I should desire in behalf of such as so erre we might shew mutual love and forbearance waiting if any be otherwise minded till the Lord reveal the same unto them but against such grosse and damnable doctrines as were before named Nor do I here call for fire to consume such as be seduced by such doctrines but I cry earnestly for pity and compassion to be shewed toward them to pull them as firebrands out of the fire It cannot but move our bowels to see some of our dear relations friends and neighbours to drink in greedily such poysonous principles through the cunning craftinesse of Seducers that lie in wait to deceive as we know assuredly if the Lord give them not repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth will damn their precious and immortal souls and to see other weak ones stumbled and the efficacy of the Gospel so much impeded in the bringing home souls to God which hath been so prevalent a means in the hand of the Lord till the pretious and fundamental truths of Christ have been called in question and denyed by wicked deceivers amongst us We cannot but cry aloud to God and man whilest we are eye-witnesses of these things It 's true Jesus Christ is able without the help of men to maintain his own truths and to call home and preserve his Elect ones and we doubt not but he will do it where means fail even by miraculous providences and testimonies from heaven but this is no warrant to us to neglect Gods appointed means every one is to contend in their places for the truth nor can we expect miracles till these ordinary means fail May it please your Highnesse to look into the following Treatise and you may see the abominable doctrines of those people amongst us called Quakers faithfully presented to your veiw although I doubt not but you have sufficient knowledge of them already yet I would humbly minde you of them whilest your other weighty employments divert your thoughts otherwise and incite you out of your tendernesse to the honour of Jesus Christ whose Delegate you are out of your love to the Churches and people of God for whose spiritual welfare you have this great power committed to you and out of compassion to the perishing souls of seduced people to put some stop to those seducers now in your Dominions that they may not have such freedom and license by word and writing to broach such damnable doctrines then which no duty can be more incumbent on you as you are an Officer of Jesus Christ in his political Kingdome which we hope he is about to establish in the world more gloriously then in former ages The Lord of heaven and earth blesse your Highnesse with the continuance of his gracious presence with you keep your heart close with himself in these back-sliding times and enrich you with all graces that may fit you for the faithful discharge of your duty in so high and eminent a place that as you have done valiantly in the high places of the field so you govern as righteously and happily in the gates of the City Which is and shall be the prayer of him who is The least and unworthiest of the servants of Christ Jonath Clapham TO THE Christian READER IT cannot but be a far more comfortable employment to any gracious spirit to be exercised in the contemplation of the great and precious truths of the Gospel and as the Bee to be extracting sweetnesse and comfort from them then to be raking in the filthy unsavoury dung-hil of errors heresies or with the Salamander to be living in the fire of Contention But sometimes we must and ought to prefer the most unpleasing duties before the greatest comforts Now what can be a duty more incumbent on true Christians in these days of Apostacy and Errour then to be contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. Seeing there is scarce any one doctrine of the Christian faith but is now undermined by some or other of the enemies of the truth amongst us But of all the enemies of Truth in this age none are more proud and wicked though extremely ignorant perverters thereof then that generation of men called Quakers who seem the most numerous and prevailing party of all the rest being increased by the confluence of very many unto them who were before unstable and deluded persons and had forsaken the ways of truth These do most wickedly corrupt or destroy almost all the fundamental points of the Christian Religion as is made to appear in the following Treatise The holy Scriptures they vilifie and set at naught the humanity or man-hood of Christ they utterly deny the true God who is one in essence and three in persons they beleeve not in the great doctrine of Justification before God they wholly corrupt as the Pharisees and Papists do no better do they deale with the doctrine of Sanctification All the Ordinances of Jesus Christ they abrogate the fundamental doctrines of the Resurrection of the dead of the last Judgement of Heaven and Hell they altogether corrupt and deny turning them into allegories as if they had their accomplishment wholly in men now and were not to be fulfilled in another world nor can there hardly be any one truth named but they corrupt or destroy their great designe is to bring men from Christianity to Paganisme to teach men by minding the cended into heaven c. and yet indeed they deny all these and have said expresly his flesh perished and he never had an humane soul One of their followers who is very zealous in their way and a bitter enemy to the Ministers lately told me before several witnesses Jesus Christ was no real and true man now and his body rose not it was dust Now this subtle concealing and denying their opinions doth make simple people who cannot espy their fraud sooner to be deceived by them and therefore it cannot be judged a needless labour to lay open their damnable opinions and confute them and these reasons have induced me to publish this discourse I have onely one thing more to acquaint the Reader with now and that is this these people have already boasted I should be soon answered by them and if I reply not again to them they will glory that I could not I shall desire thee to take notice that if their replies be like the former two books they wrote against me as I have little ground to expect better from them I shall not trouble my self to give them one line by way of answer If any will be so far blinded and hardened as to take the railings non-sense and impertinencies for an answer let them upon their peril do it they shall one day be convinced of their errour and made to see when the Lord in his wrath shall plead with them Now that the merciful Lord would blesse those poor endeavours to the recovery if it may be of some that be already
gone astray and to the establishment of such poor weak and staggering Christians as belong to him is the fervent and hearty prayer of him who is Thine in Christ J. C. Wramblingham June 16. 1656. To the READER WEre the opinions of the Quakers regarded only according to their falsenesse or fondness or were their strangness to Scripture seconded with a sutable disowning of them by men the Authour of this judicious Treatise might have spared his pains in this excellent Confutation of them Upon my perusal thereof it plainly appears as the errours confuted do oppose most weakly the evident and most pernitiously the fundamental truths of the Word so that this worthy Author hath most strongly with Scripture Arguments overthrown and dissipated those their fond yet dangerous errours When I consider the weaknesse of their Arguments I wonder that any have ever been so mad as to entertain their errors formerly and when I think of the strength and perspicuity of this Confutation it seems as strange that any who shall peruse this book should persist in them or be drawn off to them for the future In short I am perswaded that this judicious and dear Confutation of the errors of the Quakers is like to prove by Gods blessing a singular help to preserve those from wandring who as yet remain in the ways of truth and to reduce those who are misled and gone astray from the same William Jenkyn Black Fryers Novemb. 11. SECT I. The Quakers proved to be enemies to the holy Scriptures IT is not denyed but the Quakers are pretended friends to the Scriptures and do often tell us that they own them Nor can it be conceived that the Serpent should so far lose his subtilty in deceiving and become so foolish an enemy to the truth as to provoke seducers in downright words to deny and disclaime them and that especially in an age wherein through the mercy of God the Scriptures are generally entertained with so high esteem and some Laws are in force to punish such as shall offend in such a grosse manner His designe therefore must be to undermine them by policy whilest he pretends some love unto them as Joab spake peaceably to Abner whilest he smote him under the fifth rib and Judas kissed Christ when he betrayed him Now that the Quakers are indeed real enemies to the Scriptures whilest they would seeme to be friends I shall demonstrate by several particulars I. They deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God as all that have any knowledge of them can testifie appropriating this title only to Jesus Christ as sometimes the Swenkfeildians and others have done yea in disgrace of them have said some part thereof is the word of the Devil Now that the weakest may perceive their errour and enmity against the Scriptures in this particular 1. Let them consider these few things 1. There is nothing more common in our ordinary speaking then to call a speech or a Sermon when they be Printed or Written such a mans speech or Sermon or the words that were spoken by a man such a mans words Thus Nayler tells Jackson p. 1. thou hast printed my words though they be written down this speech is so common that there 's no childe that learns to read but if it cannot tell a word will ask what word is this and therefore to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to insinuate they never came from God if we understand this according to our common manner of speaking as when any deny such a speech or such words were not the words of such a man we understand thereby they never were uttered by him 2. The Scriptures do frequently use the same manner of speaking with us in calling the Commandments promises threatnings c. recorded in the Scriptures the Word of God The ten Commandments that were engraven on the two Tables of stone are called ten Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Deut. 10.4 in the Margin of your Bibles and Exod. 20.1 God spake all these word and said The promises of God are called his word Rom. 9.9 This is the Word of promise at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Sonne So 1 King 6.12 the promise made to David is called the word that God spake to David The threatnings are called the Words of God Zaâ—h 1.6 my Words took hold upon them that is the threatnings denounced by the Prophets overtook them as one enemy doth another in flight See Lam. 2.17 1 King 2.27 the threatning which God spake against the house of Eli is called the Word of the Lord. Yea this is the most usual acceptation of this title the Word of God for its not given to Jesus Christ by any of the holy pen-men of the Scriptures but by the Apostle John only in his Writings as Grotius observes But for the more full convincement of the weak and ignorant 〈◊〉 shall adde a few Scriptures where this phrase the word the word of God or the word of the Lord cannot possibly be applyed to Jesus Christ but must necessarily be understood of the doctrines precepts promises threatnings c. written in the Scriptures and promulged by God or his Messengers let these Scriptures be considered where for more evidence sake it 's call'd the word of Gods mouth or of Gods lips See Jer. 9.20 Esay 45.23 Ezek. 3.27 Psalme 17.4 Sure these places speak not of Christ himself the eternal Word but of a word spoken in time In other Scriptures it 's call'd the word that God spake Exod 20.1 Isa 24.3 Luke 22. â—1 Let the Reader observe this place And Peter remembred the word of the Lord what word was this It follows how he had said unto him before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Observe it this is called the Word of the Lord though Peter did not receive it and heed it so as to be kept from sin by it further yet Psalme 19. and Psalme 119. where the Prophet is taken up wholly in commendation of the Word of God he shews you what word he speaks of by the variety of expressions that he uses Law of God Precepts Judgements Statutes Ordinances Commandments Besides we have not only the Word of God but words of God mentioned in Scripture Exod. 20.1 John 3.34 Psalme 12.6 how can they expound this of Christ except they make many Christs and we reade not only of the Word Christ but the work of Christ Col. 3.16 Beside we finde mention in Scripture of a written word Eccles 12 10 Jer. 36.6 Heb. 13.22 Rev. 22.19 there might be hundreds of places more collected if need were to make out this thing How vainly do these men then cavil against us for calling the Scriptures the Word of God seeing it is the usual language of the holy Scriptures 3. Had these poor people any knowledge of the original languages wherein the Scriptures were written of which it's strange they should be ignorant when they pretend extraordinary
