The Quakers Confuted, Letter 2
A Copy of an anſwer to the forementioned Letter, written in the name of the Church of Duckenfield, now meeting in Stopport, and ſent unto the wife of Richard Waller, for the ſetling and eſtabliſhing of her in the faith of Chriſt, being a member of the forementioned Church, wherein all ſuch Scriptures which were brought to prove an abſolute Perfection and Quaking are Interpreted, and the true ſenſe given to them; and freed from ſuch corrupt fenſe for which they are alledged.
Siſter Waller,
YOu are very precious to us, though your miſcarriage againſt God and us hath been very great. We are apt to hope that the Lord either hath or will convince you of the ſin you committed in your unadviſed Marriage; Which you ſo ſelfwilledly carried on againſt us: And when your heart is kindly humbled; we know you will give praiſe to God, and juſtifie us: And then we ſhall conceive as much can ſee of joy from your repentance, as we have done grief from your ſin: We cannot yet think otherwiſe, but that you do belong to the Lord: And if ſo, he will not ſuffer you to have reſt in any evil way you have gone in, till he have made you truly ſenſible, and ſorrowfull after a Godly manner: which if ever you once manifeſt to us, we ſhall with as much tenderneſs own you, as in any time heretofore: For you are very dear to us, and our bowels do very much yearn after you: Eſpecially ſince we heard of a Letter which your husband wrote to Duckenfield, which ſome of us have ſeen; by which we diſcern what deadly poyſon he hath ſucked in, to the undoing of his poor Soul, if God be not very mercifull to him, and bring him to Repentance. And you alſo, through your nearneſs of Relation to him, are expoſed to multiplicity of Temptations, to forſake the faith of our Lord Jeſus, and to turn aſide to ſuch Satanical deluſions which he is carried away with. We do conceive hope, that as yet the Lord hath kept you, by obſerving one paſſage of his Letter, which holds out your deſire, that your ſervice may be preſented to your Maſter and Miſtreſs: therein, owning the relation they ſtood in to you, and you to them, which he declares againſt, making it the worlds way, and not Gods. Our deſire and prayer to God for you ſhall be, that he will yet keep you even to the end. And who can tell but that the Lord may bring out a great deal of good to your ſoul, by this evil of your Husbands fearfull apoſtacy, which his Letter holds out? God may open your eyes, thereby to ſee your ſinfull haſte which you made in that Marriage: He may humble you for ruſhing upon it againſt Counſel; he may make you to know that he was angry againſt you, by leaving him to ſuch fearful error of way. He hath laid a ſore affliction upon you, by giving up one ſo near and dear to you, to ſuch fearfull Temptations. You have offended God through him, and now you muſt be chaſtned in him. Be awakned, be awakned, and conſider the Lords righteous hand in this matter; The perſon whom you have choſen, God ſeems to have forſaken; at leaſt for a time he is become the Devils Captive. O fear you, and repent you, leaſt he alſo forſake you. But we hope better of you; and our prayer is, that you may be ſetled and eſtabliſhed in the truth. We foreſee that you will be ſtrongly ſollicited: He that thought himſelf bound to tempt perſons by his Letters at ſo great a diſtance, what alluring ways will not he take to cauſe you to forſake your integrity, and to turn aſide to ſuch fleſhly deceits of Satan: take heed you be not bewitched with pretences, and quotations of Scripture preſented in the Letter; there lyes the greateſt danger. The Devil tempted Chriſt, by telling him that it was written; and his Inſtruments will uſe the ſame fleights: They will put falſe Gloſſes upon Scripture, while they deny all ſenſes to be put upon Scripture, to deceive themſelves and others thereby. The Apoſtle Peter ſaith, 2 Pet. 3. 16. that ſome that are unlearned, and unſtable, do wreſt Scripture to their own deſtruction; and he doth warn them, leſt they being led away by the error of the wicked, do fall from their own ſtedfaſtneſs, by ſuch means. And we alſo do beſeech you to beware of this Snare, viz of Scripture abuſed by miſconſtructions. It is a miſconſtruction, when the conſtruction is made to follow the ſound of the words, though it be never ſo much repugnant to other Scripture: You know that all Scripture is given by Inſpiration of God, 2 Tim 3, 16. And that holy men ſpake as they were Inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Now God is a God of Truth, and the Spirit is a Spirit of Truth, and cannot ſpeak contrary things, nor contradict himſelf: therefore, if there be any ſeeming contradiction in Scripture taken in the Letter of it, we muſt ſeek after a right ſenſe, by which the ſeeming contradiction may be removed. Your husband produceth many Scriptures to prove an abſolute perfection without ſin; And the firſt Scripture he mentions, is Phil. 3. 