Treatise p. 40. shewed they own themselves Infallible and from pag. 222 to 248. that they pretend they do not Sin and upon that Pretence do not ask Forgiveness of Sin But then from p. 248 to p. 284 I have shewed that even John Moone one of their Preachers and Judges mentioned p. 31. compared with p. 270. did Sin Nay G. Smith for whose walking in and following his Light G. Whitehead and S. Cater Avouch yet he Sinned as in p. 274 to p. 282. Insomuch that I have thereby razed their Foundation and their whole Building begins to totter and will assuredly fall to the ground IV. Their Negatives to Popery The Author of the Snake in the Grass c. having charged the Quakers in these Words * See the Snake c. Edit 3. p. 189. That of all the Dissenters now in England the Quakers have come nearest the Church of Rome they only have taken up the Popish Pretence of Infallibility unless they will bring in Lodowick Muggleton * See their Anguis c. p. 286. c. To which the Quakers reply in these Words Neither any of the Dissenters nor the Church of England do hold more Negatives in Doctrine to Rome than do the Quakers For we say the Quakers do not only hold all the Negatives which any of them do hold but also more c. Now by way of Addition to the Arguments of the Reverend Author of the Snake c. and in Confutation of the Quakers Defence I shall offer these Instances following to prove that the Quakers come nearest in Doctrine to the Romish Church and that they do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church in these Ten following Instances viz. 1. In the Doctrine of Infallibility 2. No Salvation out of their Church 3. The Quakers pretence to Miracles 4. About the sole Judge of Controversies 5. In their Contempt of the Ministers 6. In their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures 7. About their Vnwritten Traditions 8. Touching Idolatry 9. The Pope of Rome and Pope Fox 10. About the Quakers Church being the one only Church of Christ Reader this being the last of the Four Pillars upon which the whole Fabrick of Quakerism stands tho' there are some other Crutches which stand as Shores to prop it up I shall be the longer upon it in order to raze the very Foundation of Quakerism shewing the Oneness of the Doctrine of New Rome with her Elder Sister For when A. S. a Roman Catholick wrote his Book The Reconciler of Religions c. J. Coale an Eminent Quaker-Teacher wrote a Reply to it Intituled The Whore Vnvailed c. by which as with a Key we may unlock their Mystery and see how near Quakerism is to Popery And I. In the Doctrine of Infallibility The Whore unvailed c. p. 4. says Jos Coale A. S. his first Argument to prove the Church of Rome to be the True Church are as followeth viz. Visible Infallible Inerrible in which is the Power of Miracles out of which none can be Saved c. Now to begin with the first and principal Pillar of both Romish and Quaker Church namely Infallibility Jos Coale in his Whore Vnvailed c. p. 12. thus The Infallibility of the True Church of which Christ as the Head I do not go about to deny but that the Church of Rome is Infallible that I do deny This then is a plain Confession that they both agree in the Doctrine of Infallibility only they differ which of the twain is this True Church in which this Infallibility is * See p. 40. in this Book II. None are Saved out of the True Church A. S. having laid it down as a Positive Doctrine That none can be Saved out of the True Church which Church says he is the Roman Church To which Jos Coale in his Whore c. pag. 18. thus replies That thing I do not at all deny * And that is the true Reason why they will neither Marry nor Bury with us nor join with us in giving Thanks to God for Food c. but that none can be saved out of the Roman Church that I do deny for the Church of Rome is not the true Church but the Whore c. Herein it is also confessed that they both agree in this Point of Doctrine so that the Quaker-Church doth not hold herein a Negative Doctrine to that of Rome which both the Church of England and the Protestant Dissenters do III. Of Miracles in the True Church A. S. having affirmed p. 4. That in the True Church there is Power of working Miracles to which J. Coale replies in the Whore c. p. 16. saving And as concerning Miracles in the True Church I do confess and bear Witness that there are Miracles wrought in her daily c. Here then is a Third Point wherein the Quaker-Church doth not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Church of Rome which both the Church of England Protestant Dissenters do both agreeing that the Papists Legend and Fox's Journal are Fabulous and meer Shams IV. The Judge of all Controversies A. S. in Chap. 4. affirms The Church is Judge in Matters of Faith to which J. Coale replies in the Whore c. p. 28. saying That the Judgment of the true Church of which Christ i. e. the Light within them is Head I do not deny * See p. 30. Which shews the Harmony between the Popish and Quaker Church for the Judgment thereof must of necessity be true and ought to be submitted to But the Church of Rome not being the true Church she is not Judge of Controversies in Matters of Faith This then is the Fourth Point in which the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church the Difference only is which of them twain is the True Church which of right ought to be Judge in all Matters of Controversie and the one gives as good Reason as the other V. Contempt of Ministers A. S. in Chap. 14. calls our Protestant Ministers Intruders Thieves Robbers Hypocrites Ravenous Wolves Murderers Sons of Belial False Prophets and Priests of Baal c. Now to shew that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine herein read p. 173 174 248 to 251. VI. Contempt of the Holy Scriptures A. S. in Chap. 14. calls our Bible A Brazen-fac'd Book an unjust corrupt and perverse Bible Now that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church herein is plain First because they call the Scriptures Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation and the like contemptuous Names which are frequently quoted in the ensuing Discourse and others of my Books but also in that they Reprinted this fourteenth Chapter of A. S.'s without any Rebuke for their Contempt of the Scriptures as above noted and in plain Words tell us in p. 40. saying I find the rest of his i. e. A. S.'s Book to consist of divers Arguments in which he controverts with
2.36 Heb. 5.9 cap. 12.2 Rom. 8.34 1 Cor. 15.15 Acts 7.35,36 cap. 10.38 to 44. cap. 17.3,31 cap. 18.5 John 20.31 which I have taken Pains to collect and he will then certainly find that I have on my Side the Testimony of the Glorious Angels Holy Apostles Blessed Martyrs yea the whole Tenor of the Scriptures and beside all this a Cloud of Witnesses viz. the Concurrent Testimony of the Ancient Fathers and all the present Christian Churches to this Day and that G. Whitehead will have none of his Side but W. Penn and a few of his Brethren and the Writings of Isaac Pennington W. Bayly W. Smith Edw. Burrough Geo. Fox Ja. Nayler Christ Atkinson c. But I knowing that so soon as your Teachers once espy your looking towards Christianity they will not only hinder you from reading such Books that are or shall be wrote against Quakerism but refuse you the Sight of such Books of theirs as we quote for so long as they can keep you in Ignorance so long they may keep you Quakers I shall therefore give you the same Quotations out of some of their Books which I shall in this Book let you know where to have the most of them viz. William Penn's Serious Apology c. p. 146. W. Smith's Catechism c. p. 57. W. Smith's Primer c. p. 8. W. Shewen's Treatise of Thoughts c. p. 35. Jos Coale's Works c. p. 93. News coming up c. p. 33. The Teachers of the World Unvail'd c. p. 35. The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. Edw. Burrough's Works p. 149 273. Geo. Fox's Great Mystery p. 206 207 210 211 250 254. The Quakers Challenge p. 6. Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 7 8. Some Principles of the Elect People of God call'd Quakers p. 126. A Question to Professors c. by Isaac Pennington p. 25 27 33. The Capital Principles of the People call'd Quakers Sol. Eccles's Testimony p. 24 25 41. Will. Penn's Part in The Christian Quaker c. p. 97 98 W. Penn's Sandy Foundation c. p. 10 to 30. I shall now add something out of a Book intituled News of a Trumpet sounding in the Wilderness c. Wrote by Dan. Leeds who has been a Quaker about 22 Years which is come lately out of Pensilvania Printed 1697. and for the Usefulness of it I could be glad that it was reprinted with this Title A Trumpet sounding from Pensilvania giving an Alarum to the Magistrates and People of England to beware of Quakerism That so not only the Justices of the Peace but even our Honourable Patriots might have one put into their Hands But all things in their Season Quakerism had a time to advance and it must have a time to fall But as no Heresie since the Days of Christ ever rose so fast prevailed so much nor carried on with so much Craft and curious Paint so none ever fell so fast as I am perswaded this of Quakerism will do insomuch as that in a few Years it will be a Shame for any Man of Sense to appear in the Streets who owns the Principles and Practice of the Quakers according to their Ancient Testimony And now a Hint out of the Pensilvanian Book aforesaid intituled News of a Trumpet sounding c. p. 21. viz. Tho' they i. e. Quakers clash between their Old and New Testimonies yet we see says D. Leeds that they have in their late Books dropt here and there some Christian Expressions more than formerly And what may we think they intend thereby Why Geo. Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 72. says I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same Now is it not admirable that a Man of Geo. Whitehead 's Pretences * To Seriousness to Sincerity to Reality to Fidelity to Constancy to Infallibility to Perfection to Plainness c. Ib. 42. should be grown so bold in Crafty and Deceivable Glosses to deceive his Readers Is this like the Ancient Simplicity of the Quakers to say I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet intend the same Pray who knows then when such a Man is sincere or bow to believe him in what he says that thus hides his Meanings says one thing and means another c. And now I cannot but expect says Daniel p. 42. that there will be great Devising Pulling and Drawing Painting and Glossing rather than make Confession of their Errors Confusion and Contradictions herein Manifested and Charged as also in other Books by Geo. Keith Tho. Crisp Fr. Bugg and others because they have so much accused their Opponents for the same things themselves are now justly charged with surely some curious Wire-drawing Mincing Mangling otherwise Wording and Equivocating †G. W. You must now call your Brother Ellwood and your whole Society of Jesuitical Scribes for the Alarum is sounded in your Pope's Borders we must expect but they having caught themselves in this Net the more they flutter the more they 'll fetter insnare and entangle themselves for they cannot thus dance in a Net but some Body will see them For they are now as easily seen thorough God be thanked as they pretend to see through others yea this will certainly be the Consequence till they use the only Christian Means to get out of this Net which is by Humbly Confessing and Condemning their Errors in their Books as Geo. Keith has done c. To all which I cannot but joyn and wish for their own sakes it may be so adding that if ever it so come to pass then I shall see a great Truth in what Tho. Ellwood wrote in his Epistle to Friends p. 72. viz. The way to recover the Deceived is to discover and lay open the Deceivers In the mean time taking it to be a sound Truth I have adventured to put his Doctrine in Practice and so I conclude this Passage out of that Useful and Compendious Book from Pensilvania which had that People receiv'd my Advice in my Postscript to my Book intituled De Christianae Libertate c. Printed 1682. p. 214. viz. To frequent the Holy Scriptures and read them diligently c. this might have been prevented And now to conclude my Advice lest any should prevent you taking the Advice I gave the Pensilvanians 18 Years ago as above I shall according to my further Experience in this Pilgrimage tell you that it was the Practice both of the Church of the Jews and the Christians which for Substance are one to read and expound the Scriptures in their Assemblies which the Quakers call Conjuration from Morning to Mid-day and to give the Meaning thereof to the People out of the Law of God given forth by Moses 1 Chron. 34.18,19,35 Nehem. 8.1,2 Ezra 1.10,11 and Christ himself went into their Synagogue as his Custom was where he stood up for to read And when the Book of Isaiah the Prophet was given to him he found which argues he
Roberts his Son who Married this Fortune also broke and run away and left his Family like a Wilderness 3. Sam. Newton a great Preacher and Merchant having got into considerable Debts and cheated many fled beyond Sea and paid his Creditors nothing yet still continued a Preacher at Virginia and Maryland 4. Will. Gosnel another Preacher broke and fled beyond Sea and cheated many 5. Benjamin Antrobus another of their Infallible Preachers about Twenty Years together He broke against whom a Statute of Bankrupt was awarded imprison'd in Ludgate paid 5 s. in the Pound but whether his Journeyman Joseph Wyeth got what he lost I will not determine however he is now set up and serves to be the Cat 's Foot for the Quakers 6. Likewise Rebecca Traverse another of their Shee-Preachers and an Entertainer as well as a great Adorer of G. Fox yet the Fox was too many for her he grew Rich and she a Poor Zealot and could not pay her Debts 7. Tho. Burr another of their Infallible Guides and Chief Speakers broke and cheated many 8. Edw. Billing another of their great Writers and Infallible Doctors broke and cheated many 9. George Archer another of their great Preachers cast into Prison for Debt who was guilty of several Crimes also 10. I shall end their Teachers with Christopher Tayler of whose cheating some are still alive Joseph Clark is by himself and must go into the Cage for a Sodomite Now as to their Hearers 1. Brasy a Goldsmith broke for many Thousands against whom a Statute was awarded 2. As also against James Boswell by whom a Brother-in-law of mine lost 100 l. and a Kinsman of mine with his share in the Charge of the Statute 500 l. 3. One French 4. Northcott the Quakers great Bookseller 5. One Olive 6. Robert Goodwin 7. Henry Stone who never yet paid his Composition Money at 5 s. in the Pound 8. Tho. Plumstead 9. Cade of Norwich 10. And Edw. Firth of Mildenhall a great stickler for Quakerism who in his Life-time cheated many by borrowing Money and buying Goods and died not worth any thing so that many of his Creditors and that for great Sums too had not a Penny of their Debts These were all Followers of their Darkness within which they call Light And the Question being put can any Sin that follow this Light It may says J. Wyeth be safely Answered No by which they seem to say that these and the like practices are not Sinful If they shall answer me no these are Sins I then ask why they do not then ask forgiveness for their Sins George Whitehead's Fallacy Reproved In his ANSWER to My Pilgrim's Progress c. GEORGE I Have seen thy Book A Rambling Pilgrim c. said to be an Answer to two Books of mine i. e. The Pilgrim's Progress c. A Modest Defence c. which is so far from being an Answer that it doth not touch at the Tenth part of the Books and that little you spoke to have to them who will compare the Books rather confirms what I charge you withal than otherwise But that I may shew for your Peoples sake how you wilfully mistake me and the state of the Charge and then mislead your People c. I find the first part of your Book is chiefly to insinuate that I said the Sermon was Geo. Whitehead's of his Forming of his Preaching and that in so many Words and thereupon you call it Forgery Now George this is all Fallacy For thou knowest George in thy Conscience that I never intended to have it believed that you at your Yearly Meeting Preached that very Sermon in so many Words but that I did it to expose your Errors contain'd in your Books out of which that Sermon was by me form'd and in p. 108. and p. 222. of the Second Edition it is expresly said A Sermon for George Whitehead to hold Forth c. And the Chapter before gives several Reasons why I proceeded in that unusual method So that your way to have done your Cause good and your People good had been to have confuted me first Touching your Doctrine which I alledged out of your Books Secondly That your Practice is otherwise than by me represented This had been your way to have confuted my Arguments and to have established your People But for you thus to act against Light and Knowledge is such a self-condemn'd Practice that as for your own sake as well as your People whom you mislead I could be glad to see you leave it now in your Old Age. Take one instance A Rambling Pilgrim c. p. 5. Francis Bugg makes Geor. Whitehead thus speak Friends I am now come to the last thing propos'd to speak to on this Solemn Occasion first Respecting Confession of Sin shewing your Exaltation above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles c. as at large in p. 221. of this Book so that I need not repeat it Now what Answer George dost thou make to this Dost thou say 't is your Friends Practice to make Confession of Sin to God in your Prayers Not a word of it Dost thou prove in any one page of those 5555555 I there mention that you ever recommended the practice of making Confession of Sin to God and begging his Pardon for Christ's sake Not a word of it Dost thou prove out of any of those Books wrote by thy self Fox Burroughs c. that ever you recommended the Practice of the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer the Apostles Creed either to be read in your Families or in your Religious Meetings practiced or the reading the Scripture in your Meetings Not a word of it No here is no denial of Matter of Fact out of your Books nor the natural Consequences deduceable therefrom or your practice agreeable to the same And that it may appear so take your Answer in your own words viz. Thus Fran. Bugg represents me Preaching such stuff as I never preached in my Life nor ever own'd any such flattery or deceit as to exalt any Auditory above the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles c. or to disswade any from making Confession of Sin or asking Pardon for Christ's sake who have need of both or who have not received forgiveness of their Sin First It 's not what you did not disswade from that we are examining but what you perswade to We want not Negatives but Affirmatives here you leave your Reader in the Dark Can you prove that in all those Books and Pages recited that you ever made Confession of Sin that you ever asked Pardon for Christ's sake that you in your Religious Meetings or in your Families practiced the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed that you ever read the Holy Scriptures in your Meetings or further that you ever in all or any one of your Books recommended the practice thereof If not the Charge lyes still against you and your Negative Answers rather confirm what is said than otherwise As to your Certificate p. 28.
about your Cottage you that can forge Certificates and set Mens Names to it without their Privity Knowledge or Consent as you did that from Huntington in your Book Judgment fixed as Anne Docwra in her Letter to Mr. Crisp March 25. 1684. says you did what credit is to be given to it And besides those three Certifiers conclude thus On credible Information we verily Believe Here then is but their belief on Information and I am credibly informed of what I wrote so the Reader is left to believe as he is perswaded The like may be said of Will. Mead touching his saying to William Harris that Fox's Journal is a better Book than the Bible this Will. Mead does not deny under his Hand I have only Geor. Whitehead's word for it and he that can forge Certificates is not to be believed Again p. 38. What Earnings didst thou F. B. make in the late Discourse before the Bishop of Norwich and the four Members of Parliament where I discovered thy repeated Falshoods Forgery Deceit and Wickedness in divers Matters And how thou wert counfounded when Matters were closely urg'd against thee c. Now George thou knowest in thy own Conscience that this is a Lie spoken in Hypocrisie on purpose to mislead thy Disciples for thou didst not prove one false Quotation Matter or Thing against me But I proved thee guilty of contempt of the Scriptures in exalting your sayings above them as of greater Authority and for the truth of this I submit my self to those Five Persons present one of them having often shewed his Approbation of my management of that Affair These things George do not redound to thy Credit and I can truly say I am sorry for thee George we both grow Ancient let us write for the good of others not for Victory for my part I do upon the word of a Christian design it and if I saw my self in an Error I should willingly submit Again P. 46. Beside the false Printing and bad English as Fr. B. has exposed my Book Ishmael there is another defect after the words The Lake is thy Portion which is the Portion of Liars the words except thou speedily repent are omitted there and in some other places To which I Answer let any body compare your Book Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. in the Original Impression in Quarto and the Reprint in my Modest Desence c. Part 2. and they shall find it for English Comma's and Points and Words the same For in the Quarto Impression p. 3. l. 15. there is we for wo as in Mod. Def. p. 7. l. 13. there is also we for wo and so in all other places where it was bad English and false Spelled and false Pointed so it is Reprinted And as for the words except thou speedily repent being left out I do positively say 't is a most horrid Lie there is not a word in the whole Book left out so careful was I. And how then canst thou pretend to be a Consciencious Writer when in the face of the Sun thou canst thus Prevaricate Dissemble and Lie and that knowingly What is become George of thy seriousness sincerity and plainness thou so often boasts of Again P. 34. He F. B. assumes the boldness to promote in Print an Abstract of two Letters of two Clergymen I pray God open the Eyes of our Governours and cause them to take into Consideration this too much and too deplorable unlimited and unbounded Tolleration especially as the Quakers both claim and use it c. as in Pil. Prog. p. 175. was not this says George a piece of insolent confidence to expose this in Print and thus openly to oppose the Liberty Granted and legally Confirmed by King and Parliament and thus to render our Governours blinds c. Now as I think this was a good Prayer so do I think it no boldness to expose it in Print For George it was not the Liberty Granted and by Law Confirmed which these Clergymen either called unlimited or unbounded for the liberty granted is both limited and bounded as from divers branches of the Laws appear and particularly by the very Act of Tolleration see p. 86 88 101 189 339. No the unbounded Liberty which the Quakers take claim and use is what the Clergy is against and which they Pray the Government would take into their Consideration and I am sure it is a base bold and insolent thing George in you to expose in Print that the Clergy would represent the King and Parliament blind But I have not herein room to set forth your baseness in calling all Kings Spiritual Egyptians all that own any King since the days of Christ Apostates that Parliaments chosen by most Voices are not like to Act for God or the Good of his People that Parliaments are the Beast that carry the Whore Nay in your Book The West Answering to the North c. you justifie the Murther of King Charles I. saying The cutting off his Head was a remarkable Record of the Righteous Judgment of God and for a true sight of these your Antimonarchical as well as Antimagistratical Principles see p. 157. to p. 175. hereafter And George you tell us in Print that your Principles are now no other than they were in the beginning And what they were in the beginning I in this Book the Pilg. Prog. c. have set forth And I think it is both bold and insolent Confidence in you to revive all these your horrid Principles destructive to Government and Humane Society by telling us you are the same in Principles still and I am afraid we may in this believe you In the next place I shall shew even thee George what Liberty the Quakers both use and claim which not only those two Clergymen but many Ten Thousands both of Laity and Clergy are against First Your sending into the Churches Challenges as your Friends did at West-Dereham Secondly Your going from House to House like the Popish Priests to seduce the People inviting them to your Meetings giving them Books which say the Quakers are the one only Church of Christ and that out of your Church there is no Salvation Thirdly That your Monthly Quarterly Six Week Second Day and Yearly Meetings where you revive your old Treasonable Principles which Meetings are expresly against the very Act of Tolleration these and the like as in the ensuing Discourse are the Meetings and the Practices both used and claim'd by you Namely to hold Convocations which the Established Church without Licence from His Majesty cannot legally do These and the like Practices of yours all good Christians and the Laws of the Land are against and I still pray God to give the Nation a sight and sence of it before it be too late In Answer to your 48th Page I query thus Whether it be not as proper for me to Address His Majesty on the behalf of the Church of England and other sound Protestants who hold the
mean well and can now word their Matter otherwise and yet mean the same thing for our Principles are now no other than they were in the beginning And by Reason thereof and that we cannot quit our Infallibility some that went from us throw in their Bombs amongst us which doth fearfully annoy us and have split our Main-mast of Infallibility and broken the Helm of our Sinless Perfection Civ Now Friend Jacob it grows late I cannot stay I shall only sum up a few Observations from the Premises and then take my leave of you 1. As to F. B. whether he has New Cloaths or not what he had left when his Horse and Pocket-money for his Expedition was discounted make nothing to the purpose he has given as great a proof that he has not been Mercenary in writing 16 or 18 Years together against you without Money as any Quaker can give 2. Your Leaders are very Sawcy to meddle with the Bishops Certificate as in any thing you have attempted Suppose he had been mistaken in the Man he did not say he gave it forth from the Eternal Infallible Spirit of God he only said he had known him some Years this you do not disprove That he appeared to him to be an Honest Sober Industrious Man this might be for ought you either say or know and if he had been mistaken he does not pretend to know the Heart nor to discern who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates as the Quakers do and if he had been mistaken it had been no more than some of your Teachers have been That he had taken much Pains to Undeceive and Convert the Quakers by publishing useful Books and not without Success this he might safely say for it was true in Fact for at that time Mr. Rands his Wife and others that had left the Quakers declared to some that his Book The Painted Harlot Stript and Whipt c. was instrumental therein and since that many others are come off who have acknowledged as much And that by the Hardness of Times Charge of Printing he was reduced c. this was true in Fact wherefore says he I apprehend him a Real Object of Charity and that he does truly deserve the Bounty of well-disposed Persons unto whom I recommend him what hurt is in all this And what had your Friends to do with it May you hold a Yearly Meeting with Doors Lock'd issue out your Epistles for Money to relieve your Friends as you say and may not a Bishop of the Established Church recommend one of their Members to well-disposed Persons of the same Communion without your Censure Can you not be content to Censure the Acts of Corporations Grand Juries and Justices but must your Boldness extend to the Exposing and Censuring the Bishops I think you are a Peg too high 3. Whereas they pretend to undertake the proof of every Doctrine they hold this appears to be a Lie told in Hypocrisie Let them Confute the Six Articles above exhibited and Defend themselves from the Ten Instances wherein they are Charged to be one in Doctrine with the Romish Church Let them Answer F. B's Seventy Queries or else it will be taken pro Confesso and that they are never able to clear themselves from being guilty of Idolatry Blasphemy Contempt of God's Word and an Hundred other gross and vile Errors 4. In Oliver's time then the Clergy put in Books into the Parliaments Hands and it was your Business to Answer and but reasonable you should defend your selves and that the Government should hear both sides this Priviledge none deny'd you But now you put Books into their Hands not only in Sessions time but send them the Nation round to their Houses in the interval of Parliaments and F. Bugg Answers them and presents them in Sessions time this now you cannot bear this angers you and you fall upon the Man the Man is an Ill Man the Man is Contentious the Man is Quarrelsom the Man is an Apostate a Renegado this I tell you is very Bold and Imperious in your Teachers that such as forsake your Heresie and conform to the Establisht Religion are by you Censured Apostates and Renegadoes this highly reflects upon the Government and by implication Charges the King and Parliaments Religion to be Heathen For it was always accounted that such as forsook the Heathen Worship and imbraced the Christian Faith were Converts and that such as forsook the Christian Religion and imbraced Heathen Idolatry as some did formerly as well as now were Apostates and Renegadoes now by your Quakers Doctrine the Church of England is Heathen and you Christian how then have you the Face to appear to such as humble Suiters and with such Books too as tell them by implication at least that they are a Heathen Parliament and that such as forsake the Quakers and go to Church with the Parliament are Apostates Renegadoes c. 5. In their Just Censure p. 40. they tell us We are satisfied that it is no other Attestation than he has Collected out of our old Adversaries Books c. this F. B. denies he took not a word of it out of their Adversaries Books 6. Nor does he believe they are able to produce a Letter of the Late Lord Archbishop's to clear W. Penn from the general belief that he is a J t but if they could 't is not one Negative Evidence will do it since some of the very same Order has confirmed that Opinion 7. If your Teachers be ready as they boast to prove every Doctrine they hold let them appoint Time and Place and G. Keith and F. Bugg will not only meet them but prove the recited Charge upon them if not I will be one that shall desire they may be set in the Pillory for Examples on Condition the Quakers will be obliged if they do that they 'll retract their Errors this to be sure is no Persecution tho' the only thing they fear and all in support of their great Idol Infallibility and Sinless Perfection 8. But if they refuse this it will appear that your Teachers Friend Jacob are great Prevaricators impudent Liars horrible Deceivers great Impostors wicked Blasphemers and gross Idolaters Subverters of Laws Religion and that their Principles improved are destructive to all Mankind 9. And therefore Friend Jacob there is not only Bombs sent into your Camp but there is a whole Broadside given which will shake your Strong Hold That is to say by two Books the one by Fra. Bugg Intitled The Pilgrim's Progress c. which shews that your Monthly Quarterly Second-day and Six-week Meetings are nor for Worship as you now confess but for Government and that that Government is contrary to all the Laws above recited the other by Geo. Keith Intitled The Fourth Narrative of Proceedings at Turners-Hall shewing that your Principles are destructive to Christianity and tend to overthrow the Christian Religion 10. And I am glad to see you thus pursued and for
Man Christ do they now own to this Day if they would speak their Thoughts However their Writings prove it and till they condemn them all they alledge to the contrary is nothing worth Well however I and others were catched by these and the like fallacious Arguments not being well grounded in the Principles of the Christian Religion nor understanding the Wiles of Satan and by their smooth and fair Carriage by their suffering patiently the Affronts they then met with And I cannot but still remember how our Minister warned us of the Doctrine of the Quakers and told us they were Deceivers and Antichrists even those Deceivers which Christ foretold us should arise shewing Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Matth. 24.24 (b) Which I now also believe But by this their pretended Patience in Suffering by their so much insisting on the Dictates of our Consciences which prompts to Good and checks for some Evils with other fair Words and seeming nay real Truths with which they covered over their poysonous Pills of Schism and Heresie many of us were deceived Again when I saw so much Plainness and seeming Sincerity in the Quakers and consider'd how our Minister lived it was another Motive to induce me to go after the Quakers for our Minister lived with my Father I do think some Years my Father was the chief Man that got him into the Place But both then and afterwards he was such not so exemplary as he ought to have been and I not being capable to judge of the Doctrinal Part I was carried away in my Affections being more apt to be led by Example than Precept which is not always safe However I do believe it was the offensive Practice of our Minister which I beheld in divers Particulars which was one Cause of my Stumbling whereby I fell unhappily into that Schism Not that I now judge the Occasion by him given was or is warrantable for a Separation from an Established Church Observations on the Second Chapter NOW therefore I intreat all concerned in the Ministerial Office as Pastors That they beware they give no ill Example to their Flock contrary to what becomes their Sacred Function but when they Preach well let them Practice so as believing what they say so will their People believe them to be in earnest But if they Preach never so Orthodoxly and tho' their Sermons be never so much Learned yet if they do not live in some tolerable sort answerably their People will Question Whether they believe what they teach and as a Consequence thereof will take that Liberty in Living which is not becoming Christians Or else if Seducers come will be apt to separate themselves in Hopes to get under a purer Ministry which when they come afterwards to examine they may find it to be only in Shew Notwithstanding such is the Prevalency of Example CHAP. III. Gives an Account of the Quakers Silent Meetings and the Tendency of them In which I shall speak sometimes in the Person of a Quaker respecting the time I was one HAving by this time fallen in with the Quakers in a few Years I became very zealous that way and to Silent Meetings I went and sometimes we had a few Words spoken sometimes none sometime an Epistle of George Whitehead's George Fox's Sam. Cater's or some others read in our Meetings and sometimes none But the chief of what we did hear either from our inspired Infallible Teachers or from our Friends Epistles in those private Silent Meetings was To exhort us to wait in the Light out of our Selves out of our Thoughts out of our Willings and Runnings in that which is invisible and then we should receive the hidden Manna yea Manna from Heaven which the World knew not of and that we should feel Christ to come the second time to Judgment and that Judgment was to begin at the House of God which House was our Bodies And from hence divers of us fell oft into a Trembling and Shaking I have seen about five or six together in a Meeting shake like a Leaf in Winter namely Matthew Beesly Jonas Skrook William Eyson and others yea they have shaken the Forms they sat on and this not once nor twice but frequently I do very well remember that John Kilborn the Elder did one Sunday in our Meeting fold his Arms and stood upright and by and by leaped and jumped about 18 Inches at a time until he jumped round the Room I know that some are alive still that know these things are true But let it be noted not a Chapter in the Bible was ever read amongst us but all exhorted to adhere to the Light within to obey the Light within and to follow the Teachings thereof as a Guide sufficient to lead us to Salvation yea above Scripture above Fathers above Councils and above Churches Fran. Howgill's Works p. 602 to 627. This I now confess was a Paradox not Orthodox but absolutely Heterodox For let the Scripture command Subjects to be obedient to Magistrates Children to obey their Parents Wives to reverence their Husbands and live in Subjection to them Servants to obey their Masters Christians to obey their Pastors all this signified little the Light within our Teachers taught us was Christ and Christ the Power of God the higher Power to which every Soul was to be subject yea all Power in Heaven and in Earth was committed to the Light Perverting John 5.23,24 Acts 17 to 31. See Josiah Coal's Works p. 93. And that no Command in Scripture was any further binding than as we were convinced of the Lawfulness thereof by the Light within us Ed. Burrough's Works p. 47. So that all our Obedience to God and his Commands were bottomed and founded on our Conviction by the Light within that being the only Rule Judge and Guide both superior to the Scriptures Fathers and Councils Quakerism a New Nick-name for Old Christianity by W. Penn p. 71. For said they to us That what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. By which it is self-evident That these Silent Meetings were designed to wean us off from so much as the Remembrance of all External Religion and also to prepare us to receive the false Notions of Quakerism for had they indeed exhorted us to have regard to our Light within and the Dictates of our Consciences which prompts to Good and checks for many Evils in Obedience to the Commands of Holy Scripture this would have been safe for I believe we ought so to do and 't is the same the Ministers of the Church of England press and exhort us to Oh! but this would not do our Teachers Business they must bring us off from the Scripture Commands as inferior to their Sayings and Speakings for the Book last quoted is said to be given forth from the
