A serious call to the Quakers inviting them to return to Christianity

A Serious CALL to the QUAKERS Invit∣ing them to Return to CHRISTIANITY.

THIS Sheet of Paper doth set before you some of the many vile and mon∣strous Doctrines, Principles, and Un∣charitable Sayings of the Chiefest and most Noted of your Teachers: Faithfully Col∣lected out of their own Books, the Titles and Pages whereof are set down in the Margin, and most of them are attested by Eight Ministers of the Church of England, of known Integri∣ty and Judgment; whose Names hereafter fol∣low. You are earnestly Requested as you Re∣gard your Eternal Salvation, to Consider them, and with Prayer to Almighty God to enable you by his good Spirit to compare them with the Holy Scriptures, by which you may clearly see that your Teachers have led you quite off from the Principles of Christianity, without the Faith of which ye have no ground to ex∣pect Salvation. It is hoped that if you will duly and well Consider these things you will not only Renounce your Teachers Errors, but gladly embrace the Doctrine and Religion of Christia∣nity, to which you are hereby sincerely Ex∣horted.

Concerning their pretended Infallibility and discerning of Spirit and Equallity with God.

OUR giving forth Papers, or Printed Books is from the immediate Eternal Spirit of * 1.1 God to the shewing forth the filthy Practices of the Worlds Teachers, &c.

And thou and you, all that Speak and Write, * 1.2 and not from God Immediatly, and Infallibly as the Apostles did, and Prophets, and Christ, but only have gotten the Words, you are all under the Curse in another Spirit ravened from the Spirit that was in the Apostles.

Do not you George Whitehead Blasphem∣ously take to your self an Attribute of God, * 1.3 while you pretend ordinarily to know the Hearts of Men. And tell Mr. Townsend, (Mi∣nister of Norwich) in the second Page of your Ishmael, that the Light of God is departed from his Conscience.

George Whitehead Answers, I take no At∣tribute of God to my self, but what God hath given me, by whose Gift I witness that pro∣mise fulfilled in me; ye shall discern between the Righteous and the Wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not, Mal. 3. 28. Observe, This in Mal. ••3. 28. or any other place of Scripture proves not, that any Man shall have one of God's Attributes given them to know Mens Hearts.

The Quakers can discern who are Saints and who are Devils, and who are Apostates * 1.4 without Speaking ever a Word.

They that have the Spirit of God, (which all the Quakers say they have,) are equal with * 1.5 God. He that is joyn'd to the Lord, is one Spirit; there is Unity, and the Unity stands in Equality it self.

Concerning the Scriptures,

GEorge Fox says, The Scriptures are not In∣fallible nor Divine, but Humane. * 1.6

No Command in Scripture is any farther * 1.7 Obliging upon any Man, than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience, otherwise Men should be engaged without, if not against Conviction, a thing unreasonable in a Man. (Note, According to this, there can be no Sins of Ignorance.

He that saith the Letter is the Rule and Guide of the People of God is without, feed∣ing * 1.8 upon the Husk, and is ignorant of the true Light.

The Question being put, whether the Qua∣kers did esteem their Speaking to be of as great * 1.9 Authority as any Chapter in the Bible.

George Whitehead Answers, That which is Spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any, is of as great Authority as the Scripture and Chap∣ters are, and greater.

How can, or dare any say, without the highest Blasphemy, that the Scripture is the * 1.10 Word of God.

If ever you own the Prophets, Christ, or the Apostles, you will own our Writings, which * 1.11 are given fotrh by the same Spirit and Power.

You are in the Witchcraft, who observe Commands from without from the Letter.

So Dust is the Serpents Meat, their Origi∣nal is but Dust, which is but the Letter, which * 1.12 is Death; so these Serpents feed upon Dust, which feed upon all these carnal things, and their Gospel is Dust, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which is the Letter: The Cursed Serpent is in the Letter, R. Huberthorn's Words, Truth's Defence, p. 102.

Concerning the Trinity.

THE Three Persons which thou dreams of, which thou would divide out of one, like * 1.13 a Conjurer, are all denied, and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and Pit, for thou hast no Scripture that men∣tions any such things.

Since the Father is God, the Son is God, * 1.14 and the Spirit is God, (which their Opinon necessitates them to confess) then unless the Father, Son, and Spirit are Three distinct noth∣ings, they must be Three distinct Substances, and consequently, Three distinct Gods.

