of the People They have followed me home crying out in the Streets The day of the Lord is coming when thou shalt perish as a Deceiver They have stood in the Market-place and under my VVindow year after year crying out to the People take heed of your Priests they deceive your Souls And if they saw any one wear a â—ace or neat Cloathing These are the fruit of thy Ministry If they speak to me with the greatest Nonsence or Ignorance it was with as much Fury and Rage as if a bloody Heart had appear'd in their Faces Some of them went stark naked thro' the Streets and cried out over and over all the year VVo to the Proud VVonderful VVonderful Oh the blindness of a corrupted Mind that these poor Souls did not perceive their intolerable Pride J. N. p. 7. l. 20. Now as for the days of the Week they are called as follows the first day the second day c. The Lords day is an everlasting day and the true Communicants are living Witnesses of it for in this everlasting day the true fellowship stands see 1 John 1.7 Gen. 1.5 The Light is called Day and in the Light the true Fellowship stands Here 's a piece of Rosy-Crucian Divinity After thou hast made it clear and evident that thou art able to tell Seven or Ten if need be thou soarest higher and givest us such knotty obstruse Mysterious Sentences as want an Oedipus to unriddle Methinks that passage thou dost so often repeat would have done very well here He that can understand let them understand I doubt few of thy Inlightned Brethren will fathom this Quaking Divinity This is much as intelligible as the words of James Parnel Shield of Truth p. 113. The ground of the Religion made manifest to us says he is God himself For God is the Fountain of all Truth and Truth is Religion And this Truth we witness made manifest by God the life of Truth And here is the Religion we witness forth and here is the ground witnessed forth from the ground And this Religion is pure unspotted and springs from the Light which is pure wherein there is no deceit neither can be for it discovers all deceit and leads out of it both within and without Is not this most edifying Discourse Did ever arrant Fops waste Ink and Paper to Pen more in and out stories than these of James Parnel and Joseph Nott But what Scripture what Argument hast thou to prove that the Lords Day mention'd Rev. 1.10 is an everlasting day and not a proper day even the First day of the VVeek Must all that drops from thy Goose-Quill pass for Oracles Produce thy strong Reasons and don 't put us off with naked Assertions VVhat is the everlasting day thou pratest of Who are the true Communicants who thou sayest are witnesses of this invisible Day VVhere do they dwell VVhat are their Names And how doth Fellowship stand in a Day and in the light Doth not the Quakers Fellowship end at Night and set with the Sun Is it not in danger to be lost in a Mist or interrupted by a Storm Explain this better in thy next or else lay aside thy Pen and follow thy Trade J. N. p. 8 l. 4. I say it is necessary yea needful that one day in Seven should be set apart for these Reasons O cunning Elf what a piercing Wit hast thou that canst so accurately distinguish between necessary and needful Sâ—otus who hath got the Name of Doctor Subtilis was a meer Dunce to thee But let us hear thy Reasons J. N. First it is needful that Man and Beast should Rest some time from their Labour But why must they rest from their Labour one day in Seven more than one day in six or one day in eight I am confident thou must Rest Seven Days from thy Labour before thou wilt be able to prove this Reason to be cogent and concluding for one day in seven more than one day in seventeen or one hour in seven J. N. Secondly Men and Women being free from their outward Labour and Concern they may be the more freely given up in their Hearts and Minds to wait upon God and worship him I grant this is a good Reason why some time should be set apart for Religious Worship but I will make a bold venture for once and give thee Eight days to make it out from hence that therefore one day in seven no more nor no less should be so set apart J. N. Thirdly That Servants that else might not have liberty that they * may have liberty to wait upon God and worship him * The words that they are brought in by a Figure called Head und Shoulders This Reason is no more concluding than the former For Servants may have liberty one day in four or one day in eight as well as one day in seven for ought that Joseph Nott hath prov'd to the contrary I don't doubt but one day in seven ought to be set apart for the Publick and Private Solemn Worship of God and I am fully perswaded that the Lords-day commonly called Sunday is now the day But there are far better Arguments to prove this in several Treatises written on this Subject viz. by Dr. Young Dr. Wallis Dr. Owen Mr. Baxter Mr. Warren and to name no more Mr. Tross than those which Joseph Nott hath produc'd But we can have no more of the Fox than his Skin But let us hear the last Cavil and that is about calling the Days of the Week by old Saxon Names Munday Tuesday Wednesday c. Concerning the occasion of these Names our Authour who is no doubt a great Antiquary refers us to Verstegan's Antiquities and Cambden's B it for satisfaction As to the former of these he hath broken his own Rule For he hath put a new Name upon him for which he hath no command nor example calling him Verstigan But we 'll let such a small Litteral mistake pass greater matters than this shall not cause any difference among Friends Let us therefore hear what he hath to say concerning the Godfathers to Tuesday and Wednesday J. N. The next was the Idol of Planets which was the Idol of Tuisco who was the first and chiefest man of that Name among the Germans unto whom the name of Tuesday was especially dedicated Joseph thou hast serv'd Verstegan a little coursly in changing his Name but thou hast been unmerciful to this Sentence which thou pretendest to transcribe out of him Thou wouldst make us believe that the Idol of Planets was the Idol Tuisco i. e. the Idol of Planets was the Idol of a Man How doth this hang together But this is not all for whereas thy Author saith that Tuisco was the first and Chiefest Man of Name among the Germans thou tellest us he was the chiefest Man of that Name Hereby making it evident that as thou canst not write true English so neither canst thou read or understand it If any should
doth not go about to prove that the Name Sabbath is given to the First Day but that the First Day since the Resurrection of Christ is the Day of Holy Rest. And what is the difference between Rest and Sabbath but that one is an English the other a Hebrew word Mr. Tross knows better than Joseph Nott that the Lord's-Day is the Name given by the Holy Ghost to the First-Day and principally used by the Primitive Christian VVriters of which a late diligent Searcher of their VVritings hath given us many Instances * Enquiry into the worship c. of the Primitive Church p. 2. p. 161. 