keeping God's righteous Statutes How is there Remission and Justification by the Merits of Christ according to their Profession in their Pamphlet when it must be by the perfect and exact Performance of the Law of God in the Creature Lawson's Book p. 18. affirms That the offering of Christ's Body to be broken and his Blood to be shed avails not so as through Faith therein to set free from Sin What is this but a plain denying Remission of Sins by the Blood of Christ And seeing we have Instances enow or too many why should we spare them Will. Pen speaks out See Apolog. p. 148. Justification by the Righteousness of another or which Christ fulfilled for us in his own Person wholly without us we boldly affirm to be a Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which doth now deluge the World See also Mr. Pen's Sandy Foundation p. 25 30. It is a great Abomination to say God should condemn and punish his Innocent Son that he having satisfied for our Sins we may be justified by the Imputation of his perfect Righteousness O why should this horrible thing be contended for by Christians O and why should the Quakers be such grand Deluders as so plainly pretend to believe it and say he died for your Sins and rose again for your Justification when ibid. p. 16. Mr. Pen saith That the Consequences of such a Doctrine is both irreligious and irrational And why should they believe Justification by Christ's Righteousness since Tho. Lucock affimed That he was as perfect without Sin as God is and blames others because they say with the Apostle In many things we offend all and this Doctrine of Perfection that is a Sinless living is the known Doctrine of the Quakers But let not Christians say they are without Sin lest they deceive themselves as the Quakers do 1 John 1. 8. And let us believe that the Lord laid upon Christ our Redeemer the Iniquities of us all Isa 53. 6. And as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5. 18. 3. They profess to believe Redemption and Salvation by Christ Let us examine what they intend by Redemption First Not Redemption of their Bodies from the Graves of the Earth for this is positively denied by them tho all Christians own it as a great Article of the Christian Faith Secondly Then what is to be redeemed and saved not the Soul for George Fox saith that is part of God without Beginning or End surely then it needs no Redemption and God did not send his Son to redeem himself Take the natural sense of what is exprest Great Mystery p. 29 and p. 90. See further what George Keith saith Christ came to save that which was lost and that which was lost is still in Man's Heart and there it must be sought for it remains still in the House that is Man's Heart this is the thing to be sought for this Christ came to seek and to save and all his Ministers preached People to this the Lost in Man that it may be found a lost God a lost Christ this was the sum and substance of their Doctrine G. Keith Immediat Inspirat p 75 76. May we not think G. K. to be inspired by the Prince of Darkness or that he had lost the very Light of Nature to talk of a lost God and a lost Christ to be sought and saved O were ever God and Christ in a lost Condition But poor Man was and we believe he came to seek and save Sinners who had lost the Image and Favour of God You may see more to this purpose Fox's Great Mystery p. 100. at large Neither do they believe any other Salvation than what they are in the Enjoyment of already see Lawson's Book p. 9 19. see two Passages in Nailor's Book Love to the Lost p. 47 48 30. There is a Seed to which the Promise of Redemption is which Seed is that which only wants Redemption p. 30. he saith Christ is the Election and Elect Seed Fox's Great Mystery p. 224. tells us The Seed to which the Promise is is that which hath been laden as a Cart with Sheaves by Sinners which Seed is the hope Christ The natural Consequence of this Doctrine is that Christ came to redeem Christ a lost God and a lost Christ as before said Might not the Heavens blush and the Earth tremble at such blasphemous Absurdities But I shall not in this short Discourse trace them in their gross Contradictions of Truth and each other about the Light within the Seed Christ and the Word But let this suffice to confute and unmask their pretended Belief aforesaid V. They profess to own and believe the Divine Offices of Christ in his Church that he is both King Priest and Prophet to and over his Church and People I shall proceed to examine the Truth of this Profession which if it were true were very comprehensive of a great part of the Christian Religion But what hath been made appear already shews us that by no means their word must be taken First How do they believe the Kingly Office of Christ are they not mistaken Let us examine some Appellations that they have taken from Christ and given to Geo. Fox senior See a Book entituled Tyranny and Hypocrisy detected p. 18 19. Sol. Eckles celebrates Geo. Fox thus Blessed be the Man that came out of the North blessed be the Womb that bear him and the Breasts that gave him Suck and ibid. p. 19. a Letter written by Josias Coal a Quaker from Barbadoes to G. Fox 21 day 12th Month 1658. Dear George Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting of many again to a lively hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou rulest and governest