that of George Bateman to Mr. Ledgard pag. 25. 26. aâ— also their casting away their Bibles Wâ—â— Strickland told Mr. Archer If he had never Read the Bible it had been better for him How constantly doe the Scriptures passe under no better name from them then the Saints conditions Davids Moses Isays Pauls conditions and a declaration of the condition of them that spake them forth Confut. This Position is so grosse that we hope it will never sinke into any Christian heart but will be a confutation to it selfe in the thought of any sober minded Christian yet we shall propose these things 1. That when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets Samuel Isay Iâ—remiah c. it cannot be understood of the Word that was made Flesh the Lord Iesus but must necessarily signifie that minde or message of the Lord contained in those words or Scripture Writings as 1 Sam. 15. 10. Then came the Word of the Lord to Samuel saying It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Isay 38. 5. then came the Word of the Lord unto Isay saying Say to Hezekiah c. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares Ier. 14. 1. The Word of the Lord that came to the Prophet Ieremiah concerning the dearth Iudah mourneth and the gates thereof languish It s a grosse absurdity to say this word of the Lord was Christ and it is as much to say they were the experiences of those Prophets or their conditions but they were the word of the Lord by these Prophets spoken to the Persons therein concerned 2. As for the Phrase in the New Testament the Word of God it is cleare both Christ and the Apostles in their mention thereof doe understand that which they Spoke Preached or Wrote and not the Person of Christ of the Father or Spirit So Christ speaks to the Iews Marke 7. 13. making the word of God of none effect by their Traditions which word can be understood alone of that fifth Commandement ver. 10. Honour thy Father and Mother Luke 11. 28 Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keep it which plainely hints a word spoken written or engraven c. not the eternall word the Lord Iesus Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God where the word Preached or the Scriptures of the Apostles which we now have is plainely called the Word of God 3. As for those Writings of the Prophets and Apostles that they are the word given forth from the living God and of authenticall and undenyable authority over every conscience good and bad we could fill Pages with the proofes and evidence thereof but the Reader may observe we are speaking of the Scriptures in reference to these mens cavills and no further And so shall leaving so plaine so Funâ—mentali a Principle rather fall upon their owne notion of the word of God calling it A declaration of the conditions or experiencâ—â— of them that spoke them 1. This is fully to take away the very Foundation of the Faith of Saints which is onely built upon the authority of God not upon any experience of the best Saints or the declaration of it Luke 24 25. O fooles and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken where Faith is bottom'd upon Scripture authority as Acts 18. 28. Apollos mightily convinced the Jews shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus is the Christ Acts 28 23. Paul perswaded them concerning Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Propheâ—s Now be this Law and the Prophets what they will if they fall any thing lower then the truth and word of God they can be no bottome for the Faith of Saints and Paul takes a weake argument to convince them by And yet that those were not the conditions of those Prophets or the experience of things fulfilled in themselves is as cleare as the day to any not grossely ignorant and especially from 1 Pet. 1 10. 11. 12. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who propheâ—ied of the grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of time the shirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when iâ— testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have Preached the Gospel unto you And as in this its cleare that they spoke not forth their own conditions and experiences so also the Apostle sends the Saints to a word of Prophesie as a more sure foundation of Faith then the most glorious experience or enjoyment in the World 2 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. This is to make the Scripture lose his authority save onely when we experience it or where it is fulfilled in mens soules and so doth make voyd every command and Promise and all wicked men that can experience little of it shall be left excusable before God at the last day because not having the Scripture fulfilled in themselves according to the Quakers Doctrine it had no authority over them This is the most pleasant Doctrine for desperate Atheists that can be Whereas John 12 48. He that receiveth not my words hath them not fulfilled in him yet the words that I have spoken they shall â—udge him at the last day 3. This at once nulls and destroyes the Divine Authority of the whole Hystoricall and Propheticall Part of Scripture together with all the threatnings of Scripture of Hell and iudgement unlesse they say the Sainss have those threats of Hell fulfilled in themselves and that condition of Dives in Hell is the condition of Saints as also the promises therein of mercies yet to come their futurity denying their being the already experiences of the Saints 4 Consider what impossibilities contradictions falshood doth this woefull Doctrine bring upon most parts of Scripture wherein such things there spoken of were not could not be the conditions of either God that gave the Word or the Prophets and Apostles that Published it In the close of this consideration we disire to mind you of the reproachfull earmes this people every where give to the Written Word though the Spirit Rom. 15. saith These things were Written that we through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And the holy Ghost still referres to the Written Word Luke 20. 