I deny and this Light to whom they say all Judgment is committed and which they have in them must be Judge of all controversies and consequently their President which deserves the casting Voice No marvel then that the Quakers are not concern'd to vindicate our Bible against the contempt cast upon it by the Papists as saith the same Josiah Coal ibid. p. 104. I find the rest of his Book i. e. A. S. the Roman Catholick consists of divers Arguments in which he controverts with Sectaries and their Bibles and Ministers whose cause I am not engag'd in therefore it doth not concern me to Answer his Charges against them c. No what neither Sectaries their Bibles nor Ministers Surely tho' he thought himself not engag'd to vindicate the Sectaries nor their Ministers yet if as they pretend to the Parliament they do believe the Scriptures to be Divine and left us by Men Divinely Inspired and that they are a rule of Faith and Behaviour they ought to have vindicated the Bible at least Well but some may say what did this A. S. the Papists call the Bible that they the Quakers think themselves thus unconcern'd to vindicate I Answer 't is his 14th Chapter and which the same Josiah Coal hath printed as an Abettor and Co-workers with him in p. 113. to 116 of his Works The contempt the Papists cast on the Bible and which the Quakers are not at all concern'd to vindicate is viz. Protestant Sectarian Ministers and Preachers who stand in a Pulpit or Tub with such a brazen Fac'd Book as is their unjust corrupt and perverse Bible in their hand c. Oh the deceit of this People What do they pretend to own the Bible only for their own ends to obtain their Liberty and when the Papists vilifie and contemn it and call it a brazen Fac'd Book a corrupt and perverse Book and they not concern'd hereat Well I do still hope that some will be concern'd to vindicate the Holy Bible from the contempt of the Papists calling it a brazen Fac'd Book perverse Book and from the contempt of the Quakers who call it Death Dust Beastly ware Carnal Serpents-meat c. 2. That the Quakers at their Synods make Catalogues of Sufferers for their Religion and what they Suffer and by whom c. I have spoken to this Head largely in the 4th Chapter of the first Part and therein shewed how they boast of their Sufferings how they Augment and make them more than they are yea put them in their Monuments Sufferers 20 l. when they are so far from that that they have gotten 10 l. clear into pocket as in the case of Samuel Cater I have made it appear likewise as my Author says Gen. Hist p. 137. that they amplify their Sufferings viz. A scratch a pinch or a blue spot for a grievous Torment and bloody Wound which may be well observed in most of the Monuments which these Men have left of their Sufferings c. 3. That the Quakers inspect their Books to be printed after approved by their Censors c. From whence let it be noted that if their Books be thus inspected and approved by their approved Censors then are the whole answerable for the Errors contained in those Books and for all the horrible Blasphemies in them But their case is still worse for suppose any one or more of them be moved as he pretends to write a Message Warning or Exhortation to a Nation People or Society as the Word of the Lord God their frequent pretence This Book is first sent up to London for inspection and approbation to one of these Meetings or Synods where their Light is President and made infallible Judge having all Judgment committed to it in Heaven and in Earth this Synod thus Assembled shall afterwards vary the Title and change the Matter to make it harmonize with their design and when this Writer Dyes and leaves 20 or 30 Books thus approved and thus sent abroad the surviving Synod shall take these Books and again alter them put in and take out a second time what they please then re-print them again And what is become of their Infallibility now They had their President at their first inspection what could he not then see and discern clearly but that here must be a new inspection was not their President their Light the same For either the Quakers write as they are moved by the Eternal Spirit of God or they do not if they do then they are equal with the Apostles Writings and then the Judgment denounced Rev. 22. 18 19. If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto them the plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book c. This reward they must expect Again if they do not then are they most horrible Deluders and great Deceivers when they write thus this is the word of the Lord God to you the Inhabitants of Bristol or the like and they believe it not they do not believe the Author to be so moved and commissioned and forasmuch as they served the Works of Edward Burrow W. Smith George Fox Is Pennington so viz. altered added and diminished to my certain knowledge I do thereupon affirm that they are not the Works of Fox Burrow Pennington and Smith but the Quakers in general and they are answerable for their Errors notwithstanding each title assert the same Thus hath Quakerism been carried on thus hath it grown and taken its progress by Cheats Frauds and Hypocrisies 4. About their Womens Meetings and their manner and way of their Female Government Having by my Book de Christiana Libertate c. not only treated at large on this head but also been instrumental thereby in giving that Image a deadly blow insomuch as that in some part of the County of Suffolk as well as in divers other Counties in England there is not a distinct Womans Meeting to be seen nor heard of But yet since 't is mentioned in the Gen. Hist p. 50. They have likewise Meetings like those we call Classes and Provincial and National Synods or Councils These Conventions are celebrated oftner or seldomer as the number of their Churches is but so as to allot each Sex Men and Women their distinct and particular Meetings c. I say since the Relation of their Womens Meetings are here brought to light which many think are so dead and dying as that it 's hard to find one in many places and that by way of commendation as I take it I shall therefore briefly touch upon the principal Heads and Orders both of its novel rise and arbitrary Government and chiefly for this reason because in all the Orders there is not so much as one Scripture proof mentioned to confirm and to
because the Parliament do not know them no more than Constantius knew the Hypocrisy of the Arrians who at length thro' their subtle delusions and fair pretences prevail'd and got the Pulpit and the Orthodox banished and I have heard some fear the like consequence respecting the Quakers But let such be satisfied that Quakerism is at the heighth and begins to tumble and our Governours both of Church and State begin to see them I remember that in 1693. They were very fair to obtain a Bill for their solemn Affirmation to go for an Oath but when I deliver'd in my sheet shewing their Principles in two hours time it was thrown out and as Col. Goldwell told me there was not a Man appeared for them and when I came to London March 1696. some worthy Members of the Commons House chid me for not coming sooner saying they wanted matter of Fact adding that the Quakers frequent and unwearied Sollicitation prevail'd with too many worthy Gentlemen who understand not their undermining Principles However much good may their obtained Bill do 'em since the 10 l. clause is in and they barr'd from any place of Trust so much as of being Constable And whereas their judgment is whatever is more than yea yea and nay nay cometh of evil and is Swearing yet now they must call God to witness c. which is indeed not less nor more than an Oath and this pleases some of them that could Swear before but some it displeases who say the Act do them no good for whatever is more than yea yea nay nay is swearing Well but may some say have not the Quakers Merrited the favour bestowed on them yea by the rule of contraries for the Quakers have Recogniz'd the Parliament Antichrists the Beast that carry the Whore and that it 's as commendable to give Liberty of Conscience to the Papists nay to a People that worship false Gods graven Images c. as to tollerate Episcopacy the false Church whose Bowels they have ripped up adding that the Common Prayer Book is Popery and from the Loyns of the Pope receiv'd its Strength c. And the Parliament have as they pretend and often boast Recogniz'd them Protestant Dissenters give them their Liberty without any restraint but how not knowing them nor their Principles but as Constantius was are mistaken in them whose Books and Carriages are of two sorts I remember the last Whitsuntide in Northcoat's Shop in George-yard Lombard-street W. Mead the great Quaker asked me if I broke Bread with the Church of England I said yea what said he dost thou lick up thy old Vomit I 'll warrant you he said no such word to the Worthy Members of the House of Commons nor to the Bishops of the Church no no as their Books carry two different Faces so do their Carrage and if it be Criminal to conceal Treason against my natural Prince what is it to conceal these Impostors who undervalue the Death and Sufferings of Christ condemn his Laws despise his Ordinances revile his Magistrates and reproach his Ministers which I hope this Book fully sets forth and which I stand ready to prove out of their Books upon G. W.'s Proposition to the Parliament as cited by me in the First Part p. 123. And until they do so meet and if proved upon them then Retract them they are not to be believed tho' in their Meetings they like the Magitians in Moses's time may make the likeness of the same Confession and Profession that G Keith and others do as well as in their late Books yet while their other Books which teach the contrary stand uncondemned the Quakers are Quakers still and their Principles diametrically opposite to all Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages and they ought to be guarded against as Enemies to Church and State May 5. 97. F. E. A Short Map of Quakerism Reader HAving since the foregoing was Printed off seen a Book Entituled Some Seasonable Reflections upon the Quakers Protestation against the Proceedings at Turners-hall April 29. 1697. c. Wrote by an Ingenious Hand Wherein the said Author marvels as well he may that the Quakers should Accuse G. Keith for Invading of Property who themselves hold it no Sin to Invade the Properties of others as in the Case of Tyth's which are as much the Property 's of the Clergy Confirmed by Act of Parliament as any Man's Estate in England nay not only so but as the Author well observes in other things from several Particulars which G. Fox c. sent to the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England Printed 1659. p. 8. 32. Particular viz. Let all those Fines that belong to Lords of Mannors be given to the Poor for Lords have enough Particular 29. Let all those Abby-lands Gleab-lands that is given to the Priests be given to the Poor of the Nation let all the Abby's Steeple-houses and Whitehall be for Alms-houses for the Blind and the Lame to be there And in the fore mentioned Address to the Parliament 1659. Subscribed by above 7000 Quakers p. 59. 63 and 65. They require that the Late King as these Rebels Stil'd him his Rents Parks and Houses should be Sold and all the Colledges and Lands and the very Bells out of the Churches except one in a Town to give notice of Fire c. This was no Invading of Property in them but for G. Keith or any others to Detect their Errors this is Incroaching upon their Properties as English-men yea forsooth Persecution But say's Edward Burrough in his Word of Advice to the Souldiers p. 2. Give the Priests Blood to drink for they are worthy Slay Baal turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom c. Here was no design of Persecution or hurting any Man's Property or of Reviling and Blemishing the Reputation of Free-born English-men and exposing them to the Fury of the Mob to the Scorn Contempt and Rage of the mixt Multitude who are Unmeet to Judge of Religious Controversies as these Meek Lambs the Quakers urge against G. Keith in their Protestation c. And that they are not chang'd see their last Yearly Epistle 1696. Wherein they Exhort their Disciples not to be mov'd at the Objections against their Doctors But to hold up the Holy Testimony of Truth which hath made us say they a People to God and Preserved us unto this Day And that in all the parts of it for Truth is one and changes not and what it convinc'd us of to be Evil in the beginning it Reproves still c. i. e. The Church of England and all the Magistrates Kings Lords and Commons to be Serpents Devils and Scarlet-coloured Beasts c. For Truth is one say they and changes not i. e. Quak. who are and always have been in the Truth have not chang'd at all since the beginning So that 't is plain that as they are the same still so have they made themselves answerable for all that have been said by them since their
