viz. That God does not accept any where there is any failing who does not fulfil the Law and answer every demand of Justice which Experience as well as God's Word assure us none is able to do so little do these foregoing words contribute towards the rendring those Orthodox which the Brief Discovery charges upon him and if these People in particular should pretend above other Men to be without failings 't would but make them the more ridiculous which in this matter they are already even to Contempt He says we oppose the Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection but do we oppose the Urim and Thummim whilst we assert it to be only in the Breast-plate of our great High-Priest but not upon the Breast of every or any Saint on Earth CHAP. V. Of Immediate REVELATION THE Brief Discovery charges Whitehead and Fox jun. with saying That P. 8. which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater This undervaluing the Scriptures with respect to their own Writings is not a careless stumble of their Pen but deliberate and design'd for wherever they treat of Scripture 't is in the same Strain not varying from the Analogy of this Faith If ever you will own the Prophets Apostles or Christ himself you will own our Writings given forth by the same Spirit You may as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as our Queries and in this Answ to the Westmorel Petit. p. 30. place Whitehead gives the preheminence to their Writings says They are of as great Authority and greater Here he complains again of Injustice because we left out some explanatory words as he calls them in the same period the words are these which rather darken than enlighten the matter as Christ's words were of greater Authority when he spoke than the Pharisees reading the Letter never sure was there so cross so perverse an Answer was the comparison made between the Pharisees reading the Letter and the Quakers Speakings or between the Scriptures and their Speakings The Question ask'd was Whether they esteemed their Speakings of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible And the Answer was direct enough They are as great and greater too But when they prefer their Writings to the Scriptures he does not as he tells us mean the Scriptures but the Pharisees reading them If the Pharisees were such A B C-Darians that they knew not how to read a Chapter in the Bible as it ought to be yet the Bible is of the same Authority still read by a Pharisee or an Apostle tho perhaps not of the same Efficacy and the Scriptures whensoever spoken or by whomsoever tho they have not the Spirit who speak them yet whatever Whitehead says in the close of that Paragraph the Scriptures by whomsoever spoken we must obey and not as he says deny In the next Paragraph he bids us note That the Comparison is placed upon the Spirit of Truth speaking in Man in the first place and through and by the Ministers thereof in the next place A wonderful opening and amounts to thus much The Comparison is placed upon the Spirit of Truth speaking in Man in the first place and in and through Man in the second place He concludes we suppose from hence as he should have said the Spirit speaking in and through them as in and through the Apostles hath not lost its Authority and Power since it gave forth the Scriptures therefore their Writings must be of the same Authority with the Scriptures This were true if the Spirit spake in us or them as through a Trunk as the Devil did through the Images when he uttered his Oracles but he speaks in us or them whilst he assists us in our Speakings and Writings so that 't is not the Spirit but we that speak and write by the assistance of Christ's Spirit which assistance is given us according to what degree our Lord pleases as Whitehead acknowledges to us in P. 17. Pâ—r. 2. such a degree as overcomes not the Infirmities of our Nature so as that we should not be liable to some Mistakes but to the Apostles in such a degree as left them liable to none in their speaking or delivering the Scriptures to the World and the Miracles that they wrought were an abundant Evidence to all Men thereof And to shew that which he says in the next viz. That the Spirit of Truth immediately ministring in Man is of greater Authority or Power than the Chapters are without the Spirit is very vain or worse for which are those Chapters in our Bible that are without the Spirit or its Authority since every Chapter sure they will acknowledg is as much the Dictates of the Spirit as their Teachings are And it must be an Atheistical Consideration of the Scriptures to look upon them as Whitehead does here without the Spirit P. 17. l. 3 4 5. As for his Profession that they acknowledg the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be of Divine Authority and prefer them above all other Writings c. 't is Protestatio contra factum he only professing he does not do a thing even whilst he is doing of it Whereas he says the Spirit of God speaking in the Soul is of greater Efficacy Power and Authority than the Scripture without it is a captious Assertion for Efficacy Power and Authority are not the same thing and therefore as joined together we can neither affirm nor deny for of greater Efficacy and Power it may be but not of greater Authority unless they will say the Spirit is of greater Authority than the Spirit it being the same Spirit we are sure that wrote the Scriptures which they pretend speaks in them All this while he hath not offered to prove their Speakings to be of greater Authority than the Scriptures tho he said it very absurdly and blasphemously For can there be any Authority greater than that which is Divine and this Divine Authority Whitehead here saith they the Quakers sincerely acknowledg the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have We think now 't would be but just to forbear charging the Priests with ignorance as he frequently does since 't is a spice of that which makes his Discoverer so confused here Letter of the 3 d day 3 d month 98. See Keith's 3 d Nâ—â— p. 66. Such Expressions as those above thou thoughtest fit to excuse to G. Keith in a Letter to him for there thou confessedst thou hast been too short and dubious in some Words or Exprestions as not fully explained in thy former Writings which may easily be helped by some ingenuous or charitable Explication or Emendation First by the way Here is thy Infallibility left to its shifts tho Thomas Danson and his Brethren were once no Ministers of Christ for disclaiming of it and Fâ—x tells us Whoever speaks a word and not from the Mouth of the Lord
that ruffle indeed and make a noise for the present but would e're long wither and fall of themselves We could wish the Issue might make good their Presage But tho many of them are absurd and unreasonable Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have no Topick to build a rational Discourse on but are given rather to railing and raving the Logick of Bedlam yet are there some among them that pretend to Art and do express much cunning in their evasive and elusive ways of Discourse whereby they are apt to deceive the simple and wellmeaning and 't is for the sake of these weak Ones Children as the Apostle calls them who are too easily spirited away with good words and fair pretences that we have undertaken this but we hope there will be no occasion for us any more to appear upon the Stage in vindication of these great Truths of our Religion but that the more worthy Sons of our Mother whose Learning and Authority may conciliate a greater reverence to their Writings will espouse so excellent a Cause and by their clear and close Discourses stop the mouths of these proud Boasters who truly know nothing but doat about Questions and strife of Words from whence come poâ—â—erse Disputings of Men of corrupt Minds and destitute of the Truth Being in the following Pages to discourse of Blasphemy we think it necessary first to settle the Notion thereof BLASPHEMY is originally a Greek Term which signifies at large to hurt and injure ones Fame with evil words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famam laedere calumniando vel maledicendo and thus 't is oft used by our Holy Writers Tit. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak evil of no man Eph. 4. 13. Let all evil speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be put away 1 Cor. 4. 13. Being defamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we intreat we return Prayers for their Reproaches and speaking evil of us Rom. 3. 8. As we be slanderousâ—â— reported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Blasphemy strictly taken denotes 1. A speaking evil or reproachfully of God 2. A vilifying or speaking contemptuously of those things which have a peculiar relation to God 3. An attributing to others or an assuming to our selves that which is proper to God alone 1. A speaking evil or reproachfully of God That this and the next particular also is Blasphemy that place Rev. 13. 6. does evince The Beast is said to open his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And Naboth was charged to blaspheme God 1 Kings 21. 13. to speak evil or reproachfully of him 'T is true this like other Crimes admits of Aggravation and degrees of Guilt for there is a Blasphemy of impious outrage and downright defiance against God such as was that of Rabshakeh openly denying the Power of the God of Israel as sufficient to rescue out of his Master's hand Such that of Mezentius in the Poet Dextra mihi Deus telum quod missile libro And this sort of Blasphemy in an Israelite was that which as we conceive was punish'd with Death Levit. 24. 