this Papal Quaker Answ This is False again for whilst we own a Life and Living by the Faith of the Son of God how can we disown his Righteousness that is made our's by Faith When 't is made ours we partake of it though it was without us in him before it was in us by him § XII Pr. Ibid. In this Quaking Account of Justification what hath this Quaker said more which the Council of Trent hath not determined to his hand viz. Council Trid. Cap. 3. Sess 6. Cum ea renascentia per meritu passionis ejus gratia qua justifiunt illis tribuatur Which he thus Englisheth Together with the New Birth through the Merit of Christ's Passion Grace whereby they are made Righteous is imparted to them Cap. 7. Sess 6. Justificatio est Sanctificatio Renovatio interioris hominis per voluntariam susceptionem gratiae As he interprets Justification is both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received He should have said By the willing or free receiving of Grace Answ And what does our Adversary infer from hence but that Quakers and Papists agree together in the point of Justification by inherent Righteousness And yet he cannot deny but the Merit of Christ's Passion is confest to in the point But it seems he would not have the New Birth concern'd in the case or that Grace that makes us Righteous should be imparted to us and so included and joyned with the Merit of Christ's Passion in this great point of Justification or that Justification should be both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received If these be not offensive to him why does he clamour against the Quaker for agreeing with the Council of Trent in this point as if his citing the Council of Trent having determin'd a point to the Quakers hand or which Quakers own though they never received it themselves and which he himself does not at all consute were enough to knock down the Quakers at one Blow Whence it follows that where the Council of Trent grants the Merit of Christ's Passion which the Papists place mens first Justification upon without Works Christ's Merit or deserving herein must be opposed because the Council of Trent and Papists hold it Is not this learned Logick Thus our Adversary has attempted to knock down the Quaker because the Council of Trent and Papists hold divers Errors but Papists render their own good Works after the first Justification strictly meritorious of Heaven which the Quakers do not therefore we must not hold any Truths which they intermix among their Errors but be branded derided for Papists Papal Quakers such kind of arguing savours more of an Atheistical Spirit than of a Christian And such measure have we from our Adversary But his main Design is to oppose the Saints being made Righteous by Grace imparted to them through Christ and to impose upon us a Justification or rather his false Imputation thereof without either Sanctification or Renovation of the inward man by Grace received seeing he has espoused the Cause of such as affirm Justification and Redemption of men while no good is wrought in them and that these are fulfilled or compleated WHOLLY WITHOUT THEM And yet to his own Confutation has granted that Righteousness must be imparted and retain'd in his 10th page but here because the Council of Trent has confest unto the New Birth and that the Grace that makes Righteous must be imparted to them rendring the Merit of Christ's Passion as a means thereof which is an Undeniable Truth I must be revil'd as a Papal Quaker and this Inherent Righteousness in the New Birth though wrought by the Grace of God opposed as to our Justification Thus my Adversary has not only Absurdly argued against me but Atheistically set himself against the Work of Christ inward by invalidating of it reckoning Persons justified Wholly without which must be whilst they are wholly Unjust and Poluted within or when no good is wrought in them else what does all his Quarrel against us amount to But he sillily goes on in his Comparison between Quaker and Papist as followeth Pr. Ibid. They do both disclaim the works of the Law before Grace received Ibid. Works not done in Christ the Seed do not justifie says the Canting Quaker Ibid. Justification is the Sanctifying of the inner man by Grace received say the Papists Ibid. The Righteousness by Faith is when the Law is performed in us by the Works of the Spirit saith the Quaker Ibid. By Grace received in the New Birth are we made Righteous say the Papists Thus the Light within which guides the Quaker to Scribble concerning Justification is nothing else but TRENT POPERY infused into them by subtil Popish Priests Answ We have nothing but his Comparison and Reviling here for Confutation The matter is answered before I would ask this man First If he does not disclaim the Works of the Law before Grace received Secondly If works not done in Christ do Justifie or render any Just If he says No why does he Scoff and Cry out Canting Quaker so saying they do not Thirdly Whether any do partake of the Righteousness by Faith without Christ's fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law in them according to Rom. 8.4 For it s them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit to whom there is no Condemnation and In whom the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled And this does not make void Christ's Passion or Suffering for man and fulfilling the Law in his Person without us for therein he was not only a Perfect Pattern of Righteousness but also came to condemn sin in the flesh and by his Sacrifice to make an Attonement and Pacification to stop the Wrath and suspend the severe Execution of the Law which man had incurred and to make way for Remission to us that we might be the more engaged to him to follow him in Spirit and come under the New Covenant terms But the Priest concludes with a notorious Falshood about what we write of Justification as being infused by Popish Priests This is a Wicked Slander for the work of the New Birth Being made inwardly Righteous by Grace received in Christ the sanctifying renewing the inner man by the holy Spirit these we never learned of the Popish Priests nor ever were we discipled by them but by the blessed operation of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ through Faith in his Name according to the Testimony of himself holy Apostles most plainly intimated in these Scriptures Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.3 5. And If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me said Christ to Peter John 13.8 And According to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration c. Tit. 3.5 6.
there should be one Head Christ one Teacher one Lord one Lawgiver one Faith one Baptism one Light one Life one Way one Shepherd and one Sheep-fold one Priest over the Houshold of God one Hope one Family one God and Father of all in this true Church This is not strange to the Church of Christ which is Constituted of true and living Members of one Body who live by the Faith of the Son of God and are new Creatures in Christ Jesus who are gathered and baptized by one Spirit into one Light Life and Power and so into one Body according to Scripture seeing the Priest is so ignorant of these things I desire him to read these Scriptures at leisure Isa 33.22 Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. Heb. 8.8 9 10 11. John 6.45 Isa 54.13 1 Cor. 12.13 see also Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. which is directly to our purpose for this Unity and Perfection in the true Church so much condemned and derided by our Unchristian and Atheistical Adversary § XXXI Pr. Ibid. The true Church is now only to be found among the Poor Deluded Qrs. Most of these Vnities heaped together by this Qr. must be understood according to the Notorious false Principles of all Qrs. A Quakerized Vnity Answ We do not say this true Church is only to be found amongst the Poor Quakers or this Unity as relating only to a Visible Society among us 't is of more Universal extent than any Visible Society of Persons but that there is an Invisible and Spiritual Union known to all the faithful among us and that as we are a People gathered by the Power and Spirit of Christ we are Members of that Church which he is Head of and that his Power has more manifestly appeared with us in our Testimony for him and in upholding us chearfully to suffer for the same than with other Societies in our Day as also to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man this we are satisfied in and that the Lord's Power has more Eminently appeared among us in our Societies and Assemblies than among other Professions Societies or Assemblies in our day else we should not keep together in a Society we should not be a Church nor in such an Union nor Assemble together if we did not really believe and were satiâ—fied that the Lord owns us and is with us as we are a People And let this Caution be taken by the way That whoever go out from us separate themselves and turn into Emnity Malice or Wickedness after they have seen and tasted of the great Power and Work of the Lord among us they fall into a worse and more dangerous state than thousands are in who never had this Knowledge Wilfully to sin against such Knowledge is far worse than to be in the time of Ignorance wherein God winked their latter End is worse with them than the beginning it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteâ—usness than after they have known it to turn aside from the holy Commandment Turks and Indians who confess and adore an Eternal Deity and live honestly according to what they believe and know are more acceptable to God yea and the most ignorant among them shall sooner find Mercy and Salvation with him than either the Rebellious Back-slider the Hypocrite Careless and Unfaithful under the Profession of Christianity among what People soever And though we do not Exclude all who are not yet gathered into an outward Society with us from having any share in that inward and invisible Life Spirit Faith Union or Salvation which we are made partakers of For there are those that Wish well to Zion that have a love to her and a drawing towards her that God hath regard to them and will prosper in their honest Desires And there are those that are Not against us that are for us Luke 9.50 And God hath a regard to Inward Sincerity and honesty of Heart though clouded under various Forms and Professions There are those that have a Simplicity and Innocence in their Heart