they themselves now confess that notwithstanding all that and all their Preaching up and confidence of the Light Spirit and Voice of the Lord WITHIN them they yet had not a distinct discerning of the Lord's Voyce not their minds brought into so much as a CAPACITY to discern it how can they be MORE confident and Infallibly evidence they are MORE certain of it now Or why may they not be mistaken and mistake the Lords Voyce now as well as fifteen or sixteen Years ago or not well discern which or what is the Lords Voyce And why may they not change again and again fifteen or sixteen Years hence and say then they had not before a distinct discerning of the Lords Voyce If the Quakers say but they know now they have it so the Quakers formerly said they knew it they felt it they handled it they witnessed it IN themselves and yet the Quakers now say they were so far out then as not to have a distinct discerning of the Lords Voyce And so then may the Quakers now for all their pretences and confident talk Let my Reader take Notice and they Consider what 's become of their Quaking and Shaking their mighty Motions and pretended Voyce of the Lord within And I think this may be enough for Quaking to shew that the present Quakers I deal withall have little more than the Name now in this particular Sic mutantur SECT II. The Quakers Quibbles about Set-days and Set-places Sect. 1. PRinciples of Truth p. 42. per E. Burroughs We believe his True Worship required and accepted of him is not by the Tradition of Men in outward Observances or Set-days or Places but he is Worshipped onely in Spirit and Truth without respect of Times Places or Things And this was one while the Quakâ—rs general Doctrine that they should not run nor be enjoyned by others to come to Meetings but as they â—re moved of the Lord thereto and that without that it was but will-Will-Worship See Principles of Truth p. 24. 51. Every Man ought to be left FREE as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or th' other practice in Religion Sect. 2. But to whirle about and run round again at other times P. Livingstone can tell you Idem p. 5. It is a dark Spirit clearness and FREEDOM is not in it but it hath and doth lead into Bondage And here Satan by Transforming himself hath obtained his End and purpose in such for which cause he first Transformed himself in the matter of the Hat and the Hand and not coming to Meetings until they should be moved of the Lord untill at last he obtained his end to get them not to come at all and not to let them rest therewith but also made and makes them believe lyes as namely that they be moved of the Lord to cry against Meetings c. And we are certain enough what that Spirit leads to in the end for all its fair appearance if it be followed to the end c. And who now Observes more their set-days and hours too their first and fourth days meeting and set places Built on purpose aâ— the Bull and Mouth and Grace-Church-street c. than the Quakers And thus are they run into Forms as those whom they once condemned and now deny that FREEDOM they once allowed and cry'd for which is all but a Quibble SECT III. The Quakers Quibbles about Forms and the Church Sect. 1. THat the Quakers at first did cry out against Forms and several external Ordinances and all Formality in Divine Worship and the Church of God is so generally known that I think I need not trouble the Reader with Instances yet if any should doubt it see G. Fox Mystery p. 65. Paul brought the Saints off from things that aâ—â— seen and water is seen and it's Baptism Here is a few words will serve for all Sect. 2. But then to go round again when others of the Quakers Object against them That taking off the Hat in prayer and taking by the Hand are but Formal and that by setting up this Friends were setters up of Forms now hear the Quakers Quibble P. Livingstone Idem p. 12. in Answer to that Objection The Form of Truth we own that which Truth appears in that is the Form of Truth Friends do not chuse a Form for the Truth but Truth chuseth its own Form and moveth in it at its pleasure Oh Excellent then it seems taking off the Hat or taking by the Hand is the Form among the Quakers that Truth appears in and this is the Form that the Truth chuseth for its own Oh rare Formalists Sect. 3. Then P. Livingstone goes on p. 13. And we know those that do the contrary pretend what they will it is by and in that Spirit which is opposite and opposes the Truth of God and its Children and we know if they were lead by the Spirit of the Body id est the Church they would be led to the same things it leads the Body and acts the Body in for the Body is one though many Members it being guided by one Life and they agree in these things and one stands not with the Hat on and another with it off nor one doth not give the Hand and another refuseth which is a contradiction but we see further into the thing than the Hat and Hand We see and know the Spirit of Enmity in the ground and it is truly testified against to be that Spirit of ANTI-CHRIST against CHRIST and the Spirit of Truth in the Body i.e. the Church beareth this Testimony against that Spirit and them Acted by it Oh what Rents and Divisions this evil Spirit hath made How many poor simple Hearts have been drawn aside by it So far he Now is not this exactly like the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome Nay the Quakers are got so far as to say Friends that stand in the Life and are the Body know that there is not NOR CANNOT BE preservation out of the Body meaning the Body of Quakers For they that are out of the Body are out of the Faith â—â—d are not of the Body Pat. Livingstone p. 20. Just as the Papists say there 's no Salvation out of the Church Yea and more that they must believe as the True Church meaning the Quakers Church Believes or else positively they cannot be saved For these are his express words viz. I bear my testimony for that People in scorn called Quakers that the Lord hath chosen them a peculiar People above all People upon the Earth and we are to turn to no other People c. And they that believe not as the true Church-Believes CANNOT BE SAVED But this we know of an INFALLIBLE certainty that WE being faithful in the Truth those that are gone from us are of another Spirit and not of the Faith of the True Church P. Livingstone p. 22 23. this is like the very top-stone of Popery and
nothing but the Divine Nature to be Christ and then How could any such Distinction take place if it had been there so as to make your Friend mean directly contrary to his own words That Christ was seen with Carnal Eyes Is not this then one of your Quibbles For although thereby you make your Friend's words to be double with two faces to say one thing and mean another Yet your own Principles concerning the Christ obstructs you absolutely from clearing them or proving Hicks a Forger in that Particular Neither can that Distinction serve you except you will alter your Principle and hold that there are two Natures which are both united in One Person The Christ which yet I do not understand you are free to do Might not Tho. Hicks then rather have said in thy own language Thou art a Forger and hast forged this Distinction and such a silly one as is impossible to hold good if thy Principle touching The Christ hold true Canst thou be ignorant that this was only an Evasion or no better than a Quibble Consider with thy self and Thou mayest see how easily it is seen through 5. In that when upon the Real Occasion of this thy Distinction the Question was askt thee Whether Christ's Humane Nature was a part of Christ Or Whether the Body that was seen with Carnal or Corporeal Eyes and heard with Carnal or Corporeal Ears was the Christ Thou so long refusedst to answer when if only innocency had been in thee plain-heartedness and Christian simplicity thou mightest have done it in one word or two but instead thereof I believe thou madest above a thousand and them to no purpose but to evade an Answer contrary to your former Rule Let your Yea be yea and your Nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evil One while thou wouldst tell us that which was not askt nor desired of thee That the Body in Scripture was somtimes called Christ and yet all the endeavours could not bring thee to say that I could hear that That Body was Christ Here 's another of thy Quibbles Is it not a pritty one that thou shouldst tell us that sometimes the Scripture calls the Body or the Humane Nature Christ and yet dost not believe that it is indeed what the Scripture calls it The Word Christ is somtimes applied