Railings and Slanders detected Or the Folly and Heresies of the QUAKERS Further Exposed Being an Answer to an Invective Libel Written by G. Whitehead impertinently called Antichrist in Flesh unmasked c. Which some of the QUAKERS call An Answer to a Book truly Stiled Antichrist in Spirit unmasked OR Quakerism a great Delusion In this Brief Discourse you have the Slanderous Out-cries of G. Whitehead against Edward Paye Henry Loader and William Alcot Examined Detected and Confuted He Seedeth of Ashâ—s 〈◊〉 deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his Soul nor say Is there not a Lye in my right hand Esai 44. 20. Whâ—â—st that Hereticks speak like the Faithful they not only mean otherwise than they say but clean contrary and by their Tenets full of Blasphemies they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the Poyson of their foul Opinions Irenaeus in his Third Book against Heresies London Printed in the Year 1692. Railings and Slanders Detected or the Folly and Heresies of the Quakers further Exposed c. IT is well known to all that are but a little acquainted with the Faculties and Writings of the Quakers that their usual methods are to cry out against all that oppose or detect their corrupt notions as such that abuse and defame an Innocent and Religious People But amongst the many causeless out-cries they have proclaimed in the World I have not seen one for its magnitude that hath out-done a small parcel of slanderous confused Railleries that lately was Midwiv'd into the World and Fathered by George Whitehead which if there be a Wise Man amongst them it appears strange that it had not been stifled in the Birth rather than such an ill shapen Cub should have gone forth into the World to declare it self Legitimate and publish it self the true Off-spring of a Quaker But we must take it as it is and in the Title Page G. W. saith our Book is a desaming confused Book Answer I suppose a great part of it must needs be confused being taken out of your own confused Writings the reconciling of which to themselves is as easie as bringing together the South and North Poles 2. He calls it a defaming Book Answer It defames no Mans Person nor indeed your Principles any further than your Tongues and Pens did it first of all for it Treats of your professed notions which if false are deservedly exposed nothing being a more destructive evil in our day than for falshood to be carried on in the World with Fame and Applause But to come to your Book it self Could you suppose that any thing was contained in it to the purpose I cannot imagine what you could think of it If you had said any thing towards reconciling your former Writings with your late professed Faith you had done something to the purpose do you think that any whose Eyes are in their Heads will not easily see that your defects in Truth aud Reason are supplied with Slanders and Railings You tell us p. 5 6 7 8. We have shewed our envy and bitterness yea we appear Envious against your present Liberty as Men of Envious Turbulent Persecuting Spirits c. Why what 's the matter why our Book defames the Quakers as a People of a Religious Society c. who have solemly and sincerely declared to the Government That they own and believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and desire to live in the Faith Knowledge and Practice of them and that they believe in the Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven the Father Word and Holy Spirit and the Divinity and Humanity of Christ and Justification by Christ's Works Righteousness and Merits and not by their own This and much more in their professed Faith whereunto I referr the Reader Now we have gone and published to the World wherein the Writings of their chief Guides do directly oppose and contradict this Confession of Faith from which G. Whitehead concludes That by this we would make void one Condition of their present Liberty p. 6. As People not fit to be tolerated now have their Liberty of Conscience p. 7. And saith G. W. No doubt had these angry Anabaptists power we should not enjoy our Liberties the very Nature and Tendency of these their bitter lying Invectives being to bring Persecution upon us as a People not to be given any credit unto in our Solemn Profession before Authority To all which I Answer First We did not know till our Book was Published that you had professed this as your Faith before the Parliament And secondly we must the more admire your Presumptuous confidence herein that you should so affront the Government except you had at the same time renounced your former Writings that so evidently contradict it And whereas you falsly charge us with persecuting Spirits and Envy it is well known that our principles are and ever were that none ought to be persecuted for their Religious Principles or Notions no not the Papists themselves so long as they live peaceably in subjection to Authority and the Civil Government yet had they come and set up a Mass-House at Deptford and that they might the more effectually prevail upon the Ignorant and easilier proselyte them to their Idolatry and Superstitions should have published a Profession of Faith directly contrary to their known Principles and the Writings of their Chief Guides We should in like manner have looked upon our selves obliged both in Honour to God and Love to our Neighbours to have detected their Deceits And we freely allow any to examine our published Faith and if they can find such plain contradictions as aforesaid we will be content to bear the discredit and not retaliate them with Railings and Slanders nor account them envious Persecutors for it And now I would appeal to the Light in G. Whitehead whether he believes that we envy their Liberty and would Persecute them had we Power if