towards God and are free from Enmity against his People that yet are not come to have their Understandings so clear as to come into an outward Society and compliance in all things with the gathered and chosen of the Lord that yet have a secret breathing unto him in Spirit whom he will in his own time gather unto himself as Christ saith Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice and there shall be one Fold and one Shepherd John 10.16 However I would not be mistaken though all are not come to that visible Society and open Testimony which God hath gathered us into and brought forth publickly among us through many deep Sufferings and Reproaches yet I do not own nor believe Salvation by any other Christ Gospel Light Spirit or Power than that which we have received from God and â—eat Witness unto through his Son Christ Jesus The Way of Life and Salvation is but one Truth is but one the Light of the Lord of the Lamb and of his holy City is but one wherein the Nations of them that are saved shall walk and the holy fear of God and working Righteousness which in every Nation they that experience are accepted springs from this one Divine Principle of Life Light and Truth in the inward parts which God hath given to mankind wherein Christ is spiritually and effectually received to Salvation which is but one in all though different in degrees of Discoveries and Knowledge thereof among the Sons of men Howbeit thus far there is an Universal Union among all People saved of the Lord when in the way of Salvation that there is not an Envy nor an evil mind in one against another but a certain degree of Innocency Love and good Will all which springs from that one universal and divine Principle of Life Light and Grace in the Hearts which we testifie of Pr. p. 118. This Quaking Vnity belonging to the true Church of God hath no Scripture-bottome to stand on no Christian Writers of any Century did ever describe the true Church of God after this Canting rate Answ The Unity belonging to the true Church and the description thereof I have sufficiently proved by H. Scripture and according to true Christian Experience Testimony and therefore this Adversary may be ashamed of his scornful Taunting and Idle Atheistical and Impious Triffling Reflections on these serious Occasions and remember the Proverb cited by himself Piet as non patitur ludum he will find one day that he has an heavy Account to give for his acting the part of a Mountebank and Stage-player Gamer and Sporter about Pious and Religious matters his casting his Scurrilous terms upon us and calling that Canting which hee 's not able to Confute This will not excuse his Prophaneness Levity Scorn and Contempt which God will rebuke As for his slighty Reflection upon
And also see 1 Cor. 6.11 where both Washing Sanctification and Justification are said to be in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And even Erasmus in his Paraphrase on Acts 13.38 39. saith expresly Through this same Jesus each man without respect of any Person or else offence hath Righteousness or Justification and Innocency profferred unto him so that he believe the Promises of the Gospel Note Surely then these are profferred to be received Therefore this Adversary's saying That the Quakers have a Pâ—pe in their Bellies and that the Quaker his Lines are hammered out upon his Popish Anvil as in pag. 22 24. These are some of his Abominable Scurrilous Slanders such Temporizers as he are more like to have a Pope in their Bellies that for their Bellies can Temporize Change and Turn their Coat in Religious matters And how like a Popish Incendiary has he acted in rendring the People called Quakers so guilty of Popery as if he had a Design to carry on for the Popish Interest either by endeavouring the Quakers Destruction because of their opposition to Popery or else by encreasing the Number of Papists by adding the Quakers thereto or rather falsly rendring the Popish Interest far bigger than it is Besides he grosly mistakes as well as shallowly argues about Popery in his rendring some Truths which the Council of Trent held to be Popery whereas Popery is the Gross Erronious Idolatrous and Superstitious part of their Doctrine and Religion and not any Scripture-Truths that they hold But this man it seems where they hold the New Birth and the Renovation of the inner man c. as necessary to our Justification this he 'll deem Popery because held by the Council of Trent But further Though Christ dyed for all all are not Partakers of the blessed Ends and Benefit thereof but those to whom it is communicated for unless in Adam they were faln and degenerate so as to dye in their own Injustice unto Righteousness they should not be unjust so unless they be regenerate in Christ they should never be justified and live to him Council of Trent chap. 3. Sess 6. Vnless they were born again in Christ they should never be justified Then it follows because that Regeneration is given to them by the Merit of his Suffering by Grace received whereby they are made Righteous What Protestant ever denyed this that only the Regenerate had the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and that Regeneration was given freely and that thereby they were made Righte ous or Sanctified or Repentance wrought in them and Newnes of Life By Grace we are saved saith Paul through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God This Man appears in this Point an Adversary to the Papists and Protestants that are not Libertines And the Charge is true against him that the Papists untruly bring against the Protestants viz. of Libertinism And at this rate he may as well invalidate much of the Doctrine of the Church of England so much applauded by him for that she holds the same Truths which in divers things the Church of Rome holds and both have recourse in many things to the same Authors and Fathers for their Assertions And in this very Case of Justification inwardly the Rhemists in their Annot. on Rom. 3.22 cite St. Augustine speaking thus The Grace of Christ doth work our Illumination and Justification inwardly also De Pec. Mer. l. 1. c. 9 10. And again He giveth to the Faithful the most secret Grace of his Spirit which secretly he poureth into Infants also And again They are justiâ—â—ed in Christ that believe in him through the secret Communication and Inspiration of spiritual Grace whereby every one leaneth to our Lord. And again He maketh just renewing by the Spirit and Regeneration by Grace And also a Person of note who lately wrote the Book entituled The Middle Way of Perfection with indifferency between the Orthodox and the Quaker he vindicates us in this very Point of Justification as it is from the Charge of the Law and the Charge of the Gospel confessing That our Faith and Repentance is our Righteousness in regard to the Gospel but Pardon of Sin together with this Righteousness so both into universal Justification p. 5. And also pleads for God's justifying us by this Righteousness that is by Faith and Evangelical Obedience And farther saith he I do not find that the Scripture doth denominate or pronounce any one Righteous or a Just Man from one end to another upon any other account then his doing Righteousness As also saith That calm Protestants grant the Constitution of a real true Righteousness according to the Covenant of Grace pag. 15 16. And grants A having the Righteousness of a perfect Heart for Justification and yet no man justified but by the Grace of God through the Redemption which we have in Christ Jesus pag. 26. And also consesseth That we have their Divines on the blind side and that the Orthodox are quite out that will have any justified without a Righteousness that is perfect according to the Law that justifies him i. e. the Law of Grace pag. 26. And confesseth also on St. Augustine Aug de Spir. et Lit. That 't is possible for a Man to attainto such a perfection as to live without Sin by Grace or the special Assistance of God's Spirit granting it also to be our Duty But our Adversary tells us That it is an old Popish Trick to assert Justification by Works of the Spirit p. 23. Thus he still persists in his Antinomian Libertine Sin-pleasing Principle to shut out the Work of the Spirit from Justification that Impure and Poluted Persons may be deemed Just and Righteous under the Notion of Imputation contrary to the most Moderate and Learned of all sorts both Protestants and others and contrary to what 's before-cited out of their 17th Article for the Spirit 's working in due season and mortifying the Works of the Flesh And I would know where ever any Protestant Writers of note did charge the Council of Trent with Popery on the two Passages before cited out of the said Council against us As also contrary to many Passages in the Common-Prayer or Service Book as in their Absolution to be pronounced by the Priest viz. That Almighty God hath given Power to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his People being penitent the Absolution and Remission of their Sius he pardons and absolves all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe c. Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true Repentance and his Holy Spirit that those things may please him which we do at this present and that the rest of our Life hereafter may be Holy But with what Heart or Faith can our Adversary thus pronounce or pray when he neither believes a Pureness of Life nor grants Repentance and such unfeigned Belief to concern our Justification while he shuts out the Works
