in our Adversary to persist in this Notorious Lye and Forgery and so much add and heap one Forgery and Abuse upon another What say you his Ministers to these things Will it be for your Credit to Encourage him in his Work of Envy and Falshood against us 6. Our Adversary in his Introduction p. 6. After he has Cited above a Page which he knew in his Conscience are Allegorical Expressions intending the Spiritual Weapons and Warfare and the Saints Testimony and victory according to Ephe 6. 12 17. He puts his own Perverse and False Notes thereupon in the Margin As where Ameleck the Egyptians and Philistines are Threatned so as to be cut off He makes this Note upon it in the Margin viz. Which by Interpretation was all that Professed Jesus of Nazareth and that called the Scriptures the Word of God Whereby he endeavours to render the Quakers to be for cutting off and destroying all that profess Jesus of Nazareth c. Oh horrible Did ever more deadly Malice bloody Envy and Falshood appear in any Agent of Satan And how evidently against his own Conscience too who knew the People called Quakers professed no other Sword nor Weapons for them to make use of but such as are Spiritual and to be actually concerned in no other Fighting but in the Lamb's War What Fra. Howgill writes of bathing their Sword in the Blood of Ameleck and the Egyptians c. are Allegorical Expressions and not Literally to be understood but of the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God And that War of the Lord's Camp was Spiritual because of his Power and Presence and Angel of his Covenant among them And the Lord of Hosts is with us saith he By these and divers other passages 't is evident he meant no other but a Spiritual War with Spiritual Weapons like as the Prophets meant Isa. 41. 14 15 16. Hos. 6. 5. 7. Also on the words Let not your Eye pity nor your Hand spare he has this Note viz. Why then should you be pitied or spared Thus injuriously restraining the words to a Literal Sense which were Allegorical on purpose to render us most obnoxious and for no pity to be shewn us but as if he would have us all destroyed at once Oh most cruel and deadly Malice 8. On the following words But wound the Lofty and tread under foot the Honourable of the Earth give unto the great Whore double c. he thus Notes viz. Meaning both Gentry and Clergy and Church of England Oh horrid and implacable Malice Revenge and Falshood They did not mean Literally as of an outward wounding or treading under Feet nor of any truly Honourable Gentry or others but in Testimony against such great Persecutors as had deeply Drunk of the great Whore's Cup who has made her self Drunk with the Blood of Saints Therefore 't is false to say ' t was meant of Gentry c. or without Limitation Again our Adversary in p. 7. repeats his so often refuted Forgery and Lie viz. That our Friend 's said Epistle Compared the North of England to the Town of Bethlehem and G. Fox to the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness c. which Falshood has been refuted over and over tho' here he varies in 's Charge from the terms of his first Charge which was that the Quakers PVT the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem Now 't is COMPARED the North of England c. In the first it was viz. They call G. F. the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness now 't is they compared him to the Branch c. Thus mutable he is in his Accusations and Calumnies yet grosly false in both Is this your Defender of Eternal Truths And are these his Pious Endeavours for which you his Approvers have so highly Congratulated him 10. Farther to aggravate Matters against us our Adversary adds p. 7. viz. Prophecies and Curses which bear the Figure of your Private Sermons by which they snared and frighted me and many more from the Publick and now they have obtained their End and made Rents and Division in Church and State c. 1. Tho' here he renders himself but a dark poor frightful Creature as if in his first leaving the Publick or Parish Priests he did it only upon a Fright and as a Non Compos Mentis and not from a Principle of Conscience or Conviction yet herein he does but greatly wrong his Conscience and deny the real Truth by a very slim and false Cover and that in manifest Contradiction to his Confessions and Testimonies extant in Print both before and since his Revolt to the Publick as he calls it as has been often shewn him and made evident to the World in our Answers to his Envious and Bitter Invectives as where he has solemnly confessed To the Truth of the Principle Foundation Doctrine Ministry Faith Love Unity Spiritual Testimony of the People called Quakers as in the beginning and as being the Church whereof Christ Jesus was the Head and Law-giver c. as he confesseth far more largely in his Book Entituled De Christiana Libertate 2d Part Chap. 1. p. 24 25 26 27 c. Printed 1682 before his return back to the Publick Surely he was not frighted into such Solemn Confessions nor did he make them in a fright he was more deliberate therein and which said Confessions in behalf of the People called Quakers and their Christian Religion are largely seconded and confirmed by him the said F. Bugg himself even in his Pamphlet stiled The Quakers detected Printed 1686. about Two Years after he left us and turned to the Publick as he calls it wherein he also largely and solemnly confesseth To the Truth of the said Peoples Principle as in the beginning and of their Doctrine and Ministry as a Dispensation of God's Love their Christian Love and Society for many Years and that God blessed their Meetings with the Comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence c. as may be seen more at large in the whole third page of his said Pamphlet Quakers Detected Now I would Query 1. Whether F. Bugg made all these solemn Confessions in a fright Oâ— was he scared or frighted by any Man or Men or Prophecies or Sermons of ours thereunto 2. Or was he not rather Consciencious in those Confessions 3. Was he not rather frighted back to the Priests by Persecution and so made his flight in the Winter for Refuge and shelter among them whom he had testified against 4. May he not then be ashamed of such a deceitful Excuse and false Cover as that of his being scared and frighted from the Publick by Quakers Prophecies or Sermons 2. To the latter part of his Charge I deny it that the Quakers have made Divisions not only in Church but in State Q. 1. In what Church have they made Division If he says the Church of England then he renders it a divided Church which I suppose you its Ministers
other Apostates c. F. Bugg in his Epistle Dedicated to the Bishop of London compares the Quakers to Magicians of Egypt to Simon Magus the Sorcerer to Juglers rendring them no better than Hereticks Blasphemers and like Satan himself and his Ministers thus odiously representing them All which and much more such like Stuff we reject as his own gross and sordid Calumnious Railery and hope the said Bishop on serious Consideration will not Credit nor Patronize such gross Railery nor Esteem it for his Reputation or Honour to be Credulous in such Cases against us from the bare Authority of not only partial but bitter and implacable Adversaries as the said Bugg has notoriously manifested himself to be Here follows F. Buâ—g's most general Slanders repeated and refuted gross Calumnies against the People called Quakers in his said History with brief Notes on them 1. P. 3. Bugg saith That none Preached Murther more than the Quakers Note What he alledges for this gross Calumny is answered long since in our Book Entituled Christ's Lambs defended from Satan's Rage 2. P. 4. That they sit at Devonshire-house to null make void and repeal as Vnlawful what the King Lords and Commons make Lawful at Westminster Note This Calumny is refuted in Answer to him before and his envious design therein discovered See The Counterfeit Convert p. 46 47 48 49 50 51. 3. P. 9. That they prest into the World with Principles against ALL Rule and Government Note A loud and most gross Lie our Principles were always for Christ's Rule and Government among Christians and for all Just Rule and Government among Men as being God's Ordinance 4. That the Foundation they went upon was under pretence of magnifying the Light in themselves to deny Jesus of Nazareth to undervalue his Death and Sufferings contemn his Laws contain'd in the Holy Scriptures c. p. 9. Note These are notorious and most horrid Falshoods the quite contrary is asserted frequently by us We magnifie Christ's Light and Life in Man for no such Ends but the contrary as thereby sincerely to own and follow the Lord Jesus Christ through his Sufferings and according to his Laws It was by his Light in us that we were led to Suffer with him and to be Crucified with him and to Die with him that we might Live and Reign with him who tasted Death for every Man 5. That G. W. hath vindicated this i. e. that the Scripture was Serpent's Meat Beastly Ware c. p. 9. Note A foul Calumny against G. W. 't was never my Principle so to term the Scripture I have always had from my Childhood a real esteem and great love for the Holy Scriptures nor do I know of any among us that ever called them Beastly Ware or Serpents Meat nor do we own the Expressions as applicable to Holy Scripture we having also most generally bought Bibles which I never heard any call Beastly Ware before tho' probably some or other might so term such Mens perversions on Scripture as make a Trade thereof for Money or filthy Lucre wherein I suppose they could not intend any contempt of Holy Scripture but upon their Unscriptural Preaching for filthy Lucre. 6. That G. W. and his Followers have published a Journal of G. F's deluding Charms on purpose to Bewitch the People like SIMON MAGUS p. 9. Note This is still foul filthy and abusive for 1. We know no deluding Charms in that Journal 2. Nor had we any such purpose in the Publication thereof as to Bewitch People Behold how the Man belches vomits and foams out his own shame against us contrary to his own former Testimonies for us c. 7. That G. F. wrought Counterfeit Miracles and never in the Name of Jesus p. 11. Note This is still enviously to Abuse G. F. and us we read not in all his Writings that ever he so much as pretended to work any Miracle either by himself or in his own Name or by his own Power but that by the Power of the Lord which is no other Name but that which was given to Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 9. some Great Things have been wrought even in Answer to the Prayers and fervent Breathings to God of that Good Man G. F. and others of the Church-partakers of the same Faith in Christ with him wherein they did not pretend to pray in any other Name Power or Spirit but that of Jesus Christ. 8. That both Fox and Parnell call themselves Christ in W. P's Since p. 12. Note I do not believe W. Penn either gave or will own any such Sence it being contrary to his and all our Sence so to call any Mortal Man upon Earth tho' some may be come to THAT which was before Languages or Humane Arguments were i. e. to the Word and Power of God and his Son Jesus Christ which was only the same G. F. and J. Parnell intended 9. That the Humanity of Christ the Quakers deny it as clearly as the Socinians deny his Godhead p. 12. Note This is a gross and notorious Falshood we i. e. the Quakers so called have often clearly and scripturally Confessed and Asserted both the Divinity and Humanity i. e. Manhood of Christ Jesus as many of our Books manifestly prove 10. That the Foxonian Quakers say of G. Fox he is the Power of God p. 13. Note This also is positively denied by us as a gross and foul Calumny Pray where do any of the Quakers so say of G. F I know not neither do we own his scornful Nick-name and Distinction of Foxonian Quakers for we are sure 't is contrary to our Principle and Profession to set up any Sect Masters over us or to Adore any Mortal Man or Finite Creature as 11. God as is also charged upon G. F's Followers touching him pag. 14. which we deem also a notorious Falshood 12. That all the Quakers Prophets being 400 in number give Witness to G. Fox and Adore him as the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness p. 15. Note This old Story of Bugg's is a gross refuted Lie and Calumny G. Fox is not so much as mentioned in that Epistle out of which those words viz. the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness are taken directed to the Camp of the Lord in England p. 66. of E. B's Works 13. That Baptism and the Lord's Supper God never commanded are given forth by them who are Brazened with Deceit p. 15. Note This is falsly charged and stated in both and contrary to what we have frequently confessed with respect to both for 1. John's Baptism was by special Command from Heaven and had its Dispensation and Time as 't was Typical of Christ's Spiritual Baptism 2. The Lord's Supper both as in the Type and in the Antitype in the Figure and in the Mystery and Substance distinctly and truly considered in their placed Dispensations we have often Scripturally confessed and even in Answer to this Adversary let him review The Quakers Vindication against F. Bugg
' s Calumnies p. 2. Col. 1. 2. 14. That G. F. was a Blasphemer of the Blessed Trinity p. 16. Note A gross Calumny also He neither Blasphemed nor Opposed the Scripture Trinity i. e. Three of the Father the Word or Son and Holy Ghost but objected against some Unscriptural Distinctions and Terms of Three distinct or separate Personalities Subsistances or Substances Unscripturally by some supposed or implied in the Deity 15. That the Quakers count all others who are not of their Communion Damned Persons p. 16. This is both false and too uncharitable for the People called Quakers to be of such a severe Judgment Charitably believing that many not in outward Communion with them under various Forms of Religion may be sincere to God according to their Understandings and Belief as also that there are other Sheep which are not yet of this Fold whom Jesus Christ will gather and fetch home into his Fold and that in every Nation and People such as fear God and work Righteousness are and shall be accepted of him 16. That the Jesuit taught them this That they must not by any means Swear p. 17. Note A gross Lye for Jesus Christ taught us not to Swear Mat. 5. and so did his Holy Apostle James Chap. 5. And many of the Blessed Martyrs and Protestant Reformers were of the same Judgment with us whom the Papists Accused and Persecuted for the same who imposed Swearing as their Priests taught contrary to Christ's Command 17. That this sullen and dogged Sect is the Jesuit's natural and undoubted Issue tho' like other Bastards they are ashamed to own their Father c. p. 17. Note These are like some of Bugg's false and shameful Raileries and no such thing could he demonstrate in all the 25 Years that he was Conversant among the People called Quakers or since nor what Jesuit was then his Father or to whom he was then Bastard but the contrary he has in Print declared for the said People and their Doctrine even since he left them witness his Quakers Detected Cited in our Quakers Vindication and other Answers But 't is an ill and nasty Bird that bewrays its own Nest as he has done These last Aspersions of the Jesuits Teaching the Quakers and they the Jesuits Natural Issue and Bastards c. Bugg Credulously pretends to Cite out of a Learned Divine's Book of the Church of England but tells not his Name that his Credit may be enquired into but whatever he be he is of no Credit with us in this foul Aspersion and Abuse 18. That the Quakers Allegorize the Death and Sufferings of Christ his Passion Atonement Resurrection and Ascension to be within p. 17. Note This is a known Perversion and Falshood the true Spiritual-minded Quakers do not Allegorize away either the outward Sufferings Passion or Death or Atonement Resurrection or Ascension of Jesus Christ as if all these were within only for they really believe and own all these to have been done and transacted outwardly and literally as well as they truly believe and own the Mystery Spiritual Sence Influence and real Benefit and Advantage thereof as Inwardly and