he so believes he is miserably deluded in that matter and if he doth not so believe how willfully doth he sin against the Light in casting these Slanderous Aspersions upon us What are we envious Persecutors Hypocrites and possessed with an unclean Spirit and lying Devil p. 5 8 17. Fie George are these Thunderbolts fit to be shot at your Antagonists on all occasions I own that you have some cause to be displeased at our putting you upon a work you cannot possibly do namely to reconcile your late Faith with your former Writings But then you might have called us unreasonable Men or compared us to Pharaoh's Task-masters for its a work we put you upon that is harder than to make Brick without Straw And indeed G. Whitehead appears to have no mind to touch it with one of his fingers it is so knotty and difficult a piece of work No it passeth the skill of the ablest Orator with all his Rhetorick or George Whitehead with all his pretended skill in Logick to do it
all blessed for ever the true God and eternalLife the one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus The Quakers Contradictions of this Faith 2. How doth it appear that the Quakers do believe the Humanity of Christ Since John Whitehead Dip. plu p. 13. Jesus Christ a person without us is not Scripture Language but the Anthropomorphites and Mugletonians Again G. W.'s Appendix to Reason against Railing p. 21. The Socinian tells us of a personal Christ and that the Man Christ Jesus our Lord hath in Heaven a place remote from Earth a humane Body But doth he believe him to be the eternal God whilst he imagines him to be a personal Christ a humane Body so limited and confined to Remoteness c. The Quakers Profession of Faith Quest Do you believe and expect Salvation and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ or by your own Righteousness or Works Answer By Jesus Christ his righteous Merits and Works and not by our own God is not indebted to us for our deservings but we to him for his Free Grace in Christ Jesus whereby we are saved through Faith in him not of our selves c. The Quakers Contradictions of this Faith G. Fox Great Mystery of the great Whore p. 71. He saith Christ's Nature is not humane which is earthly for that is the first Adam's c. And yet they profess to believe the Humanity of Christ See G. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 16. Saith he John Bunyan saith God is distinct from the Saints and Bunyan is deceived who saith he is distinct from the Saints and so you are a Company of pitiful Teachers See Mr. Haworth's Animadversions upon the quibling Libel from the Hartford Quakers stiled A Testimony for the Man Christ Jesus p. 11. One William Bates a Quaker said more than once That what Christ took of the Virgin had now no Being c. Sept. 19. 1676. in the hearing of Daniel Doughty John Albury and Stephen Tothil Mr. Pen's Justification is not by the Imputation of anothers Righteousness but from the actual performing and keeping God's righteous Laws Pen's Sandy Foundation p. 25. E. Burrough's Works p. 33. God doth not except any where there is any failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer to every demand of Justice See Mr. Pen ' s Serious Apology p. 148. Justification by the Righteousness of another or which Christ fulfilled for us in his own Person wholly without us we boldly affirm to be a Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the See of Corruption that doth now deluge the World See again Mr. Pen ' s sandy Foundation p. 25. 30. It is a great Abomination to say God should condemn and punish his innocent Son that he having satisfied for our Sins we may be justified by the Imputation of his perfect Righteousness O why should this horrible thing be contended for by Christians I shall pass this when I have only given you one instance more See Edw. Burrough's Works p. 32 33. in Answer to the 12 Question it being this Whether the holy Lives and Works of the Saints be not excluded from the Act of Justification from the Guilt of Sin Edw. Burrough's Answer Thou dead Beast Thou art a Stranger from the Life of God and excluded from the holy Life of the Saints and their Works Thou art un-redeemed from thy vain Conversation and so art not justified nor never shalt be and by the same that the â—…nts are justified thou art condemned into the Lake for ever I shall now leave the Reader to judge Whether the Quakers own Writings and their late pretended Faith profess'd do not directly contradict each other About the Three Divine Witnesses in Heaven the Humanity of Christ and that they expect Justification by his Works Righteousness and Merits c. and not by their own The Quakers Profession of Faith in the holy Scriptures They say they believe in the Three Divine Witnesses that bare Record in Heaven according to Holy Scripture-Testimony And in their last Article they propose the Question thus Quest Do you believe and own the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration and to contain all Matters of Doctrine and Testimony necessary to be believed and practised in order to Salvation and Peace with God They answer and say yes we do and by the assistance of Grace and good Spirit of God which giveth the Understanding of the Mind of God and meaning of holy Scriptures we always desire to live in the Faith Knowledge and Practice of them in all things appertaining to Life and Godliness holy Scriptures being given by divine Inspiration is profitable for Doctrine Correction and Instruction that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good Work able to make the Man of God wise to Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus The Quakers professed Faith directly contradicted by their own Writings and Authors Fox and Hubberthorn Truth 's Defence