in the Church or amongst them that profess to be Members thereof WE do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ HAVE POWER WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF SUCH WHO DISSENT FROM THEIR DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE TO HEAR AND DETERMINE THE SAME All Property is now lost unless there be Conformity and Submission like the Star-Chamber and High Court of Justice c. And if any pretend to be of us and in Case of Controversie will not admit to be TRIED by the Church i. e. the Body nor SUBMIT to the JUDGMENT given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their Judgment as only the Judgment of Man WE testifie in the Name of the Lord That if any Judgment so given be risen against and denied by the Party condemned then He or She ought to be rejected as having erred from the Truth and persisting therein presumptuously are joined in ONE with Heathens and Infidels George Whitehead Josiah Coale Stephen Crisp John Moone Thomas Loe Thomas Greene John Whitehead Thomas Briggs James Parke Alexander Parker Rich. Farnsworth c. Having by this time shewed First How our Teachers in order to bring us over to them and to decoy us told us the Light within was a sufficient Guide Teacher and Leader even sufficient to lead to Salvation yea above Scriptures above Fathers above Councils and above Churches I have in the last Instance shewed the Fallacy of their so early and smooth Pretences and that from the beginning they have been a false perfidious and treacherous Tribe of Deceivers as ever the World produced Well now they appear plainly to be a Body and I having found who is the Head of this Body namely George Fox it will not be amiss to recite the Quakers Creed and his Commandments which whatever Quaker do not submit to convinced or not convinced of the Reasonableness of their Obedience it 's now plainly seen what will befall them I need not Comment upon the recited Canon Creed Fox's Commandments nor their Zeal to maintain them as their Ancient Principles altho' God's Commandments by Moses the Apostles Creed and all the Scripture the Quakers slight and reject as not to be read in their Meetings not to be taught their Children nay so proud is G. Whitehead that he tells you as above The Jews might as well have carried them to Christ in the Days of his Flesh Viz. the Ten Commandments for him to learn observe and obey them as for the Christians to carry them to the Quakers to learn observe and obey them Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 18. For saith he What is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Bible and Chapters are and greater Burroughs Works p. 47. This is the Tenure and Purport of his Doctrine and I do affirm it 's right Quakerism For Edw. Burroughs said That was no Command from God to me what he Commands to another And W. Penn confirms the whole saying No Command in Scriptures is any further obliging upon ANY Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in Man c. Quakerism a New Nick-name for old c. p. 71. But for their poor infatuated Disciples to plead whether to conform or not whether to obey or not the Commands of G. Fox i. e. not paying Tythes not to be Married with a Priest not to put off the Hat not to open their Shops on Feasts or Fast-Days I say to plead to be left to their Freedom herein and the Grace of God in their Hearts Oh! no Says W. Penn This is a dangerous Principle this is a pernicious Plea this is perfect Ranterism VVhat to have Liberty whether to obey the Commands of the Body given out by the Head thereof This is wicked indeed as by their Yearly Epistle above-recited is plain However I shall recite both the Quakers Creed and the Commands of G. Fox Viz. 1. The Quakers Creed WE believe that the Light within us is the True and Eternal God which Created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can save and thereupon we believe we are endued with the Almighty Power of God and thereby have wrought Miracles and conclude we are equal to God and that our Speaking is of greater Authority than the Bible VVe believe our Light within is Jesus Christ the Son of God the Man Christ Jesus to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed tho' we cannot believe that this our Light within to whom we direct our Disciples to expect Salvation by was ever crucified by Nailing to a Cross nor that he Died or was Buried nor that he was Buffered Spitted upon Smote with the Palms of the Hands of the Jews for he never was seen with Carnal Eyes nor that he Rose from the Dead the Third Day nor that he Ascended in the Sight of the Galileans into Heaven and there Sit at the Right Hand of God but that all Apostate Christians that so teach are false Ministers nor do we believe that our Light within shall come at the last Day to judge both Quick and Dead For the Light within us is the Judge and the Book is opened within the Sentence of Death and Judgment is pronounced within from the Mouth of our Light within against every idle VVord and all the Deeds of the Body within and Judgment is executed within and the flaming Sword within which proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lamb i. e. our Light within which will cast thee into Hell within where is weeping and wailing within sealed down under the Wrath of God's Eternal Judgment within We believe the Light within us is the Holy Ghost and that these three are one and not distinguishable and that such as talk of three Persons in the Godhead like Conjurers are to be shut up with their three Persons they dream of which they would divide out of one in perpetual Darkness in the Lake and the Pit That the Scripture which the Apostate Christians build their Faith upon for this their Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is a rotten Foundation yea Dust Death and Serpents Meat and therefore their Ministers that tell their People the Scriptures are the Word of God are Deceivers For the Father Son and Spirit the World and their Teachers call three Persons but they speak they know not what therefore believe them not We believe our selves the only Catholick Church and Elect People of God and that none are in the Truth but we our selves We never did in any of our printed Books or printed Prayers from 1560 to 1690 make any Confession of Sin nor ask Pardon of God for Jesus Christ's sake who was Born of the Virgin and why We testifie that the outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem was
not the Son of God only a Vail a Garment or a Vessel in which the Son did inhabit which now inhabit in us Believers and for which Reason the Names JESUS and CHRIST belong to us as well as to him that suffer'd For saith George Fox our great Apostle and High Priest of our Profession the Jews had a Law that if any one said he was the Son of God he was to die and so the Law in the Will doth persecute THE SON OF GOD NOW where HE is MADE MANIFEST as the NORTH PART of this Nation doth witness who hath fulfilled that Law in Persecuting and Imprisoning THE SON OF GOD where HE is MADE MANIFEST i e. within us those who quaked at the Word of the Lord was ever hated and scorned and in such THE SON OF MAN is manifest We believe an Inward Resurrection with the Light within but deny the Resurrection of the Body laid in the Grave Books of the Quakers which prove these to be their Tenets and a Hundred times as much are these Geo. Fox Jun.'s VVorks Edw. Burrough's VVorks Saul's Errand G. Fox's Journal Truth defending the Quakers c. A Lamentation by one of England's Prophets c. Judgment fixed c. Jos Coal's Works The Quakers Refuge c. W. Smith's Primmer c. A Discovery of Man's Return by W. D. Ishmael and his Mother cast out by G. Whitehead and three other chief Speakers A Brief Discovery of a threefold Estate of Antichrist c. News coming up out of the North Ste. Crisp's Primer printed 1682. The Apostate Incendiary W. Penn's serious Apology The Quakers Challenge A Question to Professors by Is Pennington A Lamentation by one of England's Prophets c. printed at York 1653. A Dispute at Chesterfeild 1655. See the Fifth Chapter following upon which I conclude thus If as they write they do indeed believe Then I affirm this their very Creed If not who can with Safety them believe Who Write and Print the Simple to deceive 2. The Commandments of G. Fox the Quakers second Moses somewhat Abbreviated and taken out of several of his Books I. Thou shalt not pay Tythes to the covetous Priests nor to the Antichristian Improprietors II. Thou shalt not Marry by or with a Priest III. Thou shalt not put off thy Hat in Respect to thy Superiors IV. Thou shalt not shut up thy Shop on the VVorld's Holy-Days Fast-Days c. at the Command of the VVorldly Magistrates V. Thou shalt not pay towards the Repair of Parish Churches VI. Thou shalt not pay towards the Trained Bands nor carry Guns in thy Ship VII Thou shalt not wear Lace nor Ribbons nor Skimming-dish Hats nor short Aprons nor Slits on your VVastecoats nor long Scarfs like flying Colours nor unnecessary Buttons VIII You shall have a VVoman's Meeting distinct from the Men once a Month at at the County-Town about Ten a Clock to get a little Stock IX Thou shalt call the Days of the VVeek First Second Third and Fourth Day c. and the Months First Second and Third Month c. X. I charge you all in the Presence of the Lord God That you judge not one another i. e. those that be in the Unity of the Ministry and Elders in the Church lest you fall into the Condemnation of the Monthly Quarterly Six VVeeks Second Day or Yearly Meeting Amen G. Fox 's Tryal at Lancaster Assizes p. 21. The thundering Voice answered 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 that when the Trumpets sounded and the Judges came up again they all appeared as dead Men under me I think it now necessary to insert two Passages out of two of the Quakers most learned Teachers Books the one to deter their Hearers from adhering to the Commands of Moses the other to confirm them in the Belief of G. Fox's viz. 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 Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some Words were not spoken by the Grand Imposture some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill apply'd some by good Men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. This being suggested by Robert Ruckhill an Eminent and Learned Man I cannot blame his Hearers who believe that he wrote by the Eternal Spirit nor that they lay aside the Commands of God by Moses and receive the Commands of G. Fox at least not so much as I blame their Teachers For if I did question whether Moses or Hermes were the first Pen-man of the Holy Scriptures or whether both of them had a Hand in it or neither of both was concerned in the writing thereof if I question'd the Truth of what the true Prophets of the Lord said and believ'd that what the false Prophet said were true if I thought that what good Men said was ill expressed and so insignificant as hereby is suggested truly I should give as little heed to them as the Quakers do and be ready with George Fox himself to call them Death Dust and Serpents Meat See News coming up out of the North p. 14. But I thank God I have been better taught even from my Childhood For tho' by the Dissimulation of these Seducers I was carried away into great Errors yet the Love of the Scriptures ever remained with me The next Passage shall be from their Learned Barclay It is no ways inconsistent with this sound and unerring Principle to affirm That the Judgment of a certain Person or Persons in certain Cases is INFALLIBLE or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as Obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof IS NOT because they are infallible but because in these things and at that time they were led by the Infallible Spirit The Anarchy of the Ranters c. p. 67. For more of this Quaker-Popery see The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. p. 8 to 16. By which 't is plain that as Ruckhill in the forecited Passage render the Scriptures Uncertain Fallible and of no Authority so does Barclay render Quakerism Infallible Certain and their Commands and Injunctions Obligatory upon others And why forsooth Why because at such times as the Quakers thus Pronounce thus Write thus give out their Mandates Commandments and Precepts they says Barclay are led thereunto by the Infallible Spirit Some Inferences from the Fourth Chapter IS it so then that the Tendency of the Quakers Doctrine is to undervalue the Holy Scriptures to rob them of their Divine Authority and thereby to exalt their own Horn Let this then be a Caution to their Hearers to examine the Quotations which I bring to prove my Assertions and
if they find it so as that they may for I have ever been willing and still am to produce Book and Page to prove Matter of Fact then let them carry the said Books to their Teachers to condemn and censure as Heretical and tending to overturn the Christian Religion and if not let them if they be wise turn their Backs upon them forsake their Errours and imbrace the Christian Faith so shall the end of all my Labour and Pains be Answered but if they after all the Pains my self and others have taken will still shut their Eyes and stop their Ears my Reward will be with me and they shall bear their own Burthen in the Day of the Lord. CHAP. V. Giveth many Reasons both Negative and Affirmative That George Fox took himself to be a Second Moses and that the Heads of the Quakers attributed to him Divine Honour as Head of their Church and Lawgiver to it TO come to a right Understanding of this I shall first insert an Objection raised by W. Rogers The Christian Quaker distinguished c. Part I. p. 9. and by him taken out of a Manuscript with Names to it next George Fox's Answer and then proceed to other particular Reasons and Demonstrations Object 'T is true Friends in the beginning were turned to the Light in their own Consciences as their Guide but when it pleased the Lord to gather so great a Number into the Knowledge and Belief of the Truth then the Heavenly Motion came upon George Fox as the Lord 's Anointed and Chosen having the Care of the Churches as being the great Apostle of Christ Jesus and as one whom the Lord had ordained to be in that place amongst the Children of Light in this our Day as Moses was amongst the Children of Israel in his Day to set forth Methods and Forms of Church-Government and to establish Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Men and Women distinct from the Men and these Meetings since are called the Church whose Counsel Advice and Judgment is to be submitted unto by every one who profess himself a Member of Christ's Church and that we ought to believe as the Church believes as G. VVhitehead teacheth viz. I affirm That the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God and we must believe thus as the true Church believes or else it were but both a Folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof G. VVhitehead 's Book the Apostate Incendiary c. p. 16. This Objection W. Rogers made from the Strength of divers Arguments he found in the Manuscript from the VVords and VVritings of divers Persons whose Names he did forbear to mention but for the clearing up this Point VVhether G. Fox looked upon himself the Second Moses the great Prophet and Apostle see his Answer to W. Rogers The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator in Five Parts See Part 4. p. 83. George Fox's ANSWER VVilliam Rogers thou say'st There is a Spirit risen at this Day that gives many occasion to be jealous that I am look'd upon by some as that Prophet which Moses testify'd of that God would raise up Deut. 18.15 but who they are thou hast not mention'd And thou say'st Christ is that Prophet that is to be heard c. and he is the only Lawgiver and no Outward Man (m) (m) So W. Rogers said now mark his long-sided Answer Then is not this Prophet to be in Man to give forth his Law which comes after Moses But I cannot deny that Prophet which Moses spake of to be raised up for I know that it is he that is opposed and his Law too by many Talkers of him and the Light of his Glorious Gospel and the Order of it and what I am I am by the Grace and Love of God and will not deny (n) (n) Deny no there was no Body desired that But if he had not owned himself to be that Prophet he ought to have been plain and denied himself to be that Prophet as John did I am not the Christ said John Joh. 1.20 the Prophet which came after Moses nor the Election before the World began tho' all turn into the Jealousies in which they were before they were convinced for I believe few of them that does oppose knows this Prophet that comes after Moses tho' they may speak of him in Words of which Prophet I am not ashamed Reader The Text and Context being duly consider'd I mean W. Roger's Objection touching the common Jealousies which was amongst us at that Day besides the Letters in the said Manuscript c. I say that duly consider'd on the one Hand and G. Fox's Answer on the other Hand which was so far from denying himself to be that Prophet which Moses prophesied of Deut. 18.15 and St. Stephen testified of Acts 7.37 and St. Peter Acts 3.23 and St. John the Evangelist John 1.45 These and many others gave witness to the fulfilling of the Prophesie of Moses in sending the promised Messiah I say G. Fox's Answer was so far from denying himself to be that Prophet which Moses prophesied of that it confirmed us in that Day and since much more that he did not deny but rather owned the Charge But to strengthen my Argument I shall give some small Hints and but name them having been heretofore more large first What he said of himself next What his Followers said of him First Written from the Mouth of the Lord from one who is naked and stands naked before the Lord cloathed with Righteousness whose NAME is NOT known in the World risen up out of the North News coming up p. 1. which was Prophesied of (o) This is News indeed what Prophet prophesied of Fox's Rising in the North Secondly My Name is covered from the World and the World knows not ME nor MY NAME Several Petitions Answered p. 30. Thirdly HE that HATH the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the Dead is EQUAL with God Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 8. Fourthly All Languages are to me no more than Dust who was before Languages were The Battledoor c. Introd Fifthly And the Thundering Voice Answered I have Glorified thee and will Glorifie thee again and I was filled so full of Glory that my Head and Ears were filled full of it c. G. Fox's Tryal at Lancaster p. 21. Reader Here was Fulness of Glory if his Head and Ears was so filled c. However 't is plain it alludes to John 12.18 16.14 and 17.1 For nothing would please him but to be equal if not above Christ as One Hundred Instances might be given Next I may just name some few of those High Titles and Divine Attributes which his Disciples and Followers Men of greatest Note amongst them gave him which are only due to Christ who was the Prophet Moses Prophesied of and not the subtle Fox the doting Quakers so much admire and idolize First George Fox the Father of many Nations whose Being and Habitation is
in the Power of the Highest in which thou Rules and Governs in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end Judas and the Jews p. 44. Secondly Dear and Precious one in whom my Life is bound up and my Strength in thee stand by thy Breathings I am nourished by thee my Strength is renewed I cannot Reign but in thy Presence and Power Glory unto thee Holy One (p) Holy George for ever John Audland's Letter to George Fox Thirdly George Fox said John Blaikling is blessed with Honour above many Brethren and Thousands will stand by him in a Heavenly Record that his Life Reigns and is Spotless whose Eternal Honour and Blessed Renown shall remain yea his Presence and the Dropping of his tender Words in the Lord's Love was my Soul's Nourishment The Christian disting Part 5. p. 77. Fourthly George Fox a Prophet indeed it was said of Christ that he was in the World and the VVorld was made by him and the VVorld knew him not SO it may be said of this Prophet G. Fox The Quak. Challenge p. 6. Fifthly To confirm all this William Mead now living when he gave William Harris one of George Fox's Journals he said to him Here W. Harris I will give thee one of Geo. Fox's Journals it is a very good Book yea better than the Bible Object 1. But some may say this is only W. Mead's Judgment surely the Quakers do not hold that either their Books or Fox's Journal is better or of greater Authority than the Bible for the Fathers and Councils all submitted to the Test of Holy Scripture as the VVord of God Answ To this I answer That W. Mead is a knowing Man I will not say a wise Man unless in that one Action of his whereby he vigorously opposed W. Penn and endeavoured to exclude him out of their Ministry when he was proclaimed a Traytor to his Country for being charged to be in the Plot with the Lord Preston and others and was therefore forced to hide many Years and for which his Preface to Fox's Journal was not admitted to be bound up with the Journal but waited upon it like a poor Lacquey with its Blue Livery I say this Action of his excepted I will not say he was a wise Man yet as I said he is a knowing Man and spake the Heart of Quakerism in saving George Fox's Journal is better than the Bible First As you have heard 't is question'd by the Quakers VVhether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of the Scripture indeed VVhether either or neither of them The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. But as for what G. Fox and Friends write it is from and by the Motion of God's Eternal Spirit and avouched so to be by a General Council of the Yearly Meeting (q) Held at London May 1695. And what any of our Friends speak from the Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority than the Bible and Chapters are Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. Now who can blame W. Mead on the Quakers Principles Is not a Certainty better than an Uncertainty Secondly The Scriptures lay many Obligations upon us it teacheth us the Observation of the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer the Apostles Creed Baptism and the Lord's Supper which the Journal does not at all teach nor inforce the Belief of only to listen adhere and hearken to the Light within and to obey its Dictates Therefore as the Journal is most certain so it is most easie and therefore the best Book and of most Authority and on the Quakers Hypothesis confirm all those Particulars above quoted Thirdly The Scripture teacheth to obey Magistrates as the higher Power and that we should submit our selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake Matth. 22.21 Titus 3.1 Rom. 13.1,2,3 1 Pet. 2.13,14,17 See also Tindal's VVorks Obedience to a Christian Man c. p. 111. But the Journal p. 40 to 400. and our Friends Books teach both by Precept and Example That the Light in every Man is the higher Power to whom all must submit and obey for to it all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed Jos Coale's VVork p. 93. and that this Light is one in the Male and in the Female but to a proud heady high-minded Man there is no Honour due tho' he be in a place to Rule Smith's Primer p. 43. And if so who can say that W. Mead spake unadvisedly in saying The Journal of Fox is better than the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles I think him a right Quaker a knowing Man and one that loves a Certainty better than an Uncertainty Fourthly The Scriptures teach That VVomen should obey their Husbands yea that they Reverence them and live in Subjection to them as their Head Gen. 3.16 Numb 30 to the end 1 Cor. 11.8 1 Pet. 3.1 Tit. 2.5 Colos 3.18 Ephes 5.22 quoting Sarah as an Example But the Journal teaches That the Light is the higher Power that it is one in the Male and in the Female and 't is the Light in each that is to be obeyed for to that all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed Smith's Primer p. 13. The Journal p. 50 to 450. and that there is to be no respect of Persons and if the VVife conceive her Husband to be gone from the Light and the Guidance of it and she be moved to rebel against her Husband betray his Secrets to his Adversaries yea to give publick Testimony against him she does well and shall have Praise of the same The Content Apostate c. p. 5. And for this Reason the Quakers do not put in or make the VVoman promise by their Marriage Certificate to obey their Husbands which as it is contrary to the Tenure of the whole Book of God both the Old and New Testament so 't is agreeable to G. Fox's Journal and their Antient Testimony See their Marriage Certificate Fifthly In a word the Scriptures teach That Children should obey their Parents and honour their Father and Mother that Servants should obey their Masters that Subjects should submit to their Governours and obey Magistrates that Christians should obey their Pastors who are over them in the Lord who watch for their Souls as those that must give an Account But the Journal p. 20 to 320. teaches the contrary both by Precept upon Precept as also by the Practice of their great Apostle G. Fox who not only broke the Laws in disturbing the Ministers in their Churches but taught so to do not only refused to pay Tythes but taught so to do not only slighted the Magistrates Command who oftentimes commanded a strict Fast to be kept but taught his Followers so to do Nay lately one Thomas Mash an Antient Quaker living at Newberry in Berkshire was moved by his Light within to open his Shop-VVindows on the Lord's-Day as on Market Days and set out his Goods to Sale this the Journal justifies p. 200 to the
which both repealed this Law respecting the Quakers who adhered to them as the Higher Power alienated their Obedience from the Magistrates and the Laws of the Land Which Edict is as followeth viz. Concerning our open Testimony by Publick Meetings in Times of Sufferings That as it hath been our Care and Practice from the Beginning that an Open Testimony for the Lord should be born and a Publick Standard ††High boasting Words but the Snake lay in the bottom i. e. Disobedience to Authority their Light being the Higher Power for Truth and Righteousness upheld in the Power and Spirit of God by our open and known Meetings against the Spirit of Persecution that in all Ages hath sought to lay waste God's Heritage and that only thro' Faithfulness Constancy and Patience Victory hath been and is obtained SO IT IS OUR ADVICE and JUDGMENT That all Friends gathered in the Name of Jesus * * Meaning their Light in opposition to the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and all Christian Churches as well as against the Commands of Jesus of Nazareth Go teach all Nations Baptizing c. Do this in Remembrance of me c. When you Pray say Our Father c. Forgive us our Sins for c. Read Luke 11.14 Matth. 28.19,20 Luke 22.19 John 1.8 Psal 38.18 50.15 51.1,2,3 Isa 64.6 Lam. 3.20 Job 7.20 Prov. 20.9 Eccles 7.20 Nehem. 1.6 1 Tim. 1.15 Dan. 9.4,5,20,23 See Pict of Quak. p. 63 to 70. keep up those Publick Testimonies in their Respective Places and not DECLINE FORSAKE or REMOVE their Publick Assemblies because of Times of Sufferings as WORLDLY FEARFUL and POLITICK Professors have done because of Informers and the like Persecutors For such Practices are not consistent with the Nobility of the Truth and therefore not to be owned in the Churches of Christ Subscribed by G. Whitehead W. Penn Tho. Salthouse Al. Parker Jo. Burnyeat St. Crisp London the 23d of the Third Month 1675. Thus have I given two Instances as particular Demonstrations That as their Books teach so their Practice confirm it That their Light is the Higher Power to which they require Obedience contrary to the Practice of God's Saints and Servants in all Ages where nothing that is sinful and so against the written Word of God is commanded Read Mat. 22.21 1 Pet. 2.13,14,17 Rom. 13.1,2,3 Tit. 3.1 See Tindal's Works i. e. The Obedience of a Christian Man c p. 111. and compare these Holy Sayings with their Practice unless where Idolatry or Things sinful are commanded and then 't is better to obey God than Man but this the Quakers could never produce But as they thus slighted and trampled upon the Government so did their great Apostle glory in it saying He did not heed a Cart load of Warrants Journal p. 278. And now I shall briefly run through several of their other Methods and Ways at their Yearly Meeting reserving their Doctrinal Part which support and influence them to a distinct Chapter by it self First They oft refer to their last Yearly Epistle that the Contents of it be seriously reminded in all Monthly and Quarterly Meetings but not a Word of Scripture referred to therein as their Rule of Faith and Practice 2 dly Against that grand Oppression and Antichristian Yoke of Tythes yea Antichristian in the Law-maker in the Payer and in the Receiver 3 dly Against the paying of Churchwardens Rates by which we have much Trouble in the Country otherwise things might be easie but from this Fountain spring their Antimagistratical Practices 4 thly That all their Sufferings may be brought up to London in order for a Martyrology both full and compleat that nothing may be wanting to reproach the Magistrates and extol their own Sufferings which they are not already asham'd to say are Greater and more Unjust than in the Days of Christ's Apostles the Ten Persecutions and all the Massacres for the Name of Christ see Burrough's Works p. 273. tho' many of them are meer Shams as in the Case of Sam. Cater who pretended and got it Recorded that he suffered 20 l. for Preaching at Phakenham in Norfolk altho' he never did for that Meeting suffer a Groat yet for that Pretence had 10 l. sent him out of their London Exchequer or Fund And yet this is not the whole of this grand Cheat but Nine Years after he printed a Book intituled The Lamentable Cry of Oppression c. p. 14 44. wherein he had the Impudence still to complain of Sir Christopher Colthorp's Injustice and Persecution concealing his having his Goods again and 10 l. to boot And by this their Chronicles they so much boast of †Yet no Chronicle appears What are they asham'd of their Sham-Sufferings may be measured 5 thly Against their People using Guns in their Ships which in 1693. When this Advice was given His Majesty had need of such as would Fight c. But tho' the Quakers in Pensilvania can Fight as Magistrates yet they cannot Fight as Quakers and 't is not time yet to throw off their Coats of Quakerism and put on the Robes of Magistracy 6 thly To receive Applications Epistles and Embassies from the Foreign Parts beyond the Seas mentioned in the former Part of this Chapter and grant them Orders Edicts and Laws for the governing themselves in Subjection to their Light the Higher Power especially when met in a Body as the Epistle Anno 1660. before recited shew 7 thly To refer the Sufferings of their own Poor i. e. such as by breaking the Laws lying in Goal for Non-payment of Tythes c. For otherwise tho' their own Brothers they may starve e're they 'll take any charitable notice of them Nay Fathers as in the Case of T. Ellwood who suffer'd his Father to go from Door to Door as John Rauce's Relation is or of a Woman that wears a Lace of a Groat on her Head or a Man that puts off his Hat no many of these are God's Poor but the Quakers Poor are of another sort and they having merited the Quakers Kindness by obeying their Laws These are plentifully rewarded so that what they call their Unity is rather a Confederacy which ought to be noticed 8 thly They take care that all their Erronious Books may be dispersed by all their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the spreading of Truth but not a word of dispersing the Bible however it may serve for a Motive to our Clergy for to take Care to Disperse such Books as discover the Quakers Errours and Hypocrisies the Neglect of it has been very hurtful 9 thly They every Year order a Committee to be chosen to view the Accounts and to examine the State of their Cash i. e. the Quakers Exchequer which some say now run over They likewise nominate their Feoffees for the time being who by the Order of their Superiors give out sometimes 5 l. sometimes 10 l. sometimes 20 l. at a time to their Preachers and such as
Sodomites Witches Devils c. those of calling Christ A Garment A Vessel The Sandy Foundation shaken p. 5 to 65. I Answer The reason why we call them so and Translate the Words of Christ John 5.22,27 from the Son of Man to the Light within us * * The Quakers Reason for denying the Blessed Trinity Is because we believe there is no other Son of Man than the Light within us which was in the Jews Gentiles c. before his Incarnation according to my Gospel and the Gospel of my Brother Jeffrey Bullock where we say Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before He came in the Body or Flesh Judgment fixed c. p. 316 356. For to be plain with you according to our Ancient Testimony we own no other Trinity nor God than is within us for the Light is God the Light is the Son of Man the Light is the Holy Ghost and we having obtained the Repute to be a well-meaning People and tell the Priests in Answer to their Demand Do you own the Trinity Do you own the Sacraments c. We tell them we deny their Unscriptural Terms Where is the Words Trinity and Sacrament in the Scriptures Tho' we are not such Fools but we know the Word Trinity came from the Latin Word Trinitas and Sacrament from Sacra or Sacramentum a Holy Institution or Sacrament yet to hide our selves from the Dint of their Arguments we tell them They are not Scripture Terms Nay even this Sessions of Parliament when the House of Commons were preparing a Bill against such as denied the Trinity we soon perceived what might follow and we gave in a Paper intituled Some Considerations upon the Bill for the more effectual Suppressing of Blasphemy and Prophaneness Humbly offer'd saying Whereas the Bill enacts That if any Person or Persons c. shall deny any of the Persons in the Holy Trinity to be God and make it punishable by the same Bill were it not more safe and plain to put it in Scripture Terms as instead of Deny any one of the Persons to be God to insert If any one shall deny any of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or the Holy Ghost to be God 1 Joh. 5.7 Now if we can keep the Parliament to these Words we shall hide our selves and retain our Ancient Testimony unshaken Again If any of you should yet Object that notwithstanding we according to our Ancient Testimony call the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Meat c. News coming up out of the North c. p. 14. A Brief Discovery of a three-fold State c. p. 9. and say That whoever Preach out of them are Conjurers c. Saul's Errand to Damascus c. p. 7. Yet notwithstanding all this we profess to prefer the Holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the World The Counterfeit Convert c. p. 26 27. To this I Answer That you must observe the Context as well as the Text and then you shall see we do not interfere for in the same Book p. 72. viz. I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same Besides Beloved I would have none mistake me for tho' I am the Man that did say we prefer the Scriptures above all other Books extant in the World which in one Sense is true yet not in another The Count. Conv. c. p. 26. First I hope you do not understand it of its Intrinsick Value of its Real Authority so as to be a Rule of Faith and Practice and that the Commands therein are Obligatory upon Us if you do you are greatly mistaken and that for these Reasons following And First That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures or Chapters are and greater Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. Secondly That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another Neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scriptures act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves c. Burrough's Works p. 47. Thirdly No Command in the Scriptures is any further obliging upon any Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in a Man Quakerism a New Nick-name c. p. 71. Fourthly To this triple treble Cord which I think is not easily broken let me add our constant Practice ever since we have been a People and it will not only confirm these Proofs but shew our Sincerity to our Ancient Testimony I say as a Proof that we do not prefer the Scriptures above our own Books let it suffice That this Forty-eight Years never an Apostate that ever went from us can prove nay not once say if they 'll do us justice * * George what you say is true I am a Witness to thy Sincerity herein that ever we read any one Chapter in the Bible or any one Epistle of the Apostles in our Meetings whilst it hath been our frequent Practice to read our own Epistles And surely if we deemed the Scriptures best most certain and more edifying for us respecting our Ancient Testimony you may depend on 't that we would read the Scriptures in our Meetings nay we challenge all our Adversaries to shew us one Book of our Friends in the Unity that ever so much as recommended the reading any one Chapter or any one Epistle of the Apostles in our Meetings Thus much in Answer to one part of the Objection with respect to the Truth Certainty Value and Worth of the Scriptures But still I say they are occasionally good and in one Sense I do prefer the Scriptures above our own Books and then you may lay your Lives on 't above all Books in the World for sometimes the Scriptures as the Case may stand are like the Philosopher's Stone what they touch they turn into Gold And in that Sense our Confession to the Parliament with the Consequences are a Demonstration viz. I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth the Sacred ††Sacred an unscriptural Word yet it now will down with these new Saints to serve a turn c. Scriptures to be Divine left us by Men inspired of God as an exact Rule of our Faith and Behaviour and I profess to believe in One Only God who is the Father and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son very God and very Man and in the Holy Spirit one and the same God with the Father and Son Blessed for evermore The Gen. Hist of the Quakers p. 112. Now my Friends tho' this Confession be as contrary to our Ancient Testimony as Light is contrary to Darkness as by our Books quoted you may see yet we kept our Meaning to our selves we mean'd at the same time The Scriptures to be Dust Death and Serpents Meat News coming up