in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end Now what is more apparent than that by these Appellations the Scepter is wrested out of Christ's Hands and given to G. Fox Now this Letter was not judged by the infallible Spirit of the inspired Elders to be a transported Flash of a misguided Zeal For G. Fox and his Peers ordered it to be recorded amongst things worthy to be register'd tho the Contents of it would make a modest Heathen blush and tremble Take the Contents particularly 1. He doth expresly ascribe to him a Kingdom Thy Kingdom c. and thou rulest and governest Now he that rules and governs in his own Kingdom must of necessity be an actual King 2. He describes to us the Subjects of this Kingdom who next to himself are Josiah Coal and the Elders or Peers whom he calls us thy Children and remotely those to whom the Life of G. Fox hath reached through the Elders
Antichrist in Spirit unmasked OR Quakerism a great Delusion Being an Answer to a Pamphlet lately published and dispersed in and about Deptford in Kent intituled The Christianity of the People commonly called QUAKERS Which they say is asserted against the unjust Charge of their being no Christians upon several Questions relating to those Matters wherein their Christian Belief is questioned By which Pamphlet they would perswade the World that the QUAKERS are Christians In which ANSWER you have their Deceit detected their pretended Faith examined and proved a Counterfeit And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. If that Light that is in them be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6. 23. They are of those that rebel against the Light they know not the Ways thereof nor abide in the Paths thereof Job 24. 13. And for this cause shall God send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie 2 Thess 2. 11. By Edw. Paye a Servant of Christ London Printed in the Year 1692. A Commendatory Epistle to the READER Impartial Reader THOV art here presented with an Examination of the pretended Faith professed by the Quakers lately published and dispersed in Deptford It appeared to the World with a fair Aspect and the Ignorant and Easy were ready to take their Words that they so believed But the Author to unfold their Riddles hath made use of their own Construing Books to get at their Meanings and it fully appears to be nothing so believed by them as pretended in their Pamphlet We believe neither Ambition Self-Interest or Prejudice moved the Author to this Work but purely the Honour of God Defence of Truth and Good of Souls We also hope and believe that he hath been careful truly to cite the Quakers own Authors and we believe if any Error therein be as to Page or the like it may be justly imputed as an over-sight Reader thou art foretold by our Lord That in the last Days many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many And the Apostle informs of some that with feigned Words and fair Speeches shall deceive the Hearts of the Simple And of others That shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them c. and that many shall follow their pernicious Ways c. So that as was said in another Case we may say in this Is there not a Cause The Holy Scriptures which this Generation of Men contemn and vilify as will appear in this Discourse go very nigh to us we always having had and hope ever shall have a venerable esteem for them And thus we commend the ensuing Discourse to the Judgment of the unbiassed Reader hoping Error may be detected and the Truth preserved from Seducers who would introduce their corrupt Notions in the room thereof And we shall rest with these Desires true Friends to all that love Truth and Peace Hen. Loader William Allcot Quakerism a great Delusion THE Substance of their pretended Faith may be reduced into these six general Heads I. In the first and last Articles professed they say they believe according to holy Scripture-Testimony in the Trinity or those three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven c. and that they believe and own the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament and to be given by Divine Inspiration and to contain all matters of Doctrine and Testimony c. necessary to be believed and practised in order to Salvation and Peace with God c. II. They say their Belief is that in the Unity of the God head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost being those three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and that these three are one c. III. They profess to believe the Divinity and Humanity of Christ the Eternal Son of God c. and that he is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus c. IV. They profess to believe and expect Remission of Sins Justification Redemption and Salvation through the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ and not by their own Works Righteousness or Merits this is professed in their third and fourth Articles specified in their Pamphlet V. They profess to believe and own the Divine Offices of Christ as King Priest and Prophet over his own Church and People VI. They evade and deny Baptism in Water and the Supper of the Lord instituted in Bread and Wine to be now in force as standing Ordinances in the Church of Christ They say nothing of those two great Articles of the Christian Faith the Resurrection of the Bodies from the Graves of the Earth and the eternal Judgment tho they are not ignorant that their Faith hath been questioned herein Before I proceed to examine their pretended Faith professed in their Pamphlet I shall take notice of its Title it is called The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers and could we take them at their words their Profession looks like good and Orthodox But as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 11. 