p. 101. They say the Scriptures are no standing Rule and that it is dangerous for the ignorant People to read them I and yet profitable for Doctrine and Holy Scriptures too G. Whitehead's serious Apology p. 49. That which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater Pernel's Sheild of the Truth p. 19. He also that saith the Letter that is the Scriptures as written is the Rule and Guide of the people of God is without feeding upon husks and is ignorant of the true Light James Nailor's Light of Christ p. 19. God is at liberty to speak to his People by the Scriptures if he please and where they are given by Inspiration doth so And he is also at liberty to speak by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Ass Tho. Lawson in his untaught Teacher Read p. 6 7 8. The Scriptures are not a Rule whereby to know the Will of Christ See also H. Smith's True and Everlasting Rule from God discovered for I must remember that part of the Title or else G. W. will be offended and say I wrong him H. S. affirms that there is no other Rule Way or Means by which Men shall ever come to walk with God but by that which is manifest of God in him and that it is sufficient to guide in all the ways of God without Scripture or any other outward Rule How then are the Scriptures profitable and necessary as pretended in your Profession of Faith See also J. Nailor's Answer to the Jews Read p. 4 22 25. It is Blasphemy for any to say the Letter is the Word of God It is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the Word of God See Burrough's Works p. 62. He that persuades People to let the Scriptures be the Rule of Faith and Practice would keep People in Darkness for who ever walks by the Rule without them and teaches
and should they go about to do it with their Equivocal Stuff they know they shall appear in an evil Case Well but it may be some Advocate for the Quakers may be ready to say That although the Quakers first Original and Ancient Authors of that Antiquity as 1648. and since for I think they do not pretend to any greater Antiquity See John Whitehead's small Treatise p. 4. He saith That in the year 1648. God who had Compassion on his People did cause a Branch to spring forth of the Root of David which was filled with Virtue for the Covenant of Life and Peace was with him c. and much more matter of this Blasphemous nature you have in the Book and Page aforesaid But who the degenerate Plant of this strange Vine was I know not except James Naylor And saith John Whitehead In the year 1655. I being a Branch of this Tree viz. the Branch aforesaid the Life of this Root caused me to Blossom and bring forth Fruit for the Spirit of the Lord came upon me Ibid. But to return suppose that these Antient Authors did at first and since till very lately run into gross and abominable Errors about the Holy Scriptures denying them to be the Word of God and Rule of Faith and Practices and did deny Christ's being at God's right hand in the Glorious Heavens beyond the Stars and did deny the Humanity of Christ and Justification by his Works Righteousness and Merits c. yet they may now have seen their former Errors and it may be by some means they have been convinced thereof so that now they are become good Orthodox Christians and therefore they have published a Christian-like Profession of Faith c. Answer But then ought they not to have renounced their former Writings that directly contradict it and then we should have been heartily glad to hear of so great and so happy a Reformation in and amongst them But now I think upon it to put them upon renouncing any of their former Writings or Authors Works will be a greater affront than the other and I shall incurr G. Whitehead's displeasure worse than before for how can they do that since all their Authors Books be they ever so full of Railings Falsities and Blasphemies yet they intitle them to the Divine Majesty and his Eternal Life and Light given forth from his Mouth and Sealed by his Spirit c. So that I see not how they can renounce what they have written but must look upon all as infallibly true on their account as the Pope and his Conclave looks upon their Councils Edicts and Decrees so that as the Laws of the Medes and Persians they are never to be altered or renounced Then lastly which way could the Quakers expect to escape being defamed or discredited why it is like they did suppose that the Honourable Assembly in Parliament had matters of greater moment in hand than to compare their former Writings with their new Faith So that if we had not concerned our selves to peep into their Writings and compare them with their newly professed Faith and publish'd this to the World namely That the Quakers former Writings and their late Profession of Faith are as really alike as an Apple is to an Oyster and agree as directly as Light and Darkness it had not been known But G. Whitehead saith in p. 6. That this Confession of Faith was sincerely own'd and consented to as one condition of their present Liberty Well then we hope you in plainness speak your Faith therein for if you did dissemble your Principles to obtain your Liberty it was but a bad way to get at it But we hope better things Now would the Quakers but clear themselves in these their First and Primitive Errors and corrupt principles in point of Faith we should be heartily glad to hear thereof First That they would never more deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Rule â—f Faith and Life which they have done â—â—â—â—â—…ly That they would never more amâ—â—… the Scriptures to be of no use in order to the true Knowledge of God This they have formerly done Thirdly That they would no longer hold it to be a sin Ay the sin of Idolatry and Breach of the Second Commandment to take the