11 15 16. Again Blasphemy against God may be charged upon Men when from their avowed Professions Principles or Practices it follows by clear Evidence and uncontestable Reasoning that the peerless Majesty Holiness Immutability Truth Unity or other Perfections of God are rival'd vilify'd injur'd or deprav'd because there is none Holy as the Lord and because in him is Light and no Darkness at all Thus to ascribe to God a sinful Impulse or a lying Divination to detract and derogate from his adorable Perfections can never be excused from a deep Tincture of this dangerous Crime 2. A vilifying or speaking contemptibly of those things which have a peculiar relation to God as in the forementioned place Rev. 13. 6. the Beast is said to blaspheme his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven The mocking and abusing our Saviour who as the Messiah had a peculiar relation to God sent by him as his Servant for a particular Office and Imploy is called Blasphemy Luke 22. 63 64 65. Thus also the denying him to be the Christ of God being attended with speaking vilely and contemptibly of him is upon this account reckoned Acts 18. 5 6. Blasphemy and was the Blasphemy St Paul was guilty of before his Conversion Jam. 2. 7. and which he compelled others to Depraving the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 13. and thereby renouncing of it is reckoned Blasphemy as we find in Hymeneus Acts 26. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. for it gives occasion to speak evil of the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christianity upon which account the vilifying and depraving the speaking evil and contemptibly of Baptism by Water and the Supper of the Lord by Bread and Wine which not only were but are yet the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ as we hope is made evident in the following Discourse is no less Jude v. 8. than Blasphemy they having so near and peculiar a relation to God and Christ 2 Pet. 2. 10. Hence reviling Magistrates is in several places stiled Blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 21. 13. they speak evil of Dignities 'T was laid to Naboth's charge that he blasphemed the King Speaking evil of the King is blasphemy because of the peculiar and special relation he bare to God being his Vice-roy and Representative Thus reproachful words against the Temple and the Law they bearing a special Acts 6. 13. relation to God were accounted Blasphemy This man ceasâ—th not to speak blasphemous words against this Holy Place and the Law Yea speaking contemptuously and by way of derision against the Mountains the Land of Israel is for the same reason reckoned Blasphemy as we read Ezek. 35. 12. I have heard all thy Blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountains of Israel saying They are laid desolate they are given us to consume Much like that of Tully's Quam chara Diis immortalibus esset quod eam victa quod elccata c. deriding Jerusalem for accounting it self the peculiar Care and Darling of Heaven whenas it was storm'd and taken by Pompey And if reproaching and reviling Things and Persons that have a near and special relation to God and Christ be Blasphemy then those we fear are guilty thereof who affix to the Ministers of the Gospel such vile Names as Conjurers Thieves Witches Devils Orat. 24. pro L. Flacco Blood-hounds and the like We hope we shall not bring a railing Accusation against them only say as Michael the Arch-angel did to him that inspires this Earthly Sensual and Devilish Temper into the Minds of Men The Lord rebuke thee 3. An attributing to others or an assuming to our selves that which is proper to God alone Upon this account Idolatry is so often in Scripture said to be Blasphemy because men attribute to the Idol that which is peculiar
Divine Prophetical Influx and Inspiration when there 's all the evidence imaginable that the Father of Lyes and not the God of Truth was the Author of these spurious Prophesies that by the false he might derive a suspicion upon the true ones or abuse the Minds of Men with vain Hopes or panick Fears Oh let not any of us who own our Saviour for our Prophet receive the Devil for our Oracle if we be sick or weary of things present shall we resort to the God of Ekron by attending to any Prophecy of his incitation for Quiet and Resolution Can the Devil be thought able to answer any Questions concerning things to come Isai 41. 23. Chap. 44. 7. Or is he willing if able to do it with any fair and single Intentions Have the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness put out all the Fires on his Altars Have the Glory and Power of the Divine Oracles and Miracles spoiled his great Trade of Lying Oracles and Wonders and shall our Credulity and Vanity encourage him to drive this secret and little Trade of Prophesies The particular advice God gavethe People by Jeremiah in a like Case deserves now Jer. 27. 9. to be recommended to them Hearken not to your Prophets nor to your Diviners nor to your Dreamers for they prophesie a Lye unto you And 't is worth our Consideration that those who in these last Ages have pretended to them are Men either extremely Ignorant or very Vicious or strangely Fanciful or Hypocondriacal for Men that are best disposed by their great Wisdom and Holiness as also by the Evenness and Serenity of their Tempers to receive these influences of the Holy Spirit do neither feel nor desire them whilst they consider those vehement Transports Consternations Tremors Enigmatical Visions must create great uneasiness to them which the faculties of those Holy Men who were actuated by the Spirit in order to Prophecy most frequently underwent thereby which makes them value it as a happiness that God hath delivered us to the Conduct of that sure word of Prophecy the Holy Scriptures and the Dictates of clear and renewed Reason But to return to the Quotation out of Burroughs George Whitehead to excuse him tells us p. 29. That what Prophesies are for Christ's Kingdom they must own viz. that he shall rule the Nations and in the midst of his Enemies and that the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of God and his Christ which says he the Holy Scriptures do expresly warrant and testifie But how idle and impertinent is this when he knows none of us Priests or People of the Church of England who do not own the Scripture-Prophesies concerning the Kingdom of Christ or the Government of the Lamb whenas we assert them in a great measure fulfilled already since so many Earthly Kings have willingly submitted to the Spiritual Government of our Lord acknowledging his Scepter above theirs and yielding themselves freely to be his Subjects yea counting it a greater honour to be Membra Ecclesiâ— Members of his Body than Capita Imperii Emperors of the World but we never read that the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ should be so troublesom to Earthly ones as to extirpate and overturn them or that the Scepter of the Lord Jesus should like Aaron's Rod swallow up the Scepters of all Earthly Princes as Burroughs asserts But now George if thy fright be over let us survey the other part of the Quotation There shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of Force but the Government of the Lamb nor no Law of effect but the Law of God Canting words that signifie nothing but to inspire People with a disgust of the Government if it does not set up Quakers in Authority over the rest But pray resolve us did not Christ reign whilst Constantine Theodosius Justinian and other Godly Kings and Emperors ruled who were Nursing Fathers to the Church and brought their Glory and Honour into it who sway'd their Scepters in Sub-ordination to their Saviour and exercised their Authority for the promoting his Religion and now could he truly say in opposition to such there should be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of Force but the Government c. since all that which was otherwise viz. the Heathen Persecuting Power was by the means of Constantine ground to Powder and why might not Jesus be said to reign when K. Ch. II. came to the Crown who professed his Religion restored his Church to her pristine Glory and own'd himself a Member thereof let George Whitehead tell us in good earnest whether he thinks with his Brother Burroughs that there ought to be no other Government in the World but that of Jesus and we urge it the rather because the Letter our Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ was pleased to own another Government to which he himself paid Tribute and Obedience and disclaim'd all Temporal Authority saying My Kingdom is not of this World and therein taught his Disciples and Followers what to do even to submit to those Rulers in whose Dominions they are born and live and not withdraw their Obedience out of pretence that they are Subjects to him as Burroughs does in the following part of the Quotation As for this People the Quakers they are raised of the Lord and established by him even contrary to all Men and they have given their Power only to God and they cannot give their Power to any Mortal Men to stand or fall by any outward Authority Words not only Seditious but direct Treason against the Government of any Kingdom as if it were in the Power of any Natural-born Subject under the pretence of being a Christian to withdraw his Allegiance from his lawful Prince contrary to the Doctrine both of St. Peter and St. Paul 1 Pet. 2. 13 14 15 16 17. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether to the King or to Governours sent by him for so is the will of God the wâ—iâ—h well-doing i. e. with the constant practise of Obedience to them ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free but not using the liberty for a cloak of maliciousness as redeemed by Christ but not making that a pretence for disobedience to the Magistrate that because you have given up your Names to Christ you cannot give your Power to any Mortal Man to the service of the King or Government but as the Servants of God Honour all men love the brotherhood fear God honour the King Thus St. Paul exhorts the Roman Christians Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers which Rom. 13. 1. how can they be if they withdraw their Obedience and Assistance when call'd for and say they cannot give their Power to any Mortal Man to stand or fall by any outward Authority when as the same Apostle adds speaking to the Christians Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath for fear of the Magistrate's Power but
