Stablishing Against Shaking, Sermon

Stablishing Against Shaking · Sermon

p. 1Stabliſhing againſt Quaking, &c.

2 Cor. 11.14.

And no marvell, for Satan himſelfe is transformed into an Angell of Light.

THis Chapter may be divided into foure parts:

1. Is a Preface the Apoſtle makes to his Apologie, defiring the Corinthians to give him audience, and weigh well what he had to ſay from the… to the 6 verſe.

2. He anſwereth to what they had alledged againſt him; from the 6 to the 13 ver.

3. He makes a little digreſſion, and points out theſe falſe Teachers in their colours, from ver. 13 to v. 16.

4. He compares himſelf with theſe falſe Teachers.

For the firſt he giveth divers reaſons why they ſhould heare him, and that carefully.

1. The ardent, holy love he bare to them, ver. 2. taking his Metaphor from the jealouſie in Conjugal relations; he ſpeaketh as a wooer, though he did not wooe for himſelfe, but for Chriſt; and ſo explicates this in the next words, For I have eſpouſed you, &c.

2. From the holy feare he had, illuſtrated by a compariſon, what the Serpent was to Eve, the ſame he will be to you if he can. ver. 3.

p. 23. Verba haec quā dam qua…i irontā prae ſe ferre videntur quâ Corinthios, novitatis avidos falſe ridet, Wein…: in loc.If your new Teachers can bring another Chriſt, a more excellent Goſpel, or conferre more excellent gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, then let them be heard; but ſince this is impoſſible, they cannot preach Chriſt, nor open the Goſpel, nor conferre ſuch gifts; therefore hear me, ver. 4.

The ſame we will ſay to theſe Quakers, or any deſpiſers of the Miniſters, if they can open the Goſpel, can teach Chriſt, have better gifts than the Miniſters, then run after them, but if not, then ſtay with thoſe who firſt taught you Chriſt, the Goſpel, &c.

4. I am not onelyonly ſuperiour to theſe falſe teachers, but I am equall with the beſt of the Apoſtles, therefore hear me, and thus, ver. 5.

From Pauls uſing thus many Arguments to get audience, obſerve: When once people have lent their eares to falſe teachers, they will hardly lend them again to true.

True Teachers muſt plead hard for their peoples eares, and it is well if they can with intreaties prevaile: it was ſo then, and to be ſure we finde it ſo now.

2. He anſwers what they objected againſt him:

1. They object, that he was rude in ſpeech, ver. 6. He did not lard his Sermons, nor Epiſtles with Athenian eloquence, nor flouriſh with gallant ſtrains of wit: yet ſurely not ſo rude as they made him, he could ſpeak ſo well that (Act. 14. ver. 12.) the heathens took him to be Mercurius, one of their gods. Well, he anſwers, am I ſo rude, but examine me in my knowledge, conſider me in all things that are requiſite to an Apoſtle, and ſo if I have not manifeſted my ſelf in all things to be a true one.

The ſame we ſay to theſe Quakers, and all others, if by their knowledge, and all things elſe requiſite to Miniſters or Apoſtles, [if there be any more to come, for they tell us they are ſent out with an Apoſtolicall ſpirit] they can manifeſt themſelves to us to be Miniſters, or Apoſtles, we will liſten to them; but by all we can finde in their Books, they ſcarce appear to be rationall men.

2. The ſecond Objection was, the humility of his perſon, ver. 7. he abaſed himſelf, wrought with hands, taught the Goſpel p. 3freely. To this he anſwers, you need not object this againſt me, for my humiliation was but your exaltation; for I ſpared you: but how then maintained? by other Churches, ver. 8, 9. the Churches of Macedonia ſupplied my wants. But as for you I have not been burdenſome to you, neither will I be, ver. 9. to the end. In the Regions of Achaia none ſhall ſtop me of this boaſting: which he confirms with a kinde of an oath, as Calvin, Piſcator, Weinrichius, and others judge of the words, As the truth of Chriſt is in me, ver. 10. as I am a true Miniſter of Chriſt: or let me not be eſteemed to have any truth. To be ſure this is more than Yea, yea, and Nay. Which the Quakers make ſo much uſe of.

But why will you take no maintenance of us, it is becauſe you doe not love us? ver. 11. So my enemies may ſuggeſt to you, I love the Macedonians, but not you. But this is not ſo, God knowes, he appeals to God: this is more than Yea, yea again. True here is a weighty caſe why Paul uſeth theſe expreſſions. But why then will you not &c? I will give you the reaſon in v. 12. becauſe firſt I would cut off occaſion that is, ſhould I take maintenance of all Churches, my enemies your falſe teachers, would tell you that all my preaching is but for money, profit; but now they cannot ſay ſo, for I take nothing of you. Again, your falſe teachers they glory that they teach freely, they require nothing of you, no more doe I, nor will I in the regions of Achaia: Now you have the Reaſons.

Before I goe any further, I have here as fit a place as I could deſire (I did not think of it when I choſe my Text, but I ſee Providence hath fitted a place for me) to take up that great clamour which with one mouth all the Quakers make againſt the Miniſtery. I muſt name them all if any, for all their Books are full of it, (and with the Quakers the Separatiſts) we are no true Miniſters; but why? we teach not the Goſpel freely as did the Apoſtles: we preach for hire, divine for money, we are covetous, and much of this ſtrain, divers of their pages have little elſe but this kinde of ſtuffe. Thus the ſilly Women told me in the Church, I was a Hireling, &c.

To all theſe I anſwer:

1. Falſe teachers may and have preached freely: then be ſure p. 4free teaching could not prove us to be true Miniſters. Yet the Quakers teach not freely, for at one Towne by me, I hear that one of theſe Quakers had about five pounds gathered for him, beſides his entertainment.This is plain from the Apoſtle here in ver. 12. for the falſe teachers did glory in this, and therefore Paul he would teach freely to Corinth, and be even with them in glorying. Thus Parnell, who tells us he is ſent from Chriſt, (if any man could believe him, but the youth thinks others have as few brains as himſelfe) he teacheth freely (and well he may:) but this doth not prove him to be a true Teacher, nor none of his Sect, or any other Sect whatever: but he is a falſe teacher, though a free teacher, as were theſe: (but [Teacher] is a word he deſerves not.)

22. It is falſe, that All the Apoſtles taught freely, and wrought to maintain themſelves. This is plain, 1 Cor. 9.6. in which Chap. the Apoſtle proves by no leſſe than ſeven Arguments, that the Miniſters may take maintenance, ver. 14. ſpeaks as fully as can be, being the winding up of his arguments: Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, &c. Here is an Ordinance from heaven for the maintenance of right Goſpel-Preachers, if the authority of the LORD who made it, be as good as the authority of the Quakers and Separatiſts, and by vertue of this Ordinance we claim our maintenance. How learnedly the Quakers talke of theſe arguments you ſhall hear anon. But to come to the 6 ver. Or I onelyonly and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? The word [OnelyOnly] plainly carryes it, that the other Apoſtles, who were married, and were trained up to fiſhing (divers of them) thoſe did forbear: but what have all the Apoſtles thus power to leave of, take maintenance, but I onelyonly and Barnabas, &c? No, no, we have the ſame power as well as they. But ver. 15. I have uſed none of theſe things, &c. Again, in the 12 ver. If others be partakers of this power over you, &c. Their own Officers, it ſeems, or others did take maintenance. So could he.

33. It is falſe alſo that Paul took no maintenance: for in the 8 & 9 ver. of my Chap: he ſaith, He took wages of others to ſerve them, i. e. the Church of Philippi. Paul could take his liberty where he ſaw cauſe. If Paul, than we.

44. We deſire none to ſpeak for us, more than Paul, whom theſe Quakers object againſt us: For we have his own example, he did take wages. Secondly, he as moved and guided by Gods Spirit, doth not onelyonly ſhow it is the minde of God, but he p. 5proves it alſo, by divers reaſons, 1 Cor. 9. Adde to this, 6 Gal. 6. foreign.Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, (or catechizeth, as the word properly ſignifies) in all good things.

Will the Quakers allow this Text to be Scripture? then let Him, be he or ſhe what they will, high or low, Its poſſible the Quakers will object againſt the ſhe, but I will let them alone to ſee if they will doe it.maſter or ſervant, is he or ſhe taught; catechized? then communicate in All, what All? this word will not be liked: yea all good things, fit to be communicated, or communicable. So 1 Tim. 5.17. one part of the honour Miniſters muſt have is maintenance, the 18 ver. proves it: marke, it is honorarium, the maintenance of the Elders is not as the pay I give for a ſervants worke, but it is honour, an honourable maintenance. The ſame Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Tim. 2 4. So 1 Tim 4.15. foreign Be in theſe things.1 Tim 4:15No man that warreth entangleth himſelf with the affaires of this life, &c. But how then ſhall he live? I ſhall adde no more, God hath provided for us expreſsly in the New Teſtament; though the maintenance we have fall ſhort abundantly of what the Prieſts had in the Old Teſt:

55. The LORD did never upbraid any Church-Officer for taking tithes or maintenance who did his worke; nor ever thought the worſe of for that: nay, how often he blames the people for not bringing in the tithes, Mal. 3.8, 9, 10. and other Texts. The Lord did ever beteame his Miniſters honourable wages Whence you doe but wickedly to upbraid us with thoſe Texts, unleſſe you could prove us to be no workers. I doubt not but Chriſt in glory doth take himſelf to be faithfully preached by the Miniſters of England, (I will not ſay every one) why then not maintained?

66. But obſerve theſe Quakers how they provide for themſelves by Scripture. Naylor: Saluta: &c. p. 37. 38. he ſpeaks againſt the Magiſtrates becauſe they impriſon ſome of their Sect, calling themſelves Pilgrims, and tells them, that God foreſeeing their doings, hath commanded all that own him to entertain ſtrangers, and made a Law for it, which you have made a Law againſt, and quotes Levit. 19.34. Heb. 13.2. Obſerve how they have provided for themſelves, when they wander up and down, to miſlead ſouls, and trouble the Churches; yet you muſt entertain them: they have two Scriptures for it. But Naylor;

p. 61. Doe the Spirit that is infallible teach men to lye as you doe againſt the Magiſtrate? hath he made a Law againſt Gods Law in this point? no true ſtranger will ſay it but idle perſons, Vagabonds, Rogues, perſons who worke not in their callings, what ſhould become of the Nation elſe?

2. Will two Texts ſerve to prove that Naylor, or others, when they wander up and down, yet they muſt be entertained, men muſt provide you lodging, food, &c. and will not five Scriptures that ſpeak for Miniſters maintenance, be as ſtrong for them to require it? are not the people bound as well to provide for us, as men to entertain you? you are the perſons who oppoſe Gods Law, not the Magiſtrate. For ſhame leave off quoting of Scriptures thus.

3. But Naylor you might have read a little further, to the 7 & 17 ver: there you ſhall finde that theſe Hebrews to whom the Apoſtle writes, had Rulers over them, and they were to obey them: their duty to entertain ſtrangers, ſo to have Rulers and obey them: but your Sect, and ſo others with you are not ſuch as thoſe Hebrews, from whom you fetch your proof, for you rail at thoſe who are ſuch, and at the people who have ſuch.

Thus then by the Quakers principles, I hope we may yet call for our maintenance.

7. Our Lord Chriſt, who Mat. 10.8. bid his Diſciples, that as they had received freely, ſo give freely: that is, as Chriſt had freely given them thoſe gifts of healing, &c. by which they might have ſoon been very rich (the 1 & 8 ver. ſhow what they had received,) yet Luke 10.7. he bids them eat and drinke, for the labourer is worthy of his hire. If they muſt carry no purſe with them, ver. 4. he intended they ſhould be maintained, and ſhew plainly it was their duty to maintain them; for he could have furniſhed them with money, but would not.

For Paul, Magd. …en…. 1. l. 2. p. 451.it plainly appears by Acts 18.3. that though he were brought up to Learning (which at that time was ſo famous in Tarſus that it excelled Athens, Alexandria, and other Univerſities, and ſo Paul was learned, acquainted alſo with heathen Poets, as appears) yet withall he was alſo taught a Trade: he was of the ſame craft with Aquila, he did not learne it of Aquila then, but before he came Paul had his trade: for Paul p. 7being of the Tribe of Benjamin, though he were learned, yet he could not come into the Prieſthood, and ſo had none of the Tythes to maintain him, he muſt maintain himſelf. So thoſe Elders of Epheſus, Act. 20. and other Elders, they all had their trades by which they maintained themſelves before ever they heard of the Goſpel; then no wonder though Paul, and thoſe Elders did ſometimes work: Paul being a ſingle perſon might eaſily maintain himſelf.

2. Paul having the Spirit in that manner, need not trouble himſelf, to attain any thing needfull to his work; and I doubt not the ordinary Elders at that time, yet had another manner of aſſiſtance than we have now, for to have them men ſo able to teach, and convince gainſayers, Tit. 1. theſe gifts could not be reached ſo quickly: but though they did labour and ſtudy for them, yet the Spirit might aſſiſt more than now he doth for the ſpeedy fitting of perſons.

3. It was a free act in Paul that he for this time upon ſome reaſon moving him did ſuſpend his power, 1 Cor. 9.12. if he were abſolutely bound to it, why not others alſo? v 6. So if any now who have means ſufficient for themſelves and their poſterity will preach freely they may: but nevertheleſſe there remains a duty on the peoples part to maintain them, as ſuch that preach the Goſpel, v. 14. though they be otherwayes able to live. Neither hath the Scripture given any ſuch caution, that if Miniſters have good eſtates of their own, then the people ſhould not give them the double honour. Though the Prieſts were never ſo rich, yet that did not hinder them from taking Tythes. Though Kings have great Lands, yet the people pay Cuſtomes. So in any other Art, or place whatever men are in; for the reaſon holds, The labourer is worthy, &c.

