the People, and a drawing them off from the Holy Anointing which was in them, which alone would teach them all things, fo that they needed not that any Man fhould teach them. Charging the Minifters of England, with bewitching the People, in drawing them from the Spirit of God within them, to follow the Outward teachings of Men.

But their fubfequent practices have confuted those their own Principles; and ferve to convince the World, that when occafion ferves, they can shift Principles, and without trouble of Mind, or Difcompofure of countenance, (to compafs their ends), can Walk Antipodes to themselves, and to their former profeffions They began with many Vanities they have now thought fit to caft away, and as to Preaching amongst the rest, their feveral numerous Speakers, and lately built Meeting-Houfes, have at last retrieved the credit of that Ordinance, and abundantly confuted thefe deceivers,who at first took so much pains to Preach down Preaching, and now, take fo much more pains to advance their interefts and increase their Profelytes thereby. At the first, their Anger against that Ordinance was fuch, that no one circumftance attending it could escape their fury. The place was bitterly inveigh'd against, and advantage taken from its Name, to decry it. The Name Church was ridicul'd as a monstrous SoLecifm: And with them has ever fince worn the fcornful Name of Steeple-Houfe. The Pulpit then muft next have its tryal, and we were all challeng'd to prove it Apostolical, for want of which it has all along been excommunicated by them; and never been yet permitted to enter their MeetingHouses. Their next quarrel was at standing praying in the Synagoues; but in this now their heat is very much abated, and they are forced to be filent And (that they might approve themselves tho

row

fow Adverfaries to this Ordinance) their next quarrel was against a Text; tho' they well enough kaew, that we had our Saviours own example to warrant it, and his Bleffed pattern to defend it.

But above all, Preaching it felf was their great offence and eye-fore, against which, they bent their main Strength: and erected their choiceft. Batteries. And here their main and principal Argument is taken from 1 John 2. 27. which faith that they needed not that any Man fhould teach them, but as the Anointing teacheth them of all things,and is Truth. From which words, they did fet up one only Preacher which is the Spirit, and endeavou red to pull down all outward teachings of Men. When as this is contrary both to the fence of the Words, and to the Practice of the Apostles, and Primitive Church.

1. This is contrary to the fence of the Words. Which are an high Hyperbole, as in Verf. the zo. He tells them, that they knew all things which Places are to be understood Comparatively only, and not Abfolutely to exclude all teaching, but to exclude very much of that teaching which others do require, and it has a chief reference to that abun dance of Knowledge, which they had in comparifon of their Ancestors and Forefathers, before the Mysteries of the Gospel were revealed; as appears from Jer. 31. 34. (from whence the Apostles took the Words. And that this is the meaning of the Place, appears in that the Apostle fpake not this of all Men, but of fuch who were already come in to Chrift. And had already received the Holy Une tion of his Holy Spirit. But as for those that wanted this, that yet had not the Spirit, to fuch, an Outward teaching was abfolutely necefary. And for thofe who had this Unction, their cafe was extraordinary indeed for they were wonderoully above their fores

fore-Fathers, but not above Outward teaching, if not for their Conviction, yet for their Settlement in the Truth, to preferve them from Seduction, to which they lay ftill expofed, notwithstanding their Unction.

For

2. This exploding all External Preaching, was contrary to the Practice of the Apoftles, and Primitive Chriftians, who yet had this internal Unction of the Spirit. For tho' Chriftians never needed Preaching lefs, than in thofe Days, yet never any had it more. And the Spirit was never fo plentifully given in any Age, as in that Age, wherein was the greatest plenty of Preaching. Other wife the found of the Gofpel had never gone fo far, nor done fuch wonders in the Converfion of Nations and Kingdoms unto Chrift, in fo fhort a Seafon. But hence the Quakers took occasion to Challenge us, to fhew thofe Minifterial qualifications which the Apostles had for the exercife of their Ministry, as their being endued with Power from on high, and anointing with the Holy Ghoft, by which they were enabled to discharge that great Function whereunto they were called. For in thofe Days, they that Miniftred in Preaching the Gofpel, Miniftred the Spirit alfo, and wrought Miracles. Now faid they to us, unleß you can Witneß this, you can Witneẞ no call to the Ministry. To which I Anfwer,

