a Dispensation for then I doubt not but you would have construed the words AS YET to relate to time and ought not to be render'd tamen viz. Nevertheless and that you was but to do things freely for the present viz. until you could get money for doing it then Adhuc had been the Grammatical Sense of the words As Yet and not Tamen And who knows but your minds may alter when you see it for your purpose We see your Interest will lead you to change and who knows but W. P. in PENSILVANIA may understand both the Latin and English Sense of that your Declaration which says viz. We have chosen the Son of GOD to be our King and he hath chosen us to be his People and he might command Thousands and Ten Thousands of his Servants TO FIGHT in his CAVSE But yet his Kingdom is not of this World Neither can we YET believe that he will make use of us in that way But for the PRESENT we are given up to bear and suffer c. I say if in G. Fox his Order that nothing about Marriages and Church-business should be done for money he had said That AS YET let nothing be recorded for money but FOR THE PRESENT do things FREELY c. Then you might have lawfully taken 50 l. per Annum according to G F. his infallible Law But since there is no such words of Exception in the recited infallible Order you are found Transgressors thereof and do take money contrary to your Pretences If you say the Business is more now then there is more Persons to do it But if you can thus alter then who knows but the word YET may in time be rightly understood especially in PENSILVANIA as 't is in your said Declaration G. Fox also said in his several Papers given forth about the Year 1658. Friends you ARE to do the Nations Business freely and that is the way to get into the hearts of the People * See Painted Harlot c. p. 47. c. A notable Stratagem indeed and as well improved but says G. W. †The Contentious Apostate and his One Blow c. p. 22. We think this is not true we know no such Order printed in that Year if at all Here is another of his Equivocations for tho' in my Book One Blow c. p. 6. it is said to be printed in 1650 which is an Error in the Press and corrected by an Errata in p. 14. viz. 1659. Thus he shuffles and seeks ways to evade the matter which is certainly true for I have the Book by me and still contrary to his Pretensions for in Judgment Fixed p. 365. he thus saith For I examin the Errata's even of my Adversaries Books as they are noted before I answer the matter c. Now this is either true or false i. e. he either examins the Errata's or he does not If he does not then he proclaims himself a Lyar to the whole World in Print If he does and yet takes no Notice of the Correction of an Error but publish the Error as he hath done this of 1650 instead of 1659. then is he still the more like himself A grand Deceiver one that pretends fair yea so fair as that he pretends to examin the Errata's even of his Adversaries Books before he answer them And yet behold it is no such matter thus deceitfully false do I find him in many places too large to recite and therefore I do hereby resume my Charge as in Battering Rams p. 11 12. viz. In this you deceive your People in that you pretend to Teach Preach Suffer and Record Marriages and other Publick Offices freely without Money Gifts or Rewards And by reason of this fair Pretence you not only have deceived the Simple but also taken occasion thereby to vilify and speak contemptuously of all other Publick Preachers First the National for taking Tythes and other Dues as a setled Maintenance by Law Established which is not so burthensom as you are to many of your Hearers notwithstanding your smooth Pretences to the contrary And next the Presbyterians and Independents whom you bespatter about their Bason c. wherein perhaps their Hearers put their free Contributions for their Ministers Subsistence and all this while VALVE your selves upon your FREE PREACHING FREE SVFFERING FREE WRITING c. And at the same time you know 't is common for all these Church-Officers amongst you to take money c. These things discover your Hypocrisie and you cannot abide to hear of them but T. Ellwood hath confessed them W. R. manifested them the recited Letter suggests them and I do affirm them CHAP. XI Shews that the Forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith BY this time it may be expected That whereas in my former Books I have made some distinction between the Foxonian Party and the Storian Party amongst the People call'd Quakers sometimes terming the one Christian Quakers the other Antichristian the one Protestant the other Popish c. And that if there be a real difference in their Principles I should and ought in point of Justice to continue the distinction and not to condemn the Innocent with the Guilty c. To all which I do say there is great Reason so to do and in order to it as I have set forth the Principles and Practices of the Foxonian Party so now I shall set forth what the Storian Party holds and shew it to be sound And that tho' they do dissent from the established Religion yet they hold the true Faith at least for substance as may be seen by the Articles of the Faith of John Cox whilst he was a Minister amongst the Storian Party which I call the Christian Quakers in a little Book printed Anno 1689. intituled The Articles of the Christian Faith believed and written by me John Cox c. And I never heard that any of his Hearers contradicted the said Book or any part of it and therefore in Charity I am oblig'd to think they hold the same Faith First in his Epistle to the Reader he thus saith And to explain my self I agree in every Particular with those called the Apostles Nicene and Athanasius Creeds c. OF JESUS CHRIST ARTICLE II. P. 6. I believe in one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the onely begotten eternal Son of God the Father conceived by the Holy Ghost manifested in the Flesh born of the Virgin Mary and suffered and dyed for our Sins without the Gates of Jerusalem and rose again the third day for our Justification And I believe all else concerning him according to the Holy Scriptures OBSERVATION The difference betwixt the recited Article in this fundamental Point and their Article set forth in their 2d and 3d Principle in the first Chapter is obvious I shall recite some few passages more and so leave it with some few Observations c. OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES ARTICLE IV. P. 7. I believe