Practices of the Saints Recorded Commanded or Approved c. in the Scriptures for our Examples and Rules This you have done Fourthly That they would never more affirm That whatever is commanded in Scripture is no Duty to us except we receive the Command by immediate Inspiration as the Prophets and Apostles did Fifthly That they would never more deny the Resurrection of the Bodies of Men from the Graves of the Earth as they have done Sixthly That they would never more deny the Body of Christ of Flesh and Bones to be raised from the Grave and to be now in the Glorious Heavens above beyond the Stars This they have also done Seventhly That they would never more deny Gospel Ordinances as Baptism in Water and the Lord's Supper Administred in Bread and Wine which the Quakers do both despise and contemn Eighthly That they would forever renounce this pernicious Tenet of believing that no Blessedness is to be enjoyed by the Saints after Death the Body never being to be raised to any further Blessedness no more than 〈◊〉 enjoyed a thousand years before they 〈◊〉 and that the Soul is part of God came 〈◊〉 â—rom God and shall return into God again being part of his Essence Ninthly That they would never more deny Justification by Christ's Works Righteousness and Merits and for time to come never call it a Doctrine of Devils as they have formerly done Tenthly that they would never say and affirm that the Light within is Christ and God as they have too commonly done And finally that they would leave off their Billings-gate Complements and learn to treat their Antagonists more moderately and mildly for evil Communications will corrupt all their good Manners if they have any And waiting for this Reformation in them I shall now proceed to examine G. W's long Story and loud Out-cries about the Westmorland Petitioners which is my next Work About the Story of the Westmorland Petitioners G. W. spends several pages in cavelling with what I say Antichrist in Spirit c. pag. 78. namely That Quakeâ—â—â—â— is not derived from a Person but from â— Gesture used much amongst the Quakers formerly in ' their Meetings as was manifest by what was alledged against them by the Westmorland Petitioners who alledged that their practice did exceedingly savour of Sorcery because of the Swellings Quakings Roarings and Foamings that were amongst them in their Meetings I also cite the Quakers Answer to this Petition p. 35. where they deny not Swelling Foaming and Quaking But they deny Sorcery and Blasphemy they justifie their Quaking and Trembling as being used by the Saints of old c. James Naylor p. 16 and 17. of his Book The Power and Glory of
present in Spirit they are obliged to Prayer and Fasting and all other Gospel Ordinances till his second personal and glorious coming But what the Quakers have to do with Ordinances Prayer or Fasting I see not 2. Neither is there Reason to believe you dare in your Assemblies in Christ's Name rebuke any unclean Spirits lest you meet with the same Answer and Repulse as the seven Sons of Sceva did Acts 19. 14 15 16. And the evil Spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you And the Man in whom the evil Spirit was leaped on them and overcame them c. And to conclude my Answer to his long Story I ask George Whitehead why he had not denied this Gesture of Quaking and Foaming to Mr. John Faldo who gives him Provocation enough to do it See his Book Quakerism no Christianity pag. 12. Saith he How generally were their Meetings viz. the Quakers either silent or taken up with sudden and violent Eruptions of dismal Howlings and horrid Ravings Persons suddenly taken as with the Falling Sickness shaking and foaming at the Mouth and some lying flat on the ground as if stark dead And saith Mr. Faldo some such things as these I have seen and heard and that there are undeniable Testimonies of it that are so numerous and notorious that though now they have almost if not altogether left the latter sort of them they dare not deny that it was so And if they dare to challenge this with an Untruth I may requite them to keep alive their Remembrance with a good part of a volume of them Thus far Mr. Faldo whose Book is signed and approved by 21 Ministers of the Independent and Presbyterian Way I needed not to have taken this Pains since these Gestures are fresh in the Memories of many in this Nation And George Whitehead hath said nothing that denies the Matter of Fact charged in my Books p. 6 7. upon the Quakers he denies not Quaking and Trembling which was all the Instance was brought for and then I think for any Service G. W. hath done the Cause he had better have said nothing 3. George Whitehead saith in p. 16. that I have falsely cited and grosly perverted the Quakers Words and Authors and taken many false things on Credit not only the Story from the Westmorland Petitioners but also out of his Brother Tho. Hicks his abominable Forgeries and Lyes in his factious Dialogues And in p. 8. He prays his Reader to observe that much of our Book against them is taken out of other Books and Pamphlets of their Adversaries long since answered and refuted and their Authority is utterly denied by us as the Westmorland Petitioners who were envious Persecutors Tho. Hicks his abusive Dialogues who was proved a notorious Forger of Lyes And a malicious Libel stiled Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected Answer I am inclinable to think G. W. hath said some Truth in what hath been repeated nay I do in Charity believe it then I will shew you what I believe he saith Truth in 4. Namely That the Authority of the Quakers Adversaries Books is utterly denied by them I am strongly persuaded G. W. saith Truth in this for they that can deny the Authority of the Scriptures being the only Rule of Faith and