Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism, Chapter 32

Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism · Chapter 32

p. 543CHAP. XXXII. A View of the Conclusion.

1. HAving thus examined all the Principles of the Quakers; (if this Man hath given us a full sheme of their opinions) and though it be the fullest, that any of them have yet given, so far as I know? Yet there may be something latent, which is to come out in due time. And having considered all, that he hath said, in his large Apology, for their defence; I thought good not to let his conclusion passe without some due examination. Thus then he beginneth to bespeak his Candide Reader. If in the fear of God thou consider this Systeme of Religion, delivered in these papers, together with its consistency and harmony, either as it standeth in it self, or with the holy Scripture of truth; I doubt not but thou wilt say, with me & many others, that this is the spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ, in which he revealeth againe his ancient pathes of truth and justice. Answ. We have here a Systeme, I confess, not of Religion, but of Pure Paganisme; And a more compleat Systeme of abomination, and contradiction to the truth of God, revealed in the holy Scriptures, I doubt was ever brought forth by any Instrument, that ever Satan imployed to darken the truth of God. And whatever consistence may be in it, (though we have found also some inconsistencies) unto it self; Yet I am sure, there is nothing in the whole, and in every part thereof, but manifest and palpable inconsistency with, and opposition to the Scriptures of truth. And that this is so far, as to them, from being a spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ, that it is a day of the dreadfulest delusion of Satan, and of darkness, p. 544caused by the Prince of darkness, that ever was heard of in the Christian world, there being nothing, but a new broaching of all (few excepted) the old Pathes of errour, heresie, and abomination: for verification of which, I shall only referre the Reader, in whom is the least graine of the true fear of God …, and faith to the Revelation of the minde of God, in the Scriptures, to what is said above.

2. He goeth on and tels us, that here his Reader may observe Christian Religion exhibited and vindicated, in all its parts, in so far, as it is lively, inward, spiritual, pure and substantial, and not a meer forme, shadow, notion and opinion, as many hitherto have held, whose fruites declare, that they wanted the inward power of that, whereof they bore the name, who yet adhere so to their formes and shadowes, that they cease not to calumniat us, as if because we comm…nd unto them the substance, & call them thereunto, we did deny or neglect the true forme and outward part of Christianity, which God the searcher of hearts knoweth to be a horride lie. Answ. The wise King, or rather the Spirit of God by him Prov. 18:17. telleth us, that he that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his nieghbour cometh and searcheth him. If this cause be referred to this Quakers decision, we know what will be the sentence; but light discovereth darkness. And if any Reader, be he who he will, who knoweth, what true christian Religion meaneth, shall finde the same, in the Quakers doctrine, and in this mans defence thereof, I am deceived: Nay, if he shall not finde more direct, plaine, down-right opposition and contradiction to the whole of true christian Religion, in their tenets, thus explained and maintained, than in the writings of the most notorious, and branded hereticks, that ever had a being, since Christianity was heard of, I am far mistaken: Nay, I am sure, he shall finde nothing, but an hotch-potch and mixture of almost all Errours, Heresies, damnable Opinions, and Heterodoxies, that have troubled the Church of Christ from the beginning, together with something, that smelleth more of Devilrie, than of humanity, let be of Religion; I mean not here, their pedantry, and silly unmanlike, & rustick carriage; but what is by this man expressed, concerning their more solemne worshipe, beside their quaking, shivering, or foaming, like persons possessed of the Devil, or under the bodily distemper of an Epilepsy. It is true, they talk of something Lively, Inward, Spiritual, Pure and Substantial; but when we have searched after it, following this mans threed of explication, we have found it nothing but a light within every man, and in many things agreeing with the light which is in Devils, and yet this is their all; their God; their Father; Son and holy Ghost; their Christ; their Grace; their Spirit; their Scripture; their Supream Leader, Rule, Teacher and judge; their Jesus, the only Saviour; their Gospel; their only way to the Father; their Justification; their Sanctification; their