for Conscience sake out of regard to the Command of your Lord and Master Christ who have made Obedience to Magistrates a part of his Religion and therefore herein they rebel not only against the Law of the Land but against the Law of Jesus whom they pretend to be their King and only Ruler But King and Parliament can make no Collars for the Necks of Quakers they are established contrary to all Men and to any outward Authority they cannot seek but to the Lord alone though now they can creep and cringe to Parliaments as well as any other The next Citation is from George Fox who p. 31 of his Great Mystery saith That the Quakers are in the Power of God and in the Authority of the Lamb above all Houses and into Houses creep nor but are upon the Throne Not standing about the Throne as Angels do those daily Attendants on the King of Glory but they are upon the Throne as well as Christ and who knows but ere long they may croud him out and reign alone But this saith George Whitehead “ is no doubt meant Spiritually not Literally Then the Sense must be this they are above all Spiritual Houses and into Spiritual Houses creep not for they are upon a Spiritual Throne for otherwise their being upon a Spiritual Throne can be no reason why they should not creep into Material Houses for all Quakers as Whitehead here owns are upon a Spiritual Throne and yet can nestle into these Material Houses and some very fine ones too We are therefore afraid George thy Brother Fox had a farther design even at these Material and Earthly Thrones But says Whitehead p. 29. l. 9. He must mean Spiritually for they are not upon an Outward Throne No God be thanked for it but Burroughes in a Declaration tells us They are the right Heirs to it 't is their Right of Inheritance they are Kings de See the Declaration in the Brief Discovery p. 22. Jure though not de Facto 't is their Heirship to possess the utmost parts of the Earth and doubt not ere long to tumble down the Usurpers out of their Thrones though at present they must bear 'T is true the Scriptures every where encourage the Servants of God to persevere in their Christian Course with the hopes of a Crown and Kingdom but the time of their Reign is not yet come they are not already upon the Throne but Quakers it seems are and therefore it must be a different one from that promised by God hereafter to the Saints As an evidence of the truth of what George Fox said Whitehead quotes Job 36. 7. with Kings are they viz. the Righteous on the Throne and are exalted but George's are Kings upon a Spiritual Throne and is not this Text then cited very pertinently to prove Quakers upon a Spiritual Throne The truth is they cannot stay for the promised Kingdom after Death Kings they must be presently and a Throne they must now possess but whether Eternal Spiritual Material or Figurative they know not so * His Letter is at the end of the Snake Coale tells George Fox He was a King and ruled in Righteousness and of his Kingdom there was no end But Eâ—ihu going upon this Principle That God could not be so severe to them that were dear to him insinuates that Job must be a Hypocrite for God uses to exalt his Friends and true Servants unto Thrones and not throw them upon Dunghils he makes them even Companions for Kings and by way of Hyperbole says they set them upon the Throne with them the expression is Figurative for 't is not said they are Kings upon the Throne but on the Throne with Kings meaning in short no more than what 's express'd in the close of the verse they are exalted and honoured even by Kings though we do not remember Quakers ever so honoured by any save by the late King some of them being admitted though not to sit with him on 's Throne yet in his Closet and lean too much on his Bosom Brief Discovery p. 15. quotes Truth defending the Quakers p. 9 10. wrote by Whitehead and George Fox Jun. who being ask'd whether they did not say That the Magistrate who made Acts of Parliament and doth not receive them from God as Moses doth act contrary to the Law of God They answered The Magistrate that is sent of God he receives the Law from the Mouth of God and he is the Prophet whom Moses spoke of Deut. 18. 58. An Answer notoriously shuffling The Question being whether the Magistrate that is sent of God receives the Law from God as Moses The answer is if sent of God he receives the Law from the Mouth of God but does not say as Moses No doubt thou wer 't sensible George that the Laws of Magistrates are not accompanied with those Appearances of Terrour and Amazement which Moses's Laws were and therefore as Moses must be drop'd Well George we will abate thee the thick Cloud the Thunder and Lightning the Smoak and the Tempest Exod. 19. with which Moses's Law was attended Must every Law of the Magistrate be from the Mouth of the Lord as Moses's was or else he that made it is not sent of God then every Law of the Magistrates even that for burying in Woollen may be prefac'd God spake these Words as well as the Ten Commandments or else the Magistrates that make them are not sent of God And thâ—â— all the Magistrates in the World are exaucthorated by a dash of Whitehead's Pen who made Laws which came not from the Mouth of God as the Ten Commandments did Our Magna Charta and other Statute Laws may oblige us surely to Obedience tho not of equal Authority to our Bibles But Whitehead complains the last Words are mis-quoted instead of he is the Prophet it should be he hears the Prophet whom Moses spoke of We had the Book it self when we wrote the Quotation tho now it be out of our hands and can't but wonder that three of us together should be so dimsighted as not to discern he is from he hears Howsoever George the Objection we make is thou seest strong enough without any support from that Passage We desire therefore thy clear and positive Answer whether the Magistrate be sent of God who makes Laws and yet does not receive them from God as Moses This is what was objected against thee and thy Companion Fox Jun. that you had affirmed formerly and tho Friends may be satisfied yet do not believe that wise Men will think thou hast conquered the Objection as the French use to conquer our Fleet by running away from it There is a bloody Charge laid against George Fox in the Brief Discovery p. 16. where out of his Book called several Papers given forth to Presbyterians c. just before the Restoration of King Charles II. these Passages are cited Friends to all you that desire an Earthly King in England c.
Years was greatly scandalized at the false Returns which were made which tho proved to be false they entred in their Register as true And whereas the worthy Author of Satan Disrob'd had observ'd and remark'd this viz. That in this Register there were many groundless and many downright Falshoods which 't is fit the World should know because they took great care to swell this Register and had threatne 〈◊〉 publiâ—â— it to after-ages Geo. Whitehead crys out Pray observe what a likely Story 〈◊〉 is hâ—w should Truth and Innocency p. 44. he know what is recorded in such a Register if he never saw it noâ— read it as 〈◊〉 presume he has not whenas he might have easily satisfied the Reader 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Author came to know it if he would but have cited the whole Quotation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in the Words following that Mr. Pennyman gave the World an account thereâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ad seen read and found fault with their unrighteous Practice therein and yet Geo. Whitehead good man knew not how the Author of Satan disrob'd should know this when tâ—â—â—â—â—ter part of the same Paragraph he cited declar'd it who so blind as those that will not see and then he makes his Reader believe that 't was all a sham just such aâ—â—ne as he would put upon us in the following lines for that Person having said they threatned to publish this Register of their sufferings to after-Ages No says Geo. Whitehead 't is â—n aspersion that the Author of the Snake and Satan disrob'd hath unjustly cast upon us and 't is not the first neither for I know of none amongst us says he who have so threatned to publish it to after-Ages And you may be sure there 's none have done so if this great Cenfor Librorum know not of it few coming-forth without being submitted to his Examen But are there none then recollect thy self good George and blush if thou canst Judas and the Jeâ—s p. 41. at so notorious an untruth when we believe thou canst not but know that Wm. Pen says Our faithful Chronicles of the Bloody Tragedies of the professing Generation will tell future Ages other things And in his Rejoinder p. 410. he saith New Provocations â—nay give Occasion for their Register to come abroad to the Nation more compendiously than ever And R. Barkleâ— as he Anarchy p. 42. glories that thro their Faithful Testimony in the hands of the Lord That Antichristian and apostatized Generation the National Ministry most meek and Lamb-like words has received a deadly blow by our discovering and witnessing against their forc'd Maintenance and Tythes which we have testified by many cruel Sufferings of all kinds so he adds As our Chronicles shall make known to Generations to come This we think threatens the Nation with a dreadful Storm at last which has been so long a gathering But to