of the Spirit of Christ in his inward parts which all ought to obey and submit unto For the persecuting Jews who were uncircumcised in heart and ears and did alwaies resist the holy Ghost they professed as great zeal for God and his cause as the Apostate Christians now do and they looked for the coming of the Messiah of whom all the Prophets prophesied and profest they would adore him and reverence him c. and said that if they had been in the daies of their fathers they would not have slain the Prophets Mat. 23.31 who prophesied of the coming of Christ and so they had seemingly a great zeal for God and his truth But alas a murdering spirit was found in them for notwithstanding they professed that they would not have killed the Prophets yet they killed the Son who was the end of the Prophets And although the Prophets signified the time when Dan. 9.24 and the place where the Messiah should be born Mic. 5 2. yet when he was come according to the Prophets which they profest These professing Jews would not own him nor receive him Joh. 1.11 because he reproved their hypocrisie and their murdering spirit Joh. 8.40 But they crucified and slew him And this is the very state of the Apostate Christians at this day for who is there now amongst them but wiâ—l profess as great love to Christ as the Jews in Christs dayes did to the Prophets who prophesied of him who is there now amongst them but will say had we been in Pilats daies we would not have crucified Christ nor delivered him up to be crucified aâ— the Jews said of the Prophets yet notwithstanding their so saying they do as the Jews did for now in this day of his spiritual appearance which they professe they look for and expect they are found persecuting of him in his Members under the same pretence that the Jews persecuted him in their day viz. as a Blasphemer c. And so the Persecutors were in all ages bâ—inded by the god of the world who was a murtherer from the beginning and though they could see the iniquities of their fathers and predecessors in persecuting and killing the Prophets yet the envy of their hearts was such that they could not see their own iniquities in persecuting and slaying the son who was greater than the servants whom their fathers slew so as I said before it is not a profession of Christ and his Ordinances or zeal for his cause that makes people true Christians neither is God worshipped upon any of those mountains where the persecuting and destroying one another is but the worship of God consisteth in obedience to that spiâ—it of truth which condemns all those works of darknesse and cruelty and in his own mountain of holinesse where nothing hurts nor destroys Isa 11.9 And such is the Father now seeking to worship him that will worship him there and is now gathering his sheep from off the barren mountains upon which the Whore siâ—s where they have been scattered in the dark and cloudy day of Antichrists reign and where the wars and fightings are even to his own holy mountain where they shall learn war no more Isa 2.4 And this is the work that the envious and murtherous one opposeth and bestirrâ— himself with all his force and might in his instruments of cruelty and men of war arming of them with all kind of weapons that possibly he can form to fight against this appearance and work of God for so it hath been that since we who are reproachfully called Quakers were raised up to be a people to bear testimony for the name of the Lord and of the working of his spirit and power we have alwayes been even as a But for all the Archers of Babylon even from every mountain to shoot at And our sufferings hath not been only in our persons and estates as the spoyling of our goods and scourgings and cruel mockings and imprisonments many unto death as this Nation to her anguish must be made to know but even all sorts of Babylons Meâ—chants or they that trades in every part of her or within her subburbs have oft made it their business to write and print against us endeavouring thereby as much as in them lay to render us odious to our own Nation and to Nations about us under pretence that we were Papists and Jesuits and that we propagated Jesuitical principles c. but they being almost if not altogether weary of that work finding it to be to no purpose for the truth which we professe hath still got ground and flourisheth through all these things now at last the Papists or Jesuits themselves who I perceive have a secret hope of a day once more in this Nation they begin to put out their heads and to print against us and so both Protestants and Papists even every head horn of the Beast after whom the whole world wonders are â—â—uâ—d pushing against the Laâ—o and the Saints Rev. 17.14 For of late a cerâ—ain Pamphlet accidentally came to my hands written by a perfect Roman Catholick who subscribed his name A.S. in which he seems to shew himself sensible of the great distractions that are throughout the whole Christendome about the true way of worship and conâ—eâ—ning the true Church and fiâ—st states a Question viz which is this Church c. and afterwards makes it his businesse to prove the Church of Rome to be this true Church and that by divers Arguments by him stated in a Syllogistical manner And I also finding the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet therein smiting at the people of God called Quakers and endeavouring to render them odious by affirming they are led by a deluding spirit c. I found my self somâ—what concerned to return a brief reply to his chief Arguments therein produced by which he haâ—h in vain endeavourd to accomplish the aforesaid work by him undertaken A.S. His first Argument produced to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church consisteth of nine particulars as followeth viz. That is the true Church and no other which is one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church which is visible infallible inerrable in which is power of miracles out of which none can be saved But the Româ—n Pontificial that is to say the faithful people dispersed all the world over in communion with the high Priest Bishop or Pope of Rome is such and no other Therefore the Roman Pontificial alone is the true Church Reply To which I reply that the true Church of which Christ alone is Head and Supreme Governour is in it self one holy Apostolick Church c. I shall not go about to deny but as touching that grand Question by A.S. stated before his Argument here inserted viz. which is this Church c. I answer this is a thing indeed disputable amongst many yea amongst many thousands yet not at all questionable nor yet doubtful unto me for I am well satisfied therein and in all other