165. He also tells us that though the Fathers sometimes so far complied with the Heathens as to call it Sunday in their Phrase that they might know what Day they meant Yet he did not find that the VVriters of the 3 first Centuries ever so far indulg'd the Jews as to call it the sabbath-Sabbath-Day but they violently declaim against Sabbatizing that is the Judaical Obeservation of the seventh-Seventh-Day And a great Light of this Age hath observed (a) Baxter's Divine Appointment of the Lords Day Pag. 185. That the word Sabbath is ever taken in Scripture for a Day of Ceremonial Rest as well as Spiritual Rest and Worship That the seventh-Seventh-Day it self is never call'd a Sabbath till Moses's time but only the sanctified and blessed Day That the Lord's Day is sometimes call'd by latter Writers by the Name of the Christian-Sabbath but that is only Analogically as it resembles the Jewish-Sabbath (b) Id. Pag. 2. See also Pag. 81. and 82. And when they call it a Sabbath they do not mean a Day of Jewish Ceremonial Rest for Christ hath ended all such Sabbaths as being Shadows of things to come but a Day separated by Christ's Appâ—intment for holy Assemblies and Worship Let but J. N. grant that the First Day is such a Day and then let him call it the First Day or Sabbath or Lord's-Day or Sunday as he pleases And if I don 't greatly mistake him he hath granted the thing though he keeps a poâ—her against the Name For he tells us Pag. 6. L. 15. That the Sabbath signifies Rest and Pag. 8. L. 14. That the Quakers do cease from their outward Labour and assemble themselves together to wait upon God and worship him on the First Day of the Week Though their squeamish Stomachs will not let the Name Christian Sabbath go down from hence it appears that all which the Quaker hath said on this Argument here and so on to the end of his Bâ—ok is meer Stuff a pitiful putid Cavil and his Accusation may be retorted upon himself For if Mr. Tross hath no foundation to prove the First Day to be the Christian-Sabbath or Day of holy Rest then Joseph Nott and his Quakers have no Scripture-Warrant for their Practice of ceasing from their outward Labour and assembling themselves together to wait upon God and worship him on the First Day of the Week So that upon the whole it appears that Joseph Nott might very well have kept his Breath and spar'd his Paper for some better use J. N. But if we who in scorn are called Quakers should bring such Doctrine as we had no Scripture to prove How would people cry out against us And indeed Reason enough too But we bring no such Doctrine God forbid we should for we are a People that have an honourable Esteem for the Holy Scriptures No doubt but ye are the People and Wisdom shall die with you Job 12.2 You have a very honourable Esteem for the Holy Scripture witness the Titles and Epithetes you give it in your Writings such as a Carnal Letter a Dead-Killing-Letter the Husk which is fit for nothing but the Swine Nay some of you are not asham'd to call your own Writings the Word of the Lord though you deny the Scriptures to be so and others have the face to affirm what you say to be of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters and GREATER See Quakers Principles and Doctrines Re-printed Pag. 3.4 And whereas thou pretendest that you Quakers bring no such Doctrine as you have no Scripture to prove perhaps I may hereafter shew the Contrary as to your Principal Opinions I am quite weary of Transcribing and I doubt not but my Reader is of reading J. N's Gibberish therefore I shall in the remaining 3. Pages of his Book only remark some choice observable things J. N. Pag. 6. L. 9. Now here we may see that the Sabbath-Day was a Shadow of what may some say why the Body is of Christ He that can understand let him The Author in these words makes use of a Trope which Rhetoricians call Non-sense He proposes a Question Of what was the Sabbath-Day a Shadow And Answers The Body is of Christ adding very pertinently He that can understand let him And I say so too but I doubt they will be hardly put to it to understand it for Non-sense was never Intelligible J.N. Line 14. Christ is the Christian-Sabbath For as I said before Sabbath signifieth Rest and Christ is the Rest of his People At this rate he may prove that the French King is Christ. For Christ signifieth Anointed Now the French King was anointed Therefore the French King is Christ. So ridiculous is his arguing J. N. Line 33. And they that are Sons of God do I n w this true Rest but G.T. doth manifest his Ignorance of it in applauding of an outward Day and putting of it in its room Here is more Mystical Divinity I hope our Author will in compassion to our Ignorance explain himself in his next about the Resting place in Christ Jesus and the Outward day which he talks of as tho' there were an Inward day If he doth not tell us more plainly what he means we shall be ready to think that his Worship doth scarce understand what he hath written himself J. N. Lin. 35. And in Pag. 90. G.T. saith That St. John calls the Fi st Day of the Week the Lords-Day And in Pag. 132. he saith That the Holy Ghost does call the Fi st Day of the Week the Lord's Day Here G.T. hath made a bold venture and he will find a â—â—ry hard Task to prove what he hath said Why so Bold-a-venture Joseph I think he hath sufficiently prov'd that the Lord's-day mentioned Rev. 1.10 is the First Day of the Week from a constant uninterrupted and universal Tradition from the Days of the Apostle to our Days the generality of Christians acknowledging the Lord's-Day to be the First Day Pag. 82. Many of the antient Writers have given it this appellation as Ignatius who is commonly said to have been St. John Disciple and therefore may be presumed to understand his Meaning at least as well as J. N. He saith in his Epistle to the Magnesians Let every Friend of Christ keep holy the lord's-Lord's-Day the Resurrection Day the Queen of Days To the same purpose
Opinions may the wildness of their Brains assisted by that Spirit who mov'd Ahab's Prophets 1 Kings 22.22 in time produce And now I dare appeal to any Man of sense Quakers not excepted whether Joseph Nott hath not Written against Mr. Tross without Reason Sense or common Civility While he accuses others of Ignorance and Error he hath given it under his own hand that he is an uncharitable Wrangler yea a great Dunce who understands neither Argument nor plain English He multiplies Scriptures only to shelter his Errors under their Umbrage * Scit Diabolus nullam esse ad fallendum faciliorem viam quam ut ubi nesarii erroris subinducitur fraudulentia ibi divinorum verborum praetendatur auctoritas Vinc. Lirin c. 37. He talks of the Spirit in his Heart when a Trepan might perhaps discover a Bladder in his Brains He is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions foolish and unlearned Questions about an invisible day and the like anâ— strifes of words about naming the days of the Week â— 1 Tim. 6.4 Joseph canst thou review thy botching bungling work without blushing Art thou not asham'd to find thy folly and ignorance made manifest Dost thou not perceive that thy Light hath lead thee astray Dost thou not repent of troubling the World with thy Impertinencies How canst thou look any ingenious Man in the Face after thou hast thus render'd thy self ridiculous Those who once thought thee Head and Shoulders above the common People now perceive that thou art a contemptible Pigmy But I spare thee forbearing any further to lay thee open in hopes that mildness may work upon thee though thou hast deserved a severe rebuke And as a Friend who wishes thee well I will give thee a few parting Counsels 1. Shut up thy Pack and don 't trouble us with any more of thy small wares Be not so unadvised as to appear any more in Print Thy Customers will be loth to throw away any more Farthings upon thy Toys Meddle no more with matters above thy Capacity but keep to the Trade which thou wert brought up to Believe me Joseph thou art one of the most despicable Triflers that ever blurr'd Paper Perhaps thy Spirit and Light may move thee to reply to what I have written Thou art not so perfect but that some things in this Paper may chance to stir the Old Man in thee And thou wilt it may be have recourse to the old pious Arts of Lying Railing and Calling Names I know not but thou mayst give me some of those Titles which thy Brethren have given Mr. Fald Mr. Baxter Dr. Owen and other Pious and Learned Ministers Such as Babylons Merchants ravening Wolves Pharisees whited Walls Darkness it self Reprobates Scarlet-colour'd Beasts Dark Sots Mountebank Priests comparing them to Lizards Moles Green-headed-Trumpeters Serpents Grinning-Dogs Wheel-barrows Whirligigs c. To furnish thy self with a good stock of these read the precious Writings of G. Fox William Penn Edward Burroughs and Sam. Fisher If thou wilt play the Fool again thou