Quakers Principles Quaking, Letter
THE QUAKERS Paper truly copied out, as it was by them written, and ſent to the Miniſters and People, in, and about Walton, and Liverpool: To which the following Treatiſe is an Anſwer.
To the Prieſts and people of Walton and Liverpool, and thereabouts.
FOr as much as there was a Diſpute, at the Greave-houſe near Walton, betwixt the people called Quakers, and the aforeſaid Prieſts before mentioned: In which Diſpute the Prieſts was to prove the lawfulneſs of receiving of Tythes which by Scripture they could not do, but one Scripture they brought in for their own ends, which makes nothing for their purpoſe, in Luke 11.42. to prove the receiving of Tythes, for this was before he was ſacrificed up, when he ſaid, Woe unto ye Phariſees, for ye tythe Mint and Rue, and all manner of Herbs, and paſs over judgement, and the love of God; Theſe ought yee to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Now let all people who have any underſtanding, conſider and ſee, whether this be any ground or command for the Prieſts to take Tythes of the people after his being ſacrificed up, for he ſaid, Theſe ought ye to have done, but he gave no commandement to continue in them, for he was the end of the Prieſthood, and the end of the Law, by which the Prieſts took Tythes, for the Prieſthood being changed, there was of neceſſity a change of the Law, and a diſanulling of the Commandement going before, as Heb. 7.12.18. But in the time of the Law they was to take Tythes of the people according to the Law, Heb. 7.5. and thoſe that did not bring their Tythes into the Store-houſe whilſt that Law and Commandement was of force, robbed God, Mal. 3.8.10. And the Lord commanded that all the Tythes ſhould be brought of the increaſe, and laid up, and the Levite, becauſe he had no part nor inheritance with the people, and the ſtranger, and the fatherleſs, and the widows ſhould come and eat, and be ſatisfied, Deut. 14.28, 29. And this was in the firſt Prieſthood, and before Jeſus Chriſt was ſacrificed up, the unchangeable Prieſthood, Heb. 8.1. The everlaſting Treaſure, Col. 2.3. In whom dwells all fulneſs, verſ. 9. Who hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances, and took it out of the way, and nayled them to the Croſs, triumphing over them, verſ. 14, 15. Then the Apoſtle denied all Ordinances that were hand written, and ſaid the Law was changed, and the Prieſthood was changed, Heb. 7.12. and the Commandement diſanulled, ſo the Law now being changed, by which the Prieſthood was made, and the Commandement diſanulled, by which they took Tythes of the people, of God himſelf, and the hand-writing of Ordinances blotted out, therefore who art thou O man that goeth about to build again, ſet up, allow, write for, and uphold that which God put down, diſanulled, and blotted out, and nayled to the Croſs? Gods enemy thou art, whoever thou bee, for the earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof, Pſal. 24.1. And all are commanded to honour God with their ſubſtance, who are his Stewards, Prov. 3.9. Take heed how yee diſhonour him by giving his goods to his open Enemies, who uphold, and maintain that which he hath diſanulled, and witneſſed againſt, for you that do ſo, are unprofitable Stewards, and hee will call you to an account of your Stewardſhip; And hee that is unjuſt in the leaſt, is alſo unjuſt in much, Luke 16.10, 11. And if yee be not righteous in the unrighteous Mammon, who will commit to your truſt the true riches? And if yee have not been faithful in that which is another mans, who ſhall give you that which is your own, hee that hath an ear to hear, let him hear and underſtand.
And if your Prieſts will take Tythes as they did in the time of the Law, ſee ye do the office of the Prieſts that took Tythes, they kept a Store-houſe, and the widows, and the fatherleſs, and the ſtrangers which was within the Prieſts gate was fed; And if they do thus, they muſt own themſelves to bee Miniſters of the Law, and not of the Goſpel; And if they do not thus, they rob the poor, the fatherleſs, the widows, and ſtrangers, and neither are Prieſts of the Law nor Goſpel; ſo from the Law and Goſpel do wee ſhut them, who are neither in the ſteps of them, who were under the Law, nor in the ſteps of Chriſts Ministers, who was the end of the Law, ſo from being Miniſters of either Law or Goſpel, yee have cleared your ſelves, and ſhut your ſelves out by your practices.
And thou Prieſt Fogge of Liverpool, who ſaid, They that hold forth the way of perfection, holdeth not the way of God; but from under this thou canſt not get, but under the condemnation muſt come; for the way of God is perfect, which way is Jeſus Chriſt, for, ſaith hee, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father, but by mee. So thou that ſaith, The way of perfection, is not the way of God, art out of the way of God, and thy condemnation thou muſt own: So confeſſe thy error to the people, who haſt ſpoken against Chriſt, who is the way of God, and the way to God, which way is perfect, and indures for ever.
So for the ſimple ones ſake have I given this forth, who was at the meeting, and received not ſatisfaction, becauſe of the diſorder that day; That they might come to ſee their Teachers, who hath long deceived them, taking their goods from them, contrary to the Law of God written in mens hearts; ſo with the light which comes from Chriſt which convinceth you of ſin, ſhall you ſee them to bee, ſuch as the Prophet ſpeaks of, and ſaith, Put into their mouths, and they cry, Peace, Peace, but put not into their mouths, and they prepare War againſt you, Mat. 3.5.
And this is fulfilled by many of the Prieſts of England this day, who ſue many at the Law, and caſt many into priſon, becauſe they put not into their mouths: ſo, to the light of Chriſt in you all, take heed, which is your way and Teacher, and from all falſe wayes, and Teachers doth lead.
Given forth by him, whom in ſcorn is called QUAKER, Thomas Holme.