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
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
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
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
she is not the true Church Secondly Again A.S. saith and diabolically affirmeth in the second Page of his pretended Reconciler of Religions that the true Church is composed of both good and bad wheat and tares which I do abominate to acknowledge and is blasphemy in him to affirm for the true Church is built of Living stones 1 Pet. 2.5 elect and precious or as A.S. affirmeth of living believers but no living believers can be truly called the bad nor the tares but elect and precious and all that are living or precious are the good therefore the true Church is built of the good only Thirdly But if the Church of Christ which A.S. in his second page affirmeth is the kingdome of Christ be composed of both good and bad then according to his own affirmation the kingdome of Christ is part good and part bad which is horrid blasphemy in A.S. to affirm Oh grosse darknesse and confusion Are thou a Member of that Church that calls it self the light of the world Oh dark dull gloomy light the Lord God Almighty bring all his people out of that dark Cell that they may walâ— in his marvellous light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which makes all things manifest of what sort it is Fourthly But if you say that Christ likened the kingdome to a net that was cast into the Sea which gathered of all kinds I answer he did so yet when it came to land there was none composed or gathered into the vessels but the good only and the bad were cast away Matth. 13.48 Therefore the true Church is not composed of both good and bad but of the good only Fifthly But if you object that the tares and wheat were both to grow together in the field I answer they were so untill the harvest and the field is the world Mat. 13.39 but the true Church is not of the woâ—ld Joh. 17.14 but when the reapers were sent forth which were the Angels that had the Gospel to preach Rev. 14 6. who went to disciple people and to baptize them into the true Church Mat. 28.19 Their commission was to compose or gather the wheat only and to seperate the tareâ— from it and to bind them in bundles for the fire Mat. 13.30 and therefore the true Church is not composed of both wheat and tares but of the wheat only Sixthly Farther If you say that there was some in the true Church in the Apostles dayes that were false brethren and these were bad I answer Though they were amongst them yet they were not of them as the Apostle said 1 John 2.19 Therefore the true Church is not composed of both good and bad but of the good only But to râ—tuâ—n to the fifth part of A.S. his argument where he saith that the Church of Rome is known to the world in her Bishops Pastors and Believers c. and therefore she is visible Answ Although that proves her visible yet it doth not prove her to be the true Church but the contrary for the true Church that was the light of the world was not known to the world John 17.14 but the visible Church of Rome is known to the world as A.S. himself affirmeth therefore she is not the true Church but the contrary Again the true Church wrestled not with flesh and bloud neither was her weapons carnal but spiritual and she wrestled with spiritual wickednesses that were in the high places and broke down the strong holds of iniquity 2 Cor. 10.3 4. but the Church of Rome wrestles with flesh and blood and kills mens bodies about Religion as the whole Christendome knoweth and the spiritual wickednesses are still standing in her as afore proved and as all the world sufficiently knows therefore she is not the true Church Sixthly The infallibleness of the true Church of which Christ is supreme head and governour I do not go about to deny but that the Church of Rome is infallible that I do deny For First Although A.S. hath affirmed that she hath alwayes remained since Christs time unto this day without interruption c. yet he never proved it neither can he do it for as before I have said we never read that the true Church in Christs dayes was found in such things neither was such things then found in her as is now found in the Church of Rome and which the Church of Rome is now found in by which it is clear that she hath not alwayes remained since Christs time in the state she now stands Secondly But if she hath alwayes remained since Christe time to this day without interruption aâ— A.S. saith she hath then she cannot possibly be the true Church for the true Church was interrupted since the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ and yet remained as hereafter I shall shew and in the Apostles dayes her interruption began and some of the Apostles foresaw it and said of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things Acts 20.30 and when they were arisen they withstood the truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses 2 Tim. 3.8 so here the interruption of the true Church began and after this John saw the Dragon interrupting or persecuting her into the Wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they might feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Rev. 12.6 13.14 ver concerning which I shall have occasion to speak more hereafter so on this wise the true Church was interrupted since Christs days But A.S. saith that the Church of Rome hath alwayes remained since Christs time without interruption Therefore she is not the true Church Thirdly And whereas A.S. farther saith that the Church of Rome shall alwayes remain to the end of the world and therefore she is infallible I answer He hath not at all confirmed that by any proof neither hath he any farther proof than his own affirmation except he would produce that saying of the Mother of Harlots viz. I sit as a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Rev. 18.7 And indeed what would be a very pittiful Argument to prove the Church of Rome infallible but none other can he produce except he could first prove her to be the true Church which he is never able to do his best argument by which he hath undertaken it being already confuted Therefore we have no more cause to believe his affirmation than we have to believe the sayings of the forementioned mother of Harlots for they are both alike to us and though she said she should see no sorrow yet John who was in the spirit of the Lord said that in one day her desolation should come Rev. 18.8 And although A.S. saith that the Church of Rome shall alwayes remain to the end of the world yet I say in the name of the Lord and by the same spirit that John was in That the one day of which John spake is already dawned in which the desolation of that Great Whore