But what are theſe things to us? when first, our fitneſſe to this work is not ſo eaſily attained; thoſe Languages wherein the Scriptures were writ, which coſt us much time to attain to, as without which no man can be a good Text-man, they never beſtowed any paines about. The cuſtomes to which the Apoſtles allude often, they knew them becauſe their own, but we cannot till we read and know them by Learning. The Errors which Miniſters are to oppoſe, are abundantly multiplyed over they p. 8were in the Apoſtles time; thus I might ſpeak for the neceſſity of Arts, without which men cannot be ſufficient Miniſters, all things put together prove, that he who will be a Miniſter, had need give his whole time; let him ſtudy, and pray, as bard as he will; let him live a hundred years in his ſtrength, yet he that will be a Miniſter indeed, will ſay he finds all little enough: if it were no more to be a Miniſter but to ſtep off a ſhop-board, and get into a Pulpit, and ſpeak ſome honeſt practicall things, which people have heard from others, and know ſomething it may be from their own experience, then it were eaſie work indeed, and well might the people grumble at the maintenance of ſuch. Hence we ſee Paul in his Epiſtle to Timothy who was not bred up, as others, he must give himſelfe wholly to theſe things, Chap. 4. ver. 15. not entangle himſelfe with the affairs of this life. Chap. 2. ver. 4. Then muſt Timothy be maintained by the Church, or beg, if he have not enough of his own eſtate to keep him.

2. Is your offence at Tithes?

1Firſt, it is well known if the Magiſtrate (who is to doe what in him lieth, that the people under him may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſſe and honesty, 1 Tim. 2.2. why elſe ſhould the people pray that they might doe ſo; and to this end takes care that according to Gods Inſtitution, Miniſters be provided who may teach the people all godlineſs & honeſty, he in the mean time a Nurſing Father to them, Iſa. 49. ſee that they may have an honourable maintenance according to the word: I ſay if the Magiſtrate) could finde a better way for the maintenance of the Miniſtery every way, you ſhall ſee how eaſily Miniſters will part with Tithes. But now we take them as that which the Supreme power of the Nation for many yeares have allotted to us.

2You have the leaſt cauſe to be offended at Tithes, becauſe Tithes are no mans owne, but the Miniſters many hundred years ſince the Parliament of England (not the Pope, as learned Parnel ſaith in his books) did ſet apart the Tithes, for the maintenance of the Miniſtery, and the ſupreme Magiſtrate is but the Feoffee in truſt, to ſee that what the people of England in their repreſentative, with the King and houſe of Lords, had given to p. 9the Miniſterie, be duly payed them; let this convince you (if your hearts be ſober) that Tythes are no mans owne, but the Miniſters; for let a man be to hire a Farme, his Landlord cannot let him a Farme that ſhall pay no Tythes; let a man buy a Farme, or ſell a Farme, he can neither buy nor ſell a Farme that ſhall pay no Tythes; if a man have a Farme to ſell of an hundred pound per annum, this Farme may poſſibly pay twelve pound a yeare for tythes, if this man could fell this farme tythefree, would he not raiſe the price in the ſale of it accordingly? So, would not Landlords let their farmes accordingly, if they could let them tithe-free? the Tenant ſhould ſoon finde it: But neither the Landlord, nor Tenant, doe look upon the tythes as theirs, but the Miniſters; whence men let, hire, buy, ſell lands as ſtill looking upon them to pay tythes, and ſo none of all theſe are wronged at all: whence tythes are as duly our own, as any mans eſtate is his; and that is the reaſon why when people deny our due, we go to the ſupreme Magiſtrate (who, as I ſaid, is the Feoffee in truſt) in his Officers, and Courts, to help us to our due, as any other man wronged, goeth for right to any Court; whence it is evident, it is meer blindneſſe, (if not madneſſe) which makes people talk thus againſt Miniſters taking of Tithes, for we take onelyonly what is our own, and no mans elſe.

As for lands, ſo for houſes, we obſerve the long Parliament made two Acts (it may be more that I know not of) one for Briſtoll, another for Colcheſter, that according to the rents of houſes, ſo men ſhould pay, not exceeding a certain ſumme, (a very little one I am ſure.) I know wicked ſpirits raile at the Magiſtracie for doing this: but herein the Parliament did what was equal and juſt before God and man: For (as I ſaid in my firſt) if the Magiſtrate be bound to take care that the people under him doe lead a life in all godlineſſe &c. which comprehends the firſt Table of the Law, then the Magiſtrate muſt ſet up able men (no ſlight fellowes) that may anſwer the qualifications in the Word, to teach the people; then reaſon, beſides the Word, ſaith theſe muſt be fed, maintained, and that as become their places, ſurely the Magiſtrate who hath power to raiſe a taxe, when the good of the Common-wealth requires it, hath as much power to cauſe people to pay towards the upholding p. 10of the Officers, and Ordinances of God, unleſſe Religion doe nothing concern the intereſt and good of the Common-wealth, which to affirm is to fall below Heatheniſme.

As for ſuch as affirm that the Magiſtrate hath nothing to doe in the Church; the care of it doth not at all belong to him. I think ſuch deviliſh principles deſerve not an anſwer, (yet they are anſwered) though ſuch owne not the Scriptures; yet let them but go to the Heathens, and they will ſhame them.

33. It is well known there are abundance of Miniſters, who take not their tythes in kinde, but compound with the people for their tythes: I would faine ſee the enemies of the Miniſters prove that ever the Prieſts in the old Law, could doe ſuch a thing: then ſtill we take not our Tythes as the Prieſts. All Miniſters would doe thus, would people be reaſonable in their compoſitions; but we finde they defraud us.

44. For Tythes, it is impoſſible that the Supreme power ſhould ever ſettle a more equall and eaſie way for the maintenance of the Miniſtery, than this way of Tythes, already ſet.

1. Not more equall: for therein we riſe and fall with the people, we ſhare with their bleſſings, and croſſes; we have little or more, as they have little or more.

2. Not more eaſie: becauſe, as I ſaid, neither the buyer, nor ſeller, neither he that hires, nor he that lets, doe look on Tythes as theirs, and is it a burden for men to pay for what is none of their own, and they eſteem none of their own? as in my ſecond I have opened.

Object. But you ſhould truſt God, for your maintenance.

Anſwer. So we doe, and deſire to doe, but we will not, nor dare truſt you: if your corruption be touched, or your rotten opinion be oppoſed, if your covetous luſt ſtirre (and that reigns) what is next? we muſt ſeek for maintenance.

2. We ſee God hath taken care for us already, many hundred years before we were born, in ſetling an eſtate upon us by the Supreme power of the Nation.

3. You would have done well, had you lived in the Primitive Churches, when the Magiſtrate was an Heathen, and ſo took no care for the Church but to deſtroy it; but yet even then they were ſo free to maintain the Officers, and Ordinances p. 11of Chriſt, &c: that they could have Church ſtocks, to maintain all with, the poor, the ſick, ſtrangers; yet then were Biſhops beſides Presbyters; and none of theſe were to meddle with Secular cares, for if they did, they were to be caſt out; Can. Apoſt. 7.80.as the Canons then made declare. Had that ſpirit that is now amongſt profeſſors, been in thoſe dayes, it had been very ill with the Church, as it is now, and ſhould be worſe might ſuch Chriſtians have their wills.

To gather up all then: ſince Chriſt in his word, hath commanded that we ſhould be maintained; ſince the Magiſtrate being Chriſtian, hath long ſince appointed us maintenance, and that ſuch as none can call his own, but the Miniſters, are we the covetous perſons who require that which is our due by the Law of God and Man, or are you the covetous perſons, yea and ſacrilegious, who deny it? Certainly if people were not acted by a very Satanicall ſpirit they could not thus open their mouthes, in ſuch baſe language againſt us, as they doe. Why doe you not charge us rather with idleneſſe, if you can, and ſo in that reſpect prove we ought not to be maintained? Why doe you not ſpeak againſt the Impropriators? You pay tythes to them without ſuch clamours, onelyonly the Miniſters are they who trouble you; but we know whoſe hand is in all this, Hell and Rome would be glad if your deſignes might prevaile.

So much for the Miniſters maintenance, which becauſe my Chapter gave me ſo fit an occaſion, I have firſt anſwered.

The third part of the Chapter, contains a deſcription of theſe falſe teachers, and adverſaries to Paul: 1. He calls them falſe-Apoſtles. 2. Deceitfull Workers. 3. They transforme themſelves, &c. like ſtage-players, they perſonate the Apoſtles of Chriſt.

But how can this be? (ſay the admirers of theſe falſe teachers) we cannot believe it. The Apoſtle anſwers, yes this may very eaſily be, and proves it à majore. Doe not wonder at this, for Satan himſelf is transformed into an Angel of light, which are the words of my Text, and but the antecedent part of the Enthymeme, the conſequent part is in the 15 verſe: Satan is, ergo his Miniſters, &c. Parnel ſeverall times in his Book (he entitles, the Watcher:) calls Logick, filthy Logick: & pag: 30. p. 12tells us what Logick is: Logick is onelyonly to make a falſe word true. That is thy maſters Logick indeed Parnel, Satans, but the true Logick we own, (for to give you a definition of Logick is in vain) is that whereby the Lights of your maſter Satan, are by the help of the Scripture, diſcovered to be falſe. But why doth thy mouth call that filthy, which the pure Spirit of God uſeth? In theſe words he uſeth both parts of Logick, Invention and Diſpoſition. We uſe no Logicke but ſuch as God himſelfe hath made.

SATAN, foreign Adverſari, odio …abere.the Adverſary, the hatefull enemy of mankinde, is transformed: what is he got on the ſtage too, and put on the robe of an Angel of Light? Surely a Tragedy we muſt expect.

Light is taken properly, or improperly.

1. Properly, he that hath his ſight knows what we mean when we ſpeak of light; to have any Philoſophicall diſcourſe about it, is neither profitable, nor proper to my Text.

2. Improperly, it is taken ſeveral wayes, I ſhall name but a few and leave the reſt: 1. For the true and ſaving doctrine of the Word, Prov. 6.23. Pſal. 119.105. 2. For knowledge, Acts 26.18. Iſa. 60.3. 3. For good works, Mat. 5.16. 4. For joy and comfort, Pſal. 97.13. 5. For Chriſt, Iſa. 42.6. Ioh. 8.12. I name no more, I ſhall make uſe of ſome of theſe; the Obſervation is plain: Obſerv: Obſerv: It hath been of old, and it is the practice ſtill of the Prince of darkneſſe, to transforme himſelf into an Angel of Light. Good Angels did uſe to appear lightſome and glorious unto perſons; well, Satan will doe as they doe. Cor: à Lap: upon this Text tells us many ſtories of perſons to whom Satan thus appeared in a viſible ſhape, they ſaw him, and converſed with him, as if he had been an Angel of Light, and they diſcerned him by his diſcourſe to be but the black Prince transformed: but this is not the thing Paul chiefly means; he hath another way to act, when he went to Ahabs prophets, and perſwaded them, it is more than I know that he appeared viſibly to them; ſome Polititians will doe much, and yet are little ſeen, I am ſure it is ſo with him: Light uſeth to diſcover things, but never is Satan leſſe ſeen than when he acts as an Angel of Light. This hath p. 13been his practiſe of old, and I am ſure he hath not layd down his trade now in our dayes, he hath found ſo much ſucceſſe by this policy towards the advancement of his kingdome, that ſo long as Chriſts Church is upon the earth, and hath reſt from perſecution, till he come to be bound up, we muſt look for him in this ſhape.

For the doctrinall part I will diſpatch it briefly, becauſe I will make haſt to what I ayme at: I have but two things to open:

1. How doth Satan thus transforme himſelfe, how doth he worke, what garments (as the word is taken from Stage players, that put on garments ſutable to the perſon they act) puts he on, that make him appear thus?

2. Whence comes it, that he doth thus?

For the firſt:

1. By taking the Scriptures, which are the true light, and making uſe of them, for the doctrine he would have received: if Satan would have any errour take, he muſt not fetch his proof, his light from a Turkiſh. Alcoran, or Plato, or Aristotle, &c. theſe have no Authority in the Church: no, no, he will bring his Scripture, that which is called the Lamp and the Light, to you, is not here Scripture? Search the Scriptures, yea ſo he doth, and can bring Chriſt Scripture alſo: if Chriſt anſwer him, and turns him off with a For it is written, Mat. 4.4. the very next tentation he will prove with a For it is written, ver. 6. He ſeems to be even with Chriſt, and what he quotes is to the purpoſe, ſo much as he quotes. Clothes, Bayes, &c. uſe to have ſeales hung upon them, then they paſſe for currant: when he can hang the ſeales of Scripture upon his doctrines, who will now queſtion them? Hath not this been the practiſe of him in all the Hereticks ſince Chriſt his time? Credunt ſcripturis ut credant adverſus ſeripturas, Ter…ul. p. 77.had not the Arians Scripture? Hath not the Pope Scripture? Have not the Socinians Scripture? though Reaſon is their Rule, yet hath not Crellius at laſt found our Scripture againſt Chriſts Divinity? The leaſt Scripture that I know any errour or practiſe have to prove it ſelfe, is the practiſe of the Separatiſts (with theſe Quakers) who have caſt off the ſoundeſt Miniſters, and all our Churches. It is obſervable how theſe Quakers, who have done p. 14the moſt miſchief to the Separatiſts and the Anabaptiſts ſocieties doe tell them, they are in Babylon; that which they have caſt upon us is now caſt upon them, and will be as eaſily proved againſt them, as they can prove it againſt us.

22. When he becomes a Preacher of righteouſneſſe, good works, theſe are called light, Mat. 5. ſhould he preach, that men ſhould whore, ſwear, (when not juſtly called to it) lye, ſteale, be drunk, &c. though men love theſe deeds of darkneſs, yet ſhould they hear them taught as things that ought to be done, though their hearts love the actions, yet their judgments would conclude, this were no true light: whence obſerve the next verſe to my Text, they are transformed as the Miniſters of righteouſneſſe, not Miniſters of unrighteouſneſs, he will hold equipage in many things at leaſt. Thus theſe Quakers, becauſe they taught people, they muſt deale juſtly, doe no body wrong, not lye, &c. Some of the people took it for granted theſe Teachers came from Chriſt, (as they told me) and why doe not we come from Chriſt as well, for I hope they have heard the ſame from us and more? (but this was the buſineſſe, we were Prieſts, and divined for money becauſe maintained.)

