Acts 10. 34. where Peter saith of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons Sixthly where thou sayest there is no absolute decree of Election and reprobation from Eternity and sayest see a late Confession of Faith by Burroughs To this I say there is no such position in his confession of faith as thou here hath asserted but that we do believe that their is a state of Election and Reprobation as is there confest and faithfully acknowledged Seaventhly thou sayest that the Scriptures are not the Rule this is charged upon them by the Ministers of New-Castle as thou sayest To this I say as many as are begotten of the immortal seed to a lively hope by the word of God which abides for ever are his sons and children and such are led by the Spirit of God and it is their rule and not the letter Rom. 8. 14. and yet such are not Papists nor to be parallel'd with Bellarmine who shews the Scriptures are not necessary for they acknowledge that they are necessary that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 17. Eighthly thou compares us to the papists for saying the baptisme of Infants is not to be proved by the Scripture and quotes Bellarmine for calling it a tradition that 's no where written To this I say though we are no Papists yet I believe that Bellarmine confesses in this thing more truth than thou for it is very like it is a tradition which in its beginning was instituted by the Papists Church yet however this I am sure of that it is not recorded in the Scriptures of truth that ever God commanded it or any of his Ministers whom he sent forth practiced it therefore the Papist and thou that preaches it up as an ordinance of God is required to prove if you can when God ordained it or any of his Apostles practiced it and if you cannot Confess you have taught for ordinances mens traditions and seeing the Papists do confesse it is a tradition well may you Protestants doe the same for you had the practice of sprinkling Infants from them and in this you have drunk the whores cup. Ninethly whereas thou sayest that one day of seaven which we call the Lords day is no more than any other day and that it is without divine Authority To this I say further there is no command of God in the Scriptures for observing the first day of the week as a Sabboth of rest by ceasing from all bodyly labour of man servant or maid servant cattle and stranger that is within our gates as there was a command of God to the Jewes to observe the seaventh day and keep it holy to the Lord for a Sabboth of rest to them their sons and daughters man-servants and maid-servant cattel and stranger that was within their gates which Sabboth unto them was a signe and thou further sayest we make it Tipecal in which thou compares us to Bellarmine which comparison is altogether unequal for though Bellarmine counted it Tipical yet we make it not Tipecal for it was the seaventh day and not the first day which we say was a signe and concerning the first day of the week if thou hold that it was commanded by divine Authority as the seaventh day once was when thou writes again shew when it was commanded and where the holy Scriptures testifies of any such Command Tenthly whereas thou sayest that we say the Lords Supper as administred in your Churches is nothing but a bit of bread and wine and that we speak scornfully of it To this I say when thou writes again I desire thee to shew us an example if thou canst where ever the Apostles and true Church mett together in a Steeple House or Idolls Temple and broke bread in such a form and manner among unconverted people as you do calling it the Lords Supper or a Sacrament but the Lords Supper which is so in truth we do freely own and whereas thou compares us with the Papists in saying we speak scornfully of that which you call the Lords Supper in this I say thy comparing of us with them is altogether unequal for we do not speak scornfully of it but where we see either the Papists or you in an error we do rather pitty you than scorn you and desires that you may be recovered out of all error and be saved in the day of the Lord yet we do despise and reject the vain traditions of men which is practised for the worship of God by you Eleventhly thou sayest that wee affirm that Protestants Ministers are no Ministers of Christ that we use the vilest Language against you that we can invent deny your call and say you came from Rome c. Answ If thou meanest by Protestant Ministers of such of you as seeks for your gain from your quarters and Preaches for hire and makes a bargain for so much a year these practices being the same as the false Prophets and Papists are in doth in some measure demonstrate that your begining was from Rome for no example can you shew for those practices aforementioned among all the Holy Prophets or Ministers of Christ that have been since the begining And whereas thou sayest that we use the vilest language that we can invent against you I Answer this is utterly false for no vile language do we use or invent against you but the language of truth telling you plainly without flattering of the evil of your wayes that you may repent and in thus doing we have the holy Prophets of old for our example Twelfly that we have the same spirit of Infallability that the Apostles had To this I say further both we and all Gods children who are of the little flock have the same Infallible Spirit according to its measure and manifestation which is given to every child of God to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. and both thou and all that say they have it not but counts it Popery for any to confess they have it art so far from being a Minister of Christ that both thou and they that have it not are not yet of his flock for the Apostle saith plainly if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. and yet he was no Papist nor with them to be parallel'd no more are we that confesse we have the Spirit of Christ I having rightly stated and vindicated our doctrines against thy slanders and proved them by the holy Scriptures to be the wholesome and sound doctrines of the Gospel I shall go on to lay open and reply against thy slanders and falsities concerning us in which thou hast compared us with the Popish Monks but it had been more wisdome and more like a Minister of Christ to enquired truly into our practices before thou had given judgement upon us or have compared us to the Popish Monks in whose discipiline thou sayest we seem to be admirably