Book stiled ANTICHRIST IN FLESH UNMASKED c. p. 27 28 29 30. WE sincerely profess and declare in the sight of God and Men That we do faithfully believe and profess that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by Divine Inspiration And that the three Divine Witnesses in Heaven above * * Heaven above is a new word with them however this is not to be credited until they retract and by some publick Act condemn their old avowed Principles and ancient Errors which are in Print contrary hereunto as anon will more evidently appear namely the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one true and eternal God And the Divinity and Humanity or Manhood of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the eternal Word of God And that in the fulness of time he took flesh being miraculously conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and suffered the cruel death of the Cross as an universal Offering and Sacrifice both in his Body and Blood shed thereon for the Sins of the whole World And was buried and rose again the third day was seen in his ascending and passed into Heaven and Glory And that he ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things And that by his Suffering and Sacrifice he hath obtained eternal Redemption for us That we are not pardoned justified redeemed or saved by our own Righteousness Works Merits or Deservings but by the Righteousness Merits and Works of this our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ being both imparted and imputed to us We sincerely believe also that the Man Christ Jesus is the only Mediator between GOD and Man our Intercessor and Advocate with the Father And the Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment c. ANIMADVERSION HEREVPON Now this with much more G. W. in the Quakers Name seems with much seriousness to avouch so that had they first by some manifest Act under the hand of six or more of their principal Leaders condemned their former Errors which are laid down in Print and as contrary to this Confession of G. W's as Light is to Darkness I should have thought that there had been a great Reformation in them and should have been glad thereof But until they first condemn what they have given forth in Print as their Principles and that as they have said by the eternal Spirit of GOD I nor any Man else have any ground to believe that G. W. is at all serious or conscientious in this his Confession of Faith but rather that he continues in his wonted course to carry two Faces in a Hood For Instance once for all If G. W. c. did really believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were Holy and given by Divine Inspiration and that they are profitable for Doctrine why then do they not read them in their Meetings for the Worship of GOD But rather chuse to read the Epistles of Samuel Cater Robert Sandiland William Penn George Whitehead and others of their Tribe and therein give their own Writings the preheminence as that they have done to my own knowledg near 30 Years together For as it was our frequent practice to read the Epistles of G. Fox Steph. Crisp c. and that with great Devotion and Attention so on the other hand did I never know a Chapter in either the Old or New Testament read amongst us at any of our Meetings for the Worship of GOD with what Face then can G. W. thus appear and not blush And that it may further appear that G. W. is fallacious herein I shall recite part of one of their Epistles so sent and read in which there is not a word about the Incarnation of Christ's Death Sufferings Resurrection or Ascension or any thing of that tendency tho' it be large viz. 23 pages in Quarto two or three passages thereof I shall recite that so the Reader may perceive that they err in the object of their Faith And 2dly how they applaud their Hearers And 3dly what large Commission they give to kill cut destroy lay waste all the Heathen Philistines the Amalakites c. affirming That none know GOD but themselves So that it was no marvel they gave it such an obscure dark-lanthorn Title as This is only to go amongst Friends c. for indeed it was not able to abide the light no more than many others of their Epistles and Pamphlets are Well to the matter THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS P. 19. And thou Oh North of England who art counted as desolate and barren and reckoned the least of the Nations yet out of THEE did the BRANCH spring and STAR arise which gives Light to all the Regions round about In THEE the SON OF RIGHTEOVSNESS appeared with wounding and with healing And out of THEE the Terrors of the LORD proceeded which makes the Earth to tremble and be removed out of thee KINGS Priests and Prophets did come forth c. ANIMADVERSIONS HEREVPON Reader observe that tho' what is here spoken if well meant and rightly applied respects Christ as prophesied of by Moses and the Prophets for said Luke Acts 10.43 To HIM gave all the Prophets witness that through HIS NAME that whosoever believeth in HIM shall receive Remission of Sins c. For read Numb 24.17 and there Christ is called the Star of Jacob viz. I shall see HIM but not now I shall behold HIM but not nigh there shall come a STAR out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab c. And ver 19. out of Jacob shall come HE that shall have dominion c. And Zech 3.8 For behold I will bring forth my Servant the BRANCH And cap. 6. ver 12. Behold the Man whose Name is the BRANCH And HE shall grow up out of HIS place And HE shall build the Temple of the LORD even HE shall build the Temple of the LORD And HE shall bear the Glory and shall sit and rule upon HIS Throne and HE shall be a Priest upon HIS Throne c. Again read Malachi 4.2 But unto you that fear my Name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing under HIS wings c. Thus I say if rightly applied and well meant these Sayings of theirs relating to the STAR the BRANCH the SON of RIGHTEOVSNESS c. alludes to Christ but Christ they could not mean for he did not come out of the North of England Neither can they prove that in Scripture the North of England is accounted desolate Neither can they prove by Scripture that the North of England out of which their great Prophet G. F. came is called Barren Neither can they prove by Scripture that the North of England is reckon'd the least of the Nations So that they did not mean Christ but their great Prophet George Fox as anon will more evidently appear in the mean time let me prove to them If they did allude to Christ
