gone astray and to the establishment of such poor weak and staggering Christians as belong to him is the fervent and hearty prayer of him who is Thine in Christ J. C. Wramblingham June 16. 1656. To the READER WEre the opinions of the Quakers regarded only according to their falsenesse or fondness or were their strangness to Scripture seconded with a sutable disowning of them by men the Authour of this judicious Treatise might have spared his pains in this excellent Confutation of them Upon my perusal thereof it plainly appears as the errours confuted do oppose most weakly the evident and most pernitiously the fundamental truths of the Word so that this worthy Author hath most strongly with Scripture Arguments overthrown and dissipated those their fond yet dangerous errours When I consider the weaknesse of their Arguments I wonder that any have ever been so mad as to entertain their errors formerly and when I think of the strength and perspicuity of this Confutation it seems as strange that any who shall peruse this book should persist in them or be drawn off to them for the future In short I am perswaded that this judicious and dear Confutation of the errors of the Quakers is like to prove by Gods blessing a singular help to preserve those from wandring who as yet remain in the ways of truth and to reduce those who are misled and gone astray from the same William Jenkyn Black Fryers Novemb. 11. SECT I. The Quakers proved to be enemies to the holy Scriptures IT is not denyed but the Quakers are pretended friends to the Scriptures and do often tell us that they own them Nor can it be conceived that the Serpent should so far lose his subtilty in deceiving and become so foolish an enemy to the truth as to provoke seducers in downright words to deny and disclaime them and that especially in an age wherein through the mercy of God the Scriptures are generally entertained with so high esteem and some Laws are in force to punish such as shall offend in such a grosse manner His designe therefore must be to undermine them by policy whilest he pretends some love unto them as Joab spake peaceably to Abner whilest he smote him under the fifth rib and Judas kissed Christ when he betrayed him Now that the Quakers are indeed real enemies to the Scriptures whilest they would seeme to be friends I shall demonstrate by several particulars I. They deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God as all that have any knowledge of them can testifie appropriating this title only to Jesus Christ as sometimes the Swenkfeildians and others have done yea in disgrace of them have said some part thereof is the word of the Devil Now that the weakest may perceive their errour and enmity against the Scriptures in this particular 1. Let them consider these few things 1. There is nothing more common in our ordinary speaking then to call a speech or a Sermon when they be Printed or Written such a mans speech or Sermon or the words that were spoken by a man such a mans words Thus Nayler tells Jackson p. 1. thou hast printed my words though they be written down this speech is so common that there 's no childe that learns to read but if it cannot tell a word will ask what word is this and therefore to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to insinuate they never came from God if we understand this according to our common manner of speaking as when any deny such a speech or such words were not the words of such a man we understand thereby they never were uttered by him 2. The Scriptures do frequently use the same manner of speaking with us in calling the Commandments promises threatnings c. recorded in the Scriptures the Word of God The ten Commandments that were engraven on the two Tables of stone are called ten Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Deut. 10.4 in the Margin of your Bibles and Exod. 20.1 God spake all these word and said The promises of God are called his word Rom. 9.9 This is the Word of promise at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Sonne So 1 King 6.12 the promise made to David is called the word that God spake to David The threatnings are called the Words of God Zaâ—h 1.6 my Words took hold upon them that is the threatnings denounced by the Prophets overtook them as one enemy doth another in flight See Lam. 2.17 1 King 2.27 the threatning which God spake against the house of Eli is called the Word of the Lord. Yea this is the most usual acceptation of this title the Word of God for its not given to Jesus Christ by any of the holy pen-men of the Scriptures but by the Apostle John only in his Writings as Grotius observes But for the more full convincement of the weak and ignorant 〈◊〉 shall adde a few Scriptures where this phrase the word the word of God or the word of the Lord cannot possibly be applyed to Jesus Christ but must necessarily be understood of the doctrines precepts promises threatnings c. written in the Scriptures and promulged by God or his Messengers let these Scriptures be considered where for more evidence sake it 's call'd the word of Gods mouth or of Gods lips See Jer. 9.20 Esay 45.23 Ezek. 3.27 Psalme 17.4 Sure these places speak not of Christ himself the eternal Word but of a word spoken in time In other Scriptures it 's call'd the word that God spake Exod 20.1 Isa 24.3 Luke 22. â—1 Let the Reader observe this place And Peter remembred the word of the Lord what word was this It follows how he had said unto him before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Observe it this is called the Word of the Lord though Peter did not receive it and heed it so as to be kept from sin by it further yet Psalme 19. and Psalme 119. where the Prophet is taken up wholly in commendation of the Word of God he shews you what word he speaks of by the variety of expressions that he uses Law of God Precepts Judgements Statutes Ordinances Commandments Besides we have not only the Word of God but words of God mentioned in Scripture Exod. 20.1 John 3.34 Psalme 12.6 how can they expound this of Christ except they make many Christs and we reade not only of the Word Christ but the work of Christ Col. 3.16 Beside we finde mention in Scripture of a written word Eccles 12 10 Jer. 36.6 Heb. 13.22 Rev. 22.19 there might be hundreds of places more collected if need were to make out this thing How vainly do these men then cavil against us for calling the Scriptures the Word of God seeing it is the usual language of the holy Scriptures 3. Had these poor people any knowledge of the original languages wherein the Scriptures were written of which it's strange they should be ignorant when they pretend extraordinary
for it and therefore to use it not only for the promoting of the civil good and benefit of men but especially for the advantage of the spiritual Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the interest of his Churches for it was in this respect that Christ had this power given to him by the Father he gave him to be head over all things to the Church and sure Christ expects that those to whom he commits this power as his Vice-gerents upon earth should use it for the same ends the Father did first betrust it into his hands for And how clear is it in Scripture that all those godly Princes and Magistrates spoken of therein did make it their first and chiefest care to promote Religion and to see that the Worship of God was maintained in purity and that the Church flourished in their Dominions not that they were Officers in the Church and might themselves administer in the holy things this was rebuked in some of them but that they had an external care about the same as sometimes that Christian Emperour Constantine of famous memory said he was Episcopus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 4. an overseer of things without as those nurse-fathers Hezekiah Josia Asa Jehoshaphat were but not an overseer of things within as Uzziah would have been There is an opinion entertained amongst many in these dayes and some of them good men too that the Magistrate ought to meddle only with matters of the second Table not taking inspection of things appertaining to the first that he is only to maintaine civil peace amongst men and outward righteousnesse not heeding Religion or the Worship of God at all as he is a Magistrate If this once be received by Magistrates Jesus Christ will be little beholden to them they must as well protect the worshippers of Mahomet as of Christ so long as they keep the peace and live in civil honesty amongst men these men beleeve not the Magistrate to be Christs Officer as he is Mediatour and head of his Church if they did they would be of another mind But enough is said against this woful assertion by Mr. Cotton bloody tenet washed by the Elders of N. Eng. in the Synod Anno 1646. and by Mr. Cobbet in his book dedicated to your Highnesse some few yeares since And the blessing of the Lord upon the care of the godly Magistrates in N. E. hath been as a Seal to attest the Lords acceptance of what they have done there about this particular The premises considered I should humbly offer to your Highnesse may my presumption herein be indulged especially two particulars wherein you may imploy that great power wich our Lord Jesus hath betrusted you with as his Delegate for the promoting that great end for which all power was first given to him by the Father to wit the spiritual good and welfare of his Church 1. That you would please to put forth your endeavours towards the uniting of the people of God in these Nations who dissenting in lesser matters do yet maintaine the fundamentals of Religion in whose spirits the vitals of Christianity are still preserved and in whose lives the power and practise of godlinesse doth yet appear And in order hereunto that you would by your authority call together a few of the most judicious godly and peaceable of such Dissenters and lay your most solemn charge upon them that they would after their fervent invocation on the Name of the Lord for direction and assistance in so great a work study an holy and peaceable accommodation and agreement so farre as may be in their principles but especially in such necessary Church practises as the Churches of Christ amongst us may walk together with more Christian love and unity I should hope notwithstanding former disappointments the Lord would at last give them hearts to know what concerns their and the Churches peace after they have had such sad experience of the evil fruits of our divisions And that then you would commend such a pacificatory agreement to the Christian people of these Nations and give some more special encouragement to those who shall be so tender of the Churches peace and union as to practise according to the same This were a work worthy of a Christian Magistrate who by his office is to be an healer Isa 3.6 7 and would give you the honour even to many generations to be called the repairer of the breach and the restorer of paths to dwell in II. That you would please to put some restrictions unto that almost boundlesse Tolleration now amongst us whereby Seducers take liberty to broach such cursed doctrines as are a dishonour to the Name of Christ and reproach and infamy to the Christian Religion such as directly tend to the undermining of the profession and power of godlinesse and to the destruction of souls Nothing can be more evidently contrary to the spiritual welfare of the Church the promoting whereof is the principal end of the Christian Magistrates power and not only the procuring of a civil good which thing I cannot but often hint then the free Tolleration of such pernitious and heretical doctrines It is not a thing unknown That seducers have been more dangerous enemies to the Church then bloody persecutors where persecution hath slain its thousands the deadly poison of false doctrine hath slain its ten thousands and when the one hath killed mens bodies the other hath murdered mens souls the Church hath ever thriven under persecution the blood of the Martyrs being the seed of the Church but it hath been brought very low under Heresies If Magistrates be the Churches Nurs-fathers as the Scripture speaks sure their Office not only obliges them to take care that her children have the milk of the Word dispensed to them but that as much as in them lieth it be dispensed purely and sincerely without the mixture of poyson to destroy them Magistrates are called Shepherds Isa 44 28. and that with respect to the Church and therfore should protect her from ravenous Wolves they are called Gods but they should be poor gods if they took no care of Religion What ample testimonies hath the Lord given to David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah for their care of Religion nor will the names of Constantine Theodotius Iustinian cease to be precious in and for their care of the Church of Christ Even the Heathens Aristotle and Plato acknowledge from the light within them that the chiefe care in a Common-wealth should be about Religion But I presume not to add more words for this there being so much already said in those three Treatises before mentioned for the same and in particular against tolleration of seducers all contrary arguments that have been made being therein fully answered Only I crave leave to adde this further that I am not pleading now against those lesser errours amongst us which will be so long as we are imperfect and know but in part
