Primitive Christianity CONTINUED, IN THE Faith and Practice Of the PEOPLE called QUAKERS: BEING IN ANSWER To a Pamphlet, Entitled, Primitive Heresy, etc. And which may serve as an Appendix to a Book, Entitled, An Antidote against the Venom of the Snake in the Grass, by George Whitehead. Joseph Wyeth. Prov. 24. 8. He that Deviseth to do Evil, shall be called a Mischievous Person. Psal. 140. 3. They have sharpened their Tongues like a Serpent: Adders Poison is under their Lips. Selah. London, Printed and Sold by T. Sowle, next Door to the Meetinghouse in White-Hart-Court in Gracieus-street, and at the Bible in Leaden-hall-street near the Market, 1698. THE PREFACE. Friendly Reader, THE Ensuing Leaves, which contain our Vindication against the Black Attempts of a Necessitous and Malicious Priest, in a Piece of his, Emtituled, Primitive Heresy, etc. are Commended to thy Perusal; wherein thou wilt see the Consonancy and Constancy of our Principles to the Holy Scriptures Asserted, in Opposition to the Charges of Heresy, and New Representation by him Falsely, but not first laid: For it hath often been the Practice of our Adversaries, when we have brought forth our True Testimonies, to say, our Representation was New. But, as this Man seems to Love Controversy, in Opposition to Peace and Quiet, because he may find his Bread or Base Ends supplied by the Contest; and to make use of False Glosses to Colour the Pretended Occasion: So I Esteem it a Duty to wipe off the Dirt he hath fling at us herein; for which, though I have none of his mean Profits; yet I can assure thee, Reader, I have Satisfaction in so doing. The Method I have herein taken is this, I have from the Year 55. or there about, brought in a Succession, divers Testimonies against the Particular Charges; which do at once show, that what we now Profess, is no other than what we did: The Quotations all speak the Minds of the Persons, whose Names they bear: I say this, because those Quotations of our Friends, which this Man brings, does not, nor can, after the Barbarity he hath used toward them, of which I have herein given divers Instances. I need Preface no further, than to Acquaint thee, that as the Author Styles himself from the Snake in the Grass, I also have frequently Styled him so; not being willing to Abridge him a Title of his own choosing, which fitly Expresses the Workings of that Deceit, which was first began by the great Enemy of Man, the Devil; from whose Temptations and all Deceit, howsoever working; The Spirit of Truth, which comes by Jesus Christ can only be thy Safe Guide: To this thou art in all Sincerity Commended. THE CONTENTS. I. THE Incarnation of Christ; that is, the Union of the Divine and Humane Natures, in his being made Flesh, Asserted and Believed. p. 12 II. The Truth and Reality of his Death and Sufferings, Asserted and Believed. p. 19 III. The Resurrection and Future Judgement, Believed and Testified to. p. 25 IU. Baptism and the Supper spoken to. p. 32. Marriage owned, and Fornication Preached down and denied. p. 39 V. Magistracy and Government owned. p. 46 No Stiffness in not taking off Hats: Civility acknowledged to all. p. 48 The Conclusion. p. 49 Misrepresentation fixed. p. 51 Our Ancient Belief, no Modern Representation. p. 53 Expostulation with W. Penn Considered. ibid. Primitive Christianity CONTINUED, etc. SECT. I. LOVE to Truth, not Controversy, hath drawn this from me; for from a well-grounded Satisfaction, Knowledge and Belief (according to my measure) in the Manifested Principles of True Religion, I could with more ease have been pleased to Enjoy that quiet which results from the Practice of them; and which it hath Pleased the Government to allow to Persons quictly, tho' differently Opining. To the Disturbance of the Quiet, thus allowed, there hath of late appeared an Expulsed Clergyman, boasting himself to be some great one, and indeed in all the Qualities of Venom, Slander and Abuse he is so, his first (for what I know) Libel against us, The Snake in the Grass, shows this; and this he makes the Epoch of his Scandalous Practice in his succeeding Scurrilous Pamphlets, which his Skulking Leisure and Malice Furnishes him with Opportunity to multiply; for, from being an Expulsed Priest, he makes it a Trade for Bread, and in part to repair those Losses which he charges the present Establishment to have brought upon him: What he says of himself is, That he Fights for his Soul, the Joy and Union of Christendom, the Honour of Religion, and Pri. Her. p. 20. the Glory of God. But upon better Information this appears to be False, and that he seeks nothing less than those good things he speaks of, but to varnish ill Attempts with Specious Titles, and the Confusion of a Church and Nation, with a Prayer Dis. Showing who they are that are now qualified, etc. p. 33. for a Removal of High Places is no new thing. But to come more parcularly to his Outrage against us: He is pleased to Charge us with Follies, Crimes, Errors and Heresies of very many sorts; and herein hath gone so far, that, I think, there are few that know and impartially consider us, but know that it is False, though Attested, Verbo sacerdotis, in the disguise of a Snake, etc. It is true, it is no new thing for particular Persons or Communities of Men to be Charged with Blackest Crimes, Greatest Errors, Schisms and Heresies. An Instance of this kind, and which comes to our present purpose, is seen in the Apology of the Church of England, for her separation from Rome; in the Fifth Article there is numbered up some of the Crimes which were Charged upon her; the Article itself follows: Clamant hodie passim nos omnes esse haereticos, disccssisse à side & novis persuasionibus atque impiis dogmatis, Ecclesiae causam dissipavisse: nos veteres & jam Doctrina & Politia Ecclesiae Anglicanae, etc. p. 3. Ar. 5. olim Damnatas Haereses ab inferis redivivas restituere, & novas sectas & inauditos furores disseminare: jam etiam in contrarias factiones & sententias distractos esse, nec ullo pacto potuisse unquam inter nos ipsos convenire: esse homines & gigantum more, Deo ipse bellum facere, & prorsus sine omninuminis cura, cultuque vivere: nos omnia rectefacta despicere, non virtutis disciplina uti ulla, non legibus, non moribus, non jus, non aequum, non rectum colere; ad omnia flagitia laxare fraenoe, & populum ad omni genus licentiae atque libidinis provocare: nos id agere & querere, ut monarchiae & regnorum status evertantur, & omnia ad popularem temeritatem, & imperitae multitudinis dominationem ridigantur: nos ab Ecclesiae Catholicae tumultuose defecisse, & nefario Schismate orbem terrarum concussisse, & pacem communem, atque otium Ecclesiae publicum conturbasse: utque olim Dathan & Abiram Arone & Mose, Num. 16. ita nos hodie à Romano Pontifice, sine ulla satis justa causa secessionem fecisse; priscorum Patrum & veterum conciliorum anctoritatem pronihilo putare: Caeremonias antiquas à patribus & proavis nostris multis jam Seculis, bonis moribus, & melioribus temporis approbatus, temerè & insolenter abrogasse; & nostra tantum privata anctoritate, injussu sacri & Ocumenici consilii, novos in Ecclesiam ritus invexisse: atque ista nos omnia non Religionis causa, sed contention is tantùm studio fecisse. Se autem nihil prorsus immutasse, omnia vero ut ab Apostolis tradita, & ab antiquissimis Patribus approbata fuerint, ad hunc usque diem per tot secula retinuisse. They cry every where this day, We are all Heretics, departed from the Faith, have rend the Unity of the Church with now and ungodly Tents, that we have Revived and Restored the old Damned Heresies, have sown new and unheard of Sects and Madnesses, and are already broke into Factions and Divisions, nor by any agreement can never be united among ourselves: Impious Men of monstrous Manners, making War against God, and living without all Worship and Fear of the Godhead: That we despised every right Way, and used no Virtuous Discipline, nor loved either Laws, Manners, Religion, Right or Equity, but let lose the Rein to all manner of Wickedness, and Provoked the People to every kind of Licentiousness and Lust, and sought and did this that the State of Kingdoms and Monarchies might be over-turned and reduced under the Rule of the Rash and Unskilful Multitude: That we have Tumultuously Separated from the Catholic Church, and have shaken the Earth with a Nefarious Schism, and have troubled the common Peace and Quiet of the Church, and as Dathan and Abiram from Aaron and Num. 16. Moses, so we this day from the High Priest have made separation without any cause sufficiently just: That we account for nothing the Authority of the Ancient Fathers and Old Counsels, that we have rashly and insolently Abrogated the Ancient Ceremonies and Good Manners which by or Fathers and Forefathers for many Ages were Approved; and only by our private Authority have brought new Rites into the Church, no Holy and Ocumenick Counsel Commanding; and that we have done all these things, not for the cause of Religion but only in a Study of Contention: But that she is not all changed, but that all things, as delivered by the Apostles, and as they have been Approved by the Ancient Fathers, do through so many Ages remain to this very day. This, with much more in the Apology, is said to have been the Charge of Rome, and yet, I do not doubt but this Man will readily discharge Her from these these alleged Crimes. Hence we may have at least this Consolation, That we are not therefore villainously Criminal, because villainously Charged; and to show that we are not so, there hath been already Published an Answer to that Venomous Piece of Villainy, The Snake in the Grass; wherein is also ome notice taken, and answer made to some noted Passages in two other Scandalous Pamphlets, one Entitled, Satan Disrobed, etc. and the other, A Discourse for Water-Baptism, etc. which Answer is Entitled, An Antidote against the Venom of the Snake, etc. by George Whitehead; in which Answer is a Discovery of the Falsity and Envy of this Lose Charger. But as to what is here advanced, being what he says he Promised upon this Subject, in hopes that the Quakers, seeing the Prim. Her. P1 .. original of their Errors, may bethink themselves and return from whence they have fallen. I do tell him, that whatsoever his Promise was his Performance is very bad; because, what he assigns for Original Errors, are but his Copied Fasiti●s upon us (having been Charged by our Enemies many Years past) and therefore we are very far from returning to Communion with one, whose Fellowship is with the Father of Lie. As to the Oral Traditive Faith, by which he would Confirm Baptism, tho' said to be learned within 150 Years after Christ, it is, what will not do it, for the same Antiquity and pretended Authority may be brought for Mistakes more noted; But besides, Faith is the Gift of God, to whom we must look for it, and not to the Mouths of Men: Indeed if he can absolutely determine the question by the Scriptures, the Work is done, and then there is no need of any doubtful help; but if not, it will not avail, tho' he bring many Clouds of such Witnesses in the latter Ages; and the Reason is plain, because Scripture is (what he calls his Rule) not to be tried by them, but they by it, and if found contradictory thereto, our Dissent cannot be Criminal: And notwithstanding he calls this A Cavil we learned from Elder Dissenters; we are not afraid to stand by it, and therefore pay little Reverence to those, nor any thing not purely Apostolical. Here he says, The late Representations of Quakerism, hath given it quite another Turn and Face than it ever had before; if he had added Ibid. p. 2. [that he knew of] it had shown some Modesty, but since he has shown none, I will tell him, he is Dogmatically False; for our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People, for Truth changes not; and this, I hope, will appear beyond Contradiction, from the many Quotations, I shall have occasion to bring in, out of many of our former and latter Books; so that the Ground of what he calls our Schism (and which I say is our just Dissent) will consequently appear as large as before. He says, He hopes our Conversion is nigh, or if already Converted, our full Reconciliation to the Church. He should have told us what Church he means; for if he means into Communion with himself, that is Scandalous (to say, no worse at present) if he means to the Church of England, I cannot think she would send a Rebellious Son to call us: And here I will take opportunity to Confute a Lying Boast, I have heard; and which is favoured by what himself hath said above, viz. He hath brought over a great many from Us: I know not, nor cannot hear (and I have inquired) of one Silly Quaker, who is yet so Ignorant, as to go from our Allowed Meetings, to his Unallowed One: And therefore, when this his pretended Service is urged, as an Argument for his Atonement and Reconciliation, I can assure them the Argument is False; and there is great Reason it should, for God advances not Truth by Piè frauds, much less Impié frauds. He changes Style; and now Fawns, calling W. Penn, The Valuable Mr. Penn. At the end of his Book he changes again, and would there Insinuate, This his now Valuable Mr. Penn to be there very weak; of which in its place. I shall here a little interrupt the Thread of my Discourse upon this Pamphlet of Primitive Heresy, etc. and bestow a few Words relating to his Pamphlet or Discourse of, Who are Qualified to Administer Baptism and the Lord's Supper, together with the Cause of Episcopacy. But I shall not take much notice of it, not knowing any of us that want his Information in the first, and as for the last, I shall leave it to that Community to whom more particularly it is directed; only thus much by the way I shall first observe, that I take this Pamphleteer to be no proper Administrator (notwithstanding his noise for the Church) hebeing a Schismatic and Disobedient to (what he owns) the Jus divinum of his Bishop. And next, that the noise he makes against us for Schismatics, and offers A Discourse showing who they are that are now Qualified, etc. p. 18. 