New Rome Vnmask'd AND Her Foundation Shaken BY A farther Discovery of the Grand Errors Deep Hypocrisies Popish Practices and Pernitious Principles of the Teachers and Leaders of the People call'd QUAKERS Containing also A Brief Answer to three Books wrote by G. Whitehead one of her chief Cardinals in Nine Months time against Fran. Bugg The 1. Entituled Innocency against Envy c. The 2. The contentious Apostate and his Blow c. The 3. The Contentious Apostate Recharged c. As also a brief Narrative of the Conference between the said G. Whitehead and Fran. Bugg whereby his notorious Lyes are manifest his Errors and deceitful practices confuted and detected All which is plainly demonstrated to the Capacity of every Impartial and Intelligible Reader by one who was more than 25 Years a Member of their Society being carried away with their Dissimulation By FRANCIS BUGG Her Foundations are fallen her Walls are thrown down for it is the Vengeance of the LORD to take vengeance upon her As she hath done do unto her Jer. 50.15 Rase it Rase it even to the Foundations thereof Psalm 137.7 Licensed May 4. 1692. London Printed for the Author 1692. And are to be sold by John Gwillin Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street over against the Royal-James and John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry and Sam Manshi◠〈…〉 To the Honourable Sir H. N. Barronet Honoured Sir THE Apostle Paul being Accused by the Malicious Jews and many grievous Complaints laid against him saying he was a Pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition or Contention And that before Felix the Governour and Agrippa the King yet in this the Apostle comforted himself and thought himself happy in that those Noble Persons gave him leave to speak for himself and to make his Christian Defence And in like manner do I think my self happy Honoured Sir in that I have the Benefit of my Pen and the Press to make my defence against the loud out-crys and heavy Clamours of this People who have in Print exposed me under as odious Names as their Tongue can invent And altho' my defence against their causless Accusations may not hold parallel with what that great Apostle made for himself and his Christian Profession which the Jews accounted Heresie Yet have I adventured to spend some leisurable hours to set forth to the World some reasons why it is no Apostasie from the Christian Faith to separate from the Quakers Be pleased therefore That under your Name and Patronage they may appear as a Covert to vail their Imperfections for Defective they must needs be in many respects First For that I am not endued with that Spirit the Apostles had Secondly I am not Accomplish'd with Parts and Learning sufficient to graple with such Schollars as are some of the Chieftains of the Quakers Thirdly My Trade and other Business which I have upon me are great Impediments and Hindrances from that study which is requisite to such a work And Fourthly My distance from the Press occasions many Omitions and Mistakes Yet forasmuch as when I first appear'd publick against their Errors in Anno 1682. I presum'd to Dedicate the same to your self in hopes of your favourable sensure and meeting then with no reproof gives me ground to presume this once more to present you with what followeth in hopes still to obtain your favourable Construction of whose Goodness Moderation and Impartial Justice I have had more than Twenty Years experience as well as your bearing with and forbearing me in some scruples I have had whether by reason of my long time of Education among that People or other Infirmity I cannot tell God knoweth yet such has been your Christian Condiscention to me therein as well as to others that should I enlarge upon it it might rather diminish than add to you In the Eyes of some who are not that way inclined and therefore it doth sufficiently suffice that I have reaped the benefit of it which as it ever did so it ever will Oblige me to your Service with all Respect and Grateful Acknowledgments of your Especial Favours I am Sir Your Devoted And most Humble Servant FRAN. BUGG Milden-Hall September the 3d. 1692. To the Noble Bereans of this Age. Christian Friends SInce there are none Recorded in holy Scripture on whom the Holy Ghost conferr'd so Honourable a Character as the Bereans of that Age In that they searched after truth Impartially and when they found it Embraced it readily and for which they were justly accounted Noble Therefore it is that to you the Progeny of that worthy Stock and Noble Bereans of this Age that I chuse to Dedicate the ensuing Discourse and therefore I beg of you not to degenerate from the Example of your Progenitors if you do you are no longer true Bereans And to such I do not Design this work if you do not I may assure my self of the justice of a fair Inquiry and an equal Judgment I remember the Athenians June the 14th 1692. by their Tenth Question demanded of the Quakers where to find their Creed or an Account of their Religion Will you said they Subscribe to any of the three Creeds Nicean Athanasian or Apostolical If not Will you give us one of your own that the World may know what to make of you To this I find Geo. Whitehead and others in their Answer stiled The Doting Athenians c. saying Come and see come into the true Light and see and you may find our Creed c. Now lest the way to find out their crooked Creed which lies dispersedly in their Pamphlets should prove too hard a Task for the searching Bereans I thought it needful to lend them my hand and that it may the more plainly appear not to relate either to the Nicean Athanasian or Apostolical Creeds I think it necessary to recite the sum of the Apostolical Creed which includes the substance of the other two and which is believed by all Christians whether called Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants and Baptists for when contraries meet their disagreement does the more manifestly appear viz. The Christian Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty And in Jesus Christ his only Son who was born of the Virgin Mary who suffered under Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried Rose again the third Day from the Dead And Ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the Right Hand of God in Majesty on High As an Advocate making Intercession for us And I believe that from thence he shall come to judge both the Quick and the Dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is Worshipped and Glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptism for the Remission of Sins I look for the Resurrection of the Dead And the Life of the World to come Amen To God the Father Son and Holy Ghost be
