And pag 43. by way of reproach Thou saist it because the Scripture saith it Nay do they not in page 90 of the same book answer to the second querie call the letter of the Scripture dust And calls him Serpent for asserting the word preacht as the means of Faith Serpent like saith he thou feedest upon dust And in the next page Answer to the fourth query All thy hearing and all thy pratling of that which thou callest the word by it thou shalt never get Faith which is the gift of God but it is all the Serpents meat which feeds thee thou serpent which art curst above all the beasts of the field And do not they say page 104 of that book Answer to querie the thirtieth That their giving forth of papers or printed books it is from the immediate eternal Spirit of God And then what difference between their stinking rotten blasphemous papers and the sacred Scriptures Yea to make up the measure of their blasphemie do they not say the same spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which gives forth now is as true as the Scriptures and not contrary to the Scriptures The charge being against them for magnifying papers equal to the holy Scriptures what damnable hypocrites are these to say they establish the Scriptures If we take their words in every honest mans sense But what mean these hypocrites then in saying they establish and they confirm and they witness the Scriptures Why forsooth it pleaseth their Godship and Christship or rather devilship to speak from their eternal spirit in the Scripture language and so add their Authority to it as the Papists The Scriptures are but as Aesops Fables with them if not allowed of and confirmed by the authority of their Church Or else they establish it by asserting it to be within them in the power of it For I would allow them all fair interpretation But I pray are not the Scriptures truth and the written and sacred Word of God in themselves whether man doth believe or entertain them yea or no Doth mans believing them make them the Word of God more then they were before It s true as to his comfort or advantage that receives them not to him they are not as the Word of God But in themselves they are and will be though all men in the world reject them They speak lies therefore in hypocrisie in saying they establish the word But further to discover their lying hypocrisie they speak not forsooth from the letter of the Scripture i. not as taught by or from the letter i. what they get by reading of the Scripture in the letter No though the Scripture had never been written they could have spoken as they do from and by the eternal and immediate and infallible spirit But oh ye hypocrites I 'le ask you a question did our English Translators of the Scriptures teach the eternal Spirit to speak English Or if you would speak without lying Did you never read the Scripture in our English translation that you speak the very words for the most part except your canting language from Jacob Behmen as the straying of Eves minde and lust into the visibles and being redeemed out of the perishing nature and such like stuffe will any man believe that the spirit which gives the gift of utterance and expression could not have spoken the same truths in other English As every one knows may be done and yet keep the same sense and truth But it must pedantically teach you like school-boys to speak so by rote Fye for shame It smels leave your hypocritical lying and do not so poorly and basely belye the spirit and speak against that light which is within you But once more and a little further to this what leads your Holiness forth to speak in Scripture language Is it not hypocrite-like that thereby you might catch poor simple plain-hearted people in your snares who having a due and reverent esteem of the Scriptures you allure by pretences of establishing the Scripture to insinuate those poisonous doctrines which I have before discovered you to be guilty of As for Antichrists other two Doctrines of forbidding to marry and abstaining from meats I shall not now prosecute I may speak of that when I shall a little open the effects of their teachings But before I speak to that I shall but suggest my apprehensions of the end these men may have in their undertakings and on whose errand they are come I will present them and leave them to thy judgement They may come in their own Anti-christs or the Devils errand First they may come in their own to cheat the people of the money and this hypocritical lying too For though they raile upon Ministers as Preaching for hire which who so doth let him answer for himself yet they themselves do teach That where they have planted and sown there they may reap Which in plain English is this Those whom they have seduced they may take money of and whether they do or no time will discover Sure I am they have necessary supplies for nature which some able Ministers have not and no doubt a large Diocess which these ramble over will yield more then any particular Parish And they plead hard for Community for in their Answer to the seven Priests page 22. whereas it seems they had charged them with reading for it The Quakers there answer and say Here you are against the Spirit of life For say they they that did believe were of one heart and they that do believe are born of God and amongst such there was no oppressor no taskmaster and it s said all things were common and no man said this is my own And conclude thus You who are not come to Christs Doctrine who is not come to give your coat yet who hath two you we deny So that though they come not for money before-hand they can take it afterwards and though with the Fryars they may not touch money they have a poak in their sleeve into which if you put it some can take it out and know what to doe with it So that this may be one end of their coming Secondly they may come upon Anti-Christs errand and not much improbable for Lancashire and those parts is as famous for Papists as Witches and on good grounds we may conceive them to be Anti-Christs factors if we consider their doctrins For any intelligent Reader may easily discover the doctrines of Vniversal grace Free-will Satisfaction by our own sufferings Justification by inherent holiness Ability to keep the Law Perfection Nulling the Doctrine of Original sin and the Popish real presence All which with some other things I intended particularly to evidence from their writings but I fear being too large There are many other wretched opinions of theirs worse then the Papists which others have discovered from other of their writings which I have not seen and I leave it to others who have more strength and leisure if they
see cause to discover to the world And truely it is not improbable that some of these fellows themselves may be of the Popish tribe and Schollers though professing themselves mechanick for is it not usual And there is a notable story to this purpose lately printed alled The false Jew wherein is expressed his designe and his discovery from his own acknowledgment how that he was sent over from Rome by a special order from the Jesuits and with personal unction and benediction from the Pope and how one while he was to have come over under the notion of a Tailor with direction to joyn with the Anabaptists and to preach Notions But now he came over under the pretext of being a Converted Jew being an excellent Hebritian and circumcised at Rome for this purpose To what and whither will not a deluded spirit lead a man And in that relation you shall find how he joyned with the Anabaptists at Wrexham and was rebaptized by them where he preached notions among them Amongst others this was one That that place Luke 17. 21. where it is said The Kingdom of God is within you he gave this as the most proper sence of the Original sc The Kingdom of God is so within you as that it is not without you in Forms and Ordinances with which interpretation he said Lieutenant Col. Paul Hobson a Teacher among the Anabaptists was mightily taken How many flies may the blind man swallow Another design of this deceiver was to bring the authority of our Translation of the Scripture into question And prevailed so far that some of them entertained scruples about it But now the design is new moulded And now not translations onely but all outward Scriptures must be denyed and rejected And these men can from their infallible spirit make new ones Witness the daring boldness and impudence of these Quakers and their hypocritical lying and belying the Scriptures For Fox and Hubberthorn in their book bring in these words Take heed to the light of God within you And not onely produce them in another character the same with their Scripture quotations But also urge them as the Apostles words thus sc As the Apostle said Take heed to the light of God within you Neither citing what Apostle or where As indeed 't is no where in all the Scripture And Farnworth in his late piece of womens speaking in the Church Printed by Calvert 1654. In the head of his discourse where usually in printed books the Text is placed He hath these words in a distinct character as his Authority for his following discourse But the spirit of truth may declare through the Temple and dwell in it which the world cannot receive And then quotes 1 Cor. 6. 