33. against us, That Idolatry does not Vnchurch, and that Great things ought to be borne rather than run into it. It will not be foreign to the present Case to give the Eighth Article of the Church's Apology , wherein are Reasons for their Separating from Communion with Rome. I hope the pertinency of the Citation will atone for its length: Nos verò cum proximis isti viginti annis, tot millia nostrorum fratrum inter exquisitissimos cruciatus Testimonium Apol. p. 5. Ar. 8. dixerint veritati, & Principes, cum fraenare cuperent Evangelium, multa moliendo nihil egerint; & totus sum prope terrarum orbis ad aspiciendam lucem oculos incipiat aperire; satis jam dictam & defensam putamus esse nostram causam: cumque res ipso prose lo quatur, non multis opus esse verbis. Nam si pontifices ipsi vellent, aut etiam si possent, rem ipsam secum, & initia progressusque Religionis nostrae cogitare, quemadmodum sua penè omnia nullo impelente, sine ulla humana ope ceciderint: nostra verò invitis ab initio Imperatoribus, invitis tot regibus, invitis pontificibus, invitis prope omnibus, in crementa ceperint; & paulatim in omnes terras propagata fuerint, atque etiam in postremo in regnum jam aulas & palatia pervenerint, vel haec ipsa satis illis magna esse possent; Deum ipsum pronobis propugnare, & ipsorum conatus de Coelo ridere, & eam essevim veritatis, quam nec humanae virés nec inferorum portae possunt convellere. Non enim insaniunt hodie tot civitates liberae, tot Reges, tot Principes, quia à sede romana defecerunt, & se potius ad Christi Evangelium adjunxerunt. But we, for these past Twenty Years, have had many Thousands of our Brethren given Testimony to the Truth in exquisite Torments; and Princes, when they sought to stop the Gospel, tho' with much Labour, effected nothing; and now near all the Earth begin to open their Eyes to see the Truth, and we think our Cause enough spoken to and defended; for if the Romanists will, or are able, to consider the thing with themselves, and think upon the Beginning and Progress of our Religion, how that theirs almost no one forcing, and without any humane help is fallen, but ours, from the beginning, against the Will of Emperors, against the Will of Kings, against the Will of Popes, and against the Will of almost all, hath received increase, and by degrees hath been Propagated in all Lands; and after Kingdoms, it is now come into Courts and Palaces, THESE THINGS ALONE may be to them a great Indication, that GOD HIMSELF HATH FAUGHT FOR US, and hath Laughed from Heaven at all their ENDEAVOURS, and such is the force of Truth, that neither Humane Strength nor the Gates of Hell can pluck it up. Neither are so many free Cities, so many Kings, and so many Princes MAD, because they have separated from the Sea of Rome, and rather joined themselves to the Gospel of Christ. Thus the Apology. If I should now throughly show, in how many Instances the above Description has been our Case, it would swell this to an undue Bulk; and I should be obliged to remember things; which time, and a better aministration, have laid to Sleep: Not but that any of middle Age, and tolerable Observation are capable of calling to mind a great many instances wherein the Parallel Suits; and here I am the rather willing to leave it, not judging it meet to Recriminate upon a whole Body, for the Faults of an Excluded Member; who, while he is crying out against Schism and Schismatics, forgets his own Separation and Disobedience from a Power which he pretends to own, of which possibly more anon. What I particularly now make my Business, and to which I return, is to consider his Scurrilous Pamphlet, Entitled, PRIMITIVE HERESY REVIVED, etc. by which he hath Charged us, the People called Quakers, in Faith and Practice, with divers Errors, the chief of which are, that we deny the Incarnation of Christ, the Truth and Reality of his Death and Sufferings, the Resurrection and Future Judgement, that we deny Marriage, and Preach up Fornication, contemn Magistracy and Government; which Charges, tho' of the greatest and foulest kind, he will not, as himself says, take up the Readers time to prove; Prim. Her. Rev. p. 2. but refers him to his former Books, which have been already answered, and his Abuses and Falsities therein laid at his Door. So that if I resolved to take his Example: I need say no more, than that these his Charges are, near all of them, already answered by George Whitehead, in the Antidete aforesaid, and refer the Reader thither, and this I might the rather do, because, for Forty or more Years past, there have been frequent and repeated Accounts of our Belief, in some or other of these things, as they have happened to be made Charges upon us by our Adversaries during that time: But I am contented for this once Actum Agere, and to bring into this, out of several of our Ancient Friends Books, some account under each of these heads, whereby the Reader may see, that our Faith and Practice herein, since we have been a People, hath been agreeable and consonant to the Holy Scripture; and do so continue to this day: And if upon inquiry, we are found agreeable to that; I shall not matter whether we be so or not, to the controverted Records of uncertain, and unsound Antiquity: Nor shall we need be at all affrighted, if we do find ourselves to differ; from what is to be found under the specious names of Ignatius, Policarp, etc. tho' living within 150 Years after Christ, nor under the great names of them called Fathers in the succeeding Ages; of which Subject many have written, & may have perhaps evinced, that the great uncertainty of not being deceived by them, and the little advantage if not so; will not nor cannot admit us to value them so, as to be determined by them rather than by the Holy Scriptures, which in this Nation, is commonly called the RULE of Faith. And tho' this Man to divert his cares, his fears, and to supply his wants, may spend his time in Catalogues of Heresies, and the Stolen Tracts of uncertain Persons, to enable him to club Quotations, and clap them upon the back of Charges taken from our professed Adversaries, from whom in part, he receives his Bread; yet I doubt not, but to bring in such a train of Evidence in these Questions wherein we are said to be Heretical, as will sufficiently evidence to the Impartial Reader, that the Charge, as as well as the Man, is false; and that our belief in these Articles is Scriptural: The Method I purpose to take herein, is this, I shall set down in a methodical order, the several Testimonies under each distinct Head, according to the priority of time in which they were written, so that upon a short view, the Reader may have recourse to each. Some Testimonies to Christ Jesus, as the Son of God, and come in the Flesh. SECT. II. Page 2, 3, 4. WE Profess and Confess Books Titles Faith in God the Father, and in Jesus A Confession and Profession of Faith in God, etc. 1651. by Rich. Farnsworth. Christ his Eternal Son, the True God, and in the Holy Spirit: And we do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the Words of God.— And there is none other Gods but One, and this is God the Father which we own, Isa. 44. 8. 1 Cor. 8. 4. John 10. 30, 31 Mark 12. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. 1 Cor. 8. 5, 6. Rom. 4. 25. Isaiah 45. 6. Eph. 4. 4, 5, 30. John 4. 24. Phil. 1. 1, 29. and Profess Faith in, and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son, who said, I and my Father are One (upon which saying the Jews took up Stones to Stone him) yet notwithstanding the same Christ that the Jews hated, we love, believe in, and own, who was delivered up to be Crucified for our Offences, and was raised again for our Justification, who is the True God: And him we Own and Profess Faith in, and in the Holy Spirit, God; together equal with the Father and the Son, One God over all Blessed for ever. And unto us (and all True Christians) the Saints in Christ Jesus. It is given in the Behalf of Christ, not only to Believe on him, but also to Suffer for his Name sake. P. 10, 11. VII. In the next place, truly to know this Lord Jesus The One Good Way of God. Printed 1661. Written by Rich Hodden. Christ come in the Flesh, as the New and Living Way to the Father, the Immanuel (God with us) making the Atonement by the Blood of his Cross, to have all things subject unto him, his Servants in him, and he in them; which is the great Mystery of Godliness, his from Ages and Generations until the fullness of time, and then Manifested in the Flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Believed on in the World, and Received up into Glory; which none of the Wise Men of the World ever knew, or can know by all their Learned Skill of Earthly Wisdom; nor any Man that Lives after the Flesh, or satisfieth himself with Hearing, Reading, Telling or Talking of him, or concerning what he or his Apostles did, said or suffered; as those that vainly take his Name into their Mouths (on most occasions of their Invented Ways) but know him not, neither by his Divine Nature nor Name, nor HOW GOD AND MAN BECAME ONE CHRIST JESUS, how that which may be known of God is manifest in Man, how he is The Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Prince. of Peace: The Author and Finisher of our Faith. How he saves his People from their Sins, is the Reconciler without Imputation of Sin: How he is Form in his Servants, and Cleanseth them by his Blood from all Sin and Unrighteousness; how they take up the Cross and follow him, or what the Cross is; how the Body becomes Dead because of Sin, and the Spirit Alive for Righteousness sake: How they are Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones; how he is their Loader, and Captain of Salvation, made perfect through Sufferings: How they are Baptised into his Death, and Saved by his Life: How the Union is perfected in all the Parts and Members of his Body the Church: What the Church is, or how his Body; or what it is to eat his Flesh, and drink his Blood; without which (as himself said) we have no Life in us: How every Knee shall bow to him, of things in Heaven, in Earth, and under the Earth; and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father: How he is that Blessed and Only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the Head of all Thrones and Dominions, and every Name that is named. P. 2, 13, 14. This is answered in part already, by what is said to A Vindication of the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers, 1665 By Geo. Bishop. the former Question, which in effect is this— That that which enlightens, which shows a Man his Heart, his Reins, and tryeth them, which reproves; which makes manifest, is Christ the Light; which Christ is the same that was born of the Virgin Mary, which was made Flesh, which sitteth at the right Hand of God, which was Crucified, Dead, risen again from the Dead; and ascended far above the Heavens, that he might fill all things, who when he was in the days of his Flesh with his Disciples, said, It is expedient for you that I go away; for John 16. 7. 8, 9, 10, 11. if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send him unto you; and when he is come, he will reprove the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgement; of Sin, because they believe not in me; of Righteousness, because I go to my Father; and of Judgement, because the Prince of the World is Judged. So that which reproves the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgement, the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, which testifies of Christ, which guideth into all Truth, is the thing that now is to be looked to; Christ in you, the Hope of Glory; the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations, but now made manifest to his Saints; the Riches of the Glory of the Mystery: Now the Lord is that Spirit— And when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will John 16. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 17. guide you into all Truth. Christ and the Light which is within, are not Two, but One; yet are Ibil. p. 15. they not so One, as that where Christ is, there is the Body that Suffered at Jerusalem; that was Flesh; that proceeded from the Virgin Mary, that died, was buried, risen again, and ascended, for in that he sitteth at the right Hand of God. But where the Light is, there is Christ, which was in the Beginning with God; by whom all things were made that was made. In whom was Life, and the Life was the Light of Men, John 1. 