which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it Loe I come a Body hast thou prepared me There is plainly He and the Body in which He came There was the outward vessel and the inward Life This we certainly know and can never call the bodily Garment Christ And his flesh is a figure c. says G. F. Saul's Errand p. 14. 3. The Quakers Principles 3. He that was born of the Virgin Mary He that sat upon Jacob's Well He that wept when Lazarus was raised He that hungered after he had fasted forty days in the Wilderness He that was peirsed with a Spear crowned with Thorns Spit upon smote with the palms of their hands crucified dyed and was buried is not the Christ the Saviour of the World but they say a Figure a Garment a Vail c. Oh horrid Blasphemy 4. The Quakers Books 4. A Question to the Professors per Is Penington p. 27. Is not the Substance the Life the Annointing called Christ where-ever it is found doth not the Name belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head and are they not all of one yea all one in the Anointing and in Saul's Errand c. p. 8. G. F. says He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead is equal with GOD. What an Abominable Assertion is this 4. The Quakers Principles 4. The Name Christ belongs to the whole Body as well as to the Head And to every Member of the Body the Name is not given to the Vessel but to the Nature to the heavenly Treasure to that which is of Him in the Vessel And he that hath the same Spirit which raised up Jesus from the dead is equal with God In short all the Members of Christ's body deserve the Name of Christ as well and as authentickly as He that suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem and as certain that every such an one that hath the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead every such an one is equal with GOD. O horrid 5. The Quakers Books 5. Edward Burrong's Works p. 47. That is 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 the Command which was given to another not having the Command to themselves 5. The Quakers Principles 5. That is no Command to me which was a Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by a Command that was given to another 6. The Quakers Books 6. Serious Apology by Geo. Whitehead p. 49. verbatim also Truths Defence by G. F. and R. H. p. 90. 94. 269. 6. The Quakers Principles 6. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater c. The Letter of the Scripture is carnal is death and killeth Serpent like thou feedest upon Dust which is the Letter 7. The Quakers Books 7. Truths Defence c. p. 104. For our giving forth Papers or printed Books it is from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God p. 2. You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the fire as our Queries 7 The Quakers Principles 7. We say you may as well condemn the Scriptures to the fire as our Papers and Queries our giving forth Papers or printed Books it is from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God 8. The Quakers Books 8. Now he that is not infallible in his Judgment Counsel and Advice is not he in errour And are not the Ministers of Christ the Ministers of the Spirit And is not that out of the errour which is infallible in Counsel and Judgment This I say None be Ministers of the Spirit nor none be in the Spirit nor none have the Spirit of Christ nor the Holy Ghost nor the Spirit of the Father speaking in them but who have that which is infallible And thou sayest That the holiest man is not able to give an infallible Character of another man hast not thou in this discovered thy self to be no Minister of Christ or of the Spirit who cannot give an infallible Character of another mans state how canst thou minister to his Condition Geo. Fox his Great Mystery c. p. 33. 82. 107. 8. The Quakers Principles 8. None are Ministers of Christ but such as are infallible none are Ministers of Christ but such as can give an infallible Character of another mans state none are Ministers of Christ but such as are infallible in their Counsel Judgment and Advice 9. The Quakers Books 9. The Quakers Challenge p. 6. Edward Burroughs Epistle to the Camp of the Lord in England c. p. 16. Truths Defence c. p. 81. 92. Be astonish'd Oh Reader when thou readest these blasphemous Assertions And what good things G. Fox assigns without Condition or Terms but absolute for themselves And what misery woe and horror for others without any Terms or Repenting or Mercy of God Oh dreadful And yet these are but little of what might be collected But the consequences of this Luciferian Pride is abominable and pernicious to the Christian Religion 9. The Quakers Principles 9. The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they Above all the Families of the Earth the Tabernacle of God is with you and his dwelling Place is among you and only among you is God known We are elected to Salvation we have the Witness within us Praises be to the glorious Lord God for ever who hath elected and chosen us before the foundation of the World But thou art ordained meaning the Minister of old for Condemnation and for Perdition among the ungodly ones and art a Reprobate Thou Enemy of God and man of Sin for Destruction thou art ordained to go therein thy fear of it doth begin and the Lake that burneth and the Pit thou art for to be turned into Eternally G. Fox 10. The Quakers Books Josiah Cole's Letter to G. F. from Barbadoes 21. 12. Month 1658. Dear Geo. Fox Who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles a far off to the begetting many again to a lively hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitations is in the Power of th Highest in which thou rules and governs in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end This is vindicated by W. Pen. See Judas and the Jews c. p. 44. and in Innocency against Envy p. 18. excused by Geo. Whitehead 10. The Quakers Principles Idolatrous and Blasphemous 11. The Quakers Books 11. Good Advice to the Church of England Rom. Cath. and Protestant Dissenters by W. P. p. 39. Edw. VI. succeeded a Prince that promised Vertues that might more than ballance the Excesses of his Father and yet by Archbishop Cranmar was compelled to sign a Warrant to burn poor Joan of Kent a famous Woman but counted an Enthusiast Thus
