against thee and thou art bound with two Bonds for the Church and Brethren have bound thee on Earth and thou art surely bound in Heaven And this is the Testimony of Jesus to thee neither shalt thou be able to get from under these Bonds till thou art reconciled to the Brethren O haste to to the Work abovesaid least the wrath of the Lord overtake thee before it be done and be reconciled to Geo. Fox who is Gods Friend and the Servant of the living God and great Apostle of Jesus Christ haste away to the North for thy time is short and go quickly thou and thy Brother if possibly you may bring again to the Body of Jesus Christ those ye have scattered least that their Blood be required at your hands Arise quickly and be going For this is the word of the Lord to thee That this year shalt thou John Story dye because thou hast taught Rebellion against the living God The first Day of the first Month 1677. Soll. Eccles. See the first part of Babels Builders unmasking themselves by Thomas Crisp p 15. Oh the Impudence of this Imposture and false Prophet of G. Fox In that First he avouched Womens Meetings to be the Good Ordinances of Jesus Christ which he had set up in his Church Secondly In saying that to the reconciled to the Body of the Quakers which he deemed to be the Body of Christ was the only way to find Mercy Thirdly In delivering that great Lye in the Name of the Lord. This year shalt thou John Story dye who at that time was very ill and not like to recover but it pleased God that he lived about four years after Fourthly This was he even he that burnt his Fiddles on Tower-hill Fifthly This was he yea even he that went as a great sign and notable wonder stark naked with a Pan of Coals on his Head to Bartholomew-Fair enough to deceive the very Elect as Christ said if it were possible Sixthly This is he who in his Musick Lector c. p. 22. said viz. I do affirm that if John the Apostle had said he had been a Sinner he had lyed Seventhly This is he yea even that false Prophet who writ thus of G. Fox his Master viz. A Prophet indeed it was said of Christ 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 G. Fox whom John said he was not Quakers Chal. p. 6. Now Reader Upon our Christian Creed this is down-right Blasphemy But according to the Quakers Principles it harmonizes with their Creed which is doubtless the very reason why they never to this day condemned it by publick Censure mark the fifth Branch of their Creed which is as followeth The Quakers Creed V. THE Light Christ The Great Mist c. by G. Fox p. 254. by which all things were made and created glorified with the Father before the World began which the Scripture testifies of is above the Scripture before the Scripture was they that be not in this Christ are Reprobates in which the Scripture end and testifie of and so is Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever that the Saints came to witness within them not another Christ nor many Christs c. Remark Now who can blame Soll. Eccles upon the Quakers Creed for saying first That G. Fox was in the World secondly that the World was made by him thirdly that the World knew him not as to the first my self and Thousands more can bear him witness as to the second according to their Creed last recited the same Christ by which all things were made and Created is in them which if true then that proves sufficiently what Eccles says and as to the third see p. 1. of G. Fox his own Book call'd News coming out of the North c. which says viz. Writ from the Mouth of the Lord Cloathed with Righteousness whose Name is not known in the World risen up out of the North which if true who can blame Sollomon For though he was not a wise Man he was a Prophet I mean one of Geo. Fox's Prophets According to the old Proverb as was the Master so was the Man viz. Both false Prophets false Pretenders and great Impostors Indeed G. Whitehead in his Vindication of Solomon in his Book Serious Search p. 58. does a little complain in a little failer in Syntax but to amend it and to help Sollomon Eccles John Blackling and other Idolaters in the right wording the Matter he says Judgment fixed c. p. 19. For I affirm G. Fox doth deny the same in reference to himself as a perticular Man or Person whose Days and Years are limited only the truth of the Immortal Seed Christ in him he stands to maintain against all Opposers and Persecuting Gain-sayers and Apostates See also his Innocency against Envy c. p. 18. to the same purpose so that had Solomon said the Light in G. Fox was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not he had then acted according to their innate Principle and suitable to their Creed which had been I say equally Idolatrous and Blasphemous The Quakers Creed VI. A brief Discovery of a Three-fold Estate of Antichrist p. 15. ALL teaching which is given forth by Jesus Christ is to bring up the hearers to Perfection even to the Measure Stature and Fulness of Christ this the Scripture witnesseth and I witness the Scripture fulfilled in me G. Fox * See your Book Intituled A New England Firebrand quenched being an Answer to a Book put forth by Mr. Roger Williams intituled Geo. Fox digged out of his Burrow c. in two parts containing 488 pages in Quarto one thing is worthy of observation that where the said Firebrand takes notice of G. Fox's great Mistery Yea and may well also be ashamed of the said Firebrand which is as full of Errors almost as Leafs and yet G. VVhitehead in the second part p 236 assists G. Fox what he can with a Marginal Note c. of which perhaps more hereafter It is no horrible Blasphemy to say the Soul is a part of God c. G. Fox's Answer to the Westm Pet. p. 33. If ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Writings you will own our Writings which are given forth by the same Spirit and Power Truths Defence c. p. 21 to 24. You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the Fire as our Queries for our giving forth Papers oâ— Printed Books it is from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God p. 92. we are elected to Salvation we have the Witness within us Praises be to the Glorious Lord God for ever who hath elected and chosen us before the Foundation of the World But thou meaning the Querist art ordained of old for Condemnation and Perdition among the ungodly ones and art a Reprobate one that hates
in their quarterly book as in Painted Harlot p. 60 62 63. Yet not being under Hand and Seal when I put forth my Book De Chr. Lib. c. They wrote me word that if I did not call in and condemn that book that they would come out with their Narrative c. By which I saw the popish Maxim fulfilled viz. No Faith or Covenant to be kept with Hereticks And when they saw me thus resolved not to trust their Promise nor to take their Words they then chose rather to give me a Deed to secure me under the Feoffees Hands and Seals and Jos Bangs and Philip Cranniss are witnesses to it which being large I shall only recite a few words out of it shewing that I have power to hold a Meeting to appoint a Meeting to speak in a Meeting to write in the Meeting in a word whatever in former days I did my Power is the same So that I fear not G. W's other CONSEQVENCES I am provided against their Arbitrary Wresting my Property out of my Hands as they have done to too many viz. Memorandum That on the 15th day of August 1678. We who are Feoffees for the Meeting-House in Hallowel-Row in Milden-Hall in the County of Suffolk do by this our present Writing acknowledge That Fra. Bugg of the same Town and County gave towards the purchasing the Burial Place and building the said Meeting-House with the out House appertaining to the same the Sum of twenty-Pounds and five Shillings And thereby hath as great an Interest in the Meeting House as any of US or any OTHER PERSON WHATSOEVER * What think you George had not I as good a right as you that never gave penny to it viz if you will keep Covenant And we do by these presents as well in Consideration of the said twenty pounds towards the Purchase aforesaid as also for divers other causes and considerations according to the Power resting and residing in us do Covenant grant and agree to and with the said Fra. Bugg That he the said Francis Bugg shall from time to time and at all times hereafter have possess and enjoy the same Ingress Egress and Regress Vse and Possession which he the said Francis Bugg formerly enjoyed †Mark that without the Let Hinderance or Molestation of the People called Quakers § Be sure you keep Covenant I shall tell you of it else Now George I think I am out of the reach of your other CONSEQVENCES yea out of your power of thrusting me forth of your Meetings as you have done others and then call them distracted and the like I will assure you they had not need be distracted that deal with you but have their wits about them or else they shall soon feel the effect of your other CONSEQVENCES but I now am past the fear of your Councel-Table your Friend Penn's Interest or Geo. Whitehead's other Consequences Obj. Well but some may say what will they go to Law or what other Consequences can G. W. mean We thought them to be great Sufferers and not so subject to go to Law Answ That they will go to Law and upon small Trifles too I can shew it their Judgment For Tho. Crisp in his books had but mentioned 2 of the Letters of the Names of some of their Ministers that lived in some immoralities and Richard Richardson their then Clerk to their second days meeting who wrote for the Church viz. their Society and on their behalf sent him a Letter to consult his interest c. The Abstract of which follows c. Tho. Crisp London the 31 5 Mon. 1682. Thy Book I have not read others have them only thy Letter remains by me wherein I find thee charging Friends with Whoredom Theft Cheating Breaking and other Immoralities thou mayest consult thy own safety this is not matter of Religious Controversy but civil Moralities the Church will require no such satisfaction from thee But they cannot restrain men in their civil concerns from seeking Justice in a legal way ††G. W. If that be your opinion that 't is lawful to seek Justice in a legal way what makes you so angry with me for getting a Justice Warrant for you to the intent that I might get you to own your scandalous book Judgment fixed c. Did not I seek Justice against a publick Defame in a legal way which I have in part obtained viz. Your owning your Book c. which is in order to farther satisfaction You seemed very kind to the Justice in omitting his Name but you have pointed at him saying there ☞ he dwells viz. at DORNHAM IN SUFFOLK which is all one to telling his Name which when he saw it he saw through your Sophistry and gave a right Character of your temper in that Affair c. c. And if so that the very mentioning 2 Letters of a Name put them in such a Fret and Passion I hope they will bear with others if they seek a Remedy against them for their slanderous Tongues and Pens Neither did I think it necessary to trust to their promise whom I have found so false in so many cases for my security if I had I should soon have felt G W's other CONSEQVENCES And as to their being great Sufferers I know that many of their Hearers are but it was ever the way of their Ministers to save themselves as my book the Painted Harlot c. sets forth But yet I remember one thing which will discover how they love to magnify their Sufferings and account such great Sufferings which indeed are no Sufferings at all as the next Chapter will sufficiently make appear so that it is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith to separate from the Quakers and their Errors CHAP. IX Sheweth that the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith SAmuel Cater one of their insignificant Preachers had a Meeting at Phakenham in Norfolk which as it stands in their Quarterly book will tell after ages that Sam. Cater was fined 20 l. and distrained * See their Quarterly Book at Hadenham in the Isle of Ely c. and that for Preaching too And this will look great and exalt his Name and crown his Memory tho indeed he did not suffer one Shilling however there it stands as an honourable and valiant Suffering unless it be lately cancelled and blotted out as it ought to be The Passage which I having a providential opportunity took out of their Quarterly book stands thus Samuel Cater for being at a Meeting at Phakenham in Norfolk on the 4th day of the 5th Month called July Anno 1670. preaching and publishing the Gospel of Peace One Ann Wats a Woman Informer told the Officers who came with a Warrant and had him before one Christopher Colthorp a Justice who fined him Twenty Pounds which Warrant and Conviction was sent to the Justices in the Isle of Ely namely John Laney Henry
your printed Books as in the first Chapter quoting Book and Page c. And with respect to what you have wrote which is false and which I charge upon you and recharge you again as in One Blow c. according to the terms in the first Chapter taken out of Edward Burroughs's Works even the words of your own Propositions then let me have Notice of it a Month and GOD willing I shall readily wait upon your motion And if you will be plain and retract what is false and erroneous and vindicate only what is sound I shall be glad of it but if the contrary I may deal with you accordingly Now if you still shall refuse to come out of your Dens and lurking places and think it your most secure way to save your self by keeping your People in Ignorance then my Advice to you is that you answer my Queries propounded in Battering Rams c. p. 20 21 22 23 24 25. and those referred too in the 9th Query p. 21. and Mr. Archer's Query above recited and as yet unanswered and the Jacobites Query in this Treatise and at the end of them this which followeth viz. Query Whether 't is not possible to write against you who are called QUAKERS and not to write against Truth And lastly Whether it be not possible for a Man to leave and forsake you and write against you but that the Consequence of his so doing renders himself a Self-condemned Apostate which is only a softer word for an Heretick Answer these things fairly and you may hear more from me but if not you may rail forge pervert invert lye and slander I shall rest satisfy'd in that I have thus far discharg'd my Duty to GOD and my Country at this time Milden-Hall April 3. 1692. FRA BVGG THE CONCLVSION SInce I writ the foregoing Treatise I have seen George Whitehead's Book Antichrist in Flesh Vnmasked c. in Answer to a Book Antichrist in Spirit Vnmasked Or Quakerism a Great Delusion c. wherein G. W. seems to hold forth the Principles of the Christian Religion And had I a good ground to believe what he therein sets forth in the Quakers Name to be really so indeed I would stop the Publication of what I have at this time writ against their Errors But until they by some Publick and General Act first Renounce and Condemn under the Hands of some of their principal Leaders and Teachers their manifest Errors laid down in Print and hitherto owned by them a few whereof I have herein related I have no reason to believe that they mean as they say but like deceitful Workers they transform themselves into the likeness of what they really are not that is to say into the likeness of the Ministers of Christ and true Professors of the ancient Faith and thereby deceive the simple with their feigned words and jugling tricks who like our Enemies at Sea either to defend themselves from our stroke or to draw us into their snare will put up the English Flag So these now make a shew of their owning the Scriptures to be Holy which formerly they frequently call'd CARNAL LETTER (a) West Pet. Answ p. 13 23. News out of the North p. 14 35 39. and Truth 's Defence p. 28 56 60. EARTHLY LETTER (b) Idem p. 14. the HVSK (c) Idem p. 53. and Way to the Kingdom p. 8. DVST (d) Discovery of Antichrist p. 9. and DEATH (e) Idem p. 9. and G. Whitehead's Ishmael p. 10. but now tell us they are Holy What! Is that which is Carnal and Earthly Holy Is the Husk Dust and Death Holy This is Jugling with a Witness but blessed be GOD these Jugles and these Juglers are discover'd daily even so Amen They own the Humanity of Christ his Death Suffering Resurrection and Ascension and hoping for Salvation through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and meritorious Death and Passion * See their Paper stiled The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers c. But when I look into their former printed Books and especially their Epistles which they frequently sent to their Friends to be read in their Church Assemblies there is not a word of any such Confession so that what G. W. hath now writ is but like the French Men when they put up the English Flag merely a Trick and Sham and ought not to be taken notice of any otherwise than as such And therefore to make this evidently appear I may first recite part of George Whitehead's Book aforesaid and secondly two or three Passages out of one of their Epistles wrote by two of the most eminent amongst them when living namely Edward Burroughs whose Works they Reprinted in Folio of whom Josiah Coal in his Testimony for him hath this passage viz. That he Edward Burroughs was a Man endued with the ALMIGHTY Power of GOD which lived and reigned in him c. Yea and that He was a Man in whom the FVLNESS dwelt of Grace and Vertue * See the Testimony of his Life c. put forth 1662. by G. Fox G. Whitehead and Josiah Coal c. p. 24. c. The other was Francis Howgil whose Works they also Reprinted in Folio of whom great things are also spoken in the Testimonies writ in favor of him which by the Consent and Approbation of their Church are prefixed to his Works These two Sons of Thunder and Consolation as the Titles of their Books do bespeak them wrote from Ireland to the Camp of the Lord in England called Quakers which they thus Intituled viz. THIS IS TO GO ONLY AMONGST FRIENDS By which the Reader will easily perceive that what G. W. hath lately wrote by way of Confession and in the Quakers Name is only to amuse his Reader and delude the World For in the whole Epistle containing 23 pages in Quarto there is not a word which sets forth the Scripture to be profitable for Doctrine not a word by way of Confession of Sins to GOD or asking Pardon for Christ's sake not a word about their owning or valuing the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour his Sufferings Death Resurrection or Ascension not a word of their hopes of being saved through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and Merits as G. W. would now insinuate which sufficiently shews that they are of a different Faith to what the Holy Apostles and blessed Martyrs were of And Thirdly I shall make some Observations or Animadversions upon the said Epistles in order to shew the Fallacy of the seeming serious Confession of G. Whitehead and how Janus-like they look two ways viz. when they write to their Friends certain Epistles to be read in their Church Assemblies to inculcate their Principles and wild Notions into their unsteady Heads and unstable Souls and another thing when they write to be seen of Men and to be viewed by the true Professors of Christianity And now to the first viz. A Recital of part of G. W's words in his