That frequent, but impertinent distinction, that God is One Substance, but Three in Per∣sons,

or Subsistances.—A most absurd Blasphemy.—They the Trinitarians must necessarily conclude their Kind of Trinity a Fiction.

It's requisite I should inform the Reader con∣cerning its Original: Thou may'st assure thy self it's not from the Scripture, nor Reason, since so expresly repugnant.—It was con∣ceived in Ignorance, brought forth and main∣tained by Cruelty.

The Scriptures do not tell People of a Tri∣nity, * 1.15 nor Three Persons, but the Common-prayer∣mass-book speaks of Three Persons, brought in by the Father the Pope.

Concerning Christ and his Blood, &c.

THat the outward Person that suffered was * 1.16 properly the Son of God, we utterly deny Your imagined God beyond the Stars, and your carnal Christ, is utterly denied.—To say Christ is God and Man in one Person, is a Lye.

The Devil was in thee, thou sayest, thou art saved by Christ without thee, and so hast * 1.17 recorded they self a Reprobate.

The Light which every Man hath that com∣eth * 1.18 into the world is sufficient to Salvation, without the help of any other Means or Dis∣covery.

The Light within (all Men) is sufficient * 1.19 for Salvation without any thing else.

And this Light in thee, wherewith thou art * 1.20 Enlightened is the Life of Jesus, John 1. 4. Which he hath given a Ransom for Man, that was not Natural, as some foolishly Imagine; for if it were Natural, it could not be a Ran∣som for Man out of Sin.

The Apostle Preached Christ the Word nigh in the Heart, and in the Mouth, and the in∣grafted * 1.21 Word which is able to Save the Soul. So he did not Preach a visible Christ with Flesh and Bones, as you do,—And Paul Preach∣ed God that made the World that was not far from every one of us, the invisible God; but you Preach a visible Man with Flesh and Bones, at a great distance from all People above where the Sun, Moon, and Stars are.

G. W. says, the Righteousness which God * 1.22 effects in us is not Finite, but Infinite.

Faith in the History of Christ's outward Manifestation, a deadly Poison these latter Ages * 1.23 has been infected with, to the Destruction of Godly Living.

Christ's coming in the Flesh was but a Fi∣gure. * 1.24—Faith in Christ without Men is con∣trary to the Apostles Doctrine.

This we deny, viz. Justification by the * 1.25 Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us (wholly without us) and boldly affirm in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils. and an Arm of the Sea of Curruption, which dos now deluge the whole World. Observ. The Words (wholly without us) relate to the meritorious Cause of Men's Justification before God; for which God doth justifie them which is the Righteousness of Christ's Person, by his most holy and perfect Obedience unto Death, and shedding of his most precious Blood, and that was wholly without us, and that was the true state of the Question betwixt W. Penn and his Opponent, and is here deny'd by W. Penn.

Death came by actual Sin, not imputative; therefore Justification unto Life came by actu∣al * 1.26 Righteousness, not imputative.

Christ (in us) offereth up himself a living * 1.27 Sacrifice to God for us, by which the Wrath of God is appeased to us. Vindicated by G. W.

The Blood of Christ was no more than the * 1.28 Blood of another Saint.

It is confessed that God by his own Blood * 1.29 purchased to himself a Church, Acts 20. 28. Now the Blood of God, or that Blood that re∣lates to God, must needs be Spiritual, he be∣ing a Spirit, and the Covenant of God, is in∣ward and Spiritual, and so is the Blood of it.

The Suffering of the People of God (that is Quakers) in this Age, is greater Suffering, * 1.30 and more unjust, than in the Days of Christ, or of the Apostles, or in any time since. What was done to Christ or to the Apostles, was ••hiefly done by a Law, and in great part by the due Execution of the Law, &c.

Concerning Baptism and the Supper.

I affirm, by that one Scripture [Heb. 9. 10.] * 1.31 Circumcision is as much in force, as Water∣baptism, and the Paschal Lamb, as Bread and Wine, they were both Shadows, and both elementary and perishable. And we can testi∣fie from the same Spirit, by which Paul re∣nounced Circumcision, that they are to be re∣jected, as not now required.

To say that sprinkling Infants with Water * 1.32 is Baptisme into the Faith of Christ, is the Doctrine of Devils.

