God has ever been Sufficient to his People in every Age And since they only are Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God and that it is the Spirit of God alone which leads into all Truth It follows that the Law of the Spirit of Life writ in the Heart and not a Law writ on Paper a State less excellent then the Jews whose Law was written upon Stone is the great Evangelical Rule of Living Yeâ—â—re the Scriptures an Holy Declaration of thâ— Word of God and of the Rule and Guide in â—atters of Salvation And we reject for ever that Spirit which leads into those Principles and Practices that in the least contradict the standing and permanent Truths therein mentioned For they were written by Holy Men of God being inspired thereto and contain Godly Reproof Admonition Exhortation and Prophecies for the Edification of the Church and perfecting the Man of God to every good Word and Work through Faith in Christ Jesus and as such many Directions Precepts and Rules are therein laid down yet they all refer to the Grace Light Spirit Word or Anointing within as That by which Man ought to be Ruled governed and ordered to God's Glory and his own Comfort as they first were who gave them forth for they were Witnesses of the Truth of what they writ So that they are an Holy Declaration of the Way of God and that Holy Principle which leads to it and in it without which the Book is sealed the Scriptures are unknown and consequently not the Scriptures but that holy Key of David is the Rule how far and which way we are both to understand interpret believe and practise them This may be enough to shew the Disingenuity of our Adversary in representing us to his Knight For because We cannot give that Title and Office due to Christ himself from him to his bare Declaration he would insinuate that we refuse all Conformity to the Holy Examples and Testimonies therein related and exprest as if we were a most dissolute Crew of Libertines But he tells us that this Person whose Name I suppose we shall prove he has made too bold with so well knowing our obstinate and perverse Humor in the Discharge of his Trusts committed to him under his MOST SACRED MAJETSY he could do no less then present him with this Treatise that going under the Name and Protection of so worthy and accomplisht a Person it may in some measure obtain its desired Effect by putting a Stop to the growing Evil and confirming those who are not seduced in the Truth of their Profession A most non-sensical Expression Answ But I am willing to hope better things of him then that be should go upon the Priest's Message or turn their Knight Errant But what 's the Matter that the Quakers are so Perverse They cannot say right Worshipful because they think that of right belongs to God nor most sacred Majesty that being fit for no mortal Man Neither can they ly and flatter with Your most Obliged and Affectionate Servant for they are more obliged to God then Man and to one Man more then another He either knew not forgot or sleighted the Rebuke of Paulinus to Sulpitius Severus who said It becometh not Christ's Free-Men to subscribe themselves Servant c. But it is nothing with such as our Adversary to Cog Ly and Flatter 'T is one Part of his Manners I would fain know what Rule he had for all this Did the Holy Prophets and Apostles teach him any such Trash Will he prate of Scripture for a Rule and yet bridle his Flattering Tongue no better The Customes of the Heathens have entred the Profession of Christianity and that Old Spirit under this New Trim goes off for a very Good Christian Oh but the Quakers are Obstinate in other Cases for all this Answ Why so Because they will by all means stand to their Principles They will not play the Sycophants Threats do not fright them nor Promises gain them They love their Conscience above their Conveniency and seek to please God rather then Men. Perhaps this sort of Men the Knight has found them but could have wisht them more pliant to the Laws it may be that he might have some colour to be kind must therefore this Busy-Body entitule his Name to all his own Follyes Lyes and Slanders against us What can any moderate Person think but that the Patron of such a Discourse has been an eminent Persecutor whose Protection is so plainly called for to a Book that without doubt would have him so For my Part I think the Knight ought to repute that Ignorant and Disingenuous Discourse so far from being a Testimony how much the Author is his most obliged and affectionate Servant that for Interesting his Name and Power therein he should hereafter look upon him as an Enemy to Him his Name and Family Before I conclude give me leave to ask him why he sought for Protection Is his national Cause defended by Princes Parliaments Navyes Armies the Learned Rich and Powerful Clergy both Universities the generality of the Gentry and Commonality so weak and gasping or are the poor despised traduced and trodden down Quakers so potent and terrible that a Book of eight Sheets dare not peep out against them but a big Title must be got to recommend and patronize it But how Worthy soever the Knight be that will not hinder my Proceeding to shew the Unworthiness of the Book therein of the Author as well to his Patron as the despised Quakers CHAP. II. Containing an Answer to his first Chapter in which he pretends an Agreement to be between the Quakers and other Ancient and Modern Hereticks The Comparison examined and proved defective OUr Adversary that he may the better prejudice his Reader against us introduceth his Discourse with a Comparison of us to the most noted and odious of the reputed ancient and modern Hereticks doubtless hoping that what he wants of Argument to render us such may be supplied by that ill Opinion Men have of those he brings us into parallel with The first Man he thought fit to pitch upon is Simon Magus a Man famous for his infamous Sorceries with whom he wickedly yoaks that faithful Minister of God George Fox because saith he Simon Magus gave out that he was God the Father And George Fox before the Justices at Lancaster that he was equal with God Answ There is no believing a decimating persecuting Priest against a Quaker till he makes more Conscience of telling Lyes who have given too many Demonstrations of their Desire to have us run down at any rate to be credited by those who love Truth more then Partiality George Fox denyes the Words they were never so spoken by him much less were they ever intended in that Way our Adversary takes and improves them For though there be not an Equality yet there is an Unity as testifyeth the Scripture Let the same Mind be
let the first hold his Peace For when it pleased God to REVEAL his Son in me For I neither received the Gospel of Man neither was I taught it but by the REVELATION of Jesus Christ If any be other-wise minded God will REVEAL it to him As I said before so again Who uttered these excellent Sayings and for what End If no Inspiration no Understanding If no Revelation no Knowledge And if the Spirit cease to teach as it can never teach but by Inspiration or Revelation then the Administration of Christ and his Apostles is ceased indeed And so not the Quakers but their Adversary overturns the Gospel-Ministration as begun and preached by Christ and his Apostles And be it known to all the World we think Revelation no Disgrace to our Cause Parrats may learn Scripture but can never experience it And those know little better who know not by Experience They are unprofitable Canters indeed who confidently talk of what they never felt and Idle Boasters who bo◠up themselves unto the Reputation of Ministers and Christians with a loud talk of their Travels Tryals Inspirations and Experiences whom they plainly mock in their Posterity concluding all blind because they cannot see In short Let it be the Character of the despised Quakers and we glory in it that all the Councils Synods Universities Doctors Scholars and the most Unanimous Decrees Learned Books and what ever the Power and Art of the Spirit of Man can produce will never be able to give or rule that true Faith which overcomes the World For that which may be known of