A Brief DISCOVERY Of SOME of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices Of the People Called QUAKERS Taken out of their Most Noted and Approved Authors Humbly Offered to the Consideration of the KING and both Houses of PARLIAMENT BY Edward Beekham D.D. and Rector of Gayten-Thorpe Hen. Meriton Rector of Oxborow Lancaster Topcliffe L.B. sometimes Sen. Fell. of Gon. Caius Coll. Cambr. NORFOLK LONDON Printed for John Harris at the Harrow in Little-Britain MDCXCIX A Brief DISCOVERY of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers 1. The Quakers teach That the Light within by which they are guided is not Conscience GEO. FOX the first Founder and great Apostle of this Sect Gr. Myst p. 209. saith against his Opponent thus ' This Light that doth Enlighten every one that cometh into the World which he calls Conscience is not Conscience ' And in p. 331. he further saith ' The Light which every one that cometh into the World is Enlightened withal is not Conscience for the Light was before any thing was made or Conscience named ' But the True Eternal God and Christ And G. F. Jun. in his Works Reprinted 1665. p. 50. ' I the Light will fall upon you and Grinde you to Powder All who will not own me the Light in you And I will make you know That I the Light am the True Eternal God which Created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can Save ' In Geo. Fox's Book styled The Pearl found in England for the Scattered ones in Foreign Nations the Royal Seed of God and Heirs of Salvation called Quakers who are the Church of the Living God per G. F. Printed 1658. where speaking in the Person of the Quakers Light he hath these Passages p. 15 16. ' I 'll break in Pieces I 'll make Nations like Dirt I 'll tread them into Mire I 'll make Religions Professions and Teachings Gatherings on Heaps Gatherings of Multitudes Gatherings which they call Churches I 'll make Mire of them I 'll make Mortar I 'll make Dirt of them The wrath of the Lamb is Risen upon all Apostates who are gathered in the Apostacy Apostatized from the Prophets Life the Apostles Life the Life of the Lamb The Lamb is Risen The Scepter is gone out The Throne is Set You shall be Shaken ye Diviners ye Dreamers ye Notionists I 'll Whirl you under Hailstones Viols Plagues Thunders Woes Judgments are come amongst you upon your Heads all Nations The pure Life of God is Risen From the Life of my Apostles of my Prophets have ye been all Scattered and Apostatized But the Rod i. e. our Light is over you which must Rule all Nations Trumpets sounding and Sounded the Just will Rule The Lamb will have the Victory Woes Woes and Miseries are out-going upon all the Heads of the Wicked What our Hands have handled and what our Eyes have seen what was from the Beginning the Word of Life this Declare we unto you ' Again G. Fox in his Book stiled The Teachers of the World unvailed c. who in p. 27. thus saith ' I am the Light of the World HIM by whom the World was made If you love the Light with which you are Enlightened withal you love Christ who saith Learn of me But if you hate that Light there is your Condemnation From HIM who is one with the Truth in every Man Who of the Lord WAS moved THIS to WRITE Whos 's Name of the World is called Geo. Fox ' And to this another of their Eminent Teachers one of their Prophets say Amen in his Book The Quakers Challenge c. Printed 1668. in these Words p. 6. ' Stand up Muggleton the Sorcerer whose Mouth is full of Cursing Lies and Blasphemy who calls thy last Book A Looking-Glass for GEO. FOX whose Name thou art not worthy to take into thy Mouth who is a PROPHET indeed and hath been Faithful in the Lord's Business from the beginning It was said of Christ That he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not SO it may be said of THIS true Prophet Geo. Fox whom John said he was not But thou wilt feel this Prophet G. Fox one Day as heavy as a Milstone upon thee And although the World knows him not yet he is known ' And pag. 2 3. ' Come Protestants Presbyters Independents and Baptists the Quakers denies you all The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they ' c. Now from such Protestants as these Good Lord deliver us notwithstanding their now Wording the Matter otherwise whilst they mean the same thing and their Principles the same that ever they were as they themselves say and that in every part of which here is but a Specimen Edward Burroughs stiled a Son of Thunder and Consolation a true Prophet and faithful Servant of God in his Works Reprinted 1672. p. 149. has an Answer to this Question ' Is that very Man with that very Body within you Yea or Nay ' He saith ' The very Christ of God is within us we dare not deny him ' 2. That they are one Soul with God G. F. Great Myst p. 91. ' They shall see the Bishop of their Souls Christ the Power of God which is Immortal brings the Immortal Soul into the Immortal God Christ their Sanctification who sanctifies their Spirits and Bodies and brings the Soul up into God from whence it came whereby they came to be one Soul ' p. 100. ' And is not that which came out from God which God hath in his Hand speaking of the Soul taken up into