13. there were deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ using feigned words and fair Speeches was the old way of deceiving the Hearts of the simple As our Enemies at Sea either to defend themselves from our Stroak or to draw us into their Snare will put up the English Flag So the Quakers see it necessary upon this occasion to make a very plausible Profession The gilded Pill is not so irksome to the Palat but if we are cautions in taking Money and if a Piece be fair and large yet if the Metal be suspicious we bring it to the Touch-stone 1. Christianity is a very high holy and honourable Profession which hath caused many to lay claim to it without a just Title who will needs have the Name tho strangers to the Nature of Christianity many have no better a Title to this Name than their being born in a Nation called a Christian Nation Others depend upon Morality alone and bless God they are not so bad as some other Men. Christianity is to lay hold upon Christ by a true and Evangelical Faith in his Death Sufferings and Merits for Redemption and Justification to believe him in all his Offices and obey him in all his Ordinances Christians are Disciples or Scholars of Christ Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch A true Gospel-Profession from a real and Evangelical Faith attended with a pious Life for Morality is included where there is true Christianity 2. Quakerism with respect to the Name is not derived from a Person so called but from a Gesture used much amongst them formerly in their Meetings as was manifest by what was alledged against them by the Westmoreland Petitioners viz. That their Practice did exceedingly savour of Saucery because of the Swellings Quakings Roarings and Foamings that were amongst them at their Meetings And
in the Quakers Answer to this Petition they deny not swelling foaming and quaking See their Book p. 35. But they deny Saucery and Blasphemy They justify quaking and trembling as being used by the Saints of old Heb. 12. 21. Jer. 33. 9. Acts 9. 6. Ezek. 12. 18. These Texts are urged by Ja. Nailor p. 16 17. of his Book called The Power and Glory of the Lord shining out of the North He takes pains to prove their Name and justify their Practice for saith he search the Scriptures and holy Men of God do witness Quaking and Trembling This is true and the same may be said of wicked Men and Devils Acts 24. 25. James 2. 19. and Luke 9. 39. we read of him that was possessed that he foamed when the Diabolical Spirit did tear him I shall say no more of their Name it is of their own procuring and defending tho no discriminating Character of Christianity or Saintship 2dly As to their Profession for ought that ever I could gather from their own Tongues or Pens is a Labyrinth of Confusion or a great heap of Contradictions tending to the Subversion both of the Foundation and Fabrick of Christianity being a Compound of Heresies having Affinity with the Sadduces as Mr. Brown notes in the discovery of the Leaven of the Sadduces hid among the Quakers p. 5. which Sect was divided into two Branches Epicures and Stoicks these encounter'd St. Paul Acts 17. 18. calling him Spermologus which our Translation renders a Babler because he preached Jesus and the Resurrection and with the Heresy of Hymeneus and Philetus 1 Tim. 2. 18. who said the Resurrection was past already and had overthrown the Faith of some and they have Affinity with the Gnosticks who say that Christ did not take Flesh really but in a Figure so have the Quakers said as will appear See Saul's Errand to Damascus compare Epiphanius Heres 26. And they have Affinity with Seleucus a great Heretick who denied the Humanity of Christ and Water-Baptism he lived in the time of Theodosius Magnus See August lib. de Heres Both which Errors are maintained by the Quakers repugnant to the holy Scriptures Testimony Again They have Affinity with the Papists in their Master-veins of Popery for as the Papists do introduce all their vain Conceits by this Maxim That the Church cannot err So the Quakers usher in their Dreams that they are perfect and so cannot err And as the Papists make the Writings of their General Councils equal with the Scriptures so do the Quakers their lying Pamphlets nay prefer them above the Scriptures as will appear And they have Affinity with the Muggletonians who utter their execrable Imprecations Curses and Sentences against their Opposites And I must leave them in this Deluge of Errors and Heresy and proceed to examine their Pamplet in its respective parts 1. In the first Head being part of the first and last Articles professed in their Pamphlet they profess to believe holy Scripture-Testimony and that the holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament do contain all matters of Doctrine and Testimony necessary to be believed and practised in order to Salvation and Peace with God and that they desire to live in the Faith Knowledg