Institution and Promise of Christ Acts 2. 38. Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost How dare then any People or Society of Men slight or reject it He that despised Moses's Law died without Mercy of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who have trodden under foot the Institution of the Son of God and count it an indifferent or an Unholy thing doing despight to it inventing contemptible Names for it and even ridiculing the Administration of it Whether such ought to be called Christians I leave the unbyass'd Reader to judge and so proceed to the next Question p. 8. Quest Do you believe or own the Lord's Supper either as a Sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves or as a Seal of the Saints Communion and Commemoration of Christ's Death for us or as Figurative of Christ's Body and Blood Spiritually receiv'd by Faith Answ The Supper of the Lord we Own and renderly Consider in a Twofold Sense 1. In the Figure 2. In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with his Disciples did eat the Passover which was for the Fulfilling and Consummation of the Feasts under the Law see Luk. 22. And at this Supper he did Take and Minister Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in Remembrance of me And said the Apostle As â—â—st as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. After this they did more clearly know his coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them 2 Cor. 13. 5. and 5. 16. 2. And Christ said to his Disciples I will not drink henceforth of this Fruit of the Vine until the Day I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Matth. 26. 29. And likewise of the Bread I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God Luk. 22. 16. And he further said I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath apâ—ointed to me that ye may eat and drink at â—y Table in my Kingdom c. Luk. 22. 29 30. â—n these things we believe he spoke Mysteriously and that every Member of his Spiritual Church doth daily Spiritually partake of â—is Body and Blood by Faith c. OBSERVATION The Reader may here discern how by their deceivable Words and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures these Horrid Impostors set themselves at work to Evade and make Null the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper as Instituted and Administred in Bread and Wine which they deny to be now a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ and to be practic'd by Christians The Supper of the Lord they own but how Not as now to be continued and preached for the breaking of Bread and drinking of Wine which we are commanded to do in remembrance of our Saviour's Body broken and Blood shed for us was but a Temporary Command and was to be continued no longer than till he came again As oft as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. v. 26. but say they Christ is come already in them Ergo this Ordinance is not to be continued p. 9. After this they did more clearly know his coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them They interpret this passage of Scripture not of Christ's Outward and Personal coming at the Resurrection which as Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 18. they say is past already but of that which is inwardly performed by the Spiritual Resurrection of Christ or the Light in their Hearts And they say that the Institution of the Lord's Supper was only to continue till that inward Coming or Forming of Christ in their Hearts which they have obtained as they blindly presume therefore they throw off the outward Supper But I would ask them Was not Christ formed in the Hearts of the Apostles to whom Christ gave his Holy Supper as much as in the Hearts of any of the best Quakers now in the World Was he not come Spiritually to Paul after his Conversion And before his Command above Quoted of continuing the practice of the Lord's Supper till his coming See A Discourse of Water-Baptism by the Author of the Snake c. p. 48. As also the Answer to Will Penn's Key p. 93 94 95 96. And did not the Apostles and the Primitive Christians partake of this Ordinance even after the Holy Spirit that Christ promised to send was come which they call the Second coming of Christ That they did so appears from Acts 2. 42 46. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers And they continuing daily with one aecord in the Temple and breaking Bread Acts 20. 7. And the Disciples came together to break Bread And that the Second coming of Christ so called by them is not that coming here meant is further evident in that St. Paul and the Primitive Christians did not believe the giving forth of the Spirit to be the Second coming of Christ because it is plain they Believed and Expected him to come in a Personal Glorious and Visible manner Phil. 3. 20. We look for the Saviour who shall change our Vile Bodies and make them like his own Glorious Body That being one thing which will be done at that which we call Christ's Second coming And this his Second Personal coming St. Paul and and the Christians did look for because they were told Acts 1. 