Acts 10. 34. where Peter saith of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons Sixthly where thou sayest there is no absolute decree of Election and reprobation from Eternity and sayest see a late Confession of Faith by Burroughs To this I say there is no such position in his confession of faith as thou here hath asserted but that we do believe that their is a state of Election and Reprobation as is there confest and faithfully acknowledged Seaventhly thou sayest that the Scriptures are not the Rule this is charged upon them by the Ministers of New-Castle as thou sayest To this I say as many as are begotten of the immortal seed to a lively hope by the word of God which abides for ever are his sons and children and such are led by the Spirit of God and it is their rule and not the letter Rom. 8. 14. and yet such are not Papists nor to be parallel'd with Bellarmine who shews the Scriptures are not necessary for they acknowledge that they are necessary that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 17. Eighthly thou compares us to the papists for saying the baptisme of Infants is not to be proved by the Scripture and quotes Bellarmine for calling it a tradition that 's no where written To this I say though we are no Papists yet I believe that Bellarmine confesses in this thing more truth than thou for it is very like it is a tradition which in its beginning was instituted by the Papists Church yet however this I am sure of that it is not recorded in the Scriptures of truth that ever God commanded it or any of his Ministers whom he sent forth practiced it therefore the Papist and thou that preaches it up as an ordinance of God is required to prove if you can when God ordained it or any of his Apostles practiced it and if you cannot Confess you have taught for ordinances mens traditions and seeing the Papists do confesse it is a tradition well may you Protestants doe the same for you had the practice of sprinkling Infants from them and in this you have drunk the whores cup. Ninethly whereas thou sayest that one day of seaven which we call the Lords day is no more than any other day and that it is without divine Authority To this I say further there is no command of God in the Scriptures for observing the first day of the week as a Sabboth of rest by ceasing from all bodyly labour of man servant or maid servant cattle and stranger that is within our gates as there was a command of God to the Jewes to observe the seaventh day and keep it holy to the Lord for a Sabboth of rest to them their sons and daughters man-servants and maid-servant cattel and stranger that was within their gates which Sabboth unto them was a signe and thou further sayest we make it Tipecal in which thou compares us to Bellarmine which comparison is altogether unequal for though Bellarmine counted it Tipical yet we make it not Tipecal for it was the seaventh day and not the first day which we say was a signe and concerning the first day of the week if thou hold that it was commanded by divine Authority as the seaventh day once was when thou writes again shew when it was commanded and where the holy Scriptures testifies of any such Command Tenthly whereas thou sayest that we say the Lords Supper as administred in your Churches is nothing but a bit of bread and wine and that we speak scornfully of it To this I say when thou writes again I desire thee to shew us an example if thou canst where ever the Apostles and true Church mett together in a Steeple House or Idolls Temple and broke bread in such a form and manner among unconverted people as you do calling it the Lords Supper or a Sacrament but the Lords Supper which is so in truth we do freely own and whereas thou compares us with the Papists in saying we speak scornfully of that which you call the Lords Supper in this I say thy comparing of us with them is altogether unequal for we do not speak scornfully of it but where we see either the Papists or you in an error we do rather pitty you than scorn you and desires that you may be recovered out of all error and be saved in the day of the Lord yet we do despise and reject the vain traditions of men which is practised for the worship of God by you Eleventhly thou sayest that wee affirm that Protestants Ministers are no Ministers of Christ that we use the vilest Language against you that we can invent deny your call and say you came from Rome c. Answ If thou meanest by Protestant Ministers of such of you as seeks for your gain from your quarters and Preaches for hire and makes a bargain for so much a year these practices being the same as the false Prophets and Papists are in doth in some measure demonstrate that your begining was from Rome for no example can you shew for those practices aforementioned among all the Holy Prophets or Ministers of Christ that have been since the begining And whereas thou sayest that we use the vilest language that we can invent against you I Answer this is utterly false for no vile language do we use or invent against you but the language of truth telling you plainly without flattering of the evil of your wayes that you may repent and in thus doing we have the holy Prophets of old for our example Twelfly that we have the same spirit of Infallability that the Apostles had To this I say further both we and all Gods children who are of the little flock have the same Infallible Spirit according to its measure and manifestation which is given to every child of God to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. and both thou and all that say they have it not but counts it Popery for any to confess they have it art so far from being a Minister of Christ that both thou and they that have it not are not yet of his flock for the Apostle saith plainly if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. and yet he was no Papist nor with them to be parallel'd no more are we that confesse we have the Spirit of Christ I having rightly stated and vindicated our doctrines against thy slanders and proved them by the holy Scriptures to be the wholesome and sound doctrines of the Gospel I shall go on to lay open and reply against thy slanders and falsities concerning us in which thou hast compared us with the Popish Monks but it had been more wisdome and more like a Minister of Christ to enquired truly into our practices before thou had given judgement upon us or have compared us to the Popish Monks in whose discipiline thou sayest we seem to be admirably