gifts in other things as of knowing mens spirits of being infallible of working miracles c. they might finde that there are several words used in Scripture that our translators render the Word of God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now though the former title be given to Christ yet the latter is not and therefore such places wherein the latter is used can with no colour be expounded of Christ as in Rom 10.17 Eph. 5.26 Eph. 6.17 Heb. 6.5 c. whatever they pretend of the former 4. Let it be considered in what respect Jesus Christ is called the Word and in what respect the Scriptures be called the Word and it will appear this title will with greater propriety of Speech agree to the Scriptures then to Jesus Christ for Jesus Christ is only figuratively called the Word of God that he might through that similitude he hath to a word be more cleerly represented to our understandings as the word is the image and resemblance of ones minde so is Jesus Christ the expresse image of his Fathers person Heb. 1. though no transient image as our words be but co-essential and co-eternal or as the word makes known what is in the minde and heart so hath Christ made known the minde of God unto us others understand he is called the word also because it s he of whom the Word speaks to him give all the Prophets witnesse c. others because he made all things by his Word he spake and they were made But now in none of these respects nor any other that can be further named is Christ properly the word but figuratively But now the doctrines precepts c. of the Scriptures may in a more proper sense and without figure be called the word of God because spoken by God The Lord hath spoken these things by the mouth of his holy servants which have been since the world began Luke 1.70 5. Whereas they call some part of the Scriptures the word of the devil intending thereby that in Gen. 3.1 4 5. and such like places I answer they were the words uttered by the devil originally but now as they be recorded by the penmen of the holy Scriptures and so have a truth of history in them they be the words of God and therefore their malice against the Scriptures only appears herein 6. It would be observed how ignorantly these men do contradict themselves in denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet granting them to be a declaration of Gods minde let them tell what a word is but a declaration of ones minde cannot a childe know that if a man speaks words to another he declares his minde to him what a simple contradiction is this to be found in men that pretend to be infallible but any thing shall be said or done to take down the authority of the holy Scriptures and to lessen the reverence due to them Burroughs against Griffith p. 19. sword drawn p. 1. II. They deny the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and life and hereby seeking to overthrown the great use and end of the Scriptures they are clearly manifested to be enemies to the Scriptures This charge will not be disowned by them for many of their pamphlets manifest their denial of the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and life therefore it rests on me to prove that they are enemies to the Scriptures herein and this will appear in these particulars 1. Without some standing rule and direction given by God we know not how to beleeve in God aright nor worship and serve him acceptably and thereby attain eternal life such as have no standing rule and direction worship they know not what as Christ speaks of the Samaritans John 4. They erre not knowing the Scriptures as Christ saith to the Sadduces Matth. 22.29 The Heathens that wanted the rule of the word what dark apprehensions and misconceivings had they of God and the things of God how utterly ignorant of many mysteries of faith how besotted in worshipping false gods and deceived variously in their searching out the chief happinesse of man Man since the fall hath lost the knowledge of God and is stricken with blindnesse being able only to grope after God as the Sodomites for Lots door so the Apostle phraseth it Acts 17 They feel or grope after him and besides the darknesse of mans minde the seducements of Satan are such who can transform himself into an Angel of light that if we have not something to try the spirits by we may soon be deceived and therefore to have a rule or direction for mans faith and obedience is most necessary seeing man is a reasonable creature and is not acted by a brute impulse but as a free and understanding agent must act what he doth knowingly and with Councel 2. It 's as certain that there is no other way sufficient to direct man to beleeve in God aright and to worship and serve him acceptably and therby attain happinesse but the holy Scriptures As for traditions of men which the Jews formerly and now the Papists equal with the Word of God they lead men further from God and happinesse And for the light in the conscience which the Quakers so highly cry up though it may convince men there is a God as we see by the Heathens that have no other teacher but it yet is it unable to give a man any cleare distinct knowledge of God only a groping knowledge as before was said nor can it teach a man so much as the name of Christ for which of the Heathens know this by the light in the conscience much lesse the great mysteries of Christs incarnation or taking on him flesh of his death and the new Covenant founded on it his Resurrection Ascension c And for matter of practise though it will witnesse against grosse sins and impieties Rom. 2.14 yet how unable is it to convince of original sin the first entrance of sin into the world and death by Adam and of concupiscence or the motions of sin in the flesh that it is sinne when not consented to which the Papists deny to be sinne and it 's likely the Quakers also or else they would not affirm they are perfectly freed from the very being of sin Paul expressely saith he had not known it to be sinne but by the Law Rom. 7.7 it seems then the light in his conscience could not discover it How grosly such have been misled that have given up themselves to heed that light neglecting to use the Scriptures for their light and rule appears sufficiently in the printed relation of Gilpin and Toldervy and by the delusions that this whole company are given up to by God that pretend to follow it Further as for such special and immediate revelations of the spirit that others have boasted of as their guide and direction the woful miscarriages of such Enthusiasts that have pretended thereunto may
sufficiently convince God would have us to heed his word more and try the spirits by that and the grosse and palpable blindnesse of such as want the direction of the Scriptures may shew God is not pleased to use this way of immediate revelations now nor indeed is it the work of God holy Spirit to discover things to us now immediately having already made a full discovery of them in the Scriptures but to open our eyes to see the wonderful things of his Law to apprehend those discoveries of God made in his word and to sanctifie our hearts so as they may close with those truths revealed and rellish them and to remove the natural enmity that is in as to the things of God 3. It hath pleased the Lord of his infinite goodnesse to give his holy Scriptures the Word of God for so now I will call them whether the Quakers will or no that this may be a direction and rule to us of faith and obedience how we are to believe in God and worship and serve him and to direct us to eternal salvation this is a special pledge of Gods love to us though the enemies of truth will not acknowledge it The Lord hath not done so to all Nations neither have the heathen knowledge of his Laws Psalme 147 19 20. and the end of writing them was that we might be directed in our faith and obedience John 20 last These things are written that ye might beleeve c. we are to try the spirits now by them whether they be of God as the noble Bereans did Acts 17.11 we are to go to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 to search the Scriptures John 5.39 or otherwise we shall be necessarily exposed to errour Matth. 22.29 They are now a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our steps Psal 119.105 and through the words of Gods lips we may be kept from the path of the destroyer Psal 17.4 in a word they are able to make wise to salvation to furnish to all good works they are profitable for doctrine reproof correction instruction in righteousnesse c. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. The Lord accompanying them with the blessing and efficacy of his Spirit And let not any ignorantly pretend it is a disgrace to the Spirit to be tried and regulated by an outward rule for gold may be tryed by a touchstone why may not any doctrine or revelation or practice now though pretended to come from the Spirit be tried by the Scriptures which we are more sure came from the Spirit of God they being a surer word of prophecy then any voice we can heare spoken from heaven 2 Pet. 1.18 19. 4. Now let the weakest Reader if he be not wilfully blinded judg whether these people be not extreamly ingrateful to God for his goodnesse in giving the Scriptures to deny this principal use and end of the Scriptures and whether hereby they declare not themselves enemies thereunto I might shew other uses and ends of the Scriptures that they subvert but this may suffice for this second particular to prove the charge that the Quakers be enemies to the holy Scriptures III. They make Scriptures to be but a declaration of the Saints condition an expression frequently to be found in their writings insinuating thereby as if they belonged not to us now Burroughs p. 30 Glory from North. p. 8 9. but concerned the Saints only in former times for so much its clear they intend by comparing this with the former particular they are the declaration of the Saints conditions in former times but they are no rule of faith and life to us what do they then concern us what need we regard them what benefit have we by them A most unworthy expression when God hath written to us the great things of his word and we account them a strange thing Hosea 8.12 as if they did not at all concern us and the Lord had not spoken those things to us but to others But as it delares their enmity against the Scriptures so is it a very false assertion There be some part of the Scriptures that do more concern us now in these last dayes of the world then they did the Saints in former times as many Prophetick Scriptures in Dauid and the Revelations and for other Scriptures the Apostle faith what ever was written was written for our learning Rom. 15.4 and for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world be come 1 Cor 10.6 11. The example of Christ and his Apostles teaches us to make use of the whole Wood of God they frequently cited the writings of Moses and the Prophets in the book of the Psalmes applying them to that generation why may not we then apply the same as also the writings of the New Testament for our benefit In Heb. 13.5 The Apostle applies that promise made to Joshuah to the beleeving Hebrews I will not have thee nor forsake thee See 1 Cor. 7.1 where the Apostle applies the promises made by the Prophet Jer 31.1 to the Corinthians and presses them to duty from thence and indeed to what end are they written down and by the gracious providence of the Lord preserved to this day but for our use and benefit it 's needlesse to adde more here that which was spoken in the former particular will also clear this IV. They call the Scriptures reproachfully a letter a dead letter c. as may be seen in their writings frequently which is but a piece of Popish Rhetorick for this hath been the language of Papists before them who have called them a dead letter divinity of ink and paper with many more such opprobrious tearms But whether we should beleeve Papists and Quakers in vilifying the Scriptures or credit the holy penmen their commendation of them judge ye David saith The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure enlightning the eyes c. and Psalme 119.50 Thy word hath quickened me The Apostle James 1.18 saith he begot us with the word of truth Paul saith faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's not said by the personal word Jesus Christ but by the word that is preached by men not that we exclude the co-operation of Gods Spirit with preaching for we are workers together with God 2 Cor. 6.1 but that the word written and preached might have it's due place and commendation being mighty through God the power of God to salvation and therefore no dead letter It is a grosse perverting of that Scripture 2 Cor. 3.6 to alledge it for to prove the Scriptures to be a dead letter for the Apostle there compares the doctrine or ministration of the Law and the old Covenant with the ministration of the Gospel Covenant disputing against such as commended the
