thee execute his vengeance on those generations Pr. Pr. In these lines you may behold this Quaker crying up Oliver Cromwel as being not unlike the man Christ Jesus for he saith that Oliver Cromwel was the man who did bear as upon a common shoulder the sufferings of the oppressed but what tender consciences many of them had it hath been better understood since that time their tender consciences had no feeling of Rebellion Treason and other mens estates To go on with this Quakers comparing tacitely Oliver Cromwel and Christ together he saith that their sufferings went to his heart that he felt their sufferings on his shoulder that he could have laid down his life for one of them that his heart was tender that his bowels did sound that the hearts of his sufferers flowed in to him that in them and him there was but one spirit and one heart but in all the time of his Rebellion and High-treason whose servant whose instrument was whose work did Oliver Cromwel Behold what this Quaker saith of him the Lord did call and raise him up to head his Armies he made him his Sword and the Lord did execute by this Oliver Cromwell his vengeance on those generations Doth not this Quaker plainly tell us that the Rebel-Army under Cromwells command was Gods Army that called and raised this Traytor to be the head of his Army that God made Cromwell his Sword that God by Cromwell did execute vengeance onthose generations who these generations were the Reader must judg Q. p. 9 10. Q. Num. 115 Charles Stuart could have put off from himself the sufferings of the Puritans upon the Bishops and have alledged that they were a nonconformable factious generation and did contrary to the Law but that could not excuse him nor his standing still whilst he had power to remedy it but did not nor that those Laws were of long standing nor the disaffection of great men and nobles and rulers and bishops and priests and the generality of the Nation to that way from the judgment of God which hath taken hold on him and his children and his party whom he hath made a dreadful example of his vengeance and that by thy Sword as an instrument Pr. Pr. These lines of this quaking Bishop are abominable not to point at every base passage in them this is plainly the mind of this wild inspirado that the judgment of God to use his own words hath taken hold on Charles Stuart and his Children and his party that the Lord hath made the King his Children his party a dreadful example of his vengeance and that Oliver Cromwell's sword was the Lords instrument of this judgment and of the vengeance executed on the late King and his Children and his party that I may not be looked upon as a bloody Priest I shall squeeze these lines no further only let me say without offence that no man of any common sense dare justifie what this Quaker hath written to be the moving of Gods spirit without question these are such traytorous lines as were never seen in print from the eternal God before Q. p. 14. Q. Num. 116 Who wa st the Lords battel-axe and weapon of war to the cutting dovvn of him Pr. Pr. This traytorly Quaker goes on still to tell Oliver Cromwell that he was once the Lords battel-axe his weapon of war to the cutting down of the King behold how this Quaker in print doth justifie the basest of murthers as if it had been the Lords doing by Cromwell as his battel-axe as the Lords weapon of war for this bloody work Thus I have done with this Quakers Letter to Oliver Cromwell which was dated from Bristol the 16 of the fifth Month 1656. Subscribed thus George Bishop Surely this lamentable Quaker was strongly huffed up by his rebellious and traytorous spirit when he took himself to be moved of the Lord to publish them again in the year 1660 he that desires to know more of this Quakers pretended warnings of the Lord or to see how a Quakers light within him can act the part of disloyalty rebellion and high Treason against the Kings Sacred Majesty may peruse this quaking-Pamphlet more at large THE next book which might be transcribed is called A comparison between the true and false Ministers by Nicholas Knight printed 1675. Pr. By the late Impression of this Quakers scribble it 's evident against which Ministers this quaking-author writes that they are the Ministers of the Church of England that are the false Ministers here meant to ease my Readers patience and consult my own ease I shall contract his whole book thus Q. p. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Q. Num. 117 Pr. Pr. In this quaking-book the false Ministers of England are thus described They are false Teachers who go and are not sent they go forth in their own names without any commission from God only in the will of man they call themselves the Ministers of Christ but are not their doctrine is false and traditional it 's not from heaven but men below they do teach for doctrine the traditions of men they are the false Teachers they preach a divination of their own brains they come not in at the door they climb up another way they speak in the wisdom of mens words they are men-pleasers by inticing and feigned words they are deceivers seekers of their own praise they seek more the fleece than the flock they preach for hire and divine for money they expect gain from their quarters like the Scribes and Pharisees they make long prayers and under that pretence devour widows houses such as say and do not they limit the Church of Christ to a Nation they are blind leaders of the blind and both fall into the ditch they hold the truth in hypocrisie and unrighteousness they take the words of God into their mouths when they hate to be reformed they have a form of godliness and deny the power they are deceivers and being deceived cause the Name of God to be blasphemed and evil spoken of they observe months and days and consecrated places their preaching is limited to days hours and hour-glasses and to the wills of men to outward observations traditions and ceremonies by their fruits these trees may be known out of the evil treasure of their hearts they bring forth evil things they are an ill savour clouds that hold no water they are sounding-brass and tinkling cymbals they do not profit the people at all being weighed they are still found too light they do neither believe nor understand what they preach they have no experience of the word of life like those silly women they are always learning but never able to come to the knowledg of the truth they flee the cross they are not willing to forsake all for Christ they chuse rather to be subject to the corrupt laws and wills of men than to obey Christ in denying themselves they lay heavy burthens on mens
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
