not a little Flie-blown with Spiritual Pride Answ That 's thy own state Proud and Scornful Man Spiritual Pride and Conceit puffs thee up Qr. J. P's Tryal of Faith You believe you shall never overcome your sins so long as you are here Here you shew your Faith is not built upon Christ who came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cleanse from all sins Pag. 60. Priest Answers This is the Corrupt Testimony of this Quaking Martyr that they are no sound Believers whose Faith doth not cleanse them from all their Sins that the Faith of Christians is not built upon Christ if it doth not make them free from their Sins Answ That which the Priest calls the Corrupt Testimony is according to Christ and his holy Apostles Testimony Christ came to Wash and Cleanse true Believers from Sin that they might be Clean every whit he gave himself for his Church that he might Wash it by Water through the Word that he might present it holy without Spot c. By Faith he purifies their Hearts he destroys the Work of the Devil the Blood of Christ cleanseth them that walk in the Light from all Sin And Faith in him overcomes the World it was and is the Saints Victory These are plain and Scriptural Testimonies how ignorant soever this unsanctified Priest shews himself wholly a stranger to the washing of Regeneration Pr. Ibid. A sinless state reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven is no true Divinity in the Quakers School Answ How is a sinless state reserved for that Kingdom if not attainable in this Life Pr. Ibid. If we say that we have no sin which the Quakers usually do we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Answ An Untruth against the Quakers where or when do they usually or ever say they have no sin but that though there is a time of having sin there 's a time of confessing and forsaking sin and if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL SIN 1 John 1.7 9. And saith he My little Children these things write I unto you that you SIN NOT Chap. 2.1 What John writes relates to several states Pr. Ibid. This Quaker is certainly for a more holy Faith than God himself did ever require It s not the Ruling Power but the being of sin which this Quaker's Faith makes free from without doubt this is to be Righteous over much in this World Answ The Priest is grosly Erroneous here the Quaker is for that holy Faith which is the Gift of God whereby he purifies the Heart and which Faith overcomes and is the Saints Victory over the World And to have the being of sin destroyed by Christ is not to be Righteous over-much in this World for 't is for this End that Christ is made manifest to take away our sins and to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. Christ destroying the Works of the Devil is to destroy the being of Sin that it may neither Rule nor be in true Believers And this work of Christ is effected by degrees as he is obeyed and truly followed whose Work of destroying Sin this Priest has apparently opposed lest he should be Righteous over much in this World so that his Faith will carry his sins with him into the next World if he relinquish it not and where he will get rid of them there he tells us not but by his Opinion he must expect a Purgatory or place of Purgation after Death seeing he confesseth A sinless state is reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven Observe here how near of Kin he is to the Papists and how nearly he has border'd upon the Doctrine of Purgatory only they exceed him in believing that their Canonized Saints and Martyrs shall escape Purgatory and go directly to Heaven Pr. Ibid. If the Ill Spirit of the old Catheri was not gotten into this Young Quaker The Quakers Idolized Perfection Answ If by his word Catheri he means the Puritans or those called Old Puritans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ì i. e. Puri then I must tell him that many of the Old Puritans were more Conscientious Sincere and Religious to what they knew then himself is or ever was Hist Eccl. Euseb Pam. Lib. 6. C. 42. for they were not such Temporizers and Opposers of the Light and Work of Christ they durst not call either an Idol as he has done And whatever Novatus was who called his Sect Cartharous that is Puritans I matter not there were many Honest people in England and other parts of those called Puritans Pr. p. 61. By this false Doctrine he hath concluded the Church of England at home all Reformed Churches abroad under Vnbelief for being of this right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins as long as they are here Answ Here he counts it a right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins so long as they are here but when and where they shall be freed he tells us not I am sure it is not the Mind of Christ that men should live in sin all their days And I think this Priest has wrong'd the Church of England if the Church of England means as she speaks and professeth viz. in promising to forsake the Devil and all his Works c. And in praying O God make clean our Hearts within us and take not thine holy Spirit from us Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this Day without Sin with many other passages to this purpose in the Morning-Prayer and Service-Book And what has this Priest done less then charged the Church of England with Dissimulation and Hypocrisie as being of a contrary mind then what 's here exprest As also Edw. Stillingfleet in his Sermon preached before the King March 13. 1666. he strongly argues and pleads against that Opinion of God's laying Impossible Laws upon the Sons of Men and puts the Question thus * Ed. Still 6. Serm. 1669. pag. 69 70. For what is it that God requires of men as the Condition of their future Happiness which in its own nature is judged impossible Is it for men to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this World For that was the End of Christian Religion to perswade men to do so § XXII Qr. The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Word the Life the Judge the Rule the Guide nor the Tryer of Spirits for all this belongs to Christ Pr. p. 61. I must truly say this is none of Abel his Language nor a faithful Testimony for God except another Qr. Atheist or Anti-scripturist none would have laid such base things to the charge of the holy Scriptures Answ Here is one of his base Abuses For to say The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Life the Judge c. is only as much as to
only Well to make the best on 't 't is granted that by Christ's Merit and true Faith in him we are Justified Whence it therefore follows that our Justification is not fulfilled wholly without us unless our Faith must be wholly excluded or shut out as wholly without us Pr. Ibid. The Case is sad that IMPARTED Righteousness may not be retained but Imputed Righteousness like Ishmael must be câ—st forth yea LOATHED as a Sin-pleasing Notion rejected as that which is Horrible Wicked Answ Here is an Abusive Insinuation suggested against us We do not cast forth nor loath any Righteousness that God for Christ's sake imputes to us or reckons ours through true and living Faith We do not set Imparted Righteousness in Opposition to what is truly Imputed to us because 't is not truly Imputed unless Imparted As that of Faith which was reckon'd to Abraham and is still to his Children who are of Faith and walk in his steps But 't is here granted that there must be Imparted Righteousness and that it must be retained and therefore Imputed Righteousness not cast out nor rejected If not cast out nor rejected then it must be retained within So on the other hand I may justly argue that 't is sad that Imputed Righteousness may not be retained but Imparted Righteousness must be cast forth and loathed as Popery Or that we should be reckoned as denying Christ's Merits or Deservings while we are also asserting his inward Work Righteousness and Obedience of Faith unto Justification for these are not inconsistent Qr. To William Penn's affirming that Christ's Work was twofold 1st To remit forgive or justifie from the Imputation of Sins past such as truly repent and believe 2dly 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 c. Pr. To this the Priest answers p. 11. viz. With this Distinction he doth only play the Mountebank's part This Counterfeit Balsom he Juggles like the Devil this real Quaker hath the Knack to deliver some Truth according to Scripture that he may the better mannage his Devilish Design to put off his bad Wares Answ 'T is no Mountebanks Part or Juggle to deliver Truth according to Scripture nor hath the Real Quaker any Devilish Design therein this Foul-mouth'd Slanderer is far louder in his Charge than in his Proof the Distinction is honest and just in the first the Merit Dignity and Interest of our Lord Jesus Christ is confest In the second is his Power and Work of Grace in the Heart unto Sanctification and Justification asserted which does not oppose but effectually speaks forth his Dignity and Merit for man's eternal good Pr. Ibid. The first part of this Quaking Distinction is very lame the latter part full of false Doctrine to make Justification by Christ's Righteousness without us a Counterfeit Doctrine and Justification by Inherent Righteousness only Thus the Papists and Quakers are in a great measure Hail Fellow well met only the Quaker hath the Honour to be the more perfect Dotard of the Two Answ Here is no Confutation but Scorn and Perversion which shews himself rather the Perverse Dotard For Christ's Righteousness and Merit as in himself or as it was without us is not excluded Remission or Justification from the Charge of Sins past on Repentance and Faith Nor is Justification wholly placed upon the inherent or inward Righteousness of Christ but both are concern'd in man's absolute Justification Only the Doctrine of Imputation to exclude or reject Christ's Inherent Righteousness in Justification of the Unrighteous Unconverted or