God is manifested within Man And though outward Records may testify of and direct to that Unerring Light and Spirit by which Man comes both to know God and to be made conformable to his heavenly Image yet nothing below the Discoveries Convictions and Effectual Operations of the Eternal Spirit can give Man the certain Knowledge of God nor that daily Ability by which alone he may be enabled to obey him But he opposeth to us Miracles and Reason insinuating that we have no more of the last then the first and therefore not to be believed To the first I say we pretend to no other Religion then what was professed and practised by the Apostles and therefore need no new Miracles after that Manner to confirm that which has been confirmed by Miracles already especially by those who believe those Miracles And to deny Revelation where there are no Miracles is to discard many of the Prophets and to deny the Pouring forth of the Spirit upon the primitive Christians But above all hear the Man's Interpretation of Deut. 18.22 When a Prophet speaks in the Name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is saith this horrible Perverter of holy Scripture if he do no Miracle whereas the Verse intends no such thing Is this to rant over the Quakers for Idiots as if he were some Doctor of the Chair that where the Scripture speaks of Prophecy he should render it Miracle as if he that is a Prophet is a Worker of Miracles and that Miracles and Prophecy are equivalent But Argumentum ad hominem let us see how it will hold He that is a true Prophet must necessarily work Miracles But the Priests of England cannot work Miracles therefore the Priests of England are all False Prophets A true Conclusion yet false Premises A Paradox Now for the Reasonableness of our Doctrine He thinks a very mean Capacity can find none in it for how should there be any Reason in what they teach when they themselves sayes he deny the Use of Reason But none have less then they which pretend to so much This Man dares swagger for Reason and yet cryes out Heresy as soon as he sees it His Reason is the Authority of his Church The SAY-SO of some University Doctor finally The Workes of some learned Men and offer never so much Reason Conscience against them and your Reason is Sophistry and Conscience Enthusiasm The justest Separation in the World is with such but Schism and which is the last Stratagem such Persons must be Enemies to Caesar But I may say of those Men as Heraclitus said of their Fore-Fathers If blind Men were to judge of Sight they would say Blindness were Sight God is the Fountain as well of Reason as Light And we assert our Principle not to be without Reason but most Reasonable Whence it is frequent with us in our Reproof of Cruel Men to say they are Unreasonable whether it be to Man or Beast making good what the Prophet saith For his God doth instruct him to Discretion and doth teach them Again Come let us Reason together And Tertullian will have the first Verse of John thus rendr'd In the Beginning was Reason and that Reason was with God and that Reason was God by that were all things made c. And this seems no forreign Interpretation for in the 10th Verse of Jude we have sensual Men not having the Spirit called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unreasonable Creatures according to which the Apostle Peter speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that askes Reason ready to give it Thus much to overlook our own Translation in Paul's second Epistle to the Thessalonians where he calls such Unreasonable Men that have not Faith concerning Reason So that it is very evident by our Adversary's denying and the Quakers asserting an unerrable Principle to be in Man and the Refusal of the one and the Readiness of the other to be governed thereby not the Quakers but their Enemies are Unreasonable both in their Faith and Practice §. 3. Of Forms of Prayer Our Adversary spends two or three Pages in proving the Necessity of Bodily Worship and he doth it so lamely that if it were so much my Judgment to deny it as it is to practise it I know nothing he has said to encline me to it This he makes an Introduction to that Agreement he sayes there is between D.G.H.N. and the Quakers in their mutual Renouncing both Bodily Worship and Visible Ordinances For Bodily Worship I need say no more then that our publick Meetings judge him guilty of great Dishonesty For his Visible Ordinances we shall proceed to consider them The first is concerning a Form of Prayer hear him With the like silly and weak Confidence they exclaim against Forms of Prayer wheras our blessed Saviour taught his Disciples a Form Math. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye c. And least sayes he we should think that this was only a Pattern Saint Luke Chapt. 11. expresses it when ye pray say Our Father c. that is do it in these Words Moreover John taught his Disciples and one of Christ's Disciples desired that he would teach them where we are told first that John delivered a Form of Prayer to his Disciples 2. That Christ's Disciples besought him that he would also give them
of what ever stands in his Way and refuses to receive his Mark in his Forehead or in his Right Hand This has occasioned so much Trumpery in Religion Ceremonies Shew and meer Formality have swallowed up the greatest part of It Now were Men brought to God's Heavenly Gift in themselves it would reclaim and leaven the Mind chain the Affections and bring Religion into Holy and Selâ—-denying Living and erect an Holy Regiment in the Heart and Soul by which the Heavenly â—mage would be renewed and Man become as one born again without which Translation there can be no entring into God's Heavenly Kingdom This the first Protestants made to be their Reason of their Revolt from Rome For though 't is true that they charged the Papists with making God's Tradition the holy Scriptures void by their numerous dark Traditions yet That which begot that holy Loathing of Rom's Superstitions Idolatries and Will-Worship was God's Grace in their Hearts their best Argument against Rom's Assault was this The Scripture which I believe from the Testimony of the Spirit of God in me which I can only understand from the Illumination thereof owns no such thing and therefore I reject it Such as converse with Luther and his Followers Zuinglius and his Followers will find this to have been the Foundation of their whole Work And our own Martyrology is full to our Purpose particularly Tindal Times and Philpot. I omit to mention a whole Cloud of Witnesses because I intend not to dwell here only this I would be at and I intreat you all to weigh it If any thing can give to understand aright and enable to practise those things of God which it is necessary for Man both to know and do then God's Light Grace or Word in the Heart What else can give us to relish the Divine Authority of the Scriptures themselves or to believe the Things therein treated of to be undeniable Truths Indeed the Want of This has been a great Occasion of Atheism for Man making practising and enacting That for Religion of which People has had no Assurance in themselves But if they should speak their Hearts 't is more probable They do not believe it but instead thereof deride it and so under a Shew of Religion live as Men without God in the World To prevent which and to bring Men to the true Understanding of what God expects from them in order to that great Account they are to give unto Him at the Revelation of his Righteous Judgments when he will judge the Secrets of all Men by Jesus Christ we do exhort all to Christ's Pure Unerring Light in the Conscience which is sufficient to daily Understanding Duty that what they believe and profess in Matters of so high Importance They maybe convinced in their very Conscience by the good Understanding the Inspiration of the Almighty gives of the Truth and Necessity thereof and not suffer themselves to be carried away with the Torrent of Fathers Councils Synods Doctors Scholars National Constitutions c. big and most times untrue and too often empty Words without that inward Conviction and Testimony of God's Good Spirit in