BABILONS DEFENCE Broken down and one of Antichrists Warriours DEFEATED In an Answer to a Scandalous Pamphlet Intituled THE QVAKER-JESVIT OR Popery in Quakerisme Put forth by one William Brownsword who calls himself Minister of the Gospel at Kendal In which the Doctrines of the Quakers so called are more truly stated than he hath stated them and fully manifested and clearly proved by the Holy Scriptures to be the sound doctrines of Truth In opposition to his false Slanders of them to be Popery In which also it is fully manifest that our practices are the practices of truth for which we have the holy Prophets and Ministers of Christ for our Example Wherein it is clearly manifest that he hath no more true ground to compare us to the Monks than the Enemies of truth had in Generations past to compare the holy Prophets to Idolators who practiced such things in obedience to God in their Age as we practice in obedience to God in our Age being a true testimony that many of the things that he hath said concerning us and our Religion are false With a few Queries to him concerning those Doctrines and Practices in which he hath compared us with the Papists By John Stoery Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Mat. 5. 11. As many were astonied at thee his visage was so marr'd more than any man and his form more than the sons of men Isai 52. 14. LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Black-Spread-Eagle and Wind-mill in Martins near Aldersgate 1660. Babylons Defence broken down and one of Antichrists Warriours Defeated In an Answer to a Slanderous Pamphlet Intituled The Quaker-Jesuite Or Popery in Quakerisme c. WHereas a Lying Pamphlet being come to my hands of William Brownswords who professes himself to be a Minister of the Gospel at Kendal but his Fruits and Practices doth rather demonstrate him to be a Minister of Anti-Christ and of that Generation that cryed Report and we will report it who ever did and doth report their lies and slanders against the Innocent to make the truth odious who are of that generation that shuts the Kingdome of God against men neither entering by Christ the light themselves nor suffering them that would but endeavours to perswade people that it is Popery and dangerous to hearken to the light of Christ within them and so endeavours to divert them from the means of recovery out of the shaddow of death and grosse darknesse which hath over spread the whole world out of which there is no way or means but in and through Jesus who is the true light of the world and did so testify of himself that all people might believe in him to have Life and Salvation who redeems mankind out of sin and saves from destruction and gives Eternal Life to as many as believes in him and leads out of darknesse all them that follow him in whose light all Nations of them that are saved must walk In which light is the Saints Union known and the Blood of the Lamb witnessed which was shed for many to remit sin And thou who would instigate people against the light of Jesus and endeavours to perswade that it is Popery to exhort people to hearken to the spirit of truth or light of Christ in them neither enters by him thy self nor is willing to suffer others but the day is appeared and the everlasting light is manifesting which will discover all thy deceits and thy refuge of lyes shall be swept away and thy slanders will return upon thy own head in the day when the Lord pleads with thee for all thy hard speeches and rewards thee according to thy doings Whereas Thou calls thy Pamphlet the Quaker-Jesuite Or Popery in Quakerisme Answer The people of God who are by the world in scorne called Quakers do deny thee and the Jesuites and all theirs and thy doctrines that are contrary to the truth and distructive to mens salvation and as for thy saying there is Popery in Quakerisme No Popery thou hast or canst prove to be amongst us or any doctrines that 's contrary to the holy Scriptures and Gospel of Christ therefore will these thy sayings and slandrous words that there is Popery in Quakerisme return upon thy own head and be thy burden at last Except thou confess thy fault and Repent And whereas thou further calls thy Pamphlet A cleare discovery that their doctrines with their proofs and arguments are fetch out of the Counsel of Trent Bellarmine and others Answ Our doctrines which are the wholesome doctrines of the Gospel of Christ which we have not received of man neither were taught by men but by the Revelation of Christ are not fetch out of the Counsel of Trent Bellarmine and others but it is no wonder that thou being blind saith that our doctrines are fetch out of the Counsel of Trent Bellarmine and others when thou sayest those good and wholesome sayings Of the holy Scriptures and Apostles of Christ which thou thy self hast quoted as proofs which we bring for our doctrines are fetch out of the Counsel of Trent Ballarmine and others was the