And all thy expectations will fall before thine eyes When Death and Famine comes on thee with mourning great and sore This will predict thine end to thee who never shalt rise more And truly thy divisions great predicts thy sudden fall The more because thou hast refus'd to hear the heavenly call For in thy streets the voice hath cry'd Repent and fear the Lord And turn from your Idolatries serve God with one accord But like the Adder thou hast been that 's deaf and will not hear The Charmer who hath charmed long so thou hast stop't thine eare Why dost not minde the words of Christ who spake and said himself The Kingdom cannot stand that is divided 'gainst it self And is not thy divisions great Oh Babylon thou Whore Which doth foretel thy total end and thou shalt be no more The cause which doth provoke the Lord to poure his Judgments great On thee is thy deceit pride murthers which are great And also thy Idolatries and Whordoms which are many This doth provoke the Lord to wrath and 's anger will not tarry Wherefore look for it and expect that it will surely come For God hath said it and it must accordingly be done Written in Bridewel near Lanston in Cornwall the 11th Moneth 1664. J. C. Here follows the Papists 14th Chapter concerning the Protestants or Sectarian Ministers published for them to Answer That the Protestant or Sectarian Minister or Preachers are not True Preachers or sent by God 1. ALl that have no true Mission are not true Preachers How shall they Preach unlesse they are sent Rom. 10.15 But Protestant or Sectarian Ministers and Preachers have no true mission For all their mission from the beginning of their Reformation was either the Inspiration of a Spirit they knew not what or the Commission of a Child Edward the Sixth whom they called Supreme Head of the Church and from whose Kingly power all Jurisdiction as well Ecclesiastical as Secular they affirm did slow See Fox tom 2. Anno 1546. in Edw. the 6th or the Letters Patents of a Woman Queen Eliz. to whom also they were pleased to attribute the like Superiority and Power See Stat. Anno primo Eliz. Cap. 1. or the Ilisit and invallid Ordination or mission of or by one Story an Apostate Monk who Ordained their first Bishops at the Nags Head in Cheapside in Queen Elizabeths time See Christophorus de Sacro Bosc◠or at length the Approbation of Tryers Instituted by his late Highness forsooth and Confirmed by Act of Parliament if they have any better let them prove it in the mean time let them know we value not a straw Mason's Old New Records produced in the year 1613. which was the matter of 50 years after the thing now mentioned was Sacrilegiously and invalidly done and most disgracefully and shamefully cryed down But those could not give them any spiritual Authority Power or Right to Preach for according to that Received Maxime of the Law No man can give more right then he himself hath Cook lib. 4. Therefore c. 2. Moreover a Bishop is to be ordained by two or three Bishops Consil Apostil Can. 1. And a Priest and likewise a Deacon and the rest of the Clergy by a Bishop ibidem Can. 2. Con. Trident. Sess. 23. Can. 7. But this Apostolical and needful manner of Ordination or Mission they never yet had for they rejected it quite and brought in an Heretical fashion in its steed in Edward the Sixth's time neither if they were willing could they have for as I said before their Bishops from the beginning of their Reformation had no other Ordination Consecration or Mission then the Commission of the King or Queen nor yet that but during the King or Queens pleasure For the sacrilegious Ilicit or Invalid Ordination of or by Story which was the first pretended holy Mission of Protestants in England and from whence they hitherto derive their Orders it was not worth a straw witness the aforementioned Canons of the Apostolick Council c. and consequently their pretended holy Orders thence derived are not worth a pins head no more is the Approbation of Tryers Therefore they are not true Preachers What are they then forsooth Intruders Thieves and Robbers Hypocrites Ravenous Wolves and Murtherers Sons of Belial False Prophets and Priests of Baal Which is their Heresie Rebellion and stubbornnesse against the Church for Rebellion as they themselves even in their newest Bible confesse is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornesse is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Samuel as they call it the 15. and 23. 3. Now if the Protestant or Sectarian Preachers and Teachers be such what must the Protestants and Sectarians themselves be If the light that is in them be darkness how great shall the darkness its self be If the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch Sure enough they shall even into the ditch of everlasting burning brimstone and fire where shall be howling and crying and weeping and lamenting and gnashing of teeth for ever unless they be converted and do Penance and live in the Church in which must alwayes be true Preachers and Teachers for the Consummation of Saints to the work of the Ministry and edification of the body of Christ Ephes 4. ver 5 11. But in the Protestant or Sectarian Church are not such as now proved therefore the Protestant or Sectarian Church is not the true Church of true believers How shall they believe in him whom not of whom as their Bible saith of purpose to excuse themselves See above they have not heard or how shal they hear without a Preacher or how shall they Preach unless they are sent 4. Note this well gentle Reader and consider seriously with your self how deplorable a thing it is to see such hypocritical Intruders to stand in a Pulpit or Tub with such a brazenfac'd book as is their Unjust Corrupt and perverse Bible in their hand lulling the poor Ignorant people