of the Spirit there as he hath done surely he pronounceth and prayeth what he believes not but from the Teeth outward And also let it be noted how Inconsistent our present Adversary is with the Sermon preached before the Lords in Parliament upon the Fast day February 4. 1673. by Herbert Bishop of Hereford where after he has exclaimed against the Vice Debauchery Pride and Luxury the abominable Lust Excess and Superfluities of our Times he earnestly presseth and urgeth upon their Consciences For Humiliation Weeping Mourning Fasting mortifying their Carnal Bestial Lust that so God from his Mercy-seat might look down with Compassion upon them and pardon all their Crying Sins and then God would Bless them c. Here he did not preach Pardon Peace Blessing or Justification to them if they continued in Sin And further plainly saith Now that Sin is more hateful unto Christ than any Sufferings is evident because he endureth all these to take away Sin Christ could endure the greatest Torment in the World but cannot endure the least Sin for Sin is not only hateful but a flat Contradiction unto God for God is Holiness Can we be such ungrateful Beasts such savage Wolves such cruel Tygers such bloody Monsters as yet to crucify him afresh and put him again to open shame God forbid But let us rather scourge and crucifie the old Man that hater of this our blessed Saviour Thus sar the said-Bishop with much more of this kind of his Sermon aforesaid I am perswaded if the Bishops did see and rightly consider much of my Adversaries writing and what Sin-pleasing Antinomian Notions he would father upon the Church of England they would conclude that he had need to preach a Recantation Sermon or otherwise that he deserves to be degraded and Excommunicated I have quoted the more against him of matter owned by the Protestants and Church of England because he brags so much of that Church as if she would shelter him in all his Deceits and Abuses § XIII Pr. p. 25. In this Quaking Ramble we find too much abominable Doctrine viz. 1. No Hosanna due to Christ as the he Son of M ary no existing Bodily without us 2. Jesus the Son of Mary is not God our Saviour 3. That Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father Answ In all these this Envious Priest hath most shamefully abus'd and perverted my Words as may apparently be seen in the Book Entituled The Nature of Christianity c. pag. 40 and 41. As First About No Hosanna a falshood For I confess'd that the multitude cried Hosanna to the Son of David Matth. 21.9 And ask'd if Hosanna be not Save now I beseech thee only I shewed R. G. his mistake that it was the Multitudes that cryed Hosanna to the Son of David which he placed upon his Apostles and all his Ministers in all Ages whereas they all confessed his Deity as well as his Manhood his being the Son of God and the Root as well as the Off-spring of David Yet I condemn not their Hosanna to the Son of David who in simplicity of Heart cryed so But yet that there is an higher Expression of Honour to him with respect to his Deity and as the Eternal Son of God and David's Lord according to his own Testimony when he questioned the Pharisees and Scribes who called him the Son of David viz. What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They said unto him The Son of David He said unto them How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Right Hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool If David then call him Lord how is he his Son And no man was able to answer him a Word neither durst any man from that day forth ask any more Questions Mat. 22. and Mark 12.35 36 37. Did Christ herein deny himself to be the Son of David or of his Seed according to the Flesh no sure no more have we What I writ as before was in relation to the Honour due to Christ as the Eternal Son of God which the Pharisees allow'd not of though they confessed him to be the Son of David but were offended at his owning himself to be the Son of God John 10.36 and 19.7 The Jews charged him with Blasphemy and said He ought to dye because thereof Secondly The Priest has most shamefully belyed me by inferring upon me a denial of the Deity of Jesus Christ as if I denied him to be God our Saviour which is a gross Lye for I have in plain words confest that the holy Prophets Apostles and Ministers pointed and testified unto Jesus Christ both as Man born of the Virgin to his coming in the Flesh Nat. Chri. pag. 40. and unto his Divinity and manifestation in Spirit Thirdly The Priest hath abominably belyed me in charging this Doctrine upon me that Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father * Which also he sets down in his 10th Article as the Quakers belief p. 147. whenas I have plainly confest his Divinity and the main drift of my Discourse is that he may be chiefly honour'd and worshipped as in respect to his Deity Divine Power and Glory as the Eternal Son of God For that Hosanna and Adoration Claim of Salvation which some pretend only to Christ as the Son of Mary or to him as the Son of Mary only this I was not satisfied with because it excludes his Divinity from that honour chiefly due thereto And it was hereupon that I asked R. G. the Question If he had so considered Christ to be God the Saviour or the Son from the Substance of the Father Which I asked not to deny him in either of these 't was far from my thoughts but only to shew my Opposer his mistake in attributing all to him only as the Son of Mary Thus far was I from denying the Deity of the Son of God or his being of the Substance of the Father from everlasting before the World was As also I shewed Mark 6.3 that they who called Christ the Carpenter the Son of Mary and were offended at him did not shew that honour and respect to him that Peter did who said Nat. Christ p. 51. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God though this can be no Denial of his outward Birth of the Virgin Pr. pag. 26. They deny that the Son of Mary is to be worshipped as God Answ We do not divide Christ though we distinguish between his Godhead and Manhood viz. That though he be perfect God and perfect Man yet inferior to the Father touching his Manhood as is confest in the Liturgy And if any of us have denied that meerly consider'd as the Son of Mary he is to be worshipped as God I think we should not be rendred Offenders nor yet Deniers of his Manhood on this occasion for men more Wise and Learned than our Adversary
have been of the same Judgment Vide Prest Life Eternal pag. 44 45. see what D. Jo. Preston saith in this very point viz. How should we conceive of God in Prayer seeing he is a Spirit and a Spirit we never saw What conceit and Apprehension of God should we have then when we come to call upon his Name We may not conceive him under any Corporal Shape for he is a Spirit and therefore they that think they may Worship the Humanity of Christ dis-joyned are deceived We are not to Worship it as separated from his Diety Thus far Preston Pr. Ibid. To call Mary the Mother of God is a Popish saying not Scripture-Language In this Quaking Discourse the Learned may observe many old Heresies revived This Quaker's ugly Doctrine Answ This is the man that has been upbrading the Quakers so much with Popery who himself now so much embraces their Language and Doctrine that he is offended at me for saying It is not Scripture-Language But instead of proving that it is the man belches and rages and scoffs against me and takes it heinously that I should Oppose or Question such a saying as Mary the Mother of God He has it over and over as if it stuck upon his Stomach He has it up as an Article of the Quakers unsound Faith to say That Mary is not the Mother of God and that 't is Popery to call Mary the Mother of God in his Art 10. p. 147. and counts the Quakers Light within to be very DVLL-SIGHTED that it cannot discern Mary to be the MOTHER OF GOD p. 26. But whence has he this Saying or Article of his Faith Surely the Scripture is not his Rule for it but 't is probable he believes herein as the Church believes That 't is a frequent phrase among the Papists to call Mary the Mother of God we need not search Authors to prove it And the English Colledge of Doway in their Annot. on Prov. 31. ca◠her The most Excellent and Immaculate Virgin Mother of God That Mary is called The Mother of my Lord by Elizabeth and the Young Child Jesus his Mother or the Mother of Jesus in Scripture which relates to him as man I deny not but no where in Scripture can I find that she is called the Mother of God Let him produce plain Scripture for it and ends the Controversie Pr. p. 27. It s against his Light within it must be in his Eye Popery to call Christ the Son of Mary and Mary the Mother of God Nay 't is Popery which is commonly counted Anti-christianism to call Mary the Mother of God Deluded Quakers The Papists not so grosly deceived Answ The first part of this Passage is a frequent reiterated Falshood to say 'T is against my Light within or in my Eye Popery to call Jesus Christ the Son of Mary according to the Flesh for he was Miraculously conceived by the holy Ghost overshadowing her and born of her But I must confess I like not the phrase Mary the Mother of God nor do I think it would be seasonable or effectual so to preach the Eternal God that made all Things to Indians and Heathens under such a Character as having a Woman whom he made to be his Mother How many Turks or Infidels will they convince or convert to Christianity by telling them of the Mother of God Nay do they not hereby rather lay a stumbling-block in their way I do not think that the Papists themselves would have more reviled and ranted against us than this Priest has done for but saying to be sure it is not Scripture-Language to call Mary the MOTHER of God crying out Deluded Quakers the Papists not so grosly deceived Now he is wheel'd about to the Papists other while Ranting and Tearing against them like a Whifling Brash and Boaster Before he would beat us down as no better then rank Papists for holding something determined in the Council of Tront about Justification and Renovation of the inner man as if he needed no other Argument to knock us down but the Council of Trent holds it viz. The New Birth Sanctification Renewing the inner man by Grace received as necessary to our Justification or constituting of us truly Righteous in Christ And why may not this Priest rather be deem'd a Papist or one as ready for their Ave-Maria as he was for the Common Prayer when he turn'd his Coat whilst he is so fiercely contending for their Unscriptural Phrase before-cited But then to mend the matter he limits Mary's being the Mother of God to the Son according to his Man-hood pag. 26. We may see here that there was need of this Amendment * If he would impose upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from some Fathers by a Communication of properties because Mary was the Mother of him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man Then it follows That it is not a proper Expression however whereas the Man-hood was not God he was inferior to God the Father touching his Man-hood as in their Quicunque vult c. To his concluding this Passage with this scornful flout viz. Tremulus naviget ad Anticyras This pitiful Quaker wants a Doss for his Pericranium I may rather conclude this Priest is hastening towards Rome He wants some Preferment Power and Aid from the