2, 3, 4. P. 11, 12. It is objected against us, who are called Quakers, That Concerning the Sum or Substance, etc. Isaac Pennington. we deny Christ (and look not to be Saved by him) as he was manifested without us, but look only to be Saved by a Christ in us. To which this is in my Heart, to answer to such as singly desire satisfaction therein. We do indeed expect to be Saved (yea, and not only so, but do already in our several measures witness Salvation) by the Revelation and Operation of the Life of Christ within us; yet not without relation to what he did without us. For all that he did in that Body of Flesh, was of the Father, and had its Place and Service in the Will, and according to the Counsel of the Father. But the Knowledge and Belief of that, since the days of the Apostles, hath been very much held in the Unrighteousness, and in the Separation from the Inward Work of the Power and Life of Christ in the Heart; which as so held cannot Save any. But whoever feels the Light and Life of Christ revealed in him, and comes into Union with God therethrough, he feels the Work of Regeneration, of Sanctification, of Justification, of Life and Redemption; and so comes to reap Benefit inwardly, and to partake of the Blessed Fruits of all that Christ did outwardly. Yea, he that is thus one with Christ in the Spirit, cannot exclude himself, nor is excluded by God, from the Advantage of any thing, nor every thing that Christ did in that Body of Flesh. P. 243. The Doctrines and Principles of the People called Immediate Revelation, etc. By Geo. Keith. Quakers, as well as the People, do indeed more acknowledge the Man Christ Jesus, than any of them all: Inasmuch as we do believe and acknowledge that a measure of the same Life and Spirit of the Man Christ Jesus, which dwelled in him in its Fullness, and had its Centre in him which came in the Flesh, and was born of the Virgin Mary, and is now glorified in Heaven, is communicated unto us, and extends itself into our Hearts and Souls, and whole Inward Man, so that the Man Jesus, who Simeon embraced with his Arms according to the Flesh, is, according to the Spirit, our Life and Glory, by whom we receive Light, Grace and Truth, and through whom we have access unto God. P. 358. Yet notwithstanding for your Satisfaction, we do now Journal. Geo. Fox. plainly and sincerely declare, That we Own and Believe in God, the Only Wise Omnipotent and Everlasting God, who is the Creator of all things both in Heaven and in the Earth, and the Preserver of all that he hath made; who is God over all Blessed for ever: To whom be all Honour and Glory, Dominion, Praise and Thanksgiving, both now and for evermore. And we do Own and Believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved and only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased; who was Conceived by the Holy Ghost, and Born of the Virgin Mary; in whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins: Who is the express Image of the Invisible God, the Firstborn of every Creature, by whom were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, Visible and Invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all things were Created by him. And we do Own and Believe that He was made a Sacrifice for Sin; who knew no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth. And that he was Crucified for us in the Flesh, without the Gates of Jerusalem; and that he was Buried, and Rose again the Third day, by the Power of his Father, for our Justification: And we do Believe that he ascended up into Heaven, and now sitteth at the right Hand of God. This Jesus, who was the Foundation of the Holy Prophets and Apostles, is our Foundation: And we do Believe that there is no other Foundation to be laid, but that which is laid, even Christ Jesus; who we Believe tasted Death for every Man, and shed his Blood for all Men, and is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World. P. 149. We do Believe in One Only Holy God Almighty, who A Serious Apology, etc. 1671. By G. Whitehead and W. Penn. is an Eternal Spirit, the Creator of all things. And in One Lord Jesus Christ, his Only Son, and express Image of his Substance, who took upon him Flesh, and was in the World, and in Life, Doctrine, Miracles, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Mediation, perfectly did and does continue to do the Will of God; to whose Holy Life, Power, Mediation and Blood, we only ascribe our Sanctification, Justification, Redemption, and Perfect Salvation. And we Believe in One Holy Spirit, that proceeds and breathes from the Father and the Son, as the Life and Virtue of both the Father and the Son, a measure of which is given to all to profit with; and he that has one has all, for those Three are One, who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, God over all Blessed for ever, Amen. To these foregoing Citations I could add very many more, both of older and later date, but as I would not needlessly quote Instances, so I hope the Reader will not account me hitherto Superfluous, in rescuing ourselves from Calumny and Abuse, in a Charge which appears so plainly to be False; for a plain as is the Sun when on its Meridian, so plain is it that we sincerely own, and hearty believe, all that the Holy Scriptures testify concerning the Incarnation of Christ, and the Union of both Natures, that is, as God and Man. SECT. III. HIS next Calumny in the order of his Charge is, That we deny the Truth and Reality of his Death and Sufferings. In proof of our Belief whereof, I am already in good part prevented, by the foregoing Testimonies; in almost all of which, there is some mention of his Crucifixion, as well as of his Birth: But however I am content to answer exabundanti, not wanting Instances of our Belief herein, from whence I can allow Measure pressed down and running over. Some Testimonies to the Truth and Reality of Christ's Death and Suffering. Page 3. Before Abraham was, I am; who was in the Beginning, The Path of the Just Cleared, 1655. By G. Whitehead. which was the Word, by which all things were made, which Word became Flesh, and dwelled among John 8. 58. John 1. the Disciples, and Suffered at Jerusalem, and witnessed a good Confession before Pontius Pilate, whom Pilate delivered up to the Jews, and the Chief Priests and Elders, whom they mocked and despitefully used, and put to Death concerning the Flesh; but is raised up by the Spirit, and ascended into Glory, which Glory he prayed for, even that Glory John 17. John 5. 22. John 10. 30. whereby he was at first by his Father glorified in, wherein he is glorified in his Saints, and is God over all Blessed for ever. Page 4. Christ, in dying for us, is our Example in Sufferings, and The Brazen Serpent lifted up, etc. 1655. By R. Farnsworth. way to the Father, for Christ in Dying for Sinners and Ungodly, died for all; for was not all Sinners and Ungodly guilty of Christ's Death; but it is by his Blood that we are Justified, and by his Life that we are Saved— In following his Counsel and obeying him, through the Cross which slays the Enmity, as he became obedient to the Death of the Cross, who is our Leader and Example, and is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him, but none else. We believe that all things which are spoken by the Holy A new Catechism, 1664. By W. Smith. Prophets and Apostles concerning Christ, are true according to the Scriptures: We believe that all the Dispensations of God, which are manifested by the Scriptures, are altogether true, and that they were all fulfilled according to the determinate Will and Counsel of God: So that our Faith concerning Christ in us, and the Work which he there worketh for us, doth not all make void any of the Dispensations of God, which in times past were revealed unto his Holy Prophets and Apostles, and by them testified in the Scriptures; so that the Work which the Father then gave unto the Son to do, we believe that he fulfilled according to the Father's Will, and that all things pertaining to Life and Salvation were FULLY and PERFECTLY in him, and that he humbled himself to the Death of the Cross, and from Death did rise again: And we believe that he is the Resurrection and the Life, and gives Eternal Life to all that believe in him. P. 19, 20. We Believe and Testify, that this Jesus of Nazaretio Rebellion Rebuked, etc. 167. by John Crook and William Bayly. wrought out, fulfilled all Righteousness in his Obedience, both in DOING and SUFFERING the Holy Law and Will of God, and that this Righteousness so wrought out and fulfilled, was not for himself, but for, or because of all such as truly, seeing they have no Covering or Righteousness of their own, flee unto, and lay hold of him and his Everlasting Righteousness, by a True and Living Faith.— We Believe and Testify, That his Blood exceeds not only the Blood of Bulls and of Goats, but the Blood of the best Man or Men that ever was, or shall be, in the World. And we do, in the sight of God, really own the Blood of the Son of Man; both according to the History, and in the Mystery (as we do his Cross) both as Shed for us, and to be Drank by us; both as bespeaking Remission of Sin passed through Faith in it; and as Sprinkling the Conscience of True Believers, and Cleansing them from all Sin.— But because we Testify, that it's not the Notion, or bare Historical and Literal Belief of those things, that Justify, or make us Really free from that which comes upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, whether Jew or Gentile, Professor or Profane, but only the Life and Virtue of this Blood received into the Heart, by that Living Faith, which Christ alone is the Author of. Therefore are we Branded with Slighting the Blood of the Man Christ, etc. though we Testify our Esteem thereof, both in the History and in the Mystery, and that without the Life and Virtue of this Blood there is no Remission. P. 9— Therefore we do Confess to his Sufferings, according Truth's Vindication, etc. 1679. Eliz. Bathurst. to the Scriptures; for Christ also hath once Suffered for Sin, the Just for the Unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to Death in the Flesh, but Quickened in the Spirit; we 1 Peter 3. 18. own his Death, as an Acceptable and most Satisfactory Sacrifice to God for the Sins of all, and is of Blessed Advantage to all that receive Faith in his Blood, Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Rom. 3. 25. Eph. 5. 2. his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past, through the Forbearance of God; and he hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a Sweet Smelling Savour. Also we Believe, that as Christ Died for our Sins, so he was Buried likewise, and risen again according to the Scriptures. But now is Christ 1 Cor. 15. 3, 4. 20. 21. Risen from the Dead, and become the first Fruits of them that Sleep: For since by Man came Death, by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead. The Apostle mentions this as the Assurance which God gave to Men, of his Judging the World at the Great Day, by his Son Jesus Christ, namely, Acts 17. 31. his having Raised him from the Dead. P. 31, 32. And the Preaching of this Jesus, Powerful Shepherd and A Mirror, etc. 1683. by Sam. Wattson. Bishop of our Souls, was in the Heavenly Authority of his Father in which he spoke forth all things appertaining to Life and Salvation, and are left upon Record by those who were Witnesses of his Coming in a most Special Manner, by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, who were Witnesses, with many more, of his Doctrine, Life and Suffering, which laid down his Life for his Sheep; as 'tis Written, They stripped him, and put on him a Scarlet Mat. 27. 28. Robe, and when they had plaited a Crown of Thorns, they put it on his Head, Nailing him to the Cross, Spitting upon him, and Mocking him, saying, Hail KING of the Jews; tho' he had done nothing worthy of Death; yet the Hardhearted, who Rejected the Corner Stone, said, We have a Law, and by our Law this Man must Die. So, refusing the Just One, and the Saviour of the World, they chose Barrabas to Live. This Cruelty Acted itself in a Guileful Spirit, to Destroy him in whom was found no Guile, neither ever was it in his Mouth. This is he who Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was Crucified, Dead and Buried, and the Third Day Rose again; who ascended, and sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father, from whence by his own Power he comes to Judge both the Quick and the Dead. This is he in whom I Believe, and is my Saviour, in and through whose Precious Blood is my Salvation and Redemption, and not in another (which Thousands with me are Witnesses of) whose Blessed Promise we Believe in, and in measure made partakers of, that he would send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, whom the World could not receive, because they knew him not; he shall bring all things to Remembrance, and shall lead and guide into all Truth; And he that is in you, shall be with you to the end of the World. This is the Blessed Saviour, whose Appearance is in Spirit, as the Apostle Testifies of his Second Appearance without Sin to Salvation, which cannot be known but by his Spiritual Work in the Inner Man, whose Appearance and Manifestation is to Destroy the Works of the Devil, which is Sin, Unbelief, and all Unrighteousness whatsoever, that he alone may Rule and Reign in Man and Woman, who brings Salvation to their House. This his Second Charge, of our Denial of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Death and Sufferings is, I think, by the foregoing Testimonies, sufficiently Cleared; it appearing from them, that his Charge, of our having left the Body of Christ, as a Forsaken Veil and Garment, Prim. Here. etc. P. 7. to Rot in the Grave. And Careless of what is become of it, as a thing now of no Virtue or Consequence with Us, is False, if a Succession of Testimonies of our Belief herein, produced for about Forty Years can Prove it; yet if these are Judged too few, I have many more in