to the sleep of death with these words Thus saith the Lord when the Lord saith no such thing Are not these they of whom the Lord himself saith Jer. 14.14 They prophesie falsely in my Name I sent them not and I did not bid them neither did I speak unto them a lying vision and divination and fraudulence and sedition of their own hearts they prophesie unto you See more Deut. 13.5 Item 18.20 c. And when they have done with their Thus saith the Lord and can say no more then they rowse up their slumbering spirits by singing unto them one of Tho. Sternholds Jack Hopkins or Rob. Wisdoms Psalms suppose From Turk and Pope c. which Sacrilegious Psalm or Diabolical Song passeth with these deluders and their deluded Auditors and Chorists for holy Scripture and the Word of God as well as Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. Oh times Oh manners Oh God amend them Amen See Erastus senior and jun. who copiously prove this Subject A.S. THE END The mystery of the Whore farther discovered †To A.S. his Query viz. where was she †To where is she †To A. S. Query what is her name * Witness the Book Intituled Good Counsel and Advice Rejected A hint towards the discovery of the true Church
truth 1 John 2.13 But when he spake those words viz If we say we have no sin c. he then spake to children for said he my little Children these things I write unto you that you sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 Now if they had been already perfect or fully freed from sin then had they attained to the mans state which the apostle laboured to bring them to Colo. 1.28 But they having not attained to that state he would not have them to deceive themselves nor to think more highly of themselves then they ought to think Rom. 12.3 which children in understanding are sâ—bject to do but with these little children the apostle travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in them Gal. 4.19 who is the one offering that perfects for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 and he laboured to build them up in the holy faith which gives victory through Christ that so they might be borne up to a mans state for said he he that is born of God doth not sin John 3.9 Thirdly But then it may be some will object that the apostle spake not only of children but of himselfe also saying if we say c. To which I Answer that although the apostle numbred himself with them yet that doth not argue that he was in their state or that he was not set free from sin no more then Iames his numbring himself amongst the scattered Jews saying with the same mouth curse we men c. Jam. 1.9 doth argue that he was one of them that did curse men for its evident that the apostle became as weake to them that were weak and to the strong as strong and to them that were under the Law as under the law and to them that were without the law as without the law though not without law to God and became al things unto all that he thereby might gaine some 1 Cor. 9.20.21.22 so although he did condescend to them that were weake as children or babes in Christ as to number himself amongst them for the gaining of them to a farther state yet that doth not at all argue that he was as they were for the apostle Paul himself said that he was set free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 all which being rightly weighed and considered It manifestly appeares that perfection or freedom from sin is attaineable according to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles which by the people called Quakers is preached and continued in as before asserted therefore they are the true Church 4. Again The Order and Discipline of the true Church in the Apostles time was That the Propets might speak two or three and the rest might judge and if any thing was revealed to another that sate by he might speak and the first was to hold his peace 1 Cor. 14.29 30. and the same order the people called Quakers have in their assemblies as is known to thousands by which it appears that they are the true Church 5. Again The Ministers of Christ in the true Church in the primitive times who turned people from darknesse to light and from Satans power to the power of God Gal. 1.1 were Ordained and made Ministers not of man nor by man nor of the letter but of the spirit by the revelation of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 3.6 and so are the Ministers amongst the people called Quakers made Ministers of the spirit by the revelation of Jesus Christ as the effects of their ministry doth testifie for many are turned from darkness to light and from iniquity to righteousness and the spirits in prison is by them ministred unto and the dead are raised unto life and the captives are set at liberty as thousands can and must bear witnesâ— Therefore the people caâ—led Quakers are the true Church 6. The true Church in the primitive times was taught by the grace of God that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present woâ—ld Tit. 2.11 12. and the people called Quakers being taught by the same spirit of grace doth deny ungodliness and worldly lusts as many in this Nation well knows and doth live soberly righteously and godly in this present word as thousands can testifie Therefore the people called Quakers are the true Church Thus I might produce many more arguments to prove the aforesaid people to be the Church of true Christians but much of this kind hath been by several of them already written wherefore I shâ—ll not inlarge at present but for any that shall desire any farther satisfaction let them come to the Assemblies of the aforesaid people and hear their Doctrines and behold their Discipline c. and as the Apostle said Try all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 These following Lines are sent to