Adoption, their Perfection, their Supream Caler; the God which they consult and worshipe: the Word in the beginning, that made all things; and what not? And truely this being their all, no wonder they be enemies to all outward Ordinances, and account these meer shadowes, notions and formes. They talk of fruites, and we shall willingly confess, to our shame, that our carriage is not so Christian, as it ought to be: but what their carriage is else, then p. 545may be among Pagans, we are yet to learne. He saith, we calumniate them, when we say, they are against all the ordinances of Christ (for what he meaneth else, by the true forme and outward part of Christianity, I know not) and I would faine know, what ordinance of Christ it is, which they owne? Have we not heard enough of him against the Ministry, Preaching, Prayer, Singing, Baptisme the Lords Supper, &c? And hear we not what others say? Parnel in his Shield of truth Pag. 17. said (as it is cited by Mr Faldo (whose Book is but lately come to my hand) 2 Part. Pag. 11. of his book) And here is the difference of the Ministers of the world, and the Ministers of Christ—the one of the letter, the other of the Spirit—for they are meer deceivers and witches, bewitch people from the truth, holding forth the shadow for the substance. As for the Church, so speaketh Isaac Pennington, in his Questions P. 49. Q. What is the fold of the sheep? Answ. The wisdom life and power of the Father, even the same that is the shepherd. Obj. Is not the Church the fold? A. This in the Church, or the Church in this, is the fold, but not out of this. As for prayer or thanksgiving at meat, hear Iames Naylor, Love to the lost P. 57. But where the pure is not (viz. the light) all things are defiled, when they are not sanctified by the word and prayer, and therefore are to be received in fear, and therein remembring his death till he come, (and so this is all their Lord's Supper too) who is the word and Prayer. And Pag. 13. He casts all Prayer, that is not by immediat inspiration, saying, But as every creature is moved by the Spirit of the living God, who is that Spirit, who will be served with his owne alone, not with any thing in man, which is come in since the fall; so the imaginations, thinkings and conceivings are shut out. And Smith Cat. P. 100. So must all come to the S…irit of God, by the Spirit to be ordered, and cease from their own words; and from their own time, and learne to be silent till the Spirit give them utterance. And P. 107. So the same wisdom may deny the prescribed way, as being formal, and may invent something instead of it, in a higher mystery of iniquity; and though they may not speak in such formal words composed yet in the same wisdom their words are formal, they can set their own time to begin and end and when they will, they can utter words; & when they will they can be silent and this is the unclean part, which offereth to God, which he doth not accept. Found we not his Mans doctrine ab…ve consonant hereunto? As for Baptisme Parnel Pag. 11. els us. They owne the Baptisme, which is the Baptisme of Christ, with the holy Ghost, and with fire; but they deny all other. And P. 12. and now I see the other (that is water Baptisme as they ordinarily call it out of scorne) to be formal imitation▪ and the invention …f Man, and so a meer delusion. Smith Prim. P. 39. and Higgins warning P. 5 say we have this, and the Lords Supper both from the Pope Nay, Iames Naylor, Love to the lost P. 52. giveth us one word for all; for this I say (saith he) that the Father hath given his Son for a leader and guide to all ages, and into, and out of all formes at his will. and in his way and time, in every generation. And therefore it is, that all who know his will herein, cannot endure that any visible thing should be set up to limite his leadings in Spirit. And C Atkinson said, I deny that God did ever. or will ever reveal himself by any of these things, thou callest the meanes of grace. And G. Fox in his Gr…at Mystery P. 16. And we say, he, (Christ) hath triumphed over Ordinances, and blotted them out, and they are not to be touched; and the saints have Christ in them, who is the end of outward formes, and p. 546thou art deceived, who thinks to finde the living among the dead. And after all this, and much more of the like kinde, we must be accounted slanderers, for saying that they deny the external part of Christianity? Nay not only so, but we must be horride liars; and the searcher of hearts must be attested hereunto This is but an inconsiderable thing with them, who account all, that our Preachers say from the word of the Lord, nothing but lies, and satanical delusions, because it is not from the immediat teaching of the Spirit, and them but Professours of the Devil, upon this account: See Fox's Great Mystery P. 5. and 62.