Spirit contrary to the Prophets contrary to the Apostles contrary to the Ancient Fathers and contrary to the Spirit Faith and Principle of the blessed Martyrs but such hath been the art of these Deluders that as they have undervalued Christ calling him a Garment a Vail a Figure c. So have they undervalued the Holy Scriptures by calling them Carnal Death Dust the Serpents Food and the like Antichristian names as anon I shall shew so that it will be hard to perswade their Disciples to read the Scriptures cited And if they do yet not to yield them that Authority which G.W. gives to their speaking by the Spirit who says That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Aurity as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater c. Ser Apoll. p. 49. Oh the consequence of this monstrous opinion if HE that was born c. be not the Christ but a Garment a Vail a Figure c. Then why did not the Prophets foretell that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Garment That a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Vail a Figure c. Oh monstrous So that it s no marvel that you do not pray in the Name of Christ beg pardon in the Name of Christ since you own Him only as a Garment which waxeth old or as a Figure c. Object But perhaps some of your own People may say is it indeed such a Christian duty to make Confession of our Sins to God and to beg Pardon for Jesus Christs sake If we indeed believed it a duty we would notwithstanding the practice of our Teachers who we know does not practice the same c. Answer I hope then there is some such Bereans still left how thin soever they be amongst you and for their sakes in my book The Quakers detected and their Errors confuted c. I laid down many precepts to which I refer you as also to the Scriptures in the Margin and if you read the Scriptures you shall not read one book from Genesis to the Revelations but you shall find some precept which may strengthen you in this your duty And that I may not leave this point without warrantable proof I will add to the Testimony of the Prophets and Practice of the Apostles and the Precept of Christ who has taught his Disciples and in them all that follow them in the same Faith to say Forgive us our Sins c. The Practice and Judgment of the blessed Martyrs who unanimously as a Cloud of Witnesses concur with the Judgment and Practice of the primitive Chistians And against the singular opinion and singular practice of your Ministers who though they pretend and make you believe they have a Spirit beyond all the Forefathers it is indeed being rightly interpreted a Spirit contrary to all the Forefathers of the Christian Race First then hear Dr. Robert Barnes viz. The whole Church prayeth LORD forgive us our Sins See his works p. 254. wherefore she hath spots and wrincles But by acknowledging them through the Merits of Christ her wrincles be scratched out c. Next hear what Martin Luther says touching this particular duty viz. But thou wilt say the Church is Holy the Fathers are Holy it is true notwithstanding See his Commentary upon Gall. p. 36. albeit the Church is Holy yet is she compelled to pray Forgive us our Trespasses so tho the Fathers are Holy yet are they saved through the Forgiveness of sins These two have given joint Testimony that 't is the Churches Duty nay she is compelled to confess and beg pardon of her Sins I come next to holy Bradfords practice that humble and constant Martyr of Jesus Christ in his Epistle to his London Friends which for the excellency of it I could willingly have recited the whole but brevity forces only an Abridgment viz. To all that profess the Gospel Fox's Acts Monuments p. 1176 1177. and true Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the City of London John Bradford an unworthy Servant of the LORD But with THEE is Mercifulness that thou mighst be worshipped Oh then be mercyful unto us that we might truly worship THEE help us for the Glory of thy Name be merciful unto our Sins for they are great Oh heal us and help us for thine Hoaour let not the wicked people say where is their GOD On this sort my right dearly beloved let us heartily bewail our Sins repent us of our former evil Life and heartily and earnestly purpose to amend our Lives in all things continually watch in Prayer diligently and reverently attend hear and read the Holy Scriptures By which you may perceive Firrst This holy mans humility acknowledgeth himself unworthy Secondly The like is not to be found in any of the Quakers former books His acknowledging his Sins Thirdly That he begged pardon for His Mercy sake Fourthly His holy Resolution and heavenly Exhortation And now to finish this Chapter I shall conclude in the words of Dr. Barnes whose Faith in Christ does as much differ from the Faith of and Principles of the Quakers as Light from Darkness See their 3d. and 4th Principle in the first Chapter For in Him which they call a bodily Garment and which they say they can never own to be Christ did this blessed Martyr at the Flames confess to be his LORD and Saviour also his practice of asking Pardon of Sin is directly contrary to their practice pray hear him Dr. R. Barnes his protestation which he made at the Stake concerning his Faith in Christ Jesus I am said he come hither to be burned as an Heretick and you shall hear my Belief Acts and Monuments p. 610. whereby you shall perceive what erronious opinions I hold and now hearken to my Faith I believe in the Holy and Blessed Trinity * I have often marvelled why the Quaker would not own the word Trinity but now I do not since they deny the 2d Person that created and made all the world I believe that without mans will or power Christ Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and took Flesh of the Blessed Virgin Mary That he suffered Thirst Hunger Cold †Which he could not do as he was God but as he was man viz. the man Christ Jesus and other Passions of our bodies Sin excepted according to the saying of St. Peter I belive that this his Death and Passion was the sufficient Ransom for the Sins of all the world * Then surely he was more than a Garment or Vail or Figure and the Quakers saying they can never own this bodily Garment to be Christ as their phrase is t is as much as if they had said they do not own the Christ of GOD. And I believe that thorow his Death he overcame Sin Death and Hell And that there is no other satisfaction unto the Father but His Death and Passion only Mind this ye