33. When not onelyonly he will be a Teacher of righteouſneſſe, but alſo of higher degrees of mortification and holineſſe than other men doe teach, and moſt Chriſtians practiſe: not that it is mortification or holineſſe, but it ſeems to be ſo: as the 2 Coloſſ…ult: that which anſwers the rule is holineſſe and mortification. Thus the Fryers and others of that Popiſh generation, by their courſe habit, hard lodging, faſting, abſtaining from marriage, One of this Sect, n…e… me, burnt up tenne pounds worth of lace, grounding her act upon Act. 19.19.Acts 19:19&c. theſe have a ſhew, ſaith the Apoſtle. Thus the Quakers muſt wear no lace, drink water, (before others, at leaſt one of their teachers did) faſt. J. Toldervy tells us, he knew ſome who faſted 30 dayes, the ſincerity of their diſcourſe againſt ſin, and ſebriety in their appearance took with him. Who would ſuſpect a Devil in theſe, to teach things thus croſſe to the fleſh, to deny our naturall appetites? Yes even here he is, for all his ſpecious ſhewes; if it be a thing croſſe to God, to ſet up ſome way of our own, we can then croſſe our ſelves: ſo true is that which bleſſed Herbert in another caſe hath ſaid,

p. 15Oh what were man, might he himſelf misplace!Temp: Sat Poemi, p. 1.

Sure to be croſſe, he would ſhift feet and face.

Chriſt could not be in the Phariſees eſteem a Teacher of righteouſneſſe, Matth. 11.19. He is a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, &c. God alloweth us to take comfort in the creature after a Chriſtian manner, Eccleſ. 5.18, 19. with many Scriptures which ſhew the practiſes of the Saints that they did ſo.

44. When he can begu…e ſome who may be truly the children of light, hath got ſome of them in; theſe are the Duck-coyes to draw in others. Loe! you who follow theſe teachers, who are taken? not the raſcality of the Countrey, as Chriſt had Publicans and ſinners to attend on him, ſometimes, but there are ſuch men, and ſuch women, whom all know to be godly perſons: would they countenance, and follow ſuch if they were were unſound? This hath been alledged to me, as a proof on the Quakers ſide, becauſe ſuch men entertained them: this becomes a great ſtumbling block. I ſhall ſpeak a word to this afterwards.

55. When he can get into mens conſciences, (a tender thing that muſt not be touched) and plead that for their rule and refuge: for a man to follow the dictates of a true inlightned conſcience, and to have a true tender conſcience is very good; but how often gets he in here, our miſerable dayes have proved ſufficiently. The Quakers cry up conſcience very much, calling men to attend more to that, than to the Scriptures, (as anon I ſhall ſhew) but it is manifeſt that Satan is got into their conſciences.

66. When from true light he will draw dark concluſions, this is not true Logick, for ex vero nil niſi verum, but it is ſuch Logick as he uſeth, hath done of old; where ſin hath abounded, the grace of God abounded. What then? thus now; men are not to take up their reſt in the Ordinances, but to look beyond Ordinances, Chriſt is the end of Ordinances, as in Baptiſme, the Supper, &c. What then? hence the Quakers and others tell us they have got Chriſt, (the thing ſignified) what ſhould they doe with ſignes? ſo caſt away the Ordinances: they are grown ſo Spirituall, that they live above theſe Carnall, (as Naylor calls the Ordinances) things. There is ſome light in the Antecedent, p. 16and as much darkneſſe in the Conſequent part, for the conſequence is falſe.

77. And this ſhall be the laſt: when to the Light of his doctrine, he addeth the Light of comfort, helping the heart to ſpirituall joyes, quiet, and eaſe: this he is as good at, as at the other: it is that which he cōmonly welcomes people withall into his by-paths, when he hath drawn them out of the right way. Some could never finde comfort while they attended upon the Black coats, but off and on was the beſt they had: ſince they have caſt them off, and gone into their new wayes, now they are ſtabliſhed, comforted, and ſetled for ever. This he can doe two wayes, (but I intend not to enlarge.)

Firſt, by withdrawing thoſe tentations, doubts, ſcruples, which he threw before into their mindes, making a ceſſation: as alſo by drawing them off from the quick ſearching power of the word, which coming cloſe, made conſcience to jog them, and trouble their falſe bottomes where they would be reſting.

2. By falſe application of the Promiſes, in which this Teacher hath an admirable skill;as he can ſinke the honeſt heart with miſapplying of ſome terrible Texts, ſo he can as well cheer a falſe heart, with the miſapplication of comfortable promiſes: what his skill is in this, I have opened upon other Texts.

So much for the firſt Queſtion. The ſecond I will diſpatch alſo in a few heads. Whence comes it, or why doth he thus transform himſelf? &c.

The Reaſons may be taken, Firſt, from himſelf. Secondly, from God.

1. From himſelfe: becauſe this is the way for him to attaine his ends. Could he doe the miſchiefe he doth in the Church where the Candle is burning, Light ſhining, if he did not put on this garb? No verily; this is a notable way for him to lead people into darkneſs, by light: ſhould he come into the Church with his Wolves skin, he might ſcare the Sheep, they would run from him, but not follow him. When I was coming from Spaine into England, we had two ſheep aboard our ſhip, which were bought that we might have freſh meat by the way: when one of the ſheep was killed, the Sea-men put the skin of the ſheep over the dogge which belonged to the ſhip; the ſheep p. 17that was left alive, would continually follow the dogge, where the dogge lay down, the ſheep would lye down by him, and would not leave the dogge though the dogge would guerne at the poor ſheep; but thus the ſheep would not doe before. Thus Satan muſt doe, if he will have any ſheep follow him, he muſt get on his ſheeps skin, and ſo he hath done, we ſee the effect. Thus his enmity againſt Chriſt in his kingdome, againſt the comfort and peace of the true members of the Church, againſt the ſoules of people is driven on, Revel. 20.3. Deceive the Nations: A Deceiver is not the perſon he is taken to be; no more is this Angel of Light, who works by deceit.

2. God hath his ends in this: it is not his pleaſure that Satan ſhould ever be an Angel of Light again, but it is his pleaſure (I know no falſe Divinity in the word) that Satan ſhould have liberty to transform himſelf into an Angel of Light.

Firſt, what terrible ends he had in giving Satan commiſſion to goe to Ahabs prophets, in ſending ſtrong deluſions, 2 Theſ. 2.11. the Texts declare: and certainly there are the ſame reaſons ſtill, when people have lived under light, but they love it not, ſecret rottenneſſe lye at bottome, they love darkneſſe, they ſhall have Lights at laſt, which ſhall ſute their principles, and certainly lead them to what they love, and that freely.

2Secondly, he doth by ſuch providences try and make diſcovery even of his own people, Deut. 13.3. A Prophet riſeth up, giveth a ſigne, and the ſigne comes to paſſe, who would not follow him? take heed, I doe it to prove you. How much miſerable ignorance and vanity of heart have theſe times diſcovered: wherein Satan hath thus acted even in thoſe who gave hopes, and we dare not abſolutely deny but they may belong to God: thoſe who we hoped had been men, have diſcovered themſelves to be children, yea the weakeſt of children carried about with every winde of doctrine.

3Thirdly, he doth exerciſe his owne who doe ſtand: here is room for patience, watching, ſtudying, prayer: I believe there is more diſcouragement upon the ſpirits of ſound Miniſters and Chriſtians, than there was in thoſe former dayes, which they ſo much prayed againſt and are anſwered. Now our hearts (but why doe I meaſure other mens hearts by my own) doe even p. 18dye, the Spirit of prayer is gone; and what can we look for, but a ſu…table reward to our abuſed liberty? More heads I could have added, and enlarged, but I have done with the doctrinall part.

Ʋſe. For Uſes I will make but one, for time will not let me handle more. Let people then look to their Lights; be they Lights of doctrine, or of comfort, the Prince of darkneſſe is transformed into an Angel of Light, he walks in the Churches, he that taketh light from him will be ſure to finde it end in darkneſſe; take heed that you be not deceived.

Object. Deceived? Have we not a word that tells us, There is an impoſſibility of the Elect being deceived, Mat. 24.24?

Anſw: 1. It is true, and are you Elect? doe you know it ſo certainly upon grounds infallible, (not imaginary) that you are one of them? I think we muſt goe backwards, to prove Election, by the effects which the execution of that Decree produceth: One which I am ſure is to make the Elect veſſel carefull what doctrines it receiveth.

2. An Elect veſſel cannot be deceived ſo as to miſſe of ſalvation, yet he may take ſuch courſes and goe in thoſe pathes which in themſelves would lead him to perdition, (after effectuall calling I meane) but that the mercy of the Lord fetch him back by repentance out of them.

3. An elect Veſſel may be ſo farre deceived, as to diſhonour God exceedingly, grieve the Spirit of God, wound the hearts of the children of God, which ſhould not, nay cannot be ſmall things in the eyes of one who is indeed Elect.

4. Though an elect Veſſel cannot be deceived as to ruine his ſoule, yet he may be ſo farre deceived as to lead others alſo into deceitfull pathes, and may be truely an occaſion why they loſe their ſoules. God may ſhow the Elect mercy, and recall them, but not thoſe it may be whom the Elect hath miſlead.

And here look to it ye Separatiſts, that have caſt off the Miniſtery with ſo much ſcorne, at your dore muſt lye the cauſe why ſo many perſons are turned Quakers; you now riſe up againſt them, (ſome of you) but the people that hear you and them argue, tell us, you are run down, you cannot anſwer them, and no wonder. But who may it thank that ſo many are carried p. 19away into ſuch vile errours, as your ſelves can judge? onelyonly your ſelves; while the people kept to Gods Inſtitutions, waiting upon Officiall preaching, there was no ſuch doings. Whither come theſe Quakers? but to Townes where you dwell, and have drawn away the people from the Miniſtery, there theſe Foxes finde their preyes. Had the people kept cloſe to the Miniſtery, they had been preſerved from theſe miſcarriages, and been in the way, God uſeth to ſave by, but now they are gone.

Queſt. But how ſhall we know this transformed Angel of Light, how diſcern him?

Anſw: This is a hard thing, becauſe an Angel of Light: Angels doe excell man in wiſdome abundantly, whence we may well thinke it is not eaſie to finde him out. When David asked the woman of Tekoah whether Joabs hand was not with, &c. She anſwers, My Lord (not Thou man, as the Quakers) is wiſe according to the wiſdome of an Angel of God: I may ſay, that man had need have wiſdome neer to the wiſdome of thoſe true Angels of Light, who would be able to diſcover all the falſhoods of this transformed Angel of Light, both in doctrine, and in comforts, &c. As for the Light of comfort it is not my purpoſe to touch that here, I intend onelyonly the Light of doctrine: and truly the generation I am now to take in hand, are ſo groſſe, that an ordinary aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit is enough to diſcover theſe, to whom now I ſhall addreſſe my ſelf: and becauſe I am to ſpeak to plain people, and to thoſe onelyonly I intend this Sermon, (becauſe that ſort is ſo miſlead) I ſhall deſire them but to obſerve this:

Firſt, I lay down that which I know is the Light of Chriſt: which I call the Major Propoſition.

Secondly, I lay down the doctrine of the Quakers, as being quite croſſe to that Light, which I call the Minor Propoſition: and becauſe I would not wrong the Quakers I write down their own words, out of their own Books, with the page where you may finde them, if you have the books: ſo that when you ſee Major or Minor you may know what I am proving; if I doe prove the Major to be the Light of Chriſt, and the Quakers be croſſe to that Light, then the Concluſion is you may be ſure the Quakers light come from Satan transformed &c.

p. 20Argumēt 1

Major. That light which will not admit of, nor endure the triall, that light is Satans light, and not the light of Chriſt.

Minor. But the light of the Quakers will not admit of, nor endure the triall.

Ergo. the light of the Quakers is the light of Satan, and not the light of Chriſt.

Major. The Major is thus proved, becauſe the light of Chriſt will admit of, and endure the triall: as, Take Chriſt himſelf, who is the Light of the world, if the queſtion be, whether he be the Chriſt? he will come to the triall, Ioh. 5.39. He had others to bear witneſſe of him, in the verſes before, but he offers himſelf to be tried by the Scriptures, Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testifie of me. If you doe finde that I anſwer not thoſe Scriptures which ſpeak of the Meſſiah, throw me by: who of his enemies could by the Scripture-triall finde him to be falſe? So Ioh. 10.37, 38. If I doe not the works of my Father, believe me not. &c. Thus Mat. 115. when Iohn ſent to him, his anſwer is the proof, Tell Iohn what you hear and ſee. i. e. The propheſie in Iſa. 35.6. fulfilled; then let Iohn (or you rather) judge what I am. Thus Paul, 2 Cor. 12.12. Truly the ſignes of an Apoſtle were wrought among you in all patience, in ſignes, and wonders and mighty deeds. I gave you ſufficient proof that I was an Apoſtle, by all the ſignes of a true Apoſtle. Thus Iſaiah 8.20. teach the people how to try all falſe ſpirits, bring them To the Law and to the Testimony, if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. Let them talke of their Lights what they will, if they speak not according to this word (the touchſtone for all ſpirits) they are but deluſions.

Our Major then is true light, according to the Scriptures.

Minor. The Minor: But the light of the Quakers will not admit of, nor endure the triall. This I prove from their own Books.