15. Let us (ſaith Paul) (ſpeaking of himſelf and the Philippians) as many as be perfect, be thus minded; He Collects from hence, that the Saints here have ſuch a perfection that excludes all ſin: Alas poor Creature! We thought he had been better acquainted with his own heart: But he might have looked a little higher in the Chapter, upon ver. 12. and have diſcerned that Paul expreſly denies Perfection in reference to himſelf Not as though I were already perfect, ſaith he; Was Paul perfect, and yet was he not perfect? In the Letter there is a contradiction: But Paul ſpeaking by the Spirit of God, cannot contradict himſelf: therefore, we muſt look after the ſenſe of the word [Perfect] It is many time taken for ſincere, 2 Kings 15. 14. Aſa took not away the high places; that was his failing; Yet his heart was perfect; In what ſenſe perfect? Was it perfect without ſin? Not ſo, For it was his ſin that the high places were not taken away; But perfect, that is Upright; He did not ſerve God in pretence, but in truth, They ſay we muſt not give the ſenſe of Scripture, but muſt take it in the Letter; but that is contrary to the examples of Scripture. Thoſe in Nehemiah 8. 8. read in the Book of the Law, and gave the ſenſe; and it is neceſſary ſometimes to avoid contradiction, which is in the Letter, to give the ſenſe; The ſenſe of that place, in Phil 3. 15. Let us ſo many as be perfect, be thus minded, is this, Let us ſo many as be Sincere, Upright, and halt not betwixt Moſes and Chriſt, betwixt the Law and the Goſpel, be thus minded: that is minded like to Paul, as he had given them example; For that was the Scope in that whole Chapter; he had left the Law and all confidence in Mofaical Ordinances, and followed Chriſt; But yet was not perfect therein, as to be without defect in that, but was upright and ſincere therein; and he preſſeth them, as many as were perfect, that is, upright, to be as he was, to do likewiſe, and yet not to think that they can be ſo compleat as not to need to follow more and more after Chriſt; but to be ſtill ſtriving, as he was; This is clearly the ſenſe, by which your husband may underſtand his error. As for all other places, to give a particular Expoſition of each Quotation, will take up more time then we can well ſpare at preſent; but as need ſhall require, upon intimation given us, we ſhall be willing to hold forth the ſenſe of any Scripture you ſhall doubt of hereafter, as the Lord ſhall help us, and we hope with Truth. comparing Scripture with Scripture, that one may not oppoſe another. OnelyOnly in general it is good to take notice that is Scripture there is mention made of a Comparative perfection; Thoſe who ſtuck in Moſes his Rites, and could not get paſt them, were not ſo perfect as thoſe who were clearly bottomed upon the Goſpel. And to this Perfection Paul endevoured to bring the Coloſſians, and Philippians, and all that did believe, Col 1. 28. And thoſe who were Babes in knowledge, were not ſo perfect as thoſe who had their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern betwixt good and evil, of which Heb. 6. 1. And there is a perfection that reſpect Juſtification, and not Sanctification, Heb. 10. 14. By one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are Sanctified; that is, he hath perfectly juſtified all the Saints, by dying once; when as all the legal Offerings (though repeated day by day) could not do it; But there was ſtill a Conſcience accuſing for ſin. And there is a perfection that reſpects rather the number of Graces, then the meaſure of them, and reſpects rather duration and continuance to the end, then any height or ſtrength in the act of performance; as Jam. 1. 4. Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing; This perfect work of patience, is the work of patience perpetuated, and laſting to the end; He that endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved, Mat. 10. 22. Mat. 24. 13. And [being entire and wanting nothing] reſpects the filling up, and compleating the reſt of the Graces that they had, with this Grace of patience exerciſed to the end; as in 2 Cor. 8. 7: Therefore as ye abound in every thing, in Faith, and Utterrance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us; ſee that ye abound in this Grace alſo. When all Graces be in Saints, and do abide in exerciſe to the end, then there is a kinde of Perfection in Saints. And the Scripture doth frequently ſtir up the Saints to endeavor after perfection; When yet it ſaith not that is is to be attained unto in this life. 2 Cor. 13. 9. We wiſh (ſaid the Apoſtle) your Perfection; and Heb 6. 