all Sectaries in Christendome who have been killing and destroying one another about Faith and Worship but especially to the Church of ROME O Babylon the Great who long hast reign'd a Painted Whore And hast bewitch't the Nations with thy inchanting power Into remembrance thou art com'd of God the mighty Lord â—ho'll do to thee as thou hast done the Saints with one accord Have bent their bowes against thee strong and mighty men they are They will not spare nor pitty thee in this day o' th Lambs War For it 's the day of veng'ance great of our Almighty God He 'll do to thee as thou hast done thou can't escape his rod. The holy Prophets in their day foretold these things of thee Which to our consolation we hope to live and see For Jeremiah he foresaw thy desolation great And said an Army great should come that should give thee defeat Out of the North the Prophet said they should come against thee Jer. 50.9 Even as it now is come to pass before whom thou must flee The seven heads or mountains great on which thou long hast sate Must now be turned upside down and made to reele and quake For now the Lion he doth roar and utter forth his voice At which the mountains great must move and fly away at 's noise Isa 42.14 15. Yea vacant waste and desolate those mountains must be laid And be no more inhabited for so it hath been said Thy Merchants many have enricht themselves and made them great And Rul'd with Force and Cruelty false-prophet like indeed Wherefore Lament and howle they must and mourn both great and small And cry alass alass for now is come thy sudden fall for 'th day is dawn'd which John foresaw and Prophesy'd of thee In which he said and Testify'd thy total fall should be Though thou hast sitten in thy pride like as a stately Queen And said within thy heart and mind Thine end should not be seen Though thou hast drunk the blood of Saints and glorify'd thy self And said Thou should'st no sorrow see nor ever loose thy wealth Yet woe and sorrow great and sore will swiftly thee surprise
of the Spirit of Christ in his inward parts which all ought to obey and submit unto For the persecuting Jews who were uncircumcised in heart and ears and did alwaies resist the holy Ghost they professed as great zeal for God and his cause as the Apostate Christians now do and they looked for the coming of the Messiah of whom all the Prophets prophesied and profest they would adore him and reverence him c. and said that if they had been in the daies of their fathers they would not have slain the Prophets Mat. 23.31 who prophesied of the coming of Christ and so they had seemingly a great zeal for God and his truth But alas a murdering spirit was found in them for notwithstanding they professed that they would not have killed the Prophets yet they killed the Son who was the end of the Prophets And although the Prophets signified the time when Dan. 9.24 and the place where the Messiah should be born Mic. 5 2. yet when he was come according to the Prophets which they profest These professing Jews would not own him nor receive him Joh. 1.11 because he reproved their hypocrisie and their murdering spirit Joh. 8.40 But they crucified and slew him And this is the very state of the Apostate Christians at this day for who is there now amongst them but wiâ—l profess as great love to Christ as the Jews in Christs dayes did to the Prophets who prophesied of him who is there now amongst them but will say had we been in Pilats daies we would not have crucified Christ nor delivered him up to be crucified aâ— the Jews said of the Prophets yet notwithstanding their so saying they do as the Jews did for now in this day of his spiritual appearance which they professe they look for and expect they are found persecuting of him in his Members under the same pretence that the Jews persecuted him in their day viz. as a Blasphemer c. And so the Persecutors were in all ages bâ—inded by the god of the world who was a murtherer from the beginning and though they could see the iniquities of their fathers and predecessors in persecuting and killing the Prophets yet the envy of their hearts was such that they could not see their own iniquities in persecuting and slaying the son who was greater than the servants whom their fathers slew so as I said before it is not a profession of Christ and his Ordinances or zeal for his cause that makes people true Christians neither is God worshipped upon any of those mountains where the persecuting and destroying one another is but the worship of God consisteth in obedience to that spiâ—it of truth which condemns all those works of darknesse and cruelty and in his own mountain of holinesse where nothing hurts nor destroys Isa 11.9 And such is the Father now seeking to worship him that will worship him there and is now gathering his sheep from off the barren mountains upon which the Whore siâ—s where they have been scattered in the dark and cloudy day of Antichrists reign and where the wars and fightings are even to his own holy mountain where they shall learn war no more Isa 2.4 And this is the work that the envious and murtherous one opposeth and bestirrâ— himself with all his force and might in his instruments of cruelty and men of war arming of them with all kind of weapons that possibly he can form to fight against this appearance and work of God for so it hath been that since we who are reproachfully called Quakers were raised up to be a people to bear testimony for the name of the Lord and of the working of his spirit and power we have alwayes been even as a But for all the Archers of Babylon even from every mountain to shoot at And our sufferings hath not been only in our persons and estates as the spoyling of our goods and scourgings and cruel mockings and imprisonments many unto death as