Christ's Lambs Defended from Satan's Rage IN A JUST VINDICATION Of the People called QUAKERS Their Christian Sincerity Innocency and Respect to the Civil Government and the Good Ends thereof from the Unjust Attempts of John Pennyman and Abettors in his Malicious Book styled The Quakers Unmasked Clearly evincing HIS Falsheartedness Temporizing and Envy against an Innocent People Peaceable Subjects certain Prophets and Servants of the Living God herein Commemorated Accommodated to the Capacity of every Impartial and Intelligent Reader by a Lover of Truth and Peace G. W. Frowardness is in his heart he deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord therefore shall his calamity come suddenly suddenly shall he be broken without Remedy Prov. 6. 14 15. Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood he made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made his mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate Psal. 7. 14 15 16. LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lombard-Street 1691. TO THE Impartial and Friendly READER A few Advertisements relating to John Pennyman's Book styled The Quakers Unmask't wherein the Reader is desired to Observe FIrst That the said Book was sent in Manuscript to some of Us in the year 1677. except some Words and Passages since added and others omitted in the Printed 2dly That this Ensuing Treatise in Answer was quickly writ in the same year 1677. and kept private for many years as 't is said in a written Note his has been with an Intent to publish this Answer in Print if I. P's Envy should prompt him so to publish his 3dly Liberty of Conscience being established by Law this is placed upon his Book in writing as the reason of its now Publication Which looks as if he envied our present Liberty by his pernicious Book tending to bring Persecution again upon us by rendring us obnoxious to the Civil Government as much as in him lyes But we thank God we enjoy the Liberty we have by Law and that we have cause to hope the Government will not be so credulous of such odious Invectives against Us as to be influenced thereby to lessen our Christian Liberty 4thly Note that this Ensuing Treatise being first writ in the year 1677. those Passages in it relating to our Sufferings then as placed in the Present Tence relate to that time and not to this now wherein it is Printed Wherein we now enjoy our Religious Meetings peaceably and free from Persecution for which we truly bless God and thank our Superiors in the Government 5thly Please to observe that I. P. in his said Printed Book explains the Quakers by viz. George Fox and his Party and instead of I. P's words in his Manuscript this pretended change of Judgment in the Men that are Quakers is not to be taken for a change of Judgment in the Quakers He hath it thus in Print p. 6. viz. This pretended change of Judgment in G. Fox and his Preachers is not to be taken for a change of their Judgment which is still to bring an Odium upon Us and tending unjustly to render Us obnoxious and offensive to the Civil Government contrary to our Christian Testimony and peaceable Living 6thly Instead of his own proper Name John Pennyman which is set three times over in his Manuscript he hath by Philo Aletheia in his Title Page in Print and afterward P. I. five times over in Print which 2 Letters of his name are transposed as he understands p. 13. which with the Publication of his Book seems to be placed not upon himself but upon another Person I. G. So that John appears more cunning than innocent in this point He has his Publisher and Transposer of the two Letters of his Name either to extenuate the fact or for some cover or subterfuge for himself he has travelled in pain to bring forth such a monstrous false birth and accepted of another Persons Aid to Midwife it into the World for mischief and causeless Revenge It seems when his Book was printed he had lost some of his Confidence and Zeal for his work or at least some of his Friends had not so much for him as he seem'd to have when he first writ it in thus varying his Name in his Title Page and Book Concerning some Passages added in his printed Book p. 10. about Jer. Ives his Insinuation from a Book titled West answering the North. Where he saith I am unwilling to write out because I am not willing to expose you To this I. P. unjustly cites only a small part of G. W's Reply Thus in his serious search I cannot but observe the Man's Dissimulation c. In this implicite kind of accusing us to render us more suspicious and obnoxious than if he had dealt plainly And then I. P. takes upon him to deal more plainly by reciting and observing some Passages out of the said Book West answering the North. As observing as he saith with what strange kind of Confidence deluding and blinding our Proselites not daring to do so before Authority but rather down upon his Knees and beg Pardon for his Audaciousness and Insolence Fallacious doings c. this against G. W. To all which we may truly