God again which Christ the power of God is Bishop of is not this of God's Being ' That their Soul is part of God Idem p. 273. The Priest says ' That it is Horrid Blasphemy to say the Soul is part of God ' G. F. Answers ' It is not Horrid Blasphemy to say the Soul is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him and rejoiceth in him ' And p. 100. ' God who hath all Souls in his Hand and is not this that cometh out from God which is in God's Hand part of God ' That it is Infinite in it self without Beginning or Ending Pag. 90. ' Is not the Soul without beginning coming from God And Christ the power of God the Bishop of the Soul which brings it up into God which came out from him Hath this a Beginning or Ending And is not this infinite in it self and more than all the World ' They make themselves Equal with God G. F. Saul's Errand to Damascus Printed 1654. p. 8. ' He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ is Equal with God ' Fr. Howgil's Works Printed 1676. p. 232. saith to his Opponent ' The first thing
Fisher and many more Altho' none before so much for it as they The aforesaid Sam. Fisher in his Works Printed 1656. and Reprinted 1679. and recommended to the World amongst others by William Penn who tells us That these things came not to him by Flesh and Blood but by the Revelation of the Father of Lights And thus the said Sam. Fisher speaks in a Message from the Lord to O. Cromwell and the Parliament of England p. 19 20. ' I will hold my Peace NOW no longer saith the Lord as concerning this Evil which they so profanely Commit and Do Daily against my Chosen but will utterly SVBVERT and OVERTVRN them and bring the Kingdoms and Dominions and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven into the Hands of the HOLY ONES of the most High and give unto my Son and his Saints to Reign over all the Earth and take all the Rule and Authority and Power that shall stand up against my Son in his Saints And I will put my High Praises into their Mouth and a Two Edged SWORD into their Hands and they shall Execute Vengeance upon the Heathen and Punishments upon the People and shall bind their Kings in Chains and their Nobles in Fetters of Iron and Execute upon them the Judgment that is written in my Eternal Decree and unchangeable Council saith the Lord. Given forth under my Hand as the Lord himself gave it into my Heart to see and into my Mouth to speak in part and unto my Hand thus at large to write it this Twenty fifth Day of the snme Month viz. the Seventh 1656. Samuel Fisher ' Witness also the Quakers Declaration to Oliver viz. Oh! Oliver arise and come out for thou hast had Authority stand to it Nor let any other take thy Crown And let thy Soldiers go forth with a free and willing Heart that thou mayest Rock Nations as a Cradle This is a Charge to thee in the presence of the Lord God Also Geo. Roffe in his Book Intituled The Righteousness of God c. Printed p. 11. hath these words 'To thee Oliv. Cromwell thus saith the Lord I have Chosen thee amongst the Thousands of the Nations to Execute my Wrath upon mine Enemies and gave them to thy Sword with which I fought for the Zeal of my own Name and gave thee the Enemies of my own Seed to be a Curse and a Reproach for ever and made thee an Instrument against them and many have I Cut down by my Sword in thy Hand that my wrath might be Executed upon them to the Uttermost ' Subscribed Geo. Roffe And Geo. Fox in his Letter directed to the Council of Officers of the Army 1659 c. Complains of many Quakers Disbanded out of the Army as well as Justices of the Peace in these words p. 5. ' And many Valiant Captains Soldiers and Officers have been put out of the Army by Sea and Land of whom it hath been said among you that they had rather have had one of them than Seven Men and could have turned one of them to Seven Men who because of their Faithfulness to the Lord God being Faithful towards him it may be for saying Thou to a particular and for Wearing their Hats have been turned out from amongst them ' And may Reassume it again when they shall judge it meet As appears to us by a Declaration wrote by Edw. Bur. in the Name of all the Quakers and Subscribed by several of the Principal Leaders of them Printed 1659. p. 8. They speak thus ' We are Dreadful to the Wicked and must be their Fear for we have Chosen the Son of God to be our King and he hath Chosen us to be his People and he might Command Thousands and Ten Thousands of his Saints at this Day to FIGHT in his Cause he might lead them forth and bring them in and give them Victory over all their Enemies and turn his Hand upon all their Persecutors ' But say they p. 9. ' We cannot YET believe that he will make use of us IN THAT WAY tho' it be his only Right to Rule in Nations and OUR HEIRSHIP to possess the uttermost parts of the Earth but for the PRESENT we are given up to Bear and Suffer ' 11. They have a Goverment within the Government Independent from it and Opposite to it First their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings which are after the mannerof the Justices Monthly Meetings and Quarterly Sessiâ—…s in the Country which are Subordinate to the Yearly