gifts in other things as of knowing mens spirits of being infallible of working miracles c. they might finde that there are several words used in Scripture that our translators render the Word of God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now though the former title be given to Christ yet the latter is not and therefore such places wherein the latter is used can with no colour be expounded of Christ as in Rom 10.17 Eph. 5.26 Eph. 6.17 Heb. 6.5 c. whatever they pretend of the former 4. Let it be considered in what respect Jesus Christ is called the Word and in what respect the Scriptures be called the Word and it will appear this title will with greater propriety of Speech agree to the Scriptures then to Jesus Christ for Jesus Christ is only figuratively called the Word of God that he might through that similitude he hath to a word be more cleerly represented to our understandings as the word is the image and resemblance of ones minde so is Jesus Christ the expresse image of his Fathers person Heb. 1. though no transient image as our words be but co-essential and co-eternal or as the word makes known what is in the minde and heart so hath Christ made known the minde of God unto us others understand he is called the word also because it s he of whom the Word speaks to him give all the Prophets witnesse c. others because he made all things by his Word he spake and they were made But now in none of these respects nor any other that can be further named is Christ properly the word but figuratively But now the doctrines precepts c. of the Scriptures may in a more proper sense and without figure be called the word of God because spoken by God The Lord hath spoken these things by the mouth of his holy servants which have been since the world began Luke 1.70 5. Whereas they call some part of the Scriptures the word of the devil intending thereby that in Gen. 3.1 4 5. and such like places I answer they were the words uttered by the devil originally but now as they be recorded by the penmen of the holy Scriptures and so have a truth of history in them they be the words of God and therefore their malice against the Scriptures only appears herein 6. It would be observed how ignorantly these men do contradict themselves in denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet granting them to be a declaration of Gods minde let them tell what a word is but a declaration of ones minde cannot a childe know that if a man speaks words to another he declares his minde to him what a simple contradiction is this to be found in men that pretend to be infallible but any thing shall be said or done to take down the authority of the holy Scriptures and to lessen the reverence due to them Burroughs against Griffith p. 19. sword drawn p. 1. II. They deny the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and life and hereby seeking to overthrown the great use and end of the Scriptures they are clearly manifested to be enemies to the Scriptures This charge will not be disowned by them for many of their pamphlets manifest their denial of the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and life therefore it rests on me to prove that they are enemies to the Scriptures herein and this will appear in these particulars 1. Without some standing rule and direction given by God we know not how to beleeve in God aright nor worship and serve him acceptably and thereby attain eternal life such as have no standing rule and direction worship they know not what as Christ speaks of the Samaritans John 4. They erre not knowing the Scriptures as Christ saith to the Sadduces Matth. 22.29 The Heathens that wanted the rule of the word what dark apprehensions and misconceivings had they of God and the things of God how utterly ignorant of many mysteries of faith how besotted in worshipping false gods and deceived variously in their searching out the chief happinesse of man Man since the fall hath lost the knowledge of God and is stricken with blindnesse being able only to grope after God as the Sodomites for Lots door so the Apostle phraseth it Acts 17 They feel or grope after him and besides the darknesse of mans minde the seducements of Satan are such who can transform himself into an Angel of light that if we have not something to try the spirits by we may soon be deceived and therefore to have a rule or direction for mans faith and obedience is most necessary seeing man is a reasonable creature and is not acted by a brute impulse but as a free and understanding agent must act what he doth knowingly and with Councel 2. It 's as certain that there is no other way sufficient to direct man to beleeve in God aright and to worship and serve him acceptably and therby attain happinesse but the holy Scriptures As for traditions of men which the Jews formerly and now the Papists equal with the Word of God they lead men further from God and happinesse And for the light in the conscience which the Quakers so highly cry up though it may convince men there is a God as we see by the Heathens that have no other teacher but it yet is it unable to give a man any cleare distinct knowledge of God only a groping knowledge as before was said nor can it teach a man so much as the name of Christ for which of the Heathens know this by the light in the conscience much lesse the great mysteries of Christs incarnation or taking on him flesh of his death and the new Covenant founded on it his Resurrection Ascension c And for matter of practise though it will witnesse against grosse sins and impieties Rom. 2.14 yet how unable is it to convince of original sin the first entrance of sin into the world and death by Adam and of concupiscence or the motions of sin in the flesh that it is sinne when not consented to which the Papists deny to be sinne and it 's likely the Quakers also or else they would not affirm they are perfectly freed from the very being of sin Paul expressely saith he had not known it to be sinne but by the Law Rom. 7.7 it seems then the light in his conscience could not discover it How grosly such have been misled that have given up themselves to heed that light neglecting to use the Scriptures for their light and rule appears sufficiently in the printed relation of Gilpin and Toldervy and by the delusions that this whole company are given up to by God that pretend to follow it Further as for such special and immediate revelations of the spirit that others have boasted of as their guide and direction the woful miscarriages of such Enthusiasts that have pretended thereunto may
his last part in the world it 's likely he will use his utmost subtilty in deceiving Our great care therefore should be to preserve our selves from the errours of the wicked and to take heed of the leaven of such seducers how many cautions hath the Scripture given to us herein when Christ had foretold of those seducers Mat. 24. he bids Take heed that no man deceive you and believe them not this being the end of his forewarning us that we might be forearmed against them Heresies are reckoned amongst the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.20 and are therefore sooner drunk in by people then the precious truths of the Gospel for we cannot receive these without the special help of Gods Spirit to let them in to our hearts how soon did the Arian heresie over-spread the world only one Athanasius visibly withstood it All the world wondered after the Beast and worshipped the same Rev. 13.3 4. Popery soon over-ran the West and North parts of the world and Mahumetanisme the East and South even there where those famous Asian Churches sometimes were seated are now the impure Temples of Mahomet no gangrene sooner over-spreads the natural body then errours and heresies do the Ecclesiastick body 2 Tim. 2.17 What care then should Christians have lest they be infected with the same Adde hereunto these are no lesse deadly to the souls of people then gangrenes or plagues are to their bodies such doctrines eat as doth a canker or gangrene saith the Apostle heresies may prove as damnable to men as moral wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.1 lesser errours indeed men may hold and yet be saved whilest they build upon the right foundation Though they build hay or stubble thereupon they may be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. their spirits may be scorched their peace and comfort lost but to miscarry in the foundation is damnable who can reckon up the evil consequences of false doctrines they blind the mind and extinguish the true knowledge of God they harden the heart they undermine the comfort of Christians and destroy the Churches peace they mortally infect the inward vitals of Christianity and outwardly deprave the conversation corrupt principles wil at length produce corrupt practises they provoke the Lord to have a controversie with a people where they are tolerated Rev. 2.14 15 20. and will exclude men the Kingdome of heaven Gal. 5.20 21. Let not any Christian therefore look upon the errours and heresies of the times as things of small concernment but make it his great care to be preserved from the infection of them as men do in the time of pestilence to be preserved from the same I shall for the benefit of such humble and sincere Christians as fear the infection of the errours amongst us and are willing to use such preservations against them as the Scriptures afford collect from thence a few antidotes of special use for that end the blessing of the Lord accompanying them Directions showing how Christians may be preserved from the errours and hreresies of the times I. Labour to be rooted and grounded more in the truth if you would not be shaken with every wind of doctrine Col. 1.23 2 Pet. 2.14 it 's ungrounded and unstable Christians who commonly are seduced who never saw on what grounds they took up their Religion but take it on trust from others and then when they meet with such arguments against the truth as they cannot answer they yeild to errour whereas that may be neverthelesse a truth Mat. 22.29 though they cannot