Wicked this we oppose as unsound § VI. And further there is no such Correspondency between the Papists and Quakers in the point for the Papists place the Merit of Justification and Salvation upon their own Works after the first Justification by Christ's Merits thereby rendring God indebted to them for their Good Works Acts of Charity c. though done by his Grace The Quaker distinguishes between Merit in the strict sence as used by the Papists and obtaining Acceptance with God upon the Faithful Improvement of his Grace and Obedience of Faith God accepts us in and for Christ's sake in our Obedience to his free Grace but we do not thereby Merit Buy or Purchase Salvation to our selves as making God a Debtor to us in the Papists sence For 't was of his free Grace that we are what we are and that we obey and practise what 's our Duty For by Grace through Faith we are saved not of our selves it s the Gift of God to whom we must render the Praise of all Qr. Ibid. To William Penn's granting such as Repent and believe receive Remission or a Justifying from former sins through the Righteousness of God declared in by Jesus Christ But Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out of Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness Pr. To this the Priest gives his Answer viz. Here 〈◊〉 have the Real Quaker a down-right Papist he is professedly gone into the Tents of Rome he is become a stout Champion under the Popes Banner Behold this Real Quaker dabling in gross Popery Answ This is all a Slanderous and manifest Perversion 't is no Popery but Scripture-Testimony to assert That Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out Iniquity mortifying Corruption making the Soul to partake of Christ's Everlasting Righteousness seeing that according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3. And this is not a meriting Salvation by our own Works in the Papists sence For 't is placed upon the Kindness of God in Christ and washing of Regeneration Pr. Ibid. Acccording to the Tenour of his words Compleat Justification is a MAKING INWARDLY JVST through a purging out of Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness Answ And this Adversary hath said nothing in Confutation of this he only recites and reviles our words and rails at us but Reasons not to our Conviction or Confutation If to Justifie be Justum facere to make Just as some of his own Coat have confest and that on the place cited Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. then this must be inwardly effected through a purging out Iniquity and a bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness even through the washing of Regeneration But see what the Priest offers to confute us in the Sequel Pr. p. 12. Thus the Doctrine of the Church of England is trampled under foot c. Answ He thinks he has gotten a strong hold in the Church of England there is his Castle and Garrison to Consute the Quakers by telling them Thus the Doctrine of the Church of England is trampled under foot but tells us not what that Doctrine is But it seems it is a Doctrine
that does not allow that Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in of Christ's Everlasting Righteousness As if he should tell us That the Doctrine of the Church of England is contrary to this before-cited i. e. That Compleat Justification is not a making inwardly Just nor a purging out of Iniquity or Mortifying of Corruption c. but that Justification is VVholly fulfilled and compleated without men they are compleatly Justified by Christ's Merits while inwardly Unjust and their Iniquities unpurg'd out their Corruption unmortified and Christ's Everlasting Righteousness excluded or wholly shut out of them At this rate this Person may reckon himself one compleatly Justified whilst a Persecuting Malicious Scornful Spirit remains in him whilst he is a Railer a Persecutor a Scorner and Oppressor c. but herein he is highly guilty of that Abomination which he that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just are guilty of As also I must tell him He has in this matter apparently wrong'd the Doctrine of the Church of England and several of the Eminent Doctors thereof who have not only in their Prayers but Preaching called for and urged a Real Righteousness both Inherent and Practical to constitute men Just and Righteous and Acceptable to God and have flatly opposed the Imputarians Calvinists and Antianomins in their asserting Persons imputatively Righteous and Justified while actually Unjust Immoral c. § VII Pr. Ibid. But the worst is yet behind And what is it †W.P. If not then to exclude this and yet conclude men compleatly justified by what Christ hath done wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils for it leaves men in an Impure state and allows the Devils Kingdom to continue in Being Pr. Priest Answers p. 12. These Quaking Lines according to this Quakers base words in Print the Church of England doth hold fast that which is a Doctrine of Devils c. a base Aspersion cast on that Church which is beautiful in the Eyes of all sober Christians Answ He wrongs the Church of England again he would bring in his Antinomianism and father it upon the Church of England as if it were Authentick in the Church of England to exclude Christ's Everlasting Righteousness and deny inward Purging and Mortification in the point of Justification and as if to conclude men compleatly Justified by what Christ hath done wholly without while they are both Unjust Unpurg'd Unmortified Corrupt and Wicked were good Profound Doctrine in the Church of England or to conclude men compleatly Justified while the Devils Kingdom is in being in them For opposing this he balls and clamours most Hideously against W. Penn crying up the Doctrine of the Church of England the Church of England against him but has most shamefully abused that Church with his Antinomianism Pr. Ibid. Christ's Righteousness wholly without Iibid. Made our's by Faith a Doctrine of Devils How base is the Light within W. P Answ If Christ's Righteousness be made ours by Faith then 't is not wholly without This Priest is inconsistent here One while 't is wholly without another while 't is made ours by Faith the latter is true No Doctrine of Devils as most wickedly he hath charged the Light within For true Faith and Christ's Everlasting Righteousness are Inseparable This Faith has its Righteousness from Christ and is attended with true Obedience good Works and â—oly Conversation 'T is a Heart-purifying Faith a Justifying Faith a Faith by which we see him who is Invisible and bring forth Fruits to him Let 's see if our Adversary dare deny this § VIII Pr. Ibid. Surely it is high time for the Kings Majesty the Defender of the Faith to gird on his Sword those that make so bold with this and other Truths are but like stinging Snakes in the bosom of Indulgence Answ Here this Incendiary would instigate the King in defence of his Antinomianism of Justifying men in their sinful and corrupt state and to Persecute the Quakers for asserting that Christs Righteousness wherein the Saints are Justified is not wholly without them but they are inwardly Partakers of it by Faith and through a Purging out Iniquity Mortifying of Corruption bringing in Christs Everlasting Righteousness otherwise to deny or exclude this saith the Quaker and yet conclude men compleatly Justified wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils leaving men in an Impure state and allowing the Devils Kingdom to continue Because of this the Persecuting Clergy-man would have the King's Majesty to gird on his Sword and what for but to cut down this Quaker that is for asserting a Real Righteousness of Christ within and against the wrong Imputation of the old Antinomian He is angry that such are Indulg'd that cannot favour the Devils Kingdom he counts the King very faulty and charges him highly as preserving stinging Snakes in the Bosom of Indulgence though doubtless he wanted Indulgence before he Temporized But now this Popish persecuting Spirit in the Clergy-man wants to have the Miter set above the Crown all that are not for his Turn he would have them punisht He can assume the boldness to publish to the Nation that the King harbours stinging Snakes in the Bosom of Indulgence You have heard his Charge and his matter before and what Refuges he flees to to maintain his Antinomian Sin-pleasing Doctrines and revile them that oppose him he would fain have the Church of England and the Kings Sword to maintain him in that which is plain Repugnant and Abusive to the Church of England Thus like a Temporizing Mercenary Hector and Popish Agent he has manag'd his Work as will further appear to his shame as a Hectoring Bravado a scornful proud disdainful Person § XI See what follows about a Book of mine Entituled The Nature of Christianity Pr. p. 13. Upon my Confessing to Christ Jesus his Manhood and Divinity the Priest saith viz. Here 's a parcel of good Words to gull unwary Readers the Devil to promote Errors hath alwayes used to dress himself his Agents in the Garb of Truth The Quaker will anon shew us his Horns we shall ere long know him to be no tame Beast His ill inspiring Spirit will appear you may certainly expect from this Quaking Pamphlet most base pitiful Stuff Answ Behold how he Boasts Vapours Infults Hector Scoff Jeers and Contemns but the frothiness falseness and silliness thereof will more evidently appear in the Progress of our Controversie It is not for any weight in his Words that I cite them but to let the serious Reader see the Image or Character of his proud and scornful Spirit Ibid. Touching my Opposing R. G's affirming a Justification and Redemption of Men even while no good is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever and when no qualification is wrought in man by any Spirit whatsoever All this Passage the Priest leaves out and only falls upon my latter Words concerning my calling in question R.