19. Joh. 14. 16 17. Now what man in the world can finde any such words as the former part in all the Scriptures Should we add to and mangle the Scriptures thus how should we be curst and raild at as well we might by every true Christian but not by these men Indeed Reader 't is manifest these mens intents are to fetch people off from the Scripture altogether That so the Authority thereof being rejected they may be the better prepared upon a new assault in another disguise to entertain the infallible Authority of the Romish Chair For the same course the Papists take to render them of small esteem do these men run For the learnedst of them pick out all such places as seem contrary one unto another and urge them to the people denying to any a power of reconciliation referving that to their own un-erring spirit And from thence assume a power to make the whole Authentical or otherwise And do not these men the same It may therefore be very probable all forewritten considered they come of Antichrists errand And thirdly and lastly They may come of the devils errand He hath many messengers and servants and some serve him more eminently and immediately then others And they are Hereticks False Teachers and Seducers I shall take this for the present granted And that these men are sent by him in a more especial manner is extremely probable If you consider the manner of their coming and their matter Their matter you have seen sc reviling railing reproaching lying falsifying blaspheming c. And for the manner entitling the Eternal Holy most pure and unerring Lord God to all these horrid abominations Being seconded with preternatural obsessions possessions operations upon the bodies and spirits of men women and children by violent impulsions motions and actions The parties being so carryed on without confederacies and fore-contrived designes And meerly patients in the business and not able to withstand them And being for confirmation of such diabolical doctrines must needs be the devils operations For this is a sure Conclusion The blessed spirit of Truth will never give testimony to lies And indeed the very nastiness and beastliness of their quakings purging upwards and downwards with most distorted gestures may easily perswade they come from that unclean spirit And that they are swinish possessions not divine raptures I shall not enter upon discourse of these things It hath been done by others I shall therefore give the Reader in two stories from the North which may give some satisfaction in this particular Both stories I have taken out of the Mirrour for Saints and Sinners written by that industrious servant of Christ Mr Samuel Clark Pastor of Benet-Finck London the second Edition The second story is by him contracted and I was the more willing to to take it so to save labour I had the story it self at large in print but having lent it forth could never recover it The first is this ANno Christi 1653. about the month of October came some Quakers out of the North into Wales about Wrexham endeavouring to win some professors to their party Their principal design was to disgrace the Ministry and all publike Ordinances They held Universal redemption Free-will and falling from grace They published that all men have the pure seed of God in them boasting that themselves were perfect and without sin that they knew at the first sight sincere Christians from hypocrites At meetings after long silence sometimes one sometimes more fell into a great and dreadfull shaking and trembling in their whole bodies and all their joynts with such risings and swellings in their bellies and bowels sending forth such shreekings yellings howlings and roarings as not only affrighted the spectaters but caused the dogs to bark the swine to cry and the cattel to run about to the astonishment of all that heard them By these artifices one William Spencer was drawn to leave the Church and to follow them whereupon at several times he fell into the same quaking fits and lying with one of them three several nights the last night being much troubled and not able to sleep upon a sudden he heard something buzzing and humming about the Quakers head like an humble-bee
make us all able wise vigilant faithfull and succesfull So prayes he who is The furtherer of thy faith and the helper of thy joy RA FARMER And now Reader having laid before thee this great mysterie of Godlinesse from the un-erring truth of the eternall word revealed in the scriptures I shall discover unto thee a great mysterie of ungodlinesse a mysteric of iniquity and of abhomination even that abhomination which maketh desolate destroyeth all Christian Religion from the writings and speakings in a generation of men called Quakers And here in â—he first place I shall communicate unto thee that which I confesse was the first ground of the discovere of this my sterie unto me and that you shall finde in a beok intitl'ed A Confession of Faith of the several Congregations or Churches of Christ in London which are commonly though unjustly as they say called Anabaptists Vnto which is added Hearts-bleedings for Professors abominations Or a faithfull generall Epistle from the same Churches Presented to all who have known the way of truth forewarning them to flee security and carelesse walking under the profession of the same discovering some of Satans wiles whereby also wanton persons and their ungodly wayes are disclaimed The fifth impression Which Book is signed in the name and by the appointment of the aforesaid severall Churches meeting in London By William Kiffen John Spilsberry and twelve more of them And these men I look upon as competent for this discovery for several reasons first in respect of their residence and habitations sc London a place where if any where all Religions Opinions Professions are to be found secondly the parties themselves sc the Anabaptists a sort of men in many things many of them neer of kin I charge no man in particular but generally they have bin a sort of people much given to Enthusiasmes and immediate Calls Revelations and apt to entertain fantastick dreams and fancies And concerning them I fully concurre with that precious Servant of Christ now in heaven Mr. Cuthbert Sidenham in an Epistle of his before his excellent Book concerning Infant-Baptism and singing of Psalms where speaking of the Opinion of Anabaptists denying Infants Baptism An opinion saith he which hath been alwayes ominous and of a powerfull strange influence accompanied with the most dangerous retinue of errors since the first Embryo of it was brought forth whether by a judgement of God or from its naturall or secret connexion with other principles of darknesse I will not determin Only God hath shewed some black Characters on it in every Nation where it hath prevailed though we cannot but say many Saints are innocently under the power of it Thus farre he Now these men therefore both in respect of the conveniency of the place but especially in the likelyhood of acquaintance and familiarity with this kind of people who mostly have been Members of their Congregations and have departed from them which may be one of the black works before spoken of these Anabaptists may have probablie plowed with their heyfer and so may best unfold their riddle and discover their ungodly Mysterie within their generall Epistle before mentioned after some little Preface they do in these words To all the Churches os God sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place professe the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Beloved Brethren HAving these many years through the grace and free-mercy of our God been kept in the profession of the Name of Christ contained in the holy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles and findding the exceeding benefit and comfort of walking with God in some measure suitable to what he hath made known unto us and well knowing that we are called to live in the last ages of the world wherein iniquity abounds and the love of many waxeth cold as likewise considering those peculiar times spoken of in 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. are come upon us wherein men who sometimes have made a large profession of God and godliness are turned aside to commit all manner of uncleanness with greedines having turned the grace of our Lord Jesus into lasciviousness calling darkness light and light darkness by meanes of whom the way of truth is evill spoken of and many poor souls through temptations ready to quit their professions and to be taken with their snares We thought it our duty to declare our utter dislike abhorring and detestation of all such evill persons and wayes who shall under pretence whatsoever plead for or practise any way of ungodlinesse And having been through the goodness of our God inabled to discern the secret and subtill designs and snares of Satan which he hath laid