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A30041 The Quakers set in their true light in order to give the nations a clear sight of what they hold concerning Jesus of Nazareth, the Scripture, water baptism, the Lords Supper, magistracy, ministry laws and government / historically collected out of their most approved authors, which are their best continuing books from the year of their rise, 1650 to the year of their progress 1696 by Francis Bugg, senior. Bugg, Francis, 1640-1724? 1696 (1696) Wing B5389; ESTC R29140 57,509 61

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tells the Quakers and I think not without good reason that this Doctrine of the Quakers springs from such a pernitious principle as carry all iniquity in the womb of it c. But as W. Pen desires beseeches and begs that I should for once do a poor deluded people right so I will answer his request and the way to do it is to set down Burroughs Doctrine and W. Pens Answer at least so much of it as carry the strength of his argument viz. Burrows Works p. 47. That is no command from God to me what he commands to another di● any of the Saints which we read of in scripture act by the command which was to another not having the command to themselves Whereas from the recited Doctrine of Burroughs Mr. Faldo charges the Quakers to teach that no commands in Scripture as such are binding to us which he accounted as such a pernicious principle as carried all iniquity in the womb of it c. to salve which pray hear Mr. Pens answer To this saith he I answer briefly and plainly no commands in scripture are any further obliging upon any man than as he finds a conviction upon his conscience otherwise men should be ingaged without if not against conviction a thing unreasonable in a man Now I cannot see how W. Pens argument can answer the end proposed since 't is very hard for the Quakers nay impossible to be convinced of the reasonableness of their obedience to Scripture commands as such if they adhere to the Quakers Doctrine and names of contempt they frequently cast upon it First for names viz. Beastly ware carnal letter the husk dust death serpents meat some of it spoke by the grand Impostor some by wicked Men some by true Prophets yet false some by wise and good Men yet either ill applied or ill expressed And that whether Moses or Hermes was the first Penman remains a question c. I say here is no ground to hope that these Teachers will ever convince their Hearers of their duty of obedience to Scripture commands as such Again that the people may as well burn the Scriptures as their Books Again If ever you own Christs and the Apostles you will ever own our Writings say the Quakers which are given forth by the power and spirit of God Again What is spoken from the spirit of him in any is of as great authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater and very much to this effect as in this Treatise as also in New Rome Arraigned is plainly proved from the Books of their Teachers of greatest note Insomuch that there seems no possibility for the conviction of their followers who adhere and believe such doctrine of their duty of obedience to Scripture commands as also may appear from their practice as for example Christ said go teach all nations bapti●ing c. do this in remembrance o● me c. here is two positive commands which the Quakers have quite thrown off upon their principle that no commands of God which he commanded to others are binding now unless they have a command from God as the Apostles had at least until as Pen saith they are convinced 't is their duty to obey which is impossible if they tell them 't is Conjuration to preach out of the Scriptures that they are beastly ware serpents meat dust and deaths c. Again hear what one of their most noted Teachers says A Musick Lecture c. p. 35. Where they the worlds people are I was in performances in ordinances in hearing in reading in prayers and fasting but when I came to bend my mind to that of God in me viz. Quakerism I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals set before me c. And the reason is plain he not having the same command the Apostles had for if Scripture precept had been binding he had not only the command but example of Christ and his Apostles and the like may be urged for their disobedience to the Laws of the Land particularly about Tythes which W. Pen and the Quakers make criminal in their hearers to pay as likewise to shut up their Shop-windows on Fast days commanded by Authority these are made capital sins in the hearers But for non-submission to their own humane inventions they charge them with Ranterism thus have they like their Predecessors the Pharisees who strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel made void the commandments of God and precepts of the Gospel of none effect by their tradition Thus 't is apparent that this Doctrine That no commands of God in Scripture are any further obliging upon any man than he finds a conviction upon his conscience is so pernitious that it carries all iniquity in the womb of it And that this position opens the Flood-gates to all error atheism impiety and wickedness for if conviction be all the ground of obedience to the commands of Scripture and that no man until he is convinced that he is obliged to obey the commands of God laid down in the Scripture then all rational Laws Orders and Governments both divine and humane are overturned and from the date of this