Your Own Consciences the old Protestant and only primitive Ground of Truâ— Faith and Obedience I know and shall alwayes acknowledge that in the time of Ignorance the Almighty winked and that in every Age he has expressed his Regard to those under the various Forms of Religion ever in the World who have been Sincere-hearted and of Sober and Conscientious Conversation But I must also tell you that by how much the more needless and unwarrantable Customs Will-Worship and Human Religion built upon the dark and uncertain Conjectures of Men are receeded from and the Minds of People engaged in a diligent attendance upon that Divine Principle which only can clear up their Understandings and give them an experimental Knowledge of the True God and that Way of Worship and Service which may be most acceptable with him by so much more certain will they be of the Truth of their Religion in as much as they have over and above all external Record the Assurance of Unquestionable Convictions in their own Consciences Thus God that made Heaven and Earth knows we came to receive that Knowledge of him Which we now expose our selves to all Hardships to mantain We profest God but like our Neighbours in Works we denyed him We worshipt him after Men's Conceivings insomuch that I may say we worshipt the Unknown God in a False Way No doubt but we were stockt with the Common Talk of Religion but the Cross of Christ we were Strangers to His Blood we extolled whilst by Wicked Works we trod it under Foot And believ'd our selves Saved by it Who were Uncleansed from Sin The whole End of His Coming we esteemed the top of all Love but never knew enough of It truly kindled in our Hearts whereby to work such Faith and Resignation as could give us Victory over the World Thus were we Jews-like Children of God whilst we crucifyed the Son of God and of the Seed of Abraham whilst the Serpents Seed reign'd Heirs of the Kingdom yet not born again Free yet the Bondslaves of Vanity Oh! at this time of day it was that God â—ound us out and broke in upon our Souls with his Righteous Judgments for Sin and laid Judgment to the Line Righteousness to the Plummet within us the Book of Conscience was Opened and great Fear surprised us and Deep Sorrow fell upon us which brought that sudden and Strange Change that made us both the Derision of Prophane and Wonderment of Sober Men. The Author of the Account of Familism for want of more Skill and Seriousness calls it the Hypochondria as if it only had been a Flux of Melancholy overpowring the Strength of Reason and carrying the Understanding captive at the Impetuosity of its Fancies But having been thus made sensible of the Terrors of the Lord for Sin and being brought into a True Understanding of that Religion and Worship which most please God some of us were constrained and in Conscience bound to go forth into the World and publish these Tidings of Judgment for Sin and Conversion through Righteousness wrought by the mighty Power of God in the Conscience that all might be awakened to try their Works Faiths Worships and whole Religions whether they were of God or Men or they had been doing their own Wills or the Will of God that so they might be brought to experience God to be a God nigh at hand reconciled in Christ blotting out Sin and renewing a Right Spirit within by which their Religion might not longer stand in the Traditions of Men nor only Education of Parents but upon the Convictions and Operations of God's Grace in the Conscience And thus is all that Christ did without brought nigh and home to the very Soul The Seed of the Woman is known to Bruise the Head of the Serpent Christ the
in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the Form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God And He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of One for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Again They that are joyned to the Lord are One Spirit and He that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as He is Righteous To deny this is to deny the most Heavenly Benefit we have by Christ namely Unity and Fellowship we have with the Father and with the Son That it was an Unity not an Equality especially in the Sense he takes the Word the faithful Narrative of that Proceeding printed in the Year 1654. will further testify How great then must this Man's Miscarriage be who to render a good Man an Impostor turns Forger himself but God will reward him The next Pair he pitches upon to prove his Assertion is Maenander and James Nailer The one for affirming Himself to be sent from the invisible Regions to be the Saviour of Man-kind And James Nailer for asserting himself to be Christ and accepting Hosannah's and Divine Worship in the Streets of Bristol Answ What Maenander was I know not and it is hard believing a Character of any Man when it is given by his Enemy But sure I am that James Nailer never asserted himself to be the Christ of God Neither did he ever deny Him that appeard at Jerusalem to be the Lord 's Christ as his Writings plentifully declare especially one Paper written by him to the then Parliament when a Prisoner in Bride-wel Christ Jesus the Emmanuel of whose Sufferings the Scriptures declare Him ALONE I confess before Men for whose sake I have deny'd what ever was dear to me in this World that I might win him be found in him and not in my self whom alone I seek to serve in Body Soul Spirit night day according to the Measure of Grace working in me even to that Eternal Spirit be Glory and to the Lamb forever But to asscribe this Power Virtue to JAMES NAILER or for that to be exalted or worshipped TO ME IS GREAT IDOLATRY So having an Opportunity given with Readiness I am willing in the Fear of God the Father in Honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all Offences from every Simple Heart without Guile or Deceit His third Comparison lyes betwixt Photinus who is said to have denyed the Trinity and G. Fox as guilty of the same Error in his Account Answ I can find no such place in the Book so called Either our Adversary sets up for a New Controvertist or he dishonestly shunned giving us the Page But I am willing to believe that he took it as he found it in some other Adversary for any thing reported or printed against a Quaker is ground enough for an envious Priest to accuse him But what if G. Fox denyed the Unscriptural Expressions viz. The Trinity of distinct and separate Persons must it necessarily follow that he denyed the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father Word and Spirit We justly renounce those Barbarous School-Terms as not suited to God's Heavenly Manifestations but the dark Conceits of some Popish Doctors His fourth Comparison is made between Soâ—inus and James Nailer in that the one denyed the Satisfaction of Jesus Christ and look'd upon his Passion only as an Example The other in that he affirmed The End for which Christ did suffer was to be a living Example to all Generations Love to the lost page 56. Answ He has not truly delivered the Opinion of Socinus whose Books shew however mistaken about Christ's Divinity that he ever esteemed his Death and Passion to have more in it then a bare Example Nor has he faithfully dealt with J. Nailer in this Quotation For first I find not the Words as cited and next the Word ONLY is by himself omitted which alone renders the Passage heterodox Suppose then that J. Nailer writ that Christ was in his Suffering a living Example to all Generations Is there no Difference between Christ's being in his Death and Passion Only our Example which he charges upon Socinus and Christ's being our living Example in Suffering which he attributes to J. Nailer How can there be a Comparison where there is so great a Disparity The First is denyed by all that own Christ The Last is owned by all that do not deny Peter who thus writ to the scattered Brethren For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 His fifth Comparison he makes between the Valentinians the Quakers The Former he sayes arrogated to themselves a Knowledge beyond Christ and his Apostles The Latter impudently throw away the written Word of