that love him and to them that keep his Commandments WE have sinned and committed Iniquity and have done Wickedly and have Rebelled even by Departing from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments and whilst I was Speaking and Praying and Confessing my Sins and the Sins of my People Israel and presenting my Supplication before the Lord my God c. Dan. 9.4,5,20 Yea John the Evangelist said If we say that we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 Moreover St. Paul himself cried out of a Body of Sin saying For the Good that I would do I do not but the Evil which I would not that I do I find then a Law that when I would do Good Evil is present with me O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am Chief Rom. 7.19,21,24 1 Tim. 1.15 All which Practice is according to Christ's Command and Precept Matth. 6. Luk. 11. who said Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you John 6.23 And when our Brethren the Donatists and Pelagians who professed a sinless Perfection as we do told the Ancient Christians that a constant Practice of Confession implied a constant Course of Sinning St. Augustine replied to them saying Confess always for thou hast Matter always to confess Augustine in p. 99. Tho. Bilney confessed that he was a miserable Sinner And said he therefore with all my Power I teach that all Men should first acknowledge their Sins Fox's Acts and Mon. Ps 467 468. Dr. Robert Barnes said The whole Church prayeth Lord forgive us our Sins Wherefore she hath Spots and Wrinkles but by acknowleding them thro' the Merits of Christ her Wrinkles be scratched out See his Works p. 254. Martin Luther saith But thou wilt say the Church is Holy the Fathers are Holy it is true notwithstanding albeit the Church is Holy yet is she compelled to pray Forgive us our Trespasses So tho' the Fathers are Holy yet are they saved thro' the Forgiveness of Sins See Luther's Commentary upon Gal. p. 36. Next hear what Humble Bradford said to his London Friends John Bradford an Unworthy Servant of the Lord be merciful to our Sins for they are great Let us heartily bewail our Sins repent us of our former Evil Life c. Fox's Acts and Mon. p. 1167. Thus my Well-beloved Friends and Brethren I have shewed you many Instances both of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Primitive Christians and Martyrs who have all along confessed their Sins to God and begg'd Pardon for Jesus Christ's sake and go you but to the Windows or Doors of the Churches and other Christian Assemblies but besure you go no further and you may still hear them i. e. Episcopal Presbyterians Independants and Baptists crying out of a Body of Sin saying They have erred and strayed from the Ways of God from Seven to Seventy as our Brother Father Penn has well observ'd we have done Despite to the Spirit of Grace we have broke thy Commandments we have added to the Guilt of Original Sin by our many and repeated Actual Sins and therefore we prostrate our selves and humbly beg thy Pardon for the alone sake of thy dear Son and our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ our only Advocate and Mediator to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be all Honour Glory and Dominion for ever Amen Truth exalted in a Short but Sure Testimony c. p. 9. Now Friends what a happy thing is this that you need not trouble your selves with any Confession of Sins since you are not like other Men nor like these Publicans And therefore I exhort you to keep to your Ancient Testimony in all the Parts of it make no Confession of Sins nor besure you do not recommend the Practice of it by Word or Writing but keep to our Ancient Practice nor is there any need for our Hearers to follow those Christian Precepts viz. And whatsoever you do in Word or Deed do all in the NAME of the LORD JESUS giving Thanks to God the Father BY HIM whether therefore ye EAT or DRINK or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Col. 3.17 1 Cor. 10.31 Matth. 15.36 First Because the Name Jesus belongs to every Believer I should say Quaker as well as to him that suffer'd at Jerusalem according to our Ancient Testimony A Question to Professors c. p. 20 27 33. Secondly Because you know that we our selves to be seen of Men do make a kind of a Prayer to our Light within when we are at their Tables when Company is present but if alone either at Home or Abroad we seldom give Thanks for our Food and seldomer with our Eyes towards Heaven as Christ did as Stephen did or as the Martyrs did No you know we are of another yea of a different Faith and Practice from all the Ancient Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Holy Confessors and all Christian Churches to this Day being exalted above them for we sit in Heavenly Places singing the Songs of Sion in the Beauty of Holiness without Sin or any Imperfection which all the Recited were chargeable with as imply'd by their Confessions and their relying upon the Merits of another to wit The Man Christ Jesus as believing they shall one Day appear before his Tribunal and be judged by the Law of God recorded in their Scriptures but for our parts we differ from them in all Respects having our whole God within us as safely as the Papists have their Crucifixes in their Pockets And thus much to shew you the great Happiness and Excellency of our Dispensation so no need of Confession according to our Ancient Testimony The Second Inference i. e. The Ten Commandments And Friends whereas the Christians propose to us sometimes the Use of the Ten Commandments whether we own them as a Rule to a Christian Life look into one of my Gospels and you will find it thus written Thou may'st as well ask if the Moral Law or Ten Commandments be a Rule for Christ c. Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 18. Again Ed. Burrough one of our Prophets said That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scripture act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves I challenge to find an Example for it they obey'd every one their own Command Burrough 's Works p. 47. And in Defence of this Position hear what Father Penn says i. e. No Command in the Scripture is any further obliging upon any Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in a Man Quakerism a new Nick-Name c. p. 71. And now that none