17. John 15. 25. Heb 10. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17 because it is Written Be yee holy as I am holy where the Spirit of God doth evidently put an authority upon the Written Word which is the same in signification and thing with the word Scriptures of which see how glorious things the holy Ghost reports thereof how sleightly soever the Quakers esteeme thereof 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to salvation All Scripture is given by inspiration from God and
is profitable for Doctrine for reproffe for correctiâ—r for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Position 14. The Spirits are not to be tryed by Scripture Proofe Miles Hawd in the Congregation at Kendale asserted that he that referred to any light without was a deceiver In a Paper of theirs one of them reckons this up as one of the Errors of the Priests as he â—alls them they professe the Scripture to be the rule and the touchstone to try withall A Book called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. sayes the worlds touchstone is without them and they try the living by the dead the spirit by the letter the Saints touchstone is within whereby they try the spirits whether they be of God or no which evidently demonstrates they allow no tryall of the spirits by the written word Confut. â— Heare what the spirit saith Isay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this it is because there is no light in them 2. This is to withdraw the soule from the judgement or determination of God whose revealed will the Scripture is as above is shown 3. This is to open a gap unavoydably to all Satans delusions as you may see by the short Relation of the Quakers Shaken in the case of Iohn Gilpin and we can no otherwise look upon this then the very Hold Satan hath to keep this people under his delusions by cousening them thus to stop their eyes against the light Iohn 3. 20. for what else shall be the Touchstone but the Word of God 4 And how strong are the perswasions of errour how fully doth Satan pretend in the soule to be an Angell of light and wherein shall man distinguish The Bereanâ— searched the Scriptures whether these things were so Acts 17. 11. trying the Apostles themselves by the Written Word 6. And Christ himselfe leaves the very proofe of himselfe to be the Messias to the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have â—â—â—â—â—all life and they are they which testifie of me Position 15. That there ought to be no sinse meaning or exposition given or studying of the Scriptures Proofe Their common expression is to him that opens or shews them the interpretation of any Scripture Cursed is he that addes or the plagues are upon thee for adding to the Scripture John Audland a few days since being for his Rayling and Publique disturbance called before the Magistrates and there pleading against the Ministry alledging that Text Ier. 5. 31. The Priests heare rule by their means One of us laboured to convince him of this ignorance in that grosse mis-interpretation for by means he understood by their maintenance shewing that that Text doth most evidently hold this sence That those Priests bare rule by the means of the false Prophets The said I. A. presently cryed out Thou addest thou addest The same man having called another of us Deceiver was asked Whether he heard him Preach any thing contrary to the truth the day before telling him withall he Preached that which he had Prayed and studied the Scripture for presently the said Audland as if studying the word were enough to convince a man to be a deceiver cryed out there thou shewest thy selfe One of their Papers in the hands of one of us wickedly rayles thus Away with all your conjuring studying away with all your stage play Preaching And t is their knowne and constant Principâ—e Though their grand master Fox was not able enough in this point but discovered his Imposture by his Concordance to the Bible sent him from Yorke to Kendale Confut. As to this let the Reader consider Neh. 8. 8. Ezra Read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the Reading Luke 24 27. Christ began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded therein all things concerning himselfe Marke 4 34 He expounded all things to his Disciples Acts 28. 23. Paul expounded and testified the Kingdome of God out of the Prophets Act 8. 30. to ver. 35. Philip expounds the mende of the holy Ghoâ—â— in that Prophecy of Isaiah to the Eunuch who Read it and yet without Interpretation knew not the meaning of it Christ sends the Pharisees to study the meaning of Scripture in stead of cavelling Mat. 9 13. Goe learne what that meaneth And Peter tells you in the writings of Paul there are many things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also other Scripture unto their owne destruction But to say there is no sense or meaning in the Scriptures shewes so grosse ignorance nay such senselesnesse in these people that this may suffice And for the studying of the Word reade the command of Christ for searching it Iohn 5. 39. of Paul 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome Tiâ—ethy must be nourished up in the Word of truth and of that good Doctrine to which he had attained 1 Tim. 4. 