to entrap poor souls in by carrying them from step to step untill they have bin wholly captivated in his snares and fitted by him to do him service We could doe no lesse then according to that measure of light we have received from the Lord to discover his wiles and stratagems and to caution all that professe the feare of the Lord to watch over their own hearts and ways and to take heed lest they fall into the same condemnation For this we have found that that way which God in his infinite wisedome taketh to bring souls unto himself by viz. the presenting unto men his great love in giving Jesus Christ to suffer death and his great salvation to all that believe in his name Satan that old serpent through his instruments under the specious pretences of beating men off from all false rests endeavours with all his strength to oppose and make void perswading the sonnes and daughters of men that what is declared concerning the death of Christ at Jerusalem and his bearing our iniquities in his own body upon the Crosse is but a meer History and shadow the Scriptures are but a letter and the Ordinances of God but fleshly forms thereby labouring to beget in the peoples mindes a contempt and sleight esteem of Christ his Word and Ordinances and that he might cheat them to purpose tells them of a God within and a Christ within and a Word within and that God and Christ and they are one without any true distinct knowledge of the true meaning of that which is expressed whereby poor souls with great and swelling words of vanity triumph in a great mysterie of meer nothing but emptiness and confusion speaking things whereof they know not and many poor souls knowing such expressions to be Scripture phrases do greedily embrace them without a true distinct and clear understanding the sense of what is spoken having the persons of those who speak such language in great admiration as the chief tender charitable knowing high and spiritual Christians Whereas indeed although the words spoken by them are many of them true in themselves without which Satan could not so effectually deceive as that God and Christ and the Spirit dwell in us and that God and Christ and the Saints are
whether the Word was made flesh any more or oftner then once which Querie comes from thy dark polluted minde who is out of the Light and a stranger to the Life and without God in the world amongst the false Prophets Antichrist and deceivers which are in the world and in the Light of Christ which condemns the world yea are all seen known and made manifest and are turned away from by these who dwell in the Light which Light condemns thee and all thy generation eternally and the Word made flesh we witnesse which dwells amongst us and we behold his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father according to the Scripture whereby we witnesse thee and all thy generation to be in the sorcery and in the witchcraft deceiving and betraying the simple the Light of Christ in thy conscience will tell thee so for that thou must be obedient to and witnesse before thou witnesse the Word to be made flesh once for thou art darknesse it self and the light in thy conscience if thou would let it rise will be thy condemnation and when thou can witnesse the Word to be made flesh once then thou wilt know whether the Son of God was made of a Woman any more or oftner then once But thou art the Dragon that would devour the Man-child which the Woman hath brought forth who shall rule all Nations with a rod of iron and her child is caught up to God and to his Throne thou the Dragon and thy Angels is cast out into the Earth and therefore dost thou persecute the Woman which hath brought forth the Manchild bat thou art overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of his testimony and for thy other nineteen Queries thou hast conjured them up in thy black art out of the bottomelesse pit which is to be turned into perdition if thou had an ear thou might hear or an eye thou might read but thou art blind II. Quaer Whether did the Man Christ Jesus the Sonne of God slain in respect of Gods decree and efficacy of his death from the foundation of the world really and indeed suffer death or dissolution of soul and body as upon the Crosse at Jerusalem more or oftner then once Answ Here in this Querie thou Diviner is found adding to the Scripture thy divinations of thy own brain whereupon the plagues of God is to be aded unto thee and poured upon thee For as thou says the man Christ Jesus the Lamb of God slain in respect of Gods Decree and efficacy of his death from the foundation of the world Oh thou liar let all people see where there is such a Scripture that speaks as thou speaks here but in the sight of Christ thou art seen and in the life comprehended and art for condemnation The man Christ Jesus we own and witnesse and the Lambs book of life which was slain from the foundation of the world we witnesse the Lamb of God which takes away the sinnes of the world we witnesse according to the Scripture praises praises eternal praises be to the Lord God for ever and thee to be the beast that makes war with the Lamb we witnesse and thou Antichrist which looks at Christs death at Jerusalem alone and cannot confesse him no otherwise but without thee here thou art but equall with the Pope of Rome for he confesses Christ died at Jerusalem as well as thou So let all thy Congregation see what they hold up that follows thee III. Quaer Whether did the man Christ ever really and indeed suffer in his own person for that end and after that manner which hee did once upon the Crosse at Jerusalem before the time or since the time Answ Here thou full of all subtilty hath made manifest thy poison and enmity but with the Light of Christ thou art seen and known and with it condemned for ever Christ Jesus in his own person doth and ever did suffer by thee and such as thou art and by thy generation he did suffer at Jerusalem and doth suffer where he is made manifest by you after the same manner and thou blind Pharisee and blasphemer would thou have Christ to have more ends in suffering then one IV. Quer. Whether was not that death the man Christ suffered once and but once upon the Crosse at Jerusalem so satisfactory for all the sins of the Elect as that the justice of God did not doth not since require any suffering or working upon that account either from sinner or from Saint Answ Here thou Jesuite art pleading again for a Christ far off thee according as thy Father doth at Rome That Christ that died at Jerusalem did not satisfie for thee who art an enemy to him and doth not abide in his doctrine but acts contrary to his commands and art under the wo which he cried against them that were in the same steps where thou art and from that wo thou shalt never fly The death of the man Christ Jesus which suffered at Jerusalem we own and witnesse the same Christ that suffered at Jerusalem we witnesse made manifest and the one God and the one Mediator we witnesse and know betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus according to the Scripture And here thou liar art made manifest to all thy Congregation to be a liar who said amongst them that we denied that Christ that died at Jerusalem so let them all be witnesses of thy lies and let thy mouth be stopt thou liar who art of the lake and whereas thou queries whether the justice of God be not satisfied for the sins of the Elect here let shame strike thee in the face that ever thou should take upon thee to speak to any people and knows not the Scripture where dost thou read in all the Scripture that God doth require satisfaction for the sins of the Elect or laid any thing to their charge let all people try thee here by the Scripture and see whether thou be not a blinde ignorant sot who doth not know what the Justice of God requires neither from sinner nor from Saint Isa 42. 1. 65. 9 22. Luke 18. 7. Rom. 8 33. 5 Quaer Whether you be reconciled to God by any other obedience then that particular obedience which Christ performed in his own person and is mentioned in the Scripture or by any other suffering or death then that which Christ once suffered upon the Cross at Jerusalem Answ Silence flesh would thou who art an enemy to God and a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the air rules know how we are reconciled to God and by what obedience first own the light in thy Conscience which condemns thee and be obedient to that and then thou shalt know by what obedience it is that reconciles to God for yet thou knows not obedience nor the death which Christ suffered upon the Cross thou dost not know but art an enemy to the Cross of Christ and in the mystery of