God delude the credulous Vulgar with new fangled Revelations which he thinks he has prov'd by two Inances 1. That Th. Hollbrow a Quaker to One that urged Scripture answered What dost thou tell me of Scripture which is no more to me then an Old Almanack 2. That Fox and Hubberthorn in a Book called Truth 's Defence say The Scriptures are no standing Rule and it is dangerous for ignorant People to read them Answ To the first I say there is great Difference between one that was no Quaker and one that was or is a Quaker We have examined the matter and by all we can find both that Saying is not true as charged and it is of an ancienter date then the coming of any of our Friends into those Parts therefore not the Saying of a true Quaker To the second I return thus much 'T is true there is such a Book and it was written by G. Fox and R. Hubberthorn but he has not given us so much as one Page to direct us to the Passage So that either People must read till they find it or else take his Perversion for our Assertion Unworthy Man does he think us such Wretches that we deserve not common Justice Methinks Justice should not be denyed where so little Mercy is shewn But to answer the Instance Our Judgment about the Scriptures being the Rule we have already delivered And in what sense it is Dangerous to read them their own Book will declare 'T is dangerous say G. Fox R. Hubberthorn to read the Scripture in order to make War against the Saints to give carnal Expositions upon them Meanings contrary to them and to make a Trade of them but Blessed is he that doth read and doth understand them If this prove that Sleight to Scripture our Adversary would suggest them to be guilty of then let us be condemned But God's Witness in every unseared Conscience will acquit them and judge him for corrupt Citation and hard Speeches who dares to cry thereupon Are these not as Impudent Hereticks as the Valentinians whom he represents to have arrogated to themselves a Knowledge above Christ
and his Apostles which how true soever it may be of them I am sure is False enough of us for those hideous Consequences he makes are not deducible from any unperverted Saying to be cited out of Truth 's Defence And least any should think we deny with the Papists the Perusal of the Scriptures to Ignorant People from what our Adversary sayes know that they spoke of such Ignorant and Unlearned Persons as in reading wrested them to their own Destruction now unless it be not Dangerous to read to Destruction they are not chargeable witâ— Bâ—ame in that Matter But who are the Knowing and Learned The Jewish Doctors and Greek Philosophers No but Fishermen and poor Mechanicks discipled in Christ's School for the Excellency of whose Knowledge Paul reputed his Gamaliel-Acquisitions but Dross and Dung So that their Knowing and Learned are many times the Ignorant Unlearned we speak of whose Wisdom God will confound and whose Understanding he will bring to nought His last Comparison of us in this Chapter is with Marcus an old Heretick The Agreement he makes betwixt us lyes in our mutual Pretences to Inspiration and Prophecy For as he reports him to have abused many silly Women under colour of conferring on them the Gift of Prophesying and that he had a familiar Spirit by which 〈◊〉 brought himself into Credit with his deluded Followers So he tells us that he has had it confidently affirmed That about the first rise of the Quakers in the North of England several Persons by Gloves and Ribbands and divers Charmes were really bewitched by them And doubtless many of their Quaking fits were real Possessions by the Devil Answ What Marcus was is nothing to us If he has done amiss he has answered for it by this time I confess I am not over-fond of the Characters left us of ancient Hereticks knowing what kind of Creatures the best Protestants are with Papists and what fearful Monsters several sober Separatists are reputed among some Protestants But this I know if what he hath said of several Ancients be no Truer then what he hath said of us he has grosly abused their Doctrines and their Memories For the Witchcraft of our Gloves Ribbands and Charmes 't is scarce worth my Notice his Folly in mentioning it being a sufficient Reproof and Confutation to himself A Story fit for none at this time of day to report or believe but a Man of his size I thought they had been worn out by this time But let the sober Reader judge which savours most of Satan's Design this Idle yet Scandalous Story or our Fearing and Trembling at the Word of the Lord and those Terrors that broke in upon our Souls because of Sin and Iniquity 'T is but the old Spirit of Mockery that acted the Jews and Heathens against the Christians and Papists against Protestants and too many Protestants of several Sorts against some more reformed Separatists For had the Reverent Fear of God possessed our Adversary's Heart in the writing of this Discourse there had been no room for such Irreligious Scoffs against an inoffensive People But the Devil because he would be God calls God the Devil Christ Beelzebub Light Darkness and the Power of God the Power of Satan and the Fear and Trembling brought by the one the Possessions and Witchcrafts of the other Certainly such Men live in a dry Land they see not when Good cometh But what will not an Enraged Tything Priest do to destroy us who he knows are Discoverers of such Deluders CHAP. III. His pretended Agreement between the Authors of Familism and the Quakers considered His Objections answered I Now come to consider the Reason of the Title of his Book and what Ground he had to name us the Revivers Propagators of Familism with the most weighty Objections he makes against us if in Truth I may repute the strongest of them such and that with what Brevity Truth and Faithfulness I can The great Authors of this Doctrine of Familism he sayes were David George and Henry Nicolas but more especially the latter as having more improved and disseminated the pernicious Errors introduced by the former He bestows many severe Expressions upon them more I think then becomes a Man of any Charity to give I am not their Advocate But so much Splene and so little Reason against Dead Men can be neither Christian nor Manly What he sayes they held and how far we are concerned in it it is our Business to enquire § 1. Of Christ's Ministration And first he tells us that H.N. should say that not only the Law of Moses but the Ministration of Christ and his Apostles were only Temporary things instituted to bring Men to the perfect Reign of the Spirit and then like Horn-Books and Primers to grown Understandings to be thrown away pag. 10 11. And that this is the full Sense of the Quakers sayes our Adversary Hear John Crook a Quaker We believe by the same Gift of Grace that there are several Ministratitions and several Operations according to 1 Cor. 12. And all by the same Spirit as before and after the Law by Moses and after by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles And by this Spirit were the Scriptures given forth and the Holy Men of God did speak prophesy preach and pray as they were moved and to answer the Service God had for them to do they were to wait as Christ commanded his Disciples to receive the Promise of the Father And therefore as it was the Practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the Moving of this Spirit that they might speak as it gave them Utterance in the Evidence and Demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now Upon which our Adversary dares to observe that we with the Familists deny the Ministration of Christ to be the Ministration of the Spirit and consequently a Blasphemous Derogation from the Honour of our Blessed Saviour who said to his Apostles Joh. 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Answ If our Adversary's Weakness has run him into this strange Parrallel he is to be pittyed but if his Envy he is severely to be rebuked Will any Man that has Sense or Honesty say it is all one to affirm that Christ's Ministration is an Horn-book that time casts off with Infancy and that it is a Waiting to receive the same Spirit Christ commanded his Apostles to wait for as the Promise of the Father and the peculiar Gift and Priviledge of his own Ministration Does not J. Crook expresly draw a Parallel between the Holy Men of God of old and the Quakers of our time that as they then so the Quakers now wait to be taught moved and ordered by the same Eternal Spirit through which all come to be baptized into One Body How was that then no Spiritual Ministration when we desire to be conformed unto the Spirit and Holy Example thereof not making this anew