c. p. 14. That to say Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. But as I said We may sometimes see cause yea and great cause too otherwise to word the Matter yea contrary to our Ancient Testimony and yet mean the same thing c. The Counterfeit Convert c. p. 72. that is to say mean not a word we say And now to the Consequence and for which we prefer the Bible For Friends we no sooner Signed this Confession but we had our Liberty and we no sooner had our Liberty but all our London Preachers spread themselves like Locusts all over England and Wales * * Like Mice uncall'd for and like Flies unsent for and fall upon their Provision some went East some West yea North and South and being generally Tradesmen We not only got our Quarters free our Horses free and well maintain'd in our Travels a Silver Watch here a Beaver there a piece of Hair-Camblet and sometimes other Gifts Moreover by our Liberty obtained by the recited Confession we got into great Trades and by spreading our selves in the Country into great Acquaintance and thereby received Orders of the best of the Country Tradesmen for Parcels whilst the Protestant Tradesmen in London ††Londoners look about you for none like the Quakers but Jews and Jesuites as time will farther shew who had not this Advantage stood still and in their Shops had little to do whilst we fill'd our Coffers Witness Tho. Greene for one Instance whose Wife would scarce suffer him at home she being willing according to the Proverb to make Hay whilst the Sun shines insomuch that in a little time he raised his small Beginning to many Thousands Since I printed this Tho. Greene is dead and died worth as is said Six or Eight Thousand Pounds who was a poor Mason when he set up for a Preaching Quaker All which shew that the Scriptures are accidentally good c. And this leads me to the second Proposition namely The Authority of our Friends Books and Sayings c. First I shall shew you that as 't is Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God To all that would know the Way to the Kingdom c. p. 4. Mene Tekel c. p. 22. so I shall shew you that our Scriptures for as I told you in my Serious Apol. p. 48. Writings signifie Scripture are the Word of God and this you will find written in the Epistle of our Second Moses in these Words Friends to you all this is the Word of the Lord take heed of judging one another this is the Word of the Lord unto you I charge you in the Presence of the Lord God to send this Epistle among all Friends and Brethren every where to be read in all Meetings to you all This is the Word of God Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth c. p. 60 61 62. Again that I may corroborate and strengthen your Faith in the Exercise of our Ancient Testimony * * G. W. keeps to his Text. Read in the Gospel of our Great Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Geo. Fox where you 'll find these Words viz. You may said G. F. to the Priests as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as our Writings for our giving forth Papers and Printed Books it is from the IMMEDIATE ETERNAL SPIRIT of God Truths Defence c. p. 2 102. upon which our Dear Brother Thomas Ellwood saith That none can squirt any Filth on the Epistles of Friends but it will tend to be spatter the Apostles An Antidote against c. p. 1 44 57 125. And in Confidence thereof our Brother Robert Barclay hath these Words That as the true Principles of the Gospel by their i. e. Quakers Testimony are restored so is also the ANCIENT Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ re-established amongst them i. e. Quakers and settled upon its right Basis and Foundation that as thro' our Faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the National Ministry hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their Forced Maintainance and Tythes so that their Kingdom in the Hearts of Thousands begin to Totter and lose its Strength and shall assuredly Fall to the Ground So on the other Hand we do weaken the Strength of their Kingdom who judge for Reward The Nation shall come to be disburdened of that deceitful Tribe of Lawyers as well as Priests * * Let all Lawyers Tradesmen Clergy and Magistrates guard against the Prevalency of Quakerism for they are all highly concerned I never knew any that left us prove steady to those to whom they go I find other Professors make but small Boasts of any Proselytes they get out from us I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us The Anarchy c. p. 1 16 42. Thus Friends you see that upon Confidence of the Truth of our elder Brother Geo. Fox's Ancient Testimony viz. That it was Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God and yet laudable to call his Papers sent up and down to be read in Meetings The Word of God the Word of the Lord God I say you see how stoutly our Brother Ellwood avouched that none could squirt any Filth on the Epistles of Friends but it must inevitably fall upon the Epistles of St. Paul and he was in the right on 't ††G. W. is no Changling he keeps to his Text. and likewise R. Barclay in confidence of the Truth of G Fox's Testimony viz. That to call the Scriptures The Word of God was no less than Blasphemy whilst his own Writings sent up and down to spread Truth and in order to it to be read in Meetings was The Word of the Lord and as such to be read and as such to be receiv'd You may see I say how he built his Hopes of our Restoration and the Downfal both of the Clergy and Lawyers insomuch that he did not once think any should ever go from us to prove Champions for the Principles of others against us And therefore I exhort you this Day to stand Faithful to your Ancient Testimony which is to throw down the Scriptures and exalt our own Books and so will the Work of your Light prosper in your Hands Besides for your Encouragement and that you may see my Sincerity and Seriousness which is the sign of my writing in every of my Epistles look into one of my Gospels and you shall find these VVords That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater c. Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. VVherefore ye dear Lambs be ye encouraged and go on boldly and if any Apostate write against us besure you warn all our Friends in the Country not to
sought for a proper place of Scripture and when he had read he then in a friendly manner gave the Minister his Book again and did not fall upon him and call him Conjurer Beast Dog Witch Devil Bloodhound c †As the Quakers does our Ministers but preached out of what he read and expounded it to the People insomuch that the Eyes of all the Assembly were fastned on him when they heard his Gracious Sayings Luke 14.14,16,17,18,19,20,21 and at another time suitable to his own Example he bade the Jews search the Scriptures for they are them which testifie of me John 5.39 And after he was risen from the Dead how did he appear to his Disciples and reasoned out of the Scriptures Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself saying unto them These are the Words which I spake unto you whilst I was with you that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me John 24.27,44 Thus did he confirm the Scriptures by his Holy Example both before and after his Crucifixion he did not question whether Moses or Hermes were the first Pen-man thereof or whether either or neither as the Quakers do in order to invalidate it and to overthrow the Divine Authority of it The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. no no he confirm'd them saying The Scripture cannot be broken John 10.35 Think not said he that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets No no it is said he easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than for one tittle of the Law to fail till all be fulfilled Matth. 5.17,18 Joh. 16.7 And St. Paul said The Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 And it was his manner to go into the Jews Synagogue to Reason with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have Suffer'd and Risen from the Dead proving out of the Scriptures that the same Jesus which he Preached who was Prophesied of and in due time was Born of the Virgin Mary was the Christ Read Acts 17. Micah 5.2 Psal 2.2.22.18 Isa 61.1.9,7 Deut. 18.15 Jer. 23.5 Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12.21.9 Read New Rome Arraigned c. pag. 55 to 58. c. Here we may see that neither the Ministers of the Church of the Jews nor Christ nor his Apostles call'd the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Wares the Husk Carnal Serpent's Food c. as the Prophane Quakers Blasphemously do as appears from the Books of their Prophets of greatest Note Fox Whitehead c. See the Quakers Plainness c. p. And if you will look into the Apology of Justin Martyr and the Writings of the Fathers as St. Cyprian St. Augustin Origen Chrysostom Isidorus Tertullian c. and into the Practice of our present Church of England you will find the same But for your further Instruction in these Matters I rather refer you to our Reverend Bishops and Clergy who can better inform you Thus having kept nothing back from you which I think may make a Discovery of the Quakers Faith Doctrine and Practice to be contrary to the Faith Doctrine and Practice of the Jewish as well as the Christian Church to that of the Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages I shall conclude this Chapter begging of God to bless my Labours to those Ends by me designed which are best known to him and my own Conscience which whether you believe it or not is That you may thereby be helped to understand your Errors that thereby you may be prevailed upon to beg God's Assistance to help you out of them and receive the Benefit of it Amen Fran. Bugg July 30. 1698. To write no more I long since did intend But now I hope that Work is near an end For abler Men do daily now come in To finish what I think I did begin * Respecting some particular Discoveries not but there were earlier Pens at work against Quakerism AN APPENDIX DISCOVERING A most Damnable PLOT by a Vnited Confederacy carried on by the chief Emissaries of New-Rome against the Christian Religion and Christian Reputation of the Professors thereof with a Remedy against it both Easie and Safe READER HAving gone thro' many things tho' briefly I do now say that it was not of my seeking nor my Choice I could have been glad to have seen the Quakers to have Retracted their Gross Errors and thereby remove the Cause but they have slighted all due Methods that are consistent with a Reformation Observe what Proposals I and others have made in our Books For when G. Whitehead gave forth a Sheet Entituled The Quakers Vindication c. saying Col. 2. P. 3 4. I G. W. freely offer and am willing to make it plainly appear before ANY Six Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses who are moderate Men of common Sense and Reason That Francis Bugg has grosly wronged the Quakers both in Charge Citation and Observation c. I then did meet him and we agreed upon the Preliminaries upon which we were to debate but when I came to name Persons he flew off Now by the Contents of his Offer I had my Liberty to chuse any yea all the Men provided they were moderate Men of common Sense and Reason But to avoid his Charge of Partiality I admitted that he should have his equal Choice of one part of the Men And that he might see I would take no Advantage at his Word any whereby I was left free where to make my Choice as well as who I offer'd to chuse out of the Ministers of the Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants or Baptists I mention this here because 't is Rumour'd in Town that he offered to meet me with the Baptists a horrible Lie but none would down with him but Quakers Nay to chuse our Men out of any or of all those Four Christian Societies which had he been sincere he could not have denied since it was his own voluntary Offer Nay when he refused to close on this Bottom as if he feared he could not chuse Six moderate Men of common Sense in all those Societies I then offer'd him to chuse each of us Three Members of the Honourable House of Commons and to them we would leave our Matter in contest Viz. Whether I had wronged them in Charge Quotation or Citation c. Febr. 1693. But this he refused also and there being some Gentlemen present they advised me to send him a Letter to that end and they would subscribe it which I did their Names are as followeth viz. Samuel Grove Samuel Plaice Henry Symons John Fenn and also Danil Hassel But this Offer G. W. also rejected which the Gentlemen above-named as well as to my self and indeed to all that have since understood it was and is a Sign of great Guilt and Insincerity in him which indeed is manifest in most of his Answers to
some may say What other Way is there to put a Stop to the Growth of Quakerism if they have this Liberty Such an Expedient would be requisite if such an one were to be found Answ I have once offer'd my Thoughts in this Case and shall now enlarge thereon For as I then said so I still believe that the main Requisite to work a Cure is to know the Disease which when found out an ordinary Practitioner may prescribe a Remedy sooner than an able Physician who knows not the Disease Besides this I have heard that when a Bill for the well-Tanning of Leather was brought into the House of Parliament one of the Honourable House of Lords being willing to inform himself into the Nature of that Affair he apply'd himself to a Cobler discourses with him about this that and the other Default in Leather and what VVays might be found to remedy the Abuses thereof for the Publick Good The Cobler tells his Honour what he knew by many Years Experience and told his Lordship how it might with Ease be remedied insomuch that when the said Bill came under Debate in the House his Lordship was so well skill'd not only in the Means to be used but in the Terms of Art that his Lordship spake like some experienced Tanner who by his Discourse gave Light to the whole House Now whether this was so or no I will not determine but 't is not improbable since the wisest of Men may sometimes improve by such weak Helps as in other Cases 't is frequent such a Virtue is Humility And thereupon in answer to the Objection I shall say thus much I. Let G. Whitehead and some others of the Quakers chief Leaders and Fr. Bugg c. be summoned by Authority to appear And whereas G. Whitehead c. has given in a Sheet to the Parliament Anno 1693. suggesting that Fran. Bugg c. has wronged the Quakers in Charge Citation and Observation and if G. W. can make it appear so for our Law judges no Man before it hears him let Fran. Bugg c. be made an Example Again on the other Hand if it appear that Fran. Bugg c. has not wronged the Quakers nor falsly charged them either in Book or Page and that those Points of Doctrine objected against the Quakers by F. B. c. be found to strike at the Foundation of the Christian Religion and to subvert the Faith then let the Quakers be oblig'd to renounce them and condemn those Books which so teach This yea this would strike Quakerism to the Heart This is the thing feared by G. W. c. when they cry out Fran. Bugg would stir up Persecution and give it a Mortal VVound and preserve the Quakers too and the Books being condemn'd to be burnt as it would remove the Scandal brought upon the Christian Religion so would it be a Means to rescue their VVives and Children from the Jaws of Quakerism that Fatal Mischief to Mankind and preserve others from falling into it For now many of them think their Teachers write and speak from the Eternal Spirit whose so speaking is of greater Authority than the Bible Truth defending the Quakers c. pag. 7. And that 't is as lawful to burn the Bible as their Books Papers and Queries Truth 's Defence c. p. 2.104 Then would those who are now Tinctured with the Leaven of Quakerism vomit it up and forsake their Errors This I take to be one proper Remedy and possibly might effect the Cure If not II. If the Quakers would Apologize That now they Believe otherwise than they did formerly then as a Proof of their Sincerity and Conversion let them having first condemn'd their Books as aforesaid set out certain Articles of their Faith in Plain Clear and Positive Words agreeable to Scripture since of late they have so much pretended to be Orthodox therein and at the Close of them condemn all their other Books which teach the contrary particularly by Name III. The next thing requisite to make a firm and lasting Cure to them their Heirs and Successors is to admit each Congregation of Quakers to have their Teacher or two if one will not do And likewise that thse Teachers may attend only their own Flock and not to range all the World over at most not above Five or Ten Miles to Hold-forth lest this Putrified Sore break out again and the last end be worse than their beginning And as this thus granted is what other Professors Dissenters from the Church of England are content with so will it answer all the just Ends of that Liberty of Conscience so much by them sollicited for and so graciously already granted by the Government IV. Let them not be permitted to hold Yearly Convocations with Doors Lockt Barr'd or Guarded by Men on Purpose to prevent Inspection in order to make Laws against the Laws of the Land and with respect to their Subjects to repeal such Laws as suite not their Design which shews that they are a Government within the Government Whose Laws thus made they keep private even from many of their own People For as this Practice no Dissenters Quakers only excepted do desire and indeed without His Majesty's Licence more than the Bishops of the Established Church can Legally do so would it be a Means to work a perfect Cure of this so much to be lamented Gangrene of Quakerism V. Lastly That they may not be permitted to Teach School Publickly for thereby they corrupt the Youth and lay a Foundation for the next Age for the Seeds of Quakerism to spring and put forth again for they teach G. Fox's Journal which contains such Doctrine as tends to undermine the Christian Religion Object III. G. W. in his late Book Truth and Innocency c. p. 41. objects Our Adversaries would make as if we promoted Regnum in Regno not only independent but opposite to the Civil Government which none of our Meetings are being to promote real Practice of Piety Christianity and true Religion among us as a People and to prevent the contrary We know of no such Supream Assemblies among us as gives Laws and makes Orders for the Government of our People suppressing Books c. Answ This is all fallacious he knows they do and I can prove it And not only make Laws for their People but make Laws or Orders contrary to the Laws of the Land And as for his Pretence that at these Meetings they do not promote Regnum in Regno since their Meetings are to promote real Piety c. 1. When the Bishops and Clergy meet do they not promote the real Practice of Piety as much as the Quakers pretend to Yet if they should meet as do the Quakers without Licence from His Majesty it would as Lawyers say be against these Statutes 28 Hen. 8. c. 19 21. 27 Hen. 8. c. 15. 3 Ed. 6. c. 10 11. 1 Eliz. c. 12. Magna Charta c. 29. Pet. of R. 5 Eliz. c. 1.
in the time of Moses with the very likeness of things good in themselves but all is but counterfeit a bare likeness appear fair like painted Sepulchers and whited Walls but the inside of their Doctrine is all Rottenness How do they send up and down to invite to their Meetings How do they disperse their Books East West North and South see p. 144. as well as beyond Sea How do they present them to the Parliament the Judges the Justices even to all Ranks and Degrees of Men And shall we sit still and declare to the World we have no Zeal for our Holy Religion which our Martyred Ancestors suffered in the Flames for Wherefore let us put on Courage and excite one another's Zeal lest God in Judgment remove the Candlestick and plant his Gospel amongst a People more deserving And therefore let us put Books into the Hands of our Magistrates to inform their Understandings in these Matters that they may be capable to be Eye-Witnesses of this dismal Tragedy now upon the Stage And into the Hands of our Christian Neighbours who at present may be unthinking and not see the Danger they are in and also caution'd to beware of the Deceivers of our Times who come in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves And into the Hands of the Well-disposed amongst the Quakers for the regaining of them And this will be a Means to discover and lay waste the Design and Confederacy now on Foot And for your Comfort this I can tell you that many are now coming off Quakerism embracing Christianity and let us meet them and with all Sweetness invite them Home There are about Six or Eight of their Writers and Teachers come off and Hundreds that were caught by their Snare some of them that have been Quakers these Forty Years are now in Print against them And since I have been in London I have had many of them come to Visit me with Thanks in their Mouths to Me and Others who have dealt plainly with them bidding me keep on my Pace and not to spare Proud Babel And from others I have had Letters of the same Import And in Hopes it will be good News to many of you I will recite a Passage or two out of W. Mather's his Book Printed within this Month he lives in Bedfordshire and hath been a Quaker these Forty Years and an Old Acquaintance of mine 38 Years since viz. An Answer to the Switch c. by W. Mather p. 1 8. It is says W. Mather impossible that the Pens now in Controversie against us Quakers should be put a Stop to before there is an Order given forth from the Second-Days Meeting for the Reformation of our Preachers and also a Book of Retractations of the Errors of our Friends printed Books A Man that does but tell you G. Whitehead c. of your Mistakes that they might be amended had need have the Armour of Grace in his Heart as little David had when he encountred great Goliah yea as bold as David 's Worthies were who ventured their Lives to fetch Water from the Philistines Camp to be sure you will Scoff at him at a high rate Wound or Kill him as you account that Crisp Bugg Keith c. are Dead to the Life of Truth for opposing your Errors Wounded them it's true you have for which God will Judge you For every one of them at first only desired that you might bring your Deeds to the Light to be Tried by the Scriptures But instead of Answering their Christian Desires for your Good you fall upon them and wound them and make them grieve Pag. 9. Consider this you fierce Despisers of all those who desire your Reformation in Doctrine and Practice You know where this Cursed Thing is that causeth all this Disturbance you still hide it but out it must come and be beaten to Pouder Wherefore I beseech you to consider First what Damage hath befaln our Church by the False Doctrine couched under the fair Pretences of the Quakers next their Industry of spreading them as in p. 1.44 but moreover how they give away that Fallacious Book Anguis Flagellatus c. not only to Members of Parliament Judges Justices Lawyers and indeed Men of all Ranks but as I have been told send beyond Sea 500 together And forasmuch as there are many Excellent Books wrote by that Reverend Author of the Book intituled The Snake in the Grass c. that and his Defence of it his Book Satan Disrobed c. and that about Water Baptism and also by that Learned Author Geo. Keith and divers others which discover the Horrible Fraud and Pernicious Principles of the Quakers I say let us not let a Parliament-Man a Judge Justice or any others where we see a Service for the Church be without a Book to inform their Judgments and rectifie the Mistakes of others Let us consider the many Books wrote by our Pious Divines in Defence of our Holy Religion against the Attempts of the Church of Rome and also the great Benefit thereof and good Effects they have had both to Preserve our Members in Communion with us and to Regain many that were wavering and some that were strayed away And as a further exciting our Zeal let us be often Meditating on the Precepts of Divine Writ and Pray God to Illuminate our Understandings and thereby make us able to Read them to our Comfort I cannot but remember with what restless Zeal my self and others used to Advance Quakerism in the beginning and how we sent our Books the Nation over by Pack-Horses and otherwise I my self have given away Twenty Shillings worth at a Meeting and shall we be now less Zealous in Dispersing Books to detect their Errors than they have been to broach them and are now to defend them God forbid Oh let it not be said so of such as love God and are Orthodox in the Faith that love the Scriptures and have a true value for the Sacred Ordinances instituted by our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Thus have I imparted my Mind and I hope without Offence who am Your Humble Servant Fr. Bugg Milden-Hall in Suffolk March 1699 700. THE CONTENTS OF the Author 's Early Education Pag. 1 Of his turning Quaker 5 The Occasion and Means thereof 6 Of the Quaker's Silent Meetings 8 Fox and Muggleton compared 18 Of Muggleton's Doctrine 19 Quakers Laws to be obeyed 25 Scripture-Commands vacated 27 Christ disowned 28 The Quakers Synod 29 The Quakers Creed 33 Scripture-Authority overturned 39 G. Fox the Second Moses 42 G. Fox's Self-Exaltations 45 The Quakers Adoration of G. Fox 47 Fox's Journal preferred to the Bible 48 Distrust all they say and Why 53 Ann Docwra's Letter 54 Christ's Blood undervalued 55 Every Quaker a Virgin Mary 57 Fox's Miracles refuted 61 His Visions Diabolical 62 Who the Quakers own Poor 63 The Quakers Malicious Attempts 65 Tho. Plumstead's Running away 66 G. W.'s pretended Call fallacious 67 Their Teachers mean
Consideration the Title of Anguis Flagellatus or A Switch for the Snake and by this Slight and piece of Cunning think to avoid the Dint of his Arguments and turn it upon himself tho' indeed they have thereby Lasht themselves Besides they have perverted his Meaning for they knew well enough that Obscure Quakerism was the Snake which that Reverend Author designed to discover And they ought in Point of Justice either to have acquitted themselves thereof by way of Argument or else to have condemned one sort of their Books which rendred them guilty of his Charge For when they wrote a Book against Mr. Pennyman Mr. Mucklow and the Anabaptists they Intitled it Judas and the Jews Now Judas could not in strictness be attributed to the first no not Figuratively because they did not so much as betray the Truths of the Gospel to the Enemies thereof Nor could they with any colour charge the latter to be Jews who own and profess Jesus of Nazareth to be their Saviour Whereas they might rationally have return'd those Names Judas and the Jews to the Quakers for they agree with them in Fundamentals * See W. Penn's Serious Apol. p. 146. Joh. 14.28 19.27 The Quakers they deny the Person that suffered at Jerusalem to be the Son of God And the Jews said they had a Law and by it they put him to Death because he said he was the Son of God Thus much briefly for the Title But Secondly II. About Splitting Sentences Now as to Splitting Sentences mangling curtailing and dropping what is not for their Turn let us see whether the Quakers are not guilty of what they so fearfully complain of as a Fault in the Author of The Snake in the Grass c. almost quite through their Anguis c. For this see their Standard of the Lord lifted up c. by Chr. Atkinson and Edw. Burroughs where E. B. in his Epistle said thus I was moved to go see him John Gilpen and his Will was at Liberty above the Judgment tho' the Judgment was upon the Head of the Beast in him and a true Power working which I did own but his will not being kept in Subjection c. Now the words which I did own the Quakers drop as not for their Turn For it would have shewed that this E. Burroughs the Quakers Prophet and Son of Thunder did own this Gilpin in his Blasphemies and Possessions of the Devil * See the Snake c. Edit 3. p. 288. and Anguis Flagellat p. 446. And a second Instance of their Curtailing is the Author of the Snake in the Grass hath charged the Quakers with an Idolatrous Letter of Josiah Coale's to G. Fox as in p. 261. herein and there you will see that the Quakers have dropt these words And thy Kingdom is established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end †See the Snake c. Edit 3. p. 115. and Anguis c. p. 180. I say these words were so manifestly blasphemously Idolatrous that the Quakers were forced to drop them altho' the other part shews sufficiently the Quakers Idolatry But thirdly and that I may shew my Reader that this is no new thing to find them curtailing mincing and mangling Sentences how much soever they complain of others I shall recite one Passage more to shew it their old Craft and cunning Slight by which they lye in wait to Deceive and that from an old profound Practitioner in that Black Art namely Geo. Whitehead who in one of his Books The Contentious Apostate Recharged c. pag. 5 6 7. citing one Line here one Line there and sometimes five Words out of the middle of a Line As for Example out of my Book Battering Rams against New-Rome thus p. 12. l. 10. in some 50 l. per Annum not touching the Matter either before or after A notable nonsuch way to confute an Adversary and to dispatch Answers Again Your only way is when Cash grows low to issue out and then he gives a good Leap out of this Line having taken the middle of it into the middle of the next Line and then takes out of it a Letter and two Words viz. A General Epistle and from thence he skips to the last three Words in the next Line i. e. Your own Service and now he hops to the next Line and takes one single Word i. e. for and leaves the next Word as and then catches up the next Word Money and then gives a good stride into another Line and gets a good quantity of Words i. e. 'T is a good Encouragement to your Preachers and Parasites which being put together as we use to join Syllables when I was a Boy and went to School it runs thus Your way is when your Cash grows low to issue out a General Epistle for your own Service for Money 't is a great Encouragement to your Preachers and Parasites Now Reader dost thou not think Whitehead was sorely put to it to Answer that Book of mine But grant that yet who would think that these Men should find fault with others for splitting Sentences for mincing and mangling into Bits and Scraps I say who would imagine that these foul Perverters these horrible Jugglers should have the Impudence to complain of others And which is still worse without Cause For of this I am sure there is not a Man that Quotes fairer nor with more Caution than that Author has all along done For tho' neither he nor Mr. Crisp nor Mr. Keith nor my self do often quote from one another and all to avoid their causeless Cavils yet I am confident no Men can be more careful than we all are I will not deny but we all three lend that Author Books as we do one to another and as I within a Month lent a Friend of his and for his Use Forty of the Quakers old Books Printed in 1653 1654 1655 and 1656 most of which he never saw before yet if we did Quote from one another I hope it would be of as good Authority as for them to Quote one another's Books which yet they frequently do * An Instance you have in their Ang. Flagellat p. 155. and divers other places and that oft-times falsly too by splitting Sentences and dropping what is not for their Turn as in the first and second Instances and an hundred more could I enlarge thereon But this is but a Preface and therefore I must be brief yet I shall raze their Foundation which is Hypocrisie But to proceed III. Their Sinless Perfection and Infallibility I am now come to their principal Pillar upon which their Building chiefly stands For a Question being put to them in these Words Whether a Man can Sin while he follows this Light * Snake Edit 3. p. 10. The Quakers Answer is in these Words It may be safely answered No †See their Anguis p. 44. Now this Answer is according to their Ancient Testimony For I have in this
Sectaries and their Bibles and their Ministers whose Cause as aforesaid p. 28. I am not engaged in therefore it does not concern me i. e. J. Coale to answer his Charges against them but shall leave them to answer for themselves c. Thus does the Harmony of the Quakers and Papists agree and for Confirmation read pag. 222 to pag. 248. herein VII About Vnwritten Traditions That the Papists value their Unwritten Tradition above the Scriptures has been sufficiently proved by our English Divines that the Quakers value their own Epistles above the Holy Scriptures is as plainly proved in p. 34 and 142 to 149. And this is the Seventh Point in which the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church which both the Clergy of England Protestant Dissenters do VIII Touching Idolatry If any doubt whether the Romish Church be guilty of Idolatry let them read Dr. Stillingfleet late Bishop of Worcester his Book Intituled A Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome c. and many other Books wrote by our English Divines and they may meet with Satisfaction And that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Church of Rome in this Point read p. 42 to p. 48. p. 206 to p. 266. IX Pope of Rome and Pope Fox I have read what the Papists say in defence of their Popes * In the Defence of the Apol. of the Church of England viz. Papa Lux venit in Mundum The Pope is that Light that is come into the World Our Lord God the Pope In the Pope is all manner of Power A Divine Power is in the Pope A certain Divine Power in the Pope beyond the Natural State of Men. Mr. Harding said of the Pope Thou art the chief of Bishops thou art the Heir of the Apostles for Primacy thou art Abel for Government Noah for Patriarchship Abraham for Holy Order Melchisedek for Dignity Aaron for Authority Moses for Judgment Samuel for Power Peter and for thy Anointing Christ c. Now to shew that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Papists in this Point read p. 42 to p. 48. p. 253 to p. 267. And by way of Corroboration let me add this I am said Fox the Light of the World him by whom the World was made and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World * The Teachers of the World unvailed c. p. 27. See also his Book News coming up out of the North c. p. 15 41. which is very large on this Head X. The Quakers the One Only Church A. S. having said the Roman Church is the One Only Church of Christ Josiah Coale denies it saying The Quakers are the One Only Church of Christ and so do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church And this I shall prove by the same number of Instances by which I have shewed that they are One with the Romish Church in the Affirmative And 1. The Whore unvailed c. p. 40. But for all that has been said says J. Coale some may say the Grand Question propounded by A. S. in his second Chapter is not yet answered viz. Which is the True Church I answer says Josiah that is the True Church and no other whose Fruit makes manifest that they are governed by the Invisible Head Christ i. e. their Light within but the People called Quakers are such Therefore the Quakers are the true Church * Pray read p. 266 to p. 284. and by their Fruit you shall know them 2. P. 41. ibid. The People called Quakers continue in the Doctrine of Christ saying Be ye perfect c. And the People called Quakers do Preach the Doctrine of Perfection as Thousands can bear Witness Therefore they are the True Church c. But Reader for the Disproof of what they boastingly say read as in the Margin and see what manner of Perfection they are found in 3. Again p. 43. ibid. * This Josiah Coale was a most Eminent Quaker yet a grand Idolater See p. 261. therefore I put him into the Cage among his Fellows Which being considered it appears that Perfection or Freedom from Sin is attainable in this Life which by the Quakers is Preached Therefore the Quakers are the True Church 4. Again p. 44. ibid. The Ministers of Christ were ordained not of Man nor by Man nor of the Letter but of the Spirit and so are the Ministers of the Quakers Therefore the Quakers are the True Church 5. P. ibid. The true Church in the Primitive Times was taught by the Grace of God that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts they should live soberly c. And the Quakers being taught by the same Grace do deny Vngodliness †See the Cage of Vnclean Birds p. 249 to 284. for a Proof of what they boast of Therefore the Quakers are the True Church 6. P. 41. ibid. Christ commanded saying Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you even so do ye unto them which Command the Quakers observe as Thousands can bear them Witness Therefore they are the True Church For Proof of the contrary see the last Instances of this Preface touching their Breaking and Cheating 7. The Apostate-Incendiary c. p. 3. It was for your sake and the Truth says George Whitehead that I was pressed in Spirit in a Godly Zeal thus to appear against this deceitful Worker i. e. William Mucklow and treacherous Spirit which at length hath shewed it self against the Truth and Church of Christ and Elect People of God called Quakers 8. The Anarchy of the Ranters c. That as the true and pure Principles of the Gospel are Restored by the Quakers Testimony so the Ancient Apostolical Order in the Church of Christ is Re-established amongst them and Settled upon its Right Basis and Foundation * For more of R. Barkley see p. 40. all which shew they do not hold in this a Negative Doctrine to Rome 9. The Quakers Challenge c. p. 3. The Quakers are in the Truth and none but They consequently the Quakers are the only True Church for this is the Testimony of one of their deceased Prophets Sol. Eccles That the Quakers are in the Truth and none but they †See pag. 261. where this Bird Sol. Eccles lyes in the Cage for his Idolatry 10. See Burroughs's Works p. 64 318. who writing to the Quakers thus said The Tabernacle of God is with you and his Dwelling-Place amongst you and only amongst you is God known all that ever own God and Salvation shall own us * See pag. 261. where this Burroughs is the second Bird in the Cage for his gross Idolatry Having by this time shewed Ten Instances that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church in the most Fundamental Errours in that Church and yet agree with her in as many Instances that she is the Only Church out of which there is no Salvation