1. Let us go on to perfection; And the Apoſtle himſelf was not Perfect, but going on towards it, Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I were already Perfect; But I forget that which is behind, &c. and ſo follow on towards it. The Apoſtle Paul tells us, that while he was here, he did ſee through a Glaſs darkly; and that now, that is in this life, he did know but in part; and if but in part, where then was perfection? And the Apoſtle John tells all Saints, 1 Joh. 1. 8. that if they ſay they have no ſin they deceive themſelves, and the truth is not in them; And the Apoſtle James faith, that in many things we-offend all; he and all others did offend And he faith, he is a perfect man, that offendeth not in word; that is, he would be comparatively perfect that could only bridle his tongue; but who can do it at all times? we perceive your Husband cannot; for then he would never have uttered ſuch reproachſul words againſt godly men, calling them Prieſts, and ſaying they are found Lyars; his Conſcience will tell him that ſome of them are ſuch as fear the Lord: but he faith, if Perfection be not here, we leave an hole for Satan; and when will it be, if it be not here in this Life? Alas, alas, is he left ſo ſoon to ſo great darkneſs as not to believe another Life and World after this? that he asks when it will be, if not here? It ſeems Satan hath had an open door to enter into his heart, and fill it with ſuch fogs and miſts of Darkneſs; he might have read and weighed the Apoſtles words, in 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10, 11. Now we know in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part ſhall be done away; and he might have conſidered that diſtinction of time contained in theſe words, Now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face; this [now] is here, and this [then] is after this life; But he ſtrengthens himſelf in that place, in 1 Ioh. 3. 9. He that is born of God, ſinneth not, but his Seed remaineth, and he cannot ſin; This he urgeth, but he conſidereth not that the ſame Iohn ſaith that which is contrary to this, viz. Whoſoever ſaith he hath no ſin, deceives himſelf, and the truth is not in him; A ſound ſenſe therefore muſt be brought out of Iohns words, elſe Iohn will be found a Lyar againſt himſelf, and againſt God, as your Husband endeavours to make him, denying ſin to be there, in whom Chriſt is made manifeſt, from this text; but the meaning is of ſin in courſe, perfiſted and continued in, without true repentance and turning from it; he that is born of God cannot ſo ſin; for the ſeed of Truth and of Grace within him, will not let him ſo ſin; for after ſuch manner the wicked of the world ſin, but the Saints cannot ſo ſin; there will be ſmitings of heart in them, and they will ask and enquire what they have done, and will repent and turn to God, as Iob did, David did, Peter and all the Saints have done.
Now concerning quaking and trembling, there is a multiplying of many Texts of Scripture without knowledge; for none of them can be applyed to juſtifie the practice of thoſe whom they call Quakers. The firſt Text that they alledge, if it be taken in the Letter, as they take all Scripture, doth deſtroy them and their practice; viz. Heb. 12. 26 whoſe voice then ſhook the Earth, but now he hath promiſed, ſaying, Yet once more I ſhake not the Earth onelyonly, but the Heaven alſo. Now the Apoſtle gives the ſenſe of theſe words [yet once more] verſ. 27. It ſignifieth (faith he) the removing of thoſe things that are ſhaken, that thoſe things which cannot be ſhaken may remain: Now thoſe Perſons whom they call Quakers, they are ſhaken in their meetings, firſt one, and then another; then the Text taken in the Letter, ſhews that they ſhall be removed and taken away, ſeeing they are ſhaken; but others who are not ſhaken, ſhall remain; ſo they fall by the Text which themſelves alledge. But the true ſenſe of this Text is Metaphorical, and ſignifies the removing of things corrupt in Church and State, ſo far as it remains yet to be fulfilled; and it did ſignifie the removal of Moſes Law of Rites, that the Goſpel might be eſtabl…ſhed inſtead thereof. There was an outward ſhaking of the Mount, and of Moſes, but it was typical of this Metaphorical and ſpiritual ſhaking, and ſhewed how Moſes Paedagogie, or Childiſh Diſcipline was to be removed away; but what is this to their purpoſe? There is alſo a ſpiritual trembling, ariſing from the reverence of God and his Word, which is inward in the foul, which all Saints have more or leſs; Iſa 66, 2. Ezra 9. 4. which are Texts of his citing, but they make nothing for the upholding of their outward ſhaking: nor are they perſons that tremble at the Word of the Lord, but are deſpiſers of it, There is alſo a quaking and trembling of Fleſh, but it did ar…ſe from the ſenſe of Gods Judgements, Pſal. 119. 