defend it therefore search the Scriptures more and labour to see how the principles of the Christian faith are established upon them and be not ashamed to learn your Catechismes wherein you have the fundamentals of Christianity extracted out of the Scriptures and plainly set down even in the Primitive times they had such first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and forms of wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 for the better grounding of weak Christians and the greatest proficieoâ—â— did first begin there and therein are contained such truths as may exercise us in searching further into all our life time Luther that eminent servant of Christ professed himself a Scholar in the Catechisme Had the Quakers ever been well grounded in the first principles or rudiments of Religion how is it possible they should so soon have been turned from the truth and denyed the doctrine of Christs humanity of the holy Trinity of Justification of Sanctification of the resurrection of the dead c for my part I know but few of them if any that I can judge ever had any clear distinct knowledge of these things and could tell how they were confirmed by the Scriptures Let therefore weak Christians if they would not be seduced use this direction conscionably give diligence to be setled more in the truth and to get a clear knowledge of the great doctrines of the Gospel such things as be fundamental and necessary to be known unto Salvation are clearly set down in Scripture that weak Christians if they study them with humility prayer and diligence may attain the understanding of them as for more difficult points that they cannot yet comprehend let them not too much be troubled about them but waite till God reveale the same unto them and in the meantime it s far safer for them to adhere in such things to what is commonly received by the people of God and embraced by the Saints in all ages Cant. 1.8 to follow the footsteps of the flock of Christ then to be led away by pretenders to new-light the Scriptures having given so many Cautions to beware of seducers in the last times This first direction is given by the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ II. Rest not in a notional embracing of the truth but receive it with love and obedience and labour to finde your hearts bettered therby and then you shall not so soon be induced to desert the truth and embrace errours when men receive not the truth with love they are soon brought to beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.10 but when men taste the sweetnesse of the wayes of God and are in love with Gospel truths for that goodnesse they find in them they will hold them fast such as have experimented the efficacy of the doctrines of faith changing and renuing their hearts quickning their spirits pacifying and comforting their consciences and quelling their corruptions will not be easily induced to exchange them for errours but it 's those that never found those benefits by the same that so soon part therewithal Let therefore the truths of Christ dwell in your hearts and season them as leaven labour to finde your hearts molded by the same and changed into the image of truth the more you grow in grace the more
A FULL DISCOVERY AND CONFUTATION Of the wicked and damnable Doctrines of the Quakers As also a plain Vindication and confirmation of sundry fundamental points of the Christian Religion denyed or corrupted by the enemies of the Truth in these Times Published for the benefit of such weak Christians who are not so able to discover and oppugne the dangerous doctrines of subtil Seducers when coloured over with fair words and pretences and so are more apt to be taken in their snares Whereunto is annexed an excellent Discourse proving that singing of Psalmes is not only lawful but an Ordinance of God By JONATHAN CLAPHAM a servant of Christ in the work and labour of the Gospel at Wramplingham in Norff. 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie That they might be damned c. LONDON Printed by T. R. E.M. for Adonirem Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head Alley near Lumbard-street 1656. The general heads of the following TREATISE SEct. 1. The Quakers proved enemies to the holy Scriptures Sect. 2. The Quakers deny Christ come in the flesh also his Death Resurrection c. Sect. 3. The Quakers deny the doctrine of the Trinity Sect. 4 The Quakers hold equality with God and the soul to be one being with God Sect. 5. The Quakers corrupt the doctrine of Justification Sect. 6. The Quakers deny the Resurrection of the body the last Judgement Heaven and Hell Sect. 7. The Quakers are enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ Sect. 8. The Quakers pretend to miracles Sect. 9. The Quakers are no truly mortified persons notwithstanding their pretences thereunto and how Popish Monks have out-stripped them therein Sect. 10. The Quakers doctrine tendeth not to destroy sin though they raile against sin and how they destroy the true doctrine of Sanctification Sect. 11. The Quakers he common sink of all the Heresies of our times and a parallel betwixt them and former hereticks in many particulars Sect. 12. The Quakers enemies to all civility and good manners Sect. 13. The Conclusion by way of admonition to Christians to beware of the heresies of the Times and in particular to avoid the Quakers as pernitious enemies to the Christian Religion and to the souls of men and to have no communion with them TO HIS HIGHNESSE The Lord Protector Of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereof SIR IT is a question much controverted in these times whether Jesus Christ besides his spiritual Kingdom in his Chrurches and in the hearts of his people is to have an outward Political Kingdom in the world and there are not a few of godly wise and sober Christians that do conclude affirmatively for the same and that as it seems to me upon undeniable authorities from the holy Scriptures But this being granted it will prove a matter of no lesse difficulty to determine by whom this kingdome shall be administred whether by our Lord Jesus himself in person residing here upon earth or by his Delegates or officers to whom he shall commit the rule and government under himself The former hath yet received small entertainment in my heart as seeing little clear Scripture evidence for it whatever others may see but rather it seeming to clash with some other weighty doctrines of the faith more clearly grounded on the Word and to be attended with such inconveniences as the Authours of this opinion know not well how to remove But for the latter it need not seem so incredible for seeing Jesus Christ hath already so long exercised his spiritual Kingdome and regiment in his Churches by Officers and Delegates thereunto appointed by himself why should it then seem strange to us if his outward political Kingdome should be administred in like manner and as I judge this seemes to have far clearer testimony from the Scripture then the former But are not we in a great strait yet to finde out who are these Officers or Delegates to whom Jesus Christ hath committed the government of this outward Political Kingdome in the world whether to his Churches and Saints under that reduplication as such or to the Civil Magistrate I am not unwilling to acknowledge my own mistake and possibly it may be the mistake of some honest hearts who are zealous now against the present powers upon this account that I have sometimes inclined to the former although I never had thoughts of acting against any established Government for to bring about my conceptions in such things sure it is most dangerous and unwarrantable for private persons to do so The ground of my mistake was an assertion received amongst many wise and holy men and therefore the lesse questioned by me that the Magistrate was no Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediatour whereupon I concluded seeing that Jesus Christ as Mediatour should have an outward Political Kingdom upon earth and the Magistrate as such was no Officer in that Kingdome that there must be some other hands into which this power and Dominion must be committed and who then might lay better Scripture claim to it then the persons above named But I do retract my errour in that particular for I dare not say with the Papists and Quakers I am infallible and cannot erre and do acknowledge the Magistrate to be an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediatour and therefore in this external Political Kingdom of Christ the rule doth belong to him and not to the Saints as Saints though withal I doubt not but the Lord Jesus will in these last dayes raise up such to be Magistrates as shall be Saints and nursing fathers to his Churches governing more for the honour of Christ and for the welfare and benefit of his Churches then formerly and then shall the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Saints That which induced me to be of this judgement for the Magistrate to be an Officer of Jesus Christ in this outward Political kingdom though he is no Officer in the spiritual Kingdom of his Church as the Erastians contend was the serious consideration of such Scriptures as these Prov. 8.15 16. Mat. 28.18 Isa 49.13 Psalme 2.8 10 11 12. Psalme 72.10 11. and indeed Christ having undertaken the work of mans redemption the Father hath delivered up the whole creation unto him in order to his managing of that work and therefore must Magistracy belong to him as Mediatour Rom. 14.9 Luke 10.22 John 3.15 Eph. 1.20 21 22. It were a work of no great difficulty to answer the arguments brought to the contrary and is already done by some Now this being granted as it doth strongly confirme the title of the Magistrate to his rule and government against all that would under any pretext challenge it from him So it may seriously minde him to consider from whom he hath received his power and authority and to whom he must one day be acountable