tender Ones in their Bodies Souls and Spirits This Language hath mine Ears heard this Practice hath mine Eyes seen to the grief and wounding of my Soul P. 11 12 c. This Witness is true This Spirit of Antichrist in G. Fox c. would wrest from me what I am not willing to part withal to wit my Conscience under no less Penalty than Excommunication c. P. 16. This Witness is true These ill Ministers i. e. G. Fox c. conjoin together to subvert our Laws and Liberties given by the Great Jeâ—ovah And assuredly though they are lifted up as it were into Heaven in their Proud Imaginations the Righteous God will Blast all their Exalted Expectations and they shall Die and Perish in the General Dissolution because they have not regarded the Fatherless nor pitied the poor in Spirit nor compassionated the tender Conscience which feared to Sin against the Lord but Crushed Spoiled and Oppressed without Bowels of Mercy those that had little strength to help themselves invaded their Rights violated their Liberties and endeavoured to take the Meat from the Children and give it unto Dogs P. 26. This Witness is true And although they daily exercise the Oppressions before-mentioned yet by their deceitful Flatteries they make People believe that they are a Harmless Innocent and Peaceable People suffering and bearing wrong but not doing any Or if any Persons write or speak their Grief that the Publick take notice of they will represent them under such terms as may render them odious and the more effectually to weaken their Testimonies they will fix upon them scurrilous and contemptible Appellations as Scotch-men Welch-men Tinker Taylor c. some of them utterly untrue and to prevent an Inquisition into the Truth of the matter they would make People believe that they are Envious Malicious and Discomposed Spirits Bad Dirty Factious and Ranting Spirits who are gone from Truth and are out of Truth This Witness is true Such is the Portion of those that appear in the least against their Imperious Tyrannical and Lascivious Actions and whatever Man detected the Fallacies and destructive Cheats of Imperious and Disdainful Men but was thus reproached Must it be Justice in them to complain of their Oppressions and Envy and Malice c. in us to complain of ours Their Years are but few yet verily they have been exceeding expert in learning of the Papists Subtilties P. 36 37. This Witness is true It appears plainly unto the Just and Righteous Man that G. Fox and the rest of his Counsel have endeavoured to subvert the Royal Law of Liberty and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government over the Consciences of the Flock of God These are the Ravening Wolves which Prey upon the little Ones in a Lordly Spirit This is that envenomed Spirit which hath tainted their Judgments poysoned their Hearts and blinded their Eyes P. 38. And I affirm the Lord did not raise them up to bring us off from the Barren Mountains to feed upon them who are now become a Desart nor from under our Oppressors to turn Oppressors themselves Let them remember the Army it is their Figure ☞ And if the Lord's Anger waxed hot against them for their unfaithfulness what will be the Portion of these who have so deeply Apostatized from clearer Manifestations P. 41. Dear Friend It hath pleased the Lord to raise thee up to bear a Testimony against an Adulterous Tyrannical and an Hypocritical Generation P. 44. W. Mucklowe an Eminent and Ingenious Quaker in a large Letter with abundance more to the same effect Printed 1673. Intituled The Spirit of the Hat c. and is Reprinted this Year 1700. Titled A Bemoaning Letter c. III. THE Day is come that as they have laid open the Deceit Wickedness and Hypocrisie of other Professors that went before them so must their Deceit Wickedness and Hypocrisie be also laid open for the Lord whom I serve is no respecter of Persons This Witness is true Printed 1671. in a Letter to G. F. by J. P. IV. YOur Day into Darkness is turn'd the Sun is gone down over you You have had a large Day and Power given you to have done the Will of God but you have abused the Power and slighted your Day and have refused to do the Lord's Work and have sought your selves and not the Lord Therefore in Justice and Righteousness is the Day wherein you might have wrought for God taken from you and the thick Dark Night of Confusion is come upon you wherein you are groping and stumbling and cannot Work The Decree is gone out and sealed against you and it cannot be recalled you are not the Men as ye stand in whom God will appear to work deliverance for his People and yet deliverance shall come but as for you ye have rejected the Counsel of the Lord and grieved his Spirit and he hath long born you yea you are departed from the Lord and his presence is departed from you Indeed he hath Hewed with you and if you had been faithful to the end he would have honoured and prospered you and have been your sufficient reward ye were his Ax but ye have boasted your selves against him therefore as you have Hewed and Broken others even so must you be Hewed and Broken This was Printed 1673. and Reprinted 1677 8 1692 and 1696. directed for the Preachers and Leaders of the People called Quakers By J. P. V. WHat will you do You Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites you that have been long making clean the outside of the Cup and Platter but inwardly are as Ravening Wolves your Fruits will make you manifest You Hypocrites your Name will be a stink among the Heathen for the Lord will find you out whose Glory he will not give to any other nor his Honour to any of your Graven Images my Soul loaths all your false Covers I cannot but declare against all your false Ways M. D. an Ancient Quaker and is Printed in a Letter to G. F. 1682. VI. I Being ingaged as well as some others to manifest and lay open deceitful Workers and Hypocrites I am farther to appear to manifest thee to be one of the greatest Hypocrites and Deceivers in this Nation and until thou own thy Condemnation and leave off Deceiving the People assuredly the Sword that 's now drawn is not to be nor must not be sheath'd till thou and such Deceivers as thou art be brought down This Witness is true In a large Letter to G. F. by J. P. 1674 5. and Printed 1682 1691 and 1696. VII THe Day is come and now is that the hidden things of Esau's Nature are to be and must be brought to Light See Quakers Unmask'd c. Title Page writ to G. Fox G. Whitehead c. 1677. and Printed 1682 and 1691. VIII AND let G. Fox and those that uphold him remember that it was Jeroboam the Son of Nebat that caused Israel to Sin and as his Name was Branded to Posterity so shall theirs
