darkness and delusion of Antichrist both Priests and people your leaders cause you to err by their lyes you are lost for want of true knowledg only differing from the heathen in name and profession Pr. Pr. These quaking-lines serve to tell us that this quaking-watcher hath seen a base vision concerning the true Christian Religion and the Church of England in particular according to this brain-sick Quaker there hath been in the whole world no true profession of the Gospel since the Apostles days behold a black mark is set by this Quaker upon all Christians since that time to speak this Quakers mind more fully in all ages of the Christian Church since the Apostles days instead of Christ Antichrist hath reigned over the world under a Gospel-profession instead of true Gospel-light he saith there hath been only a long time of cruel darkness and ignorance as for the Lord this Quaker saith he hath been a long time ever since the Apostles days as a stranger in the earth behold according to this Quaker there hath been no true Christianity nothing but Antichristianism cruel darkness and ignorance and estrangedness from the Lord in all ages of the Christian Church ever since the Apostles days now let us proceed this Quaker is still bold to tell us that ever since the Apostles days all the believing on God or Christ hath been nothing else but an unprofitable looking at him as a God afar off in the Heavens without they knew not where according to this Quaker you may perceive that there have been no truly faithful Christians in the world since the Apostles days to speak this Quakers mind ever since the Apostles days they were only vain believers who said they believed that that was the Christ that died at Jerusalem rose again sits at the right hand of God c. who thus believing were baptized with water and called Christians behold how by this Quaker believing in Christ that died c. is slighted and likewise the baptizing of those Christians who did so believe in Jesus Christ in effect all this is lookt upon by this Quaker to be a pitiful piece of Christianity as for the Scripture this Quaker saith that was the Letter whereof these called Christians were the keepers which they took for their rule according to this Quakers mind the Scripture hath been the mistaken rule of all Christians to walk by ever since the Apostles days as for any Commentaries written upon the Scriptures since the Apostles days this Quaker saith they were but their own meanings and imaginations behold how all Expositors of the holy Scriptures both ancient and modern are basely asperst by this Quaker their Expositions have been no more but their own meanings and imaginations obtruded on the Scripture As for Infant-baptism used in all ages of the Christian Church this Quaker like an Anabaptist saith there is no Scripture nor example for it that it is in vain called an Ordinance of Christ then saith this Quaker that is in the reign of Antichrist they had their two Sacraments but without any Scripture-warrant for the word Sacraments as for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this Quaker calls it only carnal bread and wine thus in the reign of Antichrist this Quaker saith the Church was planted in England and other places behold according to this Quaker both the Church of England and other particular Churches planted since the Apostles days in any part of the world are all under the dominion of Antichrist their baptism with water is no Ordinance of Christ the Lords Supper is only carnal bread and wine both Sacraments without Scripture-warrant but mark what follows Then that is in the reign of Antichrist in the long time of cruel darkness in the time of the Lords absence from the earth were as this Quaker saith Bishops set up and Archbishops Deans Priests Deacons Popes the Bishops bearing rule by their Means Priests preaching for hire Behold how this Quaker gives us a distinct sound of the Antichristian Hierarchy which hath continued since the Apostles dayes Thus according to this Quaker in all Centuries of the Christian Church since the Apostles days not Christ but Antichrist hath set up his Kingdom under the profession of the Gospel thus the Christian Church hath since those days had no Ecclesiastical Governours but such as were Antichristian thus all Bishops Archbishops Deans Priests Deacons as well as Popes have been in this Quakers account Antichristian for above sixteen hundred years by-past being masked under a vain profession of the Gospel Then that is when Antichrist reigned Tythes saith this Quaker came up contrary to any rule of the Gospel behold how Tythes are made by this Quaker to be Antichristian too a maintenance contrary to the Gospel Then that is in the Reign of Antichrist Universities saith this Quaker were set up to make Ministers or Priests behold Universities by this Quaker are all made to be so many Antichristian Schools thus according to this Quaker after an Antichristian manner were Priests set up by the will and tradition of men as the false Prophets always were of old then in the foresaid reign of Antichrist University-Priests had their long robes like the Pharisees according to this Quaker Ministers habits are both Antichristian and Pharisaical then that is when Antichrist reigned Idols Temples called Churches or houses of God were set up according to this Quaker all publick places consecrated and set apart for Gods publick Worship are neither the material Churches or Houses of God but Idols Temples and Antichristian too then that is in the reign of Antichrist the Priests got into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues being proudly called of men Master Doctor according to this Quakers mind Pulpits for Priests are become Antichristian too and the Antichristian Priests are got into them like so many Scribes being proud Masters and Doctors having the uppermost rooms at feasts and greetings in the market like the old Pharisees Scribes and hypocrites then that is in the reign of Antichrist began to speak this Quakers mind the Ecclesiasticall thieves who stole the Apostles words as the false Prophets did who took a verse and studied from it a divination of their own brain just as the Priests do now they run like the false Prophets according to this Quaker ever since the Apostles days all Gods Priests have been thieves like the false Prophets preaching a divination of their own brain like false Prophets running without God sending them then that is in the reign of Antichrist thorough covetousness they made merchandize of the people with feigned words like wolves upon sheep they preyed upon the people they sought about for great livings for fat benefices they ran from a lesser to a bigger living the beloved which they sought for like the false Prophets they sought for the fleece not regarding the flock they cried peace to them that put into their mouths they prepared war sued lawed those that did not feed them
not a thing that will become me to use good manners and people do not take the word Thou to be good manners when I speak to my betters Fath. It is evil words child that corrupts good manners but true words is mannerly and is spoken in the manner of truth which is good manners and thou must not mind what others say but mind thou the Lord and his teachings and he will teach thee to speak good words and true words which is good manners and people that know not the teachings of God nor the truth of God they know not the manner of it and so are seeking how to honour one another and to speak to one another and after what manner to do it which is not in the manner of truth but in the false spirit which corrupts their words and actions and so corrupts good manners Pr. Pr. As this Quaking-father did just now endeavour to teach children to speak properly so he is here instructing them to be mannerly after the Quakers rude fashion it is certainly a dull spirit that moves in this Quakers wheels for he hath not helpt him to write true English evil words that corrupts good manners is that false English which cannot be made into true Latin by any Quaker amongst them all but this was not a stumble by chance we have his Quaking-spirit tripping again true words is mannerly and is spoken in the manner of truth which is good manners give me leave to say perhaps this mans spirit was in some great heat or haste and so was not at leisure to help him to write better English Now let us see if this Quakers manners are any better than his non-sense the old Proverb may not amiss be applied to him As the fool thinks so the bell clinks to speak in the manner of truth is with this Quaker good manners except the tongue and then it 's plain that this Quaker knows not what belongs to good manners to speak this Quakers mind fully Thou to the King to the Peers to the Gentry of this Realm spoken in the manner of truth that is spoken as the Quakers do is all the good manners this Quaker owns you may see that what is more than Thou and Thee is a parcel of evil words which do corrupt good manners according to this Quaking instructor St. Paul was ill manner'd he did not speak in the manner of truth when he said most noble Festus according to this Quakers estimate to bow the body to any superiors to honour them by word or gesture is that which is not of the Lord nor proceeds from his teachings except Quakers you see that no people do know the teachings of God nor the truth of God nor do speak in the manner of truth that do give civil honour to their superiors this rude Quakers discourse serves to be-clown all Courtiers that do honour the King in their words and gestures for in effect this Quaker tells them that they do not speak in the manner of truth those good and true words which are mannerly words they neither know the teachings of God nor the truth of God which is far worse Thus you see that here is the Quakers School their rude Court to learn those manners which are in the manner of truth as for our civil way of speaking to our superiors betters and equals by being thus mannerly we do but seek to honour others in the false spirit who is the Devil if this Doctrine do not tend to make men Clowns to re-baptize them into the Quakers false spirit to make their Proselytes as errant Clowns as themselves are known to be then let any wise men judg Q. p. 46 47 48 49 50. Q. Numb 51 Ch. And how must I do concerning Oaths seeing that swearing in many things is required Fath. Whatever men requires of thee child thou must mind what the Lord requires of thee Christ Jesus hath forbidden all Oaths it 's not lawful to swear upon any account because Christ hath commanded not to swear at all if thou lovest him thou wilt keep his Commandments and not transgress against him because men require thee do thou mind the spirit of truth and it will teach thee to speak truth in what thou art called unto Let thy yea be yea for what is more cometh of evil Ch. But there is much said concerning the lawfulness of an Oath as to end strife or engage to a Ruler and there are many Scriptures brought for it Fath. They that bring Scriptures to plead for swearing in this day do not understand the Scriptures for he who is Lord of all saith swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for what is more comes of evil thou art to obey Jesus Christ whose Doctrine is true who ends the dispensation of Oaths where strife was now Jesus Christ who endeth all changeable things saith swear not at all it is without putting any difference betwixt vain Oaths and solemn Oaths he saith not at all nor by any thing therefore child obey thou Christs Doctrine if thy yea will not be taken let nothing else be done by thee lest thou fallest into condemnation Pr. Pr. In this rambling discourse this Quakers drift is to inform his Scholar about Oaths but his Light within is so grosly dark as that lawful and unlawful swearing are altogether confused and condemned alike by him all swearing indifferently is condemned by this Quaker as that sin which reacheth to damnation in hell according to the tenor of his quaking-lines all the Kings subjects who have taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance have done that which the Lord forbids them that which is contrary to what Christ hath commanded them by thus swearing they have not minded the spirit of truth nor so loved the Lord Jesus as to keep his Commandments by shewing their obedience to the King in taking the foresaid Oaths they have transgressed against the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings by taking these Oaths they have done that which comes of evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Devil the evil one by this Quakers decrying all swearing without exception and his perverting Christs own words it 's easie to observe what manner of persons the Kings subjects are let us view them in this Quakers glass are they loyal to the King below this Quaker makes them for their sworn Allegiance to be disobedient to the Lord above have they religiously taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance they have likewise irreligiously sworn that which the Lord requires not of them hath the Law enjoined them to swear the said Oaths they have done that which is unlawful Christ Jesus hath forbidden all Oaths it was not lawful for them to swear upon any account though the law of man did require it by taking the said Oaths what love have they shewed to Jesus Christ for in so doing they have broken his Commandments by thus swearing they have presumptuously transgressed against him