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Rise Growth and Progress OF QUAKERISM Setting Forth That the Principles and Practices of the Quakers are Antichristian Antiscriptural Antimagistratical Blasphemous and Idolatrous from plain matter of Fact out of their most approved Authors c. Containing Also A modest Correction of the General History of the Quakers wrot in Holland by Gerard Croese By Francis Bugg Senior Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. 1. 24 26. Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psalm 137. 7. London Printed Anno 1697. THE INTRODUCTION Courteous Reader IN my former Books I thought my self obliged to Apologize for my writing against the Errors of the Quakers because some People then even the Author of the Snake in the Grass c. thought I might wrong them as the Quakers suggested who since are better satisfied therein their Mask being taken off But yet some objections still remain to obviate which I shall proceed to do Obj. 1. But say some Fra. Bugg in his Book Entituled The Qua. Detected c. gave a tollerable account of the Quakers respecting their beginning and now to write contrary seems contradictory Ans I do acknowledge that in the year 1686. when I wrot that Book I had better thoughts of them respecting their beginning than now I have neither did I then in 1686. know them guilty of holding such pernicious Principles and Fundamental Errors as now I know they do having then not seen many of their Books which since I have both seen and perused But grant I did not so clearly see them then as now nor understand their Fundamental Errors so clearly then as now yet I saw enough to justifie my separation from them from the charge of Apostacy as I made fully appear not only in that Book but also in my Book i. e. New Rome unmask'd c. neither did my acknowledging them and their deportment and the simplicity and plainness of their Carriage which attended them and their Doctrine which I since understand was only a decoy to catch simple Souls to be a reason for their being Orthodox and my self an Apostate from the Christian Faith since not only I but Men more Learned and of better Judgments than I have been mistaken Witness that famous Man and worthy Martyr of Jesus Christ Archbishop Cranmer See Fox's Acts and Mon. p. 1488. The Church of Rome Taught in the beginning a pure Doctrine but after she fell into the new Doctrine of Transubstantiation I marvel that any one could allow it if they knew it But whatever they bear the people in hand that which they write in their Books hath neither Truth nor Comfort Again p. 1325. ibid. I am said Huge Latimer that worthy Martyr Ignorant of things which I trust hereafter to know as I do now know things in which I have been Ignorant heretofore ever learn and ever to be learned to profit with learning I thought in time past that the Pope was Christ's Vicar had been Lord of all the World as Christ is So that if he should have deprived the King of his Crown it had been enough for he could do no wrong Now I think otherwise I thought in time past that if I had been a Fryer in a Coul I could not have been Damned nor afraid of Death and by reason thereof I have been minded many times to have been a Fryer namely when I was sore sick and diseased But now I behold my Superstitious Foolishness It were two long to tell you what blindness I have been in and how long it were e'er I could forsake such Folly c. Reader These two Instances if there were no more shew forth that the best of Men are fallible and may err as I did and be mistaken as also the Humility of these two learned Prelates and worthy Martyrs are exemplary in their Christian acknowledgment thereof and forsaking such a corrupted Church infected with Idolatry and Superstition which cleared them from the charge of Apostacy and the same cause leads to the same thing And if I once had a good opinion of the Quakers you see these famous Men had as good if not a better opinion of the Papists who yet left them and forsook them as I did the Quakers and for which I bless God who put it into my heart to forsake such a manifest Heresie Amen Obj. 2. But say the Quakers in their Book Judas and the Jews c. p. 78. But herein you shew your malice for had G. F. been a cursing Man like Muggleton c. Implying it somewhat pardonable then to write against the Quakers Ans See their Book Truth 's Defence c. G. Fox's words to Mr. Camelford a Minister thus O thou filthy Beast no Prayers can we send to thee but for thy Destruction thou Man of Sin and Enemy of Christ O thou impudent and brazen fac'd thou Hypocrite and Pharisee thou art damn'd openly Thou art in the Sorcery in the Witchcraft and in the Adultery and in the corrupt Seed whose Blessings are Cursed O thou slanderous Beast thou natural Brute-beast and here I charge thee to be a Witch and to bewitch the People Thou deaf Adder and Serpent thou child of the Devil Blasphemer and Enemy of all Righteousness O thou falsehearted dissembling Hypocrite the Plagues of God are due to thee and that is thy portion thou blind Sot thou dark Sot thy Torment is but beginning and so fare thee well Thus far Fox Again hear another of the same Praternity viz. Ed. Burrow in his Works p. 29 30 31. In Answer to certain Queries sent to the Quakers by one Mr. Bennet Burrow's Answer runs in this Channel viz. Thou art manifest what thou art where thou art and what Spirit thou art off a Reprobate a child of Darkness the Light condemns thee and all thy Generation of Priests Eternally we witness thee and all thy Generation to be in the Witchcraft and Sorcery for thou art Darkness it self Here thou full of all subtilty hast made manifest thy Poyson and Enmity Here thou Jesuit and thou Reprobate see whether thou be'st not a blind ignorant Sot there thou accursed art made manifest Here thou beast to whom the Plagues of God are due and upon whom his wrath must be accomplished Here thou dark blind Hypocrite thou dead Beast here thou polluted Beast here stop thy mouth thou Sorcerer O thou dark Beast and Conjurer who art Querying with thy Conjuring words c. Reader behold and be amazed that this people should blame any body for writing against them when never did any write like themselves nor was Muggleton a greater Curser and Damner than Fox The next I shall mention is their Learned Fisher who writing against John Owen Richard Baxter Thomas Danson and John Tombs In his Book Stiled The Rusticks Alarm c. calls and compares them to
this heigth it is now arrived at But when I came to view it and seriously to consider the Contents of it as I find it in many things very well done with respect to the former particulars and thereby will spare me some pains and cost so with respect to the latter viz. to set forth their pernicious Doctrines their horrible Blasphemies their dissembling Cheats and religious Frauds by which they have not only deceived Thousands but almost perswaded many well meaning and worthy Gentlemen to have a better esteem of them and their Tenets than they deserve I found it very deficient viz. In shewing the methods by which they have risen and their Hypocrisie and wretched ways by which they have spread their blasphemous Errors and pernicious Principles and how they have unchurched all but themselves and thereupon it seemed to me that the said History rather tends to strengthen them in their Errors then to help them out of them for it bends too much to the left hand and reflects on our English Magistrates as Persecutors and on our Church as not well disciplired which I charitably presume was occationed by that Learned Authors giving too much credit to the Books and Manuscripts and his conversation with some of them for saith he p. 5. Since therefore I have had the fortune of a long time to be familiarly acquainted and much conversant with these men call'd Quakers and that in many places and besides many of their Writings and Manuscripts of which some are in print some not having fallen into my hands I thought it would be an acceptable Enterprise to write upon this Subject leaving it for every Man to judge as he thinks fit of their Actions Tenets c. And since I find the said History as above observ'd to be deficient in the main Part at least in many main Points I shall write something by way of Correction which I hope neither he nor any other indifferent Person will take amiss since I pretend to have as much experience and knowledge of the Quakers as he can pretend too having the misfortune to be many Years conversant with them and their Teachers as also the good fortune to know their Methods to have of their Writings and Manuscripts by me some in print some not whereby I have been able to derect them and to confute their Errors and so I shall leave it to every Man as he saith to judge as he pleaseth of their Actions Tenets Customs way of Church-Government and principles of Religion and Doctrine which I shall produce from Book and Page of their most Authentick Authors First then that it may appear I have reason to know the Quakers as well as this Learned Author and thereupon as warrantable a Motive to write on this Subject In the Year 1657. I went first amongst the Quakers and in 1659. became one of their Society and continued amongst them about 25 years and since that time I have been a narrow observer of them and much acquainted with many of them I have near 300 of their Books by me besides Manuscripts and old Records and besides all this I was Clark to their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Isle of Ely and County of Cambridge at Haddenham Sutton and Chatterise for about 16 years and more in all which Service I served gratis without Sallery as others had My House was a place of Entertainment for their Teachers for many years together I suffered Imprisonment at Ely and Nislech for their cause in which I was then Embark'd 3 Years and about 4 Months I suffered the loss of more than a hundred Pounds for Meeting contrary to an Act of Parliament made the 22 King Charles II. besides many other affairs in which I was concern'd whil'st with them Sometimes chosen to go to London-Meetings sometimes chosen to end some differences which happen'd amongst us sometimes to assist in Marriages about settlements of Estates in that case as in the Instance of William Read Widower and the Widow Brewster of Brund and divers others as Stephen Clackson and the Widow Young I say put all together and I think I may venture upon my own experience to say as much as the Author of the said Hist and yet notwithstanding I shall not impose upon my Reader but in the main of what I shall write I shall prove from matter of Fact and then as he says shall leave every one to judge as he thinks fit being at all times ready to appear and maintain what I write according to G. W.'s own proposition in his printed Sheet stiled The Quakers Vindication c. And when I meet Mr. Croese I shall go along with him in this History as far as he goes my way and when he turns aside to the right Hand or to the left I shall part friendly with him and deal kindly by him as we us'd to do to strangers But since his Book came over the Water and reflects upon the Government Implicitly charging the Magistrates with the crime of Persecution a thing they are much averse to I shall therefore endeavor to Rectifie it and shew him 't is not persecution but prosecution and to shew that I am not alone in this matter I received a Letter wrot by a dignifyed Clergy-man of the Church of England to a Neighbouring Minister An Abstract thereof is as followeth viz Worthy Sir Since I had the happiness of your good Company here I read over the general History of the Quakers which came from Holland I find it wrote so much to the advantage of that pestilent Sect and so much to the disadvantage both of the Government and Church of England that I think it necessary to be again done by some other hand whom we may confide in for a better performance of it and I know none better sitted for it respecting matter of fact than your Neighbour Mr. Bugg and I doubt not but with your Assistance he may be able to give the World satisfaction in this matter I earnestly desire you would perswade him to it and in Truth the daily growth of that Sect makes it necessary to have it thorowly laid open that Men may thereby be warned the more to beware of it This will be a Service to God and the Church Your humble Servant And so I enter upon my Work SECTION I. The Reason of their Name GEorge Fox was born Anno 1624. in a Village call'd Draton in Leicestershire his Father's Name was Christopher Fox his Mothers Name Mary who gained their Living by Weaving This George afterwards learned the Trade of a Shoomaker and wrought Journy work with George Gee of Manchester who having gained so much Learning as that he could read print pretty well but writing he could read but little of neither could write except very rudely And this was the only piece of Learning he attained too all his Life long For neither then nor any time after did he apply himself to any Liberal Study So that he not
only knew no other Language save his Mother-Tongue but even in that he was so little expert and so ill qualified either for Speaking or Writing all the whole course of his Life that what he understood perfectly well he could not explain or inlarge upon in any tollerable good English and far less could he deliver it in Writing And this I thought worth the remarking because a great many Books are extant in Geo. Fox's Name writ not only in Letters of English but also in Latin and interlarded with Sentences of many other Languages which are but little known to the learned World which whether it was an effect of simplicity in him or of his Ambition and Ostentation I will not determine only 't is plain he had not the gift of Tongues p. 10. The Quakers Doctrine is for a great part of it New or taken from some Ancient Opinions condemned and rejected by the Church which have lain so long dormant are revived anew by them and as to the rest 't is a medly or hotch-potch diametrically opposite to that of ours and their manner of Life so singular from all Christians as possibly can be And these are the Tenets they have so busily spread both at their first rise and in the further progress of the Sect and all that are capable of Speaking or Writing do diligently apply themselves in all places to the Explaining Defending and Propagating their Doctrines inveighng and railing against the contrary opinions in others with as bitter and reviling expressions as they can invent And such their accusatory Libels they disperse abroad into all Countries p. 11. The Original Mother and Nurse of the Quakers is England a Country once famous for Banishing and Extirpating Heresies now the Seat and Centre of all manner of Errors p. 25. Nay when their Number increased they became bolder going into Peoples Houses when not invited intruding themselves into company Litigiously starting Controversies Thus would they belch out ignominious Reproaches and Slanders against Religious Men and especially the Ministers of Churches p. 26. And now would they publickly appear on the High-ways in the Market-places yea enter into Churches and that boldly too finding fault with the Discourses and Prayers of the Ministers disparaging and defaming them and their actions with all manner of Insolence and Impudence p. 32. Charging them to Preach only for love of Lucre and Reward But in all these controversies he George Fox never considered how near of Kin his own case was unto theirs for tho' he pretended to take all this pains and trouble in running about to Preach Gratis yet those he Preached to supplyed his necessities before he ask'd it of them at least-wise he never was denyed the Liberty of coming uncall'd for as the Flies and like Mice feeding upon others Provision c. Thus far Mr. Croese hath given a very fair account tho' not from their Manuscripts I presume and true it is with respect both to their rise and progress in every particular as 1st their Censorious way to accuse condemn and set at naught all Christians 2dly That their Doctrine is either new or some old Heresie revived and new vampt 3dly That their Religion is a meer hotch-potch diametrically opposite to the Christian Faith 4thly That their very business has been to rail on others to belch out ignominious Reproaches and Slanders defaming them both Insolently and Impudently 5thly That they banter other