things that appertain to the way of Life and Salvation but that the Church of Rome is the true Church as A.S. affiâ—meth and by his many Arguments hath endeavoured to prove I do not acknowledge but deny and doubt not but I shall in this short ensuing Treatice prove the contrary to the satisfaction of every judicious Reader First Although the true Church of which Christ is invisible Head is one yet the oneness of the Church of Rome is not a sufficient Argument to prove her to be the true Church for wherein doth her oneness consist farther than in Idolatry Superstition Murther and such like abominations of which much might be mentioned which was never practised by the true Church in the Apostles dayes but in these things the Church of Rome is one witnesse her worshipping Idols or images bowing to that shee calls her Altars and the rest of her Superstitious Ceremonies witnesse the killing burning or drinking the bloud of so many thousands as she hath done for many hundred yeares pâ—st as the whole Christendome full well knows therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church Secondly And consider was not the company of Priests one in Hosea's dayes who murthered in the way by consent whom the Prophet compared to troops of Robbers Hos 6.9 And is not the Church of Rome one as they were for hath not she murthered many by consent of most of her members in the way that she is in consider these things But then A.S. saith that she is one in matters of Faith and governed by one invisible Head Christ and by one visible Head the Pope the true successor of Peter c. and therefore she is the true Church Answ 1. I answer that she is perfectly united in matters of Faith I utterly deny witnesse the History of the Counsel of Trent which copiously relates the Divisions and Contradictions amongst them there about matters of Faith But admit thaâ— it were so that she were one in matters of Faith that doth not prove her to be the true Church unlesse she could prove her Faith to be the true Faith by which righteousnesse is wrought Heb. 11.13 And which is made perfect by works of righteousnesse James 2.22 But the Faith of the Church of Rome is not the true Faith as her works of unrighteousnesse before mentioned clearly make manifest therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church Secondly That the Church of Rome is governed by one invisible Head Christ that I also deny and her fruitâ— before mentionâ—d and which I shall hereafter mention sufficiently declares the contrary and as Christ said to the Jews If you were of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham but now you go about to kill me thus did not Abraham So say I of the Church of Rome If she were governed by the one invisible Head Christ as the true Church was then she would have the mind of Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save them as the true Church had 1 Cor. 2.16 but she hath not the mind of Christ Witnesse her destroying the lives of many not onely of those that believe not but of those that beliâ—ve Therefore she is not governed by the invisible Head Christ and consequently is not the true Church but the Whore that drinks the blood of the Saints Thirdly But that the Church of Rome is governed by her visible Head the Pope I shall not go about to contradict for although that proves her to be one in subjection to the Pope yet it doth not prove her to be the true Church because Christ never ordained a visible Head to his Church but that the Pope is the true successor of Peter as A.S. affirms that I do deny and it remains for him to prove it or for some of his servants to do it for him for after Peter was converted he never gave consent to the murthering of any as the Pope hath done many Therefore he is not the true Successor of Peter 2. That the true Church is holy or as A.S. saith the spotlesâ— body of Christ that I do acknowledg but the Church of Rome of which the Pope is visible head is not holy nor the spotlesse body of Christ 1. For the spotlesse body of Christ the true Church was baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire the spirit of Judgment and of burning and thereby her filth and her spots were purged away from her and she was washed from Idolatry and covetousnesse c. as the Apostles testified 1 Cor. 6.11 and thereby she was fitted for Gods Kingdom and was made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and had the mind of Christ 2 Cor. 2.16 who came not to destroy mens lives c. Luk. 9.56 But the Church of Rome is not washed from Idolatry nor free from Murther as her worshipping of Idols or Images doth testifie and as her killing and destroying about Religion and worship beareth witnesse which the spirit of Christ never allowed of nor the spotlesse body of Christ never practised Therefore the Church of Rome is not holy nor the spotlesse body of Christ And as to that affirmation of A.S. in the third Number of his first Chapter viz. Every man as he is Regenerated in Christ and a member of his body is holy and a saint though as he is the son of Adam he is a lyar and a sinner Answ To this I answer That the most part of all the Sectaries in the world will joyn with him in that particular therefore he need not so much â—ry against them but the true Church will not own that Doctrine neither can I own iâ— because it is the Doctrine of Devils and the spirit of God testifies against it For it is impossible for any man to be both a saint and a sinner at one season for if that could be then might a man serve two Masters which Christ said could not be Luk. 16.13 And the Apostle said He that commits sin is the servant of sin Joh. 8 34. and is free from righteousnesse Rom. 6.22 So hath no part in Christ who is the righteousnesse of God And whosoever loveth or maketh a lye shall not enter the holy City which is the true Church Revel 21.27 Therefore is no member of it Now let A.S. consider his ignorance for according to his own confession the true Church is built of living believers elect and precious but he that is a lyar and a sinner is dead for the soul that sins shall dye Ezek. 18.4 Therefore he that is a lyer and a sinner is not a living believer nor yet holy and a saint Yet I do not deny but that he that is regenerated in Christ and is baptized into him and is thereby made a member of his spotlesse body is holy and a saint for by and through the second Adam he is redeemed out of the first fallen Adams state Well But A. S. saith That all the members of the Church
which I answer That the Judgement of the true Church of which Christ is Head in matters of faith I do not deny for being governed in all things by the Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed John 5.20 the Judgement thereof must of necessity be true for the strength of Israel cannot lye and ought to be submitted unto by all But the Church of Rome being not the true Church she being not governed by the invisible Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed as before proved Therefore she is not Judge of controversies in matters of Faith And the true Church to whom Christ said he that heareth you heareth me were such as heard Christ and in whom the spirit of the Father spake Mat. 10.20 But the Church of Rome doth not hear Christ as hereafter I shall prove therefore they who heare the Church of Rome do not hear Christ But surely when A.S. began this work of deciding controversies he had forgotten that the Church was the only Judge in that particular and not every man nor the private spirit for had he considered that he being but a particular man would not have undertaken the Churches work as appears by the Title of his book he hath for he calls it A brief Decider of all controversies in matters of Faith which book we have cause to judge is his own only work and not the Churches in which we find him condemning himself for the thing which he is doing for as appears by his aforesaid Title himself undertakes to decide controversies and in his 6th Chapter he affirmeth that the Church is the only Judge or decider of all controversies But this is that his confusion may the more appear as it hath done in many other things