in Scripture to Christ's Body of Flesh and Blood that was born of the Virgin Mary and yet thou wilt not or darest not own that Body to be Christ or Christ that Body Oh horrible Perversion Oh fine Quibbler Oh strange Christian But for all thou wouldst hide thy self by such subtile Expressions thou art easily discerned by any that will be any thing considerate and not captivate their understandings Another time thou wouldst tell us That thou believest Christ to be God over all Blessed for ever of the Seed of Abraham c. But was this direct to the Question Then thou wouldst ask them Questions before thou hadst answered theirs which was first proposed which me thinks was not fair Then thou wouldst rise up and promise to give a direct Answer to the Question and yet gave none that I could hear or understand to be plain and so thou didst two or three times thy Passion or the Interest of thy Party so far transporting thee that thou didst not mind thy Word Then the Auditors themselves requested thee over and over again to Answer Dost thou think this was like a Christian to run out about a whole hour thus not only wearying your Auditors but frustrating their Expectations and manifesting either your own weakness folly or obstinacy and unreasonableness till many of them were constrained to cry out Away away Quakers or Answer Pray Sir deal faithfully and plainly in the thing Why didst thou not answer it Or couldst thou not answer it Doubtless thou couldst if thou hadst not feared giving some advantage thereby to thy Opposites was not this the thing Or was it because thou wouldst keep any of thy own Friends still in the Dark concerning this Or wouldst thou have thy Doctrine in this Particular remain a deep Mystery and unintelligible still If so why didst thou not deal honestly and tell us so plainly Or are you not agreed amongst your selves about this What makes thee go about to use Words so subtilly that might seem to make us think thou believest one thing when indeed thou knowest that you or many of your Friends believe quite contrary Is this fair or honest dealing for thee to endeavour to blind our Eyes or deceive our Understanding be we either Simple or Learned Or if perhaps thou art of a different mind from some of thy Friends in this Particular as it is reported thou hast brought them off from some ridiculous Fancies Why wouldst thou not honestly tell us so Or art thou ashamed to declare freely and plainly the bottom and whole of the Doctrine thou holdest in so high a Concern as of Christ's Person You are Charged with and thy and thy Friends Speeches and Writings give me to understand that you Quakers hold this Doctrine concerning the Christ of God 1. That the Body of Christ is not nor was the true Christ but the Spirit in that Body 2. That the Spirit in that Body was none other but God the Father and so the Father is the Son and the Son the Father in very deed and only nomically distinct and so God the Christ of himself and Christ the God of himself somewhat like as Muggleton does in this particular if my memory fail me not 3. That the True Christ is not a Person without us and so was not visible to Corporal eyes 4. And so of necessity you must hold that Christ died not but only the Body that he assumed for a time or that was prepared for him was laid down again For how is it possible for you to Believe really that Christ died when you hold that Christ is only God and God is and ever was immortal and so could not die Now either thou and thy Friends do hold these Doctrines or the contrary if either I or others have mistaken you herein through your own Friends ill expressing themselves or if you have since changed your Opinion in this particular what hurt can there be and why shouldst thou be so nice to inform us truly honestly and plainly like a Christian And if thou dost hold them what 's the Reason thou art unwilling to own it Therefore I request I pray I earnestly desire thee if thou hast any love for the Truth or for Men to tell me or the World the plain truth herein if not I must still conclude thou dealest not fair nor candidly like a reasonable Man or a Christian or willing plainly to vindicate thy Religion 6. In this that when thou shouldest have Replyed like a sober Disputant to the Answer that Jeremy Ives gave to shew the invalidity and falshood of thy Distinction instead thereof thou evadest doing of it
does Surely it will be a strange piece of Confidence for you to Claim Credence from People if you cannot produce something Considerable beyond such as your selves own to be a GRAND IMPOSTOR and a DECEIVER Our Saviour the True Christ said If I bear witness of my Self my witness is not true But I have greater Witness than that of John c. The same Works that I do bear witness of Me that the Father hath sent Me. If I do not the Works of my Father believe me not If I had not done among them the Works which none other Man did they had not had Sin Ye Men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves also know Let all the House of Israel know assuredly That God hath made that Same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them Witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Sir Dost thou think thy self more worthy of Credit than Jesus Christ Or that your Ministers ought to be believed on easier terms than Christ and his Ministers were you bringing to us New Doctrines and New Revelations Some of which yet are not such New Discoveries from Heaven manifest by the Light within as pretended being in truth but the old Fancies of Sabellius manifested by him without reviv'd and new vamp't not heard of till long after Christ and then quickly exploded the Church about 1400 years ago as any one that can read may see in the Ecclesiastical Histories It may be thou mayst inquire what I am that writes thus plainly to thee thou mayst answer thy self I am a Man because I Speak or Write and heard thee Discourse the Language of Men and so consequently thou must Judg me One that hath the Light within me If thou wouldst know what I am not I 'le assure thee I am neither Baptist nor Quaker nor ever was though I have had a love for both and have still for many amongst you whom I hope are innocent as to these Mysteriouâ— Subtilties and Quibbles of your Leaders But such Ridiculous doings as in th' aforesaid Meeting does rather lessen than increase it If thou desirest to know why I Expostulate with thee unknown I answer 'T is because I was one of thy abused Auditors thou spending so much time to so little purpose to the hazard of Mens Lives and because I think thou hast need of a Faithful Monitor If I am mistaken therein do not blame my Charity nor yet my plain dealing with thee in this Epistle If thou demandest why I print it 'T is because I would have others see it that they might receive benefit by it as well as thee Remembring what Solomon says Open Rebuke is better than secret Love And because I would have thee answer it in Print that so Others may judg as well as I whether thou wilt deal any fairer more soberly in plainness and simplicity and Godly sincerity with me than thou hast done with others If I have mistaken thee or any of thy Friends I assure thee it is not willingly and if thou shewest me honestly wherein without Railing and ill Language I 'le beg thy excuse and thank thee for it I not pretending to Infallibility my Opinion being still so long as we are Men in this condition Humanum est errare notwithstanding what Spiritual-Pride Self-Conceit or Melancholy Fancies may suggest to distempered Brains or weak Heads whose Affections may be stronger than their Reasons FINIS Mr. Smith I Have thought fit to write this to thee to let thee know That if thou art willing to Print this Epistle thou mayest if not return it by this Bearer But if thou dost Print it I desire thee to take care before thou publish any of them to send one to Mr. Pen or to his Lodging which I presume thou knowest or may easily know for I do not know where it is I am though unknown Thy Friend Thomas Tompson THE SECOND PART OF THE QUAKERS QUIBBLES Set forth In a Reply to a Quibbling pretended Answer of G. Whiteheads Intituled the Quakers Plainness c. WHEREIN Many more of their Quibbles and Equivocations are manifested Also the Comparison betwixt the pretended Prophet Muggleton and the Quakers Justified to be True Rational and necessary Whereunto is added an Advertisement to Mr. W. Penn George Whitehead and the Quakers TOUCHING Their Jesuitical shifts Evasions and unparallel'd CONFIDENCE Their grand Mystery of directing the intention with their Pope-like Power to Sanctify and unsanctify words By the same indifferent Penn. Job 21.34 How then comfort ye me in vain seeing in your answers there remaineth falshood LONDON Printed for F. Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1675. THE CONTENTS THE Epistle to the Vnprejudiced Reader demonstrating how G.W. hath with his own hands destroyed his own Cause and pluckt up by the Roots the grand Principles of the Quakers Religion The Introduction being some Remarks on G. W's Preface and his Treatise in general SECT I. Wherein the Author clears himself of self-contradiction and charges G.W. with several Self-contradictions or Inconsistences new Quibbles SECT II. Setting forth the Quakers Quibbles Equivocations and Confusions about JESUS CHRIST his Manhood his humane Nature his Person his Body and his Flesh SECT III. Demonstrating the Quakers Quibbles about and Ignorance of the True SPIRITS Evidence and Demonstration who deny the Gift of Tongues and Signs c. As also of the Quakers Miracles and Pope JOAN SECT IV. Justifying the Comparison betwixt Muggleton and the Quakers to be both true rational honest and necessary SECT V. Touching Sabellius and the Agreement of the Quakers Doctrine with his touching the three Persons notwithstanding their Quibbling An ADVERTISEMENT to George Whitehead W. Penn and the Quakers Touching I. Their JESUITICAL Shifts and Evasions in answering their Opponents Books II. Their unparallel'd Confidence in their Vindications of their grand Prophet G. Fox's Falsities and Nonsence III. Their grand Mystery of DIRECTING the INTENTION in matter of Blasphemy IV. Their POPE-like Power to Sanctify and unsanctify words at their Pleasure The Quakers Character of the Quakers Quibbles George Whitehead in his Quakers-Plainness P. 14. Speaking of certain true Gifts of the Spirit which were Spiritual-Gifts and Evidence indeed says thus And what if God will not bestow such Gifts and signs NOW must we therefore be no Christians P. 71. Speaking of the Titles that the Quakers use to give to and write on some of their Books says thus Such Titles therefore have been not STRICTLY but FIGURATIVELY placed upon some Books Quis non
ridet Qui non videt suo se jugulavit gladio Unprejudiced Readers IT is no small thing but well worthy of your serious taking notice that G.W. being by many reputed so close so cunning and crafty a Man as no doubt but that in some things he is yet should be so far infatuated and over-shoâ—t himself here as to let fall from his Penn and publish in Print to the World two such Sentences the one by way of Interrogation and the other of Position Which if duly weighed and applied absolutely destroys his own Cause and answers himself in effect in all he writes Argumentum ad hominem The first by way of Interrogation effectually enervates and plucks up by the very Roots the whole of the Quakers Religion 1. For put the Case the Dispute be about immediate Revelation from God which the Quakers assert as one of their grand Principles and deny others to be true Christians that have it not Why G. W's words will as well serve for an Answer against himself What if God will not bestow such Gifts now as immediate Revelation must we therefore be no Christians 2. So as to Divine Inspiration now immediately by the Spirit as the Apostles had Why G. What if God will not bestow such gifts and signs now must we therefore be no Christians 3. So as to being sent and Commissioned by God and called by the Spirit to Prophesy and Preach the Gospel as the Apostles indeed were in the Primitive Church and the Quakers now pretend to Why alas George What if God will not bestow such Gifts and Signs now Must we therefore be no Christians 4. So for the Light within which the Quakers so much talk of and pretend to as their great Principle What if God will not bestow such Gifts and Light now must we therefore be no Christians 5. So for their Doctrine of Infallibility What if God will not bestow such a Gift now must we therefore be no Christians 6. So for their Doctrine and Pretence of the Gift of discerning of Spirits What if God will not bestow such a Gift now Must we therefore be no Christians And thus you see how by this Question he cuts the throat of all their own Pretensions and shakes the very foundation of his own and the Quakers Religion BVT can any be so ignorant as to think that God will inspire call send by Commission persons immediately and give no such Gifts or Signs that may distinguish them from others whereby we may certainly know they are so inspired call'd Commissioned and sent and not Pretenders only The second by way of Position puts such an Answer into the Mouths of George Whitehead's and the Quakers Opponents that if they please to make use of it in like manner as G.W. himself hath done He nor all the Quakers in England can never be able either to confâ—te or confound their Adversaries For let W.P. or George himself object what they can against them let them but have and take the like Liberty as G.W. himself â—ath here done which they cannot refuse to others they using it themselves without the greatest injustice and unreasonableness not to say impudence and it will be impossible for the Quakers to fix any thing upon them let them but say as why may they not as well as the Quakers if they have but so much confidence such titles or words are not strictly but figuratively placed in or on our Books And all 's done And therefore here I think I might on this ground of the Quakers if they will have that to be admitted undertake to do Mr. Hicks that service Gratis and G.W. also though I never promised it to one or other nor was desired by either of them to do it as to answer all G. W's second part of the Quakers Plainness or at least to enervate the chief sinews of it only using of George's own words Mutatis Mutandis As for example how silly is it for thee G.W. to take exceptions against the Title of his Book and that was one of the chiefest matters of the Charge at the first till the Anabaptists had pretty handsomly handled you and beat you off from that by producing a Book or Books of your own Friends who writ after the same manner A DIALOGUE betwixt a Christian and a Quaker why cannot T. Hicks tell thee like as thou thy self art so silly in thy own case to tell him that such a Title was not STRICTLY but FIGURATIVELY placed on his Book and then for all the rest of his words wherein W.P. and thou chargest him with Forging and Forgeries Slanders and Lies Thou hast here taught him a short way to the wood and so may Answer thee if he please all in few words Such Titles such words or sayings are not strictly but figuratively placed and put down in his Dialogues and thus George himself hath taken the pains to answer and confute himself and hath with one blast of his mouth blown away those dismal great charges of Lies and Forgeries laid on his Adversaries Oh! kind-natured Man But I dare say it was against his intention only he could not tell how to clear his Friends otherwise from other Mens charge of Blasphemy viz. for preferring their pittiful Pamphlets to the Holy Scriptures and so by shunning one Rock he hath split himself on another I am of the Opinion that when T. Hicks comes to understand this he will say that he is as much beholden to G.W. for making his way so easie by this one Sentence as by any advice twenty of his Friends could give him Now I would not have any Quaker mistake me and say I deny all figures for I own that there are some Metaphors in the Scriptures and that some Parables are therein written which must necessarily be interpreted Metaphorically and Figuratively but this I deny that therefore the whole Scripture is a Figure or all of it to be figuratively interpretted This I only hint on purpose to prevent the Quakers mistake who when they please I find will wilfully mistake others if they think they can make any advantage by it though never so base But this I say 1. That the Quakers have excluded themselves from using of Figures they having so long and so often witnessed that all Figures were ended and they were come to the end of all Figures and were come to Christ the Light which was the substance and the end of all Figures 2. That if notwithstanding the Quakers in contradiction to themselves will take the Liberty to make use of Figures in their words and writings and the Interpretation of them then they cannot without gross injustice and impudent partiality deny to others the same liberty and the use of the same thing they take themselves and so the matter will hold good all along The Apostle says Rom. 14. and 22. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth And thus Courteous Readers you see that G.W. hath