Ministers for taking Rewards whil'st they themselves like Flies and Mice come uncall'd for feeding upon others Provision 6thly That it cannot be denyed but that this grand Heresie had its first rise in England c. whoever reads The Snake in the Grass c. Mr. Falo's Quakerism no Christianity c. may see every Point Confirmed SECTION II. The Time and Place of their Rise and the occasion of their growth The Historians mistake The Quakers prov'd Blasphemers out of their own Mouths IN the Year 1650. G. Fox and John Fretwell went into the Church of Darby and uttered divers Blasphemies and pernicious Principles for which he was examin'd by Mr. Jer. Bennet from one of the Clock till nine at night at Mr. Bennet was the first that gave them the Name Quakers 1650. last sent him to the House of correction as a Quaker and was so rightly call'd as not deserving the Name of a Christian A Copy of the said Mittimus is as followeth viz. To the Master of the House of Correction in Darby greeting We have sent you here withal the Bodies of George Fox late of Mansfield in the County of Nottingham and John Fretwell late of Stansly in the County of Darby Husbandman brought before us this present Day and charged with the avowing uttering and broaching of divers Blasphemous Opinions contrary to a late Act of Parliament which upon their examinations they have confessed These are therefore to require you forthwith upon sight hereof to receive them the said G. F. and J. F. into your custody and them therein safely to keep during the space of six Months without Bail or Mainprise or until they shall find sufficient Sureties to be of the good Behaviour or be thence deliver'd by Order from our selves hereof you are not to fail given under our Hands and Seals this 30th of October 1650. Jer. Bennet Nath. Barton Upon the like Crimes there was a Petition not long after by the Gentlemen c. of the County as Quoted by George Fox in his Book stiled Saul's Errand to Damascus c. And by reason the Author of the Gen. Hist is pleased first to mention it and then excuse the Quakers to whom he had not long before given their due correction First reciting the principal part of the said Petition Gen. Hist p. 103. saith But yet as they left nothing that was objected against them without some Answer so did they also confute this Petition in their Writings in such a manner and with such Reasons that it was very apparent that they were wicked Men who invented these things and that those who believed them were Fools excepting the Prophesies of Milner the vanity of whose Words they willingly acknowledg'd and reproved and overthrew these Charges c. Now if the said Historian had the said Book Saul's Errand c. not by him he is to be born with if he had it he deserves correction and that the state of the matter may be clearly seen as it is I will transcribe the Petition their Charges in the Petition and their Answers to the said Charges and all of the Quakers Writing and Printing And when I have thus done I doubt not but it will appear that they have rather own'd the Charges than denyed them and that instead of confuting they are still most obnoxious to them And that there is no apparent Reasons given why they were wicked Men that charged the Blasphemies upon them nor Fools that believed it viz. To the Right Honourable the Council of State the humble Petition of several
cryed out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord God of Heaven and Earth now Risen to overturn overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the poor have groaned and he will change Times and Laws and Government There shall be no King Ruling but Jesus nor no Government of force but the Government of the Lamb nor no Law of Effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder The Kingdom of the most High shall Rule amongst Men and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed c. Sam. Fisher's Works p. 99. I will hold my peace no longer saith the Lord as concerning this Evil which they so prophanely commit and do daily against my Chosen but 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 Raign over all the Earth and take all the Rule and Authority that shall stand up against my Son in his Saints and put it down among all the rest as one of his greatest Enemies under his Feet saith the Lord p. 102. And so saith Fisher the Quakers are the truest Catholick Church in the World Reader compare these two last Citations with G. Fox's Quotation in this 4th Section and you may perceive what principles they were off about 1655. c. SECTION V. The World's wonder and the Historian's mistake in W. Penn who Wrote first in favour of the Protestants made and framed Tests against the Papists call'd to the Parliament for penalties of the violators thereof But when the late K. J. II. came to the Crown a fierce despiser of the Protestants and an Abbetter of the Papist a great stickler for the abolishing and taking away of Tests and Penal Laws c. GEN. Hist p. 43. Now as to what was the Wit and Spirit of W. Penn from his Youth what promptness and dexterity in discoursing attended the acuteness of his Wit what knowledge of Tongues and of things what temper and conversation of Life he was I had rather the Quakers should give you an account than I for I know well how difficult and troublesome it is to interpose his Judgment of a matter in which the Judgment of other Men is so various But certainly tho' my Pen were silent of him his own Writings will speak him forth to be the most eminent Member among all that Society c. I will and must acknowledge great part of this discourse of W. Penn's Wit promptness of Speeeh and readiness c. yet since Mr. Croese has appealed to his Writings to his Writings let him go and then let the World see how steady he has been even like the Weather-cock fast and loose at every turn and changing as the Moon vigorous for the Protestant Interest at least seemingly yea in K. C. II. time so hot for Protestants that he had the applause of many but in the late K. J. II. time he shewed the World what he was and what many thought him to be all along even a bitter Enemy to the Church of England and consequently to Protestantism But since an appeal is made to his Writings I shall cite an abstract of three which he wrot in K. C. II. time vigorous for the Protestant Interest He gave direction for the choice of Members principled against Popery cautioned all against Popery wrot a Test against Popery and what not but when K. J. came on he soon tack'd about as by others of his Books wrot in favour of the late K. J. I shall make it appear so that all that would know W. Penn rightly must go to his Writings of which I have 3 times 3 of each sort by me but these may suffice to shew how he looked one way and rowed another A seasonable Caveat against Popery c. by W. Penn p. 3. We hope it may not be too late to militate for Truth against the dark Suggestions of Papal Superstition to vindicate that of Reformation from the quaintest Stratagems and most unwearied endeavors of Romish Emissaries to put both it and us into their Inquisition We know they have so far mastered their Ancient fierceness and masked their Sanguine Looks with those more modest and familiar that though we need not more Reason than before yet we need more Skill and Caution or else we may too fatally experience the force of that vulgar Proverb Laugh in thy Face and cut thy Throat They are grown so complaisant that none seem more exasperated at Persecution than themselves whil'st the very Fathers of it decrying the fierceness of it in some Countries whose Incendiaries they were and still are and imputing all the Blood of poor Protestants to some unwarrantable civil Score Thereby abusing the Magistrates with their own Conspiracies nay for all their venerable Esteem for the Popes Infallibility they have not stuck to censure his roaring Bulls tho' procured by their own means And all that might express their new tenderness that many unacquainted with their practices are ready to believe them what they say themselves to be whose moral is to have two strings to their Bow to be ambo dexters and furnish'd with meanings to sute the compass of all occasions p. 14. I stand amazed how any Man of Sense can be a Papist when the only demonstration of his Religion must be his not understanding it p. 30. 31. In those frequent Bulls for Massacres which can no more be denyed than light at Noon day by which People have been stirred up upon the promise of forgivness of Sins redemption from Purgatory and Eternal Salvation or Dreadful Denunciation of Eternal Damnation to enterprise that Work of Murthering so many Hundred Thousands of Men Women and Children without any Legal Presentment Tryal or Conviction But the consideration of these things are out of fashion in England that many embrace them upon their present disguises and not in their true sanguinary Appearances p. 35. To conclude If we would not receive a Thief until he has Repented let the Papist first recant his voluminous Errors but above all let us have good Testimony of his hearty Sorrow for that Sea of Blood shed in England France Holland Ireland Spain Italy Savoy Switzerland and Germany of many Hundred Thousands of poor Protestants that for pure Conscience could not conform to their most exorbitant Practices as well as new Doctrine imposed upon them such inhumane and Barbarous Inventions and Cruelties as no Age could ever parallel and are the only demonstrations of their wicked Wit that lived in that Age and that not only upon the Parties themselves but their poor innocent Babes For that English Protestants should so far neglect these weighty considerations as to be gull'd and cheated out of their Religion purchas'd them by their Martyrs Ancestors
same Channel issuing from one and the same Fountain especially when you consider that from their said yearly Meetings they never made one Address to his present Majesty nor wrot one Book in favour of the present Government 3. That by both their Addresses a Sample of them you 'll have by and by and by their Books they have joyntly and severally born against the Church of England as with one Shoulder Thus have I briefly shewed what a Writer W. P. hath been and how he has bestowed his parts even against the Protestant Interest the Establish'd Religion and the common cause of Christianity and so I conclude this Head SECTION VII Their horrid Blasphemies their Self-exaltations and vain boastings of their Learning c. GEN. Hist p. 165. About this time came forth a Book call'd a Battle-door for Teachers and Professors to learn singular and plural mark'd in every page with the Form Figure of a peny Horn-book The work was neatly done by John Stubs and Benja Furly but Fox who besides his Engglish Tongue knew none of the Languages therein being Thirty in number as Latin Greek Hebrew Caldee Italick Syriac Arabick c. was so desirous to seem to be the Author of this Book and that what ever it contain'd of Industry and Praise-worthiness had its Original from him that he even here and there subscribed his Name to every page and by him confirmed p. 240. George Fox sent a Letter to John III. King of Poland Written originally in English and sent into Holland and there Translated into the German Tongue This Epistle was so Learnedly done that it looked not like the work of a single Person yet so as that they left it to Fox an ignorant Fellow who Subscribed it only Geo. Fox And hence it is apparent that there is no Mind so humble but is apt to be carried away with the Air of vain Glory yea oftentimes applause is most coveted by those who most condemn it in others c. Now Reader tho' my Learned Author and I differ'd about W. Penn in some Points yet in this we agree in every punctilio touching the Pride vain Glory and Ambition of George Fox who was an ignorant Fellow yet would seem to be Author of a Learned Book containing Thirty Languages as also of a Learned Letter sent to John III. King of Poland in both which as well as in divers cases he gave out that himself was some great learnt Man attributing to himself that which he never had which doubtless was the occasion of a discourse rumour'd about our Country about the Year 1663. or 1664. That George Fox had in one nights time 24 Languages given him by Divine Inspiration and I did believe it and divers others of us for near 20 years I also spake to a Quaker now living and still eminent amongst them who told me he ever did believe it until the late divisions Thus by his counterfeit Miracles his gift of Tongues he still like Simon Magus gave out that he was some great Man for thus he wrot in the Introduction viz. All Languages are to me no more than Dust who was before Languages were c. and towards the end of the Book thus next follow a few words to the whole matter by George Fox who is before confusion and many Languages were c. This together with what I elsewhere have quoted out of his Books and Journals shew that he was willing to be esteemed a great Man an old Man a learned Man a wise Man an Angel one that see the Heavens open as St. Stephen did and much more to this purpose By all which it appears that he was a great Deceiver And thus Quakerism grew and by deceit prevail'd in its progress And since this learned Author hath given such a full proof of Fox's Pride who being an Ignorant Fellow as he stiles him and yet desirous to be taken for the Author of the said Battle-door containing Thirty Languages I will give him a third Instance viz. Anno 1659. George Fox puts forth a Book Entituled A Primmer in contempt of Learning for all the Doctors and Scholars in Europe c. wherein are contained 2434 Queries in this Method viz. What is a Participle what is it in it self and by whom it came and out of what Ground And why are these declined who was the First and Author of it and by whom it came And why is the Word called Adverb and what is an Adverb the word it self and who was its rise And why do you call the word Conjunction and who was its rise and why the word Preposition and who was its rise And who was the Author of the word Interjection and what are these two words in themselves and whether or no these did not come by the Art of Man What is a Vowel in it self and what was the word Vowel And what is the word Diphthong and who was the Author of these and where are they called by such Names in Scripture so who was the Author of these Names in themselves and of themselves and came they not from the Art of Man yea or nay Why do you call the word Masculine Feminine Neuter and Epicene and what was the ground of these words in themselves What are they and why do they use the word Declension and what is in the word it self and what was its root And why the word Comparative Positive and Superlative and what be these words as they are words of what Author and Root came they from and who gave them these Terms first who was the first Rise and Author of them c. Thus have I taken out six entire Paragraphs as they lye in the said Primmer but I profess I cannot answer these why then should I cite more I cannot tell who spake these words first no more than I can tell who spake the word to first or spake the word and first and who was the first Rise and Author of the word of which to know is as unnecessary as it is ridiculous to query Well take a few more as they lye scattered up and down the said Primmer What is a Major What is a Minor What is Extraction What is Geometry What is Dog-madness What is Badger-madness and what is Wolf madness c. nay what if I add one query what was Fox-madness and folly and whether was not Pride and Ambition the Author of Fox's Madness answer G. W. Having thus far proceeded I shall next recite a few of Fox's words by way of challenge to the Doctors and Scholars viz. These queries are to call you out into the Field let them come out now to little Children little Davids are risen who have the Bags and the Slings and the Stones yea that profess your selves to be Wise and Learned Men and Scholars and are Novices and Fools Answer me draw out your Weapon if you have any and Answer me these things come out of your holes do not hip nor skip from them answer