3. Yet more, Hence is it (saith he,) that because we exhort people to returne and feel God within themselves, saying unto them, that if they feel not God neer them, the notions, which they have of God as he is in the heaven, above the cloudes, will not much profite them; they maliciously endeavour to inferre, that we say, that God doth not exist without us. Answ. Thinks he, that we have no other Notion of God, but as of one, that is up in the heavens above the cloudes? Supposeth he, that we deny him to be every where present? But if they beleeve, there is a God in deed and in truth, why talk they so much of a measure of God, in every man? Is the true God such a devisible thing? Why do they make the soul of man a part or particle of God? What meane they by the Vehicle of God? Do these and the like expressions smell of orthodoxy in this matter? The true God that is revealed to us, in the Scriptures, is a God, that is one in essence, and three distinct persons, the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost: do they believe this? Furthermore if they beleeve really a God without them, why do they ascribe to something within them, that which is peculiar unto God? Doth not the morning Watch Pag. 5.6, 7. assert the light within every man, to be that word, which Iohn speaks of Iohn 1:1? See Fox the younger P. 50, 53, 54. Is that a savoury expression, which E. B True faith, hath, when he saith, every man hath that which is one in union, and like the Spirit of Christ, even as good as the Spirit of Christ, according to its measure. Was that orthodox, which Ed. Burroughs said, the morning before he died (see F. H. Testimony) Now my soul and Spirit is centred in its own being with God, and this form of person must returne from whence it was taken. Another, hath these expressions (See Mr Faldo, as above P. 124.) Againe thou makes a great pudder, that any one should witness, he is equal with God. Answ. A Cathechisme of the Assembly of the Priests—in which they have laid down—that the holy Ghost, and Son is equal in power & glory with the Father; yet if any come but to witness the Son revealed in him, or come to witness the holy Ghost in them, as they gave out the Scriptures, or witness the minde of Christ, and witness that equal with the Father, they cry out, horrid blasphemy. Hear what another saith, Now consider what a condition these called Ministers are in They say, that which is a Spiritual Substance is not infinite in it self, but a creature; that which came out from the Creatour, and is in the hand of the Creatour, which brings it up, and to the Creator againe, that is infinite in it self, which the hand goes against him, that does evil, in which hand the soul, which is immortal and infinite, which hand is infinite, which brings it up to God is infinite. Though little good sense can be made of this, yet blasphemy enough is legible therein. p. 547And G. Fox saith, Is not the soul without beginning, come from God? It is not horride blasphemy to say, the soul is a part of God, for it came out of him, and that which came out of him is of him. Fisher, in his Velata quaedam revelata Pag. 13, calleth that, whereby man became a living soul, and a soul, that did partake something of Gods owne life, a living principle of the divine nature. And P. 17. He calleth the Spirit of man, the immortal and incorruptible seed of God, even something of the living word, which is said to be made flesh. Pennington Q. 27. calleth that which is in the saints, that which the Lord from heaven begetteth of his owne image and likeness, of his own NB.) substance, of his own Spirit and pure life Decla…: against Popery, queree 2. Whether do you waite and believe—to have the same minde, which was also in Christ Iesus, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God—yet he was no Pharisee, though of the Pharisees judged a blasphemer, and as be is so are we ▪ Is not this plaine enough?