the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament called the Bible were written by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost for our learning and answers to his own Testimony in all mens hearts and are A RVLE TO WALK BY And renounce all other Rules contrary thereunto or not one therewith what ever they be c. OF REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SIN ARTICLE VI. P. 8. I believe that Repentance and Remission of Sins are to be preached according to the Holy Scriptures successively to every Generation and to all the World ONLY in the Name and Authority of JESVS CHRIST and only by his Merits OBSERVATION Reader here is the Scripture owned as a Rule to walk by which the others viz. the Foxonian Party ever denied Here is the Merits of Christ's Death and Passion magnified and Man's deservings so abased as to have no share in our Salvation which are Sound and Protestant OF JUSTIFICATION ARTICLE IX P. 9. I believe Justification only by the Merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that all our Righteousnesses are Effects of his Mercy Death and Sufferings and our Holiness we do conformable thereunto is only our Duty and not Merit OBSERVATION Reader as it is my Duty to discover erroneous Principles which are pernicious and destructive to the very Being of Christianity so I think my self obliged to publish these sound Protestant Principles in order to clear the Professors of them from the Imputation of what may justly be laid to the Charge of the Foxonian Party OF PERFECTION ARTICLE XXVIII P. 17. I believe Perfection is to be pressed after for without Holiness no Man shall see GOD. But I believe the Saints Perfection in this life is but in part and when the Beginning and End meet in him that is the Alpha and Omega then shall be COMPLEAT PERFECTION OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY ARTICLE XXXV P. 21. I believe the Resurrection of the Body and that Christ the Resurrection and the Life will change our vile Bodies and make them like to his glorious Body And this I do believe according to the Holy Scriptures and in opposition to the Ranters Principles and all others who deny this fundamental Doctrine of Christianity OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUDGMENT TO COME ARTICLE XXXVII P. 23. I believe Righteousness and Judgment to come And Sheep and Goats shall be at the last day separated And the Grave and Sea give up the dead in them And the SOUL which never dyes and BODY VNITE to receive according to the deeds done in the Body whether they be good or evil And Heaven perfectly enjoyed by those that have suffered for Christ and Hell fully comprehending all those that have loved this present World and the Vanities thereof more than GOD. OBSERVATION Reader who ever thou art examin thy own heart and try thy own Faith by the Holy Scriptures and if thou dost not believe these few Articles then question thy Condition And if thou beest one called a Quaker of the FOXONIAN PARTY and of long standing and shalt say in thy heart As for these People they are separated from us they are Apostates they hold dangerous Opinions and as for these Principles I am wholly a stranger to them having never heard such Doctrine in all our Books For they teach Perfection attainable in this life G. F. said he witnessed it They teach that the Scripture is not a Rule to walk by They do not teach to believe Justification only and alone through the merits of Christ's Death and Passion They do not believe the Resurrection of the Body as here set down If any of them tell thee otherwise and say they do believe them not until they put forth a Book in Print signifying the same For they have given grounds of Suspition that they have erred from the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore believe them not until they give publick Satisfaction to the World of what they hold concerning the Faith once delivered to the Saints especially of these Points rehearsed wherein they are thought to be most defective and that from the words of their own Principles And if thou art one of the Storian Party which for distinction sake I so term it For I had an honourable Esteem of John Story and believe he is at Rest and that he was a deep Sufferer by G. F. and his Party and that he never held the Errors which I have herein reproved nay not one of them that I ever understood Yet I say examin thy self I refer thee to the aforesaid Book which in the main is very sound and in the Close thereof methinks I perceive the very frame and temper of the Martyrs And wherever I find that low meek and self-abasing temper of mind and frame of spirit in what Society of Christian people soever I am affected therewith and he is my Brother tho' in some Circumstances we may differ See his conclusive words after a recital of hiS 37 Articles viz. This in brief is a Declaration of my Faith in these Particulars and I commit them to the Perusal of all Christians asserting That however I may be censured allho ' I may Err yet I cannot be an Heretick I say as the substance of his Matter is sound so he does not conclude that they are given forth by the eternal Spirit and that therefore they are of equal Authority with the Scriptures But contrarywise submitting them to be tryed and proved by the Scriptute concluding with St. Augustin that ancient and worthy Father Errare possum Hereticus esse non possum in an Error I may be but an Heretick I cannot be The next thing I shall remind the Christian Quaker of for such I believe there is amongst them though for want of following the example of the Bereans viz. to examine the Doctrine of their Teachers may not be so clear in their Notions as otherwise they might be is the reading and duely considering the charitable Doctrine held forth by J. Hogg in his book stiled An Answer to several material Passages c. where speaking of the Children of Abraham coming from the East West North and South c. he thus saith Those certainly was not of one external Form and Order as to Ceremonial and Shadowy things yet we find they agree the true Church is here indeed but not yet referable to any Society with respect to outward Rules and therefore ought to be waited for by all c. Oh this Charity I love it wherever I meet with it here is no boasting that THEY and none BVT THEY are the People of GOD and that the Tabernacle of GOD and the Knowledge of his Will his ONLY amongst these People who in divers Counties in England are separated from the other and they hold the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ for substance according to the Scriptures yet the more they know and the clearer their Principles are the humbler they are and the more Christian like And as their separation from the