G's Terms viz. That God-man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which I could not own to be a Scripture-Phrase or good Sense Hereupon instead of any Convincing Confutation the Priest flies out in Railery and Reviling at his wonted rate Pr. viz. That God purchased of God an old Socinian Cavil Thus the Light within is at unawares singing the old Cuckoes Song Thus the Quakers Ignis Fatuus c. What a blind pitiful Elf is this Quakers Light within that it cannot discern Redemption by Christ God-man as purchase made without us Answ Though he has herein revil'd me with Socinianism and a Cuckoes Song and shamefully blasphemed the Light within as an Ignis Fatuus a blind pitiful Elf c. This makes nothing to my Conviction but shews that this Proud man glories in his Shame Blindness Scorn and Blasphemy which is no convincing Argument Let him call it what he will I am not yet convinced that the Phrase viz. God-man purchased and compleated Justification with God at once without us is either Scripture-Language or good Sense why does he not produce us Scripture for it for it renders God in the first place as the Agent purchasing or buying Justification c. of God himself and so over-looks and confounds or mis-placeth his Mediators Office which as Man through God's Help he performed as God hath said In a Day of Salvation have I helped thee he was made lower than the Angels in respect of his Sufferings yet God the Father helped and supported him even in his Sufferings for Mankind Again If the Father's Kindness to Mankind was no whit inseriour to the Son's Kindness or that they were both alike kind to Man as 't is not to be doubted then it was in the freeness of the Father's Love that Christ came to redeem or purchase lost Man to God It was by the Grace of God that he tasted Death for every man and became a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God But where the Priest sayes God-Man purchased our Redemption of God this supposes him as God to be the chief Agent in purchasing Redemption of God Can this mean any otherwise than that either God did so purchase or buy this of himself or else that Christ as a God inseriour to the Most High God did buy it of him which so much borders on Socinianism denying the Deity of the Son of God or that he is the Most High God that I cannot be thus Socinianiz'd For though Jesus Christ be both God Man in absolute and wonderful Union yet those Works and Sufferings of his in the Flesh which concern'd Man's Reconciliation Eternal Redemption and Salvation with Respect to his Merit and Dignity therein they all related to Christ as Mediator between God and Man and as such he is called the Man Christ Jesus and in these Considerations he is made inferiour to the Father as he said My Father is greater than I We have one Mediator between God and Men even the Man Christ Jesus It was as Man that he dyed and gave himself a Ransom for all and it was by this One Man Jesus Christ that the Grace and Gift of God hath abounded unto many as by man came Death so by man came the Resurrection of the Dead this is Scripture Language and accordingly Redemption by Christ as his giving himself for us to Redeem us from ALL Iniquity from the Vain Conversation from the Earth c. is truly owned by us Pr. pag. 14. God the Son made Man purchasing our Redemption of God the Father by the price of his own Blood as God Intâ—rnate Answ Now he has mended the matter 't is as he was made Man that he purchased or rather obtained our Redemption By his own Blood he entered once into the Holy Place heb 9.12 having obtained eternal Redemption for us And this Redemption that he obtained for us was our Deliverance and Freedom from under Sin Death and Condemnation as the following words clear it For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how MUCH MORE shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God Furge your Conscience from Dead Works to serve the Living God Hence it most clearly follows that that Eternal Redemption which Christ obtained for us by his Blood and Sacrifice without us must be partaken of and enjoyed within us by a real purging and sanctifying of our Conscience as before And since Remission of Sins Redemption and Justification are attributed to the Blood of Christ as Means or Cause thereof through Faith it follows that though these were obtained by the Sacrifice of Christ without us they are effected and compleated by him within us for our absolute discharge from the Guilt of Sin Condemnation and Curse by a real Purging our Consciences and Purifying of our Hearts by a true Faith in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we partake of the Effects and Benefits both of his Merit and Sufferings outward and his effectual Work inward to our Salvation from Sin and the sad Effects thereof He hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us he hath gotteâ— the Power thereof for us that we might have it and enjoy it through his effectual Work in us in setting us free from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption and this allows not that men are compleatly justified and redeemed while no Good no Qualification is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever as R. G. affirmed and whose Cause this Priest has espoused and therefore 't is Chargeable upon him wherein they have at once justified the Unclean the Wicked the Unbelievers the Unconverted the Impenitent c. and excluded the Light and Spirit of Christ Faith Repentance Conversion Sanctification Humility Sincerity c. which are Inward Qualifications and Fruits of the holy Spirit from being conterned in this great Work and State of Justification and Redemption contrary to Christ's own Testimony Except I wash thee thou hast no part with me Pr. pag. 15. This Quaking Proteus turn'd into a Socinian shape It s still no less than unscriptural that God-man hath purchased all of God without Farewell to the received Doctrine of the Church of England Answ Quaking Proteus a Fabulous Flout and Falshood The Quakers greatly differ from the Socinians both touching the Deity of Christ and his divine Light in man and Perfection in this Life as owned by Quakers not by Socinians The Doctrine of the Church of England allows of no such Doctrine as that Persons are compleatly justified while no good is wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ and that under the Pretence of God-Man having purchased all of God without For even E. Still Treat pag. 270. Stilling fleet in his discourse of the Sufferings of Christ against Socin Crel counts it an Opinion which few who have consider'd these things do maintain
of the Spirit there as he hath done surely he pronounceth and prayeth what he believes not but from the Teeth outward And also let it be noted how Inconsistent our present Adversary is with the Sermon preached before the Lords in Parliament upon the Fast day February 4. 1673. by Herbert Bishop of Hereford where after he has exclaimed against the Vice Debauchery Pride and Luxury the abominable Lust Excess and Superfluities of our Times he earnestly presseth and urgeth upon their Consciences For Humiliation Weeping Mourning Fasting mortifying their Carnal Bestial Lust that so God from his Mercy-seat might look down with Compassion upon them and pardon all their Crying Sins and then God would Bless them c. Here he did not preach Pardon Peace Blessing or Justification to them if they continued in Sin And further plainly saith Now that Sin is more hateful unto Christ than any Sufferings is evident because he endureth all these to take away Sin Christ could endure the greatest Torment in the World but cannot endure the least Sin for Sin is not only hateful but a flat Contradiction unto God for God is Holiness Can we be such ungrateful Beasts such savage Wolves such cruel Tygers such bloody Monsters as yet to crucify him afresh and put him again to open shame God forbid But let us rather scourge and crucifie the old Man that hater of this our blessed Saviour Thus sar the said-Bishop with much more of this kind of his Sermon aforesaid I am perswaded if the Bishops did see and rightly consider much of my Adversaries writing and what Sin-pleasing Antinomian Notions he would father upon the Church of England they would conclude that he had need to preach a Recantation Sermon or otherwise that he deserves to be degraded and Excommunicated I have quoted the more against him of matter owned by the Protestants and Church of England because he brags so much of that Church as if she would shelter him in all his Deceits and Abuses § XIII Pr. p. 25. In this Quaking Ramble we find too much abominable Doctrine viz. 1. No Hosanna due to Christ as the he Son of M ary no existing Bodily without us 2. Jesus the Son of Mary is not God our Saviour 3. That Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father Answ In all these this Envious Priest hath most shamefully abus'd and perverted my Words as may apparently be seen in the Book Entituled The Nature of Christianity c. pag. 40 and 41. As First About No Hosanna a falshood For I confess'd that the multitude cried Hosanna to the Son of David Matth. 