Practice when alledged against them may well deny the Authority of all Books wrote against them whatsoever tho' the Matter be ever so true 2. As to the rest asserted by G. W. I will not tell him he lyes But I am well satisfied he is departed very far from the Truth And as to that Book Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected It treats chiefly of the Usurping and Lording Authority that some of the Quakers assumed over others and of others opposing and contradicting them as might be made manifest And as to what instances I bring from that Book as Josias Coal's Letter from Berbaldus to George Fox giving him those blasphemous Titles mention'd Antichrist in Spirit unmask'd p. 43. or any other passage from thence cited by me let G. W. deny them as to Matter of Fact if he dare 3. As for Mr. Hicks his Dialogues that George Whitehead calls Lyes and Forgeries and the Author a notorious Lyer and Forger c. It had been much more to purpose had G. W. shewed us what some of those Lyes and Forgeries were I have it 's true examined the Quakers Appeal by way of Charge against Tho. Hicks wherein they charge him with Lyes and Slanders and Forgeries and what not and I have perused Mr. Hicks's Answer to their Appeal where Mr. Hicks clears himself both of Lyes and Forgery I find his Answer to their Appeal subscribed and approved by no less than 22 Persons of Credit who testifie that they have compared Tho. Hicks his Citations with the Quakers Books out of which they were taken and find them truly cited then let the Reader judge who is the Lyer Tho. Hicks or G. W. Again G. W. seems to be angry with my Citation out of Mr. Hicks's Dialogue p. 24 25. In Antichrist in Spirit p. 14 15. As for us had the Scriptures never been we could have known what is therein contained I have also heard this from a Quaker my self But G. W. was not so fair as to mention this though it was the ground of my Demand And let the Reader observe what an apparent Perversion George Whitehead makes of my Words and the occasion of them p. 18 19. of his Pamphlet after he hath charged us with Forgery Now pray observe saith he what strange Test or Proof your Agent Edw. Paye puts upon us to evince an immediate Inspiration G. W. knows this Question was demanded to prove what is before mentioned Namely that had the Scriptures never been they could have known what was therein contained Now if this be so then let the Quakers resolve me what those things were that Jesus did that are not written Joh. 21. 25. or what were the Contents of that writing on the ground Joh. 8. 68. Or else let their proud boasting of immediate Inspirations be condemned to perpetual silence c. Saith G. W. Hereupon you have passed unjust Judgment and falsely charged us with proud boasting and argued absurdly against immediate Inspiration as if none have the Spirit of Christ unless they know and can declare all things that it knows I answer It is a strange thing to me that G. Whitehead doth not see that he condemns himself whilst he is judging another and it is a lamentable thing that the Quakers will admit of no distinctions But it verifies that true Proverb that the want of distinctions are the cause of mistakes Here G. W. will not admit of a distinction betwixt immediate Inspirations and the mediate or more common Gifts of the Spirit Now all Christians that I know of will admit of this distinction That it is one thing to be immediately and extraordinarily endowed and inspired with the Holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles
the Lord c. urgeth many Scriptures to prove their Name by justifying this practice saying That holy Men of God do witness Quaking and Trembling c. Now what is this but a plain granting all that I bring the Instance for I say the same may be said of wicked Men and Devils But this is therefore no discriminating Character of Christianity or Saintship For Acts 24. 25. wicked Felix did tremble And James 2. 19. It is said the Devil believes and trembles And Luk. 9. 39. we read of him that was possess'd that he foamed c. But G. W. asks whether we were Eye or Ear-witnesses of these Gestures He answers in the Negative No. But how can G. W. tell but we have seen such Gestures amongst them for my own part I have seen them quake and foam at the Mouth Besides several that have been Eye and Ear-witnesses of 〈◊〉 But saith G. W. You had this from the Westmorland Petitioners And what were they but a Company of envious persecuting Priests and Magistrates Answer no doubt but this is the best Language you can afford any that give the clearest Demonstrations of your corrupt Notions and deceivable Gestures Then observe what a long run G. W. takes after his own shadow and then falls a fighting with Men of Straw of his own setting up Saith he We deny your Story of Swellings and Foamings as charged upon us or our Meetings in Westmorland c. Answer then you do not deny Quaking Trembling and Roaring so that there remains as much and more undenied as the Instance is brought for as any may see in Antichrist in Spirit p. 78. Again you say your Meetings in Westmorland are clear of it I ask George Whitehead do I say that you and your Meetings in Westmorland did use to swell and foam Is there any such thing said or asserted that you swelled and foâ—med there Suppose you formerly used to qâ—â—â—â— tremble roar swell and foam at the 〈◊〉 Mouth in London or elsewhere the Westmorland Petitioners may say true for ought we say in our Book or for any thing you have said yet But I challenge you to deny if you dare that such Gestures were used amongst you formerly Again I shall follow G. Whitehead a little further in this his impertinent long run which he makes a material part of the Bundle of Stuff in his slanderous Libel Saith he p. 13. Set Case