Remark at present I come next to shew what Slight and Contempt they have cast on the Scriptures in order to invalidate their Certainty and Authority and therein to shew G. W. how they value their unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures both in words as well as in practice as I shall shew anon for I am not picking at the Rine now but plucking at the Root And tho I must confess they are sturdy Oaks yet the Ax that is laid will level them unless they repent which I pray GOD they may if it be his Will Amen First That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater Serious Apology page 49. By G. Whitehead in his Serious Apology p. 49. G. Whitehead's Ishmael p. 10. Secondly That which is written is the Letter which is Death and killeth Way to the Kingdom p. 8. Thirdly The Scriptures are a declaration of the Word the Husk Fourthly The Letter of the Scripture is carnal Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 7. and the Letter is Death and killeth In one of their Books * The Quakers Refuge fix'd on the Rock of Ages p. 17. they thus query viz. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes Or whether both these or not one Or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some words were not spoken by the grand Imposture some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill applied some by good Men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false Now Reader setting aside the Contempt George Fox George Whitehead and others anciently threw upon the Scriptures as Carnal Dust the Serpent's Meat Husk not of that Authority with what is said to be spoken from the Spirit of Truth and the like I say setting aside THAT what can be the natural Tendency of these Queries but to prejudice the weak Readers against the Authority of the Scriptures especially such who take Examples of them in that they never read a Chapter in their Meetings for the Worship of GOD. If what the true Prophets spake be FALSE If what good Men spake be ILL EXPRESSED If what wise Men spake be ILL APPLIED Then what is there left besides what was spoken by true Prophets good Men and wise Men If there be any as you seem to suggest that 't is spoken by the grand Impostor and by wicked Men and false Prophets c. And if there be some little left that was spoken by true Prophets and is true some by good Men well expressed some by wise Men rightly applied Yet you not having made any distinction who shall know what is true from that which is false that which is well expressed and rightly applied from the contrary since you have left these three wretched Questions unresolved and the Scriptures doubtful ambiguous and uncertain robbing them of that Authority which GOD's People from Age to Age have justly attributed to them As for the five Books of Moses who wrote them Moses or Hermes is now put into the world as a Question Yea whether either or neither be the Author of those Books Yea these very Writings of Moses which I never heard question'd before are now proposed whether Moses or Hermes be the Author of them Now if Moses and Hermes be all one then why is the Query put unless you would have Moses to be Hermes and not Hermes to be Moses And so Moses being lost and Hermes only a Philosopher in Egypt being found the Books going under the Name of Moses's shall be lost also If this was not your mind why do you fill the world with such Atheistical Queries c Christ himself often quoted the Writings of Moses * See Mark 12.16 Luke 16.29 Luke 24.27 Acts 3. Luke 26.27 44. and so did the Apostles I never till now took so much notice of this your wretched Design to bring the Scriptures into Contempt that so you might exalt your own unwritten Traditions and therefore there is Reason enough in this to shew that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Christian Faith CHAP. V. Shews that the Forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith IN my Book One Blow more at NEW ROME c. I gave six Reasons why I compared the Quakers to New Rome Rome's Sister c. Amongst which one was That they value their unwritten Traditions above the Scriptures five of those six G. W. never touches But that of their valuing their unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures he says is a Lye without giving any one Demonstration c. And therefore to justifie my Charge That you value your unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures I prove thus First it never was from first to last your practice to read any one Chapter of the Bible nor any one Epistle of Paul Peter or any of the Apostles in your Meetings for Worship of GOD when as you have read the Epistles of Robert Sandyland Samuel Cater William Penn George Whitehead and Stephen Crisp with as much Attention and Devotion as the Papists do their Legends and this with what is writ in Chap. IV. is sufficient to prove