I. N. againſt F. Harris, p. 10. the Queſtion is,

Whether that can be the way of God, which hath nothing to warrant it but the bare words and affirmation of men, which they call infallible?

p. 21To this I.N. anſwers:

Anſw: That Spirit of God which is infallible is the ſufficient ground; and to preach, that is the way of God, neither had this ever any other teſtimony, but what is of it ſelfe: For the worlds wiſdome, and carnall naturall man, can neither receive it, nor beare testimony of it, onelyonly ſuch who believe it, &c. The ſumme is this, the Quakers have the Infallible Spirit, they believe the teſtimony of it: and this is all the proof.

But could not CHRIST, who is the Light of the world, anſwer thus more truely than any Quaker? what need then of ſearching Scriptures, or obſerving his works, his infallible Spirit is proof enough. Could not Paul ſay as much, he had the infallible Spirit, and what need of the ſignes of an Apoſtle?

Could not thoſe Apoſtles, Rev. 2.2. whom the Angel of Epheſus tried, have ſaid as much, they had the infallible Spirit, and if this were proof enough, how could the Angel try them?

Zedekiah can ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord, 1 King. 22.11. and ſmite Micaiah on the cheek, &c. ver. 24. Hananiah can ſay, Thus speaketh the Lord of hoſts, the God of Iſrael, Jer. 28.2. And if their ſaying, they have the infallible Spirit, be proof ſufficient, then they are as good Prophets as Micaiah or Ieremiah.

God will not judge mens doctrines or converſations according to their infallible ſpirit (which they boaſt of) at the laſt day, but according to his Law, written or not written, (as the Heathen had not the Law written, but yet the Law they had) Rom. ch. 2.12. then by the ſame Law now try and judge Doctrines and Converſations. The Quakers ſhall be judged by the Law written.

Concluſion. Since then the Quakers light will not admit of, nor endure the triall, hence we conclude the Quakers light is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Argum: 2

Major. That Light which puts out the Light of Nature is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But the Light of the Quakers puts out the Light of Nature.

Therefore the Light of the Quakers is the Light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

p. 22By the Light of Nature, Major proved.I mean, that Candle, or inward Law which God ſet up in the heart of all mankinde after the loſſe of his Image in the Pall, checking many ſinnes againſt God, but more againſt men, God having made a fuller and greater revelation to Nature in the things of the ſecond Table, than in the firſt. Thou ſhalt not kill, thou ſhalt not commit adultery, thou ſhalt not ſteale, &c. So, Honour thy father and thy mother; without this light, no Societies could hold: but Chriſt his Light doth not put out any part of this Light: no, we finde him Matth 5. opening theſe Commandements in a larger ſenſe than the Phariſees did.

Minor. But the Light of the Quakers puts out part of this Light, For, they deny honour to all Superiours; yea, nor will own any diſtinction of Relations.

Honour is but the expreſſing of the inward reſpect we bear to perſons, by outward ſignes, ſpeeches, and geſtures; without the outward ſignification of it thus, no man can tell who is honoured: and as is the cuſtome of the Nation, ſo we expreſſe this, whether by uncovering the head, bowing the body, &c. But the Quakers deny this. Let a Maſter be in a houſe, with ten other boyes, the ſervant comes in, he ſtirres not his hat to his Maſter, no more than to the boyes; his language to his Maſter is, Thou man; to the boy, Thou boy: what honour hath the Maſter above the Boyes?

I. N. againſt F. Harris, pag. 6. Did ever any Saints uſe any other language but Thee and Thou, to God or man?

Yes that they did, better Saints than the Quakers are, though they ſay they are perfect.

Paul was a Saint, Acts 26.25. He ſaith not, Thou Feſtus, or Thou man; but Moſt noble Feſtus: ſo, King Agrippa.

Daniel was a Saint, yet when he ſpeaks to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2.37. he ſaith, O King, thou art a King of Kings!

Hannah was a Saint; when ſhe ſpeaks to Eli, 1 Sam. 1.15. no, My Lord. ver. 26. Oh my Lord! not Thou man.

Sarah was a Saint; 1 Pet. 3.6. ſhe called Abraham, Lord.

Rachel, if the Quakers can prove her to be no Saint let them, but ſhe to Laban, Gen. 31.35. My Lord, and roſe up; there is language and geſture.

p. 23Solomon roſe up from his Throne, went to meet his Mother, and bowed himſelf to her, &c. 1 King. 2.19. Reade alſo Prov. 31.28.

Eliazer is a good ſervant, yet in his prayer to God, Gen. 24.12. O Lord God of my Maſter Abraham.

Abraham was a Saint, Gen 18.2. when he ſaw three men, (as he thought) he bowes himſelf: in ver: 3. his language is, My Lord. So Abigail to David.

Yea, they will acknowledge no Relations. I. Toldervy, when he was of that number, relates of himſelf, pag: 17. that he took his Maſter by the arme or cloake, and bade him ſit down William Webbe; not Maſter, nor pulling off the hat. Afterwards ſaith he, I denyed all relations, from the words of One, He that liveth in the light will ſee no difference. And in pag 16. he tells, how through his diſobedience (from this principle) his Mother and many little ones doe ſuffer, having in his charge the redeeming part of an eſtate for his Mother, poſſibly in a ſhort time to have been effected, which he deſerted: and addes, the workings of this power was ſo predominant, that I refuſed the leaſt acknowledgment, much leſſe performance of duty to any.

Parnel. Goliahs head &c. p. 68. ſpeaking about Ornaments, Moderation in every thing I owne, but what is waſt is for the luſt. both in Kings, Princes, and great Perſonages (as thou calleſt them) but with us there is no reſpect of perſons.

Concluſion. Since then the Light of the Quakers doe put out this Light of Nature, I conclude, their Light is the Light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Argum: 3

Major. That Light which teacheth men to forſake the Scriptures, ſetting up a Spirit in man which ſhall not be examined by the Scriptures, is the Light… Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But ſuch is the Quakers Light, Ergo.

The Scriptures are left by God to be our Light and our Rule, Major proved.Prov. 6.23. Pſal. 119.105. The Prophets bid us goe to them, Iſa. 8.20. Chriſt bids us ſearch them, Ioh. 5.39. The men of p. 24Berea. Act. 17.11. Tried Paul by theſe; for Paul to tell them of his infallible Spirit, and ſo they might believe him without ſearching the Scriptures, he had as good ſay nothing: thoſe men were commended for this action. Apollos a mighty man in the Scriptures, Acts 18.24. convinced the Jewes by the Scriptures, ver. 28.

Minor. But the Light of the Quakers teach men to forſake the Scriptures, ſetting up a Spirit in man, which ſhall not be examined by the Scriptures.

If you aske me before I goe to the proof, Doe the Quakers caſt off the Scriptures? I anſwer, when they can finde any thing which they think make againſt us, then they will urge the Scriptures very much; Golich. p. 63.yea, they will run to the Apocrypha rather than faile to help themſelves, as Parnel to evade the ſtrength of Levit. 19 32. runs to Chap. 4 of the Booke of Wiſdome, v. 8, 9. but miſtakes. Yea further, when Satan hath gotten ſtrong hold of perſons in their way, yet he will then provoke them to reade the Scriptures much, but caſteth ſtrange gloſſes upon the Scripture, p. 21. 21.as I. Told: confeſſeth when he was in that ſnare. Herein he worketh like an Angel of Light. But to ſpeake truely, the Quakers make nothing of the Scriptures, miſerably abuſing that text, 2 Cor. 3.6. You ſhall hear them ſpeak:

1. I. Toldervy, p. 6. reporteth of that Quaker who was the means of his ſeducing; that he, expreſſed with firme confidence, that ſearching of the Scripture was not the way to finde out the knowledge of Chriſt, but the turning the minde to within: quite croſſe to Chriſt, why did not Chriſt bid them turn to that?

2. Maſon, pag 12. in his defence of Craven: Thou ſayeſt (to his Opponent) the Old and New Teſtament is thy rule, the ſame was writ for thy imitation. He anſwers, But did Paul or any of the Apoſlles walke by any literall rule, or was not their rule a …aſure of the Spirit of God committed to every one of them? but it were well if theſe pecuniary Prieſts would walke anſwerable to the precepts left upon record in the Letter. By this you may ſee what Maſon makes of the written Word.

3. Parnel. Watcher, pag. 8. where you may have a learned diſcourſe how the profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith & Religion came into England, two pages before. Let thoſe who are ignorant p. 25read it. But p. 8. he addes, and thoſe had the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles which is called Scripture, and ſo was the Keepers of the Letters, and that they took to be their rule to walke by, as they doe now, but knew not that which gave it forth, to lead them unto the life, but had the letter and the forme. To the ſame purpoſe he ſpeaks, p 40. and in his Goliah, p 77.

4. Naylor againſt I. Reyner, p. 3. ſpeaking againſt us, hath theſe words, Whoſe Law is without, Light without, their Word without, their Church without, Baptiſme, Prayers without; All which we witneſſe to bee within. Farewell then the written Word.

Naylor, Saluta: &c. p. 29. tells thoſe that will follow their doctrine, then you ſhall not have your Light and Life to ſeek in a Book without you, &c.

Naylor againſt F. Harris, p 9. ſpeaks out, The Infallible Spirit, by which the Scriptures were given forth is the ſole tryer of ſpirits and doctrines, neither hath it need of any addition where it is: you bring the letter to oppoſe Chriſt, and ſo deny the end of the Scriptures, which is to ſee up the Spirit of God for Judge, and not themſelves, &c. So then the Scriptures muſt not judge of his Spirit, but your ſpirit is Judge of the Scriptures.

5. Prieſts Ignorance, p. 4, 5.

The ſumme is this, it is all one to them, Scriptures or no Scriptures; for they have the Spirit that did give forth the Scriptures. As for the written Word, you ſee how they contemn it, and condemn thoſe who make it their rule to walke by: when they doe uſe it, it is at the pleaſure of their infallible ſpirit what ſhall be the meaning of it. Here I will give you a taſte of their ſpirit.

Parnel entitles one of his Books the Watcher, and tell us in his Title-page, of the ſtone, that ſtruck the feet of the Image, quoting Dan. 2.31, 32 &c. By this title we ſhall …pect ſome great matter about the Image, p. 21, 22. It is one thing to allude to a ſcripture, another thing to inte…pret it, as doth Parnel, here.his ſpirit interprets the Image. Now the head of the Image which is of gold, and (are) thoſe that have had a light ſhining into them, and have ſeen the emptineſſe of many Forms, and have gotten the thing in their comprehenſion: (with more of this ſtuffe, which I am loath to tranſcribe) and the breaſt of the Image which is of ſilver, and p. 26the thighs of braſſe are the reſt of the ſects and forms, and the legs of the Image which is of iron is the beaſt, and the feet of the Image which is part of iron, part of clay, are the Prieſts and Phariſees, joyned to the powers of the earth, &c. But Parnel, the Spirit in Daniel gave another Interpretation of this Image in the ſame Chapter, and we have ſeen it fulfilled in the greateſt part; How dareſt thou then ſet down thy Interpretation thus croſſe to his? Oh that any Chriſtians ſhould admit ſuch a Fellow into their houſes!

Let us hear Deuſbury's ſpirit interpreting Revel. pag. 20.17. Babylon is within you, the Beaſt is within you, which all the world wonders after (what a wonder is this, I hear there is a Doctour of Divinity in London hath given the ſame interpretation of this Beaſt, &c.that all the world ſhould wonder after that which none of the world ever ſaw!) is your wills: your wiſdome is the great Whore that ſits upon the Beaſt. But why doe you ſtay here Deuſbury, goe on to 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, verſes, and tell us what they are? when you have done, turn to the laſt clauſe of the 19 ver. of the 1 Chap. and 1 ver. of the 4. Chap. there ſee how neatly your ſpirit have interpreted this 17 Chap. John was ſhown things that were to be hereafter: but it ſeems there were no ſuch wills, hearts, nor wiſdome before Iohn, but all the wickedneſſe of men was to be after Iohn. Is this the beſt Interpretation your ſpirit can make?

Concluſion. Since then the Quakers Light teach men to forſake the Scriptures, and ſet up a ſpirit in man which ſhall not be examined by the Scriptures: Hence I conclude the Quakers Light is the Light of Satan, &c.

The Quakers divide the Spirit from the Scriptures.

Argum: 4

Major. That Light which maketh the Scripture to croſſe it ſelfe, and that in things known by the Light of Nature, that Light is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. … ſuch is the Quakers Light. Ergo.

Major. The Major is clear: For if the ſame infallible ſpirit gave out all the parts of the Scripture, then to have one Scripture plainly and truely to contradict another, and that in things known by the Light of Nature, would argue high imperfection in the Spirit of God: which is blaſphemy to impute unto him.

p. 27Minor. But the Quakers Light doe make the Scripture croſſe it ſelf. and that in things known by the Light of Nature.

Thus all the Quakers, and Biſhop in particular, p. 24. quotes the 2 of Iames to overthrow all reſpect to perſons. Then where is the honouring of Parents, and Superiours, as in my ſecond Argument I opened. The very firſt verſe will give the meaning of the Apoſtle, Have not the Faith of the Lord Ieſus &c. with reſpect of perſons. If you like the faith of our Lord Jeſus when it is in a rich man, but deſpiſe it in a poor man, this is ſinfull: yet there are good reaſons to be given from the 6 & 7 ver. that the rich man S. Iames mentions was not a believer, but rather an Heathen; and to have a rich Heathen preferred before a poor Believer is ſinne: however take the 9^th, if you have respect to perſons, &c. One way it is true, another way falſe. Take the words Diviſim, thus, may I, or muſt I ſhew civill reſpect to a rich man that is much above me, though wicked, (much more if a Magiſtrate, Father, &c. for theſe relations are not founded upon Grace?) yes that you muſt, elſe you tranſgreſſe the Royall Law, Honour thy Father &c. But take the words, Conjunctim, thus, may I ſhow civil reſpect to rich perſons, &c. and deſpiſe a poor man that hath the Faith of our Lord Jeſus? No, if you doe, you ſinne.