wilt but expose thy self to be ridicul'd and hiss'd at by the Boys in the Streets Therefore sit down quietly with the harm thou hast I wish thou mayst be so wise as to take this advice But if it should otherwise happen know that thou shalt bark long enough before I will turn back to give thee a kick I have somewhat else to do than to write any more remarks upon such empty Scribbles as thine 2. If thou write again Commit thy self to the care of some She-friend that teaches Children to read and desire her to instruct thee in the Liberal Art of spelling and reading English 3. Learn to distinguish sense from Non-sense that the World may not be puzzled with any more of thy Soloecisms and absurdities 4. Learn some plain Catechism that thou mayst no longer be ignorant of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Thou who pretendest to teach others I perceive thou art but a Babe in knowledg and must have a great deal of pains taken with thee to make thee competently knowing 5. Converse with thy betters Be not wise in thine own conceit but be sensible of thy ignorance If thou hadst Humility enough to desire it there be many of Mr. Tross's Hearers that would be ready to instruct thee and lend thee some good Expositors upon the Scriptures by reading of which thou mayst see how ignorantly and profanely thou hast wrested many Texts 6. Pray earnestly to the God of all grace for a humble and teachable Spirit Desire the Lord to pardon thee thy Pride and Presumption in medling with holy things and to rescue thee out of the Snare of the Devil that thou mayst not fall into the Condemnation of the Devil I am persuaded Joseph that Thou and those other Mechanick Lay-Preachers which swarm in England at this day are stirred up by Satan and drive on his Design which is first to Deâ—aâ—e the Ministry and then to overthrow it That the Lord would open thine Eyes to see thy sin and danger and give thee repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth is the unfeigned desire of Thine to do thee any Christian Office FINIS
thereof This is a Metaphorical Rule so called from the Analogy and Resemblance it hath in its use and end to a material Rule 'T is in this sense we call the Written Word a Rule of Faith and Lifâ— For as a Mason in raising a Wall a Joiner in squaring a Piece of Timber by applying the Level to the Building the Square to the Timber come to judge of the uprightness straitness and exactness of their Work So a Christian tries and examines his thoughts words and actions by the Holy Scriptures The Sacred Writings are his Square his Line and Level by which he measures and judges of Opinions and Practices Hereby he comes to know what is right and what is wrong what is duty and what is sin what is truth and what is errour All Doctrines which are to be believed all Duties which are to be performed in order to our acceptable serving of God on Earth or eternal enjoying of God in Heaven are to be measured by and conformed unto this Rule There are Three Rules which are eagerly contended for 1. The Pagans Rule The Light of Nature This Rule is good in its kind and place it discovers the Being Power Wisdom and Goodness of God so as to leave them without excuse who do not walk according to it (a) Rom. 2.14.15 1.19 20 21 32. But it cannot discover Christ by whom alone Sinners may be saved (b) 1 Cor. 1.21 2.13.14 2. The Papists Rule Vnwritten Traditions This is a Corrupt Fallible and False Rule Contradictory to the Scriptures and therefore no good Rule 3. The Quakers Rule the Light within which J. N. blasphemously calls Christ within and the Spirit of God in the Heart This is a very bad Rule to try or determine matters of Faith or Practice by God hath taught us in his Written Word to try the Spirits by the Scripture The Quakers teach their Proselytes to try the Scriptures by the Light within (c) 1 Joh. 4.1 6. which they also call the Spirit Whatever Spirit leads any against or besides the Rule of Scripture is not the Spirit of God but a lying Spirit God saith and Protestants hold that those who Speak not according to the Word have no Light in them Isa 8.20 Their pretended Light who contradict Scripture is Darkness Matth. 6.23 But Quakers impudently prefer their Dreams above the Written Word and so declare that their Light proceeds from the Father of Lies That Spirit who transformeth himself into an Angel of Light the God of this World whose Kingdom is full of Darkness blinds the Eyes of these Men of Light so that they speak against the pure Light of Scripture and prefer their Ignes Fatui before it And while they profess themselves to be wise they become Fools For loâ—â— they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8.9 Seeing therefore that the Pagans Rule Natural Reason and Conscience is insufficient seeing the Popish and Quaking Rules are false and uncertain it remains that the Holy Scriptures are the only Supreme Sufficient Perfect Standing Rule to try and judge all Opinions and Practices by For the Proof of this consult these following Texts 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. In this Scripture we are inform'd that the Holy Scriptures believed and obey'd are able to make wise unto Salvation That all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof c. That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works What plainer Proof can we desire to evince that the Scripture doth contain all Doctrines necessary to be believed and command all Duties necessary to be performed in order to Salvation And if so 't is a sufficient compleat and perfect Rule of Faith Worship and Life Hence 't is that we are commanded to Search the Scriptures John 5.39 To hear Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 To take heed to this sure Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 To go to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.19 Hence 't is we are told The Law of the Lord is perfect Psalm 19.7 'T is for this cause the Bereans are commended for Searching the Scriptures daily Acts 17.11 Believers are said to be built upon the Foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 Ignorance of the Scriptures is the cause of Errour Matth. 22.29 Many more Places might be cited but these are sufficient to any but a Papist or a Quaker to prove that the Scriptures are the Supreme and only sufficient Rule of Faith and Life which God hath given us They are a sure and standing Rule a compleat and Perfect Rule adequate and commensurate to the things to be regulated or measured thereby From which nothing can be taken away to which nothing can be added but upon the Peril of all the Plagues and Curses in the Book of God Rev. 22.18 19. Thus a Rule is described by Phavorinus 'T is an infallible measure which admits of no addition or diminution * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that if the Scriptures were not a Perfect Rule to measure and try all Opinions and Practices by they were no Rule at all The wrangling Quakers think to evade the force of all these Texts by telling us Gospel Truths c. p. 6. line 31. That Jesus Christ is the only Rule of Faith Worship and Manners And l. 38. they bid us Turn in our Minds unto the gift of Gods Spirit in our Hearts And p. 7. l. 20. It is the Holy Ghost that teaches People good manners Quaere What Spirit teaches the Quakers who want them And by the Light within Thoughts Words and Actions are tryed And this Light of Jesus is a higher and superiour Rule Rare edifying Discourse Christ is the only Rule The gift of God's Spirit in our own Hearts is the Rule The Holy Ghost is the Rule The Light within is the Rule And the Light of Jesus is the Rule And all these are one and the same Rule which is in every Man There is no difference if you believe these acute and subtle Doctors between Christ and the Spirit and the Light within Christ and the Spirit are one and are in every mans heart and yet they pretend to own the Doctrine of the Trinity and tho' they say that Christ and the Spirit of Christ are in every Man and 't is most evident that Christ is God and Man yet contrary to their avowed Principle they break poor Priscian's Head and say thou instead of you to every man who hath Christ and the Spirit in him I grant that Christ hath given us a Rule and the Holy Spirit enables all the People of God to walk according to it but the Scripture or the Written Word is the Rule according to which we are to walk that so Peace and Mercy may be upon us The Spirit is so far from being our Rule that God hath given us the Written Word to try whether we have the