a lye and therefore they cannot believe that Christ is very God and very Man but believe as they have written They also have written that the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents-meat Carnal and Beastly Ware and though they have made a confession that the Scriptures are Divine and left by Men Inspired of God and that they are a rule of Faith and Behaviour yet they believe also that Geo. Fox was divinely Inspired and wrote from the Spirit of God so they believe as they have written If any think I wrong them let their Books be laid before them which I have cited and let them be asked Come which do you abide by which do contain your Faith and Belief Do you believe as you have confessed if you do at the same time condemn your other Books which teach the contrary if you say no our Books are writ from the Eternal Spirit of God we cannot condemn them then condemn your confession for we will not have you halt between two opinions if God be God serve him if Baal serve him This will be the Test which were it put to them you would soon see them to be Quakers still and not Christians yet And so I proceed to the next Head SECTION VIII Their horrid Blasphemies their pretence to Miracles their agreement with Simon Magus their great Grandfather who was admired adored and worshiped as well as George Fox GEN. Hist p. 27. Fox taught that the sick were cured unclean Spirits cast out his Followers who were as Rattles and Cimbals to blaze about his Fame disguis'd the matter thus that the Woman was possessed with a Devil who had troubled her for the space of 32 years that being brought to him after some hidious shrieks and out-crys like the bellowing of a Cow and a most noisome stink breathed from her Mouth she was freed of that malignant Spirit And to confirm the Quakers pretend to Miracles see Fox's Journal p. 370. where one of them by himself is left upon Record as also many more but this I will recite viz. There was one John Jay being to try a Horse got upon his back and the Horse fell a running and cast him down upon his Head and break his neck as the people said They that were near him took him up dead and carried him a good way and laid him on a Tree I got to him as soon as I could and feeling on him concluded he was dead and as I stood by him pitying him and his Family I took hold of his Hair and his Head turned any way his Head was so limber whereupon throwing away my Stick and my Gloves I took his Head in both my Hands and setting my knees against the Tree I raised his Head and perceiving there was nothing out or broken that way then I put one Hand under his Chin and my other behind his Head and raising his Head two or three times with all my Strength and brought it in I soon perceived his Neck began to grow stiff again and then he began to rattle in the Throat and quickly after to breath the People were amazed but I bid them have a good Heart and be of good Faith and carry him into the House they did so and set him by the Fire but I bid them get him some warm thing to drink and put him to Bed After he had been in the House a while he began to speak but did not know where he had been the next day We passed away and he with us about 16 Miles to a Meeting c. Now this is one of the Miracles directed too in the third Table or Index under the Letter M thus Miracles wrought by the Power of God And amongst the rest this being the chief and to me seem most remarkable I have set it down at large and whereby it may appear 1. That it was wrought in his own Name I I I did so and so and not as the Apostles did In the name of Jesus of Nazareth arise no no Geo. Fox like Simon Magus wrought counterfeit Miracles in his own Name only 2. This is said to be done in 1672. and brought to light but in 1694 which is 22 years after it was said to be done and there let me compare him to Simon Magus and see how far they run parallel read Acts 8. 9 10. There was a certain Man called Simon which before time in the same City used Sorcery and bewitched the People of Samaria giving out that himself was some great one to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this Man is the great Power of God c. This account the Holy Apostle gives on him next let us hear what Justin Martin said of this Simon viz. Many adored him as the supreme God they gave heed to him they believed and obeyed what he Taught they placed their hopes and confidence in him c. See Pools Synopsis of the Criticks p. 14. 62. Erasmus in his paraphrase on that place saith viz. A Man there was among the Samaritans called Simon a Deceiver of the People and a Practicer of Delusions who before Philip came there practiced in that City Magick-Art and by his counterfeit Miracles had made the Samaritans fond of him who by means of such falshood and deceit vaunted himself before the simple and plain People boasting that himself was an excellent Prophet unto whom the Samaritans from the highest to the lowest gave good heed But nothing had he done in the name of Jesus And therefore they as a People astonished at such monsterous sights said this Fellow is God's own right hand who is called Mighty Many a day had he been with them and long had he made them with his Sorcery to dote upon him and therefore when he had oncegotten himself a name with them of great estimation many believed all he Taught From whence we may observe by way of parallel 1. That this Simon the Sorcerer was a great while and many days with the Samaritans so was George Fox with the Quakers 2. Simon Magus wrought counterfeit Miracles in his own Name only and never in the Name of Jesus so did George Fox and thereby like Simon got himself a great Name of estimation amongst the Quakers 3. That the Samaritans adored Simon Magus and call'd him the power of God so did the Quakers whil'st living witness Josiah Coal's Letter and others in the first part recited and now dead they have printed him to be the power of God saying Miracles wrought by the power of God Third Table under the Letter M and for more of this Nature see his Journal p. 167 170 103 28 29 258 370. Where he would make us believe he was an Angel that he saw the Heaven opened that he was seen at the Judgment Day that he cured the Sick restored the Lame and wrought many other Miracles which will complete the parallel But this story of John Jay is surely as idle and unworthy of being esteemed
need not here relate what an Influence their first Epistle had and how little the Law was regarded or observed the whole Nation is witness and as to the last about Tythes and Church-warden Rates which the Parliament took care to preserve in their old Channel in the same Law which indulge the Quakers in the exercise of their perswasion yet this very Law they Anno 1696. Charged implicitly with Antichristianism saying p. 1. That all due care be taken against that grand Oppression and Antichristian Yoke of Tythes that our Christian Testimony born and greatly suffered for be faithfully maintained against them in all respects and against Steeple-house-rates or Lays as also against the burthen and imposition of Oaths c. Here we see Tythes are Antichristian and their Testimony Christian a perfect Map of their whole Doctrine the Parliament Antichristian the Quakers Christian the Parliament great Oppressors the Quakers Oppressed tho' they pay no more than their Neighbours the Parliament lay Antichristian Yokes upon the Quakers the Quakers the only Christian sufferers and persecuted People of God whose sufferings and persecutions are greater and more unjust than the sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs for what was inflicted upon them was duly executed by a Law and to this practice of ours agree that Doctrine of St. Edw. Burrow's as it is written in our Gospel in the Book of our Holy Scriptures which we at all times stand ready to vindicate vulgarly call'd Ed. Burrow's Works p. 501. Witnesses we stand against Parliaments Councels Judges Justices who make and execute Laws in their own wills over the Consciences of Men and to such Laws Customs Courts or Arbitrary Usurped Dominion we cannot yield obedience c. And therefore by this our Anniversary Decree we Ordain and Enact that the Members of all our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and all other our Associates in every Kingdom Nation and County that adhere to us and believe us to be the universal Church of the First born who cannot err but are led by an infallible Spirit that all and every of our Disciples throw off all these Antichristian Yokes of grand Oppression and from henceforth stand faithful Witnesses against Tythes as Antichristian against Church Rates against lawful Oathes against carrying Guns and this as the Historian says is to go through England and Wales yea all the World over and all that suffer for their Stubborness and Antimagistratical Principles by the same Edict is to be taken into Record who it is that suffer for what cause they suffer and on what account I have not time to set forth the dangerous consequences of these Anniversary Synods when they once gain upon the People that they are the only universal Catholick Church and as such cannot err that as G. Whitehead Teaches the People are to believe as she believes I say on this Doctrine of Infallibity hangs a load of dangers the Parliament say one thing the Anniversary Synod at Devonshire-house another they now argue privately but in time may dispute the Point publickly Infallibility sticks at nothing provided it be for the Holy Church in the Papists Dialect or for Truth 's sake in the Quakers They are Terms Synonymous respecting their Authors and W. Penns Books cited declare plainly how vigorous he was for his near Friends and dear kindred in the late Reign and the Quakers addressed from their Anniversary Synods run in the same Channel and flow from the same Fountain for K. J. II. and against the Church of England there came forth publick Addresses Annually besides Books every Month in favour of the then Government and against the Church But since King William came to the Crown never a publick Anniversary Address to King W. nor one Book wrot in favour of the present Governments as anon will appear And thus Quakerism like the Snake in the Grass creeps on undiscovered or at least little notice taken how she secretly Smites and privately Stings and throws out her Poyson both at Church and State She 'll Arraign Impeach Try Judge Summons Dialogue Condemn both Magistrate and Minister Ruler and People yet if she be but toucht Oh how she winches and giffles up and down crying she 's wrong'd she 's abus'd and all is malice that 's said of her whil'st she takes the liberty to abuse traduce stigmatize and calumniate all other People This is the Temper of this clamorous Woman and tho' I do solemnly profess as in the sight of God Angels and Men I am not for Persecution neither do I desire nor none need to fear that our King and Parliament should follow the French King's example in what is of the nature of Persecution or Cruelty yet on the other hand when they perceive the Ingratitude of this insolent People they probably may take some measures to stop the stream of Heresie which spreads like a Leprosie through the Nation And forasmuch as something that is praise worthy on the French King's part in granting the Ministry of the reformed Churches leave to hold a national Synod and for the exemplariness of the French Protestants zeal for God care of his Church subjection to the Laws according to the Evangelical Doctrine of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs I shall set down a few things worthy observation from the 28 Synod held at Charenton near Paris the 26 day of December 1644. as in the 2 Vol. of John Quick's Hist p. 4. 28. to 437. viz. The Sessions being opened with Prayer the Lord Marquis of Clermont General Deputy presented the Writ given forth by His Majesty's Command for calling the Synod as followeth This day being the 12 of February 1644. the King being then at Paris upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the pretended reformed Religion to permit them the calling and holding a national Synod desiring to gratifie and treat favourably his said Subjects hath permitted and doth permit them the Convocation of a national Synod next to Charenton but with this condition that they treat in it of none other matters but of those which he allowed them and that the Commissioner whom His Majesty shall please to appoint be present in the said Synod as hath been accustomed in witness whereof His Majesty hath commanded me to issue out this Writ which he hath Signed with his own Hand and caused it to be counter-signed by me his Commissioner and Secretary of State and of his Command Signed in the Original Lewis and a litt'e lower Phelipeaux The Lord Commissioner unto the Synod Messieurs AS it is a very great honour to me to be Commissionated to assist in your Synod and to acquaint you with his Will and Pleasure so also have I great deal of joy and satisfaction to behold this illustrious Assembly chosen out of all the Provinces of this Kingdom and that I can tell you by word of Mouth which is to assure you of their Majesties good will unto you and protection of you and of all your Churches and