and Practice of them c. in all things appertaining to Life and Godliness Holy Scripture being given by Divine Inspiration is profitable for Doctrine Correction Instruction that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus Indeed there is a present occasion for this plausible-Profession for the Promoters of it have now set up a Meeting in Deptford a place where their corrupt Notions have had but little footing and it is also a place where the Word of God hath for many Years been faithfully and powerfully preached so that except they appear in Sheeps Clothing they cannot draw Disciples after them It is said of the Oracles of the Heathens that they were made to look with two Faces that they may the better effect their Deceits It is not easy to conceive the many Meanings and Reserves that lie couched in this Paragraph But not to trace them into all their equivocal Reserves I conceive the best way to understand the Quakers Sentiments about the Scriptures is to have recourse to their own Construing Books And I shall begin with Humphrey Smith a forward Asserter of Quakerism see his Book called A true and everlasting Rule p. 29. he affirmeth in the Face of Men and Devils That there are no other Rules Ways or Means by which Men shall ever come to walk with God but by that which is manifest of God in him and that it is sufficient to guide in all the Ways of God without Scripture or any other outward Rule Doth not this tend to make null what is before professed If that in Humphrey Smith be a sure Guide and his Book be a true and everlasting Rule how then are the Scriptures necessary and wherein are they profitable for Doctrine Instruction c. since all things necessary may be taught without them See also James Nailor's Answer to the Jews p. 4 22 25. It 's Blasphemy for any to say the Letter is the Word of God it is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the Word of God c. Here you have the Sentence of one of their great Prophets passed against the Scriptures George Whitehead being asked Whether they esteem their Speakings to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible He affirms in his Apology p. 49. That which is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scripture yea and greater What can appear more clear than that the Quakers Inspirations are of as great if not greater But why do I mince it ay and greater Authority than the Scriptures Let us add to this James Parnell's Testimony Shield of the Truth p. 19. he also that saith The Letter is the Rule and Guide of the People of God is without feeding upon Husks and is ignorant of the true Light c. By this Man's Verdict the Scriptures are condemned as Husks or a false Light Could either Papist or Atheist more plainly oppose the Holy Scriptures But since we want no Evidence to detect these Impostors let us add a few more from their own Pens see James Naylor's Light of Christ p. 19. God is at liberty to speak to his People by the Scriptures if he please and where they are given by Inspiration doth so and he is also at liberty to speak by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Ass I think I do not wrong them if I infer from hence that the Sons of Men may as well expect Teachings and Rebukes from an Ass as from the Scriptures one hath as much Authority essentially in it self as the other one hath in it self as much Authority to
8. 3. to oppose the Devil's Assault Man lives not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Prov. 30. 5. Every Word of God is pure Jer. 23. 36. the Complaint is The false Prophets had perverted the Words of the Living God A great Evil and too common in this day But would the Quakers have the Word always to intend Christ Mark 4. 19. The Cares of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts of other things entring in choke the Word Will the Quakers say these things entring in choked Christ Surely no. By all this the judicious Reader will see the Endeavours that have been used by the Quakers to explode the holy Scriptures not only to rob them of their Nature Use Power and Efficacy but also of their very Name But let all Christians learn to prize them and carefully improve them and be thankful to Divine Providence by which they have been preserved through all Times and against all Tyrants Psal 19. 7 8. David sets forth the worth of them The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure enlightning the Eyes 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. They are able to make wise to Salvation Soul thou needest not fear miscarrying if thou makest the holy Scriptures the Rule of thy Faith and Guide of thy Life This short Treatise will not admit me to enlarge I shall leave this short Scheme by which the Reader may judg what an Esteem the Quakers have for holy Scriptures they so much pretend to in their Pamphlet The Names they give the holy Scriptures Scriptures no standing Rule it is dangerous for the ignorant to read them No better than an old Almanack neither Rule Guide Light nor Teacher A dead carnal Letter They are Precepts and Traditions of Men. Paper Iak and Writing The Letter without Swine feeding on Husks Obedience to Scriptures is the Harlot's Child You may as well expect God to teach or rebuke by any other Creature as the Scripture as he did Balaam by his Ass The Names they give their own lying Pamphlets A true