IN my Discourse of Baptism, I promis'd something upon this Subject, in hopes that the Quakers, seeing the Original of their Errors, may bethink themselves, and Return from whence they have Fallen.

And particularly, as to Baptism, that I might confirm my Expositions of the H. Scriptures, with the Concurrent Testimo­ny of the H. Fathers, who were Co-temporarys with the Apostles, and learn'd the Faith from their mouths; and those who imme­diately followed them, to 150 Years after Christ. Though we have very little Remaining of the Writings of the Fathers in that early Age. Yet I would descend no lower (where I might have had Clouds of Witnesses) to avoid a Groundless Cavil, which the Quakers have learn'd from our Elder Dissenters, to Run down the Primitive Church, by whole-sale, because it was so Full of Bishops, and, in all the Pretences of their Schism, went so Di­rectly contrary to them. But the Fathers of the First Age, that next to the Apostles, and of which the Apostles were a Part, tho' as much Bishops, and as much against them as those following, yet for Decency sake, they Pretend to Reverence, lest in allowing them off, they should seem to throw off the Apostles with them, from whom they could not be parted.

And because, even in this first Un-controverted Age, we have Proofs sufficient, I would avoid Needless Disputes, and Argue from Topicks that are allowed on all hands.

The Greatest Part of the following Discourse was wrote at the time with the Discourse of Baptism, and Intended to have been Annex'd to it, but being Prevented at that time, it has since been neglected. Till I was stirr'd up afresh by a Book lately Publish­ed (though said to be Printed in 1696.) Intituled, [Primitive Christianity Reviv'd in the Faith and Practice of the People called Quakers.] This came Directly to my Subject, therefore I [Page 2] have Examin'd it thorowly, and leave the Reader to Judge, whe­ther the Primitive Christianity or Heresie does belong most to them: At least, whether it did, before the late Representations of Quakerism, which have given it quite another Turn and Face than it ever had before. Such a Turn, as has left nothing on their side, whereby to justifie their Schism. And therefore we hope that their Conversion is nigh; or if already Converted, their Full Re­conciliation to the Church. That the Present Quakers, chiefly the Valuable Mr. Penn, may have the Honour, and the Happiness to Heal up that Breach, which now for 48 Years has so Miserably Torn and Divided this once most Christian and Renowned Church of England.

In this following Discourse, I will not take up the Reader's time to Prove the several Positions which I name upon the Qua­kers; only Briefly Recite them, and Refer to the Places in The Snake in the Grass, and Satan Dis-Rob'd, where they are prov'd at large. And to Repeat them Here, would swell this to an un­reasonable Bulk. And this being intended in the Nature of a Supplement to these, it would be Needless. The proper Business of this, is, to Compare the Quaker-Heresies with those of the first 150 Years of Christianity.

Where I Quote The Snake, the Reader is desired to take notice, that it is the Second Edition.

And now to our Task. The Seven Particulars wherein the Quakers have, if not copy'd after, at least Jump'd with the Con­demn'd Hereticks before mention'd.

I. The First is, as to their Denyal of the Incarnation of Christ. They confess that Christ or The Word took Flesh; that is, That He Assum'd or Dwelt in an Human Body, i. e. the Body of that Man Jesus; who was therefore called Christ, because that Christ or the Word Dwelt in Him. And for the same Reason, they take the Name of Christ to themselves; and say that it belongs to e­very one of the Members as well as unto the Head, i. e. as well as to that Man Jesus, who was Principally and Chiefly called The Christ, because that Christ Dwelt in Him, or did Inspire Him in a Greater Measure than other Men. But they Ʋtterly Deny that the Man Jesus was Properly the Son of God. In a large Sense, every Christian may be call'd a Son of God; and so, and no o­therwise, they allow Jesus to be the Son of God. But that He [Page 3] was Properly the Son of God, we utterly Deny,— says their serious Apology, p. 146. which was Printed 1671. See this Proved at large in The Snake in the Grass, Sect. x.