as it is made manifest in me and to declare what Faith we own and practise and what we do deny to that end that the simple may be informed and the way of truth cleered from such deceivers who are perverters of the Scriptures who would constrain people to follow their imaginations instead of truth as these men have done whose names are subscribed And now a few words in answer to that you call your first Principle First Principle That the Scripture is the rule of knowing God and living unto him which whoso doth not believe but betakes himself to any other way of discovering God instead thereof cannot be saved Answ The Scriptures are not the Saints rule of knowing God and living unto him but that which was before the Scriptures were written by which all the holy men of God knew him and here ye have made your selves manifest that ye have not the rule which Moses had which is the spirit of light by which he made himself known unto the sons of men and ye that teach people to walk in another rule are those that put light for darkness and darkness for light shewing forth the spirit of error and here ye pervert the Scripture and Moses words which prophesied of Christ Moses bad not the people walk by the Scripture neither did he tell them that living therein was the rule of knowing God but he directed them to the Life without which all their profession was abominable but ye are not come to walk in the Letter whose lips and practice doth not concord with it who are found acting those things which it declares against Matth. 23. who are called of men Master stand praying in the Synagogues which our Lord Jesus Christ cryed wo against and here your Faith and your Principle is descryed who are not so much as found acting in that which you call your rule Now lest you should boast in your glory and the simple be stumbled by your subtilty I am moved of the Lord to open and discover unto all that your Faith is no more then all the ungodly in this Nation doth profess and also that the Rule whereby the Saints are guided is that which was before the Scripture was First it is professed generally in this Nation that believing in the Scriptures is the rule of knowing God this have you preached for Doctrine among the people and yet the way of God is hidden from their eys who are found acting in the abominations of the Heathen as doth plainly appear by the sins of this people nay what sin is there that is not committed amongst this people which have professed the Scripture to be their rule and you that pretend to be their teachers are the greatest examples of their wicked practices Crying peace peace unto them when there is no peace one building a wall and another dawbing it with untempered morter but ye shall proceed no further but your folly shall be made manifest to all men Our rule is that whiâ—h Moses walked in and Abraham and David and all the Prophets which is Christ Jesus the light of the world which whosoever believeth not in him hath not God Moses walked in him Abraham believed in him and David delighted in his Law which is perfect and here we deny you who deny that rule in which the holy men of God walked in Second Principle That there is a God who is the Creator and Judge and Governor of the world and is to be known by Faith Answ The Saints God ye are ignorant of who put light for darkness and darkness for light and before him ye cannot stand in judgement who are found working wickedness making people believe that believing in a thing without them will bring them to the knowledge of God which none can know or understand but through death and if ever ye come to know this God whom the Saints worship in Spirit and Truth ye must witness a day of vengeance to pass through therefore stop your mouths ye proud and lustful ones the day of recompence is come in which ye shall receive double for all your wickedness The Lord is our Iudge our Law-giver and our King and this we witness though we had never seen the Scripture And here we deny you and your principles which is no more than that which the world professeth Therefore be ye ashamed ye wicked and ungodly ones who live in the beastly nature who knows no more of God than what ye have without in the Scriptures which they spoke forth that witnessed him before the Scriptures were written him we own and witness to be our King by him we are redeemed out of your generation glory to his name for ever who hath made himself manifest in us and hath brought us to that which was before the Scripture was Third Principle That this God who is Creator is eternally distinct from all other Creatures in his being and blessedness Ans God ye know not neither can ye see him but are found persecutors of him who would divide him from what he is by heathenish inventions which ariseth out of the corrupt sensual part which never shall inherit the Kingdom The being of God is not distinct from them that are begotten by him For as the Father and the Son are one without distinction so are they that are begotten by him and here you perverters of the truth are shut forth from God with all your distinctions and imaginations which ariseth out of the dark mind by which ye have all this while deceived the people Woe unto you ye enemies of God your foundation your compass and your end is made manifest unto the children of light who would divide God from his children whom he hath begotten unto himself through the word of faith in which we live and abide for ever And here I challenge you before the Lord to produce one Scripture which speaks of God being distinct from them that are begotten by him and if you cannot prove your words by plain Scripture let shame cover your faces and stop your mouthes for ever And for your fourth thing That God is three persons or substances this is also another of your lies never such a word is declared of in Scripture and thus have you made your folly manifest to all men and have cleared your selves from the Scriptures God is a mystery in whom the foundation of all things stands and he is but one in all though ten thousand times ten thousand Woe unto ye you perverters of the truth who blinds the eyes of the simple making them believe your imaginations and conceivings in stead of truth and this you run to the powers of the earth to propagate Ye men of sin did ever the Prophets declare of such Gospel as this or did ever the Apostles preach any such doctrine as this which ye would compel people to believe and would have the powers of the earth to propagate Here I challenge you again to prove your example
by Scripture and where ever the holy men of God did divide him into three substances And if ye refuse to prove the same I proclaim as in the presence of the Lord that ye are perverters of the Scriptures and of the right way of the Lord and your propagating the Gospel and your principles are accursed from God having no example in Scripture Fifth Principle The fifth is That Christ is the Mediator between God and man without the knowledge of whom there is no salvation Answ Him we witness made manifest in us who is the Mediator but what have you to do to speak of his name or profess his words who are found in the steps of the Scribes Pharisees that put him to death who are called of men Master have uppermost rooms at feasts stand praying in the synagogues as they did that Christ cried wo against Math. 23. Thus you are separated from Christ who are not found in his doctrine and are found among the Heathen whom the condemnation is upon and the Scripture bare testimony against you that you are not in the doctrine of Christ but are found to be lyars 1 Joh. 2. â—2 and the acts of your fathers you are found acting And in the sixth you say that Christ is the true God Here you be witnesses against your selves that you divide the Father from the Son who you say is three distinct substances But the Lord will make you manifest ye that blindfold the simple by your subtilty and witchcraft making them believe lyes in stead of truth and would divide that in which there is no division for he that hath the Son hath the Father also This man Christ Jesus who was made with an oath the everlasting covenant the oath of God is not divided from him in whom the foundations stand for without this man Jesus was nothing made and as he was so he is He that hath an ear to hear let him hear And here Sottish minds your imagined God beyond the stars and your carnal Christ which you would make appear through your heathenish Philosophy is utterly denied and testisted against by the light which comes from Christ which ye resist as your forefathers have done And in your seventh Principle ye are laid open 1 Joh. 4. 