Counsel of Trent Ballarmine and others the Original of those Scriptures or are they Popery and we Papists for bringing them to beare testimony of our doctrines Canst thou behold thy work again and not be ashamed when thou seest thy folly and Ignorance made manifest unto all that have the least measure of true knowledg Is thy Pamphlet a cleare discovery that our arguments are fetch out of the Counsel of Trent when here is not not any of our arguments in all thy Pamphlet but onely a few doctrines stated in such a manner as hath pleased thee to state them but our doctrines which are the wholesome doctrines of truth which thou hast not nor canst not disprove but thy own self hast quoted the Scriptures which doth in effect prove the things of which we say Therefore let that mouth be for ever stopped that sayth they and their proofs which is the words of the holy Scriptures are fetch out of the Councel of Trent Bellarmine and others And so thy slanders of us and our doctrines and the holy Scriptures shall returne back upon thy own head until thou confess thy folly and repent and do no more so wickedly And thou further saith that their practises are fetcht out of the Rules of Popish Monks Answ It is utterly false for our practises have we not received as traditions from them neither do we walk by their rules but by the rules of the Spirit of Truth by which we are led from that which is evil and through which we receive power to practice that which is good which spirit is become our leader into all truth and will abide with us for ever Whereas thou begins thy Disswasive Exhortation saying Beloved The respect that I beare to your Souls the Trvth's and Church of
able to save to the utmost all them that his light love and obey for the Author to the Hebrews speaking concerning Jesus the true light of the world that lighteth every man saith he being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 4. 9. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. II. Doctrine we say that the perfection of the Saints was and is attainable in and through Christ even while they were and are upon the Earth or else the work for which the true Ministry was given had been void if the work for which they were begifted among the Saints which was Ephes 4 11 12 13. For the edifying of the body of Christ till they came all to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Could not have been accomplished while they were upon the Earth but Saints are redeemed from Sin and have escaped the pollutions of the world and by the word of God are sanctified according to what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but you are washed but you are sanctified but you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And Jude in his general Epistle to the Saints saith they are santified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus And the Author to the Hebrews speaking of himself and the Saints saith by the will of God we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. And the same Author saith in the 14th of the same chapter by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and yet he and the Saints that was sanctified and perfected for ever even while they were upon the earth and preached it and exhorted the Saints to press after it were not Papists nor rightly could be compared with Idolators in their Generation no more can we that preacheth perfection and exhort to press after it and believe it to be attainable in and through Christ be rightly compared to the Papists in our Generation And as concerning the third which thou states as out of our Doctrines in which thou compares us with the Papists we do deny it it is not any of our Doctrines either held or preached by us as thou hast stated it and in stating that we hold Justification by obedience thou hast not done honestly was not thou formerly answered that we are not justified by any obedience that is of the Creature but by the free gift of God in Christ Therefore I further say that we are not justified by our obedience or for our obedience but in and through the Lord Jesus Christ to whom we are obedient Whereas thou further saith and eminent speaker among them in the hearing of multitudes asserted that the righteousness that was wrought by the Power of God in the hearts of the Gentiles mention'd Rom. 2. 14. 15. is a righteousnesse whereby they were justified in the sight of God Answ To this I say concerning the Gentiles in doing well and working righteousnesse they were accepted and justified in the sight of God according to that of the Apostle where he saith God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that fears him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Acts 10. 34. 35. Whereas thou sayest in the hearing of multitudes why dost thou call so few people as were there multitudes except thou would have some to believe thou gave us a fair meeting in some publique place which thou denyed to do though much urged to it but it is no wonder seeing thou had accused our doctrines to be Popery and our practices to be fetcht out of the rules of Popish Monks altogether without any true ground as is and will be fully manifest by the proof of our doctrines to be sound and true and our practices to have example among the Prophets and Ministers of Christ And whereas thou accuses James Naylor in the fifth page of his Book tituled The salutation to the Seed To say the Doctrine of Faith is the work of the Devil Answ Thy Accusation is utterly false as that page of his Book and all that reads it may bear Testimony against theâ— And whereas in the fourth thou speaks of Judas Being a godly man until Christ gave him the Sop the Devil thereupon entered into him Answ In that thou hast stated these words again thou hast not done honestly because thou hast formerly been answered that we did not own this Principle as it is stated to wit That Judas was a godly man till he received the Sop and we had ground for the denying of this Principle and others as they were stated because the young men themselves did affirm they were not so written as they spoke them but this we do affirm that Judas who was numbred with the Apostles and had obtained part of the Ministry and others fell away as we can fully prove by the Scriptures of truth where it is said Acts 1. 