Now I Proceed to shew, That this Heresie was Broach'd and Condemn'd in the Days of the Apostles. This is it which St. John Reprehends, 1 Joh. iv. 3. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Je­sus Christ is come in the Flesh, &c. or as Socrates (Hist. Eccl. l. 7. c. 32.) tells us it was wrote in the Ancient Copys, Every Spirit which separateth Jesus from God, is not of God. And he observes that this Text, and other Parts of this Epistle were alter'd by those who would separate the Divinity of Christ from His Huma­nity. Tho' as it now stands in our Copys, it means the same thing; for he that denys Christ to have been made Flesh, only says that he took it upon Him for a Cloak or a Veil, as Angels assume Bodys when they appear in them: He denys Christ's coming in the Flesh, so as to become Truly and Really a Man; he takes away the Humanity of Christ, and so separates Jesus from God: Which, in the sense of this Text, is to Deny His coming in the flesh. St. Po­lycarp, in his Epist. to the Philippians, n. 7. Disputes against these Anti-Christs, in the words of his Master St. John, whose Disciple he was, [...] (says he) [...]. i. e. Whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, is an Anti-Christ.

II. The Second point is the Quakers Denyal of the Truth and Reality of the Death and Sufferings of Christ. This is Consequen­tial to the former Heresie; for if Christ took not the Body of Je­sus into his own Person, but only dwelt in the Body of another Man, as he dwells in his Saints; if Christ and Jesus are two Per­sons; if the Body of Jesus was only a Veil or Garment for Christ to shrowd himself in, as the Quakers speak; then, tho' Jesus suffer'd, yet Christ could not; and the Sufferings of Christ were but in Ap­pearance and shew, as if a Man's Cloak or Garment only were Cruci­fy'd.

What are then those Sufferings of Christ which the Quakers do own as Meritorious in the sight of God, for the Atonement of our sins? Why, an ALLEGORICAL Suffering, Death, and shedding of the Blood of their Light within; which they call Christ; of which Jesus, or the outward Christ, they say was but a Type; and that his Sufferings were only an Historical Transaction of the [Page 4] Greater Mysterie of the Sufferings and Atonement perform'd by their Light within, as I have fully shewn in The Snake in the Grass, Sect. x. p. 127. and Satan Dis-Rob'd, Sect. xii. p. 11.

But now I am to shew, That the Devil had Broached these Here­sies, against the Truth of the Incarnation of Christ, and consequent­ly against the Reality of his Death and Sufferings, within the first 150 Years after Christ: and that they were then Condemned by the Holy Fathers of the Church.

Ignatius that Glorious Martyr of Christ, Bishop of Antioch, who flourish'd about the Year 70 after the Birth of Christ, and was Disciple to St. John the Evangelist, writes thus in his Epistle to the Magnesians, instructing their Faith, in what sort of Sufferings of Christ we were to Believe and Trust, not these Inward in our hearts, but to distinguish most effectually from these, those that He suffered under Pontius Pilate.

What Christ was this? the Outward Man Jesus, or the Light within? That Jesus,

And in the beginning of his Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, af­ter having Describ'd that Christ who is the Object of our Faith, in the fullest manner, to obviate the Deceit of apply­ing it to an Inward Christ, by calling Him the Son of Da­vid, Born of the Virgin, and Baptized of John, truly Cruci­fied under Pontius Pilate, and Herod the Tetrarch; none of which can be apply'd to The Light within. He adds that we can only be saved by the Faith in this OUTWARD Je­sus. ‘By the Fruits of whose Divinely Blessed Passion, we are Saved—For he suffer'd all these things for us, that we might be saved.’ ‘ [...]— [...].’

