The Quakers Wisdom Descendeth not from Above, Narrative – Questions
A NARRATIVE.
Reader,
MY Rejoynder to G.W. having been finiſhed a good while ſince (as the date of the Epiſtle will inform thee) and the Bookſeller having thought fit to delay the publication, after it was off the Preſſe, (upon a conſideration not neceſſary to be mentioned) I have been perſwaded by ſome worthy Friends to annex a Narrative, the materials whereof lay by me; and are of undoubted credit. To moſt of them thou ſhalt have the Witneſſes names (perſons of much integrity) and where they are wanting in the reſt (the Witneſſes not judging it adviſable in ſome reſpects to be publickly named) I ſhall be accountable to any man that deſires it for a punctual proof. Thou canſt not be ſo much a ſtranger in England, as not to know how frequently the Quakers decry the preſent Miniſtry, with their Doctrine and Worſhip, under the Notion of Antichriſtian. But how little reaſon have they ſo to do? conſidering how much themſelves do ſymbolize with Antichriſt, particularly in that grand Doctrine of Juſtification by works, which as they hold in the Principle, they reduce it to Practiſe.Witneſſe. Mr. Davis Min. of Dover. For one of them lately at Dover, when he came to die, upon the queſtion put to him, made anſwer, that he expected ſalvation only by his own works, and not by Chriſt. And dying men may uſually be preſumed to ſpeak their hearts. And I am out of doubt that they are acted by the antichriſtian Faction. A Gentleman of good credit aſſured me that he met with an Engliſh Jeſuit in London, the firſt Lords day in June laſt; one who was bred in Cambridge, and had been formerly of his acquaintance, who after ſome ſhyneſſe to be known, at length confeſſed that he came over to propagate the Romiſh Faith, and told him, that there was a good honeſt people called Quakers, whom we jeer'd at, that did their work at the ſecond hand; and he boaſted much of the numbers that turned Catholicks immediatly, or medily, by becomming Quakers. And another Gentleman that came this Spring from St. Omars, did avouch that he ſaw the Jeſuits there, about four a Clock every evening throw off their Gowns, and put on aprons, and betake themſelves to the exerciſe of Handy-craft callings; ſome plaid the Shoomakers, others ſate at the Loom, others kill'd and dreſſ'd ſheep, and they did not ſtick to boaſt, that under the diſguiſe of ſuch callings (working as Journeymen, and changing place as they liſted) they ſerved the Romiſh Church. And the Head of the Colledge told him, that England never was in ſo fair a way of return to the Romiſh See, ſince it broke off, as now. And what hopes the Papiſts can have, unleſſe from the encreaſe of Quakers, I leave Reader to thy determination. And the truth is, the Quakers now d…clare their intentions to propagate their perſwaſions by the ſword, whereas they were w…nt to pretend to ſo much meekneſs & peaceableneſſe▪ that they would bear neither ſtaffe nor ſword. At …t Meeting of the Quake…s, in Hurst-Peir-point in Suſſex, he that undertook to be the Speaker, cald out to the Min… of the Pariſh (who then accidentally paſſed by) ſaying, We will have you all down, for now our day is come▪ and another Quaker in the Pariſh of Nuthurſt in the ſame County, did ſay to a Godly perſon of good quality in that Pariſh, that he no more cared to kill one of the Priests, (as he ſtiled the Miniſters) then he would to kill a dog. And another Quaker way-laid the Miniſter of Covewold, (a very worthy and reverend man▪ at his return from a Faſt) and juſtled him upon the high way, (as he kept it; having his Wife behind him) and drew out a ſword, which he had by his ſide, about half way, which was a ſhrewd preſumption that he intended the Miniſter miſcheif; but that ſome Neighbours that came from the Faſt, coming up to them, prevented it. And they do uſually give out threatning ſpeechs againſt the Miniſtry, and their Friends.Mr. Wingfield. One Inſtance you may take, as it was formally atteſted to me, under the hand of a Godly miniſter of a Town within one mile of Sandwich.