position a stop is put so far as 't is received and imbraced to all Religion and Piety towards God and upon this bottom as their principal foundation and corner stone the Quakers first rose in the North breaking all Law Order and Government disturbing the Ministers in their Churches and all other Societies for they were not convinced that they ought to obey Magistrates nor their Laws and how far they still retain this principle this Treatise will shew tho I grant for self-ends they are somewhat reformed and to maintain their Grandeur their Trade and to get into the favour of the Government that in time they may come to be Justices of Peace For it is certain that this position together with their other doctrine take away and rob the Scriptures of their divine Authority leaving all loose and uncertain and where this doctrine will end were it generally embraced God only knows for the Quakers conscience being hardened by the Doctrine of their Teachers against the Ordinances of Jesus Christ Obedience to the Laws of the Land the Papists the Jesuits the Turks the Arians the Socinians the Antitrinitarians all may as well plead to be left whether to obey Scripture commands as the Quakers and the Hearers of them all in all probability as like to be convinced by their Teachers as the Quakers c. who yet at the same time injoyn their Hearers not to pay Tythes not to marry unless they publish their intention before their Womans Meeting not to marry by a Priest not to shut up their Shop on a Fast day but to keep it open in Testimony against the command of the Magistrate and his Authority and a hundred things more and for non-submission to these injunctions there must be no plea nor liberty given nor forbearance until conviction but the Scripture commands
Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose being and habitation is in the power of the highest in which thou Rules and Governs in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Encrease thereof is without end Next a Letter to G. Fox from John Audland out of the West of England somewhat abstracted c. Dear and pretious one in whom my life is bound up my strength in the stand by thy breathings I am nourished by thee my strength is renewed life and strength come from thee holy one daily do I find thy presence with me which doth exceedingly preserve me for I cannot raign but in thy presence and power pray for me that I may stand in thy dread for evermore I am thine begotten and nourished by thee and in thy power am I preserved glory unto thee holy one for ever c. See this Letter at large in The Discovery of the accursed thing enlarged c. p. See their book stiled This is to go only amongst Friends And thou oh North of England who art counted as desolate and barren and reckon'd the least of the Nation * Mich. 5.2 Matt. 2.6 Joh. 7 42. yet out of thee did the branch spring † Zech. 3.8 and star * Numb 24.17 19. arise which gives light to all the Regions round about In thee the Son of Righteousness appeared † Mal. 4.2 with healing c. and out of thee the terrors of the Lord proceeded which makes the earth to tremble and be removed out of thee Kings Priests and Prophets did come forth Lift up your voices blow the Trumpet sound an Alarum out of the holy mountain proclaim tbe acceptable year and the day of vengeance of our God gird on your sword on your loyns put on the tried Armor Note this is one of their books the worlds people is not to see it 's to go only amongst Friends ride on ride on my brethren and fellow soldiers make all plain before you make the heathen tremble and the uncircumcised fall by the sword spare none neither Ox nor Ass neither old nor young kill cut off destroy bath your sword in the blood of Amalek and all the Philistins and Egyptians hew Agag to pieces break down the Rocks cut down the Ceders make the Devils i. e. the Priests subject cast out the unclean spirit i. e. that pay or receive Tyths raise the dead shut up in Prison bring out of Prison cast in your Nets launch into the deep bind the tares in bundles cast them into the fire the good Angel i. e. G. Fox is come thrust in your Cicles reap the earth silence all Disputers and Diviners for ever triumph upon all the chaff the mire and dung for ever prepare your selves to battle for the Nation doth defie our God saying Who is the God of the Quakers A rebellious people that will not come under our Law c. and so on see New Rome unm c. p. 85. more at large And thus you see that as 't is written Acts 10.34 To him gave all the Prophets witness c. so you see that all the Quakers Prophets being 400 in number give witness to Geo. Fox and adore him as the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness whose being and habitation is in the power of the highest ruling in his Kingdom the increase of which is without end as say the Quakers his Idolatrous Adorers by which 't is clear he outstrips Simon Magus SECT VI. 4. THat G. Fox was a slighter of the Scriptures a denyer of the Law of Moses and ordinances of Iesus Christ and a Blasphemer of the Blessed Trinity News coming up c. p. 14. Your original is carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and the light is carnal the Letter and your Baptism is carnal and their Sacrament is carnal and their Communion is carnal so dust is the Serpents meat their original is but dust which is the letter which is death so the Serpent feeds upon dust and their Gospel is dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the