And before I came to the Bar I was moved to pray that the Lord would confound their Envy and the thundering Voice answer'd I have glorified thee and will glorifie thee again And I was so filled full of Glory that my Head and Ears was filled full of it And that when the Trumpet sounded and the Judges came up again they all appear'd as dead Men under me c. G. Fox Alluding to John 12.28 16.14 17.1 Now you that are Disciples to G. W. pray measure the Truth of the printed History of G. Fox his Travels if you find his Glorified State fairly related as it is in his Book above recited you may be assured there is some Truth in it if not you may without breach of Charity conclude the said History a Romance a partial Story some true some false some put in some left out pieced and patched mended and painted BOOKS written by Fra. Bugg 1. DE Christianae Libertate 2. The painted Harlot both stript and whipt c. 3. Reason against Railing c. 4. Innocency Vindicated c. 5. The Quakers detected c. 6. Battering Rams against New Rome c. 7. One Blow more at New Rome c. 8. New Rome unmask'd c. 9. New Rome arraign'd c. 10. Quakerism Withering c. Besides a Letter to the Quakers and a Sheet to the Parliament c. ERRATA PAge 3. lin 12. dele thing p. 40. l. 9. for never read seldom p. 43. l. 27. for recommended r. mentioned p. 52. l. 23. for 2 s. r. 20. p. 58. l. 27. for Hen. r. John p. 71. l. 20. for less r. weaker p. 60. l. 14. for they out r. they cut p. 68. for Rose r. Rofe Quakerism Withering BUT Christianity Reviving The Introduction Courteous Reader THE main thing I intend is a Defence of my Sheet to the Parliament from the False Glosses of George Whitehead in the Quakers pretended Vindication and to shew wherein I have offer'd to meet George Whitehead to debate matters wherein he says I have wronged the Quakers which I am not conscious of And this I did first in answer to his Challenge p. 4. viz. To make it appear before any six ten or twelve competent Witnesses which cannot be rationally thought to be Quakers in regard they are Parties concerned So likewise did I offer to debate the matter when I allowed him to have Quakers upon condition that what they could not Justifie he should Retract which is according to their Offer in like Cases as in the Epistle in the front of Edw. Burroughs's Works c. viz. And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World That we may freely and cheerfully four ten twenty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for Dispute at any place and for what time and let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be of the True Church but found in Error c. renounce all their Religion and confess to all the World under their Hands that they have been deceived And upon these or any equal Terms would we willingly engage all or any one of these Sects c. As in New-Rome unmask'd p. 2. the said Challenge is by me then accepted and by G. W. in his Essay c. p. 7. rejected which also is W. Penn's method Again in my printed Sheet to the Parliament p. 2. I offer'd before ten or twelve impartial Men to produce every Book and Page which I therein quoted This I did then offer with the Sheet in my Hand and many Quakers present but none of them put me upon proof but G. W. in his pretended Vindication p. 4. said I G. W. freely offer to make it appear before any six ten or twelve competent Witnesses who are moderate Men of Sence and Reason that F. B. has grosly abused and perverted Truth and wronged the People call'd Quakers both in Charge Citation and Observation in his said Sheet c. Thus far then we agreed as to Matter of Debate I in my Sheet offer'd to produce every Book and Page quoted before ten or twelve impartial Men And G. W. offered to make it appear before any six ten or twelve moderate Men that I had wronged them So that nothing remained now but my coming to London to joyn Issue with G. W. and pursuant the 27th of January 1693. I did and sent him the Charge following which had he kept to his word any thing we had debated the matter but nothing would do with him but Quakers on his side which tho' I was loth yet upon condition of a retractation of what I proved against them and which they could not justifie I at last consented and to that I held them seeing it is as above observed their own method proposed by Edw. Burroughs and W. Penn to the Papists And whether I have not herein acquitted myself I leave the World to judge Francis Bugg's Charge against the Quakers 1. THEY deny Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be Christ and the efficient cause of Man's Salvation c. 2. Their Books are Blasphemous and their Practices Idolatrous 3. They deny the Scriptures by speaking contemptuously of them calling them Death Dust and Serpents-meat and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration 4. They despise the Ordinances of Jesus Christ as Baptism and the Lord's Supper saying They arose from the Pope and are no part of God's Worship to which their practice of laying them aside as useless say Amen 5. They undervalue the Death and Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ 6. They exalt their own Writings above the Scriptures and their own Sufferings above the Sufferings of Christ Observe that I do not charge these Errors upon all that go under the Name of Quakers as George Keith and divers others that are separate from the Foxonian Party who also charge them with Damnable Heresies and Doctrins of Devils and such Errors as no Protestant Society would tolerate c. as at large in their Book extant c. and as in New-Rome unmask'd c. I have more largely explained my self p. 68. to 71. Francis Bugg's particular Charge against George Whitehead 1. HE is a publick Defamer 2. A wicked Forger 3. A wilful Lyer 4. A gross Perverter 5. A false Glosser 6. A deceiver of the People This I offer to prove and when done before the same Men to answer any Charge which G. W. shall exhibit against me Francis Bugg Here follows the substance of the Letter I sent him as Cover to the Charge In answer to your faint Challenge in your pretended Vindic. p. 4. to meet me in any place in London I am come to prove both the general and particular recited Charge before eight moderate Ministers each of us to chuse four excepting against Quakers Ranters and Muggletonians but give you your choice whether to chuse the whole number out of the Episcopalians