Law above the Gospel and call'd men from the grace of Christ to the works of the Law c. now the Law was but a dead killing letter pronouncing a curse and death not could it quicken spiritually there being no promise in it of writing the Law in our hearts but in the same place he commends his Ministry for the Ministery of the Spirit and of Life therefore this place makes nothing for this wicked cavil of those enemies against the Scriptures V. They equal their books and pamphlets though commonly stuft with non-sense and railing ever with wicked errors to the holy Scriptures then which what can be more disgraceful to the Scriptures and more abominable to all sober spirits This appears clearly to all that have but read their papers for thus they commonly write Moved from the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord given from the Lord c. and they boast commonly that they speak from God immediately and infallibly as the Apostles did formerly Whether this doth not bring them under that curse Rev. 22.18 for adding to the Scriptures let them look to it VI. They sometimes plead the Church was a long time without the Scriptures and therefore they are not necessary now and if ten thousand of those books were burnt they might do well enough the light in them is sufficient c. This I testifie hath been objected to me and there be others can witnesse it with me For the former part it is an old Popish Argument against the necessity of the Scriptures and I shall only reply what hath been answered the Papists to this formerly Whitaker de perfec Script cap. 7. tells the Papists though of old time when God familiarly shewed himself to the Fathers and by himself manifested to them his will the Scriptures were not necessary yet after God did change the course of teaching his Church and would have the Word written then the Scriptures began to be necessary To the latter part I answer such an expression would suit the mouth of an Irish rebel rather then of any sober Christian and therefore let him repent and pray if perhaps the thought of his heart may be forgiven him VII They appear enemies to the holy Scriptures in their daily practices as their neglecting to use the holy Scriptures Their speakers speak not out of the Scriptures as did Christ Luke 4.17 who opened the book and took his text out of Esay 61.1 and in all his Sermons he opened the Scriptures and proved all things by the Scriptures nor do their speakers exhort people to search the Scriptures to give themselves to reading meditation This they that have been present testifie c. but to look to the light in their consciences let them shew where ever Christ or his Apostles gave such an exhortation to look to the light within them And for their disciples they follow not the example of the noble Bereans Acts 17.11 who searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so but they take all spoken to them as given from God immediately and turn not to the Scriptures to try the doctrines they hear by the Law and testimony When they have no speakers they sit as mutes together looking on the ground or looking at the light within them as they say but not looking on the Scriptures nor conferring about them though sometimes they will read in their Assemblies their quaking letters or books besides some of them have offered to sell their Bibles Now the most ignorant may easily judge by all this what friends they are to the Scriptures I might adde hereunto if it were requisite to shew their enmity to the Scriptures their perverse wresting of the Scriptures in such a manner sometime as shews they have neither knowledge of the Scriptures nor any light of common understanding of men left in them G. Whitehead maintaining of perfection as the Papists do I brought him that place against it Eccles 7.10 not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not he perverted it as if Solomon did speak of a man in an earthy condition Another when that cripture 1 Cor. 6.20 was used to prove that we are not only to give God internal worship and service but outward and bodily he replied the Church was he body that was to glorifie God Again when Paul Rom. 7. cryed out ob wretched man c. he had not the Spirit And that the same Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.14 did not at all condemne long hair And many of them have said that the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.14 saying even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel doth not plead for outward bodily maintenance but their living by faith or living spiritually on the Gospel were ever any people more blinded in the world then these how dreadful a judgement is this upon them for leaving the Scriptures and looking to the light in them which appears by these things to be meer darknesse I could fill many pages with such instances of their perverse wrest of the Scriptures but this will appear more fully in the following Sections Let me but summe up these things together and then let the Reader judge whether this first charge is not sufficiently proved against them The proof runs thus if to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and thereby to insinuate they never came from God if to deny the special use of the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and obedience and to make as if they belonged to the Saints formerly but did not concern us now if to give vilifying expressions to them and to call them a dead letter if to equal foolish and wicked pamphlets with them if to plead there 's no necessity of them if to practise to slight them and perversly to wrest them if any or if all of these together will prove the Quakers to be enemies to the holy Scriptures then the charge stands good against them Let the weakest hereby discern and see and not be deceived by them though they pretend in words never so fairly to the Scriptures And thus for this first charge SECT II. The Quakers deny Christ come in the flesh as also his Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and coming to Judgement THe Apostle John in his second Epistle ver 7. speaks of many deceivers and Antichrists come into the world who confesse not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and forbids to receive such into your houses and to bid them God-speed for such as do so are partakers of their evil deeds Let us therefore in the next place enquire whether the Quakers may be justly charged with this crime that if they be found guilty thereof all such as professe to be Christians may disclaime them and take heed of them as Deceivers and Antichrists I shall here first freely give Testimony for the Quakers and do acknowledge in their behalfs that they have the name of Jesus Christ
other men and not a man as he dwells in the flesh of other men appears because he is described to be a man coming of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Judah of the family of David born of a particular woman the Virgin Mary not of other women and in that the great doctrine concerning Christ to be beleeved which the Scriptures speaks of was that Jesus of Nazareth that particular man was the Christ That he had a humane or reasonable soul besides his God-head or divine nature See Esay 53.12 Matth. 26.38 John 12.27 And that after this man Christ was crucified he arose again with the same individual body that suffered on the crosse though made more glorious appears by the many witnesses that testified it Acts 2.24 and 3.15 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5. 2 Tim. 2.8 indeed it was the great work of the Apostles to testifie it Acts 1.22 nor could these witnesses be deceived for 1 There were many that did see him the eleven Apostles and five hundred brethren at once 2 They not only did see him but heard him speak and did eat with him nay felt his prints and marks and himself affirmed he had flesh and bones still 3 And he continued fourty dayes among them besides the Angels from heaven testified the same thing Luke 24.3 5 6. Mark 16.6 and the very souldiers that kept watch bare witnesse to it Mat. 28.11 Further that this same individual person did ascend into heaven even above the visible heavens and is there present making intercession for us at the right hand of God and shall come again to judge the quick and dead at the last day See these Scriptures Mark 16.19 Luke 24.51 Act. 1.9 10 11. Rom. 8.34 Heb. 9.24 Acts 3.21 Acts 17.31 But some Scriptures those people do wrest to make for their purpose which lest they deceive weak ones by them I shall vindicate them 1. They speak much of that Scripture 1 Col Christ in you the hope of glory and of all those Scriptures that speak of Christs being living or dwelling in his people thereby to insinuate there is no other man Christ but Christ in us men Answ I shall not speak now of the nature of Christs in-dwelling or in-being in his people till I come to the fourth Section where I shall have occasion to open it more distinctly onely thus much for the present Christs dwelling in his people now is by his Spirit and not according to his humane nature for this the heavens do containe till he descend visibly to judge the world as he was seen to ascend Acts 1.11 Acts 17.31 But it is by his spirit he dwells now in his people which is infinite and fills all places and so doth not his humane nature being a created thing and finite see this cleer from Rom. 8.10 11. in v. 10. the Apostle speaks of Christ being in you in v. 11. he explaines the expression by shewing the manner of it by his Spirit dwelling in you And indeed we must thus have Christ in us by his Spirit or else we can have no assured hope of glory though the meritorious cause of our salvation and glory is Christs obedience unto death performed in his own person Eph. 1.7 11 14 c. yet we can have no evidence of our right to glory but by finding Christs in-being in us by his Spirit now so that these Scriptures are utterly perverted to make for their ends Further that Scripture 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more is as grosly abused when it is made to speak against that particular man Christ Jesus now in heaven c. for 1 This doctrine concerning the man Christ Jesus his Resurrection c. the Apostle had before asserted in many places as we shewed even now 1 Cor. 15. the beginning Rom. 1.3 4. c. and he doth not now destroy what before he built it was the great thing the Apostles were to testifie and witnesse to the world Acts 1.22 they were to be witnesses of his Resurrection this Apostle doth in more then twenty places in his Epistles testifie how that the man Christ indeed was risen from the dead and ascended into heaven c. therefore he doth not contradict in this place what he lays down in so many other places 2 And therefore we must enquire after another interpretation of that Scripture and it will clearly appear to be this The false apostles had vilified the Apostles Ministry that they might draw away the hearts of people from him according to the practise of the Quakers in these dayes for this is an old trick of Satan and one plea they had against him was this he had not conversed with Christ upon earth as had the other Apostles and therfore he was not so much to be accounted off The Apostle hints we are not to look on Christ under such outward relations as if there were so much benefit by being related to Christ in the flesh or by being in his bodily presence but we are to consider him as having compleated the work of our redemption having overcome death being raised up in glory and ascended into heaven and thus we should know him for the future this is the spring of a Christians comfort thus he speaks not against Christs being in the flesh still which other Scriptures clearly witnesse but against looking upon him under these carnal relations they stood in to him whilest he was upon earth this will appear more fully to be the Apostles mind by considering the various acceptation of the word flesh in Scripture which to avoid tediousnesse I omit here intending to speak of it in Sect. 6. where in proving the resurrection of our dead bodies I shall further prove the truth of Christs resurrection and that still he is really and truly in our natures in heaven even in the same particular body he had upon earth though glorified and indeed if this were not so the Apostles were false witnesses our faith is in vaine we are yet in our sins and they who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished 1 Cor. 15.15 c. Thus for the clearing of this second charge That the Quakers deny Jesus Christ come in the flesh overthrow his Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and coming to Judgement and thereby pull down the maine pillars of Christianity and overthrow the faith and comfort of Christians and that while they pretend to be more spiritual but are indeed deceivers herein turning all into Allegories and faining these things done in the true Christ to be but as a shadow of what is now really done in them From this it is clear the Quakers-christ and Ours is not the same they hold no other man Christ but in their consciences we beleeve our Christ is in heaven and do wait for him to come from heaven who was raised up from the