as they say I should have proceeded to as many Instances of their Pretence to Spiritual Discerning but I shall mention but two viz. George Fox in his Great Mystery c. p. 89. viz. The Quakers can discern who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates without speaking ever a Word Another Place like unto it is in Judas and the Jews c. p. 58. thus None need to give us Discerning or Judgment Christ hath furnished us already and doth on all Occasions But that I may do the Quakers Justice let me give one Instance where I may shew that the Quakers differ in Doctrine from the Romish Church and if I mistake not from all other Christian Churches And indeed that is one main Reason why I thus Unmask New Rome For as A. S. the Roman Catholick said so say I as in his Reconciler of Religions c. p. 2. The true Church Militant is composed of Good and Bad of Wheat and Tares c. To this Josiah Coale in his Whore Vnvailed c. p. 10. replies like himself i. e. like a right Quaker saying Which thing I do abominate to acknowledge And it is Blasphemy the true Church is not composed of Wheat and Tares of Good and Bad but of Good only * See pag. 254 to pag. 284. whether their Church be all Wheat Another of their Teachers in his Book A Rod to drive out the Wild Boars c. says There is no Hypocrite in the true Church they that say there are Hypocrites in the true Church do erre from the Spirit of Truth c. Read the Fourteenth Chapter herein and see whether the Quakers have not Erred or whether that Grain looks like Wheat nay not so good as Tares but meer Darnel And as to their Fling at me about my Compounding as in their Anguis Flagellatus c. p. 432. I shall say little of it in this place but referr to Chap. 15. herein pag. 295 to pag. 307. only thus much I may add That there was but about a Third Part of my Creditors that Compounded at 10 s. in the Pound the rest I have and must Pay the Whole Nay some of those that did Compound I have since Paid the Whole And this Offer I now make That if the Quakers will Engage that those of their Profession shall Pay me what they Broke in my Debt or that Died in my Debt and have not paid me I then will promise to pay every Man to a Groat and if so the Quakers have no great cause to boast And yet I can in good Conscience say that great part of my difficulties have been by and through the great injustice and implacable malice of my Adversaries the Quakers who have yet no reason since my labour have been for their good though against their Wills and for which they have by all their endeavours sought my Ruin And their resolutions herein have been very strong and prosecuted with great vigour For as on the one hand they have used all possible means to render me unworthy of the Clergies notice a hint whereof you have in p. 299. so on the other hand some of them have suggested by private insinuations to my Creditors that they need not to comply for that the Clergy would assist me nay one Quaker nearly Related to me by Marriage and for whom I have done divers good offices it may be more than any Man living no nearer related than I was yet he reported to a Kinsman of his in order to blast my Reputation when I had most need of his good word and assistance that I designed to Sell my Estate and leave my Wife and Children which thing I call Heaven and Earth to witness I never designed nor did it ever enter into my heart And much more to this purpose could I relate which I shall not but desire to pass by all their Unkindness and Ingratitude in the Day of my Adversity being truly thankful to God in the first place and to his Servants in the next who have enabled me to continue to this Day not only to live free from want but to maintain my Family with all things necessary even beyond what I could have expected for in all Humane probability had not God raised me up Friends I had been miserable enough by reason my Adversaries rage was so extensive who thirsted after nothing more than my utter Ruin as I could shew were it needful in many cases And thanks be to God through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whose Cause I have been ingaged though a weak and unworthy Instrument and for whose Sake nothing has been to dear too part withal he has raised me Friends and made me able to say as one of old did That I have been able to run through a Troop and to leap over a Wall which I once thought would have been too high for me so that I will not fear what Man can do unto me for God will scatter mine Enemies and confound mine Adversaries and raise me Friends in despite of the Rage of Satan and all his Instruments But since in their late Prints and Appeals the Quakers do so magnifie their own honesty I shall as I have in the Cage of Unclean Birds p. 249. to p. 286. once more add to the number a third sort not at present thinking it needful to add the fruits of others that lye snuge in the Cage and which as yet have not seen it needful to shew their Feathers since the hint already given have had some effect and I hope may have more towards their Humiliation and Amendment But that they may see if yet they do not see that they are left like other Men and overtaken with the same Infirmities I shall set forth not only Ten of their Teachers of great Note but likewise Ten of their Hearers for I love to proceed by number and weight not that I shall this time put John Kilborn and some others into the Cage to their fellow Birds but as I said in regard they so often brag of their honesty in meum and tuum I shall therefore briefly observe to them and for their Humiliation if by any means they may be wrought upon to be Humbled a few of their miscarriages on that Account that their vain pretence to a Sinless Perfection may be retracted and at last come to make Confession of their Sins and Repent thereof and Amend their ways 1. The first I shall name of this sort is Gerald Roberts who was the greatest Entertainer of G. Fox in that Day a great Preacher and one who kept the Publick Stock into whose custody was put a Rich Orphan worth 4000 l. namely Abijah Trot who by the consent of G. Fox and Alex. Parker got her Married to his Son against the Executors consent i. e. R. Cannam and Fran. Camfield against which clandestine proceeding of Fox Parker and Roberts I have much to say which at present I forbear But he broke 2. Tho
their Ancient Principles and they cannot quit them or retract them in their own Books but tell us their Principles are now no other than they were then only they can word the Matter otherwise I grant they hate abhor and detest these things of my reciting c. But as they lye snug in their own Books they read them in their own Meetings they are sweet Morsels of Quaker Consolation read A Modest Defence c. Part II. p. 22. for more of this where I have Reprinted their whole Book Ishmael c. to avoid their Cavils of Curtailing and Splitting Sentences as well as to shew Quakerism in its Native Complexion In their Sober Reply c. p. 11 14 15. in Answer to the Norfolk and Suffolk Petition c. they say To the first we say It is strange you should fear the Christian Religion should be polluted by the Quakers who of all that go under the Protestant Name are generally acknowledged to be furthest removed from and most averse to Popish Superstition so we always offer our Doctrines and Principles to be examined by the Scriptures To the second we say They desire they may Enjoy their wisht-for Happiness of a peaceful Life we envy it them not but God forbid they should swim into it through a Sea of Innocent Blood c. 1. In Answer to the first That the Quakers are furthest removed from Popish Superstition than any that go under the Name Protestant this I deny in their Name and have made it appear from their Doctrine in their Books as in the Preface to my Pilgrim's Progress 2d Edit c. and that from these following Instances in which they do not hold Negative Doctrines from the Romish Church they only differ which of them twain is the true Church to which these Qualifications are duly attributed c. I. That the Quakers are the One Only Church of Christ II. They agree in the Doctrine of Infallibility III. And that none can be Saved out of the True Church IV. They both agree in the Doctrine of Miracles V. Also about the Judge of all Controversies in Matters of Faith VI. They agree in their Contempt of the Protestant Ministers VII They agree in their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures VIII They agree in the Authority of their Unwritten Traditions IX Also in the Pope of Rome and Pope Fox X. They agree in their Idolatry to each Pope 2. That they always desired their Doctrine and Principles might be examined by the Scriptures this is false in Fact when they did in the Face of the World deny it to the Norfolk Clergy at West-Dereham to George Keith at Turners-Hall being thereunto Invited Four Years one after another to my Self at Milden-Hall See New Rome Unmasked c. p. 1 to p. 9. as also at several other times notwithstanding their false and bold denial A Just Censure c. p. 7. 3. They desire they may Enjoy their wisht-for Happiness of a Peaceful Life We envy it them not say the Quakers but God forbid they should swim into it through a Sea of Innocent Blood If it be to swim through a Sea of Blood only to desire that the Quakers Errors and Blasphemous Principles which contemn the Scriptures deny that Jesus of Nazareth who suffered on the Cross to be the Son of God and damn to the Pit of Hell the Ever-blessed Trinity should lye Censured and Condemned and their Books that so teach Burnt by the Common Hangman then indeed they are guilty But if this be not Persecution but agreeable to the Law of the Land the Votes of Parliament His Majesties Royal Will and Pleasure declared in his Proclamation then they are not guilty of Persecution nor of running through a Sea of Innocent Blood in the Defence of Christianity as the Quakers would impose upon their Readers to avoid the dint of an Examination notwithstanding their pretence A Reply c. p. 11. We are ready to undertake the Proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures I have read in St. Jude's Epistle that as in ver 3. he exhorts us to contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints so ver 9. That Michael the Archangel when contending with the Devil he disputed about the Body of Moses durst not bring against him a Railing Accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee And now I am Disputing with the Quakers his chiefest Emissaries and immediate Servants I hope I shall not bring a Railing Accusation But as it is Natural for a Worm when trodden upon to turn again and for an Englishman to set the Saddle on the right Horse so I hope I shall as long as Life last especially when St. Jude has so rightly described the Men as ver 8. saying Likewise also these filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh despise Dominions and speak evil of Dignities as I have shewed in my Modest Defence c. Part I. p. 10 13 14 15. But say they A Just Censure c. p. 1 2. The Man he and his Abetters are ill Men. P. 11. It were greatly to be wished that these Zealots would turn their Spleen against Sin what fair Quarter all sorts of Enormities meet with from some of them But that none allow fairer Quarter to Vice and Immorality than the Quakers and Leaders of the Quaker Church is plain See Pilgrim's Progress c. p. 244 to p. 284. And one Reason I take to be is their own Guilt which would make their Reproofs sound like the Kettle calling the Pot Black-A and therefore 't is the Inconsideration of their Hearers that supports the Credit of such Vicious Hypocrites who are upheld by their Character rather than their Vertue and are become much less loved than feared for I demand an Instance of any one Book wrote against their Vicious Teachers and Hearers provided they keep Fox's Commandments about the Hat Thee Thou not Marrying or Burying with us and the like unwritten Traditions but I can give you an Account of Hundreds of Books wrote against such as dissent from them and conform themselves to the Church of England calling them Apostates Betraying Judasses Malicious Informers Renegadoes Beasts Dogs Wolves Children of the Devil Enemies of all Righteousness Devils Incarnate and a Hundred other Names And they call the Publick Ministry for endeavouring their Conversion Witches Devils Thieves Robbers Antichrists the Bane of Soul and Body threatning them with all direful Vengeance and this if rightly considered is not the least part of their Insolent Behaviour to the Government Now whether your Just Censure c. was in Answer to my former Sheet with a Scheme of your Yearly Meeting or to my Modest Reply c. or both since 't is said to be a Just Censure of my Address to the Parliament and I presented none under that Title I will not determine since it seems to the first tho' given in since my last yet I cannot but admire at your Impudence in your Reply c.
the Superlative degree and will give them further ground to believe that when the Government have leisure to examine them and that they are willing to wait it will let the Quakers see they have nothing to do with Queen Elizabeth's Motto Much suspected by me Nothing proved can be and that they 'll be forc'd to sing another Song and to change their Motto viz. Many things are fairly mov'd And also as fully prov'd by me Fra. Bugg Now follows a short Discourse by way of Dialogue between Jacob the Wet Quaker and a Civilian for diversion-sake after a piece of hard Drudgery viz. Civilian Oh! Friend Jacob how dost thou do Come let us have a Bottle of Red and half an Hours Chat. Quaker With all my Heart pray what 's the News Civ News I know but little I meddle not with State Affairs But to be free with you I was astonisht at your Deportment the other Day at the Commons Lobby towards Fra. Bugg when he gave away his Book to the Members of Parliament and how Imperiously you Menaced him whose grey Hairs might have commanded your better Respect and perhaps may be as good a Man as your self if your Debts were paid bidding him put off his Hat to the Members which with great respect he did and needed not your Doctrine which had been fitter for your self to have observ'd and the morose Clowns your Brethren who neither respect your Superiors nor regard your Betters Besides you cannot but know how many of your Teachers are and have been guilty of gross Immoralities as Gerard Roberts and his Son Thomas together with Newton Gosnell Billing Antrobus Archer Burr Travers Murford Taylor Clark c. besides your Hearers as Bracy Boswell Plumstead Northcott French Stone Firth Olive Goodwin Cadey c. besides what he has put in the Cage of Unclean Birds in his Pilgrim's Progress 2d Edit p. 294. Qua. Hold Friend thee seem'st to be in a Passion thou saw as soon as I perceiv'd how the Members took his Books and the People shew'd their dislike I came away Civ I am not angry but since in your Reply to his Modest Defence c. p. 8. you seem to allow the liberty of Printing why are you so angry with him since you have not power as in Pensilvania where you both Fined Imprisoned and took away the Printer's Tools for so much as Printing an Appeal since he does no more than you practice and seem now to allow Qua. Be not mistaken we are an Innocent People and vindicate Truth and Innocency Civ Again p. 7. ibid. you say You are ready to make it appear that your Books are not Blasphemous Again p. 11. We are ready to undertake the proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures Qua. We are ready and dare undertake it Civ To the first I answer 't is impossible for in his Book to the Parliament he has Reprinted one of your Books in which is horrible Blasphemy writ by G. Whitehead c. to the second I say Fra. Bugg has Challenged your Teachers Fifty times and G. Keith as many yet you are not ready to vindicate either your Doctrine or the Books which contain them and since that Whitehead seldom appear'd at Parliament Qua. I grant that Book has put a sad damp on our Friends but you must know that giving us G. Whitehead's Method in his Truth and Innocency c. viz. of leaving out words and adding words to and transposing words we dare meet them As for instance in the last Recital adding two words Never and Any and putting out Every and it should run thus We are Never ready to undertake the proof of any Doctrine we hold Civ This is brave Work indeed any thing may do at this rate pray what say you to p. 11. ibid. where you grant that were it not for the Act of Toleration your Monthly Quarterly and Yearly Meetings were illegal but yet they relating to Religion are allowed by the Act whilst in another Book where being charged with the Doors of their Meeting being Lock'd Barr'd or bolted A Just Censure c. p. 26. there you say these Meetings are not designed for Worship and 't is plain none besides Religious Meetings are tolerated by the Act what say you to this Qua. I perceive thou dost not know us nor our way which is to carry two Faces under one Religious Hood you must not measure us by our words but by our meaning and that of our own giving too and if thee wilt but be a Friend to us I will give thee as good a Hamper of Wine as ever thee didst tip over Tongue Civ This is all downright Hypocrisie for at this rate no Man can tell either your Faith or Principles And as to your Present I will not accept thereof for a Gift may pervert and my Religion to me is more than all nor am I so mean spirited to betray my Conscience for all the Wine in thy Cellar But Friend there is another thing in which I would be satisfied namely your answering Books wherein you falsifie the Text drop Words split Sentences and marr the Sence of your Opponant's Argument I will give you but one Instance in a Sheet presented to the Parliament by Fra. Bugg with a Scheme of your Yearly Meeting c. Col. 2. Reason 6. In one sort of their Books they pretend to Love Own and Honour the King yea to Pray for all Men for Kings and all that are in Authority but in their contrary sort of Books they tell you That all Kings and Emperors sprung up in the Night since the Days of the Apostles among the Antichrists that they own no King but Jesus nor no Government but the Government of the Lamb that they are Traytors against Christ that desire an Earthly King Do you read say the Quakers that there were any Kings since the Days of the Apostles but among the Apostate Christians That Kings are the Spiritual Egyptians Oh what a Sincerity was once in the Nation What a dirty nasty thing it would have been to have heard talk of a House of Lords among them A Parliament chosen by most Voices are not like to act for God and the good of his People It was thorow Ignorance that the People subjected themselves to Hereditary Government or to the Government standing in a single Person successively and our Nation have been under Bondage on this Account Now all that the Quakers in their Just Censure c. p. 18. recite is as followeth viz. In one sort of our Books we seem to Own Love and Honour the King yea to Pray for all Men for Kings and all that are in Authority but in the other sort of our Books we tell People that Kings and Emperors sprung up in the Night and among Apostate Christians and that we are against the English Government c. Now how short and defective they are herein is obvious by comparing each Qua. Friends Intentions are good they
of Ignorance I shall now proceed farther to prove my Reasons and that from plain Matter of Fact that so it may appear as well from our printed Books as from our known Practice what a strange Effect these Silent Meetings had upon us and how we thereby became not only levened into a Temper to throw off all Instituted Religion but to a degree higher even to throw Contempt both upon the Scriptures Ordinances and Ministers and all things Sacred crying down all Forms and Constitutions how ancient and profitable soever they were and all under a Pretence of a higher Dispensation even the Light within c. For saith W. Penn We Quakers being withdrawn from every Form and Constitution to wait in Silence for Life from God and not from beggarly Elements and therefore made a Prey to all Parties against whom every Hand have been lifted up and forsaken by all Civil Power c. The Guide Mistaken p. 32. To this let me add the Testimony of one of our greatest Prophets his VVords are these i. e. I dare not daub saith Solomon with untempered Mortar for where they i. e. Professors of Christianity are I was viz. in Performances in Ordinances in Family-Duties in Hearing in Reading in Prayers and Fastings in my own Will and all this is Will-worship But when that one thing the Light came which was needful I then began waiting in Silence to learn to be a Fool insomuch that I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals that were set before me A Musick Lecture p. 25. Thus it is plain that our Teachers led us into this Silent way of pretended Worship which never was known before since the World began Indeed Consideration and Meditation are good and ought often to be the Exercise of Christians but then they have an Object to Meditate upon either the Works of Creation and Providence which affords much Comfort and Cause to praise God our great Creator or else on our Lord Jesus Christ his Death and Sufferings and perfect Obedience and the like But I say to go on purpose to a Meeting and there sit starving in the Cold three or four Hours together speaking never a Word nor as near as we can think a Thought of our own this is such a new and non such way of Worship as neither Prophets Christ's Apostles nor any Christian Church to this Day ever gave Countenance to or President for I grant That John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton who came forth with George Fox and their Books bear the like Face viz. Tho' all visible Worship is now become of no value in the Eyes of the Lord yet it may be truly said that Christ is with his Apostles always to the end of the World in all those that Worship him in Spirit and Truth I mean those Sober Silent Saints whose Language and Practice speaketh forth the Spirit and Power of the Scriptures in them these Silent Saints I speak of from an unerring Spirit from an infallible Light which I have received from the Divine Majesty c. Joyful News from Heaven p. 61 72. Reader I have by me Lodowick Muggleton's Journal or Works bound up in one Volume containing eleven distinct Books in Quarto and above One Thousand Pages and so like to George Fox's that I intend they shall stand together in the Library of Christ's Church College in Oxford with the Works of Burroughs Bayly Smith and others that so any who are concerned with the Quakers Errors may be furnished c. Thus Reader you see that Muggleton and Fox stand on the same Bottom Fox was unerring so was Muggleton Fox was for an Infallible Light so was Muggleton Fox was for Silent Saints so was Muggleton only Muggleton keeps close to his Principles for as he denies all Ordinances so he does not Preach Pray nor Baptize nor Administer the Sacrament But the Quakers as in the Instance of Solomon Eccles above-quoted pretend to be against all Ordinances and yet own Preaching and Praying and deny Baptism and the Supper c. However since I have no Author nor never read of any but Lodowick Muggleton that justifie the Quakers Silent Meetings I will produce one Passage more i. e. That the Worship required by him from his Saints was an Inward Stilness by which their Souls were made willing to hearken to the Voice or Motion of bis most Holy Spirit speaking in them Thus from an unerring Light I have remonstrated to the Elect what is the very true God and his Spiritual Worship accepted of him 't is not Outward Praying Preaching Fasting or Thanksgiving to be seen of Men but it is an Inward Spiritual Silent Praying and Praising Fasting and Feasting upon the Glorious Things of Eternity which is only seen by Divine Eyes c. p. 41 43. Ibid. Thus I have shewed that Lodowick Muggleton was a better Quaker of the two than Solomon Eccles But that it may appear that as the Quakers have testified against the Christians for owning the Authority of the Bible so let them see they have a Partner namely Muggleton who says p. 49. Ibid. Again in the next place I shall demonstrate the Vanity of the Ministry of the Baptists I need not tell you the Foundation upon which they build their Worship because it is founded on the Letter (d) The Quakers Language to a Tee of the Scripture and their own lying Reason which is the Devil in them All true Christians are now under the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and therefore are no more bound in Conscience to Apostolick Worship I say again that above this 1000 Years there hath not been a Man sent to Preach or Prophesy p. 50. How then canst thou possibly become a Minister of Divine Ordinances by Authority from another Man's Words or Writings unless without their Letter thou wert immediately moved to speak by the Holy Spirit as they were Moreover tho' the Scriptures in themselves are true yet there is nothing but Death in them to a Carnal Spirit The Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and can a dead and killing Letter give the Power to become a Spiritual Minister of Christ's Ordinances to his Elect People I trow not c. Thus doth Lodowick profess the same Infallibility of Judgment the same way of Silent Meetings the same Perfection and unerring Light to Guide moved thereby immediately Again they join like Samson's Foxes against the Scripture a dead Letter a killing Letter a carnal Letter I think I have said enough at this time of the Harmony betwixt Lodowick Muggleton and the Quaker Teachers tho' I could bring many of the like Instances Some Inferences from the Third Chapter IS it so that whereas it is written John 5.23,27 For the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man Confirmed by the Apostle Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the
end this Whitehead justifies Truth defending the Quakers p. 18. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 77. Nay Theft by Fox is likewise justified who said And as for any being moved of the Lord meaning their Light within to take away your Hour-Glass from you BY THE ETERNAL POWER IT IS OWNED c. Nay their idolized Apostle not only disregarded the Magistrates and their Laws but declared in plain and significant VVords That he neither heeded nor valued a Cart-load of their VVarrants c. Journal p. 278. Object 2. But some Men will say How then shall we reconcile the Doctrine of W. Mead and G. Whitehead Mr. Mead saith That G. Fox's Journal is a better Book than the Bible and G. Whitehead saith VVe prefer the Holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the VVorld The Country Convert c. p. 26. To which I answer Very well for p. 72. G. Whitehead thus saith viz. I MAY SEE CAUSE OTHERWISE TO WORD THE MATTER AND YET OUR INTENTIONS BE THE SAME c. p. 72. ibid. Very well now to make it appear that G. Whitehead means one and the same thing that William Mead meaned read his little Book i. e. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY is of as great AUTHORITY as the SCRIPTURES and CHAPTERS are and GREATER Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. And on the Title Page thus viz. WRITTEN FROM THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH in G. Whitehead and G. Fox the Younger Now if this little Pamphlet in Octavo of 70 Pages be of greater Authority than the Scriptures and Chapters are how much more G. Fox's Journal in Folio of near 700 Pages For that which is best is of most Authority generally-speaking and that which is of most Authority is the best Thus then is the Journal of Fox's better in the Quakers Esteem than the Bible and thus does Whitehead mean even as Mr. Mead spoke Object 3. But some will say How then shall we know a Quaker if not by the Import of his VVords I Answer 't is impossible to know them rightly as it ever was for the Protestants to know the Jesuits and therefore you ought to do as the Protestants did TO DISTRUST EVERY THING THEY SAY See the Book Entituled The Missionary's Arts p. 32. printed 1688. For as the Quakers stand on the same Bottom and are found in the same Steps with the same Equivocations Reserves and Double-meanings and the same Pretences to Miracles Visions Revelations Perfection and Infallibility they ought to have the same Answer viz. To distrust them in all they say until they Retract Sentence and Condemn one sort of their Books and this is highly reasonable on their part if they would be taken to be at all serious sincere and honest For many of their Hearers of the honest sort begin to think G. Whitehead little better than a Jesuit already he hath been so false in Fact such a Glosser and Defender of every Error the Quakers hold (r) Anne Docwra of Cambridge her Letter dated 26th 12th Mon. 1682. I have a Letter by me which my Cousin Anne Docwra Widow of Cambridge sent me dated 26th of 12th Month 1682. viz. G. Whitehead have sent one of his Books for me to read and there is the old Money Story in it with I know not what besides I was asked by an honest Friend if he was not a Jesuit I answered nay it is not solid enough for them to own especially when they write to a solid People there is pretty much airy conceited Stuff in it ANNE DOCWRA Thus it appears how long the honest sort of Quakers have take G. W. to be little better than a Jesuit and my Cousin Docwra was of the same Mind too else she would not have given me her honest Friend's Judgment only indeed she is thus far of my Mind That Book was not solid enough the Jesuits are more cunning than G. Whitehead then was but he is come on finely fince for of late he is grown so expert as he can Vindicate or Excuse any Blasphemy Idolatry Contempt of the Scriptures Contempt of the Magistrates Contempt of the Ministry Contempt on the Person and Sufferings of Christ yea and Undervalue his Precious Blood too And how contrary soever their Sayings are to each other yet they mean all one thing referring to their Beginning I have in my former Books shewed how their Books are of two sorts their Meetings of two sorts their Doctrine of two sorts carrying two Faces in all they do or say and yet Whitehead can tell you they mean all one thing One Example more I may give and so shall conclude this Chapter I find a Recital of a Letter writ by Solomon Eccles to Robert Porter in a Book of William Burnet's entituled The Capital Principles of the Quakers p. 41. printed 1668. viz. Robert Porter take heed of Belying the Innocent for I hear thou hast reported to a Friend of mine that I should say That the Blood of Christ is no more than the Blood of another Man I never spoke it but do very highly esteem of the Blood of Christ to be more Excellent Living Holy and Precious than is able to be uttered by the Tongues of Men and Angels I MEAN the Blood which was offered up in (Å¿) Perversion it s offered up thro' the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.41 But the Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his Head to the Father and gave up the Ghost but thou say'st that was the Blood of the New Covenant which was shed after he was dead which I DO DENY Yet I did say That was NO more THAN the BLOOD of another SAINT These are my Words which thou art wresting to thy own Destruction I did also say That the Baptists Independants Presbyterians and Pope are all of one Ground and none of you understand the Blood of Jesus Christ no more than a brute Beast Therefore repent for God will soon overthrow your Faith and your Imputative Righteousness too for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which he did at Jerusalem and without the Gates the Pope the Episcopal the Presbyterian Independants and Baptists shall fare all alike and shall sit down in Sorrow short of the Eternal Rest But the true Imputative Righteousness of Christ we own but it is hid from you all till the Lord open an Eye WITHIN YOU c. Now comes G. Whitehead with his usual Paint to cover palliate and excuse his Brother Eccles saying Now whereas Sol. Eccles in p. 41. is accused of little less than Blasphemy about a Letter chiefly of a Passage concerning the Blood in these Words viz. The Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his Head to the Father and gave up the Ghost I did say THAT WAS NO MORE THAN THE BLOOD OF ANOTHER SAINT Now to these Words NO MORE THAN THE
BLOOD OF ANOTHER SAINT his INTENT (s) George Jesuit-like is excellent at directing the Intention WAS as to Papists and you whose Minds are Carnal who oppose the Light within and ALSO SIMPLY as to the ESSENCE of the BLOOD c. See his Book i. e. the Light and Life of Christ within c. Printed 1668. Thus much by way of G. Whitehead's Interpretation of Solomon's Words and Meaning which I take to be a fair Confession of the Charge of Blasphemy exhibited by Mr. Burnet But to confirm the Reader that the Quakers are defective in the Faith of the Christians in general I will shew another Passage of the same Kind thereby shewing the Quakers Harmony about the Body of Christ from another of their eminent Authors viz. So now this Christ was before the World began and was a Seed †i. e. A Principle within before any Name was given to it who in Process of time was Born of a Virgin but none knows him born or ever shall but of a Virgin he that hath Ears let him hear be thou Man but the Virgin the Power of the most High shall overshadow thee and that HOLY THING which shall be Born of Thee shall be called the Son of God and saith Christ a Body hast thou prepared for me mark the Distinction thou me and a Body this me that spake in the Body was the Christ They his Disciples loved his Person for the sake of the Frame and Quality of the Spirit that dwelt in Him or else what was his Person to them more than another Person But for that that dwelt in him they loved him let none mistake I do not slight it nor the Person of any of his Brethren or Children as they are prepared to do the Will of their Father (t) As the Blood of Christ so the Body of Christ hath by their Doctrine no Preference above the Body and Blood of another Saint c. W. Bayly's Works p. 291. And hereupon they do not only deny Christ even the Lord that bought them as in my Book Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. I have shewed beyond all their Glossing but also how they thereby take occasion to magnifie THEMSELVES their OWN Blood their OWN Sufferings as I shall yet briefly shew For saith Isaac Pennington The Name Jesus and Christ belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head A Question to Professors c. p. 20 27. Again saith Josiah Coale His Edward Burroughs's Blood will be upon you as the Blood of a Thousand Men Jos Coale's Epistle to E. Burroughs's Works c. Again saith Thomas Speed Do not rashly draw your Swords against those harmless ones i. e. Quakers whom your bloody Teachers cloath and represent to you in the ugly Garb of Blasphemers remember that the Son of God who suffered at Jerusalem was not Crucified by the strict Religious as an innocent or just Man but as a Blasphemer be not therefore prevailed with to release Barabbas (v) For the Name Jesus belonged to the Believing Quakers as well as to Christ the Head and so the whole Paralle holds good and give over Jesus to be Crucified to gratifie the Murtherous Appetite either of the Priests or the Multitude considering that tho' you may with Pilate wash your Hands and to those Eyes that are dazled with Fury against innocent Jesus i. e. the Quakers appear clear from his Blood yet before the pure Eyes of the Lord will the condemning Stain thereof be found upon YOU so fresh THAT YOU WILL BY NO MEANS BE THENCE CLEANSED BUT BY THE SAME BLOOD WHICH YOU SO CRUELLY SHED See The Guilty covered Clergy-Man c. p. 16 17. Again see Burroughs's Works p. 273. The Suffering of the People of God call'd Quakers in this Age is a GREATER Suffering and MORE unjust than in the Days of CHRIST or of the APOSTLES or in ANY time SINCE what was done to CHRIST and the APOSTLES was CHIEFLY done by a LAW and in a GREAT Part by the DUE EXECUTION of a Law c. Now to close up this Head let us hear what Father Penn says for none of them all express themselves more full to the Point in Hand viz. See The Christian Quaker and his Divine Testimony c. p. 107. To conclude We tho' this general Victory was obtained and Holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that the efficient and chiefest Cause was the Light and Life (x) Within p. 102. so that the Invisible Life was the Root and Fountain of all which is sometimes ascribed in the Scriptures to the Body by that common Figure or Way of speaking amongst Men the thing containing which is the Body for the thing contained which is the Life p. 209. Nevertheless not to the Body but to that Holy Light and Life therein (y) As in the Quaker's Body c. is chiefly ascribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but instrumentally p. 97 98. The Serpent is a Spirit now nothing can bruise the Head of the Serpent but something that is Spiritual but if that BODY of CHRIST were the SEED (z) Mark here Christ the promised Seed Gen. 3.14 the Son of David of Mary is plainly denied to be the Christ of God then could he not Bruise the Serpent's Head in all because the BODY of CHRIST is not so much as in any one †Yes by Faith Read Acts 4.10,12 Luke 2.11 and consequently the Seed of the Promise is an Holy Principle of Light and Life that being received into the HEART bruiseth the Serpent's Head AND BECAUSE THE SEED WHICH CANNOT BE THAT BODY IS CHRIST as testifie the Scripture The Seed is one and that Seed is Christ They are false Ministers that Preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above Smith's Primer p. 8. But they that are Christ's Ministers Preach Christ within Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your Carnal Christ is utterly denied that this Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie c. The Sword of the Lord drawn p. 5. Reader I have taken in enough to shew the Marrow of the Quaker's Divinity and the Harmony of their Antient Testimonies And they tell you in a late Print That God is the same Truth is the same his People the same their Principles are the same c. The People call'd Quakers cleared c. p. 7. And in another Our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People Primitive Christianity c. p. 53. Printed 1698. So that there needs no Comment only for further Satisfaction I refer to my former Books New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation Shaken c. New Rome Arraign'd and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. The Snake in the Grass c. Satan Disrobed