often in their mouths and in their writings and they will tell you in words they own Jesus Christ come in the flesh so that if this will prove them good Christians they shall passe free from this censure and not be charged with it But withal I shall not conceale the subtilty of Satan in deceiving in this as well as in the former particular as he will let these his instruments own the Scriptures in words whilest they deny them in deed and truth and are enemies to them as before was proved so whilest they professe in words to own Jesus Christ come in the flesh and speak of his Death Resurrection and Ascension c. they do in deed and in truth deny all these things Nor let any wonder at this they could not be deceivers else they are simple deceivers that will in plain and evident words say they deny Jesus Christ they disclaime his Incarnation Death Resurrection c. who would then be taken in their snares the simplest would espy what they are I finde not amongst all the ancient hereticks in the Church since the time of Christ to this day any that have in expresse words said Christ is not come in the flesh though open enemies such as the Jews deny it plainly yet none that have professed to be Christians Some deceivers have said Christ took on him an imaginary no real body some an aërial some a coelestial some a body but no humane soul some that his humane nature was swallowed up of his divine nature and several other heresies about it and these all do in effect deny Christ come in the flesh because they hold forth such a Christ as is no real and true man but none of them have denied it in expresse words and why should we think seducers should be more foolish in deceiving in these last dayes of the world then in former times Besides the Apostle John he calls such an one as shall not confesse Jesus Christ come in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a crafty cheater or juggler that will cozen you while you look on so some expound the word and therefore you must not think they wil in down-right words deny Christ but while they look you in the face and give you good words and say we own Christ come in the flesh and we are slandered by them that say ootherwise of us yet they do but cozen and cheat you for they nothing at all intend it And indeed if you examine the Quakers throughly and ask them what Christ it is they own now in the flesh they will confesse no other Christ but the Christ of the familists Christ in their flesh that in the conscience they own to be Christ but as for the man Christ now in the heavens him they own not as for a Christ who is a particular man personally distinct from other men that Christ that was of the seed of David the Sonne of Mary Jesus of Nazareth they own not him some have said he was the idol of the world they will grant that God took that flesh for a time but no humane soul with it and when that man died on the crosse he never rose againe in this same individual body that same particular man did not ascend into heaven is not at the right hand of God making intercession shall not come to judge the world c. but all this by an allegory is applied to themselves Christ in the flesh is Christ in their flesh dying and rising again in them and now Christ is come to judge the world while they take upon them with authority to judge and revile the servants and wayes of Christ This is the very doctrine of the Quakers concerning Christs Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension coming to Judgement as may appear by these few testimonies I shall hear set down one of them in a printed paper called The sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. hath these words Your imagined God beyond the stars and your carnal Christ for so they reproachfully call the man Christ Jesus now in the heavens is utterly denied and testified against by the light c. In their book called Sauls errand to Damascus p. 8 9. 14. they say That Christ in the flesh with all he did and suffered therein was but a figure and nothing but an example some of them in these parts have publickly before many witnesses denied the Resurrection of the dead body and if so then Christ is not risen and there 's no such man as the man Christ Jesus now in heaven B. L. in conference with my self denied Jesus Christ to take to himselfe an humane soul so Hubberthorn in a letter to me though he took flesh upon him The same person being asked by W. S. what became of the body of Jesus when it was not to be found in the grave answered it perished Another of them said Thou hopest to be saved by the Christ that died at Jerusalem but I trust to a Christ within me pointing to his breast when that testimony of Christ which he gave concerning his Resurrection was urged to some of them in Luke 24.39 The disciples supposing they saw a spirit and that it was not Christ himself he said unto them behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have they have scoffingly answered where was his blood that was spilt upon the crosse they have often urged Christs appearing to his Disciples the doors being shut to argue that Christ rose not with a corporal body of flesh and bones though at the same time he bid unbeleeving Thomas behold his hands and reach his finger and thrust it into his side They frequently speak of a Christ in their conscience as the only Christ for no other man Christ they will acknowledge There needs no further proof of this charge let but any one that desires further satisfaction concerning it ask them as I my self have often proved it by experience in conference with them whether they acknowledge a man Christ personally distinct from other men now residing in the highest heavens who is to come to judge the world at the last day they will tell you they own the same Christ that ever was for they deny not his divinity but for his humanity they will shufle you off and not speak to that and thereby prove themselves Anti-christs because they confesse not Christ in the flesh c. I need not spend many words in the confutation of these things there is no sober Christian that hath received any thing of the knowledge of Christ but his heart wil abhor these doctrines at the very mentioning of them I shall only refer the Reader to some Scriptures that may establish his faith in the truth about these particulars Concerning Christs being really and truly a man See John 1.14 Gal. 4.4 1 Tim. 2.5 That he was a particular individual man personally distinct from all
other men and not a man as he dwells in the flesh of other men appears because he is described to be a man coming of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Judah of the family of David born of a particular woman the Virgin Mary not of other women and in that the great doctrine concerning Christ to be beleeved which the Scriptures speaks of was that Jesus of Nazareth that particular man was the Christ That he had a humane or reasonable soul besides his God-head or divine nature See Esay 53.12 Matth. 26.38 John 12.27 And that after this man Christ was crucified he arose again with the same individual body that suffered on the crosse though made more glorious appears by the many witnesses that testified it Acts 2.24 and 3.15 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5. 2 Tim. 2.8 indeed it was the great work of the Apostles to testifie it Acts 1.22 nor could these witnesses be deceived for 1 There were many that did see him the eleven Apostles and five hundred brethren at once 2 They not only did see him but heard him speak and did eat with him nay felt his prints and marks and himself affirmed he had flesh and bones still 3 And he continued fourty dayes among them besides the Angels from heaven testified the same thing Luke 24.3 5 6. Mark 16.6 and the very souldiers that kept watch bare witnesse to it Mat. 28.11 Further that this same individual person did ascend into heaven even above the visible heavens and is there present making intercession for us at the right hand of God and shall come again to judge the quick and dead at the last day See these Scriptures Mark 16.19 Luke 24.51 Act. 1.9 10 11. Rom. 8.34 Heb. 9.24 Acts 3.21 Acts 17.31 But some Scriptures those people do wrest to make for their purpose which lest they deceive weak ones by them I shall vindicate them 1. They speak much of that Scripture 1 Col Christ in you the hope of glory and of all those Scriptures that speak of Christs being living or dwelling in his people thereby to insinuate there is no other man Christ but Christ in us men Answ I shall not speak now of the nature of Christs in-dwelling or in-being in his people till I come to the fourth Section where I shall have occasion to open it more distinctly onely thus much for the present Christs dwelling in his people now is by his Spirit and not according to his humane nature for this the heavens do containe till he descend visibly to judge the world as he was seen to ascend Acts 1.11 Acts 17.31 But it is by his spirit he dwells now in his people which is infinite and fills all places and so doth not his humane nature being a created thing and finite see this cleer from Rom. 8.10 11. in v. 10. the Apostle speaks of Christ being in you in v. 11. he explaines the expression by shewing the manner of it by his Spirit dwelling in you And indeed we must thus have Christ in us by his Spirit or else we can have no assured hope of glory though the meritorious cause of our salvation and glory is Christs obedience unto death performed in his own person Eph. 1.7 11 14 c. yet we can have no evidence of our right to glory but by finding Christs in-being in us by his Spirit now so that these Scriptures are utterly perverted to make for their ends Further that Scripture 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more is as grosly abused when it is made to speak against that particular man Christ Jesus now in heaven c. for 1 This doctrine concerning the man Christ Jesus his Resurrection c. the Apostle had before asserted in many places as we shewed even now 1 Cor. 15. the beginning Rom. 1.3 4. c. and he doth not now destroy what before he built it was the great thing the Apostles were to testifie and witnesse to the world Acts 1.22 they were to be witnesses of his Resurrection this Apostle doth in more then twenty places in his Epistles testifie how that the man Christ indeed was risen from the dead and ascended into heaven c. therefore he doth not contradict in this place what he lays down in so many other places 2 And therefore we must enquire after another interpretation of that Scripture and it will clearly appear to be this The false apostles had vilified the Apostles Ministry that they might draw away the hearts of people from him according to the practise of the Quakers in these dayes for this is an old trick of Satan and one plea they had against him was this he had not conversed with Christ upon earth as had the other Apostles and therfore he was not so much to be accounted off The Apostle hints we are not to look on Christ under such outward relations as if there were so much benefit by being related to Christ in the flesh or by being in his bodily presence but we are to consider him as having compleated the work of our redemption having overcome death being raised up in glory and ascended into heaven and thus we should know him for the future this is the spring of a Christians comfort thus he speaks not against Christs being in the flesh still which other Scriptures clearly witnesse but against looking upon him under these carnal relations they stood in to him whilest he was upon earth this will appear more fully to be the Apostles mind by considering the various acceptation of the word flesh in Scripture which to avoid tediousnesse I omit here intending to speak of it in Sect. 6. where in proving the resurrection of our dead bodies I shall further prove the truth of Christs resurrection and that still he is really and truly in our natures in heaven even in the same particular body he had upon earth though glorified and indeed if this were not so the Apostles were false witnesses our faith is in vaine we are yet in our sins and they who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished 1 Cor. 15.15 c. Thus for the clearing of this second charge That the Quakers deny Jesus Christ come in the flesh overthrow his Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and coming to Judgement and thereby pull down the maine pillars of Christianity and overthrow the faith and comfort of Christians and that while they pretend to be more spiritual but are indeed deceivers herein turning all into Allegories and faining these things done in the true Christ to be but as a shadow of what is now really done in them From this it is clear the Quakers-christ and Ours is not the same they hold no other man Christ but in their consciences we beleeve our Christ is in heaven and do wait for him to come from heaven who was raised up from the
dead even Jesus which delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Let all that professe the Name of Christ take heed of such as preach another Christ then whom they have received and look upon them as Deceivers and Anti-christs as for us we have not so learned Jesus Christ SECT III. The Quakers deny the Doctrine of the Trinity THis charge will not be denied by the Quakers for in this they speak out and do not seek to conceale their opinions they acknowledge not one God subsisting in three persons See Sauls errand to Damascus p. 12. and the sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 4. where this doctrine is called a lie by them Let me therefore shew this to be an abominable errour contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures to deny three persons subsisting in one God and prove this fundamental article of our faith against their cavils This I cleare from Scripture by these gradations or steps 1. The Scriptures speak clearly that there is in the divine nature three in one or a Trinity in Unity whether these three may be called persons we shall discusse afterwards 1 John 5.7 There be three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Here is in this Scripture three numbred and their several names set down and yet it 's said they are but one not only agree in one as in the next verse but they are one See Mat. 3.16 17. Mat. 28.19 2 Cor. 13.14 John 14.16 Where are also three counted the Father and I saith Christ and the Spirit of truth and these are distinguished the Spirit is called another It might further be shewed as there be three numbred in Scripture and their several names set down so the Scripture speak also of distinct properties and operations peculiar to each of these three and incommunicable to other The Father begets and not the Son the Spirit proceeds and not the Father c. so the Sonne took flesh and not the Father nor the Spirit II. It 's most evident that this Trinity in Unity or three in one is not a meer notional thing subsisting in the minde and apprehension of man alone but eternally subsisting in the divine being it self it 's a thing founded upon Scripture as before was shewed not a fiction of reason it had been if there never had been any created minde to apprehend it Nor can it be only three names given to one and the same personal being for the Scripture gives more names then three to God there are ten several names given to God in the Old Testament as some observe besides those in the New Testament and further the Scripture counts them as distinct in subsistence and not only in name John 8.17 18. Christ and his Father are counted for two witnesses now one person cannot be two witnesses though he have two names Nor doth this Trinity subsist in the divine nature only as wisdome justice and goodnesse are in God for these attributes of God are no otherwise distinguished then according to mans apprehension of them because our finite and compounded understandings cannot comprehend the glorious perfections of a single and infinite essence but by distinct properties or attributes in themselves they do not differ one from another the same also may be said of Gods decrees but now this distinction of three in one is founded in the very divine being it self as before was shewed Nor yet further are we to understand this three in one to be only three manifestations of God grounded upon some offices or external dispensations to the creature in time there hath been more manifestations of God to man then three since the creation God was manifest various wayes to his people to Moses in the bush and in the mount to Israel in the wildernesse in the pillar of fire and cloud to the Patriarchs to the three children to Daniel to John c. Besides this distinction was in God from eternity before there was any creature made to manifest it unto Christ is the eternal Sonne of God distinct from the Father eternally and before he was made flesh the Spirit was distinguished from Father and Sonne from eternity and not only when he was manifested in descending on Christ in the likenesse of a dove or by falling on the Apostles in fiery tongues See Prov. 8.21 to 31. Mic. 5.2 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Joh. 17.5 Col. 1.15 Gen. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.21 Mat. 1.20 these are all to be exploded as dangerous errours and have been ever rejected by the Church III. Hence it will follow that this must be a Trinity of persons or subsistances in the same divine being three persons subsisting in one God nor let any cavil at the word person for it is a Scripture word Heb. 1.3 if they will stand to the received translation if any will plead the word is more properly rendred there subsistence then person we will not stand upon that so they acknowledge three subsistances in the same divine being for this is all we argue for but how vainly is it to except against the word person so commonly received amongst the people of God and not scrupled at by any but such as have erred dangerously in other things what is a person if we look upon the notation of the name but per se una a thing that hath a subsistence by it self or if we respect the definition of the thing we understand no more by it but an intelligent compleat incommunicable independent subsistence and according to our common custome of speech the word person doth expresse more excellency then the word subsistence singly taken doth the former we ever apply to a reasonable being the other we use to apply to inferiour creatures a beast may be said to subsist though it is no person IV. Yet is there no multiplication of the God-head for still we acknowledge one God one simple undivided essence Deut. 6.4 Isa 44.6 8. Isa 45.21 22. John 10.30 1 John 5.7 If any shall object how can these things be it seems a contradiction for to say there is three persons and yet but one divine being and therefore shall reject this doctrine because they cannot comprehend it I answer it were extreame arrogance for a poor worm to do thus to reject what God hath clearly held forth in his Word because he cannot comprehend it what Art or Science is there in the world but there are many mysteries in it that novices cannot comprehend and can we expect to be more knowing in the things of God that are so high and mysterious above the reason and understanding of man Let sober spirits count it their safest way to beleeve what is clearly revealed by God though they cannot yet comprehend the nature of such mysteries Neverthelesse we do not count it a contradiction to say there is light heat and power in the Sun and yet there are not three Suns but one or that in the soul
here till God wipe away this dust of mortality from their eyes It s safest to professe here we know but in part if any will professe to know more in these Mysteries let them first tell the nature of the union of their own souls and bodies and how a spiritual and corporal substance should be so knit together to become one man what is the bond of this union and how effected when they can explicate these inferiour things it s more likely we should listen to them in explaining these higher Mysteries about the union of Christ and beleevers By this time the Reader may see what pride and arrogance it is in these people to hold equality with God and to make the soule a part of God or one being with God is not this greater pride then was in Adam when he fell and perhaps in the devils themselves for he aspired to be but as God not to be God himselfe or one being with as these men do But enough of this abominable doctrine And thus for the fourth generall Charge SECT V. The Quakers corrupt the Doctrine of Justification THe Doctrine of the Justification of a beleeving sinner before God is one of the most precious and comfortable doctrines of the Gospel tending exceedingly to set forth the riches of Gods free grace and magnifie his justice to support and comfort wounded consciences to take away boasting from man that all may glory in the Lord and to fill the heart with joy and peace in beleeving And therefore the devil hath by his instruments in all ages laboured to corrupt the same He stirr'd up false apostles in the first plantation of the Christian faith to pervert it against whom the Apostle Paul in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians disputes earnestly teaching we are justified by faith and not by works by faith receiving the righteousnesse of another not by works wrought in or by our selves In after ages the Papists were the great subverters of this doctrine who had so corrupted it that no part thereof was left pure and undepraved by them till the Lord of his mercy raised up Luther and some other Worthies to vindicate it and indeed the corruptions of this doctrine were the great and especial cause of their first separation from Rome and there was nothing that the Spirit of that precious man was more drawn out to clear then that very doctrine as may appear by his writings In the steps of those enemies of the truth the Papists do these generation of Quakers now so exactly walk as to the perverting of this doctrine of Justification that they scarce differ an hairs breadth from them holding forth the old Popish doctrine in the very same terms as will appear in the following particulars 1. The Papists deny Justification to be a judicial act of God whereby he accounts us righteous though ungodly in our selves Rom. 4.5 through the righteousnesse of Christ performed in his own person for us imputed to us and received by faith alone but make it to consist in the infusing or putting in righteousnesse into man and so confound Justification and Sanctification making them one and the same thing So Bellarm. the Jesuite l. 1. de Justif cap. 1. And so the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost See Sauls errond to Dam. p. 12. p. 3. pleads for our being made righteous by Gods putting in righteousness into us and by righteousness wrought in the creature in the same page line 4. he explaines Gods imputing righteousnesse to be his putting it into the creature his words are these righteousness is freely imputed or put into the creature where let the Reader see the grosse ignorance of a man that pretends to be infallible making impute and put in the same whereas any School-boy that hath but learnt his Grammar may see a vast difference between them the word impute not being compounded of put in or in put but coming from imputo to reckon account judge c. and so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated in the Scriptures impute do signifie can any beleeve this man is infallible in his doctrine when he is so grossely mistaken in a word so commonly used in the Scriptures See also Nailer in the same book p. 50. where he directly according to the manner of the Papists confounds Justification Sanctification and Mortification together and argues for it as they do though in a more simple manner 2. The Papists as a consequent of the former opinion hold that they are able to keep the Law perfectly and to be perfectly righteous Counc Trent Sess 6. can 18. Nay If any man say that the precepts and Commandments of God unto a man justified and in the state of grace be impossible to be kept let him be accursed So the Quakers Nailer p. 21 22. of the book before named and in his book called the glory of the Lord out of the North p. 25 26. he argues as hotly for it as if some Jesuite were at his back to prompt him 3. The papists say by the liberty of the Gospel they are altogether freed from sinne so that it is throughly dead and not only not imputed but not alive or having any being in the righteous they are the words of Bellarmine the Jesuite lib. 5. de Justif cap. 6. The same thing argues Nailer for Glory from the North p. 21. Love to the lost p. 21 c. 4. The Papists they exclaime against the Protestants who teach they have yet sinne in them and are not so perfectly righteous as to stand before the judgement seat of God without the righteousnesse of their Surety and call them painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within leprous persons in fine cloaths with many other such expressions See Becanus the Jesuite Tom. 2. tract 4. cap. 2. qu. 1 and 3. So the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost p. 4. you make saith he Christs righteousnesse a cover to your abominations c. Though we doubt not but God will vindicate our uprightnesse that we are as consciencious of walking holily as any Papists or Quaker of them all though we dare not seek Justification thereby this the very Papists have been forced to confesse sometimes saying though we had an heretical faith yet we had Orthodox manners Thus we see the Popish doctrine of Justification brought in by a generation of men that cry out against all others as Popish and Antichristian when in the mean time they are most deeply guilty of it themselves Now that the ignorant may not be deceived about this point which is one of the fundamental doctrines of Religion I shall cleare up the truth concerning it according to the Scriptures in these following particulars 1. He that will be justified before the judgement seat of Christ and be acquitted and pronounced righteous by the Judge of heaven and earth at the great day of the Lord must be perfectly righteous he must
1. Neither can they shew us in Scripture where ever hats were worne therefore it s not likely we should read of putting them off as for that place in Dan. 3.21 where mention is made of the three children being cast into the fire with their coats hosen hats the word there translated hats signifies any kind of covering or garment it coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cloath or cover and therefore in the Margin of your books the Translatours render it turbants which were the garments worne upon their heads in those Easterne Countreys for they weare no hats but because such a word as that is not known amongst the vulgar they retain in the text the word hats which we weare on our heads and not turbants Secondly though we find not in Scripture examples of putting off the hat because hats were not worne yet we find other testifications of honour and respect given to superiours according to the custome of each Countrey as standing up bowing the knee or the body which are approved in Scripture as before was shewed how ridiculous is it then to make it unlawfull to put off the hat when those other actions be approved and lawfull But there are some other Scriptures which the Quakers often urge against the giving or receiving honour of men which must be answered as that John 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely To which I answer Christ doth not here condemne all giving or receiving honour one of another for in other places it is commanded and commended as was shewed before Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 2.17 c. but he forbids loving the praise and honour of men more then the praise of God which was the sinne of those people John 12.43 and this kept them from believing they knew if they believed in him they should be reviled cast out of the Synagogues and lose the honour they had amongst men such an honour as this we are far from pleading for and had rather be trampled upon by men as we have been formerly by the Prelates and now are by the Quakers then lose the praise of God but what is this to the denying such civil honour to men as these Scriptures before named require There is another place that those people do much pervert to make for them which is James 2.9 If ye have respect to persons ye commit sinne To which I reply 1. There is indeed a respecting of persons which is sinfull as when in judgement men respect persons not regarding the equity of the cause but because such a man is rich potent or honourable sentence is passed on his side and the poor man oppressed in judgement this is forbidden Deut. 1.17 Thou shalt not respect persons in judgement but shalt heare the small as well as the great See also Levit. 