of the entire execution of the Edicts of Pacification so long as you continue your selves within the bounds of your Duty Subjection and Fidelity which you owe unto their Majesties they being the higher Powers set over you by God intrusted with the supreme Authority and your lot and portion being the honour of obedience unto them whereunto you stand obliged by your Birth the dictates of your Consciences and the Favors you daily receive from their Majesties and by all kinds of consideration both general and particular and observe it I beseech you as a singular mark of their Majesties Favor unto you that there be of your Religion in the Kingdom Persons of the highest Quality There be amongst you most Noble and Illustrious Dukes and Peers Mareschals of France Generals of Armies Magistrates and Judges of Sovereign Courts and their Majesties now this very day out of their great confidence they have of your Loyalty and Fidelity have granted you this Assembly at the very Gates of the Metropolis of this Kingdom in the very face and view of all France and of this infinite People of Paris vastly different from you in Manners and Humours Inclination and Religion who will be severe Witnesses and Judges over all your Actions And that all things may be done in that Order prescribed me by their Majesties I am in their Names commanded to acquaint you that all Ministers who are not Natural born Subjects but Strangers are to be excluded this Synod and that none may assist to Vote in it who hath not Letters of Deputation from his Provincial Synod and that during the time it be held you may have no Communication with Forreigners or other suspected Persons and forasmuch as your Assemblies are not by any legal constitution a Body Politick their Majesties have forbidden you to meddle in State Affairs or matters of Justice because your Synod hath no power to judge of such matters but only to treat of Points of Doctrine and Church Discipline Moreover their Majesties do forbid you to print any Books in any place whatsoever concerning your Religion which are not attested i. e. licensed by two manuel Certificates of two Ministers at the least under pain of confiscation of the whole Impression nor may you denounce any excommunication against any Minister or others who shall change their Religion for that of the Roman Catholicks nor treat them reproachfully neither by Word nor Writing Moreover when they speak of the Pope they are not to call him Antichrist nor to treat him disrespectfully nor shall they tax the Roman Church with Idolatry nor the Sacraments nor Ceremonies thereof as humane Inventions and Idolatry c. Nor to make Collections of Money The Moderator's Answer We thankfully acknowledge the great Goodness and Mercy of Almighty God in answering the Prayers of his poor Churches with his heavenly Blessing and their Majesties condescention in accepting our most humble Petition presented by the Lords of our general Deputies and granting us this privilege of holding this Synod and committing the inspection of it unto a Person most Illustrious for his Vertues and well deserving that high Place of Dignity and Honour in the first and chiefest Parliament of the Kingdom All these and many other considerations do enforce our Souls with a sweet and pleasing violence to break forth into enlarged Praises and enflamed Thankfulness unto their Majesties yea and in most ardent Supplications unto our God for the preservation of their Sacred Persons his Benediction upon their Government the Glory of their Crowns under whose comortable shadows the Churches enjoying a sweet Peace will never have any other desire or thought than to practice faithfully and conscientiously that most express command of our Lord and Saviour by his Apostle St. Peter to fear God and honour the King and that with a most entire and sincere obedience And as we have no design to do it so we shall never admit any persons to sit as a Member of our National Synod who hath not a Deputation c. nor shall we hold any correspondency with nor receive any Letters coming from Forreigners nor return any answers to them unless that my Lord Commissioner who represents His Majesty's Person shall have first perused them nor will we debate about matters of State nor make any Orders in relation to them nor shall we set up Provincial Counsels in opposition to His Majesty's Will nor as His Majesty hath demanded of us will we suffer those Canons of our National Synods concerning the approbation of Books that shall be printed on matters of Religion to be violated nor shall we excommunicate any of those Persons who quit the Communion of our Churches for we do not arrogate to our selves any Jurisdiction over them from that minute in which they left us nor shall we tollerate any Sermons fraught with any injurious and reproachful Language against the Members of the Church of Rome nor suffer that Monies be collected c. Thus Reader you see the Protestants ask and the King grants the King limits them sets them bounds the Protestants promise to obey 1. Not to admit Strangers to sit in their Synods 2. Nor to hold correspondency with Forreigners 3. Nor will they debate about State matters 4. Nor make any Orders relating to them 5. Nor print Books unlicens'd 6. Nor excommunicate Persons that quit their Society for they do not arrogate to themselves such a power nor conceive themselves the only true Church in the World like the old Strumpet and the young Harlot 7. Nor will they tollerate any Sermons or Books fraught with injurious and reproachful Language nor will they suffer Money to be collected which as it 's called the Sinew of War so it may be called the Nerve of Heresie I hope to such as will read this Book and others I have wrote will not stand in need of proof that the Quakers are guilty of all that the Christians are herein said to be thus innocent of Having shewed the danger of the Quakers Anniversary Synods upon their Principle of Infallibility read Mat. 22. 21. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14 17. Rom. 13. 1 2 3. and Tindal's Works i. e. The obedience of a Christian Man c. p. 111. viz. For God hath made the King in every Realm Judge over all he that resisteth the King resisteth God if the Subjects Sin they must be brought to the King's Judgment if the King Sin he must be brought to the Judgment of God and as it is to resist the King so it is to resist his Officers which are sent to execute the King's Commandment for it is written let every Soul be subject to the higher Power here is no Man exempt but all Souls must obey and so I proceed to the next Head 7. Gen. Hist p. 110. The Quakers also could not but love him King William and Embrace him as their most Effectual Defender without the hindrance or fear of Molestation HEre I find my Author as
far out proportionably as in his high Commendation of William Penn Sect. 2. For alass As streams run from a full Fountain so do and did the Quakers run to the late K. J. II. for out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh But of this I will not be mine own Judge but as a Demonstration thereof I will recite a few of their words out of some of their Addresses to the late K. J. II. And 1st London April 1687. We pray God to bless the King His Royal Family and People with Grace and Peace and that after a long and prosperous Reign here he may receive a better Crown amongst the Blessed Which is the Prayer of c. The second Scotland June 1687. We cannot but with grateful Hearts both admire and acknowledge the Providence of God that made the Kings retiring into our Country i. e. Scotland 1679 give a happy turn to his Affairs to the defeating and disappointing the designs of his Enemies We do justly conceive our selves obliged by a special tye to praise God for his Goodness in carrying the King thorow and over all his troubles since by the same Providence and at the same time by which the Lord began in that more observable manner to evidence his care of him he made him the happy Instrument to deliver us from our troubles So that the prosperity of his Affairs and our peaceable fruition of the exercise of our Consciences beareth the same date the 3d. London August 1678. We pray God save the King and deliver him out of all his Enemies Hands both Spiritual and Temporal Enemies Amen Mark Reader here is Address upon Address and Prayer after Prayer for the late King James II. which sound his Fame from England to Scotland and from thence Eccoed back from Stotland to England in the highest strain and most elegant Stile the Quakers could invent sutable to their singular Dialect I do not mention this practice whil'st he was King of England and seated on the Throne as an Evil in it self or inconsistent with their Duty and the Duty of all his Subjects for 't is my Judgment that we ought to pray for all Kings which God in his Providence sets over us without disputing their Titles and to obey every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake knowing that there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God and who so resist the Powers they resist the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation according to these Scriptures Rom. 13. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2 cap. Mat. 22. 21. I say I do not recite these Addresses and Prayers made by the Quakers to and for the late King as an Evil in it self for I do believe we ought to pray for all Kings whether they be Pagan or Christian Papist or Protestant good or bad Orthodox or Hetrodox Protectors or Persecutors for such was the practice of all Gods faithful Saints and Servants from Abraham downwards to this day as these Scriptures shew in the Margin Ger. 20. and 47. 7. 10. Exod. 1. 6. to the end cap. 2. 23 24 25. cap. 3. 7 10. 10 Acts 7. 18. to 35. Psal 90. 1. Josephus Anti. l. 6. cap. 5. 67 1. Sam. 8. 22. cap. 9. 16. 17. cap. 15. 1 9. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. 1 Chron. 28. 4. 1 Kings 18. 25. Jer. 33. 20. Ps 132. 11. to 14. 2 Sam. 7. 25. cap. 16. 16. Ezr. 6. 3. to 14. Joseph An. 11. cap. 4. Ezek. 19. 10. Exod. 22. 26. 1 Pet. 2. Mat. 22. c. But that which disappoints both the Author of this Gen. Hist my self and thousands more is that they should thus heartily pray for and address themselves unto the late King and write so many Books in favour of the then Government calling him brave King c. God and Cesar are both of a mind c. A sensible Prince c. An Instrument in God's hand c. and notwithstanding all this and much more that might be said on the same Subject yet when King William his present Majesty whom God preserve came to the Crown and the very first Year of His Reign did by Law indulge them in the exercise of their perswasion and give them all the ease they reasonably could desire yet they made not one Address to him nor one Prayer for him as they did for the late King no nor yet wrot one Book in favour of the Government which made me and others admire at their ingratitude for I was so far of the same mind with the Author of the Gen. Hist That I thought the Quakers could not but love K. W. III. and embrace him as their most effectual Defender but when I came to prove them and try them and measure them by their Fruits and to consider that in two years space they made 4 Addresses to the late K. J. II. and that in 4 years time they had not made one Address to K. W. III. I then altered my mind and by reading of their said Addresses and their Books wrot by W. Penn I found that the stream of their Affections did run like a mighty torrent to the late K. J. II. when there was not the least issuing drop of Affection run to His present Majesty and this put me upon writing a Letter to the Quakers August 1690. p. 2. Now if you would be constant then why do you not pray for and address your selves to K. William and Q. Mary as heartily and as publickly as you did to and for K. J. whom you call'd and said a Brave King God and Cesar are both of a mind pray Godbless the King and His Royal Family These and many more magnifying Expressions were published thro the Nations But no Salutation no Message no Prayer for nor no Address to K. W. and Q. M. as if you were struck mute at the loss of your brave King whom you said was of the same mind with God What can you say for your selves Are you like those 1 Sam. 10. 27. viz. The Children of Belial who said how shall this Man save us And they despised him and they brought him no presents no Addresses nor Prayers but the King held his peace Oh you unworthy and ungrateful Persons Hath not King William granted you the Liberty of your Consciences and confirmed it by a Law What have you nothing to say for King William Nay you are so far from that that when His Majesty appointed a Fast for the prosperity of his Armies you not only Preached against the Fast but also to weaken the Hearts and Hands of his Friends you did vehemently cry down all Wars and Fighting Is your zeal for the Protestant cause and the Protestant interest quite lost and gone or is it gone to Rome You have had several yearly Meetings since this King's Reign but not the least publick acknowledgment of the special Favour shewed you by the King and Parliament I will not say but some of your
