THE Folly of a Libeller MADE MANIFEST BEING Some Brief Observations UPON A LIBEL Lately Published and Abusively Entituled The Dangerous Imposture of Quakerism Wherein the Envious Abuses of that Author are Detected By RICHARD ASHBY 2 COR. VI. But in all things approving our selves Ministers of God in much Patience By the Word of Truth by the Power of God by Honour and Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-street 1699. THE LIBELLER's Folly Made Manifest c. Friendly Reader I Intreat thy Moderation and Patience in perusing these brief Observations which were occasioned by meeting with the abovesaid Paper which containeth several Abuses designed to Traduce and Un-Christian the People called Quakers by rendering them Impostors And this nameless Author pretends to draw his Charges out of the Journal of our deceased Friend George Fox who was a Faithful Servant of Christ in his Generation and one that suffered much for Christ's sake whom this Author has greatly defamed but refers not to any Page in his said Book only citing his Journal being in Folio of above 600 Pages wherein he shews himself very disingenuous and his concealing his Name shews that he is ashamed of his work and therefore lies Incognito And yet towards the end of his Paper tells the World he never did us i. e. the Quakers any hurt and pretends to pity us which the matter of his Paper plainly shews he is far from However I think to give a brief touch upon it He tells us he has read over G. F 's Journal whom he calls Impostor but gives no demonstration to prove it and must be extravagantly conceited with his little Libel to think his bare Ipse dixit proves it His Paper being divided into Four Parts I shall take notice of them in order as they fall Dangerous Imposture First The real Author of this Imposture was George Fox and 't is worth our taking notice of what his true Character was He was when he began to publish his Doctrine a young Man who had had a Religious Education and in the 19th 20th Years of his Age was exercised with strong Temptations to Despair and was under great Troubles and Disorders of Mind on that account such as could not be removed by those Ministers he had recourse unto Answer It would have been more pertinent for this Author to consider that G. F. when in Troubles and Distress of Mind made his Condition known to the Ministers that then were to obtain comfort but those Physicians of Souls prov'd of no value to him And if this were strictly enquired into it may justly be fear'd the Number of such at this day are great and the State of the People to be lamented who spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfies not And it 's very obvious that among these Pretenders lies the Imposture Dang Impost Vpon this he betook himself to Retirement and Solitude night and day went alone into Solitary Places with his Bible and his own Thoughts c. Answ What Offence or bad Example could this be Nay doth it not shew apparently the contrary See the Prophet's words Lament 3.26 to 29. I hope this Author doth not reckon it a Crime that he took his Bible with him as a Companion in his Solitude this shews the great Esteem he had of those Holy Writings Dang Impost By degrees he imagined God made known his Will to him and opened to him as his phrase is That the Light of Christ within Man was to be his Instructor and Guide in matters of Religion and thorough this Imagination he sometimes gain'd Comfort and Joy and by degrees arrived at extreme Presumption and Confidence Answ If this Author means that whatever G. F. knew concerning God it was but Imagination and an effect of his own Thoughts and because G. F. says God opened to him That the Light of Christ in Man was to be his Guide c. Doth not this Author sufficiently bewray his own Folly and Igorance And shews that he is little acquainted with Scripture-Testimony to term the Light of Christ within Man an Imagination and the Knowledge that comes from it only Imaginary See what the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness he hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ If I mention no more this is sufficient to shew this Author's abuse Yet take the words of Christ our Lord John 8.12 I am the Light of the World he that follows me shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life Again John 12.36 While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may become Children of Light And saith David Psalm 36.9 With thee is the Fountain of Life in thy Light shall we see Light And Psalm 43.3 O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy Hill c. Now I tell Author God will scatter the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts and take the Wise in their own Craftiness No wonder he conceals his Name who shews such contempt to the Appearance of Christ in Man Dang Impost When he affirmed That Christ was in him he did not mean that the Man Jesus of Nazareth was in him But the Word and the Light John 1.1 7 13. which was in Jesus of Nazareth was also though not in the same measure in G. F. Answ G. F. did not hold two Christs but One Lord Jesus Christ as 1 Cor. 8.6 Observe the Evangelist's Testimony John 1.14 15. We beheld his Glory the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men John 1.4 Now if true Believers do receive of Christ's Fulness and of his Life then they receive a measure of the same and by vertue thereof they are grafted into him the Heavenly Vine and by abiding in him are made fruitful towards God see John 17. Dang Impost But for G. F. to affirm That Christ was in him is an excess of Error and Profaneness such as no sober Christian who knows that by this his Blessed Saviour is distinguished from and exalted above the highest Angels can endure to hear without the utmost Abhorrence and Abomination Answ G. F. and the rest of the People called Quakers never owned the Appearance of Christ in them any otherwise than as the holy Scriptures bear witness and I conclude this Man's charging us as Erroneous herein proceeds not only from the Prejudice he hath against us but also shews him to be carnal and ignorant of the Mystery of the Gospel seeing he charges this as Excess of Error