the Point for I take all which is written in opposition to or in competition with the Scriptures to be unwritten Traditions Now if I can make it first appear that it is a principle of the Papists not to read the Scriptures in their Churches And secondly That it was and is the practice of Protestants to read the Scriptures in their Churches and Assemblies for the Worship of GOD then I hope Geo. Whitehead will not blame me for calling them New Rome who in almost every point follows their Example And also I hope it will be a caution to many of the Quakers to look about them who shall find themselves led by their Teachers into the very Road and High way to Rome before ever they so much as thought of it nay that they are in her very Borders and Territories when they thought all had been well and that they had been as their Teachers tell them and would make them believe even in the Heights of Sion in the Truth and none but THEY and that amongst them ONLY is God known elected before the world began and the like First Then to shew that it was against the principles of the Papists to read the Scriptures in their Churches Mr. HARDING against JEWEL By the Instinct of Satan Defence of the Apol. of Ch. of England p. 580. ye have brought the People from Devotion to careless Idleness from speaking to God with Hearts and Lips to a spiritual Dumbness from Prayers to Chapters from holy Think or silent meeting to unprofitable Hearing Thus much from one of the ablest the Pope had to defend his Errors by which the Reader may observe that
Glory Honour Power Might Majesty and Dominion for evermore Amen Now Noble Berean whether Christian or Quaker for some such I hope their are in every Society If thou doubt or question the soundness of this recited Creed pray examine and read these following Scriptures for thy Information and Satisfaction Luke 2.10.11 Acts 5.30 31 32. and 10.39 to 40. Acts 1.9 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 and 16.10 Zeck 9.9 and 11 12 13. Mark 1.10 Acts 2.22 to 32. Numb 24.17.19 Duet 18.15 Isa 9.6 7. Luke 24.4.51 John 20.12 Matt. 28.2 Acts 3.13 to 32. and 4.10 11 12. Heb. 7.25 and 9.24 John 17.20 21. 1 John 2.1 2. And here thou wilt find that he that was born of the Virgin the Glorious Angels call'd Christ the Lord And you will find that the holy Apostles said him that you slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted to be both a Prince and a Saviour yea and Christ the Lord whose Body was not of a Perishing Nature for it saw no Corruption And that all the Prophets gave witness to this Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World Now if on the contrary you find in the Quakers Creed that they believe and say that they cannot call him Christ who thus was born of the Virgin who was by wicked Men slain and hanged on a Tree if you find them to say his Body was of a perishing Nature and if you find as you may perceive p. 78 79. of this Treatise that the Quakers Prophets give witness to G. Fox instead of this Christ that they call him G. Fox the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness and put the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem then maist thou have cause to think that their Notions invert the Faith and seek to overturn the Christian Religion Read Try and Judge The Quakers Creed I. A Question to the Professors p. 33. NOW the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which he wore between him and the Body in which he came between the Substance which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it Lo I come a Body hast thou prepared me there is plainly he and the Body in which he came There was the outward Vessel and the inward Life this we certainly know and can never call the Bodily Garment Christ But that Heavenly Treasure which appeared and dwelt in the Body Remark Come into the Light and see if this Creed of theirs be not contrary to the Testimony of the Blessed and Glorious Angels Holy Apostles Blessed Martyrs and true Confessors for these 1600 Years here you may see if you will but come into the Light I mean to the holy Apostles Writings wherein they differ from all Christians they cannot call his Body Christ only a Garment a Vail a Vessel What! Did the Prophets fore-tell that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Garment Is this their Scripture Language they so often call for in Opposition to the Trinity and Sacraments Oh horrible Blasphemy But to this agrees John Whitehead's Doctrine in their Book The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 37 38. viz. Nothing which was Mortal was called Christ The Quakers Creed II. A Quest c. p. 22. IF I or any one else have felt the saving Arm of the Lord revealed in us If we have felt a measure of the same Life Power and Anointing revealed in our Vessels as was revealed in his Is it not of the same Nature Is it not the same