cannot be Infiniteness in it self Against this G. Fox Disputes and no Kind of Infiniteness will serve his turn but Infiniteness in himself which is the Infiniteness of God alone for He only has Infinity in Himself as not being given by any other Is not the Soul says he without Beginning Hath this a Beginning â—r Ending and is it not Infinite in it self and more than all the world P. 29. Now consider what 〈◊〉 â—â—â—dition these call'd Ministers are in They say that which is a Spiritual Substance is not Infinite in it self but a Creature Here he will not let the Soul be a Creature His proof is in the next words That which came out from the Creator and is in the Hand of the Creator which brings it up and to the Creator again That is Infinite in it self I do not medle with his Philosophy which is wretched I only shew you his Opinion that the Soul is not a Creature but Infinite and that in it self Which is making of it God in the strictest terms Will you have any more of it He makes the Soul to become one Soul with God Christ says he p. 19. brings the Soul up into God from whence it came whereby they come to be one Soul And p. 229. who are come up into the Bishop Christ they are one Soul It is horrid Blasphemy said Alexander Ross to say The Soul is a part of God It is not horrid Blasphemy reply'd G. Fox p. 273. to say the Soul is a part of God for it came out of Him and that which came out of Him is of Him Fox does not say that the Soul came from God that is that God Created it But that it came of God as a Part of God of his Substance Person and Essence And p. 100. is not this of God's Being Says he And he Disputes against this Position That there is not an Essential In-dwelling of the Divine Nature in God's People and That God dwells not in the Saints by a Personal Union Or that Christ's Person is not in Man which is as much as to say replies G. Fox p. 248. as if we were not of his Flesh and Bones and had not his Substance Here the Light within is not only an Illumination or Inspiration from Christ but the very Person of Christ his Substance his Flesh and Bones And he says p. 207. That Christ is not distinct from his Saints That Christ is the Elect. p. 88. That the Light within is Christ p. 310. That they who are of the Faith are the Flesh of Christ the Flesh of Him who Suffered But this will come under a following Head Sect. 17. therefore for the present we dismiss it Only I will tell you before I go Mr. Penn's Excuse for G. Fox in all these particulars He lays it upon George's extreme Ignorance The Invalidity of John Faldo 's Vindication c. 1673. p. 353. That when he said the Soul was Equal with God by Equality he meant only Unity And that when he call'd the Soul Infinite he did not mean Infinite but something that is not Finite or which comes to an End And that when he said the Soul was without Beginning and a Part of God he did not mean the Soul but the Breath of God c. He says that George observ'd no nicety of Expression and finds great fault with those who make ill use of his Plain and Vulgar Phrases An Indifferent Man wou'd rather have said Ne sutor ultra Crepidam That this Fox shou'd rather have kept to his Original Trade than to set up for Interpreting the Scripture before he had learned to speak Sense or write English A defect in which is a strange excuse for Infallibility But it is just with God thus to detect such Wicked and Blasphemous Pretences to all who are not resolv'd to shut their Eyes For will any one believe that that Spirit which cou'd dictate an Infallible Knowledge of the Scripture and of all Persons and Things as G. F. c. pretended cou'd not have enabl'd these Men to speak common sense or to understand plain English words But the truth is all this was a Bewildring of G. F's poor understanding and not to be charg'd only as Mr. Penn's over Charity does upon his Plain and Vulgar Phrases For in both the above Instances of the Soul 's Infinity and Equality with God the Distinctions were plainly given to G. F. what sort of Infinity and Equality was allow'd to the Soul and he expresly Disputes against such Distinctions and rejects any Limited Sense of the Souls Infinity and Equality with God But will have it Infinite in it self and no Lesser kind of Infiniteness which was allow'd him And to be Equal to God not only in Quality but in Equality which was a great deal too much to be Granted But that it self wou'd not satisfie G. F. And this must proceed past help of Mr. Penn and all the World either from a most Impious Blasphemy or such an immoderate degree of Dullness and lack of Understanding as cou'd not befall any thing in Human shape much less any one who pretended to Inspiration and proudly to Decry and Damn all the World since the Apostles SECT VIII Of the Quakers pretence to a sinless Perfection THis is dispatch'd already Sect. 6. where we see them claim a Perfection even