as may be seen in this small Treatise and surely if the Pope have no better servants than A. S. to do his work for him he had better keep them idle than to employ them in such a work for in the end they will bring more shame to him than they will honour for such like confusione and other abominations hath already made the very name of the Pope an ill savour to all true Christians And one thing more in A. S. his 6th Chapter I cannot well omit to observe where he saith the spirit inspireth when he will and you hear his voice but cannot tell whence from God or the Devil he doth come or whither to heaven or to hell he doth go and then saith so is every one that is born of the spirit and to prove this he quotes Luke 9.55 where Christ said ye know not what spirit ye are of Now consider the blindnesse and ignorance or else the wilful wickednesse of A. S. who jumbles a deal of Scriptures together blasphemously wresting of them to his own destruction or at least to the destruction of his own work in hand thinking thereby to blind the minds of people and with his good words mixed with blasphemies and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple as his predecessors have done in the long night of Apostacy which hath been over all nations since the Apostles dayes But it s in vain for him to strive to accomplish his end for the day is dawned unto many and there is an eye opened in many thousands in this Nation of England that gives them to see over and beyond all this Babylonish or confused trumpery and stuff and have a feeling of that which was before Babylon was and shall out last Babylon to the praise of God and to the glory and honour of his name who is blessed for ever Well Although it was so that Christ said unto his Disciples you know not what spirit ye are of yet consider the time when he spake these words was it not before they were born of the spirit although called to be Apostles for Christ said unto them you must be born again John 3.7.8 and that he would send them the spirit of which he said they must be born which should lead them into all truth John 16.13 and he did not say as A.S. doth that they should not know whence from God or the Devil the spirit came or whither to heaven or to hell it went oh horrid blasphemy in A. S who saith so is every one that is born of the spirit as much as to say that he that is born of the spirit knows not whether he be from God or the Devil or whither he shall go to heaven or to hell oh wickednesse indeed Christ said no such thing as A.S. doth although that blessed worthy saying of our Saviour and Lord Christ was and is very true viz Marvel not that I say unto you that you must be born again for the wind bloweth where it listeth and men hears the sound thereof but cannot tell from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth adding even so is every one that is born of the spirit John 3.7 8. Mark they that were born of the spirit were unknown to the world for said the Apostle after they were born again the world knows us not So although they were in the world and men saw them yet the world knew them not no more than they knew from whence the wind came and whither is went which they heard the sound of and indeed so is the state of the true Church in the world at this day And the Apostles did know from whence the spirit came and of what spirit they were after they received the spirit of truth and were born of it for Christ told them John 14.16 that he would pray the Father and he should send them the Holy Ghost the Comforter John 16.7.13 which should abide with them for ever and they did receive it and were led by it into a heavenly habitation Eph. 1.3 for they were made to sit together iâ— heavenly places in Christ Jesus so it s hereby clear that the Apostles knew from whence the spirit came and whither it led them and it s also plain that A.S. either wilfully or sottishly wrests the words of Christ and by his additions to them would make them import another thing than was intended by him of purpose to divert people from being led by the spirit of God or to disswade them from adhering to the leadings of it under pretence that they cannot tell whence from God or the Devil it doth come or whither to heaven or to hâ—â—l it goeth when indeed Christs words in themselves importeth quite another thing as above shewed Wherefore let all mind and obey the spirit of truth which will lead into all truth and condemn sin in the flesh and will lead out of all unrighteousnesse and errours and heresies which the Church of Rome is full of and that spirit which condemns the abominations of the Whore and all sin and unrighteousnesse that is the spirit of God and comes from God through the Son of his love who is the light of the world that lighteth every man that cometh
into the world and leads up to God the Father from whence it comes all who are taught and guided by it but condemns from God all who in unbelief or in rebellion do despight unto it and disobey the motions thereof But to return to the matter concerning the Churches being Judge First I find A.S. in the beginning of his seventh Chapter saying Methinks I hear a Quaker whispering the Light that is in thee is the Judge of all controversies and the law and rule according to which thou must walk Answ I answer Yea the people called Quakers do believe and say that the light which every man is enlightned with is the law and rule according to which every man ought to walk and is the Judge in all controversies in matters of faith for as before All Judgement is committed to the Son John 5.22 who lighteth every man that cometh into the world so all Judgement being committed to the light that lighteth every man the light that is in every man must of necessity be the Judge of all controversies and this I farther adde that all who are baptized into Christ hath put on Christ and all who are by one spirit baptized into one body though they were sometimes darknesse are made light in the Lord and so they being in him and he in them are all one even as Christ and the Father is one and he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one by which its clear that Christ in his Church who is light with him is the onely Judge of all controversies and indeed this supernatural Light is the true touchstone by which all spirits may be tried whether they be of God or not for as the Apostle said whatsoever makes manifest is light Ephesians 5.13 so that without this touchstone none can try spirits because an evil spirit may speak good words Again Christ is in all things to be the Example of all believers and he lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 so every man being enlightened with the light of his spirit who is to be our example in all things it must of necessity be that the light that is in us is this Judge and the law and rule according to which all ought to walk Secondly But then A.S. replyes that the light that is in thee tells thee that thou must hear Christ and Christ tells thee that thou must hear the Church c. Answ I answer Yea the Light that is in us teacheth us to hear Christ who hath enlightened us and also to hear his Church with whom he dwells and that hears him and in whom his spirit speaks so as I said before I shall not go about to deny the Authority of the true Church but the usurped authority of the Church of Rome I do deny usurp'd I say because she hath been and here is sufficiently