HIS FACE Why George what wouldst thou do with him I assure thee he hath a Nose in his Face as well as any Quaker hath What if the Author instead of Thâ— Thomson had subscribed M.A. could not VV.P. have joyned N. after VV. L's way of Addition and then have read it thus A MAN But since thy friends so MAGISTERIALLY commanded this poor Man the Author of that moderate Epistle to be brought forth to them 't is happy for him that thou art so ignorant for all thy boasting Revelations and that thy Light leaves thee in so much darkness of the Author that thou canst not tell when thou readest it whether it is the real Author's Name or no for if he had been brought forth at the QUAKERS MANDAMUS he could not tell what QUAKERS SPIRITUAL-COURT might have been erected for him neither could he have hoped to have faired better there than in the POPISH INQUISITION if you had but as much power But blessed be the Lord that as yet you have not It appears the Author did not only believe but now experiments to be true what he wrote viz. That he had ground to question whether your pretending to Inspiration and immediate Revelation was not only a bare pretence and self-confidence without having ANY MORE to show for it than OTHERS had Otherwise if what your great Prophet Ed. Burroughs said be true thaâ— the Spirit of Christ gives infallibâ—lity of Judgment and discerning into all cases and things and that he had believed you had had it he could then never have imagined you should at all have doubted but have been infallibly assured whether that Epistle was writ by the person that subscribed it or not But what if it happen that you are not acquainted personally with the Author are there not a thousand and a thousand that you do not personally know Is the Author or his Book ever the worse or better for that surely no. Suppose the Author be a private person and is not ambitious to seek the publick applause of Men what hast thou to say to it What if he dwells fifty or sixty Miles from London or that his occasions call him to Chester Ireland or any other remote place Must he come up to London of necessity to be gazed upon by the Quakers is this reasonable think you What does my person signifie to the merit of the Cause that 's that which they ought to mind if they were ingenuously Honest and not my person Whatsoever that may be to the reputation of an Opinion I am sure it is nothing to the TRUTH of it that such or such a Man holds it as one of the Church of England hath rationally said whom doubtless the Quakers must acknowledg to be an indifferent person and not interessed in the late disputes and therefore it seems very absurd and ridiculous in any Argument to meddle with that which nothing concerns the Question Besides no Cause stands in need of such mean and unâ—anly Artifices but such an one as is extreamly baffled yea desperate and even then are they says he the worst Arguments in the World to support it for quick-sighted men will see through the Dust they endeavour to raise and those that are duller will be apt to suspect from their being so angry and waspish that they have but a bad matter to manage I wish the men that I have now to deal with were arrived to this degree of perfection that they had so much lighâ— and rationality as even one of that Church which they have condemned as being in the dark to their shame doth see and declare But to return at last it seems George hath hit on 't when he tells you What-ever he be he writes like a confident Controuler of W.P. and the Quakers and would seem to be some body pag. 6th Well said George a thousand to one else but that he was some body except he was all Spirit and no Body which I am apt to think George himself is no tas much as he pretends to the Spirit I But he writes like a Confident Controuler of W.P. and the Quakers And why is VV.P. such a Gent. that he may not be upon any Terms controuled Or the Quakers such ingrossers of confidence that none may use it but themselves What 's VV.P. a Pope or a Prince that he must not be controuled Oh! daring some Body that presumes so much What controul VV.P. what controul the Quakers And which is worst yet I find Geoâ—ge is a little angry for want of other matter that some of the Anabaptists have commended it for an ingenuous piece How Is that possible to be ingenuous and yet controul VV.P. how can any Quaker admit of that But says George another of the most material things he hath to find fault withal his Complement of SIR and THOU SIR and THOU as also Mountebank Fool c. with much more such Language to VV.P. looks but oddly a strange way of Complementing says G. from such a Person as would be thought a Moderator Now Reader whether this be even or odd I have not reckoned up but I think it was very oddly done of G.VV. to express himself no evener for here the Man is pleased to find fault wiâ—h the word THOU as well as thou Sir When surely he forgets that one of his great Prophets G.F. and others thought the Quakers such Shuttle-Cocks as that they had need of so large a a Battledoor for to learn them HOW MAN THOU'D GOD and GOD THOU'D MAN Oh pure Language Is not this Spiritual-Doctrine think you Such as the Quakers are likely to be sent with and Commissioned from Heaven about And yet now are these Quakers so faced about that one may not thou VV.P. without being worthy of Reproof whether this be folly or Pride I leave others to enquire But says G. VV. a strange way of Complementing viz. Sir and thou Sir c. well well G. gives us hopes then that he will set up a new and better way of Complementing For here he doth not deny Complements or the way of complementing only gives you to understand that mine is a strange way and looks but oddly but yet if G. had not forgot himself it 's neither so odd nor strange but that the Apostles used it Acts 14.14 and 15. Now what wilt thou say that Paul and Barnabas used a strange way of Complementing here If so when thou set's up School and I find I have need to learn I 'le come to thee in the mean time I hope thou wilt hold me excused Yet I charge thee to Answer if thou canst whether the word SIR is a Complement if the Apostles did not use it See Joh. 20.15 But see how these Men can when they please strain at Gnats and swallow Camels To say Sir is dangerous but to call a Man Sott and blind Beast is with them Religious and pure Language As for the Word Mountebank I did not say VV.P. was one but I said
there such an expression in the Scripture as Proper least Proper c. are not these Philosophical Terms SECT III. In Reply to his third Section shewing G. W's and the Quakers Ignorance of the true Spirits Evidence who deny the Gift of Tongues Prophecy Signs c. to be such 1. IN my Epistle to W.P. p. 8. I minded him of the Apostle Paul's words 2 Cor. 12.12 13. Truly the SIGNS of an Apostle were wrought AMONG YOU in all Patience in SIGNS and WONDERS and MIGHTY DEEDS For what is it wherein ye were INFERIOR to other Churches Here was a Church indeed that had the Spirits evidenee and here was an Apostle indeed that had Divine Revelation the Gift of Prophecying Tongues and Interpretation of Scripture such an Apostle was one who indeed was not of Men neither by Man but sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Gal. 1.1 But no such Apostles nor Friends of the Ministry can I find amongst the Quakers who yet pretend to be Apostles not of Men nor by Man but immediately sent by God and pretend to have the same Spirit Calling and Power that the Apostle Paul had And yet alas do not EVIDENCE it any MORE than OTHERS do who pretend to it with as much Confidence as themselves Nay and so far are they from that that I do not see they are able to produce any MORE or give any better Demonstration of it than those who do not pretend at all immediately to it and therefore I told W.P. if he had had the GIFT OF TONGUES given him by the SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY upon his turning QUAKER Or if he could shew but ONE in all his Church that had such a spiritual Gift or Gifts upon his Conversion to their way it would put a clear difference betwixt them and the Baptists Churches and herein would the Quakers plainly then exceed and excel them and that one such Testimony if true in the Quakers Church would more confute the Anabaptists and Convince their Auditors than a hundred such days brawling disputes where the Quakers shew'd no more POWER OF THE SPIRIT than their Adversaries only fenced with words as well as they could as their wits would serve them best