6. must give himselfe wholly 1 Tim 4 15. to Reading Exhortation Doctrine that his profiting might appeare to all 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approved unto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a childe thou hast learned the holy Scriptures c. out of which the man of God must labour to be throughly furnished unto all good works Position 16 They cry downe Baptisme with Water and the Lords Supper aâ— being but types and shadowes ceasing upon the appearance of Christ within them Proofe A Booke called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. thus The worlds Baptisme is without them the Saints Baptisme is within them the worlds Communion is without them taking a little Bread and Wine c. which is carnall the Saints Communion is within Compare this with George Batemans answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 29. disputing with him about Baptisme c. sayes That Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. Christ when he was in the flesh left them as types of another nature and this pointed at Christs appearing in the spirit and as the types under the Law ended when Christ appeared in the Flesh so these types viz Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord for of them he speaks there end when Christ appeares in spirit To which adde that of Farnsworth in his Pamphlet entituled A Discovery of Faith pag. 11. All your Baptisme such as are invented from the Letter the carnall minde invents them these are for the Fire for they are the workes of the Flesh Reade him also pag. 13. Confut. What soule that lives under the Kingdome and Scepter of the Lord Iesus will not abhorre these opinionâ— that destroy and wholly take from the Saints these two greaâ— Mysteries
The Perfect Pharisee UNDER MONKISH HOLINESSE Opposing the Fundamentall Principles of of the Doctrine of the Gospel and Scripture-Practises of Gospel-Worship manifesting himselfe in the Generation of men called QVAKERS OR A Preservative against the Grosse Blasphemies and horrid delusions of those who under pretence of perfection and an immediate Call from God make it their businesse to Revile and Disturbe the Ministers of the Gospel Published for the establishing of the People of God in the Faith once delivered to the Saints And in a speciall manner directed to BELEEVERS in Newcastle and Gateside Isay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them 2 Epist. of John ver. 8. Looke to your selves that we lose not those thingâ— which we have wrought Gateside Printed by S. B. and are to be sould by Will London Book-seller in Newcastle 1653. Christian Reader THe great Designe of that old and subtill Serpent in the latter dayes doth eminently appeare to be to over-turne the Faith of Soules For what else is the Reason of so many monstrous shapes and varieties of appearances into which he transformeth himselfe but that he may have somewhat more probably successefull to intangle according to the diversities of the temper of hearts Yet such is the wise and good dispensation of our God that even when Satan would appeare most like an Angell of light yet something ever doth breake forth in his closest contrivances that makes the designe of the Serpent very visible There is indeed something which pretends to holinesse in this upstart Generation of men as the meannesse of their Apparrell sometimes more then ordinary Abstinence their forsaking the World though to a sinfull neglect of their Callings and Families and many triviall observances which the Apostle calls The rudiments of the World Col. 2. 23 in which they yet place a great part of their perfection These things have indeed as Paul said A shew of Wisedome in Will-Worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body But alas are narrower coverings then can conceale the wickednesse of the Blasphemies Cursings and Raylings which under these are ushered in to destroy the foundation of the Saints Seeing therefore their folly is very fully by the demonstration and witnesse of the Scriptures made manifest to our selves and their Principles and practises hereafter specified undeniably known to some of us We are as those that Watch for your soules as those that must give account Pressed in Spirit to Publish the ensuing Discourse With our Prayers that as their folly is made manifest herein so it may proceed no further This is the Method of our proceeding in this Tractat. First we lay downe their Doctrines Secondly prove them to be theirs from their own Words and Writings Thirdly confute them from the Scriptures Tho. Weld Will. Cole Rich. Prideaux Will. Durant Sam. Hammond The Doctrines of the Quakers produced from their owne Words and Writings layd downe in the Positions following To which is subjoyned full Proofes of their asserting of those Doctrines As also Arguments for the discovery of their unsoundnesse Position 1. Equality with God Proofe 1. THat this hath been asserted by the chiefest of them upon whose mouth it s fully known they much depend will thus appeare George Fox being by Warrant from M. Toluson and M. Lawry now a Member of Parliament two Justices of the Peace in Lancashire to be apprehended for affirming he was equall with God before the said Warrant was put in execution the said businesse was heard over againe at Lancaster at a private Meeting of the Justices where George Fox was present Where after severall distinctions and occasions favourably given in behalfe of the said Fox Dr. Marshall in presence of the said Justices proposed the case to Fox himselfe to speake his heart Whether he did