I do teſtifie that Luke Howard of Dover Quaker, did ſay in my hearing on the 25 day of July 1659. upon the rode, near Dover Caſtle, that it was revealed to him by the eternal God that the Prieſts ſhall be deſtroyed, and by the people who are called Quakers. In teſtimony whereof, I ſet my hand, Aug. 3. 1659.Will. Wingfield. Min. at Word.
And in a late Pamphlet, call'd a Word of advice to the Souldiers, by E.B. Quaker, p. 2. (he ſpeaking to the Souldiers, of the Miniſters) uſes this paſſage, Oh give the Prieſts bloud to drink, for they are worthy. I my ſelf read the whole Book through, and can therefore atteſt it upon perſonal knowledge.
And what affronts theſe wretches offer to the Worſhip of God, is notoriouſly known: On the Lords day (being the 18 of Sept. 1659.) one Will. Naylor Brother to James Naylor, (a Quaker) came into the Savoy Church, when Mr. Hooke was in the Pulpit preaching, and made ſuch a bellowing noiſe, that it ſeemed to be rather the Devil ſpeaking within him, than his own natural voice; inſomuch that the Miniſter was neceſſitated for a time to hold his peace; and many of the people were ſadly affrighted at the dreadfulneſſe of the noiſe, that ſome ran one way, ſome another, to ſecure themſelves from the danger which they apprehended was near them. This is teſtified by credible Witneſſes, as Mr. and Mrs. Hooke, and divers others.
And at Aldermanbury, on a Lords day, June 12, 1659. whilſt the Pſalm was ſinging, a Quaker gat up into the Pulpit, with his Hat on his head, and ſetting his Breech upon the Cuſhion, fell to ſewing. Anoth…r example as remarkable as the former, was in Chriſt-Church, Octob. 6, 1659. It being a Day of publick Thankſgiving, the Parl. L. Major, Aldermen, Com. Coun. & Officers of …he army, being there met together, to hear Dr. Homes and Mr. Caryl, who were appointed by the Parl. to preach before them. Mr. Caryl being the laſt that preached, it ſo fell out, that when he was in his laſt Prayer, there were two Quakers made a very great diſturbance in the publick aſſembly, in the very preſence of authority: This will be teſtified by many Witneſſes that were preſent. And they ſeem to regard their own Worſhip as little as they do ours. For March 6 1659, one Mary Todd of Southwark, Quaker, at the Bull and Mouth in Alderſgate-ſtreet, an uſual Meeting place, whilſt her Friends (as they call one another) were ſpeaking, pull'd up all her cloaths above her middle,Mr. Tho. Creſſ…t, Chirurgion. expoſing her nakedneſſe to the view of all that were in the Room, and walked ſo up and down a while, uſing ſeveral expreſſions about her practiſe, as ſutable to a ſtate of innocency and perfection: This I had from an eye and ear-witneſſe who is named in the Margin: and what a beaſtly and abominable practiſe this was; eſpecially in a woman, beſides the unſeaſonableneſſe of it, being in the time of their Worſhip, (ſuch as it is) I leave to thee to judge. And whereas 'tis an uſual thing for the Quakers to call Miniſters of the Goſpel Liars, it is well enough known, that beſides the Lies of their Doctrine, they have not ſo much moral honeſty, as to ſpeak Truth in matters of Fact.