say that we have cause to thank God we have more just and impartial Men in Authority and more just Judges than J. P. for he has dealt very unjustly and maliciously by G. W. in this matter as if he either spoke slightingly or assented to all those sayings cited out of West answering the North. Whereas the contrary is apparently manifest in G. W's very following words in his serious search p. 37. After the words cited viz. hereby to render us more suspicious and obnoxious than if he had dealt plainly J. P. unjustly leaves out these following words which are explanatory to the matter viz. especially whilst he accuseth us over and over with Justifying the late Wars against the King when as that very Book quoted by him entituled The West answering to the North Printed 1657. doth in the whole Tenour of it severely reprehend those in Power to wit Oliver and his Ministers for their Oppressions Cruelties and Arbitrary Proceedings which they pretended to condemn in those before them though there might be some words too harsh in the said Book as reflecting backward but with an Intent to judge them then in Power Yet it is to be considered as chiefly writ by two Officers or Captains of the old Army being Common-wealths Men as I understand who had not as then wholly got over the Warring Spirit however did simpathise with our Poor Innocent Friends when they beheld their deep Sufferings as in some degree sharing with them though it 's probable some remainder of their former sharpness of Spirit was left wherein they had been animated by such zealous Chaplains as Jeremy yet those Books quoted by him were extant long before the King's
Concern therein by placing the Publishing and Printing of it upon another Person Now he is for exposing and doing what mischief he can against us having presumptuously given Sentence of our Destruction positively concluding that there is no hopes of our Repentance The Lord rebuke the Insolency Pride Presumption and Envy of this gain-saying Luciferian Spirit For what end does John Pennyman come so often into our Meetings to Preach and make a noise among us smiteing and reflecting upon the Testimonies of the Servants of Christ exalting himself as Judge over all What can his end be therein It cannot be to Preach us unto Repentance which he has already judged there is no hopes of neither can We and our Friends receive him as either Prophet or Minister of Christ though he intrudes himself as into the place of such an one or at least as if he would have People believe that he had some special Commission But he appears so very empty dry and dead that the least Child of Light doth see him and his forced presumptuous Messages to be both void of Life and Charity as well as of Faith and Hope having no Hope of their Repentance to whom he Preaches He hath told us the Righteous are as bold as a Lyon but where was his Boldness in the times of our late Sufferings and Persecutions when the Informers were abroad He came not then to Preach Prophesie or reprove among us he would then rather keep obscure than forfeit his 20 or 40 l. for Preaching in our publick Meetings To whom I conclude Oh John mayst thou yet be humbled unto Repentance Mayst thou yet find a place of Repentance for thy great Envy and all thy hard Speeches against the Lords Servants and People My Soul yet desires thy Repentance if a place be yet to be found that thy Gray Hairs may not go down to the Grave in Sorrow and Contempt thy days are hastning towards a Period recollect thy Self and consider thy ways and the evil and mischief thou hast attempted and done against the Lord's Heritage and Servants not only against the Living but also against the Dead who are at rest in Christ The Lord open thine Eyes and hasten thee to seek Repentance if it may stand with his good Pleasure otherwise thy Destruction hastens Remember and think of it From a Friend to Truth and thy poor Soul G. W. London the 14th 1st Month 1690 1 The Principal Passages OF A Letter sent to a Friend And here placed for a PREFACE Dear Friend J. O. SInce that thou madest Enquiry of me concerning the Book in Manuscript entituled The Quakers Unmasked c. what we thought to do in it This is to acquaint thee That though such kind of Controversies are not desirable nor pleasant to me any more than to thy self whom I know to be a Man of a peaceable Spirit and unwilling as well as I that the Religion of us and all Conscientious Dissenters should be exposed to open Contempt by such Controversies and raking up Occasions Yet upon a serious and strict Examination of the said Book with the principal Quotations Observations and Argumentative Passages I with some others have been stirred up and enabled by the Lord out of a Holy Zeal for his Truth and People and from a Necessity laid upon us to draw up and compose an Answer to the said Book First To reprehend his Envy and Malice And Secondly To vindicate our Innocency towards the Government and Consistency of our Addresses to the King with our Principle