by themselves to be given forth from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God I may truly say That quaking-Pamphlets are in high honour to the Scriptures great disgrace But thus I have done with this idle Scribble THE next quaking-Pamphlet to be briefly toucht upon is termed The Power and Glory of the Lord shining out of the North or the Day of the Lord dawning By one whom Ishmaels brood calls a Quaker whose name in the flesh is James Naylor London printed 1653. Pr. Pr. This blasphemous stigmatized Quaker looks upon all unquakerized persons as being Ishmaels brood the Title is vain-glorious enough Bristol and Bridewell have known the abomination of this mans quaking-folly but amongst deluded Quakers he is still in too much request Let us look into his Pamphlet Q. p. 5. Q. Num. 106 Because the Lord sends his Messengers into your Idol-Temples to cry against your Idol-worships and Heathenish Customs Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines all quaking-ramblers are in the first place called the Lords Messengers but as for Material Churches they 're only Idol-Temples and the Worship performed in them is only an Idol-worship but as for Heathenish Customs I do not well understand them save that the Christianity of England is Heathenism in this Quakers account to take a full view of this Quakers mind Idolatry and Heathenism did at this time bear the chief sway in England That our Material Churches are still Idol-Temples That our Worship of God in them is idolatrous That our Customs still are Heathenish Q. p. 8. Q. Num. 107 The Spirit is the Original which first reveals the mystery to the spirit within man Pr. Pr. In this Quakers opinion both Hebrew and Greek Tongues are only carnal Learning and natural Tongues gotten at Cambridg and Oxford in this mans account the former is not the Original of the Old Testament nor the latter of the New Testament for he saith the Spirit is the Original To add no more it 's very clear that this Quaker was grosly ignorant THE next quaking-Pamphlet to be considered is called A Warning from the Lord by one named of the world Edward Burrough Pr. Pr. This Pamphlet was printed 1654 it 's a virulent piece which hath made the Author to be well known to the world for his virulency when you have heard him speak his mind then it will appear to be so But let us come to the Book it self Q. p. 2. Q. Num. 108 All your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight all your worship is an imagination of the dark mind of man Pr. Pr. In this Quakers account preaching hearing reading the Scripture praying praising the Lord receiving the Lords Supper baptizing with water the acknowledged Ordinances of the Gospel among all unquakerized persons are basely esteemed as being carnal traditional Ordinances such as are an abomination to the Lord such as are odious in his sight such a worship as is but an imagination of mans dark mind Q. p. 5 6 9 10. Q. Num. 109 All your carnal Worship and Ordinances and Observances is but mocking of God and dissembling with him baptizing with water I deny it is not of God but an imitation and is an abomination in the sight of God your Communion I deny for it is heathenish having proceeded out of the imagination of the proud your breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is abomination God never commanded it your singing is carnal traditional and heathenish and is not with the Spirit of Jesus but with the spirit of the world with the spirit of Cain with the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees and chief priests you worship an unknown God be ashamed of all your profession and of all carnal Ordinances Pr. Pr. You may still see that this Quaker hath very mean thoughts of Gods Worship and Ordinances which all serious Christians do own as for Worship that 's carnal and so are Ordinances too in this Quakers account both the Worship of God and his Ordinances are nothing else but a mocking of God and dissembling with him as for baptizing with water this Quaker denies it as that which is not of God which is but an apish imitation and is an abomination in the sight of God as for the holy Communion this Quaker denies it also as that which is heathenish as that which hath procceded out of the imagination of the proud he saith moreover That breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is abomination that God did never command it as for singing of Psalms he saith that is carnal traditional heathenish that it is done only with the spirit of the world and with the spirit of Cain and with the spirit of the Scribes Pharisees and chief Priests he also saith that the Worship is of an unknown God like those idolaters at Athens In the last place this Quaker calls upon unquakerized Christians to be ashamed of their profession of the Christian Religion and of all Ordinances which he calls carnal Q. p. 21 22 23 24 25. Q. Num. 110 In which light I see all thy Teachers O England to be drunk with the wine of her who hath deceived the Nations who sits upon the scarlet-coloured beast and hath the golden cup in her hand full of abominations whose name is written in her forehead Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the earth and in this light do I declare against all them which are in the generation of the false prophets of Israel which seeks for their gain from their quarter which steals the word from their neighbour and selleth the divination of their own brain upon the Scriptures to the poor blind people and teacheth for the fleece against all these I do declare to be no Ministers of Christ but are seducers and blind guides and are Antichrists and leads the poor blind people into the ways of death and destruction these have run but hath not been sent of God and therefore their souls are in the dark heathenish nature leaning in the imaginations and not in the counsel of the Lord and in lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and according to the course of this world these iniquities are ruling among people priests and rulers in the Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given to covetousness from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsly all your hirelings and greedy dumb dogs I do deny all thy Teachers O England is denied of them who are taught of God and by thy Teachers who are in the way of the Pharisees art thou blindly led in the ways of darkness and ignorance and all thy carnal worship which is to read sing and preach I deny and declare to be no worship of God the living God is but mocked by you in your imagined worship your reading and singing and preaching is carnal and heathenish no worship of the true God
account that the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance or any other Oaths injoyned by any Authority on earth are altogether unlawful because Christ hath commanded not to swear at all that no swearing is warranted by the Scripture that the dispensation of Oaths where strife was is ended by Christ who saith Swear not at all that vain Oaths and solemn Oaths are both alike forbidden by Christ See Numb 51. ARTICLE XXXIV We Q. do believe That all Holy-days are set up in the Apostacy that there is no observation of particular days that in calling the first day of the week the Lords-day or Sabbath-day people speak they know not what that the name Sunday is heathenish that every day is the Lords-day See Numb 52. ARTICLE XXXV We Q. do believe as our dear friend James Parnel hath written that they are no truly faithful Christians who do deny that there is a perfect freedom from all manner of sin to be had in this life that their faith is not the true faith if it doth not cleanse them from all their sins See Numb 53. ARTICLE XXXVI We Q. do believe That the Scripture is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judg nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the tryer of spirits See Numb 54. ARTICLE XXXVII We Q. do believe That the people and teachers are ignorant of Christ the Light that they dote on the Scripture with their dark minds that they do like the blind Pharisees seek life in the Scripture where it is not to be found See Numb 55. ARTICLE XXXVIII We Q. do believe as our beloved James Parnel saith That the Scripture is a dead letter See Numb 56. ARTICLE XXXIX We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are the peoples leaders who cause them to err that the Scripture is their Idol to get money by that by the Scripture they do lead the people into blindness that they do in vain worship a God whom they know not that they do dethrone Christ Jesus by exalting the Scripture See Numb 57. ARTICLE XL. We Q. do still believe That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor the Light nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Teacher nor Judg concerning matters of faith and life See Numb 58. ARTICLE XLI We Q. do believe That the Priests of England do maintain the authority of the Scripture which is their Idol only for their own ends to uphold their corrupt maintenance and deceitful Ministry See Num b. 59. ARTICLE XLII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England have nothing but the Scripture without which is a dead letter that they are without the true Light that all those are in darkness and confusion who call the Scripture their Rule and Guide and that the Priests of England are like them and that they know not the truth See Numb 60. ARTICLE XLIII We Q. do believe That they bring another Gospel into the world who call the four books Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel See Numb 61. ARTICLE XLIV We Q. do believe That it is a false light in any which leads them to profess the Scripture to be their Rule who do not live well See Numb 62. ARTICLE XLV We Q. do believe That all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all accursed of God and shall be cast into hell and that they are no better nor shall fare better than Lucifer Dives Haman Pharaoh Herod and the rest of their forefathers See Numb 63. ARTICLE XLVI We Q. do likewise believe That all who are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all very wicked that they do only make a profession of godliness that their worship is formal and imaginary that their Chaplains are wicked like themselves that they are like the worshippers of the golden Calf that they and their Chaplains are Heathens that Priest and people do live without God in the world that they are all accursed of God that their works are the works of the Devil that they serve the Devil with their hearts and actions that they are no Christians but Heathens both Priest and people See Numb 64. ARTICLE XLVII We Q. do believe still That all Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam young and old rich and poor and beggars men-servants and women-servants who are no Quakers are the children of the Devil fruitless trees that cumber the ground which are for the fire stubble to be burnt unrighteous persons to be cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone that thither they must go that there they must lye for evermore with Dives and Haman that they are all as bad as Dives Haman and the High-Priests Pharisees and Rulers were who put Christ to death that their belly is their god that they and all their earthly honour shall be laid into the fire See Numb 65. ARTICLE XLVIII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses that they do likewise withstand the truth that they are University-men with their Magick Arts and Imaginations that they do get a form of the Prophets Christs and Apostles words to trade with that they do deny the power of godliness that they are Traytors to Christ men of corrupt minds reprobates concerning the faith See Numb 66. ARTICLE XLIX We Q. do believe still That the Scripture is a dead letter that it is the husk which is usually thrown away that they are Swine feeding on husks who make the Scripture their Rule and Guide that he is a deceiver one that erreth that knoweth not the Scripture who saith the Scripture is the word of God that he puts the shadow for the substance who takes the Scripture to be the word of God that that man is without that he is a swine feeding on the husk that he is ignorant of the true light who saith that the Scripture is the rule and guide of the people of God See Numb 67. ARTICLE L. We Q. do believe That there is no other baptism but the baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost and with fire that baptism with water is but a formal imitation and the invention of man that it is a meer delusion and that they are all heathens and no Christians who are so baptized and cannot witness the other baptism See Numb 70. ARTICLE LI. We Q. do believe That there is no such thing as Sacramental bread that it is only the bread which the world breaks that it is carnal and natural that the cup is such like that there is no such thing as the holy Communion for it is the communion of the world that communion which is natural outward carnal that that which is called the Lords-table is the table of devils that in receiving that which they call the Lords-supper they do feed upon the husk and shadow See Numb 71. ARTICLE LII We Q. do believe That the