4. Hence also is it (sayes he further) that because we say, that the inward light and Law, and not the outward letter is that, which can truely discover to them their state, and bring them out of all evil; they say, that we vilify the Scriptures, and honour our own imaginations, more then them. Answ. We would rather say, upon this account, that they vilifie the Spirit of God, then the Scriptures; for hereby these expressions, it is manifest, that they ascribe that unto the light within, which only the Spirit of God, and of Christ can do, viz. truely and effectually, (which may be imported by his revera) discover the state of a sinner to him, and bring him out of all evil. This last we do not ascribe unto the Scriptures. But as to their vilifying of the Scriptures, we have heard enough above from this mans own mouth, and some others, whose words we cited. Mr Faldo in his book against the Quakers, part. 1. Ch. 3-12. helpeth me to much more. Let us cull out of a great heap a few instances. (1.) Do not all the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the word of God? Do they not say, that it is blasphemy to say the letter is the word of God, and it is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the word of God? And what can more be spoken to the disparagment of the Scriptures, than to deny them to be his word or the signification of his minde, who spoke them; and did indite them by his Spirit, immediatly inspiring the Prophets and Apostles, and other holy men of God, in the writing of them? Is not this directly to devest them of all that Authority, which they have from God▪ as his Law? Is not this to render them contemptible, when they are denied to be that, which only maketh them have weight with consciences? (2.) Do not the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith and manners; and the judge of Controversies, in the maters of Religion? We remember what himself aid above. Hear Parnel, in his shield of the truth p. 10. And he also that saith, the letter is the rule and guide of the people of God, is without, feeding upon the husk, and is ignorant of the true light, which was before the letter was. Hear Smith Prim. p. 10 And if thou lookest upon the Scripture to be for a rule and for trying, thou givest that unto them, which belongs unto Christ. And is not this enough to disparage the Scriptures, to deny that chiefe use and end of them, for which they were given? If any should say of the Lawes of any Land, and of the acts of Parliament, that they are not a rule to the Subjects, would not that be accounted p. 548a disparagment done to the Lawes? Were not the Scriptur…s given as a revelation of the minde of God, concerning our faith▪ and concerning our walk? How can any th…n d…ny these ends, and not disparage and vilifie the Scriptures? (3) Do not the Quakers speak more highly of their owne writings, than they do of the Scriptures? The Scrip…ures with them, are but the letter, which killeth; Paper, ink and writing; the old and dead letter; Part of it words of the Devil, and of wicked men▪ Precepts and traditions of men; they have no light in them; they sheir not our faces; an earthly root, a shadow; and dangerous to feed on, &c. But their o…n writings, are the voice of the Son of God, by which the dead are raised; a shield of the truth; spoken in the freshness and quick sense of life; written from the Lord; a Spiritual glass opened; light rise out of darkness: and by revelation of Iesus Christ; and by the Spirit of the living God. See for this Mr Faldo ubi supra pa…. 40. &c. Can men devise a way more effectual to effronte the Scriptures? 4) Do they not preferre the light within them un…o the Scriptures▪ See Smith…s Catech, p. 2. Q. doth God manifest himself within Man? Answ. Yes, and man cannot know him by any other way, but by the manifestation of himself in his light within him. See the Scorned Quakers account p. 20. Christ by his light within shewes you in a g…ass your owne faces, which the Scriptures cannot do. Parnel p. 10. And by the same light do we discerne, and testify against him, to be in darkness and blindness, and is a deceiver, who putteth the letter for the light; and so draweth peoples mindes from the light within them, to the light without them, seeking the living among the dead. Iohn Story, in his short discovery. p. 2. saith, and although the holy Scripture without, and the Saints practices are lights in the world; Yet far be it from all true Christian men so to idolize them, as to set them in esteem above the light, which is sufficient to guide, or to esteem them equal with the light and Spirit of Christ within. And Smith. Prim. p. 12. tels, us, that Christ the light within alone searches the heart, & not the Scriptures. Martin Mason in his loving invitation. p. 4. 