and Conversations as a People from the beginning And for thy Information take the following Account and General Notes of our Proceeding and Sense in this Matter viz. That we have an Answer in Manuscript already prepared to John Pennyman's late Book in Manuscript not willing to publish it until he first give us occasion by publishing his and that therein we have by sufficient Demonstration proved him guilty of apparent Lyes I. In the general Charge against the People called Quakers II. Against Particulars as also of most gross Hypocrisie and Contradiction to himself Malice and base Temporizing and manifest Falshood in divers Particulars as to Matters of Fact in clamouring against the People called Quakers for their Declarations and Addresses to the King of their peaceable Intentions c. All his Allegations and Retortions upon any other whatsoever cannot excuse nor hold parallel with himself as to matter of Fact His Unjustness in making General Reflections from some Particulars That we reserve our Answer in readiness for publication if his Malice prompts him to publish his not desiring or expecting any Mercy from him That his Book some of the Persons concerned in it do detain it being to be communicated according to the Title-page That his Book if published may be prejudicial to thousands of Innocent Unconcerned People in this Nation And no Advantage to the Author but to his great and utter Disgrace Shame and Contempt in the Eyes of all sorts of Moderate Indifferent People it tending to beget Jealousies and an evil Eye in the Rulers and may bring in question all Religion under the Name of Dissenters c. if the Lord prevent not That if John Pennyman will not be reduced to Christianity but proceed on in his Work to render us obnoxious to the Government which is the tendence of much of his Book some of our Friends out of their Zeal for God and his Truth Religion and People are resolved through God's Assistance and with his Permission further to detect and unmask him until he learns so much of Morality and common Civility as to live peaceably among his Neighbours and lay aside this his Factious and Turbulent Work against peaceable Subjects This in hast at present I am thy assured Friend G. W. The 29th of the 9th Month 1677. Christ's Lambs defended FROM SATAN's RAGE HAving lately had some Opportunity and Occasion to view a Book in Manuscript entituled The Quakers Unmasked signed by John Pennyman and charging the People called Quakers with Double Dealing Fals-heartedness Contradictions Confusions and Temporizing such Wickedness as can hardly be Paralleld as great Dissemblers Deceivers Deluders of the People as have appeared in this our Age Lyers False Prophets and to be avoided and witnessed against Deceitful Workers Hypocrites charging G. F. to be one of the greatest Hypocrites and Deceivers in this Nation deceiving the People threatning him with cutting down c. Here 's a hideous out-cry but the Falsness and Malice thereof will appear anon when we come to his pretended Proofs which consist of Collections taken out of their own Writings as he saith which he hath so placed that he saith those of the meanest Capacity may easily discern and see them to be as great Dissemblers Deceivers and Deluders as have appeared in our Age And for all this he pretends the Discharge of his own Conscience His placing his Collections to make his Charge obvious against the People called Quakers are in two
Pardon which he pretends so greatly to respect It appears that these Passages tending to clear us our Adversary designedly left out the more to recriminate and abuse us In p. 12. he cites a Passage out of E. B's Works p. 442. That all Governours and Rulers ought to be accountable to the People and to the next succeeding Rulers upon occasion and that the chiefest of the Rulers be subject under the Law and punishable by it if they be Transgressors c. No doubt when our Adversary writ this he thought he had a great advantage against the People called Quakers but he argues nothing nor infers any thing from the words If his Intention thereby was pursuant to his general charge against us to render us guilty of double Dealing false Heartedness and Temporizing this Passage cited by him against us proves no such thing but is a plain Indication to the contrary or if it was to render us obnoxious he hath missed his End It plainly concerns such Rulers and Governments as were Elective as E. B. his precedent words for choosing them by the Consent of the People do plainly intimate and it was first writ in the Days of the Commonwealth-Government And for Rulers or Representatives that are chosen being accountable to the next succeeding Rulers if there be Cause what has he against the matter it self What could be J. P's Design in this Citation before without Observation or Remark upon it If he tells us plainly and make his Objection I think it will be no difficult matter then to answer him both on a Religious Account and secundum Hominem which at present I find