People may be heartily thankful yet it plainly appears that your Leaders and Teachers and Anniversary Synods are of another mind for had you been as hearty and zealous for the present Government as in point of gratitude you should and ought to have been your People had not been so divided and so confused touching the Protestant interest as now they are the sad and evil Effects of which must and will be laid at your doors Consider what is said repent and amend your ways for this Government and the Protestant Interest are so link'd together that those who are not true to the one cannot be true to the other whatever their pretences are or may be This I wrot and caused it to be printed and dispersed as a Testimony against their lukewarmness to the present Government and their Zeal to and for the late Reign as this Section and Sections 5 6 do make plainly appear Obj. But possibly some may object that these are private Addresses by some few particulars and be ready to demand whether they ever made a publick Anniversary Address that thereby they might in all Kingdoms shew their Loyalty to the late King c. Ans Yea that they did and that it may more evidently appear that William Penn's Books mention'd in Section V. VI. run in the same channel I will write part of their said Anniversary Address Anno 1688. viz. The humble Address of the People call'd Quakers from their yearly Meeting the 6th of the Month called June 1688. viz. We the Kings peaceable Subjects from divers parts of his Dominions being met together in this City after our usual manner to inspect the affairs of our Christian Society throughout the World think it our Duty humbly to represent to him the blessed Effects the Liberty he has graciously granted his People to worship God according to their Consciences hath had both on our Persons and Estates for whereas we formerly had long and sorrowful Lists brought to us from almost all parts of his Territories of Prisoners and the spoil of Goods by violent and ill Men upon account of Conscence We bless God and thank the King the Goals are every where clear except in cases of Tythes and the repairs of Parish Churches and some few about Oaths and we do in all Humility lay it before the King to consider the hardships our Friends are yet under for Conscience sake in those respects being in the one chiesly expos'd to the present Anger of the offended Clergy who have therefore imprisoned some of them till death and in the other they are rendered very unprofitable to the publick and themselves for both in reference to Freedoms in Corporations Probats of Wills and Testaments and Administrations Answers in Chancery and Exchequer Tryals of our just Titles and Debts proceeding in our Trades in the Custome house serving the Office of Constables c. They are disabled and great advantages taken against them unless the King's Favour do interpose and as we humbly hope he may relieve us so we confidently assure our selves he will ease us what he can Now since it hath pleased thee O King to renew to all thy Subjects by thy last Declaration thy gracious Assurances to pursue the Establishment of this Liberty and Property upon an unalterable Foundation and in order to it to hold a Parliament in Nov. next at farthest we think our selves deeply engaged to renew our assurances of Fidelity and Affection and with God's help intend to do our part for the effecting so blessed and glorious a Work that so it may be out of the power of any one party to hurt another upon the account of Conscience And as we firmly believe that God will never desert this righteous cause of Liberty nor the King in maintaining of it so we hope by God's Grace to let the World see we can honestly and heartily appear for Liberty of Conscience and be inviolably true to our own Religion whatever the Folly or Madness of some Men on that account may suggest to the contrary These are the sayings of their Anniversary Synod Here you see is nothing wanting but bended knees here is in all Humility in all Fidelity with all Affection yea all all all all Prayers for him for long Life for a prosperous Reign Laud and Praise in the highest for his Deliverance for the defeating his Enemies the excluders yea it would be too long to enumerate them Besides Book after Book in favour of the Government and Letter after Letter printed and dispersed a first a second and a third for the repealing the Penal Laws and Tests that so the Papists might sit in Parliament to Establish them a new Order even St. George's Order as compleatly as their Grandfather Ignatius Loyola had his Order confirmed by the Popes Bulls October 3d. Anno 1540 as at large set forth in a Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome c. p. 281. But God in his righteous Judgment deserted their King their Cause and will in time more fully discover their Order to be of the same tendency and carried on by the same Holy cheats that Ignatius Loyola's Order of the Jesuits was And so much briefly to shew how Quakerism grew and after what manner it made its progress and how they bent their strength against the Protestant Interest Church of England and all Orthodox Religion But Reader did you ever hear of an Anniversary Address to King William No such matter Did you ever see a Book put forth in favour of the present Government No such matter no no 't is as in my printed Letter 1690. above recited No Salutation no Message no Prayer for nor no Address to King William III from this their yearly Synod nor a Book wrot in favour of the Government no in all Humility no in all Affection no publick Prayers for his long and prosperous Reign no Laud and Praise that his Enemies are defeated here is no no no no. Come George Whitehead and foreman of your Anniversary Synod what can you say for your selves Why are you mute Why have you not brought forth one publick Anniversary Synodical Address this seven years nor publick Prayers or are you still like those we read on 1 Sam. 10. 27. But the children of Beliel said how shall this man save us and they despised him and brought him no presents no Prayers no Addresses but the King held his peace But that I may not leave out one cluster of the Quakers Vine by which Quakerism has been nourished I shall now mention a notable passage to discover the Quakers aversion to the present Government viz. The Widow Whitrow formerly a Quaker wrot a Book in favour of the Government about four years since but it did so cross the Quakers current that they made an Order for the calling it in and suppressing the same the which I have together with their not addressing His present Majesty more largely handled in my Book New Rome unmask'd p. 26.
profess true Religion It is that which hath made the Jesuits to be abhorred amongst some of the honestest of the Papists themselves so that they would not let them come into their Houses If the Maid be a wise Woman and of Age to dispose of her self she will not let any of our Preachers meddle wiâ—h her concerns of chusing a Husband for her that is none of their business they should only meddle with their own business and let honest Friends make their choice themselves we have no Law nor Custome among us for such as defame lawful Marriages or obstruct lawful Marriages The Church of England is honester upon that account than we They make such as obstruct or defame Marriages either to make good their charge or to make sufficient satisfaction to the Parties wronged c. Again see W. Rogers second scourge for G. Whitehead who has been many years acquainted with their private way of raising Money and hoarding up Common Banks which indeed is as bad as hoarding up Arms and Ammunition for as Money is said to be the Sinews of War so have I often said it is the Nerve of Heresie For this Dagon Money raised by the Common Bankers amongst the Quakers has an ill tendency many ways Well let us hear W. Rogers opinion thereof and Ellwoods answer thereto And yet when she Rome's Sister is but call'd She winches like touch'd Horses that are gaul'd Confusion her attends next follows wo For thus she whirls but God knows whether she 'll go Who when they wanted money to proceed The Church her cash then did supply her need And therefore when her cash was emptied she Crav'd money to supply her ministry And when that practice was dislik'd by some She seem'd like some whose downfal's near to come This Church will fall her load will be her guile If you O Flock keep Purse-strings fast a while When that Spring fails by her you 'll not be priz'd Usurpers then o'er you you 'll see despis'd And woes may long attend such prating Preachers As for preferment turn'd deceitful Teachers Fox is term'd Head yet Whitehead steer'd the course Till both was scorn'd and they grew worse and worse Thus Reader you see Testimony after Testimony against their raising Money for their Teachers in a clandestine way pretending they do all things free without Money or without Reward Now hear Tho. Ellwoods Answer by his Book stiled Rogero Mastix where instead of denying matter of plain Fact he confesses all what is said and laid to their charge viz. But that Christ's Ministers should be supply'd With necessaries by his Church his Bride Is such a known and certain truth as none Perhaps has e'er oppos'd but thee alone That 't is the Churches duty to supply The needful wants of all her Ministry And truth it is too plain to be deny'd Christ's Church should for Christ's Ministers provide What carps thou at then William would thy muse Plead that St. Paul did not this priviledge use That what was lacking to him privately The Macedonian Brethren did supply Thus it appear'd the Apostle did partake Of that Provision that the Church did make Christs Ministers to furnish and their need Supply when they want money to proceed Pretend thou can'st not that this Stock is given To such as have no need thereof but even Thy flurt at Richardson for taking pay For what as Clark he writes do much bewray Thy folly and injustice is' t not fit Who works for others should be paid for it And that by them who him to work desire The labourer is worthy of his hire Thus has Ellwood confest the whole matter and tells us 't is too plain to be denyed as indeed it is Thus you see they confess their Ministers take Money their Clarks take Money Why then do they so bitterly enveigh against the Clergy for taking Money and pretend that their Ministers take none But if Mr. Mead would open his Books of Accounts we should see how many Thousand Pounds their Speakers have in a Year besides their private Quarters who comes like Flies and Mice uncall'd or unsent for and so live on the Provision of others And this I may say that their Ministry hath cost me as much in 4 Weeks as the publick Ministry has cost me in 4 Years and yet these are the free Preachers free Writers and free People if you will believe them But having been more large on this Head in my Book Battering Rams against new Rome c. And that Entituled New Rome unmask'd c. I shall conclude this Head since they are first charged to preach for Money write for Money contrary to their pretences and that T. Ellwood whether at unawares or no I will not here determine has confessed to be matter of fact and thereby puts the thing out of doubt c. I find the Author of the Gen. Hist p. 63. treat about their Marriages and also a few days after a Child is born of their calling the Midwife Of the first he seems only to speak by way of commendation not mentioning so much as one of their Orders and as to the latter as if he were wholly a stranger to them there being no such matter as calling the Midwife or Neighbours on such an account However that he may the better be informed I shall shew several of their Forms for Marriages which are at large treated on in my Book Innocency vindicated and Envy rebuked c. The First Order for Marriage by George Fox printed by Tho. Symons the 7 of the 11th month 1659. Somewhat abstracted viz. And if any Friends go together in the power of the Lord after the thing hath been made known between themselves and laid before able Friends and nothing appear to the contrary they may declare it in the end of the next general Meeting or as they are moved they may declare it in the midtime of the Market on the Market day in the next Market Town or they may not as their freedom is And if they are moved they may declare it to the next Magistrate if they will or they may not then after in an Assembly not less than 12 they may speak their Testimony and then a Certificate may be given of the Day Month and Year and Recorded but that nothing be Recorded for money in these things but freely a free People serve one another in love c. A Second Order for Marriage by George Fox Anno 1662. And when they take one another in Marriage let not less than a dozen Friends and Relations be present according to your former Order having first acquainted your Mens Meeting and that it be Recorded in a Book c. A Third Order for Marriage Anno 1667. That as any are moved of the Lord and in his Light called to take a Brother or Sister in Marriage let it be made known to the Children of Light and being by the Light made manifest to be of God let them be joyned
that whereas the Miracle wrought by the Apostles in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth was a means to convert the Jews to the Christian Faith and to confirm the believing Gentiles But these of G. Fox's in regard he wrought them in his own Name only they seem to be a means to shake the Faith and Confidence that some well wishers to us had of our Religion nay and to be plain many amongst us begin to doubt of them and to think them too like the Popish Legend and the counterfeit Miracles of Simon Magus that Sorcerer and I my self am almost at a stand about them and divers others of his assertions touching himself which before our adversaries quoted them I did not take so much notice of Teacher Friend Benjamen you are in the right of it for betwixt You and I Christ never wrought Miracles in a corner and publish'd them 20 or 30 years after they are said to be done but in the face of the World before multitudes of mixt People Friends and Enemies witness that of Cand in Gallilee where he turned Water into Wine likewise his feeding many Thousands with a few barly Loves and a few small Fishes He healed all manner of Diseases whether the Disease were present or absent and some of his Miracles he wrought on the Sabbath day which the Pharasees his great Enemies found fault with him for though they could not deny matter of Fact Likewise his Followers who preached in his Name the Resurrection of the dead they likewise wrought Miracles saying in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk and he the Cripple walked and leaped and praised God Clark Ah these were Miracles indeed But this Fra. Bugg makes the World believe that G. Fox's Miracles are meer shams lying wonders and delusions and I must tell thee I fear so too and to be free some Friends tho' they dare not say it openly think so as well as I and for my part I do not like them at all Teacher Like them who can I was at a Friend's House not long since where I heard an eminent Friend say that since some had wrot so much against the Journal and Miracles c. she had a mind to see it and I asked her how she liked it she said she did not like it at all and indeed if we consider a few things who can like it For 1. His Miracles were done in a corner no body knows where noâ— when otherwise than by his own relation 2. Never published till many years after they are said to be done 3. They were wrought in his own Name only and not in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth 4. Here is not one Cripple that ever he cured nor one dead Person that ever he raised nor one blind that ever he gave sight too to come forth and avouch that he was cured was raised was blind and now he sees and to be very plain I do believe there never was any thing of a Miracle at all but only an Artifice to hold the people in admiration of G. Fox and to confirm them in the belief that we are the only true Catholick Church of the First-born and that the Apostolick order thereof as well as Miracles are restored and re-established amongst us But let us have a care that no body hear us for if this discourse were known to G. W. I should loose my place and you might be in danger to loose yours Clark But pray what think you of his pretence to discerning who said he knew who were Saints who were Devils and who were Apostates without speaking ever a word Again W. Penn said none need to furnish him with discerning or judgment Christ has furnish'd us already and doth on all occasions Teacher Oh Friend I have been a Quaker more than 20 years and am ashamed to hear of such vain boasting For indeed if we were always thus furnished with discerning and judgment on all occasions so that we knew who were Saints Devils and Apostates without speaking ever a word how came it to pass that Sam. Cater in his Narrative p. 18. 