Chap. 11.4 See also The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life Part 1. Page 60 to 70. Well I say let us hear what the Commands of the Quakers are That whoever amongst them pleads for their Liberty whether to obey or not to obey are Ranters Rebels and what not See his Brief Examination c. Page 11. And this I affirm from the Understanding I have received of God not only that the Enemy is at work to scatter the Minds of Friends by that loose Plea What hast thou to do with me Leave me to my Freedom and to the Grace of God in my self and the like But this Proposition and Expression as now understood and alledged is a Deviation from and a Perversion of the Antient Principle of Truth For this is the plain Consequence of this Plea If any one shall say I see no Evil in paying Tythes to Hireling Priests in that they are not claimed by Divine Right but by the Civil Laws of the Land I see no Evil saith another in marrying by the Priest for he is but a Witness I see no Evil saith a third in declining a Publick Testimony in Suffering-Times for I have Christ 's and Paul 's Example I see no Evil saith a fourth in respecting the Persons of Men for whatever others do I intend a sincere Notice that I take of those I know I see no Evil faith a fifth in keeping my Shop shut upon the World's Holy-Days Fast-Days for I would not willingly give Offence to my Neighbours c. Reader I have been the larger on this Quotation because it may evidently appear beyond all their Glossing that like the Pharisees their Forefathers they make void the Commands of God by exalting their own Traditions above them saying None are any further obliged to obey the Commands of God in the Holy Scripture than they are convinced or perswaded by their Light to obey but their own Commands such as not paying Tythes not marrying with a Priest not putting off the Hat not shutting up their Shop-Windows on Holy-Days and Fast-Days this is highly Criminal to plead their Liberty in these Things is Ranterism and Rebellion To confirm this George Whitehead said in Answer to a Minister's Question i. e. Is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments a Rule to the Christian's Life or is it not Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 18. I answer says G. W. thou might as well ask If the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ For the Christian's Life and Rule is Christ c. meaning the Light within Quest to Professors c. p. 27. And this is much like Is Pennington who said That the Name JESUS and CHRIST belong to every Member as WELL as to the Head and if so Whitehead is in the right on 't they might as well indeed carry the Ten Commandments to Christ as to the Quakers For on their own Hypothesis there is as much Reason for the Quakers Love to be equal with Christ if not above him See p. 10. What is attributed to that Body meaning the Son of Mary we acknowledge and give to that Body in its Place according as the Scripture attributeth it which is THROUHG and BECAUSE of THAT which dwelt and acted IN IT but that which sanctify'd and kept the Body pure (e) Mark kept Christ's Body pure and made all acceptable in him was the Life Holiness and Righteousness of the Spirit and the same THING which kept his Vessel pure it is the same THING that cleanseth us the Value which the Natural Flesh and Blood of Christ had was from THAT in its coming from THAT in its acting in THAT in its suffering thro' THAT p. 33. Now the Scriptures doth expresly distinguish between CHRIST and the GARMENT which he wore between HIM that came and the BODY in which he came between the SUBSTANCE which was VAILED and the VAIL which VAILED it there is plainly HE and the BODY in which HE came there was the OUTWARD VESSEL and the INWARD LIFE This we certainly know and can never call the BODILY GARMENT CHRIST (f) Viz. They can never call the Son of Mary Christ but THAT which appeared and dwelt IN the BODY Now if ye indeed know the CHRIST of God tell us plainly what THAT is which appeared in the Body whether THAT was not the Christ before IT took up the Body after IT took up the Body and for ever I am the larger on this Head to shew first George Whitehead's Pride in saying That the Commandments of God might as well be carried to Christ as the Quakers next that the Christ which the Quakers own only is the Light or Spirit which was in Christ and is in them lastly that they can never call him that was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary Christ but a Vail or Garment an Outward Vessel and the like Compare the last Quotation to G. W.'s Sermon And for more of this Tendency I refer to George Whitehead's Sermon hereafter expressed c. Having by this time shewed That the Quakers have rejected the Government and Guidance of the Light in the Particular to be sufficient but that the Light in the Particular must vail to the Light in the Body or Church I am now come to set forth their Authority for it which was the Sentence and Judgment of their Synod held at London May 1666. The Sentence of their London Synod 1666. Contracted First We having a true discerning of the Working of that Spirit which under a Profession of Truth leads into a Division from or Exaltation above the BODY of Friends who never Revolted from their Principles from the constant Practice of good ancient Friends who are sound in the Faith once delivered to US (h) (h) 'T is well they tacitly confess it is not the Faith once delivered to the Saints We do unanimously declare and testifie That neither that Spirit nor those that are joined to it ought to have any Dominion Office or Rule in the Church of God Secondly We do declare and testifie That the Spirit and those who are joined to it who stand not in Unity with the Ministry and Body of Friends have not any true Spiritual Right nor Gospel Authority to be Judges in the Church and of the Ministry so as to condemn them or their Ministry neither ought their Judgment any more to be regarded by Friends than the Judgment of any other Opposers which are without for of Right the Elders and Members of the Church ought to judge Matters and Things which differ and their Judgment which is given to stand good and valid amongst Friends And we do further declare and testifie That it is abominable Pride which goeth before Destruction which so puffs up the Mind of any PARTICULAR that he will not admit of any Judgment to take place against him FOR HE THAT IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WITNESS OF GOD IN FRIENDS IS CONDEMNED BY IT IN HIMSELF New Rome exactly Thirdly If any Difference arise