no necessity for Moreover Reader we find much of the same Stuff and envious Quarrels raked up against us in divers other Pamphlets as are in John Pennyman's Book particularly in Fr. Bugg another Apostate his Pamphlets though not so largely as in J. P's but as malicious which are elswhere answered In p. 13. he again charges us with baseness and temporizing and having out-done and even surpassed the Deeds of the Wicked that he says he is stopt for Words are too short to manifest us he saith Whereby it seems he wants Words bad enough for us in so much that he is stopt he saith But how is he stopt Does his Envy and Malice rise up to his Throat and like to choak him He has given us Language and Words hard and bad enough to render us as Infamous as he can as charging us with such Wickedness as can hardly be paralleld and as great Dissemblers Deceivers and Deluders as have appeared in our Age Lyers false Prophets Hypocrites c. But now he wants Words to manifest us The Railery he has belched out has not manifested us can he not study and invent some worse and harder Language against us However he is far louder in his Clamour and Revilings than in his Proofs In p. 13. he reflects upon a Book entituled Truth 's Character of Professors for laying open the Addresses and Applications which others had made to O. C. and R. C. with long Animadversions thereupon which he falsly saith was to stir up the Powers against them charging G. F. and his Friends as having been most highly guilty themselves of those very things Wherein he hath also dealt very unfairly and unjustly we do not believe there was any such Design in W. C's setting out that Character as either to defame others or to stir up the Powers against other Professors but that it was to shew their Priests c. their manifold Flatteries and Temporizing in their superlative Characters Applauses and Addresses which he cannot parallel from our Friends Applications either then or since In p. 14. our Adversary again deals very unfairly and unjustly by G. W. about some of our Friends saying They give forth Writings from the Immediate Eternal Spirit of God and by the same Spirit and Power that was in the Prophets Christ and Apostles unto which he falsly addeth viz. And their so speaking G. W. saith is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater His Words and their so speaking are J. P. his own Abuse and Perversion where did ever G. W. say That the Quakers so speaking of their own Books and Writings is of such Authority He denies the Comparison and Charge as stated and I the person concerned do solemnly declare It was never in my Heart Judgment or Intention to undervalue the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament but to esteem them not only as given by Divine Inspiration and to prefer them before all other Books and Writings extant in the whole World J. P. injuriously mistates the Case and leaves out the explanatory part of G. W's Answer in that Case and J. P. has been better informed therein than now he represents it Therefore Impartial Reader please to take our Answer in this Case as it is laid down in our Book Entituled the Christianity of the People called Quakers Vindicated p. 13. We always confess the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration and prefer them before and above all other Writings or Books and in no wise question the Truth of them yet we must needs allow the Holy Spirit from whence they came the Preference and its immediate Teaching and Speaking in the Soul as of greater Efficacy Power and Authority to that Soul than the bare Writing or Scripture without or only Reading thereof though it contain the same Words immediately taught And so Christ and his Apostles living and powerful Preaching in and from the powerful motion of the Holy Spirit as being of greater Efficacy Power and Authority than the outward Writing or Scripture it self simply or abstractly considered as distinct from that Spirit though the words preached and the words written may be the same For the Gospel as livingly preached came not in Words only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1. 5. For the real Authority Efficacy and Service the Holy Scripture has upon a Soul is from the Holy Spirit or word of Life giving the true belief and right understanding thereof Again our Adversary proceeds to give Judgment and Sentence against us as helping forward our own Destruction and presumptuously addeth these words and seeing there is no hopes of their Repentance or Forbearance all other ways or means that have been used proving ineffectual It 's now thought meet thus to expose them c. p. 14. Thus he has proceeded to give Sentence upon us and to justifie his manner of exposing of us and Printing his Invective against the People called Quakers His Self-contradiction is notorious where in p. 15. he saith I abhor that Practice that is to render us obnoxious to the Government when but in the Page before he concludes that there being no hopes of our Repentance it 's now thought meet thus to expose us as he has done though he seems to extenuate his own Fact and