Meeting which Yearly Meeting consists of Deputies from all the Counties in England and Wales as well as Agents from beyoâ—d the Sea and it their Supreme Assembly which gives Laws to the whole Body of the Quakers wheresoever they are And there they make their Orders for the Government of their People For Suppressing of any Books wrote against them and pass Censure upon Offenders And there also they take an account of their Fund which is raised by an Order of this Yearly Meeting in all the Counties of England and Wales by way of Collection And the Money when Collected is Transmitted to London and lodged in the hands of Six Feoffees who as to the Disposal thereof are to be Governed by the Second Day Meeting held on every Monday throughout the Year which Money is for divers uses viz. Stipends for their Teachers Wages for their Clerks Attendants upon the Houses of Parliament For Printing and Dispersing of their Books For the Maintenance of the Poor For the Relief of such as have suffered for Non-payment of Tythes and the Breach of other Laws and for several other things tending to the Propagating of their Doctrines and Supporting of their Government Mr. Bugg's Pilgrims Progress Chapters 7 8 9 10 11 give an Account of their several Meetings and of their Fund Exchequer or Common Bank Mr. Keith who has been a Quaker above Thirty Years in his Second Narrative p. 5. says I am not able to Print Books as they Quakers can they are many and have a Common Stock I am but one And in his Book called The Pretended Yearly Meeting of the Quakers their Nameless Bull of Excommunication given forth against him c. Printed 1695. p. 5. speaks thus 'To my certain Knowledge and Observation I saw the Door of the Meeting where that called the Yearly Meeting Sat kept by Three or Four Persons that Refused to let in some that desired to come in and yet were owned by them And it is sufficiently known they who keep the Door let in or keep out such as they think fit But again such as they let in if they be not of the Ministry nor any of the Two Chosen out of every County they are allowed only to be there as Standers By and Spectators but have no allowance to give any Judgment in the Case which hath been a discouragement to some honest Friends owned by the Yearly Meeting as Friends from coming to the Meeting being only permitted to
be there as Cyphers And yet further it is sufficiently known the way that they take either by Perswasions or Terrifications to gain the Universal and Unanimous Consent of them called Commissioners or Chosen Members from every County as doth plainly appear by the late most Absurd and Insolent Method more like the Spanish Inquisition than a Free Assembly of sincere Christians they did take a Preacher one of their Commissioners or Chosen Members who having said in Private out of the Meeting He could sooner Die or lose his Right Hand than Sign to a Paper Disowning G. K. which coming to their Intelligence that there was such a Person but not knowing who he was they were so earnest to find him out that they caused to call over the Roll or List of the Names of the Persons sent from the respective Counties to find out this Person asking them one by one to find him out And the poor Man not daring to Lye owned he was the Person and being Terrified lest he should be severely Proceeded against by them he came with some others to be Witnesses of his Recantation and disowned to me what he had formerly said tho' a few Hours before he profess'd so great a Concern and Tenderness of Conscience towards me This Passage is so Considerable an Advance towards the Erecting the Spanish Inquisition among the Quakers that I hope some will be awakened to take notice of it and withstand it ' And tho' the King and Parliament were so Gracious as to include the Quakers in the Act made primo Gulielmi Mariae For Exempting Their Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the Church of England from the Penalty of certain Laws c. wherein it is Expressed That nothing herein contained shall be Construed to Exempt any of the Persons aforesaid from paying of Tythes or other Parochial Duties or any other Duties to the Church or Minister Yet notwithstanding the Quakers in their Yearly Epistle sent forth from their Yearly Meeting held in London the Fifth Sixth Seventh and Eighth Days of the Fourth Month 1693. to the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting of Friends in England Wales and elsewhere thought fit to Order ' That all Due and Godly Care be taken as they word it against the Grand Oppression and Anti-Christian Yoke of Tythes that our Christian Testimony ' say they born and greatly Suffered for be faithfully Maintained against them in all respects and against Steeple-Houses Rates or Lays And in the fore Cited Testimony from the Brethren met together in the Third Month 1666. they take Care to Stifle and Suppress what they can all Books wrote against them Ordering thus ' That if any Man or Woman which are out of the Unity with the Body of the Friends Print or cause to be Printed or Published in Writing any thing which is not of Service for the Truth but tends to the Scandalizing and Reproaching of