Pope to condemn Conscientious dissenting Protestants to Fire and Faggot for he appears offended at the King's Indulgence he counts him too slow for his turn or not severe enough Such Temporizing Persecuting Priests are ready for Rome to have the Miter set above the Crown and the Temporal Magistrates subject to them to do their Drudgery of Cruel Persecution would be very grateful to them for whatsoever they may pretend against Popery they are fitted for it the very Spirit of it i. e. of Envy Persecution and Pride has deep Root in their Hearts they smell very strong of the Old Whores Cup which they have deeply drunk of 'T is not their Pretences against the Word Popery that will excuse them whilst they are in the very Spirit and Life of the thing Popery Persecution Pride of Heart seeking Dominion over mens Faith and Properties also striving to be Lord's over God's Heritage who in his own Time will without doubt Debase their Pride their Lofty and Revengeful Spirits § XIV The Priest's next Quarrel is against a little Book call'd A Primmer by S. Crisp and George Fox the Younger in which he proceeds as followeth Pr. p. 28. The Mischievous Design of this pitiful Primmer is to Poyson them with Quakerism in their Minority Answ A false Insinuation no such Design in it as to Poyson any but to direct them to the Light of Christ within Pr. To diffuse Quakerism throughout the whole Body of the Nation a Mischievous Design if not timely prevented by his Sacred Majesty Answ He would employ the King in his Drudgery still but what way the King should prevent the spreading of that he calls Quakerism he
from his Hypocrisie False Doctrine and Persecution § XVII Pr. pag. 45. This Quaker 's Spirit is very blind that did not help him to discern betwixt seeking Honour one of another and giving Civil Honour one to another Answ Christ's words are plain John 5.44 How can ye believe which Receive Honour one of another and Seek not the Honour that comes from God only Their Receiving as well as Seeking Honour one from another is condemned by Christ as proceeding from Unbelief but the Honour he pleads for he explains viz. Pr. pag. 46. To have the Hat put off and Body to bow or the Feet to scrape this is Honour below which this Quaker 's Power of God seeks not Men scraping with their Feet Women Courtesying and drooping are by this rude Man censured as being Apostatizing Christians Answ Why does he not produce Scripture for his Rule in these Postures to prove that they are that Honour that proceeds from above and comes from God only They are from below if not from above If the Scripture be his Rule where is his Proof These feigned Postures of Bowing Scraping Drooping putting off the Hat c. to our Fellow-Creatures do not gratifie an Humble Christian Spirit but the contrary Pr. Ibid. Till the poor deluded Quakers came on the Stage of this World no man was so silly as to tax Hat and Knee Honour Answ This is more than he knows other Conscientious Persons have scrupled that kind of Complement and Mordecai could not bow to proud Haman Pr. Ibid. According to these Quaking Lines at Court it is not lawful to Kneel before the King c. Answ To Kneel Scrape or Bow before the King make it never a whit more lawful in God's sight nor any proof of being the Honour which comes from God only Qr. p. 47. True Honour is from the Heart and not from the Hat the Lord requires it not but the Pride of Man seeks it viz. to be honoured with the Hat c. Priest answers In these Lines this Quaking Father hath delivered abominable Doctrine against the King the Lord 's Anointed c. Answ Why abominable Doctrine against the King Is it against the King to honour and respect him as King and Supream Magistrate from the Heart and not with the Hat as Men-pleasers or to say that 't is the Pride of Man that seeks it He would debase the King very low as if he seeks such out side Complement or insisted so much upon it Thus this Priest like a feigned Temporizer would incense the King about a meer Complement Pr. Ibid. For neither Hat nor Knee-honour do belong to the King Thou King Charles hath too often been used by some Rude Quakers Answ Was it Rudeness in the Prophets and the Apostles to use the same Language as Thou to a King or for this Man to use it to God in his Prayers or is it improper in it self What a shameful Trifler is this Priest who for the word THOU calleth us Babel-Quakers p. 51. Pr. pag. 48. The Chief Magistrate the Fountain of Honour Answ God is the Fountain of all true Honour Ye seek not the Honour that comes from God only Pr. Ibid. The King's Majesty is outwardly Honoured by all Courtiers with Heads bare with Knees bowing in his Presence Answ Is this like a Minister of Christ's Work to teach people Court-Complements Let all serious Readers judge of this man's silly Insinuations Pr. pag. 49. Plain Charles is Honour enough for the King Answ That 's False and Contradictory to what he has said before viz. Thou King Charles which is more than only Charles Pr. Ibid. This Quakers Spirit hath a Lye put into his Pen for the Lord doth no where require that we should Honour all men in him Answ I know no true Honour we can give out of him if all true Honour come from him only Pr. Ibid. I hope I may write without Offence that here are Treason and Rebellion taught against our Soveraign Suppose the King were a Proud Heady High minded Man this Quaker saith there is no Honour due to him without Goodness no true Honour due to the King's Greatness Abominable Stuff Answ The Reader may see that this Cruel Priest's Malice and implacable Envy is great enough to Hang us if he had power but I never heard of such Treason and Rebellion against our Soveraign before as either to say that unto a proud heady high-minded Man that is meerly as a Person abstract from all Dignities though great in the World there is no Honour due that is none of that true and real Honour which comes from God only for God honours not such but will debase them Or to say that the Lord requires not the Honour that is from the Hat but the Pride of Man seeks it true Honour being from the Heart Where did you ever read of such Treason and Rebellion against the King before It seems this Priest would have us Hang'd for Traytors and Rebels because we cannot give the Hat-Honour Bow and Scrape to any great man's Person Or because that unto a proud heady high-minded Man though great in the World there is none of that Honour due that comes from God only the Honour sayes W. S. is given as due unto the Power which is spoken in general without any particular Reflection upon the King's Person or Authority as this Priest unjustly strains our Friend's words Yet though we cannot Respect men's Persons with Hat and Knee-Honour we respect their Places of Office or Dignity where God has set them and regard them therein as the King's Authority that God has given him and him as King we truly shew our honest and Christian Respect and Real Honour to wishing also well to his Person both as men fearing God and eschewing Vice and Wickedness being subject to the Power for Conscience sake Pr. pag. 50. This Quaker 's Doctrine tends directly to lay the Kings Honour in the Dust to strike the Crown from his Majesty's Head Answ A malicious and slanderous Insinuation to render us obnoxious to the Government for testifying against that Honour of the Hat c. which is from below and against Pride and High-mindedness that seeks it We meddle not with the King or his Crown or any real Honour or Respect that is due to him from Christian Subjects our peaceable Conversations clear us herein § XVIII Pr. Ibid. It may be truly said Beware of the Quakers for like the Jesuited Papists they are not in Truth the King 's Loyal Subjects Answ Thou lovest Lying rather than to speak Righteousness thou lovest all devouring words O thou Deceitful Tongue God shall likewise destroy thee forever he shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy Dwelling-place and root thee out of the Land of the Living Psalm 52.3 4 5. O thou Lying Priest O thou Malicious Incendiary Thou art the Person that lovest Devouring Words Consider thy End from the fore-cited Scripture If thou Repentest not God will Debase
Answ Here the Priest makes an Objection against all the King's Subjects which he himself cannot Answer but only askes If it be not rare Quaking stuff He argues neither as a Christian nor like a rational or sober Man as if he would bear us down from a Practice or Custom among many of the King's Subjects and thereupon Argue That because many of the Kings Subjects Swear by a Law of Man therefore Christ's prohibition is thereby abolisht and Whatsoever is more than Yea Yea Nay Nay comes not of the Evil one it s but Quaking stuff to say as Christ says that it so cometh of Evil or of the Evil one as the Priest himself has given the Interpretation of Christ's words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet opposeth and derides the thing where conscientiously obeyed by us not with Disrespect to King or Government but with respect to Christs Command not to Swear Pr. Ibid. St. Paul might have known this new Light Doctrine that Christ ended the Dispensation of Oaths where Strife was if this be not Abominable Doctrine delivered by this Quaker let the wise Readers â—udge Answ What knows he but Paul knew this Doctrine that Christ ended the Dispensation of Oaths among his Followers the true Christians He does not say that an Oath for Confirmation is an End of Strife among Christians but among MEN and such Men were the Jews under the Law that were in the Strife which was the occasion of Oaths and Swearing And however where Strife and the Nature of it is removed and ended by Christ Jesus there need no Swearing to end it among such Men aâ—d Christians But that Solemn Oaths as he calls them are as bad now as Vain Oaths are none of our words but the Priests unnatural Inferrence for there is a difference between an Oath taken solemnly though under a misguided Conscience or Judgement Oaths used vainly and frequently by Prophane Persons who therein often sin against manifest Conviction of Conscience Yet that Swearing was lawful under the old Dispensation but unlawful now as is inferr'd upon us I grant and this the Priest has not removed he has made more Objections for us in this case than he either doth or is able to Answer And seeing he has handled the point so very shallowly against us I refer him and the Reader to a Book Entituled The Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths Defended as Evangolical and another Book more large and full Entituled A Treatise of Oaths wherein both by Scripture Reason Authorities of many Authors our Case is defended in our not Swearing § XX. Qr. p. 46 57. If thou observest a Day observe it to the Lord The Name Sunday is from the Heathens who Celebrated that Day to the Sun and called it Sunday Pr. p. 57. When the King and Parliament made the late Act for the better Observation of the Lord's Day then they did nothing but make a Law to establish Will-Worship according to this Quaker Answ We do not Reflect upon King or Parliament for making such an Act nor judge their Intention or Design to be to establish Will-Worship therein Here the Priest still persists in his old Course of Hectoring to incense the Powers against us which is no Rational Argument nor Christian Confutation but still shews that his Religion and Worship have their Dependence upon men He is for that Way Method and Religion that is the uppermost imposed by the Magistrate and that 's his chief Argument But what 's this to Confute our Friend's saying The Name Sunday is from the Heathens who Celebrated that Day to the Sun And dare he deny this or say that the Name Sunday Munday Tuesday Wednesday c. did not spring from the Heathen in Relation to their Gods whom they Worshipped And did not the Primitive Christians call that the first day of the Week which you professed Christians call Sunday after the Heathens Example And in our Meeting on the First Day of the Week as the Primitive Christians did we do not superstitiously observe the Day or place an Esteem or Sanctity upon that day simply consider'd more than others but observe it to the Lord. The Apostle did not impose the Observation of Days upon the Primitive Christians nor were they to judge one another in that matter One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord c. see Rom. 14.4 5 6. Pr. p. 58. Doth not this Quaker's Ignorance in effect count all holy Dayes Apostatical Are not these the Festival Days c P. 59. Real Quakers do not observe holy dayes as this Church appoints Answ The Real Quaker owns the Apostle's Doctrine Col. 2.16 Let no man judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an holy Day or of the New Moon or Sabboth Days which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Certainly Christ is the Substance and End of the Shadow But this Priest is now for Festival Days and Holy Days as the Church appoints Observe how like a Church-man of Rome he here talks as if he were directly steering his Course to Rome The Church is his Rule here and not Christ nor the Scriptures he is for Festivals and Holy Days as the Church commands that is He is for the Observation of Saints and Angels Days and doubtless for Mass-Days too which if he would have us observe he should plainly tell us whence the Observation of such dayes sprung and whether they are not enjoyned in the Mass-Book and from Rome Pr. Ibid. Whither do the Quakers come when they are gotten over the Observation of Days for my part I cannot tell Answ Seeing he cannot tell whither we are or do come he should have let us alone and not revil'd nor abus'd us as men in such deep Ignorance because we can neither keep up the Names of Heathen Gods in Dayes nor Popishly observe Festival Days Holy Days Mass Days c. So here I must leave him in this point with his Face towards Rome not towards Zion nor New Jerusalem § XXI The Priest's next Quarrel is against James Parnel on the Collection of his Writings He is offended to hear That they are given forth from the Spirit of the Lord or that James Parnel should be counted a Servant of God as in the Title of the said Collection and therefore proceeds as followeth Pr. Ibid. This Quaking holy Man of God was in the Quakers Account no less inspired by the holy Ghost than the holy Pen-men of Scripture Answ We make no such Comparison of his being inspired yet though we do not equalize him with those holy Pen-men he was in some degree inspired by the same holy Spirit and bore a Faithful Testimony in his Day and in his Suffering against the Corruptions of those Times both of the then Persecuting Priests Rulers and People Pr. Ibid. The Quakers are
not a little Flie-blown with Spiritual Pride Answ That 's thy own state Proud and Scornful Man Spiritual Pride and Conceit puffs thee up Qr. J. P's Tryal of Faith You believe you shall never overcome your sins so long as you are here Here you shew your Faith is not built upon Christ who came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cleanse from all sins Pag. 60. Priest Answers This is the Corrupt Testimony of this Quaking Martyr that they are no sound Believers whose Faith doth not cleanse them from all their Sins that the Faith of Christians is not built upon Christ if it doth not make them free from their Sins Answ That which the Priest calls the Corrupt Testimony is according to Christ and his holy Apostles Testimony Christ came to Wash and Cleanse true Believers from Sin that they might be Clean every whit he gave himself for his Church that he might Wash it by Water through the Word that he might present it holy without Spot c. By Faith he purifies their Hearts he destroys the Work of the Devil the Blood of Christ cleanseth them that walk in the Light from all Sin And Faith in him overcomes the World it was and is the Saints Victory These are plain and Scriptural Testimonies how ignorant soever this unsanctified Priest shews himself wholly a stranger to the washing of Regeneration Pr. Ibid. A sinless state reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven is no true Divinity in the Quakers School Answ How is a sinless state reserved for that Kingdom if not attainable in this Life Pr. Ibid. If we say that we have no sin which the Quakers usually do we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Answ An Untruth against the Quakers where or when do they usually or ever say they have no sin but that though there is a time of having sin there 's a time of confessing and forsaking sin and if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL SIN 1 John 1.7 9. And saith he My little Children these things write I unto you that you SIN NOT Chap. 2.1 What John writes relates to several states Pr. Ibid. This Quaker is certainly for a more holy Faith than God himself did ever require It s not the Ruling Power but the being of sin which this Quaker's Faith makes free from without doubt this is to be Righteous over much in this World Answ The Priest is grosly Erroneous here the Quaker is for that holy Faith which is the Gift of God whereby he purifies the Heart and which Faith overcomes and is the Saints Victory over the World And to have the being of sin destroyed by Christ is not to be Righteous over-much in this World for 't is for this End that Christ is made manifest to take away our sins and to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. Christ destroying the Works of the Devil is to destroy the being of Sin that it may neither Rule nor be in true Believers And this work of Christ is effected by degrees as he is obeyed and truly followed whose Work of destroying Sin this Priest has apparently opposed lest he should be Righteous over much in this World so that his Faith will carry his sins with him into the next World if he relinquish it not and where he will get rid of them there he tells us not but by his Opinion he must expect a Purgatory or place of Purgation after Death seeing he confesseth A sinless state is reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven Observe here how near of Kin he is to the Papists and how nearly he has border'd upon the Doctrine of Purgatory only they exceed him in believing that their Canonized Saints and Martyrs shall escape Purgatory and go directly to Heaven Pr. Ibid. If the Ill Spirit of the old Catheri was not gotten into this Young Quaker The Quakers Idolized Perfection Answ If by his word Catheri he means the Puritans or those called Old Puritans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ì i. e. Puri then I must tell him that many of the Old Puritans were more Conscientious Sincere and Religious to what they knew then himself is or ever was Hist Eccl. Euseb Pam. Lib. 6. C. 42. for they were not such Temporizers and Opposers of the Light and Work of Christ they durst not call either an Idol as he has done And whatever Novatus was who called his Sect Cartharous that is Puritans I matter not there were many Honest people in England and other parts of those called Puritans Pr. p. 61. By this false Doctrine he hath concluded the Church of England at home all Reformed Churches abroad under Vnbelief for being of this right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins as long as they are here Answ Here he counts it a right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins so long as they are here but when and where they shall be freed he tells us not I am sure it is not the Mind of Christ that men should live in sin all their days And I think this Priest has wrong'd the Church of England if the Church of England means as she speaks and professeth viz. in promising to forsake the Devil and all his Works c. And in praying O God make clean our Hearts within us and take not thine holy Spirit from us Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this Day without Sin with many other passages to this purpose in the Morning-Prayer and Service-Book And what has this Priest done less then charged the Church of England with Dissimulation and Hypocrisie as being of a contrary mind then what 's here exprest As also Edw. Stillingfleet in his Sermon preached before the King March 13. 1666. he strongly argues and pleads against that Opinion of God's laying Impossible Laws upon the Sons of Men and puts the Question thus * Ed. Still 6. Serm. 1669. pag. 69 70. For what is it that God requires of men as the Condition of their future Happiness which in its own nature is judged impossible Is it for men to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this World For that was the End of Christian Religion to perswade men to do so § XXII Qr. The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Word the Life the Judge the Rule the Guide nor the Tryer of Spirits for all this belongs to Christ Pr. p. 61. I must truly say this is none of Abel his Language nor a faithful Testimony for God except another Qr. Atheist or Anti-scripturist none would have laid such base things to the charge of the holy Scriptures Answ Here is one of his base Abuses For to say The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Life the Judge c. is only as much as to