beleeve himselfe equall with God The said Fox in answer thereto positively affirmed thus I am equall with God The said Dr. Marshall and Mr. Altham Schoolemaster at Lancaster deposed this at a generall Sessions in Westmerland in the hearing of one of * us and deposed the same againe before the Honouradle Judge Pulâ—ston at Lancaster the next Assizes 2. At a meeting with Iames Nayler where a discourse was concerning Persecution William Baldwinson of Under-barrow in Westmerland proposed to the said Nayler Whether he beleeved that any could be as holy just and good as God himselfe To whom the said Nayler answered That he did witnesse that he himselfe was as holy just and good as God This the said M Baldwinson did offer to Collonell Brigs to depose and hath very often affirmed the same to one of * us and is besides a man fearing God of eminent trust where he lives in the service of the Common-wealth 3. Mr. George Berkett offered to depose that George Fox did affirme himselfe to be the judge of the World And it is fully known to some of us that the generall body of that irreligion do pretend to know the secrets of the hearts of men it s their common expression to all they speake unto that they know their hearts and when they charge Persons with sins which is usuall with them even to such whose Faces they never saw before nor heard of which they can finde nothing outwardly to prove their common ascertion is that they can see their hearts and accordingly doe call them damned Devils and pronounce their judgements Nor is it impertinent to this that Iames Nayler to one of us did affirme that he wondered that God should reveale any thing to me and he not know it One Wrote thus from Carlile that he was threatned to be put in Prison with George Fox whom he called the Soâ—ne of God Confutation 1. 1. That finite and infinite should be equall is a grosse contradiction which all spirituall and naturall light abhorres Heare what an infinite God ascerting his owne inequality sayes to the creature Isay 40. 15. To whom then will ye liken me or shall I be equall saith the holy One Reade the whole Chapter as also Iob 38. 39 40. 2. If so then the creature must needs be eternall à parte ante viz. must never have had a beginning of their being unlesse they will either affirme that God himselfe was created or that man is a created God Reade the Creation of man Gen. 2. 3. If equall with God then as holy as just as wise as powerfull as omni-present some of these the proofes will cleare to be affirmed by Nayler To whom we propose If he be as holy just and good as God then he hath been so either from his Birth or from some worke of conversion since upon his soule If he say he was so from his Birth then we cry out Blasphemy For 1. Are we not sinners from the Wombe Psal. 51. Isay 48. 8. Children of wrath by Nature Ephes. 2. 2. 2. Is there not in all a body of
be made perfect in their weakenesse Did the spirit pleade for sinne when he rehearsed the faults of Saints or Paul Rom. 7. when he cryed out of the body of this death or when he discovers the unevennesse of Peters Judaizing Gal. â— or Christ when he writes to the seven Churches and discovers their sin Rev. 2 2. 3. 4 and tells the purest of them their strength is yet but little Rev. 3. 8 Hence you may discover from Christ the Spirit c. their manifesting the imperfections of the choysest Saints that to discover it is not to pleade for it unlesse you will blaspheme the holy one of Israel And let all Christian Readers consider that it is farre from us to pleade for iniquity but the great part of our worke is to reprove it in whomsoever and to presse Mortification and spirituall life and communion with God that so they may presse forwards to perfection as the designe and marke of their soules Phil. 3. 14. and have the attaining to that blessed state upon their hearts exceedingly though it be to the best at present a thing before and that which they have not already attained nor shall doe till this corruption have put on incorruption Yet are their glorioâ—er and fuller measures of holinesse then yet the best enjoy that may be attained here which though attained to doe leave us short of that perfection we doe wait for in glory yet may be a quickning Argument to draw out and exercise their souls in pressing forwards continually Position 11. That every man in the world hath a light within him sufficiâ—â—t to guide him to salvation without the help of any outward light or disâ—overy Proofe Farnsworth in his Book pag. 51. Every one minde the light of God within you James Nayler in a Booke of his pag 2. All people cease from your out side lights and turne to the light of God within you and this he ignorantly makes to be the sure word of Prophesie 1 Pet 1. 19 The said Nayler in discourse with one of us W. C. at Kendale affirmed That every man in the world had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation c. and this he extended even to Indians that never heard the Gospel But the generall streame of their Words and Papers speake it fully Confut. By their constant expressions both in speaking and writing and by their calling off from all outward teaching it is evident that by this light they meane the principles within left in the spirit of every man since the fall the same light which an Indian hath that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery For one of us in discourse with Nayler proposing whether Indians that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation â—e affirmed they had and when the experience of the Saints in New-England to the contrary was produced he answered If any Indian were present he would justifie the contrary Thus will men to beare up an opinion affirme the things they doe not know Now that this naturall light which an Indian that never heard of Christ may have cannot bring to salvation we desire to propound these considerations following 1. No light ean bring to salvation but that which discovers Christ 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it s hid to those that are lost Where the Apostle positively concluds the hidings of the Gospel to an evidence of a lost estate John 17. 