but reviving that old and durable Ministration of the Spirit Therefore Blasphemous Derogations will return to our Adversary as unduely charged upon us with a Charge upon him of base Derogation from the Truth of our Belief But he thinks that Humph. Smith has made much for him in thus Querying Whether should People be led in these dayes by Moses according to his outward Ministration or the Person of Christ limiting it to his Visible Appearance or the Spirit of Truth which he promised to pour out after his Ascension which contains the Substance of what he quotes out of H. Sm. to which he thus answers There is no sober Christian can read this Passage without Anger and Disdain to see such wicked Wretches scoff and fleeringly insult upon the sacred Person of our Lord Jesus The whole History of whose Life and Death in the Letter of it they esteem no better then one of Aesop's Fables Answ But our Adversary will not so easily escape the Hands of the Just God whose is Vengeance for these Ungodly Defamations as he well knows he may do ours Anger Disdain and Lyes become him and it is little to be wondred that he should be guilty of them all against a Quaker If H. Sm. had asserted that Moses could not be our Leader neither the Visible Person of Christ but the Spirit of Truth he had not exceeded the Warrant of Scripture nor the very Judgment of this Reviler It is not two pages off that he quoted Joh. 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Which if I understand any thing imports thus much That those things which they knew not whilst Christ was with them after his Ascension the Holy Ghost should reveal unto them as these two preceeding Verses fully prove I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth and he will shew you things to come Nay Christ himself sayes in the 7th Verse Nevertheless I tell you the Truth It is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you And in the 14th Chapter he speaks thus I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter 〈◊〉 will abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth So that the personal Ministration was manifestly transient and temporary but That of the Spirit was to abide for ever But I would not any should think it to be less Christ's Ministration because the Ministration of the Spirit for the Lord is that Spirit as his own Words manifest Again I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Yet a little while and the World seeth me no more but ye see me Because I live ye shall live also For he that dwelleth with you shall be in you At that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you And that this Comforter is Christ in his Spiritual Coming and Appearance let it be further observed that the same Word for Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in John 16.7 is the Word used by the same Apostle in the first Verse of the 2d Chapter of his first Epistle for Advocate when he sayes We have an Advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the Righteous In short the Dispensation of his Visible Appearance was but Temporary It is expedient for you that I go away But his Ministration who so appeared then dis-appeared and after re-appeared in a Spiritual and unalterable Ministration Lo I am with you to the End of the World And truly thus much our Adversary in Contradiction to himself grants us that the Ministration of Christ was indeed the Ministration of the Spirit Now what Scoffs Fleerings or Insults against the sacred Person of our Lord Jesus any can see in this Doctrine to incite a sober Christian to Anger and Disdain I leave to any but such an Angry and Disdainful Enemy to judge I cannot forget his horrible Ly of us concerning the Scriptures stolen probably out of an Anabaptists lying Dialogue lately printed against us Prelaticks and Sectaries can sometimes agree against Quakers Aesop's Fables have more worth in them then all the Books that ever were written against the Quakers I do not at all doubt but there are Twenty Fables in Aesop that well considered would have taught them more Discretion and it should have been their own Fault if not more Honesty too then any or all of them have shown in their utmost Endeavours against us But that we have no more Regard to nor Belief in the Holy Scriptures of Truth then in Aesop's Fables is a Story more prophane and fabulous then any Fable in Aesop and God will recompence with a Vengeance this Defamer of an Innocent People unless diverted by his unfeigned Repentance §. 2. Of Revelation He tels us the second thing wherein the Familists and Quakers are all one is the Pretence of Immediate Revelation Dav. Geo. and H.N. both pretend to receive their Doctrine from the Angel Gabriel And W. Gibson the Quaker sayes that the Gospel which they preach they have not received it from Men nor from Books nor from Writings but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them and then denyes the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be the revealed Will of God Answ After what manner D.G. and H.N. received their Commission I know not but sure I am that W. Gibson's Assertion is sound Take away Revelation and the Gospel ceases of course Christ is put besides the Dignity of his Prophetical and Priestly Office the Promises of God will be broken and the most excellent part of the Scriptures God's Traditions made void Who was it said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up like unto me Him shall ye hear in all things There is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding As for me This is my Covenant with him saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and forever I will REVEAL unto them the Abundance of Peace and Truth I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast REVEALED them unto Babes And no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will REVEAL him No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him But God hath REVEALED them unto us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God If anything be REVEALED to another that sitteth by
some Form of his making Answ But can this Man have the Vanity to plead the Necessity of the Use of this Form much less of those that are of Mens Invention and Appointment from those Quotations Has his Religion brought him no farther Can he believe that Matthew writ by the holy Ghost and yet imply an absolute Reproof in his so much more commending Luke's account which he thinks requires the express Words and not others like them But let it be considered that this was a time of Infancy and that it was before the more full pouring out of the Spirit is certain and that they knew not Gospel Prayer as afterward is undeniable Besides It is either Sufficient or it is not If Insufficient it reflects on Christ beside who can supply its Defect If Sufficient why do you use any other What ever it is upon our Principles you must confess it be a setting of your Postes by God's Postes your Invention by his Institution It is meer Deceit to attempt the Defence of the Popish English Mass-Book from Christ's Prayer Prove your Forms to be of Divine Institution and that God by his Spirit now requires them and the Debate will end otherwise we reject the Allusion as improper and incoherent The Spirit is not confinable to set Forms though in times of Ignorance he hath administred Comfort in them by those who were sincere and knew no better But Forms are not therefore to be perpetuated for that were to obstruct the more free Operation of the Spirit and our Expression by it It is at best but a State of Weakness to be condescended to but never to be pleaded for God's Spirit will be unlimited as well as the Words he prompts us to must never by another be confined §. 