2. Hereby know we the Spirit of God every spirit that confesseth Christ come in the flesh is of God and this is he that is one with the Father even Jesus Christ the man of God who was given for a covenant but him ye are enemies unto And whereas you say in the eighth that this Christ the man of God is God and Man in one person it is a lye He is not divided from what he was before the foundations of the hills were laid but him ye know not but as ye do imagine and the Heathens do and here you are shut forth from the Scriptures and from Christ and the new man which is witnessed in the sons of God Therefore stop your mouths for ever who would make people believe that believing in those words which are declared from the Life without the same spirit as they had that spoke them forth will bring them to the same knowledg of God And thus in your Ninth you have also shewed forth your ignorance and telling people that Christ hath paid a ransom for sin This is witnessed by the children of light but what have ye to do to take these words into your mouths that never yet came to repentance for sin and if ever you witness him a Redeemer you must witness the vengeance of God which is upon the man of sin But you men of sin who live in your filthiness shall receive your recompence from the hand of the Lord and this ye shall eternally witness whether you will hear or forbear And as for the eleventh that Christ being the onely God and man in one person remains for ever a distinct person from all Saints and Angels notwithstanding their union and communion with him your words are utterly denied and detested and your distinctions are abominable I challenge you from the Lord to prove such a thing in Scripture or else stop your mouths for ever for Christ Jesus is but one in all and not distinct and you that would divide him and them that are begotten by him are enemies unto him As for the twelfth That all men by nature are dead in trespasses and sins this is fulfilled in you and ye shall receive the wages of it ye men of sin whose ungodly practises are laid open and discovered to the children of light who have obtained the victory And I tell you plainly that vengeance of God hangs over your heads and the recompence of God shall be doubled upon you that live in your sins except ye repent ye shall likewise perish And whereas ye say ye are justified and saved by grace ye are they that have turned the grace of God into wantoness and holds the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons as is made manifest by you daily And in your last you say That to continue in any known sin under what pretence soever is damnable Here be you witnesses against your selves that ye are proud and that ye live in the practice of the world which is sin and seek for your gain from your quarters which is sin and the Lord sent his prophets to declare against such and the same woe from God is upon you that act the same things Isa 56. 11. And here your practice and example is found among the false prophets of Israel which the Lord sent his true prophets to declare against which received his word from his own mouth for which they were both persecuted and stoned by your generation which professed that in words which they persecuted in the Saints who witnessed the life and power of what they spake Thus have ye brought shame upon your selves ye deceitful workers who are professing that outwardly in words which ye are enemies to the life of So from the Scriptures ye are razed out and your bottom and foundation is made manifest to the children of light and your deceits are made manifest by them that walk in the light at which you are stumbling as your forefathers did though you profess the words declared from the light Thus have I returned an answer to your confused Paper lest you should boast your selves in your folly and blind the eyes of the simple by your heathenish inventions as ye have formerly done and have laid your shame open unto the simple-minded that they may discover and see your confusion And now a word unto you from whom this Paper was put forth Your spirits and your actings are contrary to the Spirit of Christ as having no example from him not his Apostles for it be ye ashamed and stop your mouthes from professing godliness who are found in the pride and in the wickedness of this world out of which the Ministers of
to overturn all their rotten and ungodly and ungospel-like opinions But now Reader that these Quakers are acted by the same cursed ungodly ungospel-like principles of the Rantors before opened I shall prove from their own writings and expressions And first as the Rantors offer violence to the Majestie of God himself as you have seen by making themselves equal with and not distinct from the Majestie and glory of God himself which I suppose thou wilt grant is high blasphemy and the sin the principal and capital sin of the devil so do these Quakers For it is their down-right and plain expression That they are equal with God as Fox said the words expresly I am equal with God And Naylor being speaking upon the point of perfection being asked whether he did believe that any could be as holy just and good as God himself answered That he did witness that he himself was as holy just and good as God All which you may find in a Book called the Perfect Pharisee written by some Ministers of Newcastle And they also affirm that the nature and glory of the elect mark the nature as well as the glory differs not from the nature and glory of the Creator These are the words of Howgill and Burrough in answer to certain queries put by one Reeve and which are printed together with their Answers to Bennets Queries here before inserted and which I had a purpose to print also but that I was unwilling to make my book swell too much in bulk and so discourage the Reader in regard of the price and the rather I omitted it because in it the answers are longer by much then those to Mr. Bennet and full of impertinences which I feared would tire and discourage the Reader in that regard also But Reeve having proposed this Query which is his second Whether is not this an infallible demonstration to all men that a man is sent forth by the eternal Spirit if he have received a gift from the holy Ghost to demonstrate what the true Creator was in his own distinct essence nature and glory from all eternity in time and to all eternity and wherein elect men and Angels differ in their natures and glory distinct from their Creator in their persons They after some revilings and judging the Querist say as before That the nature and glory of the Elect differs not from the nature and glory of the Creator And add thus For the Elect are one with the Creator in his nature enjoying his glory which was from eternity unto eternity He that reads say they let him understand And then further add Thy word Distinct essence I deny For the Elect is not distinct from the Creator but lives by the dwelling of the Son in him and with the Son the Father dwels also if thou hast an ear thou maist hear And in their Answer to the first Query which I had omitted where the Question was thus Whether these men meaning the Quakers were sent forth by the eternal Spirit to Preach which in the least cannot demonstrate what the only true God is in himself and how he is a distinct being from all living creatures and how he reigns in the elect by a created word voice or spiritual motion only They give this Answer God is a Spirit and he is not distinct from living creatures for in him living creatures lives moves and hath their beings and he is not far from them nor distinct from them Which minds me of one Sebastian Frank a man of this gang in Germany who hath this blasphemous expression In trunco Deum esse truncum in porco porcum in diabolo diabolum In English thus which I do with abhorrency and trembling In a log God is a log in a swine he is a swine in a devil a devil And whether these men be not of the same mind who say That God is not distinct from the creature let any man judge And for their equality with God it s their common judgement as may be seen in a discourse called A brief Relation of the Irreligion of the Northern Quakers Sold at the three Pigeons in Pauls Church-yard And also in a Book Entituled The perfect Pharisee under Monkish holiness opposing the Fundamental Principles of the Doctrine of the Gospel A Book pen'd with much judgement by five Ministers living in Newcastle Mr Weld Mr. Prideaux Mr. Hammond Mr. Cole and my reverend friend Mr William Durant Printed for Richard Tomlins at the Sun and Bible near Pye-Corner 1654. To which Books for brevity sake I refer the Reader and close this Head with what I find written by the Quaker Atkinson in his Book called The Sword of the Lord c. herewith before printed where thou shalt find this solid principle of truth laid down by those reverend men That God who is the Creator is eternally distinct from all other creatures So the se Quakers languages it as if God were a creature too whereas those worthy men say in their Proposals thus That he is eternally distinct from all the creatures not using the word other they say according to the truth That he is distinct in his being and blessedness after some revilings charging them upon this Principle of truth with Heathenish inventions as thou maist see there have said That the being of God is not distinct from them that are begotten by him And further add That as the Father and the Son are one without distinction so are they that are begotten by him Now ye know that the Father and the Son are one eternally both in essence and all glorious excellencies And these blasphemers say That as they are one without distinction so are they that are begotten by him Reader I took not upon me to confute or answer them in this or any of that which follows for recitasse est confutasse but to let thee see what bold impudent audacious blasphemous wretches these Quakers are and that they build upon that rotten foundation that mystery of ungodliness formerly represented to thee and that they offer violence to the Majestie of God himself as God levelling him with the creatures which is the head and the first principle of this man of sin and the first thing propounded And unto this we may add their denial direct denial of God as he hath revealed himself in the Scriptures and that is that he is three in one which for brevities sake supposing our meaning to be understood by our people who are instructed in this principle we express by the word Trinity And for the better apprehension as the creature now is able to apprehend of God we express by three subsistances or persons Whereas I say we are taught in the word That God is three in one Atkinson in his Sword drawn before printed saith that this is one of their lies and saies that God is but one in all though ten thousand times ten thousand make out what they can So that