thing Is not Christ the Seed And is not this Seed sown in the Heart Now if this Seed spring and grow up in me into a Spiritual shape and form Is not Christ then formed in me If I be ingrafted into and grow up in it Am not I ingrafted into Christ And do I not grow up in him And is not this the same Christ that took upon him the Body of Flesh and offered it without the Gates of Ierusalem Is there any more than one Or is there any other than he Is Christ devided is there one Christ within and another without Remark Come and see thou searching Berean and behold the Quakers Creed They cannot as in the first Branch of their Creed call him that was born of the Virgin Christ him that by wicked Hands was slain and hanged on a Tree Christ And no marvel if the same Christ that offered up that Body or Garment or Vail or Figure as they frame it be in them as they say it is even the very same that suffered Death at Jerusalem Oh horrible Blasphemy The Quakers Creed III. A Quest p. 20. TO whom do the Names and Titles of Iesus and Christ chiefly and in the first place belong Do they belong to the Body which was took by him or to him who took the Body For that which he took upon him was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which is of an Earthly perishing Nature And p. 27. Is not the Substance the Life the Anointing called Christ where-ever it is found doth not the Name belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head so that the Name is not given to the Vessel but to the Nature to the Heavenly Treasure to that which is of Him in the Vessel Remark From the Premises pray observe though they propose this Branch of their Creed by way of Query yet do but turn it and you shall observe the true and natural consequences of it is 1. That the Name Iesus and Christ do not so properly belong to the Body as to the Treasure in the Body here they seperate that which GOD hath for ever joyned together See their Book viz. The malice of the Independant Agent p. 23. Confusion and whereas they say that His Body was of an Earthly perishing Nature read Acts 2.27 and 13.35 and their Error soon appears And the Name Christ say they belongs to the whole Body as well as to the Head yea and to every Member of the Body so that they having the Light the Treasure the Life of Christ in them even the same that suffered Death at Jerusalem to be in them And the Name Christ not properly belonging to that Body which suffered Death at Jerusalem as aforesaid c. The Name by their Logick belongs to every believing Quaker so that there is as many Christs by their Doctrine as there is believing Quakers Oh horrible Blasphemy Read Matt. 24.24 The Quakers Creed IV. G. F.'s News coming up out of the North p. 14. 15. 34. A Word to all you Deceivers who deceive the People and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemies and Hypocrisies that tell People of a Sacrament and tell them it is the ordinance of God Blush blush and tremble you who live in the Witchery and bewitch People Page 14. So Dust is the Serpents Meat their original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death their Church is Dust and their Gospel is
But tho Josiah Coals c. Letters to G. Fox be not only Superstitious but Blasphemous and Idolatrous yet you excuse justify and say well done to such Abominations See their 10th Principle You may also see that tho these blessed Martyrs confessed that the Papists once taught sound and pure Doctrine and doubtless did then commend their Practice Conversation and Deportment and accounted such Doctrine so taught a dispensation of the love of GOD to Mankind yet when they saw that they Apostatized from these things and began to impose Transubstation and other Novelties as GOD's Ordinances you see they then forsook them left them And not only so but did hear a full and ample Testimony against their Pride their Haughtiness their infallible Pretentions their grand Errors and deep Hypocrisies not always picking at the Rine but striking at the Root until at last what by disputing what by writing what by printing and with GOD's blessing upon their endeavours the Pope's Authority in England quite expired But oh what sad Bawling the Pope and his Cardinals Priests and Fryers Jesuits and Nuns and all your Kindred made against Luther Barns Jerom of Prague John Huss Philip Melancthon and the rest of that noble blessed and for ever renowned Army calling them Apostates Self condemned Apostates apparent Apostates manifest Apostates contentious Apostates c. And having then the Law of their side which I thank GOD you have not burnt many of them Thus I hope you may see a lively Figure of your selves and also that as I have acquitted my self of that Dilemma which you dreamed you had cast me into I have left you with your Kindred in that Dilemma which nothing but Repentance and Amendment will deliver you from which