Equal to God But because I suppose there are some of them who are not willing now to go that Blasphemous length I will set down some of their more Moderate Pretences to Perfection that is to a sinless State even in this Life I have before Quoted Mr. Penn upbraiding the Church of England as Opposers of Perfection and Ridiculing us for confessing our selves sinners and imploring God's Mercy Now hear G. Fox p. 101. It is the Doctrine of Devils that Preacheth that Men shall have sin and be in a Warfare so long as they be on Earth They that pretend coming to God and Christ out of Perfection they be in the Error p. 111. All who come to Christ they come to Perfection p. 231. They attain to Perfection in the Life of God p. 271. For who are Sanctified have Perfect Unity Perfect Knowledge Perfect Holiness p. 281. The Life of the Saints is Christ not sinful at all This will appear further in what follows which might be put all under one Head but for Method's sake and Plainness I distinguish them SECT IX Concerning the Quakers pretence to Immediate Revelation Equal to what was given to the Pen-Men of the Holy Scriptures GEorge Fox says p. 242. That they are in the same Power Understanding Knowledge and Immediate Revelation from Heaven that the Apostles were in Are not ye says he to the Professors p. 241. in the Presumption and Usurp Authority to Preach or to Teach that have not the Immediate Revelation as the Apostles had p. 213. Thou canst not know the Scriptures but by the same Degree of the Spirit the Prophets and Apostles had They
of Condemnation against themselves for this or any way Censur'd for it by their Yearly Meetings or any other Authority of theirs And if it be true which Edward Burrough says p. 462. of his Works That they the Quakers are of one Mind and one Soul which I do not believe I have a better Opinion of many of them but we have here their Infallibility Pawn'd for it I say if this were true then this wou'd be a Demonstration what all the rest of the Quakers wou'd have done if Monmouth had proceeded to their Parts and what they are still ready to do when a like Opportunity shall Summon them to Arms. But as I said I do not believe that they are all of one Mind in this matter but then those that are not of this Mind must I think past all Excuse Renounce the Infallibility or the Truth of Edw. Burrough and of G. Fox G. VVhitehead and the other Quakers who have Publish'd these Works of Edward Burrough with such high Applause and Commendation in which he disdains to limit the Bloody Sword within these Few Poor Islands but wou'd have had Oliver his Joshua carry it through all Christendom G. Fox Advises further to fall upon 〈◊〉 Turk and all the rest of the World Oh Oliver sayâ— he in his Letter to him Dated the 11th Month See Quakers Vnmask'd p. 4 5 6. 1659 c. Thou should'st not have stood Trifling about small things Do not stand cumbering thy self about Dirty Priests and then hâ— tells him that if he had follow'd his Counsel The Hollanders says hâ— to him had been thy Subjects How How George Our Deaâ— Friends the Dutch Must they tâ— Pot too When the Quaker Sword is drawn it spares none Protestants Papists Turks it is all one Germany Fox goes on had giveâ— up to thy Will and the Spaniaâ—â— had quiver'd like a Dry Leaf The King of France shou'd have Bowed under thee his Neck The Pope shou'd have withered as in Winter The Turk in all his Fatness shouâ—d have Smoak'd Thou should'st have Crumbled Nations to Dust Therefore says he Let thy Soldiers go forth with a free and willing Heart that thou may'st Rock Nations as a Cradle For a Mighty Work hath the Lord to do in other Nations and their Quakings and Shakings are but entering So this is the Word of the Lord God to thee as a Charge to thee from the Lord God c. Here is Destruction Proclaim'd to the Ends of the Earth and that from the Mouth of the Lord O Blasphemous Cursed Wretch that durst thus set The Dreadful Name of The most High God to thy Diabolical Inspirations for Blood and Slaughter through the whole Earth And yet to see these Men wipe their Mouths and say that they are the Meek of the Earth They never were for Fighting No not they They now deny the use of the Carnal Sword as Anti Christian Poor Lambs And yet I believe in my Heart that many of them now are Deceived and think that the Quaker Principle is really against Fighting because they have heard so much of it since 1660. and that most of the Quakers of this Generation do not know for it is Studiously conceal'd from them by those of the Old Stamp what Bloody Devils G. Fox Edw. Burrough G. Bishop and the rest of the Primitive Quakers were Do they know that after Oliver â—s Death G. Fox pursu'd his Son Richard with the same Cry for Blood General Vniversal Blood Fox wou'd have sent him an Able Hand to have set up his Standard at Rome and then says he in his Letter to him you shouâ—d have