say The Scripture proceedeth from Christ but is not Christ for he is the Light the Life the Word the Judge the Guide of all his true Followers And why may not he be called the Rule as well as the Way the Truth c Pr. Ibid. This Qr. is guilty of Weak Reasoning because Christ is the Word the Light the Life therefore the Scripture is not a Light the Word of Life a Judge a Guide a Tryer of Spirits rare Quaking Logick Answ He grants the Qrs. Assertion that Christ is the Word the Light the Life wherein he has weakened his own Cause but his Inference upon the Quaker I deny for that the Qr. does not argue in the Terms he doth For the Priest cunningly puts in A Light A Guide A Judge A Tryer of Spirits as applicable to the Scriptures wherein he greatly varies the Terms from The Light The Guide c. to A Light A Guide But that the Scriptures of themselves abstractly are these without Divine Assistance he proves not if he dare affert it muchless that the Scriptures are the Word of Life or the Living Word let him prove that I deny his Position for Christ is the Living Word Pr. pag. 62. At this Door hath been brought in all the Filth that hath been east upon the holy Scripture The Scripture is not the Light What is it then Darkness saith one Qr. not to be minded in any thing saith another Answ There is no Filth cast upon the holy Scripture by asserting Christ to be the Word of Life the Light the Judge the Guide c. Again I am confident that he has wrong'd two Qrs. so called in his dark Accusation not telling us what Qr. would call the holy Scripture Darkness or what Qr. did say 't is not to be minded in any thing This is a blind Story I am apt to think of his own forging for no real Qr. would speak so slightily of the holy Scriptures Though there are Parables that are called dark Sayings in the Scriptures which yet cannot properly be called Darkness Pr. Ibid. The Scripture is become like a Dung-Cart to receive what Filth the Qrs. and Papists have to throw into it Answ This is an abominable and slanderous Comparison against the Qrs. who have fully exprest their Reverend Esteem of the holy Scriptures both in Doctrine and Conversation Pr. pag. 64. Are not those Streams which make glad the City of God basely foulled by him Answ He counts the Scriptures those Streams and thereby sets them in the place of Christ who is that Man that shall be as an Hiding-place and is compared to Rivers of Water in a dry place Isa 32.2 And there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad Rivers and Streams Chap. 33.21 And this was in Zion the City of our Solemnities and in Jerusalem a quiet Habitation Vers 20. 'T is these Streams of the Water of Life that make glad the City of God whereof the Scriptures testifie Pr. Ibid. The Scripture saith this Qr. is the Idol of all Gospel-Ministers to get Money by Pag. 67. They count the Holy Scripture an Idol Answ A plain Perversion and Falshood again the Qr. saith no such thing nor so accounts of the Scripture but that your Leaders cause you to err for their own Ends and of the Scripture they MAKE an Idol to get Money by He does not call the Scriptures the Idol but that such Make an Idol thereof to get Money by and these are no Gospel-Ministers Those Priests who make a Trade of Scripture and exalt it in the place of Christ make an Idol of it but it is not so in it self Pr. That the Scripture is not the Word nor a Light unto our Feet nor the Rule Guide Teacher or Judge because Christ is so An Oracle from this Qrs. Lying Spirit p. 65. Answ By way of Eminency we own Christ to be the Word also the Light the Rule the Guide the Teacher the Judge the Law-giver the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver Isa 33.22 Yet we don 't hereby deny the Scriptures to be a Rule or to contain Words of God Pr. Ibid. That the sure Word of Prophecy is no Light shining in a Dark place Answ Yes the more sure Word of Prophecy is a Light shining in a Dark place in many Dark Hearts whereunto men do well to take heed until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in their Hearts This Word was before the Scripture was writ The Priest calls the Scripture the sure Word of Prophecy but tells us not what Scripture nor wherein the Comparison is of its being the more Sure Word of Prophecy Concerning the Judge and the Light within and Benefit of Christ's coming see what John Preston saith in his Book Entituled The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities pag. 106. viz. The Office I say of Christ is to teach men Judgment and this he doth with much Tenderness Compassion and Gentleness 1. To teach men the Just and Righteous Ways of God so the Word is taken in the Old Testament to ENLIGHTEN men to judge of the Ways of God Christ is often compared to a Shepherd that feeds his Flock Pag. 107. And he is also called the true Light which lightneth the World If Christ had not come into the World there would not have been one spark of God's Image left in man neither Adam nor his Posterity should have known any thing but a Cloud of Darkness should have seized on mens Minds But now by Christ's coming every one even the Wicked have this benefit that they have seen common Light Christ lighteth every one that cometh into the World in some sort teacheth them so much as shall make them inexcusable And pag. 111. If Christ were not God and Man that is If he were not patient in an Infinite manner he could not bear with us c. Observe how contrary to this of Christ's teaching men Judgment and being that true Light which lightneth every man c. our Adversary hath proceeded against the Light of Christ within both before and after these passages and how he hath opposed the benefit of Christ towards us both as God and Man contrary to J. Preston's account who was a man doubtless of better Fame Religion and Learning in his Day than our Adversary Pr. Ibid. Surely 't is matter of Lamentation that a false Christ the Light within who is not God and Man in one Person must by the Qrs. be thus exalted to lay the honour of the Scripture in the Dust Pag. 67. How fond the Qrs. are of their Light within to exalt this Idol Answ No such Design in the Quakers in exalting the Light within as to lay the honour of the Scripture in the Dust 'T is no dishonour to Scripture to exalt the Light of Christ within and however this Priest might have given the Light of Christ a better Epithete than a False Christ or this Idol especially since he hath given us this Concession
to the Light viz. That no Priests of the Church of England or else-where did ever deny that God might not be known by the Light of Nature within them pag. 120. See how manifestly the Priest has Contradicted himself here Did ye ever read that God might be known by a False Christ or by an Idol or by an ELF before as he calls the Light within †Whether by Elf he means a Fairy Nymph or Dwarf his Term is very Irreverent and Blasphemous Pr. pag. 68. It is a confessed Truth among us that all those do hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness that do not live according to it Answ Many such Professors there are among you that do not live according to Truth we wish your Repentance and Amendment of Life that you may through the Grace of God live answerable to Scripture Pr. Ibid. But 't is no false Light in any of us to profess the Scripture to be our Rule By God's own appointment the Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Life Answ The cripture is not your Rule if you walk contrary and hold Truth in Unrighteousness and live a sinful Life the Scripture is not the Rule of such a Life to be sure And if ye know it to be a Rule and profitable to you it must be through God's Assistance and his divine Illumination else ye cannot understand it But where by Gods own appointment the Scripture is called the Rule of Faith and â—ife he shews us not by Scripture Pr. Ibid. It 's folly to think that the sinfulness of any man's Life can make the Scripture to cease to be the Rule of Life as God hath declared it to be Answ He shews us not where God hath declared the Scripture or Writing to be the Rule of Life or the Rule of Faith and Life we have only his Say-so for it no Scripture-proof for this Article of his Faith And then where is the Foundation of his Faith which he pretends the Scripture to be the Rule of he is not content with its being a Rule Subordinate to the holy Spirits Guidance and Illumination of the understanding but by way of Emphasis he must have these Epithetes placed upon the Scripture which signifies Writing viz. The Rule of Faith and Life which yet he brings us no Scripture-proof for that ever God hath declared it so to be much less the Word of Life the Judge the Tryer of Spirits those streams which make glad the City of God Wherein he might as well plainly have told us that the Scripture is God Christ the Spirit the Life the Light and what not § XXIII Pr. Ibid. Without doubt it is a false Light in any Quaker which guides him to say that the Scripture is not the Rule of Life without the Light within to guide him Answ Here the Priest renders the Scripture the Rule of Life without the Light within to guide as if Men could know the benefit of the Scripture while in their Darkness without the Guidance of the Light The man is quite out here How should any rightly understand use or improve the Scripture without divine Illumination or Inspiration to open their Understandings seeing that there is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding The Spirit of God is sufficient to instruct men in those Nations where they have not or cannot read Scripture But the Scripture of it self cannot guide any men nor be of any real profit to them so much as a Rule of Life without the Spirit and its inward divine Illumination For what can dark minds and Earthly Corrupt Hearts or Natural men by their own Wisdom truly understand of holy Scripture 't is as a seal'd Book unto them And therefore the Psalmist applied himself to the Lord in Prayer in this wise Teach me thy Statutes make me to understand the Way of thy Precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous Works Remove from me the way of Lying and grant me thy Law graciously I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Teach me O Lord the Way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it