GOD of his mercy grant you may CHAP. III. Shews a third Reason why forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Christian Faith FOR it is plain That they deny Christ Jesus who was born of the Virgin Mary who suffer'd without the gates of Jerusalem and rose again and ascended up into Heaven and there sits at the Right Hand of GOD From their 3d Principle making Intercession for us And since they err in this fundamental Article of the Christian Faith Search these Scriptures viz. Mat. 13.16 17. Luk. 10.23 24. cap. 1.42 45 68 69 70. cap. 2.20 to 39. Mat. 2.1 to 12. Mat. 21.5 to 17. Mat. 11.1 to 18. Luk. 19.29 Psal 72.15 17. Zach. 9.9 and that against the Testimony of Men and Angels Holy Scripture and the concurrent Testimony of the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Confessors from the beginning I upon that foot and upon that bottom account it no Apostacy to forsake such a People who themselves have so apparently erred from the Faith Search these Scriptures and abundance more to confirm this And that they have so erred see their 3d Principle and that it is against Scripture and the Angel's Testimony Luk. 2.10 11 16 20. Mat. 2.25 Acts 18.5 Rom. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.3 John 11.35 read Luke 2.10 11 16 20. Then the Angel said unto them be not afraid for behold I bring you tydings of great joy that shall be to all the people that is that unto you is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOVR which is CHRIST the LORD Now as HE was GOD from all Eternity HE was not born of the Virgin did not hunger was not cold did not dye was not spit upon was not smote with the palms of their hands But as he was God-Man the Man Christ Jesus who was born of the Virgin according to that heavenly Testimony of the blessed Angels Luke 2. he was the SAVIOVR CHRIST THE LORD which you say was but a Garment a Vail a Vessel WHICH YOV CAN NEVER CALL CHRIST * Question to the Professors p. 33. Nay it is said in plain words by George Fox viz. Christ is the substance of all Figures and his FLESH is a FIGVRE †Saul's Errand c. p. 14. This is I confess an uncouth Saying but I will unriddle their meaning viz. CHRIST as HE is the Light they own HIM but as to HIS Flesh that is only a Figure a Garment something or other which People do love and speak well of but as for George Fox and the Heads that know what they say the Flesh is of little value and to confirm this my opinion see Isaack Peningtons one of their most learned and knowing Writers whose works they have taken care to reprint in Folio who saith thus A Question to the Professors p. 33. viz. Now the Scriptures does expresly distinguish between CHRIST and the GARMENT he wore between HIM that CAME and the BODY in which he CAME between the SVBSTANCE which was VAILED and the VAIL which VAILED it There is plainly HE and the' Body in which HE came there was the outward Vessel and the inward Life This we certainly know and can never call the bodily Garment Christ So that 't is plain The Quakers who are certain and infallible in this are of a contrary Spirit to all the Forefathers Prophets Apostles and Christian Professors to this day See Luk. 2.10 11. Zach. 9.9.10 11 Cap. v. 12 13. Math. 2.6 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 16.10 Acts 2.22 23 36. 3.13 4.10 and 10.43 according to this their Doctrine the Angels message was only of a Garment that was born it 's true it 's allowed to be a bodily Garment a Vail a Figure c. which they can never call Christ and if they can never call him that was born of the Virgin Mary Christ the consequence unavoidably follows that they can never own him to be Christ the Saviour of the World And to confirm this my sense of their principle to all the People called Quakers I will yet add two Reasons more viz. First In that they never in their publick meetings for worship of God nor yet in their Families make confession of their sins to God asking pardon for Christ Jesus sake This is one reason to confirm their Disciples that their Leaders deny Christ Jesus who was born of the Virgin to be both Lord and Christ Secondly In all their books you never yet found that ever they confessed their Sins and asked Pardon for Christ's sake whereby it is manifest that as thereby they deny Christ as aforesaid so they render themselves of a singular Spirit to all the Prophets Apostles Saints Martyrs and Confessors since the world stood as may be seen by the Scriptures in the Margin beginning with Moses Psal 90. to the very Martyrs Yea Psal 51.2 3. Psal 90. Job 7.20 Lam. 3.41 42. Isa 64.6 Dan. 4.9 to the end 1 John 1.8 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 7. so singular that without the breach of Charity I may conclude that instead of having a Spirit given to them beyond all the Forefathers so as to know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates as they have vainly boasted They have a