25. That he may take part of this Ministry from which Judas by transgression fell and Heb. 4. 5 6. and 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. where it it is said It had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them but it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb the Dog is turned to his vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire more Scriptures might have been mentioned as Ezek. 18. 24. and others but by the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall be confirmed but these Scriptures I have not asserted to plead for falling away from grace and truth but to beare witnesse to the truth of our judgement in this particular and to manifest the wickednesse of our adversary who counts that Popery that is plain Scriptures as some of which he himself hath quoted doth bear testimony but it is no wonder seeing he saith the proofs themselves which is Scriptures is fetcht out of the Councel of Trent Bellarmine and others Fifthly that Pagans and Turks living justly and honestly may be justified and saved To which I say further that there is no respect of persons with God but in every Nation whether they be Jewes or Gentiles Turks or Pagans yet if they fear God and work righteousnesse of him they are accepted and whether he be a Turk or Pagan if he come to believe in Christ and follow his Spirit and light which leads to live justly and honestly he may be justified and saved in and through Christ And this doctrine is no Popery nor rightly can be parallel'd with theirs any more than the Apostles doctrine was to be parallel'd with the Papists
the world And whereas thou accuseth us to be wanting in the esteem of true practices of Religion when thou writes again set downe in particular what those practices are which thou calls or can prove to be the true practices of Religion which thou accuses us to be wanting in the esteem of Ninethly thou sayest they carry a shew of self-denial abnegation of the world contempt of riches envy against the Ministers of Christ for having maintenance as if themselves had nothing yet thrives fast payes their debts makes purchases getts good Estates wear of late rich Cloaths Answ Thy assertion in this is utterly false as the rest have been for we do not envy against the Ministers of Christ for having maintenance but acknowledge that they that preach the Gospel may live of the Gospel according to Gods Ordinance and they that sow spiritual things may reap carnal things but having food and rayment are therewith to be content and there is no example amongst them for being hired at a Parish or making a bargain for so much as fourescore or a hundred pounds more or less as they can get it by the year or tithes of all the people possesses as the hireling Priests and Papists in England have done and for thy saying they thrive fast and paying depts and gets good estates to which I say when thou writes again instance one that is owned as a Minister amongst us that through gain made of the Ministry who had nothing that hath done any of these things aforementioned and till then let this slander returne back upon thy self as the rest have done and if God blesse any of his people with outward encrease why doest thou envious wretch reproach them because of Gods mercyes Thou sayest further that we wear rich Cloaths To this I say how fully hast thou contradicted thy self in the first of thy assertions in which thou parallel'd us with the Monks in thy saying that we lay much stress upon plain and mean apparel and now hast so far forgotten thy selfe that the same tongue saith now we weare rich Cloaths but in this thy envy against the truth is manifest and however they go that walk in it whether well in cloaths or mean in cloaths it will not please thee nor the envyous generation that loves not their neighbour as their selves And further thou tells of having stocks of money out of which thou supposes we have great and large sumes when wee have a mind to travel To which I shall answer thy supposition is false as the rest of thy sayings have been and if there be any such thing as stocks of money for the maintaining of the poor and other necessary uses among Friends is not this of good report and like Saints more than they in your Churches where your Members is like to starve and begs Tenthly thou sayest wee are a seduced people and active in seducing others being ignorant and unlearned yet an importunant and unweared people compassing Sea and Land to make one proselyte yet not for themselves but for those Sophisters of Rome whose factors they are Answ This is altogether false as the rest of thy slanders have been for Romes Factors we are not nor for them do we make proselytes And for thy saying that we are a seducing people and acting in seducing others I Answer this is altogether false as thy other assertions concerning us hath been for we are not seduced nor active in seducing others nor yet ignorant and unlearned in the things that appertains to Gods Kingdome our Salvation and the Salvation of them that hears us Eleaventhly thou sayest now I hope I