21.9 And ask'd if Hosanna be not Save now I beseech thee only I shewed R. G. his mistake that it was the Multitudes that cryed Hosanna to the Son of David which he placed upon his Apostles and all his Ministers in all Ages whereas they all confessed his Deity as well as his Manhood his being the Son of God and the Root as well as the Off-spring of David Yet I condemn not their Hosanna to the Son of David who in simplicity of Heart cryed so But yet that there is an higher Expression of Honour to him with respect to his Deity and as the Eternal Son of God and David's Lord according to his own Testimony when he questioned the Pharisees and Scribes who called him the Son of David viz. What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They said unto him The Son of David He said unto them How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Right Hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool If David then call him Lord how is he his Son And no man was able to answer him a Word neither durst any man from that day forth ask any more Questions Mat. 22. and Mark 12.35 36 37. Did Christ herein deny himself to be the Son of David or of his Seed according to the Flesh no sure no more have we What I writ as before was in relation to the Honour due to Christ as the Eternal Son of God which the Pharisees allow'd not of though they confessed him to be the Son of David but were offended at his owning himself to be the Son of God John 10.36 and 19.7 The Jews charged him with Blasphemy and said He ought to dye because thereof Secondly The Priest has most shamefully belyed me by inferring upon me a denial of the Deity of Jesus Christ as if I denied him to be God our Saviour which is a gross Lye for I have in plain words confest that the holy Prophets Apostles and Ministers pointed and testified unto Jesus Christ both as Man born of the Virgin to his coming in the Flesh Nat. Chri. pag. 40. and unto his Divinity and manifestation in Spirit Thirdly The Priest hath abominably belyed me in charging this Doctrine upon me that Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father * Which also he sets down in his 10th Article as the Quakers belief p. 147. whenas I have plainly confest his Divinity and the main drift of my Discourse is that he may be chiefly honour'd and worshipped as in respect to his Deity Divine Power and Glory as the Eternal Son of God For that Hosanna and Adoration Claim of Salvation which some pretend only to Christ as the Son of Mary or to him as the Son of Mary only this I was not satisfied with because it excludes his Divinity from that honour chiefly due thereto And it was hereupon that I asked R. G. the Question If he had so considered Christ to be God the Saviour or the Son from the Substance of the Father Which I asked not to deny him in either of these 't was far from my thoughts but only to shew my Opposer his mistake in attributing all to him only as the Son of Mary Thus far was I from denying the Deity of the Son of God or his being of the Substance of the Father from everlasting before the World was As also I shewed Mark 6.3 that they who called Christ the Carpenter the Son of Mary and were offended at him did not shew that honour and respect to him that Peter did who said Nat. Christ p. 51. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God though this can be no Denial of his outward Birth of the Virgin Pr. pag. 26. They deny that the Son of Mary is to be worshipped as God Answ We do not divide Christ though we distinguish between his Godhead and Manhood viz. That though he be perfect God and perfect Man yet inferior to the Father touching his Manhood as is confest in the Liturgy And if any of us have denied that meerly consider'd as the Son of Mary he is to be worshipped as God I think we should not be rendred Offenders nor yet Deniers of his Manhood on this occasion for men more Wise and Learned than our Adversary
has not told us very likely 't is by some severe means as Hanging the Quakers and Burning their Books this Priest hath Malice enough for both as if that would prevail more to the safety of Souls from Error then all the Priests Preaching or Arguments 'T is evident how little Interest they have in mens Consciences But then this course would honour the Quakers with Martyrdom and raise greater enquiry after their Religion and then it will be time for Persecuting Clergy-men to be silent Pr. Ibid. Books not so dangerous as this is have been burnt by the hand of the common Hangman Answ He smels still strong of the old Where 's Cup Envy and Persecution But the Impartial Readers will see that his Book is more fit for such Execution 't is so filled with Scorn and Blasphemy against the Light of Christ Jesus within Pr. Ibid. The Author is gone to his Judge so this Book deserves a black mark for his sake and its Pestilent Doctrine Answ Malicious and Blind Presumption thus finally to condemn the Author as he has the Book as if he were infallibly sure that he is gone to utter Damnation But see his Ignorance and Falshood in his proofs Pr. Ibid. This Quaking Primmer begins with a Lye to corrupt Children's Minds the Light within which is no express Scripture phrase is indeed a meer Fancy the Real Quaker's Idol Answ Gross Ignorance and Blasphemy the Light within is no Fancy nor Idol 't is the Light of Christ within God's inshining in our Hearts that we profess that mens Minds may be turned from Darkness that 's within them to the Light of Christ within That God hath shined in our Hearts is express Scripture Pr. p. 28. It s false Doctrine to make the Light within to be the Teacher of the Fear of God Answ The Light of Christ within teacheth to depart from Evil and to do good to speak and practise Truth and therefore the Fear of God is taught by it Pr. Ibid. In this Quaking Primmer little Children are taught to take heed to the Light within them that the Scripture the more sure Word of Prophecy may not be regarded by them as their Guide or Rule of their Lives Answ The more sure Word of Prophecy mentioned 2 Pet. 1.19 is explained in the same place what it is Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto A LIGHT that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day Star arise in your Hearts And therefore it is a Light of Christ within which directs and guides unto his inward Appearance who is the bright and morning Star It could not be the Scriptures of the Prophets that was intended by this more sure Word for they could not be more sure than that Voice which Peter James and John heard from the Excellent Glory when they were with Christ in the Mount Nor yet more sure than the Apostles Testimony Wherein then lies the Comparison but in that Divine Word or Light of the Son of God being more general and more near to them than that Voice though both true This Word doth shine in many dark Hearts that never heard that Voice Pr. pag. 29. Gross Popery here is Deliverance from Condemnation not by Faith in Christ's Merits but by obeying the Light within their worst Guide Answ Here is gross Ignorance and Blasphemy against the Light of Christ within still Christ did not oppose his own Merit Deserving or Dignity by exhorting his Hearers to believe in the Light that they might become Children of the Light and if we walk in the Light as he i. e. God is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1.7 and this in relation to the Divine Light for God is Light vers 5. Therefore this Light within is that whereby men may know the Benefit of Christ's Blood and Merit But this Priest has here branded Christ's and his Apostles Testimonies herein with gross Popery Pr. Ibid. Quakerism serves as a Stepping-stone for Popery in this Church and Kingdom Answ If Papists had not greater Hopes of making many of you Clergy-men swallow down Popery for Preferments and Self-ends than they have of the Quakers they would not be so confident in their Attempts 'T is easie for them to suppose that a Temporizing Clergy man whose Conscience is benumbed either by Avarice or Covenant-breaking is a fit Agent to introduce Popery gradually under some hidden Disguise or Cloak as this Adversary can cry up the Church of England and cry down Popery while he looks and steers his course directly towards Rome both in his Rage against dissenting Protestants and asserting divers Popish Doctrines Ibid. Qr. Primmer p. 13 14. Hearken not to the Deceivers who keep you from the Light of Christ Jesus