2. Now Christ is not knowne by the light of Nature Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed those things unto thâ—e 2. God doth clearely shew a distinguishing grace in the discovery of Christ Mat. 13 11. To you it is given to know the mysterie of the Kingdome of Heaven to them it is not given in which is apparent all have not the knowledge of the Gospel given 3. Those that lived in the highest improvement of reason being without Gospel discoveries did not and could not apprehend God in Christ 1 Cor. 1 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God c. neither indeed can be c. here is the impossibility of naturall principles to give out the knowledge of Christ 4. Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God not by the inward light or discovery which all men have but by the word of the Lord outwardly made knowne 5. If they shall say that every man hath the knowledge of Christ by speciall revelation and that immediate then they speake that which is contrary to the common and knowne experience of thousands who conversing with Indians never found the least hint of a Christ amongst them Many of them whose confessions are in Print having bin wrought upon by the Preaching of the Word by Mr. Eliot c. have clearely declared they knew nothing of the true God and Christ before their Publishing of the Gospel to them 6. We pray the Reader to consider what sad and lamentable effects will flow from this Doctrine to the utter undoing of the soule 1. This is to forsake the Fountaine of living Waters not going out to Jesus for light but Ier. 2. digging to themselves broken â—isterns leaving the Sunne of Righteousnesse to live by the light of their owne Candle 2. T is a confining our attainements to the improvement of this naturall light which must needs keep men both as to light and power under Legall performances and discoveries 3. Hence doe men account their tremblings and quakings as their perfection they being at the best but the improvements of an awakened naturall conscience without the soules applying of Gospel Promises as to justification by the blood of Jesus 4. Hence the soules beleeving and the acts of Faith in the blood of Christ are such strangers to these People as never to have the least hint in any of their words or writings and what they have spoken of Faith in generall as Farnesworth in his discovery of Faith doth manifest their exceeding ignorance and darknesse in the great businesse of the soules beleeving in the Lord Jesus 5. Hence come men under the unavoydable chains of Satan who leads them captive at his will whilst by this means they deprive themselves of any standing rule to try the spirits by but walk in such irregular and sinfull wayes as doe evidently speak how unable that their light is to distinguish betwixt duty and delusion 6. And what is else the reason of their bitter rayling and reproaching the Institution of the living God the Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel of Christ Crucified speaking all manner of evill against us for the works sake their designe being in their reproaching of the Ministers evidently apparent to strike downe the very worke of Preaching the Gospel Position 12. That there is no need of any outward teaching by Reading or Hearing the Scriptures opened or applyed c. Proofe George Bateman
they were How undeservedly we are called Anti-Christian upon this account upon such pittifull grounds as this we leave it the Reader to consider Charge 3. That they stand Praying in the Synagogues Confut. We suppose this their Charge is grounded upon Mat. 6. 5. Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to stand praying in their Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men First it is evident that the challenge of Christ there against hypocrites is for their performing their private duties in publique places that they may be seen of men as is cleare from ver. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet they were much in praying in publique in the Synagogues and streets that so they might get the esteem of being holy men but little or nothing in secret before the Lord But that this text dâ—â—yes either the worke of Prayer in publique Congregations or the gesture of standing in time of Prayer is most absurd to affirme for 2. Chron. 6 32. Luke 18. 10. two men went up to the temple to pray Mat. 21. 13. my house shall be called c. and that in Acts 16. 13. is understood of one of their Synagogues And in the time of the Gospel prayer in the publique meeting places of the saints is fully proved from 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that prayer be made every where 1 Cor. 14. 14. If I pray in an unknowne tongue c. where the Apostle is treating about prayer in Church-meetings as also in 1 Cor. 11. 4. Every man praying or prophecying with his head covered c. So Acts 1. 14. 24. the Apostle prayed Acts 2. 4â— the converted Christians continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer The Apostles joyne together prayer and the ministry of the Word Acts 6 4. See Acts 13. 3. Acts 14. 