to Distinguish Evade or Answer And therefore I told W.P. I found his Church as Poor and Low as the Baptists whom yet they condemned I finding he had the words of Man's Wisdom in making plausible Orations but askt him Where was the Demonstration of the Spirit in Power and Sign 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 2. Now at this I find George is put to a great loss saying p. 14. What if God will not bestow such Gifts and Signs now Being afraid to say God will and yet not daring to say God will not what George art thou in a Maze Is not this Scripture-Phrase Is not this according to Scripture-Language 1 Cor. 4.19 20. I will know not the Speech of them that are puffed up but the Power For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power see also Revel 2.2 And is not this according to your own Language G. Foxes Epistle before thy Book Divin of Christ have you the same Power and Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And such miraculous Gifts are no more than what we find testifyed to have been and remained in the Christian-Church about two hundred or three hundred years after Christ Irenaeus who lived one hundred and eighty years after Christ affirmeth that in his time the working of Miracles the Raising of the Dead the casting out of Devils healing of the sick by laying on of hands and Prophesying were in being and that some that were so raised from the dead remained among them alive long after Niceph. Eccles. Hist Tom. 1. lib. 4. cap. 13. Tertullian and Cyprian which last lived till above 250 years after Christ do both make mention of the ordinary casting out of Devils and challenged the Heathen to come and see it 3. But says he p. 31. this is very strange But what then George It is not more strange than true And I say Is it not very strange that you will pretend to the Power and the Spirit and talk of being sent immediately by God as Paul was and have a Dâ—vine Commission to Prophesie and yet cannot bring any Evidence to prove it more than Others And instead of Producing one such Apostle Prophet or Minister in thy Church the best thing which yet alas is bad enough thou canst say for thy self Oh! our opposers do argue as just like the Papists and Jesuites as if they had served seven years at Rome Reply Ah Quibbler this will not serve thy turn above all Persons for who Argues more like a Papist or Jesuite than your selves about proving the Scriptures not to be the Rule of your Faith Who uses the Jesuites Arguments to prove good works the meritorious cause of our Justification more than you Was it not one of the most eminent and learnedst Men that ever you had amongst you that positively asserts THE SCRIPTURE TO BE A NOSE OF WAX yea and says it is CAPABLE of being NO OTHER Sam. Fisher Additional Appendix p. 21. And is not this the Jesuites Phrase in terminis And none but Papists except your selves use it Andrad Orth. Explic. lib. 2. p. 104. What had S. Fisher served seven years at Rome Nay I can shew you and others may see if they mind it that almost all the Arguments that Mr. Fisher uses to prove the Scripture is not the Rule of Faith are the very same that the Papists and Jesuites have used these hundred years and so G.F. in the Epistle before thy said Book says where doth the Scripture say that it self is the Word of God Just so do the Papists Argue What now George Is the Argument the better or the worse because the Jesuites have used it Dost thou think in thy Conscience this is a good Answer You can sometimes tell us that the Papists may use good Arguments and so the Jesuites make use of the Scriptures yet never the worse for that nay do but see how thou hast Answered this matter thy self in thy own Book Divin of Christ p. 38. It is but a mean way of Arguing to accuse or miscal any for owning any Truth that any sort if they do err in some things do hold for by that way I may as well be reckoned a Papist a Jew or a Turk c. How now George and yet dost thou use this mean way of Arguing against me For shame do not forget thy self and shuffle backwards and forwards thus but use some Consciencâ— in thy Scribling if thou hast any tenderness and plainness in thee lay thy hand upon thy Mouth 4. But further I 'le tell thee that I have oft used this Argument against the Papists and to chuse would use it before any other and the first and best thing as I verily think that I could use if I was to Dispute with a Iesuite
which neither they nor others can give before you can be tryed by that because that is the question whether you have the SPIRIT and the POWER OF GOD or no MORE than others 7. And then let me tell George That if he could Demonstrate it this way it would not be nay it could not be any Imposing upon me if G.W. did visibly Evidence and demonstrate to me by Power and mighty Deeds that he had indeed that Power and Spirit that he says he hath Therefore thou talkest deceitfully as if that would be an Imposing But now yours is imposing when you condemn Men for not-believing that you have immediate Revelations or in that you assert and would have us believe you are MORE inspired than other Men or other Societies and Bodies of Christians And you tell us you have the Spirit and are in the Truth MORE than others whom you Condemn as false and yet you produce NOTHING except YOUR BARE SAY-SO MORE than others who SAY SO of themselves as you do of your selves Now here 's the IMPOSING you pretend you are Infallible and yet produce no more or other effects of your Infallibility than other Men can or do Nay on the contrary the same effects of Fallibility are evident among you as among others and yet if any deny it in you you Censure and Curse them for not believing you and this is your way of Imposing And you Quakers say you are immediately sent of God and commissioned from God to deliver such or such a Message or Curse and that this and that is given forth by the Holy Ghost in you or from the Spirit and yet you shew no more certainty to prove to us and for us infallibly to build our Faith on that you are so sent and SO Commissioned from God than Muggleton does or other Churches which yet your selves say ARE NOT SENT OF GOD nor Commissioned by him Now here 's imposing upon Mens beliefs and this I say you are guilty of yea and most eminently guilty of next to Muggleton or the Pope of any Person or People I know and this is the thing George thou shouldst have Answered if thou hadst Answered me to the purpose and main bent of my Epistle to W.P. But this thou pittifully evadest and slâ—ly wouldst slide from But now since you pretend to such high things if you had the visible Spiritual Gifts that were amongst the true Primitive Churches and Apostles to evidence and demonstrate the Truth of what now you ONLY SAY and pretend I should never nor I suppose any Man in his wits call or esteem it any imposing on my Faith But the other is so indeed as I have shew'd you and therefore G. I would take thee by the hand and lead thee back again praying thee not to shuffâ—e and Cut also but Answer this and not that which I never desired of thee nor W.P. That 's the very thing I found fault with you before viz. That you would Answer to that which was not askt you instead of returning Answer to that which was and yet still thus thou servest me but it will not do For my design is that I may know you better what Real Power Evidence and Authority you have BEYOND others that so I may have a good Foundation for my Faith and give Credit to it and you Or that for want of it you may be brought to a better fight of your selves and see your nakedness and Poverty though you say as the Church of Laodicâ—a that you are rich and so may learn to be humble and not Censure others except you can better evidence your own 9. And yet why wilt thou say you have not imposed thus your Faith on others Was not and hath not your Language been such as this viz. It 's true that Timothy Titus and others WHO HAD GIFTS IN THEM for the Ministry were approved by Paul and others of the Primitive Elders for the work but this is no Proof that these opposers Ministers are either so gifted or approved G.W. Enthusiasm above Atheism p. 5. And so say I neither is it any Proof that the QUAKERS MINISTERS are SO GIFTED or APPROVED and the Words before-cited of G.F. before thy own Book Have you the SAME POWER and SPIRIT that gavâ— forth the Scriptures G.W. Wilt thou believe thy own words Then see thy Answer to Mr. Richard Baxters two sheets for the Ministry p. 16. We never understood that they that set up these Priestâ— were called as Peter or Paul or the Elders who had Power to lay