behold they are such as rule with respect of persons they give forth laws in their own wills behold their laws are the corrupt issue of their corrupt wills as for righteous laws we have no such made in this Kingdom they are such Magistrates as do persecute the righteous as do encourage the heathen who know not God behold they are unchristian Magistrates like Ishmael they do persecute the righteous as for baptized Christians they are the heathen that know not God who are encouraged by our Christian Magistrates nay behold and wonder this Quaker goes on to tell us That our Magistrates have that which is strange Cain slaying Abel within them and they themselves do as strangely suffer Cain to slay Abel without them Is not this proclaiming our Magistrates to be men of blood bloody Magistrates He saith likewise that the wicked have more liberty in the Nation than the righteous have behold they are wicked Magistrates wickedness is indulged by them because of these corrupt Magistrates who wink at deceits for carnal ends who uphold iniquity and oppression who tread truth under foot this Kingdom is spoiled by them the land abounds with iniquity oppression and treachery behold how this land is said to be corrupt by the Magistrates whom this Quaker calls corrupt Magistrates He saith also that corrupt Magistrates put such in office behold the King and Parliament are corrupt Magistrates who put corrupt Magistrates in office He saith moreover that these corrupt Magistrates do uphold corrupt Ministers and false prophets which this Nation is full of behold here are corrupt Magistrates corrupting the Church as well as the Kingdom behold also these Magistrates are the Beast that do uphold the false prophet behold also how the Beast-like Magistrates and the falseprophet-like Ministers do like brethren in the same iniquity combine together against the simple that is the Quakers who are so in the worst sense By this Beast that is the Magistrates the Law is made a stalking-horse to deceive the simple Behold how the Law is basely said by this Quaker to be perverted and abused by the Magistrates of this Land Now let us see how the Quakers stand affected to Magistracy in this matter he tells us plainly That such Magistrates and such Government we honour not behold no Magistrates no Government which have not the Quakers image or superscription on them are honoured by any simple Quakers in effect this Quaker opens his mind thus That by the Magistrates and Government of this Kingdom the righteous that is the Quakers do suffer as Gods people have done under the Ten Persecutions he saith also to this purpose That the Magistrates of this Land do like Haman stand in their own corrupt wills and would destroy as he would have destroyed Mordecai the Quakers for not bowing to them that they do like Pharaoh the Israelites pursue the Quakers unjustly to death That they would like Nebuchadnezzar burn all Quakers to death for not worshipping the Image of the Beast that they do like Herod who beheaded John the Baptist stand in their own wills to kill the Quakers Now let us hear this Quaker divine and tell us what shall become of the Magistrates of this land behold he saith they are like Haman Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod who did not escape the hands of the Lord according to this Quaker all the unquakerized Magistrates of this land shall have a miserable end they shall all to the Devil at last but behold this diviner hath seen a vain vision which is this that Christ comes to end all outward Laws and Government of man and he himself will reign as truth and righteousness grows the Law is fulfilled and passeth away behold this Quaker is strangly turned Antinomian against all humane Laws according to this Quakers vain mind St. Paul was mistaken in saying Let every soul be subject to the higher powers if this Quaker had been in those days he would have withstood St. Peter to his face once more for commanding those scattered Christians to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake he would have told these two Apostles that they did err in so teaching for Christs coming is to fulfill and end all outward laws and government of man it 's no Quakers duty to be subject to the higher powers all they have to do is to obey the Light within them as for submitting themselves to the King as supreme or to those that are in authority under him or to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake this subjection belongs not to any Quakers for Christ is come as this Quaker saith to end all outward laws and government of man by the truth and righteousness which grow in Quakers the Law is fulfilled and passeth away now behold how all Quakers with their false Christ the Light within them are in print a lawless generation of people professed opposers of the government of this Kingdom and it is vainly fancied that Christ himself will reign to the overthrow of all humane laws and government with reference to this brain-sick folly this Quaker doth weakly fancy the Magistrates of this Kingdom to be such as do beat the truth because they are no deluded Quakers but what saith this Quaker to this he saith but Pharaoh God will plague and confound what is the meaning of these strange words is not this it the supream Magistrate who is no Quaker no more than Pharaoh was is the Pharaoh here whom God as this Quaker saith will plague and confound now let us view those Magistrates whom the Quakers do own and honour to be sure they are no such as this Kingdom hath this Quaker sets them thus out in their colours such Magistrates as are guided by the light of God in the conscience and rule by it we own and honour in our hearts such are a terrour to evil doers such bear not the sword in vain this government is of God you see how clear it is that the Quakers do own and honour only those Magistrates in their hearts that are real Quakers as for the King and all other Magistrates that are not guided by the Quakers light in their Consciences nor do rule by it the Quakers do neither own nor honour them in their hearts Unquakerized Magistrates are no terrour to evil doers they do bear the sword in vain their government is not of God now behold and judg how the real Quakers do oppose and deny the lawful Magistrates overturn the Laws and overthrow the Government of this Kingdom Q. p. 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93. Q. Numb 75 We are accused to be destructive to all superiority and honour breeding and manners because we cannot put off our hats nor follow the fashions of the world but speak the plain word Thou to any one rich or poor in the beginning God Thoued Adam and Adam Thoued him here was the plain language betwixt God and Adam God Thoued Moses and Moses Thoued him this was