'Tis not your flying to the Scriptures, that can save you from the fire of his wrath,—nor overcome the least corruption for you; no verily, nothing then but a Christ within you—come thou then, O come with boldness to God's faithful witness within you. Fisher where above p. 7. saith, such were the Scribes, who were ever scraping in the Scriptures to finde God and his life; Yet never knew him at any time, nor saw his shape, because they heard not his voice, nor heeded not his word within themselves. Are not these sufficient to evidence to all the world, how the Quakers vilify the Scriptures of truth? (5.) Do they not disswade all, in their writings, (as the cited passages evidence) from reading or studying the Scriptures, or from expecting any light or comfort from them? Though Christ in express termes commanded to search the Scriptures. Yet they perswade to the contrary: And is not this a clear proof of their undervalueing of the Scriptures? (6.) Whereunto else tendeth that expression of Fisher's in his Velata quaedam revelato p. 4. Ye have Moses & the Prophets within you, but to disparage and vilify the Scriptures? See also Parnel p. 11. For the Scripture is within, and was read within, before it was read without? (7.) Is it not a manifest vilifying of Scripture, to say that there is no light in it: Yet so faith, The lip of truth opened p. 7. That light is in the Scriptures, prove that or tell me, what one Scripture hath light in it? (8.) Do not they say, that wha… is held forth in the p. 549Scriptures, is not bindeing to us? Naylor, love to the lost p. 16. for all the Saints have their commands in the Spirit; but yours is in the letter: and so another ministration. We have mentioned more above Chap. IV. to this purpose: and is not this sufficient to declare the Scriptures null in their esteem? (9.) What else doth that of Iohn Story in his discovery savour of? And I. A. further saith, let light without be guide to light within. Reply, if by this exhortation I. A. meanes that light without should try true light within, which shines in the hearts of the Saints; then I must needs say, it is a very absurd and foolish exhortation: and being spoken upon a divine account, it is full of idolatry and evil. (10.) Do not the fore cited passages fully clear, that in the Quakers judgment, we can…ot come, by the Scriptures, to the knowledge of God, or of Christ, or of ourselves? And is not that sufficient to disparage the Scriptures? (11.) Wh…n Christ himself made use of the Scriptures to repel the temptations of Satan Mat. 4. Can we think the Quakers ha…e any high esteem for the Scriptures, who declare them utterly useless, as to this, as Martin Mason doth in his Loving Invitation. p. 11? (12.) Can they value the Scriptures aright, who desire the Lord, that he would stripe us of all our knowledge of the Scripture, and say, that they only make us wise to oppose truth, and so bring us into a state of condemnation, wrath and misery, beyond the heathen? See Pennington's quaest. p. 12. See also W. Pen's Spirit of truth p. 23. (13.) Do they not undervalue the Scriptures, who still set them in opposition to the Spirit? And is not this the common language of the Quakers? (14) If the Quakers have an high opinion of the Scriptures, what meaneth all these expressions, in the Morning watch Pap. 22.23. of them, and of the doctrines received from them, viz Traditions of men, earthly root, darkness and confusion, Nebuchadnezzars image, Putrefaction and corruption, rotten and deceitful, all out of the li…e and power of God, Apostacy, the whores cup, the mark of the Beast, Babylon the Mother of harlots▪ Bastards brought forth of flesh and …lood, the birth that persecutes the son and heire, Babylons brats and children, graven images, &c. These sure, are no expressions of great estimation. (15.) What shall we think of what the same Author saith p. 45. So amongst the words you finde, how the Saints in some things walked, and what they practised, and then you strive to make something to yourselves, and to observe it, and do it, as near as yo… can; and here you are found transgressours of the Law of God, who saith, thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing: Now what difference is there in the ground betwixt you and the Pope? Hath this man the same esteem of the Scriptures, that Paul had, when he said Rom. 15:4. For whatsoever things were w…itten afore time, were writen for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope? (16.) Do we not all know, how reproachfully the Papists speak of the Scriptures? And do not Quakers and they go one way here? Let any look Mr Faldo's parallel, in the end of Chap. 12. of his book Pag. 131. &c. and judge. If this be not enough to discover what enemies to, and undervaluers of the Scriptures the Quakers are, I know not if we can get any more out of hell. See what is said above Chap. IV. §. 2. & 4. & 12.

5. What saith he more? H…nce moreover, because we say, that their clatterings, and outward faith of an external life, passion and death of Christ, will no more justify p. 550them in the sight of God, then the Iewes crying the Temple of the Lord, &c. but that they must acknowledge a Christ within themselves, whom they have crucified, to be risen and justifying and redeeming them from all iniquity; they say, we deny the li…e, suffering and death of Christ, and justification by his blood, and remission of sinnes through him. Answ. What meaneth he by that ill favoured word, clatterings, garritiunculae? It hath no sound in lat…ne, and no good sound in Eng…ish, in this mater. And what meaneth he by an external faith? And what meane…h he by an external faith of an external life and death of Christ? These expressions are very quakerish, that is, unsavoury salt of non-sense. But when he layeth all the weight of justification and redemption, on a thing, which they call Christ within every man, formerly crucified, but now risen; is not that as much as if they denied all that Christ did for our Redemption, and Justification an Pardon, through his righteousness and blood? What this man hath said of these things, we have seen and examined; and because he would fame wipe off this Aspersion from his fraternity, let us see what they say in this mater: Mr Faldo will help us to some others, then we have seen and mentioned formerly. (1.) What meaneth that expression of Ed… Burrughs, Tru…pe… &c. …. 