The Quakers Confuted, Queries
THE Quakers QUERIES, For ſome Friends who call themſelves Elders of the Church of Chriſt, meeting at Stopport, theſe &c. A few Queries to you who profeſs your ſelves to be Teachers, Paſtors and Elders.
Querie 1. WHether you have the ſame eternal Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures, yea or no?
Querie 2. Whether the Apoſtles did give a right meaking to the Scriptures when they gave them forth, or left them to you to give a meaning to them, yea or no?
Querie 3. Whether the Plagues be not added to them who add to the Propheſies written in the Book? and whether his Name be not diminiſhed out of the Book of Life, that diminiſhes? and whether you can witneſs this Name, yea or no?
Querie 4. Whether you have an infallible Judgement to judge of things eternal, yea or no?
Querie 5. Whether you be above the Apoſtle, and are able to judge his Condition? becauſe you ſay, he was not perfect, who ſaid, he ſpoke wiſdom among them that were perfect.
Querie 6. Whether you have the hidden wiſdom which God ordained before the World was, which the Apoſtle speaks of yea or no?
Querie 7. Whether you have heard the voice of the liveing God of Heaven and Earth? or whether do you not take the Prophets words, Chriſts words, and the Apoſtles words, and ſay, he ſaith it, when ſaith the Lord, I never ſpoke to you?
Querie 8. Whether a man ſhall overcome the body of ſin while he is upon the Earth, yea or no?
Querie 9. Whether you preach no other Doctrine then that which the Apoſtles did? that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and with our hands have handled of the word of life? For this life is made manifeſt, and we have ſeen it, and bear witneſs and ſhew it unto you.
Querie 10. Whether you have this word which was from the beginning, and this life manifeſted to you which was to the Apoſtles? And if it be, why do you take a Text from the Letter, and Preach from it, and ſhew the People the Letter?
Querie 11. And ſhew me where the Prophets did take a Text, and preach from it, but only Chriſt read a place, and ſaid, it was fulfilled, who ſaid he was anointed to preach; and which of you can witneſs you are anointed to preach by the living God, yea or no?
Querie 12. Tell me why you ſing Davids Conditions and Experiences in Meeter, and when you read them, hats you keep on, and when you ſing them, hats you put off.
Querie 13. Whether you have the voice, and whether you do know the voice of Chriſt from the voice of a Stranger? My Sheep know my voice, ſaith Chriſt, ſeing that you are ſo forward to judge, and ſit as Judges of the Saints Conditions?
Querie 14. Whether that which is in you which Judgeth, be eternal and infallible, yea or no?
Querie 15. What is the Ordinance which is ordained of God, that thoſe which you call Quakers deny, and where or when did God command you to obſerve them? As to sprinkle Infants, to pray before and after your Sermons, as you call them, or to ſet times, dayes and hours, which was in the Generation which were enemies to Chriſt, who obſerved ſuch things.
Querie 16. What theſe Ordinances of God be which you speak of? And where God commanded them, and to whom, which you ſay thoſe that you call Quakers do deny? mention them in particular, and declare them openly in Writing, and give over accuſing.
Querie 17. Whether you do not ſeduce the People to draw them from the anointing within them? when as John ſaith, they need no man teach them, but as the anointing, and the Promiſe was Eternal Life to him that did abide in the anointing.
Querie 18. Whether you do not bewitch the people, to draw them from the Spirit of God within them, to obſerve theſe things which God never commanded; to tell people of a Sacrament, and following your outward Teaching, who ſtand praying in the Synagogues, and are called of men-Maſters; which Chriſt did forbid, Mat. 23. And have the chiefeſt places in the Aſſemblies; Whether theſe be not Antichriſts, which act contrary to the Commands of Chriſt, this yea or no?
Querie 19. Whether a man ſhall ever grow up that he need no man teach him under your Miniſtry, yea or no? ſeeing the Apoſtle ſaith, you need no man teach you, and you which have been long Teachers, how many have you brought up into this Condition?
The Church of Chriſt is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, which doth witneſs the eternal Spirit; and if you be the ſame Church, and have the ſame Spirit, Anſwer me theſe Queries without any conſequences or ſenſes, otherwiſe deny your Elderſhip and Paſtorſhip, and to be no Church of Chriſt.
From ſome Friends in the Truth in Lancaſhire, whom the World calls Quakers.