Spiritually partaken of felt and experienced by every Sincere and Spiritual Believer in Christ Jesus 19. That neither if you go to a Thousand of their Meetings shall you hear one of their Preachers have such an Expression in their Mouths as Consessing their Sins and Begging Pardon for Jesus Christ's sake p. 18. Note This is a presumptuous Prediction such Confession and Supplication have been oftentimes in publick among us and may be again for ought F. B. knows for them that want Forgiveness and Cleansing from Sin well-knowing that the Lord requires both true Confession and forsaking Sin tho' we do not Confess nor Pray by Book or Lyturgy after the Priest yet we feel the Spirit of Christ making Intercession with Sighs and Groans which cannot be uttered 20. That the Scriptures are Beastly Ware p. 21. Note This Reproach and Blasphemy F. B. has often most falsly cast upon us 't is Answered before several times and more fully hereafter 21. That the Quakers first rose in the North breaking all Law Order and Government p. 22. That Quakerism flowed over all our Banks of all Law Order and Government both Divine and Humane p. 24. Note Both these are gross and very offensive Aspersions before Answered and Refuted manifestly by our Christian Conversations 22. That they have a great Tax Collected to maintain their Teachers Travellers and Spies both at Home and Abroad p. 31. Note For which gross Lies F. Bugg quotes his own Authority and bids see his Books Battering Rams against New Rome and New Rome Vnmask'd wherein we do not only deny his imposed Authority but have Refuted and Confuted the same in our Answers to those his Books quoted by him 23. That by their Threatned Chronicle they i. e. the Quakers intend to represent this Nation as a Persecuting Bloody-minded People p. 34. Note No such Threatning or Intention are we justly Chargeable with nor so to Represent this Nation for 't is not so now nor were the People thereof in general such when Persecution was on foot but the Persecutors in it many of whom are since cut off did openly shew their Cruelty by Imprisoning many to Death and by making Havock and Spoil upon the Goods of many Families to their great Impoverishment and Ruin of divers besides those that were Banished out of the Land by Persecutors but Blessed be God and Thanks to the Present Government the Case is now altered much for the better on that account those Cruel Persecutions being stopt and the present Persecution we are now under being chiefly the vile Misrepresentations gross Lies and Calumnies of dark and malicious Apostates and Backsliders such as F. B. and their Adherents 24. That the Quakers prefer their own Books before and above the Scripture p. 37. That they prefer their Nonsensical Pamphlets before the Scriptures being compared with the Contemptible Expressions they give them as BEASTLY WARE c. p. 38. Note These are some of his Old Calumnies and Perversions frequently Answered and Refuted for yet again we solemnly say We prefer the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as contained in the Bible and that Book it self above and to all other Books extant in the World whether our own or any other Books whatsoever as sincerely owning the Holy Scriptures aforesaid not only to have been given by Divine Inspiration but most eminently confirmed by Divine Authority 25. That G. Keith could not in Conscience clear the Body of the Quakers from those Errors charged upon them in Pensilvania in regard he knew them guilty thereof p. 40. i. e. the Body of the Quakers Note The Body of the Quakers he did not Charge therewith but a few in Pensilvania for the Body of the Quakers there have cleared themselves thereof and he has seemed expresly to clear the Body or People called Quakers and in particular our approved Writers in England as Sound in the Christian Faith as appears in his own Book Entituled A Serious Appeal c. Printed Anno 1692. If he will not stand to this but contradict himself against us we cannot help that F. B. may take him by the Hand and give him the Right Hand of Fellowship 26. That the Principles and Practices of the Quakers are
Cause humble this Adversary if it be his Blessed Will and let all others among us c. take warning from his woful and lamentable Backsliding and Fall Let one most Scandalous and Blasphemous Calumny be yet further Remarked viz. Fr. Bugg's repeated Charge against the Quakers viz. these Contemptible Expressions as calling the Scriptures Beastly Ware c. as before and the like we are Charged with in that most malicious wicked Piece The Snake in the Grass where divers gross Calumnies are broached from Bugg's Authority and Credit I having examined that Book out of which the said Expressions have been pretended to be taken Entituled A Brief Discovery of a Threefold state of Antichrist Printed Anno 1633. p. 9. I find no such gross Expressions as calling the Scriptures Beastly Ware but divers severe Reflections upon the Covetous Persecuting Priests in those Days then writ by some Prisoners at York-Castle 1653. and what 's there called Beastly Ware is not the Scriptures but what Babylon's Merchants sell for a large Price i. e. a Rabble of Notions heaped up in their Brain all the Week and which they sell for filthy lucre's sake c. calling them also Idol-Merchants Costly Sermon-makers who Persecuted the pure Truth the Saints live in p. 9 10. of the said Brief Discovery but not a word of calling the Scriptures themselves Beastly Ware and I am perswaded such Blasphemy and Contempt of Holy Scripture was far from the Thoughts of those said Prisoners and that which they would have abominated and rejected with Abhorrence if they had then been Charg'd therewith Thus the Perversion and Injury done by F. B. c. in this Matter is apparent in his putting Mens dark Notions for the Holy Scriptures The said Prisoners called Babylon's Merchants Rabble of Notions Beastly Ware but F. B. says it is the Scriptures which they so call what a shameful Liar and Perverter is this He pretends to prove W. Penn a Liar for once p. 38. Brief History But 't is more true that he is more than once yea often prov'd a Liar and gross Defamer of others and that his pretended Pious Endeavours by you his Approvers and Ministers aforesaid are proved very Impious and you may Answer for him and Vindicate him if you please or can since you have given him such high Approbation and Congratulation which he has divulged to your Disgrace for F. B's Answering by repeating Calumnies and Slanders against us will deserve little further notice since so often unanswerably Confuted already and if you his Approvers will not adventure to attempt his Vindication as well as Approbation nor yet shew any publick dislike of his Abuses scandalous and reproachful Scribling but leave him to his own Vindication and farther to reproach us we may take it as an Indication that you are Conscious his Defaming Work is not justifiable nor warrantable in the sight of God or Just Men and that you have over-shot your selves in his Approbation and the more guilty your selves in suffering Sin to lye upon him without just Reproof suitable to his publick Offence and Crime against Truth But if you will be mute in this Matter and suffer him to persist in his wonted Course of Vilifying and Abusing us without your publick Reprehension or Dislike thereof then may you be farther justly called in question and Exposed thereupon for your neglect of Justice CHAP. VI. A Brief Answer to Fr. Bugg's Two Printed Papers Dated March 1696. TO his Printed Paper unduly Stiled George Whirehead's Oath unjustly Accusing the Quakers with Prevaricating about Swearing His Story hereupon both first As to the Form of the Oath pretended Secondly And as to its being Read to him G. W. affirms he is wronged in this Accusation and Story by F.B. and that he is not Conscious to himself thereof but as preferring Truth 's Reputation before his own patiently suffers and bears it among many other Personal Injuries Misrepresentations and Detractions cast upon him by this Adversary whom I ask 1. F. B. who was thy Informer about this said Oath pretended 2. Out of what Book was it Read to G. W. and by whom 3. Suppose I had failed of our Principle in that Case as I have not hast thou done either fairly or justly thence to asperse the Quakers in general with Prevaricating about Swearing Must they all suffer for my Fault if I had committed it which I did not as many can Witness As to the Association and his taunting Insinuations concerning the King and Government and our Affection and Fidelity towards them and forming an Address for us like an Officious Agent we hope we have given that Satisfaction as to our Innocency which this and the rest of our most Inveterate Adversaries cannot extinguish and the Acceptance and Favours which as a People we have received through God's Providence from the Government no doubt does vex and fret this our Implacable Adversary seeing his many Attempts and strenuous Endeavours to render us Obnoxious and to Incense the Government against us and by his utmost Endeavours that way to prevent our Belief are so manifestly disappointed and frustrated Blessed and Praised be our God for Ever who hath attended our Endeavours But let it be observed how sordid brutish and unnatural it was in F. Bugg so strenuously to labour to prevent the Quakers Relief in the Case of Oaths since he Married his Son into an Honest Family of Quakers so called and appeared very officious as I am credibly informed to promote the Marriage as if he would rather have them also Ruined than Relieved As to our Christian Confession of Christ his Divinity and Humanity and his Glorious Body in Heaven we have sufficiently and sincerely evinced according to Holy Scripture against this Adversary and other Opposers which they are not able to Confute knowing also that we are not necessitated to give farther Answer to his Impertinent Questions especially since his Work is so much falsly to Accuse and Asperse us with sly and unjust Insinuations to render us Offensive and Obnoxious to the Government Besides One Fool may ask more Questions than Twenty Wise Men may Answer To F. Bugg's Paper Stiled A Brief Reply which with the other before-mentioned he having delivered at the House of Lords which one of them gave me His false Charge of our Contempt of Christ and the Scriptures being Answered and Refuted before in several Answers to his Malicious Books and Pamphlets he proceeds in his wonted Course of Perversion and Defaming still for which he frequently quotes his own Presumptuous Authority and Refuted Pamphlets As to his offence at the Words he Cites of an Imagined God beyond the Stars and their Carnal Christ. We say First The True Infinite and Omnipresent God tho' in Heaven above yet is not confined or limitted to beyond the Stars nor can the Heaven of Heavens contain Him 2. The True Lord Jesus Christ who Ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things He is not a
City of London how I followed and sought to have a Meeting and Meetings with him at sundry places in this City in the Year 1693. 12th Month to prove and make good my said Proposition but still he shun'd it he shifted and evaded Meeting with me on that Account as is more fully evinced in my Answer Intituled The Counterfeit Convert Preface Notwithstanding I made divers Overtures for a Meeting with him before a few Moderate Persons to hear and witness what passed but his shuffling and shifting to stave me off from pursuing my own Proposal fairly made are too large to be here rehearsed but my said Proposal is fully proved to hand in my Answers which therefore I refer the Reader unto for further Information in this Case viz. 1. The Quakers Vindication 2. The Counterfeit Convert 3. The Answer to F. Bugg's Presumptuous Impeachment 4. By the Two Letters herein to his Teachers By a Servant of Jesus Christ G. W. The CONTENTS Chap. I. A Copy of a Letter to William Smithies Minister of Cripplegate London II. A Copy of a Letter to Isaac Archer Vicar of Mildenhall Suffolk III. Another to the said Isaac Archer IV. A Sober Expostulation with those Persons of the Clergy concerned in giving Countenance to F. Bugg against the People called Quakers containing an Answer to several of their Certificates in his Behalf and also to several additional and repeated Abuses in the Second Edition of his New Rome Arraigned V. A Brief Answer to F. Bugg's pretended Brief History of Quakerism stiled The Quakers set in their True Light VI. A Brief Answer to F. Bugg's Two Printed Papers dated March 1696. VII A Brief Answer and Reply to F. Bugg's Second Summons as he directs it to the City of Abel on 2 Sam. 20. VIII An Appendix to the Controversie in certain Positions of the sincere Belief and Christian Doctrine of the People called Quakers in Opposition to the Misrepresentations and Calumnies cast upon them by Apostates and other Adversaries in their Books and Pamphlets A Brief Advertisement to the Reader upon Fr. Bugg's Book Stiled The Picture of Quakerism c. CHAP. I. A Copy of a Letter to William Smithies Minister of Cripplegate LONDON Friend William Smithies BEcause of the Character and Reputation thou hast as a Person of Charity and Moderation and also of thy Desire that I might signifie my Mind to thee in Writing I was the more willing to give thee this following Information and Advertisement The Occasion of our late Proposals and Complaint to thy self concerning F. Bugg was the Incouragement and Strength which we understand he has taken from thee and some others of the Clergy to Commit and Persist in his intolerable Abuse and Scandal of an Innocent People commonly called Quakers and particularly by his being Reputed thy Convert as also by thy Privity to and Connivance at his Reviling and Scandalous Pamphlets and Books against us as a People and by thy promoting the Reprinting his Injurious Pamphlet with the New Title of The Converted Quakers Answer Which with another Title he had before delivered to the Members of Parliament to render us both Odious and Obnoxious in the Eye of the Civil Government and Consequently to Invalid the Condition of our present Liberty and to make void our Liberty it self which as it bespeaks great Malice and Persecution in him so no great Charity nor Prudence in thy self either directly or indirectly to give Encouragement or Strength to such a Counterfeit Convert whose work is not only purely Malicious and Revengful but Injurious to the Christian and Civil Reputation of others if he were but a Person of Credit or Reputation therein as he really is not with the Sober and Judicious We have pursued him in a Christian Method both with fair and moderate Answers in Print the Substance and Principle Arguments whereof he has given the Go-by unto and instead of any fair or solid Replications or Rejoynders he has partially and unjustly Raked up broken Passages and Pieces and Words out of some particular Deceased Friends Books making his own perverse Constructions thereupon to Misrepresent our Principles and Scandalize us as a People without any due Regard to or Representment of the Author 's own Explications or the Harmony or Concurrence of their own or others of our Friends Testimonies or Writings Demonstrating our Principles which no ingenious Man will refuse Persons or People their own Explications and Harmony of their extant or publick Testimonies to make out their own Principles Moreover we have not thus left the said F. Bugg but even since his last coming to London we have earnestly besought and endeavoured to have a sober and suitable Meeting with him for a fair Dispute and Disquisition of matters chiefly in Controversie between him and us and that before moderate and disinterested Persons and the more because he pretended over and over that he accepted of my Printed Challenge in the Quakers Vindication p. 4. and that he came 60 Miles to London to accept thereof and had waited for an Engagement on equal Terms near Three Weeks when he himself knows and others also how he has been since followed with Letters Messages and fair Challenges in that Interim even time after time for such a Meeting as before but he has by his divers Dilatory partial and unequal Terms as by Letters made out to him which he may shew thee if he will about referring the matters in difference to the Decision of others and for Retraction c. not only protracted and delayed time but at length after he was Argued out of his partial and various Terms and after induced to grant viz. If before Disinterested Persons then no Retraction which he concluded answered my said Challenge Yet for all this a Meeting hereupon being appointed by some of the Persons Scandalized by him as Perjured and Pillored in his New Rome Arraigned of which he had sufficient notice afore-hand both of time and place and accordingly some of us met with divers Disinterested Persons for Witnesses nevertheless Francis Bugg came not at the Meeting He has a conceited boasting insulting Humor and Clamorous Deportment at a Distance but when he is closely put to it and pursued for a Trial and strict Examination of his Clamours Charges and Accusations before Competent Wittnesses and Disinterested Persons he shamefully Revolts and timorously Shrinks as in this case of Controversie which he has begun against the People called Quakers and which is as plainly told himself since by Letter and I am perswaded with many more that he will bring no Honour to any of you of the Clergy or the Church of England by these his Malicious Attempts and I wish thou would'st prudently Consider it both for Truth 's Sake and thy own Reputation to put a stop to his Injurious Proceedings Scribling and Printing against an Innocent People whom he has shamefully Deserted and in his Self-Contradiction and Self-Condemnation wickedly Reproach'd and Defamed A few Instances whereof