Justification by Christs Righteousness without us to be a counterfeit doctrine Justification by inherent righteousness only is the chief mark at which this distinction is levelled Thus you see the Papists and Quakers are in a great measure hail fellows well met only the Quaker hath the honour to be the more perfect Dotard of the two Q. p. 108. Q. Numb 13 I grant that such as repent and believe receive remission or a justifying from former sins through the righteousness of God declared in and by Jesus Christ But is this compleat Justification It is a making inwardly just through a purging out of iniquity and mortifying of corruption and bringing in Christs everlasting Righteousness Pr. Pr. Here we have the Real Quaker a downright Papist he is professedly gone into the Tents of Rome He is become a stout Champion under the Pope's banner behold this Real Quaker dabling in gross Popery According to the tenour of his own words compleat Justification is a making inwardly just through a purging out of iniquity and mortifying of corruption and bringing in Christs everlasting righteousness Thus the nail is driven to the head by this doughty man of war Thus the doctrin of the Church of England is trampled under foot the Doctrine of Christs Righteousness imputed by faith once counted wholesome is by the Quakers Pen declared to be a Counterfeit but no Quakers have yet obtained by their Spirit to write any true Oracles But the worst is yet behind Q. p. eadem Q. Numb 14 If not then to exclude this and yet conclude men completely justified by what Christ hath done wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils for it leaves men in an impure state and allows the Devils Kingdom to continue in being Pr. Pr. These Quaking-lines make the Tenent as clear as day That complete justification by what Christ hath done wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils according to this Quakers base words in print the Church of England doth hold fast that which is a Doctrine of Devils a Doctrine which doth allow the Devils Kingdom to continue in being Without doubt this is a base aspersion cast on that Church which is beautiful in the eyes of all sober Christistians Christs Righteousness wholly without made ours by faith a Doctrine of Devils Whose eyes are not offended to see it in print Whose ears do not tingle to hear it read How base is the Light within W.P. to assert it Is this the genuine fruit of this Quakers Infallible Spirit Is this the true discerning which it gives Is it not matter of godly mourning that that which the Church of England accounts to be a most wholesom and very comfortable Doctrine this ill-principl'd Quaker should term a Doctrine of Devils May it not be said without offence Surely it is high time for the Kings Majesty the Defender of the Faith to gird on His Sword these that make so bold with this and other truths of God are but like stinging-Snakes in the bosome of Indulgence THE next Quaking-Book which I shall acquaint the Reader with is thus named in print Q. The nature of Christianity in the true Light asserted Written by a Servant of Christ G. Whitehead Printed in the year 1671. Pr. Pr. This vain-glorious Title stands like a Man of War in the Title-page thus In opposition to Antichristianism Darkness Confusion and Sin-pleasing Doctrines There this Man of War is not without a Looking-glass for sin-pleasing professors of all sorts Now let us use this Looking-glass that we may the better see the Quakers own face therein Q. pag. 3. This man hath grosly wronged divers of us by accusing of us as if we did oppose and seek to overthrow the plain testimonies and voices of all the Prophets and Apostles concerning the true Saviour or the Man Christ Jesus whom we have frequently confessed both as to his Divinity and as to his taking upon him a body prepared for him to do the will of God in according to the Scriptures of truth Pr. Q. Here is a parcel of good words to gull unwary Readers with as if the Quakers were more Orthodox in the Doctrine of Faith concerning our Saviours Manhood and Divinity than their own Pen hath already declared them to be That man knows nothing who knows not how the Devil to promote errors and false doctrines hath always used to dress himself his Agents in the garb of truth to get his bad Wares the better put off The Devil was in the right when he did profess to know Christ to be the Holy One of God but he had a devillish end in it After all the fair paint in these lines the Quaker will anon shew us his horns we shall ere long know him to be no tame beast before we have done with him his ill-inspiring spirit will appear you may certainly expect from this Quaking-Pamphlet most base pitiful stuff Q. p. 6. Q. Numb 15 Which word Purchase he thus explains in an unscriptural and nonsensical stile viz. That God-man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which is as good sense as to say God purchased them of God Pr. Pr. You see how this Quaker takes his Adversary to task By the way we may observe that it is plain from the title of this Pamphlet that this Quaker makes the nature of Christianity to be downright Socinianism Here his inspiring spirit appears in print to Socinianize in a gross manner Reconciliation purchased by Christ God-man this Quaker saith is explained by his Adversary in an unscriptural and nonsensical stile As the Socinians do so this Quaker charges his Adversary to write no better sense concerning Redemption purchased than to say that God purchased of God an old Socinian cavil Thus the Light within is at unawares singing the old Cuckoes song Thus the Quakers Ignis fatuus his pretended spirit hath led him into a Socinian pit Thus the true Christian Religion by this Quaker is brought to a lamentable pass According to this Quaking-scribble the nature of Christianity is now asserted in the Light to establish a base Socinian Error as if it were the truth from heaven What a blind pitiful Elf is the Quakers Light within that it cannot discern Redemption by Christ God-man as a purchase made without us but as unscriptural and nonsensical God the Son made man purchasing our redemption of God the Father by the price of his own blood as God incarnate This is that blessed Truth explained which this Socinian-Quaker calls unscriptural and nonsensical However this point searched to the bottom toucheth the Quakers to the quick They cannot endure to hear of Christ God-man the Son of God purchasing of God the Father leans towards the Doctrine of the Trinity which the Quaker E.T. termed in mine and others hearing a blasphemous doctrine Q. p. 7. Q. Numb 16 The words Purchased and Redemption are used by R. G. in an unscriptural sense while he doth so nonsensically render it as God-man
which of the Kings sworn subjects have minded the Spirit of truth when they took those oaths By their so swearing have they not done that which comes of evil or of the Devil the evil one Is not this rare quaking-stuff according to this Quakers false doctrine it is altogether unlawful for any of the Kings subjects to swear subjection to him any more lest they fall into condemnation as for any oaths which are truly lawful they are so condemned by this Quaker as that there is no Scripture-warrant for them in this day to plead Scripture for those oaths that are in truth righteousness and judgment it 's like using an old Almanack out of date it may well be said To what end did St. Paul tell the Christian Hebrews of God swearing by himself and that an oath is to put an end to all strife for had this Quaker been in St. Pauls time he would have catechized him otherwise that he did not understand the Scriptures that St. Paul had taught other doctrine than the Lord Jesus had done for he faith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea That solemn oaths are as bad now as vain oaths That swearing was lawful under the old dispensation but unlawful now Then St. Paul might have known this new-light-doctrine That Christ ended the dispensation of oaths where strife was If all this be not ungrounded abominable doctrine delivered by this Quaker then let wise unbiassed Readers judg Q. p. 50 51. Q. Numb 52 Ch. Father inform me concerning the observation of days as holy-days and Sunday which some call Sabbath-day and some the Lords-day and whether the Lord requires that I should observe them Fa. If thou observest a day observe it to the Lord but he requires not the observing of particular days for the Seventh day was holy in which he rested from all his works and that was the Jews Sabbath and they observed it to the Lord as he commanded but Christ Jesus hath fulfilled it and ended it and those called Holy-days are set up in the Apostacy in which the Saints have been killed and martyred upon which days the Apostles rejoyced and feasted and they are called Festival days and thou art to abominate the observing of them because they were set up in the blood-thirsty spirit and for that called the Lords-day or Sabbath-day people do not understand what they say for the Sabbath is the Seventh day and the observing of that is ended in Christ and that called the Lords-day is the first day of the week and the name Sunday is from the heathens who celebrated that day to the Sun and so called it Sunday but Child every day is the Lords day and thou art to observe them all unto him and who come to Christ and believe in Christ come over the observation of days into the one day of the Lord which is as a thousand years Pr. Pr. In this Quakers long discourse the set-time for Gods publick Worship is run down at an ignorant rate from observing a day to the Lord it 's ignorantly asserted That God requires not the observing of particular days when the King and Parliament made the last Act for the better observation of the Lords-day then according to this Quaker they did nothing but make a Law to establish Will-worship for as this Quaker saith the Lord requireth not the observing of any particular days it 's here confest notwithstanding what was said by this Quaker to the contrary that the Seventh day was the Jews Sabbath-day as the Lord commanded behold here was a particular day required by God to be observed by the Jews behold again how this Quakers spirit hath inspired him to write a contradiction but as for us Christians under the Gospel there is no particular day to be observed to the Lord there are no Holy-days owned by this Quaker these days are like so many brats of Babylon rejected by him these days he saith were set up in the Apostacy at that time when the Saints were killed and martyred doth not this Quakers ignorance in effect count all Holy-days to be Apostatical days Are not these the Festival days which his Child is instructed to abominate the observing of What is more plain from these Quakers words than this That Holy-days observed by the Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England at home are abominable days not fit to be observed But why are Holy-days to be abominated This Quaker gives this reason Because they were set in the blood-thirsty spirit it 's hard to understand the meaning of these words however we have no Holy-days which this Church observes but such as were at first set up by a blood-thirsty spirit surely if this Quaker had lived in those days of old he would have faln as strangely foul upon the Jews Feast of Purim as being from another blood-thirsty spirit but this Quakers aking-tooth is at the Lords-day or Sabbath-day in this matter the Prophane and the Quakers are well agreed they do neither of them make conscience to observe this day to the Lord for that called the Lords-day or Sabbath-day this Quaker saith that the people do not well understand what they say to speak according to this Quakers own words both King and Parliament were faln low in their understandings when they made an act for the better observation of the Lords-day in their debates they said they knew not what who named it either Sunday Lords-day or Sabbath-day had this Quaker been consulted they might have known thus much that the seventh-day-Sabbath is ended in Christ that the Lords-day is the first day of the week that Sunday is from the Heathens but in truth every day is the Lords-day so that to declare this Quakers mind truly there is indeed no such day as the Lords-day to be observed by any Christians for every day of the week is to be observed as the Lords-day and this is not this Quakers single opinion for he saith that they who come to Christ and believe in Christ do which is strange come over the observation of days is not this Quakers meaning this That all real Quakers do neither observe Holy-days nor the Lords-day not Holy-days as this Church appoints nor the first day of the week as being the Lords-day which is their degenerating from the practice of the Primitive Christians to say no worse of them but whither do the Quakers come when they are gotten over the observation of days for my part I cannot tell this Quaker is of age let him speak for himself who saith that they come into the one day of the Lord which is as a thousand years and here I leave him I Shall transcribe no more out of him but proceed to some of James Parnel's Pamphlets the Book which is made use of is called Q. A Collection of the several writings given forth from the spirit of the Lord through the servant of God James Parnel who bore a faithful testimony for God and died a Prisoner
under the hands of a persecuting generation in Colchester-Castle in the year 1656. Published 1675. Pr. Pr. This Quakers scribbles are in no small request with his quaking-friends here you see they are said to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord which is a profane equalling of them with the holy Scriptures this quaking holy man of God was in the Quakers account no less inspired by the Holy Ghost than the holy Pen-men of Scripture were it 's no slander to say that the Quakers are not a little fly-blown with spiritual pride not a little of it is here published in print behold this James Parnel was the Quakers martyr that bore a faithful testimony for God even unto death in Colchester-Jayl with respect to this Quakers great worth they were a persecuting generation who did persecute this Quaker according to his true demerit This Collection was published in the year 1675 to tell this generation that this Quaker was like Abel who being dead yet speaketh but I shall truly say not like righteous Abel Let us look into some of his Pamphlets for with them all I shall not trouble your patience The first of the Pamphlets is called A trial of Faith which is thus put to the test Q. p. 4. Q. Numb 53 You believe you shall never overcome your sins so long as you are here or be made free from sins here you shew your faith is not built upon Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil and to cleanse from all sin Pr. Pr. This is the corrupt testimony of this quaking-martyr that they are no sound believers whose faith doth not cleanse them from all their sins that the faith of Christians is not built upon Christ if it doth not make them free from their sins peccatum ne sit a sinless estate reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven is no true Divinity in the Quakers School according to this high-flown Quaker we must either be wholly free from sin like the angels or we can be no true believers in Christ St. Paul burthened with his body of death was a wretched man in the worse sense one that was not built by faith on Christ no truly faithful Christian suppose this Quaker to be in the right what then then St. John was grosly mistaken in saying thus If we say that we have no sin which the Quakers usually do we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us this Quaker is certainly for a more holy faith than God himself did ever require it 's not the ruling power but the being of sin which this Quakers faith makes free from without doubt this is to be righteous overmuch in this world I leave it