New Rome Vnmask'd AND Her Foundation Shaken BY A farther Discovery of the Grand Errors Deep Hypocrisies Popish Practices and Pernitious Principles of the Teachers and Leaders of the People call'd QUAKERS Containing also A Brief Answer to three Books wrote by G. Whitehead one of her chief Cardinals in Nine Months time against Fran. Bugg The 1. Entituled Innocency against Envy c. The 2. The contentious Apostate and his Blow c. The 3. The Contentious Apostate Recharged c. As also a brief Narrative of the Conference between the said G. Whitehead and Fran. Bugg whereby his notorious Lyes are manifest his Errors and deceitful practices confuted and detected All which is plainly demonstrated to the Capacity of every Impartial and Intelligible Reader by one who was more than 25 Years a Member of their Society being carried away with their Dissimulation By FRANCIS BUGG Her Foundations are fallen her Walls are thrown down for it is the Vengeance of the LORD to take vengeance upon her As she hath done do unto her Jer. 50.15 Rase it Rase it even to the Foundations thereof Psalm 137.7 Licensed May 4. 1692. London Printed for the Author 1692. And are to be sold by John Gwillin Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street over against the Royal-James and John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry and Sam Manshi◠〈…〉 To the Honourable Sir H. N. Barronet Honoured Sir THE Apostle Paul being Accused by the Malicious Jews and many grievous Complaints laid against him saying he was a Pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition or Contention And that before Felix the Governour and Agrippa the King yet in this the Apostle comforted himself and thought himself happy in that those Noble Persons gave him leave to speak for himself and to make his Christian Defence And in like manner do I think my self happy Honoured Sir in that I have the Benefit of my Pen and the Press to make my defence against the loud out-crys and heavy Clamours of this People who have in Print exposed me under as odious Names as their Tongue can invent And altho' my defence against their causless Accusations may not hold parallel with what that great Apostle made for himself and his Christian Profession which the Jews accounted Heresie Yet have I adventured to spend some leisurable hours to set forth to the World some reasons why it is no Apostasie from the Christian Faith to separate from the Quakers Be pleased therefore That under your Name and Patronage they may appear as a Covert to vail their Imperfections for Defective they must needs be in many respects First For that I am not endued with that Spirit the Apostles had Secondly I am not Accomplish'd with Parts and Learning sufficient to graple with such Schollars as are some of the Chieftains of the Quakers Thirdly My Trade and other Business which I have upon me are great Impediments and Hindrances from that study which is requisite to such a work And Fourthly My distance from the Press occasions many Omitions and Mistakes Yet forasmuch as when I first appear'd publick against their Errors in Anno 1682. I presum'd to Dedicate the same to your self in hopes of your favourable sensure and meeting then with no reproof gives me ground to presume this once more to present you with what followeth in hopes still to obtain your favourable Construction of whose Goodness Moderation and Impartial Justice I have had more than Twenty Years experience as well as your bearing with and forbearing me in some scruples I have had whether by reason of my long time of Education among that People or other Infirmity I cannot tell God knoweth yet such has been your Christian Condiscention to me therein as well as to others that should I enlarge upon it it might rather diminish than add to you In the Eyes of some who are not that way inclined and therefore it doth sufficiently suffice that I have reaped the benefit of it which as it ever did so it ever will Oblige me to your Service with all Respect and Grateful Acknowledgments of your Especial Favours I am Sir Your Devoted And most Humble Servant FRAN. BUGG Milden-Hall September the 3d. 1692. To the Noble Bereans of this Age. Christian Friends SInce there are none Recorded in holy Scripture on whom the Holy Ghost conferr'd so Honourable a Character as the Bereans of that Age In that they searched after truth Impartially and when they found it Embraced it readily and for which they were justly accounted Noble Therefore it is that to you the Progeny of that worthy Stock and Noble Bereans of this Age that I chuse to Dedicate the ensuing Discourse and therefore I beg of you not to degenerate from the Example of your Progenitors if you do you are no longer true Bereans And to such I do not Design this work if you do not I may assure my self of the justice of a fair Inquiry and an equal Judgment I remember the Athenians June the 14th 1692. by their Tenth Question demanded of the Quakers where to find their Creed or an Account of their Religion Will you said they Subscribe to any of the three Creeds Nicean Athanasian or Apostolical If not Will you give us one of your own that the World may know what to make of you To this I find Geo. Whitehead and others in their Answer stiled The Doting Athenians c. saying Come and see come into the true Light and see and you may find our Creed c. Now lest the way to find out their crooked Creed which lies dispersedly in their Pamphlets should prove too hard a Task for the searching Bereans I thought it needful to lend them my hand and that it may the more plainly appear not to relate either to the Nicean Athanasian or Apostolical Creeds I think it necessary to recite the sum of the Apostolical Creed which includes the substance of the other two and which is believed by all Christians whether called Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants and Baptists for when contraries meet their disagreement does the more manifestly appear viz. The Christian Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty And in Jesus Christ his only Son who was born of the Virgin Mary who suffered under Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried Rose again the third Day from the Dead And Ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the Right Hand of God in Majesty on High As an Advocate making Intercession for us And I believe that from thence he shall come to judge both the Quick and the Dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is Worshipped and Glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptism for the Remission of Sins I look for the Resurrection of the Dead And the Life of the World to come Amen To God the Father Son and Holy Ghost be
Truth and Equity of his cause might appear that his Name and Fame his Estimation and Reputation in this World both as a Man and Christian might not be blasted by the slanderous Tongues and Pens of the malitious Papists who then as their off-spring now studied how they might blast the Name Fame and Reputation of such as opposed them and himself to live no longer in Obloquy or Scorn under the Name of Heretick or a self-condemned Apostate as he had for Nine or Ten years together In whom also he found his Family and Kindred rebuked and under some reproach for his sake and he no way able to clear himself unless his Prince would grant him Audience And as this was his case so have I found something of the same Nature from Geo. Whitehead Sam. Cater and the rest of that Tribe who in most things so far as their power reaches follow the Track of the Papists And for proof of what I here lay down I must refer the Reader to my Book Intituled The Painted Harlot Whipt and Stript c. and other Books of my Writing where I have defended my self from the venome of their poysoned Arrows For first they printed me an Informer as hateful a Name as was then in being And when I obtained the Certificate before recited and that they saw that would not do then they call me in print Beast Dog Woolf Enemy of all Righteousness Child of the Devil Devil Incarnate Fool Novice and what other ill-bred Language their Tongues could invent Then in my Book The Quakers Detected c. I made them also ashamed of such Billingsgate-Language And now the Crime they would fix upon me is An Apostate A self-condemned Apostate An Apparent Apostate which are the worst of Names and had they power to their Wills I might justly fear the Fate which others met with from their Predecessors the envious Papists But as it hath pleased God to enable me to graple with the Lyon * viz. Their Term Informer and the Bear †That it is their railing Language as Devil Beast Dog Woolf and the like so I trust he will enable me to overturn this great Philistine I mean this Bullwark of theirs raised against my Name and Reputation I mean the charge of a self condemned Apostate I have read of M. Luther's Resolution Zeal and Christian Courage against the Pope and his pretended Infalibility and other holy Cheats saith the Historian He charged the Pope not with Life but with Learning not with his Doings but with his Doctrine not picking at the Rine but plucking at the Root not seeking the man but shaking the Kingdom yea and charging him with plain Heresie And still urging and reducing things to the Foundation and Touchstone of the Scriptures * See Fox's Acts and Monuments p. 402 to 417. opened the Eyes of many c. How far my weak endeavours may be said to bear the same Complexion with Respect to this People I will not determine but this I am sensible of there is as much need now to unmask their Leaders and to let their Hearers see their crafty Jugglings whereby they mislead them as there was in the days of Luther and under a sense thereof I am willing to lay out my Talent assuredly believing that though what I now write may not prevail with their present Infatuated Disciples yet both in this Age and Ages to come It will be a means to prevail upon the examining Bereans even such as will search the Scriptures whether what they hold and teach be according to them yea or nay Obj. But 't is objected by G. Whitehead in his Third Charge in his Book stiled The Conten Apostate recharged c. p. 5 6. That Francis Bugg is neither Conscienciously a Religious nor Ingenuous in his writing c. for that he makes no conscience of writing malicious Lyes notorious odious Forgeries and Slanders to villifie and defame others c. And for particular instances to evince his charge he cites sometimes four words in a line then skips to another part of a line taking a bit here and a bit there without the least demonstration or Convincing Argument Thus he jumpeth and leapeth this way and that way floating as a Ship without either Helm or Anchor still shewing himself like the Papists great Champion Mr. Harding against Bishop Jewel as you may read in the Preface to the Defence of the Apology of the Church of England c. where Mr. Harding saith Mr. Jewell is the open Enemy of the Church Mr. Jewell is worse than Ananias that condemned St. Paul Mr. Jewell playeth the part of Antichrist Mr. Jewell is proud Mr. Jewell is Lucifer and serves the Devil Mr. Jewell is a Forger Mr. Jewell is a Lyer an Impudent Lyer Mr. Jewell most falsly corrupteth c. But as I believe Mr. Jewell was clear of the Papists foul Charges So have I been very careful not to mis-represent these People or their Principles much less to forge a Lye a thing I abhor for truth is plain and hath no need of such wicked acts to uphold it and therefore good Christian Reader peruse what is writ on both sides endeavour to know the cause thorowl◠and then judge uprightly And if after a thorow Examination thou dost not find that they pretend to have a Spirit beyond the Fore-Fathers and thereby know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates and that none need to give them discerning or Judgment but that by vertue of this extraordinary Spirit they pretend that on all occasions and at all times they are sufficiently furnished c. Then I have wronged them and mis represented them which would indeed be both disingenuous and unconscionable But if they do thus pretend and set these things out as their principles in print and thereby deceive the simple and by vertue thereof and of the like prodigious errors then I think it my duty publickly to Reprove them when all private means will not reclaim them Again If after a thorow Examination thou findest that they deny the second person of the Trinity that they do not own Him that was born of the Virgin Mary that sate upon Jacob's Well that was spit upon smote with the Palms of their Hands thrust a Spear into his Side hanged on the Tree wrapt in the Linnen Cloths Died was Buried and rose again the third day to be the Christ of God Then wilt thou see it high time for a Testimony to be born against such false and erroneous Doctrine and dangerous Principles which are Pernitious to the very Foundation of the Christian Religion Again If upon a thorow Examination thou shalt find that they set it forth in print as their principle that the Name Christ belongs to every Believer as well as to him that was born of the Virgin as aforesaid Then wilt thou find Christ's words fulfilled who said Mat. 24.5 Many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive
even the Protestants began with blood for meer Religion and taught the Romanists in succeeding times how to deal with them See also Judgment fixed p. 259. by Geo. VVhitehead more of this hereafter c. 11. The Quakers Principles 11. That the Martyrs were Persecutors and asserted corrupt Doctrine 12. The Quakers Books 12. The Apostate Incendiary by Geo. VVhitehead p. 16. In Answer to VVilliam Mucklow 's Liberty of Conscience Asserted c. 12. The Quakers Principles 12. I affirm that the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God and we must either believe this as the true Church believes or else it were but both a folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof G. VV. Apostate Incendiary p. 16. CHAP. II. Shewing that the forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith BEfore I proceed to shew the dangerous Consequences which these erronious Principles produce as in the first Chapter set forth I may speak something to their uncharitable sensure of me calling me an Apostate but had they left off there I could have born it because 't is not equal with Heresie and something must be born by any body that hath to do with them but when I see by their last two Books that they expose me to the World a self condemned Apostate an apparent Apostate a contentious Apostate c. with all the aggravating Circumstances which they could possibly invent and all this publick besides several private Letters sent me by Post both in Verse and Prose as full of cursing Language as Muggleton could have filled them withal calling me Julian the Apostate * Which are said to be Stephen Crispâ—'s but had no Name to them for which there deserves another Hue and Cry which all put together gives me just cause to vindicate my self since my Name Credit Estimation and all that is dear to me and my Relations are under a very severe sensure For a self condemned Apostate in plainer English is an Heretick and if so had they the power that the Papists had in King Henry the VIIIth's time I might rationally expect the same fate which Doctor Robert Barns and others met withal But thanks be to GOD as 't is no Apostasie from the Christian Faith to separate from them neither have they now a Popish King to animate and incourage them neither do I fear what they can do and therefore am bold to call them out of their holes and challenge them into the Field and bid defiance to all their Weapons of War and all their Malice they can invent either publick Print or private Letters Well however to justifie my self from this their sensure of Heresie or self condemned Apostate I would premise to the Reader that according to the Judgment of St. Augustin every Error doth not make a Man an Heretick or a self condemned Apostate for says he errare possum hereticus esse non possum in an error I may be but a Heretick I cannot be for their is says he three things necessary for just proof of Heresie First That it be an Error that I hold Secondly That it be an Error against the Truth of God's word for otherwise every Error maketh not a man an Heretick Thirdly And that it be stoutly and wilfully maintained otherwise an Error against the Truth of God's Word without wilful maintenance is no Heresie Object But G. W. objects by his Book The content Apost recharged p. 1. viz. The charge is evident by his own Confession to the Principles Foundation Doctrine Ministry Faith Love spiritual Testimony of the said People as in the beginning being that Church whereof Christ Jesus was the Head and Law-giver c. And consequently that the said People called Quakers were once a true Church the People of God in the true Faith and bore a true Testimony according to Fra. Bugg's ample and solemn Confession in the second part of his Book de Chr. lib. c. printed 82. c. and seconded in his Book The Quakers detected c. Answ Having taken in enough out of Geo. VVhiteheads Book to shew what my Mind and perswasion was once of them and for that Reason G. VV. no doubt quoted them I do still say whatever were my Thoughts of them in the beginning they were not so of them at the time when I wrote them Books as the ample Testimony against their walking and acting contrary to what in the beginning they pretended too as will sufficiently appear out of the same Book quoted by G. VV. see * Part of my Book The Qua. detected c. is recited Qua. detect an abstract whereof followeth viz. And having thus mounted the seat of Government rich and poor high and low bond and free must submit to their Church Government And it became a vain thing to plead the sufficiency of the Light of Christ to lead direct or guide us thus have they by their late Doctrine and Example rendered their Ancient Doctrine and Example a meer Decoy to catch simple Souls by and being once caught it is altogether in vain to pretend the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ to Lead Teach and Guide no no the Church now hath given forth Rules Laws and outward Directory and by Vertue of her Apostolical Authority as she pretends she imposes them on her Members whether they believe that what she imposes be a Duty incumbent on them to practice yea or nay And your Edicts must be obeyed whether motion or no motion nay tho a motion against the observation of it or else they cannot be looked upon in the Unity These Commands of yours are binding and obligatory upon all though the Scripture commands to one See their 5th Principle you say are not binding to another Thus do you make the Commands of GOD of none effect throw your Traditions What shall I say unto you Oh ye Leaders of this People Who would impose your unscriptural Practices upon your Brethren and record such out of your Unity that are not conformable thereunto for I have surveyed your Old and New Doctrine and measured your past and present Practices and I have compared your fair pretences with your foul Hypocrisies and when I have done all this I want words to set forth your deep Hypocrisies Deceit and Self-contradictions who sometimes are against giving Respect to your Superiors but by and by your own Servants and Apprentices in your own Houses and Shops must stand bare-headed before you This piece of Hypocrisie I testified against near 18 years since which was before S. Cater's difference for as I saw Errors arise amongst us so I withstood them and testified against them sometimes you are for Preaching freely and Teaching and Instructing people freely and for Suffering and Recording Marriages freely but now they can take Three Pounds at a time for Preaching Ten Pounds at a time for Suffering * Sam. Cater took Ten Pound for his Suffering a Fine and though his