do here follow Some of Francis Bugg's Principal Calumnies and Misrepresentations of the People commonly called Quakers I. F Bugg charged us i. e. at least Twelve of us as being A Pack of False Witnesses and Perjur'd Persons And this from his own Scandalous Mock Trial Conviction and Condemnation unwarrantably acted by him in his New Rome Arraigned Epistle to Bereans p. 7 8 9 10 11. and p. 33. And all this for our Negative Testimony against the matter of his Charge contained in the Four following Articles of his false Accusations against us the said People viz. 2. That they i. e. the Quakers deny Jesus of Nazareth See The Converted Quaker p. 5. 3. That they call Geo. Fox the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness and put the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem hereupon Bugg also falsly saith That they did not mean Christ but G. Fox 4. And that the Quakers Prophets give witness to Geo. Fox instead of this Christ p. 82. and Chap. 3. p. 16. they say That God Man the Man Christ Jesus who was Born of the Virgin was But a Garment a Vail a Vessel which is expresly contrary to our Principles as Answered in Print His Converted Quaker p. 2. 5. F. Bugg Accuses the Quakers with Contempt of Scripture i. e. the Holy Scripture and as intending down with the Holy Scripture affirming that they say the Holy Scripture is carnal Dust Death and Killeth tho' we find not that saying in any of our Friends Books quoted by him and are sure 't is contrary to our Principle as the foregoing are yet Bugg is not ashamed to say viz. I have not set down one Line or Word as theirs that is not theirs New Rome Arraigned p. 22. Note That these Precedent Accusations are not only expresly contrary to our Principles and Concurrent Testimonies extant in Print both for Jesus Christ the Holy Scripture and Divine Authority thereof but also to F. Bugg's own Testimony in his Book Of Christian Liberty the Second Part Chap. 1st Where he confesseth our Principles Received in the beginning to be Principles of Truth and in our Name and Person Testifieth unto the Holy Scriptures that they are good and a true Declaration of those things which were most surely believed by the Apostles and by us ought to be believed thus far F. Bugg when a kind of a Quaker Besides his Contradiction herein to himself he Confesseth that here we agree i. e. G. Whitehead and himself namely What the Holy Scripture is That we do not Ascribe Holiness to the Paper and Ink or Dead Characters but to the Holy Doctrine and Blessed Precepts therein contained which therefore is called the Holy Scriptures New Rome Arraigned Apol. Intro p. 6 7. Qu. Where then can he Prove either that the Quakers Condemn the Holy Doctrine and Blessed Precepts or Say that the Holy Scripture is Dust Death c. We Challenge him or any of you his Abettors to prove such Contempt or that Saying as the Quaker's or their Principle 6. F. Bugg's Charging the said People called Quakers with Contempt of Governours Reviling Christ's Magistrates accounting Magistracy a Cumbersome Tree and their Principles as being Antimagistratical and Antimonarchicate Note Herein F. Bugg appears Mischeiveously Malicious unjustly to render us Obnoxious to the Civil Government like Judas and the Jews against Christ and rendering him an Enemy to Caesar. 7. His Reproachful Characters to Scandalize the People called Quakers viz. New Rome Rome ' s Sister Rome their Elder Sister and calls those their Brethren that pretend to Sell-Pardons and pray Souls out of Purgatory and saith that these i. e. Quakers follow The Steps of the Jesuits And withal F. Bugg in the Title of his Book in Print New Rome Vnmask'd Scornfully and Reproachfully Termeth G. Whitehead one of her Chief Cardinals Remark Now pray let it be considered Whither Bugg's thus wickedly Misrepresenting the People called Quakers as Papists does not greatly tend to gratifie the Popish Interest by thus Magnifying of it and to lessen and injure the Protestant Interest and Consequently to Contradict and Affront the Government which hath been pleased Legally to Recognize us as Desenting Protestants Qu. Whether F. Bugg's Affront and Contradiction hereunto be not Seditious i.e. to Sow Discord Strife or Contention 8. Because of our Solemnly Declaring to the King and Parliament That we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given forth by Divine Inspiration And they have accepted this our Declaration and Legally made it a Condition of our Liberty Bugg passeth this Judgment on us the said People viz. The more shame for you to be so Deceitful to give in a Testimony so contrary to your Belief And that the Quakers Pretending to the Parliament they believed them namely the Holy Scriptures to be given forth by Divine Inspiration was to serve a Turn New Rome Arraigned p. 40 42. Remark Herein Bugg hath not only most grosly Belied our Belief for the Holy Scriptures but also Contradicted the Parliaments Charitable Acceptance and Belief of our Testimony therein What Insolency and Audacious Attempt is this Dost thou approve or disallow hereof Bugg also very unjustly accuseth the Quakers that they Revile Christ's Ministers Undervalue his Death and Sufferings Condemn his Laws Despise his Ordinances all which is Expresly contrary to our Principles and how proves he those to be Christs Ministers whom our Friends have Testified against viz. The Covetous Cruel Persecutors Here he Imposeth and shamefully begs the Question 10. Moreover he Treats the said People with these Characters Black-Guard of Lyers Horrible Blasphemers Impudent Imposters Cowards Cunning Sophisters Juglings Legerdemain Great Deceivers Horrible Blasphemers Wretched Imposters That surely Simon Magus never exceeded these Imposters Acts 8. With much more such like Outragious Railery and Defaming Treatment too tedious here to recite being far Louder in Clamours than Proof Barking loud at a Distance but fearful fairly to Ingage NOW Friend Smithies seeing thou hast refused to Personate thy Convert F. Bugg or to be his Advocate or Vindicate him in his Charges and Books against the People called Quakers as I Proposed to thee and Offered thee a Meeting for that End I desire to know of thee If thou wilt please to give a Check to him and put a Stop to his defaming the People called Quakers in Print or if he refuseth thy Advice thereunto If thou wilt give publick Testimony against him by disowning his perverse Work and tell the World he is Heady and Wilful and no real Convert If neither it will Reflect upon thee Note But to this Enquiry or Letter I never received Answer from William Smithies as yet I Hear he is again Printing against us supposed as one Bent in his Malice to Scandalize us which we resolve with God's Help not not to lye under for we are assured he has wickedly Wronged and Misrepresented our Christian Religion and
pleased Legally to Recognize us as Dissenting Protestants Q. 2. What Ingenuity Honesty or Prudence hath Bugg or you his Abettors shewn in thus Representing such a Body of Protestant Subjects as being Papists Q. 3. What Regard or Respect to the present Government have you therein Manifested Q. 4. What Care of the Protestant Religion or Interest therein has appeared on your parts Q. 5. And what Reputation Credit or Honour to thee will thy Approbation of Bugg's writing against us be when further Exposed to be taken Cognizance of by Persons under higher Circumstances than thy self or thy Agent Q. 6. Whether Bugg's Contradicting the Government 's Recognizing us by Law as Dissenting Protestants by his defaming us as Papists c. be not Seditious in the Nature and Tendency thereof as tending to stir up Strife and Variance amongst Protestant Subjects and consequently to divide and weaken the Interest of both King and People Q. 7. Concerning Bugg's Assuming a Power as a Judge and in his own Name to Try Examine Sentence and Condemn Citizens and Tradesmen c. as Perjured Persons to the Pillory and that in their Absence too and some of them Persons he never knew and in his Mock Tryal Forging false Answers in the same Persons Names and then Erecting the Form of a Pillory with Twelve Effigies in it to Ridecule the Persons thus Condemned and Scandalized by him and the word Perjury set over them in the Middle Now we Query of thee and others his Approvers whether such his Proceeding be Warrantable either by the Law of God or Man Q. 8. Whether it will be for the Honour of your Church and Clergy for thy self or any of you to Encourage such a Malicious Agent in his Scribling for you to abuse an Innocent People Q. 9. And seeing F. Bugg has thy Approbation I ask thee If thou Approvest of this his Doctrine viz. It was not Jesus Christ for whom the Body was Prepared Is was not Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh but the Word New Rome Arraigned Apol Introduction p. 3. 'T is not unknown to many Witnesses here how earnestly and fairly I have Endeavoured and made divers Overtures for a Meeting in this City with F. Bugg with others of my Friends whom he hath Scandalized with his Pillory as aforesaid as Perjured Persons even since his last coming to London and that before a few Disinterested Persons and we followed him with divers Letters and Challenges for a Dispute and for Satisfaction for the Injury he has done us by notorious Scandal and Defamation and the more because he pretended he came 60 Miles to London to accept of my Printed Challeng amd had waited for an Engagement as he alledged near Three Weeks Yet for all this when closely put to it he shifted and protracted time with his Variety of Dilatory Terms one while to refer Matters in Controversie to Ministers of Different Perswasions to be left to their Decission which was to Impose an Implicit Faith upon us by giving away our own aforehand another while he was for Preingaging us to Subscriptions For Conditional Retractions which shewed his Impertinent Triffling another while for meeting and debating Matters before Disinterested Persons which last we did not Refuse but endeavoured to fix him thereupon and gave him Liberty to choose Three or Four Persons to be his Advocates who he pleased and we Appointed a convenient time and place in London for such a Meeting and gave him Challenge and two Days Notice thereof aforehand where divers of us with several Disinterested Persons for Witnesses met and waited several Hours Yet F. Bugg came not for all his Boasting aforehand so that his shameful Shifting and Evasion both then and before was Notorious and we expect no fair Dealing Satisfaction or Right from him but Malicious Scribling which we are Satisfied no Ingenious Impartial Men will give Credit to however I thought meet to give thee notice of his Malicious Work 1. Because he is one of thy Flock 2. Because thou hast Apparently Abetted him in his Persecuting and Disturbing our Meeting at Milden-Hall as aforesaid 3. Because thou hast given him thy Approbation of his writing against us of which he has Recited an Abridgment in his most Scandalons Book New Rome Arraigned Epistle to Ber. p. 12. Being on the Backside of his Pillory 4. Because F. Bugg pretends thou art not alone in thy Approbation but another Divine of the Church of England has also written to him i. e. in his Commendation as having done a most acceptable piece of Service to his Country in Vnvailing of the Falshoods Errors and Hypocrisies of the Quakers and withal saith he hath divers other Letters of the same Import both from Conforming and Nonconforming Ministers Now these are to acquaint thee That we knowing F. Bugg's Gross Abuses and Scandals are in their own Nature Intollerable and thou hast thus far concerned thy self in his Approbation and we can have no reasonable Satisfaction from him By all our fair and reasonable Endeavours we do not intend to lye under his foul Calumnies But I am persuaded the Cry will be yet louder and the Complaint ascend higher against him and his Abettors therein and am apt to think it will affect thy self and not tend to thy Honour or Reputation if thou dost not put a speedy stop to his Malicious Scribling and Printing against us or at least give publick Testimony of thy dislike against him if he refuse to desist when Admonished Take this as my caution to thee So I expect to hear from thee whether thou will make use of thy Interest and Endeavours to put a stop to his Malicious Proceedure that we may not be further Persecuted Scandalized and Rendred Obnoxious to the Government by this Scornful Malicious and Self-Contradictory Agent whom the Just God will Reward according to his Works with all his Approvers and Abettors From thy Friend and Well-wisher Geo. Whitehead Thou mayest direct to me in Devonshire-Street without Bishop's gate London CHAP. III. Another to the said Isaac Archer London the 4th of the 2d Month 1694. Friend Isaac Archer THine Dated March 19. 1693. I have been so long prevented giving Answer to besides what I desired by reason of other Concerns thy Moderation therein I take well The Confessions I mentioned Relating to our Christian Belief and Doctrine are many and of the same Import which I cannot therefore send thee being mostly Bound up with other Books and hard to find by themselves and therefore send thee the Inclosed containing our Confession to Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures about which thy Friend F. Bugg has greatly Misrepresented the People called Quakers I Remember thou Advised him against making use of his Warrant after some Discourse yet cannot wholly clear thee from taking part with him in this Disturbing our Meeting in 1691. By thy Accusing the same as being Unlawful thy Approving his Book is Apparent In that Part of the Certificate he Recites by owning the