17. All that are called Presbyterians and Independents, with their seeding upon the report of a thing dead many hundered yeers ago. And that of Farnworth, what righteousness Christ performed without me was not my justification, neither was I saved by it. Is not this a plaine denial of justification through C…rist and h…s righteousness? Pennington quaestions p. 2…. is clear enough. Can (saith he) outward blood clause the conscience? Can outward water wash the soul clean? Parnel's Shield of truth p. 30. And this we witness, who through the Lamb our Saviour do reigne above the world, death, hell and the Devil: But none can witness this, whose eye is outward▪ looking at a Redeemer a far off. Morning watch p. 21. And conclude to themselves a beliefe in Christ, and apply his promises, what he did for them in the body, that suffered without the gates of Ierusalem; and by his death and offering all things is accomplished for them, and no sin shall be imputed to them though they live in it (that is, are not Quakers▪) and through his Mediation and Intercession for them, as …e is at the right hand of God at a distance from them▪ they bele…ve▪ that they have access to God, and are accepted of him, and yet they neither know God, nor Christ, nor the place, where they sa… he sits at the right hand of God; and being in their minde perswaded that Christ hath satisfied, and hath reconciled them to God, though they be yet in their sinnes (that is, not, Quakers.) This evidenceth what account they make of a Christ without, and of his Righteousness. (2. What doth their common taking of a Spiritual body & bloud, which Christ had, & which came downe from heaven, mean? Do they mean by the blood of Christ, the blood that came from that man, that died a Ierusalem, as a sacrifice for sin? No, they cannot mean that, for that is but outward blood, that cannot cleanse the conscience: This body was but his Temple or Vessel, and not his body, which went to heaven: And this it seemeth they have learned from Mahomet, who speaketh of Christ, in his Alcoran not much unlike to this Azoar XI. what mean they by that Spiritual body, whereof that blood was a part, which Christ brought with him from heaven, and which dwelt for a while, in the man Jesus, who died at p. 551Ierusalem? Can such as talk thus be orthodox in this mater? Do they not meane by the blood, through which Justification and purifying cometh, the blood of that spiritual body, which Christ brought from heaven with him, and which is in every Quaker, as really, as in Mary…s Son? Do they mean by the body of Christ, that bo…y, which was crucified at Ierusalem? Or not rather the thing, which they call a Spiritual body, which tabernackled in the body of Jesus, the Son of Mary, and which is as well in them, as it was in him? And is not this to deny the life and death of Christ, without us, and Justification thereby? Do they mean by Christ, by whom we are justified and saved, God-man, or a real man, that was born of Mary, assumed into the subsistence of the Godhead? Or any thing created, and that was visible to the bodily eye; or any thing, but that which is within themselves? What else meaneth that expression of Penningtons quaest p 20. For that which he (that is Christ) took upon him, was our garment—but he is of an heavenly nature, and his flesh and bloud and bones are of his nature. And p. 33. This we certainly know, and can never call the bodily garment Christ, but that which appeared and dwelt in the body. Do they not hereby deny the man Christ Jesus, and any interest in him, who was of the seed of Abraham, and had our nature, and is ma… still in glory? Of all this we need doubt no more now, since G. Keith hath so fully unvailed this mystery, in his late book, now come to hand, wherein, instead of confuting that Postcript to Mr Rutherfoords letters, which he pretended, he hath more then sufficiently confirm…d the same, as may be shown, in due time. (3.) Do they not deny that Christ, who came in the fulness of time, according to the Prophecies and promises, and took on our nature, and suffered therein; and renunce all benefite thereby, when they say, that Christ's nature is not humane, and talk of his being now manifested in the flesh, that is, in them, who are Quakers. See Fox's mystery, &c. p. 71. what else can be the import of their denying a Christ without, and calling it a carnal Christ; but a plaine denying of him, who was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin? (4.) When they ascribe salvation to a Christ within, do they not deny the Christ without? Fox in his great mystery p 8. And no one knowes salvation, but who knowes thi… Christ in you, who is the Salvation; and where he is within, there is salvation. Fox the younger p. 49.50.54. And you, whom the power of the prince of the air hath led out of me, you scorn me, the light in you.—They have disobeyed it and called it a natural light; and ye have said, that I the light am not able to save those that beleeve in me.