here till God wipe away this dust of mortality from their eyes It s safest to professe here we know but in part if any will professe to know more in these Mysteries let them first tell the nature of the union of their own souls and bodies and how a spiritual and corporal substance should be so knit together to become one man what is the bond of this union and how effected when they can explicate these inferiour things it s more likely we should listen to them in explaining these higher Mysteries about the union of Christ and beleevers By this time the Reader may see what pride and arrogance it is in these people to hold equality with God and to make the soule a part of God or one being with God is not this greater pride then was in Adam when he fell and perhaps in the devils themselves for he aspired to be but as God not to be God himselfe or one being with as these men do But enough of this abominable doctrine And thus for the fourth generall Charge SECT V. The Quakers corrupt the Doctrine of Justification THe Doctrine of the Justification of a beleeving sinner before God is one of the most precious and comfortable doctrines of the Gospel tending exceedingly to set forth the riches of Gods free grace and magnifie his justice to support and comfort wounded consciences to take away boasting from man that all may glory in the Lord and to fill the heart with joy and peace in beleeving And therefore the devil hath by his instruments in all ages laboured to corrupt the same He stirr'd up false apostles in the first plantation of the Christian faith to pervert it against whom the Apostle Paul in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians disputes earnestly teaching we are justified by faith and not by works by faith receiving the righteousnesse of another not by works wrought in or by our selves In after ages the Papists were the great subverters of this doctrine who had so corrupted it that no part thereof was left pure and undepraved by them till the Lord of his mercy raised up Luther and some other Worthies to vindicate it and indeed the corruptions of this doctrine were the great and especial cause of their first separation from Rome and there was nothing that the Spirit of that precious man was more drawn out to clear then that very doctrine as may appear by his writings In the steps of those enemies of the truth the Papists do these generation of Quakers now so exactly walk as to the perverting of this doctrine of Justification that they scarce differ an hairs breadth from them holding forth the old Popish doctrine in the very same terms as will appear in the following particulars 1. The Papists deny Justification to be a judicial act of God whereby he accounts us righteous though ungodly in our selves Rom. 4.5 through the righteousnesse of Christ performed in his own person for us imputed to us and received by faith alone but make it to consist in the infusing or putting in righteousnesse into man and so confound Justification and Sanctification making them one and the same thing So Bellarm. the Jesuite l. 1. de Justif cap. 1. And so the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost See Sauls errond to Dam. p. 12. p. 3. pleads for our being made righteous by Gods putting in righteousness into us and by righteousness wrought in the creature in the same page line 4. he explaines Gods imputing righteousnesse to be his putting it into the creature his words are these righteousness is freely imputed or put into the creature where let the Reader see the grosse ignorance of a man that pretends to be infallible making impute and put in the same whereas any School-boy that hath but learnt his Grammar may see a vast difference between them the word impute not being compounded of put in or in put but coming from imputo to reckon account judge c. and so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated in the Scriptures impute do signifie can any beleeve this man is infallible in his doctrine when he is so grossely mistaken in a word so commonly used in the Scriptures See also Nailer in the same book p. 50. where he directly according to the manner of the Papists confounds Justification Sanctification and Mortification together and argues for it as they do though in a more simple manner 2. The Papists as a consequent of the former opinion hold that they are able to keep the Law perfectly and to be perfectly righteous Counc Trent Sess 6. can 18. Nay If any man say that the precepts and Commandments of God unto a man justified and in the state of grace be impossible to be kept let him be accursed So the Quakers Nailer p. 21 22. of the book before named and in his book called the glory of the Lord out of the North p. 25 26. he argues as hotly for it as if some Jesuite were at his back to prompt him 3. The papists say by the liberty of the Gospel they are altogether freed from sinne so that it is throughly dead and not only not imputed but not alive or having any being in the righteous they are the words of Bellarmine the Jesuite lib. 5. de Justif cap. 6. The same thing argues Nailer for Glory from the North p. 21. Love to the lost p. 21 c. 4. The Papists they exclaime against the Protestants who teach they have yet sinne in them and are not so perfectly righteous as to stand before the judgement seat of God without the righteousnesse of their Surety and call them painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within leprous persons in fine cloaths with many other such expressions See Becanus the Jesuite Tom. 2. tract 4. cap. 2. qu. 1 and 3. So the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost p. 4. you make saith he Christs righteousnesse a cover to your abominations c. Though we doubt not but God will vindicate our uprightnesse that we are as consciencious of walking holily as any Papists or Quaker of them all though we dare not seek Justification thereby this the very Papists have been forced to confesse sometimes saying though we had an heretical faith yet we had Orthodox manners Thus we see the Popish doctrine of Justification brought in by a generation of men that cry out against all others as Popish and Antichristian when in the mean time they are most deeply guilty of it themselves Now that the ignorant may not be deceived about this point which is one of the fundamental doctrines of Religion I shall cleare up the truth concerning it according to the Scriptures in these following particulars 1. He that will be justified before the judgement seat of Christ and be acquitted and pronounced righteous by the Judge of heaven and earth at the great day of the Lord must be perfectly righteous he must
be raised up again Answ Why should it seem a thing incredible to you that God should raise the dead Act. 26.8 Ye erre because ye know not the Scriptures nor the power of God Matth. 22. Do not you see as great things wrought before your eyes daily Doth not the corne that is sowne in the ground dye and rot and then spring up afterwards and yet Oh fooles will ye not believe 1 Cor. 15. have not many dead bodies been raised up formerly that we have mention of in Scripture to convince men what God can do Nay do not we know that men are able by their wisdome and power when several mettals are mixed together in one lump to sever them so as each shall be pure and unmixed by it self and nothing lose but the drosse And will you then say that the infinitely wise and powerful God cannot do that in our bodies that such poor worms can do in things below here Let such vain thoughts be laid aside and let faith believe though reason cannot comprehend it Then for the Doctrines of the last Judgment Heaven and Hell I need not insist so much upon the proof of them they will follow upon what is already said for granting the resurrection of the body it will more easily be yielded there shall be rewards and punishments to which men shall be adjudged in the world to come That every man shall receive according to what he hath done in his body whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 15.10 This may appeare one great end why God shall raise them up again But something I shall say to strengthen the weak in these things also 1. Let the light in all men be but judge which these men so much speak of and it will witnesse against them that there is a future state of happinesse or misery an heaven or an hell to which men shall be adjudged after this life is ended according as their works have been here and that judgement heaven and hell are not only in this life There is no Nation in the world however barbarous but have believed it this the light in them hath taught them The Heathen Poets have spoken of their Elisian fields and of the infernal rivers of hell Cicero the Heathen Orator and Lucretius have made mention of the conflagration of the world and the future judgment the Turks speak of Paradise c these they have some dark and groping knowledge of from the light in them though no clear distinct knowledg The poor Indians that go naked as these Quakers sometimes have done in their delusions they have the notion of these things nor are there only meer notions in these Heathens of these things but they have many terrours and feares of conscience about them especially when they have been near unto death this hath been so firmly rooted in them that nothing could weare it out men that have lived like Atheists have been overtaken with these feares sometimes Besides they have an obscure knowledge of a God and that this God is a righteous God and will judge the world in righteousnesse and observing it is not well alway here with them that do well nor doth evill befall the wicked more then others they hence collect there will be a more equal dispensation of rewards and punishments in the world to come Adde further they have knowledge of the souls immortality for they see it doth not depend upon the body now for its acts and operations but can comprehend things that never came within the outward sences can know and understand the nature and causes of things can attaine some knowledge of God and spirits can enter heaven with contemplation while the body lies groveling here upon earth c. and therefore they conclude it doth not depend on the body for its being but is immortall and being immortal there is an estate of eternal happinesse or misery for it How little then do these men look to the light within them while they deny these manifest truths how false are they to their own principles if the light that is in them be darkness how great is that darkness II. But let us appeal to the light of the Scriptures and there we have more clear and distinct discovery of these things then this generall light in all hath yet ever made For the last judgement read Mat. 25. where we have the processe thereof set down at large by Christ the time when it must be is shewed ver 31. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the Holy Angels with him not when Christ comes in Spirit to his people but when he comes as the Son of man in a glorious condition his Angels attending him and the persons then to be judged are all Nations ver 32. and not only a few persons shall be judged as these poor wretches affirming this judgement to be now present take on them to judge here and there a person for the living and dead both must be judged then 2 Tim. 4.1 and Angels as well as men Jude 6. The manner of the judgment is described in the following part of the Chapter Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by that Man whom he hath appointed whereof be hath given assurance by raising him up from the dead that Man-Christ that particular Man that was raised up from the dead is to be Judge not these men that pretend to judge now See also for this Act. 10.42 2 Tim. 4.1 And if you would know when this appointed day is to be the Apostle expresses it Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for men once to dy but after this the judgement after death followes the resurrection and judgment it is to be at the second appearance of Christ the Son of man in the cloudes of Heaven 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Thess 4.16 2 Thess 1.7 8. for this last and great judgement see further Jude 14 15. Rev. 20.12 with many other places And for Heaven and Hell after this life is ended that necessarily followes upon the proof of the last judgment these being the places of reward and punishment to which men shall be adjudged at that great day of the Lord So that it s not requisite to multiply places for these Only let the Reader for to confirme his faith peruse at his leasure these Scriptures Mat. 25.34 56. Luke 16.22 2 Cor. 5.1 5 8. 2 Thess 1.7 Heb. 10.34 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Isa 30.33 Psal 9.17 Matth. 10.28 Mat. 25.41 Luke 16.26 Rev. 20.15 From which places its evident that Heaven is a place of perfect blisse and happinesse not upon earth but above the visible Heavens not to be enjoyed whil'st we be in the flesh here though we have some foretasts or earnests of it in which respect it may be said the Kingdome of Heaven is now within us but into which the souls of the righteous shall be translated presently after their departure out of the body and which their bodies