Your Baptism and Sacraments as you call * 1.33 it, and all your Ordinances, and Churches, and Teaching, it's Cain's Sacrifice. Their Sa∣crament, as they call it, is Carnal, Their Com∣munion Bread and Wine is the Table of Devils, and Cup of Devils. The Book out of which this passage is taken, is intituled, News out of the North, Written from the Mouth of the Lord, from one who is naked, and stands naked before the Lord cloathed with Righteousness, whose Name is not known in the World, risen up out of the North, which was Prophesied of, but now is fulfilled, called, George Fox.

Concerning the Resurrection.

I do utterly deny that this Text, 1 Cor. 15. * 1.34 44. It is sown a natural Body, it's raised a spiritual Body, &c. is concerned in the Resur∣rection of Man's carnal Body at all. But the two States of Men under the first and second Adam, Men are sown into the World natural, so are they Sons of the first Adam: But they are raised spiritual through him who is the Resurrection and the Life, and so are they Sons of the second Adam. Who came to raise up the Sons of the first Adam from their dead to his living; their natural to his Spiritual Est∣ate. But perhaps it will be objected that the 47th. Verse, The first Man is of the Earth Earthly; and part of the 49th. Verse, We shall all bear the Image of the Heavenly, seem to imploy a bodily Resurrection, but let the whole Verse be considered, and we shall find no such things, &c.

The Apostle (1 Cor. 15. 14.) does not say, * 1.35 The natural is made a Spiritual Body, or the natural Body and the spiritual Body is one and the same Body; but he sets them in opo∣sition, as two distinct Bodies. The Body that is put in the Grave is a natural Body; but the Body that's raised is a spiritual Body. And that none might think this spiritual Body was the same, he adds, There is a natural Body, and there is a spiritual Body.

If a thing can be the same, and notwith∣standing * 1.36 changed, for shame let us never make so much stir against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, for the Absurdity of it is rather outdone than equalled by this carnal Resurrection.

His Envy hath reached to Heaven, to prove, * 1.37 That the Saints in Heaven are not Perfect, but wait for the Redemption of their Bodies; which now, if People mind the Scripture, there is no such Doctrine in it, as the Saints in Heaven have not receiv'd the Redemption of their Bodies.

If the Compleat Happiness of the Soul rest in a Re-Union to a carnal Body, for such it is * 1.38 Sown, then never cry out upon the Turks Al∣coran; for such a Heaven, and the Joys of it, suit admirably well with such a Resurrection.

Concerning Christ's coming to Judgment.

WHat is that Glory of the Father in which Christ's coming is? Is it visible to the * 1.39 carnal Eye? And where is that coming to be? Is it now to be looked for outwardly?

We acknowledge the several coming of Christ according to the Scriptures, both that in the Flesh and that in Spirit. But three comings of Christ, not only that in the Flesh at Jerusalem, and that in the Spirit, but also another coming in the Flesh yet to be expected, we do not Read of.

Dost thou look for Christ as he was the * 1.40 Son of Mary to appear outwardly, in a bodi∣ly Existence, to save thee? If thou dost, thou may'st look till thy Eyes drop out, before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him.

And as for that, 1 Thess. 4. 15. concerning the coming of our Lord from Heaven which * 1.41 Men blindly put afar off; the Saints who then were alive remained unto it.—So their Conversation, was in Heaven (viz. a Hea∣ven within them) they did not say their Con∣versation was at a distance, above the Clouds, from whence you look for a Christ.

Concerning Heaven and Hell.

THere is none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them. * 1.42

To deny the Locality of Heaven and Hell not very offensive, and it looks too Carnal and indeed Mahometan (viz. to assert it.)

Concerning doing Servile Work on the Lord's Day, and of the Moral Law.

DId that Quaker Sin therein or not, who lately brought on the Lord's-day, an old * 1.43 Doublet into Dr. Gells's Church in London, and sat upon the Communion Table mend∣ing it while the Dr. was Preaching? G. W. Ans. What wilt thou still continue a Papist, that thou countest it such a crime to work up∣on the Communion Table, as if it were a more holy place than another? Where dost thou read in Scripture that Men must do no work on the first day of the Week. Obs. But to save them on all sides the Quakers Infalli∣ble Spirit can go both ways, for and against the observation of the Lord's Day: And both as directed by the same Spirit. Thus G. Fox Determines in an Epistle to all Christian Ma∣gistrates and Powers in Christendom, p. 12. So all Friends of the Lord God that be mov∣ed to set open your Shops or do any work on the First-day which the false Christians call their Sabbath.—Do not ye Judge all that do not (open Shops) as ye do that be not mov∣ed to the service as ye are to do that day. And all that doth not do that service (viz. open shop) on that day as ye do as are not moved by the Power of the Lord God, do not Judg them that doth such a service on that day. Obs. Here he makes them the false Christians who call the First-day of the Week their day of Sabbath or Rest.