19.15 So likewise out of the case of judgment there may be a sinfull respecting of persons as when private persons shall highly esteeme love and honour persons that be rich and great in the world though vitious and ungodly and shall contemne the precious Saints when poore and low in the world this is sinfull respecting of persons I might adde also respecting of persons in election to Magistracy and in religious matters for this is also sinfull and the Apostle James doth condemne respecting of persons onely in some of these cases here named 2. But then there is a lawfull respecting of persons which is so far from being a sinne that it is a duty to do it namely when we acknowledge the dignity and excellency of others and by some outward signe testifie the same this was proved by those precepts and examples before named and many more might be added if it were needfull Thus the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 3. is said to regard or respect the presence of Jehoshaphat King of Judah Nay God himselfe is said to be a respecter of persons Gen. 4.4 5. The Lord had respect to Abel but unto Cain he had not respect and Gen. 19.21 the like is said of Lot many other places might be given but enough is said for the clearing up of this duty Now from all this it appeares that as the Quakers are fallen from Christianity in that they deny the true Christ and the Christian faith So they are fallen from humanity in thus denying all good manners and wherein can they come nearer to bruit beasts then in casting off humanity and civil demeanour Though they would cover over such actions with the guilded shew of humility yet doth it directly tend to overthrow all government and authority amongst men for take away outward honour and respect from superiours and what government can subsist long amongst men Thus having shewed the Quakers to be so far degenerate that they are no Christians nor scarsly men Its time for me to put an end to my discourse concerning them and to trouble my self nor the reader further with them SECT XIII The conclusion by way of Admonition to beware of the errours of the times and in particular of Quakerisme with a commendation of some antidotes by way of preservative against the same WE have many predictions and frequent warnings in the holy Scriptures of the heresies and seductions of the last times Christ himself tells us Mat. 24.11.24 that false christs and false prophets shall arise and deceive many and if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and the Apostle Peter 2 Ep. 2.1 doth also warne That false prophets shall arise and shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and the like admonitions are given by the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 4.1 and 2 Tim. 2 1 c. as also by the Apostles John and Jude There is no ground then that Christians should be discouraged at these over-flowing floods of errours that the Serpent now casts out of his mouth to drown the Church nor at the rage and violence of the enemies of the truth amongst us think it not strange concerning these things as if some strange thing had happened unto us the Scriptures must be fulfilled that have told us before of those things and the Church of God in former times have had the same trials heresies must be though woe to them by whom they come or by whom they are countenanced We may expect yet greater tryals and stronger seducements if no timely remedy be used by Christian Magistrates to restraine seducers from spreading their seducing doctrines The Scriptures speak of the powerful working of Satan accompanying deceivers and a power of working seeming miracles being given to them and of strong delusions As the Quakers are but simple deceivers in comparison of the Papists and other hereticks in former ages so we may fear they shall be much more out-vied by such seducers as are yet to come in following times when Satan is to act
A FULL DISCOVERY AND CONFUTATION Of the wicked and damnable Doctrines of the Quakers As also a plain Vindication and confirmation of sundry fundamental points of the Christian Religion denyed or corrupted by the enemies of the Truth in these Times Published for the benefit of such weak Christians who are not so able to discover and oppugne the dangerous doctrines of subtil Seducers when coloured over with fair words and pretences and so are more apt to be taken in their snares Whereunto is annexed an excellent Discourse proving that singing of Psalmes is not only lawful but an Ordinance of God By JONATHAN CLAPHAM a servant of Christ in the work and labour of the Gospel at Wramplingham in Norff. 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie That they might be damned c. LONDON Printed by T. R. E.M. for Adonirem Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head Alley near Lumbard-street 1656. The general heads of the following TREATISE SEct. 1. The Quakers proved enemies to the holy Scriptures Sect. 2. The Quakers deny Christ come in the flesh also his Death Resurrection c. Sect. 3. The Quakers deny the doctrine of the Trinity Sect. 4 The Quakers hold equality with God and the soul to be one being with God Sect. 5. The Quakers corrupt the doctrine of Justification Sect. 6. The Quakers deny the Resurrection of the body the last Judgement Heaven and Hell Sect. 7. The Quakers are enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ Sect. 8. The Quakers pretend to miracles Sect. 9. The Quakers are no truly mortified persons notwithstanding their pretences thereunto and how Popish Monks have out-stripped them therein Sect. 10. The Quakers doctrine tendeth not to destroy sin though they raile against sin and how they destroy the true doctrine of Sanctification Sect. 11. The Quakers he common sink of all the Heresies of our times and a parallel betwixt them and former hereticks in many particulars Sect. 12. The Quakers enemies to all civility and good manners Sect. 13. The Conclusion by way of admonition to Christians to beware of the heresies of the Times and in particular to avoid the Quakers as pernitious enemies to the Christian Religion and to the souls of men and to have no communion with them TO HIS HIGHNESSE The Lord Protector Of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereof SIR IT is a question much controverted in these times whether Jesus Christ besides his spiritual Kingdom in his Chrurches and in the hearts of his people is to have an outward Political Kingdom in the world and there are not a few of godly wise and sober Christians that do conclude affirmatively for the same and that as it seems to me upon undeniable authorities from the holy Scriptures But this being granted it will prove a matter of no lesse difficulty to determine by whom this kingdome shall be administred whether by our Lord Jesus himself in person residing here upon earth or by his Delegates or officers to whom he shall commit the rule and government under himself The former hath yet received small entertainment in my heart as seeing little clear Scripture evidence for it whatever others may see but rather it seeming to clash with some other weighty doctrines of the faith more clearly grounded on the Word and to be attended with such inconveniences as the Authours of this opinion know not well how to remove But for the latter it need not seem so incredible for seeing Jesus Christ hath already so long exercised his spiritual Kingdome and regiment in his Churches by Officers and Delegates thereunto appointed by himself why should it then seem strange to us if his outward political Kingdome should be administred in like manner and as I judge this seemes to have far clearer testimony from the Scripture then the former But are not we in a great strait yet to finde out who are these Officers or Delegates to whom Jesus Christ hath committed the government of this outward Political Kingdome in the world whether to his Churches and Saints under that reduplication as such or to the Civil Magistrate I am not unwilling to acknowledge my own mistake and possibly it may be the mistake of some honest hearts who are zealous now against the present powers upon this account that I have sometimes inclined to the former although I never had thoughts of acting against any established Government for to bring about my conceptions in such things sure it is most dangerous and unwarrantable for private persons to do so The ground of my mistake was an assertion received amongst many wise and holy men and therefore the lesse questioned by me that the Magistrate was no Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediatour whereupon I concluded seeing that Jesus Christ as Mediatour should have an outward Political Kingdom upon earth and the Magistrate as such was no Officer in that Kingdome that there must be some other hands into which this power and Dominion must be committed and who then might lay better Scripture claim to it then the persons above named But I do retract my errour in that particular for I dare not say with the Papists and Quakers I am infallible and cannot erre and do acknowledge the Magistrate to be an Officer of Jesus Christ as Mediatour and therefore in this external Political Kingdom of Christ the rule doth belong to him and not to the Saints as Saints though withal I doubt not but the Lord Jesus will in these last dayes raise up such to be Magistrates as shall be Saints and nursing fathers to his Churches governing more for the honour of Christ and for the welfare and benefit of his Churches then formerly and then shall the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Saints That which induced me to be of this judgement for the Magistrate to be an Officer of Jesus Christ in this outward Political kingdom though he is no Officer in the spiritual Kingdom of his Church as the Erastians contend was the serious consideration of such Scriptures as these Prov. 8.15 16. Mat. 28.18 Isa 49.13 Psalme 2.8 10 11 12. Psalme 72.10 11. and indeed Christ having undertaken the work of mans redemption the Father hath delivered up the whole creation unto him in order to his managing of that work and therefore must Magistracy belong to him as Mediatour Rom. 14.9 Luke 10.22 John 3.15 Eph. 1.20 21 22. It were a work of no great difficulty to answer the arguments brought to the contrary and is already done by some Now this being granted as it doth strongly confirme the title of the Magistrate to his rule and government against all that would under any pretext challenge it from him So it may seriously minde him to consider from whom he hath received his power and authority and to whom he must one day be acountable
Law above the Gospel and call'd men from the grace of Christ to the works of the Law c. now the Law was but a dead killing letter pronouncing a curse and death not could it quicken spiritually there being no promise in it of writing the Law in our hearts but in the same place he commends his Ministry for the Ministery of the Spirit and of Life therefore this place makes nothing for this wicked cavil of those enemies against the Scriptures V. They equal their books and pamphlets though commonly stuft with non-sense and railing ever with wicked errors to the holy Scriptures then which what can be more disgraceful to the Scriptures and more abominable to all sober spirits This appears clearly to all that have but read their papers for thus they commonly write Moved from the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord given from the Lord c. and they boast commonly that they speak from God immediately and infallibly as the Apostles did formerly Whether this doth not bring them under that curse Rev. 22.18 for adding to the Scriptures let them look to it VI. They sometimes plead the Church was a long time without the Scriptures and therefore they are not necessary now and if ten thousand of those books were burnt they might do well enough the light in them is sufficient c. This I testifie hath been objected to me and there be others can witnesse it with me For the former part it is an old Popish Argument against the necessity of the Scriptures and I shall only reply what hath been answered the Papists to this formerly Whitaker de perfec Script cap. 7. tells the Papists though of old time when God familiarly shewed himself to the Fathers and by himself manifested to them his will the Scriptures were not necessary yet after God did change the course of teaching his Church and would have the Word written then the Scriptures began to be necessary To the latter part I answer such an expression would suit the mouth of an Irish rebel rather then of any sober Christian and therefore let him repent and pray if perhaps the thought of his heart may be forgiven him VII They appear enemies to the holy Scriptures in their daily practices as their neglecting to use the holy Scriptures Their speakers speak not out of the Scriptures as did Christ Luke 4.17 who opened the book and took his text out of Esay 61.1 and in all his Sermons he opened the Scriptures and proved all things by the Scriptures nor do their speakers exhort people to search the Scriptures to give themselves to reading meditation This they that have been present testifie c. but to look to the light in their consciences let them shew where ever Christ or his Apostles gave such an exhortation to look to the light within them And for their disciples they follow not the example of the noble Bereans Acts 17.11 who searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so but they take all spoken to them as given from God immediately and turn not to the Scriptures to try the doctrines they hear by the Law and testimony When they have no speakers they sit as mutes together looking on the ground or looking at the light within them as they say but not looking on the Scriptures nor conferring about them though sometimes they will read in their Assemblies their quaking letters or books besides some of them have offered to sell their Bibles Now the most ignorant may easily judge by all this what friends they are to the Scriptures I might adde hereunto if it were requisite to shew their enmity to the Scriptures their perverse wresting of the Scriptures in such a manner sometime as shews they have neither knowledge of the Scriptures nor any light of common understanding of men left in them G. Whitehead maintaining of perfection as the Papists do I brought him that place against it Eccles 7.10 not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not he perverted it as if Solomon did speak of a man in an earthy condition Another when that cripture 1 Cor. 6.20 was used to prove that we are not only to give God internal worship and service but outward and bodily he replied the Church was he body that was to glorifie God Again when Paul Rom. 7. cryed out ob wretched man c. he had not the Spirit And that the same Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.14 did not at all condemne long hair And many of them have said that the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.14 saying even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel doth not plead for outward bodily maintenance but their living by faith or living spiritually on the Gospel were ever any people more blinded in the world then these how dreadful a judgement is this upon them for leaving the Scriptures and looking to the light in them which appears by these things to be meer darknesse I could fill many pages with such instances of their perverse wrest of the Scriptures but this will appear more fully in the following Sections Let me but summe up these things together and then let the Reader judge whether this first charge is not sufficiently proved against them The proof runs thus if to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and thereby to insinuate they never came from God if to deny the special use of the Scriptures to be a rule of faith and obedience and to make as if they belonged to the Saints formerly but did not concern us now if to give vilifying expressions to them and to call them a dead letter if to equal foolish and wicked pamphlets with them if to plead there 's no necessity of them if to practise to slight them and perversly to wrest them if any or if all of these together will prove the Quakers to be enemies to the holy Scriptures then the charge stands good against them Let the weakest hereby discern and see and not be deceived by them though they pretend in words never so fairly to the Scriptures And thus for this first charge SECT II. The Quakers deny Christ come in the flesh as also his Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and coming to Judgement THe Apostle John in his second Epistle ver 7. speaks of many deceivers and Antichrists come into the world who confesse not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and forbids to receive such into your houses and to bid them God-speed for such as do so are partakers of their evil deeds Let us therefore in the next place enquire whether the Quakers may be justly charged with this crime that if they be found guilty thereof all such as professe to be Christians may disclaime them and take heed of them as Deceivers and Antichrists I shall here first freely give Testimony for the Quakers and do acknowledge in their behalfs that they have the name of Jesus Christ