as Christ himselfe used John 17. not praying to God through Christ but as if Christ personally inhabiting in them did himself speak to his Father and not such sinful worms as they are also they never speak in the plural number as if the people should joyn with them but ever in the singular I pray thee I thank thee and so though they should acquit themselves of this charge yet they leave all their followers under it as being such Heathens as know not God nor call upon his Name and so liable to that curse Jer. 10 25. Water-baptisme and the Lords Supper are other standing Ordinances instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 28.19 John 4.1 Acts 8.36 1 Cor. 11.23 c. and these are to continue to the end of the world till all Nations be brought into subjection to Christ and then must the end come til Christ come again not in Spirit for so he was already to those to whom these things were spoken but in person as the Son of man in his glory c. But these pretious Ordinances are utterly cast off by the Quakers as their practise evidences it and their books speak it plainly see the paper against the baptized people p. 1 2 3 4 5. they own no baptism with water but that of the Spirit alone no Lords Supper but feeding on Christs flesh and blood by faith when in the mean time they also deny Christ to have a real body of flesh and blood though glorified Singing of Psalmes is another Ordinance of God Mat. 26.30 Col. 2.16 Jam. 5.13 But this is denied utterly by them they have written two pamphlets formerly against my self for vindicating this Ordinance Let the Reader know if they publish a hundred of such like answers to this Treatise as those two against my vindication of singing I shall not trouble my self to write one line in reply to them as judging it altogether needless Church-communion is another Ordinance of Christ when Christians walk together in the fellowship of the Gospel and in all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ as appears by the Apostle planting of Churches in every place where the Gospel was entertained and Christs owning of them by writing to them Rev. 1. and this Ordinance was to continue to the end of the world Rev. 22.16 1 Tim. 6.3 with 1 Tim. 3.15 but the Quakers deny there ever could true Church be found since the Apostles time to this time Burr against Grif. pag. 26. For the Lords-day it is known they are no friends to it they make all days alike many have professed against it and the known practises of their followers evidence they make no conscience thereof although in the fourth Commandment God requires the keeping holy of a seventh day or one day in seven and Christ saith Matth. 5. He that breaketh one of these least Commandments and teachteh men to do so shall be least in the Kingdome of heaven and it 's evident the Apostles and primitive Saints met together every first day of the week and they found the Lord was with them in so doing and in our own Nation God hath so blessed the faithful observation of this day to the encrease of piety and godlinesse that no Christian can deny it but now the devil cannot subvert this day by games and sports which he attempted formerly he tries if he can do it by denying it to be an institution of Christ As for Christian conference a duty so pleasing to God Mal. 3.16 it appeares they are little friends thereto by their sitting mute when they meet together I might instance in other appointments of God instructing their families in the fear of God teaching them the knowledge of Christ c. this though strictly enjoyned in the Scriptures Deut. 6.7 Eph. 6.4 Prov. 22.6 and commended by the godly examples of many precious Saints recorded in Scripture as Abraham Timothies mother c. yet hath been derided by some of them what can we teach them say they God must do all c. besides to this day there are some Masters who suffer their families to do any thing upon the Lords days either sleep at home or walk about the fields c taking no more care of their souls then if they were to die as beasts as indeed they hold as before was shewed thus do the Quakers appear evidently to be enemies to all the holy Ordinances of Christ But because it is a common plea in these apostatizing times that all outward Ordinances are abolished Christians are not bound to worship God in them now they were but for the first times of the Gospel c. I shall adde a little for the establishment of the weak that they may not by the craft of Seducers be brought to cast of the precious Ordinances of Jesus Christ It was before proved that these Ordinances were instituted by Jesus Christ the King of his Church as we shewed in each of them severally and that with expresse intimations of the continuance of them not only for that present age but for all following times to the end of the world who then dare to take upon him to abrogate the same The Laws and Ordinances of men are not abolished but by the same power that first enacted them now what one Word of God can these men bring for the repeal of any one Ordinance of the Gospel may not they on the like account make the great Commandments of beleeving repenting c. be temporary Commandments and not concerning Christians in these times and why should not the other nine Commandments be abolished as well as the fourth which requires a set stinted time for Gods solemn worship and service even every seventh day or as well as any other outward Ordinance commanded by Jesus Christ in the Word Certain we are there be the same grounds and reasons for continuance of these Ordinances of God now as were at first for the institution of them Is not God to be visibly worshipped and adored by us as well as formerly and if so it is more fit we should do it in the way of his appointments then in any way of our own invencieus have not we still need of Ordinances wherein to enjoy communion with God we have no such immediate converse with God now as to see him face to face but only as we behold him in the glasse of his Ordinances whilest we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 only while we are waiting on him in his Ordinances he promises to meet us and be with us spiritually and we finde many sweet visits and manifestations therein we have still need of the communications of his grace and the influences of his Spirit some needing conversion and illumination others confirmation and strengthning all further increasings of God that we may more and more grow up to perfection and are not the Ordinances given to us for these ends and not only till one come to perfection but till all
worship Images and pray to Saints When they would bring in Purgatory dirges masses for the dead they have pretended the soules of many departed have appeared to their living friends made dreadfull complaints to them of their punishments exhorted them to have so many dirges said for them that they might the sooner come out of Purgatory when they would extoll their holy water crosses c. they have pretended devils have been driven away thereby c. But there are many volumnes of these miracles written by the Papists and are yet defended by them as true and believed by their blinded followers and therefore if such miracles will induce any to embrace lying doctrines then there is far more reason to embrace Popery then Quakerisme 4. But if any shall yet desire miracles to confirm their faith Let them know that we have greater miracles then the Quakers or Papists can plead For whilst we hold fast the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles all the miracles which they wrought are ours for they were wrought to confirme the faith which we now professe nor let any expect a continuance of them in all ages for if they should be so ordinary they would not be esteemed miracles who would look upon the standing still of the Sun in the firmament or of the waters in Jordan and the red sea as a miracle if ordinary seeing the motion of the Sun and the ebbing and flowing of the Sea are greater miracles if they were not so common let us therefore confirm our faith from all those former miracles and not expect lying signes and wonders now These miracles of Christ and the Apostles were indeed true miracles and beyond the power of any created being to work they were frequently wrought in many places and that not in corners but before multitudes that the enemies of Christ could not then nor can to this day deny them and they continued for an age at least to be wrought and therefore be a sufficient confirmation of the Doctrine delivered by them but these pretended miracles of the Quakers are but lying signes and wonders as the Scripture speaks wrought in corners not acknowledged by any but their seduced followers what folly is it then for any to believe their doctrines upon the account of such miracles And so much for this eighth Section concerning their pretending to miracles SECT IX The Quakers are no truly mortified persons notwithstanding their pretences to mortification and how Popish Monks and others have out-stripped them therein THere is nothing more apt to deceive weak and simple hearted people then the faire shews and pretences of mortification and holinesse that seducers do sometime make for it hath been found that the greatest impostours and deceivers have put on the vizard of godlinesse The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. that the false apostles in those times transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ and into Ministers of righteousnesse even as Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light The Scribes and Pharisees did make such a profession of godlinesse as thereby they gained an high esteem from the common people who had a saying that if there were but two saved the one should be a Scribe the other a Pharisee And not to speak of the seeming piety of some Hereticks in the Primitive times this was most notoriously seen in the Popish Monks and Friars who through their seeming sanctity their voluntary poverty and contempt of the world through their great devotion and pretended communion with God their extreame fastings watchings and maccrations of the flesh their pretended austerity and strictnesse of life and such like things had insinuated themselves so far into the hearts of people that they had drawn away a great part of the Christian world after them made them