some part of those holy Truths therein contained and yet this preaching is by their Doctrine Conjuration and Witchcraft c. 3dly You may perceive that G. W. and the Quakers do not call the four Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John either the New Testament of Jesus Christ or the Gospel and why His Brother Fox says 't is Dust Death and Serpents-Meat Yet to serve another turn Ellwood writing against W. R. in his Antidote p. 81 82. calls the Writings of the Evangelists The New Testament Scriptures of Truth c. Oh the Deceit and Self-contradiction of these Babel-Builders 4thly You may see they bring their own Nonsence in competition with the holy Scripture and New Testament Nay I shall prove by their Practice that they prefer their own Pamphlets before the Scripture and that beyond all their Glosses to the contrary 5thly That such as obey the Scriptures are bewitched from the Truth And therefore say they That is no Command from God to me what he commanded the Saints of old recorded in Scripture for alas what is the Scripture but a little Dust Death carnal Letter Husk Beastly Ware and they that preach out of it Conjurers notable Conjurers Babylon's Merchants yea Witches Devils Gormandizing Priests c 6thly They insinuate by way of Query That 't is doubtful whether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of Holy Writ or whether either or neither and so confound the Scriptures as to overthrow its Divine Authority suggesting that what is true the False-Prophets wrote and what is false the True-Prophets wrote and what is ill expressed and ill applied Wise and Good Men wrote and by a Natural Invertion all the rest by Wicked Men and the Grand Impostor And I think they by this time have made room for the Atheists and Papists This I must confess is such a cunning Stratagem of Satan and his Instruments as the boldest Jesuit that ever I read of never attempted the like And for more of it I refer to New Rome unmask'd c. p. 23. And by this time I hope G. W's Witnesses are convicted sufficiently and for time to come will not say the Quakers never said affirmed or believed that the holy Scriptures are Death Dust and Serpents-Meat c. But notwithstanding all this and much more that might be quoted of this nature yet G. W. boldly imposes upon the World that though they call the Scripture Dust Death and Serpents-meat yet they do not call the holy Scripture so see their pretended Vindication c. p. 2. Essay c. p. 5 8. but say The holy Precepts and Doctrines they own And from thence they 'r called says G.W. holy Scriptures I grant it is for that very reason that the Christians call them Holy Scriptures But on the other hand I do positively affirm That it is for that very Reason that the Quakers call them Dust Death Serpents-meat Beastly Ware c. And this I will prove by the Practice of each sort viz. by both the Practice of the Christians and the Practice of the Quakers And first the Christians they read them in their Churches practice them in their Families particularly the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed think themselves as Disciples of Christ obliged to follow the Examples of the Primitive Christians and Holy Martyrs in frequenting the Ordinances of Jesus Christ as Baptism and the Lord's Supper and divers other Commands c. They believe the Scripture is given by divine Inspiration and infallibly true being by Wise and Good Men well expressed and rightly applied and that the true Prophets speak truly so that there is a sweet harmony in the Scriptures They believe also that Moses was the first Pen-man and divinely inspir'd and his Writings quoted by Christ and his Apostles see Mark 12.16 Luke 24.27 Luke 16.19 24.27 26 27 44. Acts. 2. And for these and the like Reasons they call it Holy Scripture But then Secondly if we must judge the Tree by the Fruit as Christ directed then the Quakers do not believe the Doctrin and Precepts recorded in Scripture to be either blessed or holy and therefore call them Dust Death Husk Serpents-meat Beastly Ware c. which I thus prove First By the very reproachful Language and contemptuous Expression you cast upon them as Dust Death Serpents-meat c. Secondly In that you do not read them in your Meetings for Worship nor recommend them to be read in your Monthly and Quarterly Meetings as you frequently do your own Epistles Thirdly Because you say That to preach out of them is Conjuration which you would not if you believed the Doctrines therein to be holy and blessed Fourthly By reason you lay aside as useless the Use of the Lord's Prayer Ten Commandments and the Apostle's Creed which are some of those holy Precepts contained in the Scriptures Fifthly In that you deny the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and do not practise them according to the Command of Christ Go teach all Nations baptising c. This do in remembrance of me c. For if they were sincere and did believe the Doctrin and Precepts were holy and blessed as they pretend you would at some time or other see a Bible in their Hands in a Meeting and make Confession of Sin and beg Pardon of God for Christ's sake which they never did Sixthly That from your Practice Words and Writings you do prefer your own Books Papers and Epistles before the Scriptures as in New Rome unmask d c. New Rome arraign'd c. For proof see your Yearly Epistle follows The 27th of the 3d Month 1675. IT is our Sence Advice Admonition and Judgment in the Fear of God and the Authority of his Power and Spirit that no such slight and contemptible Names and Expressions as that faithful Friend's Papers which we testifie hath been given out by the Spirit and Power of God are Mens Edicts or Canons c. with such scornful Sayings be permitted by W. Penn Alex. Packe Stephen Crisp George Whitehead and others Now I am apt to think as superstitious as you are that you did not ascribe Holiness to the Paper and Ink of your own Papers and Pamphlets But yet what Care what Caution what Advice and Admonition was sent out from the general Council not of Trent but London that no such scornful Expressions should be put upon your Friend's Papers as Edicts and Canons which indeed are not such contemptible Names And yet how do you charge them by the Authority of the Power and Spirit of God that no such contemptible scornful and unsavory Expressions be permitted to be cast upon your Papers which you say are given forth by the Power and Spirit of God So tender and careful you are of your own nonsensical Papers Epistles c. Here is no calling them Death Dust Serpents-meat Beastly Ware Carnal Letter Husk and the like no no yours were given forth you say by the Power and Spirit of God and consequently