in the Church or amongst them that profess to be Members thereof WE do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ HAVE POWER WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF SUCH WHO DISSENT FROM THEIR DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE TO HEAR AND DETERMINE THE SAME All Property is now lost unless there be Conformity and Submission like the Star-Chamber and High Court of Justice c. And if any pretend to be of us and in Case of Controversie will not admit to be TRIED by the Church i. e. the Body nor SUBMIT to the JUDGMENT given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their Judgment as only the Judgment of Man WE testifie in the Name of the Lord That if any Judgment so given be risen against and denied by the Party condemned then He or She ought to be rejected as having erred from the Truth and persisting therein presumptuously are joined in ONE with Heathens and Infidels George Whitehead Josiah Coale Stephen Crisp John Moone Thomas Loe Thomas Greene John Whitehead Thomas Briggs James Parke Alexander Parker Rich. Farnsworth c. Having by this time shewed First How our Teachers in order to bring us over to them and to decoy us told us the Light within was a sufficient Guide Teacher and Leader even sufficient to lead to Salvation yea above Scriptures above Fathers above Councils and above Churches I have in the last Instance shewed the Fallacy of their so early and smooth Pretences and that from the beginning they have been a false perfidious and treacherous Tribe of Deceivers as ever the World produced Well now they appear plainly to be a Body and I having found who is the Head of this Body namely George Fox it will not be amiss to recite the Quakers Creed and his Commandments which whatever Quaker do not submit to convinced or not convinced of the Reasonableness of their Obedience it 's now plainly seen what will befall them I need not Comment upon the recited Canon Creed Fox's Commandments nor their Zeal to maintain them as their Ancient Principles altho' God's Commandments by Moses the Apostles Creed and all the Scripture the Quakers slight and reject as not to be read in their Meetings not to be taught their Children nay so proud is G. Whitehead that he tells you as above The Jews might as well have carried them to Christ in the Days of his Flesh Viz. the Ten Commandments for him to learn observe and obey them as for the Christians to carry them to the Quakers to learn observe and obey them Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 18. For saith he What is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Bible and Chapters are and greater Burroughs Works p. 47. This is the Tenure and Purport of his Doctrine and I do affirm it 's right Quakerism For Edw. Burroughs said That was no Command from God to me what he Commands to another And W. Penn confirms the whole saying No Command in Scriptures is any further obliging upon ANY Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in Man c. Quakerism a New Nick-name for old c. p. 71. But for their poor infatuated Disciples to plead whether to conform or not whether to obey or not the Commands of G. Fox i. e. not paying Tythes not to be Married with a Priest not to put off the Hat not to open their Shops on Feasts or Fast-Days I say to plead to be left to their Freedom herein and the Grace of God in their Hearts Oh! no Says W. Penn This is a dangerous Principle this is a pernicious Plea this is perfect Ranterism VVhat to have Liberty whether to obey the Commands of the Body given out by the Head thereof This is wicked indeed as by their Yearly Epistle above-recited is plain However I shall recite both the Quakers Creed and the Commands of G. Fox Viz. 1. The Quakers Creed WE believe that the Light within us is the True and Eternal God which Created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can save and thereupon we believe we are endued with the Almighty Power of God and thereby have wrought Miracles and conclude we are equal to God and that our Speaking is of greater Authority than the Bible VVe believe our Light within is Jesus Christ the Son of God the Man Christ Jesus to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed tho' we cannot believe that this our Light within to whom we direct our Disciples to expect Salvation by was ever crucified by Nailing to a Cross nor that he Died or was Buried nor that he was Buffered Spitted upon Smote with the Palms of the Hands of the Jews for he never was seen with Carnal Eyes nor that he Rose from the Dead the Third Day nor that he Ascended in the Sight of the Galileans into Heaven and there Sit at the Right Hand of God but that all Apostate Christians that so teach are false Ministers nor do we believe that our Light within shall come at the last Day to judge both Quick and Dead For the Light within us is the Judge and the Book is opened within the Sentence of Death and Judgment is pronounced within from the Mouth of our Light within against every idle VVord and all the Deeds of the Body within and Judgment is executed within and the flaming Sword within which proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lamb i. e. our Light within which will cast thee into Hell within where is weeping and wailing within sealed down under the Wrath of God's Eternal Judgment within We believe the Light within us is the Holy Ghost and that these three are one and not distinguishable and that such as talk of three Persons in the Godhead like Conjurers are to be shut up with their three Persons they dream of which they would divide out of one in perpetual Darkness in the Lake and the Pit That the Scripture which the Apostate Christians build their Faith upon for this their Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is a rotten Foundation yea Dust Death and Serpents Meat and therefore their Ministers that tell their People the Scriptures are the Word of God are Deceivers For the Father Son and Spirit the World and their Teachers call three Persons but they speak they know not what therefore believe them not We believe our selves the only Catholick Church and Elect People of God and that none are in the Truth but we our selves We never did in any of our printed Books or printed Prayers from 1560 to 1690 make any Confession of Sin nor ask Pardon of God for Jesus Christ's sake who was Born of the Virgin and why We testifie that the outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem was