in the same Page he tells us that the false Christians meaning the Church-People are more intolerable than Heathens Turks and Jews saying The equal Conversation of those Infidels should make both Priest and People blush (b) And why not Quakers too But Mr. Clapham the Minister against whom W. Penn writ that Book says It 's a foolish thing to flatter the Papists Socinians and Quakers with the Hopes of Salvation p. 31 32 ib. Upon which Mr. Penn in his wonted career first condemns the Clergy then vindicates the Soeinians his Words are these If Pap. Socin Quak. be defective they owe it to the Idle Lying Covetous Ignorant and Murdering Spirit and Practice of the Priests whose Interest it has ever been to enslave and obscure the People's Understanding it 's not my Business to Apologize for Papists As for the Socinian I know him to have Wit and Learning enough his Exemplary Life and Grave Deportment I must acknowledge to be very singular and if his Cause receive no greater Foil than this Person 's bare Reproaches the discreet World will sooner acquiesce in the stronger Arguments of Socinus and his quaint Adherents (c) W. P. Vindicate the Socinians Object But may some object If the Quaker Teachers be such thirfty Men are they also charitable Men We have heard the Quakers maintain their own Poor Answ I do not know many of their Teachers now having been so long from them but such of them as I do now know and formerly have known they were a sort of mercenary poor Men at their first Rise some few excepted but very uncharitable in their Language the World never produced the like since Noah's Flood and I know not nor never did that the Ministers of that People were ever given to Hospitality but what they got commonly they held fast and beside ungrateful to their Benefactors I remember I met one of them in London (d) John Kilborn sometime since and he was so Proud being now grown Rich that he would not speak to me altho' I have entertain'd him and his Horse yea and Companion too at my House divers times sometimes a Week together yea when he has been thin and thread-bare I have taken him into my Shop and at my own Charge have cloathed him I will not say what I have done to others both in Money and Cloathing but thus much I will say that 't is the chargeablest Ministry this Day in England to some Particulars For as Mr. Croese well observes they range all the Nation round and come like Mice uncall'd for and like Flies unsent for and both for their Horses Themselves and their Companions fall upon their Provision Oats Hay c. insomuch that I can say the Ministry of the Quakers has cost me as much in Three Months time nay much more than the Publick Ministry have cost me this Fifteen Years But as to their Hospitality and Charity I never met with any of it I remember about Twenty Years since my Wife had a mind to see London and I went with her to visit Tho. Green who as well as many others of them made my House his Home when in our Country yet he never invited me and my Wife to a Meal Brothers and Sisters nay his own Kindred that have come to Visit him out of Northamptonshire have scarce eat and drank at his House but which is still worse for I can now spare none where a Discovery may be made of this false Ministry and deluding Teachers I say worse for his own Brother William Green who once was a chief Speaker amongst them but poor Man he was a wet Quaker and they put him by Preaching the Man married grew Poor and notwithstanding his Brother Thomas Green was vastly Rich 'T is now judged he is worth 8000 l. and Application made to him time after time yet he held a deaf Ear so long until his Wife was forced to go to St. Gregory's Parish for Relief for him or else he might have starved (e) I have been told that he 'll not allow his Horse Litter but lets him lye on the bare Flint-Stones for all his own Brother is worth many Thousands I shall give but one Instance more of this kind and then tell you who are their own Poor and who they think themselves obliged to maintain c. The Instance is touching S. Cater whose Father was a poor Man went about to sell Wings three for Two Pence from Door to Door but as you have heard he by being a Preaching Quaker is grown Rich Well he has a Kinsman that lives at our Town and takes Collection a Sweep-Chimney this poor Man sometimes in the Summer-time will go to Littleport (f) Where S. Cater dwells i. e. about Eight or Ten Miles to visit his Rich Cousin his Father's Brother's Son but when he comes there I have heard him say that they will not so much as let him come in I will not say but sometimes he may have gotten something but very little no they have very little Charity to God's Poor but their own Poor and such as they so esteem and thereupon look upon themselves obliged to maintain such as Merit their Charity by Obeying their Doctrine in Transgressing the known Laws of the Land viz. such as are Sued and Imprisoned for Tythes such as met in Defiance of the Statute made 22 of K. C. II. S. Cater's Instance for one Yea if such could but make the Feoffees to the Fund at London believe they did suffer whether true or false such were supplied But if any one of their People happen to wear a 4 d. Lace on their Pinner or pull off their Hat to a Magistrate or break and violate the Quakers Laws such are turned to the Parish I know but one poor Quaker in our Town Milden-Hall it may be she is not so starch'd a Quaker as the rest it may be she may say You instead of Thee and Thou or some such small Defect Well tho' she be a poor Widow with several small Children and very Necessitous yet she must starve if our Parish did not sometimes relieve her and for this Seven Years I believe she hath lived in a little House of mine and the Town pays me her Rent No they only take notice of their own Poor viz. such as are made poor through their Obedience to the Quakers unlawful Laws or Laws against the Laws of the Realm I do not question but I have made the Friends angry yet if they take the Boldness to stigmatize the Bishops Magistrates and Clergy and to reproach them with what is not true why may not I tell them of their Faults G. Whitehead wrote lately to G. Keith i. e. G. W.'s Letter to G. Keith May 98. I could further expose thee to thy Terror and Shame (g) They 'll tell you they cannot seek Revenge than ever I have done for I have been very sparing towards thee in comparison of
Grace-Church-Street London where there is a very large Room four square with a very large Table which is covered in Convocation time with a curious Green Carpet about which may fit Forty or Fifty of the Principal Men their President being their Light within which is to speak thro' some or other infallibly and so to be taken c. and round about there are Seats set one above another like the House of Commons where may convene about Six Hundred and their Speaker being below they can all hear him and he them with Ease and Delight Thirdly When this is done the Doors being well secured i. e. either lock'd and barr'd or else Two or Three lusty Fellows to keep Guard then the Clerk opens his Bags and takes out his Books opens the black Roll and calls over all the Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales and the Names of the Deputies and is as careful to see that none be wanting as Jehu was who said Call unto me all the Prophets of Baal let none be wanting 2 Kings 10.19 This done they proceed to examine first the State of their own Affairs next that of the Nation which any way affects them First As to their own Church Affairs it is to see that none Preach contrary to their Antient Testimony if they do they Excommunicate them and Expel them out of their Unity as in the Case of Geo. Keith which in regard it is made so Publick by several printed Books particularly his Three Narratives I think I am the less concerned to be particular on that Head as First To shew how they Summoned him to appear before them Day after Day I think 10 or 12 Days together where G. Keith as readily appeared as Luther did at Wormes (n) And there was as much need for him for New-Rome is as fatal and as dangerous to the Protestant Interest as her Elder Sister and when they could not make him truckle but that he manfully stood his Post they then cast him out as a Troubler of their Israel and called him Apostate one separated from the Holy Fellowship of the Church of Christ and one not fit to Preach and Pray in their Meetings in that unreconciled Estate until by a Publick and Hearty Acknowledgment of his Offence and Condemnation of himself therefore he return to Mother-Church c. as by the Words of his Excommunication bearing Date May 17. 1695. may more fully appear Thus then is their Boldness manifest First In presuming to Summons the King's Subjects to appear before them and then to Interrogate them Sentence and Condemn them yea and that too for holding no other Articles of the Christian Faith than what every Orthodox Church holds Secondly That he is an Apostate whilst no matter of evil Fact or false Doctrine they could lay to his Charge I say this is bold in Fact I will not deny but that Dissenters have sometimes admonished scandalous Walkers and if they have persisted therein to the Scandal of their Church-Society rejected them c. But I deny that any whether Presbyterians Independants or Baptists ever yet took upon them to call a General Council and then and there assume an Authority to call before them the King's Subjects examine try and judge them Apostates for differing from them in Matter of Faith and Doctrine especially when G. Keith held no other Articles of the Christian Faith than all sound Protestants hold This then is a Figure of their Church-Government respecting the Doctrinal Part thereof Next As to their Interfering with the Government and their calling in question Acts of Parliament and absolving their Hearers from their Obedience to them if this can be made appear I think 't is worth noticing the dangerous Consequences thereof are so Many and so Pernicious And THEREFORE observe what W. Rogers wrote in Answer to an Objection Whether it were lawful or no to pay Tythes if the Supream Powers command it c. The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate in five Parts Part 2. pag. 43. Printed 1680. Ans We are so far from condemning all those who freely pay them and not by Constraint that we look upon it the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintainance of such whom they usually hear and account to be the true Ministers of Christ in case they have need and if the Charity of any should be such as to bestow upon them one Fifth Part instead of a Tenth far be it from us to condemn it c. This Book did so startle the Foxonian Quakers that Tho. Ellwood one of their best Tools wrote an Answer to it and fearfully complains of this extensive Charity of W. Rogers and the Dissenting Quakers called Storians for Distinction c. saying In this Answer saith Ellwood you discover an Error of Judgment otherwise you would not be so far from Condemning all those who pay Tythes freely as you say you are FOR TRUTH ALLOWS NO PAYMENT OF TYTHES AT ALL UNDER THE NEW COVENANT BUT CONDEMNS IT And so would you also if your Hearts were right in Truth THEY who PAY TYTHES do THEREIN uphold a legal Ceremony abrogated by Christ and THEREBY DENY CHRIST to be come in the Flesh which IS a MARK of ANTICHRIST 1 John 4.3 (o) This Proof of Tho. Ellwood's out of 1 John 4.3 is like many of their Proofs for there is not a word of Tythes or that it is a mark of Antichrist to pay Tythes However whether you condemn or approve it the faithful Followers of the Lamb see and discern this Spirit the Nature of it and the End it tends to which is downright RANTERISM An Antidote against the Infection of W. Rogers's Book p. 78. Again p. 139. poor T. Ellwood makes a sad Complaint of some that had been convinced Ten nay some Twenty Years and yet can pay Tythes without any Acknowledgment of Evil therein (p) See what a sad thing it is to break one of Fox's Commandments Is it not savoury Language says Ellwood for such to say I must stay until I be convinced Can such as see not such manifest Evil (q) Possibly the poor Men had not seen G. Fox's Commandments or at least not well conn'd them be said to be faithful c. Well these Differences grew high and very difficult to decide but in time the Matter came up to the Terms of W. Rogers's Objection viz. the SUPREAM POWER continued the Payment of Tythes in that very Act of Parliament by which the Quakers claim their Toleration and therefore 't is worth the while to see how the Quakers take this very Act of Parliament and bring it to their Light which is say they the Higher Power all Power in Heaven and Earth being committed to it Smith's Primer p. 13. Jos Coal's Works p. 93. and how they null make void and repeal that Part of it relating to Tythes Repairs of Churches c. viz. so far as it concern the Quakers Anno Regni
so is TREASON c. Thus then is it apparent that what is in others Treason they themselves practice in the Face of the Government For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be made known and come abroad Luke 8.17 CHAP. VIII Shews the Executive Part of the Quakers Laws and Government in their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings I Join the Use and Service of their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings together for Brevity-sake as also because they are much the same in all Respects only the Monthly is inferior to the Quarterly because in one County there may be three or four Monthly Meetings much like Justices Monthly Meetings where the Party offending need not be Concluded but entering his Recognizance to appear at the Quarter-Sessions he may have a more full Hearing so it is with the Quakers he may Appeal from the Monthly to the Quarterly Meeting This I know very well not barely because I was Clerk in these Meetings many Years but also during my Controversie with Sam. Cater I Summon'd him first to the Monthly Meeting and when I found no Justice I Appeal'd from that to the Quarterly and indeed from the Quarterly to the Yearly and so twice or thrice round as I remember For it was the greatest Tryal that ever was amongst them in regard it struck at the Ministry viz. WHETHER THEY OUGHT NOT TO TELL THEIR NAMES AND HABITATIONS AND THEREBY SET THE MSELVES IN A LIKE SUFFERING CAPACITY WITH THE HEARERS †At large in my Book The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt c. And the Postscript stiled Reason against Railing c. c. since they advised us to be valiant and give up all c. But to the Matter When we came together which is commonly 9 or 10 a Clock then we sat awhile together Silent unless we have a Teacher with us and then it may be we may have a short Exhortation to keep to our Antient Testimony * i. e. George Fox's Commandments and some other things which in the next Chapter you 'll hear of so then the Doors being secured they proceed after this manner The Clerk calling over the Meeting I mean the particular Meetings of every Town which possibly may be Forty Towns more or less viz. Clerk Come Friends How is it as to your Town of Littleport A. and B. For there is to be two appear from every Town Things are pretty well with us only D. E. is married with a Priest Meeting Aye How came that to pass Did you not perceive his Relapse from the Truth and the Order of it till he made such a Revolt as to become an Apostate A. B. Truly we found he declin'd and some Friends in our Town spoke to him and warn'd him of the Danger of it but all would not do Meeting Well let some Body be ordered to go to him and admonish him if he Repent and acknowledge his Fault and confess to Truth †i. e. To them for if he confess his Fault to them they Absolve him and all 's well again Clerk How is it at your Town of Milden-Hall A. B. Things are pretty well with us but Francis Bugg still continues his Writing against Friends And he being examined by Samuel Fulbig whether he owns W. Rogers's wicked Book Which admits of Liberty of Conscience to pay Tythes or not to marry with a Publick Minister or not and he owns it And therefore we must take Care about him for he does much hurt to Truth and lays Stumbling-Blocks in the way of others Meeting Course we know not well what Course to take with him he will neither lead * Into blind Conformity nor drive †Into an Implicite Faith Indeed we have suffered him too long Clerk in this Meeting but he may thank R. S. J. A. E. L. and some of you his Friends or else he had been excluded long since for his very owning W. Roger's Book which admits of a voluntary Payment of Tythes which as our dear Brother Ellwood saith is a Mark of Antichrist a Denial of Christ come in the Flesh yea downright Ranterism Antidote p. 78. 139. But notwithstanding thro' such Arguments as W. Rogers use we have by woful Experience seen that some have been convinced Ten some Twenty Years and yet can pay Tythes without any Acknowledgment of Evil therein Christ Quaker disting Part 2. p. 42. And altho' we grant saith our Brother Ellwood in his Antidote p. 109. That our great Apostle G. Fox did say in his Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth Friends to you all this is the Word of the Lord †See Fox's Papers are the Word of the Lord whilst they say 't is Blasphemy to call the Letter i. e. Scripture the Word Take heed of judging one another judge not one another I command you in the Presence of the Lord See his Book entituled The Way to the Kingdom of God pag. 4. and judge not one another behind one another's Backs * Yet they passed Sentence on me behind my Back I not being there that Day i. e. 4th of June 1682. I command you in the Presence of the Lord this is the Word of the Lord unto you Neither lay open one another's Nakedness and Weakness behind one anothers Backs for thou that dost art one of Ham 's Family which is under the Curse c. This indeed continues our Beloved rother is a Warning to Friends not to judge one another †No let their Immoralities be gross do but keep in the Unity of the Corrupt Body But it is not a Warning to Friends not to judge those that oppose Friends being gone out of the Unity of Friends themselves and endeavouring to draw others out also and to divide and rend the Church so that you have mist your Aim and lost your Blow c. Thus Friends you have the Judgment of the Church and Francis Bugg has not only owned that Pernicious Book but has written two Books against Friends as Pernicious as that of W. Rogers Intituled De Christiana Libertate c. and The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt c. Nay not only so but hath wrote divers Letters Remonstrances and Queries to particular Friends to the Second-day Meetings And therefore 't is time to take some Course with him c. Meeting Content therefore let us draw up a Paper against him and when we have view'd it let us Record it c. This was done a Copy whereof is as followeth viz. At a Quarterly Meeting in Hadenham 7th Day of the 4th Month 1682. Whereas this Day there was inferred ††Notable Scholars INFERRED into our Meeting several Papers subscribed by Francis Bugg wherein he hath Unrighteously and Ungodlily reflected upon Antient Friends and greatly abused Faithful Ministers of the Gospel * * They can call other Ministers Witches Devils Thieves Robbers Antichrists Jesuits Bloodhounds Sodomites and what not But
none must touch the Hem of their Garment O Proud Hypocrites and also amongst the said Papers was one subscribed by twelve Persons directed to the Second-Day Meeting in London wherein Friends are misrepresented and greatly abused which said Paper we believe the said Francis Bugg promoted Now we being greatly grieved in our Spirits and truly sensible of his herein going from Truth do testifie We have no Unity with him nor can have whilst he is thus Acted OBSERVE First I was judged and condemned behind my Back without a Hearing Secondly The Papers subscribed by Twelve Persons they only supposed to be of my promoting Now if John Lilborn's Judges had been thus implicite in their Faith at his Tryal at Guild Hall in October 1649. he must have been Hang'd for writing The Naked Truth in Oliver Cromwell's time c. The next Instance I shall recite and which I think is to the Purpose is to shew the Quakers implacable Malice against not only W. Rogers but his Book too and no Passage in his whole Book came under the like sad Sentence as that of his admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes if the Supream Powers bestowed it on a National Ministry c. His Words are We are so far from condemning all those who freely pay them i. e. Tythes and not by Constraint that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintainance of such whom they usually hear and account to be true Ministers of Christ in case they have need And if the Charity of any should be such as to bestow upon them one Fifth Part instead of a Tenth far be it from us to condemn it c. The Christian Quaker distinguished c. Part 2. p. 43. But this was such a horrible Tenet and so much of Liberty of Conscience in it that as you have heard First It was an Errour of Judgment 2 dly It came from an unsound Mind 3 dly That Truth i. e. the Quakers Light allows no Payment of Tythes at all under the New Covenant 4 thly They who do pay Tythes tho' Voluntarily do therein uphold a legal Ceremony abrogated by Christ 5 thly And thereby deny Christ to be come in the Flesh quoting 1 John 4.3 which speaks not one Syllable of Tythes 6 thly That it is downright Ranterism c. Ellwood's Antidote p. 78. 139. Well but W. Rogers was so modest as not to put this Book into the Bookseller's Hands to Sell lest thereby he might widen the Difference which both he and my self at that time thought might have been composed †For I did not then understand their Fundamental Errours but Thanks be to God that as their fair and smooth Pretences proved a Snare to catch me so their gross Dissimulations proved a Means to see them that he put it into the Hands of John Barnard a Merchant being one of the separate Quakers for him to dispose of and to disperse as he in Wisdom should see meet and some Hundreds of them he did disperse Well he was Summoned time after time to the Monthly Meeting in Devonshire-House London to Answer for his Fault and I think he as often appeared But being of too Masculine a Temper to submit to their Arbitrary Authority and Usurped Dominion he still continued selling and disposing of this so sad and so lamentable a Book of which you have heard the greatest Crime namely for admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes c. And to say true so it was for there is nothing upon Earth that the Quakers thirst more after than the utter Ruin of the Priesthood and the Abolishing the Maintainance thereof This is the Vein that runs fluently thro' all their Books and Sermons nay rather than the Priests should have it and that it might be a Means to starve them they are willing to pay Tythes to Secular Use For saith G. Whitehead if the King and Great Council of the Nation were pleased †The Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths defended c. p. 50. per G. Whitehead to repeal those Old Laws inforcing the Payment of Tythes and to convert them into some necessary civil Use as for the Poor Oh Judas or some National Service and Benefit Oh smooth George Here is the Face of a Lamb but the rough Paw of a Bear and the Claws of a Leopard it would appear whether we should not pay our Parts and whether the Royal Exchequer would not be conveniently supplied without the Tenths from the Priests c. Thus they could pay Tythes into the Exchequer to maintain a War which they equally Disclaim Oh but do what you will with the Tythes so the Priests do but starve and their Ministry fall and their Religion overturned then HEY BOYS UP GO WE But blessed be God the Fear of that is past Well but let us hear what became of this honest John Barnard Why in short he was Excommunicated ipso facto A Copy of it here followeth Verbatim From the Monthly Meeting at Devonshire-House the Fourth of the Eleventh Month 1681. Whereas there hath been some unruly Spirits gone out from Truth and the Unity of the blessed Power of God which hath gathered us to be a People Writing Printing and Publishing Things Hurtful and Prejudicial to Truth by corrupting of People's Minds tending also to draw them into Disesteem of many of the Lord's Servants ††A Preservative for their Teachers decaying Reputation whose Faithfulness hath manifestly appeared amongst us with whom our Unity stands to our mutual Satisfaction and Refreshment Upon Consideration of these Things we find our selves conscientiously concerned * * Oh! Deep Hypocrisie to take notice of something of this Kind befaln John Barnard Merchant formerly a Member of this Meeting who having dispersed into several Parts of this Nation divers of those Pernicious Books wrote by William Rogers called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator in Five Parts c. which hath manifestly been proved in many material Passages Erroneous and False both in the Historical and Doctrinal Part of it was privately and publickly reproved for that unrighteous Action by several Friends at divers times according to Gospel-Order as they found it on their Spirits from the Lord ††Never was God's Name more prophaned by a People professing Religion as also admonished against it yet after all the Labour and Travel Friends have had on his Behalf being desirous if possible to reclaim him out of the Enemies Snare into which he is fallen he hath from time to time resisted their Advice and Counsel so that now we being wholly clear having used our utmost Endeavours in the good Will of God to reclaim him as aforesaid do not only testifie against that Spirit which hath led him into that disorderly Practice but also against him whilst join'd thereunto * * Both the Man and his Spirit condemned nor can we have Spiritual Communion or
Fellowship with him until unfeignedly he shall return unto the Truth by Condemnation of that Work and Spirit which in the Love of God we exhort him to and desire that for him a Place of Repentance may be found Reader What Person living who is a Stranger to the Quakers deep-dyed Hypocrisie but that would think this John Barnard had committed some more than ordinary Immorality nay some almost unpardonable Crime Here is such Endeavours said to be used such Gospel-Order exercised such Stiff-neckedness on his Part wilfully persisted in but behold all Centre in a most profound Piece of Hypocrisie as I shall shew and that from divers Reasons And FIRST In that Benjamin Clark their Bookseller a great Quaker in their Unity †I should have said Confederacy sold at the same time Play-Books Popish-Books Gypsie-Books yea Baudy-Books such as I never saw before and yet never Reproved never Admonished according to Gospel-Order never Sentenced and Condemned neither he nor his Spirit By which it may appear how zealous they are for preserving their own good Name and Esteem amongst their Proselytes and their own Law and Commandments from being brought into Disrepute and yet all these their Proceedings they father upon the Lord who hates Iniquity and whose Laws condemn such wicked Books as their own beloved Brother sold and vended every Day Thus do they Pharisee-like make void the Law of God by their Traditions For as soon as this Excommunication came to my Hand I as a Country Man went to the said Ben. Clark's and asked for some pretty Play-Books for Children and he produced me a Parcel of all sorts ut supra of which I bought Eighteen Pennyworth and noticed it in my next Book Intituled De Chr. Lib. Part 2. p. 207 which they never did deny nor did they ever sentence him as above SECONDLY In all the Records of Condemnation that ever I made or ever saw made during the 16 or 18 Years I was their Clerk I never knew of or saw any Record of Condemnation against any Quaker for the Breach of any Scripture Commands but either for writing against their Teachers * As my self or for paying Tythes or for dispersing and selling such Books as allowed of the Payment of Tythes †As W. Rogers or for not Marrying according to their Orders or for the Breach of some one or more of G. Fox's Commandments An Instance of the last followeth Hadenham Quarterly-Meeting the Fourth of the Seventh Month 1678. We at this Quarterly Meeting having the Business of John Ainslo's taking his Wife contrary to the Order of Friends brought BEFORE US and Friends having several times spoke to him about it and he not giving Friends Satisfaction WE do testifie That WE have no UNION with him in this his so doing c. THIRDLY I never knew any Book wrote against any of their Teachers in the Unity tho' guilty of notorious Immoralities †As in the opening of the Cage I shall shew no here was no Conscientious Concern manifested no Gospel Order exercised no Publick Condemnation sent out against them but against my self George Keith Tho. Crisp and others for discovering their Errours Here they pretend a great Case of Conscience and having shewed who they account Scandalous Walkers and who they frequently Record out of the Unity and who they write their Books against I shall conclude this Chapter with one of their Yearly Canons and if any desire to see more of them I refer to my former Books De Chris Lib. c. Part 2. p. 40 to 52. the Fifth and Seventh Chapter of this Treatise London the 27th of the 3d Month 1675. Concerning Recording the Church's Testimony and the Party's Condemnation That the Church's ††The Light and the Body join'd Testimony and Judgment against Disorderly and Scandalous Walkers also the Repentance and Condemnation of the Party 's Restored be Recorded in a distinct Book in the respective Monthly and Quarterly Meeting for the clearing Truths Friends and our Holy Profession to be produced and published for that End and Purpose so far only as in God's pure Heavenly Wisdom they shall be needful And 't is our Advice in the Love of God That after any Friend's Repentance and Restoration he abiding faithful in the Truth that condemns the Evil none among you so remember his Transgression as to cast it at him or upbraid him with it for that is not according to the Mercy of God Thus Reader you see First Who are the Scandalous Walkers they Record out of their Unity 2 dly You see here is an Order from the Yearly Meeting to get a Book distinct for that Use 3 dly You see also that here is a Door open that if any repent of Writing against them of Paying Tythes of Marrying contrary to their Infallible Order they may be restor'd to their former Dignity for they have Power to bind and to loose †Yea whom they please See Judas and the Jews p. 85. Jos Coale's Works p. 243. to condemn and to acquit and that it may evidently appear so I shall recite one of their final Sentences pass'd upon one of their Adversaries Irrevocably viz. In the Name of that God that spanneth the Heavens with a Span and measureth the Waters in the Hollow of his Hand I bind thee here on Earth and thou art surely bound in Heaven and in the Chain under Darkness to the Judgment of the Great Day thou shalt be reserved Was there ever the like Insolency Josiah Coale Some Inferences from the Eighth Chapter IS it so then that these Monthly and Quarterly Meetings who derive their Power and Authority from the Yearly Meetings assume to themselves this great Boldness to Arraign Sentence and Condemn Persons for disregarding their illegal Laws and for the Breach of their Unscriptural Commands †No nor one Scripture Proof was ever produced to strengthen their Laws or condemn Actions What need is there then to suppress these Meetings that thus alienate His Majesties Subjects from their Obedience to their lawful Soveraign and his Laws and to limit this Arbitrary Government thus exercised in these new Spiritual Courts whilst it may be lest the time come wherein they may capitulate with the Supreme Magistrate and tell him with a Carnal Weapon in their Hand that the Light is the Higher Power and all Powers and Dominions ought to cast their Crowns down at its Feet in the Saints However I have given warning by pointing at the Danger and hope to prescribe a Remedy and let not THE POOR MAN'S COUNSEL be rejected lest the time come wherein it may be said Eccles 19.14,15 It is too late for the Gibeonites hath deceived us with their Wiles Pray read the Ninth Chapter of Joshua at your leisure Joshua the 9 th read and ponder I beseech all wise Men. and think it not a strange thing to be deceived by the Quakers fair Shews and innocent Pretences when you see
been ever made to do and I am willing to do him Right herein for according to the Proverb I am willing to give the Devil his due I need not quote Book and Page to prove their Preachers Pretences to Preach freely without Money c. their Books are full of Proof and their Sermons from Dan to Beersheba But I have said they pretended to write freely and this I ought to prove which I shall do from their Great Apostle and Second Moses namely G. Fox see their Book stiled Concerning Marriages c. p. 4 5 6. printed 1659. G. Fox viz. If any Friends go together in the Power of the Lord or find a Necessity thereunto that after the thing hath been made known between themselves before any thing be concluded it be declared to Friends who are able * * Viz. Their Teachers which practice came afterwards to be abhorr'd to see and feel into it and if they see the thing in the Light and Power to stand it may be declared to Friends in the Meeting as they are moved or as they are moved they may declare it in the mid-time of the Market on the Market-day in the next Market-Town as they are moved or they may not as their Freedom is Then after a convenient time and the thing be seen and felt and had Unity with then an Assembly of about 12 Friends met together they may speak their Testimony as they are moved how the Lord hath joyned them together in Marriage and then a Certificate by Friends then present may be given of the Day Month and Year that it may be Recorded and as they are moved they may declare it to the Magistrate and they will ††G. Fox was Infallible Sence or Nonsence tot quot omnes or they may not And that nothing may be Recorded for Money in these things but freely a free People and in Love serve one another and that is it that you should feel the Thing in the Power c. George Fox Now let me subjoin a Second Testimony of George Fox's against taking of Money c. Friends you are to do the Nations Business freely and that is the way to get into the Hearts of People c. Several Papers given forth per G. Fox An. 1659. I remember there is in one of the Quakers Declarations a Reserve left for Fighting afterwards We Yet say they cannot believe he will make use of the Sword by us but for the Present we are given to Bear and Suffer c. So had G. Fox said that as Yet let nothing be Recorded for Money but for the Present i. e. till you a fair Opportunity do things freely c. then there had been a fair Plea †As there is now for Whipping Fining Imprisoning and Fighting c. then As Yet might by George Whitehead have been rendered Adhuc and not Tamen for 't is manifest that their early pretence to Teach Preach write Certificates c. freely was but to get into the Affections of the People until a more fair Opportunity and then Experientia docet they can take 50 l. per Annum for writing Certificates c. 30 l. for writing Five or Six Sheets called a Primmer to teach Children 10 l. at a time for Preaching c. See New Rome Vnmask'd c. p. 58 to 63. where I have enlarged hereon from the Quakers Books But G. W. by his Book stiled The Contentious Apostate c. p. 22. he seems to deny G. Fox's Order for Marriage where it 's said nothing is to be Recorded for Money c. as above cited But G. W. I have it and you may soon see it in the Library of Christ's Church College in Oxford where that and many others of your Books which you would be glad were extinct will remain for Ages to see and be able thereby to detect your Falacies And now follows part of the recited Declaration viz. We have chosen the Son of God to be our King and he hath chosen us to be his People and he might command Thousands and Ten Thousands of his Servants at this Day to Fight in his Cause he might lead them forth and bring them in and give them Victory over all their Enemies and turn his Hand upon their Persecutors but yet his Kingdom is not of this World neither is his Warfare of Carnal Weapons neither hath he chosen us for that end neither can we Yet believe * No stay a little longer that he will make use of us in that way tho' it be his only Right to Rule in Nations and our Heirship to Possess the utmost Parts of the Earth but for the Present †Ay be patient a little longer we are given to bear and suffer all things for his Names-sake c. To the present distracted Nation of England c. Printed 1659. p. 8. But Reader if you look back to Fox's Order for Marriage you may observe that he points to have the Matter laid before their Ministers and thereupon I shall shew you a brief Testimony of one of their Female Preachers a Woman of Note amongst them in a Letter I have by me part of that against their Hoarding up Money which is as bad as Hoarding up of Arms and Ammunition viz. * * Anne Docwra's Letter dated Feb. 26. 1684. I have heard something concerning this Controversie now on foot which I perceive arises from a Personal Quarrel about a Maid that was chusing a Husband for her self and also 't is expected she should give up her Concern in that Business to some of our Preachers which was never practis'd until of late ††Not since Popery till Quakerism came in its Room amongst any that profess'd true Religion it is that which hath made the Jesuits to be Abhorr'd amongst some of the wisest and honestest of the Papists themselves so that they would not let them come within their Houses If the Maid be a wise Woman and of Age to dispose of her self she will not let any of our Preachers meddle with her Concerns * * Why G. Fox advised to it look back of chusing a Husband for her they should only meddle with their own Business and let honest Friends make their Choice themselves c. Anne Docwra Reader The main thing I recite part of this Letter is to shew the Sense some still amongst them have of their own Teacher's Jesuitical Practice either in making or breaking of Matches according as they are pleased or displeased I could write a Book by it self only to shew the Baseness of their Teachers Practice not only in making Matches but in making Mischief in Families in setting Men and their Wives at Variance And more particularly G. W. my old Antagonist as may be seen in the Book quoted viz. The Conten Apostate p. 5. The Apost Incend p. 8. Judgment fixed c. p. 289. both relating to my self W. Muclow Tho. Crisp c. setting aside John