4. Of Baptism He sayes we both deny Baptism by which I understand Water because Christ finding it among the Jews adopted it into his Religion a Ceremony neither burthensome nor offensive and the only Door set open under the Gospel for Salvation For which he brings three Scriptures Matth. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. To the same purpose by Mark Chap. 16. v. 15 16. And Christ's Saying Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Answ If Baptism was ever Jewish as our Adversary grants then because Christ came to end all Jewish Ceremonies Water-Baptism can bear no Evangelical Perpetuity And if it should be objected that it was used after the Pouring forth of the Holy Ghost I answer so was Circumcision Vowes Purification Forbearing to eat things strangled and Blood And the common Practice of Christendom so called sufficiently tells us what is become of those Observations Using and Instituting are two things The Apostles condescended where they never commanded In the two first Scriptures which contain a Commission there is no Water mentioned That there is a Baptism of the Holy Ghost I hope all will grant That such a Baptism admits of no outward Water is plainly implyed And that it was the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and therefore not of Water which Christ intended I will briefly prove First this Commission was some of the last Words Christ spoak that it is to be fulfilled is certain that they could not do it without Power is clear that neither of those Chapters mentions any such Endowment must be granted Whether then must we go to fetch that Account here omitted I would desire my Reader to turn to the first Chapter of Luke's Acts of the Apostles where we shall find Christ's last Words to his constant Followers thus left upon Record And being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me For John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many Dayes hence When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel And he said unto them It is not for you to know the Times or the Seasons which the Father has put into his own Power But ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and 〈◊〉 Samariah and unto the uttermost part of the Earth And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their Sight Now if the Promise of the Father was the Pouring out of the Holy Ghost and if the Pouring out of the Holy Ghost be the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was that which qualified them to be his Witnesses as the whole place fully proves Then Go and teach all Nations c. in Matthew and Go ye into all the World in Mark must not have been spoken before these Words in the Acts at least not to take place till they themselves had been baptized with the Holy Ghost and consequently the Baptism mentioned in that Commission must not have been a Water-Baptism as John's was but that of the Holy Ghost which they were to be baptized with so that the Order of the Words at least in Execution if not in Expression must have been this John indeed baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many Dayes hence Then go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in or rather into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And lo I am with you alwayes unto the End of the World Nor is this incredible when we consider without their so baptizing it had been utterly Impossible for them to have turned them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God And doubtless they might as well baptize with the Holy Ghost as reconcile by the Word For where the one was the Power of the other could not be wanting For the third Scripture though Water be mentioned yet what Water will be the Question That it is not meant of outward Water I offer several Reasons 1. To be born of Water and of the Spirit is no more then to be born of Water or of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being here explicative For were it otherwise and that by Water were understood External Water this Absurdity would inevitably follow that the Soul of Man which is Spiritual and Internal could in part be regenerated by Water External and Elementary But this place is excellently unfolded by that notable Passage of the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to Titus Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost where we not only have the WASHING of Regeneration to parrallel being born again of
contrary Let no Man judge you in Meats or in Drinks or in respect of an Holy-Day or of New Moons or of the Sabbath-Dayes which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ The outward Sabbath was Typical of the great Rest of the Gospel which such come to who cease from their own Work and in whom the Works of God's new Creation come to be accomplisht And though I acknowledge the other Commands to be Moral yea and Time too both respecting God's Worship and the Creatures Rest yet there is no more Reason for the Morality of that Day because amongst those Commandments then for the Ceremoniousness and Abrogation of several Moral Precepts because scattered up and down among the Ceremonial Laws recorded in Leviticus I grant the Apostles met on that Day But must it therefore be Moral Certainly the Scriptures Silence in this particular must either conclude a great Neglect against those Holy Men in not recommending enjoyning more expresly both Water Bread Wine and Holy-Dayes in their several Epistles to the Churches or warrant us in our Belief concerning the Temporariness of those things Let not our Adversary reproach us for not believeing that to be durable which was weaning off and vanishing in those dayes but soberly consider that the Practice of the best Men especially in such cases is no Institution though sometimes it may be an Example But I perceive he makes bold like an Irreverent Son with his Ghostly Fathers who through his Reflections upon us severely rebukes them Has he so quickly forgot the Book of Sports and who put it out when not to prophane this Sabbath with Dancings Ryots and Revels had been enough to render a Man an Enemy to Caesar and a schismatical Puritan to the Church If he be not satisfied with this I refer him to Calvin's Institutes Bp. Ironside and Dr. Peter Heilin concerning the non-morality of the Sabbath and a great Wonder it is that John Calvin and Peter Heilin should be of an Opinion in any §. 2. Place of God's Worship He is very angry with us for denying a more then ordinary Sanctity to Places and sayes that we esteem a Church no more then a Stable That the Jews Heathens and Turks have their Synaguoges Temples and Mosches to pray in That Christ went to a-Prayer-House Luke 6.12 and Act. 16.13 Where Paul and others went out to a River's side where an Oratory was reported to be Answ We value the true Church more then a Stable but we value a good Stable before a False Church as such But I suppose he means by Church an House and then I must tell him that I prefer a Stable better then no House but a good House better then a Stable But why is a Stable such an Ill-favoured place Has he forgot that the Head of the true Church first lodged in one when there was no room for him in a whole Synagogue yet room enough for a Company of Cavilling Murdering Scribes and Pharisees There is no doubt but the Jews had Synagogues enough for it was out of them the Apostles were to be haled because of their Testimony against those that were in them 'T is true the Heathens had Temples the Turks have their Mosches I like the Comparison and the Proof very well For I take some of your Steeple-House-Guests to be as good Christians as some of the worse sort of them It was the old Heathenish Spirit which under the Cloak of Christianity both erected those stately Edifices instituted that Pompous Worship and exacted those vast Revenues that have burthened the World these many Ages whilst the pure Apostolical Spirit and Religion have been as driven into a Sack cloth and Wilderness Estate That Christ went to a Prayer-House and that Paul and the Church met in an Oratory