letter p. 34. A voice and a word to all you Deceivers who deceive the people and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemy and Hypocrisy that tell people of a Sacrament and tell them it is the Ordinance of God blush blush and tremble before the Almighty for dreadful is he that will pour out his vengeance upon you who live in the Witchery and bewitch the people and these things i. e. Baptism and the Lords Supper that God never commanded are given forth by you who are brazened with deceit and no Witch must live in Israel i. e. no Priest The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor some by wicked men some by wise men ill applied some by good men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false c. Now this being proposed as doubtful overthrows the certainty and authority of the Scriptures for if what the true Prophets spake was false and what wise and good men spoke was either ill applied or ill expressed and what the false Prophets spoke be true what certainty is here this put to the Quakers practice in laying aside in their Families as well as in their Worship the use of the Ten Commandments Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed together with what is above recited is plain that Geo. Fox and his Followers are Slighters of the Scriptures Now to the 3d part of the Paragraph viz. A Blasphemer of the Blessed Trinity one of his Sons books The Sandy Foundation shaken c. p. 10. No one substance can have three distinct subsistencies and preserve its own unity for granting them i. e. Trinitarians the most favourable definition every subsistence will have its own substance so that three distinct subsistences will require three distinct substances or beings consequently three Gods p. 16. The vulgar doctrine of satisfaction being dependent on the second person of the imagined Trinity refuted from Scripture c. says W. Pen but I say neither he nor all the Sons of Simon Magus are able to refute that Article of the true Christian Faith SECT VII I Am now coming to Ignatius Loyola the first Founder of the Jesuits and to shew that as G. Fox was one with Simon Magus in Doctrine yet in Discipline he very much resembles Ignatius Loyola and before I proceed I shall shew that I am not alone in this opinion and that from the judgment of two Learned Divines of the Church of England out of two books the one intituled The Good Old Way c. p. 121 122. But of all the Sects which are among us undoubtedly the Quakers have been
and are most eminently serviceable to our common Adversary for their principles are such as could not come out of any other Mint but the Jesuits And truly no opinions can more resemble theirs than those that are held by that crafty and perverse Sect do they the Quakers not think themselves as infallible as the Romanists think the Pope himself to be and do they not say that one reason why they divide from us is because we confess our selves to be men subject unto error do they not lower the Magistrates Authority as the Jesuits do and by all imaginable methods endeavour to render him contemptible do they not villify the holy Scriptures as the Jesuits do and call the Bible a dead Letter do they not cry up the light the light just as the Jesuits cry up tradition tradition do they not think themselves to be the only people of God as the Jesuits think their Faction to be and count all others who are not of their Communion Reprobates and damned persons do they not take it for granted that they are perfect and cannot sin Why do but turn the Tables and behold it is Jesuitism upon which they build the Doctrine of Meritorious good Works for where there is not perfection there can be no Merit But the most lucky and advantageous principle that ever was infus'd into them is this that they must not by any means swear tho call d unto it by due Authority The Jesuit was no Fool when he taught them this for hereby he keeps out of harms way and shelters h●mself from a necessity of taking any Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance this Principle therefore they do arrantly guard and make many proposals that they may be allowed this and as long as 't is allowed it will be impossible to hunt our Enemies out of the Heard or to distinguish indeed between a Quaker and a Jesuit By this any unprejudiced Man may see that this sullen and dogged Sect is the Jesuits natural and undoubted Issue tho like other bastards they are ashamed to own their father c. A Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome p. 282. Yet any one who compares them i. e. Jesuits and Quakers would imagin the Life of Ignatius had been their great Exampler I know not whether any of that innocent and religious Order of Jesuits had any hand in forming this new Society i. e. Quakers among us as has been frequently suggested but if one may guess the Father by the Childs likeness Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Jesuits was at least the Grandfather of the Quakers c. And now it remains that Ignatius Loyola and G. Fox compare notes that we may rightly understand whether indeed the Quakers be the natural Issue of the Jesuits as both these learned Divines agree they are and if they be let us lay this spurious off-spring at Ignatius Loyola s door but let us judge the tree by the fruit 1. Did Ignatius Loyola cry down the Scriptures so do the Quakers witness the contemptible names they bestow upon them as beastly ware carnal letter dust death and serpents meat 2. Did Ignatius whose Life was exemplary delight in and read the Papists Legend of the Lives Miracles and Enthusiasms of their Saints as Don Quixot rather than the Scriptures so do the Quakers who read their own Epistles in their meetings for worship and suffer none to call the same Edicts and Canons 3. Did Ignatius preach in the Streets Market-places on Bulks and Haystacks in opposition to Authority so did the Quakers for many years 4. Did Ignatius exalt his own sufferings so do the Quakers saying their sufferings are greater and more unjust than the sufferings of Christ and his Apostles and Martyrs read Burroughs works p. 273. 