God will allow no ſuch reſpect of perſons: thus the Scriptures are preſerved in their harmony, and Natures Light not offended.

Take another inſtance, the glory of the Lord, &c. put out by ſuch as the world call Quakers, p. 10, 11, 12. He takes the words of our Saviour, Mat. 5.34. Swear not at all, to overthrow all ſwearing; there he brings in ſeverall holy men who ſware, Abraham, Iacob, David, the Angel, Rev. 10. & Ierem: 4.2. All that he anſwers is, but Chriſt ſaith, Swear not at all.

I obſerve he doth not mention Paul in 2 Cor. 1.23. I call God for a record upon my ſoule; and other places where Paul ſwears, yet he was after Chriſt; did Paul, and the Angel ſin? It is not my purpoſe to enlarge upon this; but a few words, ver. 33. Thou ſhalt not forſwear thy ſelfe. 1. 1But Chriſt doth not quote the Deut. 10.20. & 6.13. where it is joyned to the command of fearing God and ſerving him, Thou ſhalt ſweare by his name. p. 28Indeed by the Earth, Heaven, or Ieruſalem, &c. thou ſhalt not ſweare, no nor by the name of God vainely, but when thou art called to it upon juſt and weighty cauſes, then the old command holds, elſe I muſt deſtroy a part of the Law, and not fulfill it, verſe 17.

22. In an oath there is ſome religious worſhip performed to God, declaring him to be the Omniſcient God, and the Puniſher of ſuch as dare ſpeak falſhood; would Chriſt take away this honour from his father?

3Thirdly, There is as much need of an Oath in regard of the end of an Oath now after Chriſt, as ever there was before Chriſt. 22 Exod. 11. foreign, men doe ſweare, not men did ſweare before Chriſt, but now left it ſince he ſpake thoſe words; there is ſtrife ſtill.

Object: But where there is ſtrife they are without, p. 12.

Anſ. 1. It were well for you if you were within.

2. There may be difference between thoſe who are in Chriſt, and yet the difference ſo fairly carried as no ſinfull ſtrife, but an Oath will put an end to it.

3. But may a Magiſtrate give an Oath to thoſe who are without? ſurely no: if that be true, muſt not ſwear at all. How then ſhall ſtrife be ended?

4. We know the Quakers are not ſo perfect, but ſtrife will be among them.

4Fourthly, The Quakers bid men be guided by their Conſciences the Light of God within: but that Light within, doth lead men to ſwear in great caſes, to put an end to ſtrife: we finde it ſo among the Heathen, Abimelech &c. both before and after Chriſt. The Light of Nature teacheth this, why then doe you oppoſe it?

5Fifthly, I wonder Paul ſhould ſo forget himſelf, to ſinne ſo fearfully in ſwearing as he did: yea, and an Angel alſo: Iſa. 65.16. relates to the times after Chriſt.

Concluſion. Hence then it followes, the Quakers Light is the Light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Argum: 5

Major. That Light which takes men off from that rule which is perfect and cannot erre, and ſends them to be guided p. 29by a Light which is imperfect, and may and doth erre, that is the Light of Satan, not the Light of Chriſt.

Minor. But ſuch is the Light of the Quakers. Ergò.

Major. The Major cannot be denied, for will the Light of Chriſt teach men to leave his own perfect rule, and goe to an imperfect one? then if men walk by it, how can they be blamed? he muſt then approve of ſinne.

The Minor need proof, which is this:

That Light which takes men off from the Law of God, his Word; and ſend them to the Light of Conſcience to be guided by it, that Light take men off from a perfect rule, and ſend them to an imperfect one, &c.

But thus doe the Quakers. Ergo.

The Word of God is perfect, Pſal. 19.7. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. But the Quakers doe not ſend men to the Word, but to their Conſciences. I grant it were well if men did attend to the dictates of a true illightned Conſcience, and it will be fearfull damnation that they doe not. But this is not all the Quakers mean.

But however the Light of Conſcience is (1) but Imperfect. (2) It may erre. It is imperfect: here I will take occaſion to examine the Text, the Quakers make ſo much uſe of, 1. Joh. 9. This was the true light, which lighteth every one that cometh into the world. But I would faine know, why theſe Quakers confound this Light, with Conſcience, as if they were both one, is the Conſcience and Chriſt all one? what folly is this.

Secondly, But what doe they mean, that Chriſt lighteth every one who cometh into the world, with ſaving light, Fruits of faſt, pag 23.as Parnel his 29 Querie intimates? this is manifeſtly falſe.

1For how great a part of the world is there who know nothing of Chriſt, Redemption, Juſtification by Chriſts righteouſneſſe, Originall ſinne, Saving faith, &c. They never heard the ſound of theſe things.

2The next Verſe confutes this; for the 10 ver. ſaith, The world knew him not: How then doth he lighten every one with ſuch a knowledge, when the Text ſaith plainly the world knew him not?

p. 30What miſerable blind Conſciences doe we find where people have lived under the revelation of Chriſt! I am confident many know not the eſſentials to ſalvation.

The meaning then is:

1 If we ſpeak of the Light of Reaſon, Underſtanding, ſo Chriſt lighteth every one who cometh into the world.

2. Or if we ſpeak of Saving light, As many, or every one who hath that ſaving Light, it is Chriſt who illightneth him.

3. So we may ſay of Common Light; Chriſt giveth that alſo. As Pſal. 136.8. The Lord raiſeth them that are bowed down. What every one? we ſee the contrary; but thoſe who are raiſed, it is he who lifts them up, none elſe can.

Againe, Conſcience may and doth erre; this is a further proof of the imperfection of it, Acts 26.9. Paul was there guided by his Conſcience, but it erred. Did not of old, Doe not now all Errors, and Hereſies plead Conſcience, Papiſts, Socinians, &c? I doubt not Queen Mary would ſay, her Conſcience led her to burn the eminent ſervants of Chriſt.

Now let us hear what the Quakers ſay:

Quakers glory, &c. p. 2. They exhort the Magiſtrates to let the Prieſts alone, and to receive the Law of God which is perfect according to that in the Conſcience: herein have truth in all ages ſuffered by them who made Lawes contrary to that in the Conſcience. No matter for the Word then.

Fell. pag. 5. The Prieſts of thy high places (Oh England!) bear witneſſe before my face againſt thee, which thou haſt ſet up contrary to my will which I have made manifeſt in every mans Conſcience. No, not every mans, you are not perfect, Fell. So once before in the ſame page.

Wooddrove. p. 15, 16 Turne your minde within you to the pure Light of Chriſt in your Conſciences, ſee by this light within you, who rule within you. No matter for the perfect rule without you, to try the light within you, nor to help it.

J. N. againſt Harris, p. 15. Make our Light within, to be the Light of the Covenant of Grace. How many millions of ſoules know nothing of it!

Biſhop p. 21. Sink down to that of God in every one of your Conſciences, the light of Chriſt. In all their Books the Word of God written is made of no account.

p. 31But while the Quakers thus call on all men, to turn to that within them, (their Conſciences) why doe they ſo cry out upon the Magiſtrates for ſending them to Bridwell and Priſons, ſince they doe as the Light within them bid them? They practiſe their doctrine, but the Magiſtrates have the Light without them in the perfect rule, to guide Conſcience within them. What a wofull Nation ſhould we have where Conſciences are ſo blinde, erroneous, ſleepy, benummed, and ſome cauterized, if men ſhould lay by the perfect rule, and goe to that? the Prince of darkneſſe would make ſtrange worke.

Conſcientia est regula regulata, non regula regulans

This Argument differs from the third.

Argum: 6

Major. That Light which deſtroyeth the Inſtitutions of Chriſt, is the Light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But the Quakers light deſtroy the Inſtitutions of Chriſt, [his Ordinances:] Ergo, it is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Major. The Major is clear, for then Chriſt muſt oppoſe himſelf, if he hath left Ordinances wherein people ſhall attend upon God, till the end of the world, and now have a light to deſtroy them, Chriſt hath changed his minde. 1 Cor 11.26. In the Lords Supper we ſhew the Lords death till he come. Chriſt is not come yet: Chriſt bid them eat and drink in remembrance of him: his words at the Inſtitution of the Lords Supper. What were the Apoſtles onelyonly to remember him, or the Corinthians, and thoſe firſt Churches? Muſt not all Churches till he comes ſo remember him? Mat. 28.19, 20. Teach and Baptize, I am with you to the end of the world. What doe you limit this teaching and baptizing, to the Apoſtles? They are dead many hundred years ſince, yet the end of the world is not come; how then can theſe words be fulfilled, but in the ordinary Officers, who ſucceed the Apoſtles, is the rule of Chriſt, Mat. 18.15, 16, 17, 18, &c. come to an end? I am ſure there are offences ſtill, and you perfect ones are as vile offenders as any, but you have taken a courſe to prevent all diſcipline, for your Church is within, ſo ſhut up that none can come at it, no nor believe it.

p. 32Minor. But the Quakers light deſtroy all the Ordinances and Inſtitutions of Chriſt.

Parnel: Wat: p. 8. They (who brought the profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith into England firſt) had two Sacraments, Infants Baptiſme is one, that which they call the Supper of the Lord is another; and they had the carnall bread and wine as the Prieſts and people hath now. See what eſteem this youth hath of the Ordinances, againſt the Baptists he talketh much for their baptizing with water, but I will not tranſcribe his babling.

Naylor againſt I. Reyner, pag. 3. Church, Prayers, Baptiſme, Singing, we witneſſe to be all within. None of theſe outward.

Naylor, Saluta: p. 7. Is not Chriſt the Ordinance (no that he is not) and the end of all Ordinances? I here is truth in this and it overthrows the former, for if he be the end of the Ordinance, how can he be the Ordinance it ſelf? are the means, the end? a few lines after. Is not he the Sabbath, Baptiſme, Supper? No that he is not.

In p 33. there we have the bottome: he will not deny but theſe Viſibles (as he calls them) had their place and time, but what are they now? He meets with an Objection of ours, which is this, They are commands of God, and there is no Scripture for taking them away. This is an Objection indeed: to which he anſwers, I ſay thoſe carnall things are but commands, as Circumciſon, and the Paſſeover were, and many other, yet were they taken away without letter, by that ſpirit that gave them, when they were abuſed: what letter had Hezekiah to take away the brazen Serpent? what ſcripture had Paul to cry down Circumciſion &c. — ſo runs on. But why doth not Naylor make up his anſwer fully, applying what he faith to the Objection, thus, So we the Quakers having the infallible spirit which gave theſe commands, d…e by the ſame, ſeeing you abuſe them, without ſcripture take them away. Now your anſwer is complete. But

Firſt, I ſay, thoſe carnall things (as you call them) are ſo ſpirituall, that all the perfection the Quakers brag of, will not be ſufficient to perform one of them in the holy manner the letter (as you call the Word) requires.

Secondly, You talke of the Infallible ſpirit, but you have not given us the ſignes of it as Paul did, 2 Cor. 12.12. nay the Satanicall p. 33ſpirit by which you are acted, hath not given you ſo much wit, to ca…ry your ſelves cunningly, but you doe ſo manifeſtly croſſe Chriſt and the Apoſtles, that people muſt throw away their Bibles, and naturall Light before they can believe you.

Thirdly, You miſtake in the brazen Serpent, for it was not ordained as a means of worſhip in the Church, but onelyonly for the time while Serpents ſtung them in the Wilderneſſe, they were to look to it, typifying Chriſt; but when they were paſt Serpents in Canaan there was no uſe of it: yet Hezekiah wanted no meanes whereby he might certainly know the minde of God.

Fourthly, The worſhip then inſtituted was not taken away, becauſe abuſed; but becauſe the Ceremoniall part was fulfilled.

Fiftly, Jeſus Chriſt the Lord of the Church may inſtitute what means of worſhip he pleaſeth, his Apoſtles did converſe with him fourty dayes after his reſurrection, Acts 1.3 speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God: They had order what to doe; but I hardly think the Quakers were there then with him, and heard that doctrine, they teach us.

Sixtly, Then the Spirit of God teach us to deny God that which he hath had ſince the world began, viz: Externall worſhip: for prayer, ſacrifices, and the teaching of the family by the Father of the family, theſe parts of worſhip we finde at the beginning: after that, more. But now God muſt have none at all; how ſhall we know there is a God in the world if we take away his worſhip?

Seventhly, Chriſt muſt then be a great deſtroyer of the Law, and not a fulfiller, Mat. 5.17. for he muſt quite blot out the ſecond Commandment; as the fourth, and fifth, by theſe Quakers.

Eighthly, The right performing of the worſhip of God, will coſt pains, and exerciſe of graces; but the ſpirit in the Quakers have taken them off from that burden.

Concluſion. Since then the Quakers Light deſtroy the Ordinances of Chriſt, hence I conclude, their Light is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

p. 34Argum: 7

Major. That Light denyeth a great work of Chriſt in the hearts of them who believe in him, that is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But ſo doe the Quakers light: Ergo.

The Major, is ſo clear, that it needs no proof; for to deny a a ſaving work, a great part of his redemption, this cannot come from Chriſt.

Minor. But the Quakers light denyeth a great worke of Chriſt in the hearts of them, who believe: I mean ſuch a work as muſt neceſſarily be in all ſuch: that is, a worke of inherent holineſſe, the new creature diſtinct from Chriſt's perſon, and from his imputed righteouſneſſe to our Juſtification: The Quakers in theſe Books I have, have ſpoken confuſedly, and covertly, yet this muſt be their doctrine, or ſome other notion, being Chriſted with Chriſt, Godded with God; which I verily think they ayme at.

Naylor, Saluta: p. 20. hath theſe words, But ſay you, this is that righteouſneſſe we believe in, and by which we are juſtified, by that blood which was ſhed at Jeruſalem, and by that obedience that was in him, and by that holineſſe: but that the want of his righteouſneſſe in us, or that want of Chriſt, or his blood in us can hinder our Juſtification, that we deny, and look upon it as hereſie, it is Chriſt without us that hath ſatisfied for ſinne, his righteouſneſſe, faith, patience, love, obedience, &c. its theſe without us that whoever believes in ſhall be ſaved, and by this faith the ungodly is juſtified.