11. That the same Jesus should so come in like manner visible in his Body of Flesh and Bones as ye have seen him go in Heaven and as Christ himself shewed his Disciples Matt. 24. that his coming should be Glorious and Visible and St. John in Rev. 1. 7. saith long after the Spirit and Comforter was come Behold he cometh every Eye shall see him and they that Pierced him shall Mourn 1 Thess 4. 6. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the noise of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God c. This may suffice not only to clear these Texts of their corrupt Perversions but also to Confirm and Satisfie the Reader of the Continuance or Perpetuity of this Sacred Ordinance of the Lord's Supper in his Church till his coming again in his Person to Judge the World And as to those other Texts 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. Rev. 20. Prov. 9. 4 5 Jo. 6. Pag. 10. not to mention that of St. Matth. 26. v. 29. Luk. 22. 16. 23. 30. in their Ninth Pag. which they offer to the View of the World I cannot discern or imagine to what end and purpose this is done unless it be to amuse the Reader abuse the Scriptures or Confute themselves I make
no doubt but all good Christians own Christ to be the Bread of Life and have Spiritual Communion with him in his Holy Ordinances which Communion I dare affirm they cannot have whatever bold pretences they make who do not obey Christ in these his Holy Institutions but slight vilifie and contemn the same and that the Quakers do so see Parnell's Shield of the Truth written from the Mouth of the Lord as the Title Page shews p. 13. We are accused says he to deny the Supper of the Lord He answers The Supper of the Lord we own which is the Body and Blood of Christ that is considered Spiritually for Saints are Spiritual and their Communion is Spiritual and Eternal And here all Drunkards are shut out and all Liars Adulterers Proud Covetous c. And are without feeding upon the Husk and shadow which is Carnal and Natural and only feed the Outward Carnal Body and goeth into the Belly and so passeth out c. And so likewise the Cup which they drink and so the Communion and Fellowship of the World passeth away but this is no nourishment to the Soul And here is no Communion but Natural Outward and Carnal Full of filthiness and uncleanness which is the Table of Devils eating and drinking their own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body which is Spiritual which the Natural Man discerns not And here stands the World's Communion and Fellowship which is Carnal p. 14. And here they are without feeding upon the Husk and Shadow without See Smith's Primer p. 36 37. says the Child I would know Father how it is concerning those things called Ordinances as Baptism and Bread and Wine which are much used in their Worship The Father answers Why Child as to those things they rose from the Pope's Invention who had Power in the Night of Apostacy and hath set up his Devices which are yet continued in England tho' he seemingly is denied and the whole Practice of those things as they use them bad their Institution by the Pope and were never so ordained of Christ Neither did He Ordain Bread and Wine to be so Used and Received c. Geo. Fox in his News coming up out out of the North c. p. 4. Your Baptism and Sacrament as you call it and all your Ordinances and Churches and Teachings it is Cain ' s Sacrifice And p. 14. Their Sacrament as they call it is Carnal Their Communion Bread and Wine it is the Table of Devils and Cup of Devils And W. Penn in his Reason against Railing c. p. 108. I affirm says he that the Paschal Lamb is as much in force as Bread and Wine And p. 109. And we can testifie from the same Spirit by which Paul Renounced Circumcision that it is to be Rejected as not now Required Quest Do you believe and own the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration and to contain all Matters of Doctrine and Testimony c. necessary to be believed and practised in order to Salvation and Peace with God Answ Yes we do and by the Assistance of the Grace of God which gives the true Understanding of the Mind of God and Mâ—â—ning of Holy Scripture we always desire to live in the Faith Knowledge and Practice of them in all things appertaining to Life and Godliness Holy Scripture being given by Divine Inspiration is Profitable for Doctrine Correction and Instruction that the Man of God may he perfect thoroughly furnished unto every good Work able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation thro' Faith in Christ Jesus OBSERVATION Here is like unto the rest a Plausible Profession but whether Sincere or not I leave to the World to judge when they shall have read and considered these following Quotations See John Whitehead and Rob. Ruckhill their Quakers Refuge p. 17. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes Or whether both these are not one Or whether there are not many Words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some Words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill applied some by good Men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false c. Sam. Fisher in his Appendix p. 752. Printed 1679. has these Words speaking of the Text of Scripture Which Transcriptions and Translations were they never so certain and entirely answering to the first Original Copies yet are not capable to be to all Men any other than a Lesbian Rule or Nose of Wax This worthy Author in his Works has the Testimony of Luke Howard Hallelujah Fisher and Will. Penn and Lawson's Untaught Teacher p. 2. To say the Word of Truth is called the Scripture or that the Scripture is the Word of Truth is a Lie and Sam. Fisher p. 460. The Scriptures not the Saints Rule but the Spirit and Sword of the Lord drawn p. 1 2. The Scriptures are not the Saints Rule of knowing God and living unto him And Edw. Barrough p. 47. No Command in Scripture was any further binding than as we are convinced of the Lawfulness thereof by the Light within For says he That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scripture act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves See G. Fox's Gr. Myst p. 246. The Scriptures are not the Word of God yet he says of his own Writings p. 225. To you all this is the Word of the Lord. Nay James Nayler in his Answer to the Jews p. 22 25. It 's Blasphemy for any to say the Letter is the Word of God it is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the Word of God This Will. Penn at a venture vindicates tho' he confesses he never saw the Book out of which it was quored see his Pamphlet Entituled A Brief Answer to a False and Foolish Libel called The Quakers Opinions p. 15. Printed 1678. The Question being asked the Quakers see Will. Penn and G. Whitehead their Serious Apology p. 49. Do you esteem your Speakings to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible The Answer is in these Words That which is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater See Lawson's Threefold Estate of Antichrist p. 9. The Scripture is Dust and Death Beastly Wares c. And for a Conclusion of this Head see G. Fox's News out of the North p. 14. Your Original is Carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and your Word is Carnal the Letter Their Original is Dust which is the Letter which is Death and their Gospel is but Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter Again see Will. Bayley's Works p. 195. viz. The Scriptures in
AN ANTIDOTE Against the Venom of Quakerism BEFORE I enter upon the Examination of the Quakers Principles as here Professed and as I suppose Owned by them I shall very briefly desire the Reader to take Notice what is understood by the Term Christianity or what is necessary in a strict and proper Sense to Entitle a Man to be a Christian For the making up then this good Composition it is not enough for a Man to know and acknowledge God as the One only true God Creator of all things to Depend upon and to be Subject to him to Love him our Neighbour and our Selves to walk Soberly and Honestly and to practice all those other Duties which by the Light and Law of Nature he may be Convinced of for these a Man may believe and be consormable thereto and yet be no Christian For who doubts but that some of the Heathens thus far believed and practiced who were not only altogether ignorant of Christ but also vehemently opposed him and the Christian Name Tho' according to Will Penn's Notion of Christianity in his Address to Protestants p. 119. Second Edition these must be Christians For what is Christ says he but Meekness Justice Mercy Patience Charity and Vertue in persection Nay even the Jews themselves who were once God's Chosen People and must be Saved thro' Faith in the Messiah that was to come cannot in a strict Sense be called Christians their State being no Christian State however Obedient they might be to the Legal Dispersation they lived under yet they could no from thence be Entituled Christians For to Entitle a Man to be a Christian 〈◊〉 must necessarily believe 〈◊〉 to be already come nay that Particâ—â—â—â— and Numericâ—â— Man Christ Jesus who was Born of the Viâ—gin Mary and was of the Seed of Abrahaâ— according to the Flesh to be the Christ 〈◊〉 God that was promised to come in due time that this very Man was Crucified Died aâ—â— Rose again from the Dead and is Ascendeâ— c. Without Controversie great is the Mâ—stery of Godliness God was Manifest in tâ—â— Flesh Justified in the Spirit Believed on the World Received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 This Christ God-Man as come and crucified was that main Foundation of the Gospel and Christianity These were new Articles Founded upon a new Dispensation without the belief of which not to name some others which may be thought by some also necessary such as Baptism by Water and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by Bread and Wine a Man cannot be called a Christian Many there are indeed who lay Claim to this Holy and Honourable Profession but without a Just Title who fiercely contend for the Name tho' woful strangers to the Nature of Christianity who set up for more Pure and Refined Christians than are to be found in other Societies tho' they have scarcely any better Title to this Name than their being Born in a Christian Nation And thus the Quakers impose and put upon the