to others to judg if the ill spirit of the old Catheri was not gotten into this young Quaker however it 's most clear that unless the Quakers idolized perfection be owned as the true only touchstone of faith the best grounded the most stedfast and saving faith of any Christian is not worth a rush it is an unholy faith to speak this Quakers mind that doth not cleanse from all sin in being thus this Quaker being dead hath unrighteously spoken a lye in the name of the Lord by his false Doctrine he hath concluded the Church of England at home all reformed Churches abroad under unbelief for being of this right sound mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins as long as they are here Q. Q. The next Pamphlet of Parnel's is called Christ exalted into his Throne Pr. Pr. Here is seemingly great honour done to our Saviour Christ but it is only in shew not in truth as of old he was arrayed like a King to his own greater disgrace so he is now cried up by this Quaker to the high dishonour of the holy Scriptures which is no honour to our Lord Jesus Christ Q. p. 15. Q. Numb 54 The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light nor the word nor the life nor the judg nor the rule nor the guide nor the trier of spirits for all this belongs to Christ Pr. Pr. I may truly say without offence this is none of Abel the righteous his language nor a faithful testimony born for God except another Quaker Atheist or Antiscripturist none would have laid such base things to the charge of the holy Scripture except a Quaker no man did ever call Christ the rule this Quaker is guilty of weak reasoning because Christ is the word the light the life therefore Scripture is not the word of God a light the word of life a judg a guide a trier of spirits behold is not this rare quaking Logick is it not a great shame that such dull reasoning as this is should be fathered on the holy Spirit who is God without question it 's for want of good Catechizing that the Quakers vent such irrational things in print these quaking-lines are fitter for pity than a more serious answer however let it be duly considered that at this door hath been brought in all the filth that hath been cast upon the holy Scripture the Scripture is not the light what is it then darkness saith one Quaker not to be minded in any thing saith another not the word what then the letter a dead letter say several Quakers not the life what then putrefaction and corruption not the judg what then it's the spirit alone which gives true discerning saith another Quaker not the rule what then the Scripture is not the rule of my faith and practise saith another Quaker not the guide what then the Light within is the true guide say all Quakers not the trier of spirits what then the Scripture cannot help to discern betwixt true and false saith another Quaker Thus you see clearly how the Scripture the word of God is become like a dung-cart to receive what filth the Quakers and the Papists have to throw into it is it not very sad that the Quakers way of exalting Christ is by debasing the good word of God what manner of spirit it is that leads the Quakers let all wise men hence judg Q. p. 16. Q. Numb 55 Of this Light you people and teachers of the world are ignorant and so are doting upon the Scripture without with your dark minds there with the blind Pharisees seeking life where it is not to be found Pr. Pr. The voice of righteous Abel is not yet in these quaking lines with this Quaker both people and Priest are alike they are both alike ignorant of Christ the Light because neither people nor their teachers are fond of this Quakers false Christ the Light within therefore this Quaker saith they do fondly dote upon the Scripture without and this is done with dark minds behold as this Quaker thought this is our great fault because we make the Scripture not the Quakers Light within the rule of our faith and life therefore as this Quaker saith we are ignorant of Christ the Light doting on
the Scripture observe it well to read in to meditate of to study to believe to live according to the Scriptures is as this Quaker calls it our doting on them and this is done with our dark minds there except Quakers who cannot but have a very good opinion of themselves who follow the Light within them as their Lord God and Saviour all others both people and teachers of this world do but dote on the Scriptures with their dark minds nay to take this Quakers mind more at large they are like the blind Pharisees the people being blind themselves are led by their blind teachers thus they go blind-folded seeking life in the Scripture doted on where it is not to be found I may now truly say according to this Quakers mind that the Scripture is basely accounted of either as a dead letter which hath no life in it or as Christs tomb or empty grave where Christ the true Light is not to be found Q. p. eâd. Q. Numb 56 Thus with your dark minds you would take the authority from Christ and would give it to the dead Letter Pr. Pr. Now this Quaker speaks plainly but not yet like righteous Abel he doth harp still upon his old string as if Christ were dethroned because the Scripture Gods Word is a light unto our feet behold if either people learn or are taught such true doctrine as this is then the people and their teachers with their dark minds do as this Quaker saith take the authority from Christ and give it to the Scripture which is saith this Quaker a dead letter Without doubt this is a base slander the Grand Seignior would not suffer his Alchoran to be thus reproacht however in this point their elder brethren the Papists and our modern Quakers are well agreed to both of them the Holy Scripture is no more but a dead letter By the way let it be observed that here is James Parnel a servant of God whose Writings were pretended to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord a Martyr one that gave his testimony for God who called the Scripture a dead letter is not this corrupt tree plainly to be known by this bad fruit do you not espy a wolf in sheeps cloathing are not those streams which make glad the City of God basely fouled by him I am sure the testimony of this Quaking-Martyr is not the testimony which the Scripture bears of it self no undeluded Christian can believe that it is from the true Spirit of the Lord to term the Scripture a dead letter without controversie it is a standing-shame to Christianity that Christ the light of life cannot be rightly exalted but the Scripture must first be declared to be a dead letter this abominable doctrine was first hatcht amongst the Papists and and is now maintained amongst the Quakers Q. p. 16 17. Q. Numb 57 Your Leaders cause you to err for their own ends and of the Scripture they make an idol to get money by which they lead you in blindness in vain are you worshipping a God whom you know not crying up the Scripture exalting it in the place of Christ Pr. Pr. By this Quakers testimony all Ministers of the Gospel are basely bespattered they are in this Quakers account such Leaders as cause the people to err they are no better than a base sort of self-ended Teachers who lead the people into error for their own ends nay worse they are Idolaters and the Scripture he saith is their Idol to speak this Quakers mind more fully as Diana of the Ephesians was Demetrius his Idol so the Scripture saith this Quaker is the Idol of all Gospel-Ministers to get money by by instructing the people out of Gods word Ministers if you can believe this Quaker do nothing else but cause people to err and lead them in blindness by following the Doctrine taught by Gods Ministers the people are like the heathen Athenians this Quaker saith they do in vain worship a God whom they know not by making the Scripture to be the rule of their faith and life this Quaker saith they cry up the Scripture to the Lord Christs high dishonour exalting it in Christs place if this be not high base doctrine then what is such The Turkish Alchoran was never so debased by any Mahometans nor Heathen Priests so vilified in any part of the world by their Vassals as the Word and Ministers of the Most High God have been by this deluded Quaker Q. p. 18. Q. Numb 58 He is the Word and the Scripture is not He is the Light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and the Guide and Teacher and Judg and the Scripture is not Pr. Pr. Here we have this Quakers cramb the second part of the same tune this Quakers dream is double according to this Quakers mind his false doctrine is established if any are so foolish as to regard it it is an Oracle from this Quakers lying spirit That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor a light unto our feet nor the Rule Guide Teacher or Judg because Christ is so this is the Quakers old weak reason fit to be dismissed as such But whither doth this Quakers wild doctrine tend Is not this the true meaning of it That the holy Apostle St. Peter was grosly mistaken that the holy men of God mentioned by him did not speak the word of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That the sure word of Prophecy is no light shining in a dark place That those primitive Christians did very ill to take heed to any such light without them as the Scripture the sure word of Prophecy is To speak a little more according to this Quakers mind by no means the Law and the Testimony mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah may now be our Rule we do all follow a blind guide if we are led by the Scripture Hath not this man quaked to purpose Is not the Scripture by him shaken to nothing for it 's no word of God no Light no Rule no Guide no Teacher no Judg. Surely it's matter of lamentation that a false Christ the Light within who is not God and Man in one person must by Quakers be thus exalted to lay the honour of the Scripture in the dust to make the word of God of none effect Q. p. 19. Q. Numb 59 Saying among themselves If we let go the authority of the Scriptures then all is gone that is to say Take away our Idol then take away our maintenance then down with our Ministry Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker pretends to be the Priests Cabin-Counsellor to discover their secrets he brings them to light as being such as do only hold fast the divine authority of the Scripture to save their main stake mark how he supposes them to say among themselves even that which none but this Quaker or others like himself did ever hear If we let go the authority of the Scripture then all is gone This he
takes for his Text now follows his gloss That is to say take away our idol then take away our maintenance then down with our Ministry Is not this rarely quaked What will not a real Quaker say to asperse the Ministring-Priests of the Lord This Quaker hath clearly for his own purpose hit this nail on the head well may none but Quakers cry Euge Jacobe Observe it once more here is the Scripture standing again for an idol and all Ministers of the Gospel because not quakerized for the Priests of this Idol the Scripture is there not here a sound like that of old Great is Diana of the Ephesians Do not the Priests like those Craftsmen make a great stir about their Idol the Scripture Do they not say in this Quakers hearing Take away our Idol then take away our Maintenance then down with our Ministry Surely it is new very clear that the Quakers have very mean thoughts either of the Scripture or of Gods true Ministers the latter are in scorn called Priests the former is more basely termed their Idol by this Quaker we are come to a strange pass seeing that no Ministers may stick close to the divine authority of the Scripture but their gain is their only end in so doing and the Scripture the word of God is their Idol which they worship for advantage sake that their maintenance may not be taken away and that their Ministry which some Quakers prophanely enough call their trade may not go down I need add no more but this Nigro carbone notetur without question this quaking-doctrine deserves a black mark Q. p. 22. Q. Numb 60 They have nothing but the Scripture without and are still without in darkness and confusion as all those appear to be who call the Scripture their rule and guide and yet know not the truth Pr. Pr. Here th's Quaker is still baiting the Priests of the most high God as if they were a sort of Letter-mongers that have only the Scripture without out-side teachers who are still without such as are in darkness without Christ the light of life such as are in confusion without divine guidance and all this dirt is cast on them by this Quaker because they call rather make the Scripture their rule and guide but in the mean time know not the truth by the way observe how fond the Quakers are of their Light within to exalt this Idol they count the holy Scripture to be what it is not an Idol it 's no less than darkness and confusion as this Quaker saith to call the Scripture the rule of faith and life surely the holy Spirit of God is in vain pretended to by the Quakers who do so basely abuse in print those who call the Scripture the Word of God who do so much decry the Scripture from being the Word of God a rule or guide Oh that the Quakers could lay this great sin to their hearts Q. p. 25. Q. Numb 61 You bring another Gospel calling the four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker is offended with us unjustly for calling the Books written by St. Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel this is as he saith no less matter than to bring another Gospel into the world suppose this to be what it is not a true charge then according to St. Paul's Doctrine this Quaker would make us accursed and all that have gone before us for this new Gospel surely this Quaker did not well consider what he wrote for no Quaker doubtless dare say that the matter of those Books is not true Gospel how then came this Quaker to talk of our bringing another Gospel by affirming these Books to be the Gospel of St. Matthew Mark Luke and John as the Church of England doth as the Reformed Churches do abroad this Quaker would make us to be faulty in an high degree for by bringing in another Gospel we have another Christ to be our Saviour than he that is God and Man in one person the word made flesh it is certainly very sad that we may not call the matter of those four Books the Gospel which was written for our instruction by those four Evangelists St. Matthew Mark Luke and John but we must be basely charged to bring another Gospel which St. Paul terms accursed Q p. 26. Q. Numb 62 That is a false light in you which leads you to profess the Scripture to be your rule but in life and practice deny it Pr. Pr. Without borrowing any of this Quakers Light within him to tell us it is a confessed truth amongst us That all those do hold the truth in unrighteousness that do not live according to it but it is no false light in any of us to profess the Scripture to be our rule and though men are never so wicked the Scripture is still the rule of a better life to them which they ought to follow certainly this Quakers spirit was very much in the dark to asperse the Scripture so as he hath done by Gods own appointment the Scripture is the rule of faith and life it 's folly to think that the sinfulness of any mans life can make the Scripture to cease to be the rule of life as God hath declared it to be without doubt it is a false light in any Quaker which guides him to say that the Scripture is not the rule of his life without the Light within to guide him The next Pamphlet of James Parnel is called Q. The Trumpet of the Lord blown or a blast against pride and oppression Pr. Pr. To be sure this Trumpet sounds nothing like those silver Trumpets of old there is no small danger in this Quakers blast I shall endeavour to cast some Church-mould upon it the first sound is a terrible long blast Q. p. 28 29 30. Q. Numb 63 Wo unto you that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen in respect to your persons who are exalted in the earth who are proud high and lofty who are called of men Master Mistris and Madam you are exalted above your fellow-creatures and grind the faces of the poor you live at ease spending your time in chambering and wantonness in hawking bowling carding dicing in eating drinking and sleeping you feed the lust eating drinking and rising up to play which is Idolatry your high and lofty horses are like your selves according to your lofty minds you sit at ease Dives-like devouring the Creation spending it upon your lusts your hearts being adultred from God your fellow-creatures labour like slaves under you you sit at ease and poor Lazarus lyes starving without you think scorn that a poor man should stand with his hat on before you you will be called Masters upholding that which Christs Doctrine forbids who saith Be not ye called Master you think scorn to be Thoued of your fellow-creatures but you will Thou God and Christ but though you be exalted as high as the Heavens and set your nests
but James witnessed against it and said He that respects persons commits sin for there is no respect of persons with God therefore saith James howl ye rich men here your professed Ministers abide not in the doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the devil now you shall see the partiality of the names in this your breeding and manners from a poor man to a rich man it is called honour and due respect and manners from a rich man to a poor man it is called courtesie and humility amongst the rich and nobles of the earth it is called Courtlike breeding of those of the lower degree it is called Country-breeding amongst the lower sort of the world it is called neighbourhood and civil respect one to another and so the devil hath covers for all his deceit and so he is honoured both in Court and Country but wo unto them that hide their sins and cover with a covering and not of the spirit of the Lord but this is the riches of the world and the devil that makes so many degrees as between Dives and Lazarus Haman and Mordecai for the Lord hath made all the Nations of the earth of one mould and one blood Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines we are told by this Quaker to this purpose That putting off the hat suppose to the King to any Peers to any Magistrates to any Gentlemen or others is an invention of proud Lucifer who is the devil according to this Quakers mind by putting off the hat to them the devil is honoured worshipped and exalted in man to whom it is done according to this quaking-document when all Courtiers stand bare in the Kings Presence what are they then doing this Quaker saith in print thereby the devil is honoured worshipped and exalted in man if this be loyal doctrine delivered by this Quaker let the whole world judg this Quaker saith that putting off the hat is such a fashion as the Scripture doth not warrant according to this Quaker then standing bare in the Kings Presence is civil honour given to the King without any Scripture-warrant behold the Scripture is abused by this Quaker to tell us that man hath found out many inventions but this is most certain that till Quakerism was hatcht which is not yet thirty years old or not much elder to put off the hat was none of these inventions till there was an yester-day-Quaker no man was so far imposed upon by the spirit of errour as to say that putting off the hat to the King to superiours to our equals was an invention of the devil but this Quaker is arrived in the ship of folly at a strange discovery that which is rightly called courtesie humility honour manners breeding due respect this Quaker by a false light within him hath discovered here to be that respect of persons which was he saith never ordained by God but by the devil behold here is a base discovery to be courteous and lowly to inferiours by moving the hat to them to give honour to shew manners and due respect to superiours to bid a poor man put on his hat is courtesie to be counted a courteous man but all this is as he saith wickedly that respect of persons which was never ordained of God but by the devil let me say without offence it is easie to guess at whose Torch this Quakers light within him was fired to give honour to the King Peers to name no more is according to this Quakers lines that respect of persons which was never ordained by God but by the devil by stirring in this puddle there is more of this Quakers stinking stuff to second this Quakers false base doctrine St. James his words are basely wrested by him St. James never said howl you rich men because it was then in use sinfully to respect them by putting the hat off to them St. James explains himself otherwise in that Chapter surely this Quakers spirit was dull-sighted to be thus grosly mistaken but this Quaker hath his by-fling at Ministers he saith here where in teaching to give honour to the King to the Peers to any to whom it is due your professed Ministers abide not in the Doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the devil behold how this Quaker makes all Ministers for teaching the truth to be no better than the Ministers of the devil or such as have the devil for their God now this Quaker goes on to tell us what is called honour due respect manners what is called courtesie and humility what is called Court-like breeding Country-breeding neighbourhood and civil respect surely this Quakers spirit was at no little leisure to attend such trifles but what of all these mind it well honour due respect manners courtesie humility Court-like breeding Country-breeding neighbourhood civil respect are according to this Quaker covers which the devil hath got for all his deceit by these he saith the devil is honoured both in Court and Country but like the devil this Quaker quotes Scripture wrongfully to prove what he hath said amiss saying But wo unto them that hide their sins and cover with a covering but not of the spirit of the Lord now to what purpose are these Scripture-words Surely they are sent by this Quaker on that errand to prove that which the most wise God never intended them for any considering person may soon see enough to this Quakers shame for his impertinent alledging of them but this Quaker hath brought us to another new but strange discovery which is this That the Riches of the World and the Devil have made so many degrees as between Dives and Lazarns Haman and Mordecai doth not this Quaker in effect say thus much That the many degrees of Honour that are either in this Kingdom or elsewhere are of the Devils making behold how this Quaker is become a down-right Leveller for as all degrees of men are of the Devil so his quaking-equality is pretended to be from the Lord for he saith the Lord hath made all the Nations of the Earth of one mould and one blood I may truly say That this wild stuff is nearly allied to this When Adam digg'd and Eve span where then was the Gentleman Except deluded Quakers and doting Levellers none do derive the Degrees of men from the Devil according to this Quaker the King as Supreme Head of this Kingdom hath that Degree of Honour above all his Subjects which is made by the Devil which is a most base aspersion cast on the Kings most Excellent Majesty by this Quaker Q. p. 97 98 Q. Numb 78 c. We are accused that we say That we are perfect without sin I answer Man was perfect without sin before the fall I shall leave this as a query with all both Priests and people who deny perfection from sin here Whether Christ is but part of a Redeemer or a perfect Redeemer and which is the place betwixt Heaven and Earth where man shall be made free or cleansed
own a quaking-perfection as for St. Paul this Quaker tells us untruly that he did witness this perfect freedom from all sin that this was his being more than a conquerour surely this Quaker never understood Rom. 7. in vain doth this Quaker tell us that they who dwell in the righteousness of Christ sin not for the Scripture records no such over-holy inhabitants it 's true it 's the devil who pleads for sin and let that mans mouth be stopt for ever that doth so but to affirm the in-being and dwelling of sin in the best of men in this world is no siding with the devil in the same plea but this Quaker hath laid a foul load on those Ministers of the Gospel who teach that none can be perfectly cleansed from all sin in this life he saith to this purpose like the Sadduces they do all err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God they do deny the end of Christs coming they bring another doctrine a doctrine which they have from their father the devil they are deceivers who creep into steeple-houses and lead silly people captive but this Quaker is mistaken for St. Paul never said so pag. 103. he saith they are such teachers as are accursed they are daubers with untempered mortar such seers as see vanity such as divine lyes such as heal the hurt of the people slightly such as sow pillows under their arm-holes such as sooth people up in a false peace such as make the people to take up their habitation in sin as long as they live such leaders as cause them to err the utter enemies of their souls such as perswade their hearts in sins now give me leave without offence to say oh quaking-perfection from all sin in this life oh brain-sick whimsie to what extravagant assertions to what devilish expressions to what foul aspersions hast thou transported this poor deluded Quaker let all wise unquakerized persons judg if this quaking-error can be that unbottoming doctrine which declares our faith to be feigned our Priests to be lyars deceivers antichrists such in whom the false Prophet rules surely because this Quaker was not rightly instructed to distinguish well betwixt the being and ruling power of sin therefore the holy Scriptures have been sorely tortured to speak what he would have them in favour of his false doctrine hence I hope was the true rise of this Quakers gross mistakes base assertions and foul charges but I have done with this Pamphlet not for want of more pitiful matter but because I hasten to the next Pamphlet of this James Parnel called The Watcher it 's a conceited Title in it the baseness of Quakerism is drawn to the life but I shall not dwell upon it I shall only transcribe so much as may serve to lay open the Quakers pitiful teachings you will soon perceive that this Watcher is none of the watch-men of the true Israel Q. p. 138 Q. Numb 79 to p. 145. Antichrist hath reigned ever since the Apostles days over the world under a Gospel-profession here hath been a long time of cruel darkness and ignorance the Lord hath been a long time as a stranger in the earth they that were accounted to believe on God or Christ looked at him as a God afar off in the Heavens without far off they know not where they that said they believed that that was the Christ that died at Jerusalem and that he died for their sins and rose again and was sitting at the right hand of God c. were baptized with water and called Christians when as before they were called Heathen and those had the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which are called Scripture and so were the keepers of the Letter that they look for their rule to walk by they gave their own meanings and imaginations upon it they sprinkled their children and by that were they entertained into their Church and Faith thus came up Infant-baptism for which there is no Scripture nor example they call this an ordinance of Christ they had their two Sacraments for which word they have no Scripture they had the carnal bread and wine as the Priests and people have now thus they planted their Church in England and other places then Bishops were set up and Archbishops and Deans and Priests and Deacons and Popes and the Bishops bore rule by their means and the Priests preached for hire thus Antichrist set up his Kingdom under a profession of the Gospel then Tythes came up to maintain the Priests contrary to any rule of the Gospel then Universities were set up to make Ministers or Priests thus they were set by the will and tradition of man as the false Prophets always were then they had long robes like the Pharisees then they set up Idols-Temples which the blind now call Churches or houses of God then they got up into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues called of men Master Doctor had the uppermost rooms at Feasts and greetings in the Markets as it is now and then they stole the Apostles words as the false Prophets stole the word from their neighbour so did and do those took a verse and studied from it a divination of their own brain and so do the Priests vow they run like the false Prophets then with feigned words through covetousness they made merchandize of the people made a prey of the sheep as they do now began to seek about for great Livings and fat Benefices left a lesser ran to a bigger there was their beloved which they sought for as the false Prophets who sought for the fleece not for the flock cried peace to those that put into their mouths but they that did not put into their mouths they prepared war against them haled them before Courts and Benches as they do now thus they sought their gain from their quarters and ruled them with rigor so that the Priests reigned like Lords over the people thus your Priests old fathers planted their Church and so set every thing in form and tradition according to their own imaginations here is the ground and foundation of the Faith and Church of England here are the old Fathers and old Authors that your Priests have so much talked of even the Popes and the Bishops thus Antichrist hath long deceived the Nations under the profession of the faith of Christ one generation hath gone and another come and have not known the Lord that bought them many may see by this what lyars the Priests are how they came up and were ordained they will be found the Ministers of Antichrist such as shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men all people may now see how ignorantly you have been led as strangers from the father of light after the vain traditions customs forms ordinances and imaginations of man with a vain profession and feigned faith still strangers from the God of life and from Christ the Saviour and Redeemer thus you lye under the power of