by the River side is a pretty Rattle for Children and may pass as unquestionably with those who are willing to be cheated as the Story of St. Denyse's Body that went a Mile without his Head and St. Wimfrid's Head a great Way without her Body to a Papist But he affirms that the first Christians had distinct places to meet in and that they called them Churches Answ Christ went not to the Synagogue or the Temple to eat the Passover 'T is certain that the Twelve met in an upper Room upon their return from Christ's Asscension and it is said when the Day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in One Place at what time that excellent Glory appeared but here is no mention made of either Temple or Synaguoge One would have thought those Conventicles for so they were then call'd and since should not have born away the Glory and Honour of that Holy Solemnity from those Cathedral and Canonical Places what sullen Separation did the False Jew then repute it as well as the False Christian now the like Practice Certainly this ran retrograde to the grain and humor of that Age And the poor Apostles therefore esteemed as great Phanaticks and as much reproached as any of the Quakers in this I must also confess they continued daily with one accord in the Temple but they broke not Bread there that was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in the House if he will have it so instead of from House to House to be sure it was not from Church to Church as he would have the House called for then we should understand the following Verse thus and the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved that is to the House But I see no Reason why he should fall so hard with his Criticisms upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same Verse alone For as Valla and Erasmus well observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as well rendred per singulas domos or domesticatim i. from house to house as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulos dies sive quotidie i. daily or from day to day But he will needs have it that the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. meant by Church the House when he said have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God His Reason is if it may be thought one because the Apostle in the eighttenth Verse sayes when ye come together in the Church in the twentieth Verse when ye come together into one Place So that the Word Church signifies the Place Ans When ye come together in the Church signifies no more then in the Congregation or Assembly or among your selves as a Church observe well the Margent And to make the Church allude to Place in the twentieth Verse is a base Wresting of our Adversaries for there is no Greek Word there for Place But he thinks he has one Argument more from Paul's greeting Priscilla and Aquila and the Church that is in their House And again sending Sâ—lutation from them Aquila and Priscilla salute
his Field and the Cattle to them and their Successors And as Murder and Whoredom introduced them so the Cunning and Coveteousness of the Clergy have continued them For when the Heptarchy became a Monarchy the Priests evermore would thrust in for a Share with the Conqueror and this Wrong Way came Tythes to be the Priests Right as he calls it But let this pretended Protestant answer me if he dare Was the Church then degenerated or no Was it not a Time of Popery Did not the first Martyrs except against her Was it Lawful for Princes to give away other Mens Goods upon the account for the pretended Expiation of their Sins Could the giving of them attone Is it not an acknowlegding of the Pope's Power to absolve Is it not a buying or bribing off the Guilt of Sin against Almighty God by Gifts to a Mortal Man and those extorted from poor People too Is this protestant Doctrine But above all is this instituting Tythes upon Inspiration Hell her own self was the Founderess of these things He may remember that there is better Antiquity for that Voice the Ancients report to have been heard that Day Constantine conferred those large Endowments upon the Church then for the Institution of Tythes and Rich Benefices I mean that Voice through the Heavens This Day is Poison poured into the Church Since which time it has been observed by the best Princes Wisest Counsellors and most moderate Clergy-Men that the Enrichment Impovering of Church Officers has been the Kanker of the Church and the Moth of the State 'T is not my Business to write a History but I recommend to the Inquisitive Reader Wickliff's Remonstrance The Plow-Man's Complaint Chaucer's Plow-Man's Tale walter Brute and W. Thorpes Examination in the Martyrology Pareus History of the Waldenses and Jo. Selden Men that ought not to pass for or be reputed Phanaticks especially by such who call themselves Protestants I shall only say 1st That they were the Peoples wholly 2ly It is now the Peoples Labour more then the Priests Land that brings the Encrease And Men ought not to be constrained to pay those they never hired nor to labour for those that profit them not 3ly They were given to expiate Murder and Adultery and uphold an Idolatrous Clergy upon Protestant Principles and therefore to be removed as were the high Places and Groves Idololatrously dedicated among the Jews 4ly Because it is most reasonable for a Man to believe according to his own Conscience not according to another Man's Conscience It is Unrighteous to persecute a Man for not maintaining that Religion which in his Conscience he believes to be false as wel as that it is the badge of a False Religion to persecute for Maintenance 5ly Though they may be confirmed by some Princes yet considering the End to which they were given to wit for the Maintenance of a certain sort of Religious Order now exploded whose Successors these are not so the ancient Constitution broken we can't see any Reason why they should remain unless any thing commanded is to be obeyed because Commanded and not because in it self Lawful Two things I cannot but observe First That he affirms The Clergy of England have not a Tenth much complaining that every one snips from them cujus contrarium verum For they not only snip but slice from every Body else I commend to his Perusal a Pamphlet entituled Omnia comesta a Belo where he will find a very particular Account of the Revenues of Arch-Bishops Bishops Arch-Deacons Deans Canons Prebends Rarsons Vicars petti-Canons Singing Men Choristers Organists Gospellers Epistlers Virgers Chancellers and their Attendents Delegates Registers and their Clarks Gentlemen Apparators Inferior Apparators Proctors c. I doubt not but FIFTEEN HUNDRED THOUSAND Pounds a Year will be the modestest Accompt that Computation will admit of which is but double the Revenue that former Monarchs have had for the Maintenance of their Family Crown and Dignity their Civil Justice Armies Navies and costly Embassyes If all this be to resemble Christ Jesus and his Apostles the Scripture has given us a very wrong Account of him and them The 2 d. thing I would observe is this That he has the Ignorance and Confidence to argue from the Super-excellency of Christ's Ministration to that of Moses That the Maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel should proportionably exceed the Maintenance of the Priests under the Law Answ But certainly he is one of the first Men that made this wilde Interpretation of the Glory of the latter House excelling the Glory of the former as if Christ's House were outward or his Glory either Would he have one outward Temple figure out another as if Christ should bring in another Levitical Law to excell that of Moses Certainly the New Jerusalem after this Man's rate of Disputing must be an outward Structure of material Saphyres Emraulds Jaspers c. But there is a Pope and a Mahomet in his Belly whether he knows it or no For these Fleshly Conceits first set them to work upon their Pompous Worship neglecting the Holy Pure Self-denying Spiritual Religion of Christ Jesus and his Apostles who neither practised nor set up any Shadowy and Ceremonial Worship not settling themselves in Splendid Livings to lead Easy Quiet and Voluptuous Lives Freely they received freely they gave not as our Adversary ridiculously understands it that they gave their Miracles but sold their Preaching Indeed the Spirit of a Pompous Anti-Christ who pleads for State under a Self-denying Gospel Christ's Kingdom is not of this World and yet he pleads for the Grandeur of a Worldly Worship Ministry and Maintenance we may allow him therefore and his Tribe to be Worldly Christians but not true Followers of that Jesus who said when he was in the World I am not of the World which leads me to the next Section concerning the Ministry §. 