dangerous as it was in them who would not believe that Jesus was the Christ when on Earth who therefore were liable to Die in their Sins Yet for those Moral and Pious Gentiles that have not such Discovery of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ nor outward Means thereof afforded to them we may not condemn them lest we should reflect upon God but leave them to his Universal Grace and Mercy in Jesus Christ who is given for a Light unto the Gentiles and to 〈◊〉 God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth wherein we hope no Professed Christians will be so Harsh Uncharitable or Atheistical as to conclude such liable to Damnation or Destruction for want of Scripture or an outward Ministry when God does not afford the same to them seeing he has afforded and given the greater even Christ himself to be both the Light of the Gentiles and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth that they believing in him the Light may be saved by him and have Eternal Life it being the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men believe not but love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil John 3. And the Lord God has not left Himself or Mankind without Witness both immediate and mediate in his Creation thereby leaving all them inexcuseable who persist in Impenitency and Rebellion against him and his Light and Grace in them Whereas I intimated in my Epistle to The Counterfeit Convert in these words viz. I do hereby sincerely declare That 't is not for Controversie sake that I am so much engag'd therein nor am I the beginner of these Controversies being wholly defensive c. And what has our Adversary against this I know it to be very true tho' the Devil and all his Agents should say the contrary and endeavour to outface me with their Lies Our Adversary saith viz. I am willing to let Richard Ashbye know that his Brother Whitehead is false in this also And why so For quoth F. B. he writ against Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants and Baptists before ever they wrote against him Answer I deny that and we have no proof but his own bare ipse dixit for it Some of them i. e. Presbyterians in Cromwell's time when the Episcopal had no Power begun to Persecute and Imprison me and others and also to defame us in Print before ever I was concerned in Printed Controversie against them and it was the worst and most rigid sort that I was so concerned against and therefore not the beginner of either of those first Controversies i. e. with some Presbyterians nor yet of these with this Adversary but was and am still wholly defensive And suppose as he saith I had writ Ten Books against others to One Book against me of any one Man's Writing I did not write Ten Books against any one Man for only his One Book against me But suppose Ten Books wrote either by Ten Persons more or fewer either against me in particular or against me inclusively with others and I had or have wrote Ten Answers to those Ten Books this proves me not a Contentious Scribler as he renders me but still I am on the defensive part and put upon a necessity of being defensive Yet to prove me false herein our Adversary adds viz. And in Nine Months time he wrote Three Books against me to one of mine against the Quakers and Two of them without any fresh occasion given him But F. Bugg knows he gave the first occasion he begun the Controversie and that I was wholly defensive therein by way of Answer to his bitter Invectives and foul Aspersions against the Quakers so called their Order and Discipline for did I begin to be concerned before his Book De Christiana Libertate came forth No 't was his foul Abuses in that Book against us gave me the first occasion to appear in Print against him and after that his divers other abusive Books and Pamphlets against us both before and since he turn'd to the Priests and so often falsly accusing us the said People with Contempt of the Scripture denying Jesus to be Christ despising his Ordinances his Ministers and Magistrates making Divisions in Church and State p. 7. c. with many more Calumnies and all to excuse and cover his own base Backsliding and Self-condemned Apostacy and Judas-like to incense both Priests and Rulers against us by his foul Railery black and odious Characters which he has maliciously put upon us but as to the latter the Lord has hedged up his Way and manifested his Folly restless Envy and implacable deadly Malice unto many and our God has given us Power and Zeal to withstand and oppose him therein and trample upon his great Malice and such fruitless Attempts to Inveterate Adversaries As to our Adversary's Postscript to G. W. about his aforesaid Letters to William Smithies and Isaac Archer which he questions if he has not rightly Interpreted the purport of I must needs say it appears a very idle silly boasting Romance and scurrilous piece of fictitious Forgery feigned upon me and in my Name and tho' never so said nor sayable by me See how unlike G. Whitchead or any other Quaker he introduces his feigned Story viz. G. W. I perceive how uneasie you are and how smooth you appear as in your Letters to Mr. Smithies and Mr. Archer and by the tenure thereof methinks I hear you say Good Gentlemen be so kind to us the distressed and perplexed Quakers as to stop F. Bugg from writing against our Errors c. with much more such stuff Is this like my Language He never heard me say any such thing Oh false Oh silly Oh idle Romance CHAP. V. A Brief Answer to F. Bugg's Pretended Brief History of Quakerism Stiled The Quakers set in their True Light UPON a serious perusal of the said pretended History and comparing the same with his other Reproachful Books and Pamphlets against the People called Quakers which have been duely Answered and justly Refuted in Course His Title The Quakers set in their True Light is very impertinent to his partial and false History tho' very true as to the Quakers whose True Light is no other but Christ the True Light which lighteth every Man coming into the World John 1. 9. This same pretended History of F. Bugg's appears to be chiefly made up of the same Abusive and Calumnious Stuff which his other Pamphlets are composed of and frequently reiterated by him tho' plainly refuted which being now by him turned into History appears a sordid kind of imposing the Credit of his own presumptuous Authority as Historian even in those very things which he cannot maintain in Controversie nor support his own Credit in therefore as a most impertinent partial and envious Historian he may be justly deemed Please to take a few Instances of F. Bugg's false Stories and gross Calumnies in his said pretended History before clearly refuted i◠our Answers to him and
Covetous Persecuting Priests who make a Trade of Preaching and of the Scriptures and such whom the Prophet Isaiah called greedy dumb Dogs Isa. 56. 10 11. How will F. B. prove such Christ's Ministers or Gospel Ministers We have but his bare say-so for it but want proof for it wherein he does but meerly impose upon us to Vilifie us and Ingratiate himself into Favour with that sort of the Clergy who are most Guilty of the Sin of Covetousness and Persecution The Mocker again repeats his false and empty Boast by way of Question p. 12. viz. Why then will you not bring forth Sheba the Son of Bichri the Man of Belial G. W Is there not a wise Man amongst you His Cruel Mocking and Calumny in this unjust Comparison is denied no doubt his Malice is cruel and deadly enough to bring G. W. to Sheba's End if he had Power or could with any Colour or Pretence bring him under Sheba's Crime of Treason or lifting up his Hand against the King 2 Sam. 20. 21 22. For doth not this Mocker's Language Comparison and Treatment of this kind bespeak his deadly Malice and Design He goes on with his empty boasting viz. He tells you That I wrong the Quakers in Charge Citation and Observation ☞ Bring him forth according to his Proposal and you will see it proved that I have not As it was G. W's part to make good his Proposal or Charge against F. B. so he hath greatly endeavoured a Meeting with F. B. in London before Witnesses for the same purpose but evaded by F. B. on other Terms than were in the said Proposal as is before related Now he has no cause to cry Bring him forth according to his Proposal For that is abundantly proved in the Answers before-mentioned Whereas F. B. further boasts G. W. hath wrote to divers Clergy-men to prevail with me to desist they give me his Letters and wish me good Success p. 12. The Clergy-men which G. W. wrote to were William Smithies of Cripplegate London and Isaac Archer of Milden-hall in Suffolk which was to shew them some of his foul Abuses and Calumnies to try them as having a particular Interest in him if they would stop him Why did he not Print G. W's Letters to them and to himself too also But thereby his Abuses and sorry evasive Shifting would have been the more apparent Wherefore seeing he boasts of their wishing him good Success these Two Questions are put to you the said William Smithies and Isaac Archer viz. Q. 1. Do you really in your Consciences Approve of Francis Bugg's writing Books and Pamphlets against the People called Quakers as he hath done Q. 2. Do you really Approve of his Books and Pamphlets writ by him against the said People as namely of these in particular under these Titles viz. 1. The Quakers Detected Printed 1686. 2. New Rome Vnmask'd 1692. 3. New Rome Arraigned which hath in it his Pretended Trial and Pillory Printed in 1693. 4. New Rome Arraigned Second Impression without the Pillory 1694. 5. His Impeachment pretended in Behalf of the Commons of England 1695. 6. A Second Summons 7. His Sheet stiled Something in Answer to the Allegations of the Quakers in their Printed Case presented to the House of Commons December 1695. But the Second Edition whereof stiled The Converted Quaker's Answer to the Allegations of his Old Brethren the Quakers c. CHAP. VIII An Appendix to the foregoing Controversies in Certain Positions of the Sincere Belief and Christian Doctrine of the People of God called Quakers in Opposition to the Misrepresentations and Calumnies of F. Bugg and other Apostates in his pretended History of the Quakers and other his and their Books and Pamphlets 1. WE the said People are bound in Conscience and Duty by the Holy Spirit and Light of Christ Jesus only and humbly to Adore and Worship the only True and Living God Creator of Heaven and Earth the Sea and all Creatures and not to Adore or Worship any Mortal Man or Creature or any other God whatsoever 2. To Believe and Confess the Holy Divine Three or Scripture Trinity that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or Son and Holy Spirit and that these Three are Essentially One in the Divine Being and Substance One God Blessed for Ever 3. We are livingly taught and led by the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Living Word in our Hearts and that according to Holy Scripture to Believe Own and Confess the Incarnation of Jesus Christ that is his Real Coming in the Flesh without us even the same Jesus of Nazareth that was Conceived in the Virgin Mary by the Power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her and Born of her in Bethlehem of Judea Mat. 2. 1. and that he was Crucified and put to Death as concerning the Flesh without the Gates of Jerusalem and we highly do Value and Esteem his Sufferings Death Precious Blood and whole Sacrifice for Sinners together with his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and Glory and that he only was and is the Promised Messias the Very Christ the Only Begotten Son of the Living God And as for his Divinity That he is the True Light Life Power and Wisdom of God and none other according to plain Scripture Testimony 4. The Divinity and Humanity i. e. Manhood of Christ Jesus that as he is True God and as he is most Glorious Man our Mediator and Advocate we livingly Believe and have often sincerely Confessed in our Publick Testimonies and Writings 5. That as sincere and fervent Prayers to God in the Name and Spirit of Christ Jesus is the Duty of all True Believers and Christians professing him for whatsoever they stand in need of especially with respect to the Peace and Happiness of their Immortal Souls so all who are truly humbled under a Sence of their Sins in order to true Repentance and Conversion ought to crave Forgiveness in the Name and for the Sake of Christ Jesus which hath been our Practice both Publick and Private and God in Mercy hath accordingly answered us who by his Grace in our Hearts hath led many both to confess and forsake Sin that they might find Mercy in Christ Jesus 6. Though we are bound in Conscience truly to Esteem and Magnifie the Divine Light the Ingrafted Word the Spirit and Power of Christ in us as sufficient and able actually to save and deliver the Soul from Sin Death and Condemnation and thereby we Confess the Man Christ Jesus with respect to his entire Existence or Being as without us as well as we do own him Spiritually within us knowing that this Light Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus Testifie of him and certainly Guides the truly Obedient and Sincere Believers in his Name and Power Inwardly Livingly and Experimentally to partake of the Real Benefits Fruits and Blessed Ends of his outward Suffering Sacrifice and Death for Mankind to wit their Repentance Conversion from Sin Effectual Reconciliation unto God Eternal
Salvation and Compleat Redemption which Christ Jesus has obtained for us i. e. for all Mankind thro' his Mediation and Sufferings 7. Our Really Believing and Confessing the Lord Jesus Christ his Passion Sufferings Death Atonement and Reconciliation made for us and his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification as without us according to Scripture cannot be to Allegorize all these away as if only transacted within us as we have been unduly Accused for they were really done and transacted without us by our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ tho' our true Knowledge of the Power of his Resurrection and Fellowship of his Sufferings and our being Conformable to his Death must be Experienced within us if ever we Live or Reign with Him 8. We sincerely Prefer and Esteem the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain'd in that Excellent Book commonly called the Bible as most Eminently Confirmed by Divine Authority and Faithful Witnesses before all other Books whatsoever extant in the World and yet our preferring the Holy Spirit from whence the Scripture came before the Letter of the Scripture is not to undervalue the Scripture for the Spirit must needs have the Preference and Preheminence as being the Author and Original Cause and Dictator of the Holy Scriptures and Giver of Light and Life also whereby truly to understand them and to live accordingly 9. As for Baptism and the Lord's Supper they are Scripturally considered by us in their several Dispensations both as in the Figure and in the Substance in the Type and Antitype as the Outward or Literal were Typical or Figurative of the Inward and Spiritual we confess and own considered in their Places and proper Dispensations but the Substance is more Excellent and Permanent than the Shadow as the Inward and Spiritual Grace is more Excellent than the Outward and Visible Signs and as Christ's Spiritual Baptism which is the Saving Baptism was Typified by John's And to Eat and Drink or Sup with Christ in his Kingdom of that Spiritual Meat and Drink which he gives for Life to the Soul was Typified or Figured forth by his Outward Supper of the Passover Bread and Cup for the Outward Element of Water cannot wash away Sin from the Soul neither can the Outward Bread or Cup give Life or Nourishment to the Soul The Shadows flee away but the Sum and Substance remain 10. We sincerely Believe and have often Confessed the Immortality of the Soul of Man that was Created in God's Image and the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead according as laid down in Holy Scripture 1 Cor. 15th Chapter and of Eternal Judgment by Jesus Christ as being Judge of the Living and of the Dead in the Great and Last Day of Judgment at the Great Harvest which is the End of the World God having appointed a Day wherein he will Raise the Dead both the Just and Unjust and also Judge the World in Righteousness by that Heavenly and most Glorious Man Christ Jesus whom he hath Ordained Acts 17. 31. before whose Tribunal-Seat all must appear to Receive their Final Judgment and Sentence according to their Deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. 