and Profaneness his Charge reflects upon Christ and his holy Apostles who assert the Spiritual Appearance or Indwelling of Christ in Men and returns upon himself and proves him in Excess of Error and Profaneness and for proof see Christ's own words John 14.20 17.23 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you I in them and they in me that the World may know that thou hast sent me c. And Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory To which for Brevity sake I shall only add 2 Cor. 13.5 and Rom. 8.9 10. Now we do not hold the Spiritual Appearance of Christ in opposition to his being Exalted in Glory at God's Right Hand but we do believe it according to Holy Scripture-Testimony and that he is our Mediator appearing in the Presence of God for us If this Author has charged us through Ignorance his Crime is the less but if through Prejudice let him consider whose Testimonies these are above recited and see if he can clear himself from Blasphemy who hath not only charged the Quakers but Christ and his Apostles for we assert no other thing but what they have done Dang Impost This is the Fundamental Error and Prodigious Delusion that the Author of Quakerism entertain'd and set up in the World and this his Followers defend and maintain to this Day Answ I have before shewn Christ's own Testimony and the Apostles concerning the Spiritual Indwelling of Christ Surely some Eminent Judgment has befallen this Author and he is strongly Deluded and Blind in calling a Fundamental Gospel-Truth Error and Prodigious Delusion Paul saith Rom. 8.9 Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Can a Man have the Spirit of Christ and yet not have Christ When the Apostle says 2 Cor. 3.17 The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Thus having prov'd from Scripture That to be a precious Fundamental-Truth which he calls Error and such a Truth as our Souls Everlasting Well-being depends upon I shall pass by the rest of his First Part without farther notice For the Foundation proving false all that is built upon it falls Therefore I come to his Second Part To consider his Charges that he saith are Pernicious to Humane Society And First The Quakers deny the Lawfulness of an Oath even in Courts of Judicature Answ The Scripture-Testimonies that speak so plainly in behalf of our Christian Principle herein Mat. 5.34 to 37. James 5.12 concerning Swearing being very obvious it is very strange that this Author shou'd thus charge the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostle James as being Pernicious to Humane Society but surely the Beam is in his own Eye and he in that spirit that is pernicious to Humane Society His Second Pernicious Doctrine is Our not putting off our Hats td Superiours Answ We are perswaded our Superiours have more Charitable Thoughts of us True Honour and Respect doth not consist in putting off our Hats We honour all Men in the Lord and Magistrates in their Station believing Magistracy is an Ordinance of God and we are ready to obey Magistrates in every good Work though we cannot conform to the vain Customs of the World Remember the Caution of the Apostle Be not Conformed to this World but be ye Transformed by the Renewing of your Minds Rom. 12.2 His Third Pernicious Doctrine is Our refusing to Fight This he renders with some Agravation Answ We are concerned to Fight under Christ's Banner not with Men but with Sin and the Devil the Author of Sin and do believe if People were more concerned herein they might come to know that Scripture fulfilled namely When a Man's ways please the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16.7 There are many Glorious Promises in Scripture concerning the Cessation of War we believe it will be gradually fulfilled and the time is come and coming when the Swords shall be beaten into Plow-shares and the Spears into Pruning-hooks and Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation nor learn War any more as in Isa 23. Micah 4.3 The Lord hasten this time and help us to Love our Enemies and to overcome Evil with that which is Good Now if Men live in Love suppress Vice and promote Vertue surely this is the only Preservative to Humane Society because the Angel of the Lord encamps about them that fear him and delivereth them Psalm 34.7 Now I come to those Doctrines he charges as Pernicious to Christian Religion which he saith are First The denying the use of the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper and adds The Son of God judged it expedient to Establish these sensible Rites for Religious Purposes Answ That which is Pernicious to the Christian Religion is the want