faithful Friends or to beget or uphold Division and Faction then we do Warn and Charge all Friends that do love Truth as they desire it may Prosper and be kept clear to beware and take heed of having any Hand in Printing Republishing or Spreading such Books or Writings And if at any time such Books be sent to any of you that Sell Books in the Countrey after that you with the Advice of Good and Serious Friends have Tried them and find them Faulty to send them back again whence they came And we further desire from time to time Faithful and Sound Friends may have the View of such things as are Printed upon Truth 's Account as formerly it hath used to be before they go to the Press that nothing but what is Sound and Savory and that may answer the Witness of God even in our Adversaries may be exposed to Publick View ' They have also a Six Weeks Meeting Which Meeting is one of the most Ancient Meetings for Government made up of Chosen Men amongst them expert in the Laws and Customs of the Nation well skilled in the Courts of London and Westminster and other His Majesties Courts of Record and such as understand the way and manner of Soliciting the Parliament And to support them in all these things they have the Common Bank to assist them F. B. Pilg. Prog. p. 65. ch 10. 12. They have also a Register of their Sufferings which have been inflicted for their Breach of the Laws thereby to render the Governors Government odious for Persecution to Posterity And do threaten in After-ages to publish the same when the reasons of the things and matters of Fact may be forgotten In their fore-cited Yearly Epistle from their Yearly Meeting held 1693. they Ordered ' That Friends at all their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings should be reminded to call for the Records of the Sufferings of Friends to see that they be duly Gathered truly Entred and Kept and accordingly sent up to London as hath been often advised both of what Tythes c. are pretended to be due and for how long a time and the time when taken and by and for whom And what Goods are taken and the Value thereof as well of those not exceeding as those exceeding the Sums or Quantities demanded it being a Suffering in both for Truth 's sake they being in these particulars found Defective and Imperfect in divers Countries which is an Obstruction to the General Record of Friends Sufferings And therefore the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are advised to take more Care for the future that all Friends Sufferings for the Truth 's sake may be brought up as Full and Compleat in all respects as possible may be ' The Author of Sathan Disrobed Printed 1698. p. 82. Informs us that in this Register there are many Groundless and many downright Falshoods which it is very fit the World should know because they take great Care to swell this Register and have threatened to publish it to After-ages when the Facts cannot be Disproved whereby they hope to make their Suff rings for the Truth as they call it to exceed all the Ten Persecutions and to be more Undeserved than the Sufferings of Christ himself or of the Apostles as Edw. Burr their Second Piller next to Geo. Fox express'd in his Works p. 273. ' The Sufferings of the People of God that is Quakers in this Age is greater Suffering and more Vnjust than in the Days of Christ or of the Apostles or in any time since What was done to Christ or the Apostles was chiefly done by a Law and in great part by the DUE Execution of a Law ' c. And p. 85. saith he It is here worth Notice That the first Difference betwixt Mr. Pennyman who was a Quaker about Twenty Years and the Quakers was the False Returns of their Collections from the several Counties in England of the Sufferings of the Friends and Entring them tho' proved to be False in their General Register of Sufferings at London For this they to quiet Mr.
c. Page 8. Taken from Robert Minter the 4th of the 4th Month 1658. by Priest Alexander Bradley of Elmston in Kent First Two Feather-Beds Three Bolsters and one Pillow One Flock-bed and Bolster One Bedstead and Curtains Iron Rods and Cords for two Beds Ten pair of Sheets and one Rug. Five Table-cloths and six Towels One Dozen of Trenchers and one Spade A Mattock and Dung-fork 45 double Clouts for a Child 12 Beds and 4 Blankets Six Caps for a Woman Two Neckcloths and four double Crosscloths for a Woman One Mantle and seven Chin-stays Three Shirts and three Biggins A Swadling-band and Back-band Two double Bibs and one Dressing Three Bushels of Barley Three Milk-Pails and half a Cheese Three Forms and two Tables Three Pin-cusheons and Pins Besides a Thousand Pins more c. Of the Sufferings of the Apostles and Martyrs as I find them in Hist John Baptist St. Stephen St. James Philip Andrew Matthew Mark c Some of whom were flee'd alive Some their Brains knockt out Some Crucified Some burn'd alive Some put in Boiling Oil and the like Again One hang'd and her Skin flee'd off One had his Tongue cut out One broken in a Mortar One put in a Cauldron of boiling Oil. One fry'd in a Pan. One whipt and her Dugs cut off Some bound to Axle-trees and burnt Some thrown to Lions and Tygers c. Some toss'd