sent for the Turks Idol and pluckt up Idolatry and to have made Inquisition for Blood c. Now if using the Carnal Sword upon any account be contrary to the Doctrine of Christ as the Quakers since 1660. have Preached and if they do believe themselves they must Hunt this Bloody Fox out of their Herd and for ever hereafter Disown his Spirit and his Writings And I do earnestly invite Mr. Penn to follow this Chase it is most incumbent upon him of any other because I think my self oblig'd to tell it him he is suspected by some of his fellow Quakers as favouring this Principle of using the Carnal Sword And to convince him that I do not speak without Book I have now before me a Letter from Philadelphia the Metropolis of Pensilvania Dated the 21st of the 4th Month 1695. wherein are these words I have seen a Copy of the King 's late Grant of the Government wherein they give the Reasons of their taking it away and of Will Penn's humble Submission and Requesting the Government to be Granted to him again which was therefore done on his giving them certain Assurance that he wou'd Secure and Defend the Place and wou'd send 80 Soldiers to Albany when callâ—d for or find Money to Pay them This causeth a great stir among the People who are not very ready to comply therewith c. I will make no Comments but leave it to Mr. Penn himself to Own or Deny the Matter of Fact And whether he will stand by G. Fox as to his Principle of Fighting or not And if any have been heretofore Deceived by G. Fox that they wou'd now Repent and Return But I must tell them that they must first Cease to be Quakers For they who pretend to Infallibility can never Repent or Acknowledge a Fault Therefore the Quakers do not ask Pardon for Sin because they says they have no Sin If any one can give Evidence that ever he heard at â—y Quaker Meeting Remission of Sins Pray'd for he is desirâ—d for the Vindication of the Truth to Declare it God has Promisâ—d to Give to those who Ask but those who will not Ask have no Title to any Promise in the Gospel Their Condition is the most Desperate of any of Mankind The Lord help them and hear our Prayers for them since they will not Pray for themselves Had ever the Devil any Poor Creatures at such a Lock before To bar up their way by a Proud and Blind Conceit of Perfection from seeking or so much as Wishing to Return from their Sins And the same Principle must keep them from making any Restitution to Man Because a Wrong to Man is a Sin against God and therefore if they cannot Sin against God they cannot do any Wrong to Man and on the contrary if it can be prov'd thâ—â—t they have done any Wrong to Man it follows certainly that they can Sin against God Therefore they must put it to that Issue whether any Quaker ever Wrong'd any other Man and to let their Infallibility stand and fall with this They must do this they cannot refuse it as being a necessary Consequence of their Principles And yet they will not do it they cannot do it Because there are many and undeniable Instances which can be produc'd to the contrary and if the Friends desire any for fat is faction
it was Muggleton says he got his Inspiration and have proceeded since upon the same main Principle tho' in some particulars they have out-stript one another and Persecute one another as if they were not Brethren But tho' like Sampson's Foxes they draw two ways their Tails are joyn'd with Fire-brands to set the Church in a Flame I desire here before I go farther to obviate a Prejudice which some Readers may take as a little Railery I am forc'd to now and then which they may think not becoming the Gravity of the Subject in Hand But there are some things so very Ridiculous as to make a serious Confutation of them no less Ridiculous I am to tell the Reader likewise that I do not in this undertake to give an Account of all the Errors of the Quakers And some of those which I do name I dismiss very briefly intending chiefly to insist upon some of their more Material and Monstrous Heresies 1. Therefore first As to their Principles concerning Government I shall only refer you to the Quakers Unmask'd Printed at London 1691. where p. 14 15. you will see them to be Commonwealths-men against Kingly and Hereditary Government and making all Governours Accountable to the People And p. 18 19 20. They Court Oliver Cromwell at no small rate justifying the Murther of King Charles I. whom they call Traytor Common-Enemy c. and yet after the Restauration 1660. they come about again and compare the same Oliver to Abab Haman and Pharaoh They had got a New Light See more of this in the latter part of Sect. XI SECT II. As to Their Principle against using the Carnal Weapon or Force of Arms. I Will dispatch this Head with a pleasant Story I find in the Printed Tryals of G. Keith and others in Pensylvania where the Government is in Mr Penn as Propriator and under him chiefly Manag'd