even the Protestants began with blood for meer Religion and taught the Romanists in succeeding times how to deal with them See also Judgment fixed p. 259. by Geo. VVhitehead more of this hereafter c. 11. The Quakers Principles 11. That the Martyrs were Persecutors and asserted corrupt Doctrine 12. The Quakers Books 12. The Apostate Incendiary by Geo. VVhitehead p. 16. In Answer to VVilliam Mucklow 's Liberty of Conscience Asserted c. 12. The Quakers Principles 12. I affirm that the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God and we must either believe this as the true Church believes or else it were but both a folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof G. VV. Apostate Incendiary p. 16. CHAP. II. Shewing that the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith BEfore I proceed to shew the dangerous Consequences which these erronious Principles produce as in the first Chapter set forth I may speak something to their uncharitable sensure of me calling me an Apostate but had they left off there I could have born it because 't is not equal with Heresie and something must be born by any body that hath to do with them but when I see by their last two Books that they expose me to the World a self condemned Apostate an apparent Apostate a contentious Apostate c. with all the aggravating Circumstances which they could possibly invent and all this publick besides several private Letters sent me by Post both in Verse and Prose as full of cursing Language as Muggleton could have filled them withal calling me Julian the Apostate * Which are said to be Stephen Crispâ—'s but had no Name to them for which there deserves another Hue and Cry which all put together gives me just cause to vindicate my self since my Name Credit Estimation and all that is dear to me and my Relations are under a very severe sensure For a self condemned Apostate in plainer English is an Heretick and if so had they the power that the Papists had in King Henry the VIIIth's time I might rationally expect the same fate which Doctor Robert Barns and others met withal But thanks be to GOD as 't is no Apostasie from the Christian Faith to separate from them neither have they now a Popish King to animate and incourage them neither do I fear what they can do and therefore am bold to call them out of their holes and challenge them into the Field and bid defiance to all their Weapons of War and all their Malice they can invent either publick Print or private Letters Well however to justifie my self from this their sensure of Heresie or self condemned Apostate I would premise to the Reader that according to the Judgment of St. Augustin every Error doth not make a Man an Heretick or a self condemned Apostate for says he errare possum hereticus esse non possum in an error I may be but a Heretick I cannot be for their is says he three things necessary for just proof of Heresie First That it be an Error that I hold Secondly That it be an Error against the Truth of God's word for otherwise every Error maketh not a man an Heretick Thirdly And that it be stoutly and wilfully maintained otherwise an Error against the Truth of God's Word without wilful maintenance is no Heresie Object But G. W. objects by his Book The content Apost recharged p. 1. viz. The charge is evident by his own Confession to the Principles Foundation Doctrine Ministry Faith Love spiritual Testimony of the said People as in the beginning being that Church whereof Christ Jesus was the Head and Law-giver c. And consequently that the said People called Quakers were once a true Church the People of God in the true Faith and bore a true Testimony according to Fra. Bugg's ample and solemn Confession in the second part of his Book de Chr. lib. c. printed 82. c. and seconded in his Book The Quakers detected c. Answ Having taken in enough out of Geo. VVhiteheads Book to shew what my Mind and perswasion was once of them and for that Reason G. VV. no doubt quoted them I do still say whatever were my Thoughts of them in the beginning they were not so of them at the time when I wrote them Books as the ample Testimony against their walking and acting contrary to what in the beginning they pretended too as will sufficiently appear out of the same Book quoted by G. VV. see * Part of my Book The Qua. detected c. is recited Qua. detect an abstract whereof followeth viz. And having thus mounted the seat of Government rich and poor high and low bond and free must submit to their Church Government And it became a vain thing to plead the sufficiency of the Light of Christ to lead direct or guide us thus have they by their late Doctrine and Example rendered their Ancient Doctrine and Example a meer Decoy to catch simple Souls by and being once caught it is altogether in vain to pretend the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ to Lead Teach and Guide no no the Church now hath given forth Rules Laws and outward Directory and by Vertue of her Apostolical Authority as she pretends she imposes them on her Members whether they believe that what she imposes be a Duty incumbent on them to practice yea or nay And your Edicts must be obeyed whether motion or no motion nay tho a motion against the observation of it or else they cannot be looked upon in the Unity These Commands of yours are binding and obligatory upon all though the Scripture commands to one See their 5th Principle you say are not binding to another Thus do you make the Commands of GOD of none effect throw your Traditions What shall I say unto you Oh ye Leaders of this People Who would impose your unscriptural Practices upon your Brethren and record such out of your Unity that are not conformable thereunto for I have surveyed your Old and New Doctrine and measured your past and present Practices and I have compared your fair pretences with your foul Hypocrisies and when I have done all this I want words to set forth your deep Hypocrisies Deceit and Self-contradictions who sometimes are against giving Respect to your Superiors but by and by your own Servants and Apprentices in your own Houses and Shops must stand bare-headed before you This piece of Hypocrisie I testified against near 18 years since which was before S. Cater's difference for as I saw Errors arise amongst us so I withstood them and testified against them sometimes you are for Preaching freely and Teaching and Instructing people freely and for Suffering and Recording Marriages freely but now they can take Three Pounds at a time for Preaching Ten Pounds at a time for Suffering * Sam. Cater took Ten Pound for his Suffering a Fine and though his
the Papists do account it a spiritual Dumbness and a Device of Satan and unprofitable to read the Chapters of the Bible in their Churches and that it prevents their holy thinking or to speak in their Younger Sisters Language prevent their silent Meetings the Parallel holds good Now let us hear what the Protestants and ancient Fathers opinion were in that case and the rather too because I am joined to a Church which proclaim the reading the Scriptures and perhaps it may be one of their reasons and none of the least neither why they call me an Apostate which is the second thing I promised to speak to in order to shew that the Quakers follow the steps of the Papists but will not once cast an Eye upon the Protestant Path in this particular For though they will not in plain words call the reading the Scriptures for worship of God Advice of Satan a spiritual Dumbness unprofitable Hearing and the like Yet they not reading one Chapter in 20 or 30 years together in their Religious Assemblies if so I may call them their Practice says Amen to the principles of the Papists in that point as well as bespeak their aversness to the Way Practice and Manner of the ancient Fathers Martyrs and Protestants to this day Now hear their sayings c. Secondly Origen saith Origen in Josua Homil. 15. The Books of the old Testament which are called the stories of the Jews were delivered by the Apostles to be read in Churches Justinus Martyr saith Vpon the Sunday the Christian People Justinus Mart. Apolog. 2. that dwell in Town or Country meet together in one place there the Epistles of the Apostles or the Prophets Writings are pronounced unto us afterwards he that is the Chief or Minister warneth and exhorteth all the rest that they will follow those good things that they have heard read THAT DONE we rise up all and pray together St. Cyprian saith Cyprian lib 2. Epist 5. The Reader findeth out the high and heavenly words he readeth out the Gospel of Christ he is seen of the Brethren he is heard with Joy of all the Brotherhood In the Council of Laodicea it is written thus Laodice concil Can. 16. Vpon the Sabbath day it is convenient that the Gospels and other Scriptures be read St. Augustine saith Ye heard when the Gospel was read August in 50 Homil. if ye give ear to the reading dearly beloved we have heard in the Lesson that hath been read c. Tertullian Apologitico lib. 2. Tertullian saith We come together to the reading the Holy Scriptures we feed our Faith with those Heavenly Voices we raise up our Affiance we fasten our Hope Where is the feeding of Faith that cometh by the open pronouncing and reading of the Scriptures St. Chrysostom saith The Minister and common Minister standeth up Crysostom in Acta Hom. 19. and cryeth out with a loud voice saying keep silence and give ear After that the Reader begins the Prophesy of Isaiah c. Isidorus saith The Lesson in the Church bringeth great profit to the Hearers Isidor de Eccles offic l. 1 c. 10. Therefore when singing is let all sing together when prayer is let all pray together and when the Lesson or Chapter is