on the Horns of wild Bulls Some their Brains beat out with Clubs Some burn'd at Stakes Some press'd to Death with Lead Some hang'd on Gibbets Some hang'd on Trees till dead Some hewn in pieces with Swords Some sawn in pieces Some Womens Bellies ript up Some torn in pieces with wild Horses Some hung on Tenter-hooks till dead Some hang'd by the Hair till dead Some had their Noses and Ears cut off Some their Mouths slit to their Ears c. Thus much by way of Parallel the Disproportion I leave to your Consideration not to mention your Sham-Sufferings as that of Sam. Cater who pretended and got it recorded that he suffer'd 20 l. for Preaching at Phakenham in Norfolk when he suffer'd not a Penny but by his Subtilty got 10 l. sent him from their Fund at London as at large elsewhere I have shewed I come next to shew your way of Canonizing your Saints and what Persons they are you Canonize and I think Rome do not outdo you as also your Design to render our Magistrates Infamous to Posterity in order to exalt your own Horn. For in another Book stiled A Word of Reproof to any Fellow-Soldiers c. Printed 1659. P. 79. you say ' Here followeth some Signs Examples and Judgments for the Accursed Generation who desire a Sign but they are Miracles to them that believe ' And saith E. B. let such reach hither their Hands and with me feel and see the Wounds that the Lord of Life hath received in his Members c. 1. In Sussex Priest Cossme caused Tho. Leacock to be Imprisoned for speaking a few Words after he had done and soon after the Priest was cut off by Death 2. John Chatfield Priest of Horsham caused Tho. Leacock to be Imprisoned who soon after fell into a Dropsie and in Six Months died 3. Priest Cutfly of Arundel being Instrumental in Tho. Leacock's Persecution suddainly after died 4. Edward Hunt Norwich Goaler who after G. Whitehead was discharged brought his Action against him for Four Pence a Night soon after cut off by Death 5. Rob. Allen of Bath who abused Tho. Morford in the Street had a Boy scall'd to Death and Parson Feak beat Chris Atkinson Reader Here is a few of the Examples there being about 80 more in 9 Years in England and Wales and still they are collecting else how will they outstrip Rome It remains now to shew what manner of Saints these are you now Canonize and for whom these Judgments and miraculous Wonders were wrought 1. Tho. Leacock your Teacher was a great Drinker who on a time at a Gentleman's House in Emny near Wisbech drank till he was so drunk that going out to make Water fell backward into a Rain Cistern brake his Bladder was forced to carry a Dish in his Breeches to catch his Water who soon after died miserably But whether in Judgment for your Presumption his own Sins or a Warning to others I will not determine lest therein I turn Quaker again 2. Tho. Murford was a more vile Person who being one of your Teachers pretended to be a Surgeon and applied Remedies to the Female Sex where he ought not many in Norwich can give you a larger Account than I will do here 3. G. Whitehead is still living and I could be glad he would Improve his Time by seeking Repentance while it may be found for his great Sin in making a Schism in the Church c. 4. Chris Atkinson thus Canonized and one of your Prophets Companion to G. Whitehead in Writing Printing Preaching Travelling and Suffering got a Wench with Child at Norwich tried since for Felony and hang'd one of your now Teachers of Fame amongst you gave me an Account lately of his Execution But as this shew your Design not good thus to record such Trifles even to a Row of Pins and a Double Clout so is it wicked with a Witness to Record such as Persecutors who execute the Laws and that such as die after it is in Judgment and Presumptuous in you to sit in the Judgment-Seat But why should your being examin'd about these and the like Insolencies put such a Dread upon you and thus startle you since it is agreeable to your own Proposition in Burrough's Epistle to his Works who thus wrote viz. ' And so gladly would we Quakers be made manifest to all the World that if any especially the Heads and Rulers have any Doubts concerning us For that End let any propound that we with the Consent of Authority 10 20 or more of us give as many of the ablest Priests and Professors a Meeting for Dispute at any Place and Time and for what Continuance they please Let the Priests and Professors object what they can against us our Principles Practices and whole Religion and let such that cannot prove our selves of the true Church and Religion but is found in Error let such deny their Worship and Religion and renounce it under their Hands and confess they have been deceived ' c. I find in another Book of yours to the same Purpose intituled The Copies of several Letters written by undry Friends as they were moved by the Holy Ghost c. Printed 1660. where Geo. Whitehead in his Admonition to King Charles II. P. 53. hath these Words ' And if any of the Priests do Inform the King against the People call'd Quakers or against our Principles it is but a reasonable thing that thou hear both Parties Face to Face that we may answer them this was upon me to lay before the King that we are free to vindicate any Principle we