BLOOD OF ANOTHER SAINT his INTENT (s) George Jesuit-like is excellent at directing the Intention WAS as to Papists and you whose Minds are Carnal who oppose the Light within and ALSO SIMPLY as to the ESSENCE of the BLOOD c. See his Book i. e. the Light and Life of Christ within c. Printed 1668. Thus much by way of G. Whitehead's Interpretation of Solomon's Words and Meaning which I take to be a fair Confession of the Charge of Blasphemy exhibited by Mr. Burnet But to confirm the Reader that the Quakers are defective in the Faith of the Christians in general I will shew another Passage of the same Kind thereby shewing the Quakers Harmony about the Body of Christ from another of their eminent Authors viz. So now this Christ was before the World began and was a Seed †i. e. A Principle within before any Name was given to it who in Process of time was Born of a Virgin but none knows him born or ever shall but of a Virgin he that hath Ears let him hear be thou Man but the Virgin the Power of the most High shall overshadow thee and that HOLY THING which shall be Born of Thee shall be called the Son of God and saith Christ a Body hast thou prepared for me mark the Distinction thou me and a Body this me that spake in the Body was the Christ They his Disciples loved his Person for the sake of the Frame and Quality of the Spirit that dwelt in Him or else what was his Person to them more than another Person But for that that dwelt in him they loved him let none mistake I do not slight it nor the Person of any of his Brethren or Children as they are prepared to do the Will of their Father (t) As the Blood of Christ so the Body of Christ hath by their Doctrine no Preference above the Body and Blood of another Saint c. W. Bayly's Works p. 291. And hereupon they do not only deny Christ even the Lord that bought them as in my Book Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. I have shewed beyond all their Glossing but also how they thereby take occasion to magnifie THEMSELVES their OWN Blood their OWN Sufferings as I shall yet briefly shew For saith Isaac Pennington The Name Jesus and Christ belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head A Question to Professors c. p. 20 27. Again saith Josiah Coale His Edward Burroughs's Blood will be upon you as the Blood of a Thousand Men Jos Coale's Epistle to E. Burroughs's Works c. Again saith Thomas Speed Do not rashly draw your Swords against those harmless ones i. e. Quakers whom your bloody Teachers cloath and represent to you in the ugly Garb of Blasphemers remember that the Son of God who suffered at Jerusalem was not Crucified by the strict Religious as an innocent or just Man but as a Blasphemer be not therefore prevailed with to release Barabbas (v) For the Name Jesus belonged to the Believing Quakers as well as to Christ the Head and so the whole Paralle holds good and give over Jesus to be Crucified to gratifie the Murtherous Appetite either of the Priests or the Multitude considering that tho' you may with Pilate wash your Hands and to those Eyes that are dazled with Fury against innocent Jesus i. e. the Quakers appear clear from his Blood yet before the pure Eyes of the Lord will the condemning Stain thereof be found upon YOU so fresh THAT YOU WILL BY NO MEANS BE THENCE CLEANSED BUT BY THE SAME BLOOD WHICH YOU SO CRUELLY SHED See The Guilty covered Clergy-Man c. p. 16 17. Again see Burroughs's Works p. 273. The Suffering of the People of God call'd Quakers in this Age is a GREATER Suffering and MORE unjust than in the Days of CHRIST or of the APOSTLES or in ANY time SINCE what was done to CHRIST and the APOSTLES was CHIEFLY done by a LAW and in a GREAT Part by the DUE EXECUTION of a Law c. Now to close up this Head let us hear what Father Penn says for none of them all express themselves more full to the Point in Hand viz. See The Christian Quaker and his Divine Testimony c. p. 107. To conclude We tho' this general Victory was obtained and Holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that the efficient and chiefest Cause was the Light and Life (x) Within p. 102. so that the Invisible Life was the Root and Fountain of all which is sometimes ascribed in the Scriptures to the Body by that common Figure or Way of speaking amongst Men the thing containing which is the Body for the thing contained which is the Life p. 209. Nevertheless not to the Body but to that Holy Light and Life therein (y) As in the Quaker's Body c. is chiefly ascribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but instrumentally p. 97 98. The Serpent is a Spirit now nothing can bruise the Head of the Serpent but something that is Spiritual but if that BODY of CHRIST were the SEED (z) Mark here Christ the promised Seed Gen. 3.14 the Son of David of Mary is plainly denied to be the Christ of God then could he not Bruise the Serpent's Head in all because the BODY of CHRIST is not so much as in any one †Yes by Faith Read Acts 4.10,12 Luke 2.11 and consequently the Seed of the Promise is an Holy Principle of Light and Life that being received into the HEART bruiseth the Serpent's Head AND BECAUSE THE SEED WHICH CANNOT BE THAT BODY IS CHRIST as testifie the Scripture The Seed is one and that Seed is Christ They are false Ministers that Preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above Smith's Primer p. 8. But they that are Christ's Ministers Preach Christ within Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your Carnal Christ is utterly denied that this Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie c. The Sword of the Lord drawn p. 5. Reader I have taken in enough to shew the Marrow of the Quaker's Divinity and the Harmony of their Antient Testimonies And they tell you in a late Print That God is the same Truth is the same his People the same their Principles are the same c. The People call'd Quakers cleared c. p. 7. And in another Our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People Primitive Christianity c. p. 53. Printed 1698. So that there needs no Comment only for further Satisfaction I refer to my former Books New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation Shaken c. New Rome Arraign'd and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. The Snake in the Grass c. Satan Disrobed