read let silence be made and let all hear together Now George I think I have made a full Reply and set you in your proper places and if you had medled with my other five reasons why I call you New Rome you might have heard more from me But since you thought it not for your Interest as indeed it was not unless Reason and Scripture back'd with the Authority of Antiquity might prevail upon you then I should think no Labour too much as much as you account me your Adversary However by this time I hope you are satisfy'd that forsaking the Quaker is no Apostate from the Christian Faith CHAP. VI. Shews that the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith GGorge Whitehead in his Cont. Apostate c. p. 27. says But where are all required by Christ or his Apostles to pray for Kings and Queens by Names or charged as Offenders for not naming Persons in our Prayers The cont Apostate c. p. 27. may we not pray acceptably unless we tell GOD the Name of those we pray for c. Answ I only admonish you to pray for King William and Queen Mary as heartily and zealously as you did for the late King James but did not mention your addressing your selves too Gen. 20. Gen. 47.7 10. Exod. 1.6 to the end Cap. 2.23 24 25. Cap. 3.7 8 9 10. Acts 7.18 to 35 Psal 90.1 Josephus Ant. l. 6. cap. 5.67 1 Sam. 8 22. cap. 9.16 17. cap. 15.1.9 1 Tim. 2.1 2. 1 Chron. 28.4 onwards 1. Kings 18.25 Jer. 33.20.21 Psalm 132.11 12 13.14 2 Sam. 7.25 Psal 72 1 2. 2 Sam. 16.16 2 Chr 29.18 on Ezra 6.3 to 14. Josephus Antiq. l. 11 c. 4. Exod. 22.26 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Ezek. 19.10 and praying publickly for him whilst he was seated on the Throne as an evil or irreligious practice as such For it is my Judgment that we ought to pray for ALL KINGS which GOD in his Providence sets over us without disputing their Titles whether they be Pagan or Christian bad or good Hetrodox or Orthodox Persecutor or Protector if you deny it I am able to make it appear from the practice of many of Gods faithful Saints and Servants from Abraham downwards to this day see the Scriptures in the Margin But if you do not deny it then I ask why do you not as publick and heartily pray for King William and Queen Mary by Name as you did for King James by Name that in short is the Question For you are a considerable People for number and 't is requisite you should be plain hearted and declare your selves what you can do or what you can not do in this point That you did publickly pray for and address your selves to King James I shall make appear by part of two of your Addresses and the remainining four for there were six Addresses presented to him during his short Reign c. are of the same Nature viz. The Humble Address of the People called QVAKERS to King JAMES II. WE cannot but with grateful hearts both admire and acknowledge the Providence of God that made the Kings Retiring into our Native Country i. e. Scotland in 1679 give a happy Turn to his Affairs to the defeating and disappointing the designs of his Enemies We do justly conceive OVR selves obliged by a special Tye Looking-glass p. 11. to praise God for his Goodness in carrying the King through and over all his Troubles since by the same Providence and at the same time by which the LORD began in that more observable manner to evidence his care of him He made him the happy Instrument to deliver us from our troubles so
Pharisees who think to be saved by your own deservings as all do who do not own Christ to be their Saviour And that no works of man did deserve any thing of GOD but only Christs Passion touching our Justification For I know said this Humble Martyr that the best works that ever I did is impure and unperfect †Read your books observe your Ministers see if their Spirit be not contrary to all the Forefathers And with this he cast abroad his Hands and prayed to GOD for Christ's sake to forgive him his Sins as saith the Historian Thus gentle Reader have I shewed that the Doctrine Principles Faith and Practice of the Quakers is contrary to the Doctrine Principles Faith and Practice of the Apostles Primitive Christians Saints Martyrs and Holy Confessors of the Catholick Faith from Moses to this day both concerning the Humanity of Christ and praying and confessing our Sins to God and begging Pardon for Christs sake which is another reason and a good one too why the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Christian Faith c. CHAP. IV. Sheweth that the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith I Am now come to shew what they mean when they talk of Christ being in them as by their books are manifest and if they will not own their books which they have said are given forth by the immediate and eternal Spirit of GOD then let them first condemn the books of Geo. Fox Is Pennington and most of their eminent Writers and declare themselves fully that they