5. Did Ignatius refuse to put off his Hat to men in authority the Quakers do the same 6. Did Ignatius allegorise the Scripture the death and sufferings of Christ his passion attonement resurrection and ascention to be within so do the Quakers 7. Was Ignatius a Tradesman G. Fox was a poor Journeyman Shoemaker and wrought Journey-work for George Gee of Manchester and so are many of his Followers the Preachers amongst the Quakers and G. Fox was no Scholar but ambitious of being thought so for instance his Book stiled A Battledoor for Teachers and Professors Anno 1660. to learn singular and plural viz. tu and vos with the form and figure of a Battledoo● to imitate a Childs penny Horn-book containing divers learned Languages as Greek Hebrew Latin Syriack Italian Caldee and divers others and all this noise to bring into contempt both the Gentry of this famous christian and learned Country and the learned Clergy 8. Did Ignatius and his Disciples pretend to a gift of discerning to know the thoughts of their Neighbours so did G. Fox who said the Quakers have a spirit given them beyond their fore-fathers and know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostles without speaking ever a word c. saying as Christ is so are we Quakers in this world Gr. myst p. 89. 10. Did Ignatius travel up and down preaching working Miracles seeing Visions to Montsorret Manresa Barcelona Padua and after he was soundly beaten for not putting off his Hat to the Governor of Barcelona back again to Salamanca where he was put into the Dungeon and there chain'd to a Post at which he gloried as much as ever his Grand Children did after that to Antwerp Paris Roven where he stood up to the neck in dirt to represent to his Companions the filthiness of sin and to get commiseration in the people and thereby some followers as G. Fox and his followers used to go into Churches till some or other brake their Shins or made their Nose bleed and then some silly tender people would follow them into some poor womans house where they would hold forth and tell them do you see the fruits of the Priests and so gat here and there a few unwary Disciples c. at last Ignatius got to Rome to Pope Paul 3d and got his Bull to confirm the Society of Jesus October 3. 1540. and for more of Ignatius Loyola's Acts and Monuments I refer the Reader to the Works of Maffejus Orlandinus and Ribadeneira who wrote his Life So did G. Fox to settle Quakerism travel up and down disturbing Ministers in Churches preaching in Barns Market-places on Haystacks on Bulks working Miracles yea as true ones as Ignatius Loyola and as like them as if they were Twins quite through England Wales Ireland Holland Barbadoes Virginia Maryland and many places more as his Journals set forth so that 't is needless further to blot paper to manifest the parity between Ignatius and George his Grandson if Ignatius pretended to a sinless perfection George and his followers are full as good at it read his Gr. myst p. 33 107 267. where he tells you he can give an infallible character of another mans state and condition and
Manual Certificates of two Ministers at least under pain of Confiscation of the whole Impression nor may you denounce any Excommunication against any Ministers and others who shall change their Religion for that of the Roman Catholick nor treat them reproachfully neither by word nor writing †{inverted †} †{inverted †} Hark G. W. then they were not to call such Beasts Dogs Wolves Children of the Devil Devils incarnate Enemies of all Righteousness Apostates self-condemned Apostates as you have called me and others for our forsaking you and conforming to the Religion Establisht Moreover when they speak of the Pope they are not to call him Antichrist † † But you call both Ministers and People Parliaments and Magistrates who either pay or receive Tythes Antichrist Oh hetrodox in all points c. nor to treat him disrespectfully nor shall they tax the Roman Church with Idolatry nor the Sacraments and Ceremonies thereof us humane Inventions and Idolatry c. * * But you tell the Protestants their Sacraments are dust and that they rose from the Pope c. And treat the Dispencers thereof as Witches Devils Antichrists and what not that is odious nor to make collections of Money c. And now I come to shew you the Christian Frame and Temper of the French Protestants in their Obedience to the Kings Commandment by their Moderator c. The Lord Commissioner having ended his Speech the Deputies returned their Answer by their Moderator Monsieur Garrissoles The Moderator's Answer WE thankfully acknowledge the great Goodness and Mercy of God Almighty in answering the Prayers of his poor Churches with his heavenly Blessing and their Majesties Condescention in accepting our most humble Petitions presented by the Lords of our