11. That Christ's Gospel Ministry must be free without forced Maintenance filthy Lucre or Covetousness 12. That Magistracy or Civil Government is God's Ordinance the Good Ends thereof being for the Punishment of Evil Doers and Praise of them that do Well These Things we Sincerely Believe and Own but to do F. Bugg Right we find not that he has Charged us in the Tenth Particular about the Resurrection though some other Apostates have And we know no other Doctrine or Principle Preached Maintained or Received among or by Us since we were a People contrary to these before-mentioned nor do we Own any contrary thereunto Signed in Behalf of the said People and to Clear my own Innocency in Particular By G. Whitehead A Brief Advertisement to the Impartial Reader upon Francis Bugg's last Book falsly Stil'd The Picture of Quakerism Drawn to the Life THat it may appear that as to Matter of Doctrine and divers other things contain'd in the said Book he has frequently Repeated and Impos'd the same Notorious Calumnies and Perversions Unjustly upon the People called Quakers with other Abuses which in the foregoing Treatise and other of our Books in Answer to him have been and are fully Detected please to take a Brief Catalogue of some of his Notorious Calumnies Lies and Abuses with short Notes on them as followeth 1. In his Dedication to the Bishops of the Church of England whom he flatters thus viz. My Lords I have not leisure to trace them i. e. the Quakers in all their By-paths from the very beginning of their Rise and to shew how they branched forth from the Seeds of the Ranters Levellers and other Latitudinarians Observe pray herein he Imposeth a Nototious and Scandalous Falshood upon the Bishops it being well known that the said People call'd Quakers as to their Rise sprung and branched forth from and out of Religious Families of the Puritans so called and of the most sincere among those called Independent Anabaptist and Presbyterian Churches and Families and others and not from the Seeds of Ranters as he has grosly defamed them thereby Abusing both Bishops and other Readers 2. Their Contempt of the Scripture as Beastly Wares p. 2. Calling them Beastly Ware p. 42. That the Quakers have Condemn'd the Holy Scriptures p. 48. That our Teachers tell us that the Scriptures are Dust Death Beastly Ware c. p. 61. That their Chief Work in their Meetings as well as Writings was to lower the Power of the Magistrates Reproach the Ministers c. and the Bible Beastly Ware c. p. 97. He further saith I know if I had recommended the Scriptures ye would have rejected them as Serpents Meat Beastly Ware your frequent Epithets p. 121. And Beastly Ware again p. 125. Hist. Obs. Thus he still shamefully Abuses the Readers Bishops and others by these most gross repeated Blasphemous Calumnies manifestly Detected both in the foregoing Expostulation and other Answers to him So that he shamefully pleases himself with frequent Repetition of his old stinking loathsom Stuff to defame the Quakers 3. That possibly our Women learn'd of my self i. e. of G. W. to call the Scriptures Dust Death Beastly Ware c. p. 122. Obs. My Conscience bears me Witness he hath suggested a horrid Calumny against me herein having had a high and reverend Esteem for the Holy Scriptures from my Youth upwards 4. That they i. e. the Quakers sprung out of the Dregs of the People as Ranters c. Obs. Both which are Abusive Aspersions before Detected Query Didst thou F.B. spring out of the Dregs of the People as Ranters when first thou turnedst Quaker For shame for shame leave off such sordid Stuff 5. That the Quakers deny Christ and that their Doctrine teacheth to deny him to be Christ who was Born of the Virgin and
their Contempt of Jesus of Nazareth Contents and p. 25 and 37. Obs. We have often clear'd our selves of this repeated Calumny abhorring the Blasphemy thereof 6. That they deny Christ to be in Heaven above at God's Right Hand p. 26. Obs. This Perversion has been often Detected And our Confessing Christ IN us by his Spirit Light and Grace is no Proof thereof 7. That they i. e. the Quakers Encourage each other to wait in the feeling of the Spirit of a Deceas'd Brother and call it the Comforter therein comparing them to the Papists p. 27. Observe his Dulness and Stupidity in this Lying Perversion He distinguishes not between the Saints Comforter or Spirit of Truth in a Deceas'd Brother and his own Spirit i. e. between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of a Man 8. That it 's very plain that they i. e. the Quakers put the North of England for the Tâ—wn of Bethlehem and the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness they most Wretchedly and Blasphemously attribute to G. Fox p. 52. And that the Quakers did BELIEVE the North of England was the Town of Bethlehem c. p. 53. That the Quakers give Testimony to G. Fox as the Branch c. p. 57 58. Obs. What an Abominable Perversion this Story is though frequently repeated by him and detected by us as hath been made Evident His Stageing us in his Mock-Tryal Arraignment and Pillory for Solemnly Denying the same is not sufficient Abuse for us but against all Truth and plain Demonstration he insolently insists upon the same to defame us like one hardened in his Iniquity and Injurious Work of Darkness and Envy 9. That Christ that was Born in the City of David the Quakers plainly say This is not the Christ p. 58. For which he quotes the Christian Quaker and his Divine Test. p. 98. Obs. I have Examin'd the Page 98. in both the first and second part of our said Book Christian Quaker quoted by F. Bugg here in neither whereof do I find the Quakers saying That this is not the Christ that was Born in the City of David but his Divinity Asserted and his Pre-existence before that Outward Appearance or Coming of Christ in the Flesh that he was the Divine Word the Seed the Light the Life c. before he took upon him that Body prepar'd for him See now how plainly and perversly F. B. has Abused the Quakers in this Matter 10. He scornfully repeats a known Vntruth against me in these words Dear George to save thy Bacon can now do it i. e. Swear and that an Oath was read to G. W. in open Court April 9. 1695. and the Book being put to his Mouth he submitted to it without gainsaying p. 93. Obs. In good Conscience I deny this Story again and many can Witness the Contrary as to what Testimony I bore in Court Whoever was F. B's Informer I shall not be much Inquisitive I know my own Innocency and can demonstrate it if it were not to an Enemy that labours to Asperse me 11. That their Teachers in their Travels to and fro to seduce the People not only from the Christian Religion but from their Allegiance to their Governours p. 101. Obs. Which is a Malicious Lying Story unjustly designed to render us Obnoxious 12. He tells a false Story concerning a Bishop and Mr. Whitehead that the Bishop said they must insert a Clause for the Payment of Tythes c. meaning in the Bill for our Relief in the Case of Oaths Upon which F. B. falsly Drols But O Poor George methinks I see him how he rubb'd his Elbow and scratched his Head and look'd up as demurely as a Puritan c. Hist. p. 117 118. Obs. This whole Story with the subsequent Passages depending upon it is wholly false for the Clause to Recover Tythes was past in the House of Commons before it came up to the House of Lords I have not time now to go through his Repeated Calumnies Lyes and Abuses both in his Monstrous deformed Picture as I may call it of Quakerism and his pretended Brief History thereof for they are numerous One thing more I may observe how F. B. presumes to prescribe and dictate to the Government from the Example of the FRENCH KING towards the French Protestants in the Year 1644. which he takes out of John Quick's History 1. As to his Permitting the Protestant Ministry to hold a National Synod and ordering them a Commissioner to assist and be present with them in their Synod He cites the Writ Signed LEWIS and the Commissioner's Speech and Synod's Answer P. 97 98 99 100 101 102. From whence F. B. takes upon him to prescribe and dictate to the present King and Government here viz. That if the Government think good to bestow that favour of them as to have Anniversary Synods it would be very proper that there should be a Commissioner or two ordered by His Majesty to Reside in their Counsel And about 13 Precepts of F. B's to the Government to Restrain and Limit our Anniversary Meeting P. 122. to P. 126. Whence ' ti observable how he strives and insinuates to perswade our Protestant Government to imitate the French King's Example herein As if the King and Government here were as much fearful and jealous of his peaceable Protestant Subjects as the French King was of the Protestants in France and what Reputation or Honour has he in thus prescribing and dictating shewn to a Protestant Government in England to induce them to learn of a French King and to imitate him in their Conduct 2. He also dictates how to call us in Question before Authority for our Books c. P. 121. O busie Dictator will nothing serve him but Persecution which he does but sorrily define or some Popish Limitations or Inquisitions over us to introduce a new Persecution Ah! poor Francis my Soul pities thee tho' I have been plain with thee may'st thou yet be humbled unto Repentance before thou dyest for thy great Enmity thy manifold repeated Calumnies notorious Perversions and Persecuting Invectives And you his Ministers Approvers and Congratulators Expostulated with J. A. W. S. c. what think you of your Convert F. B. his Work Will it quit the Cost and Pains and be for your Reputation or Church's Service to encourage him thus to proceed in Scribling and making Books stuff'd with Repetitions of his old over-worn thread-bare stuff made up mostly of the same reiterated envious and scornful Aspersions and Perversions frequently Refuted without any direct or rational Reply from him but instead thereof silly Histories of the same repeated Calumnies c. imposed upon the World by your Convert F. B. Alas poor Man what a Whirl-pool is he fallen into Do you think he spends his Time or Estate well in such invidious fruitless Work Or do you help him in the Charge Pray consider of it if you please I have observ'd he is very Industrious for you and your Interest as he may think I have in one Sheet Answer'd a Book of his as I may and with that set his Windmil going again to bring forth another Book of some Bulk and Charge But if he still thinks his said Picture of Quakerism is drawn to the Life it should then be his Master-Piece and save him more Labour and Charge of Limning against us But if he can draw Pictures no better than this or his Picture of Quakers in the Pillory he had better give over the Trade and Study to be Quiet that he may Live and Die the more Quietly London the 20th of the 3d. Month 1697. FINIS Some Reasons for this Advertisement to W. Smithies * New Rome Vnmask'd Epistle to Ber. p. 2. * New Rome Arraigned Epistle to Ber. p. 12. New Rome Vnmask'd Remark on Creed 6. p. 78. * Which is proved notoriously False in our Answers in Print * Converted Quakers p. 6.7 * New Rome Arraeigned Epistle to Ber. p. 12 13. * New Rome Vnmask'd p. 51. * Converted Quaker p. 8. New Rome Vnmask'd p. 58. Converted Quaker p. 8. New Rome Arrained p. 11 15 18 47 * Canes Timidi vehementius Latrant Added and Contemning his Magistrates ☜ Quakers Viudication p. 4. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ * P. 26. Serious Appeal
A Sober Expostulation With some of the CLERGY Against their Pretended Convert FRANCIS BVGG His Repeated Gross Abuse of the People called QVAKERS in his Books and Pamphlets viz. His New Rome Arraigned History of Quakerism Second Summons Picture of Quakerism And other Pamphlets which may serve to Invalidate the Authority of the Snake in the Grass as it refers to his Books He that inventeth a Slander is a Fool Prov. 10. 18. A Fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14. 16. He flattereth himself in his own Eyes until his Iniquity is found to be hateful Psal. 36. 2. London Printed for T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street and at the Bible in Leaden-hall-Street near the Market 1697. ERRATA PAGE 2. l. 23. for Principle read Principal p. 6. l. 4. r. to his p. 7. l. 28. f. Antimonarchicate r. Antimonarchical p. 8. l. 14. f. whither r. whether p. 30. l. 13. f. Letters r. Letter p. 31. l. 27. f. for r. so p. 32. l. 22 23. i. e. the first impression add a Parenthesis p. 52. l. 11. f. Thundred r. Thundring ibid. l. 31. f. in r. to p. 54. l. 21. f. Nature r. Name ibid. l. 24. f. Relation r. Relative p. 59. l. 7. f. snared r. skared p. 70. l. 2. f. Detection r. Detected p. 76. l. 8. f. Again r. Against p. 93. l. 14. f. placed r. places p. 98. l. 10. add in the Margent See p. 104. p. 104. l. 20. add in the Margent See p. 98. p. 108 l. 22. f. Belief r. Relief p. 115. l. 24. f. who r. whom p. 120. l. 2. f. 's r. see ibid. l. 18. f. Witness r. Wretch TO THE READER Impartial Reader THE Ensuing Answers were severally drawn up soon after the several Books and Pamphlets of Francis Bugg referred to were Extant but the Printing thereof delayed thus long 1. That we might see what more he would bring forth be being a Contentious Scribler against us that they might be all Remarked if he brought forth any more of like Import 2. His other Books and Pamphlets published before these against us were mostly so fully Answer'd and his Apostacy Malice and Abuses so fully and clearly Detected that his evil and fruitless Attempts are of so little Credit with all Sober Indifferent Persons that have viewed them that we thought our selves the less obliged to use Expedition in the Publication of particular Answers to each 3. We finding him not able to Clear himself from his many Lies Slanders Absurdities and Contradictions Charged upon him in our former Answers nor to make any Rational Replies Answers or Rejoinders thereunto but rather to repeat and impose his former Gross Abuses instead of fair Proofs that the less Credit they are of the less we are affected therewith and the less concerned to follow him with expeditious Answers or Replies And the Reasons why this present Expostulation is divulged is 1. Because we have found no Redress upon our Application and Complaints of his foul Abuses to those of the Clergy whom he seems to Esteem and Affect but that they have rather Strengthened and Incouraged him in his perverse Gainsaying and injurious Abuses and Misrepresentations of the People called Quakers either by their esteeming him an Eminent Convert or giving Certificates in Applause of his Work against the said People 2. Because the said F. Bugg seems to have that Esteem with some of the more Envious Persons even of the Clergy that his Vnjust and Confuted Authority is made use of and quoted against us to Reproach us particularly in that most Virulent Malicious and Persecuting Book stiled The Snake in the Grass 3. Because he does not only boast and flatter himself in the Commendation and Encouragement of those his Ministers concerned but also has most presumptuously and unwarrantably proceeded to divulge an Impeachment on behalf of the Commons of England against our Yearly Meeting also very imperiously from his own Arbitrary Vsurped Authority given out divers Summons and Threats against particular Persons of our Friends who are the King 's Peaceable Subjects And that the Abominable Pride Presumption and Imperiousness of this Pretended Convert may be the more obvious I shall here insert one of his late Summons's sent in Writing to several Places and Persons named as followeth A Third Summons TO John Hubbard Thomas Brewster John Haws Edward Dikes Sen. John Peacock of St. Ives John Cranwell Joseph Carver Samuel Hallifield William Mead Simon Burgis Ambrose Friend John Knight Hearers among the Quakers to bring forth George Whitehead to stand to his own Proposition in his Printed Sheet deliver'd to the Parliament Anno 1698. Intituled The Quakers Vindication c. p. 4. or else your selves to give me a Meeting and timely Notice thereof within Twenty Miles of my Dwelling and then and there openly and publickly justifie the Books of your Teachers or if not possible for you so to do then to Condemn the Errors contained in them for the prevention of further Controversie thereabout if not then know that my Hand will be still heavier upon you if God permit July 20. 1696. Fra. Bugg Sen. Now I shall not need to make any long Remark upon this Summons the Matter bespeaks it self and what Pride Presumption and Insolency it proceeded from in the Man thus to assume to himself a Power to Issue out such a Mandatory and Menacing Summons to so many Persons in divers Counties and Places as London Suffolk Norfolk Norwich Huntingtonshire where the Persons summoned severally reside to bring forth G. W. or themselves to meet him within Twenty Miles of his Dwelling and hereof not to fail at their Peril that is of his heavier Hand upon them See the Ambitions Presumption of this Imperious Person he can presume to Impeach Men in Behalf of the Commons of England he can Issue out high Mandatory and Menacing Summons in his own Name to the King's Subjects to bring forth such a Person as he has most spight against or to appear themselves before his own exalted Highness upon Pain of bringing them under his heavy Hand being threatned that his Hand will be still heavier upon them but all this without producing any Parliamentary or other Legal Authority for such Impeachment Summons or Threat If F. Bugg and his Abettors of the Clergy had such occasions of Advantage against any of us called Quakers which thus affects the Civil Government tending to Infringe the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects I am apt to think we should be rendred highly Obnoxious and Arbitrary if not Guilty of High Misdemeanour but I leave that Matter to the Impartial and Judicious to judge of as I owe him no Ill-will I would not hurt his Person or render Evil for Evil or Revenge upon him His Commanding the Persons Summon'd to bring forth G. W. to stand to his own Proposition mentioned is a meer empty idle Boast false and groundless Crack and Vapour he knows in his own Conscience and 't is well known to many in this