23. Acts 20. 36. Acts 12. 5 And for the gesture of standing reade Marke 11. 25. and when yee stand praying forgive spoken to the disciples Luke 18. â—3 the Publican stood afarre off and prayed So that t is neither praying in the publique meeting places nor standing in Prayer that Christ reproved but the hypocriticall ostentation of Pharisees But what is this to Ministers who neither performe their private duties in publique places nor pray in the corners of the streets but are employed in the performance of that solemne part of the worship of God and yet for this cause are by these men reproached as Anti-Christian Charge 4. That they Preach for Hire Confut. It is chearefully acknowledged that we doe receive wages in our labour in the Ministry But as to our making hire the end of our worke we doe abhorre it and do appeale to the searcher of hearts to cleare up the unrighteousnesse of this reproach who tryes and judgeth all things But we are the lesse troubled with this aspersion because these inveterate adversaries of the Ministry doe condemne it because we doe receive wages for our worke Now as to our warrant in so doing we shall shew you the evident practice of the Apostles and the expresse authority of Scripture 2 Cor. 11. 8. I robbed other Churches taking wages of them Here you see the Apostle receiving wages of the Churches amongst whom he laboured 1 Cor. 9. 6. I onely and Barnabas have not we power to forbeare working where it is cleare that the Apostles lived by not their working with their hands but their Preaching of the Gospel and if sometimes he say he laboured with his hands 1 Thes. 2. 9. I Preached to you the Gospel of God freely 2 Cor. 11. 7. Let the Reader consider First in that same verse he calls it an abasing of himselfe yea and secondly in 1 Cor. 4. 12. he reckons his labouring with his owne hands amongst his great afflictions Thirdly Nor was this a deniall of his right to maintenance but a suspension of it for present reasons to himselfe best knowne For 1 Cor. 9. 6. I onely and Barnabas have we not power to forbeare working 2 Thes. 3. 8. 9. that we might not be chargeable to any of you but not as though we had not power Now for the fuller authority of Scripture as to this our practise reade Luke 10. 7. the labourer is worthy of his hyre where Christ layes it downe as the very reason why the Apostles should make no provision for their subsistence Provide neither gold nor scrip c. but wholly depend upon the maintenance due to them for Preaching the Gospel because the labourer is worthy of his Hyre And we hope any ingenious Reader will beleeve that we in our places might be inabled as well as others for subsistence in the world if they will looke upon us as capable to understand and practice the Callings in which others live but that in obedience to this authority we doe freely cast our selves upon the Gospel maintenance but we know our worke is to give our selves continually to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word and remember that 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth â—ntangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life But if there were no more we should propose these following Scriptures against any objection 1 Cor. 9. 7 Who goeth a warfare at his owne charges ver 9. You shall not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne Doth God take care for Oxen ver 10. or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is Written Ver. 11. If we have sowne unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we should reape your carnall things If others are partakers of this power over you are not we rather Doe you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple even so God hath ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel So 1 Tim. 5. 17. 18. as to that you may see it is a Gospel-Ordinance God hath Ordained it And thus you have the Scripture fully asserting that which these men doe so malitiously charge upon us as Anti-Christian There are many other cavills which these men doe rayse against the Ministry as that first We have been at Universities as if Pauls Learning had truely made him mad according to the the false charge of Festus Secondly Our making use of an houre glasse though our respect is herein to the weakenesse and capacities of people for though the spirit be willing the flesh is often weake Thirdly Our Preaching upon a Text though our worke be to divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. and Christ and the Apostles practisâ—â— it Luke 4 12. 22. they wondred at the gratioâ—â— words that proceeded out of his mouth which must needs be his opening of that Text So Acts 28. 23. but of this we have spoken before Fourthly As also that we run to the powers of the world to uphold us as if it were