Pag. 23. We can doe nothing, neither doe we deſire to doe any thing, yet can we doe all things that he wills, through him that is in us.

Pag. 2. While you live, ſinne lives; and if we ſay we have no ſinne we deceive our ſelves (this is well) but where he alone lives, there is no ſinne, &c.

I deny not, but we are juſtified, by the righteouſneſſe, ſatiſfaction of Chriſt without us, as oppoſed to Inherency in us. But I utterly deny that God ever imputes that righteouſneſſe to us, but withall he works inherent righteouſneſſe in us, ſo as no man p. 35can be in a ſtate of Juſtification, or ſhall ever ſee God, who hath not this inherent work of holineſſe in him, Heb. 12.14.

I deny alſo, that a perſon whom the Lord actually juſtifieth is an ungodly perſon; in that inſtant its true, he is ungodly, if you compare him with the Covenant of works, he is a tranſgreſſor of it, which is the ſcope of the Apoſtle, in the Rom. 3.4. Rom. 3.4.Rom 3:4To cut all men off from ſeeking life in that Covenant, and to bring them to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt: but look on him in reference to the Covenant of grace, he is now a believer; or elſe he cannot be juſtified, and ſuch a believer as hath received Chriſt to Union, and now truſts to Chriſt for Communion of benefits, whereof juſtification is one. He that prates of his juſtification before this Faith, he doth but prate of that which he ſhall never finde. That abſurd notion of faith juſtifying onelyonly Declarative, I would have oppoſed, had this place been convenient.

I affirme alſo, that the work of inherent holineſſe which maketh us new Creatures, is a diſtinct thing from Chriſt his perſon; though among our New-England notions, this was received when the errours raged there, that Chriſt was the new Creature; but for the 2 Cor. 5.17. they made miſerable Grammar of the verſe, undertaking to be the Interpreters of the Originall, read it thus, if any man be in Christ the new Creature, and thus indeed Chriſt being perfect, no wonder though the Quakers are perfect; for there is nothing in them but Chriſt. And thus we ſee the meaning of that which we have ſo wondered at, that men and women, who could not tell how to live honeſtly among men, keep promiſes, keep from pilfering. deale juſtly (no nor can ſcarce doe it at this day) ſince theſe Quakers came are on a ſudden mounted aloft, and tell others they are perfect. No wonder, for if Chriſt be the new Creature, the new Creature then cannot grow, for Chriſt cannot be more perfect then he is, I affirme alſo that thoſe who deſine to doe nothing, as ſaith Naylor, they are not in Chriſt, (if we ſpeak of adulti) Rom. 7.21. and their wills are renewed.

I know not what to make of that phraſe, While you live, ſin live, to take it in our ſenſe, they cry out upon us.

Maſon p. 11. reproves Mr. Scortrith with ſcorne, becauſe p. 36he affirmed that God and a Saint are not one, Chriſt and a Saint are not one, then quotes againſt him, Joh. 17.11. (which is nothing to his purpoſe) 21.22. and 2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Cor 6.17. yet (ſaith he) is there not a reall union between them, is not Chriſt the head of the body, &c? I believe Mr. Scortrith did never deny this, for it is the common received truth among Divines, that the union is reall, that is, it is not Ens rationis, 'tis not an imaginary thing, and that Chriſt is the head Mysticè, who denyes it? Dr. **Saints perſev: p. 189.Owen hath gone as farre as a man can goe with ſafety (I think) in this point; and yet not ſpoken more then ſome others have before him, both Bucanus, and Polanus: ſo that it was another kinde of union which Mr. Scortrith denyed, and with him alſo, all ſober men.

Parnel. fruits fast. p. 25. propounds theſe two queries to Prieſt Stalham, Sparrow, and among the reſt 48. What is your owne righteouſneſſe, and what is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and how doe you diſtinguiſh between them? What a hard queſtion is this to anſwer, in a ſound way alſo? but then 49. Whether he that is juſtified by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, doth not dwell in it, and it in him, and whether he that dwells in the righteouſneſſe of Christ doth ſin, yea or nay? Is this the way whereby you come to be ſo free from ſin? You ſay below, theſe things (i. e. the 61 Queries) I doe not aske as if I knew them not, but for the ſatisfaction of the ſimple, &c. The ſimple are beholden to you, but had not you been both proud and ſimple you would not have moved ſuch queries as you have done. But I anſwer: for the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt dwelling, &c. I deny that the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt whereby a believer is juſtified doth dwell in him: Saluta: &c. p. 20.your fellow Quaker Naylor is againſt you: (unleſſe you carry this ſecretly, that we are Chriſted with Chriſt, then ſomething you may gather) by dwelling, I mean it is not inherent in us. Bellarmine makes difference between the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, by which we are pardoned, (this he will not admit to be in us) and that righteouſneſſe by which we are juſtified; this he ſaith is inherent in us. But I dare not accuſe the Quakers of being guilty of ſo much knowledge, and I preſume you doe not aime at his doctrine.

For the other phraſe, The juſtified perſon dwelling in the righteouſneſſe p. 37of Chriſt, and ſo not ſinning; I confeſſe my ſimplicity cannot underſtand this, unleſſe it had more ſenſe in it. I have read 2 Pet. 3.13. wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe, but I have not read, where a Beleever dwels in Chriſts righteouſneſſe, nor of ſo dwelling as not to ſin.

Argum: 8

Major. That light which teach men to omit their duty to God, that light is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But ſo doe the light of the Quakers. Ergo.

The Major need no proof, Chriſt doth not teach men to omit their duty, then he is a teacher of unrighteouſneſſe.

Minor. But the Quakers light teach men to omit their duty to God, viz. Prayer.

Parnel Watch, p 46. ſpeaking againſt one, Then thou went on with thy deluding spirit, preſſing the wicked to pray, whereas Prov. 15.8. the prayers of the wicked are abominable; and thus thou didſt that which was ab…minable in the ſight of God, in praying thy ſelfe, and teaching the wicked to pray.

Parnel Gol: p. 15. The Apoſtles did not teach the wicked to pray.

Anſw. 1. It is true, while men goe on in a courſe of wickedneſſe, and are reſolved to doe ſo, yet in the meane time think to heale themſelves, and make God amends by their Prayers, the Lord ſaith, he abominates their Prayers: Yet this denyeth not Prayer to be their duty, to acknowledge their Lord and Creator, upon whom they depend.

2. Why doe the Quakers ſo much call all people to ſinke downe to the light of God in the Conſcience [as before] yet now exclaime upon men for being guided by it? the light of God in the Conſcience doth teach men to pray, bids them pray: ſhould they not obey their Conſcience? 1 Jonah 6.14. the Conſcience of the Heathens did dictate Prayer.

3. Muſt not the wicked pray becauſe they ſin, and ſo it is abominable? then they muſt not plow neither, for that alſo is ſinne. Prov. 21.4. but all ſin is abominable to God: what then, muſt not the wicked plow? I hope then the Quakers will keep their families.

p. 384. Was Peter no Apoſtle, was not Simon Magus wicked? read Acts 8.22. The Apoſtle lames, 5 Chap. 13. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. But ſuppoſe a wicked man (though I love Charity well, yet I believe there might be one or two among thoſe Tribes he writes to) what muſt he doe? Surely, Any will reach him. If he may pray when afflicted, why not at at other times: obſerve the Epiſtle, and you will finde there were ſome wicked among them.

5. What mean thoſe words, Ier. 10.25. Fury on families that call not on his name.

Naylor Saluta. p. 19. to the queſtion, muſt we not pray? Anſwers, I ſay waite for the ſpirit of prayer. But where learn you this? This is your ſpirits Divinity, ſuppoſe the Spirit comes not this month or yeare? Then it ſeems the duty muſt lye by: for God to give his Spirit is his free act, for me to pray is my duty, as a Creature; let me doe my duty, and waite there for the free Spirit of God.

p. 20 Your times are in your owne hands: (a little after) but the times of Sons and Daughters are not in their hands, no, it's true, if you mean thoſe times David ſpeaks of, Pſal. 31.15. But the times of prayer you ſpeak of. Daniel was a Son, yet he Chap. 6.10. three times a day prayed. ſo David, and others had their times. But for times to ſin we abhorre them, we hope, more then you.

Concluſion. Since then the Quakers Light teach people to omit prayer, I conclude, their light is of Satan, &c.

Argum: 9

Major. That light which teacheth men to ſay, they have no ſin, that light is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But ſo doe the Quakers light, Ergo.

Major. Chriſt his Light teach us that for the Dominion of ſin, all his people are freed from it, Rom. 7.12.14 but he that ſaith he hath not the being of ſin, and doth not ſin, the truth is not in him, 1 Ioh. 1.8.

Iob had more holineſſe in him then all the Quakers, God ſaith of him that he was perfect, ch. 1. i. e. Evangelically, not Legally, for Chap. 9.20. he ſpeak other language, ſo 30. & 31. verſes.

p. 39Iob 14.4. 1 Kings 8.46. Eccleſ. 7.20. Prov. 20.9. Iam. 3.2. a relative perfection in our juſtification, an inherent perfection of parts, in our Sanctification, a ſtriving after perfection in degrees; ſuch perfection we own, i. e. uprightneſſe; but for the Quakers perfection let them keep it: Paul found a body of death, Rom. 7. and ſaith he was not perfect, Phil. 3.12. Where ſinne hath no dominion, that man is perfect, i.e. Evangelically, Pſal. 19.13. the word is foreign I ſhall be perfect, or complete, upright. yet ſuch an one may have ſinnes, ver. 12. ſo not perfect legally. Who knowes his errours? not David, but the Quakers.

Minor. But the Quakers light teach people to ſay they have no ſin, they are perfect (not in our ſenſe.)

This their books are ſo full of that it were tedious to tranſcribe. Maſon ſpends the ſeven firſt pages of his book about this, quoting ſome texts for it where perfection is mentioned, (which we owne in a ſound ſenſe) then railing upon the Prieſts, and damning them to hell becauſe they croſſe them.

Maſon. p. 3. makes great uſe of Epheſ. 4.12. &c. perfecting of the Saints, &c. thus he argues, if the Saints could not be perfect in this life, were not theſe Apoſtles and Paſtors, put upon a needleſſe imployment? Can the Priests of the nation prove that Saints are toſſed in heaven? Were Englands blinde watch-men commiſſionated from Chriſt, they would not prate thus againſt perfection.

But if Maſon had well underſtood the Originall word foreign here rendered perfecting, he might have known that the word is tranſlated by others, For the gathering together of Saints, by others, the Coagmentation, joyning, gluing together of Saints, to Chriſt by faith, to the body by love: not noting the perfection of the growth, but ſuch a perfection, as when a body hath all its members. He addes preſently for the Edifying of the body of Chriſt. What need of Edifying when there is compleat perfection, ſo that till this Myſticall body have all its Members, the Miniſtery muſt laſt. When a body hath all its Members, none wanting, broken, or out of joynt, yet then thoſe Members muſt grow.

If he will fetch his ſtrength from the 13. v. a perfect man, &c. p. 40and that perfect man, to be meant of every ſingular believer, to what I have ſaid before about perfection, I adde, we acknowledge there are thouſands (through mercy) of perfect men, in England, as perfect is oppoſed to children toſſed to and fro in ver. 14. ſaints who ſtand ſo unmovable, and firme, that all the windes of Quakers and other Hereticks doctrines cannot ſhake them here upon earth.

But by the former words, Till we all come or meet &c. he ſeems to ſpeak of the whole myſticall body, which ſhall be a perfect man, when they meet All in the unity &c. and of the knowledge of the Son of God: But I doe not believe any man hath that perfect knowledge of him, in this life, which they ſhall have.

There are abundance of theſe true members, who dye before they are perfect in inherent holineſſe I am ſure, or elſe you muſt cut off moſt of the members (nay all) which your friend Castelio in this point dare not doe, but hath ſo much charity to ſay, that ſuch ſhall be ſaved: but there are no Paſtours in heaven to perfect them: then the Paſtours worke is not needleſſe, though the members come not to the perfect growth in this life. Nay the need of Paſtours argue imperfection; for when perfection is come, there will be no need of theſe: what need of Nurſes, Tutors, School-maſters, &c. when perfection is attained? More may be ſaid, but I forbear.

Another Text the Quakers uſe is Phil 3.15. But what ſay they to the 12 ver. Paul ſaith he was not perfect. Here appears a contradiction: But, Perfect men may be conſidered two waies:

1. Either with reference to the perfect rule; ſo no man is inherently, and legally perfect.

Or 2. Comparatively, with other men; thus ſome are but young ſcholars, they underſtand not the fulneſſe of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, &c. but are troubled about Circumciſion, v. 3. and other Jewiſh matters; others are more growne in the knowledge of Chriſt, and his grace, more ſolid in judgement, who are perfect in compariſon of others, and this perfection he means, as the next verſe, and the obſervation of the Chapter proves; thus ſome little children, young men, Fathers, 1 Joh. 2.13.

p. 41Some think he calls the falſe Teachers, the perfect men, foreign & foreign. Zanch: in loc.ſpeaking ironically, and nipping them for their boaſting.

Muſculus upon this Text tells us of a debate he had with a Franciſcan, who with great impudencie boaſted he was perfect: but ſaith of him, he did ſo rage, that he ſeemed perfect in fury and madneſſe: the ſame is evident in theſe Quakers, when croſſed; for fierce countenances, fury, raging, railing, I have not read nor ſeen the like, of ſuch as talke of perfection. By what I have ſaid, you may anſwer all they alledge for perfection.