this Jealous Dividing and Rending Spirit that hath appeared in Strise and open Contention against thy Servants Thou knowest the Integrity of my Soul * * * Compare G. W.'s Ser. Apol. p. 4 5. with the Epistle and Page 19 317 357. of his Judgment fixed c. and it will shew this Prayer not only Pharisaical but deep Hypocrisie especially adding p. 72. of his Coun◠Conv. c. where he tells you He can see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet mean the same thing c. Thou hast endued me with a Christian Spirit with Faith Patience and Rejoicing under all my Sufferings yet thou hast endued me also with the Spirit of Righteous Judgment Understanding and Zeal and hast raised me up †††As he did Pharaoh in Defence of thy Gospel So I recommend all to thee to manifest the end of all and to plead and justifie my Cause it being thy own Cause Amen Amen saith my Soul Geo. Whitehead CHAP. XIV The Cage of Vnclean Birds opened the Idolatrous Practices Blasphemous Principles and Vicious Enormities of the Quakers laid open which may be compar'd with Pope Leo X. Reader BY the foregoing Chapter you have a View of the high Value the Quakers set upon themselves and their Ancient Testimony and how they Debase all Christian Churches as the Whore the false Church the Mother of Harlots even all First All that Sprinkle Children and tell People it is Baptism and thereby an Ordinance of Christ G. Fox's Primer p. 48. Secondly All that Preach Christ without as he is in Heaven at God's Right Hand Smith's Primer c. p. 8. Thirdly All that do Study the Scriptures and Preach out of them Saul's Errand c. p. 7. Fourthly All that will not Fast with the Quakers who are in the Truth saith Solomon Eccles and that none are in the Truth but they The Quakers Challenge c. p. 3 6. Fifthly All that pay or receive Tythes An Antidote c. p. 78. Sixthly All that take Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel viz. Glad Tidings and the Scriptures for their Rule G. Fox's Epistle to be read in Steeple-Houses c. p. 2 3 4 5. Nay W. Penn and Whitehead adds That a Mountebank is an honest Man to a Parson that such Wickedness as Debauchery Drunkenness and Whoredom more suiteth the Spirits of his i. e. Priests own Fraternity the Priests both Episcopal and Presbyterian whose known Drunkenness and Whoredoms c. would fill Volumes to describe Hear W. Penn again p. 165. Had James Nayler's Words been Ten Thousand times more significant earnest and sharp against that cursed bitter Stock of Hirelings they had been but enough and I would then say not enough but that the Reverence I bear to the Holy Spirit would oblige me to acquiesce in whatever he should utter thro' any Prophet or Servant of the Lord * This Jam. Naylor W. Penn's Prophet is the Person that was Hosanna'd into Bristol and Sam. Cater now a Preacher amongst them then leading his Horse and we have nothing for them but Woes and Plagues who have made drunk the Nations and laid them to Sleep on the Downey Beds of soft sin-pleasing Principles whilst they have cut their Purses and pick'd their Pockets Tophet's prepared for them to act their Eternal Tragedy upon whose Scenes will be renewed direful anguishing Woes of an Eternal Irreconcileable Justice c. Ser. Apol. Dedicated to the King's Lieutenant in Ireland c. p. 2 22 127 156. Again saith the same W. Penn in his Book The Guide Mistaken c. p. 18. And whilst the Idle Gormandizing Priests of England run away with above Fifteen Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year under Pretence of being God's Ministers and that no sort of People have been so universally thro' Ages the very Bane of Soul and Body to the Universe as that abominable Tribe for whom the Theatre of God's most Dreadful Vengeance wait to act their Eternal Tragedy upon Well let us hear W. Penn once more what he saith of the Teachers of the Presbyterians Independants Baptists c. Quakerism a New Nick-name c. p. 165. viz. An Ill-bred and Pedantick Crew the Bane of Reason and Pest of the World the old Incendiaries to Mischief and the best to be spared of Mankind against whom the Boiling of an irritated God is ready to be poured out to the Destruction of such if they repent not c. Quakerism a New Nick-name c. p. 165. Reader You see here is nothing but Hell and Damnation for the Ministers of all Christian Societies Pray let us hear their Opinion of the Church of England in general and that may give their Sense of all other Churches since I see they make little if any Difference of their Teachers viz. And as for the Purity of the Church of England it 's out of our Sight we can see a great deal of Impurity Corruption and Soul-sickness in it Indeed they say enough of themselves to cause all wholsome sound understanding People to shun them and their Church and Worship as Men shun a Contagious Disease or Infection c. The Innocency and Conscientiousness of the Quakers c. p. 7. Printed 1664. To which let me add but one Passage more tho' I might One Hundred of Mr. Penn's who can express himself as well and as much according to the Quakers Ancient Testimony as any Man amongst thern And briefly thus viz. Come tell me ye of the Church of England whence came your Forms of Prayer and Church-Government Are they not the Off-spring of that Idolatrous Popish Generation * By this who would have thought Mr. Penn had been so near of Kin to them as his latter Writings set forth See A Brief Hist of Quakerism c. p. 44 to 58 103 to 120. which is abominable to the God of Heaven Are you not at Have mercy upon us miserable Sinners There is no Health in us from Seven to Seventy Truth Exalted c. p. 9. Reader W. Penn tells his Reader in his Ser. Apol. c. p. 79. That his designed Method in his Answer is not the common Road of Printing his Adversaries Words at large on all Occasions so I tell thee yet in many Cases I recite the whole However by this time you have not only an Account of the high Value the Quakers set upon themselves as in the former Chapter but of their debasing the Protestant Ministers and Churches as a pack of Drunkards Whoremongers with an Et-caetera worse than Mountebanks a cursed bitter Stock of Hirelings a Pedantick Crew the best to be spared of Mankind against whom the Boiling Vengeance of God is reserved c. and who deserve nothing but Plagues and Woes Hell and Damnation yea Pick-pockets Cut-purses c. that the People ought to shun as a Pest-house with too much of that Nature to be here inserted especially adding what in The Picture of Quakerism c. is set forthron this Head And does