thus they sought their gain from their quarter and ruled like tyrants with rigor according to this Quakers mind you see that since the Apostles days all Priests in the Christian Church have been basely covetous vile cheats bloody wolves sordidly self-seeking minding the fleece more than the sheep like the false Prophets greedily seeking their gain from their quarter ruling like tyrants with rigor thus according to this Quaker our Priests old fathers planted their Church and so set every thing in form and tradition according to their own imaginations behold since the Apostles days to speak this Quakers mind fully there hath been no Christian Church but such as was planted by the old fathers of our Priests and this Church was planted by them after the worst fashion according to their own imaginations that we may not mistake this Quaker he tells us plainly his particular thoughts of our own Church saying here is the ground and foundation of the Faith and Church of England here are the old Fathers and old Authors that their Priests have so much talked of even the Popes and Bishops behold according to this Quaker both the Faith and Church of England are Antichristian Popes and Bishops in this Quakers account Antichrists creatures are those old Fathers who planted this Church and Faith according to their imaginations who are so much talked of by our Priests but he saith Thus Antichrist hath long deceived the Nations under the profession of the faith of Christ behold according to this Quaker not only the Church of England but all other Christian Nations since the Apostles days have thus long been deceived by Antichrist under the profession of the faith of Christ according to this Quaker there hath not been one jot of true Christianity in this Church or in any part of the world for many hundreds of years by-past he saith one generation hath gone and another come but they have not known the Lord that bought them behold ever since the Apostles dayes all Christians in the world have not known the Lord Jesus Christ their Redeemer according to this Quaker they have all been Antichristian I may truly say That this Quaker is so taken with this Antichristian glass as that he saith many may now see strange sights what lyars the people are how they came up and were ordained that they are the Ministers of Antichrist that they do shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men the people may also see saith this Quaker how ignorantly they have been led estranged from the Father of Light carried after vain traditions customs forms ordinances imaginations of man deceived with a vain profession and feigned faith kept strangers from the God of life and from Christ the Saviour and Redeemer behold according to this Quaker what base persons all the Priests of the Church of England are for in his account they are all lyars Ministers of Antichrist as bad as the Scribes and Pharisees were in Christs time for they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men blind Teachers of the people estrangers of the people from God the Father of Light such as have carried them after vain traditions and imaginations of man deceivers with a vain profession and feigned faith such as have kept the people strangers from the God of life and from Christ the Redeemer but this is not all for this Quaker saith That both Priests and people do lye under the power of darkness and delusion of Antichrist behold in the Church of England according to this Quaker it is like Priests like people the power of darkness belongs to both they are both so far from true Christianity as that they are both under the delusion of Antichrist but according to this Quaker the Priests are the greater offenders of them two for they are he saith the peoples Leaders who cause them to err by their lyes they destroy the people for want of true knowledg they lead them captive in their sins they do only differ from the Heathen in name and profession Behold once more that according to this Quaker the Priests of the Church of England are teachers of lyes by which they cause the people to err soul-murtherers destroying the people for want of true knowledg like the Devil they lead the people captive in their sins they are nothing else but Heathens in truth Thus you see that this quaking-Watcher hath seen nothing belonging to true Christianity for a long time even ever since the Apostles days in the world or in the Church of England as for this Church and Kingdom according to this Quaker there is nothing but Antichrist and what is Antichristian to be found in them Q. p. 145 to 149 Q. Numb 80 You are fighting killing and devouring one another as they do whom you account Heathen you are drunkards swearers lyars scoffers revilers back-biters whoremongers adulterers proud covetous idolaters high-minded oppressors as they are both Priest and People you are envious and malicious both Priest and people you are dissembling cozening and cheating and defrauding one another of the earth What sin is there among those you account Heathen that is not amongst you and doth abound Be ashamed you Priests of England to see the fruits of your Ministry so laid open before you you are those who come near the Lord with your mouths but your hearts are far from him you are hypocrites and your hearts are full of deceit envy wrath bitterness covetousness pride earthly-mindedness self-love self-wisdom you are out of the life and practice of the Apostles and the children of light your Teachers are such as bring another doctrine and climb up another way who are shut out for Thieves and Robbers Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines we have railing without reason and Scripture abused to this end behold all the people and Priests of the Church of England are by this censorious Quaker declared to be guilty of most notorious crimes they are all according to this Quaker either as bad or far worse than any Heathens are behold how bad this Quaker hath made all Priests and people of this Church and Kingdom to be without exception quarrellers murderers drunkards swearers lyars scoffers revilers backbiters whoremongers adulterers proud covetous idolaters high-minded oppressors by these black names doth this Quaker point them out behold is this the Christian Charity that thinks no evil Is this the Christianity that speaks evil of no man But in p. 146 this Quaker doth a little seem to eat his own words but they are soon disgorged As for those people and Priests that are not drunkards swearers c. this Quaker makes them as bad as the rest as if he were in Gods stead he ransacks their hearts to make them no better than those heart-wicked Pharisees were of old according to this Quaker in the Church and Kingdom of England the peoples Priests are no Christians but idolaters their conversations are worse than heathens for they abound in gross wickedness more than they as
Houshold of God one Hope one Language one Family one God and Father of all they that cannot witness this are strangers to Christ strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines we have such an account given of the true Church of God as was never heard nor read of till within these thirty years by-past such an account as no age of the primitive Church can render the like except in a Quakers Conventicle this true Church is not to be found on earth in this particular Quakerism is the old Donatism revived the true Church is now only to be found amongst the poor deluded Quakers most of these Unities heaped together by this Quaker must necessarily be understood according to the notorious false principles of all Quakers what then then without a quakerized unity there is no true Church of God either in England or any-where else any man of common sense may easily see that these quaking-unities do only serve to unchurch the holy Catholick Church with all its members throughout the world It 's needless to touch at every point in this Quakers Compass for here are no true directions to be got for finding out the true Church this quaking-unity belonging to the true Church hath no Scripture-bottom to stand on no Christian Writers of any Century did ever describe the true Church of God after this canting rate but this Quaker is so confident of this mean new discovery as that he doth first unchristian then unchurch all others that cannot bear witness to the abovesaid Crotchet of his own brain behold they are all such as are strangers to Christ and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel As for this Quakers Works I have now done with them for the rest of his Pamphlets are very trivial in reading them over I found cramben his coctan and nothing more material than what hath been laid before the Readers eyes already I shall only add That I met with vainglorious Titles affixt to his Scribbles but without substance THE next Book proposed to your consideration is thus entituled The Heathens Divinity set upon the heads of all called Christians G. F. Printed in the year 1671. Pr. Pr. By those two Letters the Author of the Heathenish Pamphlet seems to be George Fox the cunning design of the Title is to represent all that are not Quakers to be Christians only in name but heathens in truth and that the knowledg which they have of God or Christ only from the Scripture is the Divinity of Heathens for it follows thus in the Title-page Christians that say they had not known that there had been a God or a Christ unless the Scripture had declared it to them You must not expect that I shall much expatiate I shall only touch at some points and so dismiss this Pamphlet Q. p. 9. Q. Numb 84 Balaams Ass may reprove you all who are going mad in preaching for Rewards and Gifts cursing and excommunicating and imprisoning such as will not give and put into your mouths Pr. Pr. This Quaker doth slander all the Priests of the Lord who take Tythes as being those that go mad in preaching for rewards and gifts he doth also foully charge them to go mad because they do use lawful means in Courts of Judicature to recover those Tythes which are unjustly detained from them by any Quakers according to the true meaning of these lines all Priests are like Baalam who loved the wages of unrighteousness whose ass may reprove them all for their madness behold what manner of persons all Priests are in this Quakers account but such mad fools as Balaam's ass may reprove Q. p. 12. Q. Numb 85 They that do now use the Scriptures for the building an old Mass-house and bring the Kings law and Gods law for it deny Christs coming in the flesh Pr. Pr. In this Quakers account the rebuilding of a material Church for divine service is but the building up of an old Mass-house an unscriptural work to build any such Church either by warrant of the Kings law or Gods law is no less fault than the great sin in this Quakers eye of denying Christ come in the flesh behold by rebuilding their Churches in London or elsewhere according to the law of God and the King they have as this Quaker saith but builded so many old Mass-houses and denied Christ come in the flesh behold in this Quakers estimate our material Churches are no other than Mass-houses then what is the divine service that is performed in them then what are they that minister in them then what are the people that worship in them is not this Quakers meaning hence this That the divine service is Mass-worship the Priests Mass-Priests and the people Mass-worshippers Q. pag. 28. Q. Numb 86 You say you had not known there had been a God unless you had Scripture to declare it to you neither indeed do you know him now though you have Scriptures nor yet have the spirit as they had that gave forth the Scripture through them nor heard his voice and yet pretend to be Preachers of God and of Christ but know neither but are Preachers for your bellies and serve them and not the Lord Jesus Pr. Pr. This Quakers Light within hath guided him wrong for no Priests of the Church of England or elsewhere did ever deny that That God might not be known by the light of nature within them or the works of God without them but only that a clearer knowledg of God is got by the Scripture but it seems to know God according to the Scripture is not the right knowledg of God in a Quakers account behold how blind this Quaker takes all Priests to be for he saith though they have the Scriptures they do not know God nor Christ behold in this Quakers esteem all Priests are both ungodly and unchristian they are preachers for their bellies these are the gods which they serve but not the Lord Jesus Christ Q. p. 32 33. Q. Numb 87 Religion and worship which you made your selves and set up in your Steeple-houses the places of your worship which God nor the Lord Jesus never set up Pr. Pr. In these lines this Quaker tells us that our Religion and worship is of our own making of our own setting up in our places of worship that this worship is that which was never set either by God or Christ behold what is the Church of England in this Quakers eye is she not a will-shorshipper is not her religion her worship of her members own making and setting up is not her worship that which was never set up by God nor the Lord Jesus Christ well may the Church of England be despised whilst the Quakers are suffered thus to spit in her face to asperse her religion and worship in this scandalous manner THe next Book with which I shall trouble your patience is called Truths defence Given forth by George Fox and Richard Hubberthorn Printed 1653 in York I