this Nation to her anguish must be made to know but even all sorts of Babylons Meâ—chants or they that trades in every part of her or within her subburbs have oft made it their business to write and print against us endeavouring thereby as much as in them lay to render us odious to our own Nation and to Nations about us under pretence that we were Papists and Jesuits and that we propagated Jesuitical principles c. but they being almost if not altogether weary of that work finding it to be to no purpose for the truth which we professe hath still got ground and flourisheth through all these things now at last the Papists or Jesuits themselves who I perceive have a secret hope of a day once more in this Nation they begin to put out their heads and to print against us and so both Protestants and Papists even every head horn of the Beast after whom the whole world wonders are â—â—uâ—d pushing against the Laâ—o and the Saints Rev. 17.14 For of late a cerâ—ain Pamphlet accidentally came to my hands written by a perfect Roman Catholick who subscribed his name A.S. in which he seems to shew himself sensible of the great distractions that are throughout the whole Christendome about the true way of worship and conâ—eâ—ning the true Church and fiâ—st states a Question viz which is this Church c. and afterwards makes it his businesse to prove the Church of Rome to be this true Church and that by divers Arguments by him stated in a Syllogistical manner And I also finding the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet therein smiting at the people of God called Quakers and endeavouring to render them odious by affirming they are led by a deluding spirit c. I found my self somâ—what concerned to return a brief reply to his chief Arguments therein produced by which he haâ—h in vain endeavourd to accomplish the aforesaid work by him undertaken A.S. His first Argument produced to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church consisteth of nine particulars as followeth viz. That is the true Church and no other which is one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church which is visible infallible inerrable in which is power of miracles out of which none can be saved But the Româ—n Pontificial that is to say the faithful people dispersed all the world over in communion with the high Priest Bishop or Pope of Rome is such and no other Therefore the Roman Pontificial alone is the true Church Reply To which I reply that the true Church of which Christ alone is Head and Supreme Governour is in it self one holy Apostolick Church c. I shall not go about to deny but as touching that grand Question by A.S. stated before his Argument here inserted viz. which is this Church c. I answer this is a thing indeed disputable amongst many yea amongst many thousands yet not at all questionable nor yet doubtful unto me for I am well satisfied therein and in all other
the Church of Rome shall come and as surely as when Sodom was overthrown the Cities round about it were overthrown also 2 Pet. 2.9 Jude ver 7. so certainly when this great City Babylon is overthrown and made desolate the suburbs thereof shall be overthrown and made desolate also The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and therefore she must fail in her prophesies and cease in her being which as A.S. saith the true Church cannot Fourthly And farther the Church of Rome is variable in her Judgments as the diversities of Councels that she hath held concerning matters of Faith beareth witnesse for the following General Counsel hath oft times excluded that which was concluded on by the former and surely both cannot be inâ—â—llible they being quite contradictory one to the other Read the 15th chapter of F. H. his book entitled THE GLORY OF THE TRUE CHURCH DISCOVERED c. wherein the contradictions of the General Counsels which the Church of Rome hath held are sufficiently made manifest so that I need not trouble my self to insert them here and thereby its evident enough that the Church of Rome is not infallible Fifthly Again if A.S. or any other could prove that the Church of Rome had alwayes remained since Christs time yet as aforesaid that is not a sufficient argument to prove her infallible or that she cannot fail nor cease For consider the Dragon that old Sâ—rpent called the Devil who was a murtherer from the beginning who gave power to the beast that carries the Whore that drinks the Saints blood that said she should see no sorrow waâ— before the dayes of Christs appearance in the flesh yet the Dragon is not infallible But the Church of Rome is upheld by the Murtherer or carried by the Dragons power in the beast as the Murthers acted by her beareth witness therefore she is no more infallible than the Dragon is Seventhly And as to the 7th part of A.S. his Argument wherein he saith the true Church is inerrable and then saith that the Church of Rome is this inerrable true Church for all the Sectaries Schismaticks and Hereticks in the world saith he could never yet shew wherein she erred nor ever shall Therefore she is inerrable Answ 1. I answer although the Hereticks could not prove that the Church of Rome hath erred yet there are many who are members of the true Church of which Christ is Head and supreme Governour alone that can prove wherein she hath erred and doth still grosly erre from the Doctrine Practice and Discipline of the true Church as it stood in the Apostles dayes for the Apostle in his dayes said let every man be fully perswaded in his own conscience Rom. 14.5 and did not go about to force people to conform to such things that they were not perswaded of in their consciences nor to compell them by outward laws to conform thereunto but the Church of Rome doth not admit that every one should walk or