of Charity among Men and their straining things farther than they are expressed in the Holy Scriptures and then calling them Christ's Ordinances This Author had done something to his purpose if he had proved by plain Scripture where Christ did establish these sensible Rites for Religious Purposes as he would have that which he calls the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper to be where did ever our Lord Jesus ordain That all People must be Dipped or Sprinkled with a little Water And where did Christ ordain the use of the outward Bread and the Cup as his peculiar Ordinance for his Church to continue in the Practice of to the end of the Word If Jesus Christ hath ordained these things shew us them in his own words in the Holy Scripture for it is not Mens Arguments that makes Christ's Ordinances but the very Words of him that Ordaineth them We do believe that when Christ is injoyed in Spirit he doth in a more excellent manner discover himself to the Soul than any outward Remembrancer of him can do We do not look upon these outward Signs and Shadows to be agreeable to the Gospel-Dispensation yet where any are truly Consciencious being perswaded it is their Duty to Practice these outward things we are tender towards such and desire they may come to see thorough all Signs and Shadows unto Christ who is the Substance and feed upon him who is the Living Bread that cometh down from Heaven that a Man may eat thereof and not die John 6.50 to 58. His Second as Pernicious to Christian Religion is The denying and vilfying a Learned Ministry as unnecessary and unlawful Answ We own and highly esteem Gospel-Ministry But that which is Pernicious to Christian Religion is the exalting Humane Learning in Opposition to the Holy Spirit 's Teaching by this hath great Confusion crept in among Religious Societies which might have been prevented had that Learning which is truly Christian been minded as is set forth in 1 Cor. 2. and in 2 Cor. 3.4 5 6. Here is true Christian Learning by the Spirit of God by which the Mind of God
is made known and they who are Taught hereby being call'd of God speak with Authority having received Ability from God as saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Of these things the Scriptures testifie plentifully shewing the Qualification of Ministers And as concerning Humane Learning we esteem it good in its place but that 's not the Key that opens the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God But the Spirit of God is that Key and is therefore to be prefer'd before all the Natural Learning of Men And this was G. F's judgment concerning it who was no Vilifier of Christ's Ministers but reprov'd such as ran and God did not send them Jer. 23.21 And through Covetousness with seigned words make Merchandize of poor Souls 2 Pet. 2.3 Such he reproved and so did the Servants of God in former Ages as the Holy Scripture witnesseth To this I may add this Author's Complaint of the Quakers non-payment of Tithes And whatever are his Thoughts if the old Proverb be true viz. Give the Loser leave to speak the Quakers have most cause to complain of the Priests Severity Spoiling and Havock by Sequestration and otherwise yet if this Author had rightly observed that Scripture he cites Luke 10.7 he had not only seen what was the Maintenance of Christ's Ministers but who and of whom they were to receive it for they were first to be received in their Office ministring Spirituals and then those that received them with these they were to Eat and Drink such things as they gave Here 's Christ's Allowance observed by his Ministers and they that go from Christ's Command in their so doing are like Hophni and Phinehas the Sons of Eli who were not content with God's allowance under the Law and therefore offered Violence to the poor Israclites telling them If they wou'd not give them they wou'd take it by force This their Sin was very great before the Lord and he punished them For God will not be mocked such as honour him them he 'll honour and such as despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.15 30. His Third as Pernicious to Christian Religion is as he saith Our denying the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures and pretending that no Man can understand them unless he hath the same Spirit by which the Doctrine of Holy Scriptures were given forth nor will they that I can find allow any one to be in the Spirit which is necessary to the understanding of the Scriptures who is not a Quaker Answ We own the Holy Scriptures according as they testifie or themselves 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16 17. And also say The true Knowledge of them and Faith in Christ Jesus cannot be truly known but by the inward Manifestation Work and Operation of the Holy Spirit And this Spirit we do not limit to our selves we say It strives with all Men in a Day of Visitation which the Ford gives which we desire they may mind so as to know a being sealed by it and may have the earnest of it in their Hearts And now I appeal to all Tender-hearted Christians Think ye that it is unreasonable for us to expect the Gift and Guidance of the Spirit of Truth when the Scriptures themselves plainly and plentifully declare thereof and also saith That he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his And now for his Trifling Observations I shall pass them by with these brief Answers