Spirit thereby And if any Spirit would perswade us to receive any Doctrine or do any Action contrary to the Written Word we ought to abominate such a Spirit Besides the Confusion there is palpable Non-sense in these Expressions Christ is the Rule The Spirit is the Rule A Person may prescribe a Rule to another but cannot be a Rule himself any more than John Gannacliff is a Laste or the French King an Edict Yet further we have only the Quakers word for all that they affirm concerning Christs being the Rule and nothing that looks like Proof For those Scriptures which they have cited to this purpose will as well prove the Pope to be Christ's Vicar as Christ or the Spirit or Light within to be our Rule Therefore instead of following them any further in their impertinent citing and misapplying Scripture to exalt their Light within into the Throne of Christ and place of Holy Scripture I shall hint the Danger of this Opinion That the Light within every Man is the supreme Rule of Faith Worship and Manners 1. In this Opinion the Quakers join hands with the Papists and do their Work By denying the Perfection of Scripture they go about to take off People from the use of it They say the Light which is in all the Indians and Pagans is sufficient without the Scriptures No wonder then that they speak so slightly of Scripture as sometimes they do 2. They take the ready way to lull asleep their own Consciences when they alone shall be iudges of their own actions This Doctrine leaves every man to himself to believe and do what he pleases for he has no Rule to try his Spirit by 1 John 4.1 He is a Law to himself How doth this gratifie the Pride of mens Hearts when they think that they may do whatever they list And how is it possible to convince such men of their sin and folly who think themselves infallibly guided by the Spirit of Christ which as they say is the highest Rule superiour to the Letter as these Scoffers call the Written Word The Papists make the Man at Rome the Infallible Judge but every Quaker is a Pope in his own Conceit 3. According to this Opinion People are bound to receive the most absurd Notions that any Quaker shall dictate Yea they are bound to believe contradictions For the Light in one Quaker saith that the Light within is God but in another that 't is a Body as I have formerly prov'd Now suppose any Inlightned Sister at Exon should come with a Span-new-Light and tell the Quakers that 't is neither one nor 'tother they ought according to their own Principles to believe her for 't is Christ 't is the Holy Spirit that speaks by her for ought that ever they can prove to the contrary if they do not abandon this Opinion 4. This Doctrine gives up those who embrace it into the immediate hands of the Devil to receive his suggestions as inspirations and to take his impulses for the Commands of Christ and motions of the Holy Spirit But to return from thâ— Digression leaving the Quakers with their Leaden Rule and Dark Lanthorn Light Let us observe the Motions of our Author He thus proceeds J. N. Now such a one as the Latter is G. T. Prithee Joseph adorn thy Snout with that Instrument which the Men of the World call a pair of Spectacles and ken this same Passage a little Tell me if thou canst with all thy Light whom the word Latter does refer to Is G. T. a Quaker or is he a subtle endeavour or what is he where were thy Wits when this dark Expression dropt from thy Pen In thy Preface thou couldst not distinguish latter from former Here thou talkest of a latter where 't is hard to find any f rmer at all Joseph is this the way thou takest to confute Mr. Tross Get thee gone Brawl with a Tinker or squabble with a Porter but write no more Replies Thou tellest Reverend Mr. Hallet (a) Gospel Truths c. page 12. That working with his Hands was a thing he was never brought up unto And thy Pamphlet gives us to understand that thou wert never brought up to writing of Books If thou hast not some better way to get a Maintenance than by Printing Penny-Books I doubt thou wilt have but a cold Kitchen or wilt be forc'd to be chargeable to thy sound Brethren This Huckstering Trade of Retailing out thy Pamphlets at a Penny apiece will never hold long And perhaps thou mayst be called to account for making a Merchandise of the Word and seeking thy gain from thy Quarter (b) Ibid. J. N. For he greatly endeavours to prove That Jesus Christ was not in the beginning and that the World was not made by him which is contrary to the holy Scripture and he also endeavours to prove the first Day of the Week to be the Christian-Sabbath the which he hath no Scripture to prove as he himself doth acknowledge Here are the two Articles upon which Mr. Tross's Book stands indicted at the Quaker's Bar. 1. That he endeavours to prove that Jesus Christ was not in the beginning c. 2. That the first Day of the Week is the Christian Sabbath 'T is great pity Mr. Tross had not ask'd J. N's leave before he presum'd to publish such a Book in which are contained one Position contrary to Scripture and another which he hath no Scripture for if you will take J. N's honest word for it And who dares question the Truth of what a Man of Infallibity saith J. N. I shall set down some of his words in his Book First Concerning Christ Jesus in p. 4. He saith We say that it may be Orthodoxly denied and asserted That Jesus Christ did not make the World For the World was 4000 years before ever Jesus Christ was And in Pag. 5. he saith In the Old Testament Christ is prophesied of to come How could He then create the VVorld And in Pag. 12 he saith VVe have sufficiently answer'd that it was not the Lord Christ that created the VVorld And in Pag. 10. he speaking of (a) To help the halting Quak. over the Stile understand the time before the Fall of Man saith In which time there could not be so much as any need or use of a Jesus or a Christ nor was there so much as the least hint of him given by either Prophecy or Promise And then he saith Much less was he himself in Being And in Pag. 1â—0 he saith I think I have shewn that the Lord Christ did not make the VVorld See here how dextrously this new Confuter goes to work to prove that Mr. Tross holds that Jesus Christ as Mediator or God-Man did not make the World but that it was made 4000 Years before the Incarnation of God the Son How industrious hath he been to skim the Book from P. 4. to P. 130. that he may make it clear that Mr. Tross doth affirm that