—That if you would believe, and wait in me the light—I will purg out all your iniquities, and forgive all your trespasses, and I will change your nature, and make you new Creatures▪ if ye will hearken to me, and obey the light in you. Smith Cat. &c. p. 64.71. And this (Christ in us) is he in whom our salvation standeth, as the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Iesus—and we also know and beleeve, that he is the same Chri…t in us, which in dispensations past did humble himself to the cross. Mason's loving Invit. p. 5. If ever man be justified by his maker, then by believing in God's Covenant of light, which in the conscience bears its testimony against all iniquity—then let me …or ever be condemned from the presence of the righteous God. Smith prim. p. 9. tels us expresly, p. 552tha… the Christ without and the Christ within have no more followship together than the East hath with West: And therefore the asserting of the one must be a quite destroying of the other. Hear once more the Morning watch p. 41. And as you give up to that measure of light in your own consciences, and wait to be guided by it and exercised in it, you will know Christ revealed within you, whom you are looking …or without you, and put his day far off from you and so live in want of him, and know not how to come to him, nor the place where to finde him; but live in the dreamings and night visions, and have a talk of him, and what he hath done for you, and so spend your precious time in slumbering and dreaming &c. (5) What meaneth that of Ed. Burroughs p 31. (cited by Mr Hicks in his 2. Dial. Pag. 21.22.) Silence flesh, wouldst thou, who art an enemy to God, know how we are reconciled to God, and by what obedience? Owne the light in thy conscience, and be obedient to that, then thou shalt know by what obedience we are r…conciled to God, &c. is this to speak soundly of the Righteousness of Christ? (6.) What meane they by Christ's sufferings still, and by satisfaction made by Christs sufferings in his saints? Burroughs p. 31. saith, Thou blasphemer askest thou knowest not what: is not …hrist the same as ever? And is not the sufferings of Christ satisfactory wherever? We need adde no more, there being enough here to discover their renunceing of the sufferings and death of Christ, who died at Ierusalem, as being any way satisfactory to the justice of God or sinnes:

6. He addeeh, H…nce againe, because we say to them, when they clatter and determine of the resurrection, that it were more necessary for them to know the righteous one, whom they have killed in themselves, to be arisen, that they may be made partakers of the first resurrection; and that, if that be, they will be more able to judge of the second; they say, we deny the resurrection of the body. Answ. What unsavoury language is that, clattering about a resurrection? Is this spoken like a Ch…istian? Is the Resurrection such an inconsiderable thing with him? Or is it a meer problem, or a thing that shall never be? Next, see we not here, in his owne words, a confirmation of what we were last saying, to wit, that the Quakers deny a Christ without, dying and riseing; and all advantage for us thereby? What meaneth he by the killing of the just one within us, and the riseing againe of that just one? Is that the just one crucified at Ierusalem, whereof Peter speaketh Act. 3:14. And Stephen speaketh, Act. 7 52. and Ananias Act. 22:14? And if not, to what else te…deth this, but to banish away the very historical f…ith of that? But now, as to the Resurrection, if he beleeve any such thing, how cometh it that in all his great book, he hath made no mention thereof? Is it no article of our faith? Or is it a whimsey, and a fictitious notion? Then let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die and no matter, whether we be Quakers or Christians. Againe, seing he made no me…tion of h…s fundamental article in his whole book; who did he not, upo… this occasion, speak alittle to it, to manifest his r…al beleefe of it? And as to others of the Quakers, they give, at best, a most instinct sound, in this point, wherein they are worse then some heathen philosophers, as may be seen in Mr Hicks 1. Dial. Pag. 57. &c. But Turn…r a Quaker is more positive against it, disproving it by these arguments. If the bodies of men rise againe, then there is a preheminence in the bodies of Men, above the bodies of Beasts, p. 553which is to give Solomon the lie, Eccles. 3:19. Againe, If the bodies of men should rise againe, this is to give Iob the lie, who saith, The eyes that see me shall see me no more. Iob 7:8. And 3. That flesh and blood shall not inherite the Kingdom of God. The same Mr Hicks, in his Quakers appeal answered p. 21. sheweth, how Will. Pen in several of his books denieth the resurrection, saying, Such a resurrection is inconsistent with Scripture, reason and the beliefe of all men right in their wits: And againe, for shame let us never make so much stir against the doctrine of Transubstantiation: For the absurdity of that is rather outdone than equaled, by this carnal resurrection; And againe, he calleth it a barbarous conceit. Mr Faldo in his book against them Chap. 17. cleareth how they speak of a Resurrection, and meaneth thereby only Regeneration: and showeth, how they shift the giving of any distinct and positive answer thereanent: All which is enough to shew, that it is no calumny to say, they deny the resurrection of the body. Adde that passage of W. Pen in his book against Mr Faldo, cited in his answere Pag. 88. Either the resurrection of the body must be without the mater, or it must not: If it must, then it is not that same numerical body; and so their proper and strick taking of the word Resurrection, they must let go—if it must not be without the same gross mater it died with, then I affirme it cannot be incorruptible, because it will carry with it that which will render it corruptible ad infinitum.—I say, we cannot see, how that which is of the dust should be eternal, whilst that from whence it came is, by nature, but temporal; and that which is yet most of all irreconcilable with Scripture and right reason is, that the loss and change of nature from corruptible to incorruptible, natural to spiritual, should not make it another body.