World they set up for the great Modellers and Refiners of Religion and Condemn all others as full of Filth and Dreggs whenas they themselves as deceitful Workers 〈◊〉 themselves into the Apostles of Christ cannot be looked upon any otherwise at best than good Moral Heathens and many of them short of that Indeed could we take them at their word or would they take words in their common Acceptation it must be granted then that their Profession throughout the greatest part of this Pamphlet as well as some others viz. Will. Penn's Key Crook's Principles c. would seem Orthodox but this they will not do no you must Construe them by their Intentions for says George Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 72. I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same You may then see Just Cause to mistrust them in these their seeming Orthodox Confessions They have a Nauseous Pill to give you but that it may not be Distasteful and Loathsom to the Palate they Gild it over as the Writers for Popery in the Late K. J's Reign the other Day did to make it the more Glib and Easie to a Protestant Gust and Swallow they are Masters at the Art of Painting using feigned words and fair Speeches which was the old way of deceiving the Hearts of the Simple by which means many Poor Unthinking and Well-meaning People are now Ensnared and Involved in the same Errors with themselves By these and the like plausible Professions and smooth Pretences have they endeavoured to insinuate into and impose upon our Governours who no doubt can easily discern however Artificially Gilded and Varnished their Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to our Government And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were Two Books presented to Both Houses of Parliament the one Entituled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles c. The other Entituled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entituled Some Reasons humbly Offered Why the Quakers should be Examined But to proceed to an Examination of their Pamphlet in its several Parts Quest What is your Belief concerning the Blessed Trinity as our Term is Answ Our Belief is That in the Unity of the Godhead there is Father Son and Holy Ghost these Three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the H. Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony OBSERVATION Note It is said of the Oracles of the Heathen that they were made to look with Two Faces that they might the better effect their Deceits and agreeable hereto whatever was delivered by them was spoken in such Dubious and Equivocal Terms as that it should either way tend to the Satisfaction of the Devotee Just so do the Quakers now it being necessary to serve a present Turn give out a very cunning and plausible Profession but in such Dubious Terms as may look like Good and Orthodox and yet be in a great Measure Reconcileable to their Ancient Friends Principles and Testimonies It is well known that the most Virulent Poison may be Gilded over and that Varnish and Paint may be laid on the Foulest Cause and consequently the Quakers may be guilty of the grossest Errors under the Mask of Innocence and Zeal Religion and Purity But I shall not trouble the Reader with their Intentions and Meanings nor Trace them into all their Equivocal Reserves wherein they may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuites but rather have recourse to their own Books which can't but be allowed to be the best and only way to know and understand their real Principles as well as Meanings they being most if not all pretended to be Wrote from the Mouth of the Lord. First They pretend to make the World believe that they own the Blessed Trinity that is they pretend to acknowledge a Three
all I have said on this Head as well as to shew you how inconsistent Will. Penn is with himself see his Serious Apology p. 146. That the outward Person which Suffered at Jerusalem was properly the Son of God we utterly deny Quest Do you believe and expect Salvation and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ or by your own Righteousness and Works Answ By Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works God is not indebted to us for our Deservings but we to him for his Free Grace in Christ Jesus whereby we are Saved thro' Faith in him not of our selves and by his Grace enabled truly and acceptably to Serve and Follow him he is our All in All who works all in us that is well-pleasing to God OBSERVATION Now to unfold their meaning herein as is said before let us hear what their Approved Authors say I shall begin with Geo. Whitehead who in his Light and Life c. p. 16 blames us for laying so much stress upon the shedding of Christ's Blood p. 38. The Quakers says he see no need of directing Men to Jesus Christ or his Blood as it was outwardly shed at Jerusalem for Justification c. And p. 55. Where doth the Scripture say that the shedding of Christ 's Blood outwardly was the Meritorious Cause of Man's Salvation And in p. 64. It is false Doctrine to lay the Meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon the shedding of that Blood let out by the Spear And says Will. Penn in Conjunction with his Brother Whitehead in his Serious Apology p. 148. This indeed we deny viz. Justification by the Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us wholly without us And boldly affirm it in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now Deluge the whole World And says Geo. Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 17. 18. Printed 1694. That it is the Light and Life within in which is the immediate and efficient Cause of Man's Salvation and as for the Sufferings and Death of Christ in the Fresh they do but instrumentally Contribute thereunto And agreeable hereunto see Isaac Pennington's Questions to Professors c. p. 25. where there is this Question put Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience c. Which tho' by way of Interrogation is a very plain and manifest denial of the efficacy of the Blood of Christ shed upon the Cross for Man's Salvation Again Thomas Lawson a thorow-pac'd Quaker in his Untaught Teacher p. 4. Printed 1655. tells you That you must not look for Salvation from any Means without For when his Opponent had urged that the Means that leads to Salvation is without Man he answers For all thy Profession thou art got no further than the Pope who talk of a Christ without Means of Salvation without as thou dost p. 5. Thou art a Foolish Builder seeking a Way to Salvation without thee If this be not the Mystery of Iniquity I know not what may be called so When you have thus compared them then Reader judge of the Sincerity of their Profession for as they thus undervalue the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ purchasing Salvation for us so do they set up extol and magnifie their own Righteousness and Works like to their Brethren in the Church of Rome as will be made appear in the next Observation only in this they exceed all the Meritorious Boasts of those their Kindred in affirming that their Sufferings are Greater and more Unjust than the Sufferings in the Days of Christ His Apostles and Martyrs See Burrough's Works p. 273. Quest Do you believe Remission of Sin and Redemption thro' the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ Answ Yes thro' Faith in Him as He suffer'd and died for all Men and gave Himself a Ransom for all and his Blood being shed for the Remission of Sins c. OBSERVATION Here their Profession seems to be very Orthodox but observe if we will give Credit to their Ancient and Approved Authors who pretended they wrote from the Mouth of the Lord it is still but Paint and Deceit for Remission of Sins or Redemption thro' the Sufferings or Righteousness of another is not by them believed See the Works of their Prophet and Son of Thunder and Consolation Edw. Burroughs p. 33. God doth not accept any where there is any Failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every Demand of Justice This Reader were there no other Instance confutes their Plausible Pretence to Justification and Remission of Sin by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ But for your further Satisfaction see W. Penn's Sandy Foundation p. 25. Justification of Persons is not from the Imputation of another's Righteousness but from the Actual Performing and Keeping God's Righteous Statutes Again see his Serious Apol. p. 148. Justification by the Righteousness of another or which is fulfilled for us in his own Person we boldly affirm in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World Again once more see his Sandy Found p. 25 30. It is a great Abomination to say That he Christ having satisfied for our Sins we may be Justified by the Imputation of his perfect Righteousness and yet they tell you in this Pamphlet That he Died for our Sins and Rose again for our Justification when as ib. p. 31. W. Penn saith The Consequences of such a Doctrine i. e. Imputative Righteousness is both Irreligious and Irrational Again in his Serious Apol. p. 148. he tells you That Death came by Actual Sin not Imputative therefore Justification unto Life came by Actual Righteousness not Imputative Here Reader as G. Keith has well observ'd in his Abstract you may observe how far this contradicts his late Doctrine of Justification in his Primitive Christianity and late Creeds And why indeed should they believe Remission of Sins and Redemption thro' Christ's Sufferings and Justification by his Righteousness when as they believe themselves to be Perfect as God and Free from Sin First Perfect as God see G. Fox's Great Mystery p. 282. One said Surely they cannot be Perfect here or hereafter in Equality but only in Quality Fox answers Christ makes no Distinction in his Words but saith Be ye Perfect even as your Heavenly Father is Perfect and as He is so are We and that which is Perfect as He is Perfect is in Equality with the same thing which is of God and from God 2 dly They profess to be free from Sin as you may see in G. Fox's Great Myst p. 101. It is the Doctrine of Devils that preacheth that 〈◊〉 shall have Sin and be in a Warfare so long 〈◊〉 they be on Earth And p. 231. he says Aâ—â— who come to Christ the Second Adam they come to Perfection in the Life of God out of the First Adam p. 271. For who