it is there said Q. Quid putas de istis qui nolunt adorare Jesum Christum A. Non sunt Christiani Franciscus Druid that blasphemer and his Followers condemned all Adoration and call their Brethren Idolaters and I think their Charge is true on their common Principle To say Christ is indeed a Dependant and Subordinate God and therefore a Relative and Subordinate Worship is due to him That the Father is the Supream Cause first Efficient and last End but Christ is the middle or second Cause of Salvation and intermediate End of Religion What signifies all this when it is no civil Worship given to him as the People did to David c. but they call it themselves Divine not so much as God is the Popish Shifts for worshipping of Saints not so much as Christ No wonder there is so great a distance between Socinians and Christians pardon the Expression I know what I say and after no mean Men when such charging one another is among them Esay says Who shall declare his Generation 53. Isai 8. Who indeed As some Men expect the great God should give us his Vassals an Account of his Will so your proud Reasons demand an account of himself which you must not know which you are not capable of knowing Was it not a good Providence the Anti-trinitarian Address made to the Parliament four years since troubled them with this their Controversie and Charge So it is a great Question whether the Holy Ghost be the power of God or as Beedle and others say a Created Angel If it be the Vertue of God it is Idolatry to give a Created Angel this Honour If a created Angel he is rob'd by others of his honour due to him being not regarded as it would be to Christ if he were thus overlookt That the Person of Father Son and Holy Ghost subsist in the Divine Nature I thinâ— is the best way of considering and speaking of the Trinity The great Objection is 17 John 3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Compare this and 1 Cor. 9 6. I only and Barnabas c. and then read John 5.7 This is the true God then as only excluded not Barnabas that follows but takes him in so here the only true God and Jesus Christ the true God They that say the Scripture says plainly there is but one God the Father of all forget the next word and ne Lord. Now if one God excludes Christ from being God one Lord excludes the Father from being Lord. 1 Tim. 3.6 Where it is said of Christ He only hath immortallity excludes not the Father from having Immortallity The essential Properties are common to all the Three but not Personal I like the old Anthem well mentioned by Dr. South Quid fit Gign quid processus Me nescive sum professus The Master of the Sentence and the School Men after him have said much about it but to little purpose I worder our Socinians are not ashamed to tell us That the Jews Turks and they worship one God Well matcht God is Lord of the understanding as well as of the Will and as our Wills must yield to his Law tho a veluctancy against them so our understandings to his Declarations tho a veluctancy against them Three to be One O contradiction in Terms cry our Socinians I lately asked one of them What is that he sees in the Glass Is it the same thing with his Face or another If the same thing then Three may be One. For we are sure we sometimes thus see three distinctfaces and if another as we conclude what is it material or immaterial Not material surely for what becomes of it when we turn away Corruptio unius If immaterial how do we see it with our Eyes may not we cry O horrible contradiction of Terms see with natural Eyes immaterial c. Isindore â—ave the fairest stroak I can remember of any about what that is we see in the Glass but far from being â—â—â—isfactory I am of their mind who tell us it is not safe to express the distinction of uncreated Persons by terms of Art The word Father when taken personally is only of the first Person in the Trinity when essentially of all in opposition to Creatures or image c. so is Christ the everlasting Father Are not Gods works of Creation and Providence unfordable How much more the Discoveries of himself I know some Quakers are not Socinians they own Christ Divinity but Sabellians I now none of them Trinitarians POSTSCRIPT SInce this Book was sent to the Press I saw Crispianism Vnmask'd done by a famous thorow Calvinist Conformist which pleaseth me not a little He is a man famous for Learning Piety and Moderation If any therefore value noâ— Mr. William's Book because of some Baxtterianisms in it let him peruse this where he proves That Crisp tho he pretended to be the greatest admirer of Faith yet would not allow it its due in Justification Thht Crisp was one that made the word of God of non-effect It is saith he no breach of Charity to say He was one of the Mockers