General Deputies and granting us this Privilege of holding this Synod and committing the Inspection of it unto a person most illustrious for his Vertues and well deserving that high place of Dignity and Honour in the first and chiefest Parliament of the Kingdom all these and many other considerations more do enforce our Souls with a sweet and pleasing violence to break forth into enlarged Praises and enflamed Thankfulness unto their Majesties yea and in most ardent supplications unto our God for the preservation of their sacred persons his Benediction upon their Government the Glory of their Crowns under whose comfortable Shadows the Churches enjoying a sweet Peace will never have any other desire or thought than to practice faithfully and conscientiously that most express Command of our Lord and Saviour by his Apostle St. Peter To fear God and honor the King and that with a most entire and sincere Obedience And as we have no design to do it so we shall never admit any person to sit as a Member of our National Synod who hath not a Deputation c. Nor shall we hold any Correspondency nor receive any Letters coming from Foreigners † † See G. W the Quakers practice and how different herein as anon I shall shew nor return any Answers to them unless that my Lord Commissioner who represents his Majesties person shall have first perused them nor will we debate about Matters of State nor make any orders in relation to them * * Hark G. W. read your Edicts and compare them which resemble theirs as black does white nor shall we set up Proivincial Councels in opposition to his Majesties will Nor as his Majesty hath demanded of us will we suffer those Canons of our National Synods concerning the Approbation of Books that shall be printed on matters of Religion to be violated † † See and behold an Example the Protestants have regard to the Laws the Quakers none nor shall we excommunicate any of those persons who quit the Communion of our Churches for we do not arrogate to our selves any Jurisdiction over them from that minute in which they left us nor shall we tollerate any Sermons fraught with any injurious and reproachful Language against the Members of the Church of Rome whether in general or particular nor suffer that Moneys be collected c. From all which 't is self-evident from Scripture Reason and approved Authors that Christ and his holy Apostles commanded subjection and obedience to the higher powers their Commands are positive and not with a Proviso i. e. until you be convinced of this your duty c. No they are Scripture Commands and as such ought to be obeyed and so the Martyrs believed and practised and set examples And you see how these worthy Christians the French Protestants obeyed that wholsom doctrine they did not answer the French King that no Commands in Scripture are obliging unless a man be first convinced that what is there commanded ought to be obeyed as Burroughs and Pen teach and as the Quakers practice who run counter to the practice of Christ his Apostles Martyrs and all Christians to this day c. SECT XII AND thus the Quakers may see as in a Glass That first the French King was humbly sought by the Protestants to grant them leave to hold a National Synod upon which he answered their request provided first that he might have a Commissioner in whom he could repose trust and confidence to be resident there to hear and observe that their discourse did not tend to alienate the hearts of his Subjects from their obedience to him as their King and Governor Secondly That they did not meddle with State matters tending to beget disobedience to the Laws of the Land all which they as readily submitted to they promised they would not meddle with State matters nor excommunicate and revile his Magistrates and Ministers nor hold a Correspondency with Strangers to let other Nations espy the Fashions and Customs of their Government and thereby take measures against it that they would observe his Laws in not printing Books without Licence nor gather up Money to weaken the Subjects to carry on designs against the Government But how far the Quakers differ in this point from the Christian both at home and abroad I leave the Reader to judge and that not from my bare say so but from plain matter of fact But still to make it more plain if more plain can be I shall in a few instances set 1st The French Kings method in commanding his Subjects 2d The manner of his Subjects Obedience and ready Compliance altho not of his Perswasion as to his Religion 3d. The Quakers Practice and Principles relating to Government 4th Some brief Observations from the Premisses SECT XIII French King YOu shall have no Communication with Strangers you shall neither read Letters from them in your Convocation nor return Letters to them other than what my Commissioner approves of Protest Nor shall we read any Letters coming from Foreigners nor return any Answer unless my Lord Commissioner approve thereof ut supra Quak. 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Friends in England and Wales or elsewhere from our yearly