in the said Papers but only that they should have required the Innocent Blood that had been shed after they had set up their Standard at Rome according to what many of them had often promised before they fell on persecuting and imprisoning our Friends and herein they were reproved of breach of promise that many of the old Army had made not to lay down their Arms till they had set up their Standard at Rome and broke down Oppression there But on the contrary to fall upon Oppressing and Imprisoning Men for Conscience here might they not justly from their own former pretences and promises be asked why do ye Imprison us or suffer us to be Imprisoned As many were in the Protectors name and time why do ye not go to Rome and break down the Popes Inquisitions and in point of Justice require the Innocent Blood that has been shed by that persecuting Power And might they not have required this as Magistrates and seen what satisfaction would have been made according to their own engagements But when they set up Persecution in England they lost their Power and Dread and became Weak and Feeble till the Lord overturned them And yet though it ' cannot consist with our Christian Principle so much as to avenge our selves War with carnal Weapons or incite others to War and Bloodshed And G. F. who is the Man chiefly struck at in this matter even in Cromwel's days did manifestly testifie against Wars and Fighting as also against Plotting and contriving Insurrections and this both by Words Writing and Suffering and exhorted the Soldiers to do violence to no Man neither accuse any Man falsely and this in the same Paper wherein he reminds them of Rome c. Howbeit there remains both Judgments and Vials of Wrath from God in store for the Persecuting Whore or Mystery Babylon wherever she sits upon the many Waters which are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues Rev. 17. and 18. Chapters that has been drunk with the Blood of the Saints and made both Nations and Kings drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication And whether at Rome or throughout all Christendom that Spirit of Persecution cannot escape nor they that joyn with it in acts of Cruelty whether Papists or Protestants Kings Princes or People But as for O. C. and his Agents though looked upon to be a Beast yet he was not so serviceable a Beast or Horn as those spoken of in the Revelations chap. 17. 16. that shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire because God hath put it into their Hearts to fulfil his Will ver 17. too course a work for Saints and Lambs of Christ and yet Gods Will it should be done Now to foresee or foretel such a Judgment to be of God is one thing and to incite Men to Wars and Bloodshed is another And this latter I affirm stands not with the Principle nor Practice of the People called Quakers nor do they declare themselves for Fighting as they are most falsly accused And as to the question How should the Army set up their Standard at Rome but by Fighting There does lye a plain exception and certain Instances against the general State of this questionary Argument which yet I bring not as comparative altogether but only with respect to that Dread that was believed by some would have attended the old Army had they been faithful to the cause pretended and gone to Rome for that end declared My exception is first in the case of Gideon the Host of the Midianites fled and were overcome and yet not by Fighting on Gideons part but by a mean Stratagem as to outward appearance viz. that of their Pitchers Trumpets and Lamps but the hand of the Lord was in it see Judg. 7. And secondly in the case of Jehosaphat King of Judah when the Children of Ammon Moab and Mount-seir came against Judah the Lord told them by his Prophet Jehaziel be not afraid nor dismaid by reason of this great Multitude for the Battel is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 20. 15. And did they then go against this great Army to fight them No but having first sought the Lord they sung Praises to the beauty of Holyness and when they began to sing the Lord set ambushments against the Children of Ammon Moab c. see ver 22 23. And it s said concerning Barak Jeptha Sampson David Samuel and the Prophets that by Faith they subdued Kingdoms turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens c. Heb. 11. 32. which therefore was not all by Fighting but that there has a hand and power of God appeared in these things and in Revolutions most sorts will confess except Atheists Object The Army was made the Sword of the Lord against Papists and Bishops M. H. T. S. and the Lord is represented Fighting with Olivers Sword G. R. And what then So the wicked are call'd his Sword Psal. 17. 13. And O Assyrian the Rod of mine Anger Isa. 10. 5. And Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Servant Jer. 25. 9. and 43. 