unto the End Give me Vnderstanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole Heart With many more such passages in Psal 119. Of whom did he seek this Teaching Understanding and Help but of the Lord Could then the Scripture of it self do all this no sure Consider of it and let all serious Readers take notice how blind Opposers of the Light of Christ within stumble and fall in the dark § XXIV In the next place the Priest appears greatly vex't at James Parnel's Book called The Trumpet of the Lord blown or A Blast against Pride and Oppression About which the Priest greatly abuses the Author and the people called Qrs. most shamefully perverting his Testimony against Pride and Oppression as may plainly appear in a few Instances As Whereas James Parnel saith Wo unto you that are called Lords and Ladies Knights c. in respect to your Persons who are Exalted in the Earth who are Proud High and Lofty c. With other passages Threatning and Warning of them for their Pride Wantonness Voluptuousness c. instancing Dives Haman Pharaoh c. Pr. Hereupon the Priest saith According to this Qr. the last End of all the aforesaid Persons without exception is to be destroyed p. 70. And that according to this Quaking Scrible all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam shall every one of them unless they turn Quakers be damn'd forever they shall without any Exception be cast into Hell p. 71. Answ The Priests horrid and gross Abuse in these Passages in saying that without any Exception they shall be all cast into Hell Here he makes the Threat Absolute as if because they are called Lords and Ladies c. they must all be damned in the Qrs. sence which is a most Sordid Perversion and Knavery leaving out much that concerns their Destructive Ways and States and the very Principal Condition or Matter which J. P. inserted in those Threats and Warnings of his and yet for all this the Priest puts in or Forges a Condition or Exception in his own Terms That unless they turn Qrs. they shall be damned forever These are none of J. P's words and yet a forged Exception enough to render the Priest Contradictory to himself And it is to be noted that this Priest in his Citation pag. 71. out of James Parnel's Book pag. 31 32 33. which he takes together he hath left out the most Materal Passages both relating to those Ways and States that are Destructive and to those Conditions that tend to Salvation As for Instance After the Words Rising up to Play the Priest leaves out and live in Pride and Covetousness And after the words The blind eads the blind into the Ditch he leaves out and so you lead your Lives and spend your Time here and
Spirits who further manifests his Folly and Ignorance in his Discant or Paraphrase upon Nicholas Knights Book Entituled A Comparison between the true and false Ministers Printed 1675. After this Priest hath told us that in this Quaking Book the false Ministers of England are thus described and after several Descriptions given of them the Priest cites these following in his pag. 142. which I recite directly as he has done viz. Tythes are only claim'd by false Teachers I ask him where did true Ones or Christ's Ministers ever claim them They deny the Doctrine of Christ enlightning every one with a saving Light and that truly for it is a Quaking falshood They deny the manifestation of the Spirit in all they reproach the true Ministers of the Light and justly because of their Folly They are Persecutors of the Children of Light but the Quakers have no Truth nor Righteousness to be persecuted for They deny that any are made Perfect from all Sin in this Life which they ought to do Observation Observe that these Words within the Crotchets are the Priest own very words wherein first he hath blasphemously charged the Light of Christ who is that true Light which lighteth every man that comes into the World John 1.9 2dly He has reproached the true Ministers of the Light in directly charging them with Folly 3dly He has slandered the Quakers in saying They have no Truth nor Righteousness 4thly He counts it a Duty to deny that any are made Perfect from all Sin in this Life herein he has justified the false Teachers against Christs Doctirne and Work who taught his to be Perfect and is come throughly to purge his Floor to sanctifie wash and cleanse his Church and People that there may be no spot in his Spouse But this work of Christ the false Teacher denyes he says they ought to deny it The Lord deliver People from such blind Guides § XXVIII Pr. p. 101. You see that the Quakers are accused justly for asserting a perfect freedom from all Sin on Earth of this false Doctrine this Quaker is a sorry Champion Answ Such a freedom from Sin must be on Earth or never there is no Purgatory after Death and no unclean thing shall enter into Gods Kingdom If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all Sin 1 John 1.7 Unto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Rev. 1.5 Blessed are the Undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 They also do no Iniquity ver 3. And this was on Earth therefore no false Doctrine Pr. Ibid. Nothing less than a perfect freedom from all Sin on Earth was the End and Aim of Redemption by Jesus Christ to deny a perfect Freedom from all Sin in this Life is according to this Quaker to make Christ only a part of a Redeemer and to establish a middle way betwixt Earth and Heaven in which to be made free from Sin Answ Our Saviour Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from ALL Iniquity and Purifie unto himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 By one Offering he hath perfected forever them that are Sanctified Heb. 10.14 This was the End and Aim of Redemption by Jesus Christ who therefore is not only a Redeemer in part but wholly wherefore to deny such freedom from all Sin in this Life is to suppose Christ only a Redeemer in part some middle place to be freed from Sin in after Death Pr. Ibid. To assert this great Truth that there is no perfect freedom from Sin to be attained to in this Life is as the Quaker doth basely speak a great Delusion of the Devil Answ 'T is a great delusion of the Devil to assert that there is no perfect freedom from all Sin to be attained in this Life and contrary to Scripture-Testimonies before cited Pr. p. 102. That if they lay hold on him by Faith their Sins shall not be imputed to them though they Sin daily that the Righteous man sins seven times a day Answ Here he hath accused true Believers and the Righteous man without exception both with sinning daily and sinning seven times a day such a Champion is this Priest for Satans Kingdom against the Righteous for which he has no rule in Scripture that we know that saith The Righteous man sins seven times a day but that a Just man falls seven times and rises up again Prov. 24.16 Here 's neither sinning nor day mention'd he may fall so often into Trouble Affliction and Suffering Psal 56.1 and not into Sin and rise up again out of his Troubles The Lord knows the dayes of the Upright and their Inheritance shall be forever Psal 37.18 Also in Zachariah's Prophecy of Christ and his Salvation he saith That we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the dayes of our Life Luke 1.74 75. And thy Testimonies are very sure Holiness becometh thine House O Lord forever or to length of days Psal 93.5 Pr. Ibid. That their Sins shall not be imputed to them that believe in Christ though they sin daily Answ Sinning daily is neither consistent with true Faith in Christ nor with the estate of the Righteous and blessed of the Lord to whom Sin shall not be Imputed see Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is NO GVILE unto which the Apostle refers Rom. 4.6 7 8. Pr. Ibid. That the Righteous man doth sin often in one day that the Holy men of God have sinned that do deny a perfect freedom from all Sin attainable in this Life Answ His Charge against the Righteous man without exception is refuted before as contrary to Scripture and indeed 't is Antichristian Sin pleasing and Impious thus to plead for Sin against the Righteous and 't is a great aggravation of this Impiety to accuse the Holy men of God with denying a perfect freedom from all Sin to be attainable in this Life Come Priest thou that say'st The Scripture is thy only Rule produce us plain Scripture to prove this thy Charge which is general against the Holy men of God where ever they denyed such a freedom from all Sin to be attainable in this Life either bring us Scripture-proof for this or else forever be silent and deceive the People no longer Pr. Ibid. To speak this Quaker's mind without being perfectly cleansed from all Sin no man can witness Christ to be his Redeemer nor that he is come to destroy the Works of the Devil nor can he witness that Christ is come to redeem him Answ The Priest hath here utter'd his own mistake and not the Quaker's mind For every true