proved not to be the true Church to whom Christ gives power and authority both to bind and to lose therefore her authority is usurp'd and she is not to be heard but to be turned away from Thirdly A.S. saith If you object that the spiritual judgeth all things and the spiritual is judged of no man I answer that the godly spiritual judgeth all things c. But I deny that you or any other Sectaries in the world is godly spiritual for as St. Augustine saith they have not the Holy Ghost that are out of the Church Reply To which I say that as A.S. hath coâ—fessed That the spiritual man judgeth all things its according to my own belief but what doth this avail the Church of Rome who as I have proved is not godly spiritual but is sensual and devilish and is not the true Church but the Whore for although as he saith The godly spiritual is judged of none yet the Whore is judged of all who are godly spiritual and although A.S. denyeth that thâ— Quakers are godly spiritual yet he is never able to prove his affirmation for though they have not the holy Ghost who are out of the Church yet it doth not follow that they have it not who are out of the Church of Rome except she could be proved to be the true Church The contrary whereof I have already proved for the people called Quakers though they are out of the Church of Rome are led by that spirit which teacheth them to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world as thousands of their Neighbours can bear witnesse therefore the people called Quakers are godly Spirituall Again That Prophet which is of God is godly spiritual Jer. 28.9 and that Prophet which speaketh a thing and the thing come to pass that Prophet is of God But the people called Quakers have prophesied several things as to the late overturn'd Powers of this Nation with divers other things which accordingly came to pass as to their sorrow they were made to know therefore they are of God and godly spiritual 4. A. S again saith If you say know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Câ—r 13.5 I answer the true sence and meaning of this place is this c. So here A.S. is again undertaking that which himself saith is the Churches work for saith he in his eighth chapter the Church is the alone interpreter of all Scriptures and yet he himself who is but a particular man is here undertaking to give an interpretation or meaning to the forementioned Scripture by which it is plain that he condemns himself in the thing he is doing 5. Again fifthly he saith That the spirit of God saith Hear the Church but the spirit of the Devil contradicts and saith Hear not the Church but Christ alone for of Christ saith he it s written This is my beloved Son him hear ye behold how the Devil pleads for Christ of purpose to deceive Christians c. Ans To which I answer That I think I need not say much to convince all that reads but A.S. his own words that he is either grosly ignorant or else abominably wilful wicked for who can believe that the Devil will plead for Christ or perswade people to hear Christ and disswade them from hearing of the Church certainly if he would perswade people to hear the greater he would not disswade them from hearing the lesser And how can people pâ—ssibly be deceived that hears Christ and obeys him I cannot believe that its the spirit of the Devil that perswades people to hear Christ but rather that its the drawings of the spirit of the Father that invites them to come unto the Son and to heâ—â— him for Christ said None cometh unto me except my father who hath sent me draw him Joh 6 44. But A.S. contrarywise in effect saith That the Devil draws people to come unto Christ and to hear him By which he hath manifestly shewed that he is of â— contrary spirit unto Christ Therefore A.S. is an Antichrist and
one that puts light for darkness and darknesse for light against whom the woe is pronounced Isa 5.20 And although A.S. so much pleads for the church whom I know all will hear that hears Christ yet upon serious consideration I find its of purpose to deceive Christians and so he hath shewed himself as bad as the Devil he speaks of being found doing the same work of which he seems to accuse the Devil for in his sixth chapter I find him as afore declared in effect perswading people Not to adhere to the motions of the Spirit of Christ under pretence that they cannot tell whence from God or the Devil it comes or whither to Heaven or Hell it goeth c. And aâ— above he is again perswading people That its a dangerous thing to hear that spirit that invites them to hear Christ calling it the Devil because it doth not invite them to hear the church of Rome also But I never read or heard before that any spirit did invite people to hear Christ but the spirit of the Father and his spirit said This is my beloved Son him hear ye Mat. 17.5 Therefore that spirit that invites people to hear the Son of God is not the Devil but the spirit of the Father and ought to be heard and obeyed by all 6. Again A.S. affirmeth that the spirit of God saith That Carpenters Smiths Masons and other tradesmen must not meddle with Ecclesiastical things as to Preach or Teach c. But saith he the evil spirit affirmeth the quite contrary by perswading them they may all prophecy one by one But alass then saith A.S. he deceiveth for that place is understood of the real and true Prophets of whose number all the Devils in Hell cannot prove all tradesmen to be Answ Here A.S. seems to oppose that which for my part I know none affirms for who is there that saith all Tradesmen have the spirit of Prophesie I know none Yet although all Tradesmen have it not it doth not therefore follow that no Tradesmen have it neither did I ever read that the spirit of God did forbid Tradesmen to meddle with those things nor doth that Scripture which A.S. quotes confirm any such thiâ—g which he affirmes but rather the contrary and we do read in the Scriptures of truth that Christ did call some of several Tradesmen to teach the way of God and to Preach the everlasting Gospel witnesse St. Peter a Fisher-man and St. Paul a Tent-maker with divers others that might be mentioned so that though all Tradesmen have not the spirit of Prophesie yet we see that some had and they were not forbidden but commanded to Preach and Teach and therefore they who have the Testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of Prophesie although they be Tradesmen they may Preach and Teach according to the gift thereof received for the Appostle said Every one as he hath received the gift of the spirit so let him administer 1 Pet. 4.10 7. And saith A.S. the Apostle saith Women must not speak in the church but the Devil saith they may For the Scripture averreth saith he That your sons and daughters shall Prophesie this Devil deceiveth the women Quakers But alass that Scripture was fulfilled in the Apostles and in the true Propheâ—esses in their times as Anna Luk. 2.28 and now is in such as have the true spirit of prophesie which Quakers Wives and Daughters can never prove themselves to have Answ Here A.S. hath confessed that there was Prophetesses in the Apostles dayes and that there now is at this day also and the Apostle spake of Women that were helpers with him in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 So then its undenyable that Women did speak and Prophesie and now may though the Apostles did not permit busie-bodies and taâ—lers to be asking