the Doctrines contained in them in your esteem are blessed and holy and that is the reason why you are so tender and cautious of suffering any slight and contemptible Names and unsavory Expressions to be put upon them as Mens Edicts But as for the Scripture who knows says you whether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man or which part of Scripture was wrote so true that we may depend on it since what the Prophets wrote is false at least great part of it and thereupon you who are thus doubtful do not believe the Doctrine and Precepts to be holy And that doubtless is the Reason why you not only permit but your selves even the best of note amongst you call the Scripture by such unsavory Names and contemptible Expressions as Death Dust Serpents-meat Beastly ware c. Again by the care you take to spread your Books and Papers and not the Scriptures is self-evident that you do prefer your own Papers above the Scriptures See your Epist Renewed Advice to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales for spreading Friends Books for Truths Service Anno 1693. Dear Friends HAving at several Yearly Meetings considered how all those Books printed for the Service of Truth might most effectually be spread for a general Service to Truth That the Printer send to his Country Correspondents c. 1. For Friends to have general notice what Books are printed c. 2. That they may send for what quantities they want 3. That the Printer may be encourag'd in printing for Friends 4. That one Book of a sort may be kept in each Monthly and Quarterly Meeting Dear Friends It 's advised that ye be careful in spreading all such Books writ in defence and for the service of Truth whether by way of Epistle Caution Warning Exhortation or Prophecy that we may not be negligent in promoting Truth Record this Epistle in your Quarterly Book and sometimes read it for remembrance and notice Signed on the behalf of the Meeting by B. B. OBSERVATION Pray note what Care Caution and Industry they use to spread their Books working by Policy like Moles under ground little taken notice of until they turn up the Foundation Here is not a Word of Death Dust or Serpents-meat Beastly Ware c. No no nor not a word of Scripture-Proof in either of these Epistles I was minded to put a Sample of their Books and Epistles they write each to the other to be read in their Meetings in one Column and what they write to the World to decoy in another Column shewing their Books to be of two sorts of two Stamps and to carry two Faces as G. W. hath confessed of W. Smith's Primer One reads as F. B. hath quoted another reads the contrary and so is their general way But I shall exceed what I at first intended See what Labour and Pains here is to spread disperse and send up and down their Books to all the Counties in England and Wales In the Yearly Epistle p. 2. they tell them That in Germany their Books are dispersed and Epistles recommended to Barbadoes Maryland Pensylvania Virginia Scotland Holland Ireland but not a word of recommending the Scripture No their Language and Practice sufficiently discover their Disesteem they have for it and their way manner and care to disperse their Erroneous Books should re-mind all good Christians and especially Pastours and Teachers to assist in spreading such Books as are and have been wrote to detect their Errors particularly Mr. Norris's Book and divers others I shall conclude this with shewing the Quakers way of charging their Disciples to read their Epistles c. Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth c. Viz. I charge you in the Presence of the Lord God to send this Epistle amongst all Friends and Brethren every where to be read in all Meetings to you all this is the Word of God Geo. Fox Thus like the Pharisees of old they are making void the Holy Scripture by their Traditional Pamphlets which they esteem and prefer before Scripture as appears by undeniable Demonstration both from their Words and Practices and which G. W's 12 Witnesses may now perceive fairly proved The Fourth Charge against the Quakers They deny the Ordinance of Jesus Christ as Baptism and the Lord's Supper THat they deny these two Ordinances their Practices as well as their Doctrine sufficiently declare Yet in regard G. W. p. 2. says As for Baptism and the Lord's Supper Scripturally considered in their several Dispensations in their Figure and Substance we confess and own This is false as their Books declare viz. E. Burrough 's Works c. p. 51. The Bread and Wine is visible and carnal We see them But a Carnal Figure of a Spiritual thing The Figure is declared against For Christ never since he was Sacrificed brake of the Bread or drank of the Cup with his Disciples p. 581. we do deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God neither was it ever commanded of him or practised by the Saints but is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a Popish Institution and your Practice of it is Idolatry and not any part of the true Worship of God And as for your breaking Bread and drinking Wine we do utterly deny to be of God News coming up c. A Voice and a Word to all you Deceivers and Blasphemers who utter both your Blasphemy and Hypocrisie that tell People of a Sacrament and tell them 't is the Ordinance of God Blush blush and tremble you who live in the Witchery and bewitch the People c. To the like purpose see Smith's Primer p. 36. and the Musick Lecture c. p. 35. Where they are I was viz. In Performances in Ordinances in Family-Duties in Hearing in Reading in Prayers and Fasting but when I came to bend my Mind to that of God in me I durst not give God Thanks for the Victuals set before me c. Observe Here is E. B. G. Fox Sol. Eccles all great Prophets and W. Smith one of their Ministers who testifie both by Word and Doctrine as well as the whole People by Practice that it is no Ordinance of God but an Institution of the Whore of Rome no part of God's Worship but absolute Idolatry and that such as tell People of a Sacrament are not only Witches but Deceivers and Blasphemers and ought not only to Blush but Tremble c. And that though they had been in the Observation yet Quakerism hath so alter'd their Judgment as they confess they have laid them aside But still for the Quakers thus to charge the Church of England with a Popish Institution Idolatry c. and yet seek to them for Favour and a kind Acceptation 't is preposterous So that I might well say How could you have the Face to seek for Relief till you retract these Errors As to your Exception against Sprinkling and seeming thereby to allow of Dipping