believe them not that turn you from the Light for they are not the Ministers of Christ Pr. answers Here you may observe how this Quaking Primmer is mainly designed to foist these new Vessels by this bad Liquor put into them Other Teachers whether Arch-Bishops or Bishops Priests or Deacons are but Deceivers no Ministers of Christ to whom little Children are here taught not to hearken nor believe them Answ How plain is it here that by his making the Application to the Arch-Bishops Bishops Priestsor Deacons he has granted them to be such Teachers as keep Persons from the Light of Christ Jesus and turn them from the Light for such are they that little Children are taught not to hearken to nor believe viz Hearken not to the Deceivers who keep you from the Light of Christ Jesus c. Pr. pag. 30. Abominable False Doctrine that the holy Scriptures are not the Way to know the Truth Ibid. God's Ministers teach that the Scriptures are the way to know the Truth Answ Christ saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life and the Spirit of Truth shall guide you into all Truth Where do the Scriptures say They are the Way Surely they are not Christ nor the Spirit but testifie of both which is no decrying of the holy Scriptures to allow the Spirit the Preference Pr. Ibid. These Quakers are strangely fond of the Light within so as to cry down the Light of God's own Word This Quaking Dotage Answ No Fondness nor Dotage in crying up the Light of God's living Word within which is nigh in the Heart which is not to cry down the Scripture as is falsly supposed I have hid thy Word in mine Heart that I might not sin against thee 't is a Light unto my Paths and a Lanthorn to my Feet saith David Qr. Primmer p. 16. Such are Deceivers who preach for Money and Tythes such cannot lead you out of Transgression for they are in Transgression themselves for Christ said to his Freely ye have received freely give and Paul made not the Gospel Chargeable but these Priests that preach for filthy Lucre deceive people Pr. The Priest answers
pag. 30. In this Quaking Primmer here is a base Charge drawn against all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England Here these Quakers have fired their Beacon that the Youth of this Church may have timely notice to beware of their best Soul-Friends Here the silly Sheep are slightly counselled against their Keepers that the Quaking Wolves may the better prey upon them Answ Here the Priest rages and rails but defends not himself and his Brethren from the Charge of such being Deceivers as preach for Money and Tythes and who being in Transgression not able to lead others out of it only he sayes 'T is a base Charge against all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England as if he had told us all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England do preach for Money and Tythes and then cryes out Quaking Wolves as if that were enough to clear him and his Brethren and to be a deadly Blow to the Quakers Who is it cannot see such Impertinency Malice and Railery He tells us They are God's Priests and Ambassadours by whom God doth beseech his Rebel-Subjects to be reconcited but proves it not we have only his Say-so He should have proved his own and their Call to the Ministry We deny that they are immediately called of God either to be his Priests Embassadours or Mouth How should they be so Called that deny Immediate Teaching and Inspiration and especially such who scoff at the Light within and the Spirit 's Teaching as this Adversary doth And for a mediate Call I deny that they have it from the holy Apostles or primitive Church of Christ in their dayes Pr. pag. 31. Here little Children are taught to look upon all Teaching Priests as so many Deceivers as those Hirelings that preach for Money and Tythes which is a Lying Slander Answ No this is mis-stated for they are taught to look upon all such as preach for Money and Tythes to be Deceivers Hirelings c. Pr. Ibid. According to the baseness of these Quaking Lines its a shame for the King 's sacred Majesty the Defender of the true Faith that such base Priests should be owned by him Answ Here for a shelter he would make the King a Patronizer of the Priests Cause how Base soever any of them are in Preaching for Hire and Cruel in Persecuting and Imprisoning People for Tythes he thinks he argues stoutly in their Defence to tell us The King 's sacred Majesty owns them when alas his Majesty knows not a tenth part of their Baseness and Cruelty who are guilty of persecuting his peaceable Subjects for their Bellies and filthy Lucre. And rather than not have their Covetous Ends answered they 'l throw a Man in Goal for the Value of a Tythe-Pig they are so cruel and hard-hearted many of them that they value a few Tythe-Piggs more than they do Mens Liberties or Lives I am perswaded such Priests will bring no Honour to the King Pr. Ibid. Devilish Lessons that the Scripture is not the Word of God Answ No where doth the Scripture call it self the Word but in the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God c. and his Name is called The Word of God John 1. Rev. 19.13 Yet what the Scriptures call themselves we call them so and own them to be Pr. pag. 32. To say that God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are Three Persons but One God this is to speak we know not what c. Ibid. To say with the Church of England In the Vnity of this Godhead there be Three Persons of One Sâ—â—sâ—ance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and H. Ghost is in this Quaker 's Account the Doctrine of the World Answ That in the Unity of the Godhead there 's Father Son and Holy Spirit of One Substance Power and Eternity we do own and confess according to the Scripture but that these are Three distinct or separate Persons as some have called them we have no Scripture Proof for these Terms Why does not this man bring us plain Scripture-Proof in this Case seeing he professes it to be his only Rule of Faith Has he not given here great Advantage to the Papists to tell him that the Church is his Rule and not the Scripture in this great Article of his and their Faith Pr. pag. 33. To prepare little Children to slight them i. e. the Scriptures as being unable to bring them to know God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth according to these Quaking Lines St. Paul was mistaken when he said that the Scripture was profitable for Doctrine Answ 'T is no preparing any to sleight the Scriptures to testifie of Christ his Light and Spirit of Truth as being the Way to know God whom no man knows but by the Son 's revealing him And God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus This is not said of the Scriptures though as given by Inspiration of God they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Instruction that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto every good Work Herein Paul was not mistaken for the Man of God is Divinely Inspired unto the right Understanding and Use of the Scriptures Therefore this Inspiration is the Ground of Divine Knowledge The Scriptures are profitable by the help of this through the Blessing of God hereby have we found Profit and Comfort in reading the Scriptures which no man can without the BLESSING of GOD by his Spirit Pr. Ibid. To Exalt the Quakers Idol the Light within little Children are here taught to slight the holy Scriptures as a Duâ—â— Book Answ Here is both horrid Blasphemy against the Light of Christ within and a gross Lye that little Children are so taught to slight the holy Scriptures for they are told in the very words cited by this Priest That the Scriptures of Truth do declare of God Christ and the Spirit of Truth and this is not to slight the Scriptures thus to own their Testimony on the behalf of God his Christ and the holy Spirit The holy Scriptures may be made instrumental for our Profit and Confirmation through the Divine and Gracious Assistance of the holy Spirit but not of themselves or without it His Comparison between Popish Catechisms and ours and his telling us of Papal Quakers that make their Followers two-fold more the Children of Hell are both False Infamous and Slanderous and nothing like any rational Proof urged by him but a continued persisting in his Abusive Railery and Reviling for which the Lord rebuke him § X V. The Priest's next Quarrel and Railery is against William Smith's two Treatises Primmer and Catechism Pr. pag. 33. Both Primmer and Catechism are the fittest for Smithfield to receive the Hang-man's Imprimatur Answ This same Envious Spirit that is still finding Work for the Hang-man to