Tythes that belong to them thrown down P. 65. You who are the Parliament of this Nation you should have thrown down Tythes which Abundance of the sober People of the Nation hath petition'd you †What Impudence is this Pretend to petition and beg yet teach the Parliament and tell them what they should do to have taken them away which you voting them up hath voted your selves out of the sober People's Affection of the Nation among the Brutes you should have sold all the Glebe-Lands and sold all the Bells saving one in a Town and Colledges and their Lands and given them all to the Poor of the Nation P. 68. And the Priests cry to you Magistrates for Tythes the Pope's Alms and lye begging with their Petitions at your Doors * It was highly necessary then as well as â—…s now foâ— some to oppose Quakeriâ—… And we would have you maintain these begging Priests some other way than by the Pope's Alms. P. 69. AND EXCEPT YOU TAKE COUNSEL OF THE JUST YOU SHALL NOT SIT †☞ Reader I have recited enough of the Quakers Petition against the Clergy to shew the Nature of their Ancient Testimony and pointed with a Finger ☞ to two Sayings which with the rest are full of Impudence And when against the Clergy I think I may take their Word their whole Carriage and Deportment both by Word and Writing do confirm it But when for themselves they have any Favour to obtain DISTRUST THEM IN ALL THEY SAY for they II stick at no Promise as in the Case of their Indulgence witness their Acknowledging the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given forth by Divine Inspiration That it is the Rules of Faith and Practice c. whilst they believe not one Word of what they themselves say and as a Demonstration thereof I shall recite one of their Epistles sent to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings shewing their Care of their own Books Nay them very Books which teach that the Scriptures are Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Food c. Therefore From the Meeting of Sufferings in London ††Renewed Advice to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales for preserving and spâ—eading Fâ—iend's Boâ—ks for Trâ—th's Serâ—ice Priâ—ted 16â—9 Dear Friends With our dear Love in the Truth unto you all these are to let you understand that our Friends have at several YEARLY MEETINGS had under their serious Consideration how all those Books that are printed for the Service of Truth and in the Unity of Friends might MOST EFFECTUALLY be SPREAD for a general Service to Truth and at the last YEARLY MEETING it was left unto this Meeting who accordingly have taken Care and Pains therein and settled as followeth That those that print Friends Books shall the first Opportunity after printed within one Month at most send to one of the Correspondents in the Counties viz. For your County two Books of a sort for each Monthly Meeting in your County if under Six Pence and but one of a sort if above Six Pence per Book for these Reasons 1 st For Friends to have general Notice what Book is printed 2 dly That they may send for what other Quantities they see a Service for And 3 dly That the Printer may be encouraged in Printing for Friends 4 thly For a Quaker Library That one Book at least of a sort that shall be printed may be kept in each Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Service of Truth and Friends as there shall be occasion for the future And as 't was agreed at the last YEARLY MEETING 1692. in the Printed Epistle 5 thly It is agreed that for Encouragement the Printer will allow 2 d. in the Shilling for all such Books 6 thly It 's agreed that some here shall be appointed that two or three Weeks before each Quarter Day to examine the Printer to see that they send no Books but what are approved by Friends and no more than two of a sort as aforesaid except the Friends in the Country shall write for more which it 's hoped they will not fail in ††I have heard that they begin to fail and send but slowly as they see a Service for them 7 thly It 's agreed or advised that the Printer's Accompts be fully cleared once a Year at least by those Friends the Country shall send up to the Yearly Meeting 8 thly It 's agreed that the Name of the Printer imploy'd by Friends should be sent with Directions how to write to him And Dear Friends and Brethren It 's Tenderly and in Brotherly Love advised and recommended unto you that ye be careful and diligent in the Spreading of All such Books that are printed for the Service of Truth and are either written in Defence of it or Christian Doctrine or Holy Profession or by way of Epistle Warning Caution Exhortation or Prophesie Not a Word of the Bible that so we may not be any way or in any wise Remiss or Negligent in promoting that Holy and Eternal Truth it hath pleased Almighty God to bless us with the Knowledge of and hath raised us up to stand Witnesses for in our Age and Generation nor nothing may be wanting on our parts to promote it and the spreading of it Signed on the Behalf of the Meeting for Sufferings in London 18. 6. Mo. 1693. By Benj. Bealing Postscript And this Agreement and Account herein sent we think it needful you should record it in your Quarterly Book and sometimes read it for Remembrance and general Notice Observations from hence Reader From what hath been said you may observe First That there is such a Meeting as I have set forth both from their Yearly and the recited Six-Week Meeting in case the Quakers deny it Secondly That their Business principally is to take Care of the Sufferings of their own Friends and that how plentifully they reward such as are faithful to their Church-Canons as in the Instance of Sam. Cater who for pretending to suffer 20 l. tho' he suffered not a Groat yet had 10 l. sent him as a Reward for meeting boldly contrary to the Law in that Case made and provided Thirdly That they have a Fund or Common Bank and that the Accompts are examined by a Committee chosen out of the Yearly Meeting for that Purpose Fourthly That such as suffer for Non-payment of Tythes are to send to the Quarterly Meetings Correspondents left their Sufferings be delayed Fifthly You may also perceive what a Confederacy is held by the Quakers and how they are enabled by their Exchequer to hold Suit with both Priest and Impropriator †As in the Instance of Mr. Holeman who was a Justice of the Peace a Counsellor at Law yet tired Sixthly You also may see how the Quakers solicite the Parliament for Favours as also how they Petition against the Clergy the Churches the Colledges and Bells too Yea this is according to their Ancient
Testimony and they are not chang'd they tell you so as I have herein before observed Seventhly And as a Pregnant Instance of the dangerous Consequence of this their Six-Week Meeting and their common Stock or Fund observe that of Joseph Clark one of their Preachers before noticed who tho' he pretended he was moved of God their usual Pretence for their Villanies yet when J. Field and their Fund failed him he presently pays his Tythes professing also that he then could pay them as well as other Taxes which is a clear Demonstration that such as stand it out and will rather spend 20 l. then pay 13 s. is because they are supported by this Illegal Fund c. And Lastly You may by this recited Epistle observe the Confederacy of their Yearly-Meeting and Six-Week Meeting to spread their venemous Books to infect both Youth and Aged Male and Female Old and Young and all under the fine Notion of the Service of Truth meaning Quakerism For if they meant the Truth of the Christian Doctrine they would at one time or other read a Chapter in their Meetings at one time or other recommend to their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings the reading of some Portion of the Holy Scriptures But not a Word of this in their Epistles not a Chapter read in their Meetings for Forty Years together but their own Epistles their own Prophesies their own printed Exhortations These they not only read in their private Meetings in their Families but they must Record you see this recited Epistle in their quarterly-Quarterly-Book and sometimes read it Oh! 't is a precious Epistle And now Christian Reader I cannot but think my self unable to give a full and compleat Caution against the spreading of the Gangrene of Quakerism and therefore give me leave in the Words of Mr. Ralph Farmer a Minister formerly of Bristol to rehearse part of his Exhortation in his Book i. e. The Myst of Ungodliness c. viz. Now beloved if thou beest a Christian what say'st thou Is not here a Mystery of Ungodliness to the Purpose Where was it hatch'd think'st thou Could any less than all the Devils in Hell keep a Conventicle to Contrive and Plot this Black and Hellish Treason against the Majesty of God Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures Oh! ye Christian Magistrates who rule for Christ and to whom you shall one Day give an Account of your Government how you have ruled for him and how tender you have been of his Honour what is become of your Zeal for Christ and his Glory Good Sirs if these wretched Souls have such Liberty of Conscience to think thus contemptuously of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Gospel let them not upon Pretence of Liberty of Conscience be so audaciously Blasphemous to write and speak thus And O ye Servants of the Lord my Fathers and Brethren in the Ministry of our Dear and Ever-blessed Jesus you that are the Pastors of the Lord's Flock and the Watchmen for the Sheep of his Pasture lift up your Voices and spare not cry aloud to all your Congregations and forewarn them that they be not a Prey to Satan's Devices let the Wolves know that you are not Dumb Dogs and cannot bark and Idol Shepherds that can neither hear nor see nor understand any thing and that at a time of Need can say nothing certainly certainly such as these may ill look for their Gain from their Quarters they deserve it not who so they may be fed care not nor care to discover what devouring Beast comes to destroy the Flock of Christ But you my dear Brethren who are set over the Lord's Folds and who watch for their Souls as those that must give an Account and that have a Desire to do it with Joy and for the Profit of your People read and practise what St. Paul gives in charge to the Pastors of the Church at Ephesus Acts 20.28,29,30,31 and let me give it thee here in his own Words what he gave forth to his Son Timothy I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and Kingdom preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long suffering and Doctrine for the time will come and it is now when they shall not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears and they shall turn away their Ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables but watch thou in all things endure Afflictions do the Work of an Evangelist or Gospel Preacher make full Proof of thy Ministry c. CHAP. XI Shews the Quakers Second-Day Meetings and Hypocrisie thereof with its ill Consequences in order to Deceive Reader I Am now come to their Second-Day Meeting even to that Meeting where Satan dwells and where he employs his Archest Emissaries I shall not wrong them as believing I must one Day give an Account for my Actions before the Man Christ Jesus who shall Judge both the Quick and Dead at the Great Day where I hope I shall not be afraid to meet G. Whitehead with this Testimony in my Hand so on the other Hand I shall not spare them hide nor cover them who have by their Wiles by their Books of two sorts deceived the Nations deceived many of the Magistrates many of the Clergy nay my self for I could not have wrote thus Fifteen Years ago †No if I had not seen their deceitful Practices and measur'd them by the Scriptures I could not have known them rightly I took them then at least some Years before to be Prophets at least sincere and to meet there for the approving of what was Right Sound and Orthodox and for condemning the contrary But behold I have found the contrary and that by sad Experience yea I have found that their whole Business is to deceive and carry on a Design yea a Confederacy under the fine Notion of Unity and Concord I have laboured many Years under great Difficulties I have spent my Estate I have spent my Strength I grow into Years I have a Conscience to Discharge I think I cannot do it unless I compleat that Discovery which I have began Tho' I find it prejudicial to my Health and other Business I find my self conscientiously concerned in this weighty Affair I do know that the Reverend Author of the Book entituled The Snake in the Grass * To whose Works I refer the Reader c. have done exceeding well he hath done beyond what I am able to do 't is a Learned Piece and becomes a Learned Reader But I am directing the greatest part of what I say to the more unlearned †i. e. The common People who are not so well School-Learn'd to such whether Quakers or others as sometimes must spell as they read and read over and over before they can understand this makes me sometimes write over and over
the same thing to inculcate if possible the Matter I am upon into their Heads that at last they may understand as well as to lay a Foundation for abler Pens This then I thought fit to premise by way of Introduction c. This Meeting of the Quakers is held every Second Day of the Week which we call Monday throughout the Year in London the Members of it are the Teachers of the Quakers residing in and about London where of G. Fox * For he seldom lived with his Wife but kept at London in his Life-time was the Principal and G. Whitehead now as I am given to understand The Meeting formerly was kept in Ellis Hook's Chamber in Lombard-street now I presume in Grace-Church-Street This Meeting doth much resemble His Majesty's Privy-Council For the King by and with the Advice of His Privy Council can do many things he can by Proclamation put the Laws in Execution I think he can proclaim War and make Peace So can this Meeting they can quicken the coming in of Money granted by the Yearly Meeting they can issue out their Proclamation for a War against the Ministers of any Society they can alter and change any Message stop any Prophesie stifle any Revelation silence the Voice uttered by the Spirit of the Lord thro' their most eminent Prophets in what respect they please and make it speak louder and more shrill where they think there is most Service or may be more conducive to their Design they are like the Helm to the Ship which turn it which way the Pilate please they are the Wheel within the Wheel which move all the whole Work yet so invisibly as few shall know how and fewer know who for they are Persons uncertain and accidental and cannot be chargeable by Name for any Errour tho' guilty of every Errour in their Books so far as Consent Approbation and Recommendation can make them For all Books Printed and Reprinted pass thro' the fiery Tryal of their Infallible Examination they Govern they Rule they Steer the Vessel but all Invisibly they pay their Ministers but their own People many of them that give to their Collections and Contributions do not know it nor if you tell them of it will they believe it For none can tell who pays nor who receives but now and then by chance what some or other as Ellwood blabb'd it out at unawares But their Principal Work is to Approve and License their Books Printed for the Service of the Truth as they phrase it But the last being their most principal Verb I shall the more infist upon it to shew their most horrible Deceit and Hypocrisie And I bless God and am thankful to his Servants who have enabled me not only to Print but to Reprint this Book to which they neither have returned an Answer nor can they But to proceed suppose one of their People pretend he is moved of the Lord by his Eternal Spirit to write a Message or Warning to the Inhabitants of Bristol with this Title This is the Word of the Lord to thee O Bristol Well this Book is sent up to their Second-Day Meeting and there they take it into Consideration then they will Alter and Change Words and Sentences put in and leave out what they conceive suit best with the Times and yet let it go as The Word of the Lord. Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat and like the Old Prophet deceive not only the Nations but the poor young Prophet that thought he had wrote from the Infallible Motion when alas 't is now so alter'd so added to and diminish'd from what it was that it 's meerly Calculated to the Design of the Cabal and yet shall go with the same Title i. e. This is the Word of the Lord to thee O Bristol Of this most horrible Deceit I could give a Hundred Instances and find Matter enough for to write a Book by it self but I must consult Brevity lest my Pen outrun my Penny and therefore shall single out one Instance which I hope will give some Satisfaction it shall be out of a Book wrote by Edward Burrough entituled A Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion sounding forth the Controversie of the Lord of Hosts c. Printed in Quarto 1656. But before I go to the chief Matter intended I shall recite the pretended Commission of this bold Prophet and then it will appear whether the Second-Day Meeting did well in altering his Prophesie by adding to and taking from the same for either they did believe him to be a Prophet that the Word of the did come to him as expresly as to Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel and the rest of the Prophets or they did not if they did how then dare they add and diminish and leave out in the Reprint of his Works what had gone for the Word of the Lord from 1656 to 1672 If they did not believe him to be a Prophet divinely inspir'd but an Impostor why did they suffer the said Book to go as The Word of the Lord from 1656 to 1672 So take it which way they will and it will appear that G. Whitehead whose Epistle of Recommendation is prefix'd and Printed to Edw. Burrough's Works and others of this Second-Day Meeting are most horrible Cheats and grand Deceivers And therefore now to the Commission which Edw. Burroughs received which to G. W. and others that believed it was both Authentick and Substantial viz. By Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God King of Kings and Lord of Lords the 31st Day of the Tenth Month 1655. about the 4th Hour in the Morning when my Meditations was of my God upon my Bed in Kilkenny City in the Nation of Ireland at that time The Word of the Lord came unto me saying Write my Controversie with all the Inhabitants of the Earth unto all sorts of People as I will shew thee by this same Authority and Commission declared This I send unto you the Tribes of the Earth and this upon your Heads shall stand for ever to be witnessed by the Light of Christ Jesus â—n all your Consciences in the dreadful Day of Vengeance which upon you O Inhabitants of the Earth is coming Prepare prepare to meet the Lord. O Nations Tongues and People unto you all hereby a Warning is come and a Visitation from the Presence of the Living God which you are straitly required to put in Practice as at the terrible Day of dreadful Vengeance you will answer the contrary Given under my Hand and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God who lives for ever thro' a Servant of the Lord Edw. Burrough Thus Reader you see the Commission which Edw. Burrough receiv'd whether counterfeit or not is not my present Business which was forthwith Printed in Quarto and sent up and down the Nation as The Word of the Lord and as such receiv'd by Thousands of us and to be sure approv'd of by the Second-Day Meeting yet
when the Times chang'd and the Second-Day Meeting came to Reprint the several Prophecies and Revelations of this remarkable Prophet Ed. Burrough amongst the rest you will find this Book you stiled The Trumpet of the Lord sounded c. Reprinted in the Works of Ed. Burrough p. 97. And First To thee Oliver Cromwell and his Council 2 dly To all Judges and Lawyers and their Train 3 dly To all Astrologers Magicians c. 4 thly To all Generals Collonels Commanders c. To all these four sorts the Reprint has it with some little Variation indeed enough to spoil the Predictions which had they been true ought not to have been added to or taken from And the Second-Day Meeting in 1672. pretended to believe them to be true by their Title in the Index viz. A Trumpet of the Lord sounded forth of Sion which containeth a Testimony from the Word of the Lord. But behold and be astonished at the Deceit of these Jugglers i. e. the Second-Day Meeters for the Fifth Prophesie directed thus To all you who are and have been always Enemies to the very Appearance of Righteousness who are called Delinquents and Cavaliers I say this whole Fifth Prophesie is left out in the Reprint tho' as positively Avowed to be the Word of the Lord as the other as certainly Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God as the other and every way Authorized by as ample a Commission from the Spirit of the Living God yea the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as the other and yet all left out in the Reprint And to make it appear so beyond all their Glossing I shall recite it Verbatim as it follows the preceding Title and Direction To the Delinquents and Cavaliers Page 9. in the Quarto Impression printed 1656. Thus saith the Lord my Controversie is against you even my Hand in Judgment is upon you already and you are become cursed in all your Hatchings and Endeavours and from time to time my Hand hath been against you in Battel and you have been and are given up to be a Prey to your Enemies for the Purpose and Intents of your Hearts have been known always to be against the Form of Truth and much more against my powerful Truth it self And because you attempted to take my Throne Conscience therefore I rose in my Fury against you and will have War with all your Followers herein for ever who shall attempt to take my Throne Conscience and tho my Hand hath been evidently against you yet to this Day you remain in Rebellion in your Minds in hatching Murder and Cruelty in your wicked Hearts Note All this to the Delinquents is left out in the Reprint 1672. And tho' your Kings and Princes have been cut off in Wrath and your cruel desperate Inventions and Plots of Wickedness conceived in your cursed Womb have been broken and you cut short in your Desires yet you repent not nor will not see how you are given up to be a Curse and a Desolation and a Prey in Houses and Lands and Persons to them whom I raised against you and gave Power over you yet you are hardned and your Cruelty in Persecution against my Servants cannot be measured where you have any Power you smite with the Fist of Wickedness and count it your Glory to despise my Name In the Valleys of vain Hopes do you feed and on the Mountains of foolish Expectations and conceive in your Cruel Womb of Tyranny the Overthrow of the Nations but in the bringing forth your selves are overthrown And it is not for well-doing that you suffer but my Hand is against you and my Judgments are upon you and except you Repent ††Then some Hope 's left Why then should not this have been continued for their Good shall continue upon Earth with you and follow you and pursue you to the Lake of Destruction where there is no Repentance and you and your Kings and Lordly Power by which you have thought to exercise Lordship over my Heritage shall be enslaved by the Devil in the Pit of Darkness in everlasting Bondage where he the Devil shall Reign your King and Lord for evermore c. Note That all this whole Chapter concerning K. C. II. and his Friends and Royal Family is left out in the Reprint of his Works Anno 1672. From whence it is evident That tho' this Prophesie was said to be as true as any Chapter in the Bible yea that the Word of the Lord came to Burrough the 31 st of December 1655 at the Fourth Hour in the Morning and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God yet this Second-Day Meeting hath or claim to have a Power superiour and by Virtue thereof can silence the Prophet stifle his Prophesie cancel his Revelation and null and make void his Commission for as I said they either believ'd his Commission to be Real or Counterfeit It must be Real or Counterfeit if Real as so they always pretended then is it not great Wickedness that it should be thus smothered up and stifled and left out of his Works since tho' the Delinquents and Cavaliers were very wicked yet upon Repentance there seems to be some Hopes which now this Prophesie cannot be instrumental in since the Second-Day Meeting hath buried it in Oblivion in that they did not Reprint it with the rest of the same Book in his Works in Folio Printed 1672 If Counterfeit What wicked Wretches were these Members of the Second-Day Meeting in 1656. to Print it in Quarto as the Word of the Lord and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God and thereupon and as such sent it up and down to us to deceive us by recommending a Counterfeit Commission for a Real Thus let them take it which way they will and it is wicked in the Superlative Degree But this is not all it shew'd their Cowardize and Temporizing for this was wrote in O. Cromwell's time designed I perceive to curry Favour with him and to shew that himself and his Brethren the Quakers were Enemies to Monarchy But when it was Reprinted it was done in K. Charles the Second's time and then they wheel'd about and complain'd of O. Cromwell and flatter'd the King Cavaliers and Court-Party and then this Prophesie Sealed never so strong Revealed never so clear the very Day Month and Year specified nay the very Hour in the Morning yet as I have said it not suiting with the Design on foot namely To root out Christianity and introduce Quakerism it must be suspended stifled and buried Thus then it appears how wickedly deceitful are these Second-Day Meeters who can thus prevaricate and dissemble with God and Man of which I could give many Instances but rather refer to The Snake in the Grass c. which doth most amply set forth their turning with the Times and their facing about with every Wind that might seem to blow a prosperous Gale for the Advance of Quakerism c.
But to conclude or rather confirm this Head and to shew what Temporizers these Quakers have been as well as knowingly Wicked these Second-Day Meeters ever from first to last were let me add one Citation more as it lies dispersed in a Book of Ed. Burrough's Printed in Quarto 1659. containing several Letters written and said to be delivered to O. Cromwell Anno 1657. and some Letters said to be delivered to R. Cromwell Anno 1658. then Protector But I distrust all they say †So cannot believe they did deliver them as Printed since after Printed can thus alter them for having compared this Quarto Book I find many places which mentions the King or the Kingly Government left out in his Works in Folio which Words so left out you will find them in Capital Letters which as it shews their Temporizing so it discovers their Wickedness to stifle Prophesies if they believ'd them such to be if not still as wicked to let this Burrough in his Works still go for a Prophet and by Whitehead Coale Howgill and Fox c. recommended as such I do say it is such a Depth of Hypocrisie that I want Words to set it forth sufficiently P. 15. And these things are not right in the Sight of the Lord that such who have been for many Years faithful in the Service and in their Trust and hazarded Life and Liberty for Conscience-sake which they cannot now possess because of thee Dear Oliver but are cast out for the Exercise of their pure Conscience consider of it for this makes the Nation more unhappy and less blessed when such who delight in true Justice and Judgment are cast out of their Places * Oh! how the Quakers did flatter O. Cromwell to get into Offices yea Justices forsooth and so deprived of giving their Judgment amongst Men and absolutely this will make thy Army less prosperous when such who fear the Lord against whom thou canst not justly charge no Evil are cast out and despis'd and this in time thou may'st see to thy Sorrow and as thy Friend I lay this before thee and do in Plainness tell thee If thou thus utterly deny the People of God in the Day of thy Prosperity and thou thus wholly cast them out of thy Service they cannot stand by thee nor own thee in the Day of thy Trouble †Oliver did not much value his new Saints i. e. Quakers P. 16. When as such who feareth the Lord are cast out of Judicatories in thy Government and out of Defence in thy Armies What! Is this the end of that long Travel in Wars and of so many Promises of Liberty of Conscience that just Men should thus be dealt withal as one without Bowels of Compassion unto such who have truly served with thee in a faithful Service for the Common-wealth who many of them now are grievous Sufferers under thee P. 17. Many Enemies thou hast which watch over thee O. C. for Evil and not for Good First There is a People scattered thro' all these Nations who is full of Wrath towards thee EVEN OF THOSE KNOWN BY NAME MALIGNANTS * Oh! how careful the Quakers were of their dear Friend O. C. in whose Hearts to this Day there is continual Hatred against thee and all thy Off-spring Daily Advantage they seek against thee by secret Plottings of Maliciousness in their EVIL Hearts seeking by all Means if it be possible how to be avenged and to revenge themselves and THE CAUSE OF THEIR KING with no better Purpose than to destroy thee Such is the Cruelty and Desperateness of some of them their own Lives are not dear unto them to take away thine I have felt the Strength of their Rage against thee which carries them above Sense or Fear to undergo any Danger that they may see their desired End of thee their Malice towards thee is so seated in their wrathful Hearts that it cannot easily be quenched I know the Lord hath CURSED them and their Endeavours to this Day and thou hast had Dominion and Power given thee of God to break them in Pieces AND WHAT THOU HAST DONE TO THEIR KING SHOULD NOT BE RECKONED AGAINST THEE BY THE LORD †Murder acquitted if O. C. would but stand by the Quakers IF NOW THOU ART FAITHFUL TO WHAT HE REQUIRES OF THEE P. 20. Tho' we the People of God doth not envy thy Person nor Government yet Friend the Want of our Prayers to God for thee is worse to thee than the secret Plotting of all wicked Men And how can we mention thee in our Prayers to God for thee except it be to be deliver'd from thee Good Counsel and Advice rejected Printed in Quarto 1656. Reprinted in Folio 1672. To this agrees that Saying of G. Fox to Mr. Camelfeild a Minister in his Book i. e. Truth 's Defence c. p. 15. No Prayers can we send to thee but for thy Destruction thou Man of Sin and Enemy of Christ c. No neither to Oliver their Governour nor to the Priests no they cannot pray for their Enemies unless they do Kindness for them i. e. make them Justices or Commanders no no Penny or what 's Equivolent no Pater Noster from the Quakers See the Margin †Is that the Reason they 'll not pray for King William III P. 21. And this I have written to thee out of perfect Love in the Fear of God And if thou could'st own them i. e. Quakers they would own thee in the Face of all thy Enemies P. 35. To Richard AS CONCERNING THY WAR AND ARMIES ABROAD IN SPAIN SOMETHING THERE IS IN * Something yea who knows not that this is like a Gypsie-Prophesie IT KNOWN TO THE LORD MAKE NO COVENANT WITH IDOLATERS BUT TREAD DOWN THEIR IDOL GODS WHICH THEY HAVE SET UP AND HEW DOWN THEIR MOUNTAINS IN WHICH THEIR CONFIDENCE STAND AND PLOW UP THEIR GROUND THAT THE SEED MAY BE SOWN AFTER THEE IT 'S HONOUR ENOUGH TO BE THE LORD'S PLOWMAN P. 44. And if thou walk with the Lord and preserve his People i. e. Quakers that fear him then shalt thou prosper and thy Name shall be greater than was thy Father's and the numberless Number of this now distressed People will be unto thee a Strength and stand by thee in thy Day of Trouble and defend thee and thy Just Government †Then R. Cromwell's Government was Just in the Quakers Account and their Hearts shall cleave unto thee and thou shalt prosper for their sakes and none of thy Enemies shall have Power over thee P. 53. And as for thy Father the late Protector great things did the Lord do for him in raising him up and casting out his Enemies before him and giving him Victory Renown and Power * O brave Oliver the Quakers Champion thro' Nations and we know the Lord shewed Favour to him and gave him Strength Wisdom and Valour and a right Spirit and he was called of God into that great
Work to subdue the grievous Tyrannies once ruling over tender Consciences and to break down the great Oppressions which had caused the Just to Groan and the Lord was with him in Victory and preserved him from great Dangers Observations on the recited Quotation Reader please to observe First That the Words in Capital Letters were Printed in the Quarto Book 1659. and left out in the Reprint in Folio 1672. which shews their Temporizing and like Butter-flies how they hide themselves whilst the Danger of the Storms are past 2 dly Their Wickedness in leaving out such Prophesies if real if counterfeit then as bad to suffer them to go abroad so long to deceive others 3 dly How they pleaded their being in the Army and their Faithfulness to their Trust therein as meritorious of their Continuance in the Army for the Defence of the Nation as well as their Desire of being in Offices in the Administration of Justice †Oh! they 'd gladly be Justices of the Peace But hold Oliver as he did not believe their Prophesies so he would not trust them in either Military or Civil Affairs 4 thly You may see how they did cling to O. Cromwell and next to Richard justifying their Usurpation 5 thly How they acquitted O. Cromwell in that horrible Murder of K. Charles I. saying That if he would but stand by cherish and support Quakerism WHAT HE DID TO THE LATE KING SHOULD NOT BE LAID TO HIS CHARGE BY THE LORD 6 thly And that if he would not do so they could not pray for him and that should be worse to him than all the Plottings of the Wicked And I take this to be the Reason why they refuse to pray for K. William III. for I have gone into several of their Meetings and I have enquired of others that have done the like I have likewise read divers of their Prayers in Print as Stephen Crisp's and others yet I could never hear see nor learn that they ever prayed for K. William III. no no more than for the Priests or than for Oliver But for this Omission Whitehead hath a Salvo ready The Content Apost c. p. 27. viz. But where are all required by Christ or his Apostles to pray for them i. e. Kings and all that are in Authority by Name or charged as Offenders for not naming of Persons in our Prayers May we not pray acceptably †And may you not Who knows but you may mean another than the Rightful and Lawful King unless we tell God the Names of those we pray for c. But Reader let me trace this Snake in the Grass and hunt this Fox to his Burrow and do not think it hard dealing I know there can be nothing said of them that grates but they presently cry out of Persecution of Malice while they take the Liberty to expose all sorts of People how innocent soever as at large I have set forth in the Picture of Quakerism c. Part 2. p. 44 to 175. and shall shew one Instance more before I enter upon my Chace Viz. G. Fox's Judgment of Kingly Government taken out of a Paper of his written to the Presbyterians c. a little before the Restoration To all you that desire an Earthly King in England who profess your selves to be Christians whether Presbyterians or others Do not the Priests Presbyterians and many of the Rulers cry for an Earthly King And is not this the same Nature the Jews were in And do they not in this Crucifie Jesus And are not all these Elders Christians that will doat so much of an Earthly King Traytors against Christ Now Elders if you say Peter said Honour the King this doth not hold forth that Peter bid them set up an Earthly King over them neither do you read that there were any Earthly Kings since the Days of the Apostles but among the Apostate Christians c. See Quakerism Unmask'd c. p. 1. for much more of this But no sooner did the King come in Anno 1660. but within a Month G. Fox and others put forth a Declaration saying p. 4. We do therefore declare to take off all Jealousies Fears and Suspicions of our Truth and Fidelity to the King and these present Governours That our Intentions and Endeavours are and shall be good true honest and peaceable towards them and that we do love own and honour the King and the present Governours c. Yea let their Words be never so contrary they are not to be measured by their Words It would require a Volume to set forth their Temporizing and horrid Practices in this kind but I shall only give a Taste referring to The Snake in the Grass c. But 't is Comical to see this their early Turning with the Times First None more vigorous against Monarchy and yet none did sooner nor yet more flatter fawn and creep to the same Government than did the Quakers But that which is most provoking and for which I chiefly mention this that upon every Occasion to ingratiate themselves into the Favour of the Government they frequently charged the same Presbyterians c. with their being against the Government of fighting Principles yea a People who would promote their Religion by the Power of the Sword See W. Penn's Just Rebuke to 21 Divines c. printed 1674. p. 25. viz. How did the Presbyterians excite the Parliament in these very Terms Elijah opposed Idolatry and Oppression so do ye down with Baal's Priests which is saith Penn as much as to say Away with your Arch-Bishops and Bishops the whole Ministry and Worship of the Church of England Come smooth George I have seen another of your Books Intituled The Way cast up c. p. 52 53. where you say p. 52. Some of the Presbyterian Nonconformists Preachers are fled Beyond-Sea others lurk in Corners here and there and keep private Conventicles where many times they preach Sedition against their Lawful Prince by Instigation of whom that Insurrection hapned in 1666. Again p. 53. And some of them have printed Books in Defence of the Lawfulness of making War against the Supream Magistrates c. Again p. 23. And how many Garments were rouled in Blood by the Instigation of the Presbyterian Teachers the whole Nation was a Witness so that many Thousands were made Widows and Fatherless by that War they stirred up the People unto P. 54. And in very Truth the Presbyterian Church will never be able to purge her self of the Iniquity of killing many Thousands in the Three Nations by the Occasion of a most bloody War raised up thro the Instigation of the Presbyterian Teachers c. And thus they continued bloody Enemies to the Presbyterians notwithstanding George Fox did so condemn them as Traytors Antichrists and Crucifiers of Jesus for endeavouring the Restoration of King Charles II. and that no People then on Earth did more stir up instigate and encourage a bloody War against the King and Church