shall only glance at new matter as I pass along it 's a scurrilous Pamphlet but I shall leave them to answer to another for their hard speeches Q. p. 2. Q. Numb 88 You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the fire Pr. Pr. When these Quakers had understood that some of their Papers had been condemned to the fire to be burnt then they told their adversaries that they might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the fire behold are not the Quakers scribbles in great esteem amongst them do not the Quakers take their writings to be given by the inspiration of God are not they the holy men of God who speak as they are moved what difference do they make betwixt the Scripture and their Pamphlets do you not see it plain that as these Quakers say the Scripture may as well be burnt as their Books may Q. p. 14. Q. Numb 89 How fain wouldst thou have a place in the earthly letter Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines you see that Scripture is no more but the earthly letter I may truly say to pass by the meanness of this expression that till Quakerism arose an earthly letter was never read of nor did any Christians ever call the Scripture an earthly letter surely the holy Spirit of God did not breath forth those words Q. p. 15. Q. Numb 90 Neither dost thou know the letters that are given forth by us now which are given forth by the same spirit Pr. Pr. The import of these lines is this That the letters of Quakers are of the same divine authority with the Apostical Epistles that the same Holy Ghost is the author of both that the divine inspiration of both is alike for substance if this be not an abominable assertion then what is Q. p. 39. Q. Numb 91 As the Apostle said Take heed to the light of God within you Pr. See how vainly these Quakers do pretend to the same spirit that the Apostles had for they have in those words belyed the Apostle no Apostle did ever say Take heed to the light of God within you this is only a whim of the Quakers brain which hath no foundation in any Apostolical writings in Scripture we find mention made often of Christ the light and sometimes of Christ in you but no Apostle did ever say Take heed to the light of God within you this is only the Quakers false doctrine Q. p. 44. Q. Numb 92 If thou couldest see but thou art blind thou mightest see the same gift amongst us as was amongst the Apostles Pr. Pr. Behold how the Quakers do boast of themselves that they are endued with the gift of the Holy Ghost to work Miracles as the Apostles were if this be not a gross piece of spiritual pride then what is so Q. p. 57. Q. Numb 93 But him we own as one with us in the eternal unity Pr. Pr. These quaking-words are spoken with reference to George Fox in them we have this account of Quakers that they are in the eternal unity and that George Fox is owned by them to be one with them in the same eternal unity surely these lines smell strong of Parnel's partakers of Christs divine nature that God is with us manifested in the flesh all which is abominable blasphemy Q. p. 64. Q. Numb 94 The dark time and power of Babylon hath long reigned and the works of the Beast by which ye are descended that profess Scripture to be your rule Pr. Pr. Behold how these Quakers deny the Scripture to be the rule of faith how they look upon them with an evil eye that do profess the Scripture to be the rule of faith behold here is mention made by them of the dark time and power of Babylon and the works of the beast to use their own words by which they are descended according to these Quakers they are basely descended who do profess the Scripture to be the rule of faith Q. p. 69. Q. Numb 95 When thou comest to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through John to come to Christ then shalt thou see that the light is but one Pr. Pr. Behold how these deluded Quakers do write non-sense do cut out a strange new way to come to Christ he that reads these lines must baffle his reason corrupt his judgment to conclude that these Quakers were in any wise moved by the Holy Ghost which they do proudly pretend to here is too much gross ignorance to be fathered on him who is God Q. p. 75 76. Q. Numb 96 All the Ministers of the Letter are persecutors of the Spirit Pr. Pr. In these Quakers account the Ministers of the Gospel are no more but Ministers of the Letter and persecuters of the Spirit thus the Quakers do basely undermine the preaching of the Gospel to the great scandal of true Christian Religion to be termed persecutors of the Spirit is a most base disparagement Q. p. 78. Q. Numb 97 Thou wouldest know whether Jesus Christ have a body in heaven he remains in the heavens whereas thou wouldest know whether it be the same that appeared amongst men it is the same that did descend the same did ascend whereas thou wouldest know what manner of body he hath here thou art disputing as the devil was about the body of Moses with Michael the Archangel who said The Lord rebuke thee so say I now the Lord rebuke thee who art disputing about the body of Christ for the body of Christ is but one and he is the head of the body which is the Church Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines it is not said that Christ hath any body in heaven nay the Quakers are of this vain mind that Jesus Christ is not God and Man in one Person the substance of these Quakers words is plainly this that Christ Jesus his body is one which is his Church behold except the Church which is Christs mystical body our Saviour hath no other body to speak the Quakers mind more fully two of my Neighbour-quakers told me That Christs body did vanish at his Ascension and that now he hath no other flesh or body but the flesh or body of his people behold according to the meaning of Quakers how the Lord Jesus since his Ascension into Heaven hath no true body united to his Godhead in his own person that the body or flesh of Quakers his pretended people is the only body or flesh of our Saviour or to use these Quakers words the Church in their sense is the one body which Christ now hath Q. p. 80. Q. Numb 98 Who redeems and makes free from sin and the law with the body of Christ he that hath an ear may hear Pr. Pr. Here is Christ according to these Quakers made a strange Saviour who makes free from sin and the law with the body of Christ if this be not unscriptural Divinity what is according to these Quakers Christs body is the Quakers Church but surely this is not the body of
this worship I do declare to be deceitful and abomination to the Lord which is but Cains sacrifice O England I do declare against all these thy Teachers and against this thy worship as from the mouth of the Lord all thy imagined formal worships and carnal traditions and ordinances is the Lord risen to declare against O people your Teachers hath beguiled you and fed themselves with the fat but your souls are hungred by them they love the wages of unrighteousness and follows the error of Balaam for reward and have devoured souls for dishonest gain the Lord is rising to require his flock at the hands of the idols shepherds O ye idol dumb shepherds you have scattered the sheep and have fed your selves with them ye shall no longer wear garments to deceive you have long deceived the simple by your lyes the mystery of witchcraft is not now hid O England thy prophets are treacherous persons thy Judges judges for reward thy priests preach for hire thy rulers are evening-wolves which seeks for the prey all thy corrupt judges and officers and rulers will the Lord cut off and he will avenge the cause of the poor that is oppressed by priests in their tythes by lawyers in their fees by officers in their unrighteous dealings the sword of the Lord is drawn in thee O Nation and put into the hands of them which is scornfully called Quakers and thy unjust rulers and officers cannot hurt them O Land depart from all thy teachers lest thou be partaker of their plagues Pr. Pr. In these virulent lines you have seen this brainsick Quaker blacking the Teachers Worship and Magistrates of England by raking in this dunghill no little filth will appear behold how the Teachers of England are aspersed foully by this quaking zealot to write his mind more plainly they are no better than the false Prophets of Israel covetous teachers who seek their gain from their quarter thieves who steal the word their preaching is but the divination of their own brain which they sell for money that their teaching is for the fleece that they are no Ministers of Jesus Christ what then are they this Quaker saith that they are seducers blind guides antichrists such as lead poor blind people into the ways of destruction that they are such as are not sent of God that the people do not profit under their Ministry for their souls are in the dark heathenish nature leaning as he saith in the imaginations to speak this Quakers mind they are very wicked teachers for these iniquities lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and living according to the course of this world do rule among the Priests from the Prophet to the Priest as he saith every one deals falsely in this Quakers account the teachers of England are no more but hirelings and greedy dumb dogs the Quakers who pretend to be taught of God do deny them all he saith that the teachers of England are in the way of the Pharisees who we know were accursed of Christ that they do blindly lead the people as the Pharisees did of old that as cheats use to do they have beguiled the people that like the false Prophets they have fed themselves with the fat but starved the peoples souls that like Balaam they have loved the wages of unrighteousness followed Balaams error for reward that they have devoured peoples souls for dishonest gain that they are the Idols shepherds yea Idol dumb shepherds that have scattered the sheep and fed themselves with them that they wear garments to deceive that they have long deceived the people by their lyes that they have a mystery of witchcraft that they are treacherous persons Priests preaching for hire that they are oppressors by whom the people are oppressed in their Tythes that they are dangerous teachers not fit to be heard for this Quaker saith O land depart from thy teachers lest thou be partaker of their plagues now let us see how the worship of God used in England is despised by this Quaker to come to particulars he names reading singing preaching all which do belong to Gods publick worship but what saith this Quaker of this worship take his own words he saith that this worship is carnal that it is no worship of God that it is an imagined worship by which the living God is mocked that our reading singing preaching is heathenish no true worship of God that this worship is deceitful and abomination to the Lord that it is Cains sacrifice that all this he doth declare from the mouth of the Lord which is an unparallel'd quaking boldness Now let us likewise see what this Quakers mind is touching the Magistrates of England he being of age shall speak for himself who saith thus That these iniquities to wit lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and living according to the course of this world do rule among the rulers in this Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given to covetousness that the Judges of England he saith are Judges for reward that the rulers of England he saith are evening wolves who seek for the prey that they are those corrupt judges officers rulers whom the Lord will cut off that they are such officers as do oppress the people in their unrighteous dealings but now this Quaker saith that the sword of the Lord is drawn in England and put into the Quakers hands what 's meant by these words I do wholly leave it to the wisdom of the Magistrate to interpret though I have hitherto forgot it yet let it be remarked that by the false Light within this Quaker hath seen a lying vision for England which is this that all her teachers are drunk with the Whores cup of Babylon which is full of abominations I shall add no more but leave the serious Reader to abound in his own sense upon those quaking-words Thus I have done with this hot-headed Quakers Pamphlet THe next quaking-book to be briefly considered is called The warnings of the Lord to the men of this generation particularly to those in power who are lately passed away and to them that remain as they were given forth in sundry Letters and sent to Oliver Cromwell Richard his Son late Protectors c. whom for brevity I have omitted but may be seen in the Title-page by his Servant George Bishop who is moved of the Lord now to publish them London printed by M. Inman 1660. Pr. Pr. This quaking Pamphlet you may see was in this Quakers account of high value it 's vain-gloriously called the warnings of the Lord whereas no Quaker will confess that the Scripture is the Word of God this traytorly book is called The warnings of the Lord behold how this abettour of rebellion this publisher of high Treason George Bishop said that he was moved of the Lord now to publish them as if this lamentable scribble were the Lords immediate work Now let us pass on to the Book it self Q.