19. was so mistaken that Geo. Fox was so mistaken in Thomas Murford Ste. Crispe Tho. Rudyard Ezekiel Woolly c. And how came it to pass that G. Whitehead was so mistaken in Christopher Atkinson Tho. Leacock W. Warwick c. Clark But if this Journal be so erronious so stuft with false and counterfeit Miracles so thick larded with Antichristian as well as Antiscriptural Principles why do our Friends thus run a whoring after it as to have it taught in Schools and placed in all Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales and parts beyond the Seas Why is it sent to the University to be reserved to posterity in their Library and to be free I think our Friends run a whoring after it as much as the revolting Israelites did after the golden Calf c. Teacher Come Friend Benjamen I will Answer you by what I have heard in my Travels 1. By teaching our Youth it they are the more weaned from the Professors Religion which is founded on the Letter 2. For that it is sent to all Quarterly and Monthly Meetings it has this service namely to prove the antiquity of our Religion and to shew how it was confirmed by Miracles 3. And its being received into the Library in Oxford it is to shew our Errors and to expose us as may be seen by a Letter sent from the Library-keeper to Fra. Bugg which is as followeth viz. Mr. Bugg You must needs think it strange to receive a Letter from a Man so utterly unknown to you yet the same motive which made you to publish your useful Books I mean the publick Good causes me to become a Petitioner to you in the behalf of the publick Library of Oxford in which place I have the honour of being a Servant to our Universary I have seen your Book call'd The Quakers set in their true Light c. At the end of which is a Catalogue of 15 Books more all written by you The Quakers have already presented us with Fox's Journal Barkly's Works c. I am satisfy'd it would be extremely well taken if you would be pleased to send us your own Works which are so capable of instructing those who are desirous of hearing what can be alledged on both sides Here they will be for ever preserved and your Donation shall be particularly Register'd among the other Benefactors by Sir your unknown but humble Servant c. H. W. Bodlejan Library April 6 1696. Clark Come Brother it grew late if thee wilt answer me a few Questions Briefly do and we will part for this Time and wait another Opportunity for a little more Familiar Discourse about Truth 's Affairs And First Why did our Brother G. Whitehead send a Paper to Turners-hall April 29. 1697. called a Protestation against George Keith's Advertisement and not come and defend our Books Teach Why You need not ask the
Reason why For George Keith call'd us forth to clear our selves from those four Fundamental Errors which both he you and I know we can no way clear our selves but by a Retractation And you know we no sooner Retract then let fall our Infallibility And this thee may'st assure thy self G. Whitehead will never do Clark But Secondly why then do he call George Keith's a Usurped Arbitrary and Irregular Proceeding Cannot we be content either to meet him and clear our selves or if we think that impossible as indeed I fear it is then to lie contented under his Charge without Noise besides 't is known well enough by the world's People how we have Summoned all the Clergy from the Bishops to the lowest Order We have Arraigned Tryed and at the Bar of Justice Condemned all the Clergy as contrary to all the Ministers of Christ and to Agree and Concur with all the false Prophets Deceivers and Hereticks in both their Call Maintenance and Doctrine nay moreover we have Impeached the Proceedings of all Courts of Judicatures we have called the Church of England the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her Moreover we have Diologu'd the Prelates and Church and Common Prayer and told them we have discovered their Deceitful Practices and rip'd up her Bowels and Discovered her the Churches Adulterous Womb and all her false Conceptions p. 39. Saying behold the Arch-bishops Lordbishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all Prelaticals Here is the Womb of your Conceptions opened from which you draw your Breath and prolong your Days open your Eyes and behold them for they are Monsters As for your Common Prayer the Pope gives Life to it and from his Loins it draws its Strength Teach My Dear Friend Ben. we must part you ask me such home Questions that I must Answer Affirmatively that it is ten thousand times more tollerable for George Keith to call us out than for us thus to Summons Arraign Try Judge and Condemn all the Protestant Clergy unsent too unheard behind their Backs in this Clandestine Obscure Arbitrary Pernitious and Scandalous Manner fit to raise the Mobb to Invade their Property raise Tumults cause Divisions like Turbulent and Seditious Incendiaries as if we were about to erect the Star-chamber-court and to Enact another Writ de haeretico comburendo And instead of the six bloody Articles six hundred for really Brother I must needs say that if the Church of England her Bishops Pastors and Teachers be according to all the false Prophets in all things and contrary to all the Ministers of Christ 'T is high time to Arraign Try and Judge them and all that Adhere to them Clark Thirdly but good dear Brother Thomas since we are thus closs in Argument and very free one with another what do you think of our Brother Whitehead so often boasting of our being Recognized by Law as that therefore they may not be Convicted of Error nor their pernicious Principles be Condemn'd for though they are Indulg'd in the Exercise of their Perswasion Yet I do not think our Books which hold the Errors Complained of are Recognized If so then we are in a better Station then the Church Established for thee knowest how we Write against both Priests and People we Summon Arraign Try and Condemn them as I said before pray Answer me Cordially do you think this is good Arguing that because the Government have tolerated us that therefore none may Write against us that none may Challenge us I am perswaded that the Episcopolians are much kinder to us then we should be to them had we the Swaying of the Scepter Teach Very true dear Brother for if you look into the 227 page of our deceased Brother Hubberthorn's Works there you shall find in Answer to the Baptists who professed solemnly that if they were in their Hands they would give the Members of the Church of England Liberty of Conscience In Answer to whom here our Brother Hubborthorn an Eminent and early Writer and Preacher viz. It seems then there is not so much difference betwixt them i. e. the Church of England and you the Baptists who will make them Antichristian and you Christian What Confusion is here You will not tolerate Popery nor such as Worship a false God nor any that speak Contemptuously of the Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet you are not against the tolerating Episcopacy Presbytetry or any stinted form Why will you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy Have not the Professors of Episcopacy Murdered and Slain and do Labour to Murder and Slay the People of God as well as the Papists and will you tolerate the Common Prayer among the Episcopacy and not the Mass-book among the Papists seeing that the Mass was the Substance out of which the Common Prayer was Extracted Here is nothing but Partiality to tolerate one Thing and not another of the same kind c. Now Brother you see how we are against Episcopacy even as much as against Popery and should tolerate the one as soon as the other And to be plain I think the Episcopal are kinder to us than we deserve Clark But say G. Whitehead we do not believe the Civil Authority or any concerned therein will Countenance or Permit such an Usurped Authority or Pernitious President as G. Keith has Assumed or Attempted in this Case We presume the said G. Keith can produce no Legal Commission .c Now Friend Thomas how came G. Whitehead to be thus Unbelieving and Presumptuous for I am told the Lord Mayor with the Concurrence of the Bishop of London gave G. Keith leave and sent his Marshal to keep the Peace and that one of the Sheriffs was their also and that the World's People for so we call all but our selves were well satisfied and glad of the Opportunity to hear the gross Errors and vile Heresies of our Brethren laid open and exposed to publick Notice Teach I must again answer on the Affirmative that our Brother Whitehead was first Unbelieving and secondly very Presumptive and thereby Reflected on the Wisdom and Conduct of the Civil Magistrate Arroganely signifying and suggesting that the Magistrates are more ready to Recognize Help and Assist us who have Arraigned Tryed and Condemn'd them all who have Impeached their Proceedings in their Courts of Judicature who have Dialogu'd the Bishops Pastors and Teachers who say the Common Prayer is a Branch Sprung from the Pope that the Pope gives Life and Breath to it and that from the Popes Loins it draws its Strength that the Church of England is the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her That the Bishops and Ministers are Monsters which from the Adulterous Womb of the Church are brought forth that we have rip'd up the Bowels of the Church and discovered her Adulterous Womb. Saying p. 39. And now behold ye Arch-bishops Lord-bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all
you and set you up Is not this the Whore that Rode upon the Beast and that the Beast meaning the Parliament carry her Again to the Parliament viz. You do but cause People to drink of the Whores Cup and you are but them that do carry the Whore viz. the False Church And this is plain Dealing to tell you the Truth for proof see Burrough's Works p. 50. 53 501 522 507. 521. 12. Such as Teach that the publick Ministry are Witches Devils Wolves Antichrists Sodomites c. The very bane of Soul and Body of the Universe That the Dissenting Ministers are an Ill-bred Pedantick Crew the bane of Religion and pest of the World the old Incendiaries to Mischief and best to be spared of Mankind against whom the boyling Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be poured out that they should give them i. e. the Clergy Blood to drink for they are worthy Turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom that 't is as warrantable to tolerate Popery as Episcopacy that tolerating Episcopacy is making a League with Hell That all Kings and Emperors have sprung up in the Night of Apostacy that the Kings are Spiritual Aegyptians that such as dote on an Earthly King are Traytors that 't is a nasty and dirty thing to mention a House of Lords that all those Fines which belongs to Lords of Mannors should be given to the Poor that all Abby-lands Gleab-lands that is given to the Priests be given to the Poor of the Nation Judas was kind to the Poor that all the great Houses Abbies Steeple-houses the Kings Rents Parks and Houses should be Sold and all Colledg-lands and Bells out of the Churches except one in a Town to give notice of Fire That to take away the Priests Hour glass if you be moved to it is owned by the Eternal Power For proof of this Doctrine and five hundred times as much of the same Nature Read these Quotations for this is but a short Map of Quakerisme viz. G. Fox 's Great Mist p. 5. 30. to 40. A Serious Apol. c. p. 156. A Brief Discovery c. p. 7. 8. Several Papers given forth by G. Fox c. p. 8. 9 12 16 18. G. Fox's 59 Particulars sent to the Parliament Printed 1659. p. 8. 59 63 65. Burrough's Advice to the Souldiers p. 2. The Guide Mistaken by W. Penn c. p. 18. Reader I have in this little Map given thee a hint of the Doctrines of the Quaker Church I think they are so abominable Erronious Blasphemous and Uncharitable that they need no Comment and as to the Quaker Church their Bride and their Lambs Wife if you still ask me for a Discription of her I tell you they are a broken divided Sect who adhear to the Teachers of this Doctrine tho' in their Meetings before the World's People they sometimes talk a little otherwise but search their Books especially their old ones and they are not changed and this is the perfect Figure nay plain Words of their Doctrine But if any one or more will Condemn their Recited Errors publickly under their Hands they thenceforth are not of their Church but ought to be taken in as Protestants even as G. Keith and his Friends have done whom I neither Interrogate nor Accuse And now if after all their deluded Disciples will not be so noble as to search and after searching to to Renounce them and their Errors but will still remain willingly Ignorant it is a great sign that God has given them up to strong Delusion Reader the design of the Recited Book Intituled Some Reflections upon the Quakers Protestation c. And all that 's Wrote against them is only to bring them to a thorow Conviction of their Errors and to such an Acknowledgment and Confession of them as is Indispensible to a true Conviction there is nothing more desired of them than to Retract and disown what is proved to be Faulty in their Writings and such Faults too as are either Destructive to the Faith or Scandalous and so Sinful to the Reputation of their Neighbours in giving False and Uncharitable Representations of them And this they are obliged to do by all the Rulers of Christianity it being the smallest Satisfaction they can make to repair so far at least the Injuries that are thereby done to the Christian Doctrine and the Good Name of those they have Wrongfully Traduced they are the Aggressors they have Attack'd our Religion in all the Parts of it our Bishops and Clergy and our whole Constitution and we require no greater Amends for all that they have done against us then to say that they are sorry for it and though they should refuse us even this Justice and reasonable Security for the future yet we press for no Persecution against them for no Fines or Imprisonment but only that we should not be obliged to acknowledge them as true Protestants and that we may have Liberty to Justifie our Selves and Reliligion against the Calumnies with which they have loaded both And if this be refused us the Cry of Persecution will run on our side Is it no Persecution of the Tongue for the Quakers to Represent our Bishops and Clergy as the most odious of Mankind We grant their is a Toleration but 't is only for Religious Worship but with all caution that the Doors be open so as any may go in and see what they do but not to hold General Councels with their Doors Lock'd up or a Guard of three or four Stout Men to keep all out but whom they 'll admit and their Business is Government that 's plain which is no way within the Act of Parliament for there is a Clause in the Act p 307. Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Assembly of Persons Dissenting from the Church of England shall be had in any Place for Religious Worship †with the Doors lockt bard Mark tho' they do not always Bolt and Barr yet have they 3 or 4 lusty Fellows to keep Guard during their Convocation or bolted during any time of such Méeting together they shall not receive any benefit from this Law but be lyable to all the Pains and Penalties of all the aforesaid Laws c. which Prohibit all Convocations c. without the King's License much more to Enact Promulgate or Decree any Orders or Constitutions whatsoever Now if the Bishops and Clergy of England tho' Recogniz'd and Establish'd by Law wou'd incur a Premunire so much as to meet consult and debate tho' concerning only their own Order and Spiritual Jurisdiction without the King's Licence How then have the Quakers this Authority to hold their yearly Convocation without controle and with their Doors either lock'd and bar'd or a Guard at them and when there not only to make Laws for their People to observe but to Repeal if not Verbally yet Vertually the Laws of the Land And further If when the Clergy do meet in Council Convocation or