in the unity of Essence Refuted The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your carnal Christ is utterly denied and testified against by the light to say that Christ is God and Man in one person is a Lye A Question to Professors c. p. 20 27 33. To whom do the Names Jesus and Christ chiefly and in the first place belong do they belong to the body which was took by him or to him who took the body Is not the Su●stance the Life the Anointing called Christ where●ver it is found doth not the Name Christ belong to the whole body and every member in the body as well as to the dead Now the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which he wore between him that came and the body in which he came between the substance which was vailed and the vail that vailed it Lo I come a body hast thou prepared me there is plainly he and the body in which he came there is the outward vess●l and the inward life this we certainly know and can be ●er call the bodi●y ●arment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the body c. Thus do they deny Christ which the Apostles preached saying Acts 5.30 35. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ c. The Christians Faith WE believe and confess there is but one God only whose being only is simple spiritual eternal invisible immutable infinite and incomprehensible And that the Holy Scripture teacheth us that in that one simple divine being there be three persons subsisting the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the Father to wit the first cause in order and the beginning of all things the Son his everlasting word the Holy Ghost his vertue power and efficacy the Son begotten of the Father from everlasting the Holy Ghost from everlasting proceeding from the Father and the Son these 3 persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not divided but of one and the same essence eternity power and equality and to conclude we allow of that which those four ancient Councils have determined and we detest all other Sects and Heresies condemned by those holy Doctors St. Athanasius St. Hillary St. Cyril and St. Ambrose Now if the Light only be Christ and as they say they can never call the Body Christ then are the Apostles found false Witnesses and the Quakers acquit Judas and the Jews for they never did hang the Light or Spirit upon a Tree they never Crucified the Light see Quakerism withering and Christianity reviving c. p. 15 to 30 for more of this Will. Bayley's Works p. 300 307. He being asked What Body Christ hath and where is it seeing its said to be at the Right hand of God he replies saying A Body hast thou prepared me mark the distinction thou me and a body This me that spake in the body was the Christ Again p. 307. For they his Disciples loved his person for the sake of the frame and quality of the Spir t that dwelt in him or else what was his person to them m●re than another person but for the sake of that which dwelt in him they loved him The Christ Qua. and his Dev. Test p. 98. The Se-pent is a Spirit now nothing can bruise the head of the Serpent but something that is Spiritual as the Serpent is but if that body of Christ were the seed then could he not bruise the Serpents head in all because the body of Christ is not so much as in any one And consequently the seed of the promise is an holy principle of Light and Life that being received into the heart bruiseth the Serpents head And because the Seed which cannot be that body is the C●●ist as saith the Scripture the Séed is one and that Séed is Christ Touching the Scriptures Geo. Whitehead's Serious Apology p. 46. That which is spoken from the spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater G. W. s Ishmael p. 10. That which is written is the Letter which is death and killeth Saul's Errand to Dam. c. p. 7. All that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers the Letter of the Scripture is death and killeth Several Petitions answered p. 30. If ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles you will own our Writings which are given forth by the same power and spirit Truths Defence p. 2 102. You might have as well condemned the Scriptures to the fire as our Writings for our giving forth Papers and Printed Books it is from the immediate eternal Spirit of God The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor some by wicked men some by wise men ill applied some by good men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false c. Davids Enemies discovered c. per G. Whitehead and Christopher Atkinson p. 7. And these the Apostles do not call the Letter the Rule and the four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament and Gospel as thou and thy generation the Priests do and thy Ministry is in the Letter which killeth News coming up c. per G. Fox p. 14. Your Original is carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and your word is carnal the letter and the light is carnal the letter and your Baptism is carnal and your Sacrament is carnal and their Communion is carnal A little Bread and Wine so dust is the Serpents meat their original is but dust which is but the letter which is death their Church is dust so the Serpent feed upon dust and their Gospel is dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is but the letter Touching Ordinances P. 34. A voice and a word to all you Deceivers who deceive the people and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemy and Hypocrisy that tell people of a Sacrament and tell them it is the Ordinance of God blush blush and tremble before the Lord God Almighty you who live in the Witchery and bewitch the people c. Burroughs Works about Water Baptism p. 518. We do utterly deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God but it is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a popish Institution