that the Prosperity of his Affairs and our peaceable Fruition of the Exercise of our Consciences beareth the same Date Dated June 1637. Thus Reader you see that from England to Scotland and from Scotland to England they sounded his Fame in the Highest strain of words praying GOD for his Preservation and praising GOD for defeating his Enemies But alas Has King William been without Enemies Hath their been no Plotting against him I will not say by some of themselves No Contrivance nor no Conspiracies against his Royal Person Yea against the Kingdom that they cannot afford one Prayer for his long Life one Praise to God for his Deliverance Hath not he granted all they can reasonably desire of him I know they will be angry at me for reminding them of these things but why should they be hid that never hid any body Why should not they be discovered and known to be really what they are that for 30 years have made it their business or a great part of it at least to render all sorts of People as odious as they could and what they really were not and their end could be nothing but to exalt their own Horn c. But Providence hath so ordered it that the same Pit they digged for others they are justly fallen into themselves and are left as Mr. Baxter says in his Penitential Confession p. 63. 1691. viz. A disgraced broken Sect as the Quakers be amongst us now c. A broken Sect indeed divided wholly in many places One sort shut up the Meeting-house against the other divided in Cities and Towns yea almost in every Village The Foxonian Government is in many places quite thrown off See J. Hogs book and in others weakening every day Well but to return see another of their Addresses viz. The Humble Address of the People called QVAKERS to K. James II. from their Yearly meeting in London The 6th Day of June 1688. WE the Kings loving and peaceable Subjects from divers parts of his Domimions being met together in this City after our usual manner to * * Rather inâ—ect inspect the Affairs of our Christian Society THROVGHOVT THE WORLD think it our Duty humbly to represent to him the blessed Effects the Liberty he has gratiously granted his People to worship God according to their Consciences hath had both on our Persons and Estates For as formerly we had ever 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 Conscience We bless God and thank the King the Goals are every where clear except in cases of Tythes and the repair 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 being in the one chiefly exposed to the present anger of the Offended * * Oh! They knew how taking this would be cunning Foxes Clergy who have therefore lately imprisoned some of them till Death And in the other they are rendred very unprofitable to the publick and themselves both in reference to Freedoms in ††They thought this a good motive that so their Voices c. Corporations Probates of Wills and Testaments and Administrations Answers in Chancery and Exchequer Tryals of our just Titles and Debts Proceeding in our Trade at the Custom house serving the Office of Constable c. they are disabled and great Advantages taken against them unless the King's favour do interpose As we humbly hope he may relieve 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 gratious Assurance to persue the Establishment of this Christian Liberty and Property upon an VNALTERABLE Foundation And in order to it to hold a Parliament in November next at furthest we think our selves deeply ingaged to renew our Assurances of Fidelity and Affection and with Gods help intend to do our parts * * To Vote c. 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 Just and 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 yet at the same time great Oppressors of it in your dissenting Friends but Hypocrisy will have its reward and be inviolable true to our own Religion whatever the Folly or Madness on that account may suggest to the contrary Thus Reader you see here 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 prosperous Raign Laud and Praise in the highest for his deliverance for the defeating his enemies yea it would be too long to enumerate them besides Book after Book in favour of the Government and one Epistle after another and printed Letters first second and third sounding his fame throughout the World But since King William and Queen Mary came to the Crown as in the Letter to the Quakers was well observed NO Salutation NO Message NO Prayer for nor NO Address to K. W. and Q. M. made Publick NO Book writ in favour of him NO In all Humility NO In all Fidelity NO In all Affection NO Publick Prayers for his long and prosperous Reign NO Laud and Praise that his enemies are defeated here is all NO NO NO NO Tho thanks be to GOD he is now settled peaceably in his three Kingdoms COME what can you say for your selves Are you like those 1 Sam. 10.27 The children of Belial who said How shall this man save us And they despised him See your 12th principle and brought him no presents no Prayers no Addresses I know you have too much espoused the Romish principles some of which are 1. We must believe as the Church i. e. your Church believes 2. That the your Church cannot err 3. That she hath power to bind and loose 4. And that it is abominable Pride not to submit to her i. e. your Judgment You may remember you have had many Favors by Their Majesties particularly Liberty of Conscience established by Law which is one and not the least and yet having had three Annual Meetings in London not one Address c. Nay worse than so And as an aggravation of your Ingratitude you made an ORDER for the calling in the Widow Whitrow's Books she being formerly of your Society which was writ but in favour of this Government what Scripture had you for that You say that Christ and his Apostles did not require you to pray for Kings by Name I say so too
But since you prayed for and addressed your selves to King James by Name why can you not as well pray for Their Majesties by Name Well but since you can bring the Scriptures to cover and excuse your not addressing or praying for them by Name where do you find any Text for calling in and hindering the Sale of the Widow Whitro'ws Book aforesaid That is the Question which in your next you are desired to answer And tho I hope you did not order it to be burned as I am told and that by one of your own People too that George Whitehead ordered my Books to be burnt throughout all his Dominion I am sure therein he followed Rome exactly The way is first condemn the Man then condemn his Books but first burn the Man then his Books And sometimes when she cannot help it she do's otherwise and so do you you have first condemned me as a Self-condemned Apostate next my Books you have order'd to be burnt But I have not as yet heard that you have ordered a Stake to be prepared for me I do thank GOD you cannot 't is an old saying 'T is good that curst Cows have short Horns You that burn my Books if you had power which GOD grant you never may I would not trust you to burn me I tell you what thoughts soever I had of you in 1686 I have worse thoughts of you now And G. W. is one principal Man that hath raised these thoughts First By his defaming me endeavouring to destroy my Reputation according to the Jesuits Morals and the Papists Practises to the Martyrs all along Secondly By charging me in divers things as a great Criminal where his Conscience tells him I am clear * Particularly his second Charge in his last where he finds no Cause And Thirdly That instead of seeking Peace in the way of Peace he acts as contrary thereto as light is to darkness And tho he writes three Books against me in nine Months time yet he exposes me the Contentious Person And thus he goes on and says He neither consults Events nor fears Effects And the People his Disciples love to have it so if they did not they would not suffer such a Make-bate such a peevish waspish Man to sit and scrible one Book after another and yet will not come forth to prove his Accusation nor defend his Charge wherewith he and his Brethren stand charged And now by this my Book I do hereby challenge four or six of their ablest Preachers to come forth in the vindication of their Twelve Principles in the first Chapter if they can giving me a months notice and I will GOD permitting meet them in Milden-Hall and prove them erroneous and pernicious to the Christian Religion As also accept of the Three Charges exhibited by George Whitehead against me in his last Pamphlet styled The Contentious Apostate recharged c. And this will be better than everlastingly to print And tho in 1682 you would take no notice of what is said de Christiana Libertate p. 213. nor in the Painted Harlot c. p. 70 71. Yet if you look therein you may perceive my then Resolution in case you proceeded in that base and unworthy way in which S. Cater began tho indeed I always took G. W. to have a hand in that Book I say I was resolved to spare no Arrow which might light on the skirts of this well-favour'd Harlot tho I can say I have been slow and if I could any way have prevailed with them in the least to have acknowledged their Faults wherein they had done amiss it would have abated the edge of my Pen which has been severe upon G. W. as his just Demerit for his great Injustice and base way of writing Thus at present I only refer him to his Grandfather's practice Pope Leo X. * and others see Fox's Acts and Monuments Fox's Acts and Mon. p. 238 416 417 483. p. 238 416 417 483. But to return I remember George Fox put forth 2434 Queries to all the Scholars and Doctors in Europe to answer and bid them come out of their Holes Dens and lurking places into the Fields we shall see said George whether you can draw your weapons c. The said Questions consist chiefly in these and the like words viz. Quest What is a Genetive Case What is a Dative Case What is a Participle What is a Dipthong What is a Noun Why are these Declined And why is the word called Declined Who was the first Author of it And by whom it came And why is the word called Adverb And what is an Adverb the word itself and where was its rise c See for more of them in Battering Rams c. p. 18. This Book G. F. intituled A Primer for all the Doctors and Scholars in Europe printed 1659. And now what if I for once thrust in a Query amongst these or at the end of them as I found it the other day in an untoward Book intituled The Jacobites Catechism p. 5. to George Whitehead * He and three more deliver'd this Address at Windsor to King Charles the Second wherein they shewed what they were for who about the time of the Execution of the Lord Russell presented to King Charles the Second an Address crying out extremely against all HELLISH PLOTS AND TRAYTEROVS CONSPIRACIES The meaning was against the Lord RVSSELL the Lord Essex Sidney Cornish Bateman c. The knotty Query is this that followeth c. Query What made the Quakers no more concerned for the loss of those brave Patriots of your Country Essex and Russell c. who lost their Lives in defence of your Country and its Liberties c Come George this is as I said a knotty Question it will be difficult for you and W. P. to answer for all your subtilty and cunning tho many observe you are much fill'd therewith as most of the Jesuitical Race Well I will not insist too much on this Point lest you say I expose you But why should you talk of Exposing I only tell you your Duty And are you so proud having had the Rein to propose Questions to Bishops Ministers Presbyterians Anabaptists and all sorts caling them Witches See Edw. B's Works p. 54 55. A just Rebuke to 21 Divines c. The Way cast up c. Saul's Errand c. Truth 's Defence c. Plain and peaceable Advice c. Rusticus c. Devils Sots Conjurers Beasts Tinkers Moll 's Lizards Fiery Fighters such as can defend their Religion with the Sword to be turned into the Pit eternally Blood-thirsty Tyranical Projects c. Now if I should call you so then you might say I expose you but I only tell you of your Duty and remind you of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisy CHAP. VII Shews that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith I AM now come to the Conference I had with George Whitehead
a Dispensation for then I doubt not but you would have construed the words AS YET to relate to time and ought not to be render'd tamen viz. Nevertheless and that you was but to do things freely for the present viz. until you could get money for doing it then Adhuc had been the Grammatical Sense of the words As Yet and not Tamen And who knows but your minds may alter when you see it for your purpose We see your Interest will lead you to change and who knows but W. P. in PENSILVANIA may understand both the Latin and English Sense of that your Declaration which says viz. 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 Servants TO FIGHT in his CAVSE But yet his Kingdom is not of this World Neither can we YET believe that he will make use of us in that way But for the PRESENT we are given up to bear and suffer c. I say if in G. Fox his Order that nothing about Marriages and Church-business should be done for money he had said That AS YET let nothing be recorded for money but FOR THE PRESENT do things FREELY c. Then you might have lawfully taken 50 l. per Annum according to G F. his infallible Law But since there is no such words of Exception in the recited infallible Order you are found Transgressors thereof and do take money contrary to your Pretences If you say the Business is more now then there is more Persons to do it But if you can thus alter then who knows but the word YET may in time be rightly understood especially in PENSILVANIA as 't is in your said Declaration G. Fox also said in his several Papers given forth about the Year 1658. Friends you ARE to do the Nations Business freely and that is the way to get into the hearts of the People * See Painted Harlot c. p. 47. c. A notable Stratagem indeed and as well improved but says G. W. †The Contentious Apostate and his One Blow c. p. 22. We think this is not true we know no such Order printed in that Year if at all Here is another of his Equivocations for tho' in my Book One Blow c. p. 6. it is said to be printed in 1650 which is an Error in the Press and corrected by an Errata in p. 14. viz. 1659. Thus he shuffles and seeks ways to evade the matter which is certainly true for I have the Book by me and still contrary to his Pretensions for in Judgment Fixed p. 365. he thus saith For I examin the Errata's even of my Adversaries Books as they are noted before I answer the matter c. Now this is either true or false i. e. he either examins the Errata's or he does not If he does not then he proclaims himself a Lyar to the whole World in Print If he does and yet takes no Notice of the Correction of an Error but publish the Error as he hath done this of 1650 instead of 1659. then is he still the more like himself A grand Deceiver one that pretends fair yea so fair as that he pretends to examin the Errata's even of his Adversaries Books before he answer them And yet behold it is no such matter thus deceitfully false do I find him in many places too large to recite and therefore I do hereby resume my Charge as in Battering Rams p. 11 12. viz. In this you deceive your People in that you pretend to Teach Preach Suffer and Record Marriages and other Publick Offices freely without Money Gifts or Rewards And by reason of this fair Pretence you not only have deceived the Simple but also taken occasion thereby to vilify and speak contemptuously of all other Publick Preachers First the National for taking Tythes and other Dues as a setled Maintenance by Law Established which is not so burthensom as you are to many of your Hearers notwithstanding your smooth Pretences to the contrary And next the Presbyterians and Independents whom you bespatter about their Bason c. wherein perhaps their Hearers put their free Contributions for their Ministers Subsistence and all this while VALVE your selves upon your FREE PREACHING FREE SVFFERING FREE WRITING c. And at the same time you know 't is common for all these Church-Officers amongst you to take money c. These things discover your Hypocrisie and you cannot abide to hear of them but T. Ellwood hath confessed them W. R. manifested them the recited Letter suggests them and I do affirm them CHAP. XI Shews that the Forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith BY this time it may be expected That whereas in my former Books I have made some distinction between the Foxonian Party and the Storian Party amongst the People call'd Quakers sometimes terming the one Christian Quakers the other Antichristian the one Protestant the other Popish c. And that if there be a real difference in their Principles I should and ought in point of Justice to continue the distinction and not to condemn the Innocent with the Guilty c. To all which I do say there is great Reason so to do and in order to it as I have set forth the Principles and Practices of the Foxonian Party so now I shall set forth what the Storian Party holds and shew it to be sound And that tho' they do dissent from the established Religion yet they hold the true Faith at least for substance as may be seen by the Articles of the Faith of John Cox whilst he was a Minister amongst the Storian Party which I call the Christian Quakers in a little Book printed Anno 1689. intituled The Articles of the Christian Faith believed and written by me John Cox c. And I never heard that any of his Hearers contradicted the said Book or any part of it and therefore in Charity I am oblig'd to think they hold the same Faith First in his Epistle to the Reader he thus saith And to explain my self I agree in every Particular with those called the Apostles Nicene and Athanasius Creeds c. OF JESUS CHRIST ARTICLE II. P. 6. I believe in one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the onely begotten eternal Son of God the Father conceived by the Holy Ghost manifested in the Flesh born of the Virgin Mary and suffered and dyed for our Sins without the Gates of Jerusalem and rose again the third day for our Justification And I believe all else concerning him according to the Holy Scriptures OBSERVATION The difference betwixt the recited Article in this fundamental Point and their Article set forth in their 2d and 3d Principle in the first Chapter is obvious I shall recite some few passages more and so leave it with some few Observations c. OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES ARTICLE IV. P. 7. I believe