on the hands that the HOLY GHOST FELL ON THE PARTY ON WHOM THEY LAID ON THEâ—R HANDS and shew me any ONE of thy MINISTERS CALLED SO George G. F. To all People in all Câ—ristendom says thus p. 2. All Sects have the words of the Apostles but out of the Power and Life A Paper sent forth into the World from the Quakers p. 5. We are against the Pastors that NOW STEAL the words of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles W.P. Reason against Railing p. 115. Many may run into the Practice of several outward things mentioned in the Scriptures to have been the practice of Saints in former Ages and yet not be led into the Truth for all that is but will-worship Imitation and unwarrantable And all this I may say against you which you have said against others and if they were good then why not still For you have but the Names and Images of things you have got the words used in Scripture the Power and the Spirit the Gifts of the Spirit the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power But alas where is the thing it self viz. the visible Power and Gifts of the Spirit the Demonstration of the Spirit that the true Apostles had and the Scripture speaks of To this George can poorly say what if God will not bestow such Gifts now why then George I say thou hast them not only hast stolen the words out of the Scriptures thou hast got the Name the Image and words as thou sayest the Baptists and others have done but alas art as barren of the Gifts themselves as they are only art got into a Form but denyest the True power of God and Demonstration of the Spirit in Signs and mighty Deeds 10. Pa. 33. G.W. hath this further to say That he doubts not but where the Spirit of God lives and Rules it will manifest it self by its Fruits for it is self-evidencing and that they have a record in Heaven and also in many Consciences of the blessed Power of God with them and in them Reply And cannot the Baptists say all this nay and do not they many times They can say thâ—y have a Record in Heaven and in many Consciences also who believe them and pray tell me G. how thou wilt get up to Heaven to search the Record there and disprove them Did one ever hear such silly stuff as this man writes did he indeed think to shufflle it off with such
hardned Judg and let all intelligent Readers Judg. This is then the thing that I did and do still demand of thee Why shouldst thou or thy Friends be believed more than Muggleton or an Impostor that thou speakest immediately from the spirit of God and that thou hast a Commission from Heaven and he not What canst or dost thou produce say or pretend to more than Muggleton does whom yet your selves say is AN Impostor and a Deceiver 6. Instead of that G.W. p. 36. weakly tells me that some of the Baptists have denied the Father and Son to be two distinct Persons and then cites Hicks Dialogue p. 9. What 's this in Answer to my Epistle And yet for ought I understand he hath falsly accused Mr. Hicks therein for on the Contrary he doth expresly own the Father and Son to be two distinct Persons and then G. would basely come off by saying wherein they Imply the Father and Son to be one Person without us whereas I do not find one such word in all T. H.'s Dialogues and I dare say the thought never entred into his heart but what falshood will not this Man use Not regarding either his own Honour or Reputation nor that of his Religion which yet he pretends to whilst he defends it by such base means To accuse a Man positively and then when he comes to prove it he doth but barely say it is implied when indeed it is not implied and I know not why my Testimony should not be as good as G. W's 7. G.W. p. 36. What if Quakers pretend to these viz. that they have received a Commission from Heaven that they had it by Divine Revelation that they are inspired by the Spirit of God that they are infallible Says he the Apostles and true Church did not only pretend to but experience the same does it therefore follow that they must be compared with the Muggletonians and be deemed Impostors Reply That ever any Man in his wits should make himself so Ridiculous in Print as G.W. here does For 1. Because the Apostles and true Church did pretend to these things and did EXPERIENCE the SAME and could visibly demonstrate them and so were no Impostors nor like Muggleton Must thâ—refore the Quakers and Muggleton who pretend to these things but do not experience the same nor can visibly demonstrate them as the true Apostles did be no Impostors on the contrary it directly follows that the Quakers and Muggleton pretending to these things and not experiencing the same nor visibly Demonstrating them as the true Apostles did are Impostors and get off of it if you can 2. Cannot Muggleton also say what if he as led by the Spirit of Truth pretend to these things the Apostles and true Church did not only pretend to but experienced the same does it therefore follow that he must be compared with and deemed an Impostor What Answer wouldst thou make to Muggleton Take the same to thy self and thou wilt be Answered 8. And thus hast thou made thy self Ridiculous and thy deceit and Hypocrisie apparent to others and therefore George since thou hast undertaken for thy Brother Penn to Answer my Epistle I will not let thee go free so no no I cannot be satisfied with thy shuffles and such poor Shifts I intend now not to leave thee till thou hast indeed Answered to the MATTER in Dispute or made thy own Folly and vain-boasting manifest to all Men of sound understanding still asserting That it is a strange piece of Confidence for you to censure and condemn others or to claim Credence from People if you cannot produce something considerable BEYOND such as your selves own to be a GRAND IMPOSTOR and a DECEIVER And I do still demand of you What can or do you produce say and pretend to more than Muggleton does Or why shouldst thou in particular G.W. be believed MORE than Muggleton or an Impostor in thy Pretences of having Received an Immediate Commission and Ministry from Heaven Infallibility and immediate Inspirations from the Spirit of God to go forth as an Apostle or a Prophet And this lies at thy door still notwithstanding all thy pittiful Evasions and deceitful equivocations And this is sufficient for thy fourth Section SECT V. In Reply to his fifth Section about SABELLIUS and the Agreement of the Quakers Doctrine with his touching the three Persons G.W. P. 41. Tells me that because I did not lay down particularly what those old exploded Fancies of Sabellius were I am smiting at them in the dark Reply Is not this indeed Ingenious I writ my Epistle to W.P. who is generally known to be a Scholar and a Man of Learning and could not well be thought so Ignorant or of so little Reading as not to know who Sabellius was and what his Opinions which were exploded therefore it was altogether needless for me to lay down what I concluded he knew as well as my self But now a Man who is unlearned or no good Scholar comes in his Ignorance and undertakes to Scribble me an Answer and for want of so much Light and Learning in himself accuses me of smiting at them in the Dark 2. To Inform this Man and enlighten his dark mind in this particular I understand that Sabellius was one who denied there was a Trinity of Persons he denied there were three persons saying all three were one Epip haerâ—s 62. Aug. lib. haer as the Quakers now do And so confound the Father Son and Holy Ghost and impiously imagined three Names in one thing and in one Person therefore not without Cause we forbid them the Church c. Soc. Schol. lib. 2. These and the like were the Exploded Fancies that were long since revealed by SABELLIUS without rather than by the Light within and such-like are now the Quakers Fancies which they pretend are revealed to them by the Light within notwithstanding all their plausible Quibbles and equivocating pretences sometimes to the contrary as is manifested in this foregoing Discourse 3. G.W. p. 42 43. instead of answering my Epistle tells me that some of the Baptists have denied the Divinity of Christ Reply Quid hoc ad rem I never requested that of him or W.P. I matter no more what some of the Baptists hold than what some of the Quakers do hold But it seems G. found it much easier for him to set down what Doctrines some of the Baptists have held than to prove and make good such Doctrines as himself holds If he hath any thing to say to the Baptists it is likely enough they may be able to Answer for themselves as well as he can for himself if not better because they own the Holy Scriptures to be their Rule and not their own Spirit or Fancy within But if not what 's all this to me I am no Baptists and so I told W.P. before Therefore this is no better than a Quibbling Evasion in lieu of an Answer 4. G. W p. 44. seemeth to like the Close of my