And to Obviate the two Heretical Pretences, of making the Meritorious Suffering of Christ, to be His Suffering within us. And that His outward Sufferings, were not Real, but, in ap­pearance only, as not being Really a Man, but only Residing in that Man Jesus, as in a Veil or Garment. Ignatius adds in the next words. ‘And he truly suffered, and truly Raised himself; not, as some Ʋnbelie­vers say, that he only appeared to suffer, they but appearing to Exist. And as they Believe, so shall it be unto them, when they come to be out of the Body, and in the state of Spirits;’ ‘ [...].’ that is, they shall justly Forfeit the True and Real [Page 6] Benefits Purchased for True Believers, by the death of Christ; since they will have it to be only in Appearance or False shew; and take the Merit from the Outward death of Christ, which he suffer'd upon the Cross, and place it in a Fancy'd Suffering of the Light within them.

And as He asserts the Faith in Christ's outward Death, so does he, in His Resurrection; not the Inward Rising of Christ in our hearts, but in His Outward Resurrection, that which was proved by their Handling of Him, and Feeling of His Flesh, and His Eating and Drinking with them, after His Resurrection.

But, in the next Paragraph, he has a Prophetick Exhortation, which looks terribly upon the Quakers, among others. He tells the Smyrnaeans, that he gives them these Admonitions, not that he thinks them Guilty of these Heresies.

And vain and Death must those Inquiries be, which, leaving the Gifts of God, the Sacraments of his own Institution, and to which [Page 7] His Promises are Annex'd, seek for Salvation in ways and means of their own Devising.

But it was unavoidable, that they who had left the Bo­dy of Christ, as a forsaken veil or garment, to Rot for ever in the Grave; or are careless what is come of it, as a thing now of no Vertue or Consequence to us, should Reject the Sacrament of it, which is a continual Exhibition of its vertues and efficacy to us: Or that they who hope for no Resurrection of their Bodies out of the Dust, should continue the use of those Sacraments which were ordained as signs and pledges of it.

But, if it please God that they ever Return to the Faith, it is to be hoped that they will then Re-assume these Guards, and Confir­mations; which are the outward vehicles, and assurance of it.

III. The Third point is their Denyal of the Resurrection and Future Judgment. For the Proof of this upon the Qua­kers, I Refer to The Snake in the Grass, Sect. xii. p. 152. and to Satan Dis-Rob'd, Sect. iii. and iv. beginning at p. 26. and p. 21. of the Gleanings.

Now we find full Proof, that this Heresie was Broached in in the Days of the Apostles; and by them Condemn'd, as is plain from 1 Cor. xv. 12. &c. and 2 Tim. 2.18. in which last Text, the very Quaker-salvo is expresly set down, by which they have Betray'd themselves into this Fatal Heresie, viz. Saying that the Resurrection is Past already, that is, Perform [...]d Inwardly, to those who follow the Light, (see Satan Dis-Rob'd, p. 21. of the Gleanings) and Mr. Penn understands that Full and Elegant Description of the Resurrection, 1 Cor. xv. all of this Inward and Allegorical Resurrection; for in his Book; Intituled, The Invalidity of John Faldo 's Vindication, &c. Prin­ted 1673. repeating ver. 44. of this Chapt. viz. It is sown a Natural Body, it is Raised a Spiritual Body, he says p. 369. I do utterly deny, that this Text is concern'd in the Resurrecti­on of Man's carnal Body, at all. And p. 370. I say this doth not concern the Resurrection of carnal Bodys, but the two states of Men under the first and second Adam. And though as he objects, the 47 and 49 verses seem to imply a Bodily Resur­rection, But (says he) let the whole verse be considered, and we shall find no such thing.

To the Arguments of the Apostles against this Heresie, let me add some Testimonys of others their Co-temporary Fathers, [Page 8] or rather explain the Texts of the Apostles by their Comments, who learned this Article of the Faith from their mouths. The Texts above Quoted were wrote by St. Paul, who ( Phil. iv. 3.) menti­ons Clement as his Fellow Labourer, and whose Name is in the book of Life: And he was as likely to know St. Paul's meaning, as Mr. Penn, whom I desire to read his 2d. Epist. to the Corinthians, where, N. ix. he will find these words.