and Scoffers of the last times foretold by the Apostle p. 59. Obj. I have neglected the Day of Visitation are brought in a Mockery If they weep if they 〈◊〉 lustily No dutys move God 〈…〉 car Sins on Christ who said 〈◊〉 did What misrepresentation is 〈◊〉 of us some think when God afflicts if they do mend God will mend These Graces as they call them says he on the General Tenders of the Gospel Conclude Christ is yours it is as good a Security as God can make you Sincerity is no Quallification that may be found in an enemy of Christ p. â—et elsewhere Sincerity is denied to be in Saints That God is never angry with believers for committing Sin or neglect of Duty This wise serious meak man could not in true Zeal but compare This Christ Exalter to the Christ Exalter 4 Mat. That exalted Christ to the Pinnacle of the temple to be precipitated and destroyed p. 64. This is saith he A Diabolical Sn. tanical Exaltation of Christ to throw down all Christianity He taâ—es notice of the D 's rude Expressions and Style too render Sacred things cont emptible and his nautious Repetition of the same things in the very same Words over and over four or five Sermons saith he contain all the forty two He doubts not but his prophane way of talking of Duties which says he the man affected hath cool'd the Zeal of a great number to Prayer and other Duties He looks on his other Sermons as a kind of Recantation p. 28 He proves the D. to be full of contradictoions c. FINIS
as well say The words are plain Therefore A Man Converted is the very Body that hung on the Cross If you say our senses tell us it is the same Body in substance as before So our senses tell us the same of the Bread If you say the asserting of this would be Monstrous Not one jot more then yours as I could easily prove Gen. 41.26 The Seven Ears and Kine are Seven Years We say looking on a Picture against the Wall This is my Father Brother Husband Wise Some of you confess your Doctrine here cannot be prov'd from Scripture tho some attempt to do it and that we have taken the more favourable sense of the words had not your Church chosen the contrary I say again Do any of these I write of assert such a Monstrous Doctrine as is Transubstantiation Or do they pray in an unknown Tongue Your Priests here in England were more ignorant then some Coblers among us It is well known one of them reading the Questions to the Sponsors for the Child in Baptism Anno abrenunciabis Diabolum cum omnibus suis operibus Wondred how the Devil should get in his Christning Book he blotted out the word Diabolum and put in Christum So the Question was Dost thou Renounce Christ with all his Works Another Baptis'd a Child in Nomine Patria Filia Spiritu sanctu which one construed I baptize with the Fathers Countrey the Daughter and the he she Spirit And it was question'd whether this should go for a good Baptism but the Old Numpsimus is better then the New Sumpsimus Pray Gentlemen How was the Creed said formerly Creco in Deum Parem orientem crixus fixus Ponki Pilaki remissurum peccaturum In the English Popish Homilies of Old the People were told How Old Father Adams Bones did ake in his Old Age and he sent his Son to Paradise for some of the Gum from the Tree of Life the Angel gave him some They told how the Devil was whipt by St. Francis about the Church till he did Roar for Pissing in the Holy Pot. How St. Kentigern's Mother conceiv'd as the Virgin Mary and a Thousand such trifles your Priests understood as much Divinity as one of your Justices who presented a Man for Frying of Bacon as contrary to Law which was Firing a Beacon Dalton of Sher. Before I go any further I see a necessity to Answer one Objection now on Foot against me Oh! This is he that hath talkt of an Impossibility of a Legerdemain trick of teaching a Child Nine Year old very lately The chief things in the Greek Grammar and to read exactly construe parse and say without Book the Ten first Verses of the Gospel of John in Greek and all in three Days I affirm and affirm again and again that it is true and he was examined before Mr. Woodhouse Mr Gillard Mr. Keith and Mr. Bolton who know there was no Trick in the thing as knows well Mr. Larner the Father of the Child I am ready for another Proof if it be doubted or denied I have heard of one that in an Afternoon taught one to read all that Chapter wonder at it who will I do not but think it feasable tho I never tried it I hear I am in some Cabals call'd Lyar and I know not what have pity on your selves Sirs if you have none on me come forth and face me you that smite me in the Dark And now I close this with a few Words to those Congregational Divines whom I plead for You see Brethren That I have once more put my Hand into a Nest of Wasps for your