Quakerism Withering AND Christianity Reviving OR A BRIEF REPLY TO THE Quakers Pretended Vindication In Answer to a Printed Sheet deliver'd to the PARLIAMENT WHEREIN Their Errors both in Fundamentals and Circumstantials are further detected and G. Whitehead further unmask'd By an Earnest Contender for the Christian Faith Francis Bugg Licens'd March 3. 1693 4. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched forth my hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh Prov. 1.24 26. LONDON Printed for the Author and sold by J. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry and J. Guillam Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street 1694. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND EDWARD Lord Bishop of Gloucester My Lord SINCE by Divine Providence after my many Years Conversation with the Quakers I heard the first Sermon by a Publick Minister in your Church whereby my Understanding was in great part cleared from those cloudy Mists which fell from the confused Notions and uncertain Doctrines of the Quakers I think my self bound in Duty to return Publick Thanks to God for that his Providence and Token of his Especial Favour as also to his Servants who labour in the Word and Doctrine and for the same however despised by the Ignorant are worthy of Double Honour And having been concerned in Conscience to unveil the Teachers of the Quakers who bring in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them I presumed to present your Lordship with the ensuing Discourse who as you know how to rebuke with all Authority such as wilfully maintain Errors so you also know how to bear with and forbear such as through Infirmity may unwillingly err I therefore do most humbly offer what I have wrote to your Lordships Perusal and shall most willingly submit to your Censure the Matters therein contained And if for want of Judgment in the Matters controverted I have wronged the Quakers I shall most willingly Retract and make them publick Reparation believing on the other hand that if they be found guilty of the Errors charg'd that your Lordship will think it requisite that they under their Hands make an ingenuous Retractation according to their Pretences in their printed Works I am My Lord Your Lordships most humble and most obedient Servant Fra. Bugg THE PREFACE READER PRovidence hath so attended me as that a Judicious Person beholding the Injustice of G. W. to me and especially his Pervertions of the Truths asserted by me have answered his Book falsely stiled Innocency triumphant c. by his Book stiled Some Animadversions c. so that I need say nothing in answer to it As for his large Quotation out of my Book De Christianae Libertate it was some years before I left the Quakers and which G. W. need not boast of for it was levelled at the Usurpation of their Womens Meetings and it gave Them a sore Wound as well as G. W. who wrote in favour of them And indeed the Matter suited the Subject and the Book so Methodised the Time considered as I am glad it was no worse though I am grieved to behold so much wrote by me without any mention of the Death and Sufferings of Christ his Resurrection Ascension and the Benefits accrewing thereby to Mankind and the more to consider how many there are led Captive as I once was to the Antichristian Doctrine of the Quakers for whose sake I have been concerned and had not G. W. withstood our words I do think there might have been a better Understanding than there has For my part I declare solemnly no Man can pursue an Accommodation with more Sincerity than I have done How have I wrote how have I woo'd and entreated that we might have a meeting to sentence what was wrong and to press after Truth And when I came to London November last before I printed the Sheet to the Parliament I wrote to G. W. that we might have a meeting that so he and I might engage a Retractation if need were And as this was pursuant to their own Proposal mentioned p. 2. so it might have had a good effect viz. I being now in Town if you will come to my Lodging you shall be welcome if you will have an hours private Discourse I will promise if you will do the like never to take notice of what passes or be both at liberty which you please If we can agree on terms to have a meeting with 6 or 8 of a side it may be a means to prevent farther Controversie If you do not think good to come to me if you invite me to come to your House or any other place I will c. This I wrote before I printed the Sheet deliver'd to the Parliament but he was so far from consenting to what I proposed that he gave me no answer to my Letter and when I saw that I knowing what they had done against me I thought it prudence for my own preservation as well as for a general Good to keep up the Test against Quakerism I mean the Oath for tho' they say W. Smith's Catechism p. 79. Quest And are you so disposed toward your Enemies as that you cannot seek Revenge c Ans Yes that is the disposition of our Nature not to seek Revenge though we do suffer Wrong for the Revenging Nature is in the Fall but it is not so with us whom God has redeemed c. I say notwithstanding this pretended Innocency I found the Quakers so fallen and so much unredeemed that I should rather fall into the Hands of Papists if they had power for had they power they would be as often in the Fall as out of the Fall as often in old Adam as in their new as often in the Unredeemed as the Redeemed State so the best way is to keep them out of Places of Trust and Government and then they can only bark and shew their Teeth Canes timidi vehementius latrant But since such as revenge themselves are in the Fall then they are not in their Star their Branch G. Fox for he said He was when living in a state beyond the First Adam that fell and in the state of the Second Adam that never fell That his very Marriage was above the state of the First Adam in his Innocency in the state of the Second Adam that never fell and that he never fell nor changed that he had power to bind and loose whom he pleased c. See The Quakers unmask'd p. 27. Surely then W. C. and G. W's other Creatures was all in the Fall and unredeemed out of G. Fox that never fell nor changed out of their Star out of their Branch notwithstanding their idolizing his Motions his Travels his Sufferings and meritorious Labours and Books printed and reprinted sent abroad and dispersed but lest G. W. leave out the History of his Glorified State in the Reprint I may Recite it see The Examination and Tryal of G. Fox at Lancaster Assize c. p. 21.