St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr, who flourished about the Year of Christ, 70. and was Disciple to St. John the Evangelist, in his Epistle to the Philippians, n. 7. says that ‘Whoever does not con­fess the Martyrdom or suffering of Christ upon the Cross, is of the Devil: And he that will wrest the Oracles of Christ to his own Lusts, and say that there is no Resurrection nor Judgment to come, he is the First-Born of Sa­tan.’ ‘ [...].’

And Hegesippus, who lived near to the Days of the Apo­stles, in his Fifth Book; as Quoted by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 23.) speaking of these Ancient Hereticks, says, that ‘they did not believe either the Re­surrection, or the coming of Christ to render to every one ac­cording to his Works.’ ‘ [...].’

[Page 9]IV. The Fourth Point, is their abstaining from the Sacra­ments and Prayers of the Church. And for this, I have before quo­ted Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, where he tells of those who Abstai­ned from the Prayers of the Church, and the Lord 's Supper, because they did not believe it to be the Flesh of Christ, which Suffered for our sins, and was Raised up, &c. For how could they who (as the Qua­kers) made no more of the flesh of Christ, than a Garment or a Vail, but no part of his Person, and consequently could never call the Bodily Garment, Christ: And thought their own Flesh and Blood to be the Flesh and Blood of Christ, as well as the Flesh and Blood of that Man Jesus, in whom they say that Christ or the Light dwelt, as in themselves (see Satan Dis-Rob'd, Sect. ii. n. 2. and 3. p. 2. and 3. of the Gleanings) and plac'd the Meritorious Cause of our Redemption, and Justification, not in the Blood of Christ outward­ly shed; but in the Allegorical or Inward Blood of their Light within, Inwardly and Invisibly shed, &c. I say, How could these endure a Sacrament so contrary to their Belief? For the Bread can­not be called the Flesh of their Light within; but it was of His Outward Flesh that Christ spake, when he said, This is my Body, and His Outward Blood was said to be shed for The Remission of Sins.

And the Eucharist was such a visible Representation of this, as could not but shock these Enthusiast Hereticks.

And where the Sacraments are Practised, such mad Enthusiasm cannot take place. And we see, by woful Experience, that where these Guards of the Truth and Importance of Christ's Outward Suf­ferings are taken away, Men fall, from the True Faith, in them.

But the Quakers have not only thrown off the Use and Practise of the Sacraments, and left them as things Indifferent, or Lawful to be Practised by such as may be conscientiously concern'd for them, but Damn them as Carnal, and Doctrines of Devils. G. Fox, in his News out of the North, Printed 1655. p. 14. makes them the like Witch-craft as turn'd the Galatians to Circumcision. And their Sacrament (says he) as they call it, is carnal— And their Com­munion is carnal, a little Bread and Wine — Which is the Table of Devils, and Cup of Devils, which is in the Generation of Serpents in this Great City Sodom and Gomorrah, so dust is the Serpents meat, &c. And p. 39. You say that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, is the Gospel, which is carnal — You say, that sprinkling Infants is the Baptism, which Baptizeth them into the faith, and so into the Church, [Page 10] which is carnal: And you tell People of a Sacrament, bringing them to Eat a little Bread and Wine, and say, that this is a Communion of Saints, which is carnal, and all this feeds the Carnal Mind, &c. And he Blasphemously says in his Title Page, that all this was Written from the mouth of the Lord.

Edward Burrough, p. 190. of his Works, Printed 1672. says, Their Doctrines are of the devil, who —say sprinkling Infants with water — is Baptism into the faith of Christ, this is the doctrine of the devil. And p. 191. These have filled the world with damnable Heresies, as holding forth, That sprinkling Infants with water is Bap­tism into the faith of Christ, &c. These are damnable Heresies, even to the denying the Lord that bought them. And p. 644. That it is not lawful for the Saints of God, to join themselves to your Ordinances.