In May laſt, there having been ſome diſcourſe one day between one Howard of Dover Quaker,Mr. Ruſſel, Min. in the Marſh. and a Miniſter in Rumney Marſh, the next day was appointed for further diſcourſe between them two, but over-night the ſaid Howard ſent his horſe and man for Mr. Fiſher (ſometime a Miniſter, now a Quaker, and ſuſpected to be a Jeſuit.) and going with him to the place of meeting, told the people, that ſeeing S. Fiſher came accidentally thither, he would now leave the diſcourſe to him; whereupon one among the people ſtept out, and told Howard that he lied, for he did ſee his horſe and man go out over-night, and ſee the ſaid Fiſher ride into the Town on the morning upon the ſame horſe, by which it was manifeſt that he ſent for him on purpoſe. All that they could ſay in juſtification of themſelves, was, that the ſaid Fiſher came accidentally in reſpect of the people or Miniſter who was to diſcourſe, they knowing nothing of his coming. To conclude, I deſire thee Reader, to peruſe the Quakers anſwer to certain queſtions propoſed to them, hereto annexed, wherein thou wilt find them denying the Scriptures to be the Rule for judging matters of Faith; aſserting that they ſhould have had knowledge of God ſufficient to ſalvation, if they had never heard of the Bible; and their words and writings are as infallible as the Scriptures; and again, denying the Perſons in the Godhead, the Humane, Nature of Chriſt, and that Chriſt is a diſtinct Perſon from the Saints, and that there hath been a true Church ſince the Apoſtles, till now, and that one day is more holy than another. And ſurely by theſe Principles in conjunction with the reſt which thou haſt an account of in the Book it ſelf, to which this Narrative is annexed, the Quakers have for ever forfeited the name of Chriſtians, and are to be reputed Heathens.
Sandwich, Octob. 10 1659.
Questions propoſed to, and anſwered by Joſeph Fuce, Quaker.
Queſt VVHether the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament be the Rule of trying and judging all matters of Faith and obedience towards God?
Anſw. And now I ſhall ſet down theſe Proofs to prove the Scriptures are not to be the Rule for to try and judge all things or matters of Faith, John 5.22 &c.
Q. Whether the Light within, you ſo much ſpeak of, be ſuffici…nt to guide you to Salvation, if you had never heard of the Bible?
Anſ. I do believe if I had never ſeen the Bible, yet believing the Witneſſe which God hath given, which is Chriſt, the Light & hope and Glory in us, which we ſo much ſpeak of, and preach freely as we have received, to the offending of thoſe deceivers that preach for hire, and ſo make merchandiſe of the people, I ſay, I ſhould have attained to the knowledge of God, if I had never heard of the Bible.
Q Whether the teachings or writings of any of your way be infallible or of equal authority with the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament?
Anſ. I ſay, we do not erre in ſpeaking or writing the Truth as it is in Jeſus, and that of God in all Conſciences ſhall one day witneſſe this to be true and infallible: and the Scriptures and our writings hath and will moſt certainly come to paſſe.
Q. Whether the Father, the Word, and the Spirit be three diſtinct Perſons in the ſelf-ſame Godhead?
Anſ. As for thy words, three diſtinct Perſons, that I deny, till thou proveſt them by plain Scripture. It is like the Biſhops in Rome may own thee in them, for that is ſome of their unfruitful works of darkneſſe.
Qu. Whether J…ſus Chriſt hath a Divine and Humane Nature in one perſon?
Anſ. Thy words, Humane Nature, I return them with thoſe words, Three Perſons, into the Pit of confuſion, from whence they came.
Qu. Whether Jeſus Chriſt remains for ever a diſtinct Perſon from all the Saints?
Anſ. But as for being a diſtinct Perſon from all the Saints, he is not.
Qu. Whether the true Church hath failed upon earth ſince the death of the Apoſtles of Jeſus Ch…iſt, mntil theſe times? if not, in what age or ages, or among what people hath it continued?
Anſ. He cauſed all both ſmall and great, rich and poor, bond and free, to receive a mark in their forheads, or in their right hand. Read, Rev. 13. And thus the true Church ceaſed or failed upon earth, ſince the death of the Apoſtles of Chriſt, until …he raiſing up of Gods own ſeed out of the earth, to ſtand a witneſſe againſt wicked murderers, and Perſecutors of the Saints, and true Church of Chriſt.
Qu. Whether the first day of the Week be more holy than any other day of the Week.
Anſ. All the daies of the Week as the Lord created them, are holy unto the Saints, who are redeemed from obſerving daies and moneths, and times, and years.
Theſe things are expreſly aſſerted and ſubſcribed by
Joſeph Fuce.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Danson, The Quakers Wisdom Descendeth not from Above (1659)