questions in the Church but said they should ask their Husbands at home So the thing disputable is Whether or no the Quakers Wives and Daughters hâ—ve the true spirit of Prophesie concerning which I say this The Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophesie and many Wives and Daughters of the people called Quakers have received the testimony of Jesus and knows the life of Jesus manifested in them as by their fruits of love meeknesse gentlenesse patience long-sâ—ffering c. which are fruits of the spirit doth appear unto those who have a knowledg of them Therefore they have the spirit of Prophesie And farther several of the Wives and Daughters amongst the people called Quakers have prophesied of the desolation of the great Whore the Church of Rome and when that comes to passe it will be thereby proved that they have the true spirit of prophesie and then shall every tongue confesse to it and in the mean time let none speak evil of the the things they know not least they be found fighters against God 8. Again A.S. saith That the good spirit saith It is a Religious act to swear by God in a Just Cause but the evil spirit contradicts for its written saith he Swear not at all Behold the â—uritanisme of this impure spirit but alass he deludeth for God expresly commands Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Judgment and in Justice c. Ans I answer although in the Law and Prophets people were commanded to swear in truth and righteousnesse and to performe their oaths to the Lord yet Christ the new covenant whom God promised should not be according to the old saith sweare not at all Jer. 31 31 32. and though Moses and the prophets was to be heard under the ministration of the first covenant yet they said when Christ the second covenant was come people must hear him for said Moses a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall ye hear Deut. 18.15 And the Prophet said that Nation and people that will not serve thee that Nation shall perish Isa 60.12 So that although Moses said thou shalt perform thy oath to the Lord yet Christ that Prophet who is the end of that Law and whom Moses said the people must hear or else be cut off he saith swear not at all and although the Prophet said thou shalt swear the Lord liveth c. yet Christ who is the end of the Prophets and whom the Prophets said people must serve or else perish saith swear not at all and although it may be alledged that the Angels swore yet Christ the first born amongst many brethren to whom all the Angels must bow saith swear not at all and although it may be farther alledged that God himself swoare and therefore its lawful for Christians to swear yet God himself said concerning Christ This is my beloved son hear ye him Mat. 17 5. And this beloved son of God whom all Christians ought to hear saith swear not at all All which being rightly weighed and considered it plainly appears that swearing by any oath whatsoever was forbidden by Christ Jesus who is the Law-giver
unto all Christians therefore it is not lawful for Christians to swear at all And that spirit that tolerates swearing or would set it up as a religious act is an anâ—ichristian spirit because it is against the command of Christ And although the Apostle might or did call the Lord to witnesse concerning the truth which he spake yet that doth not prove that the Apostle swore as A. S. affirmeth that he did neither do we read that ever any of the Apostles did either propagate or tolerate swearing since Christ forbid it But contrariwise the Apostle James saith Above all things my brethâ—en swear not neither by heaven nor by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least you fall into condemnation So that although A.S. would wrest the words of Christ to perswade people that his intent was they should not swear but in truth and in righteousnesse yet the words of Christ and the Apostle whom all true Christians are to heare doth clearly import that their intent was that people should not sweare at all by any oath whatsoever But this Antichristian spirit which opposeth the doctrines and commands of Christ and his Apostles we have had large experience of and we have oft-times seen that it leads people to swear and also to forswear themselves both which are an abominaâ—ion to the Lord and in the transgression against God and the new covenant Ninthly and A.S. saith the Apostle said salute one another but the devil saith salute not one another for Christ saith he sending his disciples bid them salute no man by the way Luke 10.4 this Devil follows all Quakers but alas Christâ— meaning there was that none should hinder them by the way c. Answ To which I answer here again A. S. goes about to make us believe that the commands of Christ are the impositions of the Devil or at least that the Devil stirs up people to keep the commands of Christ the first of which is blâ—sphemy in the highest degree and the second is little lesse for if the Devil would teach people to keep the commands of Christ then might they serve Christ and Bâ—lial but as Christ said that cannot be And indeed we do experimentally see and finde that the Devil alwaies opposeth the keeping of Christs commands As now in A. S. Who would diswade them from it under pretence that its the devil that leads them to it And as to his saying this Devil follows all Quakers I answer its true but alas its intentionally to destroy them for it was said to the Serpent in the beginning that the seed of the woman should bruise his head and he should bruise its heel Gen. 3.15 And even so it s now come to passe for the Lord Jesus Christ the promised seed Gal. 3.16 being become the leader of his people and the Angel of Gods presence going before them the Devil as A. S. saith comes after them and follows them with his fiery darts of persecution and Serpent like is snarling at the heel But blessed be the Lord he that goes before them and is in them is greater and mightier then the Devil that follows them and he hath been their preserver hitherto and I doubt not but he will unto the end preserve all who trust in him And as concerning Christs words there needs no meaning to be given to them for he meant as he spoke but if they did according to A. S. his own conclusion he is not the interpreter but the Church Therefore A.S. being not the church but a particular man according to his own argument his interpretation is not to be heeded Again he saith every man is not the Interpreter for saith he every man is a liar and indeed he hath confirmed unto us that himself is a liar because he hath belied the intent of Christs words aforesaid by giving his meaning to them Then saith A. S. Yet these deluded souls think that this their deluding spirit is of God and why forsooth because it reprehends them of sin c. and did not Judas his spirit rebuke him of sinne and notwithstanding induce him to desperation and to hang himselfe Answ Here A. S. is again putting light for darknesse or calling the spirit of truth a deluding spirit for is not that the spirit of truth that reproves the world of sin John 16.7 8. Did not Christ say that he would send the comforter that should reprove the world of sin and we never read of any other spirit that did reprove sinne but the spirit of truth which A. S. blasphemously calls a deluding spirit neither did I ever read that a deluding spirit was the comforter which that spirit that reproves for sin