the world And whereas thou accuseth us to be wanting in the esteem of true practices of Religion when thou writes again set downe in particular what those practices are which thou calls or can prove to be the true practices of Religion which thou accuses us to be wanting in the esteem of Ninethly thou sayest they carry a shew of self-denial abnegation of the world contempt of riches envy against the Ministers of Christ for having maintenance as if themselves had nothing yet thrives fast payes their debts makes purchases getts good Estates wear of late rich Cloaths Answ Thy assertion in this is utterly false as the rest have been for we do not envy against the Ministers of Christ for having maintenance but acknowledge that they that preach the Gospel may live of the Gospel according to Gods Ordinance and they that sow spiritual things may reap carnal things but having food and rayment are therewith to be content and there is no example amongst them for being hired at a Parish or making a bargain for so much as fourescore or a hundred pounds more or less as they can get it by the year or tithes of all the people possesses as the hireling Priests and Papists in England have done and for thy saying they thrive fast and paying depts and gets good estates to which I say when thou writes again instance one that is owned as a Minister amongst us that through gain made of the Ministry who had nothing that hath done any of these things aforementioned and till then let this slander returne back upon thy self as the rest have done and if God blesse any of his people with outward encrease why doest thou envious wretch reproach them because of Gods mercyes Thou sayest further that we wear rich Cloaths To this I say how fully hast thou contradicted thy self in the first of thy assertions in which thou parallel'd us with the Monks in thy saying that we lay much stress upon plain and mean apparel and now hast so far forgotten thy selfe that the same tongue saith now we weare rich Cloaths but in this thy envy against the truth is manifest and however they go that walk in it whether well in cloaths or mean in cloaths it will not please thee nor the envyous generation that loves not their neighbour as their selves And further thou tells of having stocks of money out of which thou supposes we have great and large sumes when wee have a mind to travel To which I shall answer thy supposition is false as the rest of thy sayings have been and if there be any such thing as stocks of money for the maintaining of the poor and other necessary uses among Friends is not this of good report and like Saints more than they in your Churches where your Members is like to starve and begs Tenthly thou sayest wee are a seduced people and active in seducing others being ignorant and unlearned yet an importunant and unweared people compassing Sea and Land to make one proselyte yet not for themselves but for those Sophisters of Rome whose factors they are Answ This is altogether false as the rest of thy slanders have been for Romes Factors we are not nor for them do we make proselytes And for thy saying that we are a seducing people and acting in seducing others I Answer this is altogether false as thy other assertions concerning us hath been for we are not seduced nor active in seducing others nor yet ignorant and unlearned in the things that appertains to Gods Kingdome our Salvation and the Salvation of them that hears us Eleaventhly thou sayest now I hope I have made it evident that the hand of a Jesuite is in the Quakers Religion how could they else be so well verst in their absur'd doctrines Answ The hope of the hypocrite is vain and his trust is like the spiders web for thou neither hast or can manifest the hand of of a Jesuite to be in our Religion nor any doctrine that is truly ours hast thou manifest to be absur'd or proved to be contrary to the truth and doctrines of the Gospel of Christ But it is manifest thou art verst in the Papists writings and doctrines otherwise thou could not have stated so many of them and their practices therefore thy saying that we are verst in their absur'd doctrines is false and may returne upon thy self who art guilty therein and thou goes on saying I will conclude with a re-inforcement of my disswasive of you from their doctrines and practices They are from Antichrist therefore avoid them Answ Our doctrines which is the doctrines of truth and our practices for which we have example among the Prophets and Ministers of Christ all the lyes and slanders which thou and all the Merchants of Babylon can cast upon us or upon our doctrines cannot disswade from our way which is the way of God any of them who hath the least measure of true knowledge therefore the adding thy reasons as thou calls them to imprint in people a deep hatred against our way which is truth shall not be effectual for thy refuge of lyes shall be swept away and unrighteous slanders turned back upon thy own head in the dreadful day of the Lord when he rewards thee and all the wicked according to their doings In the first of thy reasons thou sayest they are miserably divided among themselves about their principles Answ This is false for we who are in the truth and walks in the light have unity and are not divided amongst our selves about our principles though we did deny several of those things as they were stated having good reason so to do because they were stated in thy manner and as thou our adversarie pleased to state them and the young men affirm not in the very same words and form as they spoke them Whereas thou sayest the fourth of these reasons was again owned in a discourse viz that we are justified by obedience To which I say it is utterly false for no such thing was owned by any of us neither of it was there any discourse betwixt thee and us that day And whereas thou further calls it a contradiction to say that every man is lighted with the true light which is Christ And yet not spiritually enlightned with the knowledge of God Answ In this thy ignorance and want of understanding in the things of God is manifest in calling that a contradiction which is no contradiction for both these sayings in effect may be proved by plain words of Scriptures as John 1. 9. where it is said that was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and Jeremiah saith poure out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not Jer. 10. 25. So it is evident that the heathen know not God therefore may it truly be said without contradicting Johns testimony that every one is not enlightned with the spiritual knowledge of God though that testimony is true that saith