Principles two years after he left us and joyned himself to the Church of England c. For which he quotes my Book The Quakers detected and their Errors confuted To which I answer The very Title shews the contrary And in the Book I charge them with False Doctrin Erroneous Principles their Teachers Cruel Taskmasters Persecutors and Tyrants and that part of their Doctrin which was true as I still believe some little of what they teach is true served only as a Decoy to catch simple Souls by charging their Ministers with Lyes gross Forgery and scandalous Defamations Babel's Builders Pharasaical Hypocrites See p. 4 5 18 21. And now let the Wise in Heart judge whether I did not account the Quakers criminal in 1686. With what face then can this gross Perverter G. W. say I did not account them criminal in 1686. unless to be guilty of the forementioned be not criminal As by the Quakers persisting therein they should not account it However I did then and do now account them great Criminals both in Doctrin and Practice and for leaving them am not condemned but bless the Day that ever I forsook such an Heresie as I deem them to hold defend and I fear wilfully maintain The Matters in that Book treated on I methodiz'd under these three general Heads viz. The first point under Consideration was How I came to be a Member of their Society The second How I came to see their Errors and leave them The third How I came perswaded and satisfied in going to the Publick In the first I did set forth what I thought of them in 58 and 60. and what they preached and how innocent they appeared G. W. in Norwich-Castle seemed as demure as the best yet in that Book I set forth as I then believed that all was but a Decoy or Cheat to draw Disciples after them and if I was cheated and mistaken in them so was Hugh Latimore that learned Prelate in the smooth Carriage of the Papists and their Infallible Delusions who said I am ignorant of things which I trust hereafter to know c. Read Fox's Acts and Monuments c. p. 410 467 468 1325 1488. where Bishop Latimer Bishop Cranmer M. Luther Dr. Barns and other pious sincere Christians have not been too good nor too holy to acknowledge themselves mistaken upon conviction though by your Doctrin render d Apostates in that they once thought the Popish Doctrine true c. Nay your Incharity renders many of your own People Apostates who before they were deluded by your black Art of calling the Scripture Death Dust and Serpents-meat the Ordinances an Institution of the Whore of Rome the publick Ministers Witches Devils Gormandizing Priests c. thought the Doctrine of the Church of England sound and orthodox But since they are turn'd to the Heresie of Quakerism G. W. accounts them Saints Lambs Prophets and what not But as these Weights are counterfeit so I purpose to try them by the Touchstone of the Scripture which cannot lye And I refer to my Book New-Rome unmask'd c. containing more than 100 Pages in Quarto divided into twelve Chapters which shew at large that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith c. sold by Mr. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry and Mr. Guillam Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street Concluding my Introduction with St. Augustine Errare possum haereticus esse non possum The FIRST CHARGE Against the Quakers That they Deny Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be Christ and the Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation The ARGUMENT THE Method proposed to prove the recited Charge is 1st A brief Citation of Scriptures proving that Jesus is the Christ of God and Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation from the Testimony of GOD Angels and Men. 2dly A Recital out of the Quakers Books wrote by their most approved Authors alledging the contrary shewing them thereby to be of a different Faith from the Prophets Apostles Saints and Blessed Martyrs and all true Christians to this day 3dly That Geo. Fox the first Founder of Quakerism Anno 1650. have since assumed to himself those divine Attributes due only to Christ and thereby hath overthrown the Faith of some 4thly That his Disciples and Followers and such of greatest note amongst them hath said Amen to his Blasphemies by their frequent Adorations of him as the Star the Branch the Son of Righteousness c. 1st Scripture Texts proving Jesus to be Christ. John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Luke 1.26 And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Gallilee named Nazareth and the Angel said unto her Fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God and behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus 2.10 11. And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring unto you good tydings of great joy which shall be unto all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour Christ the Lord. Mark 9.7 Matt. 17.5 While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear him Matt. 26.67 Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands 27.38 Then there were two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand another on the left Ver. 50. Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yielded up the ghost 28.6 He is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord lay Acts 1.9 10 11. While they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up behold two men standing by them in white apparel which also said Ye men of Gallilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven then not in them in the Quakers sence for as he said with reference to his Person Matt. 26.11 Me ye have not always shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 5.30 31. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