Substance thereof as a Defence of Eternal Truths which Implies our Offence against the same according to his Misrepresentations thou wishest our Wrangling at an end and that thou couldest stop me too I am wholly on the Defensive Part for Truth and an Innocent People against that Wrangler F. Bugg Stop him and our Controversie Ceaseth seeing thou mayest Diswade him from Writing against us for his Writing bitter Calumnies will not be any Credit to thee or others his Approvers or Abettors 'T is true Jesus Christ is the Name of a Mediator and so given to him upon his Incarnation howbeit as the Son of God who is both the Saviour and the Anointed was before even before Abraham was and was the Spiritual Rock that all Israel Drank of Thou Writes Moderately in saying thou Believest we mean the same thing but my Question was Chiefly to thee about F. Bugg's Doctrine viz. It was not Jesus Christ for whom the Body was Prepared It was not Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh. This appears not Consistent with the Apostles Doctrine 1 John 4 2 3. I desire thou mayest see all my Answers to F. Bugg and particularly that one Sheet Entitul'd A Charitable Essay c. Though I Charitably think as thou sayest for some Reasons thou may'st Disswade F. Bugg from Writing yet he has Divulged another Book Stiled Quakerism c. Which is as bad as the rest But I excuse thee in my Answers for not preventing its Publication because I suppose his was in the Press before mine came to thee From thy Friend and Well-wisher Geo. Whitehead CHAP. IV. A Sober Expostulation with certain Persons of the Clergy against their pretended Convert Francis Bugg his repeated Gross Abuse of the People called Quakers Will. Smithies â—saac Archer You are Persons concerned in this Expostulation and to whom 't is particularly and in the first place applied for these Reasons BEcause of the Notice and Advertisements already given you against our Convert or Proselyte Frances Bugg's â—ross Abuses and Misrepresentations of the â—eople called Quakers 2. Because of the Approbations or Enâ—â—uragement given him therein by some of â—â—u especially by Isaac-Archer and others 3. Because since Advertisements given â—â—u thereof he the said F. Bugg has proâ—â—eded not only to divulge a Second Edition 〈◊〉 his Defaming and Scandelous Book Stiâ—â—d New Rome Arraigned but also in his Additions annexed thereunto he does Scornfully Insult and Boast of your Approbation 4. You being Previously so plainly Advertised of his Abuse and not Reformed having been Encouraged by you 't is thought but Just and Reasonable it should be thus Publickly Manifest who are his Approvers and Encouragers therein and for your farther Trial whether you 'll yet acquit and clear your selves of his Contentious Work of Envy and Persecution Now you may Remember how that in my Letters to you I gave you Information and Caution of your Approved Convert F. Bugg his Notorious False Charges and Gross Calumnies against the People called Quakers some whereof I again Recite to you as followeth 1. He Chargeth them With denying Jesus of Nazareth 2. Contempt of Holy Scripture 3. Calling us Perjured Persons for our Negative Testimony against his so Charging us And thereupon Forging his Mock-Trial and Answers in our Names with the Form of a Pillory and therein Scandalizing divers Citizens and Tradesmen in and about London as Perjured Persons tho' Persons of good Repute and Credit thereby affecting not only their Christian but Civil Reputation 4. Contempt of Governors and being against Magistracy in Principles he also Charges upon the said People giving them these Characters viz. New Rome Rome's Sister the Papists their Brethren and Followers of the Step of the Jesuits 5. Terming one of their Approved Ministers her Chief Cardinal i. e. New Rome's 6. Our Declaration to the King and Parliament for the Holy Scriptures being given by Divine Inspiration he Renders Deceitful and Contrary to our Belief and to serve a Turn 7. He Accuseth the said People with Reviling Christ's Ministers and Contemning his Magistrates Vndervaluing Christ's Death and Sufferings All which are Expresly contrary to our Faith and Principles 8. Terming us the said People Black Guard of Lyers Impudent Imposters Cowards Horrible Blasphemers Wretched Imposters and such as SIMON MAGVS never exceeded Cum multis aliis With many more such like Gross Calumnies and Rayleries which Bugg's Malicious Books are stuff'd withal to Render us Odious and Obnoxions in the Eye of the Government and Nation for which the Righteous God will Judge him and his Abettors for such his Intollerable and Mischieveous Attempts And as to our said DECLARATION to the King and Parliament For the Holy Scriptures being given by Divine Inspiration It was and is sincere on our parts and in the sight of God according to our Belief and Principle as by many of our Books and Publick Testimonies is clearly Evinced as also that we highly Esteem and Value Christ's Death Sufferings and Sacrifice for the Reconciliation of Mankind unto God as by the Harmony and Concurrence of our Publick Testimonies and Solemn Confessions is clearly and fully Demonstrated whatever F. Bugg and his Abettors have Suggested to the Contrary against us As to F. Bugg's Rendering our said Declaration and Testimony for the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures DECEITFVL on our Parts New Rome Arraigned p. 40 and 42. This is to Endeavour to Invalidate and Destroy a' Principal Condition of our present Liberty And is it not to Confront the Government 's Acceptance of our said Declaration also Now Isaac Archer thou mayest Remember that in my Letter to thee upon F. Bugg's Unjustly and Maliciously Representing the said People called Quakers under those Black and Offensive Characters of New Rome Rome ' s Sister and as Brethren to the Papists c. Consequently no better nor other than Papists I asked thee these with some other Questions Q. 1. Does not this greatly tend to Gratifie the Popish Interest and to Lessen and Injure the Protestants and Consequently to Contradict the Government 's Legally Recognizing us to be Dissenting Protestants 2. What Ingenuity or Prudence hath Bugg or his Abettors shewn in thus Representing such a Body of Protestant Subjects as being Papists 3. What Regard or Respect to the present Government or Care of the Protestant Religion have you his Approvers therein Manifested on your Parts 4. And what Reputation Credit or Honour to thee Isaac Archer will thy Approbation of F. Bugg's thus Writing against us be when further Exposed to be taken Cognizance of c. 5. Whether his Contradicting the Government 's Recognizing us by Law as Dissenting Protestants by his Defaming us as Papists c. Be not Seditious in the Nature and Tendency thereof as tending to sow and stir up Strife and Variance amongst Protestant Subjects c. 6. Concerning Bugg's Assuming a Power as a Judge and in his own Name to Try Examine Sentence and Condemn Citizens and Tradesmen c. who are
the King's Subjects as Perjured Persons and to the Pillory and that in their Absence too and some of them Persons he never knew as he has since declared and in his Mock-Trial Forging False Answers in the same Person 's Names and then Erecting the Form of a Pillory with Twelve Pictures and the first Letters of the Names of the Persons thus Condemned and Scandalized by him and the Word Perjury set over them to Ridecule them with such Gross Forgery Now we Query of you his Approvers whether such his Proceedings be Warrantable either by the Law of God or Man With several more Queries and Matters to thee Isaac Archer in my Letters Relating to F. Bugg's Abuse and my large and Friendly Letters also to the said W. Smithies containing much in Substance of the same Matters which yet remain unanswered by you or either of you save only a few Lines I had fâ—om thee Isaac Archer which is not all Answer to the Queries neither does it yet appear that you have given him any Real or Effectual Check to stop his Abuse and Calumnies as you were Cautioned but rather he has persisted therein and Boasts of your Approbations as followeth F. Bugg Proceeds in his Preface p. 3. thus viz. Poor Proud Man i. e. G. Whitehead I say this Considered I shall allow Mr. Archer Room for his whole Approbation and Recite the Substance of two or three Letters from some other Clergymen and the Request of three others besides an Independant Preacher that so be G. W. may see that both Conforming and Nonconforming Ministers are not ashamed to appear in Favour of what I Write nor afraid of G. Whitehead who acts more like a Lord Chief Justice than an Humble Quaker Answ. 1. If you his Approvers are not ashamed so to appear in his Favours you may be I persume you have given your Approbations too Early before you could have or see our Answers And I Question whether either you Conforming or Nonconforming Ministers who have been so early in your Approbations for F. Bugg have ever yet seriously Perused our Answers and Confutations of his Notorious Lyes and Calumnies against us but have rather brought your selves under great Blemish and Guilt by such your Approbations and I must tell you it was a very Unadvised and Indiscreet Act in you to be so Forward and Early in your Approbations and Judgments for F. Bugg's Books against the Quakers without hearing both Parties Fully and Impartially such Percipitancy and Injustice will never Redound to your Honour or Reputation who are the Clergymen and Ministers Conforming or Nonconforming who have shewn your Favours and Approbations of this pretended Convert for much Boasted of by him His Parish Minister's Approbation which he chiefly Boasts of thus Stiled and Cited viz. Mr. Archer Minister of Milden-Hall in Suffolk the Town where I Dwell his Approbation c. As there is Joy in Heaven over a Sinner Converted to God as to his Morals so when the Erroneous turn to the true God as to his Intellectuals Truth and Goodness being his Infinite Attributes the Shadow of them for in the Creature they are no better are Equally Pleasing to their Author Hence I may shew my Joy in that my Neighbour Bugg is returned from his Errors not as to his Life for he was Sober ever since I knew him but as to his Judgment as a Sign of which he has Laboured to bring over his Seduced Brethren which would they Read his Books might be done But I fear most of them are of the Mind of one of them that told me Thou mayest out Argue me but shall not Perswade me However I do own the Substance of this Book i. e. the first Impressionths as a Defence of those Eternal Truths 〈◊〉 which I hope for Salvation and which are a Comfort to me in my 〈◊〉 Peace be to those that own them and the Lord open the Eyes of such as deny them Isaac Archer By this the Reader may see what a Great and Eminent Convert F. Bugg is here Rendred and what Joy his now Teacher shews in his Conversion and by such his Approbation of F. Bugg's Work as a Defence of the Eternal Saving Truths and his Judgment against the Quakers as his Seduced Brethren he has joyned Issue with him therein against us but herein we deny their Judgment i. e. the Judgment and Condemnation of both Priest and Proselyte it being without Proof or Conviction Isaac Archer thou wast too forward in this Point thou hast given Approbation and Judgment for F. Bugg's Book it seems on its first Impression and against us before thou could'st have our Answers or Impartially hear both Parties Is this thy Justice or Judicial Way of Proceedure And dost thou think such Malicious Work as thy Disciple F. Bugg's will Convince us of Error if mistaken or bring Honour to thee or Credit to thy Cause Surely thou art Accountable to the Just God for thy Encouraging F. Bugg in his Unjust Attempts who when he has Recited thy Approbation then falls to Boasting Railing falsly and grosly Reviling instead of better Argument according to his wonted Course since he became your Convert pretended viz. Come G. W. quoth he I have found room to Recite my Teacher Verbatim but I want both time and room to draw the Exact Picture of G. W. who for Audacious Insolency Pride and Conceit for Scorn Contempt and Envy for Defaming Glossing Perverting and Subtilty for denying what you know to be true and affirming what you know to be false I say to set forth your Exact Picture in these and other the like Crafty Jugglings and Legerdemain c. it would require a Volumn Behold your Convert's Treatment Many such Storms of Raillery he Appears in in his Books and Pamphlets instead of Sober or Sound Argument wherein as I know in my own Conscience he has falsly Aspersed me Being also known to be a Person of better Fame than he Represents me so no Ingenuous or Impartial Men will take his Calumnies upon trust against me or my Friends but such as are so Enviously Credulous as to give away their Common Sence and Reason to believe his Reproachful Lyes and so joyn Issue with him in his False Judgment against the Innocent But he proceeds on with the Approbation given for him viz A Letter from Dr. Burrell SIR I heartily Congratulate your Return to our Church which doubtless is the most Eminent for Doctrine Worship and Discipline amongst all the Reformed Churches in the World I cannot but highly Commend your Pious Endeavours for this End of which I have received an Account from Mr. Gearing a London Minister I shall much Rejoyce in your success herein in order to undeceive them Poor Seduced People having therein Displayed many of the Intreigues of their Leaders Your Real Friend Nath. Burrell Observe here how far these Clergymen have Entituled themselves to F. Bugg's Work against the People called Quakers taking what he Writes for granted as Pious