darknesse under that denomination and by that name the light of the world as by any other name under which the Prophets and Apostels preached him in ages past yea or nay IV. Query And whether it was and is popery to affirm that ever the Saints was or can be perfected while they are upon the Earth yea or nay V. Query And whether it is Popery to affirm that Christ Jesus who is made of God Righteousnesse to the Saints is within them the hope of Glory yea or nay VI. Query And if Christ Jesus Gods Righteousnesse be in Saints the hope of Glory then is it Popery to affirm that the righteousnesse through which Saints is justified is revealed within them yea or nay VII Query Whether it is Popery to affirm that some that had known the way of Righteousness and tasted of the good Word of God did fall away yea or nay VIII Query And whether it is Popery to say That none is shut out and reprobated to damnation and misery before they were born IX Query And whether it is Popery to affirm That the holy Scriptures are not the Rule of unbelievers seeing thou seemed to blame some for saying It was not X. Query And whether it is Popery to affirm That God hath not commanded the Gentiles to observe the first day of the week for a Sabbath of rest as he once commanded the Jews to observe the seventh day for a Sabbath day of rest yea or nay XI Query And whether it is Popery To deny that God commanded the Baptism of Infants Or that ever any of his Apostles practised it Or that the Scriptures of truth testifies of it yea or nay XII Query And whether it is Popery to affirm that the Scriptures of truth speaks not of a Sacrament which you and the Papists so much plead for yea or nay XIII Query And whether it is Popery for to affirm that they are no Ministers of Christ which seeks their gain from their parishes and quarters Preaches for hire Divines for mony and makes a bargain for so much by the year though amongst you such may be called Protestant Ministers XIV Query And whether all are Papists that confesse that they have and are led and taught by the Infallible Spirit of Christ yea or nay XV. Query And whether all are Papists that go in plain and moddest apparel without ribbons and lace and such like costly aray which serves onely to please the vain mind and to satisfy the lust which leads the creature from God and is of the world seeing for going in mean apparel thou accused us to lay much stress upon it and compared us to the Monks XVI Qu. And whether they are all Papists that met together in the Name of the Lord and in silence waits in his counsel till his mind and Word be revealed whereby they may edifie one another seeing for meeting sometimes in silence thou hast accused us to lay our Religion upon it and compared us to the Monks XVII Qu. And whether all that have and do use fasting and prayer be Papists yea or nay Seeing thou hast compared us to the Monks for fasting and also hast falsly said we use it as a special means of spiritual knowledge XVIII Qu. And whether all that have gone up and down naked have been and are Papists yea or nay Seeing some among us have been commanded to do so for which thou compares us to the Papists XIX Qu. And whether all that have ceased to wear Ribbons and Lace upon their apparel which is not needful and do not respect persons which saith Thee and Thou to rich and poor are Papists Answer in plainness yea or nay Seeing thou hast falsly accused us for so doing to place our Religion in circumstances and compared us to the Papists XX. Qu. And whether it is not confusion to say we lay much stress upon mean and plain apparel and yet a little after to say we wear rich cloaths Answer in plainness yea or nay XXI Qu. Whether all are Papists that have gone through several Countryes preaching the glad tidings of Salvation and yet have not fainted yea or nay seeing for being unwearied thou compares us to the Monks XXII Qu. And whether the things before queried doth rightly denominate a Papist and is the ground of his being so called Answer in plainness yea or nay A Post-script To William Brownsword and his Parishioners in Kendall AS concerning thy book sent abroad by thee in opposition to the Lords Truth and his People we have seen read and considered and do find it light and empty and a dry confused piece even as a little old scrap of Babylons treasure worth nothing at all except to shew the Authors weakness and ignorance and to give occasion against himself that he may be beat with his own weapon and certain it is that his work his Quaker-Jesuite I mean will not effect the end and purpose intended by him but the Lord shall turn the end backwards upon him and by that through which he hath thought to dishonor the truth and to make it odious among people even thereby shall the truth gain an advantage and appear in more beauty and be more desirable unto many so that thy evil intent shall redound back upon thee and doubtless some of thine own Flock when they have compared thine with its Answer they shall see the weakness and wickedness of the one and the truth plainly proved in the other and the disadvantage will be thine for alas thou art a weak man and many of thy Brethren in iniquity to whom thou canst not be compared for matter of wit and subtilty but art short of them even as an Infant is of a man and they have appeared in much more fair means and politique way than thou hast done and yet their work brought forth in the height of great wit and knowledge have been rejected by us and through the Wisdome of God confounded and their bravest work taken as our spoil of Babylons treasure and then how shouldst thou and thy weak silly piece be otherwise than trampled under our feet and what art thou feeble child of Babylon that thou shouldst thus adventure to come forth into publike view wrapped in an old thred-bare garment Quaker-Jesuite Popery in Quakerisme c. and under this hast thou covered a malicious heart which the Lord will judge and bring thee to feel the weight of thine own iniquities in his dreadful day Alas friend we are far otherwise known through this Nation and about Kendal especially we are known to be none such as thou hast falsly reputed us not Papists but on the contrary we are known to be such who have many of us zealously professed the Lord and earnestly sought after him even from the daies of our childhood and if any have whereof to glory in matter of outward profession we might have something to say as being such who desired after God in our souls in much sincerity of heart and