that they were greatly mistaken for Christ did not come according to the Flesh out of the North of England but out of the Town of Bethlehem Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlehem ephratah though thou be little amongst the thousands of Judah yet out of THEE shall HE come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting And to this Testimony of the Prophet St. Matthew the Evangelist agrees Matth. 2.6 so that they mist in their Calculation take them in the best sense and therefore not led by an infallible Spirit that is infallibly certain for the Town of Bethlehem is not in the North of England And they say that this STAR this BRANCH this Son of Righteousness which gives Light to all the Regions round about came out of that barren and desolate place which is reckoned the least of the Nations i. e. the North of England Well but to confirm that they meant G. Fox Hear G. F. himself in his Book News out of the North Written FROM THE MOVTH OF THE LORD from ONE i. e. G. F. whose Name is not known in the World risen out of the NORTH which was prophesied of and NOW is fulfilled * G. F 's News out of the North c. See Title-page printed 1655. c. I say they believing this no marvel they were so deceived to write as they did And likewise others of their Preachers gave him such Divine Attributes as belong only to Christ And so did he give himself viz. THE SON OF GOD †Man of Sin p. 3. and said He had power to BIND and to LOOSE * Spirit of the Hat p. 27. c. As Dear George Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting many again to a lively hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the power of the Highest in which thou rulest and governs in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is established in Peace and the increase thereof is without end c. And all this Blasphemy justified by William Penn Judas and the Jews * Which Book was put forth by their chief Leaders and is particularly owned by G. W. in his Apostate Incendiary p. 24. so that 't is plain he owned and justify'd as well as W. P. these blasphemous passages See also his Book Serious Search p. 58 59. touching S. Eccles Blasphemy c. c. p. 44 45 46 47. So that the Coherence of their Writings consider'd 't is very probable they do account that G. Fox was that Star that Branch that Sun of Righteousness which gives Light to all the Regions round about even to the Isles afar off yea and as justifiable too as to say that his G. Fox's Kingdom is established in Peace and that of the increase thereof there is no end for this I prove to be a Title and an Attribute due only to Christ who is GOD over all blessed for evermore and that from Luke 1.32 33. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest And the LORD GOD shall give unto HIM the Throne of his Father David And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end c. Again to put it yet more out of doubt if more can be I will prove by the Prophet Isaiah's words and now I hope they will come into force at least with G. W. if not with his Brethren since he hath whether at unawares I cannot tell confessed that the Holy Scriptures are given by Divine Inspiration that to say G. Fox's Kingdom is establisht in Peace and that the increase thereof is without end is both Idolatrous and Blasphemous forasmuch as those Titles and Divine Attributes are due only to Christ See Isa 9.6 7. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty GOD The everlasting Father The prince of peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of HOSTS will perform this Now G. W. with what Face couldst thou appear in Print in the Name of the Quakers who robs Christ of his HONOVR and blasphemes HIS Holy Name and not first condemn these abominable and odious Tenents and downright Blasphemies Oh! Blush and be ashamed and humble your selves and publickly condemn these and the like Errors and pernicious Principles and then let a Confession of Faith be signed by as many as condemn your Errors and then many will be glad of such a happy Reformation which that it may come to pass in the sight of the Nation is my hearty Prayer to GOD. Again THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS P. 13. Come away my beloved Ones drink abundantly and be refreshed and praise his Name for ever eternally I am shed and spilt among you Never so as now never to be separated out of the eternal Oneness sound forth HIS praise declare HIS word Let it go forth as Thunder let the Heathen bow let the Princes of this world fall O! Beloved Ones who are the Children of my eternal FATHER who have eaten at HIS Table and drunk of the new Wine of the Kingdom of GOD who are nourished and dandled upon the lap of everlasting love who suck at the breasts of everlasting consolation P. 14. Your beauty is comely I am ravished I am filled I am filled with love to you all I am sick of love Your beauty hath ravished my heart come sit down my dear Lambs together in the Fold where no Wolf can come and let us rejoice together and sound forth HIS praise who hath washed us and cleansed us and covered us and made us worthy to enter into the Fold the Bride-chamber to eat with HIM of the bread of Life for ever at the eternal Table of life The Bridegroom is come Friends of HIM I know you rejoyce greatly because of his voice And now ny dearly beloved Ones follow HIM for evermore in the eternal light and life where we were bred brought forth * Viz. In the North of England 'T is well this high Applause of the Quakers was to go only amongst themselves surely never higher Applause was given to any Mortals than they give to one another accounting all besides themselves ignorant of GOD HEATHENS the WORLD c. and nourished and are unknown to all the world but me you know And I know you in One who is the condemnation of the world and in HIM I meet you and leave you in HIS Arms. I lie down with you in the bosom of eternal Love Life Peace
Glory Honour Power Might Majesty and Dominion for evermore Amen Now Noble Berean whether Christian or Quaker for some such I hope their are in every Society If thou doubt or question the soundness of this recited Creed pray examine and read these following Scriptures for thy Information and Satisfaction Luke 2.10.11 Acts 5.30 31 32. and 10.39 to 40. Acts 1.9 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 and 16.10 Zeck 9.9 and 11 12 13. Mark 1.10 Acts 2.22 to 32. Numb 24.17.19 Duet 18.15 Isa 9.6 7. Luke 24.4.51 John 20.12 Matt. 28.2 Acts 3.13 to 32. and 4.10 11 12. Heb. 7.25 and 9.24 John 17.20 21. 1 John 2.1 2. And here thou wilt find that he that was born of the Virgin the Glorious Angels call'd Christ the Lord And you will find that the holy Apostles said him that you slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted to be both a Prince and a Saviour yea and Christ the Lord whose Body was not of a Perishing Nature for it saw no Corruption And that all the Prophets gave witness to this Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World Now if on the contrary you find in the Quakers Creed that they believe and say that they cannot call him Christ who thus was born of the Virgin who was by wicked Men slain and hanged on a Tree if you find them to say his Body was of a perishing Nature and if you find as you may perceive p. 78 79. of this Treatise that the Quakers Prophets give witness to G. Fox instead of this Christ that they call him G. Fox the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness and put the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem then maist thou have cause to think that their Notions invert the Faith and seek to overturn the Christian Religion Read Try and Judge The Quakers Creed I. A Question to the Professors p. 33. NOW the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which he wore between him and the Body in which he came between the Substance which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it Lo I come a Body hast thou prepared me there is plainly he and the Body in which he came There was the outward Vessel and the inward Life this we certainly know and can never call the Bodily Garment Christ But that Heavenly Treasure which appeared and dwelt in the Body Remark Come into the Light and see if this Creed of theirs be not contrary to the Testimony of the Blessed and Glorious Angels Holy Apostles Blessed Martyrs and true Confessors for these 1600 Years here you may see if you will but come into the Light I mean to the holy Apostles Writings wherein they differ from all Christians they cannot call his Body Christ only a Garment a Vail a Vessel What! Did the Prophets fore-tell that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Garment Is this their Scripture Language they so often call for in Opposition to the Trinity and Sacraments Oh horrible Blasphemy But to this agrees John Whitehead's Doctrine in their Book The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 37 38. viz. Nothing which was Mortal was called Christ The Quakers Creed II. A Quest c. p. 22. IF I or any one else have felt the saving Arm of the Lord revealed in us If we have felt a measure of the same Life Power and Anointing revealed in our Vessels as was revealed in his Is it not of the same Nature Is it not the same thing Is not Christ the Seed And is not this Seed sown in the Heart Now if this Seed spring and grow up in me into a Spiritual shape and form Is not Christ then formed in me If I be ingrafted into and grow up in it Am not I ingrafted into Christ And do I not grow up in him And is not this the same Christ that took upon him the Body of Flesh and offered it without the Gates of Ierusalem Is there any more than one Or is there any other than he Is Christ devided is there one Christ within and another without Remark Come and see thou searching Berean and behold the Quakers Creed They cannot as in the first Branch of their Creed call him that was born of the Virgin Christ him that by wicked Hands was slain and hanged on a Tree Christ And no marvel if the same Christ that offered up that Body or Garment or Vail or Figure as they frame it be in them as they say it is even the very same that suffered Death at Jerusalem Oh horrible Blasphemy The Quakers Creed III. A Quest p. 20. TO whom do the Names and Titles of Iesus and Christ chiefly and in the first place belong Do they belong to the Body which was took by him or to him who took the Body For that which he took upon him was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which is of an Earthly perishing Nature And p. 27. Is not the Substance the Life the Anointing called Christ where-ever it is found doth not the Name belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head so that the Name is not given to the Vessel but to the Nature to the Heavenly Treasure to that which is of Him in the Vessel Remark From the Premises pray observe though they propose this Branch of their Creed by way of Query yet do but turn it and you shall observe the true and natural consequences of it is 1. That the Name Iesus and Christ do not so properly belong to the Body as to the Treasure in the Body here they seperate that which GOD hath for ever joyned together See their Book viz. The malice of the Independant Agent p. 23. Confusion and whereas they say that His Body was of an Earthly perishing Nature read Acts 2.27 and 13.35 and their Error soon appears And the Name Christ say they belongs to the whole Body as well as to the Head yea and to every Member of the Body so that they having the Light the Treasure the Life of Christ in them even the same that suffered Death at Jerusalem to be in them And the Name Christ not properly belonging to that Body which suffered Death at Jerusalem as aforesaid c. The Name by their Logick belongs to every believing Quaker so that there is as many Christs by their Doctrine as there is believing Quakers Oh horrible Blasphemy Read Matt. 24.24 The Quakers Creed IV. G. F.'s News coming up out of the North p. 14. 15. 34. A Word to all you Deceivers who deceive the People and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemies and Hypocrisies that tell People of a Sacrament and tell them it is the ordinance of God Blush blush and tremble you who live in the Witchery and bewitch People Page 14. So Dust is the Serpents Meat their original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death their Church is Dust and their Gospel is
Christ and art blind Saul's Errand c. p. 8. He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ from the Dead is equal with God See also G. F.'s great Mystery p. 78 127. 283. where their being equal with God is not denied * Saul's Errand p. 14. but strongly implyed Christ is the substance of all Figures and his Flesh is a Figure All that do study to raise a living thing out of a Dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and draw Points and Reasons and so speak a Divination of their own Brain they are Conjurers and Diviners and their Teaching is from Conjuration which is not spoken from the Mouth of the Lord the Letter of the Scripture is carnal and the Letter is Death and killeth p. 7. And as for any being moved of the Lord to take away your Hour-Glass from you G. Fox's great Mistery p. 77. by the Eternal Power it is owned The Priests of the World are 1. Conjurers 2. A brief Discovery c. p. 7.8.9.10 Thieves and Robbers 3. Antichrists 4. Witches 5. Devils 6. Lyars 7 A Viperous and Serpentine Generation 8. Blasphemers 9. Scarlet coloured Beasts 10. Babylon's Merchants 11. Whited Walls and painted Sepulchres 12. Ravening Wolves 13. Greedy dumb Dogs 14. Eminent and Ambitious Pharisees Remark Come and see once more this dark dismal Antichristian and Uncharitable Creed of these deluded Souls the Contents of this sixth Branch thereof followeth viz 1. They like the Pharisees hold a sinless Perfection yea G. F. said he witnessed being come up to the Measure and Stature and Fulness of Christ 2. If ever we own Christ or his Apostles we must necessarily own them yea and their Writings too they being equivalent with the Apostles Writings 3. They affirm that as Quakers they are elected and chosen before the Foundation of the World And contrarywise they Sentence and Condemn their Opposer the Querist being of a contrary Opinion and as such without shewing any other Cause to be a Reprobate ordained of old for Condemnation and Perdition one that is Blind and a Hater of Christ 4 They do assert such as have the eternal Spirit to be equal with God which Spirit they say they themselves have and by it they give forth their Papers and Printed Books 5. They assert the Flesh or Body of Christ to be but a Figure which elsewhere they call'd a Garment and say they cannot call him Christ 6. They say the holy Scipture is Carnal Dust Death and Killeth and that studying therein is Conjuring 7. They Justifie Fellony under a pretence of being moved by the Spirit of God 8. It s lamentable to behold their Incharity in calling the publick Ministry without exception restriction or distinction Conjurers Thieves Robbers Antichrists Witches Devils Serpents Vipers Blasphemers Wolves Beasts Dogs c. Surely 't is needless to enlarge especially in an Epistle since their erroneous Creed is manifest and that by this time the Athenians and all wise Men who are not wilfully blind may know what to make of them for the Tree is known by the Fruit least I make the Porch bigger than the House Thus Courteous Reader I have as it were led thee by the Hand thro' the crooked Paths and by ways of the Quakers intrioate Wilderness and be wildred wild and unheard of extravagant Notions dangerous Errors and pernitious Principles Not to have thee in Love with them no that it is not my design but to beware of being Insured by them as I once was And thus much touching the Quakers Creed which is neither Nicean Athanasian nor Apostolical but I affirm it to he Antichristian Blasphemous Idolatrous if not a Compound of all Heresies For If as they write they do believe indeed Then I affirm this is their Creed Who can with safety them believe Who Write and Print the Simple to deceive Object But some may say its true their Creed is very well set forth from the words of their own printed Principles and you give them a fair opportunity to meet you to make their exceptions against what you charge upon them and their Principles yet this Method I presume they will not take but rather chuse to use their old Method of Printing thinking by their false glossing and Jugling tricks to cast a Mist over the Minds of the Simple as in their Answer to the Quak. unmask'd c. They think they have done and therefore I desire to know what Method is best to use when I come into their Company Answ What you say is very true they can write fair and plausable holding forth one thing to their People and another thing to the World See p. 78. to the end and by the Authority of their Yearly Meeting impose these Controversial Books upon their Countrey Friends I was the last Month at Melton-Mowbery The Quaker's Book-seller in George-yard in Leicester-shire where one Thomas Earl a Quaker dwells and he told me that Thomas Northcot sent him some Books wrote against me but he sent them back Tho. Northcot sends them to him again tells him his Commission viz that the Yearly Meetings Order was that two of a sort should be sent to every Meeting He returned them again and would not be imposed upon for which he is to be commended and all such manly Men. However by this we may observe that their own People begin to be weary of their Books and that the Press begins to be Burthensome notwithstanding their publick Purse c. Well but to the Method I know of no better Method to advise to And to use my self than what William Penn did once excellently chaulk out in his Book styled A Caveat against Popery c. which is first to shew the Papists their Errors as I have done the Quakers next to shew their double dealing viz. one thing to the World and are indeed another to themselves and their under Graduits all which I have set forth as the practice of the Quakers and lastly call them to recant and condemn them to their errors before he will either take their words for what they say or trouble himself more with them whose Methods I purpose to take pray here W. Penn to his late Friends the Papists p 5. Tho' to argue against a Tribe of Men who esteem all reason carnal and Scripture imperfect might rightly be judged a meer beating the Air. Yet to prevent those who may be deceived and if possibly to reclaim such as are and lastly to clear my own conscience most of all in my Eye c. Now how far my old Friends the Quakers resemhle Will. Penn's late Friends the Papists in accounting both Scripture and Reason both Carnal and imperfect I leave to the Judgment of all Christians who shall read their Creed and other passages in this Treatise which I have fairly quoted and kept to the sence of what they write Again p. 3. of his Caveat c. They are grown so complisant