are of another mind and that they own Christ according to the Angels Testimony and the Apostles and Martyrs Testimony or else we shall conclude they are as erroneous as their books set forth c. Pray hear Is Penington in his book stiled Quest to the Professors c. p. 27. viz. The Name Christ belongs to the whole Body as well as to the HEAD and to every Member of the Body The Name is not given to the VESSEL but to the NATVRE to the Heavenly TREASVRE to that which is of Him in the Vessel c. Now Reader mark what the consequence of this blasphemous Doctrine is which says that the Name CHRIST belongs to every Believer as well and as amply as to CHRIST the Head who is GOD blessed for evermore Here you see the Consequence first of their not owning HIM that was born of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ for if they cannot call HIM so they cannot own HIM to be so See your 2d and 3d Principle in the first Chapter of this Treatise c. c. but only a Figure a Vail a Vessel a Garment c. see p. 33. And 2dly in assuming to themselves the Name in that Christ the heavenly Nature is in them Thus have they magnified themselves equal with Christ and I will prove that they thus mean by the very words of their great Apostle G. Fox in their Book Intituled Sauls Errand to Damascus c. p. 8. Saul's Errand p. 8. viz. HE THAT HATH THE SAME SPIRIT WHICH RAISED VP JESVS CHRIST IS EQUAL WITH GOD. Now then if it be so as so they do believe it to be for first they say they have the eternal infallible Spirit of GOD in them from which they speak write act give forth their Orders for Womens Meetings * See my Book de Chr. Lib. c. from p. 36. to 72. where your whole Authority for your Womens Meeting is set down and their Original and all from G. Fox and your yearly Meetings sole Authority and not one verse of Scripture brought to strengthen their Rise Foundation and setting up c. Indeed John Fiddyman a Quaker did deny to have any other Spirit than what Christians own in common and to give him his due refused to own G. Fox's Books and I hope more will follow as they come to see their Errors c. c. Then I do demand what hinders them from deserving the Name Christ as well as HE that was born of the Virgin that suffered cold hunger was smote with the palms of their hands c. since they cannot call him Christ I say if they have the same Spirit the same Treasure in them which raised up Jesus Christ and are thereby equal with GOD as they say they are What hinders but that we may have as many Christs as Quakers at least as many as the Quakers have Preachers For some of their Hearers I do believe are more modest than to entertain these Luciferian thoughts tho' indeed they do not know how far they are Baptized into this erroneous and pernicious Principle c. And as I have by the 2d Chapter proved That they deny Christ and undervalue his Death and Suffering so have I in the beginning of this Chapter proved That they account the Name Christ do's belong to every believing Quaker then by magnifying themselves under pretence of Christ being in them in that degree they pretend to that they claim Equality with Oh Dreadful In the next place I am come to shew how they extol their own Writings and how they have thrown Contempt upon the Scriptures and that also out of their own Books which is a Consequence of the forementioned Errors First They say they have a Spirit given to them beyond all the Forefathers and they know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates See their first Principle the Mother of the rest c. without speaking ever a word c. which none but GOD and such as are equal to HIM can do c. Secondly None need to give them Discerning or Judgment they being by Christ always and at all times and on all occasions therewith infallibly furnished Thirdly (a) Saul's Errand pag. 8. He that hath the same Spirit which raised up Jesus CHRIST is equal with GOD. Fourthly The (b) G Fox to the King and Parliament pag. 18. Quakers knew their Election before the World began Fifthly We say the Quakers are elected to Salvation we have the Witness in us Praises be to the glorious LORD GOD for ever Truth 's Defence p. 92. who hath elected and chosen us before the foundation of the World Quakers Challenge p. 3. The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the Fire Truth 's Defence pag. 2 104. as our Books and Queries for our giving forth Papers and printed Books it is from the immediate eternal Spirit of GOD. A brief Discovery of the threefold Estate of Antichrist p. 15. All teaching by Christ is to bring to perfection even to the measure stature and fulness of Christ this the Scripture witnesses and I witness this Scripture fulfilled in me G. F. The aforesaid Assertions Positions and Tenents being so erronious blasphemous and pernicious to the Christian Religion I think them so obvious that they need not any further