This Hideous Blasphemy and Outrage against the Divine Institu­tions of our Lord, I hope will appear to be such to the well-dispo­sed among the Quakers, who will be at the pains to Read my Dis­course of Water-Baptism. It seems to have had some Effects al­ready, even with George Whitehead himself. For in his Answer to The Snake (whereto he adds a chapter upon that Discourse of Baptism) he seems to come off that former Rigor of the Quakers, and says, p. 114. That as for those who are More conscientiously ten­der in the observation thereof, we are (says he) the more tender to these so as not to censure or condemn them meerly for Practising that which they believe is their duty, either in breaking of Bread, or Water-baptism.

So that, by this, he yields the Practice of the Sacraments to be at least Lawful, contrary to Burrough, Fox, and the Primitive Quakers; for, if it were not Lawful, I suppose he would not have that Tenderness for the Observation thereof, but would censure and condemn it, as those others have done. I pray God perfect his Con­version, and let him see the Necessity as well as Lawfulness of it. And I would desire him to consider that if it be Lawful, it must be Necessary: For if Christ has not commanded Water-Baptism, it can­not be less than Superstition to Practice that as a Sacrament, and con­sequently as a Means of Grace, which he has not Commanded: Even the Church of Rome does not pretend to a Power to Institute a Sacrament, that can be done by none but God alone: Therefore if Water-Baptism was not Instituted by Christ, it cannot be Law­ful to Practice it: And if he did Institute it, it is not only Lawful, but Necessary, and a Duty. Now, in Aid of George Whitehead, and [Page 11] by way of An Antidote against the venome of G. Fox, Burrough, and other soure Quakers; and to pursue the Design of this present Paper, I will, to the Authoritys of H. Scripture, which I have Produc'd in The Discourse of Baptism, add in this place, as a sure Comment and Explanation of them, the Testimonys of some of those Fathers, whose Works we have Extant within the Compass of Years proposed, that is, 150 Years after Christ, in witness to this Divine Institution of Water-Baptism, and to shew what stress they laid upon it.

St. Ignatius, who was (as before-mentioned) bred under Saint John the Beloved Disciple, makes our Baptism not only the Badge, but the Arms and Defence of our Faith; and the quitting of it to be a Deserting of Christ.

And St. Barnabas, who was St. Paul's Fellow-Traveller, men­tioned so often in the Acts, speaking, in his Catholick Epistle, chapt. xi. concerning Water and the Cross, says, that, ‘It is written concerning Water to the People of Israel, that they should not receive that Baptism which was sufficient to the Pardon of sins.’ ‘ [...].’ Which they did not under the Mosaical Dispensation. But they Instituted a Baptism to themselves, whereby to admit Men as Proselites to the Law: But that was not the Baptism which could take away Sin. No, nor the Baptism of John: That was the Peculiar one of the Christian Baptism.

A little after St. Barnabas says, that God had joyned the Cross (that is, the Faith in CHRIST Crucified) and the Water (that is, Baptism) together, viz. the Inward Faith, and the Outward Pro­fession and Seal of it.

[Page 12]And again, pursuing the same Argument, he Magnifys the great Efficacy and Power of BAPTISM, when duly Received, a few lines after what is above quoted, saying, ‘For we go down into the Water full of sins and filthiness; and come up again bearing fruit in our hearts by the fear and hope which is in Jesus, which we have in the Spirit.’ ‘ [...].’

After the same manner, and in the like words speaks St. Her­mas (whom St. Paul salutes Rom. 16.14.) in that only Remain­ing Work of his, called The Shepherd of St. Hermas, there in the 3d. Book, and 9th. Similitude, he speaks thus: ‘Before a Man receives the Name of the Son of God, he is designed unto death: but when he receives that seal, he is de­livered from death, and given up to life. Now that seal is Water, into which Men go down, lyable to death, but come up a­gain, assigned over unto life.’ ‘Antequam enim accipiat ho­mo nomen Filii Dei, morti destinatus est: at ubi accipit illud sigillum, liberatur a mor­te, & traditur vitae. Illud au­tem sigillum Aqua est, in quam descendunt homines morti o­bligati, ascendunt vero vitae assignati.’

I have taken this out of the Ancient Latin Translation, accor­ding to the Oxford Edit. 1685. For the Greek was, in great part, lost, and came not down to us intire, as this old Latin Version did.