have made it evident that the hand of a Jesuite is in the Quakers Religion how could they else be so well verst in their absur'd doctrines Answ The hope of the hypocrite is vain and his trust is like the spiders web for thou neither hast or can manifest the hand of of a Jesuite to be in our Religion nor any doctrine that is truly ours hast thou manifest to be absur'd or proved to be contrary to the truth and doctrines of the Gospel of Christ But it is manifest thou art verst in the Papists writings and doctrines otherwise thou could not have stated so many of them and their practices therefore thy saying that we are verst in their absur'd doctrines is false and may returne upon thy self who art guilty therein and thou goes on saying I will conclude with a re-inforcement of my disswasive of you from their doctrines and practices They are from Antichrist therefore avoid them Answ Our doctrines which is the doctrines of truth and our practices for which we have example among the Prophets and Ministers of Christ all the lyes and slanders which thou and all the Merchants of Babylon can cast upon us or upon our doctrines cannot disswade from our way which is the way of God any of them who hath the least measure of true knowledge therefore the adding thy reasons as thou calls them to imprint in people a deep hatred against our way which is truth shall not be effectual for thy refuge of lyes shall be swept away and unrighteous slanders turned back upon thy own head in the dreadful day of the Lord when he rewards thee and all the wicked according to their doings In the first of thy reasons thou sayest they are miserably divided among themselves about their principles Answ This is false for we who are in the truth and walks in the light have unity and are not divided amongst our selves about our principles though we did deny several of those things as they were stated having good reason so to do because they were stated in thy manner and as thou our adversarie pleased to state them and the young men affirm not in the very same words and form as they spoke them Whereas thou sayest the fourth of these reasons was again owned in a discourse viz that we are justified by obedience To which I say it is utterly false for no such thing was owned by any of us neither of it was there any discourse betwixt thee and us that day And whereas thou further calls it a contradiction to say that every man is lighted with the true light which is Christ And yet not spiritually enlightned with the knowledge of God Answ In this thy ignorance and want of understanding in the things of God is manifest in calling that a contradiction which is no contradiction for both these sayings in effect may be proved by plain words of Scriptures as John 1. 9. where it is said that was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and Jeremiah saith poure out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not Jer. 10. 25. So it is evident that the heathen know not God therefore may it truly be said without contradicting Johns testimony that every one is not enlightned with the spiritual knowledge of God though that testimony is true that saith
darknesse under that denomination and by that name the light of the world as by any other name under which the Prophets and Apostels preached him in ages past yea or nay IV. Query And whether it was and is popery to affirm that ever the Saints was or can be perfected while they are upon the Earth yea or nay V. Query And whether it is Popery to affirm that Christ Jesus who is made of God Righteousnesse to the Saints is within them the hope of Glory yea or nay VI. Query And if Christ Jesus Gods Righteousnesse be in Saints the hope of Glory then is it Popery to affirm that the righteousnesse through which Saints is justified is revealed within them yea or nay VII Query Whether it is Popery to affirm that some that had known the way of Righteousness and tasted of the good Word of God did fall away yea or nay VIII Query And whether it is Popery to say That none is shut out and reprobated to damnation and misery before they were born IX Query And whether it is Popery to affirm That the holy Scriptures are not the Rule of unbelievers seeing thou seemed to blame some for saying It was not X. Query And whether it is Popery to affirm That God hath not commanded the Gentiles to observe the first day of the week for a Sabbath of rest as he once commanded the Jews to observe the seventh day for a Sabbath day of rest yea or nay XI Query And whether it is Popery To deny that God commanded the Baptism of Infants Or that ever any of his Apostles practised it Or that the Scriptures of truth testifies of it yea or nay XII Query And whether it is Popery to affirm that the Scriptures of truth speaks not of a Sacrament which you and the Papists so much plead for yea or nay XIII Query And whether it is Popery for to affirm that they are no Ministers of Christ which seeks their gain from their parishes and quarters Preaches for hire Divines for mony and makes a bargain for so much by the year though amongst you such may be called Protestant Ministers XIV Query And whether all are Papists that confesse that they have and are led and taught by the Infallible Spirit of Christ yea or nay XV. Query And whether all are Papists that go in plain and moddest apparel without ribbons and lace and such like costly aray which serves onely to please the vain mind and to satisfy the lust which leads the creature from God and is of the world seeing for going in mean apparel thou accused us to lay much stress upon it and compared us to the Monks XVI Qu. And whether they are all Papists that met together in the Name of the Lord and in silence