And 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit And whether the words Carnal Commandment and Carnal Ordinances related to no part of Scripture Heb. 7.16 9 10. And whether no part of the Scripture or Writing of Moses or any else was intended in this term Letter But consider all Scripture as it signifies Writing ought there not to be a distinction made not only between the Writing and the matter written but much more between the Writing and the Spirit Life or Substance declared of in the Writing Concerning Baptism he defends his practice very poorly whilst he intends Baptizing or rather Sprinkling young Children in his telling us That the Church of England is grosly mistaken this Quakers Doctrine hath Quaked the Doctrine of the Church of England into a meer delusion p. 78. And why so but because the Quaker saith The Baptism we own is the Baptism of Christ there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptism from Matth. 3.11 Ephes 4.5 6. Collect. J. P. p. 67. Now this Priest proves not that Baptizing with Water muchless that Sprinkling Infants is this one Baptism we have only his Say so or his Belief for it or that Sprinkling Infants is a sign of Regeneration whereby as an Instrument the baptized are grafted into the Church p. 78. He produces us no Scripture-proof for it Pr. pag. 78. This Quaker hath very mean Thoughts of the Lords Supper he counts it but the Worlds Communion As for the Bread broken which is the Body of Christ this Quaker calls it the Bread which the World breaks he speaks abominably of this Bread blessed and broken calling it Carnal Natural that it passeth out of the Body c. Bread and Wine but the Husk and Shadow without p. 79. Answ It appears by this that he deems their Bread and Wine Spiritual Supernatural the Substance the Bread the Body of Christ and then by this the Wine must be the Blood of Christ when blest or consecrated by the Priest Which is rank Popery all one with the Doctrine of Transubstantiation as the Rhemists in their Annot. on Matth. 26. affirm a Consecrating the several Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ the Bread into his Body a part as betrayed broken and given for us the Wine into his Blood a part as shed out of his Body for remission of Sins and Dedication of the New Testament Which is their professed Transubstantiation or changing the Substance of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ according as our Adversary tells us That the Bread broken is the Body of Christ He has left the Doctrine of the Antient Protestants and Protestant-Martyrs who did not own any such Change of the Elements of Bread and Wine but only that as a Sign or Figure of the Body of Christ crucified they were received as a grateful Comemoration of Christ's Death and Sacrifice for mankind But this Adversary is offended that the Bread and Wine should be counted Natural nothing it seems will serve him short of their being the Body and Blood of Christ according as the Rhemists also on Luke 22.19 say Although sense tell thee 't is Bread yet it is the Body let Faith confirm thee judge not by Sense after the words of our Lord let no doubt rise in thy mind of the Verity of Flesh and Blood there is no place to doubt c. See how exactly our Adversary agrees with these Papists in saying The Bread broken is the Body of Christ as before By which he hath now more fully manifested his Popish Spirit especially if he means as he spoke as both repugnant to the Faith of all true Protestants who either look upon these outward Elements to remain the same in themselves in Substance both at and after the words of Consecration and no more than Signs Shadows or outward Mementos at most or look upon them as a Figure or Shadow of the Spiritual receiving of Christ's Body and Blood in the Mystery to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood by Faith as he is the living Bread that comes down from Heaven who gave his Flesh for the Life of the World For there is an Inward and Spiritual Supper of the Lord as well as there was an outward which they partake of who hear the Voice of the Son of God and open the Door of their Heart unto him that he may come in and Sup with them and they with him according to his Testimony in Rev. 3.20 Yet we acknowledge the Sign and Figure in its place and day but the Mystery or thing signified is greater and more Excellent Pr. The Letter or the Scripture is Dust the Serpents Meat which they food upon Answ This he falsly infers and casts upon J. Parn. whenas there is no such passage in J. P's words but that Those who pretend to study Divinity and go among Ignorant People and sell that which they have studied and got into the Brain and those who receive it get it into the Brain and so they live upon Dust which is the Serpents Meat Collect. J. P. p. 78 79. Hence its evident that he did not term the Scripture Dust but the Hireling Priests studied Brain-Notions or Knowledge Whereas the Priest appears in a great Rage and in Cruel Mockery against J. Fernel for his plain dealing with the Magistrates Heads and Priests of England as where J. P. saith For the Testimony of this true Ministry some of us are Imprisoned some Stoned some Stocked Whipped and shamefully intreated as Vagabonds Deluders Wanderers Raisers of Sedition c. and esteemed not worthy to live in the Nation both by Priest and Rulers who are out of the Commands of God and are Vagabonds and Fugitives from God who go in the Way of Cain and Envy and murder the Innocent Collect. J. P. pag. 80. As also where he saith We own Magistracy in its place for whilst there is Transgression there must be a Law and while the Devil hath Power over Man there will be Transgression The Law was given forth to curb Evil-doers c. And true Government according to the Law of God is Serviceable in its place and all Magistrates who fear God and hate Covetousness and are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and execute the Law in its place without partiality and respect of Persons such are serviceable in their place and this we own and honour and are subject for Conscience-sake J. P. Collect. p. 81 82. These Passages the Priest has left out in his Citation except the first Line and then goes on citing viz. They neither know how to rule or govern who are guided by their own Wills such rule with partiality and respect of Persons and give forth Laws in their own Wills Persecute the Righteous encourage the Heathen c. Upon these and such passages before cited the Priest shamefully inveighs against and belies the Quakers
of England assembl'd in the late long Parliament and in the last Parliament received and had concerning the People called Quakers as when Motion was made in the House of Commons for their Relief from those Laws made in Q. Elizabeth's dayes against Popish Reousants and the Case committed and publickly examin'd and heard and our Declaration against Popery accepted in a Great and Publick Committee assembled in the Commons House as a sufficient Test to distinguish us the People called Quakers from Popish Recusants Thus far in the late long Parliament And in the last Parliament the Remembrance of that Resentment of the former was so much alive that the House of Commons past a Bill against Popery wherein there was a Clause provided for our Relief with other Dissenting Protestants from Laws made against Popish Recusants the Copy of our Declaration aforesaid that was delivered to the Committee of Parliament only a little more briefly contracted and as it was delivered in Print to the Member of the last Parliament is as follows A Protestation or Declaration to Distinguish Protestant-Dissenters from Popish Recusants I A. B. do in the Presence of Almighty God solemnly profess and in good Conscience declare It is my real Judgment That the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ nor the Pope or Bishop of Rome Christ's Vicar and that his or her Doctrines Of Deposing Heretical Princes and Absolving their Subjects of their Obedience of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead Of Indulgences and Worshipping of Images Of Adoring and Praying to the Virgin Mary and other Saints deceased And of Transubstantiation or changing the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at or after the Consecration thereof by any Person whatsoever are False Erroneous and Contrary to the Truth of God declared in the Holy Scriptures And therefore the Communion of the said Church is Superstitious and Idolatrous And I do likewise sincerely testifie and declare that I do from the bottom of my Heart detest and abhor all Plots and Conspiracies that are or may be contrived against the King Parliament or People of this Realm And I do hereby Faithfully Promise with God's Help to live a Sober and Peaceable Life as becometh a good Christian and Protestant to do And all this I do Acknowledge Intend Declare Subscribe without any Equivocation or mental Reservation according to the true Plainness