He who is without beginning of days as God was born of a Virgin in time as Man Thou art a Youngster at Disputing and writing Controversies else thou wouldest have seen that it lay upon thee to prove That the Humane Nature was Personally united to the Son of God before the Birth of Abraham yea before the Creation of Adam J. N. And the Apostle Paul speaking of the Jews said They drank of that Spiritual Rock that follow'd them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 These Quakers are perilous shrewd Text-men If J. N. can prove from these words that Christ as God-Man made the World I make no Question but he will shortly prove from it Transubstantiation and all the Opinions in Hobbs his Leviathan No Texts of Scripture meet with worse usage than those whose hard hap it is to fall into the hands of those ignorant Scribblers Some they bring into their Pamphlets as Mummers in a Mask who make a fair Shew but speak not one word to the matter in hand Others they serve as the Souldiers did our Blessed Lord first blind them by their false Glosses and then Buffet them Others they put into the Inquisition where they wrest and torture them to make them confess what they know not That you may see how put this Scripture is to the purpose for which 't is quoted give me leave a little to amplifie J. N's Argument from it You may suppose him to reason after this rate Now here from this Text the Friends that have the Light within may perceive the blindness and darkness of G. T. He saith that Christ Jesus as God-Man was not in the beginning Oh erroneous Doctrine Do you not see the confusion of these Babel-Builders Did ever Priest talk after this absurd rate But you shall see Friends if you be not stark-blind what execution I will do upon him I have an Argument to let fly at him that will strike him dead stone-dead and make him as mute as a fish so that T. B. and I will have the last word of him 'T is an Argument against the Pack 'T is as keen as a Chopping-Knife as clear as Train-Oil Flaming Charcoal it self is not brighter Lo beloved here it is The Jews drank of that Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ Therefore Christ as God-Man was in the beginning What do you think Friends Will any of them (b) them in the Pensylvanian Dialect for the. Presbyterians be able to avoid the force of this Argument This Joseph this is the strength of thy Reason And now judge thy self whether thou hast not made a fair Speech Art thou so blockish as to imagine that the hard Rock in the Wilderness was in a proper sense Christ Jesus Dost think that a Stone more senseless than thy self was both God and Man the Saviour of Sinners I take this to be the meaning of that Scripture The Jews in the Wilderness drank of the Rock which Moses smote with his Rod at the Command of God Exod. 17.6 This Rock saith the Apostle was Christ i. e. It was a Type or Figure of Christ as the Bread in the Lord's Supper when Consecrated is the Body of Christ i. e. a Sign which by Divine Appointment doth exhibit and represent his Body This Rock did in several respects Typifie and Prefigure Christ but it was not in a Proper Sense Christ Jesus God-Man There was some Analogy or Likeness between this Rock and its Waters which were the Sign and Christ and his Benefits which were signified thereby Hear what the Rhemists from whom Joseph Nott's Friends have receiv'd many a precious Doctrine say to this The Rock say they was a Figure of Christ therein especially that out of Christs side pierced on the Cross gushed out Bloud and Water c. J. N. And Christ in Prayer said And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was And he farther said thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World John 17.5.2 4. In these words our Lord prays that the Father would receive his humane Nature into Heaven and give it a due participation of that Glory which his divine Nature had from Eternity He desires that his whole Person might be glorious whereas his Essential Glory had been eclipsed during his abode on Earth This and the 24th Verse prove that Christ as to his Divine Nature was before the Creation of the VVorld which Mr. Tross does not deny but here is nothing to prove that Christ as God-man was before the Creation therefore this Text is impertinently cited against Mr. Tross J. N. Quotes John 1.10 Eph. 3.9 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.1 2. All these Quotations are borrowed from Mr. T. B. to which Mr. Tross hath given such full and clear Answers in Pag. 6 and 7. of his Lord's-Day Vindicated as may satisfy any but such a silly wrangler as J. N. who fairly passes over all that Mr. Tross hath said for the explication of them wisely concluding that many would bestow three or four Farthings to purchase and a quarter of an Hour to read his Pamphlet who would neither buy nor read Mr. Tross's Answer to Mr. Bampfield But though these Texts prove nothing against Mr. Tross hear how the Fool rageth and is confident of his success J. N. Now here it is evident from the words of Christ and his Apostles That Jesus Christ was in the beginning with the Father and that all things were created by him (a) A fiâ—â—re call'd Taâ—tology which often occurs in classical Quaking Authorâ— mâ—re might be said to prove that Jesus Christ was in the beginning and that all things were created by him (a) A fiâ—â—re call'd Taâ—tology which often occurs in classical Quaking Authorâ— But this being sufficient Never beat thy Brains to say any more to this point 'T was evident enough before thy Pamphlet crawlâ—d abroad that Jesus Christ as God was in the beginning That the Divine Nature of our Redeemer made the World That God the Son 4â—00 years before his Incarnation when he first became actually and formally Jesus Christ created Heaven and Earth But we have no proof that Jesus Christ as God-man and actual Mediator was in the beginning What ever good opinion our Author hath of his Sufficiency he will find it a hard Task to prove that Emmanuel God with us created the World And thus much for the Quaker's first Cavil concerning which all that he hath said appears to be a solemn piece of Impertinence SECT IV. J. N's second Cavil at the name Christian-Sabbath a vain strife about words Christ not the Christian-Sabbath The Fathers call the first Day of the Week the Lord's-Day Cant about an invisible and everlasting Day Verstegan abused mis-nam'd and mis-quoted A groundless Quarrel with Saxon Names Advise to J. N. THE Quaker imagining that he had confuted Mr. Tross as to the other Controversy pretends to give a general Assault to his
whole Book J. N. I shall proceed to reply to the other part of his Book Soft and fair good Joseph This is a strange way of proceeding to confute Books by Whole-Sale Thou art a very formidable Adversary for tho' thou art not over-laden with Wit or Learning I find thee a very sufficient Man at Boasting Braving VVondering and Railing Thou proceedest to talk Non-sense without blushing thou art big with a Reply to what thou dost not understand and passest over what thou canst not answer Thou dost dictate not argue Nibble and Cavil but demonstrate nothing besides thy own Ignorance and Impudence J. N. But first I shall set down some of his own words in his Book that the Reader may see what it is that I do return an Answer unto Just now thou threatnedst the whole Book with a general Escalade but when all comes to all thou dost but skirmish with seven or eight Sentences J. N. The first words in his Book a are as follows The Lord's-Day Vindicated or the first Day of the Week the Christian-Sabbath a Anglice the Title But where is thy Reply VVhat are the Exceptions against this J. N. And in Pag. 33. He speaking of the seventh-Seventh-Day and of Christ saith He designed to wit Christ its speedy Absolution as the seventh-Seventh-Day and its Conversion into the first Day Now this wants a proof from G. T. I find the Reverend Author in the Page here quoted giving several Reasons why our Lord never particularly recommended or enjoined the Observation of the Seventh-Day-Sabbath to his Hearers The words which J. N. carps at are the 4th Christ was about to abolish the Jewish-Sabbath As it was a Day of Ceremonial Rest * The bodily Rest being required for it self and not only for the Scriptural works sake so he designed utterly to abolish it together with the rest of the Ceremonial Law for the Shadows were to vanish when the Body was come vide Pag. 93 94. As it was a Day of spiritual Rest and VVorship so he intended speedily to change it from the Seventh-Day to the First The Qarker saith very gravely Now this wants a Proof But I say now and then J. N. wants Eyes and Brains to discern the many Proofs of this throughout that judicious Treatise By how mony solid Arguments is the actual change of the Day prov'd And if it were actually changed by Christ's Apostles according to his own Order and Instructions which he through the Holy Ghost had given unto them Acts 1.2 3. to be sure Christ designed the change thereof For 't is Blasphemy to say that Christ ordered and through the Holy Ghost gave commandment to his Apostles to do that which he never designed to have done J. N. And in Pag. 44. He speaks of the Change of the Seventh-Day into the First Day-Sabbath as he calls it And in Pag. 59 and 60 he saith And we say the Seventh-Day being cashier'd the First Day ought to be its successor I wonder from whence he will prove this Prithee Man have a care of these same Wonderments for they say Admiration is the Daughter of old Ignoramus And the VVonderer is but one remove from a Fool. Read Pag. 60 61 62. of Mr. Tross's Book and thou wilt find abundant proof of this And in Pag. 131. 