DISCOVERED From the Writings and Speakings of a Company of Spirituall Juglers called QVAKERS WHEREIN Their Cheats are manifested to the World for the reducing of those they have seduced and the establishment of such as by Gods mercy are not yet taken in their Snares By Ra Farmer a Servant of that Jesus Christ that was crucified at Jerusalem above sixteen hundred years agoe LONDON Printed in the Yeare MDCLV A Prefatory word of advice to the seduced Followers of the seducing QVAKERS Friends DId you never see Hocus Pocus playing his prancks of Legerdemain and deceptions of the sight perswading people they see that which is not such spiritual Juglers Juglers in spiritual things are come among you and if you look not to your selves you will be cheated by these worse then by others there you lose a little money here your souls if I have endevoured to discover them that you may know and avoid them I hope you will not be angry If you be and be so long you are more then angry you are mad And its common to mad men to be offended with their Physitian yet he must not cease his work It was the great blessing God gave to mankind at first to have one language that all might understand one another for words are the Interprâ—ters of the mind and heretofore for the proud attempts of the sons of men God came down and confounded their languages so that though they meant the same things and things retained the same names and nature yet by the obscurity of their newly gotten expressions they understood not one anothers meaning and so upon the matter were as bad as dumb one unto another So that when the Brick-layer cald for morter the Labourer apprehended a trowel and when he cald for his rule he would bring him a hammer this would make mad work you 'l say and so it did it brought all to a Babel confusion And now since by the blessings of the Almighty this confusion of tongues is pretty wellhealed by the reconciling of languages and bringing words to some commonly received significations and intimations what do those men do but build Babylon agen who have brought up a jugling trick of speaking one thing and yet meaning another this is the practise of the Quakers and that discovery of it is the subject matter of this following discourse And this I drive at in it to let thee know that many times most times when they speak of God and Christ and Scriptures c. They do not mean that God and Christ and Scriptures that thou dost and other men wise men godly men do They do not mean a God and Christ and Scriptures without thee but within thee onely 'T is very plausible and seems to have much piety godlinesse in it what will any man dare to speak against God within us and Christ within us and Scripture within us and Ordinances within us they are sure Seducers false Prophets idol-shepheards these will never convert souls They in the letter and they speak onely the letter here 's no life no spirit no no come hither come and eat here 's a new Tree of Knowledg eat you shall be as Gods nay Gods equal with him all-sufficient in your selves A Light a God a Christ Scriptures Ordinances all within you and so within you as these without you are not worth looking after they be carnal fleshly yourimagined God beyond the Stars and your carnal Christ which you would make appear through your Heathenish Philosophy is utterly denyed you shall see by whom and to whom these words are vomited Friends I le onely say thus muck for I undertake not the confutation o so much as one of their opinions nor I think need I. To discover them is sufficient to render them abborred to all Christian ears I le onely say thus much Though God and Christ and Scriptures and Ordinances be and be never so glorious and excellent yet if they be not in thee in their life and power and efficatiously reforming and conforming vertue they are to thee as if they were not at all or worse but when ever they shall be in thee let the measures and degrees be never so high they will and must also be without thee and shall never be indistinctly the same with thee Waders you have need revive your old principles received from the word of truth and looke about you deceivers are come into the world and would cast a mist before your eyes that you may not perceive their end They often say they have somewhat to deliver which the world is not yet fit to receive I suppose I have discovered their meaning if they dursi speak out for thy most profitable reading whereof besides a few brief directions hereafter given thee concerning their manner of answering to the queries or questions proposed unto them let me here a little admonish and inform thee In all inquires after truth when a matter or question is proposed or demanded he that is to answer if he be willing to have the truths discovered doth either affirm and grant the question or deny it or in the third place if there be need distinguish and explain some words that may be doubtfull or have a double meaning And accordingly make his answer There is no fourth way But to be wholy silent or to shuffle and avoid the question by impertinent matter that is not to the thing purposed And such men that shall take this and their usuall way and course are to be accounted as prevaricators impostors and deceivers But is there no fourth way did I cry but silence and shuffling There are a generation of men have found out that way of equivocating and jugling even now mentioned sc To speak one thing and mean not the same thing which the words usually and in most mens sense and construction signifie Now observe in all their answers these quakers neither grant nor deny nor distinguish But constantly betake themselves for one of these two refuges of liers Either to avoid answering by talking nothing to the purpose Or if they do affirm or deny which is very seldome their words have another meaning then is intended thou in the question By the help of this observation thou maist trace and perceive Then in all their wrightings and arguings where any such is controverted or debated by or with them And much in all their speakings And if thou be now deceived by them the fault is much nay most if not altogether thine own who will so easily be led blindfold by such palpable deceivers impostors juglers This first onset of theirs is but to unsettle thee from off thy old If thou hold here a while they 'l come and compleat the work hereafter But I hope the Lord will stirre up the zeale of our Magistrates to stop the mouthes of blasphemers though they have regard as is fit to tender consciences however Reader do thy work And I 'le indeavoure to do mine and the Lord
one Yet are we to understand this union to be onely in a way of relation through participation of the same Spirit and this dwelling to be onely in respect of grace and powerful operation and influence working in the hearts of believers according to the tenor of the New Covenant in making men holy and humble purifying their hearts causing them to walk in all good conscience towards God and man all which by them is trampled under foot and another kind of union and indwelling driving at in their discourses which although covertly expressed until by craft and subtilty they have prepared the hearts of simple and unstable souls to receive whatsoever they shall suggest unto them yet then is openly discovered being indeed the root of all bitternesse and desperate prophanenesse and blasphemy that can be imagined in the world for from thence they conclude that themselves are God and Christ and what God is they are and what they are God is for say they there is no spirit but one and so deny any created Angel or Spirit holding upon the same account the living soul in man to be uncreated and so consequently to be God himself and not created by God Now this being the ground-work of their delusion the building is answerable For first concluding the reasonable soul to be God Secondly they affirm that this soul being cloathed with their humane bodies or flesh is Christ or God in flesh hereupon they imagine that Jesus Christ spoken of in the Gospel as being born of the Virgin Mary accused by the