they come to you and desire it you would procure such of the Quakers Books as they shall make question of if you can find or have them and shew them at your shop for their better satisfaction that so they may believe their OWN EYES at least And that you send one of this second Part to Mr. Whitehead and another to Mr. Penn. So farewell Thy friend though unknown T.T. Jan. 1. 74 5. THE THIRD PART OF THE QUAKERS QUIBBLES BEING A Continuation of their Quibbles Equivocations Riddles Contradictions Rounds and Confusions set forth in ten several Particulars Whereunto is Added Remarks on G. W ' s. Slight Sheet given forth by him as a Reprehension for want of an Answer to the Second Part of the QVAKERS QVIBBLES With some further Account of their Grand Mystery of DIRECTING the INTENTION By the same Indifferent Pen. If ye Build again the things which ye Destroyed ye make your selves Transgressâ—rs Gal 2.18 Diruit Aedificat Mutat Quadrata Rotundis Erroris Mater fuit Aequivocatio semper LONDON Printed for F. Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1675. TO THE Free Spirited Impartial READER AS it is left us upon Record in Holy Writ that GOD at sundry times and in divers manners hath spoken unto his Prophets and People for the Salvation of Men so we are thereby likewise assured that SATHAN at sundry times and in divers Forms hath spoken to and deceived many Souls by pretending great Light great Knowledge high things in words and semblance Imitating as near as might be the works and ways of GOD but still without that true Divine Power which enabled those immediate Men of God VISIBLY to out-do all the deceiving Pretences and Ape-like Imitations of the Devil's Instruments in the sight of all Men present as Moses's Serpent swallowed up all the Egyptian Sorcerers Serpents and Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost was able to over-come and strike Elymas the Sorcerer with outward Blindness Now this was IN DEED and not in TALK only to be in the Power and filled with the Holy Ghost and the Text says Then the Deputy when he saw what was done believed And no sooner had our Glorious Lord JESVS CHRIST Visibly Ascended to Heaven without us and fulfilled his great Promise of sending his Holy Spirit upon his Apostles and Disciples which was in a visible manner enduing them with Power not onely the Name but the Thing to speak with Tongues to Prophecy indeed and to work visible Miracles for the Confirmation of that Word and Doctrine they Preach'd to the World Heb. 2.4 and this is in Scripture-Language true Spirit Baptism or the Baptiâ—â— of the Spirit and this is it which was for Persons to be Baptized indeed with the Holy Spirit as it is expresly called Acts 1.5 and of Fire There appeared unto them Cloven Tongues like as of Fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost But Sathan that Old Serpent not willing to be long idle did quickly raise up even in those true Apostles days many Pretenders false Prophets and false Apostles some of the first whereof Ancient Records tell us were called Nicolaitans and Gnosticks who pretended high and strange Light Knowledge and Illumination beyond others And it is Observable of all the Forms into which Sathan Transformed himself it seems none is nor was more taking than what he used in the true Apostles days viz. Transforming himself into an Angel of LIGHT and therefore no marvel if such as are false Apostles are found Transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Nor is it any great thing as the true Apostle Intimates to us if such as are indeed Sathans Ministers also be Transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness If the wicked one could play such pranks and be so bold then how much more may we expect and suspect it now and it is no strange thing if some of his Ministers and Instruments now be Transformed into Angels or Messengers of Light Pretend the Light Talk of the Light Preach up the Light Own the Light Witness the Light and Cry out the Light the Light And whereas a certain sort of People lately sprung up among us did pretend to high Illuminations and talkt much of the Light they walkt in above others and of the Power immediate Calling and Gifts of the Spirit that they had as in the Apostles time And as they pretended to higher things than others so I did set my self more especially and seriously to hear consider weigh and try them their Doctrines and Principles for about these Twenty Years But alas in lieu of finding any such thing amongst them as the same Light Power and immediate Commission and Gifts of the Spirit that the Apostles and Apostolical Churches had and which they then did pretend to blame others for want of I could see nor hear nothing among them but the meer Words and bare Pretences and taking up some such things by Imitation as they fanâ—ied in themselves and as they found the Apostles wrote or the Scriptures spoke of as many others do whom yet they did once Condemn for that very thing yea and inâ—tead thereof I have Observed the greatest Inconstancy Vncertainty Turn and Change amongst them that I think ever was to be found among any People that pretended to so refined Sublime a Religion in the space of Twenty Years and yet all this while to talk of or pretend to INFALLIBILITY which hath Occasioned them to defend themselves from those who have taken more notice of their Inconstancy Vncertainty and Changes than they were willing should be to use the greatest Quibbling and grossest Equivocations that have been used in Religious matters ever since the Jesuites new modell'd the Art the better to hide it and themselves Some of their most Considerable Quibbles in their Doctrine touching that Grand Principle of our true Lord and Saviour JESVS CHRIST I had Occasion given me by them to set forth more particularly in my Second Treatise beginning at p. 29. But my intended Brevity not permitting and not knowing but that these Persons might learn to be somewhat more humble meek moderate and civil when they should rightly reflect on it and themselves then prevented me of proceeding any further therein Yet since I understand it is very much desired by others and the Quakers as much to want it they being as Confidently outragious as before for in the midst of all their Inconstancies in their Practice and Doctrines I find them chiefly constant in these two things in their Practice viz. their egregious Confidence and their Railing Reviling Language to others and in that it may be truly said of them Can the Ethiophian change his skin or the Leopard his spots wherefore here is set forth more of their Quibbles in several particulars and that in some most weighty and important Points as those of the Church the Annointing the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures and
WHICH IS DEATH and KILLETH Oh horrid abominable and wicked besides the falshood of it how near to Blasphemy is it Not to say much to his words in p. 5. where he maketh himself a Judge for others to be Judged by viz. Let all that read these Scriptures Judge thee BY ME to be a Lyar. Nor to their words in the Title Page where they say these their Words or Writings were GIVEN FORTH from the SPIRIT of the Lord IN VS You may enough ghess at it and the Impudence of it your selves Will not the Impartial Reader now think this Book ISHMAEL a Rare Piece for the bigness of it for 't is but about three sheets I must needs think that many Sober Readers that shall see and duly Consider these Words will almost conclude it incredible it being so abominably gross but that they may see it with their own Eyes in the Quakers own Book if they dare give Credit to their Eye-sight more than to the Quakers false Tongues and therefore I refer all such to the Book it self for better Satisfaction Sect. 2. Sam. Fisher in his Addit Appendix p. 21. Speaking of the Holy Scriptures says Which Transcriptions and Translations were they never so certain and entire by Answering to the first Original Copies yet are NOT CAPABLE to be to all Men ANY OTHER than a Lesbian Rule or NOSE OF WAX Forasmuch as even where Men have them as half the World has not they are lyable to be wrested and Actually twisted Twenty ways by Interpreters whose Expositions Sences and meanings which are as many and various as the Thoughts Conceits and Inventions of men are who Comment upon them must be the Rule to such