Simplicity and usual signification of the Words Witness my Hand Thus serious Reader I have plainly Introduced our Case in order to manifest our Clearness from our Adversary's unjust Imputations and Calumnies as 't is more fully evinced in the ensuing Treatise Dated London the 22d of the 9th Moneth 1679 G. W. THE Real Quaker A Real Protestant OUR Adversary having appeared so very gross and shameful in his Abuses I shall cite his own words in Paragraphs that most concern us to answer and then our Vindication in Answer to each particular Abuse and Falshood will be the more evident and the Method plain as in the ensuing Controversie § I. Priest page 1. My present Design is not to trouble this delicate People to prevent this I shall only give them their own Meat cook't by themselves in their own Dish Pag. 3. I shall only transcribe their own Books to serve as a Looking-Glass Ibid. I shall not Wyr-draw one Line in their Books to speak more than their own words will bear Answer Now if it appear that this Adversary has done more against us than only giving us our own Meat as he calls it cook't by our selves in our own Dish and than only transcribing our own Books and that he has made false Constructions upon them then he is an apparent Breaker of his own Promise perfidious and false to his own Words and Engagement before cited But that it will so appear and that to his Shame take a view of some of his own Gross and Vilifying Reflections Abuses Aspersions and Revilings Scoffing and Railery against us and Blasphemous Expressions against the Light within in his own Terms as followeth viz. The Quakers lamentable Brats My Design is only to remedy that Flatus or Windy Spirit that troubles them Their Enthusiastick Follies Their silly Quakerism Epist to the Reader The Quakers Fondling the Light within pag. 7 34. The Quakers Light within burnt dim in his Sockot pag. 8. The Light within is at unawares singing the old Cuckoes Song pag. 14. The Quakers Ignis Fatuus pag. 14. What a blind pitiful Elf is the Quakers Light within pag. 14. Quakers Ill-fighted Light within pag. 18 Quaking Lines frequently Socinianizing Quaker Papal Quaker pag. 17. Canting Quaker pag. 21. Brain-sick Quakers pag. 22. A Pope in their Bellies This pitiful Quaker pag. 22. Quaking Ramble pag. 25. Wants a Dose for his Perecranium pag. 27. The Quakers Idol the Light within pag. 33. Babel Quakers pag. 51. Rare Quaking stuff pag. 56. This Quaking Holy Man of God pag. 59. Another Quaker Atheist pag. 61. Hath not this Man Quaked to purpose pag. 65. Melancholly Quakers pag. 73. Lawless Quakers pag. 93. More of this Quakers stinking stuff pag. 98. Quaking Freedom from Sin pag. 102. O Quaking Perfection pag. 104. A great Quaking Heat pag. 114. Quakeriz'd Vnity pag. 117. These Quaking Vnities pag. 117. Quaking Inspiration pag. 127. Quaking Zelote pag. 132. Quaking Bishop pag. 137. Rebel and Traiterous Quaker pag. 138. Traiterly Quaker pag. 140. Much more of such like Scurrility Blasphemous and False Aspersions both against the Light within and against us hath our Adversary stufft his Large Pamphlet and Libellous Book withal From all which it follows directly that he has broke his own Promise and violated his Engagement For this Impious Atheistical Stuff before cited is his own Cookery not ours he hath herein done more than only transcribed our Books See what an unconscionable Antagonist we have to deal withal This is the Man that promised only to Transcribe our own Books only to give us our own Meat cook't by our selves c. Contrary whereunto he hath here taught People to Scoff Traduce give Names of Reproach and Vilifie both us as a People and the Light within profest by us which is no other than that True Light which lighteth every man coming into the World testified of in John 1.4 9. And this Adversary is the man that hath pretended Kindness of Love to undeceive the Quakers p. 3. But the Kindness he shews and Course he has taken to undeceive us is to Rail Scoff Jeer Vilify and Reproach us as his Language bespeaks Whereby also his gross Hypocrisie in pretending such Kindness to us is very obvious and his Abominable Malice and Envy as well as Falshood will further appear on many Particulars before we have done Pr. Page 1. Their Quakerism is a Compound of False Doctrine newly brought to Light several Old Errors new vamp't Antichristian Popery put forth in a New Dress Answ What he calls Quakerism is no such Compound of either
Answ Here the Priest makes an Objection against all the King's Subjects which he himself cannot Answer but only askes If it be not rare Quaking stuff He argues neither as a Christian nor like a rational or sober Man as if he would bear us down from a Practice or Custom among many of the King's Subjects and thereupon Argue That because many of the Kings Subjects Swear by a Law of Man therefore Christ's prohibition is thereby abolisht and Whatsoever is more than Yea Yea Nay Nay comes not of the Evil one it s but Quaking stuff to say as Christ says that it so cometh of Evil or of the Evil one as the Priest himself has given the Interpretation of Christ's words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet opposeth and derides the thing where conscientiously obeyed by us not with Disrespect to King or Government but with respect to Christs Command not to Swear Pr. Ibid. St. Paul might have known this new Light Doctrine that Christ ended the Dispensation of Oaths where Strife was if this be not Abominable Doctrine delivered by this Quaker let the wise Readers â—udge Answ What knows he but Paul knew this Doctrine that Christ ended the Dispensation of Oaths among his Followers the true Christians He does not say that an Oath for Confirmation is an End of Strife among Christians but among MEN and such Men were the Jews under the Law that were in the Strife which was the occasion of Oaths and Swearing And however where Strife and the Nature of it is removed and ended by Christ Jesus there need no Swearing to end it among such Men aâ—d Christians But that Solemn Oaths as he calls them are as bad now as Vain Oaths are none of our words but the Priests unnatural Inferrence for there is a difference between an Oath taken solemnly though under a misguided Conscience or Judgement Oaths used vainly and frequently by Prophane Persons who therein often sin against manifest Conviction of Conscience Yet that Swearing was lawful under the old Dispensation but unlawful now as is inferr'd upon us I grant and this the Priest has not removed he has made more Objections for us in this case than he either doth or is able to Answer And seeing he has handled the point so very shallowly against us I refer him and the Reader to a Book Entituled The Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths Defended as Evangolical and another Book more large and full Entituled A Treatise of Oaths wherein both by Scripture Reason Authorities of many Authors our Case is defended in our not Swearing § XX. Qr. p. 46 57. If thou observest a Day observe it to the Lord The Name Sunday is from the Heathens who Celebrated that Day to the Sun and called it Sunday Pr. p. 57. When the King and Parliament made the late Act for the better Observation of the Lord's Day then they did nothing but make a Law to establish Will-Worship according to this Quaker Answ We do not Reflect upon King or Parliament for making such an Act nor judge their Intention or Design to be to establish Will-Worship therein Here the Priest still persists in his old Course of Hectoring to incense the Powers against us which is no Rational Argument nor Christian Confutation but still shews that his Religion and Worship have their Dependence upon men He is for that Way Method and Religion that is the uppermost imposed by the Magistrate and that 's his chief Argument But what 's this to Confute our Friend's saying The Name Sunday is from the Heathens who Celebrated that Day to the Sun And dare he deny this or say that the Name Sunday Munday Tuesday Wednesday c. did not spring from the Heathen in Relation to their Gods whom they Worshipped And did not the Primitive Christians call that the first day of the Week which you professed Christians call Sunday after the Heathens Example And in our Meeting on the First Day of the Week as the Primitive Christians did we do not superstitiously observe the Day or place an Esteem or Sanctity upon that day simply consider'd more than others but observe it to the Lord. The Apostle did not impose the Observation of Days upon the Primitive Christians nor were they to judge one another in that matter One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord c. see Rom. 14.4 5 6. Pr. p. 58. Doth not this Quaker's Ignorance in effect count all holy Dayes Apostatical Are not these the Festival Days c P. 