there is the vegetative sensitive and rational faculties and yet there are not three souls in man but one why should it seem then a contradiction to believe three persons to subsist in one only God Now let the Reader from hence see what impudence it is in these Quakers to call this doctrine a lie and how dangerously they erre in denying the Trinity what is this but to deny the true God who hath manifested himself thus to be one in three as before they denied the Man Christ and were proved enemies to the Scriptures this errour tends to ouerthrow all faith and Religion and is pernicious to mens salvation for we must believe in God as he reveals himself in his Word and no otherwise and worship and serve him accordingly if we will be saved It was hatched by the enemies of truth it hath been defended on purpose to overthrow the personal Deity of Christ whereby the infinite value of his merits is taken away and to undermine the personality of the Spirit which is so fully evidenced by the divine attributes appropriated to him in Scripture and therefore have the purest Churches of Christ ever disclaimed communion with such as deny the doctrine of the Trinity accounting them subverters of the fundamentals of Religion And thus for this third particular SECT IV. The Quakers hold they are equal with God and that the soul is one being with God THere is nothing may more plainly evidence to the weakest and most ignorant that this wicked Sect is of the Devil the Prince of darknesse what ever they boast of the light of Christ then this wicked Tenet that they dare maintain equality with God and the soul to be one being with God or a part of God as the Manichees of old and Familists have done This doctrine the Devil sought to instil into our first parents at the beginning ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Gen 3.5 What Christian spirit that apprehends the infinite Majesty and holinesse of God and its own basenesse and vilesse but will abhor the very mention of this opinion yet is this maintained and defended by this generation of men In their book called Sauls errand to Damascus is mention made that it was attested at a quarter Sessions at Lancaster that some of them affirmed themselves to be equal with God and that afterwards the same thing was acknowledged before many witnesse nor do they deny this publick evidence was given against them though they would shuffle about it while they covertly plead for the same thing p. 2 5 6. 10. Hubberthorn in his book against Sherlock p. 30. doth most ignorantly and blasphemously alledge that place for this Phil. 2.5 6. Let this minde be in you which also was in Christ who being in the forme of God thought it no robery to be equal with God where the Reader may see how he imitates Satan in corrupting the Scriptures both by leaving out the following words which must necessarily be known before the minde of the Apostle be understood viz. but made himself of no reputation took on him the forme of a servant humbled himself c. the sentence is not compleat without taking in these words and also perverting the scope and drift of the Apostle in that place who is pressing humility ver 3. and urging it from Christs example who though equal with God yet humbled himself it is far of from the Apostles mind there to perswade us to beleeve we are equal with God he is pressing humility they that desire to see fuller evidence for their holding equality with God may see Sword drawn p. 3 and also the many testimonies which the Ministers of New-castle bring for it in their first book p. 3 4. That they hold the soule to be one being with God or a part of God See also testimony for it in the book last cited p. 6. and Sword drawn p. 3 4. Hubberthorne in the book before named p. 29. saith there 's no Scripture which speaks of an humane soul then it seems the soul or spirit in man which the Scripture speaks so much of must either be God himself or the Devil One of them living in these parts did in discourse with my self argue as strongly as he could for the soul to be one being with God and though he did afterward give me the lie in the publick Assembly for reporting it of him yet I have now eight several witnesses of credit to prove the same thing and manifest him to be the liar besides what arguments passed betwixt us which clearly evidenc he pleaded for it Another of them argued with me that the soul after its departure out of the body which say they rots in the grave and never rises again is taken up into God and is one being with him urging that Scripture for it God shall be all in all For confutation of these things I need not say much they are so grosse and horrible Concerning the first Equality with God let but the Reader peruse these Scriptures Isa 40. v. 12 almost to the end of the chapter where the Lord makes a challenge twice repeated v. 18 25. To whom will ye liken me or shall I be equal saith the holy one and in the other verses sets forth his Greatnesse and Majesty he measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meateth out heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in a ballance c. The Nations are as the drop of a bucket to him c. All Nations are before him as nothing yea lesse then nothing and vanity He sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grasse-hoppers He bringeth Princes to nothing c. See much more to the same purpose there Read also Job 38.39.40 all the three chapters and this opinion will be sufficiently confuted Oh what arrogance is this for poor wormes to make comparison with the Infinite Eternal Almighty Glorious God But perhaps they will say they equal not self nor the flesh unto God that is to perish but the spirit or soul which is one being with or a part of the divine essence like some in these times which have made reason to be God I shall speak something therefore for the confutation of this 1. The Scriptures speak of the soul or spirit of man to be a created thing made in time Isa 57.16 Zach. 12.1 Psal 33.15 and can this be one being with the eternal uncreated God 2. Many Scriptures speak of the sinfulnesse of the soul Micah 6.9 Lev. 4.2 Ezek. 18.20 James 4.5 2 Cor. 7.1 and can a sinful polluted creature be one being with the holy God 3. Many Scriptures speak of the destruction and death of the soul its perishing in hell Mar. 10.28 Mat. 16.26 Prov. 4 32. and can that soule that perishes in hell be a part of the being of God 4. The Scripture distinguishes betwixt Gods Spirit and ours Rom. 8.16
1 Cor. 3.11 Zach 11.8 and affirms that some have not the Spirit of God in them Rom. 8.9 John 14.17 1 Cor. 2.14 therefore if they have no humane soul in them as Hubberthorn teaches in saying the Scriptures speak not of an humane soul they must have no soul at all for they have not the Spirit of God in them but enough for the confutation of this wretched doctrine It hath been objected to me by these people pleading for this abominable Tenet that Gen. 2.7 God is said to breath into man the breath of life and so man become a living soul whence they would infer the soul to be a part of the being of God infused into man Answ The Scripture holds forth no more but this that the soul was not created with the body of the earth as the souls of beasts were and so to perish with the body but that it was created by God a spiritual substance and so infused into the body it was of a more excellent and spiritual extract then the body was and therefore the original of mans spirit is set forth otherwise then the original of the souls of beasts it came indeed from God but was not of the being of God which is spiritual and indivisible this were to make men to be gods This was the heresie of the wicked Manichees whom Augustine sometimes confuted and vindicated this place which they had perverted Object But they argue much from these Scriptures that speak of the onenesse of beleevers with Christ and Gods dwelling in them and they in him for this thing Answ I shall therefore for the benefit of the weak open the manner of Christs in-being or in-dwelling in beleevers lest they not understanding it should stumble at these Scriptures This in-dwelling or in-being of Christ and onenesse with him is held forth in many Scriptures John 6 56. Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.29 2 Cor. 13.5 c. John 17.21 now how should we understand this what God to dwell in his Saints Christ to be and inhabit in beleevers how can this be the heaven of heavens cannot containe him how much lesse the strait heart of man Know First Negatively you must not understand this in-being or in-dwelling of Christ to be either 1. A corporeal inhabitation as if the body of Christ or his humane nature dwelt in us which was the grosse conceit of the Capernaites John 6. and is to this day the opinion of Papists and Vbiquitaries who imagine Christs body to have the properties of the divine nature communicated to it to be immense and to be in many places at once and this must be the conceit of the Quakers if they hold any man Christ at all for they deny any Man Christ but in us men This is a grosse mistake it overthrows the truth of Christs Man-hood and the Scriptures expresly say The heavens must containe him and this man Christ comes not till he descends to judge the world besides the Scriptures teach that Christs being in us is spiritual not bodily Rom. 8.9 10. 2. Nor is it an essential in-dwelling of the divine nature in Gods people as if the very being of God were communicated to us and dwelt in us though the Apostle Peter speaks of the divine nature being communicated to the Saints yet he expresses other where what he understands thereby namely the divine graces and vertues of the Spirit Indeed how can the being of God which is infinite and boundlesse be in one place or person more then in another though his graces may 3. Nor is it a Personal in-being as the soul lives in the body and is one subsistence with it thus the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in Christ by personal or hypostatical union but thus God is not in his Saints then they should be gods as Christ was God this is the blasphemy of Familists who say they are godded and christed Secondly Affirmatively Christ dwelleth and is in his Saints according to the Scriptures two ways 1. By his special spiritual presence he is more especially present with and in the hearts of his Saints then with others by his gracious manifestations by his sweet influences and by his wonderful operatitions upon their hearts so God dwelt in the Temple formerly and so he dwells in heaven now in the Temple God said This is my rest here I will dwell he manifested himself to his people there he heard their prayers gave forth his oracles there they had communion with God in his Ordinances they saw his face in the Sanctuary c. and so now in heaven God is said to dwell there because he manifests his glorious presence there especially in that place the Saints shall have the vision and fruition of God eternally Thus in the same manner God dwells in his people now by special spiritual presence he makes such manifestations of himself to them as none besides have they see his face know more of his minde have more of his love-visits then others have John 14.21 Rev. 3.20 he refreshes them with his flaggons of wine and his hidden Mannah fills them with the comfort peace and joy of his Spirit He vouchsafes to them such divine influences of grace as others have not such quicknings and breathings of his Spirit as fills their hearts with spiritual vigour and life because he lives they live also And he doth such mighty works in them as in none else puts forth the same power that was put forth in raising Christ from the dead to mortifie corruptions in them to strengthen them to beleeve and to do the works of God to frame them according to the image of God c. Esay 26.12 Eph. 1.21 2. By mystical union and this is more then the former one may have a dwelling in an house but no union with it God dwelt in the Temple but was not one with it he dwells in the heavens but hath no union with them but he so dwells in beleevers as he is one with them 1 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 12.12 John 17.21 This onenesse is so near that it excels all the unions upon earth the Scripture uses the comparisons of husband and wife Eph. 5. of head and members 1 Cor. 12. of soul and body Gal. 2 20. of root and branches John 15. to set it forth by and yet all these be too short he addes the union betwixt the Father and Son John 17. to commend it further yet must not be so presumptuously wrested as to plead for an essential or personal union to make us gods All these comparisons are used in Scripture not because they suit in al things but that we may by these see what a comfortable relation we stand in to God and what blessings we may expect to be communicated to us by vertue thereof If any expect I should give some name to that union to expresse what it is further I shall presume to say no more but this it is a great mystery and cannot be fully comprehended by the Saints