Joy and Rest for ever c. P. 16. Whom GOD hath called and chosen to place HIS Name in and to take up HIS habitation among you above all the Families of the earth The Tabernacle of GOD is with you and HIS dwelling place is among you AND ONLY AMONG YOU IS GOD KNOWN and HIS Name is great in your Assemblies ANIMADVERSIONS HEREVPON Reader observe Was there ever higher Applause given Do not these Leaders few Pillars with a witness Read the Scriptures and you will find no Harmony between the Currant thereof and the Flattery of these Men. Here is no Confession of Sins here is no asking Pardon for Christ's sake here is no Humiliation manifested * Contrary to GOD's People in all Ages Read Luke 11.4 1 Joh. 1.8 5.9 cap. 2. ver 1. Psal 38.18 51.1 2 3. Isa 46.6 Lam. 3.41 42. Job 7.20 Dan. 9.4 5 20. 1 Tim. 1.15 No no nor not a word of the Scripture being profitable for Doctrine not a word of Christ's Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension No no This was only to go amongst Friends who seldom or never take notice of what CHRIST did what HE suffered how HE dyed what bitter Agonies HE went through what cruel Mockings c. Oh! poor People that they would once lay aside these flattering Epistles which are sent to them ONLY and say to their Teachers Away with these your soft Pillows you are Watchmen of the Night Physitians of no value you heal the Wound deceitfully And if we put but into your mouths you will speak Peace to us but we must tell you whatever you say to the contrary That we are Sinners and stand in need of a Saviour and therefore away with your flattering Epistles which you send ONLY to us and are ashamed as the Title thereof shews that the World as you call the true Professors of the Christian Faith should see them and if you read any thing to us read a Chapter out of the Bible that from thence we may learn our Duty to GOD and Man I say oh that they would once rouze up themselves and not be thus deluded and led by George Whitehead and his Brethren the perfect Pharisees of this Age for amongst the Hearers there are many I bear them Record that have a Zeal tho' not according to knowledge THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS P. 7. Lift up your Voices blow the Trumpet sound an Alarum out of the holy Mountain proclaim the acceptable Year and the Day of Vengeance of our GOD. Gird on your Sword on your Loyns put on the tryed Armor and follow him for ever who rides upon the white Horse Ride on ride on my beloved Brethren and Fellow Soldiers make all plain before you thresh on with the new threshing Instrument which hath teeth beat the Mountains to dust and let the breath of the LORD scatter it Make the Heathen tremble and the uncircumcised fall by the Sword The LORD of HOSTS is with us and goes before us spare none neither Ox nor Ass neither Old nor Young kill cut off destroy bathe your Sword in the blood of Amalek and all the Egyptians and Philistines and all the uncircumcised and hew Agag to pieces Break the Rocks cut down the Cedars and strong Oaks make the Devils subject cast out the unclean Spirits raise the Dead shut up in Prison bring out of Prison cast in your Nets lanch into the Deep divide the Fish gather the Good into Vessels cast the Bad away bind the Tares in Bundles cast them into the Fire the Angel of the everlasting Covenant is come thrust in your Sickles reap the Earth Silence all Disputers and Diviners for ever trample upon all the Chaff and Dung and Mire for ever And p. 21 22. thus Put on your Armor and gird on your Sword and lay hold on the Spear and march into the Field and prepare your selves to Battel for the Nations doth defy our GOD and saith in their hearts Who is the God of the Quakers that we should fear HIM and obey his Voice Arise Arise and sound forth the everlasting Word of War and Judgment in the Ears of all the Nations sound an Alarum and make their Ears to tingle Our Enemies are whole Nations and Multitudes in number of a rebellious People that will not come under OVR LAW which ariseth up against us Stand upon your Feet and appear in your Terror as an Army with Banners and let the Nations know your Power and the stroke of your Hand Cut down on the Right hand and slay on the Left and let not your eye pity nor your hand spare but wound the Lofty and tread down the Honourable of the Earth And let none of the Heathen Nations nor their Gods escape out of your hands nor their Images nor Idols but lay waste fenced Cities and tread down the high walls for we have proclaimed open War betwixt Michael our Prince and the Dragon Your Captains are mighty Men and your Leaders * It seems here 's more Leaders and Captains than one for they understand the difference between Singular and Plural are skilled in handling the Sword and they †Still the Plural Number are riding on before you And cursed be every one that riseth not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty c. ANIMADVERSIONS HEREVPON Reader I have here Transcribed the more of this their Epistle which was designed as by the Title thereof appears to be read only amongst themselves that so thou mayst see and perceive how they can look JANVS-like two ways at once viz. For when they write what they design for the sight and view of the Professors of the Faith of our LORD Jesus Christ then they can as by George Whitehead's feigned Piece under consideration Profess sincerely that they believe profess and own the Scriptures to be given forth by Divine Authority and that they are profitable for Doctrine c. Yea That they own the Humanity of Christ his Incarnation Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension and that they expect Salvation by the Merits of Christ through the Imputation of his Righteousness Yea they seem to own the Man Christ Jesus the Resurrection of the Body and almost what ever you can desire to have them profess Thus they put up the Christian Flag or false Representation of their erroneous Principles * Some of which I have mention'd in this Tract which are pernicious and destructive to the very Foundation of the Christian Religion And in their Book A Question to Professors c. P. 20. Quest 6. They say To whom do the Names and Titles JESVS and CHRIST chiefly and in the first place belong Do they belong to the BODY which was took BY HIM or TO HIM who took the Body The BODY hath its Nature and Properties and the eternal WORD or SON of God †By this Argument it 's clear that they deny the BODY which suffer'd to be the Son of GOD Oh horrible