7. Yet more he saith, Hence finally, because, when we hear them speak inadvertently of heaven, hell, and the last judgment, we exhort them to come out of that infernal condition, in which they stand, and come unto and believe the judgment of truth within their own hearts, and follow the light, that in this life they may sit in celestial places, which are in Christ Iesus; they maliciously say, that we deny all heaven and hell, but that which is in us; and that we deny the last and general judgment. Answ. But if they do account this a calumny, why do they not blame themselves, for not being more plaine and distinct in these necessary and fundamental points? Why doth not this Man, in his great book, which he stileth an Apology of the Christian Religion, deliver in plaine termes his judgment hereof? Mr Faldo tels us in his key, that he could never hear or read them mention any other heaven to be enjoyed by them, as distinct persons, but what they have within them, in this world: And by hell he tels us, they mean the present torment and loss within: And that by their Trembling and Quaking, they mean the horrour and consternation they are under, from (as they say) the wrath of God, while the flesh is judged, and they are in the hell of condemnation (and he can finde no other hell, that they hold:) And this trembling and quaking, they say, is such as Moses and other Prophets were seized with, at the appearance of God. And by the State of glory he tels us, they meane, the state of peace and joy, resulting from the witnes of the light within, in the life: And that by the judgment of the great day, they meane, sin being judged in the conscience by the light within, in this life: And it is considerable, that when Mr Faldo had said; let them profess, that they believe a happiness, to be enjoyed p. 554by Men and Women, after their bodies be rotted to dust, distinct from the being of God, or that which they had not a thousand yeers before they were born, i. e. to be in God (from whom, as of his being, they say, the soul came) and it will be newes to me, and all that are acquanted with them: Yet Will. Pen in his answere will not be plaine to declare their meaning. What can this silence import else, than that they are guilty in this matter? And as for the last judgment, how can they believe it, when they deny Christ's second coming visibly & personally? so doth Whitehead: see Mr Hicks in his 2. Dial. p. 43. & 75.76.

8. Notwithstanding of all this, this bold man dar say, that God knoweth, all these calumnies are …alsly and undeservedly cast upon them: And yet they neither can, will, nor dar vindicat themselves. What followeth being but a meer commendation of themselves, which we have heard so oft, I think it not worth the translating, let be answering. And for his confidence of their prospering still, adding that, So hath the mouth of the Lord spoken, I account it one of his many groundless assertions, and evidences of his conceite and vanity; and a further demonstration of his being under the power of a strong delusion. And though they should for a time prosper, as a plague unto a secure and formal generation; it shall be no convincing argument to us of any divine approbation, as long as we know, what success for so many ages, Antichrist hath had▪ and also the abomination of Mahomet, with which their delusions have greater affinity, than with true Christianity; not to mention other particular errours, such as Arianisme, Pelagianisme and others, which have, for a considerable time, proven a sharpe exercise unto the Church of Christ. We will waite for the day, wherein light shall break up, that shall for ever shame the hellish dakness of Quakerisme, or Neopaganisme, out of the Church. Even so come Lord Jesus, AMEN.