the Kingdom c. p. 4. Several Papers given out for spreading Truth c. Ninthly In teaching That if Christ that 's Crucified be not within and that Christ that 's Risen be not within I say that ye are Reprobates Now I say that if there be any other Christ than he that 's Crucified within he is a false Christ and he that hath not this Christ that was Risen and Crucified within is a Reprobate Tho' Devils and Reprobates make a Talk of him without God's Christ is not Distinct from his Saints nor his Body the Church for he is within them not Distinct from their Spirits And thou say'st thou art saved by Christ without thee and so hath recorded thy self a Reprobate and they that profess Christ without them and another Christ within them here is two Christs G. Fox 's Great Mystery c. p. 206 207 250 254. And to confirm this false Doctrine see Edw. Burrough's Answer to a Question and William Smith's to his Child which are as followeth Query Is that very Man said the Minister to Burrough with that very Body within you Yea or Nay Burrough Answers The very Christ of God is within us we dare not deny him Burtongh 's Works p. 149. Query How may I know when Christ is truly Preached W. Smith's Answer They that are false Ministers Preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above But they that are Christ's Ministers Preach Christ within c. Smith 's Primer c. p. 8. Now Reader if this Doctrine be sound and Orthodox then were all the Apostles Martyrs and all Christian Ministers false Teachers and Deceivers but if this Doctrine be Heterodox then the Quakers only are the false Teachers Deceivers and Antichrists W. Penn also is one with Fox Burrough and Smith See his Christian Quaker and Div. Test p. 97 98. and his Sandy Foundation p. 21. Tenthly G. Fox speaking of his own Rise out of the North gives his Book this Title News coming up out of the North sounding towards the South written by Fox from the Mouth of the Lord from one who is Naked and stands Naked before the Lord cloathed with Righteousness whose Name is not known in the World risen out of the North which was prophesied of †Query by what Prophet and now fulfilled Thus much briefly touching this Blasphemous Bird which being the Master of the Assembly and first Founder of this Sect he shall not be of the Number of the Twelve intended viz. Six of each sort which now shall follow in their Order the first Six being of the same Feather witnessing to their Forerunner and great Apostle who tho' he once said he had a Celestial Body * Before two credible Witnesses one being still alive that he had Power to binde and loose whom he pleased yet his Body proved an Earthly one and is dead and gone and for some Years whilst living amongst them was like a Statue or an insensible Image which could scarce see or understand being grown Corpulent and in bulk of two or three Men and so dosed away his time with strong Liquors and Brandy who left these Words for W. Rogers John Raunce Anne Docwra and others who had opposed his Tyranny and Usurpation viz. And as for this Spirit of Rebellion and Opposition that hath risen formerly and lately it is out of the Kingdom of God and Heavenly Jerusalem and is for Judgment and Condemnation with all its Books Words and Works †This was Printed in their Yearly Epistle 1691. and Reprinted in Fox's Journal 1694. p. 616. Now observe how this Fox is ador'd Burrough the First Bird of the Blasphemous Six See their Book This is only to go amongst Friends p. 19. viz. Oh thou North of England who art counted as Desolate and Barren and reckoned the least of the Nations yet out of thee did the Branch Fox spring and the Star Fox arise which gives Light unto all the Regions round about in thee the Son of Righteousness Fox appear'd out of thee Kings Priests and Prophets did come forth in the Name and Power of the most High meaning Hubberthorn Howgil Burrough Farnsworth Nayler Atkinson Whitehead c. which uttered their Voices as Thunders c. Thus has Burrough ecchoed back and confirmed Fox his Imposture saying Amen to his Blasphemy alluding to Micah 5.2 to Matth. 2.5,6 as more largely handled in my Book New Rome Unmask'd c. p. 79 to 88. and New Rome Arraigned c. p. 5 6 7. And I marvel at Whitehead's Impudence to deny it In his Sober Exp. p. 57 58. but to make it clear and past his Exception if possible let 's take out more Birds but he that will deny Burrough's Book to have this Title This is only to go amongst Friends which is the only and all the Title and which Book I have by me what will not such a Fellow deny Jos Coale the Second Bird. Dear Geo. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting many again to a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou Geo. Fox Rulest and Governs in Righteousness And Thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without End Read Numb 24.17,19 Zech. 3.8 cap. 6. v. 12. Malachi 4.2 Luke 1.32,33 Isai 9.6,7 Thus then it is plain That both Burrough and Coale call'd G. Fox comparatively the Branch the Son of Righteousness yea Christ Sol. Eccles the Third Bird. Several Petitions Answer'd c. p. 60. Stand up Muggleton thou Sorcerer whose Mouth is full of Cursing Lies and Blasphemy who calls thy last Book a Looking-Glass for Geo. Fox whose NAME thou art not worthy to take into thy Mouth who is a Prophet indeed and hath been faithful in the Lord's Business from the beginning It was said of Christ that he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not John 1.10 So it may be said of this true Prophet Geo. Fox whom John said he was not Several Petitions Answer'd c. p. 60. but thou wilt feel this Prophet one Day as heavy as a Millstone upon thee and altho' the World knows him not * See the first Instance of the Ten about Fox yet he is known c. The Quak. Chal. p. 6. Thus do they all agree that Fox is their Star their Branch c. For if he be Christ as Eccles saith if he had a Kingdom established of whose Encrease there never was to be an end as Coale said then he was Christ and so the Branch the Star c. as Burrough said and indeed as they all mean else they would condemn these Blasphemous Books but instead thereof this Letter of Coale's is vindicated in their Book Judas and the Jews p. 44. in