Jews delivered by Pilate to be crucified dying at Ierusalem upon the Crosse rising the third day and ascending into Heaven is only to be understood Parabolically or Figuratively speaking of one thing and intending another pointing at and prefiguring a work only within us conceiving the Virgin Mary the Iewes Pilate Ierusalem the Crosse Christ rising and ascending spoken of in the Scriptures to be all within them and no such thing substantially or in truth without As they conclude all things spoken of Christ to be but in a Typical or Figurative manner intending and typifying out this God within or God incarnate in their flesh still meaning their reasonable souls conceiving this to be the substance of all those shadows so also upon this ground they are forced to conclude the whole New Testament with all the Doctrines Laws Rules and Administrations of the same to be but a shadow or figure holding forth a substance within As for instance Moses and Aaron being but figures of the substantial Saviour and Priest to come so the administrations of Moses as Mosaical were but fleshly and carnal administrations to be abolished when the substance was come they being only shadows of good things to come in like manner do they understand Christ in his Person to be but a shadow of Christ within and all his heavenly and spiritual Gospel to be but a letter and carnal History put to an end and abolished when they once come to apprehend that the substance of all is within they coming also to believe that the soul is God do thence infer that they are perfect and that they are in an happy estate as can be for this they urge 1 Cor. 15. 24. to the 28 verse to shew when the Kingdome is delivered up to the Father and then Christ ceaseth his Mediatorship and consequently all his New Testament ceaseth Now they conclude that all this is accomplished when they come to discern there is but one Spirit and their soul that Spirit which is God and then they are in the possession of all things And seeing that the Scripture declares that before our full possession of God and glory there must be a temporal death and resurrection of the body and eternal judgment they upon the former grounds judging themselves already glorified do understand this death of the body in all such Scriptures mystically and that the resurrection and eternal judgement are passed already in the soul as Hymeneus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2. 18. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 19. Thence also they conclude that faith and justification by Christ together with all the Ordinances of Christ are abolished as fleshly forms like unto Christ that appointed them above and without all which they triumphantly in their own fancies live when they once have attained this supereminent life as they spâ—ak as being in the full fruition of God comprehending that infinite being which they blasphemously affirm themselves to do intruding themselves into things they are altogether ignorant of Hereupon it is that they as Peter saith scoffe at any second coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and mock at the holy Scriptures those heavenly Oracles of God denying them to be the Word of God or that Law by which they ought to confirm their lives conceiving and uttering that there is no Law nor Rule but what is in man his light being his only Law that is to say whatever that spirit that dwelleth within which they call God within dictates to them that ought to be done by them strengthning themselves with this opinion that there is no sin but what contradicts a mans own light which is a mans only Law and sinne is onely sin to him that thinks it so and that there is no Hell but that torment that men sustain through crossing their own light which God knows is nothing but thick darknesse And then they proceed to discover the wretched effect of this damnable doctrine in the unclean lives and conversations of the followers of them which by the practises spoken against I apprehend to be intended against the Ranters that abominable crew of Religious Villains pardon the expression And I confesse these practises are the most natural issue of those opinions and doe most freely flow from them especially from the tail or hinder part on 't But when I had read some of the Quakers papers I found them building upon the same foundation and making use of the same principles and materials And I could not but observe the artifice and skill of Satan like a cunning workman employing the same stuffe to several outwardly seeming ends and purposes but in the effect and issue the same viz. destruction which is his proper work and busines for the Ranters make use of them to boulster up themselves in all manner of lusts and sensuality without scruple of conscience And the Quakers improve them to seeming holinesse and mortification to secure themselves in a proud humility which not repented of casts down to Hell as readily as the former And here Reader let 's make a stand awhile and consider what saist thou Is not here a mysterie of iniquity Is not here the head of the Serpent that old Serpent that deceived our first Parents in Paradise to the fall and what in him lay utter ruine of all mankind And is not this the tail of that great red Dragon that draws and casts down a third part of the starres of
and is not that every way answerable to the justice of God but such polluted filthy beasts as thou would have another righteousness as thou speaks plainly in thy ninth query but all thy righteousness we deny and the righteousness of Jesus Christ we own and witness whose righteousness shall be revealed upon thee in flames of fire 14 Quer. Whether none be accounted righteous in Gods sight in whom there is any corruption or failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every demand of Justice Answ Here thou polluted beast hath made it manifest what thou hast been driving at all this while in thy queries which is that thou would have corruption and filthiness to be accounted righteous in Gods sight that so thou might lie and wallow in thy sins and filthiness but John saith that he that commits sin is of the Devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning and for this purpose the son of God was made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil and thou man of sin would have it to stand but those that loves God keeps his Commandments and they are not grievous and God doth not accept any where there is any failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every demand of Justice and he doth reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. and chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and there thou art 15 Quer. Whether a soul be justifyed before God by the non-imputation of sin and the imputation of the righteousness of the person of Christ to his Faith or by a righteousness wrought by Christ in the person justified or to be justified Answ Here stop thy mouth thou sorcerer which art gathering up a heap of confusion which is fit for nothing but to be turned with thee into the bottomless pit from whence it comes wherein thou talks of imputation and non-imputation and of a person justified and to be justified thy language is of Egypt and in the mysterie of iniquity thou speaks it which is condemned into the lake of perdition by the light of Christ and in the light thou and it are seen and comprehended and as I told thee before I own no righteousness but what is of Christ and wrought by thee which righteousness shall confound thee and all thy unrighteousness and conjuration and the same that justifies us shall condemn thee eternally 16 Quaer Whether Christ be in his Saints in respect of that nature wherein he suffered at Jerusalem Answ Here thou Enemy of Christ would know how the Saints enjoy Christ here the Scripture is fulfilled in thee The light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends it not When thou comes to own thy condemnation the light in thy conscience it will let thee see thy evil deeds it will lead thee up to Christ from whence it comes and then thou wilt know that nature that he suffered in but now thou art in that nature that Judas was in that betrayed him and that they were in that crucified him 17 Quaer How and after what manner Christ who in respect of his divine nature is infinite and in all places may be said to be in a Saint and not in a Reprobate Answ What hast thou to do to querie after the divine nature who art the natural man that knows nothing of God bâ—t what thou knows naturally as a bruit beast and knows not the things that be of God because they are spiritually discerned and the manner of Christs divine nature which is infinite is hid from thy eyes for of that eye which thou shouldst see that with thou art blind and his manner of being in a Saint thou knows not who art a Reprobate and thou shalt find him to be thine eternal condemnation 18 Quaer Whether doth Christ now in these dayes assume or take upon him the form of a servant and the seed of Abraham that is our flesh And whether doth not