is as Christ said And again is it not clear that A.S. puts light for darknesse in calling that a deluding spirit which reproves sin for the Apostle said that whatsoever things are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever makes manifest is light Eph. 5.13 and the deluding spirit is darknesse it self so that hereby it manifestly appears that A.S. cannot discern betwixt light and darknesse so is a miserable blind guide indeed And though the spirit of truth did rebuke Judas for his treachery doth it therefore follow that it was the same that led him to hang himself no this is great ignorance in A.S. to affirm for he might as well have said That the same spirit that led him to betray his Master did afterwards rebuke him for it but then his ignorance would have somewhat more plainly appeared But it was indeed the same spirit which led Judas into that presumptuous act as to betray his Master that afterwards led him to desperation and to hang himself and that spirit which let him see his wickednesse which he had done and rebuked him for it was light for whatsoever makes maninifest is light Eph. 5.13 Eleventhly then lastly he saith Thus far have we degressed for the Conversion of Quakers c. Answ To which I say that if he have no better way to convert Quakers nor no better arguments to produce in order to their conversion then what he hath made use of in his pretended reconsiler of Religions he were better be silent and save his labour for I cannot believe that a thousand such books will ever convert or rather divert one Quaker nay nor convince them neither except it be of his own grosse ignorance or wilful wickednesse of which there is enough appears as before manifested Thus having briefly answered the most remarkable arguments produced by A. S. to prove the church of Rome the true church and also the several particulars by which he endeavoured to render the people called Quakers as a people led by a deluding spirit I find the rest of his book consists of divers arguments in which he controverts with Sectaries and their Bibles and Ministers c. whose cause as aforesaid I am not ingaged in therefore it doth not
truth 1 John 2.13 But when he spake those words viz If we say we have no sin c. he then spake to children for said he my little Children these things I write unto you that you sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 Now if they had been already perfect or fully freed from sin then had they attained to the mans state which the apostle laboured to bring them to Colo. 1.28 But they having not attained to that state he would not have them to deceive themselves nor to think more highly of themselves then they ought to think Rom. 12.3 which children in understanding are sâ—bject to do but with these little children the apostle travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in them Gal. 4.19 who is the one offering that perfects for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 and he laboured to build them up in the holy faith which gives victory through Christ that so they might be borne up to a mans state for said he he that is born of God doth not sin John 3.9 Thirdly But then it may be some will object that the apostle spake not only of children but of himselfe also saying if we say c. To which I Answer that although the apostle numbred himself with them yet that doth not argue that he was in their state or that he was not set free from sin no more then Iames his numbring himself amongst the scattered Jews saying with the same mouth curse we men c. Jam. 1.9 doth argue that he was one of them that did curse men for its evident that the apostle became as weake to them that were weak and to the strong as strong and to them that were under the Law as under the law and to them that were without the law as without the law though not without law to God and became al things unto all that he thereby might gaine some 1 Cor. 9.20.21.22 so although he did condescend to them that were weake as children or babes in Christ as to number himself amongst them for the gaining of them to a farther state yet that doth not at all argue that he was as they were for the apostle Paul himself said that he was set free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 all which being rightly weighed and considered It manifestly appeares that perfection or freedom from sin is attaineable according to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles which by the people called Quakers is preached and continued in as before asserted therefore they are the true Church 4. Again The Order and Discipline of the true Church in the Apostles time was That the Propets might speak two or three and the rest might judge and if any thing was revealed to another that sate by he might speak and the first was to hold his peace 1 Cor. 14.29 30. and the same order the people called Quakers have in their assemblies as is known to thousands by which it appears that they are the true Church 5. Again The Ministers of Christ in the true Church in the primitive times who turned people from darknesse to light and from Satans power to the power of God Gal. 1.1 were Ordained and made Ministers not of man nor by man nor of the letter but of the spirit by the revelation of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 3.6 and so are the Ministers amongst the people called Quakers made Ministers of the spirit by the revelation of Jesus Christ as the effects of their ministry doth testifie for many are turned from darkness to light and from iniquity to righteousness and the spirits in prison is by them ministred unto and the dead are raised unto life and the captives are set at liberty as thousands can and must bear witnesâ— Therefore the people caâ—led Quakers are the true Church 6. The true Church in the primitive times was taught by the grace of God that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present woâ—ld Tit. 2.11 12. and the people called Quakers being taught by the same spirit of grace doth deny ungodliness and worldly lusts as many in this Nation well knows and doth live soberly righteously and godly in this present word as thousands can testifie Therefore the people called Quakers are the true Church Thus I might produce many more arguments to prove the aforesaid people to be the Church of true Christians but much of this kind hath been by several of them already written wherefore I shâ—ll not inlarge at present but for any that shall desire any farther satisfaction let them come to the Assemblies of the aforesaid people and hear their Doctrines and behold their Discipline c. and as the Apostle said Try all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 These following Lines are sent to all Sectaries in Christendome who have been killing and destroying one another about Faith and Worship but especially to the Church of ROME O Babylon the Great who long hast reign'd a Painted Whore And hast bewitch't the Nations with thy inchanting power Into remembrance thou art com'd of God the mighty Lord â—ho'll do to thee as thou hast done the Saints with one accord Have bent their bowes against thee strong and mighty men they are They will not spare nor pitty thee in this day o' th Lambs War For it 's the day of veng'ance great of our Almighty God He 'll do to thee as thou hast done thou can't escape his rod. The holy Prophets in their day foretold these things of thee