any have been disordered through some natural Infirmity Distemper Swouning or Falling Sickness What doth this affect us or our Meetings on a religious Account it may be some of your own People's Case Answer It is strange to me that G. W. an old Stickler for Quakerism should think to put off the Matter of Fact with such an Equivocal Gloss Do you think that such natural or transient Infirmities that are insident to Men were the occasion of the Westmorland Petition and other Charges of the same Nature or of what I and many others have seen Surely if you think so no body else will And how impertinent is your next Supposition Say you suppose it should be made appear that divers Anabaptists after they have been dipp'd and received into Church-Fellowship have run mad or distracted and others guilty of great Enormities how would this affect either your Church-profession or Societies p. 14. Answer you speak here to none of us the Name Anabaptists we never owned procured or defended as you have done your Quaking And although James Nailor justified your Quaking and Trembling yet here in p. 11. say you Quakerism is a Nick-name in Derision and James Nailor in the Title Page of his Book stiles himself one whom Ishmael's Brood calls a Quaker Pray then what is G. W. who so frequently calls us Anabaptists Is not he one of Ishmael's Brood according to his own Doctor 's Opinion And since the Name Anabaptists belongs not to us First I answer thus that if any have submitted to Christ's sacred Ordinance of Baptism and are received into Church-Fellowship c. and after this shall turn Anabaptists and provoke God thereby he may in Justice deprive them of their Senses and give them up to enormous Acts. Now since you are not ignorant that the Name Anabaptists belongs not to us this might serve for an Answer to your impertinent Supposition But suppose some Members of the baptized Churches or any other Christian Societies have so done we believe God can at his pleasure deprive of Senses and Understanding And we also believe that the truest Professors if they have not a constant care and watch may Apostatize and run into great Inormities But what is this to your frequent Gestures of Quaking Trembling and foaming in your Meetings formerly I confess there may be something in it if you will say that all that used those Gestures amongst you were mad and distracted Men and Women But 't is like you will be cautious of saying so it having been so frequent amongst you lest any should be so maliciously untoward though it may be very natural as to conclude that Quakerism was first founded and carried on by mad and distracted Men and Women for they quaked trembled and foamed at the Mouth c. Again I shall take notice of one more of your impertinent Suppositions after mentioning Mark 9. 20 25 26. and Luke 9. 39 42 43. About the Man that was brought to Christ who was possessed and the Spirit tore him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming c. now suppose saith G. W. That in any Meeting of the People called Quakers such Apparitions or gestures has been he will not own it to have been frequent no but in any particular person that some unclean Spirit hath so torn or disordered her or him now observe the Inference we may charitably believe it has been because Jesus Christ has come in Spirit and Power amongst them to rebuke and cast out such unclean Spirits and to deliver them that were infested thereby when our Friends have been solemnly met together in Fasting and Prayer in his Name and fear to wait upon him and worship him c. Answer I would first ask G. W. what Rule or Reason the Quakers can assign for Fasting my Question is grounded upon Matth. 9. 14. Then came to him the Disciples of John saying why do we and the Pharisees fast often but thy Disciples fast not v. 15. Jesus said unto them can the Children of the Bride-Chamber mourn as long as the Bride-groom is with them but the days shall come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them then shall they fast Now I ask you by what Rule you observe days of Fasting since you really believe that Christ the Bride-groom is really with you among and personally in you Methinks it's strange that you should talk of Fasting that is a Duty in cumbent upon such as believe Christ's Personal Ascension into the glorious Heavens above beyond the Stars so that he being personally taken from them though
in their Prophecies and Writings were and another thing to have such common and more immediate Gifts and Graces of the Spirit that are promised by Christ to them that obey him as a Seal of their present Acceptance and future Inheritance The use of these more immediate or common Gifts are to help our Infirmities and to bring to remembrance our Lord 's revealed Will in his Word Things that are secret and not written not at all belonging to us but to the Lord. But observe G. W's plain perversion of my Words First saith he as if none have the Spirit of Christ unless they know and can declare all Things it knows Do I demand of you to tell me all things that Jesus did or that the Holy Spirit knows You know I do not and then what an idle Evasion is this And because we pretend not to immediate or extraordinary Inspirations therefore we come short of being Christ's Ministers or Ambassadors and have shut our selves out from any share in the Spirit of Christ or Divine Inspiration and how then will you prove your Call to baptize People in Water Answer Then by G. W's Logick because we do not pretend to such immediate and extraordinary Inspirations as to know what had been contained in the Scriptures had they never been written We fall short of being Christ's Ministers or Ambassadors and have shut our selves out from having any share in the Spirit of Christ c. One that hath but his Senses would be inclined to think that this Consequence is much beside the Truth and yet if this be not true G. W. cannot imagine how we can prove our Call to baptize People in Water But to inform him in this Matter we have a sufficient Call for it from the Commission of Christ our great Prophet who is to be heard in all things Matth. 