Store; not that I can at all doubt that these are not enough to satisfy Honest Enquirers at a distance; and also to Invite them to a nearer View of us herein, and in the whole System of one Faith, it being for the sake of such, that we find ourselves Concerned, to Oppose the Truth of our Profession, to the Falsity of our Enemy's Charges. For with respect to ourselves, we do Enjoy great Peace and Quiet, though thus Evilly spoken of, as knowing, it was by our Saviour so foretold it should be, who also himself was said to have a Devil, to be a Seducer, a Samaritan, and a Winebiber, his Apostles and Servants of Old, found suchlike Treatment, Stephen being Stoned, as a Contemner of God, of his Law, of Moses, and of the Temple: And the Apostle Paul was accounted a Heretic, a Deceiver, a Madman, a Blasphemer, a Seditious Person, and a Contemner of the Law of his Fathers. What better may we then expect from the same Spirit working in that Snake, which hides himself in Grass or other Subterfuge. SECT. iv I Come now to his third Charge, That we deny the Resurrection, and Future Judgement, which upon enquiry, will be found as False as the foregoing Charges, and it cannot well be otherwise, for it is next to impossible to be Orthodox in them, and Heretical in this, their dependence on each other is such: And the Apostle's Argument is very strong; If we had hope only in this Life, we were of all Men most Miserable: For true Religion cannot incline a Man to believe and be obedient to such Principles, as here expose him to utmost Dangers, and hereafter to no Joys: Christianity is a Complex of more rational Truths, than so to Clash and Jar: And however Foolish the Man accounts us, we are more Learned in the School of Christ, than to deny or be ignorant of so inestimable an Advantage, as is the Resurrection by Christ to Eternal Glory, and of that Future Judgement by which the States of Men must be determined. I now subjoin some Testimonies hereof. P. 4, 5 of his Works. Therefore Woe be unto all Epicures, who The Lying Spirit, etc. 1658. William Smith. put the Judgement of the Lord afar off, and sit down at ease in the Flesh, and make their Belly their God, minding Earthly things, devouring God's Creation to satisfy a Lustful Appetite, and so Treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God, who will render to every Man according to his Deeds, when the Workers of Iniquity will not be known by him, but must all departed from him into Everlasting Fire, there to abide under the Eternal Judgement. P. 332. And he that dieth in his Sins, not believing in the Humphrey Smith's Works, about 1660. Light, which makes an end of Sin, cannot come where Christ is, and so the Tree falling there it lieth; and as Death leaveth, Judgement findeth; so shall the Reward according to the Deeds be; and then shall every Man stand or fall to his own Master; the Servants of the Devil to their Master, and the Servants of God to their Master; and there is no more Masters but them two, and no Man can serve them both. Again concerning Christ, We believe that he is one with the Edward Burroughs his Works, P. 440. Father, and was with him before the World was; and what the Father worketh, it is by the Son; for he is the Arm of God's Salvation, and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator; and was, is, and is to come, without Beginning or End. And we believe, That all the Prophets gave Testimony to him, and that he was made Manifest in Judea and Jerusalem, and did the Work of the Father, and was Prosecuted of the Jews, and was Crucified by his Enemies; and that he was Buried, and risen again according to the Scriptures. And we believe, he is now ascended on High, and exalted at the right Hand of the Father for evermore; and that he is glorified with the same Glory that he had before the World was; and that even the same that came down from Heaven, is ascended up to Heaven; and the same that descended is he that ascended. And we believe, even that he that was Dead is Alive, and lives for evermore; and that he cometh, and shall come again, to Judge the whole World with Righteousness, and all People with Equity, and shall give every Man according to his Deeds at the Day of Judgement, when all shall rise to Condemnation or Justification; he that hath done good, shall receive Life, and he that hath done Evil, Everlasting Condemnation. P. 197. of his Works. And thus in the Blindness of their Uncircumcised God's Virtue, etc. 1670. By Tho. Taylor. Hearts, they heap up Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of God's Just Judgements upon them. Where is he that comes from the Dead, to tell us what is in another World; Let's Eat and Drink, and take our Fill of Pleasures, for to morrow we Die and are not, say they. P. 9 And how God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the A Testimony, etc. 1677. By George Fox. Holy Ghost, and with Power, who went about doing good, and Healing all that were Oppressed of the Devil, for God was with him; and we are Witnesses of all things which he did, both in the Land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a Tree, him God raised up the third day, and shown him openly, and we did eat and drink with him after he arose from the Dead, and he commanded us Acts 10. 41. to preach unto the People, and to testify that it is he that is ordained of God, a Judge of Quick and Dead. And to this do we testify, which are the People of God in Scorn called Quakers. P. 159. of his Works. Marvel not at this, for the Hour is A Catechism, 1673. By Robert Barclay. coming, in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the Resurrection of Life; and they that have done evil, to the Resurrection John 3. 28, 29. of Condemnation. But the Heavens and the Earth which are 2 Peter 3. 7. now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgement, and Perdition of Men. The Angels which fell had a State of Rest and Peace with Election and Reprobation, p. 24. 1678. By William Gibson. God; this was the first State which Judas here speaks of, but they kept not this first State and Habitation, but left it, yea, lost it, through Presumption, Irreverence and Neglect of their Duty, whom God in his Righteous Judgements hath reserved in Everlasting Chains under Darkness, unto the Judgement of the Great Day. P. 3. For at the Great Tribunal Christ Jesus will not fear An Antichristian Conspiracy, etc. 1679. By Tho. Wynne. to tell them, it was Work of Iniquity; For, said he, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. P. 7. The Quakers deny no Resurrection that is according to A Brief Answer, etc. 1678. By W. P. Scripture; we own the Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust; we declare to all People, we own the Resurrection of the Body, according to the Pleasure of God: And every Seed shall have its own Body; and Woe to the Wicked in that Day. P. 13. And if Christ did say to them that in his Members did not The Unequal Vnyoaked, etc. 1683. By Peter Price. visit him in Prison, Depart from me, ye Cursed, into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; What will he say to you, that do cast him in his Members into Prison? Seeing Christ said so to them that were too short in their Duty towards his People, What will he say to you, Matt. 25. 32. that are Cruel and Spiteful towards his People? Read these Scriptures to the end, and you may see the Reward both of the Godly and Ungodly, the Portion of the Faithful and Unfaithful. This is not to Rule for God, an Account you must give, to William Deusberry p. 394. of his Works. the Judge of Heaven and Earth. Oh Men! How will you stand in that Day, when it shall be said unto you, I was Sick and in Prison, and you Visited me not; Hungry, and you gave me no Meat; Naked, and you Clothed me not; a Stranger, and you took me not in. The Day is near, to this Account you will be called by the Lord of Life and Glory. P. 204. We own the Resurrection, and do believe that the John Burnyat in his Works. Righteous shall ascend into Glory, and be Glorified in Heaven with an Eternal Reward; and that the Wicked also shall Rise and come to Judgement, and be turned into Hell, to receive an Eternal Punishment. Here I have brought Twelve Witnesses, to Testify contrary to this Man's False Charge; which they do so Scripturally, and Truly, as Effectually to wipe it off, and leave no room for this Snake of Envy to hid himself in a Colour of Truth; if it may be allowed more reasonable for a Man to Declare his own Faith, than to be obliged to stand by the Declaration of it made by his Enemy. And this Man, is Wilfully or Ignorantly, unknowing of our Belief herein: For we continue to say, That in order to Salvation, Man must in this Life Witness the Redeeming Power of Christ Jesus to Quicken and Raise him out of Sin, which, when Man does Witness, he is then in Scripture Acception, Partaker of him who is the First Resurrection. And every Man so Redeemed, and Raised, does Faithfully, and of necessity must, Believe the Future Resurrection into Eternal Glory; and the Future Resurrection of the Wicked to Everlasting Torments. As for the Body, 1 Cor. 15. 37. Thou sowest not that Body that shall be. But we are Hearty Satisfied with the Apostle, Verse 38. That God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him. Our Belief herein hath often been Declared, notwithstanding which, because we are not Foolishly Querying, as the Apostle says some were, with what Bodies the Dead are Raised, they will needs have us Heretics: The Gross Conception, concerning Resurrection of Bodies, is well Contradicted by a Bishop in a late Sermon before the King, viz. We shall at last escape out of this Vile World, and from these Vile Bodies: We shall arise above the Depression of Sense and Imagination, and the Disorders of Appetite and Passion. We shall drop our Bodies, with all the Necessities and Weaknesses that hang about them, and shall arise into a State of Pure and Clear Light; into a State of Purity and Perfection; into the Angels and Saints, and be brought to see and enjoy God to all Eternity; and that too with all the Fullness of Comprehension, as well as Joy, that our Faculties in their utmost Enlargement and Elevation are Capable of. Of this enough is said here; I must now look upon another Line of this our Adversaries, and I have found a very ill one in p. 9 That we think our own Flesh and Blood, to be the Flesh and Blood of Christ, etc. But it happens that I have brought some among the foregoing Testimonies against it, and he only Urges himself for an Authority, who I shall anon prove to be a Splitter of Sentences, an Enemy to Colons and Semicolons, and Orthodox Doctrines, when in a Quakers Book. SECT. V HIS Fourth Charge is, That we Abstain from the Sacraments, and the Prayers of the Church; which he seems to think of such Moment, as to be the Guards of the Truth, and Importance of Christ's Outward Sufferings, and that where taken away, Men fall from the True Faith in them. But then è contrae it should follow, that where these are, there True Faith remains, which does not appear either in his own, nor the Practice of very many others who have them: But if Fellowship in Misery is any advantage; enough of Company he has afforded us, for there is a pretty many up and down in the World that do not use his Prayers. As for ourselves, I must truly Confess, That we know not how to Pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself helpeth our Infirmities. And I take the Holy Spirit to be a Surer Guide, both for Time, Matter and Manner of Prayer, than what he would give us in the stead thereof. But here he is so sure of his Charge, that he makes Quotations; his first is out of, News out of the North, by G. Fox; I cannot Examine it, not having the Book by me; but I much question the Truth of the Quotation, as anon it may be the Reader will think I have cause. His next Quotation is out of Edward Borrough's, p. 190. of his Works; it was well for me that I had this direction, or else I know not how I should have found it; for as the Words lie in his Charge, they are not like E. B's Words: The Snake has here declared himself an Enemy to well-placed Stops, and given us to understand, that he more Merits Advancement in Spain than in England: He gins a Quotation thus, Their Doctrines are of the Devil, who— (but he has left out what follows) denies the Truth which the Scripture bears Witness of. Thus good things are spoiled by ill Handling, and Orthodox Sentences made Heretical; but this is not to be wondered at, when an Inquisitor has Cut, or a Snake Bitten them. His next Quotation is in p. 191. and here he is playing the like Pranks; for when he has made up a Period, picked out of three places, the last of them Concludes, These are Damnable Heresies, even to the Denying the Lord that bought them; (And leaving out what follows, and which shows who they are that do so) for they Deny the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ given to every Man, to be the only Teacher, and the only Guide of Man; and they that do deny the Light of Christ, with which every Man that comes into the World is Lighted, to be sufficient to lead to Christ, and to the Kingdom of God (as these Teachers in this Age do) they do deny the Lord that bought them. He continues his Quotation out of Page 644. of E. B's Works, but here, as before, he hath cut off, I should show you according to Scripture. Sure this Man has an Enmity to the Holy Scriptures, when mentioned by us, that he thus cuts out the Word when he meets it in his way. But by this time it may