120. Jer. 23 9, Ier. 30 5 6. and from a ſenſe of Gods Wrath; Pſal. 187. but they who have the name of Quakers, being all of them perfect and without ſin (as they pretend) cannot be afraid of Gods judgements & of his wrath, nor do they quake upon that account; what they ſhall do hereafter if they repent not, we leave to that one ludge of the world to determine in his time. There is alſo a quaking from Viſions and Apparitions, as when an Angel appeared to Daniel, Dan. 10. 7. 11. and the outſide of the Viſion, thoſe that were with him ſaw, and quaked, and fled through fear; they ſaw not the inſide, as thoſe that were with Saul did which ſaw a light, though they ſaw no man, and they were terrified. And Paul was aſtonied, and trembled Acts 9. 6. upon the appearance of Chriſt to him. Now whether theſe perſons pretend to apparitions or not, we know not; and whether there be any Apparition unleſs the Devil doth appear, we know not; onelyonly this we know, Thoſe perſons who ſaw many Viſions, and to whom God immediately, or by an Angel ſpake familiarly, which cauſed quaking and trembling, they were ſuch, for whom, and by whom, God wrought many wonderful things; therefore ſaid the Phariſees to the people, We know that God ſpake with Moſes; It was known to all, by ſigns and wonders that Moſes did, that God had Communion with him and ſpake to him; ſo alſo it was with Daniel, Peter, Paul, and all others; ſo that all might be aſſured that God ſpake with then, and the appearance was viſible alſo: Now when theſe perſons can confirm their Viſions by miraculous things wrought for them and by them, it will be better received, that God hath appeared and ſpoken to them. But that which moſt ſatisfies us, that neither they nor their quaking are of God, is firſt, becauſe though ſome particular perſons, upon ſome particular and ſudden appearances have trembled and quaked, yet there is nothing in all the Scripture that makes out the meetings of many people together in a conſtant way and courſe, waiting and expecting to ſee or hear ſomething which caſts them into trances, and brings upon them quaking and trembling, and in a kind of order alſo; as firſt one, and then another. Indeed the Apoſtles did abide waiting at Ieruſalem once; but never after, for the receiving of the Spirit according to the Promiſe of the Father, by Chriſts own ſpecial Injunction; but then the Spirit came in viſible manner; there was a ruſhing wind, and ſound from Heaven, and an appearance of cloven tongues, like as it were fire ſat upon every one of them, and they ſpake with tongues; But what injunction have theſe men to meet, and ſit together waiting for any appearance of ſpirit, or Angel, or ought elſe? And what promiſe have they made to them, or what outward appearance is there of any comming of the Spirit to them? Or what mighty works are done by them; Or what communion with God, or with his Spirit can they have, which oppoſe God in their many blaſphemous aſſertions which come from them? and who deſtroy many of the great Doctrines of the Goſpel? and who change and ſubvert Gods Ordinances, viz. Relations betwixt Magiſtrates and Subjects, Maſters and Servants, &c. which God doth build up in his word?
Siſter, You may diſcern what little ſtrength there is in thoſe many Scriptures in your Husbands Letter, heaped togegether, by that which we have preſented in anſwer; A cloud of miſapplied Scriptures we hope will deceive none but the ſimple. We are willing to believe that God hath, and will give you a better underſtanding, then to be deceived with vain words. Watch you, ſtand faſt in the faith, quit your ſelf well like a ſolid Chriſtian, be ſtrong: If you doubt of any thing, ſend to us, we ſhall endevor to give you ſatisfaction, and ſhall beg of God to guide you, even he himſelf by his Spirit, into all Truth: Appear not in any other meetings, as you tender the welfare of your Soul, tempt not God to, leave you. If your Husband bring them to your houſe, get from among them. If by any means you can, have no diſcourſe with them, leaſt you be enſnared. You are warned in your Husband, he converſed with them, and how ſoon is he become one of them, as his Letter ſhews, We pitty his condition greatly. What would we do to recover him, and bring him out of ſuch ſnares? But we fear leaſt ſome ſin is unrepented of, and that God is offended, and hath left him; Look you to your ſelf, and paſt wayes, and know the evil you have done, and meet the Lord by faith and timely Repentance; It may be God will be gracious to you, and you ſhall be kept in the fire, and in the water, in the midſt of the greateſt and neareſt dangers; ſo that they ſhall not touch you, nor hurt you. Which ſhall be the prayer of thoſe who are true friends to your ſoul, and do watch over you, as thoſe who muſt give an account to God for you.
Farewell. From the Elders, and ſome brethren of the Church of Chriſt, meeting at Stoppors, In the name, and on the behalf of the reſt. Sam. Eaton.