act according as they are perswaded in their own consciences but goes about by outward laws to compell them to conform to that which she calls her holy Ordinances and Institutions which many for conscience sake towards God dare not conform to because they know them to be invented Idolatries and they who cannot for conscience sake submit to her impositions or drink of her cup of abominations then to be sure she will drink their blood Witnesse the blood she hath drunk for above this thousand years past of them that could not for conscience sake towards God conform to her Ordinances And therefore she hath erred from that spirit which was in the true Church and from the Apostles Doctrine and is still in the errour Secondly In the true Church in the Apostles dayes every one as he had received the gifâ— of the spirit of God so he might administer 1 Pet. 4.10 an◠〈◊〉 Prophets might speak two or three and if any thing was â—ealed to him that stood by he might speak and the first shouâ—â— be silent 1 Cor. 14.29 30 31. But this is not the order of the Church of Rome as is sufficiently manifest to all Christendom therefore she hath erred from the Apostles Spirit and order and is still in the error And thus I might produce many more arguments to shew wherein the church of Rome hath erred and doth erre only my desire is to be as brief as may be so that satisfaction may be given for which I doubt not but this is sufficient as to that particular 8. And as concerning miracles in the true Church I do confesse and beâ—r witnesse that there are miracles wrought in her daily but that all miracles are an argument sufficient to prove a people to be the true Church that I do not acknowledge but deny For First the Magicians of Aegypt could by their Sorceries or Inchantments imitate those things in the sight of the Aegyptians that Moses and Aaron did by the power of God Exod. 8 7. and he false prophet he wrought lying miracles before the beast that carries the Whore insomuch that he caused fire to come down out of heaven in the sight of men Rev. 13.13 14. and chap. 19. ver 20. And this the Whore might have said was done in confirmation of her faith and doctrines as A.S. doth yet neverthelesse it was done by the Dragons power who was a murtherer from the beginning For he gave power to the beast that carries the Whore to do such things Rev. 13.2 and therefore the miracles in the Church of Rome if now there be any is no infallible evidence to prove her to be the true Church Well 2. But then it may be some will say that this is harsh judgment and how can you tell but that the miracles wrought in the Church of Rome are wrought by the power of God or how can you distinguish between miracles wrought by the power of God and miracles wrought by the dragons power Answ I answer we have an infallible way to judge in this particular For all miraclâ—s wrought by the murdering power are not wrought by the power of God but by the Dragons power for the Dragon that old Serpent who is called the Devil was a murderer from the beginning but Christ the power of God is not a murdering power for he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.56 Therefore the miracles wrought by Christ the power of God are not wrought by a murdering power But the miracles â—n the Church of Rome if now there be any are wrought by a murdering power for the many murders she have acted sufficiently testifieth to the whole Christendom that a murdering power rules in her By which its clear that the mirâ—cles wrought in the Church of Rome if there be any are wrought by the Dragons power and not by the power of God So that my judgement concerning the miracles in the Church of Rome is not harsh but according to the spirit of truth and sound
reason Thirdly but for all A.S. in his Epistle Dedicatory hath made such a great noise about miracles wrought by a Roman Catholick Priest in and about London and Westminster yet when he comes to prove that the Church of Rome is powerful in miracles then he doth just as much as nothing but takes an easie way to get out from that thing which seemingly he undertook to go thorow with by referring of us for a witnesse of his affirmation to nostre dame de Loretto nostre dame de montague nostre dame de hall and to the whole world c. Now what a pittiful proof or witnesse is this which A.S. directs us to For as the Apostle saith the whole world lies in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and wonders after the beast by whom lying miracles are wrought Rev. 13 3. So that the miracles which the world bears witnesse to are lying miracles for the world knows noâ— Christ nor his Church 1 Joh. 3.1 by whom true miracles are wrought for when Christ wrought miracles amongst the world they did not bear witnesse to him but said he did it by the Prince of Devils Mat 9 34. So that the witnesse that A.S. calls for confirmeth my forementioned affirmation viz. that the miracles in the Church of Rome are wrought by the Dragons power in the beast and false prophet that the whole world wonders after Fourthly and for nostre dame de loretto and the rest mentioned they signifie nothing as to our satisfaction in this particular because they are altogether unknown to us neither can we attain to a certain knowledge of them if we would for the information of the Church of Rome is to us no satisfaction so as I said before that A.S. for matter of proving his affirmation hath done just as much as nothing only made a shew like a cloud without rain But methinks if there were so many miracles wrought daily by a Roman Priest about London c. as A.S. seems to make a noise of he should have instanced some of them particularly for our satisfaction but seeing he hath not instanced any we have just cause to believe that there are none at all