then that which is already laid 1 Cor. 3.11 which is Jesus Christ So he is the first and the last the beginning and the end and A.S. his affirmation is nothing worth for his purpose nay it 's worse then nothing for it discovers his deceit and ignorance though I perceive his intent and aime was to gratifie his Master the Pope by pleading his Supremacy under pretence of setting Peter above the rest of the Apostles when indeed its manifest enough that his intent was to set up the Pope as Lord and Master over Gods heritage Gentile like contrary to that saying of our one Lord Christ viz. be not many masters for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren Mat. 23 8. So that Peter was not set up as a visible head over the Church of Christ as A.S. saith the Pope is over the Church of Rome neither was Peter above other of the Apostleâ— but a fellow servant with them and they all fellow workers together with Christ 2 Cor. 6 1. and Paul was not at all inferiour to Peter in relation to his spiritual authority for he himself said yet not boâ—stingly but truly that he came not behind the very chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 12.11 So that Peter was no more the rock then Paul was and what was Paul or what was Apollo or Peter either But Ministers by whom the Church believed 1 Cor. 3.5 so it was not the work of the Apostles to set themselves one above another for they abased themselves that the Lord Jesus Christ might be exalted Neither did they preach themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and themselves servants c. 2 Cor. 4.5 by which it appears that the Pope doth not truly succeed Peter in the same spirit that he and the rest of the Apostles were in who had the spirit and mind of Christ who made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 but the Pope truly succeeds those whom the Apostle saw would come that should be covetous boasters and prâ—ud blasphemers 2 Tim. 3.2 as doth appeare by his preaching up himself and his boasting of his great power and superiority witnesse Fox his Acts the first Volume pag. 1023. and so on where you may read at large how several of the Popes of Rome have sufficiently declared themselves to be covetous boasters and proud blasphemers and have also laid themselves open enough to the view of all who have an eye to see so that I need not produce any farther Argument to prove the Pope a proud blasphemer Then next A.S. in his third chapter undertakes to prove That neither all sects nor any one of them is the true Church c. Whose Cause I am not engaged in nor intend to plead therefore I shall let that passe But his fourth and fifth Chapters contains several Arguments by which he undertakes farther to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church together with some Queries propounded To which I intend to return a brief and sober Answer 1. First A. S. saith That which was once the true Church is now c. But the Roman Pontificial was once the true Church c. I answer I do not deny but that there was a true Church at Rome in the Apostles dayes but that the Church now at Rome is therefore the true Church that doth not follow for as I have before proved the true Church in the Apostles dayes was far different both in Discipline and Practice from the Church of Rome that now is But then A.S. saith If the Roman Pontificial did fall what Church did she fall from If she did faile when c I answer Paul in the first Chapter in his Epistle to the Church of Rome spake of some who when they knew God did not glorifie him as God but became vain in their imaginations and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and so not likeing to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind and they were filled with unrighteousness fornication and wickedness covetousness envy murther c. Rom. 1.21.23.28 29. And is not this the very state of the Church of Rome at this day is she not now filled with these things Surely yes Thousands of thousands must acknowledg it if they consider it and speak the truth Oh the murthers acted by her and the blood she hath drunk as before hinted and the adulteries committed within her borders Indeed these and many other her abominations are innumerable as she her self full well knows therefore she is indeed falne and deeply revolted from that pure spirit in which the true Church stood in the Apostles dayes Thence she is falne and the time when she fell was when she began to enter into these aforesaid abominations that is now found in her Well 2. But then A.S. saith That if the true Church be infallible she must have alwayes remained without interruption since Christs time to this day c. I answer although the true Church be infallible yet it doth not absolutely follow that she must have always remained without interruption unto this day for as I have already proved the true Church was interrupted by the Dragon and was persecuted into the Wildernesse but she did not fail but remained there and had a being there a place prepared of God for her concerning which I shall have occasion to speak more fully shortly 3. But A.S. saith That no other Church on earth hath remained unto this day without interruption besides the Roman Pontificial and therefore she is the true Church I answer no she is not therefore the true Church but the Whore for as I have already proved the true Church was interrupted and yet remained 4. But then said A.S. If any can say that there hath remained any other Church on earth since Christs time unto this day without interruption and error let him tell what was she or what is she where was she or where is she what is her name what Bishops Pastors and Believers had she or yet hath she what Emperors or Kings did adhere to her or now do what general Councils did she hold what Hereticks did she condemn what Accademies did she errect or confirm what Churches or Monastries did she build c. And then said he To these and such like Interrogatories all the Schismaticks Sectaries and Hereticks in the world cannot answer Answ To which I answer Although all the Sectaries in the world cannot answer those questions yet there are many who are members of the true Church not of the Church of Rome that can answer them and first I say there hath remained another Church since Christs time to this day besides the Roman Pontificial thaâ— now is though not without interruption yet the true Church as before proved was interrupted And as to those questions viz. What was she or what is she c. I answer she was in Johns day a wonder in Heaven a woman cloathed