long been seen to lye hid amongst that Tribe called the Ministry the Teachers and Leaders of the Quakers even such Spiritual Wickedness which if practised amongst Presbyterians Independents or others whom ye disown and can see nothing in them that is good they would abhor themselves therein which you as with a Whore's Forehead boldly maintain and defend You are in truth those that justifie your selves before Men but God knoweth your Hearts and the Day is at Hand even at your very Door which will Discover Reveal and Preach as upon the House-tops many and great Abominations which yet lye hid amongst you that so you may be judged according to your Deeds This Witness is true as St. Paul said Tit. 1.12,13 I am constrained contrary to my Nature to plead like a Man of Contention against this Proud Pharisaical and Perverse Generation this Leviathan and Crooked Serpent in whose Nostrils unless a Hook be put would swallow not only the Rivers but also the very Sea into himself viz. Receive all tho' never so unclean in Heart and Spirit if outwardly they will but own him receive his Mark Of Thee and Thou and the Hat and walk in outward Observation and Shew conformable to them who while they profess themselves free from Sin and being the only Children of GOD are notwithstanding found bitter Persecutors of the Truth and Enemies to the Unction the Anointed One in whomsoever he doth appear thereby rendring themselves guilty of all the Innocent Blood which hath been spilt from the Blood of Righteous Abel even to this Day All which Blood cryeth aloud for Vengeance upon the well-favoured Harlot Mystery Babylon who in the Golden Cups and goodly Shew of an outward Profession hath inwardly with a bitter ravening and devouring Spirit made her self Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus This Witness is true I have observed that those that forsake Father and Mother the Sect that nourish'd and brought them forth to follow the Lord fully and Holy as did Caleb Joshua and Jesus c. not minding their own Reputations or Fame not loving their Lives to the Death such I say have been accounted as in all Ages so by this Hypocritical Proud Self-righteous Generation as the worst of Men calling them Ranters Atheists Blasphemers Devils any thing even all manner of Evil so they may wound the Truth and slay the Innocent Defenders thereof whose harmless Souls I see lying under the Altar of Truth sorely oppressed for their Testimony thereunto and crying out How long Lord God Holy and True will it be e're thou dost Judge and Revenge our Blood For whose Elect sake the God of my Salvation will suddenly arise and behold Enmity Lies and Falshood c. even all that Spirit of Wickedness will surely fly hide it self and sink again into the bottomless Pit from whence it came They care not whom they slander or what Lies they tell so they may Advance Strengthen and increase their Party and Sect. By all which it evidently appears that the Spirit of Deceit and Falshood is crept in and doth inhabit amongst this People You are now like that Evil Spirit cast out running to and fro walking in the dry places of your Elders Traditions those you call good Old Friends seeking rest but never shall find any so long as Balack and Balaam that bitter Spirit leads to Curse whom God will surely Bless and bring over you for ye must fall and with Haman Saul and Herod be insnared and taken even in the same Pit of cruel Deceit which you have digged for your Innocent Brethren and herein for some time will the Faith and Patience of the Saints be exercised Thus am I clear from the Blood of all Men in that I have not ceased both by Words and Writing to forewarn of the coming of this Antichrist among the Quakers who for more than Ten Years last past have been that poor Ass speaking as with Man's Voice reproving and withstanding the Madness of this Lying Wrathful Bitter Persecuting Spirit knowing right well when it entred and You thereby came to reject the Lord that he should not Reign over You by his Spirit of Light and Love but rather chose to your selves a King for to Judge and Rule You who was not the Unction nor the Anointed of the Lord nor yet the Olive Fig nor Vine that could heal rejoice or bind you up but the Bramble and King of the bottomless Pit that shall so Rend Tear and Devour you till not one Stone shall be left upon another which thing tell G. F. that Fox your King By what is written you may see how this high and Luciferian People the Quakers who for their Shew and Numbers have been as the Stars of Heaven and who for their Pride and Enmity are to be cast down whose fall is the Riches of the World So that the first in Profession are now become the last in Possession of the Kingdom which standeth not in Words nor yet in Outward Appearances but in Humility and Love unfeigned yea in Righteousness Peace and Joy c. The foregoing Passages are taken out of Robert Riche's Letters which were Printed 1669 and Reprinted 1676 7 He was a Merchant and was one of the Eminentest and Ancientest Quaker that Lived in London I know says R. R. G. F. is raised up of God for this very end to Try Refine and Purifie many as Pharaoh was and tho' many fall in the Tryal under his Power yet many will be delivered into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God I likewise see that daily more and more will fall off from that Body and that some that separate from them will with Daniel stand in their Lot and follow the Lord in the Spirit of the Lamb more fully than they have done These two last Paragraphs was Printed in 1680. P. 19. II. HOW low and humble were they i. e. Quakers in their Spirits in the beginning How few were they in Words Their Yea was Yea and their Nay Nay Ah! let me take up a Lamentation How are the Mighty fallen How have the Stars ceased to give their Light How are the Poor distressed and the Young Ones bruised by the high Mountains and lofty Cedars whose Habitations were once in Heaven but now upon the high Places of the Earth to impose upon the Conscience and to establish an Arbitrary Power by a Law These are the Armed Beasts and the many Antichrists which break the Unity in Spirit and the Bond of Peace P. 10. The Foxonian-Unity is to yield Subjection to the Order of the Body so called though no manifestation within And this Unity they glory in by this is their Kingdom upheld from this they are able to boast Who is able to make War with us Who can stand before us Do not all fall that are risen up against us Are not these the high-swelling words of Proud Babel whose tow'ring Thoughts must be abased Whose practice hath been to crush the