by Quakers who are Justices of the Peace and in other Commissions there But so it fell out that some Pirats took a Sloop of theirs This put them into great Distress betwixt their so much cry'd up Principle against using outward Force tho' in their own Defence which a whole Dozen of them and George Fox the first Sign'd in a Declaration to K. Charles II. in the year 1660. to be Anti-Christian which Declaration is inserted in the said Tryal with other Testimonies of the Quakers against even Defensive War tho' to save their Throats or Goods from Thieves Robbers and Cut-Throats I use their own words as being Atheism and a Mistrusting of Providence in Restraining Evil Men. They were in great pain how to save this Principle and the Sloop too But that was impossible And all their Sloops and all that they had might have gone the same way if they wou'd not oppose Force to Force which at last was resolv'd upon and they re-took their Sloop and made some of the Pirates Prisoners They soon found that necessity in Government when it was in their own Hands which they cou'd not be convinc'd of while it was in the Hands of others But they must not go from any former Principle for spoyling of their Infallibility Therefore they Coyn'd or Borrow'd a pretty Distinction and said that they did not use the Carnal Weapon as Quakers but as Magistrates And now all is whole again This is the same Salvothe Pope has for his using the Temporal Sword And this is not the only thing which the Quakers have learnt from the Church of Rome which I briefly touch upon SECT III. That the Popish Emissaries first set up Quakerism in England EDward Burrough who wrote the Preface to George Fox's Great Mystery Printed 1659. tells us that the Quakers first appear'd in England Anno 1650. and came first into London Anno 1654. Then it was that Rome was reaping a plentiful Harverst which they had long been sowing by setting up in that Universal Toleration Multitudes of various Sects on purpose to Divide and so Confound their only substantial Adversary the Church of England They dress'd Enthusiasm in several Shapes and Forms of Presbyter Anabaptist Independent Quaker Muggleton and a long c. which differ only in degrees Of this many Instances may be given See Foxes and Firebrands Printed 1680. p. 15 c. and Proofs undeniable Enthusiasm when it is a Delusion or falsly pretended is the surest means to overthrow all Church-Government and Order and all Sobriety of Religion for it is no less than Blasphemy fasly to pretend to Extraordinary Inspirations from God And this Doctrine of Enthusiasm came chiefly from the Church of Rome Labbade a Jesuit set it up in Holland and Rob. Barclay the Quaker was tinctur'd in his younger years in the Scotch Convent at Paris and John Vaughan was a Roman Catholick who was a great Preacher among the Quakers in London and a Preacher now among them in Pensylvania But God has punish'd them by sending the same Spirit among themselves And has made a great Fraction in the Church of Rome by the growing Sect of the Molinists or Quietists in Italy There is a Sect like unto these rose up in Germany call'd Pietists some of whom I am told have been in London and own'd as Brethren by the Quakers and gone many of them to Pensylvania The Quaker Infallibility was contriv'd on purpose to bring Men back to the Infallibility of the Church of Rome by these steps First the Infallibility was plac'd by George Fox and all the Primitive Quakers in every single Quaker which I will shew This most Ridiculous Pretence the Jesuits well knew cou'd not long be Tenable and that it would roll naturally into the Infallibility of their Church or Meetings which it is already come to as shall be abundantly made appear And now there is but one step behind and that is to Dispute the Infallibility betwixt the Two Churches that of Rome and that of the Quakers And the Issue of this who does not see when their Succession and other Marks of the True Church come to be compar'd together SECT IV. Their Damning all the World but themselves since the days of the Apostles GEorge Fox in his Great Myst p. 89. says That the Quakers have a Spirit given them beyond all the Forefathers since the days of the Apostles in the Apostacy George Whitehead would fain come off of this and thus endeavours to excuse it in his Charitable Essay Printted 1693. p. 5. in these words The very Intent and Meaning of George Fox's words herein was not beyond all the Fore-fathers without Exception but beyond all in the Apostacy That is George Fox did not think that all the Fore-fathers were in the Apostacy and that he only spoke of those who were in the Apostacy So that some were in the Apostacy and some were not in it Now here it wou'd have been incumbent upon George Whitehead to have nam'd those whom he or George Fox did believe were not in the Apostacy But that he cou'd not do for in truth they