through beleeving not through working as we have largely proved before against their establishing of their owne righteousnesse And so what is Felix better for all his tremblings And what are these quakings but a fore-runner and fore-taste of that eternall wrath of God which is to fall shortly upon him who resteth under the convictions and actings of the Law but embraceth not the righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus to be found in that at his appearing 3. There is indeed a mention of trembling in a third sense in Scripture as a Cor. 7. 15. where the Corinthians are said to receive Titus with feare and trembling which they grossely apply to their case as also Ephes. 6 5. Servants obey your Masters with feare and trembling which holds forth no more then a reverentiall carefulnesse and obedience These last we mention lest they should charge us with passing over that which they presume to make so much for them In all this Reader we desire to professe that our so large discovery of the nature of quaking is not to discourage any poore soule that under tremblings of spirit is â—onging for Christ but to warne every man of the danger and seduction of these methods which establish such Doctrines and practises as leade the soule into the covenant of workes and leaves them there Pract. 2. Rayling c. Their practice herein is notoriously knowne to whomsoever hath had to doe with them and our selves some of us have had a large measure of this revilings throwne upon us In one Paper of theirs which one of us hath you have all these horrid raylings against the Ministers calling them Priests Conjurers Theeves Robbert Anti-Christs Witches Devills Sir-Simons Serpents Bloody Herodians Searleâ— coloured Beasts Babylons Merchants Wolves Dogs Swine Sodemites c. Reader we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ noâ— of the reproach of men because of it But consider how fully they make good that of Jude 13. Raging Waves of the Sea foaming mâ— their owne shame c. though Michael the Aarchangel when disputing with the Devill durst bring no Rayling accusation against him But is not the condition of the Ministers of Christ in England such that we have reason to take up the complaint of David Psal. 57. 4. My soule is amongst lyons and I lye even amongst them that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Aspes is under their lips Neither is it onely mentioned as the Saints complaint but as the strict prohibition of the spirit of God Ephes. 4. 31. Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice As also that of Timothy 2 Tim. 2. 25. The servant of the Lord must be gentle towards all men in meeknesse instructing thâ—se that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth How clearely contradictory is the way of these men to the rule of Paul when they in all their speaking to men not of their way or that oppose themselves doe fly out in those bitter raylings in calling them Devills damned and that they see the Devill in their Faces and such like expressions So 1 Peter 3. 4. The Apostle calls for meeke and quiet spirits which in the sight of God are of great price But we shall close up this with that of our Saviour Mat. 7. â— Judge not that yee be not judged And Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the Earth Pract. 3. Their pretending upon all occasions to be sent by speciall Commission from God as we shall instance in some cases following more particularly Some of them came to Kendale Church about a yeare agone and pretended they had a Commission to pull downe the Steeple Another Thomas Castley came in the time of the Preaching of one of us to the Congregation at Kendale and had he said his Commission from God to pull downe the Houre-Glasse And the same man came a long mile with no other Message from God as he pretended but this to tell of one of us Thou at an high Priest which words having spoken he went his way Another time he came with a Message from God as he pretended to the house of the abovesaid one of us at which time I was not at home yet confidently affirmed to my Wife that God had sent him and that I was at home Againe also the same man came with the like Message to my House and said that God had sent him to me and that I was at home but it being denied he was by the Schoolemaster Mr. Turner taken â—ver to his house where by providence being presently come home I went to him and asked him What message â—e had from God to me whereat he denied that he had any message to me from God at all Mr. Richard Stookes Minister at Grayrig told one of us that discoâ—rsing with Fox at a meeting appointed concerning his immediate call the said Fox affirmed He was called by a Vâ—yce from Heaven to Grayrig and at his affirming the â—ame the simple deluded soules that were there with him affirmed they knâ—w it to be true he asked them whether they saw any vision or heard any voyce they answered No but all the account they could give of it was That whereâ—â— he was walking towards Firthbanâ—e suddenly he faced about and said he was commanded to â—â—e to Grayrig One of these people when they were lately at Newcastle told a Merchant there Mr. H. T. having on his blacke cloathes that he was a deceiver c. but being told he was no Minister he shuffied pittifully as â—eeing how naked his mistake was layd Concerning this horrid pretence of being sent of God to the commission of abominable practises in Yorkeshiâ—e we referre you to a Booke called The Second Hearing of the cause betwixt the Quaerer and Anti-Quaerer c. In the view of the Stories above-written the Reader may make these Observations 1. Is it the way of the Lord to call men immediately from Heaven on purpose to tell onely of an Houre-Glasse and to have nothing to say but to call a man Priest with no other Message Were ever the Prophets of God sent forth with such triviall messages as these How fearefully is the glorious name of an holy God abused in this particular 2. Is not this to bely the all-knowing God to say in the name of the Lord That one of us was at home when he was not And that he had a Message which presently after he denied againe being demanded what it was 3. How emiâ—ent is that judgement upon the followers of these men that they are delivered up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes themselves and delude others who confidently affirmed that they knew that Fox was so sent as he peetended by an immediate voyce from God and