and everlasting Rule The Royal Law and Covenant of God Love to the Lost News out of the North written from the Mouth of God The pure Language of the Spirit A Salutation to the Seed of God The Lip of Truth The Spirit of Truth A Trumpet from the Lord sounding out of Zion A true Prophecy of the mighty Day of the Lord. The Word of the Lord and a Word from the Lord p. 13. of the Mighty Day of the Lord. Blusn O Heavens and tremble O Earth at the Pride and Ignorance of these Impostors I shall add but two or three Passages more concerning their Contempt of the Scriptures see Tho. Lawson Vntaught Teacher p. 6 7 8. The Scriptures are not a Rule whereby Men may know the Will of Christ And in Pag. 2 and 3. of the same Book he denies that the Ministers of Christ endowed with the Spirit of Christ ought to minister or preach from Scripture Add to this what is said in Cloud of Witnesses a Book of theirs p. 1 3 4. But the Priests of England the blind Guides they do teach the People and say Hearken to the Word of the Lord as it is in such a Chapter and Verse Now is it not a sign that the Quakers are untaught Teachers indeed but let the Word of God be true and these Men Liars Did not our Lord make use of the Scriptures in teaching Mat. 21. 42. saith Christ Did ye never read in the Scriptures The Stone that was set at naught by you Builders and Mat. 22. 29. Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures Surely they will not deny Christ to have the Spirit and he proves the Resurrection of the Dead by Scripture Exod. 3. 6. Surely Peter had the Spirit yet he proves Christ to be the great Prophet Acts 3. 22. from Deut. 18. 15. And will they deny Philip to be endowed with the Holy Ghost Acts 8. 35. he preacheth Jesus to the Eunuch from Isa 53. And Acts 17. 2 11. Paul reasoned and preached out of the Scriptures and the Bereans searched the Scriptures to try whether Paul's Doctrine was true or not The Reader may see from hence with what an open Face these deluded Impostors will assert apparent Falshoods From all this it appears the Quakers are great Enemies to and Contemners of holy Scriptures and that what they say in their Pamphlet is a great Falshood II. I proceed to examine the other part of their first Article professed in their Paper Article Our Belief is That in the Unity of the Godhead there is Father Son and Holy Ghost being those three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit This Profession looks like good and Orthodox Christianity but yet when it comes to be weighed it will be found wanting I shall only examine what Heaven this is the Quakers intend not in the glorious Heavens above beyond the Clouds and starry Heavens no by no means it 's ridiculous to speak of an imagined God beyond the Stars it is the Heaven within thee where these three Divine Witnesses are you will hear their severe Rebukes by and by if you will have any other Heaven to be meant as their Residence See James Parnell's Book Satan's Design discovered p. 19 25. he affirmeth They that confess not Christ to be come in their Flesh are the Antichrist and also affirmeth That by preaching of Christ in Heaven the Devil gets his Work done on Earth Pray what is fairly to be inferred from hence why the Heaven they intend is no where else but within their Mortal Corrupt Bodies or else Christ is not one of those three Divine Witnesses they speak of in the Paper for they will allow of no other Christ but what is in every Man And see further Tho. Lawson in his Book against William Jeffery calls him Thou Image-maker thou Cockatrice hatching Eggs Vulters Eye c. because William Jeffery had said that Christ was ascended into Heaven with that Body that was raised from the Dead And they intend no other Heaven than what is within them and thus they must be understood in their Pamphlet for see Lawson's Book p. 9 and 19. they say that they have eternal Life now really in Possession But would you have it more plain that the Quakers Heaven is within them take a Testimony out of Edward Burrough's Works Pag. 9 149. a chief Guide among them therefore you may take his word for it We say he that was slain upon the Cross is the very Christ of God and the very Christ of God is in us Tho Lucock being ask'd several times before many Witnesses where that Heaven was that Christ did ascend into and now was in he answered clapping his Hands
threatned they got into this Ark when the unbelieving World mocked at it the Water bears up the Ark and those in it and saves them whilst the others were destroyed So the Threats of perishing eternally are pronounced in the Gospel against Sinners Now the penitent Believer puts on Christ by Water-Baptism Gal. 3. 27. which is the initiating and ingrafting Ordinance and I demand of the Quakers if they can to prove where Water-Baptism is called a Figure of the Spiritual and also to shew me from the Scriptures where any were commanded to observe the Figure when at the same time they enjoy the Substance But Paul and Cornclius and others had the Spiritual Baptism and yet were commanded to be baptized with Water Another impertinency in their Pamphlet is they say they cannot believe dipping or sprinkling Infants unless it can be proved that none are saved without it and all are saved that have it They seem here most directly to strike at Infant-Baptism but their design is to root out that sacred Ordinance of Christ Believers Baptism And therefore I demand whether the Quakers believe that all that are baptized with the Spirit as they count it tho a Spirit of Delusion shall infallibly be saved if they say they do then what is the Reason they own or believe falling away and going from the Light and why do so many turn wet Quakers and become as vile in their Lives as they are in their Principles But if they do not own an Infallibility of being saved by that Spirit 's Baptism they pretend to then what is in these words And to conclude this Head I would not have the Quakers pretend to be baptized with the holy Spirit till they believe in Christ and obey his Appointments for Acts 5. 