appear, that his Charge of Hideous Blasphemy and Outrage, proves to be, a Hideous Stinking Vapour; and that himself deserves to be added to the Congregation, at the next Edition of the Index Expurgatorii. Page 10. Speaking of his Discourse of Water-Baptism, he says, It seems to have had some Effects already, even with G. Whitehead himself. He says true; it has had some Effect, for it did occasion a Chapter in G. Whitehead's Answer, An Antidote, etc. in which Chapter, the Malice and Impertinency of that Discourse is somewhat shown. But if he thinks it had any other Effect, the Boast is full as Vain and False as his former ones; of which I have already taken notice. This will best appear by G. Whitehead's own Words, which he has neither fully nor truly given, by so imperfectly Quoting them: The place in Page 114. of the Antidote is this, Yet others being more Conscientiously tender in the Observation thereof, we are the more tender to these, so as not to Censure or Condemn them, merely for Practising that which they believe is their duty, either in Breaking of Bread, or Water-Baptism; yet desire they may see further, and come under the Higher and Evangelical Dispensation of the Spiritual Communion and Bread of Life, and Cup of Blessing from Heaven (which can only Nourish the Soul unto Eternal Life) and of the Spiritual Baptism of Christ, which only is the Souls Sanctifying and Saving Baptism; so that this One Baptism, and this One Bread, which is the Substance they may Livingly partake of. Now Charles, from thy Maiming of this place, it is much easier for George Whitehead, and all that will Read it, to be confirmed in a Certain Knowledge of thy Baseness, than to be Converted to the Communion of One, who makes Lies his Refuge, and Deceit his Support. As to our Belief, with Respect to Baptism and the Supper, it has been very frequently Published, in Opposition to the False Constructions of our Enemies, and while we most Steadfastly Believe, Assert, and in measure Witness; that Baptism, which is not a putting away the Filth of the Flesh: And that Holy Supper, of which Christ hath said, I will come into him, and Sup with Rev. 3. 20. him, and he with me; we cannot go back to less Beneficial Types. Who please to see these, Scripturally and very Largely Defended and Discussed, may find it done in Robert Barclay's Apology, which is very easy to be had, whether I refer the Honest Reading Enquirers for further satisfaction herein: And come to his next Charge of being Gnostics, Denying Marriage, and Preaching up Fornication. He might have as easily said, We were Nicolatians; and then, upon an express Text, Warranted our Damnation. It is time for us to examine his Charge; why that is, That the People called Quakers forbidden to Marry, and Preach up Fornication; which is implied in the Title Page, and abundantly Charged in the Contents. This is general enough; for I cannot find one Married or Single Quaker left out. Now it is time to Prove it, when it is so home laid: in order for Proof, I come to Page 12. and there he says, He does not Charge all the Quakers with this; no, nor the greatest Number of them; only those called New Quakers in America. The first Charge runs over England, and all the rest of the World, where there are Quakers; the last is Limited only to America. Ah Charles! Dost think this Looseness will carry thee off: This is a very Lose way of Charging, and is at best an Equivocal Lie: But after his hasty running from his Charge, he stops at a distance; But the Quakers are thus far Answerable, That all this Wild Extravagance is a Natural Consequence of their Common Principle, and Notion of the Light within. I looked for his Proofs, but he has none here, and therefore I suppose it is, he asks us two Questions, to see if he can Snap us with Poor Silly Answers. (For it is a Jest to think he will allow us any other.) Well, since I can get nothing else from him, I will take his Questions; which are: Now let me ask the Old Quakers, Are they the Children of the Resurrection? They must answer, Yea, or go against their own Avowed Principles: And if Yea, than the Text is plain against their Marrying. This is a Shrewd Question, and has a Strange Consequence; but I shall not Reply to it till I have given the other Question too. Let me ask again, Are they THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD? They will all say, NAY, For that is the common Epithet by which they Describe the WICKED; and is a Term that they put in Opposition to THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT, which they bestow upon THEMSELVES. Now it is Written, That THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD MARRY. Therefore say the New Quakers, MARRYIAGE IS A WICKED THING, and Consequently of the Devil. And the Old Quakers have not yet Answered their Arguments, that I can hear of. Then it is high time it be done now, which I will perform by-and-by, but I must take my turn to ask Charles two Questions; to which he shall true Answer make, in like manner, as he has before made the Old Quakers: My first is: Charles, Art thou a Child of Wrath? He must answer, Yea; or go against his own Avowed Principles. And if Yea; then the Text is plain against his Inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven. This is very hard, a Man should send himself thus to Hell; but don't Wonder, till we see what the next Question will do. Let me ask again, Charles, Art thou a Disobedient Son? He will say, Nay: For that is the common Epithet by which he describes the Obedient; and is a Term that he puts in Opposition to Loyalty, which he puts upon himself. Now it is written, Disobedience is as the Sin of Witchcraft. Therefore, say all good Men, Disobedience is a Wicked thing, and consequently of the Devil. Now Reader see, Before he sent himself, and now he would hale all the People thither: Thus the Vanity and Folly of his Idle Questions does appear; when by only turning the Tables, and shifting the Terms, they do as certainly Damn him, as conclude against us. But now I come more closely to examine and see how his Extravagant Consequences can be the Natural Result of our Common Principle, and Notion of the Light Within: We, according to the Holy Scriptures, say, That the Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation, appeareth unto all Men; and that the Grace, Light, Spirit, or Truth, (by all which, and more Names, it is called in Holy Scripture) if obeyed in its Operation, will of Sinners make Saints: And when Men, by the Grace of God, are thus made Holy, they are then Partakers of him who is the first Resurrection; for whereas they were Dead in Sins, they are now, by the Grace of God, made Alive unto Righteousness, and so can then truly say with the Holy Apostle, How can we that are dead to Sin, live any longer therein? And when Men are thus risen from the Grave of Sin, and made alive unto Righteousness, they then are truly capable of so enjoying Marriage, and all the other Comforts of this Life, as to Glorify God, through Jesus Christ, for that he hath made them Witnesses of him who is the first Resurrection, and Partakers of these his Temporal Mercies. As for the Terms of Children of the Light, and Children of the World, they are such as it seemed good to our Lord Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, frequently to use, as having in them a Significancy of Expression, to denote the Wicked and the Godly, which is Authority sufficient for us to use them in their proper places: And it is Eternally true, That Men, by Believing in the Light, (notwithstanding his Idle Scoff) may become Children of the Light: And it is of necessity, that them that are truly such, must be Separate from, and Discerners of, the Children of this World, i. e. Darkness; and not so only, but as they continue in that Light of Christ Jesus, wherewith he hath enlightened them, it will so renew the Spirit of their Minds, as both to let them see their Duty, and also enable them to do it; for it is no Ignis faiws, no wild Enthusiasm, it leads not into Idle or False Imaginations or Whimsies, but is Solid Christianity, and a true Guide to all Christian Actions, and such as become the Profession thereof; And the Deduction and Consequence is very plain, That when, by the Grace of God, men's Understandings are Illumined, their Wills made Obedient, their Passions Subdued, and their Affections made Clean and Temperate, than the Actions of the Whole Man will be very Regular, and such an one must needs be a good Christian, a good Subject, a good Servant, a good Husband or Parent, and a good Neighbour: Governors will be Safe, Subjects Peaceable, Relations Affectionate, all Men love one another, and God from all, who over all is Blessed for ever, will receive Praise and Thanksgiving. Now our Practice, in the case of Marriage, is so well known, that little need be said concerning it, only thus much I may say, that no Lawful Causes appearing to hinder, we never discourage Marriage; but when any such do appear, it is agreeable to our Christian Profession to prevent them. The Method we have in this Case of Marriage, hath been laid before Men in Government, and hath by them been approved as such, that will answer the End proposed, that is, the Honour of Religion, and Peace and Safety of Civil Society, and Particular Persons and Families: And beyond this I know of no Provision can be made, in the Administration of Church-Discipline. And if any after-Marriage, do break Wedlock, do become Vicious, and turn from the Grace of God into Wantonness, and do commit Fornication, it cannot be chargeable upon that Grace and Light, which had they kept obedient to, would have preserved them; nor upon that Discipline, which, while they continue within our Society, is an absolute Hedge against such Disorder. From all which, I suppose it may by this time appear, that our Common Principle and Notion of the Light Within, is no more chargeable with Back sliders Faults, than with his Falsities. SECT. VI HItherto his Perversions and Malice have been manifest; I now come to his Sixth Point or Charge, That we Contemn Magistracy and Government. His first Quotations are from himself in the Snake, and therefore of no notice to me here. What I first shall take notice of, is a pieced Quotation he brings, out of George Fox in his Great Mystery, Printed 1659. p. 76. and here I find the first Sentence his Pen light on he cut asunder, the place is thus, The Power of God (what follows he cut off) Rules and Orders People, when there is no outward Government. Nay, it (these two words he cut off) strikes down Government of Men and Governors, (all that follows he left out) as in the days of Daniel and Pharaoh, and in many other places in Scripture mentioned. Now Reader, Can any Father of the Inquisition be more careful to Expugn Passages offensive to Christian Eyes, than this Man is to Expugn such as are offensive to his own? The remaining part of the Quotation, he hath picked and pieced out of page 90. and by his dislocating and pulling asunder the Sentences one from another, some of them look with as wry Faces, as if tortured in a Scotch Boot. I will at least rescue one of them, that we may see its Native Feature, the place being thus, Such as are turned into Corruption, and are Hypocrites, Great Mist. p. 90. they are gone from the Higher Power which the Soul should be subject to, and it's gone over them; and so (here he is pleased to begin) for the Lord's sake the Saints cannot be subject to that Power. By the remaining Sentences he has done the like, so that there is not one of them that speaks the Mind of the Writer: The place is too long to transcribe here, because I have many Instances to bring, where it will appear, that we always, since a People, have been Obedient to Government and Governors; and that, not for Fear but Conscience sake; and have always testified against Plotting and Contriving the Hurt or Ruin of any; which by our agreeable Practice, is better Proof for us, than all his own Lies, or the, by him, Suborned Passages, of our Writings, are against us. Some Testimonies concerning our Acknowledgement of, and our Obedience to Government. P. 10. And the Powers that are ordained of God, who are The Path of the Just Cleared, 1655. By G. Whitehead, etc. sent of him for the Punishment of Transgressor's, and for the Encouragement of them that do well: These we own, and are subject to them for Conscience-sake, knowing that such are not a Terror to Good Works, but to Evil; for such execute the Law in Righteousness, upon them who are guilty of the Transgression of it; for because of Transgression the Law is added, and there the Law is executed in its place, and in Righteousness; and those that execute the Law in its place, they are for the Establishment of Righteousness and Peace; and, contrary to the Law of Justice and Equity dare not Act in their own Wills, nor for their own Ends: And herein they seek not themselves, nor their own Glory, nor Honour, but the Glory and Honour of God, who is Honoured and Glorified among them who Act in Truth and Righteousness, and love the Lord; and to them our Souls are subject. P. 23. And as for this present Authority and Government now in A Visitation of Love, 1661. By Edw. Burroughs. Being, under the Name of King Charles the Second, we do believe and acknowledge, That according to the Purpose and Will of God, and of his bringing to pass, this present Government and Authority is set up, and, into its present being, established. P 6. 