10. See the places quoted And also Jer. 49. 28. and 50. 17. and Ezek. 26. 7. and 29. 19. and 30. 10. So that sometimes God makes use of evil Men to execute such Judgments as well as Men zealous and sincere for a good end therein And also that Passage cited about inviting all Christians and Nations that are against Popery to come against it c. This is taken as looking somewhat Warlike however had they so done in all probability they had been so formidable and frightful to the Pope c. that he would have delivered up his Mitre c. that there would have been the less occasion if any for War and Bloodshed But says our Adversary they gave Directions and Charges to the Protector and Officers and Soldiers concerning Fighting exhorting thereunto c. p. 13. I find no such Charge and Exhortation and I cannot believe it without more plain and direct evidence As also that charge in his Book so often cast upon us viz. That they viz. the Quakers approve of what the Armies did against the King and his Party which I affirm is utterly false as stated and especially as charged in general For we rather have lamented that War and Bloodshed as a National Calamity and Judgment for the Sins of the People And though we confess and our Adversaries cannot deny that the Sword was one of Gods four Judgments upon Idolaters and Oppressors Ezek. 14. 21. and Jer. 34. 17. and so justifiable as from God whose Judgments are all just yet it is possible Men may be Unrighteous and selfish therein in killing and taking Possession and so not justified in their immediate acting therein That G. F. and many others concerned with him in the Testimony of Jesus Christ have not varyed from their Christian Testimony against Fighting nor Temporized Apostatized or been deceitful therein
such an act as he did the Romans against Jerusalem and the persecuting Jews And for any of his Servants so far to recognize the same as a just Judgment how do they therein either contradict their Christian Principle which is not to avenge themselves nor to use carnal and destroying Weapons either for Christ's Kingdom or the Kingdoms of this World as being unsuitable Instruments for Christ's Lambs and Sheep to make use of whatever use God in Judgment may cause or suffer to be made thereof among Nations in the Fall it is not consistent with the saving Gospel of Christ or nature of his Lambs Sheep Innocent Followers and Sufferers to make use of the devouring Sword to destroy others who cannot defend themselves therein and therefore is it not more just and warrantable for Governments who have a Power and the Sword of Justice to defend the Lambs and Sheep of Christ yea Nations and People so far as their power extends from devouring Beasts of Prey rather then to persecute oppress or suffer them to be devoured by any others who seek their ruin And yet we hope for the fulfilling of those Evangelical Prophecies that foretel the end of Wars Strife and Contention and Christ's Kingdom of Peace to be set up and exalted to the ends of the Earth Send Peace in our times O Lord. That accusation that the Quakers use Forms of Oaths refuted WHereas John Pennyman has several times over an accusation against us 1st in his Title Page viz. Also one of the Forms of their Oaths used among themselves And again p. 29. he saith here followeth one of the Forms of the Quakers Oaths which S. Crisp one of their great Preachers imposed upon one called a Quaker who had mortgaged his Land to him and others for a Sum of Mony but before he would let him have the said Mony he forced him though with dissatisfaction to Sign and Seal this following which by their own definition of an Oath is an absolute Oath saith I. P. The matter he intends for an Oath lies in these words viz. I do hereby testifie in the Truth of my Heart and in the presence of him that knows all things c. that I have not before this contract sold or engaged the said Estate to or with any Person c. which being given under Hand and Seal in the presence of two Witnesses our Adversary concludes it a Form of an Oath and has made a hideous clamour about this business according to the Quakers own definition of an Oath quoting a second Testimony concerning Oaths 1675. p. 3 4 5. viz. that these Forms of Speeches used by the Apostles and by Jacob and Laban are of themselves without the addition of somewhat more as an outward Sign or Pledge neither Oath or Swearing which somewhat more as an outward Sign or Pledge was that which gave the denomination of an Oath or Swearing c. Answ. 1. As to the words one of the Forms of the Quakers Oaths this is a deceitful Aspersion containing a two-fold Falshood 1st That the Quakers do use Oaths or Swearing 2dly That they use several Forms of Oaths or Swearing and this from a particular or private act not of the Quakers but of one call'd a Quaker which whether that was an Oath or not wee 'll enquire anon 3dly That accusation that S. C. Imposed upon and forced him though with dissatisfaction to sign and seal his Testimony This S. C. absolutely denies