Is the Moral Law, or Ten Commandments * 1.44 a Rule to a Christian's Life or is it not? G. W. Ans. Thou Might as well ask if the Mo∣ral Law as thou callest it be a Rule to Christ? For the Christian's Life and Rule is Christ, who is the end of the Law for Righteousness who came not to destroy but to fulfil it.

Concerning the Church of England's Mi∣nistry.

THere is a Cup prepared for you, being mix∣ed * 1.45 with Plagues, Woes, Miseries, Sorrows, Torments, and Eternal Burnings, which you shall not pass, for you are found from the Lord God worthy, and a treble Portion is to be given unto you.—You are, viz. Anti∣christs, Deceivers, Sorcerers, and Ravening Wolves.—Flames, Flames. Flames of Fire, is prepared by the Lord to consume you as dry Stubble. In the Light of the Eternal God, I have beheld you, and all your Actions.—If I should parallel you with Salvage Beasts, I could not truly do it, I think, be they never so fierce—but Men of Prey, such as you are, is quite out of kind, and not to be paral∣lell'd by any thing that draweth Breath.

—Oh! Full of all Subtilty, Children generated of the Seed of Deceit, brought forth out of the Womb of Wickedness, and nourished up at the Breasts of Withchraft, and rocked in the Cradle of Idleness.—Oh! What shall I say concerning you? God's everlasting decree is Sealed against you, Burnings, burn∣ings, burnings, with unquenchable fire, is your Portion from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth.

Concerning the Dissenting Ministry.

AN Ill-bred Pedantick Crew, the Bane of Religion, and Pest of the World, the old * 1.46 Incendiaries to Mischief, and the best to be spared of Mankind: Against whom the boil∣ing Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be pour'd out.

And we have nothing for them but Woes and Plagues, who have made Drunk the Na∣tions, * 1.47 and laid to Sleep on Downy Beds of soft Sin-pleasing Principles, while they have Cut their Purses, and Pick'd their Pockets. Tophets prepared for them to Act their Eter∣nal Tragedy upon, whose Scenes will be re∣newed, direful anguishing Woes, of an Eter∣nal Irreconcileable Justice.

The Quakers are the ONLY Ministers of Christ. G. Fox. Great Mist. p. 267.

The Quakers are in the Truth, and NONE but they. Quakers Chall. p. 3.

Now tho' G. Whitehead and other of your Teachers have Published some late Creeds seem∣ingly Orthodox and repugnant to the errors above Quoted (in divers particulars.) Yet con∣sidering what he hath said in his Counterfeit Convert, p. 72. Printed 1694. I may see cause otherwise to word the matter and yet our in∣tention be the same, and that Joseph Wyeth

in his Primitive Christianity, p. 6. Printed 1698. hath said in behalf of the Quakers, our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People. It is left to your serious Consideration whether the Quota∣tions here given, are consistent with those New Creeds, and whether Joseph Wyeth's so saying, is not a full confirmation that your Teachers are not in the least changed from their former vile and monstrous Principles.

Note- As above said, most of these Quota∣tions (none of which are Retracted by the Quakers) are Attested with near 200. more of the same Nature in G. K's Third and Fourth Naratives. By Eight Ministers of the Church of England, viz.

• Dr. Isham, Rector of St. Botolph Bishops-gate.
• Dr. Wincop, Rector of St. Mary Abb-Church,
• Dr. Bedford, Rector of St. George Botolph-lane.
• Mr. Altham, M. A. Rect. of St. Andrew Undershaft.
• Mr. Bradford, M. A. Rector of St. Mary le Bow.
• Mr. Whitfield, M. A. Rect. of St. Martins Ludgate.
• Mr. Butler, M. A. Rect. of St. Mary Aldermanbury.
• Mr. Adams, M. A. Rect. of S. Alban Woodstreet.

