 's no word of God no Light no Rule no Guide no Teacher no Judg. Surely it's matter of lamentation that a false Christ the Light within who is not God and Man in one person must by Quakers be thus exalted to lay the honour of the Scripture in the dust to make the word of God of none effect Q. p. 19. Q. Numb 59 Saying among themselves If we let go the authority of the Scriptures then all is gone that is to say Take away our Idol then take away our maintenance then down with our Ministry Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker pretends to be the Priests Cabin-Counsellor to discover their secrets he brings them to light as being such as do only hold fast the divine authority of the Scripture to save their main stake mark how he supposes them to say among themselves even that which none but this Quaker or others like himself did ever hear If we let go the authority of the Scripture then all is gone This he