Ninthly So to proceed to the ninth part of A. S. his first Argument viz. Out of the true Church none can be saved I answer that thing I do not at all deny for all that are saved are of the true Church but that none can be saved out of the Church of Rome that I do deny for the Church of Rome is not the true Church but the Whore that drinks the blood of the Saints as afore-proved therefore out of the church of Rome people may be saved Wherefore let all who expecteth or desireth salvation make hast out of this great City Babylon And run for your lives towards Jerusalem the holy City the true Church the Lambs wife in whose light the Nations of them that are saved must walk Rev. 21.24 lest you perish within the borders of Babylon whose desolation shall certainly come in one day Yea Death and Mourning and Famine â— for strong is the Lord who is now arisen and judgeth her Well But if the Church of Rome say that she doth not drink the blood of the Saints but the blood of hereticks c. and therefore she is the true Church 1. I answer so or to that effect said the destroyers and murderers in all ages even they that put Christ to death they did it not in their own account as he was the Son of God but as a blasphemer and the Apostles were persecuted as spreaders of heresie and shedders of sedition and not as Saints and servants of the Lord in their adversaries account Act. 24.5 and thus the murthering persecuting spirit hath in all ages as at this day sought to shelter it self but this covering must now be ript off for the power of God is arisen that rends the vail of darknesse and the day is dawned that makes all things manifest 2. And farther If they were hereticks c. whose blood the Church of Râ—me drinks yet that doth not argue that she is the true Church but the contrary for the true Church did never drink the blood of hereticks nor persecute any because they were hereticks but the greatest punishment that ever Christ appointed for hereticks was that they should account them as Publicans and Heathens Mat. 18 17. 3. So its clear that Christ the power of God and the true Church that had the mind of Christ did never kill nor persecute any because they were hereticks or did not believe nor yet because after they believed they made shipwrack of faith But laboured in the spirit of love and meeknesse to restore them and to convince them by sound doctrine but if they refused to receive admonition or to submit to the Church after due admontion given then they let them receive the punishment aforesaid and refused to have fellowship with them and this was the greatest punishment that ever the true Church inflicted upon any though they were rebellious and this was the way to make true believers of people which force and compulâ—ion by penall laws will never do Though its true compulsive laws may make many of them hypocrites who fears man more than God but they who fears not man that can kill the body and can do no more but fears the Lord God almighty above all such will not bow to the compulsive Laws of men which violates the righteous Law of God in their own hearts no more then Sbadrach Meshach and Abednego would bow to the image that Nebuchadnezzar set up though for their stedfastnesse they suffer the pangs of death as many of their predecessors have done whose blood the Church of Rome hath drunk Thus much in brief to the nine particulars of A.S. his first Argument by which I perceive he thought he had infallibly proved the Church of Rome to be the true Church but what his Argument is worth for his purpose let all who reads this Judge And the next thing he undertakes is to prove Peter to be the rock or foundation upon which Christ builds his Church and to accomplish this design he rambles through several languages into which the Scripture hath been translated and in the conclusion he saith a great lie to Peter then Christ said upon thee I will build my Church c. when neither of the several Languages which he makes use of to prove it saith any such thing according to his own interpretation of them and indeed its blasphemy in A.S. to affirm it But then he saith that Christ is the primary rock and Peter the secondary rock Reply But how can that be that Peter should be a secondary rock for A.S. cannot prove that God ever ordained or appointed a secondary rock to build his Church on neither do we in all the Scriptures read of a secondary rock once mentioned for the Apostle affirmeth the contrary saying Another foundation can no man lay
with the sun that and there she was and the Moone was under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve stars Rev. 12.1 And having brought forth a man child that was to rule all Nations with his rod of Iron the enmity of the Dragon then arose who sought to devour the man child but being by the hand of God prevented of his purpose on the man-child ver 5. he then cast out his flood of persecution after the woman ver 15. of whom this ruler was born and drave her into the Wildernesse whither she fled from him to her place prepared of God that they might feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Rev. 12.6.14 and there she hath been and there she hath fittâ—n aâ— in a sollitary place and in a mourning state and condition out of which she is now returning and is now coming up out of the Wilderness and is descending from God as a Bride adorned for her husband Rev. 21.2 and her name is the Bride the Lambs wife the holy City ver 9. new Jerusalem And now is Jerusalem shaking her self from the dust of the earth in which she hath been trodden of the Gentiles and now is she putting on her beautiful garments and now doth the solitary begin to rejoyce and the barren that did not bear begins to break forth into singing Isa 54.1 And the things that many Prophets