Which to our consolation we hope to live and see For Jeremiah he foresaw thy desolation great And said an Army great should come that should give thee defeat Out of the North the Prophet said they should come against thee Jer. 50.9 Even as it now is come to pass before whom thou must flee The seven heads or mountains great on which thou long hast sate Must now be turned upside down and made to reele and quake For now the Lion he doth roar and utter forth his voice At which the mountains great must move and fly away at 's noise Isa 42.14 15. Yea vacant waste and desolate those mountains must be laid And be no more inhabited for so it hath been said Thy Merchants many have enricht themselves and made them great And Rul'd with Force and Cruelty false-prophet like indeed Wherefore Lament and howle they must and mourn both great and small And cry alass alass for now is come thy sudden fall for 'th day is dawn'd which John foresaw and Prophesy'd of thee In which he said and Testify'd thy total fall should be Though thou hast sitten in thy pride like as a stately Queen And said within thy heart and mind Thine end should not be seen Though thou hast drunk the blood of Saints and glorify'd thy self And said Thou should'st no sorrow see nor ever loose thy wealth Yet woe and sorrow great and sore will swiftly thee surprise
concern me to answer his charges against them but shall leave them to answer for themselves Although there are indeed many things contained in the remaining part of his book from which I might lay open much of the deceit and ignorance of A. S. and the abominations of the church of Rome But the generality of people being already so fully satisfied concerning her and the confusion and ignorance of A. S. also being herein so fully manifested already I look upon it as superfluous at present to inlarge on this account and indeed if never a word had been said the very fruits brought forth by the church of Rome in the view of all Nations are enough to forewarn them of adhering to her for can a man touch pitch and not be defiled But for all that hath been said It may be some will say that grand question propounded by A.S. in the second Chapter of his booke Remaines yet unanswered viz which is the true Church c. First To which I answer that is the true Church and no other whose fruits makes manifest that they are governed by the invisible head Christ and that continues in the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and that are found in the same order or discipline in their Assemblies that the true Church was in the primitive times and that have the same way of ordaining ministers that the true Church had And that lives soberly righteously and godly in this present world as the true Church did But the people called Quakers are such as hereafter I shall prove Therefore the people called Quakers are the true Church Secondly It is manifest by the fruits of the people called Quakers that they are governed by the invisible head Christ for Christ commandes his followers not to sweare at all which command the aforesaid people observes and keeps as this nation of England full well knowes Againe Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them and commanded his followers to love their enemeis And it is manifest that the people called Quakers have the mind of Christ because they seek not the destruction of any but the preservation and good of all and that they love even their enemies who hates and persecutes them because they are ready to assist or be helpfull to them upon all occasions or opportunities in any thing that may tend to their present and future well-being therefore they are governed by the invisible head Christ againe Christ commanded saying whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them Mat. 7.12 which command the aforesaid people observes and keeps as thousands can beare witness for them Therefore they are governed by the invisible head Christ and are the true Church Thirdly Againe the people called Quakers continues in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for Christ preacht the doctrine of perfection saying be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Math 5 48. And the Apostle preacht the same doctrine Heb. 6 1 and laboured to present every man perfect in Christ Col 1 28 having received guifts for that very worke Ephes 4 11 12 And the people called Quakers do preach the same doctrine of perfection and laboures in the power and spirit of the â—ord to present people perfect in Christ as the Apâ—stles did as thousands can beare testimony by which it sufficiently appeares that they continue in the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and therefore they are the true Church But this Christian doctrine is now opposed by all the Antichristian Ministers throughout the whole Christendom or by all Babylons merchants in every parte of her teritories who Ignorantly produce many good words to oppose this doctrine 1. As first they urge Solomons words viz There is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sineth not Therefore say they people cannot be perfect But alas they do not discerne the signes of the times neither do they consider the time and season when these words were spoken for at that time all were gon out of the way and there was none that did good Psa 14 3. and they had forsaken the Lord and knew not so much of him as the oxe did of his owner Isa 1 3 and were in the transgression of gods covenant which he made with their fathers Ier 31 32 so that although there was none without sin at that time yet it doth not follow the people can never be free from sin no more then their being then Ignorant of God doth argue that people should never come to the knowledge of him the contrary of both which may be easily proved by plaine scripture for at that time when Israell were strangers unto God and were all gon out of the way and none amongst them did good c. even then did God promise that the day should come in which he would make anew covenant with the house of Judah and with the house of Israell who were in the transgression of the first covenant Jer 31 31 and that he would finish transgression and make an end of sin Dan 24 which had hid his face from them and by which they were made strangers to him Isâ— 59.2 and that he would Remember their Iniquities no more and that they should all know him from the least to the greatest Jer. 31 34 by which it is evident that alâ—hough in the prophets days they were all in transgression and had not the knowledge of God the purpose of God was to bring them into a better state which the true Chuâ—ch in the apostles dayes were witnesses of for the apostles said Heb. 11 4â— God having provided some better thing for us that they without us could not be made perfect and although some of them had been Idolators and had lived in the pollutions of he world yet they were washed and clensed yea and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.10 11 and so though they were some times Ignorant of God yet God caused the Light to shine out of darknesse in their hearts to give them the Light of the knowledg of Gods glory in the face of Christ who dwelt in them 2 Cor. 4.6 Gall. 2.20 so that both sin and Ignorance was don away in them through the power and coming of the Lord Jesus and so they did not alwayes remaine in their sins but was freed from them as the apostle testified Rom. 18. 8.2 Secondly But then Antichrists ministers saith that if they were free from sin why did the apostle say that if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 I Answer he did not say so because people could not be made free from sin but he said so that they might not sin 1 John 2.1 and consider who they were that he then wrote to for he sometimes wrote to children and sometimes to young men and sometimes to fathers in the