7. The Honour that is due unto Magistrates consists in True Magistracy Described, 1660. By Henry Clark. these two Particulars: 1. Love. 2dly, Obedience. First, He that is in the Welldoing himself, loves the Rulers that be set up of God, who are Just, and Rule in the Fear of God, and is a Terror to the Evil-doers; for When the Righteous are in Authority, the Children of Wisdom rejoice, desiring of God that long they may Live, and Prosper in the Work of the Lord; and Love thinketh no Evil, nor behaveth not itself unseemly toward the Rulers, neither speaketh any Evil against him, neither doth it revile the Judges. Secondly, Honour due to the Magistrate consisteth in Obedience, either Actively in Doing, or Passively by a Willing, Patient, and Meek Suffering under them for the Lord's sake. And because Christ's Headship, Kingship and Supremacy alone, Sam. Fisher, p. 34. of his Works. we (together with the True Church which is in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ the Light) can own in the Court of Conscience, and in Matters purely Spiritual, and of mere Religious and Soul Concernment, and not any mere Man's (much less the Pope's or any Priests in such Sacred Secrets) therefore are we mistaken and misranked among such as are utter Enemies to the present King's Supremacy in these Dominions. Whereby we do, according to what the Spirit requires of us, in all Civil Causes and Cases between Man and Man, submit ourselves to every Ordinance of Man himself (I say, in such cases) even for the Lord's sake, whether unto the King, as Supreme, or to such as are sent of him to be a Terror to Evil-doers, and a Praise to them that do well. And if those who have the Sword in hand, shall turn it against us for well doing, and so act against the good Will of God, or impose, by God's Permission, upon us, contrary to our Consciences, even there where we cannot obey actively, we are willing to bear Patiently, without Violent Resistance, what God will leave us to Suffer from the Hands of such as should Protect us, not Reviling, nor Threatening, nor Cursing, but committing our Case in Quietness, to him that Judgeth Righteously, and our Souls to him in Welldoing: And that Passive Deportment must be, and is Judged by all, to be Equivolent to that Active Obedience, which others yield, for Fear, to what Laws soever is made among Men. Page 20. Our Principle is, to bring all into a Peaceable Life, To the King and both Houses of Parliament, a Representation, etc. 1666. By John Whitehead Alex. Parker, and Leonard Fell. out of those things that are Evil, that the Law of God, and every Law of Man, that is grounded upon Reason and Equity, takes hold upon, and therein we are one with Justice. Therefore distinguish between those whose Principles lead to Violence, or other Evils, that the Law of God (and of Man, which is equal) takes hold upon; and us, who are one with Justice, and lead from those things into a Peaceable Life, as much as in us lies, with all Men, which is according to the Practice of the Primitive Christians. Page 101. And those Rulers, Governors or Magistrates, who The Life of God, etc. 1677. By William Gibson. are a Terror to Evil Doers, and a Praise to those that do well, are worthy of Honour, yea, of double Honour, and all such are duly honoured by us, with the Honour which belongs unto them; and we really, and with Pleasure, Honour and Obey all such, not for fear of the Wrath, but for good Conscience, sake, as the Apostles and Primitive Fathers did. Page 481. It is our Principle, and Testimony, to deny and renounce G. Fox's Journal given the Parliament, 1680. all Plots and Plotters against the King, or any of his Subjects, for we have the Spirit of Christ, by which we have the Mind of Christ, who came to Save men's Lives, and not to Destroy them; and we would have the Kind, and all his Subjects, to be safe. Wherefore we do Declare, That we will Endeavour, to our Power, to Save and Defend him and them, by Discovering all Plots and Plotters (which shall come to our Knowledge) that would Destroy the King or his Subjects. These Quotations are, I hope, sufficient for the purpose Intended; which is, To Testify our Constant Peaceable Principle and Practice, in Obedience to Government and Magistracy; yet as a close to all the foregoing Quotations from our Friends Books, I will give one Quotation, which Relates to near all the foregoing Charges, and which is taken from a Paper lately given to the Parliament, Occasioned by E. Bugg's Calumnies; it's Entitled, The Quakers Vindication; and was PRESENTED to the Members of Parliament in December, 1693. We whose Names are Under-written (being in Christian Society with the People called Quakers) do, in good Conscience, Declare and Certify all Persons Concerned. 1. That we sincerely Believe and Confess, That Jesus of Nazareth, who was Born of the Virgin Mary, is the True Messiah, the very Christ, the Son of the Living God, to whom all the Prophets gave Witness. And we do Highly Value his Death, Sufferings, Works, Offices, and Merits for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind, together with his Laws, Doctrine and Ministry. 2. That this very Christ of God, was and is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World, who was Slain, was Dead, and is Alive, and Lives for Evermore, in his Divine Eternal Glory, Dominion and Power with the Father. 3. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, are of Divine Authority, as being given by Inspiration of God. 4. And that Magistracy, or Civil Government, is God's Ordinance, the Good Ends thereof being for the Punishment of Evil Doers, and Praise of them that do Well. And we know of no other Doctrine or Principle Preached, Maintained, or ever received among (or by) us, since we were a People, contrary to these aforesaid Signed in Behalf of the said People. Thomas Lower William Crouch William Ingram William Mead William Macket Philip Ford Francis Camfield John Edge Thomas Hudson Charles Marshal Josiah Ellis Gilbert Latey Theodor Eccleston Joseph Wasey Thomas Cox John Bowater William Phillips Edward Brook William Townsend John Hall George Oldner Thomas Barker Abraham Johnson Thomas Twinbarrow Michael Russell John Harwood John Danson John Stringfellow William Paul Francis Eteridge Benjamin Bealing. By what hath now been said, and shown, it may plainly appear, that his Charges are utterly False; and notwithstanding he makes Quotations, Page 16, 17. which he calls Edw. Burroughs', to Countenance his Villainy herein; yet he is as far from Honesty in his Quotation, as he is from Truth in all those; for I shall show that he hath Committed Forgery to make this Man's Writings answer his Mind. Part of his Quotation is thus, And Cursed be every one that riseth not up to the Help of the Lord, against the Mighty. Put on your Armour, etc. This, one would think, looks somewhat with a Martial Face; but when, for Confirmation, I came to look in this Piece, called, The Camp of the Lord, whence he took these Lines, instead of finding them in the Order they now stand, the first Sentence is last, and both Twenty Three, or more, Lines asunder, and the rest of the Quotation he has also Transposed the Sentences, that they cannot speak their Writer's Mind: How far this Practiee is, To Fight for the Joy and Union of Christendom, and the Glory of God, is easy to find; it being an Outrage, for which the Inquisition will hardly afford him Precedent, and a Practice that Glorifies not God, nor Advances the Union of Christendom, nor the Joy of any, but Men of Corrupt Minds: Besides, this Piece of Edw. Burroughs, has not in it any Tendency to Outward War; the whole Piece, being an Allegory of the Christian Spiritual Warfare, which he Encourages his Brethren to go in; and if, where Divine Matters are thus spoken of, both in the Old and New Testament, the Places should be thus Tortured, and the Sentences Transposed, they would not speak in the Quietest Terms? Nay, our Lord's Prayer, if this Man had the turning the Sentences, he would soon spoil its Divine Authority. But, that I might do Justice to the Memory of this our Deceased Friend, I have, among the Quotations Relating to our Obedience to Magistracy and Government, given One from himself, wherein he is so full, plain and distinct, as may Effectually Vindicate his Memory, and our Principle. In like manner he hath Abused Samuel Fisher, who, by the Quotation taken from him, will answer for himself. I come now to the last Ridiculous Charge, of not pulling off our Hats, and giving Civil Titles, which he Falsely and Foolishly Insinuates to have been Condemned by the Apostles, etc. which is a Pretence so Idle, that he may as soon find in them Early Times, the taking of Snuff after his manner, to be declared Heresy. But however, by his Title Page, we are to expect some Ancient Father to Condemn us. And when in Page 17. I found that Name, under the Prejudice of whose Censure the Snake had Placed us, I found it to be neither Father of the Church, nor Member of the Senhadrim, but Josephus the Warlike-Jew; who, tho' he Professes to Write the Wars of the Jews, etc. yet he never Pretended to Declare Heresies: But this Man, that he might show himself to be fully Qualified for the Inquisition, can as easily Canonize this Jew, as Dismember our Books. Well, I will not yet wholly reject Josephus, but will Consider the Instance taken out of him, and which is Judas Galileu's; Who (as he Quotes Josephus, and I hope has been Honest here, tho' otherwise in our Books) would rather Expose themselves, their Children and Relations, to the most Cruel Torments, than call any Mortal Man Lord or Master. Now, Believe me, Friends, I cannot see the Heresy of this Doctrine, unless I should Conclude, that to agree with Judas Galilaeus, in any thing were so; and if that be Rule to Judge by, I suppose this Snake is a Heretic too; for this Jew believed in One God, and if this Snake does not believe as much, he believes less than the Devil. But besides this Question of Lord and Master, he has not given us any Apostle or Ancient Father to Condemn the Use of the Singular Number to a single Person, or to Authorise the Use of the Plural in the same Case; nor has he yet Produced the like Authority to Reprove our Stiffness in not pulling off our Hats. If he meets with no such Authority, nor finds any other Original Heretic, the Snake falls short of Proof, both for Precedent and Censure; and then Geo. Fox has (in his own Foolish and False Words) the Glory of being an Original. But now he affirms, that George Fox's Inspirations came from the Spirit of Pride; but how Charles will assure any Man of that, which he is not Infallibly Assured of himself (an Inspiration, so foul a Vessel must not pretend to) cannot readily be guessed. I come now to Examine, by Holy Scriptures, how far G. Fox's Practice herein did, and ours does, agree therewith; for if it be agreeable with them, we shall not be careful for the rest. First, The Single Number, to a single Person, in all the Instances the World hath yet had (that I know of) it hath ever been the Language of God and Angels unto Men, and the Language in Holy Writ of Holy Men to God, to Princes, to Rulers, and one unto another; which, without the Snake's leave, is Authority sufficient for us; though, were I minded to be Prolix, I could multiply Instances about the Reformation and in other times. And as for the Titles of Lord and Master; where, in the Scriptures they are denied and forbid, there and in such Cases we do deny and forbidden them: And as for our Hats, we pull them not off in Ceremony or Civility, yet we pay Honour to whom Honour is due, Fear to whom Fear is due, and Civility to all Men with whom we Converse; and this is agreeable to our Christian Profession and Principles, which teaches us to preserve and keep that Distinction and Order, in Persons and Things, as is necessary for their Good Government and Preservation, which are the Good Ends we chief Desire to aim at herein. CONCLUSION. I Have herein purposely omitted to say any thing to his Quotations of the Fathers, etc. because, by what is before written, it appears, the Opinions he sets them against, are not ours; and that our Principles , are Consonant to the Holy Scriptures, and not deserving the ugly Shapes which this Snake endeavours to draw over them: For they are no other than the Doctrines which our Lord Jesus Christ did reveal, and which his Apostles did Preach, and which after a time of great Apostasy have been again Preached, and by a Sincere Belief whereof, in Obedience to Christ Jesus, Men may be enabled to distinguish between Light and Darkness: And notwithstanding they have been, and are, withstood by Men of Corrupt Minds, who would pervert the Way of the Upright, who cover themselves with all Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness, yet they must Thrive and Prosper, for God hath Promised, He will Establish Truth in the Earth. And though this Man pretends to say, that we now begin to Complain of Misrepresention, it is wrong; for it is what we have had cause to Complain of, and what we have Complained of from Truths, and our Enemies from the first. And tho' every Adversary, in their turn, may not have been so Violently Base, in slitting Sentences, and Transposing them, and taking one part of our Words, and leaving out others Explanatory, as this Man has been, as is here before shown and proved; yet we have had occasion sufficient to show, wherein we have been Misrepresented by our Adversaries; which yet hath often had this good Effect, that many, Berean-like, have applied themselves to see whether those