132 133. thou mayest find the Sum of those many Arguments by which Mr. Tross hath proved the abolition of the Jewish Seventh-Day and the establishment of the First-Day as the Christian-Sabbath I advise thee Joseph as a Friend to read over those few Pages and thou wilt find much more proof for this than thou hast given us that Christ as God-man made the VVorld from those words This Rock was Christ J. N. And in Pag. 85. He mentions Christs words where it 's said The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath-Day And then he saith A Proof which we make use of to prove our Doctrine of the First Day-Sabbath But I say this is no proof at all Ipse dixit VVho durst reply to what J. N. hath said If he saith Yea let none say Nay His bare word must pass for Argument He hath told you 't is no proof and it shall be no proof VVell mayest thou Joseph hug thy own dear Self for this rare Talent thou hast got of Answering Arguments by Yea and by Nay If any desire to know how these words of our Saviour are improv'd by Mr. Tross to strengthen his Assertion concerning the Change of the Sabbath from the Seventh Day to the First let them consult Pag. 87. 90. of his Book J. N And in Pag. 114. he saith The Seventh-Day-Sabbath was observed in Comemoraation of the works of Creation until a more admirable work of God should be accomplished so the First Day ever after should be the Holy Rest It will be very hard for G. T. to prove this and it doth also manifest his great Ignorance of the Resting-Place that the Servants of the Lord have in Chrst Jesus Bravely done Thou hast cleaverly confuted Mr. G. T. by telling him that it will be very hard for him to prove what he hath produced many Arguments for which thou takest no Notice of No doubt thy Name will be up for a Dangerous Confuter Especially when thou dost so frequently talk of his Ignorance But Joseph methinks thou actest like Harpaste Seneca's VVife's Fool who being as blind as a Beetle would not believe it but cried out against her Mistriss for putting her into a Dark-House * Seneca Epist 50. Thus thou criest out of others Ignorance when thou oughtest to reflect upon thy own Blockishness Upon this Occasion a Friend bid me mind thee of that of the Poet. Tecum habita noris quam sit tibi curta supellex But lest this should be as bad as Heathen Greek to thee I 'le take leave to English it thus Consult thy self and thou wilt see Noll's Porter had more Light than thee VVhat thou talkest of the Resting-Place in Christ Jesus I shall reckon with thee for anon J. N. Now here the Reader may see that his great Endeavours are to prove the First-Day of the Week to be the Christian Sabbath and yet in Pag. 56. he saith we grant that the Holy Scriptures do call no other Day of the Week a Sabbath but the Seventh And in Pag. 94. he saith The First Day is never called Sabbath in Scripture and I say so too and therefore he might very well have been silent But here all whose Vnderstanding is open may see how this Man labours like a Man beating the Air or that builds without a Foundation for himself doth acknowledge that he hath no Scripture for a Foundation A heavy charge Self-contradiction beating the Air building Without a Foundation And why so great wrath VVhy because Mr. Tross calls the First Day of the VVeek the Christian-Sabbath when the Scriptures call no other Day a Sabbath but the Seventh But Joseph what if thy charge be meer mistake Mr. Tross
Dionysius of Corinth in Euseb Hist. lib. 4. c. 23. * Valesii Edit saith To day we keep the Holy Lord's Day This Lord's-Day which was the Christians chief Festival appears to be that Day which the Jews called the First Day the Heathens Sunday in that several of the Fathers call it Sunday as Justin Martyr informing the Heathens of the time and manner of the Châ—istians Assemblies tells them That their Meeting was on the Day called Sunday or the First Day of the VVeek giving this as the Reason Therefore do we meet upon Sunday because upon it God dispelling the Darkness and informing the first matter created the VVorld and also so because upon that Day Jesus Christ our Saviour rose again from the Dead Tertullian also in his Apology c. 16. tells the Heathens that their Sunday was the Christians Joyful Day and again De Idolol c. 14. he saith that every Eighth Day was the Châ—istians Festival This Day in his Book De Corona Mil. c. 3. and oft else where he calls the Lord's Day and saith it was a Crime to Fast upon it Others I find cited to the same purpose as Theophil Antiochen Clemens Alex. Orig. contracels and others Now let J. N. write a Confutation of these Antient Fathers and reprove them for their bold venture in calling the First Day of the VVeek the Lord's-Day J. N. p. 6. lin 39. And he doth also manifest his ignorance of the Everlasting Day of God's Power that the Saints in Light are enjoyers of And p. 7. lin 5. Here is an invisible day spoken of viz. 1 Thes 5.5 --- 8. And lin 14. G.T. manifests himself to be ignorant of this invisible Day of the Lord and so appears not to be an Inhabitant of the holy City new Jerusalem for they that are Citizens of this holy City are living Witnesses of the Everlasting Day of God's Power dawned and broken forth An Everlasting Day indeed He that can hear let him hear and understand Joseph We hear thee right well but must confess our selves a little at a loss about this Invisible Day which thou talkest of Therefore we desire thee to favour us with an intelligible account what thou meanest by the Everlasting Day of God's Power Where doth the Scripture speak of an invisible Day We know that the word day is sometimes us'd in Scripture in a Proper sense for the time in which the Sun is above our Horizon sometimes in a Metaphorical sense for a time of clear knowledge of heavenly Truths or a state of Illumination and Conversion in opposition to a time or state of Ignorance or Unbelief called Night in Scripture Of such a day are those Texts by thee quoted to be understood 1 Thes 5.5 8. 