its Nature and Properties Now the Query is WHICH was the appointed Saviour of the Father Which was the Anointed of the Father chiefly and in the first place WHETHER the BODY prepared or HE for whom the Body was prepared c By which 't is plain that they deny notwithstanding G. Whitehead's counterfeit Confession HIM that was born of the Virgin HIM that was pierced HIM that was Crucify'd and hang'd on a Tree and by wicked hands slain to be the Son of GOD the Saviour of the World whereby they declare themselves not to be of the Prophets and Apostles Creed read these Scriptures Zach. 9.9 11 12 13. Micah 5.2 Acts 2.22 23 36. 3.13 4.10 10.43 Luke 2.10 11 12 13. Mat. 2.5 6 7. and you will perceive the Faith of the Apostles and Evangelists and the Testimony of the blessed and glorious Angels to differ as much and as clearly from this Faith and Testimony of the Quakers as light from utter darkness c. But because G. W. in his recited Book makes such a serious Pretence to own the Man Christ Jesus his Death and Sufferings c. I may recite another Passage out of their great Doctor Is Penington's aforesaid Book p. 20. Quest 7. What is Christ's Flesh and Blood which we are to partake of Is it the Flesh and Blood of the Body which was prepared for and taken for HIM wherein HE tabernacled and appeared OR is it the Flesh and Blood of HIM who took tabernacled and appeared in the Body For that which HE took upon HIM was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which is of a perishing Nature c. Now what is more plain than that they deny the true Christ his Humanity yea his Merits Death and Sufferings especially if you add what is in pag. 33. said by this their Champion in defence of their Faith which is as followeth viz. Now the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which HE wore between HIM that came and the BODY in which HE came between the Substance which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it there is plainly HE and the BODY in which HE came there was the outward Vessel and the inward Life This we certainly know and can never call the bodily garment Christ * Yes we believe you are all of that mind and shall until these and other of your pernicious Errors be publickly condemned notwithstanding G. W's Pretence to the contrary c. But having before spoken largely to this Point I shall at present pass it by desiring the Reader still to peruse the recited Epistle and to consider of it for that being directed TO GO ONLY AMONGST THE QVAKERS there you may see their inside for to them their Leaders and Captains as they stile themselves unbosom themselves telling the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth of what they believe if there be that sincerity in them which they pretend to And then you shall hear a loud noise of strange Acts great Miracles viz. the Prison doors opened the Dead raised unclean Spirits cast out Yea a wonderful noise of War of Leaders and Captains and Commanders mighty hewing cutting killing going into the Field to Battel as if all the World were now at an end and that they would drive all before them * And yet are themselves got now so close into their Holes Dens and lurking places where they lie skulking to deceive the simple as that 't is impossible to get them out into the Field c. But not a word as I have observed setting forth the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures not a word of the Humanity of Christ not a word in all the 23 Pages of the Incarnation Birth Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ not a word of their hopes of being saved through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness No how should they if they would speak their minds truly since they cannot call that BODY which suffered at Jerusalem CHRIST but a Garment a Vail a Figure And therefore what ever they pretend when they write publickly since when they write privately they write the contrary they are not to be believed for saith Ireneus in his third Book against Heresies viz. Whilst that Hereticks speak like the Faithful they not only mean otherwise than they say but clean contrary and by their Tenents full of Blasphemies they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the poyson of their foul Opinions c. I have divers others of their Epistles by me as particularly Robert Sandilands * One of George Whitehead's Select Friends by way of Vision and Revelation Richard Huberthorn Josiah Coal both in Print and Manuscript which bears not the least Resemblance to what they now seemingly set forth as their Faith and Belief But the recited Epistle with their dark-lanthorn Title viz. THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS is sufficient to set forth how they applaud and speak smooth things to their own People like the false Prophets of old who healed the Wound deceitfully who daubed with untempered Mortar and surely never was Mortar worse tempered than in this Epistle wherein Darkness is put for Light and Bitter for Sweet viz. the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem George Fox for Christ and almost all the Prophesies and Sayings of the holy Penmen inverted and turned into an affected Rhetorick and mystical Allegories as well as in many of their other Writings which both amuse and puff up their Hearers And as I have elsewhere herein observed make them believe that they are got into the Holy Land even spiritual Canaan when indeed they are but in the Borders of Egypt and posting to OLD ROME think themselves rich full wanting nothing when they are poor blind miserable and want all things through their mistaken Zeal and following the Dictates of their blind Guides who instead of setting forth the solid Principles of Religion have so leavened them into their Pharisaical lump that they have erred concerning the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin who suffered was dead and buried who rose again the third day and ascended up into Heaven above * This G. W. begins to confess too but when he says above according to his and their own Principles he means beneath viz. in their corrupt Bodies let him deny it if he can at the Right Hand of GOD where he sits in Majesty on High as our Advocate and Intercessor as the Second Person of the glorious Trinity And who will come in like manner as He was taken up which G. W. acknowledges was visibly seen to judge the Quick and Dead And then the Graves shall give up their Dead and there shall be a general Resurrection of the Bodies out of the Graves both of the just and unjust But alas All this and much more in this recited Epistle of theirs