4. Of Ministers of the Gospel In Defence of the Church of England's Ministery he tells us that they have first the Testimony of their own Conscience that they are furnished to that Office 2ly the outward Call of the Church by Imposition of Hands and Prayers Answ If the Ministers of the Church of England have the Testimony of their Conscience it must be either a True or a False Testimony If a False then not truly called upon our Adversary's Principles If True then Infallibly so and consequently both every Man hath an Infallible Witness in his own Conscience and the Preparation and Call of this Witness is the Inward Call to the Ministery Now how this can be without Revelation and Inspiration I know not But it seems Ministerial Qualification must be judged of by the Witness in the Conscience which is the Overthrow of the Priest's Cause and Doctrine But I deny that the Priests act upon this Inward Testimony for they are afraid of being made manifest to the Conscience And when we urge this Inward Manifestation they
belyes him Is there no Difference between saying that Christ's second Appearance is in Spirit and denying Immortality Eternal Judgment Heaven and Hell O Hiddious Consequence and Comparison But why is it such false Doctrine to say that Christ's second Coming is Spiritual shall he ever come so Fleshly as before Is not he glorified After what Manner was it he promised to come when he said some standing here shall not tast of Death till they see the Son of Man come in his Kingdom I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you yet a little while and the World sees me no more but ye see me because I live ye live also He that is with you shall be in you And when the Apostle Paul said Though I have known Christ after the Flesh yet henceforth I know him so no more When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me I ask if this was not both a Second and a Spiritual Appearance Certainly it must be an other Appearance from the former therefore a Second and it must be a Spiritual one because it is Unreasonable to believe that Christ as to his Bodily Appearance could be all this to his Disciples Followers therefore His Second Appearance is Spiritual And for Judgment Immortality Heaven and Hell in this Life were not our Adversary a Sensless Novice in these Matters his own Doctors would teach him That there shall be no other Judgment Immortality Heaven or Hell hereafter then what every one has some measurable Sense or Earnest of in this Life From hence he is so Unjust to us and H.N. too as to give out to the World We both deny all future Immortality Judgment Heaven or Hell I have declared the Utmost of the Thing and doubt not but Time will make him greatly ashamed of his Undertakings But G. Fox the Saducee sayes he holds the Soul is a Part of the Essence and Being of God therefore his Conclusion is unquestionable or to that purpose I am very ready to think the Devil grievously angry with that good Man and indeed he has Reason for it if I may say That the Devil can have Reason for any thing he does for he has sâ—rowdly Brow-beaten his Cause in the World and a Great Instrument has God made him of Noble and Valiant and Durable Acts among the Sons of Men And we shall so much the more Respect and Honour him by how much Untoward Spirits seek to bear him down in the Minds of People But to answer our Adversary How comes it he never quotes when he cites I mean page his References Does he think we are bound to peruse a Folio to defend any Passage from his Random-Reflections What is he for a Man that he treats us so a la neglegence with his contemptuous Neglect Does he conceit People beholding to him for his Slanders without Proof or that any thing against a Quaker is Evidence enough But I will tell the Man he mistakes G.F. for the purport of his words are to show That the Life God breathes into the Soul of Man by which Man comes to live to God is something of the Divine Being not that the Soul as a Created Capacity without that Inspiration is part of God or of his Divine Being and so far Candor that keeps the Eye clear would have let him see had not Prejudice and a Desire of Misrepresenting and running us down hurried him beyond the Bounds of all Moderation Nor is he alone in the Matter For many learned Rabbies and modern Orthodox Divines as they are called and reputed have affirmed the same Let it be Truth for their sakes if not for his In short Were we of the Mind he would have People to think we are of all Men none would be so Miserable What! Suffer in this World because of our Faith and Hope in the Life of the other and yet deny the very 〈◊〉 End of that Hope Faith 〈◊〉 Eternal Life which alone bear us over the Troubles of this Temporal one I am perswaded all moderate Persons will think better of us CHAP. VI. He endeavours in his Fifth Chapter to prove us Inconsistent with the Good of Civil Magistracy Our Adversary's Reason too short for his Envy Swearing not Lawful HAd not this Chapter been found among the rest I might perhaps have taken him for some Zealous Church-man vexed only at the Increase of the poor Quakers on a meer Religious Score But when I see him wilfully Mistaking and purposely Charactering them Enemies to Government and that to the Insecurity of Civil Magistrates I perceive what he would be at and that nothing will serve him below our Throats He has multiply'd Words unnecessarily these two HANG THEM would have both explained and perhaps gratified his Mind better He delivers it as a Fundamental of the Quakers Religion That they testifie against Proud and Lofty Magistrates who Rule not for God but themselves to which as a dangerous Doctrine he opposeth the Apostle Peter's Exhortation Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governours that are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil-Doers and for the Praise of them that do well crying out Is not this a Doctrine fitted to stir up Sedition and Rebellion And that such are only Magistrates in our Account that are Righteous in our Esteem If a Magistrate be Wicked Obedience sayes he is still due to him Answ True but not to that which is Wicked for that were to open a Door to all the Impiety a Nero could be guilty of But what Contradiction is there betwixt the Apostles Language and the Quakers Can any sober Person think the Apostle Peter exhorted the Churches to believe Evil Magistrates to be Good ones or prove Lofty Magistrates who rule not for God fit to be obeyed therein This were to understand as if the Apostle meant That such as rule not for God Punish Evil-Doers and Praise them that do well A Contradiction If our Faith be Dangerous the Scripture must be in Question Must a Reproveing of Evil be a Disowning of Magistracy It seems then that Magistrates are not to be reproved let their Practices be never so exorbitant Is there no Difference between our Dislike of the Injust Act of a Julian and our Rebellion against Just Authority If shewing Men thâ—iâ— Evils be Disrespect and a Reprehension of them as Unchristian be Rebellion we must read Religion backwards But God deliver all Magistrates from such Counsellours and us from such Enemies But that which is very remarkable is the Contradiction he gives himself and the Injustice he shews to us who in one page sayes we would destroy all Magistrates not of our own Opinioâ— and in the very next gives it for our Judgment though with great Dislike that Magistrates ought not to impose Opinions in matters of Religion as if we were such Wretches as to deny that Power unto Magistrates which