Church that it was a figurative way of speaking the thing containing for the thing contained but I never knew this distinction touching our Blessed Saviour made by any others than the Quakers and their chief Reason is That they having the same Light Life and Spirit in their Bodies as was in his Body they would have every Man a Saviour every Man a Christ For as above they say The Name of Christ belongs to every Member of the Body as well as the Head And where ever they make an Approach to the true Professors of Christianity 't is only for a Decoy For as above observed they can never call the Bodily Garment Christ meaning him that was born of the Virgin but a Garment a Veil a Figure an instrumental Cause of Salvation but not the efficient the thing containing for another viz. for the thing contained For to call him that was born of the Virgin who suffered Death on the Cross Died Rose again and ascended this is but a metaphorical Speech the thing containing for the thing contained Thus have they robbed the Blessed Jesus of one of his emanent Attributes viz. of being the efficient Cause of Man's Salvation Thus do they dance the Rounds sometimes approaching to the Christian Professors as if they were in good earnest but by and by with a sudden turn they glide to their Brethren and insinuate by consequence That him that was born of the Virgin he is no otherwise a Saviour let the Episcopalians Presbiterians Independents and Baptists say what they will to the contrary than other good Men are c. P. 102 103. I dare not attribute to an External prepared Being That which is the natural and proper Work of the Divine Light But certainly if some Men in Scripture are entituled Saviours because of their Contribution of their Trials Travels and Labours towards the Salvation of Mankind of much more right is that Honour ascribed to him who had the Spirit without measure c. Observe the best Approach I take notice of is That they do seemingly allow him to have the Spirit without measure but I cannot call it otherwise than seeming since 't is but about eight Lines after where speaking of Salvation he says And to the Holy Manhood not any otherwise than Instrumentally which in the Paragraph above recited he there allows to good and holy Men and that as a meritorious Reward too viz. Because of the Contribution of their Trials Travels and Labours towards the Salvation of Mankind So that by the Quakers Doctrine good Men are Instrumentally Saviours And Christ himself is no more but Instrumentally a Saviour The First I grant as they are Servants to Christ and by his hand of Providence made use of towards the Conversion of others The Last I deny as an Heretical Doctrine which tends to rob Christ of one of his chiefest Jewels as the next Passage will demonstrate P 129. That nevertheless not to the Body but Holy Light of Life therein is chiefly to be ascribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but Instrumentally Observe how with one Shoulder they bear down the Blessed Jesus as only a Body instrumentally serviceable contrary to the Testimony of St. Luke and the inspired Apostles and Holy Prophets who foretold of the coming of the Just one And since 't is a great and precious Priviledge that we have the Holy Scriptures in a known Tongue that thereby we may have recourse thereunto to rectifie our Mistakes and help our Judgments and prove the Articles of our Christian Faith So am I willing to prove my Charge against the Quakers from plain matter of Fact out of their own Books writ by the most Learned amongst them and by the Coherence of their Doctrine confuted by Scripture Reason and Authority shall this Controversie be decided For if the good Deed of the Woman Matth. 26.13 done to Christ against his Burials shall be told of her so long as the Gospel is preached surely so long as the Gospel is preached shall there be War made against such false Teachers as shall thus bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Compleat Saviour c. But once more pray hear him P. 97 98. The Serpent is a Spirit Now no thing can bruise the Head of the Serpent but something that is Spiritual as the Serpent is But if that Body of Christ were the Seed then could he not bruise the Serpents Head in all because the Body of Christ is not so much as in any one and consequently the Seed of the Promise is an Holy Principle of Light and Life that being received into the Heart bruiseth the Serpents Head And because the Seed which cannot be that Body is Christ as testifie the Scriptures the Seed is one and that Seed is Christ c. And thus have I traced him in his divers Turnings and manifold Approaches sometimes to the Professors and back again to the Quakers until at last you see he denies the Body which was born of the Virgin to be Christ And the reason he gives is Because he is not personally in every Man and so no way capable to conquer the Serpent in them and therefore not the Christ But if they were humble and would forsake their Errours and by Faith lay hold of Christ who is the Seed of the Promise Gen. 3.14 confessing their Sins and begging Pardon for Christ's sake let them not doubt but the Head of the Serpent in them shall be bruised But if they thus contemn the Blessed Jesus who was born of the Virgin c. one calling him a Garment which they can never call Christ another because he is not personally in every Man he cannot be Christ and by and by the Name Christ belongs to every Member as well as to the Head for that they have Light Life and Spirit in them as Christ had another that Christ is not a Compleat Saviour otherwise than instrumentally nor no otherwise to be called Christ than metaphorically or by that common Figure or way of speaking viz. the thing containing for the thing contained I say so long as they continue in their Unbelief it s no marvel they complain so much of the Serpent's having Dominion in them The Sandy Foundation shaken c. P. 21. The Justice offended being Infinite his Satisfaction ought to bear a Proportion therewith which Jesus Christ as Man could never pay he being Finite and from a Finite Cause could never proceed an Infinite Effect For so Man may be said to bring forth God since no thing below the Divinity it self can righly be styled Infinite I have much more to say against the dangerous Errors in that Book which came lately to my hand but I spare the Author However by what is said 't is plain that they account him that was born of the Virgin but a Man a Finite Creature a Vail a Garment a Saviour instrumentally like other good Men and which they cannot call Christ Nay