make the Measure of what the Quakers have suffer'd heap'd up press'd down and running over we desire George Whitehead to insert in their Register what those Friends suffered which Trumpet sounded c. c. 10. p. 91 92 c. Dan. Leeds has given him an Abstâ—â—ct of from the hands of their own Brethren about Delaware at Burlington and other Places in East and West Jersey and see if Quakers when they have Authority and Power are not as very Persecutors as any Professors or wicked Cavaliers Oh! their Sufferings their Sufferings must perpetually ring in our Ears since if Br. Dise p. 26. you believe their great Burroughs they are greater and more unjust than in the days of Christ or of the Apostles or in any time since for says he What was done to Christ or to the Apostles was chiefly done by a Law and in great part by the duâ— Execution of a Law c. Which is so horrid and blasphemous that the repeating of it makes us tremble notwithstanding what George Whitehead says so largely in excuse at least in mitigation thereof but his Reader would have thought him much more a Christian to have utterly censur'd and condemn'd such vile and wretched Expressions than made the least Apology for them and so we are sure would any Church of England-man have done had he found such a wicked Passage in any of the Writings of those of his own Communion But we would desire G. Whitehead as much as he contemns Fr. Bugg and his Postcript to the Brief Discovery seriously to consider the Parallel he gives between the Quakers Sufferings and those of the Apostles and Martyrs and tell us if there be any Comparison These things we cannot but reflect upon there are many things of a publick Nature which we have purposely omitted and some that we have but gently touch'd upon because we leave them to the Wisdom and Prudence of our Rulers in Church and State fince what Infâ—â—ence they may have upon our Peace and Quiet is their Province and not ours to take care of To the Clergy of the Diocess of Lincoln WHereas Francis Bugg has been very Useful by his Writings in detecting the Blasphemies and Immoralities and confuting the Errors of that Unbelieving Party in this Nation called QUAKERS I do hereby recommend Him to your Favour and his Writings to your Perusal that by them you may see how much you are concerned to be watchful over the Souls committed to your Charge that they be not infected with the Contagion of those damnable Doctrines taught and published amongst them as also to endeavour the Recovery of those ignorant and well-meaning People that have been deluded by the cunning Insinuations and false Pretences of the Leaders of that Party who lie in wait to deceive and use all Art and Diligence to spread their Errors and increase their Numbers in which they are very apt to pride and boast themselves I do also desire you to represent the Services of the said Francis Bugg in this kind to the Gentry and others that are well-disposed to incourage those who indeavour to defend the true Christian Religion against the Teachers of such Blasphemies and pernicious Errors This Fr. Bugg has done with great Expences as well as great Trouble Travelling about and Printing and giving away several useful Books of which you may have Account from himself and others Ja. Lincoln May 24. 1700. FINIS
of Swearing It seems nothing but yea and nay would down with them 4. Opposition to the carnal Church Would not any one believe a Metempsuchosis here and that the Soul of Petrus Johannes was entred into Fox and we were Quakers now after the Order of St. Francis But come let us ask these Revelation-men a Question Can they shew me any reason why we should believe them so extraordinarily inspired as Christ and his Apostles any more than Munster John of Leyden or Muggleton Either I must believe every one that pretends to it or I must have some reason why I should believe one rather than another We would fain know what other rational proof they can bring of a Divine Revelation than Miracles Can we imagine that a Wise and Righteous God should call immediately and send persons into the World for nothing but to be laught at giving them no Gifts nor Signs whereby they may be distinguish'd from other folk and certainly known to be so called and commissioned that men might obey them We would fain know what other Signs Maimon de fundam legis c. 7. §. 11. are there that may convince a rational person but Miracles It was a Maxim amongst the Rabbies that whenever God sent a Prophet to a People he gave him a Sign or a Wonder that the People might know God had truly sent him and therefore the Jews would not be satisfied without a Sign from Acts 2. 22. Christ And St. Peter calls to the men of Israel Hear these words says he I preach no other Jesus to you than him that is approved of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs done in the midst of you as your selves know And our Lord himself is pleased to make his appeal to them John 10. 25. The Works that â—do in my Father's name bear witness of me V. 37 38. If I do not the Works of my Father believe me not but if I do tho you believe not me believe my Works And John 15. 24. If I had not done the Works that no man did they had not had Sin And if it had not been a Sin not to have believed the Son of God himself without a Miracle sure it would not be a very great one if we should reject the testimony of Cobler Fox without one Brief Discovery p. 10. quotes Burroughs p. 47. saying That 's no command from God to me what he commands to another neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scripture act by a Command which was to another not having a Command to themselves Smith speaks plainly 〈◊〉 p. 〈◊〉 The Scriptures have no authority of themselves to oblige us No Will We hope George Fox's Commands have authority of themselves to oblige especially those weighty Commands about slit Peaks short black Aprons Vizard-masks â—â—immindish Hats to thee and thou Men and Women tho St. Paul's have none How useless does that render the Scriptures to us for if we have a Command in our selves from the same Spirit that gave them forth that inward Command will be sufficient to oblige us if there were no other in the Scripture so that that were altogether neâ—dless But that 's not all for Burroughs P. 105. tells us They that take up a Command from the Scriptures are in the Witchcraft Good Mr. Burroughs wouldst thou take such an answer from any of thy Servants that God it seems must be forced to take from you should you command them to do a lawful thing No Sir we thank you till we have a Command in our selves thy Command is of no authority to oblige us at all But thou wouldst take it much worse sure if they should say thou wert a Wizard or in the Witchcraft if they should obey thee Or would Quakers take such an answer from their People when they have been speaking to them from the mouth of the Lord And yet that lewd Wretch is so bold and impudent as to tell us that when God Almighty commands his Servants they are no less than Witches and Devils and have familiar conversation with that Fiend that take up a Command from his Scriptures P 5. Fox jun. says You took it from the Letter and never received a Command from God for it As if the Command he received from the Letter had not been from God A Command it seems it was but not from God We wonder then from whom it was it was not sure from the Devil as Burroughs intimated just now when he said He that takes up a command from the Spirit is in the Witchcraft Whitehead speaks of Pen to the same purpose saving No command in P. 22. l. 21. Scripture is any further obliging to any man than he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise men should be engaged without or against Conviction And again be says against Faldo The reason of our obeying the Scripture P. â— is Conviction Manifestation and drawing of the Light So that of themselves they have no more authority than an AEsop's Fables all the authority they have is from those Convictions and Drawings of the Light within and no man sins in not obeying Scripture Commands till he 's convinc'd he 's bound to obey them so that their Power to oblige us does not arise from the Authority of God that gave them forth but from our Convictions that is they have none till we think they have Sure Mr. Pen forgot himself for elsewhere he tells us 'T is a dangerous Principle and pernicious to true Religion nay Brief Exam. P. 3. printed 1681. see Brief Discovery P. 14. that it was the root of Ranterism to assert nothing was a Duty but what we were persuaded was our Duty We see great Wits have but bad Memories We shall next prove that the Scriptures have authority over us without such a Command Conviction Manifestation within us Thus If there be a sort of men that have sinned grievously in not having obeyed the Precepts of the Gospel which never had these new Revelations Manifestations or Convictions then those Revelations Manifestations and Convictions are not the reasons of Obedience but there have been and yet are many such Ergo. The Minor thus St. Paul before Conversion the Jews the Scribes and Pharisees sinned griâ—vously in not obeying the Precepts of the Gospel tho they had no such Revelations Manifestations and Convictions Ergo. 1. The Scribes and Pharisees sinned it 's evident how many Woes are denounced against them for their Unbelief And that St. Paul sinned 't is as evident how many bloody Crimes is he charged with He breathed out Threatnings Acts 9. 1 4. and Slaughter against the Church and says Christ Saul said why persecutest thou me See how he charges himself I was a Blasphemer Persecâ—â—â— 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. injurious 2. That they had no such Revelations Manifestations or Convictions is as evident That the Jews Scribes and Pharisees knew not it was their Duty to embrace that new