same as to Miracles or to equalize themselves therein with the Apostles though God hath wrought Wonders and Miracles among them and by some as Instruments in his hand Art 78. That to redeem and make free from Sin is done with the Body of Christ which we have told you is the Church A Perversion still as if the Church only did redeem and free it self whereas 't is Christ in and with his own Body that redeems his Church which is that Body of his whereof he is Head Though he has an intire peculiar and glorious Body yet the Church as united to him and Members of his Body comprehensively make up one Indivisible Body in the compleat and mysterious Union and Fulness of himself § 32. Art 81. That that man looks upon Christ with a Carnal Eye that looks upon him to have a true Body Which is a lying Forgery still Christ hath a true and Spiritual glorious Body whereof the Saints are Members in the spiritual and mysterious union wiâ—h himself § 32. Art 83. That Fellowship at the Lords Table is very wicked Is also a perverse falshood for ye cannot eat at the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils Covetous Priests and Wicked People though they have the Sign or Shadow yet are short of the Lord's Table and partake not of the Flesh and Blood of Christ nor of his Supper while they shut him out of their Hearts § 16. 25. Art 89. That Vnquakeriz'd Christians do worship an unknown God A Forgery still none of our Terms or Creed but false and fleshly Christians do so Worship § 31. There are divers more Forgeries Perversions and Falshoods in the Priests Articles which for brevity's sake I omit and shall now give the Reader an Account according to my second Proposition before stated of some Truths set down in the Priests Articles which are not according to his Faith he having given them all the Title of the Quakers Vnsound Faith And thus I proceed viz. Pr. Art 2 3. Now we Quakers do believe that the Spirit alone doth give true discerning that the Light within ought to be the Rule of our Faith and Practice Answ We do believe that the Spirit of Truth is all-sufficient for those Ends 't is given for and leadeth into all Truth that true discerning of Spirits is a Gift of this Spirit and that we ought to walk in the Light of Christ Jesus and his Spirit as the chief Rule of our Faith and Practice which things it seems this Priest does not believe he believes not that the Spirit alone doth give true Discerning or that the Divine Light thereof ought to be his Rule He believes the Scripture to be the Rule of Life without the Light within as he has told us p. 120. § 14 15. Pr. Art 21. We Q. believe that we are to mind the Spirit alone in all things Answ We do believe we ought to mind the Spirit of Truth in all things both in reading Scripture for a true understanding thereof and in our Words and Actions but this Priest does not believe he ought to be so mindful of the Spirit his mind is more upon Flesh than Spirit § 14 15 23. Pr. Art 34. We Q. do believe that the Name Sunday is Heathenish that every day is the Lord's day Answ Then this Priest does not believe the Name Sunday is Heathenish or proceeded from Heathens or that every day is the Lords thus ignorant he has shewn himself § 20. Pr. Art 35. We Q. believe that they are no truly faithful Christians who deny that there is a perfect freedom from all manner of Sin to be had in this Life that their Faith is not the true Faith if it doth not cleanse them from all their Sins Answ This Priest therefore believes that they are truly faithful Christians and in the true Faith who deny a Perfect freedom from Sin in this Life and whose Faith does not cleanse them from their Sins which is contrary to the Belief and Faith of truly faithful Christians who know the Heart-purifying Faith and the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin and such could say He hath washed us from our Sins in his own Blood But 't is not done in this Life saith the Priest When then In the Life to come it must be But Where must it be in a Purgatory between Heaven and Hell That 's Popish Doctrine § 21. and 28. Pr. Art 36. We Q. do believe that the Scripture is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judge nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Tryer of Spirits Answ This being also included in the Qrs. unsound Faith by the Priest we must take it for granted that he believes the Scripture is the Light the Life the Judge †Contrary to Psal 50.6 Isa 33 22. Acts 10.42 Heb. 12.23 James 5.9 the Rule the Guide the Tryer of Spirits which Terms by way of Eminency most properly belonging to God to Christ to the holy Spirit to the divine Light * John 1 c 11.25 c. 14.6 might not the Priest as well have told us that the Scripture is God and Christ § 22 23 § 14 15. Pr. Art 37. We Q. do believe that the People and Teachers are Ignorant of Christ who seek Life in the Scripture where it is not to be found Answ So then this Priest therefore believes that Eternal Life is to be sound in the Scriptures and they who seek it in the Scripture do know and find Christ the Light and Life Eternal therein which is contrary to Christs own Testimony John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye THINK ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come to me that ye might have Life § 22 23. § 14 15. Pr. Art 50. We Q. do believe That they are all Heathens and no Christians who are so baptiz'd i. e. with Water and cannot witness the other Baptism i. e. the Baptism of Christ Answ This Priest then believes that they all are no Heathens but Christians who are Baptized or Sprinkled with Water when Infants though they cannot witness the Baptism of Christ at such an easie rate can he make Christians contrary to Christs own Testimony If I do not wash thee thou hast no part in me and except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God § 16. 25. 29. Pr. Art 51. We Q. do believe that Sacramental Bread so called is Natural that the Cup is such like and that which they call the Lords Supper is a Shadow Answ This being also included in the Qrs. Vnsound Faith we may take it for granted that the Priest does not believe that the Bread and the Cup which they call Sacramental and the Lords Supper are Natural Carnal or Shadow What then that they are Supernatural Spiritual the Substance the Body and Blood of Christ yea That the Bread broken
is with us manifested in the Flesh Answ But this the Priest believes not either of us or any people else for he counts it a high base Doctrine intolerable Blasphemy an abominable Quaking Assertion and all one as to say that they are no less God than himself is Godded with God and Christed with Christ Thus he has exploded such a Doctrine as the Saints partaking of the Divine Nature of Christ as an Abominable Quaking Assertion as his words are more at large aggravated in his 116th page whereby he hath discovered his gross Darkness Blasphemy and Ignorance of the Scripture and Testimony of holy Apostles see 2 Pet 1.3 4. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust But this partaking of the Divine Nature the Priest counts an Abominable Quaking Assertion Quaking Blasphemy c. see now what an Ignorant Blasphemous Person he hath shewn himself one that neither knoweth the Scriptures nor the Power of God See § 30. Pr. Art 63. We Q. do believe that the true Church is where there is one Lord one Light one Life one Priest over the Houshold of God one Hope one Baptism one God and Father of all § 30. Answ Yes we must believe this whether the Priest will believe it or no and if he will not believe it he will not believe as the Scripture faith There should be One Shepherd and One Sheep fold there is One Body and One Spirit even as ye are called by One Hope of your Calling One Lord One Faith One Baptism all which the true Chutch partaketh of Pr. Art 64. We Q. do believe as G. F. writes that the Priests of England are going mad in preaching for Rewards and Gifts in Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning so that Balaam 's Ass may reprove them all Answ And we have no Cause to believe that the Priests of England are going Wise in Preaching for Rewards and Gifts in Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning such as do not put into their Mouthes But it seems this Priest believes they are Wise Priests that preach for Rewards and take these harsh and severe Courses of Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning them that cannot put into their Mouthes But did not Paul confess he was Exceeding Mad when he persecuted For he counts what G. F. has written in this Case one of the Articles of the Qrs. Unsound Faith Pr. Art 75. We Q. do believe that there is a Way to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through John to come to Christ that when a man hath gone this strange Way then he may see that the Light is but one Answ This is a Strange Way to our Adversary the Priest and to all that are alive without the Law but 't was not a Strange Way to the Apostle Paul nor to any true Christian who have traversed those steps of Judgments and through Death and Condemnation under the spiritual Administration of the Law under which the Offenders Mouth is stopt and all the World become guilty before God and the Righteousness of God is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3. And I had not known Sin but by the Law saith Paul Chap. 7.7 And we know that the Law is Spiritual Vers 14. And saith Paul I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.19 20. And therefore he did spiritually pass through the Law And see what Christ saith Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Again he saith Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you do even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Luke 6.31 And this is no strange Way to any true Christian Pr. Art 77. We Q. do believe that Jesus Christ remains in Heaven that the same that did descend did ascend Answ This is also rank't in among his Articles of the Quakers Unsound Faith which plainly reflects upon the Apostle Paul's Testimony Ephes 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Pr. Art 79. We Q. do believe that Christ lives in that Body which is the Church Answ And must this needs be an Unsound Faith too Does not Christ live in his Church To deny this how contrary is it to Christ's and his Apostles Testimonies see John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one And did not he walk in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks which were the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.13 20. And his being in the Heavens and living in his Church are not inconsistent Hebr. 8.1 2. We have an High Priest who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man And where was this Sanctuary and true Tabernacle but in his Church where he lives and ministers to the Edification of all those in whose Hearts Christ dwells by Faith Pr. Art 97. We Q. do believe that all the Teachers of England who are not sent who have no Commission from God who go forth only in the Will of Man that they are no Ministers of Christ that their Doctrine is not from Heaven but men below they teach for Doctrine the Traditions of Men. Answ And how should we believe otherwise of them who have no Commission from God but go forth in the Will of Man how should we believe that they are Ministers of Christ or that they receive their Doctrine or Commission from Heaven * §. 15. If our Adversary will still believe that such unsent Teachers as have no Divine Commission from Heaven are Christ's Ministers he may believe so long enough before the QVAKERS will be of his Faith There are several more things in his Ninety Eight Articles wherein his Ignorance as well as his Falshood appears But I think I have given Instances sufficient to evince both to any impartial and unbyassed Readers as also to Vindicate Truth from his Malicious Perverse and Knavish Attempts for which I leave him to the Just God to Reckon with Judge and Reward him according to his Works