St. Clement, in his 2d. Epist. to the Corinthians, Paragr. 8. calls Baptism by the same name of our Seal, and applys to it that Text, Isa. lxvi. 24. which he renders thus.

V. The Fifth Point is their forbidding to Marry, and Preaching up of fornication. I charge not All the Quakers with this; no, nor the Greatest Number of them. Only those called New-Quakers in America, of whom, and this their Principle and Practice, an Account [Page 13] is given in The Snake in the Grass Sect. vi. n. x. Par. 11. p. 74. and Sect. xii. p. 160. But the Quakers are thus far answerable, That all this Wild Extravagance is a Natural Consequence of their Common Principle and Notion of The Light within, as such an Ab­solute Rule and Judge, that is not to be Controled by Scripture, or any Law or Rule whatsoever: Which leaves every Man in such an Un-limited Latitude, that there is no Restraint to whatever the Wildest Imagination (so it be Strong enough) can suggest: Nor a­ny Cure upon their Foundation) but to bid him follow it still on. Listen to that within you That is all their Advice, and all their Rule.

But besides, I would fain know what Answer the Old Quakers can give to the New ones, upon their Principle; for the New threw off their Wives, because they found it Written, That the children of the Resurrection neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Now, as shewn in The Snake, Sect. xii and before spoke to, the Quakers General Notion is that the Resurrection is Spiritual, and that every Regenerate Man has obtained it already. And some of the Chief and Oldest of them have declared, that they expect no other than what they have obtained already, or at least, shall at­tain before they leave this body. See Satan Dis-Robed p. 21. of the Gleanings.

Now let me ask the Old Quakers: Are they the Children of the Resurrection? They must answer Yea, or go against their own a­vowed Principles. And if Yea, then the Text is plain against their Marrying.

Let me ask again. Are they the Children of this World? They will all say, Nay, for that is the common Epither by which they describe the Wicked; and is a Term that they put in opposition to the Children of the light, which they bestow upon themselves. Now it is written, That the children of this world marry. Therefore, say the New Quakers, Marriage is a Wicked Thing, and consequently of the Devil: And the Old Quakers have not yet answered their Arguments, that I can hear of. And the New Quakers do vouch themselves to be the only True and Genuine Quakers, who fol­low their Principles up to the height. Nor do they want Anti­quity in all this. The Gnostick Quakers, who boasted in their Light beyond all other Men, and called themselves (as the Quakers do) the Purest and most Perfect of Christians; held these same Prin­ciples, and Practised them, in the very days of the Apostles, And [Page 14] they are Reprehended, and our Later Hereticks, who should fol­low their steps, Prophesied of 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3.

VI. The Sixth Point is, Their Contempt of Magistracy and Go­vernment. This is shewn, as to the Quakers, in The Snake, p. 94. and in Sect. xviii. and xix. more largely. George Fox in his Great Mistery, Printed 1659. p. 76. says, The Power of God — strikes down Government of Men and Governours. And p. 90. And so (says he) for the Lord 's sake the Saints cannot be subject to that Power. And he Argues (though very falsly) that, The Jews of old time could not obey the Heathen Magistrates — Nor the Apostles could not bow to the Authority of the Jews — Nor that among the Gentiles, held up by the Magistrates. I say all this is most False; for the Jews did o­bey the Heathen Magistrates; and the Apostles both the Jews and and Gentiles, and that, not only for Wrath, but also for Conscience sake. But it shew'd what Fox meant, viz. That the Saints are not under the Dominion of the Worlds Rulers, whom they think to have no other Authority than that of the Devil. Accordingly Fox says (ibid.) For it was the Beasts Power hath set up your Tythes, Temples, and Colledges. This will include all the Governments up­on the Earth: For there is none but have some of these; hardly any but have them All. And then down go All, if the Quakers prevail.