First As to our saying Thou to a single Person Man ought not to despise that form of Speech he uses to the great God for if he doth God will behold his Pride and abase him Secondly He abuses us about the words Yea and Nay as tho' we used them only and refused Yes or No Our frequent Conversation among Men reproves this Falshood Thirdly As concerning our Marriages and Burials As we Conscienciously Dissent so we have Scripture to vindicate our Practice therein Fourthly He abuses us as tho' we allowed amongst us Gaudy and Costly Attire Which we testifie against and more especially to those that come amongst us And his stuff about the Green-Apron I pass by as a Fig-leaf-story Thus having made some brief Observations upon the Substance of his Paper contain'd in his First and Second Part I shall mention a few Instances out of G. F's Journal in answer to his Third Part and desire the Impartial Reader to judge whether they savour of Confused Madness as this Libeller insinuates See Journal p. 4. his Confession or the Excellent Benefits we receive through Christ's Sufferings and Death viz. All that time the Sins of all Mankind was upon him Christ and their Iniquities and Transgressions with which he was wounded which he was to bear and to be an Offering for them as he was Man but died not as he was God and so in that he died for all Men and tasted Death for every Man He was an Offering for the Sins of the whole World 2dly Concerning how he G. F. was relieved in deep Afflictions see Jour p. 8. And when all my hopes in them the Priests and other Professors and in all Men was gone so that I had nothing outwardly to help me nor could tell what to do Then O then I heard a Voice which said There is one even Jesus Christ that can speak to thy Condition And when I heard it my Heart did leap for Joy then the Lord did let me see why there was none upon the Earth that could speak to my Condition namely That I might give him all the Glory c. 3dly Hear his Confession to the great Love and Mercy of God in Christ Jesus Jour p 9 10. viz. I was taken up in the Love of God so that I could not but admire the greatness of his Love And whilst I was in that Condition it was open'd unto me by the Eternal Light and Power and I therein clearly saw that all was done and to be done by Christ how he conquers and destroys this Tempter the Devil and all his Works and is a-top of him and that all these Troubles and Temptations were good for me for the trial of my Faith which Christ had given me Judge Impartial Reader of these Instances whether they do not favour apparently of the Work of God's Gracer 〈◊〉 And when thou hast opportunity read over this Journal but do not read as this Libeller has done for doubtless he read with a Prejudical Design or else he had not thus abused the deceased Author To conclude I find the Two Principal Reasons he renders to prove G. F. an Impostor are His Youth and want of Natural Learning My brief answer is as in 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World And again from the 26th verse to the end For ye see your Calling Brethren how that not many Wise Men after the Flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the Foolish things of the World to confound the Wise and God hath chosen the Weak things of the World to confound the things that are Mighty and Base things of the World and things which are Despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nothing things which are what no Flesh should glory in his presence Upon the Fourth Part he pretends a Rehersal of 1 Voices 2 Visions 3 Prophesies 4 Miracles 5 Discerning of Spirits 6 The knowledge of Nature and the whole Creation 7 Being in the shine State that Adam was in before the fall which said he is more than ever any Prophet or Apostle attained to Answ This Author cites not one Page for this which if he had we might have seen what G. F. had said concerning what he thus repeats and until he deals more plainly in his Citations I shall only say whatever G. F. did know of any of the above-mentioned Attainments he ascribed the Power and Glory to God only by whose Grace he was what he was He charges G. F. with Insolent Provocations and that thereby he brought Sufferings upon himself Answ This but like his frequent Abuses which he offers to this Servant of Christ He tells us He wou'd Expostulate with us out of Compassion to our Souls Answ He might speak more plain and say Void of Compassion for his pretences are much like what History says of the Tears of the Crooodile He begins his Paper with the ill Name of Imposture and ends it with a worse and with no less than a Châ—rge of Blasphemy But they are drawn from false Premises Which â—â—ings me now to conclude with the words of Christ Mat. 5.11 12. Blesseâ—â—â—â—re you when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsely for my Name sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you I humbly beseech God to behold the Threatnings of our Adversaries and where any do it ignorantly to open their Understandings and let them see what they are doing that they may desist and where Envy and Malice prevails in any and prompts them to do us Evil the Lord behold it and frustrate them in their Evil Designs and if their Day be not oven give them at Heat to Repent and shew them Mercy which is my desire for the worst of our Enemies having Love and Good-will in my Heart for all Men. Richard Ashby FINIS