that neither himself nor his Name was known in the World had a new Name plac'd in his Throne was Crowned inherited all things Christ in him might say I am the way the truth and the life alluding to John 14.6 And Fourthly He that had the same Spirit which raised Jesus was equal with God Which Spirit he pretended to have 2. How Fox's Disciples ecchoed back Adorations which answered as Face answers Face in a Glass for he could not magnifie himself but his Proselytes were ready to cry Hosanna First Oh thou North of England desolate the least of the Nations barren c. yet out of thee did the Branch spring the Star arise the Son of Righteousness appear c. Alluding to Micah 5.2 Numb 24.17 Mal. 4.2 Zech 3.8 And Secondly That his Life reigned and was spotless his eternal Honour and blessed Renown c. Thirdly A Prophet indeed compared to Christ as not known in the World though made by him Fourthly Precious George the Father of Nations whose Kingdom is established in Peace the Encrease thereof without end Alluding to Isa 9.6 7. And Fifthly That they received Life and Strength from him preserved by him could not reign but in his power begotten and nourished by him c. Upon the whole matter as there were never greater Blasphemies spake by Man than by Fox so never greater Adorations given to such a Sect-master And yet G. W. and W. P. in their Book Judas and the Jews p. 44. Serious Search c. p. 58. Judgment Fixed c. p. 19 26. Innocency against Envy c. p. 18. have Justified or Excused every Passage except John Audland's Letter which when charged therewith by the Athenian Mercury June 11.1692 G.W. did deny it to be of J. A's writing But we have the Original Letter and able to make it appear by comparing Hands to be his Nor did G. F. deny it in his Life-time albeit an Abstract thereof was Printed and Reprinted c. The Third Charge against the Quakers That they deny the Scriptures by speaking contemptuously of them calling them Death Dust Serpent's Meat c. and that to Preach out of them is Conjuration The ARGUMENT THis is one of their Errors I charged on the Quakers in my Book New Rome unmask d c. Epist Cr. 6. and p. 78. This G.W. procured Twelve Witnesses to testifie in the Holy Fear of God and on the behalf of the Quakers That they never so believed so said nor so affirmed Which was such a notorious Lye and calling God to Record I took it to amount to an Oath on their own Proposals to Authority And not knowing a better way to manifest them I erected a Mock-Pillory and Tried them and found them guilty on their own Premises But the main matter now before me is To prove the Truth in that particular both in the cited Book New Rome c. and the Sheet delivered to the Parliament And in order to it I shall first recite their contemptuous Expressions of the Holy Scripture and then confute their Arguments which they bring to salve their Errour And lastly shew That they extol their own Writings above the Scriptures viz. Their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures News coming up out of the North c. p. 14. And your Original is Carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and your Word is Carnal the Letter and the Light is Carnal the Letter and your Baptism is Carnal And their Communion is Carnal a little Bread and Wine So dust is the Serpents Meat their Original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death So the Serpent feeds upon Dust And their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter c. Saul 's Errand to Damascus c. p. 7. All that do study to raise a Living thing out of a Dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and draw Points and Reasons They are Conjurers and Diviners and their Teaching is from Conjuration which is not spoken from the Mouth of the Lord. The Letter of the Scripture is carnal and killeth c. G. F. David 's Enemies discovered c. p. 7. And these i. e. Quakers do not call the Letter the Rule and the Four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament or Gospel as thou i. e. the Publick Minister and thy Generation do thy Ministry is in the Letter which killeth G. Whitehead and Ch. A. Truth 's Defence c. p. 2. 104. You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the Fire as our Books and Papers For our giving forth Papers and Printed Books it is from the immediate eternal Spirit of God Burrough's Works c. p. 51. And herein you have been bewitched from the Obedience of the Truth within to obey the Letter without P. 47. That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another Neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scripture act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves The Quakers Refuge fixed upon c. p. 17. Whether the first Pen-man of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these or not one or whether there are not many Words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some Words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill applied some by good Men ill expressed some by False Prophets and yet true some by True Prophets and yet false c. Several Petitions answered c. p. 30. And whereas we are moved to write abroad shewing forth your Errors that if ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Writings ye will own them which are given forth by the same Power and Spirit c. A Brief Discovery of a three fold Estate c. p. 7. The Priests of the World are Conjurers raising dead Doctrines dead Reasons dead Uses dead Motives dead Tryals out of the Letter which is Death raising Death out of Death Notable Conjurers P. 9. Babylon's Merchants selling Beastly Wares The Letter which is Dust and Death Observations thereupon 1st Observe that they call the Holy Scripture Death Dust and Serpents-meat If they object they mean the Letter abstractly from the Spirit that 's but one of G. W's Juggles see their Paper against J. P. Aug. 10. 1670. viz. Whereas J. P. did bring to the Exchange several Books and Writings and amongst others the Holy Scriptures c. Surely he could not burn the Holy Spirit that gave them forth as they most wickedly suggested he would have burnt the Bible It seems they can call the Bible the Holy Scriptures when for a wicked design and Dust and Death and Serpents Meat when they speak their Judgment clearly 2dly That they are Conjurers that preach out of them Surely when they preach out of them they do not preach the Letter abstractly from the Holy Doctrine and Blessed Precepts therein contained but