But to come to our Point. This Wicked Heresie was born into the World in the days of the Apostles, and set up by the then Qua­kers, That the Receiving of Christianity did Exempt Men from the Service of Ʋn-believers, whether Masters or Magistrates. Which occasioned the many Repeated Exhortations in the Epi­stles, especially of the Apostle of the Gentiles, to be subject both to Masters and Magistrates, though Ʋn-believers. And there were those Jews in our Saviours time, who, upon the same account, thought it not Lawful to give Tribute to Coesar, being then an Heathen. They thought that the Jews were not to submit to the Dominion of the Heathen. And Judas of Galilee, mentioned in Act. 5.37. drew away much People after him, upon the same Pretence, of not paying Taxes to the Romans, Joseph. (de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 7.) says, he Taught that no Tribute should be paid to the Romans. But he went further (a thorow Quaker) for he would have had all Magistrates taken away, and God only to be King. I suppose (as the Quakers) he would have been Content that the [Page 15] Government should have come into his own hand, and to some Saints under him, as Deputys from God! Such he made his Gaulo­nites or Galileans who followed him. For the meaning of those who find fault with the Government of others, is commonly to seize up­on it for themselves, (and they seldom mend the matter) tho' their pretence is always to set up the Kingdom of God and His Saints.

Such Gaulonites or Galileans are the Quakers, who, in a Declara­tion to the Present distracted Nation of England, (Printed 1659. Penn'd by Edw. Burrough, and subscrib'd by Fifteen of the Cheif of the Quakers, in the name of all the rest) p. 8. do Proclaim that they have chosen a King, (viz. their own Light within, which they call the Son of God) and that it is His only Right to Rule in Nations, and their Heirship (as being only his Faithful Subjects) to possess the uttermost parts of the Earth: And that He may command thou­sands and ten thousands of (these) his Saints, at this day, to Fight — mark that, to Fight, even with the Carnal Sword, to Regain their Right. But in the Reprinting of Burrough's Works, 1672, it was thought convenient to leave out this Passage (p 603. of his works) tho' it was said to be given forth by the Spirit of God, and in His Name. It is set down more at large in The Snake, p. 209.

The same Ʋniversal Monarchy and Heirship of the Quakers is as­serted by Samuel Fisher, in a Collection that he Printed of several Messages which he said he had, By Commission from God, to deliver to the then Protector and Government, 1656. The last of which bears this Title. The Burden of the Message of the Lord it self, there p. 32. speaking of the Quakers and their King, says, He in them, and they in him shall Rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron, and break them to pieces as a Potters Vessel — And every tongue that riseth up in Judgment against them shall they condemn. And p. 33. he brings in God, saying, yea, I will never rest till I have made all their Foes their Foot-stool: And howbeit the Powers of the Earth are of me — I will utterly subvert and overturn them; and bring the Kingdoms and Dominions, and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven into the hands of the Holy Ones of the most High, and give unto my Son, and his Saints to Reign over all the Earth, and to take all the Rule and Authority, and Power that shall stand up against my Son in his Saints. There is the Mystery couch'd in the last words. In his Saints, that is the Light within (which they call Christ) in the Quakers: And to which they as­cribe all that is said of Christ in the Scriptures.