Endeavours how Malicious soever without Regard to our Answers which evidently Detect and Refute his Impiety and Malice in his Frequently and Unjustly Aspersing us as a People Yet if this Doctor would but be so Impartial as seriously to Peruse our Answers he would see cause to be ashamed of his high Congratulation and Commendation of the pretended Pious Endeavours which he so Affectionatly has ascribed to F. Bugg and to Retract the same if he be not wronged in the Citation aforesaid A Letter from another Divine so Stiled by F. Bugg As nothing is more pleasing to the Eyes than Light so nothing is more grateful to the Understanding than the Discovery of Truth in which Respect you have certainly done A MOST ACCEPTABLE Piece of Service to your Country in Unvailing of the Falshoods Errors and Hypocrisies of the Quakers both because the Knowledge of the Truth is Delectable and also because Men being thereby forewarned of the Dangers of their Hypocritical Insinuations and Pretentions might else have drawn them into may be Enabled to avoid the Mischiefs thereof for which I think my self Obliged to return you my Thanks I having received a particular Advantage by your Discoveries But seeing by your Pains it plainly appears that you aim at the Advantage of Mankind which is both the Duty and Honour of all Men I am thereby Encouraged to begg the favour of a little further Information John Milme Observe This pretended Divine seems dipt into F. Bugg's Spirit of Envy thus to Condemn a People i. e. the Quakers upon trust without taking notice of their Defence 1st He Cries up F. Bugg not only as a great Discoverer of Truth but in the Superlative Degree as having therein done A MOST ACCEPTABLE Piece of Service to his Country 2dly Then without Proof i. e Cries down the Quakers Charging them with Falshoots Errors Hyppocrisies Hypocritical Insinuations c. By all which he has as highly Espoused Bugg's Cause and shewn as much Envy as any that have taken his part and deserves as much to be charged with his Abuses and Calumnies against the People called Quakers seeing he so Frankly takes F. Bugg's Bitter and False Invectives against us to be such a real Discovery of Truth and so Obligingly returns him his Thanks for the same whereupon F. Bugg seems greatly Elevated and highly Cracks Boasts and Vapours on this wife viz. Come Imperious George that you may see to your Grief that the Publick Ministry both Conforming and Nonconforming are not afraid of your Threats and Menacings to stand by me in what is Right c. Preface p. 5. Q. 1. But did you the Ministers that have thus Approved and Encouraged F. Bugg in his Work of Envy give him order or leave thus to Expose your Approbation and Names in Print Q. 2. I desire to know of you if you 'll stand by and vindicate his Books and Charges therein against the People called Quakers both as to Matters of Doctrines and Matters of Fact Q. 3. I desire to know of you if you Approve of Bugg's thus Bragging and Boasting of your Approbations in Print Q. 4. And whether you did see and seriously peruse our Answers or any of them to F. Bugg before you gave him your Approbations or returned your Congratulations before Cited In his Postscript he also Scoffs Boasts and Insults telling me How smooth I appear in my Letters to his Mr. Smithies and Mr. Archer Whereupon he says viz. Methinks I hear you say Good Gentlemen be so kind to us the Distressed and Perplexed Quakers as to stop F. Bugg from Writing against our Errors c. But he never heard me thus Flatter or Complain in 's Days tho' I did write to those two Clergymen as before to shew them some of his foul abuses and Calumnies that they might have Corrected or Stopt him if they would have been so just but instead thereof concerning them of the Glergy of England he tells me Postscript viz. As they never put me upon Writing against you so I can assure you they are far enough from stopping me therefore you must get other Advocates than such who have given me thanks for my Labour and Service done to the Christian Religion and Protestant Profession Now come Isaac Archer William Smithies Nath. Burrell Gearing and Jo. Milme What say you You may see how F. Bugg Boasts of your Thanks for his Labour But what Service can you think he has done either to the Christian Religion or to the Protestant Profession by falsly Aspersing a Protestant People and Society as Papists New Rome I hope you 'll see cause to Retract such Thanks Congratulations and Commendations of your pretended Convert's Work of Envy Falshood and Persecution as 't is abundantly proved in our Answers particularly 1st In that Entituled Innocency Triumphant over Insolency and Outrage of a Self-Condemned Appostate 2. In that Entituled The Counterfeit Convert 3. In that Entituled The Quakers Vindication against Bugg 's Calumnies With divers others never answered by him He now tells me That neither did Col. Goldwell ever Reprove him but always Approved of the Substance of what he wrote and approved of his delivering the Sheet to the Parliament c. I am sure with others Col. Goldwell told several of us the Contrary namely That when three of us shewed him the Injury Bugg had done him i. e. by dedicating his Scandalous Books to him in hopes of his Patronage he the said Col. Goldwell signified to us that he was not made privy to his Dedication for he knew not of it before it came forth and had shewed his dislike thereof as is more fully related in my Answer Innocency Triumphant p. 67 68 69 70. Now for F. Bugg Contrarywise to Alledge that Col. Goldwell did never reprove him but always approved of the Substance of what he Wrote c. This is not only to Contradict the said Col. in what he Possitively told William Mead G. Latye and my self but further to add to his Disrepute and Disparagement as an Approver of such Scandalous Pamphlets as those of Bugg's particularly that of his New Rome Arraigned with his Gross and Scandalous Mock-Trial Sentence of Perjury and Pillory against divers Persons of good Repute both Citizens and others but whether Col. Goldwell be to be Credited in his own Vindication of his dislike and severe advertisement as he told us against what F. B. wrote or F. B. in saying he never did reprove him but always approved thereof I say which of them to Credit in such Contradiction the Reader is left free to his own choice as may appear most probable to him the one being a Member of Parliament whose Reputation was the more concerned and the other proved an Envious Self condemned Grievous Revolier and Blackslider and Abusive Scribler against an Innocent People after owned by him and conversant among them for above 25 Years as the People of God and their Principle Doctrine and Ministry as being a Dispensation of the
Love of God to Mankind and that God blessed their i. e. the Quakers Meetings with the Comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence for many Years as F. B. has more fully declared for us in his Book stiled The Quakers Detected Printed 1686. Two Years after he had left our Communion and turned to the Church of England F. B. his Title of New Rome c. is a refuted Calumny unjustly cast upon the Protestant Subjects called Quakers Foxonian Quakers is a scornful Nick-name and no such distinction own'd by the said People His Charges of dangerous Errors and pernicious Principles tending to Overthrow the Christian Faith to obstruct the Jews Conversion to encourage MAHOMETISM and to pervert the right way of the Lord are also Perverse and Lying Aspersions and Calumnies which neither are nor can be proved by him or you his Abettors against the said People on due Examination besides his dubious Question on his own Charge renders him the more uncertain and questionable therein by his thereupon saying viz. Which whether so or no deserves the Examination and Consideration of the Christian Ministry of all Protestant Churches so short and dubious is he in his own Examination and Consideration tho' very loud clamorous and positive in his Charges wherein he does it seems but make work for others which he is never able to perform himself nor his Abettors Tending to Encourage Mahometism is a new as well as undue Charge what 's his pretended Reason or Proof for the same In his Preface to the Reader p. 2. His supposing That they do not believe Christ to be distinct from the Saints or from his Body the Church which he is Head of herein is a mistake yet this can be no proof of his Charges if by distinct from them be meant separate from them as may be rationally supposed for Christ and his Saints as to their Beings are distinct and not confounded yet not divided nor separated from each other in Spirit That they do not Pray in the Name of Jesus to God the Father thereby to own his Mediatorship is a notorious and publickly known Lie as Thousands can Testifie consequently far from proving his said Charges Nor make Confession of Sin to God in Prayer nor beg Pardon for the same are also two notorious Falshoods knowing that many who frequent our Meetings have great need of both sincere Confession Repentance and Pardon of Sin for Christ's sake and their own poor Souls But look at Christ within the Light within his Intercession within and so did all true Christian Believers who knew the Mystery of Christ in them who believed and walked in his Light and received the Spirit of the Son of God into their Hearts making Intercession and crying Abba Father We do not believe this to be any pernicious Principle either tending to Overthrow the Christian Faith or to Encourage Mahometism His Crucifixion within is not this to insinuate that they do not believe Christ Crucified without which is a perverse and injurious Falshood implied against them having often confessed Christ Crucified without on the Cross at Jerusalem as the Scripture testifies And if we should say that F. Bugg and such envious Apostates do Spiritually Crucifie Christ afresh unto and in themselves and put him to open shame by maliciously Reproaching his Truth and People this is not to deny his being Crucified without I cannot see any Mahometism from thence justly Chargeable upon us Neither does his following Objection prove us guilty thereof but himself very Ignorant of Christ and Christianity viz. Object Yet they have among them many good Exhortations and they own Christ to be the Word of God the Power of God the Wisdom of God will not this do Supposing they mean all to be within yea Heaven and Hell and all within c. Unto which F. B. the Framer of the Objection has Cited this for Answer viz. The Mahometans hold Abraham to be the Friend of God and Moses the Messenger of God and Christ the Breath of God and they Punish such as speak against Christ whose Religion was not say they taken away but mended by Mahomet Heylins Cosmog Lib. 3. p. 104. And our Saviour is called in their Alchoran The Word the Power the Soul and Strength of God c. Quoting the Lives of the Patriarchs Printed 1694. Answ. 1. The People called Quakers do utterly deny Mahometism 'T is not at all Concerned in their Principles or Religion being Christian and wholly Opposite to the Adoration of that Impostor Mahomot 2. They utterly deny that Christs Religion could be mended by Mahomet or any Man or Men else whatsoever 3. But if the Mahometans hold Abrham to be the Friend of God and Moses his Messenger and Christ the Breath the Word the Power the Soul and Strength of God and Quakers hold the same this can no more prove that their Principles and Doctrines tend to encourage Mahometism than that the Holy Apostles Doctrine did so for they held Christ to be the Word of God John 1. 1 John 5. 7. Rev. 19. The Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. Yea The Life Strength and Arm of God and a Quickning Spirit also Isa. 53. 1 Cor. 15. Could this be to Encourage Mahometism No sure 'T were Blasphemy to Assert it The Mahometans hold many Truths out of the Law of Moses corruptly mixt with their Mahometan Imposture and so do many Idolaters Apostates and Antichrists in Christendom does it follow that because the Quakers own those Truths that therefore they are either Mahometans or Idolators c. 2. That 's no good Consequence and but ill Argued at this Rate F. Bugg may as well prove any true Christian to be of any Religion and himself also a gross Impostor because he holds some Truths which gross Imposters c. hold Neither can he Mahometize or Unchristian the Quakers by his False Supposition viz. If they do not come to this Result to own the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Crucified Dead Buried Rose again and in the sight of the Galileans Ascended into Heaven Seeing we do Sincerely and Frequently and Publickly own and confess the same Jesus both in Print and Publick Testimony as Thousands are Witnesses that we Confess Jesus Christ come in the Flesh Born of the Virgin Mary that he was the Word which took Flesh and Christ also a Spirit even a Quickning Spirit 1 John 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 45. But F. Bugg Falsly adds this more Possitive Charge viz. And Publickly Condemn their Books which Teach the Contrary Preface p. 2. And what 's contrary but that the Quakers disown the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Mary which is a Notorious Falshood and Calumny And therefore I Challenge him and you his Teachers Abettors and Congratulators to produce those Books of the Quakers with the Pages and Words wherein the same Jesus is so disowned otherwise for shame Retract and Condemn this his Abuse and Calumnious Aspersion He
further proceeds in Justification of his most gross Forgery and Defamation against us viz. But they say I put up a Mock-Pillory I Grant I did and that to shew what they Actually deserved from their own Proposals to Authority Preface p. 2. Which Mock-Pillory was the form of a Pillory with Twelve Pictures standing with the first Letters of the Names of Certain Citizens of London and other Persons of good Fame and Repute with a Forged Mock-Trial grosly to Defame and Scandalize them as Perjured Persons for denying F. Bugg's False Charge in the first Edition of his New Rome Arraigned And now both his Mock-Trial and Mock-Pillory left out in his Second Edition Yet thus Unjustly Justified therein as what the Quakers Actually Deserved Oh! Abominable Falshood Insolence and Slander But what has he Actually Deserved Nevertheless in Contradiction to this his False Plea for his Mock-Pillory his Friend and Advocate Thomas Crisp in his Counterfeit Discovered p. 2. saith as he is informed That F. Bugg has acknowledged 10 G. Whitehead c. that he was sorry he had done it and that if it were to do again he would not do it that is set up his Feigned or Mock-Pillory But how does his Sorrow for it appear when now he tells us 'T was to shew what they i. e. the Quakers Actually Deserved Where 's then his Sorrow What say you his Watchers Was it a just Course to Convince us of Error that he took against us by his Mock-Trial and Scandalous Mock-Pillory Pray Answer plainly otherwise if you do not yet stop bis Current of Scandalizing and Defaming us your Encouragement and Approbations already given him will the more Affect you and Render you the more Culpable of his gross Abuses as partakers of his great Iniquity which will be no good Expedient to dignifie your Church or promote your Interest or good Fame I hope you 'll yet Consider it And further observe some of F. Bugg's Additional Forgery against us the said People in his own Words Preface p. 3. viz. Methinks I hear them say Come let us say he i. e. F. Bugg is a Pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition we must use all the Arts we have to stop him for he seems to follow the Steps of M. Luther that Apostate Adversary of our dear Elder Sister and if he goes on he will so unvail us that all People will know us and our Intreigues come let us Bespaâ—ter him and Cover him with some Frightful Beast's Skin and thâ—n set our little Currs to bait and Worry him to Abuse and Bespatter him in City and Country c. This I have found true Thus far F. Bugg Observe here this Piece of Forgery and Romance to Bespatter us and Suggest False Matters against us which he never heard the Quakers say but thinks he hears them so say which we cannot think he does unless he Dreams it But to shew his own Conceited Ambition and Pride how Puft up Swell'd and Bigg he is in his own Conceit as if he were such a Potent Invincible Antagonist when we very well know the Contrary how Feeble Impertinent and False he is And his Comparing himself to M. Luther as one in his Steps and Implying the Church of Rome to be our Dear Elder-Sister In the one appears his Proud Conceit and Vain Fmpty Boasting in the other his Notorious Falshood and Calumny As to his Charge of Blasphemous Pretences of Miracles against G. Fox whom he most Maliciously and Slanderously calls That Imposter Pref. p. 6. And why so But because G. Fox mentioned certain Miracles Wrought by the Power of God Not at all Ascribing them to himself or his own Power but to the Power of God in Answer to the fervent Prayers of his Servants and People among us in certain places But says F. Bugg not one of them i. e. Miracles said to be done in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth as in Acts 3. 