waits in his counsel till his mind and Word be revealed whereby they may edifie one another seeing for meeting sometimes in silence thou hast accused us to lay our Religion upon it and compared us to the Monks XVII Qu. And whether all that have and do use fasting and prayer be Papists yea or nay Seeing thou hast compared us to the Monks for fasting and also hast falsly said we use it as a special means of spiritual knowledge XVIII Qu. And whether all that have gone up and down naked have been and are Papists yea or nay Seeing some among us have been commanded to do so for which thou compares us to the Papists XIX Qu. And whether all that have ceased to wear Ribbons and Lace upon their apparel which is not needful and do not respect persons which saith Thee and Thou to rich and poor are Papists Answer in plainness yea or nay Seeing thou hast falsly accused us for so doing to place our Religion in circumstances and compared us to the Papists XX. Qu. And whether it is not confusion to say we lay much stress upon mean and plain apparel and yet a little after to say we wear rich cloaths Answer in plainness yea or nay XXI Qu. Whether all are Papists that have gone through several Countryes preaching the glad tidings of Salvation and yet have not fainted yea or nay seeing for being unwearied thou compares us to the Monks XXII Qu. And whether the things before queried doth rightly denominate a Papist and is the ground of his being so called Answer in plainness yea or nay A Post-script To William Brownsword and his Parishioners in Kendall AS concerning thy book sent abroad by thee in opposition to the Lords Truth and his People we have seen read and considered and do find it light and empty and a dry confused piece even as a little old scrap of Babylons treasure worth nothing at all except to shew the Authors weakness and ignorance and to give occasion against himself that he may be beat with his own weapon and certain it is that his work his Quaker-Jesuite I mean will not effect the end and purpose intended by him but the Lord shall turn the end backwards upon him and by that through which he hath thought to dishonor the truth and to make it odious among people even thereby shall the truth gain an advantage and appear in more beauty and be more desirable unto many so that thy evil intent shall redound back upon thee and doubtless some of thine own Flock when they have compared thine with its Answer they shall see the weakness and wickedness of the one and the truth plainly proved in the other and the disadvantage will be thine for alas thou art a weak man and many of thy Brethren in iniquity to whom thou canst not be compared for matter of wit and subtilty but art short of them even as an Infant is of a man and they have appeared in much more fair means and politique way than thou hast done and yet their work brought forth in the height of great wit and knowledge have been rejected by us and through the Wisdome of God confounded and their bravest work taken as our spoil of Babylons treasure and then how shouldst thou and thy weak silly piece be otherwise than trampled under our feet and what art thou feeble child of Babylon that thou shouldst thus adventure to come forth into publike view wrapped in an old thred-bare garment Quaker-Jesuite Popery in Quakerisme c. and under this hast thou covered a malicious heart which the Lord will judge and bring thee to feel the weight of thine own iniquities in his dreadful day Alas friend we are far otherwise known through this Nation and about Kendal especially we are known to be none such as thou hast falsly reputed us not Papists but on the contrary we are known to be such who have many of us zealously professed the Lord and earnestly sought after him even from the daies of our childhood and if any have whereof to glory in matter of outward profession we might have something to say as being such who desired after God in our souls in much sincerity of heart and
hold forth which is neither provable nor exemplary in the Scriptures then thy colour had been more fair and thy pretence more spacious But because thou hast truly instanced nothing against us neither in doctrine nor practise but what we can prove sufficiently by the Scriptures therefore thy work is invalid even to many that are not of us For say they if this be Popery to follow the example of the Apostles in doctrine and practises its better to be a Papist then a Protestant for why the Protestants holds forth many doctrines and practises which are not proveable by the Scriptures and I might instance in many things that this is true even that you Ministers of England doth hold forth in doctrine and practise many things which is not proveable by the Scriptures but in some things even contrary to the Scriptures And what if I should compare thee and thy Brethren in some of your doctrines and practises which you hold and the Papists hold the same which is not according nor proveable by the Scriptures will not the conclusion fall upon thee and you that you are Popish Jesuites and like unto them as instance a few things amongst many you are made Ministers by Natural Learning and Languages through the attainment of such Arts and Sciences at Schools and Colledges which the Apostles were not and not by the immediate gift of the Spirit of God as the Apostles were and in this very way and manner are the Ministers of the Church of Rome made and sent forth And moreover by the Authority of the Church of Rome and by the Papists were your Colledges builded and ordained for the very use and end which you make of them and those Revenues as Tythes and other things which you yet uphold even your orders habits and formalities at Schools