as none seem more exasperated at Persecution than themselves whilest the very Fathers of it decrying the fierceness of some Countreys whose Incendiaries they were and still are Nay for all their venerable esteem of the Pope's Infallability they have not stuck to censure his roaring Bulls though procured by their own means That many unacquainted with their practices are ready to believe them what they say themselves to be whose Morral is to have two strings to their Bow to be Ambo dexter and furnisht with meanings to suit the compass of all occasions Now As this was a most grand piece of Hypocrisie in W. Penn's now Friends the Papists so it is the same in my old Friends the Quakers of which for these three Instances of his I could give Thirty had I room to inlarge See p. 78. to the end of this Treatise to avoid repetition Next for his method a Caveat c. p. 35. To conclude If we would not receive a Thief until he has Repented let the Papists yea and Quakers too first recant his volumnious Errors not known in Scriptures nor ever heard of for 300 nay respecting the Quakers we may say 1600 Years together after Christ c. And altho' I do not approve of all W. Penn hath writ who sometimes have writ against Popery so warmly as no Man did exceed him yet when 't was like to be Rampant here his Applause thereof was too apparent yet in this case I like his method and do intend to abide by it Object But some may say if their Tenents be thus bad as their own Books sets forth would it not be a proper Method to go to their Meetings and there to make it manifest to and before their young Disciples Answ I sent a Letter to them sometime in July last of the same Import and though I have a Propriety in their Meeting-House as set forth p. 51. yet they not only refused to grant that I might freely come but in that they have their Religion as they call it established by Law as they Dream they gave me threatning words c. An Abstract of the Letter they sent me is as followeth viz. FRAN. BUGG Thine received I conceive that neither thy Twenty Pounds in the House nor the Covenant with our Friends dated 1688. will justifie thee for taking up the time by us set apart to worship God In controversie either as a Subject under the present Government or as a Christian For darest thou say that the Settlement by Law of an undisturbed worship to all Dissenters is not good and commendable and that a penalty upon the Violators thereof is not just Francis beware of such consequences and disturb our Meetings no more least such thy pretended Vindication proves thy great disadvantage both as a Man and as a Christian c. To which I returned this Answer Joshua Bangs I dare not say but that a Settlement by Law of Gods worship is good and commendable And I am glad you so deem it and begin to own your Establishment by Law though I must tell you that yours is rather indulg'd than establisht and you stand upon your good behaviour And as to your second Proposition i. e. That a Penalty upon the Violators of it just I agree with you also but withal I must tell you that neither that Law that thus settle and establish you of which you make a great boast nor yet your License either doth or can take away my Right in the Meeting House c. But if you according to your new Opinion did always account it commendable to have God's Worship establisht by Law and a Penalty upon Violaters of it is just do not you therein condemn your Brethren whose ancient practice was frequently to disturb the establisht Worship of God And do you not therein justifie the practice of such as Whipt Stockt Imprisoned and Fined your Brethren for violating and disturbing such a Worship so establisht by Law Yea you acquit them of the Sin of Persecution with which you formerly charged them but now you begin to threaten me to beware of the consequences which may fall on me both as a Man and a Christian c. By which Letter from Josh Bangs 't is plain what they would be at had they Power which God grant they never may But if they had so long as my property in the House remains so long God permitting me Life and Health I shall at times visit them in order to shew them their Errors still resuming my frequent Challenge That if they will give me a Months notice I will meet any four six or ten of their ablest Preachers in Milden-Hall and prove them guilty of the Errors in this Book laid to their Charge Thus Noble Bereans have I finished my Epistle to you in which I have truly and fairly stated the Quakers Creed shewed the way how to deal with them and by their recited Letter what they would be aâ— had they Power so that unless they publickly recant of their Errors and under the Hand of six or more of their Chieftains condemn their pernitious Principles have nothing to do with them beware of their gilded Pills and remember Ireneus 's saying Whilst Hereticks speak like the Faithful they not only mean otherwise than they say but clean contrary and by their Tenents full of Blasphemy they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the Poyson of their foul Opinions See his third Book against Heresies c. and now shall conclude with these words I writ in 1668. viz. To write no more I long since did intend But none but God knows now when I shall end For still I find when I think all is done As much to write as when I first begun Sept. the 7th 1692. Francis Bugg The Contents of this Book IN the Epistle to the Bereans the Christian Creed the Quakers Creed Remarks upon them and a Method prescribed to deal with the Quakers In the Introduction the Quakers against the Quakers Martin Luther's Resolutitn and Dr. Barns his Example pursued desiring to read both sides THE Quakers Proposition to dispute page 2 Twelve Errors charged on the Quakers Doctrine p. 3 Separation from the Quakers no Apostacy p. 8 Arch-Bishop Cranmor once mistaken in the Papists p. 12 Hugh Latimer once mistaken in the Papists p. 14 Martin Luther's Humility manifested p. 14 The Quakers deny Christ p. 16 Dr. Barns Martin Luther and John Bradford's Confession of Sin p. 18. 19. The Name Christ the Quakers attribute to themselves p. 20 The Quakers make their Writings Equivolent to the Scripture p. 21 The Quakers render the Scripture uncertain and fallible p. 23 The Quakers and Papists agree in not reading Scripture in their Worship p. 24 The Quakers not Addressing nor Praying for King William and Queen Mary p. 27 The Conference between F. B. and G. Whithead p. 33 A large Quotation of Dr. Barns against Imposition p. 37 G. Whitehead's Narrative confuted p. 50
F. Bugg's property in their Meeting-House maintained p. 51 Sam. Carter's Sufferings a Sham and Trick p. 55 A Challenge propos'd about Wives against Husband p. 57 The Quak. common Bankers or Purs-mongers p. 61 Thom. Ellwood's Confession that their Ministers take Money p. 64 The Quak. preach for Money Hirelings amongst them p. 62 The Christian Quak. Creed differ from the Foxonians p. 69 Mr. Archer's Query which Silensed G. Whitehead p. 74 As the true Prophets bear witness to Christ Acts 10. 39. to 43. so do the false Prophets with one Mouth bear witness to G. F. p. 78 An ERRATA Redar My distance from the Press and other Accidents have occasioned some Errors in this Treatise both in points Letters in spelling and Words the most material whereof are here noted which thou art desired both to Excuse and Correct The Introduction Page 1. line 18. for lote read late p. 1. l. 25. for thus r. the. p. 2. l. 10. for Rolick r. Pollitick p. 2. l. 14. for surely r. sorely p. 2. l. 23. for Cuter r. Cater p. 3. l. 24. for stroke r. strike p. 4. l. 27. for bids Commmand r. Bids or Command p. 4. l. 35. for this r. his p. 4. l. 36 for as craved r. and craved p. 6. l. 40. for Qua Volumne r. Quae Vnmaskt p. 5. l. 33. for pole r. pale p. 6. l. 44. for Ludam r. Ludum p. 8. l. 24. for first r. false p. 9. l. 13. for be noe r. be more p. 9. l. 14. for the r. by the. p. 10. l. 10. for matter r. Martyr p. 12. l. 6. so a Rinn r. Rind The Book Page 2. line 6. for at every read at any p. 2. l. 23. for race r. foot p. 2. l. 28. for discorded r. discovered p. 3. l. 31. for Rayment r. Garment p. 6. l. 5. for Quak. Chal. p. 6 r. p. 3. p. 8. l. 28. for either r. either by p. 10. l. 32. for omnis r. omnes p. 18. l. 36. for stratched r. stretched p. 22. l. 34. for rine r. Rind p. 23. l. 8. for Imposture r. Imposter p. 25. l. 13. for proclaim r. practice p. 25. l. 18. for Advice of r. A device of p. 26. l. 2. for Pologitico r. Pologetico p. 26. l. 20. for Apostate r. Apostasie p. 40. l. 13. for different r. indifferent p. 42. l. 36. for mundam r. in mundum p. 43. l. 14. for Audland r. outland p. 45. l. 13. for S. B. r. F. B. p. 45. l. 15. for make r. made p. 45. l. 27. for transcribe r. subscribe p. 45. l. 34. for freely r. fairly p. 50. l. 10. for as r. at p. 51. l. 18. for the forth r. near the fourth p. 53. l. 32. for Defame r. Defamer p. 53. l. 32. for Dornham r. Downham p. 66. l. 18. for the primer r. A primer p. 73. l. 9. for And meer r. And that for meer in l. 10. for And the r. And taught Advertisement Several Books wrote by the same Author and Sold by Mr. Gwillim in Bishopsgate-street against the Great James Book-seller in London viz. The I. Entituled De Christiana Libertate c. The II. The Painted Harlot both stript and whipt c. The III. Reason against Railing c The IV. The Quakers detected c. The V. Innocency vindicated c. The VI. Battering Rams against New Rome c. The VII One Blow more at New Rome c. The VIII New Rome unmaskt and her Foundation Shaken c. THE INTRODUCTION Friendly Reader HAving already wrote several Books against the Errors and evil Practices of the People call'd Quakers and finding their Answers so Evasive and Remote from the Point in Question so filled with Railing and Abusing Language Equivocations Pervertions and Forgeries That were it not to make a further Discovery of their dangerous Principles which are very Pernicious to the Christian Religion I should rather chose to be Silent and bear all their Reproaches Slanders and Scandalous Defamations with which their Books are filled Then to trouble my self or my Reader with any Reply to their Contentious Pamphlets For though G.W. charges me to be Contentious yet he hath Wrot Three Books against me to my one against them viz. in nine Months time especially Considering that by several Books already Extant they are very much unmasked And their Vizard in a great measure is taken off particularly by that Excellent Book Intituled The Quakers Unmasked their Double Dealing and Falshartedness Discoverd c. in Quarto Printed Anno 1691 which doth Amply set forth their Temporizing As well as their Writing and Printing against the Presbyterians and Independants for being engaged in the Lote Wars in the most Revengful and Aggravating Terms their Pen could Express Notwithstanding they themselves were equally concern'd with them in the same Cause and Quarell Exhorting and Incouraging Oliver his Army and Officers Not to leave off till they had set up their Standard at the Gates of Rome let your Soldiers go forth said they with a free and willing Heart that you may Rock Nations as a Cradle * Bat. Rams p. 5. and the Qua. Vnmasked p. 5 6 7. Thus next Book I refer to is that Intituled A looking Glass for the Quakers in two Columns which sets forth their two fast Practice in writing against the Papists when under and on their behalf when uppermost viz. in the Reign of the Late King James c. both which Books are Sold by Mr. Gwillim Bookseller in Bishopsgatestreet and stands unshaken by their Answers And remain firm Testimonies against their Temporizing their turning with the Times their Base Insinuations against others more Righteous then themselves c. The next Book I Refer too is that of mine Intituled Battering Rams against New Rome c. And that Intituled The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt c. The first reciting Ten Instances of their deep Hypocrisie which they have not been able to confute The Second discovers the Imperiousness of their Ministers and the mischief of their Impositions who in the Year 1675 made an Un-Scriptural Law or Ordinance at their Yearly Meeting that their hearers should constantly meet And Neither forsake nor Remove nor Decline their Meeting like Worldly Fearful and Rollitick Professors And they themselves Refused to stand in a like suffering Capacity with them By telling their Names and Habitation See Paint Harlot p 5. insomuch as that in the loss of 13550 lib. Odd money their Ministers never lost 50 lib. But this Book did surely vex these Mediantes for it touched their tender part as Erasmus once said of the other Monks and to be Revenged on me they Printed and Exposed me to be an Informer though at the same time they knew me to be no such manner of Person But so far from it as that they knew me to be one of the greatest sufferers by Informers in all these Parts yet such was their Implacable malice that they therein followed the Example of the Jesuites whose
Moral is That it is no Sin to destroy a Man's Reputation c See Jesuits Moral P. 347. with many other gross Lyes and Slanders And this at such a time when the Name of an Informer was so odious that it was in danger of a Mans Life to be known to be an Informer in some places c. upon which I went Sept. 83. to S. Cutor and G. Smith who both refused to own what they had VVrite I also offered on the Forefeiture of a 100 l. to prove them Lyars in divers Cases so when they would neither own their Books nor accept of my said Proposition I then went to their Publick Meeting at Mildenhall the 21st of October 1683 and there complained of their Ministers unchristian proceeding and desired a Certificat under their hands who had known me many Years which they gave me very readily as followeth viz. Whereas there is a Book put forth by Samuel Cator and others Wherein our Ancient Friend Fran. Bugg is called and often Termed Informer and we knowing what an Informer is According to common Acceptation and that he is clear of their Practices and not only so but one of the greatest Sufferers by Informers in all these parts and also in Remembrance of his Labour of Love and great Exercises for the Truths sake we can do no less then signify our dislike thereunto and Testify against the said Treatment as not being of Christian Tendency †Then t is of an Antichristian Tendency to be sure With much more to the same purpose too large here to Insert The Quakers Testimony against the practice of their Ministers c Here followeth the Names of the Quakers who gave me the said Certificate and set their hands to it publickly which gave the Design of Jos Bangs and his Confederates such a Stab as that Amb. Friend Tho. Brewster and a few others of G. F. party turned Pale being troubled not only at the Certificat but also at the Verbal Testimony they gave against their Antichristian practice viz. Tho. Bird. Jos Ellington John Thrift Will. Rolf Will. Belsham John Poell Will Tayler John Kittson John Harvy Robert Suckerman Will. Howkins Jos Mason Ja. Mason Fra. Suckerman Sarah Bird Margaret Belsham Fra. Folks Sarah Holton Eliz. Root Eliz. Thrift Eliz. Rolf Rachel Ellington Margaret Hattly Darcus Abbot Katherine Handslip Anne Hibble Sarah Bird jun. And for more of this see my Book Intituled Reason against Railing and Truth against Falshood Being a Conclusive Poscript to my Book The Painted Harlot c. Wrot 1683 which is this day as hardy as they are they have not Answered I say these with divers other Books wrote by my self Thomas Crisp W. Rogers and others by which their Errors are displayed and their Hypocrysies unmasked I refer the Reader too By which together with what followeth they may be seen in their proper Colours and manifested to be as great Dissemblers Deceivers and Deluders of the People as any Age since Noah's Flood ever produced And therefore Good Reader if thou wilt Examine our Doings I beseech thee To search and prove what hath been wrote on both sides and judge uprightly and do not suffer thy self by shews and shifts to be beguiled for what man will seem to deal so plainly as a Juggler he will stroke up his Sleeves and make bare his Arms and open his Hands and Fingers and lay all things before thee and bid thee behold and then thou will think him to be a good plain Man and marvel thou shouldest possibly be Deceived and yet indeed his whole Skill and Design is nothing else but to deceive thee and the more simply and plainly he would seem to deal so much the sooner he will deceive thee otherwise he were no Jugglar Thou shalt think thou seest all and yet seest nothing then thou shalt think thou feelest it sensibly with thy fingers that thou holdest it fast and canst not loose it and yet shalt open thy hands and find notheng so easie a thing it is to enveagle thy sences Tell Geo. Whitehead that 't is a piece of Hypocrysie to pretend that it is not Lawful to fight and to make his Disciples believe so and yet at the same time incourage O. Cromwel his Army and Officers to Fight saying Oh Oliver Cromwel Thou shouldst have Invited all Nations upon Earth that are against Popery to come in and joyn with thee against Popery Let thy Soldiers go forth with a free willing Heart that thou mayst Rock Nations as a Cradle Thus saith the Lord I have chosen thee O Cromwell amongst the Thousands of the Nations to Execute my Wrath upon my Enemies See Bat. Rams p. 3. and give them to thy Sword with which I fought for the Zeal of my Name Oh Oliver hadst thou been faithful and thundred down deceit the Hollanders had been thy Subjects and Tributaries and Germany had given up to have done thy will See Qua. Unmasked p. 6 7 8. the great Column and the Spaniard had Quivered like a dry Leaf thou shouldst not have stood Trifling about small things Sober men and True Hearts took part with thee Oh take heed and do not slight such least thou weaken thy self And do not disown such as the LORD hath owned thy Dread is not yet all gone This is in the present Tence and of the Imparative Mood which Bids and Commands nor thy Amasement Arise and come forth for hadst thou been Faithful thou shouldst have Crombled Nations to dust c. With much more to the same purpose Incouragement enough to Fight I say Is not this Great Hypocrisie to make their People believe that Fighting is unlawful for Christians and yet at the same time to Exhort Excite and Incourage Oliver his Army and Officers to Fight and not to leave off till they had set up their Standard at the Gates af Rome And yet to Salue this and to make his Deciples believe Jugglar like that there is no such Mateer See his Book Imronecy Against Envy p. 9. he says the words have Incited and have Chosen relate former simes he shews his Schollarship in that the Word have is the sign of the Preter Perfect Tence which denotes the time past but this Cuning shift will not do for their words Arise and come forth are in the present Tence and of the Imparative Mood which bids command yet thus much we may Learn from hence that in the same Book p. 7. In his Answer to my charge that they neither make Confession of their Sins to GOD nor ask Pardon for Christs sake he hath this passage for Answer viz. VVe have done it unfeignedly viz. the Word have must have its true Gramatical sense and then he means he did make Confession of Sin and ask Pardon for Christs sake when he was a Boy of Eleven Years of Age when he learned his Christian Catechism for the word have in G. Ws. sense and construction does signifie the time perfectly past