desired to see and could not see is now seen and revealing glory to God in the highest The day is come which we have waited for we will be glad and rejoyce in it and now the time times and half a time is expired in which the true Church hath been fed in the Wildernesse and now is the forty and two months expired also for which time the holy City hath been trodden under foot of the Gentiles Rev. 11.2 in which time the beast had power given him to continue Rev. 13.5 and the Whole world wondered after him and worshipped him and in that time it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and he received power over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations that all that dwelt upon the earth should worship him whose names were not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world if any man have an ear let him hear Rev. 13.7 8 9. And this was the time that the true Church was in her mourning state which now begins to be over Glory to God for ever the day of rejoycing is come And for her Bishops Pastors and Believers that she had I answer Christ was and is her Bishop and chief Pastor 1 Pet. 2.25 And the rest after the Apostles dayes were they that fed her in the Wildernesse and her Believers were those that had the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.17 whose blood the Whore drunk And they are now her Believers whose blood the Whore thirsts after And as to that question viz. What Emperors or Kings did adhere to her or now do Answ I answer On this wise did the Pharisees Query with those Officers whom they sent to take Jesus and bring him unto them saying Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him Joh. 7.48 Well what Emperors or Kings did adhere to him at that time Was he not therefore the true Christ because the Rulers of the world and the Pharisees rejected him And what said the Apostle to the true Church in his day You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighthy nor noble c. but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise c. that flesh might not glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.26 27. And farther the Apostle who preachâ— Christ said That he preached the wisdom of God in a mistery which none of the Princes of the world knew c. 1 Cor. 2.7 8. By which it appeares that none of the Princes of the world knew Christ the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 And the true Church was in the world as Christ was for the Apostle said as he is so are we in this present world 1 Joh. 4.17 And the world knows us not ver 1. because it knew not him So that notwithstanding the Princes of this world knew not Christ when he was amongst them and although the Rulers believed not in him nor did adhere to him when he was come yet that did not argue that he was not the true Christ And notwithstanding iâ— was so that the true Church was unknown to the world and was composed not of many wise men after the flesh nor of the Nobles of the earth but was persecuted by them as she is at this day yet she was the true Church for all that And seeing it was so that the Princes and Rulers did not adhere to her in the time of her flourishing state when she was cloathed with the Sun how can it be expected that they should adhere to her in her persecuted state and in her mourning wildernesse-state for a rich man shall very hardly enter the kingdom Mat. 19.23 but there is more in them words And moreover seeing the Kings of the earth committed fornication with the great Whore and went into her how then can it possibly be expected that they should adhere to the true Church Surely all who have a spiritual eye open may be hereby satisfied as to this particular And farther as to that Query viz. What general Councils did she hold and what Hereticks did she Condemn Answ I answer she hath not been in a capacity in her wildernesse state to hold general counsels as in the time of her flourishing state yet the mighty God hath alwaies been her wonderful counsellor Isa 9.6 and the members of her hath stood in and held to his counsel according to the manifestation thereof received by them Not loving their lives unto death as the Church of Rome well knows who have drank the blood of many of them or shall know to her sorrow and pangs And as for the true Churches condemning hereticks the Church of Rome knows that those members of her whose blood she hath drunk did alwaies condemn those heresies that are healed and the idolatries acted in the Church of Rome and did alwaies give testimony against her superstitious inventions and denied to have fellowship with her therein and looked upon her as reprobated from the true faith as Fox his Acts copiously relates and this was a great condemnation as the Spirit of Christ gave commission to the true Church to passe upon hereticks And again as to that question viz. What Academies did she erect Answ I answer A peoples Erecting of Accademies is not an argument sufficient to prove them to be the true Church for what Academies or Universities did the Apostles Erect or confirm or attain the knowledg of God in Was it not the light that shined in their hearts