things were so or no; and finding their Charges False, have been drawn to Love and Espouse that Truth, which hath been thus almost every where spoken against, and to Worship God in that Way which some call Heresy. Now Jesus Christ the Truth, and the Light which comes by him, hath, since we have been a People, been always Testified to by us, as that which is the only True Guide of Men, in matters Eternal, and of Soul Concernment, and do continue to be so Preached and Testified of; of which the few foregoing Instances are proof; and that we are not changed. And we have and do continue to say, That whoever sets up any other Guide, in Opposition to this Truth and Light of Jesus Christ, or prefers any other thing before it, they have not a right Ground of Faith, but all that are Obedient to this certain and right Ground of Faith, according to the Degree manifested unto them, we really own, by what Name soever called: And the Degrees of our Friendship and true Communion in Spiritual Matters, is according to this Rule, and against it we cannot make Composition, because we know by good Authority and Experience, whatsoever is reprovable, is made manifest by the Light. And though it is possible for this Snake in the Grass to imitate an Explanation of the Light within, and for the Devil to transform himself into an Angel of Light; yet they can no more be said to be guided by the Light, than the Devil might be said to be Refreshed by the Sweets of Paradise, when he came to Destroy them: Nor can they that abide in the Light, have any Union at all with the Unfruitful Works of Darkness. By the Title and Contents of his Charge, this Snake would suggest us to Heretics, but now in the Conclusion he softens the Term, and brings it down to Separation, which he would not have kept up; by which he seems to arrogate the Title of Mediator, which Quality cannot be well performed, but by one admitted on both sides, which this Snake is so far from being, that I may affirm, he is chosen by neither; for I can have no ground to believe, That a Rebellious Son (whatsoever he may be for a Subject) can be dignified with Credentials to mediate her Cause whose Head he hath denied; and I am very sure, that we shall never choose him for Mediator, who, we find, is disposed to say any thing of us, rather than what is right; and seems to have the reverse of that Quality which Midas is Fabled to have had, of turning all he touched into Gold, for what of ours this Man's Pen touches, he commonly turns it to Poison. As for what respects our nearness of Belief with the other Communities of Men in the Nation, I am so far from being Sorry that others acknowledge the Light of Christ Jesus, that I hope I shall always rejoice in it, and in a Life obedient to it; into which Obedience, as the whole Nation comes, their Separations will be less, and their Union more and greater, under that one Eternal Head, Who by one Offering hath perfected Heb. 10. 14, 15. for ever them that are sanctified: Whereof also the Holy Ghost is a Witness to us. The Expostulation with W. Penn Considered. I Have before showed, that our Principles are now no other than what they were when first a People, and that they are confonant to the Holy Scriptures; so that that Book of William Penn's, Entitled, Primitive Christianity, etc. is no new Representation, concerning which Book somewhat is now to be said, at least to places quoted and cavilled at by this Snake, and he first quotes p. 29. and says, W. Penn will not grant we have any Natural Light at all; which is an Abuse and Perversion; for W. Penn denies not Natural Light to Men, but that by it they can understand the things of God, is what W. Penn in that place speaks of; and this is agreeable to the Apostle, who hath told us, That the things of God are not to be known, but by the Spirit of God. He next turns to George Fox's Great Mystery, p. 42. where he as plainly perverts the Sense of this place, as the last, for the Tenet opposed by George Fox was, That no Man, by that Native Light inherent in him, had power to believe: And G. Fox had reason to oppose this Tenet, because it appears p. 39 Great Mystery, what his Adversary did mean by Native and Inherent Light, viz. That Light wherewith every one that cometh into the World is enlightened withal. This was what George Fox did preach, and which the Priest did oppose, and therefore G. Fox answers it with the Text of John 1. 9 and concludes from it (and that very truly) that this Light is beyond Natural Sense and Reason. He returns again to W. Penn's Prim. Chris. p. 15. where he says, W. Penn allows no Natural Light to the Understanding; which is a manifest Perversion of the place, the words alleged are, Man can no more be a Light to his Mind, than he can to his Body. But if this Man had been so Honest, as to have also transcribed out of the same Paragraph these words, viz. About those things that more immediately concern our Better, Inward and Eternal Man; he would have found his Cavil useless, and his Flout would have appeared as flat, as now his Charge appears False, and he may take his grains of Allowance again. The Snake leaps from p. 15 to 50, and here thinks fit to carp and by't at this Expression, All Men have Reason, but all are not Reasonable: Where's the Riddle, Jest or Nonsense of this Passage, Men have Reason, in potentia, but if they will not use it the Fault is their own; this W. Penn further speaks to in p. 51. his words are, For the reasonable part of Man, is his Spiritual part, and that guided by the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Word, which Tertullian interprets, Reason in the most Excellent Sense, makes Man truly reasonable; and than it is that Man comes to offer up himself to God a Reasonable Sacrifice. In what plainer words can a Man own Man's Reason, and God's Revelation, the first as it is Natural, and the other as it is Divine. He leaves W. Penn at present, and turns to Edw. Burroughs p. 17. of his Works, from whence he makes a Quotation, but hath abused the Sense of the place, by leaving out the two following Sentences, and then the place is thus. I wrote not as from Man, whose Light is ONLY Natural and Carnal, and doth ONLY make manifest Carnal Transgressions, of a Carnal Law, but as from the Eternal and Spiritual Light, which doth make manifest Spiritual Transgressions of a Spiritual Law. From this place John Stalham would fastly conclude, that Edw. Burroughs called the Light of Christ Carnal, which, that he did not, I think is very plain: And accordingly Richard Hubberthorn p. 144. says, That we do not allow any to call the Light of Christ Jesus Natural, but the Light of Man, by which Carnal Men do judge of Carnal Transgressions. So that W. Penn, and both these, do allow the Natural Reason, or Light of Man, to be one thing, and the Divine Revelations of the Holy Spirit another; so that they do all plainly agree, in the One Holy Spirit, or Light of Christ Jesus, given in measure to all Men to guide them; and this W. Penn hath not opposed, nor the reasonable Understanding of Man, as this would falsely suggest. He comes back to p. 29. where he would have W. Penn to Suppose, that nothing, but the Divine Light, could reprove of Evil. But I have looked, and find no such Supposition, and therefore no further notice need be taken of the Consequences he draws as depending on that Supposition. Yet nevertheless I may add; That as no one knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God; so if Man do attend upon the Manifestation of this Holy Spirit, it will discover to him all that is Reprovable; and without which, by any reason of his own, he cannot make such Discovery; and by its Power it can, and if Man be Obedient, it will enable him to turn from that which it does so Discover and Reprove him for: This is that sure Basis, upon which, being fixed, we easily reject all Guileful Pretences to the contrary: And tho' this Man may have a great Opinion of his Wise Charming, p. 24. yet I never understood that the Hissing of a Snake was Wise Charming. Now if any go from the Spirit of God into Delusions; is that reason sufficient why none shall depend upon the Guidance of the Spirit of God. Because, there have been innumerable Falsely pretended Miracles, must we therefore believe no true Ones: No, the Effect it ought to have, should be quite otherwise; have others by Disobedience, and leaving of their Guide, fallen into Delusion, let me therefore attend my Watch more closely; have others by forsaking their True Guide, the Holy Spirit, been given up to believe Lies; let me keep close to it, that it be not so with me: But if instead of this, Men will pretend to subject the Unerring Spirit of God, to be tried by the Erring Spirit of Man, as it is not Scriptural, so neither is it safe; nay, it cannot be safe, if to the Spirit of Man, they add all Study, all mere Humane Endeavour, all Communities, Ordinances, Histories or Humane Learning, all these will not Poise the Balance where the Spirit of God is wanting, nor can any of these perform that excellent Office of the Spirit of Truth, which our Saviour hath Infallibly Assured, will lead into all Truth; and when we have all Truth, what Spiritual Good can we want. And this destroys not the Freedom of Man's Will, nor Understanding, nor extinguishes his Humane Page 26, 27. Reason, but on the contrary, exalts and ennobles all the Powers and Faculties of the Mind. So that it is utterly impossible for a Man, under the Guidance of the Spirit of Truth, to make God the Author of Sin: Nor does this Principle arraign the Wisdom of God in his Ordinances, but shows forth his Good Will to Men, in that he has not only sent forth the Spirit of Truth, but also sends forth his Servants guided by it, to call the People into Obedience to it. And thus God is pleased to work mediately and immediately. Here in p. 29. he would seem to approve and congratulate W. Penn upon his Exposition of Justification, but his Assent or Dissent we value not, nor ourselves for its sake; but the Doctrine is true, and hath from the first been professed by us. But to remind him a little, How is it possible for us to be Orthodox herein (as he says we are) and Heretical in the Articles which relate to Christ Jesus, as God and as Man, by and through whom Justification comes? But Self-contradiction is no new thing to this Man. He now numbers up in Page 30, 31, 32. divers things, wherein he would fain have the Church and us agree, they not being sufficient (as he says) for Separation. This Man is of a very changeable Humour, in his Title, and for near all the Book, we were Sad Heretics, but now he would have us Associates, which if we will not be, he gives a Threatening Advertisement, that he will Trump up more Heresies upon us. Well, in that let him do as God shall permit; but of two things he may be assured, that we shall have no Communion with his Lies, nor he true Peace in persisting in them. FINIS. BOOKS Printed and Sold by T. Sowle, next to the Meetinghouse in White-Hart-Court, in Gracious-Street. And at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-Street, near the Market, 1697. SAmuel Fisher's Works, in Folio. The Works of the Long, Mournful, and Sorrowful Distressed Isaac Penington's, Folio. William Bayly's Works, Quarto. The Works of that Memorable and Ancient Servant of Christ Stephen Crisp; containing also a Journal of his Life, giving an Account of his Convincement, Travels, Labours, and Sufferings in, and for the Truth. Price Bound 5 s. A Collection of the several Writings and Faithful Testimonies of that suffering Servant of God, and patiented Follower of the Lamb, Humphrey Smith. Price Bound 2 s. 6 d. A Collection of certain Epistles and Testimonies of Divine Consolation, Experience, and Doctrine; Written by that Faithful, Patiented and Long-suffering Servant of Christ, William Bennit. Price Bound 1 s. 8 d. The Memory of the Righteous Revived, being a brief Collection of the Books and Written Epistles of John Camm and John Andland: Together with several Testimonies relating to those two Faithful Labourers. Price Bound 2 s. Truth Vindicated, by the Faithful Testimony and Writings of the Innocent Servant and Handmaid of the Lord, Elizabeth Bathurst, Deceased. Price Bound 1 s. Baptism and the Lord's Supper, Substantially Asserted; being an Apology in behalf of the People called Quakers, concerning those Two Heads. By Robert Barclay. Price Bound 1 s. A Catechism and Confession of Faith. By R. Barclay. Price Bound 9 d. No Cross, No Crown. A Discourse showing the Nature and Discipline of the Holy Cross of Christ. By W. Penn. In Two Parts. The Fifth Edition. Price 3 s. An Address to Protestants of all Persuasions; more especially the Magistracy and Clergy, for the Promotion of Virtue and Charity. In Two Parts. By W. Penn, a Protestant. The Second Edition, Corrected and Enlarged. Price Bound 1 s. 6 d. An Account of W. Penn's Travails in Holland and Germany, for the Service of the Gospel of Christ; by way of Journal. Containing also divers Letters and Epistles writ to several Great and Eminent Persons whilst there. The Second Impression, Corrected by the Author's own Copy, with some Answers not before Printed. Price Bound 2 s. A Brief Account of the Rise and Progress of the People called Quakers, in which their Fundamental Principle, Doctrines, Worship, Ministry and Discipline are plainly Declared, to prevent the Mistakes and Perversions that Ignorance and Prejudice may make to abuse the Credulous. With a Summary Relation of the former Dispensations of God in the World, by way of