sakes tho' I am not of your mind about Church Discipline I own Presbytery and the Divine Right of it How as my Opinion not as an Article of Faith and therefore will never plead for it as such only I disown that little Creature called the Lay-Elder and think if it be no Creature of God's making it is a woful one of Man's making Not that I think the thing so novel as some do or no older then Calvin for I am well assured Ambrose that ancient Father says That it was a Church-Officer of Old but that the Pride or Negligence of Ministers cast him out How far he might be out here I will not say I am sure he was in his Exposition on the 8th of Romans where he says Olim viri mulieres docebant baptizabant I paay you Sirs advise your Brethren not to be easily imposed on by unqualified Men. One wrote me He desired to serve God in the Ministry and should be glad if he could do him any good They were his Words When I advised him to keep to his Trade he told me he was my Convert When he had no help from me he marries a rich Wife took up much plate from the Goldsmith and ran away Mr. H. of B. was a notorious Example He was bowed and cringed to as if a Bishop how he lived undesired for his Covetousness Oppression and died unlamented of all is too well known as well as his Preaching other Mens Sermons Such Men shall talk much of the Spirit and what God hath revealed to those Babes and his from the Wise and by such Cants the People take them to be Oracles Just as Van Helmont would have the World believe he had his new Discoveries in Philosophy Physick and Divinity as inspired by God Then he Cants and then tells of a Dream of a great Tree laden with Fruit His Causes and Beginning of Natural Things 4 Chap. 32. Well after all we are told what a Horse is and it is put into the Contents of the Chapter that we may the more note it That the Horse is the Son of his Fourfooted Parents created by the vertue of a Word into a living Horselike Soul We have a common Saying in some Places That to hear some things would make a Horse to break his Halter And because that Man hath so many Followers in this City I shall say the more of him and see whether he hath not ripled some places of Scripture for his wild Notions as our giddy Antinomians have for theirs In his Two Hundred Queries about the Revolution of Human Souls See how this Man after Prayers to God to discover Mysteries to him most vilely and foolishly plays with Scripture John 12.35 Are there not twelve Hours of the Day saith he tweve several times to be born in the World for Man Ephesians 16. Redeem the time not twenty or thirty Years only but hundreds they bad misspent before in other Bodies Here is your Man your Expositer for you What is the Old Man the Body of Sin but that which they had had bundred of Years As weak is the Talk of this Heretick about the Ending of the Torments of the Damned Pride will put Men on strange Delusions as if Inspirations Raphiel he says was promised him in a Dream The things I defend you in Brethren are of great Weight and Importance
Fox also called many Women on his Spirit of Discerning Witche s and Sorceresses of which no proof could be found for such things was he beaten by many in the Streets No wonder Having cautioned you against this Book I proceed concerning VVilliam Pen that he was a false Prophet hath been proved and more proof we have of his not being Inspired and Infallible that he shufled in the last Persecution is well known A Quaker who valued him told me that when a Constable came to him in the Meeting to lay hold on him and said I doubt Sir you have been the Speaker which was true Mr. Pen pointed to one afar of who had also spoken That is he Whilst the Constable went to him Mr. Pen ran away out at a Back Door This Quaker said He could hardly believe his own Ears or Eyes and could not Sleep quietly several Nights after that such a pretious Speaker as Friend William was would so speak and do Contrary Doctrins have been delivered from one and the same Infallible Spirit In one Book against the Conformist he says Tell the Church c. The Church was not to be Judge of matters of Conscience In another Book for his own Courts against the Separate Quakers he says It was For the late Liberty granted them by Authority it is now declared Scripture is an exact Rule of Faith and Obedience And now the external Form of an Oath with us is abated them they swallow down such Words in the Presence of God c. which have from the Spirit been denyed to be lawful especially about Meum and Tuum I cannot believe the story Mr. Pen tells of his Father that he should say to him on his Death Bed Son if you continue in your plain simple way of Living you will put an end to all Preachers to the end of the World Is it likely