that he so forced him or that he shewed any dissatisfaction therein And now to come more closely to the cause alledged against us to prove us Swearers or guilty of useing Forms of Oaths Answ. 2. In the passage before cited are two actions of different natures Religious and Civil which must be distinguished if a faithful Friend without scrupling his Confession containing the substance of the old Oath had been sufficient otherwise his Hand and Seal engaging both himself and his was added This is the same we offer to the Magistrate if unfaithful we engage the penalty of the Law against Perjury His Hand and Seal was not an outward Sign or Pledge to make it an Oath but to make the Penalty legal as a witness against him to those to whom his verbal Confession could not without them and other Witnesses extend nor appear effectual To confirm our Assertion that some outward Sign gives the denomination of Swearing which some outward Sign or somewhat more is not any or every thing more and that the Apostle's words and others were but Asseverations see the Testimonies in our Treatise of Oaths of Basil Nazianzen c. pag. 61 65 18. Bishop Sanderson de Jur. oblig about pag. 141 142. and others there If the Party were a real Friend he confessed if not he engaged besides we have more fully defined an Oath and the particular Ceremonies thereof than what our Adversary cites amounts to in our Book in answer to I. S. entituled The case of the Quakers concerning Oaths defended as Evangelical As first concluding that only saying God is my Witness Rom. 1. 9. I say the Truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9. 1. And calling God to Witness to the Truth of what we say c. are no Oaths we cannot be convinced that any of these make up a formal Oath among Christians And then we give the definition of an Oath as used among Men viz. That first there is Swearing by the great God intended 2dly Ab Imprecation or Curse contained 3dly Some Ceremony or Sign used see Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths defended p. 6. And then for the several Ways or Ceremonies expressing formal Swearing they are signified thus viz. Among the Heathen laying the Hands upon the Altars and Swearing by the Gods Jurare aras Horace Abraham's Servant putting his Hand under his Thigh Gen 24. 2. and 47. 29. The Angel lifting up his Hand towards Heaven The professed Christians laying the Hand upon a Bible and kissing it or Swearing upon the four Evangelists according to the Pope's Imposition p. 7. So that the somewhat else is here restrained to such and such Ceremonies respectively and here limited and not in general to any or every thing used in civil Obligations not intending or belonging to it to the making it an Oath as that of the Hand and Seal is a Testimony to the Writing to be a true Record of his Confession both as a civil Man and also Religious And therefore also an obligation to restitution is faulty both by the arbitrement and censure of the Religious if brought before them and also of the civil honest if before such and Courts of Justice also If not it is through their defect not admitting a Testimony without Swearing and granting Restitution in case of Couzenage which we consider not as when we bring Witnesses or are brought as Witnesses before them or offer our Service in the Common-wealth it 's their fault in refusing our just offer not ours in refusing their unjust one If
it was I. P. or suppose such an one had S. C. acted the wise Man in taking his Confession without such record with Hand and Seal nay it seems he had more than ordinary confidence in the Man that he so much valued his Affirmation and every engagement that Men make under Hand and Seal though God's Name be mentioned therein is not therefore an Oath For are the last Wills and Testaments of the deceased Oaths or Swearing which are made and begun In the Name of God Amen and confirmed with Hand and Seal Are these Oaths or esteemed the Oaths of the deceased because mention is made of the Name of God and Hand and Seal to them If Hand and Seal to any contract or promise wherein possibly some â—ccasionally have made mention of the Name of God which we are very tender of using make it an Oath I confess this is a new definition of an Oath And he that assisted J. P. in this Accusation and other Notes Observations and most unjust Inferences against us may very well be ashamed of such malicious work and of his abetting him therein and his sculking shall not excuse hide or rescue him or J. P. either from the righteous Judgment and stroak of God's Hand Let them note and remember this I have not writ out of any ill will to them or their Persons but from a holy Zeal for Truth and Righteousness against the contrary in them Being a Friend to the Souls of all Men G. W. An Appendix to the Precedent Treatise Being a Collection of divers Remarkable Passages by several Hands but omitted and left out by our Adversary in his Quotations out of the same Books made use of by him wherein