Afwer. At this rate, we must down with all Christianity And no Man may now own it, or defend it. And we must all be counted Infidels; for, faith our Saviour, thefe Signs fhall follow them that believe in my Name, They shall caft out Devils, They Shall speak with new Tongues, &c. Mark 16. 17. And the Primitive Christians did fo. The manifeftation of the Spirit was given to every Man to profit withall to one in one kind, and to another in

another,

another, 1 Cor. 12. 7. to the end. Now because no fuch Signs are now to be feen in thefe Ages, muft we therefore conclude there are no true belie vers in them? But all are now void of Faith: all are Infidels, the reafon here is as cogent as the former. Nay laftly,

By the like reafons, the Quakers Preaching muft down alfo, for we fee no fuch Unitions as they boast of, and the Apostles had, nor no fuck signs done by them, as were done by the Apostles and their First and Primitive Succeffors. But what need I spend time to confute them, who have now fo long together been their own confuters?

any

II. As Preaching, fo fecondly Praying, both with a form or without one, both were a long time in publick difufed by them. And to this Day, Confeffion of Sins (notwithstanding St. John's encouragement, John 1.9.) is not once to be heard in of their Meetings. All the Ordinances (with them) ought to be internal only; as was faid of Preaching before; the fame is their opinion of Praying alfo, and of finging too. All must be by the Spirit, and for reading the Scriptures in Publick, hear their opinion. "Where (fay they) did the Apo"ftles fay to the True Churches, they should read "fuch a Scripture, fuch a Chapter, and such a "Pfalm. Anfw. to the Common Pr. Book, p. 4. And hence it is, that they never read fuch, in any of their Affemblies. But on the contrary, to bring but a Bible only into their Meetings is a Crime for which they must be cenfured: See the Snake in the Graß, Ed. 2. p. 101.

III. As for finging, where is the Man that ever yet heard it among them? And though the Apostle is very positive in his injunction, Let the Word of Christ, dwell in you richly in all Wisdom, Teaching and Admonishing one another in Pfalms, and Hymns, and P 3

Spiritual

3

Spiritual Songs, finging with grace in your Hearts to. the Lord,. Colof. 3. 16. they yet difufe it. And to juftifie themselves therein, catch at the last words, Grace in your Hearts. As if they could teach and admonish one another, without being heard one word one of another. Or as if Men could not fing with grace in their Hearts,and with the voice alfo, and thereby fulfil the Commandment.

In vain do they quarrel with the use of David's Pfalms, which might have been as well excepted against by the Jews, in difobedience to good He zekiah and the Princes, who commanded the Levites to Sing praise unto the Lord with the Words of David and Afaph the feer, who yet obeyed the fame with gladness, 2 Chron. 29. 30. For the Jews had as good reafon for that exception then, as the Quakers ever had, or can have now. But if finging of the Pfalms of David is their only obstacle, why do they then quite difcard this Ordinance? For they neither fing them, nor any other.

In vain alfo do they quarrel with our Meeter. Since they may (if they please) fing without it, and yet do it neither way, but ridicule both. But what do they herein, but betray their own Ignorance, or obftinacy: for the Jews had their Poetrie in the Hebrew Tongue, according to which, they both compiled, and fang their Pfalms; why then may not other Nations (and we as well as any do the fame alfo?

But it is in vain for us to Argue from the Scriptures, with them who fet fo light by them. And yet when they have a mind to colour their deceits, they like that varnish best, which they can steal from

them.

Farnworth a prime Quaker, is very Induftrious to prove that all Ordinances are of no force or use, in these Gospel times: affirming that Men muft