Synod the King may have his Commissioners present to Inspect and even to Regulate their Proceedings That nothing may be their Transacted prejudicial to the Government How much more reasonable is it to have the Quakers Synods Inspected who have given such demonstration of their Antimagistratical Principles If Christian Emperors and Princes have had their Ambassadors and Ministers present in general Councils If the Hugonots in France have submitted nay desired and requested to have the Kings Commissioners present in their Synods which by His Majesties Grace and Favour they have been suffered to hold If the Presbyterians in Scotland tho' now Establish'd as the National Religion have a Commissioner present in their general Assemblies why should the Quakers not be oblig'd to receive a Commissioner from the Government to recide in their Anniversary Synods If at their beginning they were too Inconsiderable for the notice of the Government they are now become a numerous and wealthy People and in all respects worthy not to be neglected especially if their Principles be as their Writings set forth And their not meeting G. Keith and others who have in like manner challeng'd them is not the least demonstration of their Guilt The Postscript to the Map Being told that the Quakers had Answer'd my Book The Qua. Set I went yesterday to their Booksellers Shop in White-hart court for one but found it not but seeing G. Whitehead's Antidote against the venome of the Snake c. I found two Passages which being Reply'd to may indifferently serve for an Answer to the Book For no Charge can be undenyably true upon them Why Because they can deny any Charge how true soever it be Again if they will not Determin a Point in Controversie being proved out of their most Authentick Authors unless we can produce the Original Manuscript Copy which is impossible for us to do then farewel all Answering Books Behold the Quakers run and are ready to give up their Cause the Passages are these viz. The Author of the Snake c. said That Mr. John Pennyman was an Ancient Worthy and most Sincere Gentleman as indeed none that know him can with any Colour of Justice say the contrary who had been invegled with their False Shew and Pretence to Piety till he discovered their Gross Immoralities which being complained of tho' the Fact could not be denyed yet they could not Sensure any that remained in their Unity for which Reason he at last left them G. W's Antidote 252. Answer as his Character of John Pennyman is in the Superlative Degree appears Flattery and his Scandalous Story 's on his behalf and reason of leaving us appears neither True nor Impartial I never had any undeniable Proof of the Matter of Fact heard from John Pennyman c. Reply Well done George thou art in the right on 't for I never knew any Matter of Evil Fact Charged on the Quakers and their Errors but thou hast had the Impudence to deny it at least as Stated or in some other Sophistical manner So that 't is Morally Impossible to prove Matter of Fact against the Quakers undenyably True Why because they have a Face of Brass to deny any Matter of Fact against them how true soever it be of which this Antidote is not the least Instance and for which Reason I could wish the Author of the Snake may not trouble himself to Reply Again 2dly p. 254. G. Whitehead has Cited a Passage in the Snake c. viz. Quakers Registring their Sufferings for the Truth as they call it would make them exceed all the Ten Persecutions and to be more Undescerving than the Sufferings of Christ himself or the Apostles c. To which G. Whitehead Answers These are False Suggestions we have no such hopes he i. e. Snake Cites Edward Burrough's Unfairly and Partially in this Point And yet the Comparison of the Quakers Sufferings as Greater and more Unjust than in the Days of Christ and his Apostles or any time since is a mistake And whether it was so first Verbally Stated by Edward Burrough's or some time since I shall not Determin unless I see the Original Copy c. Reply I do positively Affirm and before any Ten Ministers of the Protestant Churches viz. Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Baptists will prove that the from Recited Authors Charge is undeniably true Matter of Fact But what then G. W. still complains of Evil Suggestions of Unfair and Partial Citations tho' poor Heart he is so Stung with this Snake that he is forced to acknowledge a Mistake some where but dust not determin where oh horrible what a Book Wrote in 1657. by one of their Inspired Prophets as the Word of the Lord and dispersed 15 Years up and down the Nations and then Reprinted by thy own Approbation dear George with thine and G. Fox's Epistles of Recommendations And now to tell us of a Mistake but know not where and to call for Original Manuscripts Wrote 40 Years since is such a piece of Fallible Infallibility that had I room I should farther enlarge upon it Francis Bugg Sen. May 13. 1697. BOOKS Wrote by Fra. Bugg Sen. 1. DE Christianae Libertate c. in 8vo bound 2. The Painted Harlot both Strip'd and Whip'd c. 3. Reason against Railing c. 4. Innocency Vindicated and Envy Rebuked c. 5. The Quakers Detected and their Errors Confuted 6. A Lette to the Quakers shewing their Frequent Addresses to K. J. 2. 7. Battering Rams against New Rome c. 8. One Blow more against New Rome c. 9. New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation shaken c. 10. New Rome Arraigned and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. 11. A Sheet delivered to the Parliament Dec. 1693. Entituled Something in Answer to the Quakers Allegation c. 12. Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. 13. Quakerism Annotonized c. 14. A Sheet Entit The Quakers Yearly Meeting Impeached c. 15. A second Summons to the City Abel by way of Metaphor to deliver up Sheba the Son of Bichri 2 Sam. 20. i. e. G. Whitehead c. 16. The Quakers set in their true Light c. 17. A Brief History of the Rise Growth and Progress of Quakerism 18. The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. FINIS
every word in particular for you have Tongue enough sometimes let us see now if it can wag c. Now Reader this is one way by which they deceived the simple and thereby Quakerism had its progress Gen. Hist 112. The Form of the Quakers Confession before the House of Commons was I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth the Sacred Scriptures to be Divine left us by Men Inspired by God as an exact rule of our Faith and Behaviour and I profess to believe in one only God who is the Father and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son very God and very Man and in the Holy Spirit one and the same God with the Father and Son blessed for evermore c. I must confess this Confession if sincere is somewhat to the purpose but if sincere then there is a vast Change in their Minds both from their frequent disputations as well as their printed Books and because we cannot well try them by the first therefore we will examine their Sincerity by the latter and if their Books teach the contrary then until they first condemn those Books we have no ground to believe them sincere in what they say to serve a turn I will at this time quote only two of them viz. The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your carnal Christ is utterly denyed and testifyed against by the Light and whereas you the Priest say that Christ is God and Man in one Person it is a lye c. Now if they believe as they write how can they be sincere in what they say as above for contraries cannot be the same white is not black neither is black white Men never gathered Grapes of Thorns nor Figs of Thistles ye shall know them i. e. Deceivers said Christ by their Fruit this is an infallible rule Again News coming up out of the North c. p. 14. Your original is carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and your Word is carnal the Letter and the Light is carnal the Letter their original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death and their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is but the Letter c. So then if the Scriptures be Dust Carnal and Serpents-Meat how are they Divine nay how were they given forth by Divine Inspiration What did George Fox mean Divine Dust Divine Food for Serpents a Divine Carnal Letter No sure Then doubtless these expressions were cast upon the Scriptures by way of contempt against such as professed them to be given by Divine Inspiration and that they were in earnest the rule of our Faith and Behaviour against which the Quakers have both Preached and Disputed this 40 years as I can make appear by 40 of their Books now by me One more I shall quote to strengthen what I say Howthen can they be sincere in this their Confession How can they at one and the same time believe the Scriptures are Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Food and also that they are Divine and left us by Men Inspired of God for the rule of our Faith and Practice I say how can these contraries be reconciled nay it 's impossible If they shall say in answer to what I now affirm that their Minds are really changed and better informed I could be heartily glad of it but then let us have a sign of it and some ground to believe them viz. Let them condemn these Books that Teach contrary to their Confession for whil'st then I boldly aver to those who know them and their Doctrine and their Books which they prefer above the Scriptures they cannot they are not to be believ'd The Book I mention to cite is this A brief discovery of a three fold Estate of Antichrist c. p. 7. 8 9. The Priests of the World are 1st Conjurers raising dead Doctrines dead Reasons dead Uses dead Motives dead Tryals out of the Letter which is death raising Death out of Death notable Conjurers 2. Thieves and Robbers 3. Antichrists the Priests of Baal cannot shew any Scripture example for their Heathenish ways and Beastial Worships 4. Witches 5. Devils the Serpent is Head in them 6. Lyers the Commission and call of Baal Priests come from Oxford and Cambridge even the Sir Simons of our days run to Oxford and Cambridge 7. A viperous and serpentive Generation 8. Blasphemers living in the Kingdom and Government of the Prince of the Air yea of the Devils fearful Blasphemers 9. Scarlet colour'd Beasts a well favour'd Harlot having a golden Cup in her Hand full of abomination and filthiness of her Fornication 10. Babylons Merchants selling Beastly ware for a large price the Letter which is Dust and Death for filthy lucre sake 11. Whited Walls painted Sepulchers professing something possessing nothing but poysoned stuff 12. Ravening Wolves 13. Greedy Dogs really they are Blood-hounds 14. Eminent and Ambitious Pharisees living in the same Antichristian steps that the Pharisees did that Christ cryed out against Wo wo wo was their portion then and wo wo wo is their portion now and wo and misery is the portion of the upholders whether King or Parliament of that Treacherous Crew and Deceitful Generation wherefore come from among the Babylonish Merchants c. Oh horrible and unheard of and in this Book there are the Names of George Fox Thomas Lawson Thomas Aldham Benjamen Nicolson John Harrwood five of their primitive Teachers and notable Doctors Behold the way manner and method of the growth and progress of Quakerism what shall this be encourag'd shall this be establish'd in a Christian Nation God forbid Here is contempt cast upon the Scripture upon the Ministry upon the Magistracy and People no matter for their confession whil'st these Books stand uncondemned they keep these Books in their Families read them and recommend them as elsewhere I have observed Even as Arias kept his opinion to himself and yet deceitfully signed as fair a confession to please the Emperor Constantine which is as followeth See Hist Socrates cap. 38. Viz. I believe in one God the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ his Son who was made by him before all Ages God the Word by whom all things in Heaven and Earth were made who came down and was incarnate who suffered and rose again and ascended and shall come to judge the quick and the dead and in the Holy Ghost the Resurrection of the Flesh and the Life to come in one Catholick Church of God from one end of the World to another this we believe as God shall judge us now and in the World to come Constantine the Emperor was a good Man and thought him sincere and accepted of it but the cheat lay here which afterwards was found out he wrote a Paper of what he really believed and said he believed as he had written and the Quakers have wrot Books that for any to say that Christ is God and Man in one Person is