Introduction. By W. Penn. Price Bound 1 s. A Cast to Christendom. By W. Penn. Price Stitched 3 d. Tender Counsel and Advice, etc. By W. Penn. Price Stitched 3 d. The Harmony of Divine and Heavenly Doctrines, Demonstrated in sundry Declarations on Variety of Subjects. Preached at the Quakers Meetings in London, by Mr. W. Penn, Mr. G. Whitehead, Mr. S. Waldenfield, Mr. B. Coole, Taken in Shorthand as it was delivered by them; and now Faithfully Transcribed and Published for the Information of those who by reason of Ignorance may have received a Prejudice against them. By a Lover of that People. Price 1 s. 6 d. Primitive Christianity Revived, in the Faith and Practice of the People called Quakers. Written, in Testimony to the present Dispensation of God, through them to the World: That Prejudices may be Removed, the Simple Informed, the Well-enclined Encouraged, and the Truth and its Innocent Friends Rightly Represented. By W. Penn. Price 1 s. Rabshakeh Rebuked, and his Railing Accusations Refuted; containing, 1. Some Reflections upon a late Sheet, Entitled, An Essay towards the allaying of George Fox his Spirit; by way of Introduction. II. A Reply to a later Book, Entitled, A Discovery of the Accursed Thing, etc. Enlarged; both written by Thomas Crispe. III. A Display of some, amongst many, of his Self-contradictions and Tautologies; by way of Conclusion. By E. P. Price Stitched 6 d. A Diurnal Speculum; containing, I. A plain and easy Method to find out those things that are most useful to be known Yearly: And may serve as an Almanac for Thirty Years; and many other things suitable to the Matter, etc. II. An Explanation of Weights, Money, and Measures, both Scriptural and Usual, with sundry Tables depending thereon, etc. III. Some Remarks on England; or a Brief Account of every County, with the Names, and Days of the Markets, and the Chief Commodities therein, etc. The whole consisting of Great Variety, explained by divers Examples, the like in all particulars not extant; as by the Contents does more at large appear. Collected by J. B. Price Bound 1 s. 6 d. The Spirit of the Martyrs revived, in a brief Compendious Collection of the most Remarkable Passages and Living Testimonies of the True Church, Seed of God, and Faithful Martyrs in all Ages. Price 2 s. 6 d. The Arraignment of Popery: being a Collection taken out of the Chronicles and other Books of the State of the Church in the Primitive Times. I. The State of the Papists; how long it was before the Universal POPE and MASS was set up; and the bringing in their Rudiments. Traditions, Beads, Images, Purgatories, Tithes and Inquisitions. II. A Relation of the Cruelties they acted after the Pope got up, being worse than the Turk and Heathen: New Rome proving like Old. III. What the People of England Worshipped before they were Christians. iv To which is added, the Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church. With several other things, very profitable for all that fear God to Read, Try and give Judgement by the Spirit of Truth, against the Worship of the Beast and Whore. Price 1 s. 6 d. Instructions for Right Spelling, and plain Directions for Reading and Writing True English. With several delightful things, very Useful and Necessary, both for Young and Old to Read and Learn. Price 6 d. A New Book for Children to Learn in. With many wholesome Meditations for them to consider. With Directions for true Spelling. And the Ground of true Reading and Writing of True English. Price 3 d. Miscellania: Or a Collection of Necessary, Useful, and Profitable Tracts on variety of Subjects, which, for their Excellency, and Benefit of Mankind, are compiled in one Volumn. By Thomas Tryon Physiologus. Price 1 s. A Treatise of Charity; and as directed, Universal, under the Law, and under the Gospel; (showing the Nullity of all Religion without it) as also of Goodness, Providence; Riches, Poverty, Prosperity, and Adversity. And of Sacrificing and Feasting, their continuance under the Gospel. With a Paraphrase upon the Parable of Dives and Lazarus. Price Bound 1 s. Antichrist Unvailed, by the Finger of God's Power; and his Visage Discovered by the Light of Christ Jesus, etc. Written in the Love of God by a Prisoner (at Lancaster Castle) for the Testimony of Truth, and one of the People called (in Scorn) Quakers. Price Bound 2 s. An Account of the Life and Death of our Faithful Friend and Fellow-labourer in the Gospel, Thomas Markham; with several Testimonies concerning him, given forth by several Friends, whose Names are thereto Subscribed. Alsoa Testimony written by himself, for the Necessity of Waiting on the Lord, and the Benefits thereof to Men: Where being Dead, he yet Speaketh. Price Stitched 4 d. Proposal for raising a College of Industry of all useful Trades and Husbandry, with Profit for the Rich. A Plentiful Living for the Poor, and a good Education for Youth. Which will be Advantage to the Government, by the Increase of the People, and their Riches. Price 4 d. An Epistle to Friends; showing, the Great Difference between a Convinced Estate and a Converted Estate; and between the Profession of the Truth, and the Possession thereof; with the Comfort and Sweetness to the Soul it affordeth. With a few Words of good Counsel and wholesome Advice to both Parents and their Children. Price 2 d The Counterfeit Convert, a Scandal to Christianity, and his unjustly opposing Quakerism to Christianity justly reprehended. And the True Christ, and Scriptures confessed by the Quakers. In Opposition to Two Scandalous Books falsely styled, I. Quakerism Withered, and Christianity Reviving. II. Animadversions on G. Whitehead's Book, Innocency Triumphant Price Stitched 6 p. An Invitation, from the Spirit of Christ, to all that are a Thirst, to come and Drink of the Waters of Life freely, which proceed from the Fountain of Eternal Life: showing how all may come, that are willing, to Drink thereof to their full Satisfaction; whereby they may attain unto perfect Health and Salvation of their Souls for ever in the Lord Jesus Christ. And also, showing what it is that hindereth People from being truly a Thirst after the Waters of Life; and from coming to Drink thereof; with the destructive Quality of that which hindereth; and how it may be avoided. Concluded, with a Word to all Singers, upon a Religious or Spiritual Account. Written by one, who hath for a long time been deeply Distressed with Thirst after the Water of Life; out, through Mercy, hath Obtained Satisfaction thereby: Known by the Name of, Henry Mollineux. Price Bound 1 s. The Spiritual Guide, which disintangles the Soul, and brings it by the inward Way, to the getting of perfect Contemplation, and the Rich Treasure of Internal Peace. Written by Dr. Michael de Molinos, Priest. Translated from the Italian Copy. Price Bound 9 d. An Essay towards the Present and Future Peace of Europe, by the Establishment of an European Diet, Parliament, or Estates. Price Stitched 2 d. Spira Respirans; or the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, by the Gates of Hell; in an Extraordinary Example. By a Person brought to the depths of Despair and Anguish, recovered by the mighty Grace and Power of God, and raised to the heights of Assurance and Joy. Wherein are some uncommon Considerations concerning the manner of Salvation and Damnation, Life and Death, Happiness and Misery. With some Fundamental Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul. Price Stitched 6 d. AN Epistle to Friends, briefly Commemorating the Gracious Deal of the Lord with them; and warning them to beware of that Spirit of Contention and Division which hath appeared of late in George Keith, and some few others that join with him, who have made a Breach and Separation from Friends in some Parts of America. By Thomas Ellwood. Price stitched 6 d. The State of the Case, briefly but impartially given, betwixt the People called Quakers in Pennsylvania, etc. in America, who remain in Unity; and George Keith, with some few Seduced by him into a Separation from them. As also a just Vindication of myself from the Reproaches and Abuses of those Backsliders. By Samuel Jennings. Price Stitched 6 d. A Further Discovery of that Spirit of Contention and Division which hath of late appeared in George Keith, etc. Being a Reply to two late Printed Pieces of his, the one Entitled, A Loving Epistle, &c: The other, A Seasonable Information, etc. Wherein his Cavils are answered, his Falsehood is laid open, and the Gild and Blame of the Breach and Separation in America; and of the Reproach he hath brought upon Truth and Friends, by his late Printed Book are fixed faster on him. Written by way of Epistle, and Recommended as a further Warning to all Friends. By Thomas Ellwood. Price Stitched 1 s. Truth Defended, and the Friends thereof Cleared, from the false Charges, foul Reproaches, and envious Cavils, cast upon It and Them, by George Keith (an Apostate from them) in two Books by him lately Published; the one being called, A True Copy of a Paper given into the Yearly Meeting of the People called Quakers, etc. The other, The Pretended Yearly Meeting of the Quakers, their Nameless Bull of Excommunication, etc. Both which Books are herein Answered, and his Malice, Injustice, and Folly, Exposed, By Thomas Ellwood. Price Stitched 1 s. An Apostate Exposed: Or, George Keith contradicting himself and his Brother Bradford; wherein their Testimony to the Christian Faith of the People called Quakers, is opposed to G. K's late Pamphlet, Styled, Gross Error and hypocrisy Detected. By John Penington. Price Stitched 3 d. A Modest Account from Pennsylvania of the Principal Differences in Point of Doctrine, between George Keith, and those of the People called Quakers, from whom he separated; showing his great Deolension, and Inconsistency with himself therein. Recommended to the Serious Consideration of those who are turned aside, and joined in his Schism. Price Stitched 4 d. The People called Quakers cleared by George Keith, from the false Doctrines charged upon them by G. Keith; and his Self-Contradictions laid open in the ensuing Citations out of his Books. By John Penington. Price Stitched 4 d. More Work for George Keith: Being George Keith's Vindication of the People called Quakers, as well in his Part of the Dispute held at Wheelers-Street, the Sixteenth Day of the Eighth Month, 1674. As in his Treatise against Thomas Hicks, and other Baptists, with the rest of their Confederate Brethren, at the Barbican Dispute, held at London the twenty eighth of the Sixth Month, 1674. Price Stitched 4 d. The Quakers cleared from being Apostates: Or, the Hammerer Defeated, and proved on Impostor. Being an Answer to a Scurrilous Pamphlet, falsely Entitled, William Penn and the Quakers either Apostates or Impostors, subscribed Trepidantium Malleus. With a Postscript, containing some Roflections on a Pamphlet, Entitled, The Spirit of Quakerism, and the Danger of their Divine Revelation laid open. By B. C. Price Stitched 6 d. An Answer to George Keith's Narrative of his Proceed at Turners-Hall, on the eleventh of the Month called June, 1696. Wherein his Charges against divers of the People called Quakers (both in that, and in another Book of his, called, Gross Error and hypocrisy Detected) are fairly Considered, Examined, and Refuted. By Thomas Ellwood. Prce 1 s. 6 d. Keith against Keith: Or some more of George, Keith's Contradictions and Absurdities, collected out of his own Books (not yet Retracted.) upon a Review. Together with a Reply to George Keith's Late Book, Entitled, The Antichrists and Sadduces detected among a sort of Quakers, etc. By John Penington. Price Stitched 9 d. Some Brief Observations upon George Keith's Earnest, Expostulation, contained in a Postscript to a late Book of his, Entitled, The Antichrists and Sadduces Detected, etc. Offered to the Perusal of such as the said Expostulation was Recommended to. By E. P. Price Stitched 2 d. A Modest Detection of George Keith's (miscalled) Just Vindication of his Earnest Expostulation: Published by him as a pretended Answer to a Late Book of Mine, Entitled, Some Brief Observations, etc. By E. P. Price Stitched 4 d. A Few Queries relating to the Practice of Physic, with Remarks upon some of them. Modestly proposed to the serious Consideration of Mankind, in order to their Information how their Lives and Healths, (which are so necessary, and therefore aught to be dear to them) may be better preserved. By H. Chamberlain, Physician in Ordinary to the Late King Charles the Second. Price Bound 1 s. The Writing Scholar's Companion: Or, Infallible Rules for Writing True English with Ease and Certainty: Drawn from the Grounds and Reasons of the English Tongue. Comprehending in a Full, Plain, and Exact Method, whatever is necessary to be observed in Writing True English. In Three Parts. Composed forth Benefit of all such as are Industriously Ambitious of so Commendable an Ornament, as Writing true English is generally esteemed. Recommended especially to the Youth of both Sexes, and to be Taught in Schools. Price Bound 1 s. The Good Housewife made a Doctor: Or, Health's Choice and Sure Friend. Being a plain way of Nature's own prescribing, to prevent and Cure most Diseases incident to Men, Women, and Children, by Diet and Kitchen-physic only. With some Romarks on the Practice of Physic and Chemistry. By Thomas Tryon, Student in Physic. The Second Edition, To which is added some Observations on the Tedious Methods of Unskilful Surgeons; with Cheap and Easy Remedies. By the same Author. Price Bound 1 s. 6 d.