59. Real Quakers do not observe holy dayes as this Church appoints Answ The Real Quaker owns the Apostle's Doctrine Col. 2.16 Let no man judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an holy Day or of the New Moon or Sabboth Days which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Certainly Christ is the Substance and End of the Shadow But this Priest is now for Festival Days and Holy Days as the Church appoints Observe how like a Church-man of Rome he here talks as if he were directly steering his Course to Rome The Church is his Rule here and not Christ nor the Scriptures he is for Festivals and Holy Days as the Church commands that is He is for the Observation of Saints and Angels Days and doubtless for Mass-Days too which if he would have us observe he should plainly tell us whence the Observation of such dayes sprung and whether they are not enjoyned in the Mass-Book and from Rome Pr. Ibid. Whither do the Quakers come when they are gotten over the Observation of Days for my part I cannot tell Answ Seeing he cannot tell whither we are or do come he should have let us alone and not revil'd nor abus'd us as men in such deep Ignorance because we can neither keep up the Names of Heathen Gods in Dayes nor Popishly observe Festival Days Holy Days Mass Days c. So here I must leave him in this point with his Face towards Rome not towards Zion nor New Jerusalem § XXI The Priest's next Quarrel is against James Parnel on the Collection of his Writings He is offended to hear That they are given forth from the Spirit of the Lord or that James Parnel should be counted a Servant of God as in the Title of the said Collection and therefore proceeds as followeth Pr. Ibid. This Quaking holy Man of God was in the Quakers Account no less inspired by the holy Ghost than the holy Pen-men of Scripture Answ We make no such Comparison of his being inspired yet though we do not equalize him with those holy Pen-men he was in some degree inspired by the same holy Spirit and bore a Faithful Testimony in his Day and in his Suffering against the Corruptions of those Times both of the then Persecuting Priests Rulers and People Pr. Ibid. The Quakers are
at a high Rate he thinks he has paid it off and run down the Qr. and the Doctrine of Perfection with his Hectoring Insulting Scoffing and Deriding and yet he would have People believe he does not plead for Sin for he says 'T is the Devil that pleads for Sin and let that man's Mouth be stopt forever that doth so A plain Confession which shall rise up against him to his own Condemnation that out of his own Mouth he may be judged Pr. Ibid. This Qr. was not rightly instructed to distinguish well betwixt the Being and ruling Power of Sin Answ He is here mistaken still concerning the Quakâ—r for he is so far instructed in Christ's School as to know that the same Seed which bruiseth the Serpent's Head breaks his strength and power subdues and destroyes his Kingdom doth in due time both remove and destroy the very being of Sin in all who receive believe and abide in Christ Jesus the promised Seed for granting that the ruling Power of Sin is taken away and removed by Christ what sincere Soul or upright Follower of Christ Jesus who thus far feels his Power to bruise the Serpent's Head and break his strength to the subduing of sin will yet suffer the Being and In-dwelling of Sin all his Life time to remain in him seeing he that is begotten of God keeps himself that the Wicked one toucheth him not 1 John 5.18 when he faithfully follows the Conduct of such a powerful and victorious Prince Captain and Conqueror as our Lord Jesus Christ who is able to do the Work that God has sent him to do and even to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him who also is he that is greater in us than he that is in the World and as the Author to the Hebrews prayed Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you PERFECT in every good Work to do his Will working IN you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ te whom be Glory forever and ever Heb. 13.20 21. § XXIX Pr. pag. 108. As for Infant-Baptism used in all Ages of the Christian Church this Qr. like an Anabaptist saith there is no Scripture nor Example for it Answ That Infant-Baptism or rather Sprinkling was used in all Ages of the Christian Church I plainly deny and it remains for this Priest to prove or else confess his Ignorance or false Assertion in this point as also since he upbraids the Qr. for saying there is no Scripture Example for it why does not he produce Scripture or Example thence for it that would end the Controversie And that it was imposed or settled by any general Council in the Christian Churches before Popery entred or before there was a Pope or Universal Bishop so called at Rome it remains for him to prove And since the Church of Rome pleads for Infant-Baptism and imposeth it upon the account of Tradition and not Scripture as it s said of Claudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a Council at Pysoy in France 1500. That he ordained that Infants Baptism should be received by Tradition because it could not be proved a Command from the Scriptures The Question hereupon is Whether this Tradition he derived from the Church of Rome and so intended or from the Primitive Church in the Apostles Dayes For its being imposed by the Church of Rome cannot be binding to us Protestants because thereof And if they pretend Authority from the Primitive Christian Church in the Apostles Dayes then they should shew us this from Scripture especially these who are our present Opposers who profess the Scripture to be their Rule and not the Church of Rome For in vain is their Worship who teach for Doctrine the Traditions of men and whose fear towards God is taught by mens Precepts Notes by another hand on this Subject 'T is recorded that about the Year 248. lived a Priest called Fidus Cyprian who willed People to Baptize Young Children according to the manner of Circumcision About which Thing Cyprian with Sixty six Bishops and Elders gathered together ordained That Children should timely be baptized as well before as after the 8th day It seems the Doctrine of Fidus concerning Dipping or Sprinkling of Children was New and seem'd strange to Cyprian seeing he would not ratifie nor confirm the same without the Sentence and Advice of Sixty Six Bishops Had it been commanded by Christ practised by the Apostles and continued in matter and manner to Cyprian's days there had not been a necessity for the Concourse of so many Bishops concerning the same And though Cyprian here enjoyned Baptizing of Children yet a few Years before he was for the Dipping or Sprinkling of aged People see his Epistle to Magnus Cassander in his Book de Infantum Baptismo saith Cassander Pado-Baptisms rise That Baptism of Infants came to be much used by the Fathers who lived some three hundred Years after the Apostles He excludes it from being Christ's Command or practised by the Apostles Johannes Bohemius saith That Baptism of old was administred to none unless upon urgent necessity but to such as were before instructed in the Faith and catechised but when it came to be judged necessary to Everlasting Life it was ordained that Infants should be baptized and that they should have God-fathers and God-mothers who should be Sureties for Infants and should renounce the Devil in their behalfs It grew to this in the Roman-Catholick-Church that at the Baptizing of a Child the Priest First Blows three times in the Infants Face Secondly He anoints his Eyes Ears and Nostrils with Earth moistned with his Spittle Thirdly He Names him and Marks him with the Sign of the Cross upon his Breast and Back with Hallowed Oyl Fourthly He dips him into the Water or pours Water upon him three times in the form of a Cross Fifthly Dipping his Thumb in the holy Chrism as they call it he signs the Childs Fore-head with the sign of the Cross Sixthly He covers him with a White Garment Seventhly He puts into his hand a burning Candle Lib. 2. de Gentium Moribus For a farther Information about Baptisms I refer the Reader to Thomas Lawson's Treatise Entituled ΒΑΠΤΙΣΜΑΛΟΓΙΑ Or a TREATISE Concerning BAPTISMS Pr. p. 113. Behold is this the Chirstian Charity that thinks no Evil Is this the Christianity that speaks Evil of no man Answ Well this shall remain as Universal a Testimony against much of this man's Malicious and Scurrilous Work in this Pamphlet of his as his confessing that its the Devil who pleads for Sin and let that Mouth be stopt forever that doth so If he had well observed That Christian Charity thinks no Evil and that Christianity speaks Evil of no man he had not brought forth this large Uncharitable Pamphlet against the People called Quakers nor yet pleaded for Sin 's Continuance in the best