2 Pet. 1.9 That Text Prov. 4.18 might have led thee to this Notion The Path or course of life of a righteous man is as the shining light It is like unto it and resembles it in purity clearness pleasure and the like But the way of the wicked is as darkness neither pleasant nor safe So a time of clear knowledge when the Gospel is plainly Preach'd or a state of Grace are like the Day For as the light of the Sun removes the darkness and horrour of the night bringing comfort along with it so the saving knowledge of God true Grace wrought by the Gospel removes Ignorance and Error and gives joy and peace to Believers But why dost thou again charge Mr. Tross with Ignorance and uncharitably condemn him as one that hath no title to Heaven Dost think that thou hast Monopoliz'd knowledge to thy self Must all the World dance after thy Pipe Thou art like the Bernardine Monks who thought that the Sun darted its Beams no where but into their own Cell And what fulsome pride and daring arrogance dost thou manifest when thou presumest to judge of a very pious Divine's Eternal condition and magisterially pronounce that he is no Citizen of a New Jerusalem and all because he doth not understand thy nonsensical Cant about an Invisible Day Whether thou meanest by the Holy City the New Jerusalem the Church Militant or the Church Triumphant this is a horribly wicked censure of thine What is so pious strict and charitable a Christian so faithful and laborious a Minister as Mr. Tross no Member of the Church on Earth and hath no right to the Kingdom of Heaven and in a state of Damnation How didst thou come to know this Was it revealed to thee by the Accuser of the Brethren If he be in so dreadful a condition what a case art thou in who discoverest such Devilish Pride and monstrous uncharitableness I advise thee Joseph when thou re-printest these thy learned Works to leave out these Accusations and Condemnations of a person so much better than thy self And beg of God to cure and pardon the pride of thine Heart least thou fall into the condemnation of the Devil If self-conceit had not swoll'n thee up above the just Dimensions of a Man thou wouldst never thus thrust thy self into the Throne of Christ and pass sentence as thou hast upon his Servant Examine whether thy Invisible Enemy did not puff thee up with an opinion of thine abilities whether he did not move thee to proclaim thy folly in pretending to answer so great a Scholar as Mr. Tross What Spirit but a black one would ever have stired thee up to treat so Grave so Good and Reverend a Divine as he with so much Rudeness Scorn and Contempt as thou hast Thou taxest him Ten times over of Ignorance Blindness Darkness of opposing Scripture and contradicting himself This is like the great Boaster we read of in Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 1. cap. 2. who defamed all the excellent Wits of Greece and Italy on purpose to extol himself Or like Simon the Wizzard Acts 8.9 who gave out that himself was some great one Thus dost thou give out that thou art some great one a wonder of Wit a Prodigy of Parts Thou endeavourest to blacken others that thou mayst blanch thy self Thou art wise in thine own Eyes and others are ignorant and foolish in thy Opinion But I dare say thou art not thought to be over-laden with VVisdom or Learning by many others And doth it not manifest thy unmatchable Pride as well as notorious folly for such a Fellow as thou who canst neither write good sense nor understand a plain English Author who hast scarce any Books to read or time to study to pretend to confute a Book which thou art never like to understand one half of But Mr. Tross is not the first Learned Man that hath been thus treated by silly Quakers For Mr. Baxter tells us in his Treatise of Knowledge and Love p. 117. that he met with the like usage The Quakers saith he in their Shops when I go along London-Streets say alas poor man thou art yet in darkness They have oft come to me in the Congregation and cried out against me as a Deceiver
tell thee that William Pen is the only Man of Name among the Quakers it seems this Phrase would be above thy shallow Capacity J. N. The next was the Idol Wooden whom the Saxons honoured for their God of Battel from whence they called the Fourth day Wednesday Where didst thou find an Idol called Wooden I don't think there is any such Name in Cambden or Verstegan If thou hadst not been a Wooden Fellow thou wouldest have distinguish'd Woden from Wooden But every Log will not make a Mercury J. N. Now it is good for all People to leave these old Pagan Saxon Heathen Names and call the days as they are called in Scripture Never doubt Joseph but that all People will be ready to gratifie thee in this when they know thy mind And oh what a happy Reformation would it be if all People would call the days by the Names of the First day the second day c. What a brave time if the Religion and Manners of Pensylvania should obtain all the World over Here 's precious Counsel if 't were receiv'd The Quaker is for a new Language acommodated to his new Light He is a Man that sets a high value upon proper words tho' he makes no great scruple of Conscience about joining them together 'T is pity but he had liberty to coin a Language to his mind provided the new words and those that affect them were sent after the Copper Farthings Custom hath made the Names Monday Tuesday c. curâ—ant among us We use them as notes of distinction for the days of the Week And few of those who use these Names intend thereby any honour to the Man in the Moon to Tuisco the Idol of the Planets or Wooden the God of Battel And tho' I best approve of the name of the Lords-day for the first day of the Week yet I don't intend to bring an Action of Scandal against Justin Martyr or Tertullian for calling it Sunday And let but Joseph Nott give me liberty to call the other days Monday Tuesday Wednesday c. and to be quits with him he shall call them Second Third Fourth c. or Alpha Beta Gamma Delta or what else he pleases for me I don't find that the Penmen of the Holy Scriptures were so nice and scrupulous in things of this nature The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tho' an old Pagan Greek Heathen name used as Estius ad Rom. 3.2 apud Graecos Authores ad significandum responsa Deorum quae Latini Oracula vocant To signifie the Answers of the Heathen Gods yet the Proto-Martyr Stephen Acts 7.38 And the Apostle of the Gentiles Rom. 3.2 without scruple use it applying it to the Sacred Writings and Revelations of the will of the only living and true God Hear what the Learned and Reverend Doctor Wallis says to this frivolous Cavil in his Defence of the Christian Sabbath in answer to Mr. Bampfield p. 67. After he hath shewn how little regard is to be given to the Tale of Verstegan he adds But whaeever were the occasion on of the first imposing these are now the known Names of those Days And we need no more scruple the use of these Names than to talk of Pope Pius Clemens Boniface and Innocent tho' possibly the persons so call'd had none of those good Qualities In like manner as we have a Spring near Oxford which we call Aristotle's Well not that we think Aristotle was ever there or was Lord of the place and much less that he was wont to be there worshipped but we so call it as being now the proper name of the place imposed at pleasure by which it is known And so for the days of the VVeek whatever were the occasion of the first imposing they now signifie no more than the proper distinctive names by which the days are known And why we may not continue so to call them I know not We are told Acts 17.19 20. of Paul's being at Areopagus or Mars-Hill because that was the known name of the Place without scrupling the reason why it was so called whether because Mars had been there worshipped or for what other reason And Acts 28.11 of a Ship design'd by Castor and Pollux or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without scrupling the reason of that Name or what Relation these Stars had to Jupiter so as to be called his Lads c. 'T was not for nothing that St. Paul caution'd Timothy to avoid profane and vain bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so call'd 1 Tim. 