6. Which Quoth he is a strong Argument of their Disowning Jesus of Nazareth c. Answ. 1. That Miracles both outward and inward have been wrought among us by the Power of God Consequently by Jesus Christ who is that Power F. Bugg cannot Confute If wrought by the Power of God then they must be in the Name of Jesus Christ for they are Indivisible and Inseparable 3. What Sincere and Faithful Regard and Breathings of Soul those our Friends Concerned had in their servent Prayers to the Name of the same Jesus of Nazareth F. Bugg is now as wholly Ignorant and now Insensible as his Argument and Consequence of their Disowning Jesus of Nazareth c. is utterly False it being by and through him that the Power and Spirit of God hath been made known among us in its Effectual Operations As to his Reciting the Quakers Books which he Falsly says carry two Contrary Faces Contrary Doctrines Contrary Principles c. In two Columns Opposite And then Aspersing their Leaders with the Depth of Hypocrsy Couch'd in them 'T is to none but to such as his own Evil Envious Eye his Dim and False sight that they appear so Contrary for to a Single Eye and Charitable Mind such Pretended or seeming Contrariety is easily Reconcileable As under the Title of The Perfect Quaker he Cites David 's Enemies Discovered p. 7. Thus viz. And these the Quakers do not call the Letter the Rule nor Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament and Gospel c. And in Opposition under the Title of The Counterfeit Quaker he Cites The Harmony of the Old and New Testament and the fulfilling of the Prophecies But he has falsly Cited the first to make them seem the more Contradictory for the Words truly Cited are these viz. And these i. e. Who witness the Life which spoke forth Scripture do not call the Letter the Rule and the four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament and Gospel c. Here Bugg leaves out and the four Books which he has not Proved to be both the New-Testament and the Gospel being not the Books Abstractly but the New Covenant and the Power of God therein Testified unto which Gospel was before the Books were and before Abraham was Rom. 1. Heb. 8. Jer. 31. Besides we owning the said four Books to be Books of the New Testament or Covenant yet they are not all the Books thereof there are more Books of the New Testament as that of the Blessed Acts of the Apostles and their Evangelical Epistles and the Excellent Apocalips which also belong to the New Testament so that the Harmony of the Old and New Testament relates to the Divine Testimonies or Doctrine of Christ contained in the Books Paul and other Apostles were Ministers of the Gospel not of the Letter but of the Spirit and of the New Testament or New Covenant which are one and the same yet did not thereby Contemn or Slight the Scriptures which Testifie thereof And seeing that I have Confessed that the Spirit or Life
Samuel David Elijah Job and others as no true but false Prophets because sometime mistaken See 1 Sam. 16. 6. 1 Kings 19. 14 15 18. Rom. 11. 4 See also Acts 23. 5. And in the Antient Approved Bibles see what Remark is in the Argument on Job it 's there said That Job maintaineth a Good Cause but handleth it Evil. Again his Adversaries have an ill Matter but they defend it Craftily Moreover he i. e. Job was assured that God had not rejected him yet thro' his great Torments and Affliction he bursteth forth into many inconveniences both of Words and Sentences c. yet Job was a holy and just Man and true Prophet in many things Our Bitter Persecutor would fain fasten Contempt of Holy Scripture upon the Quakers with these odious Assertions viz. That the Scripture is BEASTLY Ware that WHAT the true Prophets spake was false and WHAT the false Prophets spake was true c. Intro p. 13. These are three notorious Falshoods as well as gross Errors maliciously contrived to contradict our sincere Confession viz. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of Divine Authority as being given by Divine Inspiration c. and that we prefer the Holy Scriptures before all other Books extant in the World How sincere we are in such Confession we can refer to him that knows our Hearts to whom we Appeal against our Adversaries contrary unjust Judgment and gross Calumnies falsly representing us insincere even in these weighty Matters wherein the greatest Tenderness and Conscienciousness towards God ought to be exercised by us all Another gross Abuse our Bitter Adversary has committed against many of us who Signed an Epistle from our Yearly Meeting in 1675. which I must give some Account of here 1. He Cites these words out of our said Epistle viz. It is our Sence Advice Admonition and Judgment in the Fear of God and Authority of his Power and Spirit that no such slight and contemptible Names and Expressions as that Faithful Friends Papers which we Testifie have been given out by the Power and Spirit of God are Mens Edicts or Canons with such scornful Sayings be permitted Subscribed saith he by W. Penn G. Whitehead and others Introd p. 11. And what of all this This Advice related to such Papers and Epistles of Faithful Friends as concerned good Order and Discipline in the Church and for promoting pure Religion in Life and Practice and why should they be slighted or contemned as but meer Human Edicts and Canons What use does our Scornful Adversary make of this Observe what he saith p. 13. viz. But as for what G. F. c. wrote their Yearly Meeting Testifies it was given forth by the Eternal Spirit yea THE SAME MEN that charged their Disciples in the Name of the Lord not to call their Papers Edicts or Canons call the Scriptures Death Dust and Serpents Meat And what same Men He has told us before W. Penn G. Whitehead and others who Signed the said Yearly Meetings Epistle that they so called the Scriptures whereby he has greatly abused and shamefully belied the same Men i. e. W. P. G. W. c. for they disown the Expression and own the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures as first given by Inspiration from God and truly prefer them before all other Books extant in the World But how can that be in our Adversary's Account when he objects against it and us That G. W. avouches that what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth IN ANY is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and Greater c. He shews himself but very dull and impertinent in this Objection For we may prefer the Scriptures even the Bible before all other Books extant and yet not before the Spirit of Truth or the Immediate Powerful Teachings thereof in Man for that Spirit was before the Scriptures Writings or Bible were and only can give the true understanding thereof and therefore the Spirit of Truth may be preferred to the Scriptures and all other Books without any contempt or slight to them This Objection is more fully Answered elsewhere To our Adversary's saying viz. G. W. tells me I was but a kind of a Quaker and I think 't is the truest word in his Book I think I was not above a third part of one and that too much too p. 13. Thus he would fain winde off from the Reputation he had of a Quaker for 25 Years together he now miserably shifts and minces the Matter but manifestly contrary to his own Confession in his Quakers Detection p. 3 as before quoted to my Question Whether F. Bugg when a Quaker denied Jesus of Nazareth to be the Efficient cause of Man's Salvation He Answers I do believe I then did not hold the worst part of Quakerism c. Yet I do freely Acknowledge that I was in great Errors Particularly touching the Point of Justfication For I then Expected Salvation through my Obedience to the LIGHT which the Quakers taught was Sufficient to Salvation But since it pleased God to open my Eyes I believe that Salvation is attained through the Mercy of God is Christ Jesus by Faith in the Merits of his Passion and Obedience to his Precepts p. 14 15. Observe here 1. He now counts it a great Error to Expect Salvation through Obedience to the Light without Distinction of What Light 2. He Opposeth the the Sufficiency of the Light for Salvation And 3. Attaining Salvation through the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus Faith in his Merits and Passion and Obedience to his Precepts These he Opposeth TO Obedience to his Light and Expecting Salvation through the same These he sets in Opposition as one that expects Salvation through the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus and by Faith in his Merits and Obedience to his Passion without Obedience to his Light For that End Expresly Contrary to Christ's Doctrine and his Apostles Testimonies 1. Christ Commanded Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light And this Believing in the Light was a necessary Act of Obedience in order to Salvation 2. Christ saith I am the Light of the World he that followeth Me shall not abide in Darkness And the Apostle James Exhorts to a Receiving the Ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul And this Word is both Light and Life In him was Life and that Life was the Light of Men Therefore the Light is Sufficient to Salvation 3. Salvation through the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ true Faith in his Merits and Suffering for us and Sincere Obedience to his Precepts cannot be attained nor performed without Faith in and Obedience to his Light it was the Mercy of God to us to afford us Light to lead us out of Darkness For Men in Darkness are Blind and as such cannot see the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus nor true Faith in his Merits or Suffering For 't is in Walking in the Light
as for a Convenient Place which B. A's was esteem'd to be he could neither except against the Place or Time when proposed to him at Jacob Frankling's the of the Twelfth Month 1693. before several Witnesses And I did not propose to F. B. any uncivil confused tumultuous or populous Meeting to Debate Matters if I had he might justly have rejected my Proposal but a Meeting of a few Sober Moderate Persons to be Witnesses only of what passed and such did meet with me at several Convenient Places in London but were disappointed by F. B's keeping away 2. The Conditional Retraction proposed by him was afterward contrived for an evasive shift when he saw I was in earnest and resolved to meet him before some Witnesses as proposed and appointed several Times and Places in London so to meet him giving him timely notice aforehand and waited for him several Hours but he would not Adventure to come and give me Meeting for a fair Disquisition of Matters in Controversie unless I would either submit them to the Judgment and Determination of Persons of a contrary Perswasion or aforehand engage to such a Conditional Retraction as he proposed all which appeared designed shuffles and shameful evasions to shun Meeting as aforesaid contrary to his own Word and Acceptance before-cited as may be seen more at large in my Answer Entituled The Counterfeit Convert a Scandal c. from p. 1 to 9. and yet he has a most insolent and odious Custom of boasting cracking and upbraiding at a distance and falsly telling the World that Whitehead evaded and shuffled i. e. from Meeting him p. 2. which was his own act not mine but a notorious and gross Lie as many then present can testifie how many Hours I waited for him time after time and my Letters and Challenges also wherewith I followed him from time to time if he durst but produce them in Print they would manifestly decide this Matter between us wherein he most falsly asperseth me with his own Act of evasion and shuffling as if he were such a Potent Goliah and formidable or frighting Adversary Alas poor empty cracking boasting insulting Reviler Our Adversary again falsly Charges Is. Pennington saying he denies Christ which by the way is an abominable Slander on that Innocent Man and calls Him that was Born of the Virgin a Veil c. and then saith Yet G. Whitehead the Counterfeit Quaker in his Book Stiled The Counterfeit Convert c. p. â—2 vindicates him What in denying of Châ—ist Oh horrible Falshood saying Aâ—d tho' I have evinced Is. Pennington's meaning on his words reflected on about the Body or Flesh of Christ it follows not that I make his Expressions mine seeing I note them as his for says G. W. I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same c. Then our Adversary goes on Canting Taunting and Abusing us from this passage as with Equivocating Jesuitism with a Witness or Arius risen again under a new form and figure c. But herein our scornful Adversary has insinuated most grievous Lies against me and others 1. As denying Christ. 2. As intending the same 3. Yet otherwise word the Matter to Equivocate and act the Jesuit Now pray you his Approvers observe how notorious his Abuse and Calumny is in this very Matter That I was dissatisfied with wording that Matter in some recited Expressions I grant but that Is. Penington's meaning or mine either was to deny Christ I utterly deny Observe the passage at large quoted Counterfeit Convert p. 72. which is this viz. I know no Contemptuous Speeches of our Lord Jesus or of Scriptures excused consequently much less owned by me And tho' I have evinced I. P's meaning on his words reflected on about the Body or Flesh of Christ it follows not that I thereby make his Expressions mine seeing I note them as his I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same We have not the same Expressions and Utterance in all Cases and yet may aim at and mean the same thing but never to contemn our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Holy Scriptures which testifie of him in any respect far be it from us so to do Therefore T. C. yea and F. B. too have grosly wronged and misrepresented us in these Matters Now pray observe here 's no such Concession or Grant as F. Bugg would insinuate viz. That either Is. Penington denies Christ or that I vindicate any such denial or him therein but the contrary far be it from us either to contemn or deny our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Holy Scriptures for they testifie of him wherein is not the least Equivocation or Jesuitism Counterfeit Two-fac'd Quakers as Bugg unjustly and scornfully brands us who has not only made eight or nine Repetitions of my words about seeing cause otherwise to word the Mâ—tter and yet our Intentions the same but also impertinently and unjustly applies them to sundry and divers Matters to which they were never intended and that designedly to render us as odious as he can as for instance he applies the said words of mine aforesaid as if our Intentions tended 1. To a Denial of Christ. 2. To a Denial of Preaching a Belief in Christ as he is in Heaven above p. 3. Q. Anat. 3. To a Contempt of Holy Scriptures contrary to our Confessing the Divine Authority thereof p. 4 5. 4. To what he calls Anti-Magistratical Principles p. 5. Implying that the Quakers intend all these whatever they seriously confess or profess to the contrary whereupon the Nick-name of Counterfeit Quaker is frequently cast upon us by this Implacable Adversary It would fill a Volume to set forth and enervate all his Scurrilous Abuses Raileries Absurdities Forgeries gross Slanders and Calumnies in these and many other Matters And further to pacifie our angry Adversary as to what he has noted Fundamental Errors Damnable Heresies c. tho' I cannot in Justice Charge the Persons accused in their Absence as 1. God that died in us c. 2. And that when Christ ascended he was separated from his Body 3. And that Faith in Christ without us as he Died for our Sins and Rose again was not necessary to OUR Salvation p. 37. These I do really disown as contrary to my Sence and Judgment and to Holy Scriptures Testimony as sincerely believing 1. The Only True and Living God is Immortal 2. That Christ visibly Ascended in his Body 3. And therefore that Christ did not only Die for our Sins but Rose again for our Justification and consequently that Faith in him as he so Died and Rose again and Ascended into Glory is necessary not only to our Salvation but to all others that have certain Demonstration or Proof of the same afforded unto them either by an Effectual Living Ministry or Revelation of the Spirit The unbelief thereof when so demonstrated I count as real a Sin and