easily entertain their wicked doctrines superstitions and idolatries subject their consciences to the Popish Anti-christ give away their riches and wealth to them and many thought they might be saved how ever they lived if but buryed in a Friars weed In like manner we see some ignorant and well-meaning people apt to be taken with the seeming mortification and piety of the Quakers through their despising the fashions of the world and contemning the honours and pleasure thereof their abstemious use of the creatures and frequent fasting and neglecting of the body their sober and austear carriage and deportment amongst men with their willingnesse to suffer for their way as also their pretenses of high raptures and enjoyments in a more immediate converse with God then others have Now least the pretenses of these and such like things should be a temptation to any weak ones to entertain their doctrines and conceive a good opinion of their wayes I shall present to the serious consideration of such these few ensuing particulars 1. We are not to judge of faith by persons but of persons by faith according to the saying of Tertullian de praesc cont haer cap. 3. for many have been led into errour by the example of some whom they have had an high esteem of if men seem never so holy yea to be Angels from heaven if they bring another Gospel they are to be held accursed Gal. 1.8 Satans messengers as before was hinted may transforme themselves into Ministers of righteousness Christ bade us beware of false prophets Mat. 7.15 though they come in sheeps cloathing pretending to be holy and harmlesse for they may be ravening wolves Rev. 13.11 the second Beast or Pope had two horns like a Lamb but spake like the dragon seemed in shew and appearance as a Lamb but his doctrine that came out of his mouth was devillish If therefore the Quakers were truly pious and mortified persons this should be no ground to receive their doctrine but we should go to the Law and to the Testimony and search the Scriptures whether the things they speak be so or no but we have before shewed from the Scriptures their doctrines are wicked and damnable 2. But how evident is it to all that will see that they are no such mortified persons as they pretend to be I love not to lay open their wickednesse but would leave it to the great day of discovery were I not compelled because they boast they are perfectly free from the being of sin and left their pretences of piety should draw any weak ones to entertaine their doctrines Where are there to be found greater railers upon earth and revilers of the servants of Christ who are most eminent for grace and holinesse then they how often do they call them Serpents Devils Vipers Adders Sorcerers Conjurers Theeves Murderers Witches with other like expressions which may be seen in their books and letters they far transcend herein those persecuting enemies of the people of God in former times shall such persons ever inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.10 where can there be found such intollerable pride in any upon earth except alone in the man of sin that
but feigned friends to holinesse whatever they pretend Alexander the Great is said to have smitten one of his souldiers on the face for railing against his enemy saying to him I hired thee to fight and not to raile against him as little thanks may these men expect to receive from the Lord Jesus another day what ever friendship they pretend to him now and what ever enmity against sinne they professe seeing they do but build the things they would seem to destroy And thus for the tenth general charge against the Quakers SECT XI The Quakers shewed to be the common sink of all the Heresies of our times and a parallel betwixt them and former Hereticks IT hath been observed that after the Christian world had been infested for a long time together with multitudes of cursed errours and heresies at length Popery prevailing in the West and North and Mahumetanisme in the East and South they were all swallowed up in these two as in two great gulfes or common sewers of all that filthy puddle of false doctrine See Danaeus de heres cap. 95 96. In like manner we find amongst our selves that those filthy and abominable errours that have sprung up in these late years of tolleration so plentifully do most of them center in Quakerism and this is become the common sink of them all And indeed there are very few if any at all besides some grosly ignorant persons that have not made any profession of godlinesse who are now lead away by the Quakers but such as have formerly apostatized from the truth and been infected with the leaven of Anabaptisme or Antinomianisme Arminianisme or Socinianisme Familisme or Libertinisme c. So that this Serpent of Quakerisme hath threatned to devour up all these other Serpents and so to become the Dragon that persecutes the Churches in these Nations Now how justly may this render the way of Quakerisme suspected to the weakest and most simple of all in that those that follow it have long since left the way of truth and been unstable running after every new way of errour and scarse any one that hath been accounted a knowing and stable Christian doth follow after them It will not be unprofitable if I here annex a short parallel betwixt the Quakers and some wicked Hereticks in former times for hereby it may appeare that their doctrines are not such new and glorious truths as they would pretend them to be but old and accursed heresies newly raked out of hell and the very smoake of the bottomelesse pit If the reader shall see so much agreement betwixt them and the vilest enemies of the truth that have been in former times he will be convinced thereby ther 's little reason any should be taken with Quakerisme I shall begin with some of those Hereticks spoken of in Scripture and shew what agreement is betwixt the Quakers and them One would think the Quakers should not be guilty of any great complyance with the Pharisees seeing they so much reproach others with the nick-name of Pharisees but alack this is but such a trick as he playd that called his honest neighbour theife first that his neighbours accusation against him might not be credited there are many things wherein the Pharisees and Quakers notably agree The Pharisees were bitter enemies of Jesus Christ and conspired to destroy him and no lesse enemies to him are the Quakers they quite annihilate and destroy as much as in them lyeth his manhood For they deny that he hath an humane created soul so Richard Hubberthorne expresly in a letter sent to my self and can he be a man that hath not an humane soul and no better do they deal with his body for that they make never to have risen from the dead as was before shewed indeed sometimes they will say he arose from the grave as Hubberthorne in the letter aforesaid saith but in the next words he shewes it was in the same person in which he was when the world was made it seems this is all the Man-Christ they now own Further the Pharisees were zealous for the righteousnesse of the Law but enemies to the Doctrine of Justification by faith So the Quakers as was shewed before in the Section of Justification The Pharisees placed all their Religion in outward observances So the Quakers as was before shewed The Pharisees pretended much seeming sanctity gravity austerity when inwardly full of wickednesse So the Quakers would seem holy austere but are full of railing and bitternesse The Pharisees stood much on trivial things mint commine and annice So the Quakers upon cloaths hats thou yea nay c. The Pharisees trusted on their owne righteousnesse and despised others So the Quakers would be accounted the only holy persons and call others Dogges Swine Devils The Pharisees used much severity over their bodies abstinence fasting which God commanded not So the Quakers The Pharisees would be esteemed extraordinary for holinesse and have their sayings received for Oracles So the Quakers say they are perfect and what they speak or write all is infallible and must not be questioned The Pharisees were horrible corrupters of the Scriptures Matth. 5. So the Quakers as hath been shewed The Pharisees were rash censurers of others John 7.19 10.20 Mat. 11.19 So the Quakers The Pharisees would compasse sea and land to make a Proselite whereby he became twofold a child of hell more then before So the Quakers what an exact harmony is here twixt these two sects We read in Scripture of another Sect called Sadduces and with them also the Quakers have some agreement These pretend to righteousness taking their name from Sedek as Josephus shews which signifies just So the Quakers pretend hereunto The Sadduces deny the Resurrection of the body Mat. 22.23 Act. 23.8 So the Quakers Herein also they agree with Hymeneus and Philetus who made it past already acted spiritually in men here 2 Tim. 2.18 The Sadduces denied Heaven and Hell rewards and punishments in the world to come as Josephus reports So the Quakers as was before proved The Sadduces denied Angels and Spirits The Quakers deny the spirit or soul of man distinct from God for Hubberthorne against Sherl saith the Scriptures speak not of an humane soul Were it necessary I could shew their agreement with many ancient Hereticks in the ages succeeded the Apostles they agree with the Arians and Eunomians in denying Christ to have an humane soul with the Manichees in making the soul in a man a part of the being of God With Adamites in going naked With Antitrinitarians Jews and Turks in denying the Trinity yet the Turks though they deny the Trinity do own the Man Jesus Christ more then they for in their Alkoran they say he is a great Prophet and shall come to judge the world at the last day and therefore are better Christians then the Quakers They agree with Pelagians in their conceit of the sufficiency of the common grace given to all men With Socinians in
slighting Christs satisfaction and denying it to be our righteousnesse before God and in making Christ a figure With the Anabaptists in denying the lawfulnesse of oathes and of Infant-baptisme With the Familists in turning all the Doctrines of our faith into Allegories and making Christs incarnation death resurrection c. only mysteries to be witnessed in men They agree with the Libertines in denying created graces in the Saints and making Christ in a man do all whil'st we are passive And with the Ranters who make reason to be God for the Quakers make the light in the conscience to be Christ himselfe I have charged them with it as their tenet and told them I would report that they held it if they would not deny it but they durst not deny the same I should have done raking in this filthy puddle of false doctrine but that I must not omit to parallel them with the Papists they are so ready to exclaime against others as Popish and Anti-christian whereas none are more deeply guilty of the charge then themselves I shall shew in twenty particulars and I might instance in more that they exactly agree with them The Papists deny the necessity of the Scriptures So the Quakers I shewed both in the first Section The Papists will not have them a rule of faith and life a judge of controversies So the Quakers The Papists revile them and call them a dead letter So the Quakers The Papists equall other things with the Scriptures and so do the Quakers the Papists prefer the vulgar translation before the original copies of Greek and Hebrew so the Quakers The Papists agree with the Quakers exactly in the great Doctrine of Justification both make Gods justifying act to stand in infusing or putting in righteousnesse into men both hold they are free from the being of sinne that they can keep the