Reputation from their Malitious Charge of Self condemned Apostate and with Dr. Martin Luther say See M. Luther Commentary upon Gall. p. 51. viz. VVherefore GOD Assisting me my forehead shall be more hard than all Mens Foreheads here I take upon me this Title according to the Proverb Cedo nulli I give place to none Yea I am glad with all my heart to be called Rebellious Contentious and Obstinate and here I confess I am and ever will be Stout and Stern and will not one Inch give place to any creature Charity giveth place for it suffereth all things believeth all things hopeth all things but Faith giveth no place yea it can suffer nothing according to this Ancient Verse Non patitur Ludam fama sides occulus that is Mans good Name his Faith his Eye will not be dallyed withall wherefore a Christian as touching his Faith can never be too stout neither must be Relent or give Place no not the breadth of an hair Thus Reader you see Martin Luthers opinion that a Mans good Name is not to be dallyed with all as well as his Faith nor yet his Faith no more than his Name And as it ever was the Papists practice to fix some ill Name upon the Martyrs and to Cloth them as the Heathens of old with Bears Skins that their Doggs might fall upon them and worry them the more fiercly so hath it been the practice of New Rome witness the Names that G. W. and his Brethren have given my self and others * De Chr Lib. p 15 but as Luther was tender of his Name and Ready to Vindicate his Faith and Christian Profession from the Infamy of the Papists slanderous Tongue so I hope to follow his stepts therein and also to shew that I am not Contentious in the sence G. W. Represents me as may appear by a Letter I sent him an Abstract thereof is as followeth viz. To George Whitehead these GEorge I have seen your Book The Contentious Apostate and one Blow c. wherein I find you so false and unworthy as that your Brother Rudyard does not exceed you Oh George did I once think when I visited you in Norwich Goal Anno 1660 to find such Fruit from you I tell you nay I had then better thoughts of you George are you not ashamed to pertend that God the Righteous Judge knows the Integrity of your Soul viz. That you have sought Peace in the way of Peace and for a quiet Composer of Differences See his Book Judgment Fixed c. p. 356 And do you not blush to tell God in this your Printed Prayer that you are indowed with a Spirit of Righteous Judgment c. And yet in the same Book justifie your Brother Rudyard Samuel Caters Lawyer in a most abominable Lye And in this book The Contentious Apostate you tell the World that I and my Company were in the Gallery where your Ministers usually sit when you came in Altho there was not one Man of my Company with me in the Gallery as Hundreds can testifie with many other Gross Lyes c. with what Conscience can ye then appear in Print so wretchedly false and thus Appeal to God the searcher of the hearts well Notwithstanding this and all your former Provocations Lyes and Slanders yet if S. Cater G. Smith Jos Bangs and your self will meet me at a convenient place and Retract what you have Printed that is false and which you cannot make appear to be true * * Mark the Condition and the Equallity of this Proposition I do promise to cease all further Prosecution whether by Print or otherways and that not for your sake who as you have said in Print neither Consult Events nor Fear Effects ††See his Introd to Judgment fixed c. but for the sake of the well meaning thô misled People Amongst you for you like Abner have raised the War and have been the chief Instrument of the Young Mens thrusting each other thorow but will not with him say shall the Sword devour for ever Nor yet seek Peace in the way of Peace according to your pretences and that to Almighty God but through your Cunning and Malicious Craft thinks to wound Asahell but he pursues you more warily and desires no weaker Adversary notwithstanding all your weapons of War And your boasting Goliah like Thus I leave this proposition to you and give you Fourteen days to consider of it to prove whether you mean as you say viz. to seek Peace in the way of Peace Fra. Bugg Sept. 13. 1691. BUt instead of Answering this Equal Proposition about a Month after I saw his Third Book in Print Stilled The Conten Apost Recharged c. which after I had read and considered I drew up certain Principles of theirs This is the Third Book G. W. wrote against me in Nine Months time which renders him the Contentious Makebate Collected out of their own Books as at large in the First Chapter following which upon the 22 day of November last I carryed to their Meeting and their told them that I had Received another book of G. Ws. against me which I could prove first in divers parts yet if G. W. or any four of their Preachers would appear in Vindication thereof I with the the like number would meet them and prove them First Errors and very pernicious to the Christian Religion And Secondly That it is no Apostacy from the Christian Faith to separate from a People who are Erred so manifestly from the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that they might be prevailed with all to come out of their Holes Dens and Lurking places to dispute according to their own Proposition in the Epistle of Edw. Burrous in the Front of his works in Folio where to any mans thinking they seem ready to Dispute they striki up their Sleeves they make bare their Arms they open their Hands and Fingers and life up their Voice and say come Priest come Professor * See the first Chapter following We would gladly be made manifest to all the Worlds that we may freely give as many of the Wisest and Ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for to Dispute at any place in England and upon this we will engage with them and with any of our Enemies of what Sect and Profession soever to the Intent only that Truth may be Manifest and Imbraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denyed let them appoint time and place and profer terms at their own pleasure c. Now Reader what could be said more what could be said plainer and to ones thinking we have them fast enough but behold all this is to deceive and Inveagle thee into a belief of their Simplicity Plainness and Integrity when alas they mean nothing so they design no such Plainness 't is but a Sham a Trick to dazle thy Eyes and to deceive thee and this I shall prove to their shames viz. I took
certain of their Principles in Print out of their Books And upon the 22th of November 1691 carried them with an Abstract of the recited Epistle to their Publick Meeting and there Read the Charge Read my Challange In the words of their own Proposition to the intent that if they would have answered my Challange and Dispute the Points according to their said Proposition in their Epistle the world should never have seen them by all which 't is plain that I have not been Contentious in the sense G. W. would represent me as also it may appear the recited Letter to G. W. Dated September 13th 1691. But if contending for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and against the Errors of the Times be a Crime I will say with David I am resolved to be no more Criminal and thereing follow the Example of the Christian Raco and that it is so would farther appear if all my Charges Challenges Querry's Protestations Allegations Impeachments Appeals Propositions Remonstrances Speeches Passages and Letters which from time to time I have wrote upon this foot against their Illegal Arbitrary and Tyranical Usurpations Erronious Principles and Dangerous Tennets I say as it would shew with what great Cost Labour and Travel I have herein Discharged my Duty so if they were made Publick they would declare to all the world that I have not been vainly Contentious as George Whitehead in his three last Pamphlets would represent me I Remember that when their Predecessors the Papists charged Dr. Barns the Martyr with Apostacy Blasphemy and many other Crimes he offered the Popish Bishops this fair Proposal viz. * Dr. Barns Works P. 216 217 218. As for me I do promise them by this present writing and by the Faith I ow to Christ Jesus and by that fidelity I owe to my Prince That if they will be bound to our Noble Prince after the manner of his Laws and after good Conscience and Right that they shall do me no Violence nor VVrong but Discuss and Dispute these Articles and all other that I have written Then will I present my self to our most Noble Prince there offering my self to his Grace And I will either prove these things by Gods Word against you all or else I will suffer at his pleasure whom the Father of Heaven preserve in Honour Amen And if you refuse this Condition then say that you are neither good nor charitable for I dare say you can desire no more of a Christian Man Thus this Good Man who was Hampered and Perplexed with this Popish Crew who would Accuse but not Prove who would Bragg and Boast of their Skill of their Learning of their Religion and of whatever they held let it be never so Erronious but let this Good Man offer what Terms he would tho' never so just never so reasonable it is all one He could never get them out of their Holes and Dens and Lurking places And how agreeable to the method of these Protestants See my Books in print viz. de chr Lib. c. and the Painted Harlot c. and Reason against Railing c. hath my Propositions from time to time been I leave all to judge who shall read what I have from time to time wrote which to incert here would be too tedious And how like the Papists my Adversaries have shewed themselves to be in all their shiftings and evadings declining and rejecting all my offers though in their own way and in the words of their own Proposals c. Well hear this Matter once more on this foot and how he supplicated the Kings Grace That he would be pleased to hear the Matter disputed between the Popish Bishops and him for he desired nothing but that truth might be manifested and imbraced viz. Most Gracious and Mighty Prince God hath set your Grace in the same Honour and Dignity that you by God's Ordinance ought to defend those Men that are oppressed wrongfully wherefore humbly and meekly and in all lowliness and reverence I beseech your Grace to minister unto me Gracious Justice and let me be heard Indifferently * But this the Papists and this New Rome could never abide whether that I justifie my cause with Learning or not if I cannot justifie it your Grace is a Minister of Justice I will refuse no manner of pain that shall be due for my Transgression Wherefore once again with all meekness and lowliness in the way of Charity and in Christ's Name and for his sweet Blood sake * How this poor Martyr pleaded to have his cause openly and publickly heard betwixt him and his Adversaries that he shed for your Grace yea and also by vertue of your Authority that God hath given to you I do desire and require of your Grace Audience and Iustice I and my Parents be your natural Subjects born Wherefore in my Name and in all our Names for all they are rebuked in me with all Meekness and Reverence I beseech your Grace of Gracious Audience and favourable Justice this thing I trust your Grace will not deny me nor yet take any displeasure against me your poor Subject for thus requiring for I have none other Prince nor Lord to seek unto here on Earth but unto your Grace only Nor can I come to any charitable and with my Adversaries wherefore I am compelled by extream violence thus to complain unto your Grace for my Name and Fame and Estimation and all things that belong to an honest poor man in this world It is and ever was the practice of the Papists and this New Rome to detract and take away the Name Fame and Estimation which their Opposers had thinking thereby to uphold their own Cause is taken wrongfully from me hereby and have been by the space of Nine or ten years which is no small time compelled to live in misery and obloquy or Scorn c. Thus Reader you see how importunately this innocent Martyr pleaded to be heard in defence of his cause with respect to his Religion which the Papists reckon'd heresie which is a self-condemned Apostasie or falling knowingly and wilfully from the Doctrine of the Christian Faith as Julian did * To this Julian did they compare me in divers Letters sent to me without any Name to them but I have reason to think Step. Crisp the Author when alas he kept the Faith and only separated from such as had erred concerning the Faith But however all his Endeavours proved fruitless for he could not get Audience he could not get them out of their Holes and Dens though he pleaded never so much first for Christ's Name sake for his sweet Blood sake that was shed upon the Cross And secondly for his own sake for his Kindred and Family sake whom he found slandered in him by them who took away his Name Fame and his Estimation And why did he thus Humbly and Reverently plead and beg of his Prince this favour you see it was that the
Goods was Distrained yet not a Penny worth sold and he kept this Ten Pound and never returned it and yet this is not all but in their Quarterly Book it was not long since Recorded as a Suffering Such Cheats there are amongst them and Thirty Pounds at a time for Writing five or six Sheets of Paper Fifty Pound per Annum for Clarks Wages as standing yearly Sallery and Twelve Pence for Writing a Marriage Certificate of Ten or Twelve Lines sometimes your people might publish their Intentions of Marriage at the Market-Cross or before a Magistrate if they were free so that here is Ambo-dexter indeed sometimes Liberty and by and by its taken away again by these Infallible Legislators so that when all comes to all it s no Body knows what but the Leading Quakers are all in all tot quot omnis Thus the Quakers Priests who talk for self Is fangling talk against it self ' Gainst Truth a prate a pitious preachment That can't make good its own Impeachment As Penn 's and VVhitehead 's Doctrine do Who heeds not well which way they go Fox and Sam. Cater dances round And round again in th' self same ground It staggers to and fro and reels Skips up and down and runs on wheels Starts aside like some broken Bow Crosses Christ like Cris-cross in the row Who so can feel in it may feel As 't were a wheel within a wheel A net gin trap a snare's in 't A whirlpool gulf a bottomless pit Wind dusk husk chaff no stable steeple A tale that takes unstable people A toy a cloud mist smoke a fog Right Quakerism yea a quavering bog A quick sand a quagmire that sucks Who 's in 't his feet out-seldom plucks Himself who 's in get seldom out It 's self's more seldom in than out It flutters like some night-blind batt Now here now there this way now that Now it is one thing then another And now and then nor t 'one nor t'other Sometimes it 's this sometimes it 's that Sometimes it 's this and this and that Sometimes it 's either this or that Sometimes 't is neither this nor that Now this not t'other anon it 's either Then by-and-by both both and neither One while it looks like so not no Another while like no not so One way it seems or so or no Another way nor no nor so Some way it shews both so and no So 't is a mere endless no and so Postscript To write no more I long since did intend But none but God knows now when I shall end For still I find when I think all is done As much to write as when I first begun Jan. 1. 1686. Fra. Bugg Reader I have transcribed the more of this former Book of mine Intituled The Quakers detected and their Errors confuted c. by reason George Whitehead in his Book styled The Contentious Apostate c. recites the first Point then under Consideration which was How I came to be a Member of their Society But the second Point under Consideration which was How I came to see and perceive their Apostacy and leave them And the third Point under Consideration which was How and by what means I came to have satisfaction in going to the Publick I say these two last Points G. W. takes no notice of For I having in the first Point acknowledged what I then apprehended he represents it as if I was of the same Judgment when I went to the Publick for if that be not his intent he speaks in the Air and to no purpose Now if I at the time of my going to Church was in the belief that the Quakers were in the true Faith true Worship spiritual Testimony attended with that Simplicity c. which I in 86. thought them to be in as I did in 1660 c. Then I grant I had gone self-condemned because I had acted contrary to my belief But to answer that so long as I had those thoughts I kept to them nay longer But when I went to the publick that part of my Book now recited shews my mind sufficiently and my judgment concerning them to which I refer the Reader Obj. Well but still George seems to object that I did once own them to have been the true Church and therefore to leave them is SELF-CONDEMNED APOSTACY Answ I marvel G. W. should think that to be Apostacy for if that be sound Arguing then I will prove most of the Ancient Quakers self condemned Apostates since they have separated from the Church of England or some other Protestant Churches which they once owned to be a true Church And to confirm this my opinion and judgment I will produce a good Author in my Esteem whatever he be in G. W.'s and that is Archbishop Cranmer that Innocent Martyr whose life is worthy to be had in Imitation by all English Protestants for he was the principal Instrument under GOD and the King that threw off the Popes yoke of Supremacy c. Foxes Acts and Mon. p. 1488. Well let us hear what he says In the beginning the Church of Rome taught a pure and sound Doctrine But after the Church of Rome fell into a new Doctrine of Transubstantiation I marvel that any man would allow it if they knew what it is But whatsoever they bear the people in hand that which they write in their Books have neither truth nor comfort Now George was this Martyr a self-condemned Apostate let me have your opinion in your next He said as much in commendation of the Roman Church as I ever said of yours and by the way I believe upon better grounds For I must tell you I am not of the same mind I was in in 1686. concerning you in the beginning since I have of late examined your ancient Errors and observed the consequences of them but of that more anon I say was this Arch-bishop an Apostate for that he owns she was once a true Church And yet he separated from her and says there is neither truth nor comfort in their Books though perhaps she pretended like her youngest Daughter See your 6 principle that she gave forth her Papers and Printed Books from the eternal and immediate Spirit of GOD and that they were of greater Authority than the Scriptures yet you hear Dr. Cranmers opinion that there is neither truth nor comfort in their Books And I am of the same opinion concerning most of yours and do as much marvel that the people will allow your Books many of them at least which you pretend to be of such Authority so immediately given forth by GOD's holy Spirit when they are filled much with nonsense lyes forgeries false doctrine blasphemies yea I do as much wonder at your People Defence of the Apology of the Church of England p. 460 461. as this good Man did at the Papists your Ancestors since the Papists could not be worse And if you will see the 460 and 461 Pages in the