And all thy expectations will fall before thine eyes When Death and Famine comes on thee with mourning great and sore This will predict thine end to thee who never shalt rise more And truly thy divisions great predicts thy sudden fall The more because thou hast refus'd to hear the heavenly call For in thy streets the voice hath cry'd Repent and fear the Lord And turn from your Idolatries serve God with one accord But like the Adder thou hast been that 's deaf and will not hear The Charmer who hath charmed long so thou hast stop't thine eare Why dost not minde the words of Christ who spake and said himself The Kingdom cannot stand that is divided 'gainst it self And is not thy divisions great Oh Babylon thou Whore Which doth foretel thy total end and thou shalt be no more The cause which doth provoke the Lord to poure his Judgments great On thee is thy deceit pride murthers which are great And also thy Idolatries and Whordoms which are many This doth provoke the Lord to wrath and 's anger will not tarry Wherefore look for it and expect that it will surely come For God hath said it and it must accordingly be done Written in Bridewel near Lanston in Cornwall the 11th Moneth 1664. J. C. Here follows the Papists 14th Chapter concerning the Protestants or Sectarian Ministers published for them to Answer That the Protestant or Sectarian Minister or Preachers are not True Preachers or sent by God 1. ALl that have no true Mission are not true Preachers How shall they Preach unlesse they are sent Rom. 10.15 But Protestant or Sectarian Ministers and Preachers have no true mission For all their mission from the beginning of their Reformation was either the Inspiration of a Spirit they knew not what or the Commission of a Child Edward the Sixth whom they called Supreme Head of the Church and from whose Kingly power all Jurisdiction as well Ecclesiastical as Secular they affirm did slow See Fox tom 2. Anno 1546. in Edw. the 6th or the Letters Patents of a Woman Queen Eliz. to whom also they were pleased to attribute the like Superiority and Power See Stat. Anno primo Eliz. Cap. 1. or the Ilisit and invallid Ordination or mission of or by one Story an Apostate Monk who Ordained their first Bishops at the Nags Head in Cheapside in Queen Elizabeths time See Christophorus de Sacro Bosc◠or at length the Approbation of Tryers Instituted by his late Highness forsooth and Confirmed by Act of Parliament if they have any better let them prove it in the mean time let them know we value not a straw Mason's Old New Records produced in the year 1613. which was the matter of 50 years after the thing now mentioned was Sacrilegiously and invalidly done and most disgracefully and shamefully cryed down But those could not give them any spiritual Authority Power or Right to Preach for according to that Received Maxime of the Law No man can give more right then he himself hath Cook lib. 4. Therefore c. 2. Moreover a Bishop is to be ordained by two or three Bishops Consil Apostil Can. 1. And a Priest and likewise a Deacon and the rest of the Clergy by a Bishop ibidem Can. 2. Con. Trident. Sess. 23. Can. 7. But this Apostolical and needful manner of Ordination or Mission they never yet had for they rejected it quite and brought in an Heretical fashion in its steed in Edward the Sixth's time neither if they were willing could they have for as I said before their Bishops from the beginning of their Reformation had no other Ordination Consecration or Mission then the Commission of the King or Queen nor yet that but during the King or Queens pleasure For the sacrilegious Ilicit or Invalid Ordination of or by Story which was the first pretended holy Mission of Protestants in England and from whence they hitherto derive their Orders it was not worth a straw witness the aforementioned Canons of the Apostolick Council c. and consequently their pretended holy Orders thence derived are not worth a pins head no more is the Approbation of Tryers Therefore they are not true Preachers What are they then forsooth Intruders Thieves and Robbers Hypocrites Ravenous Wolves and Murtherers Sons of Belial False Prophets and Priests of Baal Which is their Heresie Rebellion and stubbornnesse against the Church for Rebellion as they themselves even in their newest Bible confesse is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornesse is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Samuel as they call it the 15. and 23. 3. Now if the Protestant or Sectarian Preachers and Teachers be such what must the Protestants and Sectarians themselves be If the light that is in them be darkness how great shall the darkness its self be If the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch Sure enough they shall even into the ditch of everlasting burning brimstone and fire where shall be howling and crying and weeping and lamenting and gnashing of teeth for ever unless they be converted and do Penance and live in the Church in which must alwayes be true Preachers and Teachers for the Consummation of Saints to the work of the Ministry and edification of the body of Christ Ephes 4. ver 5 11. But in the Protestant or Sectarian Church are not such as now proved therefore the Protestant or Sectarian Church is not the true Church of true believers How shall they believe in him whom not of whom as their Bible saith of purpose to excuse themselves See above they have not heard or how shal they hear without a Preacher or how shall they Preach unless they are sent 4. Note this well gentle Reader and consider seriously with your self how deplorable a thing it is to see such hypocritical Intruders to stand in a Pulpit or Tub with such a brazenfac'd book as is their Unjust Corrupt and perverse Bible in their hand lulling the poor Ignorant people to the sleep of death with these words Thus saith the Lord when the Lord saith no such thing Are not these they of whom the Lord himself saith Jer. 14.14 They prophesie falsely in my Name I sent them not and I did not bid them neither did I speak unto them a lying vision and divination and fraudulence and sedition of their own hearts they prophesie unto you See more Deut. 13.5 Item 18.20 c. And when they have done with their Thus saith the Lord and can say no more then they rowse up their slumbering spirits by singing unto them one of Tho. Sternholds Jack Hopkins or Rob. Wisdoms Psalms suppose From Turk and Pope c. which Sacrilegious Psalm or Diabolical Song passeth with these deluders and their deluded Auditors and Chorists for holy Scripture and the Word of God as well as Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. Oh times Oh manners Oh God amend them Amen See Erastus senior and jun. who copiously prove this Subject A.S. THE END The mystery of the Whore farther discovered †To A.S. his Query viz. where was she †To where is she †To A. S. Query what is her name * Witness the Book Intituled Good Counsel and Advice Rejected A hint towards the discovery of the true Church