28. Mark 16. And the frequent Examples of the Apostles who admonish and exhort us to be Followers of them as they are of Christ and to keep the Ordinances as they were delivered so that we need not immediate Inspirations for our Call or Authority herein But I am persuaded G. W. hath made use of these many nonsensical Quibles to evade resolving the Question Now let him resolve me in some of those things that Jesus did that was not written and what was wrote on the ground And let him or any other Quaker do it either by a mediate or immediate Inspiration or Revelation And if they cannot do it then let their proud boastings of immediate Inspirations Revelations and Knowledge in things above what is written cease for ever c. And I shall still wait for an Answer Again p. 21. Saith G. W. To deem them Impostors that say Christ is within thee or them is to render the holy Apostles Impostors who preached Christ within the Word nigh in thy heart Rom. 10. 6 7 8. which therefore was not separate from them and only at a distance yea and to render themselves also Impostors who have confess'd the same Truth of Christ within referring to our Book p. 22 23 69. Antichrist in Spirit c. Which I refer the Reader to Answer Besides the gross Slanders that G. W. casts upon us it is a lamentable thing to see how miserably he abuseth the Text Rom. 10. 6 7 8. He only mentioning that part that he thinks is for his Turn The Word is nigh in thy heart leaving out In thy Mouth even the Word of Faith which we preach which the Apostle there explains thus If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved c. Can any thing be more clearly expressed ver 9. Yet G. W. will not distinguish betwixt the Word of Faith that the Apostles preached and the Object of Faith to whom this Word directs and because we cannot neither did the Holy Apostle understand the Word here to be Christ Therefore G. W. is so daringly confident that he charges us with rendering the holy Apostles Impostors and our selves also I shall spend no more time on this Particular but leave the impartial Reader to judge of G. W's gross perversion of this Text. And in p. 22. George Whitehead charges me with wronging and abusing them about the Titles of their Books as if higher than they give the Holy Scriptures perverting them by leaving out the explanatory part of the Titles And he Instances in H. Smith's Book A True and Everlasting Rule c. Being the first Part of the Title But I leave out the next following viz. from God discovered and for this here is a loud Out-cry of Wrong Abuse and Perversion c. I ask G. W. does those Words from God discovered added to The True and Everlasting Rule diminish the heighth of the Title You would persuade your Reader to believe so or else why do you quarrel at it The Title was higher than you afford the Scriptures before and one would be under a strong Temptation to believe that Addition makes it higher and not lower Now I would seriously ask G. W. when and how God made this discovery to H. Smith that the Scriptures are thus useless to guide in the ways of God and how can you profess in your Faith that the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine Instruction c. since there is a sufficient Rule to guide in all the ways of God without them Again saith he we know none among us that call the Holy Scripture a dead or carnal Letter And p. 24. he puts us to prove that the People called Quakers or any Persons continuing in Society with them do say Mark that that the Holy Scripture is but a dead carnal Letter or that we so call the Doctrines or Testimonies contained in them Answer what may not the Quakers prove or deny at this rate There are these Difficulties proposed First we must be sure the Persons do at this moment continue in Society with the Quakers Secondly that they do now in the present Tense say The Scriptures are but a dead or carnal Letter and this is not enough if this be done For by Scriptures they do not mean the Writings or written Words of the Old and New Testament but Faith Repentance Holiness c. p. 22. Though the outward Letter or Writing in it self alone be dead And saith G. W. now I leave the Reader to judge whether he doth not own the Charge And if he will deny that any approved Quaker did ever whilst so call the Scriptures a dead and carnal Letter let him do it if he dare Having followed G. W. in answering his impertinent and absurd Evasions I shall give the Reader a Breviate of the sweet convincing Language the Quakers use to treat their Antagonists withal And first I shall begin with Tho. Lawson in his Book against William Jefrey Thou Image-maker thou Cockatrice hatching Eggs Vultures Eye and this because William Jefrey said Christ was ascended