so brave and worthy a Gentleman as his Father was should thus express himself for my part I cannot believe on Mr. Pen 's Testimony however if it be true I shall only say this The Father was such a Prophet as is the Son I now leave him and go to one of their greatest Men tho least censured by us Robert Barclay the Scotish-man his Theol. vere Christ Apol. in this Book is false History unfound Divinity course Latine In his Preface to King Charles II. he thus says of the Quakers Non in Angulos aut obscura loca irrepentes aut semet abscondentes sicut omnes alii professores Dissentientes fecerunt In nullis privati Conventiculis aut Secretis locis c. That they bore their Testimony always openly and none but they that by this were they known to be the People of God c. The last time I here appeared a Bristol Friend was brought forth to Testifie against me before all the People That Bristol Friends never left their Publick Meetings When I asked him in the Presence of God whether he was not one of them 〈◊〉 leâ—â— the Meeting a long time The Man was in great distress between Credit and Conscience at last confest he had left it Months together And slunk away out of this place that when I turn'd from the People to speak to him again he was gon Barclay tells that King That the Quakers were true to him in his Adversities and he did appeal to the King's Conscience concerning their Innocency Now if King Charles thought them so he should appeal to his Ignorance not Conscience For we here all know Fox and others call'd often on Oliver Cromwel to strengthen his Forces against the Kings Return And in the name of the Lord justified what was done to the Family and the Malignants and said C. Love was acted by a bad Spirit to seek to bring him in And revil'd the Presbyterians as Apostates for attempting it Now Oh how faithful they were always to him and how Generations to come would tell what great things God had done for him In the Book he says of all Persecutions Proveniunt a Spiritu Cain et verirati contraria Well then in Pensylvania Cain would have slain G. Keith their Brother Abel Tho this Barclay be accounted by some among us better than others among them it may be a mistake He calls our Praying and Preaching abominable Idolatry He was indeed Subtit in making that Book in declining some greater Controversies between us and them and insisting on the Fall Justification by Works Perfection and other things where Popish Socinians and other Authors had stockt him with Arguments Some perhaps may wonder I have said nothing all this while of George Whitehead The true reason is I take him to be such a Fool that he is not worth Observation I heard him once Expound in Bristol Meeting Solomon's Fool not only to be a Holy but Sinless man too as I have Printed I hope others are convinced so now that have read his late Antidote to that prodigious piece of Sense called The Snake in the Grass To all the many Charges that Author brings out of their Peters how they had flattered Oliver Cromwel contrary to what they had said to King Charles and all in the name of the Lord. He only says in short This Charge is foul and false How false and not attempt to disprove one of his Evidences No doubt he knew all to be true Again he tells us how others applyed themselves to Oliver Did they say I do it in the name of the Lord pretending to a Spirit of Infallibility and Inspiration No He says also The Act of Indemnity forbids mentioning those things True by way of Reviling but not in a way of Disputation Was not that Act in Force when Pen and others twitted the Dissenters with Garments roll'd in Blood I therefore concern not my self about so weak an Adversary and declare I never will For that Quaker who Prophesied London should be Burnt within two Days when it was so it is enough to prove him not a Prophet sent of God seeing in the midst of the Flames he so often Propesied to the People The Fire should end here and then there where he would stop and the Fire should proceed no further but the Fire raged still Well it is sufficient for me to know Friends never believed their own Prophets nor regarded them therefore I pray them excuse us that we in this thing follow their Example What follows from all that I have said Historically after another hath spoken Doctrinally 1. That these Men were not true Prophets nor sent by the God of truth Are there any here so weak that I need say to them Then were they false Prophets and sent by the Devil the Father of Lyes 2. That great was their madness that tho so vile boasted of Perfection George Fox said he was Equal with God as perfect as Christ c. 3. That they were miserably deluded who almost Adored such Men Glory be to thee George Fox Holy One I close all with a great and