of England than the Quakers did Witness their Trumpet sounded c. See their Trumpet sounded c. in the Eleventh Chapter But notwithstanding all this and a Hundred times as much which might be shewed out of their Books yet they continued villifying the Presbyterians saying Knowing that ye look on it as a Duty to fight by Military Weapons in Defence of your Principle yea to promote Your Cause by the Power of the Sword in which you are Confirmed by some of Your Preachers who are Always labouring to perswade you to this as one Evidence of your Zeal for God and not to spare to hazard your Lives Liberties and Estates in such a Glorious Cause as you call it It were worth your serious Consideration That if these Presbyterian Preachers continue to Stir you Up to Rise in Arms †No nor nothing of it but to stifle the Popish Plot and throw it upon the Protestants they have not much of Self-Interest in their Eye they being now secluded from their Places and that Power and Authority they and their Brethren had taken from them VVhether therefore they seek not to Embroil the Nations in New Wars rather than still to be thus deprived c. A plain and peaceable Advice to those called Presbyterians in Scotland c. Printed Anno 1681. p. 1 7. Thus then it appears that the Quakers to curry Favour with O. Cromwell they complained fearfully of the Presbyterians as Traytors for joining with the Church of England in the Happy Restoration of King Charles II. So now from 1660 to 1681 they all use the Craft and Policy imaginable to bring the Odium of that Reign upon the Presbyterians and thereby to make way for the Papists and to stifle all their wicked Plots and Conspiracies And that it is not my single Judgment I shall publish a Letter sent me SIR It being notoriously known That since the Discovery of the Popish Plot in England many Courses and Endeavours hath been used by the Papists and their Abettors to stifle and hinder the Discovery and Punishment thereof And particularly by pretending a Presbyterian Plot against the King and his Government in England and in order thereto it is evident what Falsities Scandals and Invectives against the Protestants in general under the Name of Presbyterians have Weekly been Published in those Libels Intituled Heraclitus the Observator and others And whereas there hath been lately Printed for Benjamin Clark in George-Yard Lombard-street London * * The Quakers Bookseller this present Year 1681. a certain Book Intituled Advice to the Presbyterians in Scotland which appears to have been written Two Years since which Book doth very much reflect upon some Principles of the Scotch Presbyterians whether rightly suggested or not is not the Intent of this Paper to examine but Twenty Years Experience of the Presbyterians in England have prov'd their Practices in England far different from the mention'd Reflections Therefore sundry well-meaning Protestants of different Persuasions from the Presbyterians for several Reasons have thought the Publication of the said Book in England * * Of Alex. Skene a Quaker-Teacher at this juncture of Time to be injurious to the Protestant Interest in general And some of the said Protestants being informed that Mr. Pennyman did intend to make a publick Protestation against the said Book this Day upon the Exchange did think it their Duty to dissuade Mr. Pennyman from the doing thereof as being probable to be the Occasion of the greater Publication of the said Book unto which he hath consented And the same Persons do likewise desire and require you as much as in you lyes to hinder thereof lest by your Neglect you strengthen the Hands of the Enemies of the Protestants and Protestant Religion in general ††Copy of this was sent to the Quakers 28. July 1681. Thus then doth it undeniably appear how enviously Malicious and of what a Persecuting Spirit the Quakers are yet poor Hearts this in them is all Innocency Meekness and the Lamb's Spirit but in others so much as to tell them of it it 's Persecution Pray why was it in G. Fox and others to call the Clergy Witches Devils Blasphemers false Prophets Jesuits Conjurers Antichrists and what not that might render them odious to the People Smith's Works p. 175. A Brief Discovery of a Threefold Estate c. p. 7 8. Burrough's Works p. 30. This is no Persecution in the Quakers no they are innocent Souls and as far from Persecution as the Meat of an Oyster is from the Shell when living in the Sea for they for the present are given up to suffer Come G. Whitehead what think you of your Brother Smith who calls the Bishops Monsters the Church of England a corrupted Womb and by him ript up What do you think of his saying the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book receives its Strength from the Pope's †Good God! was ever the like Impudence known Loins and that the Pope gives Life to it Oh that ye could but see your selves and repent of your Wickedness For if the Government should believe you that the Clergy are false Prophets what remains but Death and that according to the Law of God But I challenge the Quakers to produce one single Clergyman that have prophesied of a thing to come to pass and it did not as Sol. Eccles a Quaker-Prophet did who prophesied That John Story should die within a Year who lived Four Years after as I elsewhere have shewed Again If the Government believ'd the Quakers whose Books affirm that the Clergy are Witches and Devils they ought not to suffer them to live but presently say ☞ There goes a Witch knock him on the Head Exod. 22.18 Again ☞ There goes a Blasphemer stone him to Death Lev. 24.16 Again ☞ There goes a false Prophet let him die Deut. 18.20 Yea saith W. Penn Whilst the Idle Gormandizing Priests of England run away with above 150000 l. a Year under Pretence of being God's Ministers and that no sort of People have been so Universally thro' Ages the very Bane of Soul and Body to the Universe as that Abominable Tribe for whom the Theatre of God's most dreadful Vengeance is reserved to act their Eternal Tragedy upon †Observe the Quakers Goliah of Gath W. P. c. The Guide Mistaken c. p. 18. Thus Reader I have given thee a Relish of the Quakers Meekness and Lamb-like Nature and therefore give me leave to hunt this Fox did I say give me leave Nay I am resolv'd that if thou wilt not give me leave I shall take it What! shall these Rabsheka's be perpetually Railing and Domineering over the Gospel-Ministers without Controul Shall these uncircumcised Philistines appear in Triumph Forty Years together and their Goliah vaunting himself boasting of his Parts Learning and Interest at as the other did of his Strength and Stature whose Staff of his Spear was like a Weaver's Beam and who glorying therein defied the Armies of
God that made the King's retiring into our Native Country i. e. Scotland in 1679. give a Happy Turn to his Affairs to the defeating and disappointing the Designs of his Enemies We do justly conceive Oar selves obliged by a special Tie to praise God for his Goodness in carrying the King through and over all his Troubles since by the same Providence and at the same time by which the Lord began in that more observable manner to evidence his Care of him he made him the happy Instrument to deliver us from our Troubles so that the Prosperity of his Affairs and our peaceable Fruition of the Exercise of our Consciences bears the same Date c. The Humble Address of the People call'd Quakers to K. James II. from our Yearly Meeting 1688. We the King's loving and peaceable Subjects from divers Parts of his Dominions being met together in this City to inspect the Affairs of our Christian Society ††Which by Interpretation is Infect Throughout the World think it our Duty humbly to represent c. Now since it hath pleased thee O King to renew to all thy Subjects by thy last Declaration thy Gracious Assurance to pursue the Establishment of this Christian Liberty c. We think our selves deeply engaged to renew Our Assurances of Fidelity and Affection And as we firmly believe that God will never desert this just and righteous Cause of Liberty Nor the King in maintaining of it so we hope c. Thus Reader you see here is nothing wanting but bended Knees here is in All Humility in All Fidelity with All Affection yea All All All all Prayers for him for a long Life for a prosperous Reign Laud and Praise in the highest for His Deliverance for the defeating his Enemies i. e. Protestants besides by a modest Computation Ten Thousand Books spread up and down the Nation in favour of his Government See my Sober Expostulation with the Hearers of the Quakers c. p. 13. But since King William came to the Crown No Salutation No Message No Prayers for No Address to him from their Yearly Meeting †Unless this in 1698. now the War is ended and no Hopes left them No in all Humility No in all Fidelity No with all Affection No Publick Prayers for his long Life for his prosperous Reign No Laud and Praise that his Enemies are defeated Here is all No No No nor one Book wrote in Favour of the Government during this Reign But that my Reader may rightly understand which side of the Hedge the Quakers have to this Day hid themselves I will recite one Query to them anew as in that Book of mine I did New Rome Unmask'd c. p. 31. as I took it out of a Jacobite Catechism p 5. For as I would not write one Sheet which hath not a Tendency to shew either their Errours Hypocrisie Covetousness or Treachery to the Nation so shall I take in all that concur thereto tho' it be Twenty Sheets The Query is Query What made the Quakers no more concern'd for the Loss of those brave Patriots of our Country Essex Russel Sidney Cornish Bateman c. I could never get an Answer to this Query This was such an untoward knotty Question that all the Quakers were not able to answer it that ever I understood No no instead of being sorry G. Whitehead Fran. Camfeild Gilbert Layty and Alex. Parker deliver'd an Address to King Charles II. at Windsor about the time of the Execution of my Lord Russel This was the first Address they ever made to Authority crying out extreamly against all Hellish Plots and all Trayterous Conspiracies and that they had nothing but Love and Good-will to him and his Brother the Duke of York But to return to the Observation I have made on the Quakers Publick Prayers for and their Yearly Meetings Address to the late King James II. and their contrary Practice to King William III * No for what they do at their Yearly Meeting is is done by the Body I have something more to offer as an Aggravation of their Ingratitude for they made an Order for the calling in the Widow Whitrow's Books she being formerly of their Society and by her plain Dress some take her to be so still which was in Favour of this Government Now G. Whitehead what Scripture had you for that Or by what Authority did you presume to give out this Order Now I shall transcribe the Widow Whitrow's Paper concerning the Quakers Order for calling in her Books which is as followeth viz. December 1689. The Widow Whitrow ordered Andrew Sowle to Print a Book for her intituled The Widow Whitrow's Humble Address to King William III. And in December 1690. ordered him to Print another Book intituled For Queen Mary the Humble Salutation and Faithful Greeting of the Widow Whitrow †The very Titles of these Books were sufficient for the Ruling Quakers to Censure the Books c. Both which were well accepted and which Andr. Sowle * Sowle was the Quakers Printer and Bookseller sent into the Country to his Friends the Quakers and many of the said People did buy them and liked them well †This perplexed the Foxonian Quakers and sent for more But the chief Quakers in London at their Monthly Meeting at Devonshire-House the 7 th of January following made an Order to have all those Books called in and appointed John Ethridge and William Ingram to go to the Printer and acquaint him with the said Order which accordingly they did quaker- Too true Sons of the Foxonian quaker-Quaker-Church At which the Printers seem'd troubled saying They thought Friends would not have been against them i. e. such Books seeing they were mostly writ against the Pride and Wickedness of the Times And asked What it was they had against the Books They answered They * Meaning their Monthly Meeting had little against them Only that they were writ in Favour of This Government and reflected upon the former †i. e. Their brave King James II. and that Friends had Resolved not to Meddle with the Government c. It is to be observed That the first Book called The Address c. was Printed above a Year before and sold by their Booksellers and not any Stop put to them till some †Viz. The Lord Preston W. P. c. were endeavouring the Overthrow of this Government so that it is easily to be understood what the Meaning was of such an Order at such a Time and Season c. This Account is still ready to be attested if deny'd and which I signify'd something of formerly but now I thought fit to recite it at large See New Rome Arraign'd c. p. 30. Well this Order was made where G. Fox and the Chief Governing Quakers in London were present in January but in February following came out a Proclamation against one of their chief Men who upon the News of it and as a
Many Tu Thou singular Vos You plural That now why the Teachers of the World Scholars and School-Masters teach People and Children which will not have People nor Children to speak Thou to One and You to Many is not Sense nor good Latin nor good English nor good Hebrew To you that stumble at the Word Thou to a particular because we do not say You this is sent c. GEO. FOX The next thing I have to present the World with is an Abstract of an Epistle of G. Fox's sent to be read in Churches London Printed for Matth. Simmons 1657. Thus did the Pride Arrogance and Presumption of this People appear which as they confess shewed that they were raised contrary to all Men As their Practice in a Hundred Things was contrary to all Men so am I made willing to deal with them as I would by no other Men And since they have ordered a Liturgy for the Churches giving forth an Epistle for them to read why may not I form a few Words out of their own Books and so far as I can make G. Whitehead to hold them forth And since the Quakers would make the Churches read their Nonsence why may not I draw some natural Inferences from the Quakers Doctrine since my End is nothing else but to display their Errours and make them appear in their Native Complexion which by their Teachers are more masked and obscured If any say That by drawing a Scheme of their Meeting and forming a Sermon for them to preach is to do such a thing as no Man ever did Let them remember again That no Man ever yet had the Impudence to write a BATTLE-DOOR for the Learned Gentry and Clergy of a Protestant and Learned Nation as England is nor to form a Liturgy to be read in Churches and especially by a poor Journeyman Shoemaker and an almost illiterate Man that could neither write Sense nor true English and this may probably ballance the Wonder especially considering that it is more than 20 Years since I wrote first against them and from first to last could never prevail with them to retract one Errour nor to condemn one of their Books in which their vile and gross Errours are taught An Abstract of their said Epistle to be read in Churches is as followeth viz. To all the People who meet in Steeple-Houses in England and elsewhere So all you that have the Letter in England therefore to you all this is sent a Message from the Lord Jesus Christ in England or elsewhere into all the Steeple-houses to be read for God is a Spirit and they that Worship Him must Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth and such were drove out of the Synagogues drove out of the Idol's Temple and drove together and so an Epistle was written to them and God is the same He is a Spirit and His Spirit is drawing from all Steeple-houses And these are them that witness Oxford and Cambridge the two Mothers of Divinity which now the Lord's Hand is against and His Sword is drawn against they are in their Witchcraft and Whoredom this is the Cage of unclean Birds the professed Ministers And therefore all People that are here Christ is not in the Letter nor the Life is not in the Letter nor the Word is not in the Letter this mediate Stuff hath Reigned long in the Cage * * Fox's Journal p. 227. of unclean Birds this Babylon And the Serpent and Dragon which hath deceived the Nation you get the Letter for the Light a Steeple-house for a Church Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel ††This is their Ancient Testimony See News coming up c. and his Several Papers spread c. All harp on this string that Matthew Mark Luke and John are so far from being the Gospel that they are Dust and Serpents Food The mighty Day of the Lord is coming and is to be cried in all the Steeple-Houses in England to be read and cried and it is that which you call your Church the High Places of Idolatry it takes away your Life to cry against your Church to take away your High Place of Idolatry there and this is to go abroad in all Steeple-houses in the Nation and their High Places and thro' the World that they may come to God from them G. FOX Now Reader I will challenge a Parallel to the Impudence of the Quakers Amongst all the Hereticks that ever rose up since the Days of Christ in England Scotland Ireland Holland or any Protestant Nation under the whole Heavens to find me a Man unlearned a poor Mechanick to put forth a Book intituled A BATTLEDOOR for all Teachers Scholars and School-Masters to learn them the English of Tu and Vos with the Form and Figure of a Child's Penny Horn-book thereby to render them Ridiculous and Contemptible in the Eyes of the People and with such horrid Cheats attending all the Circumstances i. e. to pretend to Divine Inspiration That he Fox was before all Languages and consequently before the Building of Babel where the Languages were divided and that he was whilst living come to the end of Languages which remain now he is dead and gone No no G. Fox was not the Author it was John Stubbs and Ben. Furley did the Learned Part yet set their Hands only to the Title Page but G. Fox's Hand is set to the Latin BATTLEDOOR the Italian BATTLEDOOR the Greek BATTLEDOOR the Hebrew BATTLE-DOOR the Chaldee BATTLEDOOR the Syriack BATTLEDOOR besides in Three or Four Places more and yet wholly ignorant in all those Languages which the Jews * For what Ben. Furley and John Stubbs could not do for Money out of the Common-Bank did for him O horrid O monstrous Next I make the like Challenge to parallel the Quakers Impudence not only to go into Churches to disturb the Ministers according to their Ancient Testimony and which they cannot deny since 't is Recorded plentifully in their Second Moses their great Exemplar's Journal but I mean to send an Epistle to be read in the Churches calling them at their Will and Pleasure Steeple-Houses High Places of Idolatry where the Christians exercise their Witchcraft and Whoredom yea a Cage of unclean Birds Serpents and Dragons that take the Letter i. e the Scripture for the Light and Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel Oh horrible What Impudence is this What Luciferian Pride is here for a Dissenter nay worse for an Inpostor thus to impose his Imposture upon a Christian Nation Which being compared with what else in other Books I have observed out of the Quakers Writings as that the Bishops and Clergy are Witches Devils Conjurers Sodomites Bloodhounds Antichrists the Sir Symons of the Age Jesuits c. yea Monsters and what not and then let G. Whitehead tell me first What he thinks of the Quakers Meekness and Humility and next Whether this Epistle BATTLEDOOR and great part of their Writings be not Seditious
of you may think that these Doctrines of ours point to or aim only at extraordinary Commands as Moses going to Pharoah with some other Temporary Commands my very Doctrine shew it to be the Ten Commandments First By telling the Priest they might as well carry the Ten Commandments to Christ the Consequence of which is that Christ had as much need to learn them as we have Secondly in that we never Recommended the Ten Commandments to our Hearers that they should teach them to their Children and so from Age to Age one Generation after another as the Churches do and ever did both Jewish and Christian Thirdly Because we never read them in our Meetings nor in any one of our Books Recommend them to be so read This therefore may confirm you in our Ancient Testimony which have been to lay them by as a dead Letter Dust Death Serpents Food and Beastly Ware c. and I exhort you to be Bold and Valiant to maintain our Ancient Testimonies and this leads me to the third and last Inference namely Touching Baptism and the Lord's Supper Dear Friends I am now come to give you the Arguments of the Christians for Baptism and the Supper which is founded upon the Letter which our Apostle G. Fox said was Dust and Death viz. Their Sacrament is Carnal their Communion is Carnal a little Bread and Wine so Dust is the Serpent's Meat Their Original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death and their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter Again p. 35. A Word to all you Deceivers who deceive the People and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemy and Hypocrisie That tell the People of a Sacrament and tell that it is the Ordinance of God Blush blush and tremble before the Lord God Almighty for dreadful is he that will pour forth his Vengeance upon you You who live in the Witchery and bewitch the People c. News coming up out of the North c. p. 14 35. Dear Lambs I first told you that the Authority the Christians make use of for these Two Ordinances is bottomed upon the Letter I have now shewed you a greater Authority for the disannulling them namely what is said by the Spirit of Truth through our Second Moses And to prove it read the Gospel wrote by me 1659. viz. * * Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any then to be sure in Geo. Fox is of as Great Authority as the Scriptures or Chapters are and Greater Thus Friends I first told you what Authority the Christians pleaded for these two Institutions of Baptism and the Supper namely the Scriptures I have likewise told you by what Authority we have laid them aside but lest all of you should not remember the Words the Christians quote not being much used to Scripture they are these Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Matth. 28.19,20 Again And he Christ took Bread and gave Thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Luke 22.19,20 Again Matthew hath it And as they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body And he took the Cup and gave Thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New-Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Matth. 26.26,27,28 Again Paul hath it For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you That the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread And when he had given Thanks he broke it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood THIS DO YE as oft as ye drink it IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME 1 Cor. 11.23,24,25 Beloved I cannot but allow that if the Letter viz. the Scriptures were of greater Authority than our Sayings or that the Words of Matthew Luke and Paul were of greater Authority than our Sayings I should be of the Christians side for nothing in the World is plainer said nor more possitively commanded But Friends in the beginning we were convinced by G. Fox that Matthew Mark Luke and John were Death Dust and Serpents Meat that the Scriptures were Beastly Ware that all that preached out of them were Conjurers that the Letter of the Scripture is Carnal Death and Killeth that such as once told the People of a Sacrament were Witches News coming up c. p. 14 35. Printed 1655. A brief Discovery of a Threefold State c. p. 9. Printed 1653. Saul 's Errand to Damascus c. p. 7. Printed 1654. And that therefore they ought not only to blush but tremble that such as preached Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above were false Ministers Witches Devils c. Smith's Primer p. 8. That it was Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God Fox's Great Mystery p. 240. Printed 1659. That Circumcision is as much of Force as Water Baptism and the Paschal-Lamb as Bread and Wine for says my dear Brother W. Penn the Continuance of those Two Ordinances as the Lord's Supper and Baptism would have been a Judaizing of the Evangelical Worship and to assert their Continuance would be as much as in us lies to pluck up the Gospel by the Roots Hence says our dear Brother that Appellation Ordinances of Christ I do renounce as Unscriptural and Unevangelical and can testifie from the same Spirit by which Paul Renounced Circumcision that they to wit Water-Baptism and the Supper are to be rejected as not now required c. W. Penn's Reason against Railing c. p. 108 109. And therefore I warn you all to take heed of Apostatizing from our Ancient Testimony as you have it in my Text for what we were convinced of by our Light in the beginning to be Evil to be Death Dust Serpents Meat 't is so still to be Beastly Ware and Conjuration 't is so still and therefore keep up to your Ancient Testimony my dear Lambs in all the Parts of it Ha ha ha hme hme hme silent After a little Silence Will. Bingley c. Friends Friends I am filled I am filled as with new Wine I am ready to burst at the joyful News I have heard to Day respecting our Ancient Testimony And oh
whole Nations and Multitudes in number a Rebellious People that will not come under Our Law †††Meaning Geo. Fox's Ten Commandments which ariseth up against us and will not have our King to Reign * * * See Sam. Fisher's Prophecy but tramples his Honour under Foot and despise his Law and his Statutes and accounteth his Subjects as Slaves and Bond-men stand upon your Feet and appear in your Terror as an Army with Banners and let the Nations know your Power and the Stroke of your Hands cut down on the Right Hand and slay on the Left and let not your Eye pity nor your Hand spare but wound the Lofty and tread down the Honourable of the Earth and give unto the great Whore double and give her no Rest Day nor Night but as she hath done so let it be done unto her and give her double into her Bosom * * * The first Reformers did so and I am giving the little young Whore a double Cup. As she hath loved Blood so give her Blood and dash her Children against the Stones and let none of the Heathen Nations nor their Gods escape out of your Hands nor their Images nor Idols but lay waste Fenced Cities †††Hark! Are not these Fifth Monarchy-men and tread down the High Walls for we have proclaimed open War your Captains are Mighty Men and your Leaders are well skill'd to handle the Sword * * * This cannot be meant within What Leaders and Captains within and they are Riding on before you against the Beast and the false Prophet and Cursed be every one that riseth not up to the Help of the Lord against the Mighty The Beast is Mighty †††i. e. The King and Parliament and the false Prophet is Great * * * i. e. The Clergy and they keep the Nation under their Power But O thou Beast and thou false Prophet You shall be Tormented together thou Beast upon which the false Prophet sits * * * You 'd fain Ride too but I hope she 'll throw you off unless you Retract these Bloody Books and Horrid Principles whom thou upholds by a Law and defends by thy unrighteous Power and into the Pit and Lake shall you be turned to have your Resting Place And thou false Prophet which hath deceived the Natitions the Decree of our God is sealed against thee †††No marvel then they cannot pray for them unless for their Destruction as Fox said See Truth 's Defence c. p. 15. thy Smoke shall ascend for ever and ever and of thy Sin there is No Forgiveness nor of thy Torment No Remission over you do we and shall for ever rejoice and fing and over your God and your King the Dragon that Old Serpent cursed be he and his Memorial for ever Written in Ireland 1655. by Edw. Burrough and Fr. Howgill * * Note This was to go only amongst the Friends and Printed in Quarto with this Title This is only to go amongst Friends Thus Friends have I shewed you our Ancient Testimony in all the Parts of it First Touching the World's Peoples Mistake in the Scriptures for a Rule to Walk by Secondly Of the Certainty of our own Papers and Epistles which are the Word of God and a certain Rule to Walk by Thirdly And in the Application I have shewed how our Light hath exalted you above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Holy Confessors and all Christian Churches to this Day Fourthly Our dear Brother William Bingly hath well remembered our Ancient Testimony against the Hireling Priests for with them and against them we began to War and that with Indignation too Fifthly He hath also shewed you who we account false Ministers and what they are and the very Names by which they are described both in Oliver's time and since Sixthly Ben. Bealing hath found out a very suitable Hymn of Praise even a melodious Song of Triumph setting forth our Exaltation and the Downfal of the Christian Churches under the Notion of the false Church the Mother of Harlots Mystery of Babylon in which my Heart was and still is refreshed as with new Wine Seventhly I have also closed my Discourse with the Prophesie of Sam. Fisher which you need not doubt but will come to pass it may be sooner than you are aware of * * If the Six-Week Meeting mind their Business every Session of Parliament for he gave it forth as it came to him from the Lord and no otherwise the 25th Day of the Seventh Month which the World's People call September Anno 1656. so that it cannot it cannot miss only for the present we must be content to stay and patiently bear for the present for as yet we cannot think we shall be made to handle the Sword but when the time does come I have shewed you the Testimony of two of our Prophets and early Champions what we shall Do how we shall Kill Cut off and Destroy and Bathe our Swords in the Blood of Amaleck * * Viz. The Priests and Rulers as in the large Marginal Note and lay waste Fenced Cities and tread down the Honourable of the Earth and spare neither Old nor Young Ox nor Ass Male nor Female that will not come under our Law and Worship our God And now I shall conclude with a Prayer and that also without any Confession of Sin for all my Sins were pardoned in Oliver's time For the Prince of this World was cast out of me 1652. and Hell was conquer'd and Death and the Grave overcome and the Kingdom that cannot be removed was given ME and this the Lord did do for ME from his Fore-knowledge of ME and the Lord then brought ME into Sion which I then did Witness See his Book Truth defending the Quakers p. 8. Moreover I was then moved to witness against the Priests and Hirelings Diviners and Deceivers and to judge the Whore with her Enchantments and to torment the Beast * * i. e. The Governours and plague the false Prophet whose Judgment torment and Misery was then begun and will never have end which I Witness whom God hath set to root out and pull down Jacob found in a Desart Land c. p. 7 8. And thus much shall suffice at this time to shew you our Ancient Testimony in many Particulars which you are exhorted to Maintain Defend and to Vindicate and not at any time to Retract any one Syllable of it for the Government of our Church even Men and Women's Meettings were Ordained * * The Quakers Ordinances as in Sol. Eccles Prophesie by Christ within Geo. Fox as at large in my Book Judgment fixed c. p. 317 318. is made clearly out and out of which Book p. 354. I shall use this short Form of Prayer because the Day is far spent viz. Let us Pray O God I make my Appeal and Supplication against
it not amount to a just Provocation to any Child to see such foul Aspersions and horrible Slanders cast upon his Mother from whose Breasts of Consolation he hath received great Consolation and Comfort both to vindicate her and to set forth what manner of Men they are that thus scandalize his mother-Mother-Church not only privately in their Chimney Corners but in their Meetings yea in Print in all Cities Towns and Villages c. G. Whitehead said That God laid a Necessity upon him to write his Book Judgment fixed c. where he called me and others Apostate Informers Treacherous Hypocrites False Brethren Deceitful Workers Betraying Judas 's Devils Incarnate Dogs Wolves Raging Waves c. And his God laying such a Necessity upon him thus to Write and Rail in Vindication of Quakerism he adds And in the discharging my Duty I neither consult Events nor fear Effects Now in Answer I cannot pretend to such an immediate Motion as the Quakers do but I do really think my self in point of Duty and Conscience to bear these Testimonies against the foul Aspersions of these railing Rabsheka's and have both consulted and considered the Events that may ensue and hope well of the Effects that may follow even the Confutation of their Teachers and Conviction of their Hearers and I hope the Conversion of the Sincere amongst them And now to the Men and what manner of Men they are that thus undermine the Christian Religion Ministry and Worship And thus much by way of Introduction to the Cage of Unclean Birds POSTSCRIPT Note Reader That George Fox the first Bird in the Cage did cause John Fretwell Christ Gilhorn Ja. Nayler and others to go down upon their Knees before him publickly before Friends which is Idolatry and then and there upon their Knees to make their Confession and own Judgment upon what he charged them with before he would own them or receive them into the Unity amongst Friends c. To all People professing the Eternal Truth c. p. 6. per John Harwood one of G. W. 's Fellow-Preachers Babylon is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the Hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every Unclean and Hateful Bird. For her Sins have reached unto Heaven and God bath remembered her Iniquity Rev. 18.2,5 Reward Her even as She hath Rewarded you and double unto Her double according to Her Works In the Cup which She hath filled fill to Her double Rejoyce over Her thou Heaven and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on Her Ver. 6 20. A Cage of Vnclean Birds GEORGE FOX John Harwood George Smith Edw. Burrough Samuel Fisher Stephen Crisp Will. Warwick Jos Helling Samuel Cater Thomas Leacock Allelujah Fisher Solomon Eccles John Audland Jofiah Coale T. Thurston George Whitehead Thomas Ell Rich. Hubberthorn William Gosnell Thomas Biddle William Gibson John Whitehead Sam. Newton Christ Atkinson Daniel Wills Immanuel D Jo. Swinton Sen. Tho. Rudiard John Blaikling John Ty Ezekiel Wooley John Moon Francis Howgill Isaac Pennington Reader I am now about opening the Cage and shall take out Twelve of the Birds and open their Wings and spread their Feathers to the Intent thou maist view them and note their Features and observe their Natures and Dispositions and George Fox the Cage-Keeper shall be over and above with some little Observations upon him and the rather because G. Whitehead has denied That the Quakers call him their Branch their Star their Son of Righteousness c. in his Sober Expost c. p. 55 58. I remember that about the Year 1662. Geo. Fox came into the Isle of Ely and at his Meetings great part of his Discourse was about the Cage of Unclean Birds saying The Church of England as in his Epistle to be read in Churches and the Professors were a Cage of Unclean Birds and the Note he made them sing was thus Come ye Episcopals How do you sing in the Cage Answ No Perfection here no Perfection here Well come you Presbyterians Independants and Baptists what say you How do you sing Let us hear your Note Answ No Perfection here no Perfection here Then said George Come out of the Cage in a very comical Manner Thus did he deride the Professors of Christianity exalting themselves a Figure of which you have in Geo. Whitehead's Sermon in the Thirteenth Chapter And now you shall hear how his Birds chirrup and what Note they sing to his Lute But to understand this rightly I think it necessary to give you a brief Description of Geo. Fox that so when you hear Six of the Birds of one sort sing to his Tune and dance after his Pipe you may the better understand whether they do not call him their Branch c. First He G. Fox a great Liar like Mahomet a great Seducer like Symon Magus a vain Boaster like Ignatius Loyold saying That neither he nor his Name was known in the World Several Petitions Answered c. p. 60. when there was not Ten Men in the whole Nation more universally known Secondly In that he taught That he that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ is equal with God that he was before Languages were and that he was come to the end of Languages Saul's Errand c. p. 8. His Battledoor the Introduction c. Thirdly In that he taught That he was come to such a Fulness of Glory as that his Head and Ears was filled full of Glory yea that a Thundering Voice answered him saying I have glorified thee and will glorifie thee again alluding to John 12.28,29 The Examination and Tryal of G. Fox at Lancaster Assize c. p. 21. Fourthly In that he said David's Sepulcher was with the Quakers and that they had seen it Truth 's Defence c. p. 56. An abominable Lie like that of Mahomet's Journey up to Heaven upon an Ass Fifthly In saying That if every People own the Prophets and Apostles Writings they will own the Writings of the Quakers and that they may as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as their Papers and Queries c. Several Petitions Answered c. p. 38. Truth 's Defence p. 2 104. Sixthly In that he taught That he wrought Miracles Fox 's Journal the Third Index and yet never wrought a Miracle in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth all his Days only some Lying Wonders forged out of his Luciferian Brain without any Attestation like Symon Magus Seventhly In that he taught That the Breach of the Eighth Commandment Thou shalt not steal was no Sin if moved thereto by the Spirit of the Lord. G. Fox 's Great Mystery c. p. 77. In this Fox if not a Ranter yet joined with them and so are all that own his Doctrine Eighthly In that he taught That to call the Scriptures the Word of God was Blasphemy whilst that he yea even he called his own Writings the Word of God and frequently the Word of the Lord. Way to