this assumption cause such a perfection of the Godhead and the manhood as that both of them are united together into one person Answ Oh thou dark beast and Conjurer who art querying with thy conjured words that which thou knows nothing of and which is out of thy reach and comprehension Thou blasphemer dost thou limit Christ to daies in taking upon him the form of a servant and the seed of Abraham Is not he the same now as ever he was And for the Union of the Godhead and the Manhood as thou calls it let thy mouth be stopt for with the God nor none of his children hath any union for God hath put an utter enmity betwixt thy seed thou Serpent and the seed of the woman and the perfect union with Christ we witness who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and therefore are we separate from thee and thy generation 19. Quaer Whether is Christ now conversant upon earth amongst men since his ascension as he was before and in those times wherein the Apostles lived Answ In thy Queries thy speech bewrays thee thy language is the language of Egypt for in it thou makes it clearly manifest that thou knows not Christ at all not in the least measure for where the first Principle of truth is made manifest it is the same that ever was and never changes And thou asks whether Christ be now conversant upon earth amongst men since his ascension as he was in the Apostles time Dost thou know what thou askes Did he not appear to the Apostles since his ascension in the most glorious manner that ever thou read and is he not the same now as he was then What would thou make of him thou dark sottish beast such a one as thy self who would be pleading for darkness and ignorance of God but praise and glory to him who hath discovered thee and all such deceivers as thou art 20. Quaer Whether did not Christ dwell among his Saints after another and more visible manner than now he dwels in his Saints Answ There again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scripture and for thy word Visible he is not nor never was visible to thee nor to thy generation for those that did profess the Scriptures as thou and thy generation doth crucified him and said he was of the Devil and thou and such as thou art doth now Thou blasphemer where hast thou a Scripture that saith that Christ would dwell in his Saints after anothere manner Did he not say It is expedient for you that I goe away and I go and prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you unto my self and where I am there you may be also and ye have heard how I have said I go away and that where I am there you may be also and that I have said I go away and come again unto you and if ye loved me ye would rejoice because I go unto the Father And Christ Iesus
p. 68. That when the life of Jesus is made manifest the substance of all figures is come there is no more observing them And two lines after they say Who are here in their state denies all the carnal outward observances and traditions And in the 32 page of that book they say speaking of the Ministry that they bewitch men in telling them of carnal meanes and call Ordinances a graven image and an Idol and as for Baptism in particular they say Christ did not send forth his Disciples to sprinkle a little dirty water upon childrens faces as your filthy dreamers do and they say Christ did not mention any water to his Disciples when he sent them forth So that here is no baptism with water at all neither for one nor other and thereupon call it a beastical tradition which was never commanded Truths Defence p. 98. And in the next page being demanded whether Christ did not institute his last supper with bread and wine For answer they tell the Querist The cup which thou drinkest we deny 〈…〉 or thy cup is the cup of devils and thy table is a table of devils which is an idol and an imitation and thy sacrifice is to devils and not to God And as for Prayer I suppose Reader if thou wouldst pray to God for any thing thou wouldst pray to him for Grace but that they say is a tempting of God because the grace of God hath appeared to all men freely Truths Defence pag. 65. Indeed they speak it there of all means in generall And many can witness their expressions in this kind Reader I have done with this and I suppose in these few lines it appears that they offer violence also to all the Ordinances of the Gospel And now what sayst thou to the whole matter Are not these thinkest thou these Locusts that are come forth upon the opening of the bottomles pit mentioned Rev. 9. with whom comes forth a smoak by which the sun and the air are darkned Read there their description Certainly the King that rules in them and over them is no other then that Abaddon Apollyon mentioned there v. 11. Vastator that destroyer that dissolver as the word signifies of all religion and duty And surely were I perswaded that the Book of the Revelation were written for the Meridian of England I should be also perswaded that these were the Beast mentioned v. 13. to whom was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies who opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and all that dwell therein Never men spake higher blasphemies with more or so much confidence and impudence against God and Christ and Gospel then these wretches do except those that are profest enemies to Christ and Christianity And therefore so much the more abominable in that under the name and vizor and disguise of Christian religion they dissolve and destroy all Which is that which makes it a mysterie of iniquity and is indeed the very name and title of that great Deceiver The Antichrist Rev. 17. 5. Upon her forehead was writen a name Mysterie Babylon the great The mother of harlots and abomination of the earth And though he hath horns like the lamb yet he speaks as a dragon Rev. 13. 11. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles v. 13 14. But Reader there is one mark of the Beast upon these wretches which I must needs mind thee of before I leave them which I find in the first of Tim. 4. beginning which because it so fully sets them forth I 'le give thee in the words Now the Spirit speaks expresly and therfore you may expect it that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrins of Devils speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with a hot iron forbiding to marry and to abstain from meats c. They speak lies in hypocrisie and what 's this But to dissemble and to deceive to jugle and play the cheater speaking one thing and meaning another to speak plain words that other men use But with a reserved sense to themselves of their own coyning So that no man knows how in an ordinary way to understand them they pretend to speak and approve of the truth but they lie and play the deceivers not using words in that sense they are usually taken and commonly understood And if ever men were guilty of this kinde of hypocrisie these Quakers are It would be endless to trace them all along I 'le instance in one or two by which thou maist judge of them in other things they speak It s usual with them to say they own the Scriptures yea we confirm we establish the Scriptures c. Yea that they do And they witness the Scripture Now an honest man that means plainly would think that they held forth nothing but what is in and agreeable to the Scriptures and that they did believe the Scriptures which we call our Bible to be the written Word of God And the rule of a Christian to walk by in things to be believed and practised And that whoso walks accordingly shall be saved And that whoso doth not cannot be saved Thus I dare say honest plain hearted men would think by those words to be their meaning But these wretches speak lies in hypocrisie they mean otherwise they say in express words elsewhere The Scriptures are not the Saints rule of knowing God and living unto him Answer to the first Principle in their sword drawn here before Printed I will not quarrel them as I might for mangling the Principle and so altering the sense But what sayst thou Reader to their own words do these men establish the Scripture in thy sense and the usual sense of that word do not they presently say that to affirm the Scriptures to be the Rule is to put darkness for light and light for darkness What mean they then by the Scripture Not the written word without But that word that light that is within and which every man hath that comes into the world but that some stiflle it This is the Rule This is the Scripture The Scripture in its right place The Scriptures are not laid aside say they but witnessed every Scripture in its place i. e. within So they pag. 13 14. Let all see say they you to be lyars whether we do no set the Scriptures in the heart of every one How they tell you in the next words For say they every one having the light within which shews his evil deeds which light is his condemnation that hates it And brings up to salvation where followed as elsewhere often And this say they is Scripture within The Scripture without is not their Scripture We believe his Doctrine say they not an outward testimony