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de rebus inanibus clamor inanis garrulitas quae ad aedificationem non facit Aret. Many such empty noisy bablers there have been in all Ages and still are of whom Vincentius Lirinensis tells us cap. 26. Audias quosdam ips rum dicere venite O insipientes miseri qui vulgo Catholici vocitamini discito fidem veram quam praeter nos nullus intelligit quae multis ante seculis latuit nuper vero revelata ostensa est How agreeable is this to the Quakers stile Come you ignorant and blind Priests come you foolish Protestants and learn the truth of us that Truth which none but we understand which hath been hid fâ—om you but is of late reveal'd unto us who have the Spirit and the Light within Learn of us to keep an invisible day Learn of us to call the days as they are called in Scripture c. But let us hear the Epilogue of this Learned and Elegant Piece J. N. The Lord prosper his great work and cause his Truth to spread more and more is the Prayer and desire of my soul Even so Amen Written by a Lover of the Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph Nott. As he began with Non-sense so he concludes with it too To make sense of it it must be That the Lord would prosper c. But 't is fit the end should be like the rest of the Pamphlet that all might be of a piece As he entituled his Book Holy Scripture work c. whereas it is a prophane wresting of Scripture so he calls himself a Lover of the Lord Jesus Christ tho' he casts off his Ordinances vilisies his VVord and reproaches his Messengers I think I have made it evident that Joseph Nott is not a Lover of the Lord Jesus Christ but one who giveth head to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisy 1 Tim. 4.1 2. And I doubt not but that I may on this occasion pray with David Psal 31.18 Let thâ—â—ing Lips be put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the Righteous Thus I have done with this Pamphlet I have discovered the great pride and ignornce of the Writer I have shewn his gross Mistakes pitiful Cavils and notorious Errors Ex pede Herculem By this you may see what a fine System of Divinity our new Professors who are Men of all Trades are like in time to patch together What monstrous
Jesus Christ was not in the beginning But hear how bravely J. N. confutes him J. N. Now here all that can see with a single Eye may see the darkness and blindness of this man yea the gross darkness that may be felt yea the blindness the born blindness Oh Erroneous Doctrine Who will believe or receive such Doctrine as is so contrary to the Holy Scriptures of Truth Quis tulerit Gracchos Reader doth it not move thy Gall or Spleen rather to hear a poor Ignorant Quaker thus Tragically exclaiming against a learned acute Divine as tho' he were about to Sap the very Foundations of Christianity But stay Joseph peace Man why art so startled Wert thou well awake and compos mentis or just rouz'd out of some frightful Vision when thou mad'st that hideous Out-cry Thou yaulest like the Geese those Roman Quakers as tho' the Enemy were at the Gates of the Capitol What is it that makes thee thus take on and rave about Erroneous Doctrine Darkness gross Darkness Blindness born-Blindness a fine expression of thiâ—e own Invention I doubt thou understandest but little of what thou readest Mr. Tross having to do with Mr. T. B. considers his Question Whether the World was made by Jesus Christ To which he answers That in one sense it may be affirmed in another sense it may be denied He affirms that the God-head of Christ created the World but denies that Christ consisting of that God-head and the Humanity hypostatically united created it P. 7. The God-head or Divine Nature of Christ he grants was throughout a beginningless Eternity P. 6. and made Heaven and Earth But Jesus Christ as God and Man in contra-distinction to the Father and the Holy Ghost did not make the World for Mr. Tross proves that the Name Jesus Christ do necessarily imply or include the Humane Nature with the Divine He shews that the Divine Nature formally and abstractly considered cannot be Christ i. e. anointed fitted or qualified by any other for the Office of Mediation nor could the Divine Nature alone be our Jesus or Saviour for the God-head can neither obey the Law nor bear the Curse both which were to be done by our Jesus These appertain only to his Humanity tho' his Divinity gives merit to his Active and Passive Obedience He was not actually Jesus till after his Incarnation till he had actually done and suffered all those things for which all his Church are redeemed and saved Therefore tho' God the Son was in the beginning and created the World yet seeing he was not actually and formally Jesus Christ until after the Incarnation which Incarnation of the Second Person in the Glorious Trinity was not till about four thousand years after the Creation of the World 't is evident that as Jesus Christ he could not create it tho' as God he did 'T is a great mistake to argue that whatever God is or did that Jesus Christ is and did I grant that by reason of the near union between the Divine and Humane Nature in the person of our Mediatour the special Qualities of both Natures are sometimes ascribed to the Person of Christ yea that which is proper to one Nature is sometimes attributed to the Person denominated from the other Nature Hence the Scripture speaks of the Blood of God Acts 20.38 Where the Word God is to be understood not essentially for the Divine Nature but Personally The Lord Jesus who is truly God shed his Bloud which belongs to him as Man So the Lord of Glory was Crucify'd 1 Cor. 2.8 Christ on Earth said of himself The Son of Man which is in Heaven John 3.13 But tho' the Properties of both Natures may be ascrib'd to the Person yet the Properties of one Nature are not communicated unto nor can they without Nonsense yea Blasphemy be predicated of the other Nature We may say God suffered but 't is Blasphemy to say the Godehead suffer'd The Man Christ Jesus is Mediator by him all things were made but the Humane Nature did not could not make all things for it was a creature and so was made it self Let Joseph Nott read and consider what Mr. Tross hath said on this Argument in 4 5 6 7. of his Book and if he doth but understand what he reads I suppose he will as much admire his own Dullness as he did before exclaim against Mr. Tross's Blindness If he hath any thing more to say against Mr. Tross as to this matter let him prove That the World was not made until the Son of God assum'd the Humane Nature That the World was made but 1693 years before the year of the Date of these Pâ—esents That all our Chronologers who say that the World is near 6000 years old are Ignorant and Blind for J. N. hath discover'd by the help of his Light within that the World is not full seventeen hundred years old If he can make this out I shall conclude that a pair of Quaking-Spectacles are worth a dozen Telescopes Mr. Tross often affirms that God the Son is Jehovah and created the World That the God-head of our Redeeme raised the glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth But all the Scriptures alledg'd by Mr. T.B. would not convince him that the World was made since the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us John 1.14 Jehovah made the World almost 4000 years before the time that God was manifest in the flesh Now the Names of Jesus Christ do not belong to God the Creator but to the only Mediator between God and Man who is Emmanuel God with us So that the Quaker had as good have wip'd up his Mouth and kept a Silent Meeting as have gap'd so wide and said nothing to the purpose J. N. Now that this is contrary to the Holy Scriptures is easily prov'd And by the assistance of the Holy Spirit of God I shall undertake to prove that Jesus Christ was in the beginning and that the World was made by him Ay ay Joseph No doubt this is easie to such a bold Vndertaker as thy mighty Self Only mind Mr. Tross's Distinction Remember that he grants that God the Son made the World that the Godhead of Jesus Christ was in the beginning and created all things What he denies and thou art to prove is That this glorious Person did not make the World until he became Man until the time of his Incarnation when he was actually and formally Jesus Christ J. N. For Christ Jesus said to the Jews Before Abraham was I am John 5.28 Very true And doth not Mr. Tross grant as much Doth he not say that Christ as God or the Godhead of Jesus Christ was throughout a beginningless Eternity But dost thou think that Christ here spake concerning his Humane Nature I tell thee Joseph that Person who is God over all blessed for ever as concerning the flesh (a) Rom. 9.5 is a Jew of the Seed of Abraham He who us God is David's Lord as Man is David's Son