let the Passenger know what he may find within He begins thus Joseph Nott. Reader by this thou mayest know That I have seen a Book with G. T. for George Tross's Name to it a Preacher among the Presbyterians in Exon Dated 1692. And Reader By this compar'd with the Date of J. N's Pamphlet thou mayest know that the Author sat brooding 5 or 6 Months before this Reply was hatch'd For Mr. Tross's Book was Printed in August whereas J. N's Scribble did not appear before Cuckow time this present Year J. N. Now this Book of G. T 's was written in Answer to a Book set forth by Thomas Bampfield Counsellor at Law in Exon by way of Enquiry Whether the Lord Jesus Christ made the World And also by way of Vindication of the Observation of the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath I would have the Reader observe That I am not concern'd to Vindicate T. B's Book Not to insist upon the false Spelling and Canting Phrase of our Quaker I shall comply wiâ—â— his Request and fix on that which he doth with so great Ceremony and Formality desire his Reader to observe And what great and wonderful thing do you think ' t is Why 't is no more but this That he is not concern'd to Vindicate T. B 's Book Alas poor T. B. You and your Book are left to shift for your selves for any assistance Joseph Nott will aford you Could you but have hook'd in this Man of mettle for your Second how soon would G. T. have quitted the field If a Man of such deep Thoughts and profound Learning as J. N. had been profelyted to your Opinion and would but have deign'd to write for a Saturday-Sabbath no doubt but you might have the Satisfaction to see the Quakers open their Holding-fâ—â—th-place-door on the Seventh-Day and their Shop-Windows on the First And oh what Comfort might you have taken in the good Success of your Book if you had seen this Doctor in the Pulpit on Saturday and in the Comb-Shop on Sunday But tho' he hath a Mind to fall out with G. T. he hath never a word in his Budget for T. B. but leaves him to stand upon his own Legs if he can and then proceeds J. N. But to the Latter I say I am sensible that Christ the Substance is come and the Shadows flies away And I am sensible that this Sentence abounds with palpable Non-sense To call G. T. the latter when he had mentioned him 3 times in 3 Lines before he had once nam'd T. B. and not once since And to join Flies a Verb of the Singular Number with Shadows a Nominative Case of the Plural and yet bear us in hand that he is sensible is somewhat unaccountable in a Man of his Gifts But I suppose his Talent lies in something beside writing good Sense or true English or else his Noddle was a little â—â—y-blown and he freakish when thiâ— Preface gave him the Slip. But to be serious Joseph thou art like to prove a hopeful Confuter who canst not distinguish former from latter Art thou the mighty He who didst challenge all the Ministers in Exon to encounter thee Away Trifler away to thy Trade Throw aside thy Pen and handle the Tool which thou wert bred up to Never more write Prefaces till thou hast reconcil'd thy self to good Sense and canst speak true English But why must Mr. Tross be told That Christ the Sabstanâ—â— is come c. Doth he ever deny it Hath He not in that Book which thou aâ—t Nibbling at * The Lords Day vindicated prov'd that the Ceremonial Law was a Shadow of Christ Doth he not affirm Pag. 39. That Christ was the Substance of those Figures the Body of those Shadows in the Ceremonial Law Hath he not prov'd from Coloss 2.16 17 That the Jewish seventh-day-Seventh-Day-Sabbath was one of those Shadows that were to vanish when Christ the Body was come †Pag. 92. seq 11. Prov. 26.7 Hadst thou said thy Say to T. B. who will hug the Shadow tho' the Substance be come it had been better applied But how odly doth a Parable sound out of the Mouth of a Fool or vain Jangler who knows not what he says nor whereof he affirms Tim. 1.17 J. N. But I am concern'd to return a Reply to several things in G. T 's Book for I have perused it and have seen the great Error of the Writer which drew a Concern upon my Mind to write Concern is a great word with him you had it once before and now twice more in this Sentence One would have thought he had no great Concerns of his own and therefore did concern himself with Mr. Tross had he not told us that it was not Curiosity but Zeal against Error drew him on But was it indeed to shew Mr. Tross's Error that thou hast appear'd in Print or to discover thy own invincible Courage Mr. Tross had by clear Scripture and solid Reason routed all those Arguments which Mr. T. B. had pressed for the Service of the Jewish-Sabbath Upon this out comes J. N. swagers up and down threatning what he would do to Mr. T. Just like Thersites an ill-â—avour'd and ill-humour'd Fellow in the Grecian Army at the Siege of Troy who tho he were the greatest Coward that ever drew Sword yet had the Confidence to oppose the stoutest Commanders One day when he concern'd himself to return a Reply to Achilles that Hero knock'd him down and kill'd him with a blow of his Fist But Joseph set thy Heart at rest Mr. Tross is too generous to lay Hands on such a Dwarf as thou 'T is beneath a Man of his Learning and Reputation to observe â—r reply to thy pitiful Cavils Thou mayest sit pluming thy self crowing and clapping thy Wings for Joy of thy imaginary Victory long enough ere he will give thee any disturbance J. N. For I do admire that ever a Man professing Christianity should appear in Print in such manifest Opposition to the holy Scripture and yet of that Number that profess the Scripture to be the only Rule of Faith c. But in this we may see the great Confusion of Babel's Builders None but such as Joseph Nott who have read Mr. Tross's Book would have been put into such a fit of wondering or would thus impudently charge him with Opposition yea manifest Opposition to Scripture None but a Popish Tool would reproach a Man for professing the Scripture to be the Rule of Faith and Life But no wonder that shallow Heads admire what they do not understand No wonder that Crafty Papists imploy silly Quakers to do their work by vilifying the sacred Writings No wonder that the underling Quaker is many times but the Puppet in the Show that serves to make a little Sport when the subtle Jesuite stands behind the Curtain and manages the Wires No wonder that a black Mouth'd Fellow that is drunk with the Fumes of Pride and Self-conceit should foam at the Mouth and revile
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-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-Seventh-Day and the establishment of the First-Day as the christian-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-Sabbath-Day And then he saith A Proof which we make use of to prove our Doctrine of the First day-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
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-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
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
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
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
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