Thus alſo Prieſts ignorance, p. 4. Parnel. fr: faſt: p. 24. But ſtay Parnel, are you perfect too? have you no ſinne? doe you ſo dwell in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt? I omit thy abominable pride which thou manifeſteſt in thy Books; with other ſinnes eaſily to be proved. I onelyonly turn thee to 1 Pet. 2.23. When Chriſt was reviled he reviled not againe. Doe you ſhow this Spirit of Chriſt? Let any reade your Reply (as you call it) to Dr. Draton, where you have cut off Goliahs head, then judge: as you have printed your adverſary, yet any one ſhall ſee what he ſpeaks is with reaſon, ſcripture, and ſobriety; but what is your return to a man of his quality and yeers? Impudent lyar, blinde ſot, blaſphemer, lyar, hypocrite, deceiver, the book is ſtuffed with this language.

Come to the Civil power, and ſee how your infallible ſpirit carry you there. Fru: faſt. p. 10. in your reply to your Mittimus (as you call it) thus you ſpeak to the four Juſtices, naming them. In the Mittimus you finde ſeverall lyes, ſlanders, &c. I ſhall reply to the ſame, and return the venome upon your venomous ſpirits, &c. This is the perfect man, without ſinne; ſuch alſo is Naylor and Maſon. I will give you leave to brag of your perfection: but reade Jude 8.9. 2 Pet. 2.10. Concluſon. I doe conclude both from your doctrine and your practice that your light is from Satan.

Argum: 10

Major. That light which teacheth people to revile, and throw filth upon the true Miniſters, and true Churches of Chriſt, that is the light of Satan, not of Chriſt.

Minor. But thus doe the Quakers light teach people, &c.

p. 42For the Major none will queſtion that, 1 Tim. 5.17. There is double honour allowed the labourers in word and doctrine: For the Churches, they bear ſuch an honourable relation to Chriſt, that ſure Chriſt will not thus teach people to revile them, 2 Cor. 11.2.

Minor. But the light of the Quakers teach people to revile and throw filth on the true Miniſters and Churches of Chriſt; even all in England, and the world that differ from them.

This they avoid, by denying with greateſt abhorrency that any of the Miniſters are ſuch, or the Churches.

Prieſts igno: p. 2. Wood…d p. 16. but eſpecially Parnel twice in his Fr…faſt, tells us of the Church in God, 1 Theſſ. 1.1. and Parnel ſaith he ownes that Church, and amongſt his Queries to the Prieſts, he would have them tell him what Church that is.

I wiſh Parnel had ſet down the interpretation from his infallible ſpirit, I believe we ſhould have found a blaſphemous one. But let us examine the Text, this Church of the Theſſalon. which was in God, ch. 5. ver. 12, 13. had Rulers over them, and they were to eſteem them highly, &c. But Parnel, you deny all Church Officers, ſo doe all your ſect; then you are not in God, as this Church was.

In the 14 ver: they were to warn the unruly: in the 2 Epiſt: 3. ch: 11. there were diſorderly walkers, how can unruly, and diſorderly perſons be in God? tell us this. This Church was taught to pray without ceaſing, but you bid ſtay till the ſpirit moves.

But note this by the way, a Church may be ſaid to be a Church in God, and yet there may be ſome unruly, and diſorderly perſons amongſt them. If you ſay, but they muſt be exhorted, warned &c. that is true, and ſo doe we exhort, warn, &c. this will help ſave our Churches, (ſome at leaſt I am ſure.)

But what is it to be in God ſtill? ſhould I ſay (as ſome, hyperbolically, but very harſhly and unſavourily) After a ſort Deified? this I believe would pleaſe the Quakers, but how are unruly and diſorderly perſons Deified? ſhall I ſay, Church in God? ſo this Church (and others) is differenced from the Aſſemblies of Pagans, as they were before, not in God, but Idols. p. 43And in Chriſt, ſo differenced from the Iewes, who refuſed Chriſt. They profeſſed the Faith of God and Chriſt, or they had an inward fellowſhip (ſome of them) and union with God and Chriſt, as I Ioh. 1.3. Our fellowſhip is with the Father and his Son, &c. Others had an outward fellowſhip, as owned the faith, partaked of his Ordinances, and ſo viſibly did profeſſe themſelves to be the body of Chriſt.

But let M. Maſon obſerve, the Apoſtle makes a diſtinction here between God the Father and Chriſt; but he p. 8. ſaith, to make God, Chriſt, and Holy Ghoſt, three diſtinct perſons, Afterwards p. 9. he calls it a bold and a blasphemous aſſertion.is ſuch a piece of Divinity, as was never known till the Merchants of Babylon broached it: then quotes 14 Ioh. v. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. But what will M. Maſon gather from hence, that Chriſt as he is the eternall Son of God, is of the ſame Eſſence with the Father, ſo that the Eſſence is but One? this we yeild. But I pray what doe you make of the Humanity of Chriſt? was it reall or imaginary? if reall, what, is the Humanity of Chriſt the ſame Eſſence with the Godhead? this is new Divinity indeed; what, is there no difference between Chriſt, and the Divine Eſſence ſubſiſting in the relation of the Son (if the word Perſon be ſo offenſive?) you ſay, for the ſimples ſake, p. 9. you will ſet down what the Lord gives you in vindication of his honour.

Then quote the 14 of Ioh. the ſimple ones are much obliged to you and Parnel, but you have ſhown your ſelfe but ſimple in this, and have notably vindicated the honour of God, to make Chriſt, who is God-Man, and without the Manhood is not Christ, that the Manhood alſo muſt be one Eſſence with the Godhead.

But to return to Parnel, I have already given one ground from the Church of the Theſſalon to prove there are ſome true Churches in England. I ſcarce thinke Parnel know what a Church is, for if he define it right, he muſt overthrow divers of his own principles. I wiſh his infallible ſpirit would have let us known his minde, that we might have tried the Quakers Church: but I will leave this with all the Quakers, Seekers, Separatiſts in England, that if they will own the Church of Corinth to be a true Church, then I will prove there are now many Churches in England that are true alſo.

p. 44For the Miniſters whom you and others call Prieſts, and ſay, we run before we were ſent, (you doe well to begin firſt to caſt that upon us, which you know will fall upon your owne heads:) no, we can prove our ſending: Biſhop. p. 23. he brings againſt us the 1. Tit. 7. Well, and are there not many Miniſters who doe in a good meaſure walk up to thoſe rules though they dare not brag of your perfection? Covetouſneſſe is the great thing you object; but to this I have anſwered before. As for anger, we may be angry; and if an exceſſe in anger ſometimes, will cut us off from being true Miniſters, then Paul and Barnabas were not true Apoſtles. Reade Acts 15.39. if infirmities cut us off, then Peter was no Apoſtle who the ſecond time halted, Gal. 2. Then Ieremiah, Ionah, were no true Prophets. But G. Dicitur foreign prepriè qui adhaeret alicui, velut unguibus affixus, nec ſeſe finit avelli. Bulling. in loc.Biſhop: why doe you leave out the 9 ver: where a Biſhop muſt hold fast the faithfull Word: here is no mention of the infallible ſpirit which he muſt forſake this faithfull Word, to liſten after: Then he muſt be able by ſound doctrine (not Quakers dreams) to exhort, and convince gainſayers. Where are theſe quaking Pratlers, and others alſo, if theſe rules muſt trie them, who doe not know how to ſpeak ſenſe, but their reaſon is railing, and their anſwers, you lye, &c.

Alſo G. Biſh: why did you not quote the 5 ver. where Titus a Church-Officer was left to Ordain other Church-Officers: theſe perſons ſo qualified. Lay theſe together, and here is the true ſending of a Miniſter (the peoples choice ſuppoſed, which we we alſo have.)

Thou doeſt quote alſo 1 Tim. 3.3. Take in the 2 v. alſo, there is one apt to teach: take in the 6 ver. And though Parnel be farre enough from the abilities required in a Biſhop, many miles ſhort, yet as he is a Novice lifted up with pride, ſo let him take heed of the next words. And why did not thou quote the 4 chap. of this Epiſt: 14 ver: & 5 chap: 22. Lay hands ſuddenly. &c. and there you ſhould have ſeen how theſe qualified men came into their places.

Trie us then for abilities, if you can, all you Quakers and Separatifts in England; then ſee what is required by the Apoſties example to bring us into the Miniſtery, and prove we have it not.

p. 45Object. You are Ordained by Biſhops.

Anſw. To this I have anſwered at large in another Book, though it be falſe of abundance of us, we receiv'd no Ordination from the Biſhops; yet I wiſh that the Separatiſts would think of one thing, in Rev. 6.9, 10, 11. there is mention made of many ſlain for the Word of God, &c. theſe had white robes given them, &c theſe who were ſlain muſt needs fall under the X Perſecutions under the heathen Emperours, and may well in a ſpeciall manner look to that horrible butchery under Diocleſian, but if you know thoſe times, you will finde there were abundance of Biſhops ſlain in thoſe times (I mean Biſhops who were above Presbyters in the Church) and you ſhall finde abundance of ceremonies, humane inventions in thoſe times in the worſhip of God, yet we finde God doth not ſhow ſuch diſdain of them as you doe now, he gives them white robes. Thus Bp: Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, and abundance of Miniſters ordained by thoſe Biſhops, but ſuffered gloriouſly for the teſtimony which they held, the Lord will own them with honour in the Day of Judgment; how then you come to caſt off ſo many Miniſters of Chriſt, ſo able in the worke of the Goſpel, (as none have been more able ſince the Apoſtles dayes, no nor ſo able) ſo godly in their converſation, to whoſe Miniſtery God hath ſealed, in the ſpirituall children he hath given them, and onelyonly becauſe they were ordained by Biſhops, (who yet were Miniſters and did Miniſteriall work) doe you provide to anſwer for this at that day.

Some men will ſcarce own any mans Ordination but that which is by ſuch Biſhops, and you will own no Miniſters who are ordained by ſuch; if you two ſhould meet, who would be the ſtrongeſt?

Parnel Gol: p. 26. makes this a proof againſt our Miniſtery, that it is earthly, becauſe in thus many years we have wrought no better reformation.

1. But Parnel, the Engliſh Miniſtery (through grace) will ſhow the greateſt reformation in the world, and yet none in the world oppoſed like it. We can ſhow the ſouls who confeſſe by us the Lord inlightened them, turned them, and hath built them up.

2. Then Iſaiahs, and Ieremiahs, with other of the Prophets p. 46Miniſtery was earthly, for I am ſure they wrought but little reformation.

3. What, was Chriſts Miniſtery earthly alſo? he complains Iſa. 49.4. that he had laboured in vain.

4. What? you will have many called, and many choſen? Chriſt ſaith the contrary.

Concluſion. To conclude, I dare affirm that there is as true and as able a Miniſtery in England this day, as ever was ſince the Apoſtles died: and if any Quakers or Separatiſts will undertake to prove the contrary, ſo they will argue and not babble, they ſhall ſoon finde thoſe who will anſwer them. While therefore you caſt filth upon theſe (I plead not for every particular Miniſter) and upon all the Churches, you ſhow your light to be of Satan, &c.

Argum: 11

Major. That Light which brags of the infallible ſpirit, and yet cannot ſpeak good ſenſe or reaſon, that Light and Spirit muſt come from Satan, not from Chriſt.

Minor. But ſuch is the Quakers light and infallible Spirit. Ergo.

Major. The Spirit of Chriſt is a Spirit of wiſdome, but he that ſpeaketh irrationally, nonſenſe, he doth not ſpeak wiſely: the Spirit of God is a moſt rationall Spirit, and where it ſpeaks, it ſpeaks like it ſelf, Acts 6.10. They were not able to reſiſt the wiſdome and the Spirit by which Stephen spake. Thus Paul, Apollos, &c. they ſpake rationally, carried ſuch ſtrength, that none could anſwer them.

Miniſters muſt be men able to convince, 1 Tit. 9. foreign. thoſe that talk irrationally will never foreign.

I know Satan can ſpeak rationally, & ſenſe alſo, which makes us wonder what he means to take ſuch inſtruments, unleſſe it be becauſe he is at the laſt, ſeeing witty Jeſuits cannot doe the buſineſſe, now try if fooliſh Quakers can doe it: this alſo I know, that reaſon being a beam of God, there can be no true reaſon for ſin or errour. Alſo, though abundance of Gods people are weak and ſhallow, yet they never ſpeak truth, but they ſpeak ſenſe, and reaſon.

But here we have a pack, mightily inſulting over the Miniſters p. 47becauſe they doe not aſſume to themſelves the infallible Spirit, in that notion which the Quakers boaſt they have it, and yet cannot ſpeak rationally. Let us hear a little.

Qua: gl…: of God, p 3, 4. there they undertake to anſwer the arguments the Apoſtle brings, 1 Cor. 9.9, 10, 11, &c. to prove the maintenance of Miniſters: They that preach on the Goſpel muſt live upon the Goſpel. This ſcripture ſhames you, and ſhews your Goſpel will not maintain you, but you ſeek to Magiſtrat s… and the Miniſters of the Goſpel are aſhamed of ſuch a pack of teachers. This is his anſwer, ſo, He that threſheth, threſheth in hope: Oh how have they threſhed in hope all this while, and got forth no corne, but are faine to ſeeke to the Magiſtrates for me…nes and food. So, Thou ſhalt not muzzle the month of the Oxe: Oh you ſhameleſſe teachers, your mouthes must be muzled, have been treading all this while, and no corne trodden out to feed you, but are faine to ſeek to the Magiſtrates. Doe not theſe men ſpeak gallantly? Is not here evidence of the infallible Spirit? But if theſe Quakers would have ſpoken like men, thus ye ſhould have ſaid: True, thoſe who preach the Gospel, thoſe who threſh, thoſe who tread out, &c. that is, thoſe who doe perform the work of the Lords Miniſters, in teaching, Iabouring faithfully, they may challenge maintenance by theſe Scriptures. But you doe not threſh, labour, &c. in the Lords work. Therefore you cannot claim maintenance from theſe Seriptures; now you had ſpoken rationally, and there had been matter of ſhame indeed that we ſhould have called for corn, and not wrought: but now you have caſt all the ſhame upon the people, that we preaching, labouring, threſhing, &c. are denied our corn, our maintenance, and are forced to goe to the Magiſtrates our nurſing fathers, Iſa. 49 v. 23. for it. Like a man who hath been plowing and threſhing halfe a yeare for another, when he comes to demand his wages, he is denied: the man goeth to the Magiſtrate to be helped, the Quakers cry out, Oh thou ſhameleſſe man, haſt thou been plowing and threſhing ſo long, and now art fain to goe to the Magiſtrate? &c. Doth the man deſerve ſhame, or he who deny him his due? So here.