his unfair Dealing and Abuse may the more appear and also the Innocency and Clearness of the People of God and true Christians called Quakers from Wars and Figbting and their constant Testimony against the Ground thereof as also their plain and impartial Dealing with the former Powers in testifying against the great Persecutions and Persecutors in the Protector 's Days All which being seriously considered together with the many faithful Warnings from the said People to those in Power all-a long ever since they were a People doth shew that there are Prophets of God among them and manifestly clear them from that most unjust Charge of being Temporizers c. And also shews the great Disingenuity of our present Adversary in his picking carping quarrelling and perverting as much to our Disadvantage as he can imagine like those whom the Prophet complained of Psal. 56. 5. Every day they wrest my words all their thoughts are against me for evil OBserve the following Collections and Citations with the brief Notes thereupon Good Counsel p. 37. to O. C. After the Words cited by J. P. p. 5. viz. That thou nor they may lose that Dread of the Lord J. P. leaves out viz. for that strikes a Terror in the Hearts of all People Observ. This Dread is preferred above the Arm of Flesh and Carnal Weapons And learn true Patience And the patient Spirit remains in the Lord's Work for that is it that tryes stands and abides which gets the Victory and obtains the Crown left out Observ. Herein he writ to them as a Minister of the Gospel of Peace and not to incite them to fight and shed Blood c. Hear the Voice of God and it will keep thee from Hardness of Heart Ibid. p. 27. Observ. And consequently from Oppression and Cruelty had he hearkned to it this was seasonable Advice tho too much rejected The Lord hath visited thy House because thou hast suffered thy Servants to smite the Servants of the Lord and Lambs of Christ and prisoned the Lambs and his Sons and Daughters some until Death therefore thy Sons and Daughters and Servants will I take away with Death and visit thee and thy House with Sickness saith the Lord and thou shalt know that I am the Lord who reigns Therefore spare my Sons and Daughters that I may spare thee and thy House and that thou mayest know that I am the Lord. O how art thou fallen under Men and thy House will suffer as long as my Sons and Daughters and Servants suffer by thee and thy Servants and dye in Prison and you not visiting them nor suffering their own Friends to visit them therefore take heed lest thou become weak as Water c. Ibid. to O. C. p. 36. writ the 10th of the 6th Month. left out by J. P. p. 5. Observ. What plain Reproof and conditional Threats the aforesaid Paper contains against O. Cromwel and his Family because of the Oppression and Persecution in his Dayes and how unlike a temporizing Spirit this was After crumble Men under he leaves out stand up in the Power of the Lord and the Lamb's Authority Observ. Which Power and Authority would have invisibly subjected Mens Spirits to quietness which I understand by the Phrase as by the Dread of the Lord striking Terror into the Hearts of People and not in a literal Sense to crumble their Persons to Crumbs or small Pieces That were a gross Sense indeed which the following Passages clear him of for the Lamb's Power does not destroy Men's Lives but saves them 1659. To the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England G. F. p. 16. He that fights with Creatures with Flesh and Blood he cannot fight with Spiritual Wickedness and Powers of Darkness with Swords and Spears He that fights with Swords and Spears fights with Flesh and Blood doth not preach the Gospel to that which is captivated with the Powers of Darkness He that runs against the Creature with Swords and Spears and defaces and mars it doth not go the way to bring it into the Liberty of the Sons of God not in J. P' s Observ. A plain Testimony to the Gospel Dispensation against Fighting and Killing one another plainly clearing G. F. in that Point G. F. To the Protector and Parliament 1658. After lose the Power of God these Words are left out viz. When the Children of Israel went from that of God in them they would have Kings as other Nations had as Transgressors had and so God gave them one J. P's Citation p. 3. Observ. So when God has given one is it temporizing or contradiction in us to own and submit to him as far as we can with clearness of Conscience After take heed of putting honest godly Men out of the Army J. P. p. 6. J. P. leaves out Or putting them out of their Places being Justices of the Peace G. F. to R. Protector Observ. For such Army-Men and Justices there were turned out that were against Persecution and did relieve and rescue many of us when in great Sufferings and Jeopardies by cruel Persecutors who sought our Lives Had we not good reason then even as Men to oppose their turning out of such G. F. To the Council of Officers p. 2. After the Power of God you have abused J. P. leaves