are but so many covers which the devil hath for all his deceit that by these covers the devil is honoured both in Court and Country that they are all accursed of God that hide their sins with those covers of the devil that it is the devil that makes so many degrees betwixt rich men and poor men great Courtiers and honest men that the Lord hath made all the Nations of the earth of one mould and one blood or if you will that degrees of honour are not of the Lord for he hath made all the Nations of the earth of one mould and one blood See Numb 77. ARTICLE LVIII We Q. do believe That there is a perfect freedom from all manner of sin to be had in this life that to deny a sinless perfection in this life is to make Christ only a part of a Redeemer that to deny it is a great delusion of the devil that this Scripture He that saith he hath no sin is a lyar is brought by the devil that it is the devil who tells men that Christ died for all that if they believe in him their sins shall not be imputed to them though they sin daily that the righteous man sins seven times a day that all the holy men of God sinned that to deny a sinless perfection in this life is that Doctrine which maintains the devils kingdom that it is a doctrine which the devil delivers by the mouth of his Ministers that it is a doctrine whereby the devil carries on people in an easie delightsome way to the flesh that it is a doctrine which heals them up in their sins with a feigned faith that it is a doctrine which sets them on their lees that it is a doctrine which sets up a rest in the devils kingdom that it is a doctrine which destroys all tenderness of conscience that without being perfectly cleansed from all sin in this life no man can witness Christ to be his Redeemer or that he is come to destroy the works of the devil or that Christ is come to redeem him out of the devils kingdom that by being perfectly free from all sin in this life we Quakers do reign above the world death hell and the devil that without this perfection from all sin others are such whose eyes are outward only looking at a Redeemer afar off that they are manifestly the children of the devil who do deny a perfect freedom from all sin in this life that their faith is vain and their hope is bad that it is the feigned hypocrites faith and not faith in God that Paul did witness this perfect freedom from all sin that they who dwell in the righteousness of Christ sin not that those teachers who deny our quaking-perfection do err not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God that those teachers do deny the end of Christs coming that they bring another doctrine which they have from their father the devil that they are deceivers who creep into steeple-houses and lead silly people captive laden with sin that they daub with untempered mortar that they divine lyes that they heal the hurt of the people slightly that they sow pillows under their arm-holes that they make the people to dwell in sin as long as they live that they are their leaders who cause them to err that they are the utter enemies of their souls who perswade their hearts in sin that they have but a formed feigned faith that they are found to be lyars deceivers antichrists in whom the false Prophet rules See Numb 78. ARTICLE LIX We Q. do believe That Antichrist hath reigned over the world under a Gospel-profession ever since the Apostles days that there hath been a long time of cruel darkness and ignorance that the Lord hath a long time been as a stranger in the earth that they who were accounted to believe on God or Christ looked at him as a God afar off they knew not where that they who said that they believed that that was the Christ who dyed at Jerusalem and that he dyed for their sins and rose again and was sitting at the right hand of God were no Christians in truth but so called that they were the keepers of the Letter which they took for their rule to walk by that they gave forth their own imaginations on the Scripture that they set up Infant-baptism for which baptism there is no Scripture that they have no Scripture for the word Sacrament that they set up the two Sacraments of baptism and the Lords Supper that like Priests and people now they had carnal bread and wine that the Church in England and other places was planted by them that Bishops Arch-bishops Deans Priests and Deacons and Popes were set up by them that Antichrist did thus set up his Kingdom under a profession of the Gospel that in the reign of Antichrist tythes came up and Universities to make Priests by the will of man who had long robes like the Pharisees that in Antichrists reign Idols Temples called Churches were set up that in the same reign the Priests got into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues being called of men Master Doctor and having the uppermost rooms at Feasts and greetings in the Markets that in the same Antichristian reign they stole the Apostles words and took a verse and studied from it a divination of their own brain and ran like the false prophets that in the same reign of Antichrist with feigned words through covetousness they made merchandize of the people and a prey of the sheep and sought about for fat benefices and like the false prophets sought for the fleece and cryed peace to those that fed them and prepared war against them that did not and sought their gain from their quarters and ruled with rigour that after this manner the Priests old fathers planted their Church and set every thing in form and tradition according to their imaginations that here is the ground and foundation of the Church of England that here are the old Fathers the Priests have talked so much of even Popes and Bishops that in this manner Antichrist hath long deceived the Nations under the profession of the faith of Christ that from one generation to another they have not known the Lord that bought them that by this it may be seen what lyars the Priests are how they came up and were ordained that they are the Ministers of Antichrist such as shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men that the people have been ignorantly led by their Priests as strangers from the Lord after the vain traditions customs forms ordinances and imaginations of man with a vain profession and feigned faith that they are still strangers from the God of life and from Christ the Saviour and Redeemer that in this manner both Priests and people do lye under the power of darkness and delusion that the Priests are the peoples leaders who cause them to err by their lyes that they are
lost for want of true knowledg that they do only differ from the heathen in name and profession See Numb 79. ARTICLE LX. We Q. do believe That both the Priests and people of England are very wicked like the Heathen that both Priests and people are envious and malicious that they are dissemblers cheaters defrauders of one another that there is no sin amongst Heathen which sin doth not abound amongst them that the Priests of England are very wicked that they do draw near the Lord with their mouths but their hearts are far from him that they are hyporrites whose hearts are full of deceit envy wrath bitterness covetousness pride earthly-mindedness self-love self-wisdom that they are out of the life and practice of the Apostles that they are such teachers as do bring another doctrine that they do climb up another way that they are shut out for thieves and robbers See Numb 80. ARTICLE LXI We Q. do believe That Englands Church was planted by Englands Priests that it differs not from the heathen that Englands Church consists chiefly of drunkards swearers lyars proud ones covetous ones railers murderers whoremongers wild ones prophane ones wanton ones quarrelers and sighters hypocrites dissemblers persecutors backbiters extortioners lustful ones that if these were set aside then Englands Church would be no where to be found See Numb 81. ARTICLE LXII We Q. do believe as our friend James Parnel hath written That we are partakers of the Divine nature of Christ by which we are made Christians and that God is with us manifested in the flesh See Numb 82. ARTICLE LXIII We Q. do believe That the true Church is no where but amongst our selves where there is but one teacher and one Lord one light and one life that is the light of life within us one faith which overcomes all manner of sin and makes us free in this life from all sin one way which is the despised way of Quakerism one shepherd who is the light within us and one sheepfold which is made up of us Quakers wheresoever dispersed one Priest over the houshold of God who is the light within belonging to this houshold which we Quakers are one hope which none but we Quakers have one baptism which is not with water one language which is Thou one family which by H. N. was called the Family of Love one God and Father of all who is the Light within all Quakers that they that cannot witness all this to be true are strangers to Christ and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel See Numb 83. ARTICLE LXIV We Q. do believe as George Fox writes That the Priests of England are going mad in preaching for rewards and gifts in cursing excommunicating and imprisoning so that Balaams Ass may reprove them all See Numb 84. ARTICLE LXV We Q. do believe That to build a Material Church is to build an old Mass-house that to warrant the building of such a Material Church by any Scriptures or the Kings law is to deny Christs coming in the flesh See Numb 85. ARTICLE LXVI We Q. do believe That to know God according to the Scripture is no true knowledg of him that the Priests of England though they have the Scriptures and declare him according to those Scriptures do neither know God nor Christ See Numb 86. ARTICLE LXVII We Q. do believe That the Religion and Worship used in England are of the Priests own setting up in their steeple-houses that neither God nor the Lord Jesus did set them up See Numb 87. ARTICLE LXVIII We Q. do believe as George Fox and Richard Hubberthorn our friends have written that the Scriptures may as well be condemned to the fire as our friends papers of Queries may See Numb 88. ARTICLE LXIX We Q. do believe That the Scripture is the earthly Letter See Numb 89. ARTICLE LXX We Q. do believe That the Letters written by Quakers are given forth by the same Spirit that the Prophets and holy Apostles had See Numb 90. ARTICLE LXXI We Q. do believe what is not true That the Apostle said Take heed to the Light of God within you See Num. 91. ARTICLE LXXII We Q. do believe That all true Quakers have the same gift of the Holy Ghost or gift of Miracles that the Apostles had See Numb 92. ARTICLE LXXIII We Q. do believe That we are one in the Eternal Unity and that George Fox the Elder is one with us in this Eternal Unity See Numb 93. ARTICLE LXXIV We Q. do believe That the dark time and power of Babylon hath long reigned and the works of the Beast that by these they are descended that profess Scripture to be their rule See Numb 94. ARTICLE LXXV We Q. do believe That there is a way to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through John to come to Christ that when a man hath gone this strange way then he may see that the Light is but one See Numb 95. ARTICLE LXXVI We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are Ministers of the Letter that they are persecutors of the Spirit See Numb 96. ARTICLE LXXVII We Q. do believe That Jesus Christ remains in the Heavens that the same that did descend did ascond that it is disputing as the devil did about the body of Moses with Michael the Archangel to enquire what manner of body Christ hath that such enquirers are to be rebuked as the devil was by the Archangel that the body of Christ is but one which is the Church See Numb 97. ARTICLE LXXVIII We Q. do believe That to redeem and make free from sin is done with the body of Christ which we have told you is the Church See Numb 98. ARTICLE LXXIX We Q. do believe That Christ lives in that body which is the Church that in this body which is the Church the Saints shall arise See Numb 99. ARTICLE LXXX We Q. do believe That both Philosophy and Logick are of the devil See Numb 100. ARTICLE LXXXI We Q. do believe That except the Church which is his body Christ hath no true humane body no more than God the Father hath that that man looks upon Christ with a carnal eye that looks upon him to have a true body as he hath that that man knows the fathers body that knows Christ to have a true humane body which is without sin that that man is full of subtilty that doth query how the Son may be distinguished from God the Father that they make both many Gods and three Gods who do distinguish the Son from the Father See Numb 101. ARTICLE LXXXII We Q. do believe That there is no Baptism with water that they are filthy dreamers and lyars of Christ who tell people that this Baptism is an Ordinance of Christ that it is but sprinkling a little dirty water on Childrens faces that Christ did never send his Disciples on this dirty errand See Num. 102. ARTICLE LXXXIII We Q. do believe That there is no Sacramental Cup to be