Note, That the Quotations above given, do exactly agree with the Books out of which they are taken as cited in the Margin. I George Keith do affirm and offer to prove before any impartial Auditory to the Quakers Faces, if they will dare to deny them, and if they will dare to own them, I offer to prove them mon∣strous, Heretical and Antichristian, and so far as they reflect on the Persons of their op∣posers most uncharitable.

Notes

• * 1.1

  G. Fox and Rich. Hubberthorn, truths Defence, p. 2.
• * 1.2

  G. F. Great Myste∣ry, p. 98.
• * 1.3

  G. W. Truth De∣fend, p. 24.
• * 1.4

  G. F. Great Miste∣ry. p. 89.
• * 1.5

  G. F. Saul's Er∣rand, p. 8. Francis Howgill's Works, p. 232.
• * 1.6

  Great Mist. p. 302.
• * 1.7

  W. Penn in his Quak. a new Nick∣name for old Christi∣anity, p. 71.
• * 1.8

  J. Parnel. Shield of Truth, p. 11.
• * 1.9

  G. W. and W. P. Serious Apology, p. 49.
• * 1.10

  G. Bishop, Mene Tekel, p. 22.
• * 1.11

  G. Fox Answer to the Westmorland Petition, p. 30. E. B's. Works, p. 105.
• * 1.12

  G. F. News out of the North, p. 14. and in Several Pa∣pers, given forth by the Quakers, p. 45. and 46.
• * 1.13

  G. Whitehead, &c. in Ishmael, and his Mother cast out. In Answer to Mr. Townsend, p. 10.
• * 1.14

  W. Penn his San∣dy Foundation, p. 12, 13, and 15.
• * 1.15

  G. F. Great Mist. p. 246.
• * 1.16

  W. Penn Serious Apol. p. 146. C. A. Sword of the Lord Drawn, p. 5.
• * 1.17

  G. F. Great Mist. p. 250.
• * 1.18

  G. F. Great Mist. p. 47.
• * 1.19

  G. W. Antidote, p. 28.
• * 1.20

  Stephen Crisp's Col∣lection, p. 160.
• * 1.21

  Will. Bayley's Works p. 600.
• * 1.22

  Voice of Wisdom, p. 36.
• * 1.23

  W. P. Quak. New Nick-name, p. 6.
• * 1.24

  G. W. Truth De∣fending the Quakers, p. 22. 65.
• * 1.25

  W. P. Serious Apol. p. 148.
• * 1.26

  W. P. Id. 148.
• * 1.27

  Light and Life, p. 44.
• * 1.28

  S. Eccle's Letter to R. Porter.
• * 1.29

  G. W's. Light and Life. p. 56.
• * 1.30

  E. B's. Works, p. 273.
• * 1.31

  W. P. Reason against Railings, p. 108. 109.
• * 1.32

  E. B's. Works, p. 109 191.
• * 1.33

  G. F's. News out of the North, p. 14.
• * 1.34

  W. Penn in his In∣validty of J. Fal∣do's Vindication, p. 369. 370.
• * 1.35

  T. Ellwood in his Answer to G. K's 1st. Narrative, p. 149.
• * 1.36

  W. Penn's Reason against Rail. p. 134.
• * 1.37

  Richard Hubber∣thorn's. Collection, p. 119.
• * 1.38

  W. Penn's Reasons against Rail. p. 138.
• * 1.39

  G. W. Light and Life, p. 41.
• * 1.40

  Id. Nature of Christ∣ianity. p. 29.
• * 1.41

  Id. Brief Discovery of the dangerous Prin∣ciples of J. Horn, p. 9.
• * 1.42

  G. F. Great Miste∣ry, p. 214. W. Penn Rejoyn. p. 179.
• * 1.43

  Truth Defending Qua. p. 20.
• * 1.44

  P. 18.
• * 1.45

  Taken out of W. Mather's Appendix, which he Collected out of a Noted Qua∣ker's Book, Intitu∣led, A Strict Ac∣count of Babylon's Merchants, &c. by R. Crane. Printed for Tho. Symmonds at the Bull and Mouth, 1660.
• * 1.46

  W. P. Quak. a new Nick-name, &c. p. 165.
• * 1.47

  W. P. Serious A∣pologue, p. 106.