The Foundation of God Standeth Sure, Chapter 1
THE Foundation of God standeth sure. OR, A Defence of those Fundamental, and so generally believed Doctrines Of
The Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence.
The Satisfaction of Christ the second Person of the Real and Glorious Trinity.
The Justification of the Ungodly by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ.
Against the Cavils of W. P. I. a Quaker, in his Pamphlet, Entituled, The Sandy Foundation shaken, &c.
Wherein his and the Quakers Hideous Blasphemies, Socinian and damnably-heretical Opinions, are discovered and refuted; W. P's ignorance, weakness, falshoods, absurd arguings, and folly, is made manifest unto all.
With a Call unto all such who in the simplicity of their hearts have been deluded by the Quakers, to come out from amongst them.
And an Exhortation to all Christians, as they desire their Salvation, to beware of their damnable Doctrines, and not to come neer the Tents of these enemies of Jesus Christ, lest they be swallowed up in their ruin.
By Thomas Vincent, sometime Minister of Maudlins Milk-street, London.
1 Joh. 5. 7. For there are Three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are One.
Mat. 20. 28. The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many.
Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted for Righteousness.
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1668.
CHAP. I. The INTRODVCTION.
WILLIAM PENN Entituleth his Pamphlet, The Foundation shaken; which however he termeth a Sandy Foundation, he acknowledgeth to be, at least, our Foundation: In the beginning of his Epistle to the Reader, he doth inveigh against Human Tradition; amongst which he numbreth not onelyonly those things which are Circumstantial, but also those Doctrines which Protestants generally believe to be Essential: And at the latter end of his Epistle he confesseth, the Doctrines of the Trinity, Satisfaction, and Iustification by imputed Righteousness, to be cardinal Points, and chief Doctrines, firmly believed as Articles of Christian Faith, which he telleth us he hath endeavoured the total enervation of. It is plain then, that this man striketh at the Root, and laboureth to overthrow the Foundation of Christianity, as we have built upon it, that he might overthrow the faith of weak and unestablished Christians: But the Foundation of God standeth sure; the great Fundamental Truths concerning our Lord Jesus Christhis Godhead, being the second Person of the Trinity, equal with the Father; his satisfaction which he made to God's Justice for Man's sin; and justification by his imputed Righteousness; are like a Rock which cannot be moved; against which, what ever waves do arise and beat, for removal of, though the noise and clamors be great, yet the attempts will be in vain; the Rock remaineth where it was, and the waves of opposition are broken to pieces▪ It is possible indeed that the Faith of some may suffer shipwrack by such assaults, because, they were never well grounded, fastned and fixed in the principles of Religion; because, they never received the truths of the Word either with true saving Faith, or true sincere Love; and therefore, the Lord hath threatned to give such up unto strong delusions to believe a lie, that they might be damned, 2 Thes. 2▪ 10, 11, 12. These are the persons who hear Christ's Word, and do not practice accordingly; therefore, our Saviour compareth them to fools that build their house upon the sand, upon which the rain descendeth, and the floods come and the winds blow and beat, and it falleth, and the fall therefore is great, Mat. 7. 26, 27. This is the Sandy Foundation which W. P. and the Quakers may shake, and overthrow, and be instrumental to pull down into the same ruine and destruction with themselves: But such who have built upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only true Foundation, 1 Cor. 3. 11. Such who have built indeed upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, whereof Iesus Christ himself is the chief Corner-stone. Eph. 2. 20. They have built upon the Rock, (upon which whosoever stumbleth and falleth, will be broken to pieces; but upon which whosoever buildeth, is safe) therefore are not tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine; neither is it possible (because of Christ's care and undertaking for them) that they should be overthrown by any of the blasts of Satan, or any of his instruments, Math. 24. 24, If it were possible they shall deceive the very, Elect. The Quakers, however, some of them, and those of the chiefest and Ring-leaders, have at sometimes let fall from their Black-mouths most hideous Blasphemies, and vented most damnably-heretical Doctrines: as for instance, George Fox positively affirmed thus, I am equal with God; this was deposed at a general Sessions in Westmerland. Iames Nayler said in the hearing of Mr. Baldwin, a man of eminent trust and integrity, That he did witness, that he was as holy, just, and good, as God. In the Quakers book called, Saul's Errand to Damascus, it is asserted, That there is no distinction of Persons in the Godhead. Nayler and others have spoken to this effect, That whosoever expects to be saved by him that died at Ierusalem, shall be deceived. I might mention many other such Blaspemies and Heresies; See The perfect Pharisee, by the Newcastle Ministers at the beginning. I say, though the Quakers have sometimes spoken out their blasphemies and corrupt Doctrines, yet for the most part they are so subtle, that they do not suffer the inward shape of their mind to appear so plainly abroad, lest every one should run from them with loathing and abhorrency; and however the import of their words be blasphemy and heresie, yet they shroud their meaning under ambiguous phrases; and especially at their first assault and endeavours to gain proselities and followers, they cover the hook with the pleasing bait of sugred words and fair speeches, whereby they deceive those that are unskilful in the word of Righteousness, and in the method of their erroneous ways; whence it is that many ere they are aware, and not knowing whither they are going, are drawn into their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of.
But W. P. being himself a Quaker, and speaking in their name and vindication, as himself telleth us, p. 36. and they dispersing his books, and calling for an answer; and he being counted amongst them one of their chief, because of some smattring of learning which they conceit he hath, and which he himself seemeth to have a high conceit of (which how groundless it is, shall be discovered in the places where he doth attempt to show something of a Scholar) doth in his Pamphlet plainly assert and stand up for those Quaker-Doctrines which I shall prove to be blasphemous and damnable Heresies. And hath openly made it known to the World, that the Quakers in those three great points which he doth militate against, and endeavour the refutation of, are Rank Socinians, who more grosly erre in the Fundamentals of Religion, than the Papists themselves. And because W. P. doth take occasion from the meeting with me and others in disputation (if it might be so called, where nothing was directly answered) to put forth his Pamphlet; and because he giveth but a lame, and in somethings a false account of transactions; therefore, I shall 1. give a true and brief Narative of what passed at the Meetting or Conference, with answer to his Postscript, 2 Establish the truths he objecteth against, by Scripture and Argument; 3 Answer his objections against those truths. Lastly, apply my self to deluded Quakers, for the recalling of them, and to all other Christians for the cautioning and establishing of them against the attempts of such as would draw them aside into the dark and dangerous path, which doth as certainly lead to Hell as the broad way of Prophaneness.