were given and ordained even in the daies of Popery and by the Whore of Romes Authority and you are in the very practise of that which they practised in this particular and you hold up and maintain that which the Papists instituted and first ordained and therefore are not you Papists and upholders of Popery let the witness in every mans conscience judge for you are doing and upholding the very same things which the Papists do which the Apostles never did and by thine own rule you are therefore Papists Again you are maintained in your Ministry by Tythes Gleab-lands Easter reckonings yearly stipends and so much by the year and settled in a Parochial way and thus were never the Apostles nor found in such practises but the Jesuites and Papists they are in the practise of such things that first instituted and ordained them in this Nation and herein you follow their example and not the example of the Scriptures and therefore we may conclude that you are Papists and follows their spirit and you practise what they practised even without any example at all in the Scriptures Again you sprinkle Infants and sayes it is the Baptisme into the Visible Church and Original Sin is thereby washed away and it is a Seal and a Sign of Regeneration and of the Covenant and this practise and doctrine the Papists hold forth and were indeed the first Founders and Ordainers of this practise and doctrine and it hath never been proved yet to us from the Scriptures but you hold it forth and the Papists they hold forth the same and therefore it may be concluded that you are Papists and yet upholds Popery by these and many other things that I might mention which you do and the Papists do the same and without any proof or example in the Scriptures or any of the Apostles doth fully demonstrate that you are more guilty of Popery then we are and Popery remains yet amongst you and these practises are but a few of many I might mention and this is but a hint at things which more largely might be spoken to and it is occasioned upon thee by thine own proceedings And I must tell thee that you are a company of shameless men to cry out against the Church of Rome for is not She your Mother and did not your Religion your Church and Ministry and Worship for the most part of it spring out of her bowels Yea it may easily be proved that the general part of your Worship doth consist of such practises brought forth in such a manner as was first instituted by the Whore of Rome both the practises themselves and the very manner of their performances and this may easily be proved and therefore you are shameless men to cry out of your Mother who hath made such fair provision for you She hath instituted and taught you a way for making of Ministers and She hath instituted and taught you a way of maintenance by Tythes and so much a year and she hath provided you your very houses for worshipping in for your Churches were her Mass-houses not many years ago And thus She the Whore of Rome your Mother hath made a large provision for you She hath taught you a way of Baptisme as I have mentioned and she hath taught you also the way of persecuting people for good conscience sake it was She that kill'd and destroyed persons for good conscience sake and it was She that forced and imposed Faith and practises upon peoples consciences contrary to the Spirit of God which you Ministers yet practises in part Many things I might instance to illustrate you to be like unto the Papists and even such as have sprung out of the Church of Rome But the Nation is begun already to see your shame and folly and if I were silent the Lord will not forget to repay his enemies with vengeance and the day of the Lord is at hand wherein his Judgements shall be known in the earth And thus I have measured thee according to thy own rule and I do leave it to the Witness of God in thy own Conscience and to all thy Parishioners to whom indeed I do wish well and that they might come to the knowledge of the things that belongs unto eternall life that they might be saved And ye people of Kendall and there abouts Oh that you would consider Oh that you would come to be taught of the Lord and every one of you to receive the Spirit of God which is the free gift of God that it might lead you into all truth according to the promise of the Lord for this is his promise That all his Children shall be taught of him his Law shall be written in their hearts and his Spirit put in their inward parts and they shall all be taught of the Lord and his Spirit shall lead them in all the wayes of righteousnesse Oh! how long will it be ere you come out of Idolatry and out of Antichristian wayes which long you have walked in and not only you but all Christian Nations for great hath been that darkness that hath been upon the world since the Apostles daies for Christ in his
daies he said False Prophets should come and should arise and deceive many and the Apostle John he said in his time that there was then already many false Prophets gone out into the world and the world went after them and the false Prophets which Christ prophesied of should come in the last times the Apostles saw were already come and coming in their daies and it was then the last time 1 Joh. 4. and such were they as you may read that were covetous and taught for filthy lucre and through covetousness made merchandize of people and such were they that preached for hire such as these even Wolves in Sheeps cloathing Christ said should come and the Apostles saw were coming in even in their daies and abundance of such as these have over-spread the Christian Nations for many ages so it is not as though the false Prophets were but coming now for that Scripture signifies