Men so to do would make void the Covenant of Life and Peace And see what my Antagonist saith Dip. Plu. p. 13. and then judge if the Scriptures be no Rule yea if it be Idolatry to call the Bible a means as G. W. expresly saith who also affirmeth that Faith grounded on the Scriptures is but an empty implicit Faith and bespeaks such Persons void of the knowledge of God and Christ and Salvation and to be yet in their Sins and that such Men walk by their own Fancies and Imaginations Christ Ascerded p. 11. Now if the Scriptures be a dead carnal Letter Ink and Paper saith Pernel in Sheild of Truth If they are the Precepts and Traditions of Men saith Nailor in his Love to the lost And as Helbroâ—… the Quaker said to James Nobs and his Wife If they are no better than an old Aim Hick's D. p. 29. If it be dangerous for the Ignorant to read them If to say an Ass hath as much Authority essentially in himself to teach and rebuke as the Scriptures If to account it blasphemy and diabolical to call the Scriptures the Word of God be not to contemn and vilifie them I am yet to seek what is I shall refer the Reader to our Book Antichrist in Spirit unmask'd where the rest of the Quakers Articles of Faith published in their late Pamphlet are particularly examined Now let the Quakers renounce and explode those Writings and Sayings of their Authors that stand upon Record that so directly contradict their new Faith professed by them and as was said we shall be glad of so great and happy a Reformation among them hoping some means hath been bless'd to work this happy change upon them In p. 24 25. G. Whitehead saith we have wronged his Words in Citation and Construction about the holy Scriptures and Person of Christ and likewise grosly abused wronged and mischarged G. Foâ— J. Pernel G. Keith foully perverting and misconstruing their Words And he saith we have also abused vilified defamed and wronged W. Smith H. Smith J. Nailor E. Burroughs J. Penington S. Crisp W. P. and others Men of better Fame and Repute than our selves and more righteous and innocent than their Defamers Answer That forasmuch as G. Whitehead cannot or at least hath not shewed us wherein we have wronged them as to Matter of Fact we shall take these to be some of G. W's empty and swelling words of Vanity and look upon it as a presumptuous Blast blown without Proof or Demonstration and so it needs no further Answer at present Again I shall take no notice at all of the confused Profession of Faith that G. Whitehead makes in 27 28 29 30. Pages of his Libel but do think it had been much more to the present purpose had he instead thereof laboured to reconcile their Writings with their late published Faith The Conclusion Wherein I shall take a little Notice of G. Whitehead's Postscript G. W. cites Antichrist in Spirit c. p. 46. Where I referr the Reader to Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 6 7. Where G. Fox takes the Name of the eternal Judge of quick and dead to himself c. G. Whitehead saith this is notoriously false in Fact being saith he in the very same Book Saul's Errand recorded amongst those Matters falsly charged on G. F. by his Adversaries the Priests and others in the County of Lancaster in their Petition p. 1 2 3 4 5 6. of Saul's Errand where G. F. opposeth and answereth their Objections To all which I answer In the beginning of the Book Saul's Errand there is that part of the Lancaster Petition inserted p. 4 5 6 7. In which Petition G. F. is charged with taking to himself the Name of the eternal Judge of quick and dead c. The Lancaster Petitioners were several Men of Credit and Repute Now though G. W. says the charge was false and G. Fox denies it in that their Book c. What then Have not I more reason to believe the Affirmative of so many than G. Fox's Negative I know 't is a Faculty incident to you to deny Matters of Fact charged upon you be they ever so apparently true And who can think that a number of Men should agree together in charging G. Fox with a Falshood Though G. Fox denies their charge in his Book may not we answer it in your own Phrase p. 8 of your Pamphlet The Authority of the Quakers Books are utterly denied by us so that we have grounds to believe the Petitioners say true Why may not G. F. take the Name of Judge of quick and dead to himself as well as to approve of those blasphemous Titles given him by Jos Coal in his Letter from Berbadoes cited in Antichrist in Spirit p. 43 44 45 Dear G. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Light hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar of to the begetting of many again to a lively hope for which Generations to come shall call thee G. F blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou G. F. rulest and governest in Righteousness and thy G. Fox's Kingdom is established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end 21 day of the 12 month 1658. Now if G. Fox could digest and approve of all these Titles due only to Christ himself in the Opinion of all Christians Why may he not use the like Modesty in taking the name of Judge of quick and dead to himself The other Titles were approved and ordered to be recorded Why may not G. Fox take this Name to himself as well as to say in one of your Meetings Friends although I have not told it you I do now declare it I have power to bind and loose whom I please Now if G. W. hath the confidence to deny these things a further Test of them and others may be more fully given G. Whitehead's next causeless Out-cry is that I say the Quakers say that Christ hath no body but his Church quoting Saul's Errand p. 9. Which saith G. W. is notoriously false again for said he it was the Priest's Objection against L. F. that he professed that Christ had never any body but his Church Saul's Errand p. 2. Which saith G. W. was also false and there recorded amongst their other false Charges objected To which I answer First I do not charge the Quakers with saying that Christ never had any Body but his Church They own he had a bodily Garment But the Petitioners aforesaid charged the Quakers with saying that Christ hath no Body but his Church Now instead of G. Fox's owning Christ to have a Body besides his Church or distinct from his Church He replies That Christ's Church is his Body which I say is but a shuffle and not denying but implicitly granting the Matter of Fact And why may not G. F. deny Christ to have a Personal Body besides or distinct from his Church as well as G. Whitehead