leave it out to make the better sense of thy Blasphemy shouldest thou have put in that Conjunction what nonsense would it have been it would have been thus all Scripture given by Inspiration and is profitable the copula and methinks should couple like Sentences and the former part of the Text cannot be a sentence without a Verb and if it must be like Sentences the Verb in the former part must be is as in the latter and so it runs as we well translate it is by Divine Inspiration and is profitable rather than the Scripture should be a perfect Rule Howgil would make it perfect nonsense 2. The Scripture must be our Rule for we are to try all things by it and hold fast that which we find streight and right nay by that we are to try the Quakers Rule it self 1 John 4. 1. we are to try the Spirits What must we try the Spirit by the Spirit 't is evident we are to bring it to some Rule or Ballance to find out its just weight and rectitude for there are many Spirits that walk now about and haunt our stuary ground the Spirit of Muggleton Fox and Naylor and there is one Spirit to be sure that challenges it as its right to possess it and dwell there and by what rule shall we determine the Controversy but by Scripture there 's none of these Pretenders can challenge any greater Authority over our Faith than others only the Scriptures which are the Letters missive and circulatory of the Spirit of God to his Church have such a right which have their Authority confirmed by such a Seal as cannot be counterfeited by Men or Devils and therefore may oblige us to believe them and that Spirit which agrees with their testimony 'T is utterly false what Smith says That the Spirit was the rule to them that Primmer p. 10. gave forth the Scriptures We say not the Spirit it self but the dictates of the Spirit which were as much a rule to them when written as when spoken to them This does not exclude the Spirit from having any thing to do to direct us what to believe and how to live for the Scriptures are the Spirits Rule given to guide us by Besides the Spirit of God opens our Eyes too much closed up since the fall so that we may the better perceive and believe the things contained in the Scripture and stir up our affections to embrace them observe the Rule our Saviour sends us to Mat. 21. 42. Did you never read in the Scriptures Ver. 22 29. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures Acts 8. 35. He began at the same Scripture and preached unto them Jesus Acts 17. 2 11. Paul reasoned with them out of the Scriptures Acts 2. what a long Sermon St. Peter preacheth there from the 14 th almost to the end all out of the Scripture Luke 24. 17. as also 32. he opened to them the Scriptures Moses and the Prophets were the Text he preach'd on Ver. 46. he carries their attention to what was written Joh. 7. 38. He that believeth on me not as the Light but as the Scripture saith John 19. 37. another Scripture saith all along they are sent to the Light without them to see what the Scripture saith John 20. 9. their want of Faith in Christ's Resurrection is attributed to their ignorance of the Scriptures strange the Light could not have informed them Philip corrects not the Eunuch for poring upon and scraping in the Scriptures as Fisher does in his Velata Revelata p. 845. Such Men says he as the Scribes are ever scraping in the Scriptures neither does he call them to mind the Light within Away with this dead Letter this Dust will choak you this Serpents Meat will poison you Ver. 35. he opened his Mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached Jesus But when shall we hear a Quaker begin a Sermon from a Text of Scripture By the way you see a Man may preach Jesus from the Letter Acts 18. 24. Apollo was mighty in the Scriptures the Scripture was the Sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. by which the mighty Man and Evangelical Hero hewed down the Enemy before him they were not able to stand before the Dint of his Scripture-charge he mightily convinced them out of Scripture ver 28. Paul in his Dispute about Justification Rom. 4. 3. crys What saith the Scripture Rom. 11. 2. Wot ye not what the Scripture saith he brings all his Proofs from the Letter of Scripture Rom. 15. 4. all our comfort flows from those Wells of Salvation all written for our Learning that we through comfort and patience of the Scriptures might have hope And should these envious Philistines be suffered to stop up these Wells 2 Tim. 3. 15. Paul commends Timothy that from a Child he had been well acquainted with this Rule so that he became a Workman that needed not be ashamed The Scriptures you see in the Apostles days as many as were written were the only Rule they appealed to Fox jun. for above 200 Pages hath vehement Exhortations to mind the Light but not a word of reading the Scriptures in that whole Book Esa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word they may pretend the Spirit of God and a Light within if they will but they have no light in them says the Prophet That such an one as W. Penn should please himself with such a Gimcrack as to say in his answer to Faldo By the Law and the Testimony are meant God and Christ seeing then William we are saved by Christ we are saved by the Law 'T is much Mr. Pool should forget to grace his Synopsis with this Criticism if thou hadst any respect for Scripture sure thou wouldst not dally and play with it so wantonly We conclude then that the Scriptures are a Rule to them they are given to and 't was never denyed by any in the Christian part of the World but Quakers besides Atheists Deists and Papists and we envy them not the Honour of such Company Whitehead says p. 23. l. 7. They don't slight the Scripture nay p. 17. l. 4. They acknowledg them to be divine and prefer them before all other Books in the World We do them wrong to lay such an heinous Crime to their charge Alas poor Quakers to be so hardly censured when they call the Scriptures Dust Serpents Meat killing and deadly this is all for the profound Veneration they have for Scripture When they say their own Speakings are of equal Authority nay to be preferred before them nay the Scriptures may as well be burnt as their nonsensical Scriblings This is yet for the great respect and honour they bear to the Scriptures When they tell us the Scriptures have no authority of themselves not so much as that golden Legend of Father Fox's Journal unless we have a Câ—mmand again from within that is they have no authority unless we think they have
and the same end to make Disciples from what he had appointed before to make Disciples by had he intended so he would certainly have given some caution being about to institute a Baptism of another kind lest we should mistake this new and more glorious Baptism of the Spirit to be no more than that other elementary one he had commanded before and they had been used to to that very hour He repeats the Command again because the first Commission would not serve his purpose seeing he was to ampliate and inlarge the Terms having just now laid down his Life for all the Nations of the World he puts a Clause into their Commission now to instruct all Nations in the Rudiments of his new Religion and then baptize them that they may be the more capable of the benefit of his Sufferings 3 ly The next Text proving Water-Baptism to be instituted of Christ is Act. 10. 47. Can any one forbid Water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Here are several Arguments to prove Water-Baptism was an Institution of Christ 1. The Holy Ghost was received before as preparatory to this Baptism so that the Baptism in the Text could not be the Baptism of the Holy Ghost therefore of Water 2. Can any one forbid it If any of these Gentlemen had been present would he not have started up immediately Can any one forbid Good Sir tell us who ever commanded us when or where were we bidden to dabble the Disciples with a little Popiâ—h Holy-Water you an Apostle of Christ and peremptorily inforce things upon the Disciples that are not now in force as our dear Brother W. Pen hath testified to offer up such a carnal Cainitical Sacrifice to God and tell People 't is an Ordinance of Christ behold we stand up here in the Power and the Spirit of the Lord God to witness against thee And we know not what St. Peter could better have replied to them than St. Paul once said to the Corinthians What I have received of the Lord I have delivered unto you and it being a Command of our Lord and Master you are impudent Servants to forbid it if the practice had been nothing but an exercise of Liberty and pure Condescension as W. Pen P. 127. l. 20. says in his Reply to the Answer to his Key if it had not been settled by Authority 3. St. Peter issues out an Authoritative Command that they should be baptized v. 28. he commanded them to be baptized The imposing such a Command upon the Disciples would have been an usurpation upon their Christian Liberty as the practice of it would have been superstitious enough if he had not had Divine Authority for his Warrant 4. He commands them to be baptized not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Matth. 28. 19. and Acts 19. 5. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the Authority of Jesus and the Holy Ghost by varying the Expression here from that in those Texts seems purposely to countenance this Interpretation to command a thing to be done in the Name of a Person was ever thought to be by his Authority 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have judged in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when you are gathered together and my Spirit with the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver c. In the Name and in the Power and Authority are here all one 4 ly Another Text is Acts 22. 