32. he gives his holy Spirit to them that obey him To conclude this let all that would be Christ's Disciples learn of him that hath led in the way of Righteousness when by Faith and Repentance you have laid hold on Christ O delay not to put him on by Baptism and so you will become visible Members of his Mystical Body be Heirs of the Promise of the holy Spirit and other blessed Priviledges as a Right to the Lord's Table to sup with him in this Kingdom of Grace and dwell with him in Glory hereafter 2. The Quakers in their Pamphlet in like manner with Falshoods and Impertinencies evade the Supper of the Lord instituted and administred in Bread and Wine Say they The Supper of the Lord we own and tenderly consider in a twofold sense First In the Figure Secondly In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with his Disciples did eat the Passeover which was for the fulfilling and Consummation of the Feasts under the Law Luke 22. and at his Supper he did take and minister the Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in remembrance of me and saith the Lord As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. After this they did more clearly know his Coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them 2 Cor. 13. 5 c. The Reader may see with what deceivable words these Impostors go about to evade and make null the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper administred in Bread and Wine But before I come to answer their impertinent Evasions and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures I shall shew you that they plainly deny the Supper of the Lord administred in Bread and Wine to be now a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ and practicable by Christians Let us hear them speak out more plainly before we answer them Parnell's Shield of the Truth p. 13. Feeding upon Husks and Shadows that are carnal for the Bread which the World that is all that are not Quakers eat is natural and carnal so also is the 〈◊〉 which they drink and there is no Communion but natural outward and carnal Smith's Primmer p. 39. Thy Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper are the Popes Invention See how bare-fac'dly they can lie against the Truth See Nailor's Love to the Lost p. 56. Which all know who are come to his Supper where the Father and Son are come in and sup with the Creature which all the Imitators and Observers of Times are ignorant of whose Contention is about outsides Lastly Let us have the Testimony of George Fox le-Grand Great Mystery c. p. 16. says he Christ has triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward Forms and thou art deceived who thinkest to find the Living amongst the Dead You see by this how miserably these Men abuse the Scriptures Now it appears by all this that either the Apostles were ignorant about the nature and manner of Christ's second Coming or else the Quakers are greatly deluded in saying he is come the second time already But to clear the Apostles and Primitive Saints from that Ignorance the Quakers cast upon them and to make it appear that they did not believe the giving of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. to be the second Coming of Christ 1. Because the Apostles are found in the administring and the Primitive Christians in partaking of this Ordinance after the Holy Spirit that Christ promised to send was come as hath been before said of Baptism This appears from Acts 2. 42 46. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer Acts 20. 7. The Disciples came together to break Bread All Expositors that I know of conclude this was to celebrate the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper see this fully manifest 1 Cor. 11. 1 2. compared with Verse 23 to the 29th at large Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ Montanus an approved Interpreter reads it thus Imitatores mei â—stote sicut ego Christi Be ye Imitators of me as I am of Christ Now I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you Ver. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you As if he had said those Ordinances that I praise you for the keeping of are the same that I received of the Lord And this is one that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread blessed it and brake it c. Now if the Quakers were not stark blind or wilfully ignorant would they conclude that Paul and the Primitive Saints did not know that Christ was come in Spirit or that the Promise of the Holy Ghost was given So he goes on and tells them ver 26. As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lord s Death till he come So that the giving forth of the Spirit was not the