as can Read them neither in Hebrew and Greek nor in their own Mother-Tongues neither And further the said Sam. Fisher in the same page tells us that He and the Quakers have put it to the Question How it may be known assuredly uncontroulably infallibly that the Scripture is at ALL of God and not a cunningly DEVISED FABLE and INVENTION of Men Do ye not think now Impartial Readers that the Quakers are High Honourers of Holy Scripture to use such Terms and Language in Querying about it as a cunningly devised FABLE and INVENTION of Men And in his very next words he gives us and the World to understand that the Church and Clergy of England do but go-round or Dance in a Circle when they tell the Quakers and us That the Scripture may be known to be of God by the Testimony of the Spirit and that we may try and find assuredly that Spirit to be of God by the Scripture Sect. 3. Ed. Burroughâ— p. 834. The ONELY perfect Rule of â—onscience in the Exercise to God is the SPIRIT of Christ and not any other thing G.W. Again the Question being put Do you esteem of your speakings to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible makes this Answer in his Serious Apol. p. 49. viz. That which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY â—s of AS GREAT Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and GREATER c. Sect. 4. W. Pen also that he for his Worthiness and sincerity may not Complain as left out shall give in his Verdict in his Spirit of Truth Vindicated p. 38. Thus the Scripture is much like the shadow of the True Rule c. Now all men know a shadow is an empty and vain thing and the most uncertain thing in the World sometimes shorter and sometimes much longer than the Substance it self Sect. 5. But now to wheel about and run round again though one would think no man possibly that pretends to Honesty or common Reputation could either have the Face or Confidence to do it having so rivetted and fixed the Contrary in Print as above nay some cannot believe that any Ordinary Romancer would Publish it in Print with such a Stupendious confidence as the Quakers have lately done viz. G.W. Quakers Plainness p. 70 71. Nor did we EVER prefer our Books before the Bible as unjustly we are charged but do prefer the Bible BEFORE ALL other Books extant in the World Our Intention and Principle NEVER was to bring our Books in Comparison to the Scriptures No G Is this True Does not thy own Conscience smite thee and fly in thy Face Nay is this possible to be true When G.W. himself calls the Scriâ—ture which the Minister asserted was the Foundation of Faith as I have already told you NATURAL and CARNAL the LETTER which is DEATH and KILLETH What can be worse than Natural Carnal that which is Death and Killeth Are your Writings worse than that Then further do but consider the Titles and Epithets this very G.VV. gives to some of his own Books viz. The Glory of Christs Light within Expelling Darkness Another The Light and LIFE of Christ within well go thy ways GEORGE not onely for a QUIBBLER but an AUDACIOUS CONFIDENT surely Geo. thou hadst not forgot that your Book ISHMAEL was given forth from the SPIRIT of the Lord in you Or did you deal therein falsely with the World And with God too Was any of the Holy Scriptures any more than given forth from the spirit of the Lord And if that you say be true I am sure your Books must be EQUAL at least with the Scriptures but what need I talk of that when Geo. himself assures me that some of their Writings or speeches were GREATER if ever the spirit of Truth spoke in any of them it is of AS GREAT Authority says he as the SCRIPTURES and CHAPTERS are and GREATER Sect. 6 And to face quite about again G. Keith told us positively That W.P. hath the Scripture as the Secondary Rule of his Faith and Practice Narrative of the Second Dispute published by the Quakers themselves p. 57. Who doth not see now that these men will say any thing Or care not what they say Mr. Pen himself at best does but say The Scripture is much like the SHADOW of the true Rule so far is it from being any either Primary or Secundary true and Substantial Rule to him but onely much like the shadow of it and a shadow is sometimes three or four times longer or shorter than the Truth and Substance and in that Respect says VV.P. it may be a KIND of a Secondary Rule Observe Reader how mincingly and Quibblingly VV.P. words it 1. In that Respect as it is much like the shadow 2. a kind of Secondary Rule a shadowy Kind but neither the true substantial or certain Rule and it all comes in with it may be suppositively now which of these two Quakers is the Quibbler Both May be one Must be But that is not all neither for worse absurdities will still follow for if that be true which G.VV. said then that which is DEATH and KILLETH is A RULE of VV. Pen's Faith and Practice and that which is Natural and carnal is A RULE of the Quakers Faith and Practice then an
came on them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied and all the Men were about twelve 2 Cor. 12.12 13. Truly the Signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in Signs and Wonders and mighty Deeds For what is it wherein ye were Inferior to other Churches * Isa 29.11 12. And the Vision of all is become unto you as the words of a Book that is Sealed which Men deliver to one that is Learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is Sealed Aâ—â— the Book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned Mica 3.6 7. Therefore night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a Vision and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not Divine and the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the day shall bâ— dark over them Then shall the Seers be ashamed and the Diâ—iners Confounded yea they shall all cover their Lips for there is no answer of God see Psal 34.9 Ezek. 13.6 7. * 1 Cor. 2 4 5. My Speech and my Preaching says the true Apostle was not with inticing Words of Mans Wisdom But in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power c. 2 Tim. 2.24 25 The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance See Gal. 6.1 and Phil. 4.5 See 1 Tim. 1.5 6. 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. Shun prophane and vain Bablings for they will increase unto more ungodliness and their Word wil eat as doth a Canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the Truth have Erred saying That the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the Faith of some 1 Pet. 3.15 But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a Reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear reverence 1 Câ—r 14. â— So likewise you excâ—pt ye utter by the tongue words significant or easâ—e to be undâ—â—stood how shall it be kâ—â—wn whâ—t is 〈◊〉 for ye shall speak into the Air. * And some of the Quakers quibble as much about the word Body as thou dost about the word Christ not being willing to own that Christ hath any other Body now then his Church from Col. 1.24 or sometimes then the Bodies of the Saints from Ephes 5.30 mistaken Titus 3.2 3. To speak evil of no man to be no Brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness unto all men For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived c. * Rom. 12.5 John 5.31 and 36. John 10.37 15.24 Acts 2.22 36. Heb. 2.3 4. Prov. 27.5 15.32 G.W. p. 18. * Which is the most true and pure Language to a single Person to write that thou ORDERED me or to say that you Ordered me Are they not both alike as to the impureness of speech Oh ye rare Linguists that write by Inspiration †If you have bad English again I cannot help that you have it as such a School-Master and Dictator as G.W. sent it me I would not take notice of this but that the Quakers pretend to Infallibility and have condemned oâ—hers for bad English or not speaking it Grammatically * It seems G.W. says or to deny it was added Whether it be so or no and What G.W. meant he WAS to deny or would IMPOSE upon him to deny I know not but it is still the same as to the purpose I brought it viz. their IMPOSING upon others as if they had the Power of or would new erect among them A HIGH COMMISSION COVRT for even there their IMPOSITION was the same that the Parties accused had the Liberty to confess or deny the Questions that were put to them * Mr. Penâ— Judas and the Jews is no more than a little above sixteen sheets in Answer to four and a hâ—lf and this you must not doubt but without disgusting their Sober Readers it being a Quakers Method See also hiâ— Spirit of Truth Vindicated it is but seventeen sheets in Answer to six