with their souls after the resurrection and last judgment shall eternally possesse and inherit And hell is a place of endlesse and exquisite torments to which wicked men shall be adjudged into which they are not now actually thrust whilest they are upon earth though they feel flashes of wrath upon their consciences sometimes which are the earnests thereof but after their departure out of the flesh their soules shall be tormented therein and after the resurrection of the just and of the unjust their bodies shall be sentenced with their souls to be eternally punished therein Let the Reader see from hence what wicked enemies of the truths of Christ this generation of men are that dare thus subvert the most fundamental truths of the Gospel whereon the comfort and hope of Christians depends and which being overthrown a gap is opened to all wickednesse and abominations for what impieties will not men venture upon when they believe no resurrection judgment heaven or hell but what men have now in their consciences and what discouragement will this be to the Saints whose only comfort and hope arises from that invisible glory in the world to come Thus for this sixth general charge SECT VII The Quakers are enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ THe holy Ordinances of God being instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ the King of his Church to the end we might therein visibly tender up to God that homage and worship that is due unto his Name and that we might in them enjoy communion with himselfe as also that through them he might communicate the influences of his grace and blessing unto our soul it cannot but be horrid impiety in any to attempt the violation of the same How can it be otherwise reputed by any gracious heart but high treason against the crown and dignity of our Lord Jesus thus to trample upon his institutions and appointments and a sacrilegious robbing of God of that manifested glory due to him which was the great end of his creating the world and redeeming mankind As also extreamly prejudicial to the comfort and salvation of mens souls Such therefore as shall attempt the undermining of the same notwithstanding what faire pretenses they may make cannot be otherwise adjudged then the open enemies of God and the manifest confederates of Satan the Prince of darknesse for wherein can they gratifie that evil spirit more then in casting down the holy Ordinances of Gods worship and service This is evident in that the devil doth enjoyne such as are his sworn servants and slaves that is witches so soon as they be admitted into that cursed society to renounce the Ordinances of God to deny their baptisme to turn their backs off the Ministry of the Word to cast off prayer to God c. as hath been made to appeare by the publike confessions of many of these miserable creatures when they have been condemned to die for their wickednesse If then the Quakers shall be found guilty of this crime to be enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ the weakest Christian may see ground enough to reject them and abhor their ways This charge I shall therefore now make good against them by instancing in these several Ordinances of Christ which they renounce and cast off First for the ministerial teaching and preaching of the word this is an appointment of Jesus Christ Mark 16.15 16. and to continue to the end of the world Matth. 28.19 20. therefore was care taken that after the Apostles there might be a constant succession of Ministers in the Churches or Christ in after ages 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. But now this Ordinance is denied by the Quakers they hold forth the light in them to be a sufficient teacher that there needs no other to teach but that neither the teaching of the Scriptures nor the Ministry of men See Nailer Glory soon the North p. 2 3. All people saith he cease from their outside lights and return to the light of Christ in you And this light is not a chapter without you in a book this is the more sure word of prophecie c. G. F. in a paper to the Baptists p. 8. You that look out at Teachers without you consider you are strangers to that Covenant by which all come to know the Lord and need not that one teach another Parnel trial of faith p. 7. Hearken to that in your conscience thou that art willing to follow this and be guided by this shalt need no man to teach thee But it will be said they have teachers and teaching among themselves how can they be judged enemies to this Ordinance then I answer it 's true their principles and practises do herein contradict each other and this no unusual thing amongst them to do thus But I shall tell you what one of their great friends replyed to this contradiction when I charged them with it saith he Their teaching is but to take people off from other Teachers that they may be brought to minde the light in them alone and then they will cease teaching Good Reader see what the designe of these men is to bring thee and thy posterity into the condition poor Indians are in to have no other teaching and so to leave thee I hope thou seest by this what enemies they are to thy soul As for Prayer this is also an Ordinance of God 1 Thes 5.17 publick prayer in Church Assemblies 1 Tim. 2.1 15. secret in our closets Mat. 6.6 private prayer in families Zach. 12.10 12. Jer. 10.25 so for prayer and thanksgiving when we receive Gods creatures 1 Tim. 4.45 Mat. 15.36 Now this Ordinance the Quakers are enemies to as appeares by their practises the chiefest of their followers have for a long time disused prayer in their families when they arise or go to bed though formerly some of them have been seemingly conscientious therein they neglect giving thanks when they receive the creatures and pray not for a blessing on them falling to as swine without looking up to heaven And for their speakers though of late they have used it more then in former times as they have in policy more then in honesty reformed many other things that they saw were an offence to people and kept them from following them yet they are not true friends to prayer Nailer p. 3. of his Glory from the North mocks such as pray for a sight of sin and repentance saying the light in them would discover it c. and in many other books of theirs this may be seen and what then should Christians pray for if they may not pray for grace besides when their teachers pray here it 's testified by many which have heard them They never pray to God in the Name of Jesus Christ and what prayer can they make then but as if they were in the very person of Christ as indeed they hold God to dwell as essentially in them as in the Man Christ Jesus they use such expressions
and light of reason unto man Now this light of reason though it be an excellent gift of Christ for by it man excels other creatures yet to distinguish it from that special illumination of Gods Spirit in conversion and regeneration we call it the light of nature gifts of nature as well as of grace being from God and in themselves good And the Scriptures give the same name unto it 1 Cor. 11.14 that light in men that condemns long hair is called nature and that light and power whereby the Gentiles who had not the Law of Moses did the things contained therein is called nature Rom. 2.14 how vainly then do these men cavil against us for calling this the light of nature seeing the Scriptures stile it so as well as we Secondly This common light of understanding and reason with which all men in the world be endued called the light of nature because connatural with man is not sufficient to enlighten men unto conversion and salvation unless an higher and supernatural light be communicated to them this hath been formerly maintained against Papists and Pelagians the enemies of Gods grace and I maintain it against the Quakers by these reasons 1 Constant experience shews it evidently amongst those Nations who have had no other light but that in the conscience and wanted the preaching of the Gospel and saving illumination of Gods Spirit not one amongst them was ever known by that light in them to have attained to the knowledge of Jesus Christ without which there is no salvation the very Name of Christ they have been ignorant of much more ignorant of the mysteries of his incarnation death satisfaction of the new Covenant founded in his blood c. but they have worshipped false gods devils c. how then is this light sufficient which never sufficeth to convert and save any one to this day 2 The Scriptures shew in many places the miserable condition of such people as have not the preaching of the Gospel amongst them they are in darknesse and the shadow of death Mat. 4.16 under the power of Satan Act. 26.18 without God without Christ without Hope Eph. 2.11 and they cannot beleeve in Christ without hearing of him by a preacher sent Rom. 10.16 Sure then the heeding of the light in the conscience was not sufficient to their Sanctification and Salvation 3 Let it be considered what knowledge in the things of God men may attain by the light in their consciences and what they cannot attain without an higher light and hereby the insufficiency of this light will plainly appear The Apostle Rom. 1.19 shews that there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heathens that want the preaching of the Gospel something of God they may know from an impression upon their hearts remaining after the fall When an enemy demolishes a City some foundations of houses remain so some relicks of knowledge and principles of good remain in man after the ruines of Gods image in him and he may improve this knowledge further by the works of God which are seen and may know there is a God that this God is a powerful wise holy merciful just God that he is to be worshipped feared loved and served by man that grosse sins are not to be committed so far may this light in every man guide him as appears in the very Heathens who had no other helps but this common light but alas this is far off from bringing men to conversion and salvation this knowledge of God is but dark groping knowledge they had no clear distinct knowledge of God to know him One in three could not discern the least knowledge of Jesus Christ come in the flesh dying rising again c. nor of the new Covenant of the benefits obtained by his blood could not know the Ordinances of Gods worship instituted by him nor the duty of believing in Christ for salvation and for sinne they could not discerne concupiscence to be sin by the light in them but only by the Law Rom. 7.7 how insufficient then is the light in the conscience to lead men unto conversion and salvation Object But the Quakers have objected to me if they heed this light God will give them further for to him that hath shall be given Mat. 25.29 Answ This is an Objection borrowed from the Papists and other enemies of Gods grace who have frequently perverted this Scripture to overthrow special grace in conversion and therefore the answer that hath been given to them may serve the Quakers That promise of Christ there made to the improvement of our talents doth not speak of an increase in another kinde but in the same kinde of gifts which we improve he that shall improve Ministerial gifts of which Christ there speaks shall have further Ministerial gifts given to him not that he which improves common and general gifts shall have saving converting grace given to him the contrary we see by manifest experience in those Heathens who have improved best that common talent in searching after the knowledge of God and following moral vertues God hath left them wholly without the knowledge of Jesus Christ and hath called some more prophane and barbarous therefore the Scriptures attribute mens effectual calling and conversion to Gods free grace and good pleasure not to mans improvement of a common talent given to him Mat. 11 26. Rom. 9.16 Besides this objection is grounded upon another rotten Romish doctrine to wit that men before conversion and regeneration have power to improve the common light and grace they have so as to obtaine of God special and saving grace a doctrine as contrary to the Scriptures and derogatory to Gods grace as the former 4 It is clear this light in all men is not sufficient to lead men unto salvation because those that have been most zealous followers thereof have been lead thereby further from God and the way of salvation they have indeed been something eminent in morality and civil conversation but further off from Christianity then others Saul before his conversion following it was blamelesse in a moral conversation but a bitter enemy to Christ this light leads some to think they do God good service in persecuting his servants and how wretchedly some have been deluded that leaving the light of the Scriptures have heeded this light in them appears sufficiently by the relations of Gilpin Toldervy and others Thirdly we therefore maintain besides the common light that God hath given to all a necessity of special illumination by the Word and Spirit of God unto conversion and salvation Christ teaches us John 3. Except we be regenerate and borne again we cannot see the Kingdom of God therefore sure what we have at the first birth as we come into the world suffices not Acts 26.18 Christ sends Paul to open the eyes of the blind and turn men from Satan to God by his preaching what need that if they had before a light in them sufficient to salvation Psalme 119.