16. Ananias said to Paul Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized for c. Ananiâ—s leaves it not here to Paul as a matter of Liberty or Condescension to the Jews here 's a peremptory Command as in the foregoing Citation Arise and be baptized and that quickly too why tarriest thou And this must be Water-Baptism for he must arise and put himself into a posture to go to some place of conveniency as a Brook or River to be baptized in and not tarry in the least he should not need to have got up and travelled in such haste for the Holy Ghost who is not limited to any place or time Again this was a Baptism he had in his own Power as that was in the Power of the Disciples in the former Citation or else they would not have been commanded to have been baptized it had been both a folly and injustice to command them what they had no power to do now the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was not in their Power they could not give themselves that Baptism nor St. Peter nor Ananias neither and if it had been the Baptism of the Holy Ghost that was spoken of in this Text it had been a more proper method for St. Peter Ananias St. Paul and the Disciples to have fallen upon their knees to God and have prayed that he would bestow that heavenly Gift upon them rather than bid them be baptized and take it themselves as Peter and John had done Acts 8. 15 16. they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost 5 ly Another Text is John 3. 3 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and the Holy Ghost c. Whatever be the sense of being born again we are sure that Water is Water and not the same in this place with the Spirit of God if it were so the words would have this ridiculous sense Except a Man be born again of the Spirit and the Spirit further if they were the same thing a Copulative were needless which ever uses to join two different things together and not the same thing to it self and if it be Water-Baptism it must be of Christ besides there would never have been affixt such a Reward to it if it had not been a Duty 2. We have a great many Scripture-Instances for the Practice of Water-Baptism besides those before named sure they will not say but that the Apostles baptized as Christ commanded them in Jâ—h 4. and Maâ—ih 28. 1. The first Scripture is 1 Cor. 1. 14. Crispus and Gaiuâ— were baptized with Water for St. Paul would not have thanked God he baptized so few of them with the Holy Ghost and those many other Corinthians Acts 18. 8. can't be supposed to have been baptized any otherwise than those their Fellow Citizens 2. The second Scripture is Act. 19. 3 5. Unto what were ye baptized He does not ask whether they were baptized with Water he did not doubt of that noâ— by what but unto what They answer Unto John's Baptism As soon as they were better instructed they were baptized agen into another and better Service into the Name of the Lord Jesus by such Water as they had been baptized with before For he scâ—upled not the Water they had been baptized with but only asks into what Discipline or Society John's or Christ's 3. The third Text is Acts 8. 38. the Eunuch was baptized with Water for Philip and the Eunuch went both down into the Water In the same
Men renourced their Christianity and turned Turks they laid aside this Livery and took up 〈◊〉 Circumcision and spit at the mention of the Name of Châ—ist and from thence are accounted true Musselmen so that Quakers by rejecting Water Baptism arâ—gâ—â— half way to Turky There was a memorable Advertisement from Dorsetshire 't is before the Answer to Mr. Den's Quaker no Papist in the Gag for Quakers of a strange Discovery made oâ— many Witches in and near Shâ—rborn they were near 200 of them at one Meeting most of them Quakers and Anabaptists it tells us 3 Men and 2 Women formerly Quakers committed to Dorchâ—ster Goal where they were Prisoners at the wâ—iting of that Advertisement confessed upon Examination and since their Commitment to sundry Persons who have visited them that when the Devil first appeared to them and tempted them to be Witches before he would admit them into that Sacred Ordâ—r he caused them to renounce their Baptism and truly the Devil had sâ—me reason for this to make them tear off the Livery of their old Master his greatest Enemy before he took them into his Service besides in Baptism they had renounced him and all his Works and he thought it necessary such a Covenant should be cancelled before they entred a new League with him and if Quakers had doubted the Truth of this in those days they might have gone and visited their Friends in Goal as hundreds did and been satisfied from their own mouths The Devil in our days need not put most of our Quakers to the trouble of renouncing Baptism who never receiv'd it and so are in a more appropriate disposition to be taken into that Service Margaret Bradlâ— and Mary Langhorn perhaps might commence Witches without such a Solemnity these Quaker Witches would have taken away the Life of their Brother-in-Law Winder by a false Accusation at Carlisic Assizes they were eminent Teachers amongst the Quakers neither did they ever disown them for their Villainy See Snake 305. 306 307. and no doubt there have been hundreds more such Instances that have bewitched multitudes into horrid Ravings Yellings Foamings and Convulsions as soon as they have come into their Meetings You may believe in every one of them as well as those of Shâ—rborn the principal Article of the Contract was if ever they received it to renounce Baptism Oh how Converts of old in Times of Persecution would crowd to Baptism though they burut for it they would run through the Fire to Water Baptism ambitiâ—us of the honour of being known to be Christ's Servants which they were by bâ—ing baptized Had Quakers lived in those days they would never have been known to be Christians by a little yeaing and naying only for a Mode of Speech their Christ being no such Man as the Heathens were incens'd against nothing but Meekness Patience Temperance Chastity c. which the Heathens were great Admirers of No Brother Heathen would never have hurt a Quaker they are these wicked Christians the Quakers cry out of as their Persecutors as the Christians cried out of the Heathens Quakers and Heathens are too good friends to fall out for a Yea and Nay As for their Objections out of Scripture if need had been we could have brought most of them as Proofs of the Doctrine they have brought them to oppose theiâ— Goliah Argument is from the 1 Cor 1. 14 15 16 17. I was not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel We shall not need to prove that this is Water-Baptism here spoken of having proved it before Besides they acknowledge it which I believe they would never have done but only that they might screw an Objection out of it against Water-Baptism for hence they observe to us Paul an Apostle was never sent to baptize with Water or otherwise why should they not yield the same word signifies the same thing in other places By the way let us premise when a Doctrine is proved by such Arguments the Command of Christ the Practice of the Apostles and the whole Christian Woâ—ld to this day 't is not to be overth own by one Objection out of Scripture that may bear a sence as well agreeing with that Doctrine as the sence that opposes it Our Arguments should first be answer'd which because they cannot do they busie themselves in finding out difficulties If this were enough the Being of God and Existence of Souls Doctrines as demonstratively proved as any in the World might be overthrown for the Atheist hath found difficulties enough to puzzle and perplex them But though this way of theirs be a very fallacious Artifice yet we stall no be afraid to grapple with their Objections this mighty one in particular But why doth St Paul thank God he baptized so few if an Ordinance of Christ 'T is evident he baptized some and if he had not been impower'd by Christ to baptize I would have been presumption in him to have bapazed any body But why so few As in the 15th 't is answered by himself lest any one should say I baptized in my own name You may observe from v. 10 how childishly they began to range themselves into Sides and Parties one was for Paul another for Apollos as if they had only baptized and made Disciples to themselves to set up as many Sects of Christians as they had done of Philosopheâ—s under their several Masters Ver. 13. Do you think says Paul you were baptized into the Name of Paul or Peter or Apollos I thank God says he as it happen'd I baptized none of you that you may have no pretence for such a Schism under my Name he does not thank God they had not been baptized but that he had not done it for the abovesaid reason But you will say then su e here was a great stress laid upon Water Baptism because there were so few thus baptized A Consequence indeed because he baptized so few therefore there were no more baptized May not a Man as justly inferr the contrary though there have been multitudes of them baptized yet I have baptized but few of them especially if you compare this place with Acts 18. 8. where a great many other Corinthians were baptized as well as Crispus and Gaius But ver 17. St Paul says Christ sen him not to baptize but to preach the Gospel We answer every Apostle besides a general Commission had commonly a particular Mission Their general Commission gave them Power and Authority through the whole World to preach buâ— because that had been too numerous a Parish and it would have been impossible for them to have executed those Powers by pâ—eaching to every Person in the World it pleased God by a secret Motion and Impulse of the Spirit to send them into several Quarters one to the Gentiles another to the Jews one inâ—o Spain another into the Indies to preach there for the more orderly and effectual execution of those Powers in the World St. Paul had Power and Authority in his