Law perfectly both scoffe at Protestants who confesse they have sinne dwelling in them and they need the robes of Christs righteousnesse to cover them saying they make Christs righteousnesse a cover to their abominations The Papists place holiness in outward observations voluntary humility neglecting of the body casting off wordly imployments So the Quakers The Papists take away justification by faith turne from the Gospel to the Law are fallen from grace so the Quakers The Papists pretend revelations visions raptures trances so the Quakers The Papists deny speciall grace necessary to conversion and salvation making the common light and power given to all sufficient if heeded Papists give to man free-will and a power to improve this common grace So the Quakers Both Papists and Quakers pretend to infallibility to a power if working Miracles Both are alike in censuring condemning and cursing all that are not of their way Both deny the Protestant Churches to be Churches of Christ both are bitter enemies to the Ministers and would gladly suppresse them if they could the Popish Prelates in England sought to silence them and suppresse preaching catechising c. Till they were suppressed themselves and the raging Quakers who rose up in their steades never ceased disturbing them and vilifying them till they were themselves curbed by the civil powers The Papists sought to keep people in ignorance without teaching and instructing them and the Quakers seek to bring people from all other teachings to the light in them that so they may have no other teaching then the Savage Indians have The Papists and Quakers are both alike industrious in compassing sea and land to make proselytes and to render them two-fold more the children of the Devil then before I might shew the agreement of Papists and Quakers in several other particulars if it were necessary doth not all this make it evident the Quakers are the Popes brats though they be so unnatural they will not own their father We have reason enough to believe there have been more Popish Priests in England besides Coppinger to instill these notions into the Quakers This Coppinger being a Franciscan Friar did confesse to a Citizen of Bristoll as was given in upon Oath before the Magistrates there that he had spoken about thirty times amongst the Quakers at London and that he saw two other Franciscan Friars at a quaking meeting who were become chief speakers amongst the Quakers Now how dreadfull a thing is it that these filthy doctrines of Popery that the people of God in the former age with so much detestation have rejected should in this apostatizing age with so much acceptance be entertained amongst us Sure this may be a sufficient warning to all humble and holy Christians and to all who are not given up to believe lies to beware of Quakerisme seeing it is evidenced so clearly to be the common sink of all those former heresies SECT XII The Quakers are enemies to Civility and good manners THere is scarse any Nation under the whole Heavens even the Savage Indians not excepted but they have been taught by the light in them to give some civil honour and respect to their superiours and to shew outward tokens of love and courtesie to their equals Had therefore the Quakers minded the light within them as they pretend to do they would not have affected so morose and clownish a demeanor as to deny civility and humanity toward men Much lesse had they consulted with the light of the Scriptures where so many excellent precepts and examples are recorded teaching us the same It is the commendation of the holy Scriptures that they are absolutely sufficient for doctrine reproof correction and instruction in righteousnesse that we may be furnished unto every good work and therefore as they teach us duties of Religion and Piety towards God so do they instruct us in duties of righteousnesse and civil behaviour towards men I need not prove this charge against the Quakers that they are enemies against civility and good manners their daily practise doth evidence it they deny to give any titles of respect to men though never so deserving they expresse no civil honour by any outward gestures use not common salutations yea they condemne such as do these things I shall therefore shew how contrary they walk herein to the precepts and presidents we find in the holy Scriptures and vindicate some Scriptures that they perversly wrest to make for them Concerning saluting of men we have Christs expresse command for it to his disciples Matth. 10.12 and when ye come into an house salute it and lest any should take this for a duty only to neere friends and acquaintance we may see how Christ Mat. 5.47 teaches it to be a duty to others Christians should excell others should love their enemies and salute them also or else what do they more then the Publicans Rom. 16. Paul spends the whole Chapter almost in salutations to the Saints which he would not have done if it had been so unlawful as the Quakers would make it Luke 1.40 we have Mary saluting Elizabeth See also Act. 18.22 and c.
1. Neither can they shew us in Scripture where ever hats were worne therefore it s not likely we should read of putting them off as for that place in Dan. 3.21 where mention is made of the three children being cast into the fire with their coats hosen hats the word there translated hats signifies any kind of covering or garment it coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cloath or cover and therefore in the Margin of your books the Translatours render it turbants which were the garments worne upon their heads in those Easterne Countreys for they weare no hats but because such a word as that is not known amongst the vulgar they retain in the text the word hats which we weare on our heads and not turbants Secondly though we find not in Scripture examples of putting off the hat because hats were not worne yet we find other testifications of honour and respect given to superiours according to the custome of each Countrey as standing up bowing the knee or the body which are approved in Scripture as before was shewed how ridiculous is it then to make it unlawfull to put off the hat when those other actions be approved and lawfull But there are some other Scriptures which the Quakers often urge against the giving or receiving honour of men which must be answered as that John 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely To which I answer Christ doth not here condemne all giving or receiving honour one of another for in other places it is commanded and commended as was shewed before Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 2.17 c. but he forbids loving the praise and honour of men more then the praise of God which was the sinne of those people John 12.43 and this kept them from believing they knew if they believed in him they should be reviled cast out of the Synagogues and lose the honour they had amongst men such an honour as this we are far from pleading for and had rather be trampled upon by men as we have been formerly by the Prelates and now are by the Quakers then lose the praise of God but what is this to the denying such civil honour to men as these Scriptures before named require There is another place that those people do much pervert to make for them which is James 2.9 If ye have respect to persons ye commit sinne To which I reply 1. There is indeed a respecting of persons which is sinfull as when in judgement men respect persons not regarding the equity of the cause but because such a man is rich potent or honourable sentence is passed on his side and the poor man oppressed in judgement this is forbidden Deut. 1.17 Thou shalt not respect persons in judgement but shalt heare the small as well as the great See also Levit. 19.15 So likewise out of the case of judgment there may be a sinfull respecting of persons as when private persons shall highly esteeme love and honour persons that be rich and great in the world though vitious and ungodly and shall contemne the precious Saints when poore and low in the world this is sinfull respecting of persons I might adde also respecting of persons in election to Magistracy and in religious matters for this is also sinfull and the Apostle James doth condemne respecting of persons onely in some of these cases here named 2. But then there is a lawfull respecting of persons which is so far from being a sinne that it is a duty to do it namely when we acknowledge the dignity and excellency of others and by some outward signe testifie the same this was proved by those precepts and examples before named and many more might be added if it were needfull Thus the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 3. is said to regard or respect the presence of Jehoshaphat King of Judah Nay God himselfe is said to be a respecter of persons Gen. 4.4 5. The Lord had respect to Abel but unto Cain he had not respect and Gen. 19.21 the like is said of Lot many other places might be given but enough is said for the clearing up of this duty Now from all this it appeares that as the Quakers are fallen from Christianity in that they deny the true Christ and the Christian faith So they are fallen from humanity in thus denying all good manners and wherein can they come nearer to bruit beasts then in casting off humanity and civil demeanour Though they would cover over such actions with the guilded shew of humility yet doth it directly tend to overthrow all government and authority amongst men for take away outward honour and respect from superiours and what government can subsist long amongst men Thus having shewed the Quakers to be so far degenerate that they are no Christians nor scarsly men Its time for me to put an end to my discourse concerning them and to trouble my self nor the reader further with them SECT XIII The conclusion by way of Admonition to beware of the errours of the times and in particular of Quakerisme with a commendation of some antidotes by way of preservative against the same WE have many predictions and frequent warnings in the holy Scriptures of the heresies and seductions of the last times Christ himself tells us Mat. 24.11.24 that false christs and false prophets shall arise and deceive many and if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and the Apostle Peter 2 Ep. 2.1 doth also warne That false prophets shall arise and shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and the like admonitions are given by the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 4.1 and 2 Tim. 2 1 c. as also by the Apostles John and Jude There is no ground then that Christians should be discouraged at these over-flowing floods of errours that the Serpent now casts out of his mouth to drown the Church nor at the rage and violence of the enemies of the truth amongst us think it not strange concerning these things as if some strange thing had happened unto us the Scriptures must be fulfilled that have told us before of those things and the Church of God in former times have had the same trials heresies must be though woe to them by whom they come or by whom they are countenanced We may expect yet greater tryals and stronger seducements if no timely remedy be used by Christian Magistrates to restraine seducers from spreading their seducing doctrines The Scriptures speak of the powerful working of Satan accompanying deceivers and a power of working seeming miracles being given to them and of strong delusions As the Quakers are but simple deceivers in comparison of the Papists and other hereticks in former ages so we may fear they shall be much more out-vied by such seducers as are yet to come in following times when Satan is to act