if any now disturb them let them look for worse Sufferings not putting off their Hats c. For mark As they cannot for Conscience sake put off their Hats to their Superiors no more can they suffer their Inferiors to stand with their Hats on witness their forcing their Apprentices to stand bare-headed before them And likewise for meeting together And for that the Poor Man was so abused that he did spit blood Ay that he did and 't is recorded a Suffering too to help to make up the balance between the Sufferings of the Quakers of the one part and the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs on the other part Pray see the other Sample The Record of Sufferings for Tythes W. Ground 's Tythes 2 s. took a Mare 5 0 0 W. Ground 's Wardens Rate 2 s. 1 d. a Kettle 0 10 0 R. Letchworth Tythes 20 s. 2 Cows 5 0 0 Dan. Pechy for Tythes 2 doz Yarn 0 2 0 Rob. Crabb Tythes 1 s. 1 d. took a Kettle 0 7 0 Cl. Crabb for Dues 7 s. Pot of Butter 1 0 0 Hen. Place dues 1 s. 6 d. took Goods 0 3 0 W. Johnson Tythes 9 s. 10 d. Pot Butt 1 3 0 R. Crabb 2 Wardens Rates 1 s. 10 d. took Goods 0 4 10 El. Carecrost Clerk's Wages 2 d. took Goods 0 0 8 Another time for the Popish Steeple house 0 1 0 Sam. Cater dues 10 d. took a Kettle 0 5 0 Reader I have given you a large Sample both of what they suffer'd and what they took beyond what was due as they say at their own price and yet forced to bring in 8 d. and 12 d. Sufferers and yet it will not balance for the whole sum of their Sufferings in eight years time through England and Wales in Pots and Kettles Dripping-pans Candlesticks Pans Barrels Dishes Cart-wheels and other Lumber comes to but 1568 l. 14 s. 8 d. Behold the disproportion and yet they are not ashamed no they are not at all ashamed But if they have any shame in them I intend to make them ashamed and in order to it let me give you Cater one of their Praters I should have said Preachers since he is so upon Record who formerly was a poor Journeyman Carpenter with his Budget of Tools at his Back but since he got the knack of Preaching worth many hundreds c. and I presume much of it got this way viz. Sam. Cater for being at a Meeting at Phackenham in Norfolk the 4th of the 5th Month 1670. preaching and publishing the Gospel of Peace one Ann Wats a Woman-Informer told the Officers who came with a Warrant and had him before Christopher Colthorp a Justice who fined him 20 l. which Warrant and Conviction he sent to the Justices of the Isle of Ely namely John Laney Henry Hitch and Thomas March who in pursuance of the Norfolk Justice's Conviction sent their Warrant to the Officers of Littleport in the Isle of Ely who distrained as much Houshold-stuff and Timber from the said S. Cater as was worth more than 20 l. Reader this is a Copy of the Record of their Quarterly Book unless they have torn it out for madness since I have discover'd the Cheat who stands Recorded a Sufferer above 20 l. for preaching when in truth he did not suffer 20 d. Nay he was so far from that that he got 10 l. clear by it And yet 100 year hence when all are dead that know the matter and none able to contradict it it will look like a noble and valiant Act in S. C. thus to preach and thus to suffer for preaching And perceiving by their last yearly Epistle that they keep to their old way of sending up to London their Sufferings from those Quarterly and Monthly Meetings I am the willinger to shew the nature of their Sufferings and the manner of their Proceedings and particularly about Tythes taken from them whether the Real Value due by Law or two or three times the Value So that when their faithful Chronicles come forth which they have told us of this 20 years such as have been moderate and for ease to the Quakers and themselves have taken no more than the Real Value nay perhaps less shall be render'd Persecutors in the next Age. Epist p. 1. That Friends at all Monthly and Quarterly Meetings call for the Sufferings of Friends to see that they be sent up to London both of what Tythes are pretended to be due and for how long time and the time when taken and by and for whom and what Goods are taken and the value thereof as well of those not exceeding as those exceeding the sums demanded both being a Suffering for Truths sake they being in these Particulars found defective is an Obstruction to the general Record of Friends Sufferings And therefore the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are advised to take more Care for the future that all Friends Sufferings for Truths sake may be brought up as full and compleat in all respects as may be c. By which 't is evident that they design to represent to the next Age all Persons who take Tythes let them be never so moderate in their Demands and taking of Tythes Persecuters Which as it is an ill Representation for such a Nation as this who profess the Name of Jesus so is it both uncharitable and ungrateful in them their Indulgence consider'd And that they do so intend see their Book Judas and the Jews c. p. 41. Our Faithful Chronicles of the bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation will tell future Ages other things c. From which passage three things are observable 1st That Professing Generation meaning the Presbyterians Independants and Baptists for they do account them Professors of Christ but not Possessors or Enjoyers of what they profess only empty Professors meer Notionists airy Talkers c. 2. But the Episcopalians they account the Prophane the Publicans the Vulgar or Common People but both of the World and their Teachers false their Scriptures Death their Gospel Dust and Serpents-meat their Ordinances an Institution of the Whore and rejected by themselves 3. But themselves the only Possessors and Enjoyers of the Light Spirit and Substance together with a few pious Gentiles as G. W. calls them in his Book The Christian Doctrine c. p. 9. And W. Penn. bestows about 40 Pages in folio upon Gentile Divinity in his Christ Quak. c. Yea Ellwood Richardson and the most Learned amongst them as they have shewed all the Contempt they can to Jesus of Nazareth calling him a Veil a Garment which they can never call Christ to the Scriptures to the Ordinances and Ministers of Jesus of Naz. with great Incharity So on the other hand they have taken all the care they can to raise the Fame of the Gentiles Heathens Jewish Idolaters as possibly afterwards may be made appear Well but this is a Digression let us come to Sam. Cater's Sufferings First 't is true he did