[Page 16] Edw. Burrough writing from Dublin in Ireland to the Quakers in England, in the Year 1655. Directs thus, To the Camp of the Lord in England. This is p. 64. of his Works. And he was then for their beginning of their War to Conquer the whole Earth. He Exhorts them, p. 67 in their Conquests to be very severe and bloo­dy, to spare none. Give the great Whore (says he, that is Rome) double into her bosom; as she hath loved blood, so give her blood, and dash her Children against the stones. This was for all the Popish Countrys, and those who partook of their Abominations, which in their Account were all the Protestants too, whom they, in con­tempt called Professors; and All sects in these Nations, whom Burrough includes in his Epist. 10 the Reader, p. 1▪ and declares War against them. But were the Heathens then to escape? No, their Conquest and Empire was to be Ʋniversal, their Heirship did extend to the uttermost parts of the Earth. For thus he goes on, (Ʋt supra) Let none of the Heathen Nations, nor their Gods escape out of your hands — but lay waste the fenced Cities, and tread down the high walls, for we have proclaimed open War betwixt Michael our Prince and the Dragon — And cursed be every one that riseth not up, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Put on your Armour, and gird on your sword, and lay hold on the spear, and march into the Field, and prepare your selves to the Battle, for the Nations doth defie our God, and saith in their hearts, who is the God of the Quakers, that we should fear him, and obey his voice? — Our Enemies are whole Nations, and multitudes in number, of a Rebellious People that will not come under our Law (a great Fault indeed!) stand upon your feet, and Ap­pear in your terror as an Army with Banners; and let the Nations know your power, and the stroke of your hand: Cut down on the right hand, and slay on the left; and let not your eye pitty, nor your hand spare, &c. And in his Trumpet of the Lord sounded, which he calls An Alarum and Preparation for War against all Nations where Gog and Magog resideth, Printed 1656. p. 32. he says to the Quakers, your despised Government shall rule over Kingdoms, and your laws shall all the Nati­ons of the earth become subject unto. And p. 41. He expostulates with God, When wilt thou appear to lay their honour in the dust of Confusion? Thy Host and Chosen waiteth for a Commission from thee to do thy will. And thy Camp waiteth to see the honour of Kings and Princes over­thrown by thee, &c. But it seems the Quakers would make use of the swords of the wicked, till their own were ready. Therefore in the [Page 17] Year 1659. they had great Hopes in the Rebel English Army; who ha­ving Destroy'd the King, and the Church in these Kingdoms, Burrough Hoalloos them (in his Epist. to them, p. 537.) upon Italy and Spain, and all the Popish Countrys: For what are these few poor Islands (says he) that you have run through? in comparison of the great Part of Chri­stendom, in which Idolatry — do abound — wherefore, Hew down the Tops, strike at the Branches, make way, that the Ax may be laid to the root of the Tree, that your sword, and the sword of the Lord may neither leave Root nor Branch of Idolatry — to avenge the blood of the Guiltless thro' all the Dominions of the Pope, the blood of the Just it crys thro' Italy, and Spain — and it would be your honour to be made use of by the Lord, in any degree, in order to this matter. They were to be made use of, in some degree, to clear the way for the Quakers, who were, at last, to have All. Now whether these have not out-stript their Fore­runner Judas, and his Galileans, I leave the Reader to judge. And Proceed to the next.

VII. The Seventh and last Point which I intend to speak of, is now come, and is so near of kin to the last, that I shall dispatch it quickly. It is, Their stiffness in not taking off their Hats, or giving Men their Civil Titles. Ther needs no Proof of this, as to the Quakers, for they All own it, it is their Liscriminating Character.

And now to find a Precedent for them in Antiquity, the same Judas Galilaeus is ready at hand. Josephus tells ( Antiq. Jud. l. 18. c. 2.) that he was the Head of a Fourth Sect among the Jews, which he him­self (like George Fox) Founded. And that as he acknowledg'd but one Lord and Master, that is, God; so as a consequence of this, he would pay honour to none other; and so Obstinate were his Sect in this, That, as Joseph. tells in the chapt. last quoted, they would rather expose themselves, their Children and Relations to the most cruel Tor­ments, than call any mortal Man Lord or Master. So that George Fox has not the Honour of this noble Invention, as he would make us believe in his Journal, p. 24. where he says, When the Lord sent me forth in­to the world, He forbad me to put off my Hat to any — And I was requi­red to Thee and Thou all men and women. He would call none Lord or Master more than Judas. And their Inspirations came from the same Author; the Spirit of Pride, under the Guise of Humility; so that in this, and all the other Instances before mentioned, George Fox is de­priv'd of the Glory of being an Original, and to be No man's Copy, as is Boasted of him, in the Preface to his Journal, p. 31. I do not sup­pose [Page 18] that he knew a tittle of these Ancient Precedents, only Good wits Jump'd; and so exactly, as shews, That they were all Taught by the same Master.