and plainly saith that the false Prophets and Antichrist did come in even in the Apostles daies and most of the Apostles themselves were Martyred and the Churches of Asia were running into Idolatry and back-sliding from the truth even before the Apostles decease and John in the Revelations he saw what was to come to pass that Power should be given to the Beast and to the Dragon the Devil over all Nations Kindreds and Tongues and that the Martyrs blood should be shed and the Witness slain and the Woman the true Church should fly into the Wilderness and that the Whore the false Church should cause all Nations even the Kings of the earth should drink the Whores Cup and Antichriâ—t should rule and Myâ—…ery Babylon as a Quean should sit upon Peoples Multitudes and Nations and the Saints Blood should be drunk by the false Church the Whore These things John saw was to come to pass in his time as you may read in the Revelations and since Johns daies within these sixteen hundred years we know they have been brought to pass and fulfilled so the present time is not now as though deceivers were but newly comed in for the Nations of the earth have long been deceived by Antichrist in sheeps cloathing and the Lord is now again gathering People from them so be not deceived in your hearts neither be ye ignorant concerning the times and seasons for its the time of the Womans returning out of the wilderness and she shall be adorned with the same gifts and parts that she had in the Apostles dayes and all shall walk in the light of the Lamb and the marriage of the Lamb shall come and the Devil shall be chained to deceive the Nations no more these things will the Lord bring to pass and we are hapned to be even in the beginning of this time of the Churches returning and the fulfilling Gods promises for the light of the Lord hath appeared and the everlasting Gospel must be preached again through the world and this is Gods promises as you may read in the Revelations Therefore be not ignorant but now consider and let the fear of God be in your hearts for the day of vengeance will suddenly come upon the ungodly and them that are not prepared but wants the Oyl in their own Lamps they shall be shut out and left in utter darkness therefore consider now you have time the day of the Lord is at hand And yet though great darkness hath been over the Nations yet the Lord had his people that is a few in every Nation some in every age that were sincere in their hearts did fear the Lord in Spirit and did desire after him and that were in a measure humble before him some such have been among Papists and Protestants in all ages who have according to their present time been zealous in their way towards God and such have been dear to the Lord at all times who sought after him and suffered for him for their present testimony against sin and iniquity as it was manifest to them and such sincerity of heart in any we never have judged Though we say as for the matter of Government Discipline or Ordinances and as for Ministry the Call to it and maintenance of it all this both among Papists and Protestants of all sorts for the generality of it hath been wholly Antichristian Their Church Government Ordinances Worship their Ministry its Call its Maintenance hath been Antichristian and not according to the example of the Apostles And this we judge even by the Spirit of the Lord Though the sincerity in no man nor amongst any sort of people do we judge yet the constitution of Churches and the Worship and Ordinances and Ministry as it hath stood for many ages both among Papists and Protestants we do judge and deny by the Spirit of the Lord. Much more might be said as in these things but if any of you Parishioners of Kendall desire any further knowledge of these things or to be acquainted with our Principles we have given forth divers Books though they have been rejected hitherto yet the time is at hand when those truthes which we have declared both by word and writing shall be pretious throughout the world And we do not impose our Religion upon people by force of external laws as Papists and Protestants have done by Antichrian power But we do leave what we declare by word or writing to the witnesse of God even in all mens consciences thereby to be approved and though we have been sufferers and yet may for good conscience sake yet we are not ashamed of the truths which the Lord hath given us the knowledge of But in all boldnesse and in the fear of God we confidently give forth our witnesse by the Spirit of the Lord. And as for this our answer it is sufficient to you and your Minister and no more needs be said till we hear a reply and further then it is possible the testimony of truth may be given and I would desire that you and he would sincerely compare this and his together and then judge of the one and of the other even by the witnesse of God in your own consciences Here follows certain proposalls which was sent to William Brownsword about a year ago which are worthy here of Inserting that he may yet answer to these things for he would neither meet me to dispute these things nor give me any answer by writing And indeed it had been more equitable for him first to have answered these things than to have gone and sent forth such a foolish book against us and all these things being compared together I doubt not but some of you may be truly Informed and your understandings opened which is my earnest desire that so it may be unto you and that ye may come to a good understanding and perfectly disern betwen truth and error and true Ministers of Christ and deceivers London the 12th Month 59. FOrasmuch as a Paper I have seen which is given abroad in the Country the