Thus, Prieſts Igno: p. 2. The teachers of the world sprinkle Infants, telling people its an Ordinance of God, which is contrary p. 48to the Scriptures; and quotes in his margent Gal. 3.1. Luc. 1.26.36. Let any one reade thoſe Scriptures, and ſee how they oppoſe it: he quotes no other Scriptures.

In the next: The teachers of the world call people unto a Sacrament, for the which there is no Scripture, here they act contrary to the Scriptures: quoting Gen. 29.28. the words are theſe, and Iacob did ſo and fulfilled her weeke, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife alſo, and Gen. 10. but no verſe. Theſe are all the Scriptures. Here you ſee the Prieſts ignorance, and the Quakers knowledge laid together.

So let any one that hath reaſon reade Naylor his Anſwer to Io: Reyners Queries. Parnel againſt Dr. Draton, and then ſee if it be not a wofull judgment of God to let a Nation be overrun, and people catched, with ſuch witleſſe, brainleſſe fellowes, beſides their groſſe, abominable principles, that deſtroy Scriptures, Ordinances, Churches, civil States, &c.

Concluſion. Since then the Light which the Quakers boaſt come from the infallible Spirit in them, is thus, irrationall, brutiſh, &c. I conclude, their Light is from Satan, not from Chriſt.

Argum: 12

Major. That Light which affirmeth ſound believers, walking (evangelically) in obedience to Gods commandements to be in a ſtate of condemnation, that Light is from Satan, not from Chriſt.

Minor. But ſo doe the Light of the Quakers: Ergo.

The Major is plain, 3 Ioh. 36.18.16. & 16 Mar. 16. If faith and holineſſe ſhall go to hell, what ſhall goe to heaven?

Minor. They doe not ſay this in ſo many words, but by conſequence; for the perſons who are ſuch, and they cannot diſprove it, they affirm to be in that condition.But the Quakers Light affirmeth ſound believers, and perſons who walk in obedience &c. to be in a ſtate of condemnation.

For we are aſſured there are hundreds of ſound believers in Chriſt in England, that fear to ſinne, walke with the Lord, (and that more cloſe than the Quakers) who doe deteſt and abominate the Quakers doctrines, principles, and practiſes; but the Quakers ſay of thoſe who come not amongſt them, that they ſhall be damned, periſh, &c. This is their common language about us.

p. 49Thus J. Toldervy, Ep. 17.18. told his Maſter Col. Web. Thus Maſon p. 8. ſpeaking to the Miniſters, whom he calls Merchants of Babylon, bid us read our doom, in Revel. 18.7.8. yet among theſe I am ſure are very ſound believers, and very holy men, if they may be tried by the word: which ſhall try them, yea and you Maſon, and all your Quakers, notwithſtanding your boaſtings of the infallible Spirit.

Thus I. N. p. 17. F. Harris makes this Querie, Whether it be ſafe for Chriſtians to forſake and let goe thoſe Goſpel-diſpenſations of the Spirit of Truth, in which God hath bleſſedly appeared, &c?

The ſumme of his anſwer is this, that all thoſe who deny the light of Chriſt, and the infallible ſpirit (in their ſenſe this muſt be taken, elſe we do ſay, ſome truth is in this) have nothing but the spirit of deluſions: but then adds, without the infallible ſpirit there is no promiſe nor word, but what is ſtolen from others, or out of a booke, and had thou had no booke thou had no voice nor promiſe. Here is brave ſtuffe: the promiſes then in the Bible, are little worth; if I. N. can finde any promiſes out of this book, let him take them for me.

Thus Parnel and Naylor call the Miniſters, Magicians.

Let the Quakers tell us what is faith, according as the Lord Chriſt declares it in his Word, (not their infallible Spirit without the Word) tell us what it is to walk holily, as the holy men in Scripture have done, and ſee if there be not many hundreds that anſwer that faith and holineſſe.

And let me deſire the Quakers but to tell me of one man in the Word of God that was holy, who embraced the Quakers doctrines, principles, and practiſes?

Concluſion. Since then the Quakers light condemne ſuch, as the light of Chriſt approves of; hence I conclude, their light is from Satan, &c.

Jam. 3.1. Be not many Maſters, knowing we ſhall receive the greater condemnation. Who ſo maſterly as the Quakers, Mat. 7. ver: 1.

Argum: 13 As for their ſhaking in that ſtrange manner, which ſome report of them, and their books defend, it is manifeſt enough to p. 50every one, whom the God of this world hath not blinded, whence it comes, and prove their doctrine to have the ſame Authour: it is a thing ſo known amongſt them, that J. Toldervy ſaith p. 28. He had long waited for it, then had it to purpoſe: My whole man was ſo ſhaken, torn, and rent, that had I not by a great ſtrength been enabled, I could not have continued: alſo it did worke in me as though I had taken a ſtrong purge, pag. 29. yet I. N. againſt F. Harris p. 18. abuſeth the holy examples of Daniel, Moſes, and David, to defend theſe Diabolical actings; nothing like thoſe holy men, neither in the cauſes, nor effects. Let the Reader obſerve the Hiſtory at the end of the book.

I ſhall conclude all with tranſcribing a few lines out of him where he relateth what one of theſe Quakers, who was of his former acquaintance, pag. 7.ſpake to him, (with Anſwer to one of Parnels Queries) He gave me to understand that they were ſent forth to preach the Gospel by the ſame Chriſt the Apoſtles were, and that the perſon, that Son of God which died at Jeruſalem, was not the Redeemer of man from ſinne. Oh fearful! but the redeemer was in every particular man, that light by which he was given to ſee ſinne, and enabled by it, if obeyed, to be redeemed from ſinne: which Chriſt had redeemed them perfect, and now lived in them Lord of all things, by which they were made the ſons of God, and ſo what was manifeſted to them by that ſubstance, from that ſubſtance were they moved to speake, which was the ſame holy Ghoſt, by which the Apoſtles were endued, ſent forth and enabled to preach: ſo he declared how ſometimes in the night they were immediately commanded by the eternall spirit to goe forth and preach, &c. Here is enough ſaid to make us all quake: I intend not to open the wretchedneſſe that lieth in theſe words, onelyonly this is worth the obſervation; that whereas ſome have caſt off all Officers, and Churches, becauſe we are out of order, ſay they, and therefore they wait for Apoſtolical men to be ſent from God (I know not how) to bring us into order: here you have them, I hope your expectation is anſwered, by a fearful judgement of God.

But let us hear what is Parnels opinion, though propounded by way of querie, Whether any now ought to preach in the name of Jeſus, but who are called to it, and fitted for it the ſame way as the holy men of God were, spoken of in Scripture?

p. 51What holy men he meaneth, the next Querie to this will interpret: Whether doe you owne immediate revelation now, yea or nay? q 8.9. The queſtion would be, what he means by immediate revelation? but by comparing their ſpirits we may know his meaning. Biſhop p. 24. proving that we are not the Miniſters of Chriſt, brings in this for one proof, Gal. 1.12. the Miniſters of Chriſt, received not the Goſpel by man, nor the will of man, nor were they taught it but by the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt in them. We may ſee what Parnel aimes at: but in this ſenſe? no, we own no ſuch revelations.

1. For, what ſhould ſuch Revelations concern? Faith, or Manners? If Faith; All that we are bound to believe Chriſt hath perfectly revealed in his Word: If Manners; Chriſt alſo hath perfectly reveal'd the whole will of God for our obedience, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. The Scripture, &c. There it is to be found in the Scripture, whatever is requiſite to make the man of God perfect. Since we have a perfect rule, what need we more? What if there be a revelation that croſſe an Article of faith, or rule of obedience in the Scripture, (as doe the pretended revelations of the Quakers) what ſhall we judge of it? Surely the Devil is the Author of it.

2. The foundation upon which the true Church of Chriſt is built, hath long ſince been perfectly layed; Epheſ. 2.20. and are built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief Corner-ſtone. No Church need any better foundation to be built upon than the Church of the Epheſians was built upon: that was built upon, not any of our new, mad, Diabolical Apoſtles; but the Apoſtles which the Lord Jeſus himſelf called, fitted in a glorious manner, that the ſervants did ſhew who was their Maſter: and Paul one of theſe Acts 20.27. tells the Elders, I have not ſhunned to declare to you All the Counſell of God, which concerneth our ſalvation. If the Quakers bring any more, then Paul did not declare All: but whether Paul or the Quakers ſpeak trueſt, we will not diſpute: ſhew us now ſuch men as thoſe Apoſtles were.

3. I pray tell us, what Scripture have you to prove that any men now in theſe dayes ſhould have ſuch revelations, and that now we muſt look again for Apoſtles? It may be you will make p. 52a tuſh at Scripture, and tell us your infallible Spirit tells you ſo: but we can upon better grounds make a tuſh at your Spirit, and curſe you by the authority of the Spirit, for adding to his Word, Deut. 12.32. Rev. 22.18.

4. Before you brag of your Apoſtleſhip and Revelations, ſhew your ſelves to be, I will not ſay Chriſtians, but Men, rational men, which as yet you have not done.

5. As after thoſe Prophets under the Old Teſtament whom God raiſed up, no man dared to aſſume to himſelfe that Name and Office (I know there were thoſe who were called Prophets in the N. Teſt. but they differed from the Old) or dared to be a Pen-man: ſo after the Apoſtles whom Chriſt himſelfe choſe, fitted, and authorized to be his Pen-men in the New Teſtament, let none dare to be ſo deviliſh to aſſume that Office, or Name unto themſelves.

6. The Teſtatour is dead, who then ſhall make any other Teſtament? or what need is there of any other, than what himſelf hath made?

For the infallible Spirit the Quakers ſo much prate of, abuſing the Miniſters becauſe they doe not boaſt of it, (and Maſon in particular, pag: 15. abuſeth Mr. Scortrith, and bid his people take heed of him) I ſhall ſpeak a few words. Maſon adds this, Take this along with you too,

The Spirit of Truth is the infallible Spirit.

But George Scortrith confeſſes he hath not the Infallible:

Therefore George Scortrith preaches from the Spirit of Errour.

What now? what doe Quakers make Syllogiſmes? then we look to our ſelves; but Maſon the next time you make a Syllogiſme, deſire your Maſter to learn you ſo much skill to make a true one, for the Prieſts doe laugh to reade ſuch a falſe one. You might have indeed diſpoſed the predicate of your queſtion in the Major propoſition, with ſome words altered, but now it is no where diſpoſed. But to the buſineſſe:

1. If the Quakers would have us affirme that all Miniſters muſt have the Spirit in that manner as the Prophets, 1 Pet. 1. v. 11. and Apoſtles, v. 12. So 2 Pet. 1. ult. then we profeſſedly ſay, we have it not. If the Quakers ſay they have it ſo, then I p. 53ſay, the Spirit in the Prophets and Apostles was not the infallible Spirit, for the Quakers ſpirit is croſſe to that.

2. I affirm that Miniſters (I mean not every particular man who calls himſelf a Miniſter) have that Spirit which is Infallible, to ſome a Spirit of gifts and grace, to ſome onelyonly gifts. We pray to the Lord for it, and that we may be guided by it.

3. True Miniſters doe by that Spirit from his word, teach to their people the infallible truths of Chriſt, they build them upon ſuch foundations for doctrine and practiſe, that not one who follow their preaching ſhall ever miſcarry, but ſhall honour God here, and be infallibly ſaved hereafter.

4. Thoſe who have forſaken this Miniſterie, the Spirit of God hath left them, and let them fall into corrupt errors, and ſome damnable hereſies, with practiſes grievous, and offenſive to the Spirit.

But yet to ſay that this Spirit which (with reverent humility) we dare ſay we have, doth, or is bound to teach us every one in every Iota of truth, ſo that not in any particular whatever we may miſtake, this we doe not affirm, no more than he doth, or is bound to expell every relique of corruption out of our hearts: we know but in part. Peter might boaſt of this Spirit more than Maſon, but whence then doth he walke ſo, Gal. 2.11.14. as to deſerve a reproof.

Nay goe to others who were guided extraordinarily: Iſaac by a prophetical Spirit, and infallible, bleſſed Iacob, but he miſtook in the perſon whom he bleſſed, he thought it had been Eſau: the infallible Spirit did not guide him there to know Jacob, but he erred as to his owne purpoſe. Samuel went to anoint David by an infallible Spirit, but he miſtook in Eliab. So Nathan a Prophet, but he miſtook in his counſell to David about the Temple building. Then why the Spirit ſhould ſo teach every Miniſter that in no point whatever he ſhould miſtake (ſo long as in nothing that concern the ſalvation of his people) I know not.

Much more might be gathered out of their Books, whereby it may appear by what ſpirit theſe Quakers are led, truely by Satan, ſcarce transformed into an Angel of Light.

And now to you who are my people, and have choſen me to p. 54be your Officer, having thus opened the wickedneſſe of this Sect, I exhort you to beware of them: for you who have underſtanding ſo as you are able to oppoſe them, I doe not fear your going to hear them, or conferring with them, they are ſcarce men in reaſon: for you who are of the weaker ſort, I exhort you again, come not neer them ſo much as to hear them, (ſince warning is given what they are) but if you will doe it, know aſſuredly, the Church will proceed againſt you for ſo doing, as for any other ſinne.

FINIS.