Power and none have followed them more in those pretended Prophesies and Revelations than the Quakers and that their's were not so influential upon the English Nation as the others were upon Munster and other places is to be attributed to that Sobriety of Temper the greatest part were induced with and that Freedom from Arbitrary Opprassion the others were liable to as also to their Experience what a Condition for several years they had been brought unto by turbulent and unquiet Sects Our first Charge is That they are Enemies to Kingly Government and this the Passages we quoted from Burroughs George Fox and others did clearly evince nay not only their Aversion to Monarchy but to the Person of King Charles the 2 d. as a Review of them will make manifest Edward Burroughs speaks thus p. 244. The Lord is risen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws And he will change Times and Laws and Governments and there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of Force but the Government of the Lamb nor no Law of Effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to Powder And p. 507. he says further But as for this People i. e. the Quakers they are raised of the Lord and established by him even contrary to all Men and they have given their Power only to God and they cannot give their Power to any Mortal Men to stand or fall by any outward Authority and to that they cannot seek but to the Lord alone What saith George to all this truly he dares not recite it all but after he had gone a little way stops as if he had seen a Spectre The Lord is risen to overturn to overturn Kings Princes Governments and Laws and he will change Times and Laws and Governments c. and there he is at a full stand hoping his Reader wou'd never meet with more of it And those he says p. 28. were prophetical Passages wrote 1657 and yet spoken in the present tense the Lord is risen not will arise very true George Some of us can well remember to our Sorrow how the Lord in his Wrath did then rise and for the Punishment of our Sins did overturn by such wicked Instruments as the Quakers who gloried in their having a hand in that overturning-work Kings Princes Governments and Laws Edward Burroughs prophesies says George Whitehead but 't is of things past or present which he saw accomplish'd when he wrote them and there in wisely caution'd the Quakers would they have heeded it never to go beyond their Ken and had they done so without foolishly venturing upon things to come neither they nor their Prophesies had been exposed to so much Shame and Scorn as they have met with But suppose these Prophesies were of things to come such Generals coming to pass would no more establish Burroughs a Prophet than it would have done John Lilburn and others who foretold the downfal of their Enemies but if any Revolutions had happened for 20 years after in any parts of the known World they should have been brought in to have vouch'd him a Prophet of the Lord for George Whitehead wou'd have his Reader observe That these Prophesies were directed to all the World under the Title of a Standard listed up and an Ensign held forth unto all Nations a large Province indeed for him to pretend unto when he gave not the least sign to any of these Nations by which they should be convinced that he was commission'd as a Prophet from the Lord unto them whereas all Persons of old that pretended to be Prophets came attested with some sign or wonder as we have shewn before And yet p. 46. saith George Whitehead Edward Burroughs was a Man truly inspired with the Spirit of God and of Prophesy tho God never gave the World a convincing Proof thereof but what may not such Enthusiastick Persons vent to the People under the pretence of Prophesy if the Character of a Prophet may be allow'd them without giving any Evidence thereof if for such stuff as this Burroughs must be said to be inspired with the Spirit of Prophecy What shall we say to Anna Trapual who exceeded both the Quakers and most of the other Pretenders in exceâ—sive Fastings and in foretelling several things that came to pass afterwards She wou'd fast sometimes 9 11 14 Days She was told by the Spirit of the Soldiers See the Cry of a Stone p. 4 5 6 7 c. and p. 20 qaâ—ted in Christianity no Enthusiasm p. 96 100. coming to London she had a Vision of the Scots everthrow before Dunbar of the Fight with Holland of the dissolving the Long-Parliament and several Visions of Oliver's being Protector which she was troubled at and foretold Gidcen's i. e. his being laid aside yet after all she brands the Quakers as a delirous deluded People Let them tell him viz. Oliver of his Sins and tell him with Humility and Tears not as those deluded Spirits that go running about the Streets and say we have such Visions and Revelations who come out with their great Speeches of Vengeance Judgments and Plagues Oh but thine who come from thee thou givest them Humility Meekness Bowels Tears which was indeed most like to the true Prophets Jer. 9. 1. who were mightily affected with the Miseries they foresaw coming upon a People but how cheap and mean is Prophesy made by such as Fox Burroughs and others of their Order assuming it Let the Reader please to observe what trifling things they advance as Prophesies rather than lose the Honour of being accounted Prophets Upon the proclaiming King Charles 2 d. some Queries A Visitation of Love unto the King and the Royalists p. 4 5. were sent to the Quakers which this Edward Burroughs answered The first Query was Whether you or any of you that did pretend to Inspiration and Revelation did foresee or was it reveal'd to you that ever Charles Stuart should be proclaimed King to reign in England any more Now rather than be thought in the dark here see what he reckons up for Visions and Revelations from God This says he was not contrary to that which some of us have seen For thus much was said by George Fox in a Letter to Oliver Crâ—mwel What and if for and because of thy Wickedness in the sight of God he should raise up the Cavaleers and make them Instruments in his hands to accomplish his Wrath upon thee even like as he made thee once his Instrument to overthrow them Here saith Burroughs the thing was believed to be possible and it is now come to pass even as was seen and believed Spectatum admissi risum tenâ—atis Was ever such things call'd Visions and Revelations before Because the thing was possible for God to do tho' it was not done in Oliver's Days which the passage in that Letter seems to refer unto nor yet neither during his Son's Rule and Government God
Commission to baptize all as well as preach to all but that these Powers might be executed in the best manner such as might tend most to the Glory of God and the Edification of the Church it being impossible he should preach to all and baptize them too by a particular Instinct of the Spirit to appoint and order him to lay out his Abilities chiefly in preaching that being a Work of greatest Difficulty and Importance his Talent also lying most for that Work And St. Paul might have said I was not sent to preach the Gospel to the Jews viz. by my particular Mission as he says here I was not sent viz. by a special Mission to baptize them That the Acts 5. 20. Apostles had such particular Calls and Missions as well as universal Power and Acts 8. 25. 26. Authority 't is evident from the Scriptures Acts 9. 11. Or it may be Answer'd the common way I was not sent chiefly to baptize That Acts 16. 10 9. was not the chief Part of his Commission but to perform the more necessary and Act. 19. 20. 22. difficult Part of it to preach to dispute with and convince Gain sayers for our Acts 23. 11. greater Parts and Abilities as also greater Courage was required then to baptize 2 Tim. 1. 11. yet he carefully deputed others for that Service and so might well enough have been said to have baptized too as Christ 4 Joh. 2. and Peter also Acts 10. 48. having commanded them to be baptized it was certainly impossible the Apostles should have been able with their own hands to have baptized such Multitudes they converted Christianity had spread over all the Quarters of the known World before the Apostles left it and could Twelve Men be thought sufficient for such a Task of Baptizing And is it not agreeable to Reason that when a Person hath a Commission authorizing him for two eminent different Services that are impossible both to be performed by him alone to interpret the Meaning of that Commission to be that he should lay out his Time and Strength in the most necessary and important Service and depute some others for the rest seeing it may as well be done by other hands as his What a stop and hindrance would this have been if the Apostle had slayed every where to baptize their Conveâ—ts nâ—y 〈◊〉 was impossible they being so great a Pâ—t of the World yet sometimes they did it you see when it was no impeâ—â—ment to them in their main Design Had it not have been in their Commission to have done it at al. they had greatly sinned if all the Children of the Province of Canterbury were brought to the Arch-Bishop to be baptized by him he might not say when I was made Arch-Bishop of this Place and sent to this See I was not not sent to baptize the Children of this numerous Province though I have a Commission to baptize as well as any Parish-Minister of the Province but chiefly to exercise a Patioral Care of Government among them See Gen. 45. 8. It was not you that sent me hither but God Though they sold him into Aegypt but it was principally God's doing 1 Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the Transgâ—â—ssion viz the Chief in it Mat. 9. 13. I 'll have Mercy and not Sacrifice Jer. 7. 