David prays Open mine eyes that I may understand the wonderful things of thy Law give me understanding that I may keep thy precepts would not the Quakers correct David here and say why David look to the light within thee and that is sufficient what needest thou pray for more so Paul Eph. 1.17 18. prays for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians though they had already the light in them and the outward preaching of the Gospel our doctrine therefore is more agreeable to the Scriptures then the Quakers doctrine we teach besides the light in the conscience which condemns grosse sins which we would not have men sin against but to study to keep a good conscience void of offence there is a necessity of the light of the Scriptures and the preaching of the Word to discover such things as the conscience cannot discover and of the sanctifying illumination of Gods Spirit also to open our blind eyes to see those discoveries and his grace to heal the enmity of our hearts that we may close with them did the Quakers believe the conversion and sanctification of the soul to be such a great work as we do they would see a necessity of an higher principle to produce it then this common light in all men Reader thou mayst sufficiently see what corrupters of the truth the Quakers be seeing in this main doctrine which is the sum of all their teaching they erre so grosly and are plain Papists and Pelagians II. The Quakers destroy the true doctrine of Sanctification in that they make it to consist in a few outward observances of casting off ribbons not putting off the hat vsing the expressions of thou yea nay c. as the Pharisees formerly placed holinesse in washing cups hands c. and the furthest they go is but to cry down grosse sinnes as pride drunkennesse covetousnesse c. whilest in the mean time they speak nothing of a work of regeneration and renovation in the heart for they teach there 's enough in men as they come into the world if they heed that and as concerning inward mortification of the seeds of evil in the heart and a spiritual work of God upon the soul in turning the whole frame of it to God to center in him again how silent are they in these great things did they look upon these as necessary they durst not proudly boast they are perfect and absolutely free from the being of sin but even as the Papists who say they are free from the being of sin and for that end deny concupiscence in the regenerate to be sin so must the Quakers look upon these things as nothing if they will defend their perfection But we on the contrary maintain the great work of Sanctification begins chiefly in the heart in creating a new heart infusing a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 27. which men have not as they come into the world at the first birth but at the second birth in making the tree good and then the fruit will be good afterwards Mat. 12.33 III. They destroy the proper end of Sanctification the end of God in Sanctifying his people is not that by setting up a righteousnesse in them they might thereby be justified before God for their justification stands in Gods free remitting of their sins and imputing to them the obedience and satisfaction of Christ their Surety wrought in his person for them as was before shewed in the Section of Justification but that being reconciled to God through Christ their natures being sanctified and the image of God repaired in them they might be fit to glorifie God and to enjoy communion with him for ever to make them fit for glory for without holinesse no man can see God Heb. 12.14 But now the Quakers make the great end of God in sanctifying his people and infusing righteousnesse into them to be that they might be justified before God and therefore ignorantly confound justification mortification and sanctification together see Nailer love to the lost p. 50. thus are they enemies to the doctrine of Christ crucified and justification by faith they are fallen from grace and seek to lead men from Christ to the Law again as the Apostle Paul shews in the Epistle to the Gallatians IV. They own not any for truly sanctified persons but such as are perfectly freed from the being of sinne and therefore reproach us who say with the Apostle Romans 7. we have sin dwelling in us as unsanctified persons whereas the Scriptures own such for Saints as are freed from the dominion of sinne though not yet from the being thereof and shew that in the best there is flesh as well as Spirit Gal. 5.17 V. They deny the grace of God infused into the Saints in Sanctification to be a created thing though the Scripture calls it the new creature 2 Corinth 5.17 Ephes 2.10 and hold it to be the uncreated being of God so Richard Hubberthorne and John Lawrence in a letter sent to me speak a most wretched and blasphemous doctrine for then should we be Gods if the uncreated being were communicated to us even as Christ was God the divine essence being eternally communicated to him besides this doctrine would make us meerly passive as stocks and stones in all duties of Sanctification the plain doctrine of the Libertines that being followed overthrows all holinesse having sometimes laid open the odiousnesse of this opinion to my people the person last named being ashamed of it did openly deny it before the Congregation but hath now owned it with his hand subscribing to it VI. They take away many great arguments inducing to Holinesse and Sanctification as the doctrine of the Resurrection last Judgement Heaven and Hell c. as was before shewed now to what purpose is it to raile against sinne when they take away those weapons that should destroy it and to speak of holinesse when they take away the greatest inducements thereunto If the dead rise not saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 15.22 then let us eat and drink for to morrow we die what need men be affrighted with the scar-crowes of Heaven Hell c These evil words will more corrupt good manners then all their other good words will promote holinesse VII They destroy all those helps to Sanctification and Godlinesse which God hath given us They deny the Ordinances of God as before was shewed which are the means of grace and Sanctification John 17.17 Eph. 5.26 Jam. 1.18 c. could the prelatical enemies of holinesse in former times take a more crafty course to suppresse holinesse then by silencing of Preaching Catechising Praying and restraining Christian communion c how gladly the Quakers would promote all this if they could and leave people only to the light in them which is meer darknesse I shewed before in the Section about Ordinances By this time the weakest Reader may perceive the Quakers to be but faint enemies to sinne though they speak aloud and give bigge words against it and
his last part in the world it 's likely he will use his utmost subtilty in deceiving Our great care therefore should be to preserve our selves from the errours of the wicked and to take heed of the leaven of such seducers how many cautions hath the Scripture given to us herein when Christ had foretold of those seducers Mat. 24. he bids Take heed that no man deceive you and believe them not this being the end of his forewarning us that we might be forearmed against them Heresies are reckoned amongst the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.20 and are therefore sooner drunk in by people then the precious truths of the Gospel for we cannot receive these without the special help of Gods Spirit to let them in to our hearts how soon did the Arian heresie over-spread the world only one Athanasius visibly withstood it All the world wondered after the Beast and worshipped the same Rev. 13.3 4. Popery soon over-ran the West and North parts of the world and Mahumetanisme the East and South even there where those famous Asian Churches sometimes were seated are now the impure Temples of Mahomet no gangrene sooner over-spreads the natural body then errours and heresies do the Ecclesiastick body 2 Tim. 2.17 What care then should Christians have lest they be infected with the same Adde hereunto these are no lesse deadly to the souls of people then gangrenes or plagues are to their bodies such doctrines eat as doth a canker or gangrene saith the Apostle heresies may prove as damnable to men as moral wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.1 lesser errours indeed men may hold and yet be saved whilest they build upon the right foundation Though they build hay or stubble thereupon they may be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. their spirits may be scorched their peace and comfort lost but to miscarry in the foundation is damnable who can reckon up the evil consequences of false doctrines they blind the mind and extinguish the true knowledge of God they harden the heart they undermine the comfort of Christians and destroy the Churches peace they mortally infect the inward vitals of Christianity and outwardly deprave the conversation corrupt principles wil at length produce corrupt practises they provoke the Lord to have a controversie with a people where they are tolerated Rev. 2.14 15 20. and will exclude men the Kingdome of heaven Gal. 5.20 21. Let not any Christian therefore look upon the errours and heresies of the times as things of small concernment but make it his great care to be preserved from the infection of them as men do in the time of pestilence to be preserved from the same I shall for the benefit of such humble and sincere Christians as fear the infection of the errours amongst us and are willing to use such preservations against them as the Scriptures afford collect from thence a few antidotes of special use for that end the blessing of the Lord accompanying them Directions showing how Christians may be preserved from the errours and hreresies of the times I. Labour to be rooted and grounded more in the truth if you would not be shaken with every wind of doctrine Col. 1.23 2 Pet. 2.14 it 's ungrounded and unstable Christians who commonly are seduced who never saw on what grounds they took up their Religion but take it on trust from others and then when they meet with such arguments against the truth as they cannot answer they yeild to errour whereas that may be neverthelesse a truth Mat. 22.29 though they cannot defend it therefore search the Scriptures more and labour to see how the principles of the Christian faith are established upon them and be not ashamed to learn your Catechismes wherein you have the fundamentals of Christianity extracted out of the Scriptures and plainly set down even in the Primitive times they had such first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and forms of wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 for the better grounding of weak Christians and the greatest proficieoâ—â— did first begin there and therein are contained such truths as may exercise us in searching further into all our life time Luther that eminent servant of Christ professed himself a Scholar in the Catechisme Had the Quakers ever been well grounded in the first principles or rudiments of Religion how is it possible they should so soon have been turned from the truth and denyed the doctrine of Christs humanity of the holy Trinity of Justification of Sanctification of the resurrection of the dead c for my part I know but few of them if any that I can judge ever had any clear distinct knowledge of these things and could tell how they were confirmed by the Scriptures Let therefore weak Christians if they would not be seduced use this direction conscionably give diligence to be setled more in the truth and to get a clear knowledge of the great doctrines of the Gospel such things as be fundamental and necessary to be known unto Salvation are clearly set down in Scripture that weak Christians if they study them with humility prayer and diligence may attain the understanding of them as for more difficult points that they cannot yet comprehend let them not too much be troubled about them but waite till God reveale the same unto them and in the meantime it s far safer for them to adhere in such things to what is commonly received by the people of God and embraced by the Saints in all ages Cant. 1.8 to follow the footsteps of the flock of Christ then to be led away by pretenders to new-light the Scriptures having given so many Cautions to beware of seducers in the last times This first direction is given by the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ II. Rest not in a notional embracing of the truth but receive it with love and obedience and labour to finde your hearts bettered therby and then you shall not so soon be induced to desert the truth and embrace errours when men receive not the truth with love they are soon brought to beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.10 but when men taste the sweetnesse of the wayes of God and are in love with Gospel truths for that goodnesse they find in them they will hold them fast such as have experimented the efficacy of the doctrines of faith changing and renuing their hearts quickning their spirits pacifying and comforting their consciences and quelling their corruptions will not be easily induced to exchange them for errours but it 's those that never found those benefits by the same that so soon part therewithal Let therefore the truths of Christ dwell in your hearts and season them as leaven labour to finde your hearts molded by the same and changed into the image of truth the more you grow in grace the more
Christ and ours not the same ib. E To hold Equality with God a blasphemous errour pag. 19 It comes from the Devil pag. 20 What care Christians should have to be preserved from errours pag. 72 73 Directions how to be kept from errours pag. 74 75 76 77 78 79 H Local Heaven and Hell proved pag. 35 36 37 Hereticks oft pretend to much holines and mortification pag. 54 Parallel betwixt former Hereticks and Quakers pag. 62 63 64 Civil honour and respect due to men proved and Objections answered pag. 66 67. I In dwelling of Christ in beleevers opened pag. 27 The doctrine of Justification cleared and vindicated pag. 27 28 29 30 How corrupted by Papists and Quakers pag. 24 25 26 Last Judgment proved pag. 35 Dreadful Judgments of God against Hereticks to be duly considered pag. 78 K An outward Political Kingdom of Christ upon earth besides the spiritual Kingdom in his Church Epist Ded. Necessity of being grounded in the knowledge of the things of God pag. 74 L Light in all men what it is and whether sufficient to conversion and salvation pag. 57 58 Lust harboured in the heart will expose men to errours pag. 77 M Magistrates Officers of Christ as Mediatour in his outward Political Kingdom Epis Ded. Magistrates â—re chiefly to use their power for the spiritual benefit of the Church and not only for a civil good Ep. Ded. Magistrates ought to restrain Seducers Ep. Ded. They are to be keepers of both Tables Ep. Ded. Miracles wrought by false prophets in the last days pag. 44 45 Directions that people be not deceived by such pretended miracles pag. 46 47 48 Mortification and holinesse consists not in out-side shews pag. 52 53 Ministry of the Word men must cleave to it if they would not desert truth pag. 77 O Gospel Ordinances instituted by Christ. pag. 38 39 40 Their continuance proved pag. 42 43 P Papists and Quakers agree in twenty particulars pag. 64 Pharisees and Quakers agree in many particulars pag. 65 Necessity of prayer to be kept from errours pag. 76 R Resurrection of the body proved and the manner of it opened pag. 32 33 c. Righteousnesse of Christ how made ours and we justified thereby pag. 24 S Scriptures proved to be the Word of God pag. 1 2 Scriptures the rule of faith and life pag. 3 4 5 Scriptures concern us as much as the Saints in former times pag. 6 Scriptures no dead letter pag. 6 Necessity of the Scriptures to us pag. 7 8 9 Sanctification its cause nature arguments end and helps opened pag. 44 45 Soul not a part of the being of God pag. 18 Meeting-places of Seducers to be shunned pag. 76 T Tolleration of all Religions more destructive to the Church then persecution Ep. Ded. Doctrine of the Trinity cleered and confirmed pag. 16 17 What an evil to deny it shewed pag. 18 Truth must be entertained with love and affection or else men will soon desert it pag. 75 V Union of Christ and beleevers opened pag. 24 W Scriptures perversely wrested pag. 10 FINIS BOOKS Printed and are to be sold by Adoniram Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head Alley neer Lumbardstreet A Commentary upon the three first chapters of Genesis by that Reverend Divine Mr John White late of Dorchester in fol. An Exposition upon the sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth thirteenth chapters of Ezekiel by Mr. William Greenhill being the second Vol. in 4. An Exposition upon the fifteenth sixteenth seventeenth eighteenth ninteenth chapters of Ezekiel by Mr. William Greenhill being the the third Vol. 4. The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 4. A short Catechisme by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick The Riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners upon Rev. 3.20 by Mr Obadiah Sedgwick in 12. The Reasons of the Assembly of Divines concerning Presbyterial Government 4. The Assemblies larger and lesser Catechisme in 4. The tenth Muse several Poems by Mrs. Anne Bradstreet in 8. Hidden Manna or the Mystery of saving grace by Mr. William Fenner in 12. Safe conduct or the Saints guidance to glory at the Funeral of Mrs. Thomasin Barnardiston by Mr. Ralph Robinson 4. The Saints longing after their heavenly country a Sermon by Mr. Ralph Robinson A Sermon at a Fast by Mr. Na. Ward FINIS