Remark at present I come next to shew what Slight and Contempt they have cast on the Scriptures in order to invalidate their Certainty and Authority and therein to shew G. W. how they value their unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures both in words as well as in practice as I shall shew anon for I am not picking at the Rine now but plucking at the Root And tho I must confess they are sturdy Oaks yet the Ax that is laid will level them unless they repent which I pray GOD they may if it be his Will Amen First That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater Serious Apology page 49. By G. Whitehead in his Serious Apology p. 49. G. Whitehead's Ishmael p. 10. Secondly That which is written is the Letter which is Death and killeth Way to the Kingdom p. 8. Thirdly The Scriptures are a declaration of the Word the Husk Fourthly The Letter of the Scripture is carnal Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 7. and the Letter is Death and killeth In one of their Books * The Quakers Refuge fix'd on the Rock of Ages p. 17. they thus query viz. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes Or whether both these or not one Or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some words were not spoken by the grand Imposture some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill applied some by good Men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false Now Reader setting aside the Contempt George Fox George Whitehead and others anciently threw upon the Scriptures as Carnal Dust the Serpent's Meat Husk not of that Authority with what is said to be spoken from the Spirit of Truth and the like I say setting aside THAT what can be the natural Tendency of these Queries but to prejudice the weak Readers against the Authority of the Scriptures especially such who take Examples of them in that they never read a Chapter in their Meetings for the Worship of GOD. If what the true Prophets spake be FALSE If what good Men spake be ILL EXPRESSED If what wise Men spake be ILL APPLIED Then what is there left besides what was spoken by true Prophets good Men and wise Men If there be any as you seem to suggest that 't is spoken by the grand Impostor and by wicked Men and false Prophets c. And if there be some little left that was spoken by true Prophets and is true some by good Men well expressed some by wise Men rightly applied Yet you not having made any distinction who shall know what is true from that which is false that which is well expressed and rightly applied from the contrary since you have left these three wretched Questions unresolved and the Scriptures doubtful ambiguous and uncertain robbing them of that Authority which GOD's People from Age to Age have justly attributed to them As for the five Books of Moses who wrote them Moses or Hermes is now put into the world as a Question Yea whether either or neither be the Author of those Books Yea these very Writings of Moses which I never heard question'd before are now proposed whether Moses or Hermes be the Author of them Now if Moses and Hermes be all one then why is the Query put unless you would have Moses to be Hermes and not Hermes to be Moses And so Moses being lost and Hermes only a Philosopher in Egypt being found the Books going under the Name of Moses's shall be lost also If this was not your mind why do you fill the world with such Atheistical Queries c Christ himself often quoted the Writings of Moses * See Mark 12.16 Luke 16.29 Luke 24.27 Acts 3. Luke 26.27 44. and so did the Apostles I never till now took so much notice of this your wretched Design to bring the Scriptures into Contempt that so you might exalt your own unwritten Traditions and therefore there is Reason enough in this to shew that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Christian Faith CHAP. V. Shews that the Forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith IN my Book One Blow more at NEW ROME c. I gave six Reasons why I compared the Quakers to New Rome Rome's Sister c. Amongst which one was That they value their unwritten Traditions above the Scriptures five of those six G. W. never touches But that of their valuing their unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures he says is a Lye without giving any one Demonstration c. And therefore to justifie my Charge That you value your unwrit Traditions above the Scriptures I prove thus First it never was from first to last your practice to read any one Chapter of the Bible nor any one Epistle of Paul Peter or any of the Apostles in your Meetings for Worship of GOD when as you have read the Epistles of Robert Sandyland Samuel Cater William Penn George Whitehead and Stephen Crisp with as much Attention and Devotion as the Papists do their Legends and this with what is writ in Chap. IV. is sufficient to prove the Point for I take all which is written in opposition to or in competition with the Scriptures to be unwritten Traditions Now if I can make it first appear that it is a principle of the Papists not to read the Scriptures in their Churches And secondly That it was and is the practice of Protestants to read the Scriptures in their Churches and Assemblies for the Worship of GOD then I hope Geo. Whitehead will not blame me for calling them New Rome who in almost every point follows their Example And also I hope it will be a caution to many of the Quakers to look about them who shall find themselves led by their Teachers into the very Road and High way to Rome before ever they so much as thought of it nay that they are in her very Borders and Territories when they thought all had been well and that they had been as their Teachers tell them and would make them believe even in the Heights of Sion in the Truth and none but THEY and that amongst them ONLY is God known elected before the world began and the like First Then to shew that it was against the principles of the Papists to read the Scriptures in their Churches Mr. HARDING against JEWEL By the Instinct of Satan Defence of the Apol. of Ch. of England p. 580. ye have brought the People from Devotion to careless Idleness from speaking to God with Hearts and Lips to a spiritual Dumbness from Prayers to Chapters from holy Think or silent meeting to unprofitable Hearing Thus much from one of the ablest the Pope had to defend his Errors by which the Reader may observe that
at the House of Joshua Bangs in Milden-Hall the 24th of August 1691 touching a certain Charge which I formerly exhibited against him at a Publick Meeting * As in my Book One Blow c. p. 2 3. at Milden-Hall which he then declined to accept of and to defend himself from as well as to own himself Author of his Book Judgment Fixed c. My said Threefold Charge was this First That George Whitehead is a Deceiver of the People 2dly That he is a false Accuser of the Martyrs charging their Doctrine to be corrupt tending to practical Ranterism sordid Ranterism c. 3dly That he is a Favourer or an Excuser of such Principles and Practices as border upon Blasphemy and Idolatry This was the Charge The Spectators present who heard what passed were these whose Names hereafter follow viz. PROTESTANTS QUAKERS Mr. ROBERT RVSSELL SIMON BIRGIS Mr. THOMAS BRADBVRY JAMES BIRGIS Mr. SAMVEL ' KNOWLES JOS. BANGS Mr. JOHN WALTER AMBROSE FRIEND JOHN PAPWORTH EDWARD DEEKES PHILIP CRANNISS and others BENJAMIN ANTROBVS and others THE FIRST CHARGE THAT G. WHITEHEAD IS A DECEIVER OF THE PEOPLE G. W. Come Francis I come of the Defensive part thou art the Plaintiff I expect proof of what thou chargest me with F. B. Here is a Book styled Judgment Fixed Dost thou own it George G. W. That is not material thy Charge is general without any such Condition F. B. I grant all that But did not I send you a Letter to meet you in London to prove my Charge upon you on Condition that you would own your Books and since you have now sent for me I expect you should perform the Condition proposed G. W. I did not send for thee I only told thy Wife I was here if thou hadst any thing to say thou mightst come to me I * Jos Bangs or some others of his Friends heard G. Whitehead say so and that thy coming was at thy own choice Jo. Walter But by your leave Gentlemen your so sending to him was an intimation of your desire of his coming or to what purpose did you send to him OBSERVATION Note Reader that I was surprized not knowing that G. W. was in Town till Ten a Clock over Night for I had sent G. W. a Letter to be in London the 22d of August and had sent away my Books in order to prove my Charge against him there But he wrote me an Answer that he could not wait upon me but had a Journey appointed but did not let me know it was to Milden-Hall where I dwelt but came to Town the 23d day when he might expect my being at London But that day at Ten a Clock at Night I was told of his being there so that I do believe 't is as G. W. said he did not send for me My coming was not pleasant to him And I have reason to think that he would not have come there then had he not thought I had been at London according to my Letter And so I had only I remembred his Letter in Answer which told me he had a Journey to go so then I stay'd for some Neighbours G. W. Well I do own that Book Judgment Fixed c. The Errors of Press excepted F. B. Then from thence I thus prove you a Deceiver of the People for whereas in the Introduction to that Book you pretend that GOD laid a necessity upon you to write that Book and that you was moved of GOD to write the same and there you neither consult Events nor fear Effects c. And yet in the same Book you vindicate your Brother Thomas Rudyard Samuel Cater's Lawyer see p. 219. And in the said Book p. 19 20. you justifie Blasphemous and Idolatrous Titles given to G. Fox as anon will appear in a grand Lye who in vindication of his Client Samuel Cater wrote that I paid my Money voluntarily before Distress was made of my Goods when distrained for Samuel Cater's Fine which was a Lye Now this being a Lye and you justifying him in this Lye this GOD never laid a necessity upon you to write this GOD never did move you to write For saith the Scripture he that condemneth the Innocent and acquitteth thee Guilty ar both an abomination to the LORD And you pretending that GOD moved you to this and many other Lyes in the said Book and the People believing you that you are thus moved and that you cannot err and that what you who pretend your selves infallible speak or write is of as great Authority as the SCRIPTURES herein you deceive the People OBSERVATION That I did not pay my Money voluntarily before Distress see a Certificate under the hands of Mr. Maxey and his Wife who then lived at the Sign of the White Hart to which Inn my Goods was carried c. viz. MEmorandum That we who subscribe our Names do testifie that the Goods of Francis Bugg which was Distrain'd for the Fine of 15 l. 10 s. by vertue of a Warrant from Thomas Shelly Esq a Justice of Peace since deceased c. was carried to the White Hart after Distrained where I then dwelt and was Constable And afterwards the said Francis Bugg came and paid down the Money and teok home his Goods again This my Wife and I can testifie witness our hands this 6th of September 1691. Peter and Judith Maxey G. W. I do not affirm that thou paid down thy 15 l. voluntarily See Painted Harlot c. p. 8 9 10 47 48 49. But I shewed Thomas Rudyard what thou said and reckoned a voluntary Payment and thereupon I vindicated him against thee he being at that time in better Repute with us so 't is no Position of mine but a Supposition that I went upon F. B. Well George that will not hold you have justified an arrant Lye in favour of Samuel Cater which was much to my damage And the People believing you and that in regard of your Pretence of being moved by the eternal Spirit of GOD you in that Case as well as in many others that I could mention have deceived them and unless you can clear your self the Charge stands over your head and you are found guilty thereof c. G. W. I do still say that as to the Body of the Controversie God did lay a Necessity upon me to write that Book But as to particular matters of Fact I write as a Man according to my discretion F. B. So then here is George Whitehead as a Man and G. W. more than a Man G. W. infallible and cannot err and G. W. fallible and subject to err and be mistaken This is a twofold George standing in two Capacities OBSERVATION Note that G. W. herein resembles the Pope For saith Dr. Cole I hold herein rather with Gerson that the Councel is above the Pope The Pope in one respect as he is a Man in his own single person may happen to err but in another respect as he is head Pastor and
their Quarterly Book in Hadenlam in the Isle of Ely viz. It is ordered and agreed upon at this Quarterly Meeting that no Friends for time to come may permit or suffer Marriages without the Consent of Friends at two Mens and Womens Meetings and the Man and Woman to come both to the said Meetings to receive the Answer of Friends c. as more at large in my Book de Christ Libert p. 60 c. And it was against this and the like Orders which they imposed upon their Brethren as terms of Communion which had no Authority from Scriptures nor yet a President from any Christian Church the Papists only excepted that I brought this Testimony not to accuse the Martyr no surely but approving of his Doctrine I quoted him in vindication of Christian Liberty For if the leaving out the word SUCH being but an over-sight be so ill what art Thou that in thy Books leave out the word OTHER which is the distinguishing word c. and that knowingly and as such G. W. opposed the same and called the said Quotation Ranterism Loosness And for which I charged him as an Enemy to the Doctrine of the Martyrs which maintain Christian Liberty against Implicit Faith and Blind Obedience which they like the Papists endeavoured to introduce tending to enslave the People See a Recital out of G. W's Book Judgment Fixed c. p. 259 260. viz. I must tell thee Francis that this Position makes void all Christian Discipline Good Order and Church-Government leaving all loose and uncertain and we are sure thou hast here asserted corrupt Doctrine tending to practical Ranterism itself See now if this be not sordid Ranterism this loose gain saying Spirit leads thee into Come G. W. is it not plain That thou hast accused the Martyrs recited Doctrine to be loose to be sordid Ranterism to be practical Ranterism Thus have I Re-charged thee and leave it upon thy head until thou dost retract the same Object But some may say That tho' the Quotation of Dr. Barnes is sound and Orthodox in itself fairly quoted and rightly applied the recited ORDERS of the Quakers consider'd and their Imposing them and Recording or Excommunicating such as do not conform to them c * See my Book de Christ Libert p. 36. to p. 70. where the said Orders and the Authority given them at a yearly Meeting 1675 is at large recited c. And that G. W's terming it Ranterism as by the last Recital is manifest and thereby have accused the said Martyr according to my Charge c. yet possibly G. W. passed this Sentence on the said Martyr and his Doctrine as a Man in his own single capacity Answ No that he did not tho' possibly he upon occasion may so pretend for it came forth in Print in his Book styl'd Judgment Fixed c. which was printed as their Books generally are viz. by the Authority and Approbation of the 2d second days Meeting viz. by their Church Authority And to confirm that they in this their Doctrine of imposing the Observation of and exacting Conformity to their Orders whether their People believe it a Duty incumbent upon them yea or nay agree with the Papists See a Book put forth by W. Penn Intituled A brief Examination and state of Liberty spiritual * It might rather have been styled An Antidote against his former Book Intituled An Address to Protestants For 't is as much contrary to that as Popery is against Protestantism or Imposition to Christian Liberty c. c. where he says p. 3. It is a dangerous Principle and pernicious to true Religion and which is worse 't is the Root of Ranterism to assert that nothing is a Duty incumbent upon thee but what thou art persuaded is thy Duty c. The Papists say viz. We tell you that you ought to eat Fish and Flesh on those days the Church appoints on pain of deadly Sin You ought to have shaven Crowns long Beards c. And the Quakers now say Womens distinct Meetings as set forth by their Church that the rise practice setting up and establishing of Womens distinct Meetings is according to the Councel of God and done by the leading and ordering of his eternal Spirit †See de Christ Libert c. p. 36 43 44. to p. 70. And this tho' we produce not one Verse of Scripture to confirm it you ought to believe for we viz. the Quakers and Papists agree in this fundamental Point i. e. THAT YOV OVGHT TO BELIEVE AS THE * See your 12th Principle in Chap. 1. but more largely amplified in the first Part of the Christian Quaker distinguished c. p. 9 10 11 12. CHVRCH BELIEVES And if you refuse Conformity on pretence you are not persuaded that 't is your Duty to obey the Church and shall dislike our Position That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion And shall tell us That Conformity ought not to precede or go before Conviction nor Force before Persuasion We now tell you that it is a dangerous Principle and very pernicious to our Design and therefore and for that very Reason we will and have given it out That it is Ranterism sordid Ranterism tending to lay waste our LAWS and GOOD ORDINANCES as our Brother Solomon Eccles called Womens Meetings Thus Reader thou mayst perceive my Charge made good upon and against G. W. First by the Quotation I brought of the Martyrs words against their Impositions 2dly that the said Quotation as it is sound in itself so it is fairly done against which he brings his heavy Charge and grim Sentence OF CORRVPT DOCTRINE TENDING TO PRACTICAL RANTERISM YEA SORDID RANTERISM c. 3dly that it is rightly applied against their unscriptural Traditions and then imposing the observation †See The Quakers Detected c. p. 5. of their Womens Meetings which as John Hogg in his excellent Book Intituled An Answer to several material Passages in a Book published by W. Penn call'd A brief Examination of Liberty Spiritual c. p. 12. says MAY NOT WE SAY THIS BEARS FOR ROME c. Yea surely and the very Complexion of Rome too in many Parts Principles and Practices to which excellent Book which overturns all their Popish Subterfuges and unlocks all their secret Mysteries and close Juggles relating to their Impositions and displays their Errors to every Capacity I refer the Reader * This J. Hogg is a Minister amongst the separate Quakers a Man of good Parts and of good Repute It s true G. Whitehead makes a noise at the word SUCH being left out by my Printer or Compositor as a distinguishing word but then G. W. is more to blame in leaving out the word OTHER as I have said which word OTHER with the foregoing and subsequent words did sufficiently distinguish and set forth that I only intended them as a Protestant proof against their Romish imposing different things as necessary and as terms of Communion And