into the world and leads up to God the Father from whence it comes all who are taught and guided by it but condemns from God all who in unbelief or in rebellion do despight unto it and disobey the motions thereof But to return to the matter concerning the Churches being Judge First I find A.S. in the beginning of his seventh Chapter saying Methinks I hear a Quaker whispering the Light that is in thee is the Judge of all controversies and the law and rule according to which thou must walk Answ I answer Yea the people called Quakers do believe and say that the light which every man is enlightned with is the law and rule according to which every man ought to walk and is the Judge in all controversies in matters of faith for as before All Judgement is committed to the Son John 5.22 who lighteth every man that cometh into the world so all Judgement being committed to the light that lighteth every man the light that is in every man must of necessity be the Judge of all controversies and this I farther adde that all who are baptized into Christ hath put on Christ and all who are by one spirit baptized into one body though they were sometimes darknesse are made light in the Lord and so they being in him and he in them are all one even as Christ and the Father is one and he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one by which its clear that Christ in his Church who is light with him is the onely Judge of all controversies and indeed this supernatural Light is the true touchstone by which all spirits may be tried whether they be of God or not for as the Apostle said whatsoever makes manifest is light Ephesians 5.13 so that without this touchstone none can try spirits because an evil spirit may speak good words Again Christ is in all things to be the Example of all believers and he lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 so every man being enlightened with the light of his spirit who is to be our example in all things it must of necessity be that the light that is in us is this Judge and the law and rule according to which all ought to walk Secondly But then A.S. replyes that the light that is in thee tells thee that thou must hear Christ and Christ tells thee that thou must hear the Church c. Answ I answer Yea the Light that is in us teacheth us to hear Christ who hath enlightened us and also to hear his Church with whom he dwells and that hears him and in whom his spirit speaks so as I said before I shall not go about to deny the Authority of the true Church but the usurped authority of the Church of Rome I do deny usurp'd I say because she hath been and here is sufficiently proved not to be the true Church to whom Christ gives power and authority both to bind and to lose therefore her authority is usurp'd and she is not to be heard but to be turned away from Thirdly A.S. saith If you object that the spiritual judgeth all things and the spiritual is judged of no man I answer that the godly spiritual judgeth all things c. But I deny that you or any other Sectaries in the world is godly spiritual for as St. Augustine saith they have not the Holy Ghost that are out of the Church Reply To which I say that as A.S. hath coâ—fessed That the spiritual man judgeth all things its according to my own belief but what doth this avail the Church of Rome who as I have proved is not godly spiritual but is sensual and devilish and is not the true Church but the Whore for although as he saith The godly spiritual is judged of none yet the Whore is judged of all who are godly spiritual and although A.S. denyeth that thâ— Quakers are godly spiritual yet he is never able to prove his affirmation for though they have not the holy Ghost who are out of the Church yet it doth not follow that they have it not who are out of the Church of Rome except she could be proved to be the true Church The contrary whereof I have already proved for the people called Quakers though they are out of the Church of Rome are led by that spirit which teacheth them to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world as thousands of their Neighbours can bear witnesse therefore the people called Quakers are godly Spirituall Again That Prophet which is of God is godly spiritual Jer. 28.9 and that Prophet which speaketh a thing and the thing come to pass that Prophet is of God But the people called Quakers have prophesied several things as to the late overturn'd Powers of this Nation with divers other things which accordingly came to pass as to their sorrow they were made to know therefore they are of God and godly spiritual 4. A. S again saith If you say know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Câ—r 13.5 I answer the true sence and meaning of this place is this c. So here A.S. is again undertaking that which himself saith is the Churches work for saith he in his eighth chapter the Church is the alone interpreter of all Scriptures and yet he himself who is but a particular man is here undertaking to give an interpretation or meaning to the forementioned Scripture by which it is plain that he condemns himself in the thing he is doing 5. Again fifthly he saith That the spirit of God saith Hear the Church but the spirit of the Devil contradicts and saith Hear not the Church but Christ alone for of Christ saith he it s written This is my beloved Son him hear ye behold how the Devil pleads for Christ of purpose to deceive Christians c. Ans To which I answer That I think I need not say much to convince all that reads but A.S. his own words that he is either grosly ignorant or else abominably wilful wicked for who can believe that the Devil will plead for Christ or perswade people to hear Christ and disswade them from hearing of the Church certainly if he would perswade people to hear the greater he would not disswade them from hearing the lesser And how can people pâ—ssibly be deceived that hears Christ and obeys him I cannot believe that its the spirit of the Devil that perswades people to hear Christ but rather that its the drawings of the spirit of the Father that invites them to come unto the Son and to heâ—â— him for Christ said None cometh unto me except my father who hath sent me draw him Joh 6 44. But A.S. contrarywise in effect saith That the Devil draws people to come unto Christ and to hear him By which he hath manifestly shewed that he is of â— contrary spirit unto Christ Therefore A.S. is an Antichrist and