just that any should Charge them Condemn and Consure them 2 dly They exhort To do to others as they would that others should do to them 3 dly p. 5. We say they pray for all Men for Kings and all that are in Authority 4 thly p. 7. We say the Quakers have and always had a high Value for the Scriptures above all other Bookâ— 5 thly p. 1. They i. e. Clergy Incense those in Authority against this Innocent People i. e. Quakers that the Monster of Persecution might be again raised to Suppress them c. Ans As to the First Would the Clergy account it just to Charge and Condemn them c. Just or unjust they are both Charged and Condemned at the Quakers Bar as above quoted yea and in Smith's Works p. 157 161. the Quakers Dialogu'd the Bishops and summon'd all Ecclesiastical Courts and Officers and not only by their Authority Condemn them but call the Bishops Monsters and into the Bargain say The Book of Common-Prayer is conceived by an Adulterous Womb and that it receives its Strength from the Pope's Loins And 2 dly That therein you Quakers do not do as you would be done by and therein gross Hypocrites and Dissemblers with God and Man But 3 dly your Pretence to pray for all Men for Kings c. This is so False and Falacious that I challenge the whole World to produce one Instance of your praying for King William or any King save once at a Meeting at Milden-Hall where Sam. Cater prayed for the late K. J. II. and how should you be found in that Practice since all Kings with you are but Spiritual Egyptians by your Ancient Testimony from which you have not deviated in one Point But your Principles the same they ever were tho' as Whitehead says You can now word the Matter otherwise 4thly That you value the Scriptures above any Books in the World This is false with a witness when you in Print tell us We may as well burn the Bible as your Writings see p. 9. herein calling the Scriptures Dust Death Serpents Meat Beastly Ware and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration And G. Whitehead tells us in his Book Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. That what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of greater Authority than the Bible And many of your Books nay even that are said to be given forth from the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and spoken from the Mouth of the Lord. How then do you value the Bible above all Books in the World But as Solomon said Prov. 26.3 A Whip for the Horse a Bridle for the Ass and a Rod for the Fools Back and so you must give me leave to whip this John Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit and I wish it may do him Good What! to pretend that the Quakâ—rs value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own This is such a Lie that it stabs it self when you exalt and value your own as of greater Authority and are commanded by your Teachers to read them in your Meetings and never read a Chapter of the Old and New Testament in your Religious Meetings if such I may call them since you were a People neither is it agreeable to your Ancient Testimony Nay I am perswaded that should the Government think fit for a Proof of your Sincerity herein to injoin you to read a Chapter of the Bible at the beginning of your Meeting I mean by such of your Teachers as can read a Chapter you would be so far from submitting to Authority that they 'd first go to Jayl and then call it Persecution and record it to Posterity But would it therefore ever the more be Persecution I trow not since it was the Practice of Jewish as well as the Christian Church in all Ages of the World But 5 thly and lastly That the Petitioners would Incense these in Authority to raise that Monster Persecution upon you Now tho' I do profess my self a Member of the Church of England I have often and do now again tell you that I am against Persecution and will add that Persecution for the Name of Jesus or for Righteousness sake is a Badge of a false Church of which your Schism in Pensilvania has given a Demonstration And had you Power in your Hand which God grant you may not I doubt not but we should soon feel your little Finger as heavy as ever you felt a Parliaments Loins Witness your Indicting me for Printing unlicenced your own frequent Practice at that time and your Persecuting of G. Keith c. in Pensilvania but I hope all Suffering is not Persecution Shall Men fire House and poyson Rivers and not be Controuled Limited nay Punished if they will follow their own Light blind Zeal and Imaginations In like manner such as poyson the Streams of the Christian Religion subvert the Faith undermine Christianity broach and maintain Heretical Opinions and Damnable Errors even denying the Lord that bought them as you have in Print which I take to be a Fundamental Error and by me proved upon you I hope then it will not be raising Persecution to have you examined about these things which is the main thing you fear whilst you make the World believe you fear Persecution Thus referring Jâ—… Fâ—ild to my former Books I subscribe my self the Quakers Friend tho' I tell them the Truth Francis Bugg Feb. 18. 1698. FINIS