W. R 's Scourge for G. Whitehead c. p. 12. notwithstanding they have both challenged us thereto Thus Reader have I in brief ripped up the Craft of this G. W. and yet there is so much still to be said concerning his Cruelty his Subtilty his Baseness his Unconscionable Dealing that were I to follow him into every By-hole and Corner it would require a great deal more time pains and expence than I am willing to bestow upon him however I hope I have said enough to shew that its no Apostacy to forsake the Quakers CHAP. VIII Shews that the Forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith I Am now come to consider two particular passages in G. W's Book The Contentious Apostate and his Blow c. p. 3. viz. Fra. Bugg and his Company being got to the Meeting before G. W. AND INTO THE Gallery WHERE our Ministring Friends used to be c. 2. F. Bugg premising his property as Feoffee in Trust for the Meeting-house c. These two passages with many other being false renders his Narrative a false and partial Narration And if in their former Narratives as their Tryals at Assizes and Sessions they have dealt so falsly it is no marvel that the Magistrates were brought into such Contempt as unjust Judges illegal Proceedings arbitrary and the like for there is a 100 ready to testifie that there was not with me in the Gallery one man of my Company when G. Whitehead came into the Meeting and yet to render me turbulent sets forth to the world that I and my Company were in the Gallery when he came into the Meeting-house which is as false as false can be Yea so ashamed their own People were of that downright lye that they blotted it out of the Books they dispersed hereaway but that it might go in other places for an Infallible Truth they did not so much as put it in the Errata I do believe that he hath left out in p. 5 6 7. not only words but half lines and whole passages to make it look like something and when all is done none but a few of his own Proselites and infatuated Disciples will give credit to it nay some of them have in my hearing declared themselves so out of love with it as that they will not read it so false and scandalous are most of his books that they begin to be burdensome Secondly Whereas he says as above observed That I premised my property as a Feoffee that is altogether false too Upon these and several other notorious Lyes asserted and many material passages spoken by my self Mr. Archer and others being left out I wrote to G. Whitehead reminding him of his partial Narrative Forgeries Lyes and apparent Pervertions and wilful Omissions and in his answer touching the word Feoffee he thus writes viz. If thou didst not openly mention the word Feoffee I and others are mistaken which yet I am not convinced of for I was then something concerned that thou shouldst be so much interested in the Meeting-house But I am glad thou sayst now thou art no Feoffee wherein then stands thy property legally as Owner of the Meeting-house If so our Friends are much beholden to thee if not is it not as one intrust for them and the use intended Or is it upon thy free and charitable Contributions to the House If THAT was the intention IT will ADMIT of other CONSEQUENCES than a claim to such a property in the Meeting-house Now being willing to clear all passages of any weight and considering that this may come out in his next I shall speak fully to it and grant first That I am no Feoffee secondly I am not owner of the Meeting-house nor thirdly As one in trust for them and the use intended But fourthly As a free Contributer to the house I own my self to have a property Well G. W. but this thou sayst will admit of other Consequences than a claim c. Yes George I was not unsensible of it And that though Mr. Pennyman and others have had properties by being Contributers to the purchasing building and repaiting of Meeting-houses yet when they have opposed your errors then you have denied them the use they formerly had And therefore I knowing your Injustice in this point notwithstanding your seeming Innocency I took care in time to prevent the other CONSEQVENCES you mention viz. to be turned out of all right priviledge and advantage tho I was at the fourth part of the charge of the House and Burying-ground for I having the Original Deeds in my hands the Feoffees upon a time desired me to deliver up the said Deeds to them but I answered No I have a property in the house and until you secure that to me and my Heirs I will deliver no Deeds So then it rested a while and soon after I had a Letter from their Lawyer an Abstract whereof followeth Mr Bugg Here hath been with me one Sam. Waldingfeild * * This S. W. is one of their Preachers a London Quaker talking about your withholding the evidences of the Meeting-house I promised him to write to you about it and do earnestly perswade and advise you to deliver the the deeds for you cannot jmstify the detaining them And if the King * * K. James II. should be petitioned about it Mr. Penn hath such an Interest as may occasion you to be called to the Council-Table Notwithstanding the threat of Mr. Penn's Interest at Court I returned answer that I was very willing to appear at the Councel-table for unless they would some way secure to me my property I would not deliver the Deeds how great soever their interest was at the Councel-table unless by Law forced c. Well soon after the Feoffees were at me again for the DEEDS I still told them that unless they would take some care to secure my interest in the house I would not deliver the Deeds unless by Law forced So then they asked me what how and after what manner would I require security so then I did propose an even Method and equal Terms as I thought viz. Either repay me my twenty pounds again which I had in it or give me an Instrument under your hands that I shall have possess and enjoy the same benefit I formerly had Now said I to them take your choice for unless you perform one of these two things I will never deliver up the Deeds unless by Law forced I am not afraid to appear at the Council-Table * Pray G. VVhitehead S. VValdingfield let us know the reason why VV. P. will not appear himself now neither will I fear you nor trust you in any point where Holy Church is concerned remembring how you like the Papists will keep no Faith with such as you account Heretics or Self-condemned Apostates †For I remember the Agreement between S. Cater and G. S. and I which was so firmly done and recorded
they set up a Meeting in order to govern the Church Had they power to forbid the Banes of Marriage or to confirm them Were they to meet by their Patent at Ten a Clock to raise a Bank or Common-Purse c Come G. W. pursue the Terms of the Question and produce a Precedent if you be able if not let your Silence be a token that Mr. Archer hath put you to a Non-plus ultra CHAP. XII Shews that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith HAving with as much Brevity as I may answered the principal things contained in G. Whitehead's three Books I am now come to the Contentious Apostate recharged c. page 5 6 7. containing a denial of several things by me at divers times charged on G. W. and his Brethren in several of my Books formerly writ against their Errors and Hypocrisies charging them to be False c. And to evince this Charge he takes one line here and two there and sometimes five words out of the middle of a line as in p. 12. l. 10. in Battering Rams c. not touching the matter either immediately before it or after it viz. some 50 l. per Annum c. A notable way to confute an Adversary and answer his Book Surely as this way of Confutation is singular and by itself without Proof Reason Demonstration or Precedent so if he did not look upon his Disciples strangely infatuated and ready to believe what ever he writes whether True or False Sense or Nonsense I should think setting his infallible Capacity aside he should Yet his parts consider'd as a natural Man he might be ashamed to appear in Print again hear this Criticiser this notable serious G. W. and behold his Answer in his 5th Instance which runs thus Your way is when Cash grows low to issue out And then he gives a Leap out of this Line having took the middle of it into the middle of the next Line and then takes a letter and two words viz. A General Epistle And from thence he skips to the last three words of the next Line i. e. Your own Service And now he hops to the next Line and takes one word viz. for and leaves the next word as and then takes the next word money And then gives a good Leap into another Line and gets a good pretty parcel of words viz. 'T is a great Encouragement to your Preachers and Parasites which being put together as we use to put Syllables when I was four or five years old it runs thus viz. Your way is when your Cash grows low to issue out A General Epistle Your own Service for money 'T is a great Encouragement to your Preachers and Parasites c. And now Reader do you think G. W. was not sorely put to it to answer these Charges And is not his way and manner of charging his Adversary very singular who is forced to take this unheard-of way to take five words there three words here and then the middle of a Sentence and then because he would make it look like something he takes out of another line one word and leaves a word then he 's too 't again and takes another word and then when he has jumbled all this Hoch-poch together and play'd all the Ledgerdemaine his subtle Pen and profound Wit can invent perverting the Sense mincing the Argument into small parcels leaving out what was not for his turn and which was the Argument and then cryes This is one of Francis Bugg 's Lyes F. B. is Vnconscionable F. B. is disingenuous in writing malicious in his divulging Books c. making as great a Noise against me as his Brother Harding did against Mr. Jewell as I have observed already * See the Introduction And thus and after this manner G. W. spent near three Pages of his said Book which in all is but eight Pages And yet this is the Man that is against curtailing against mangling and marring the Sense nay his 11th Charge in this last recited Pamphlet is only because my Printer or Compositer left out in a Quotation I took out of the Works of Dr. R. Barns the Martyr the word SVCH and for this he there charges me to be a false Accuser of the blessed Martyr a Perverter a Forger and what not that may make his poor credulous Disciples believe that Francis Bugg is a very sad Man to leave out a word when yet 't is his own practice For at the same time and in the same Page wherein he charges me with leaving out the word SVCH he hath left out the word OTHER as I have already observed and now he leaves out not only a word but half a line a whole line takes one word and leaves another and then takes the next mangling and mincing into bits and scraps curtailing and perverting and thereby altering the Sense by his unrighteous and nonsensical proceeding on purpose to abuse me his Reader and amuse the World Indeed if I had charged the Doctrine of the Martyrs to be corrupt tending to Practical Ranterism as he hath done If I had charged the Martyrs to be the Authors of Persecution and to burn People merely for Religion and thereby taught the Papists the way how to proceed in their bloody and unheard-of Cruelties as his Brother W. P. hath done that worthy Martyr true Protestant and brave English Man who under GOD and the King was a chief Instrument in throwing off the heavy Yoke of the Pope's Supremacy here in England viz. Archbishop Cranmer and at the same time too and in the same Book * See Good Advice to the Church of England Rom. Cat. and Pro. Disent p. 39. per W. P. wherein he flatteringly seemed to magnify the Principles of the Church of England speaking well of her eminent Doctors and grave Bishops At the same time when with a Dagger in his hand was wounding the Reputation of one of her Noblest Martyrs bloody Joab-like I say If I had done thus or any thing of this Nature tho' not of so deep a Dye you might have had some Colour to have exposed me a false Accuser of the blessed Martyrs and a Sider with the Papists c. And thus as I have said having answer'd the most considerable Matters contained in G. W's three last Pamphlets And by what is said shewed the Nature of his handling and prosecuting his 3d and last Charge which is by mincing cutting and mangling my Arguments into Scraps and Bits in order to spoil the Sense c. I refer the Reader to what I have said in this Treatise wherein the most material Passages which he hath curtail'd and mangled are answer'd and to make that appear view my said Books by G. W. quoted And now G. W. if you will be plain and prove what you have said or retract what you cannot maintain both with respect to your Principles which you hold and which I have fairly collected out of
its Nature and Properties Now the Query is WHICH was the appointed Saviour of the Father Which was the Anointed of the Father chiefly and in the first place WHETHER the BODY prepared or HE for whom the Body was prepared c By which 't is plain that they deny notwithstanding G. Whitehead's counterfeit Confession HIM that was born of the Virgin HIM that was pierced HIM that was Crucify'd and hang'd on a Tree and by wicked hands slain to be the Son of GOD the Saviour of the World whereby they declare themselves not to be of the Prophets and Apostles Creed read these Scriptures Zach. 9.9 11 12 13. Micah 5.2 Acts 2.22 23 36. 3.13 4.10 10.43 Luke 2.10 11 12 13. Mat. 2.5 6 7. and you will perceive the Faith of the Apostles and Evangelists and the Testimony of the blessed and glorious Angels to differ as much and as clearly from this Faith and Testimony of the Quakers as light from utter darkness c. But because G. W. in his recited Book makes such a serious Pretence to own the Man Christ Jesus his Death and Sufferings c. I may recite another Passage out of their great Doctor Is Penington's aforesaid Book p. 20. Quest 7. What is Christ's Flesh and Blood which we are to partake of Is it the Flesh and Blood of the Body which was prepared for and taken for HIM wherein HE tabernacled and appeared OR is it the Flesh and Blood of HIM who took tabernacled and appeared in the Body For that which HE took upon HIM was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which is of a perishing Nature c. Now what is more plain than that they deny the true Christ his Humanity yea his Merits Death and Sufferings especially if you add what is in pag. 33. said by this their Champion in defence of their Faith which is as followeth viz. Now the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which HE wore between HIM that came and the BODY in which HE came between the Substance which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it there is plainly HE and the BODY in which HE came there was the outward Vessel and the inward Life This we certainly know and can never call the bodily garment Christ * Yes we believe you are all of that mind and shall until these and other of your pernicious Errors be publickly condemned notwithstanding G. W's Pretence to the contrary c. But having before spoken largely to this Point I shall at present pass it by desiring the Reader still to peruse the recited Epistle and to consider of it for that being directed TO GO ONLY AMONGST THE QVAKERS there you may see their inside for to them their Leaders and Captains as they stile themselves unbosom themselves telling the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth of what they believe if there be that sincerity in them which they pretend to And then you shall hear a loud noise of strange Acts great Miracles viz. the Prison doors opened the Dead raised unclean Spirits cast out Yea a wonderful noise of War of Leaders and Captains and Commanders mighty hewing cutting killing going into the Field to Battel as if all the World were now at an end and that they would drive all before them * And yet are themselves got now so close into their Holes Dens and lurking places where they lie skulking to deceive the simple as that 't is impossible to get them out into the Field c. But not a word as I have observed setting forth the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures not a word of the Humanity of Christ not a word in all the 23 Pages of the Incarnation Birth Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ not a word of their hopes of being saved through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness No how should they if they would speak their minds truly since they cannot call that BODY which suffered at Jerusalem CHRIST but a Garment a Vail a Figure And therefore what ever they pretend when they write publickly since when they write privately they write the contrary they are not to be believed for saith Ireneus in his third Book against Heresies viz. Whilst that Hereticks speak like the Faithful they not only mean otherwise than they say but clean contrary and by their Tenents full of Blasphemies they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the poyson of their foul Opinions c. I have divers others of their Epistles by me as particularly Robert Sandilands * One of George Whitehead's Select Friends by way of Vision and Revelation Richard Huberthorn Josiah Coal both in Print and Manuscript which bears not the least Resemblance to what they now seemingly set forth as their Faith and Belief But the recited Epistle with their dark-lanthorn Title viz. THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS is sufficient to set forth how they applaud and speak smooth things to their own People like the false Prophets of old who healed the Wound deceitfully who daubed with untempered Mortar and surely never was Mortar worse tempered than in this Epistle wherein Darkness is put for Light and Bitter for Sweet viz. the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem George Fox for Christ and almost all the Prophesies and Sayings of the holy Penmen inverted and turned into an affected Rhetorick and mystical Allegories as well as in many of their other Writings which both amuse and puff up their Hearers And as I have elsewhere herein observed make them believe that they are got into the Holy Land even spiritual Canaan when indeed they are but in the Borders of Egypt and posting to OLD ROME think themselves rich full wanting nothing when they are poor blind miserable and want all things through their mistaken Zeal and following the Dictates of their blind Guides who instead of setting forth the solid Principles of Religion have so leavened them into their Pharisaical lump that they have erred concerning the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin who suffered was dead and buried who rose again the third day and ascended up into Heaven above * This G. W. begins to confess too but when he says above according to his and their own Principles he means beneath viz. in their corrupt Bodies let him deny it if he can at the Right Hand of GOD where he sits in Majesty on High as our Advocate and Intercessor as the Second Person of the glorious Trinity And who will come in like manner as He was taken up which G. W. acknowledges was visibly seen to judge the Quick and Dead And then the Graves shall give up their Dead and there shall be a general Resurrection of the Bodies out of the Graves both of the just and unjust But alas All this and much more in this recited Epistle of theirs