that gave them this knowledg 2 Cor. 4.6 And was not this light the Law that was the Apostles Schoolmaster till Christ Gal. 3.24 And is not the Law which is light Pro. 6.23 written in the hearts of all people And is it not a sufficient Schoolmaster now to bring people who are taught by it unto the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ as it did the Apostles then What need then is there of erecting Academies for people cannot attain to the knowledg of God by Natural learning 1 Cor. 1.21 Nor thereby be made true Ministers of Jesus Christ Yet I am not against having an outward School house or some convenient place for the educating or bringing up of children in Natural Learning which is good in its place but that any can thereby be brought to the knowledge of God or made true Ministers of Jesus Christ that I cannot own Neither was this way of making Ministers by natural learning or setting of them up by man in being untill people had forsaken the right way and went into Cains way and Balaams and then the envy and murther began amongst the profest Christians and then they could not endure sound Doctrine but heapt up to themselves teachers according to their own hearts lusts who knew nothing but what they knew naturally as bruit beasts c. and this the Apostle Paul foresaw and wrote of to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.3 and Peter prophesied of them also 2 Pet. 2. and John and Jude saw them come 1 John 2.18 Jude 10.11 so that by natural learning and ordination of man no true Minister of Christ was ever made or sent forth but contrariwise the Apostle Paul was made a Minister viz. not of man nor by man nor yet by natural learning but by the revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.1 so we do not understand that in the Apostles dayes they did erect Academies or that they had any need of them and indeed I cannot but look upon it as an ignorant question to be proposed by A. S. upon this account But to his next Query viz. What Churches and Monasteries did she build Answ I answer this is as ignorant a question as the former and great foolishnesse to ask what Churches the Church built however this I say they who were Members of the true Church did build up one another in their most holy faith Jude 20. And as for Monasteries or Monk houses we hear of no such thing that was in being in the Apostles dayes neither do we believe that there is any need of them for we do not read in the holy Scriptures that ever the true Church in any generation built such places but we know that many such places have been erected and built within the borders of the great City Babylon since the Apostacy began and since the right way was forsaken and many other Superstitious inventions and Idolatries as before hinted hath been set up relating to the beasts and Dragons worship all which God hath determined to throw down and when the desolation of all these things cometh and the seven Mountains upon which the Whore sits comes to be laid waste according as hath been prophesied in ages past Isa 42.15 And when the great Whore comes to drink the cup of Gods fury which is already filled into the hands of the Saints of the most High to pour out unto her Rev. 12. I say then shall she know that God hath spoken by me and that I have herein declared the truth according as I received it from and by the spirit oft he Lord. And thus much as to his Queries But then he speaks of another clear and easie way to find out the true Church to try all Churches by the true Catechisme and see which of them all sayes it truly believes it rightly c and that which doth is the true Answ I answer to try all Churches by their Doctrine and practice and see which is most agreeable to the Principles Doctrines and Practice of the true Church in the Apostles dayes is indeed a way that I do very well approve of and if all controversies betwixt you and us might be decided after this manner laying aside all carnal weapons carnal laws prisons fires and the like which hath been the weapons that the Church of Rome hath defended her self with for many ageâ— past and doth at this day I say then it would be indeed well and we shall be very willing to engage with you wiâ—h spiritual weapons bring the best you can form or find out but for carnal weapons we are redeemed from them and the weapons of our warfare are spiritual so I say upon equal termes we shall be very willing to dispute the matters with you that are in controversie betwixt us and they who are found either you or us in Doctrine life and practice to be most agreeable to the true Church in the primitive times shall be owned and acknowledged to be the true Church now at this day And they who are detected to be in the steps practises and Doctrines of them whom the holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles testified against shall be concluded to be the false Church now at this day and upon these termes as I said before we shall be very ready and willing to joyn issue with you at any time or place that you wiâ—h us shall agree upon And whereas A.S. saith that all the Schismaticks Sectaries and Hereticks in the world cannot truly say that prayer that Christ taught his Disciples viz. Our Father which art in Heaven c. for said he they are continually doing the works of the Devil and are his children and consequently cannot truly call God Father I answer therefore the Church of Rome cannot call God Father for she is and long hath been doing the works of the Devil the murtherer as before proved therefore she is of her father the Devil and cannot call God father in truth and in righteousnesse Then A. S. rambles through several other particulars in which he controverts with Sectaries c. whose cause I am not concerned to plead only this small hint before I have given to prove the Church of Rome one of those Sects who cannot speak the fore-mentioned words truly and so I shall leave the Sectaries with whom A. S. controverts to plead their own cause for the thing that was chiefly in my heart when I took in hand to write this brief reply was to prove the Church of Rome not to be the true Church and the chief Arguments by him produced to prove her the true Church I have already in brief answered Again A. S. in his 6th Chapter makes it his business to prove the Church to be the Judge of all controversies in matters of faith and saith that not every man nor human reason nor the private spirit nor the Bible is this Judge and to prove it he quotes Matth. 18.17 where Christ said tell the Church c. Ans To
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