22. I spake not unto your Fathers nor commanded them concerning Burnt Offerings or Sacrifices but I commanded them saying Obey my Voice Yet God had commanded those Cities under pain of Death The meaning is they were not the chief part of the Command but rather the Offâ—â—â—ng and Sacrifice of a broken and contâ—iâ—e Heart 't was the inward part that was signified by this that God chiefly required of them and when the outward was performed without the inward he tells them he never required it at their hands see Isa 1. 11. Suppose the Quakers should deny that outward Sacrifices were ever commanded by God or that the Jews did ever practise them and they should interpret all that is said of Sacrifices of the inward as they do of Baptism and should produce the Texts above quoted and the First of Isa to prove God did not command them which are more clear and positive against outward Sacrifices than that one Text they have brought out of the Corinthians is against Water-Baptism If they should not be convinced by those numerous Texts might be brought out of Exod. Gen. Numb c. with the Practice of the Jews from Moses's Time for the Proof of the one as by those plain and pregnant Texts cited by us together with the constant Practice of the Apostles and all the Christian World to this Day for the Proof of the other we shall despair of ever finding out a Method of convincing them but as one says that of Bedlam Sure enough if the Quakers had such Texts as these forementioned against Water-Baptism what Shouts and Triumphs should we hear of If God had said he never commanded Water-Baptism he was weary of it his Soul hated it yet had they found them they would have proved no more against outward Baptism than the other did against outward Sacrifices Come G. dissemble no longer with us the true Reason if thou wouldst deal plainly with us why Water-Baptism is rejected by you is not because the Scripture commands it not but because you have no Command in your selves about it and as for that Dry Dead Letter that Nose of Wax the Scriptures as you call them no matter what they say to us without such a Revelation What have we to do with the Command that was to the Apostles They are dead and gone and the Command of baptizing all Nations died with them But yet methinks as the Apostles were bid to baptize all Nations all Nations were required to be baptized and all Nations are not yet dead and gone and therefore there should be some left alive to baptize them unless the Apostles were commanded to baptize when dead CHAP. X. Of the LORD's SUPPER NExt we shall Vindicate the Supper of the Lord by Bread and Wine from their profane Contempt that also according to them is but a Trick of the Pope's to cheat the People with a Shadow for Substance Carnal Cainitical and to be discharged the Service as well as the Passover P. 713. Brief Discovery All which Abuses are justified by the common Voucher for P. 26. Quakers G. Whitehead One would think the Words of St. Matthew 26. 26 27 28. as also St. Luke 22. 19. 20. should be plain enough to determine this Controversie While they were eating viz the Pasâ—over Christ took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Discipleâ— and bid them take and eat for it was his Body viz. The Sign or Symbol of his Body He also took the Câ—p and blessed it and gave it them and commanded them all to drink of it yea this was his dying
Semblance and Appearance But further if you turn in you shall see greater Abominations than these Is it not says he ibid. a Spiritual Supernatural Virtue Power and Efficacy that cleanseth saveth and justifieth if it be how then can it proceed from the shedding of the Blood outwardly If it perished and be not in being Pag. 16. Where is the Blood is it in being or no or did it sink into the Ground and corrupt How then does it cleanse justify redeem and save Pag. 17. That Blood that saves is in being and not corruptible for we are not redeemed with corruptible things Thou mayst remember George The Lamb was slain Rev. 13. 8. from the Foundation of the World He was not actually crucified from the beginning but the virtue and merit of his Death might reach to the beginning of the World though not then in being and why not to the end of it too though not in being The Purchase may be enjoyed either before or after the Payment of the Price and if it be not in being we may enjoy the benefit of it by Faith He asks again p. 55. whether any thing be of Eternal Merit or Worth that is not everlasting and then scoffingly upbraids us as not being well agreed what Blood of Christ we should assign that Virtue and Efficacy to whether to that which was let out of his Side by the Soldier 's Spear after Death or that Blood that drop'd from him in his Agony and at last confidently resolves that the Blood of Christ that cleanses us c. is the Life of the Spirit and that this is the Blood of the Covenant Here we have the outward Blood of Christ thrown out of Doors by Whitehead as if it were but the Blood of an Ox or Sheep let out at the Shambles only because the Scripture speaks so much of the Blood of Christ and we must not affront its Testimony too much They tell us of an inward Blood of Christ a Blood never heard of before neither in Scripture nor any of the Writings of Christians from the Apostles times till Satan in these last Ages of the World opened a Vein in Fox's Crown and so furnished us with plenty of it Ah how willingly would you be rid of the outward Christ as well as the outward Blood of Christ as the Jews Joh. 9. 22. they would have thrust him out of their Synagogues long ere now but for fear of the People though in effect they have cast out Jesus of Nazareth as well as his Blood only drest up one as Michael dealt with Saul a counterfeit Phantasm as like him as they can which they call a Christ within Ah George thou wilt one day find it better to have remembred the Blood of Christ at our Communion with Raptures of Joy and Thankfulness than thus to have remembred it in your Light and Life with Scorn and Contumely No wonder you abandon and explode the Ordinance of the Lords Supper which was instituted as a Commemoration of the outward Blood of Christ which if it were as thou hast wickedly represented it would not be worth remembring God open thy Eyes and give thee Repentance for belching out such Blasphemies against that Blood and grant that thou mayst feel the Virtue of that which thou hast so much vilifyed and experience the merit of it in the pardon of thy so great Blasphemies What G. Whitehead says p. 27. ult touching their giving Liberty to all is so little to the purpose that nothing need to be returned to it the Charge in the Brief Discovery p. 13 14. quoted from the Spirit of the Hat standing firm against them Fox saying What! Liberty to the Presbyter No. To the Independent No. To the Baptist No. Liberty is in the Truth which if it has any sense must be this no Liberty to any but those that are in the Truth equivalent to that of the Papists as the Quotation takes notice who say What! Liberty to the Sectary No. To the Hereticks No. No Liberty out of the Church say they No Liberty out of the Power says Fox which amounts to the same as one Quaker wrote to another in their bemoaning Letter call'd the Spirit of the Hat which plainly refers to a Liberty from external Coercion and Force because it speaks of such a Liberty as they could give to or take away from Presbyters Independents and Baptists And therefore when George Whitehead says in answer hereunto there 's no true Liberty but in the Power and Spirit of the Lord and William Pen calling it a Spiritual Liberty is nothing to the purpose Spiritual Liberty being wrought within not given by Men without that which no mortal Man can give or take away neither do Presbyterians Independants or Baptists whatever Power the Quakers may come to fear their Spiritual Prisons Chains or Fetters but their material ones And whereas George Whitehead shifts to another corner telling us in canting words 't is a Liberty in truth and adds 't is for Unity Society and good Order against the Spirit of Strife Division and Separation What is this to Presbyterians Independants and Baptists who were the persons spoken of Were they ever taken into your Society or did they turn Quakers that you should be concern'd at their making any Division or Separation from you under pretence of Liberty of Conscience All this is to amuse the Reader and lose the true Case in hand which was to show that the Quakers had they as much Power would afford as little Liberty to Dissenters from them as any of the Persecuting Priests or Powers of the Earth as William Pen calls them yea even as the Papists themselves of which Instances enow might be given wou'd it not swell this piece too much which has already exceeded the Limits we design'd it Some are given by the worthy Author of the Snake in the Grass 3d Edit p. 63 64 c. But we leave this and proceed to another Head CHAP. XIâ— Of Government SEditious Principles against the State is the second thing we charg'd them with the bare Representation of which wou'd we had hop'd have prevail'd with any who design'd to clear this People of Blasphemy to own the Maâ—ignity of such Passages as those which the Brief Discovery quoted from their Authors but we find our selves deceived herein George Whitchead coming forth as a Champion prepared to vindicate and defend them making their Authors Prophets and their Sayings prophetical Passages touching Government but whoever shall consider the dire Effects those wild Prophesies of Munster Phifer John Matthias John of Leyden and the rest of that Gang had upon the Civil Government of those places they came unto will acknowledg there 's great reason to discourage such an extravagant Spirit whatsoever Pretences it makes to prophetick Inspiration For how did these Prophesies not only lead them into all Impurity as we have shown but incited the People to run upon their Magistrates and deprive them of all Authority and