the Kingdom c. p. 4. Several Papers given out for spreading Truth c. Ninthly In teaching That if Christ that 's Crucified be not within and that Christ that 's Risen be not within I say that ye are Reprobates Now I say that if there be any other Christ than he that 's Crucified within he is a false Christ and he that hath not this Christ that was Risen and Crucified within is a Reprobate Tho' Devils and Reprobates make a Talk of him without God's Christ is not Distinct from his Saints nor his Body the Church for he is within them not Distinct from their Spirits And thou say'st thou art saved by Christ without thee and so hath recorded thy self a Reprobate and they that profess Christ without them and another Christ within them here is two Christs G. Fox 's Great Mystery c. p. 206 207 250 254. And to confirm this false Doctrine see Edw. Burrough's Answer to a Question and William Smith's to his Child which are as followeth Query Is that very Man said the Minister to Burrough with that very Body within you Yea or Nay Burrough Answers The very Christ of God is within us we dare not deny him Burtongh 's Works p. 149. Query How may I know when Christ is truly Preached W. Smith's Answer They that are false Ministers Preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above But they that are Christ's Ministers Preach Christ within c. Smith 's Primer c. p. 8. Now Reader if this Doctrine be sound and Orthodox then were all the Apostles Martyrs and all Christian Ministers false Teachers and Deceivers but if this Doctrine be Heterodox then the Quakers only are the false Teachers Deceivers and Antichrists W. Penn also is one with Fox Burrough and Smith See his Christian Quaker and Div. Test p. 97 98. and his Sandy Foundation p. 21. Tenthly G. Fox speaking of his own Rise out of the North gives his Book this Title News coming up out of the North sounding towards the South written by Fox from the Mouth of the Lord from one who is Naked and stands Naked before the Lord cloathed with Righteousness whose Name is not known in the World risen out of the North which was prophesied of †Query by what Prophet and now fulfilled Thus much briefly touching this Blasphemous Bird which being the Master of the Assembly and first Founder of this Sect he shall not be of the Number of the Twelve intended viz. Six of each sort which now shall follow in their Order the first Six being of the same Feather witnessing to their Forerunner and great Apostle who tho' he once said he had a Celestial Body * Before two credible Witnesses one being still alive that he had Power to binde and loose whom he pleased yet his Body proved an Earthly one and is dead and gone and for some Years whilst living amongst them was like a Statue or an insensible Image which could scarce see or understand being grown Corpulent and in bulk of two or three Men and so dosed away his time with strong Liquors and Brandy who left these Words for W. Rogers John Raunce Anne Docwra and others who had opposed his Tyranny and Usurpation viz. And as for this Spirit of Rebellion and Opposition that hath risen formerly and lately it is out of the Kingdom of God and Heavenly Jerusalem and is for Judgment and Condemnation with all its Books Words and Works †This was Printed in their Yearly Epistle 1691. and Reprinted in Fox's Journal 1694. p. 616. Now observe how this Fox is ador'd Burrough the First Bird of the Blasphemous Six See their Book This is only to go amongst Friends p. 19. viz. Oh thou North of England who art counted as Desolate and Barren and reckoned the least of the Nations yet out of thee did the Branch Fox spring and the Star Fox arise which gives Light unto all the Regions round about in thee the Son of Righteousness Fox appear'd out of thee Kings Priests and Prophets did come forth in the Name and Power of the most High meaning Hubberthorn Howgil Burrough Farnsworth Nayler Atkinson Whitehead c. which uttered their Voices as Thunders c. Thus has Burrough ecchoed back and confirmed Fox his Imposture saying Amen to his Blasphemy alluding to Micah 5.2 to Matth. 2.5,6 as more largely handled in my Book New Rome Unmask'd c. p. 79 to 88. and New Rome Arraigned c. p. 5 6 7. And I marvel at Whitehead's Impudence to deny it In his Sober Exp. p. 57 58. but to make it clear and past his Exception if possible let 's take out more Birds but he that will deny Burrough's Book to have this Title This is only to go amongst Friends which is the only and all the Title and which Book I have by me what will not such a Fellow deny Jos Coale the Second Bird. Dear Geo. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting many again to a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou Geo. Fox Rulest and Governs in Righteousness And Thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without End Read Numb 24.17,19 Zech. 3.8 cap. 6. v. 12. Malachi 4.2 Luke 1.32,33 Isai 9.6,7 Thus then it is plain That both Burrough and Coale call'd G. Fox comparatively the Branch the Son of Righteousness yea Christ Sol. Eccles the Third Bird. Several Petitions Answer'd c. p. 60. Stand up Muggleton thou Sorcerer whose Mouth is full of Cursing Lies and Blasphemy who calls thy last Book a Looking-Glass for Geo. Fox whose NAME thou art not worthy to take into thy Mouth who is a Prophet indeed and hath been faithful in the Lord's Business from the beginning It was said of Christ that he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not John 1.10 So it may be said of this true Prophet Geo. Fox whom John said he was not Several Petitions Answer'd c. p. 60. but thou wilt feel this Prophet one Day as heavy as a Millstone upon thee and altho' the World knows him not * See the first Instance of the Ten about Fox yet he is known c. The Quak. Chal. p. 6. Thus do they all agree that Fox is their Star their Branch c. For if he be Christ as Eccles saith if he had a Kingdom established of whose Encrease there never was to be an end as Coale said then he was Christ and so the Branch the Star c. as Burrough said and indeed as they all mean else they would condemn these Blasphemous Books but instead thereof this Letter of Coale's is vindicated in their Book Judas and the Jews p. 44. in
High for thou hast maintained my Right and my Cause thou sittest on the Throne judging Right The Lord also will be a Refuge for the Oppressed a Refuge in Times of Trouble and they that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee for thou Lord bast not forsaken them that seek thee Sing Praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion declare among the People his Doings The Heathen †i. e. The Quakers who denieth Jesus of Nazareth are sunk down in the Pit that they made in the Net which they hid is their own Foot taken c. Psal 9.1,2,3,9,11 But to proceed having the recited Certificate of my Lord Bishop of Norwich I presented it to several of my Lords the Bishops both the Universities as well as to divers Particulars of the Clergy of the Church of England and I humbly thank them they were very kind to me notwithstanding all the Endeavours of the Quakers to represent me unworthy of their Notice particularly at Cambridge where they carry'd to the Colledges Books against me which I had answer'd and refuted Ten or Fifteen Years since insomuch that some of the Heads of the Colledges took special Notice of the Quakers Malice and thereupon I do believe were the more kind Thus doth God bring Good out of Evil nay should I relate all the particular Methods the Quakers used in all Places where I came to prevent me of their Kindness and the Aboundings of the Favours I received it would seem almost incredible I being but a single Person and known but to a few the Quakers numerous and like the Followers of Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.2 Men of Fame in some Cases But so it was they did not prevail but God in his Providence made way for my Deliverance beyond my Expectation and in him do I trust who taketh Care of the Sparrows Matth. 10.29,30,31 and this puts me in Mind of the Widow recorded in the Holy Scriptures 2 Kings 4. whose Husband died and left her in Debt and not Effects to answer insomuch that the Creditor was come to take away her two Sons This poor Woman was no doubt in Distress enough but yet she neither exclaimed of her Husband nor yet murmur'd at the Dispensation of Providence which befel neither did she sit still and use no Means But hearing that Elisha the Prophet was come to Town she resolves to make Application to him he could but deny her she knew the worst and hoped the best and therefore in Faith and full Assurance of the Mercy of God to them that trust in him and not doubting but the Inspired Prophet knew her Inside even the Sincerity of her Heart and that notwithstanding this Calamity she could appeal to him that her Husband was an honest Man a Man that feared God and served him in Uprightness and thereupon she puts on Courage and goes to him saying Thy Servant my Husband is dead and thou knowest that thy Servant did fear the Lord and the Creditor is come to take unto him my two Sons to be Bondsmen This was sorrowful News no doubt to the Prophet to hear that one of the Sons of the Prophets that professed Faith in the God of Israel should so fail as not to be able to pay his Debts Well the Prophet quickly understood the Widow and as quickly reply'd saying What shall I do for thee tell me What hast thou in the House Here is two notable Questions and so quickly proposed that he did not give the Widow leave to answer to the first but added What hast thou in the House As if he should have said Why should I ask this humble Petitioner what she would have me to do 'T is plain she would willingly be enabled to pay her Debts rescue her two Sons and have something to live on she then reply'd saying Thine Handmaid hath nothing at home save a Pitcher of Oyl Upon which the Prophet as God would have it wrought a Miracle saying Go borrow the Vessels of all thy Neighbours even empty Vessels borrow not a few and when thou art come into thy House shut the Door upon thee and upon thy Sons and pour out into all these Vessels and set aside that which is full She did so and was thereby enabled to pay her Debts redeem her Sons and had left wherewithal to live upon O the wonderful Works of God! who thus instructs his to depend upon his Providence for the Scriptures are written for our Learning and truly when I consider my own Case I think it falls not much short of this Miracle I am sure I have met with a wonderful Providence in my Deliverance considering I had no such inspired Prophet to appeal to nor such an Evidence to vouch on my part I had nothing but Reason and Demonstration to offer having prayed to God to incline the Hearts of his Servants to a Charitable Consideration of Things past present and to come Nay my Case seem'd worse than the Widow's for I do not read that she had any Enemies to Interpose but I had many The Quakers no sooner understood that the Clergy took my Case into their Pious Confideration but they sent their Emissaries with Books after me both to the Colledges and particular Persons wherein I was represented an Enemy of all Righteousness a Child of the Devil yea a Devil Incarnate a Wolf a Dog a Beast c. Judgment fixed c. by G. W. And when this would not prevail against me they then made Personal Complaints that I was a Counterfeit Convert * As G. W. had Printed me to be See his Book A Counterfeit Convert a Scandal to Christianity c. and to make this out they told some of the Reverend Clergy in Norfolk that tho' Francis Bugg pretended to be a Member of the Church of England yet he never receiv'd the Communion with you See what a Convert you have what Reason is there then for you to assist and support him so as you do Upon which this Minister writes to Mr. Archer our Minister to know the Truth of it he sends him an Answer by Letter assuring him that in Anno 1688. I receiv'd the Sacrament and if at home ever since at the usual times But when this would not do they 'd try another Project for John Hubbard of Stoake †An eminent Quaker in Norfolk and one of the twelve mention'd in my Sober Expostulation p. 1. Printed 1698. told Mr. Meriton Minister of Oxborow near him that I was drunk the last time was in London in March 1698. who sent me a Letter thereof which providentially came into my Son's Hand in my Absence An Abstract of it is as followeth SIR I gave your Book the other Day to John Hubbard who receiv'd it with a Scornful Smile I discoursed with him upon the Subject of it which he heard with much Impatience yet at last he promised to read it he could not forbear Invectives against the Author of it the usual Courtship
Conversation answer their Holy Profession neither do I bring these Testimonies to excuse my self from my own Infirmities I am not without Sinful Imperfections I do acknowledge Here follows the Contents of the several Certificates above-mention'd Viz. First That he Fr. Bugg neither is nor never was distracted or discomposed since any of us can remember him or that ever we heard of Secondly That in all his Time he has been moderate both in his Meat Drink and Apparel and never by any of us known to be Drunk as is reported nor yet inclined to Drinking in Excess Thirdly That he ever was a good Provider for his Family a Lover of his Wife an Indulgent Father to his Children forcing none farther than Perswasion to a Comformity to his way of Worship Fourthly That we believe he never left his Wife and Son amongst the Quakers to introduce him to them again this is a Malicious Report to render him a Hypocrite which his whole Life and Conversation has declared the contrary to his Cost Fifthly The Press being open and both Parties having equal Priviledges we look upon it utterly wrong to make use of such Indirect Methods And some of us are sorry we have no better way to confute his Arguments Sixthly That we are ready to enlarge on any of these Heads to any Man's Face that shall question the Truth hereof Subscribed by William Belsham Matthew Belsham Philip Cranniss Fran. Bugg Junior Reader As I could not pass by such Publick Mercies and Benefits as I have received without some Publick Acknowledgment without great Ingratitude both to God and Man so would I not be too particular lest thereby I do offend yet with St. Paul I can say That as Sufferings and hard Usage formy Testimony-sake abound so do not only Inward Consolation but Outward Benefits abound also 2 Cor. 1.5 and as a Proof thereof I shall add but one Instance more which is That since I came to London an Ancient Friend of mine to whom I did owe a certain Debt upon Bond who considering the hard Usages I have received from the Quakers in which he himself has had a deep share and finding me still conscientiously concern'd without my asking or once thinking of or expecting brought me the Bond and forgave me the Debt resting due to him upon it without any Covenant or Promise on my part Thus hath God opened the Hearts of his Servants and moved them to Compassion Blessed be his Holy Name for ever and Humble Thanks to all unto whom I have been oblig'd CHAP. XVI A Word of Encouragement to all who are Sincere amongst the Hearers of the People call'd Quakers who begin to be weary of the Yoke of Quakerism and are willing to embrace the Christian Faith FRIENDS HAving given you a Brief Account of my Travel in this Pilgrimage and shewed you the many Turnings and Windings which I have gone through and the many Quicksands and Quagmires that I have passed without sinking tho' oft-times in great Danger what by Enemies within and Enemies without as also in some Places pointed to Israel's Rock the Man Christ Jesus I am now come to remove one Stumbling-block which Solomon Eccles has laid in your way namely That there is as great a Gulf fixed between you and the Christians as there was between Dives and Abraham insomuch that if you would come from them i. e. Quakers you cannot his Words are these Viz. I testifie in the Spirit of Truth * Viz. By Authority greater than the Scripture Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. by G. W. that there is as great a Gulf between the Baptists and consequently other Christians that are NOT in Christ that is NOT in the Quakers Light and those Quakers that are in the Truth as there was between Abraham and Dives See his Music Lecture c. p. 23. Again as an Explanation of this Doctrine he saith Come Protestants Presbyterians Independants and Baptists the Quakers deny you all The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they c. The Quakers Challenge c. p. 2 3. And from this and the like Doctrine spring that Aversion in you that it is impossible to prevail with many of you either to hear a Sermon preach'd by the Publick Ministers or to read their Sermons So that when the Quakers once catch any in their Cobweb it is very hard and difficult to get you out unless here and there one that is resolv'd to observe the Apostle's Advice who said Prove all things holdfast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 And I am not doubtful but that as there has been a Remnant that has taken this Advice and has forsaken the Quakers Errors so will there many more follow their Example For this Doctrine of theirs which alludes to Christ's Parable is falsly applied for that Parable relates to the Final Estate of the Blessed and the Damned after this Life as you may read at large Luke 16. And as for the Quakers denying all the Professors of Christianity affirming themselves to be in the Truth Only or the Only Church of Christ as in my former Writings viz. The Picture of Quakerism c. Part first I have made to appear from their Books this is all Pride yea Spiritual Pride and Self-Conceit and ought not to be any Hindrance to you in your Examination and Tryal of your selves but rather as a Spur to your Zeal lest you should be in the Wrong And if you come once sincerely so to do I no way doubt but you will soon forsake Quakerism I well remember that when I first heard it Rumour'd that G. Fox was looked upon as a second Moses to give forth Laws and Orders for us to walk by and Methods and Forms of Church-Government I presently wrote Six Queries touching Church-Government in the Year 1678 * 22 Years since which went in Manuscript far and near as Printed in my Book intituled De Chris Lib. Part 2. Page 72 80. the Tenor of which was Query 1. Whether Jesus Christ be Head of the Church or George Fox Query 2. If you say Christ then whether he be not Lawgiver to his Church Query 3. If you say that Christ is both Head and Lawgiver to his Church then whether we ought not to Follow and Obey the Commands and Precepts of Christ which are laid down in the Scripture by the four Evangelists and his Apostles rather than the Commands and Precepts of G. Fox Query 4. If you say that the Commands and Precepts of Christ ought rather to be obey'd than those of Geo. Fox then I further Query whether Christ or any of his Apostles ever commanded the Observation of Womens Meetings apart and distinct from the Men Query 5. If you say that neither Christ nor his Apostles commanded nor left any Example or President for Womens Distinct Meetings to be set up Monthly any way to intermeddle with the Government of the Church then I further Query where have George Fox or you your
Power and Authority to Institute and Ordain such a way of Government And in whose Name do you compel to a Conformity and thus to impose your Ceremonies c. Query 6. Whether were not the Bereans accounted noble in that they searched the Scriptures to see whether what St. Paul taught did accord therewith And will it not become us to do the like to see whether what George Fox imposes on us accord with the Scripture If not whether we are obliged to observe his Dictates and Prescriptions Yea or Nay c. To which Queries I never received any Answer And thus it pleased God of his Infinite Mercy to give me Courage and Boldness 22 Years since for it was some Years before †Yea it was May 17. 1675. See Innocency Vindicated c. p. 8. that I wrote to their Yearly Meeting about their forcing their Apprentices to stand bareheaded before them whilst they refuse that Respect to their Superiors to appear against what I saw to be wrong in them even whilst amongst them equally according to my Understanding to what I have done since and methinks I desire no more in the Quakers than to be sincere and that for their own Good too I mean to put on Courage and say What do you tell me of G. Fox or G. Whitehead or any other Man I will stand by no Man nor no Principle nor no People †Such a Man I have not found amongst their Teachers Tho. Vpshot came nearest but when I came to ask him whether he would justifie their Books He flew off saying No he would not meddle farther than they are right at least in my Apprehension no farther than they agree with the Holy Scriptures No I am not yet Ear-bored to this nor the other Man Form or Society for Self-Ends for Advantage in Trade for a Name among Men no I am for Truth and Righteousness so far as I know it I thank God thus it was with me when I was as Famous amongst them as since they have endeavoured to render me Infamous and I desire no more of the Quakers than this let their Errors be never so great and their Understanding never so clouded if they be Sincere and willing to be informed I could heartily imbrace them and for which I have great Reason for I was as erroneous in many things as the most of them But when I find that G. Whitehead teach them first That the Quakers are the true Church next That they are to believe as this true Church believes See his Apost Incend c. p. 3 16. and that the People love to have it so i. e. like Teacher like People the Blind to lead the Blind till both fall into the Ditch of Error and Heresie together this is sad But says Geo. Whitehead No such Matter I challenge Francis Bugg and his Teachers Abettors and Congratulators to produce those Books of the Quakers with the Pages and Words wherein we deny the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Mary otherwise Retract and Condemn this Calumnious Aspersion A Sober Expostulation with some of the Clergy c. p. 46. This bold Challenge has been often Answer'd in The Snake in the Grass 3d. Edit p. 129 to 145. Satan Disrob'd c. p. 8 9 13 14. Gleanings p. 2. and so fully as I cannot pretend to yet since this Error of the Quakers denying Christ seems to be the Mother of all their other Errors I shall for this Challenge sake that so his Disciples may see his Impudence herein also prove that they i. e. Quakers do deny the same Jesus that was Born of that Virgin Mary And if I do so I think he is obliged to Retract his Errors and Condemn the Quakers Books which so teach by the same Rule of Arguing viz. That both I and my Abettors ought to condemn the Calumny cast on the Quakers by such a Charge if not true And now to the Matter When Jesus came into the Coast of Cesarea Philippi he asked his Disciples saying whom do Men say that I THE SON OF MAN am Matth. 16.13 Simon Peter answered and said THOU art CHRIST the SON of the LIVING GOD Verse 16. Again And WE believe and ARE SURE that thou art THAT CHRIST the SON of the LIVING GOD John 6.69 That the outward Person that suffer'd was properly the Son of God we utterly deny A Body hast thou prepared me said the Son Then the Son was not the Body tho' the Body was the Son's A Serious Apol. c. by Will Penn p. 146. Here you have the Question proposed by Christ himself Whom do Men say that I the SON OF MAN AM You also hear St. Peter's Answer which is as plain and as home to the Purpose as can be and now you shall hear Christ's Approbation and Confirmation thereof But you see the Quakers Answer is point-blank contrary yea Will. Penn does utterly deny That Person who suffer'd at Jerusalem to be the SON OF GOD. Mark Reader Christ's Reply to St. Peter's Answer to his most Gracious Question viz. And Jesus answer'd and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16.17 and 17.5 I think I need say no more especially since this Point is so largely handled and so fully proved upon the Quakers by that Reverend Author in the Books above-quoted Only thus much I may add That if St. Peter be Orthodox in this Point then are the Quakers Heterodox and that herein their utter Testimony is levell'd and strikes at the very Foundation of Christianity and as a Reply to G. W. I do offer De Novo to prove the same and I do now affirm That the Quakers by their Books do deny the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Mary The Same Jesus to whom the Voice came from the excellent Glory saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him The Same Jesus that St. Paul preached Acts 17. The Same Jesus that St. Peter testified saying Let the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that Same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ And this I offer to prove to G. Whitehead Vive Voce at any convenient time on Condition he will under his Hand covenant to condemn the Quakers Books which so Teach when proved upon him as by his own Argumentation in the Challenge above-recited he is in Equity obliged too And if I do not prove it I will burn my Books that so charge the Quakers and let this be the Touchstone to try us both in the mean time any Quaker that thinks I am in the Wrong let them look first on W. Penn's Book by me heretofore quoted as well as this before me and the Scriptures following viz. Luke 1.26,31,32,33,35 2.10,11,12,13 Matth. 16.13,16,17,20,27 cap. 17.5,9,12,13,26,29 cap. 26,27,38,50,67 cap. 28.6 Mark 9.7 John 5.22,27 cap. 6.69 Acts 1.10,11 cap. 5.30,31 cap.
1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 37 Hen. 8. c. 17. 8 Eliz. c. 1. 1 K. W. Q. M. N. 307. And such Meetings let the Pretence be never so seemingly good are interpreted to be Regnum in Regno viz. not only independent but opposite to the Civil Government and should the Bishops and Clergy so meet with never so real a Purpose to promote real Piety and Christianity of which the Quakers is but a Counterfeit they thereby would as the Learned in the Law say run themselves into a Praemunire Neither do or are any People in England so bold so to Meet in Contempt of the Laws of the Land expresly against the King's Prerogative the Rights of Parliaments and the Liberty and Property of the Subject the Quakers only excepted whose Principles are Extrajudicial and Antimagistratical and of how dangerous a Consequence Time will best demonstrate for hitherto they have not been able to do Hurt as to the Government But see one of their own Books before they got to this Height in Oliver Cromwell's Days intituled The West answering to the North c. by G. Fox and others of them p. 80. viz. Any Party of Men under a Government to make Laws not being Authorized so to do for the Binding of others and thereunto require Obedience is the setting up of themselves above the Law and treading it under their Feet and rendring of them whom they so Bind their Slaves and Vassals and so is TREASON Object IV. As for what is Collected which they call a Fund is not for Stipends for our Teachers we have no Mercenary Teachers nor among us Attendants on both Houses of Parliament c. Answ This is all false in Fact 1. I do affirm and offer to prove it That their Teachers have Stipends and great Sums of Money out of the Money collected if I do not let but my Superiors give me the Opportunity I will engage to forfeit my Life yea as clearly as Daniel proved to the King the Fraud of Bell's Priests And also will shew the private Entrance or Passage which the Quakers Mercenary Teachers go in and out to this Fund or Bank or Common Stock or Collection let it have a Name of the Quakers own giving if that will please them without strewing Ashes If I do not do this let me suffer if I do and that I also shew that the Charges Attending the Parliament come out thereof then let this Fund Stock or Bank together with their Yearly Meeting and all other their Monthly Quarterly Six-Week and Second-Day's Meetings which are not designed for Worship but for Government be supprest and let them be content with their Meetings on Sundays for Publick Worship with their Doors open as other Dissenters have Now if they be but as Confident as Bell's Priests were let them try the Experiment I am ready to engage them when the Government shall call me to it and by no other Methods than is usual oft-times with the Members of the House of Commons to use when they would find out a hidden Secret which they fear tends to subvert the Government Object V. G. Whitehead in Excuse of the Quakers recording their Sufferings as only to have have recourse to and not designed to render the Government odious to Posterity Answ I answer this is such a fallacious Evasion that it serves only to shew their Hypocrisie Read but The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. p. 102 to 106. and The Pilgrim's Progress c. first Edition p. 167. where five Quotations are at large taken out of their Prints written by W. Penn R. Barkley and others of Note amongst the Quakers and they afford a Demonstration and Proof sufficient and which they never yet gainsaid by Answer thereunto Object VI. G. W. pag. 69. of his Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. says Let their Books and ours be compared to clear our Innocency from their Adversaries gross Calumnies Perversions Misrepresentations c. Answ Content with all their Hearts But tho' I am no Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet yet I dare venture to say that Geo. will not be so willing to put their Cause upon this Issue as the Priests of Bell and the Dragon were to put their Fraud to the Test No theirs was a sufficient Example to their Followers in Deceit and Falshood And I marvel G. W. should have the Face to propose a Thing which they have these Fifteen Years to my knowledge always refused and when any one proposes it they fly off and cry out Persecution Persecution For he knew both many of his own Books as well as Fox's Burrough's and their Chieftains are well fraught with Errors Blasphemy Seditious and Bloody Treasonable Principles And that they stood in as much need of an Act of Oblivion as any People upon English Ground and with which all their Crimes might for all me have been buried had they not revived them and told us over and over That their Principles are now no other than what they were in the Beginning Thus having answer'd these Objections I shall add no more on this Head only referr to my former Book intituled The Picture of Quakerism Part 2. pag. 121 to 128. for more of this Nature which probably may be of good Use if the Poor Man's Counsel be taken Eccles 9.14,15,16 Read the Ninth Chapter of Joshua at your leisure And now to conclude with a Word of Encouragement to such who are concern'd in the Discovery of Quakerism Do you not remember the Day I am sure I do how the Quaker-Teachers went into Churches and disturb'd the Established Ministers But now none must disturb them if they do the Officer is call'd for and the Offender prosecuted Witness Geo. Keith did but desire to go into the Quakers Meeting at Bristol this present August and they refused his going in tho' he promised not to disturb them but threatned him with executing the Law against him as in his printed Relation appears more at large This is a certain Sign of what they would do in other Cases had they Power I say do you not remember how they challenged the Publick Ministers to dispute to answer their Queries c. It would make a Volume to handle this Matter throughly But behold here is a Change with them you may challenge them long enough but cannot get them out of their Holes they see and know they are discover'd this makes them Timorous and as the Scriptures say Fearfulness surprize the Hypocrites They see this that and the other Book come out against them which they cannot answer nor are they able to defend themselves and now they call out for a Cessation of Arms and are for an Amicable Conversation yea for Peace and Quietness and 't is Seditious to challenge them and remind them of their Errors this is against Magna Charta say they Geo. Keith hath three times called them out and challenged them but they dare not appear but like self-condemn'd Apostates lye mute
be This Witness is true Printed 1678. in the Book A Sensible Cry c. p. 6. A. M. IX BEhold you Great Goliahs your strength is in an Arm of Flesh but mine is only in the Living God before whom all your deceitful covers are manifest which will stand you in little stead in the Day of Distress that is coming upon you For he will certainly plead with you for all your Abominations You are full of Designs to keep up your Esteem among the People but the Lord by whose Power I am raised up against you will bring you low and utter disgrace will come upon you because you have not sought his Glory so much as your own Quakers unmasked c. Preface By J. P. Printed 1682 and 1691. X. A Day of Trouble Anguish and Disappointment is come and coming upon You which you can neither escape nor prevent You must reap the fruit of your own doings for as you have sowed the Wind you must expect to reap the Whirlwind wherein is nothing but Confusion Darkness Blackness and Tempest And this is the Portion of all the Builders of Babel or Babylonish Builders And tho' you may think that you have built the highest and fairest Structure of any yet know and that for a truth that not one Stone thereof shall be left upon another and all your Buildings your Inventions your Imaginations and Conceivings about your Forms your Proud Self-conceited Modes your Impositions your Prescriptions Laws and Comely Orders as you in your fallen Wisdom call them must all be thrown down laid waste and become as a By-word or Proverb of Reproach to the very Heathen and not only to them but also to those whom you have defamed and stigmatized with the blackest of Names and for no other cause but only for their Faithfulness in Discharging a good Conscience towards their God towards You and towards all Men. These are faithful and true Sayings if thou canst receive them thou mayest Printed 1680 in a Letter to G. F. by J. P. a Person well known and of an unspotted Reputation Behold that which you have Built must be Broken down and that which you have Planted must be Plucked up This Witness is true It may be they will present their Supplications before the Lord and will turn every one from his Evil Way For great is the Anger and the Fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this People THE END Advertisement IF any Person be desirous to have this Book and my former Books bound either them in Quarto or them in Octavo or Single Stitcht they may be furnished with all except them of those Impressions wholly Sold off at Mr. Janeway's a Bookbinder in St. Paul's Churchyard next Door to Child's Coffee-house London And Likewise if any Abler Men for of such there is very great need be disposed farther to unmask the Leaders of this Heresie this is to give notice that in the Library of christ-Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford there is by a Worthy Gentleman a Divine of the Church of England Bought of me and Given by him for the Service of the Church of Quakers Books wrote by the most Approved Authors of that Sect which I think are thus Chained up from doing any more hurt First G. Fox's Journal next to it Muggleton's Journal or Works containing more than 1000 Pages Quarto and I think the best Quaker of the two next to that G. Fox's Great Mystery c. Fol. with near Twenty more of his Books next the Works of Edw. Burroughs Francis Howgill Will. Smith Sam. Fisher all in great Folio's next the Works of Jos Coale Steph. Smith R. Hubberthorn Will. Bayly Is Pennington G. Fox Junior in Quarto next divers Books wrote by James Naylor Will. Penn Christ Atkinson G. Whitehead Sol. Eccles Tho. Lawson Christ Taylor R. Farnsworth Geo. Bishop and divers others in all near the Number of Four Hundred bearing distinct Titles which may furnish any Person sufficiently with Matter of Fact A Catalogue of Books Wrote by Fran. Bugg 1 DE Christiana Libertate c. in 8 vo bound 2 The Painted Harlot stript and whipt c. 4 to 3 Reason against Railing c. 4 to 4 Innocency Vindicated c. 4 to never Answered 5 The Quakers Detected and their Errors Confuted c. 4 to 6 A Letter to the Quakers shewing their frequent Addresses to and Prayers for the late K. J. II. and not to King William III. 7 Battering Rams against New Rome c. 4 to 8 One Blow more at New Rome c. 4 to 9 New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation Shaken c. 4 to 10 New Rome Arraigned and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. 4 to 11 A Sheet Presented to the Parliament 1693. in Answer to the Quakers Allegations c. 12 Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. 8 vo 13 Quakerism Anatomized c. 4 to never Answered 14 A Second Summons to the City Abel by way of Metaphor to deliver up Sheba the Son of Bichri namely Geo. Whitehead 2 Sam. 21. 15 The Quakers Yearly Meeting Impeached on the behalf of the Commons of England c. 16 The Quakers set in their true Light c. Presented to the House of Lords 1696. never Answered 17 A Brief Reply to the Quakers Ancient Testimony presented to the House of Lords 1696. never Answered 18 A Brief History of the Rise Growth and Progress of Quakerism 8 vo never Answered 19 The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life 8 vo never Answered 20 A Sober Expostulation with their Hearers touching the Mercinary Teachers never Answered 21 The Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity c. Printed in 4 to and Reprinted in 8 vo 22 Seventy Queries to several Quakers c. never Answered 23 A Broad Sheet with a Scheme of the Quakers Synod presented to the Parl. 1699. 24 Jezebel Withstood and her Daughter Anne Docwra publickly Reproved never Answered 25 Quakerism Exposed to publick Censure c. 8 vo 26 The Christian Ministry of the Church of England Vindicated c. 8 vo never Ans 27 A Modest Defence c. presented to the Parliament 28 The Quakers Anguis Flagellatus Examined and Refuted 29 A Brief Reply to G. Whitehead's Book Stiled A Rambling Pilgrim c. in Answer to my Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity presented to the Parliament 1700. 30 A Just Rebuke to the Quakers Insolent Behaviour in their Two Books i. e. A Just Censure c. the other A Sober Reply c. presented to the Parl. 1700. Besides Three Books I Wrote part of 31 W. Rogers his Seventh Part of the Christian Quaker distinguished c. about 1682. 32 A Looking-glass for the Quakers in Two Columns 33 A Postscript to the Norfolk Clergies Book i. e. A Brief Discovery of some of the Quakers Blasphemous and Seditious Principles c. FINIS