Meetings oh how did they lay them open But Reader give me leave to insist now largly on this Head it being the Quakers Master-piece Burrow 's Works 846. Antichrists Government detected Dedicated to all the Rulers c. Now I come to declare who are true Judges of Heresie and Hereticks None are able to discern of Heresie nor to Try and Judge rightly who are Hereticks none but they I say that have the infallible Spirit of God in them to guide them and have infallibility and perfect certainty of Judgment and Knowledge in that case of Heresie None else I say are rightly able to judge who are Hereticks But such as have the infallible Spirit of Christ and are infallible and certain in their judgment these only and none else are able to judge they only are competent judges in this case of Heresie and who are Hereticks It is but out of Envy if they have not the infallible Spirit of God and infallibility of Judgment to discern by for no Man can justly judge another in the matter of Heresie as a Heretick by their own Thoughts or Suppositions for the judgment in that matter must be Just Equal Holy and True and only by the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is infallible and gives infallibility of judgment and discerning into all Cases and Things For it was Christ Jesus and his Apostles and the Saints that had the infallible Spirit of God and infallibility of Judgment The Jews could not judge because they had not the infallible Spirit of Judgment nor the certain infallible Knowledge nor can the Christians There 's none can truly discern nor justly judge what Heresie is nor who is a Heretick but such as are guided by the infallible Spirit of Christ and have infallibility of Judgment So both the Law-makers and the Judges of the Law must what must they turn Quakers be infallible c. I think I have said enough of their infallibility as it lies in half a page in their Book stiled the Antichrists Government detected c. Dedicated to all the Rulers in the Christian World boldly taking upon them the Power making Laws or trying any in the case of Heresie least they themselves should be tryed unless they had infallibility of Judgment which Protestant Parliaments do not pretend too The next is this Entituled p. 793. Persecution impeached as a Traitor against God c. By which the Quakers boldly Impeach all Parliaments and Courts of Judicature Thus can they Try Judge Arraign and Condemn all the Protestant Clergy and Impeach the Proceedings of all our Courts But if I Arraign the Quakers as New Rome and Impeach their yearly Meetings this is accounted by them an unpardonable Crime how justly soever Behold their great presumption But to the next Burrow 's Works p. 588. A Message to the present Rulers of England whether Committee of Safety Councel of Officers or others delivered unto them by an Ambassador from the only Right Heir of the Government whose Right alone it is to Rule and by special Authority from him this is sent unto them My Master is a High and Mighty and Powerful Prince and very Honourable Fear and Subjection belongs to him alone Something you may and ought to do but if to make the Whore the false Church more Naked and to scourge her more than some others have done And indeed my Lord requires something more of you to do than others before you could do and tho some of you present Rulers be looked upon as great Traitors and Tyrants in cutting off the King's Head and extirpating Episcopacy the Lord doth not account as Men these things must needs have come to pass for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and if you were but faithful to what the Lord requires of you what you have done to them in the Murther aforesaid should not be reckoned an account against you neither by God nor good Men. Let all forced maintenance to Ministers as Tythes be speedily taken away and let just Men and righteous Men and meek Men i. e. Quakers have the Power and judgment committed to them to determin things between Man and Man down with all that judge for Rewards and away with all hireling Rulers that execute the Law for Money and as for the Men call'd Ministers the way of their setting up sending forth and maintenance are the greatest oppression in the Nation they are the woful cause of the Nations groaning their iniquities cry for vengeance for they are full they are full and God's Eternal vengeance is their next Reward from the Eternal God What shall I say of them but this The Earth is oppressed by them the Inhabitants groan under them and God is vexed thro' them and they are the Men of high Indignation and fierce Wrath let this Ministry alone and joyn not your selves to Baal least you perish neither take part with Antichrist any longer uphold not this Ministry against my Lord and this is from the mouth of my Lord to you Reader bear with me I am now telling the growth and progress of Quakerism and how and by what means I need not comment upon it This was Writ in 1659. by E. B. but reprinted in 1672. by the order and approbation of some words first being left out Geo. Whitehead and others See p. 592 to the same purpose SECTION IV. Their Corrupt Principles as their Light within Infallibility Enthusiasm c. and their pernicious Books proceeding therefrom c. and their censorious condemning others without a parallel GEN. Hist p. 53. The Quakers did always enveigh against the Liturgy as stuffed with the Fopperies of Popish Darkness superstitious and ill-plac'd Lessons and Prayers Ornaments Gestures and Bodily actions and many Rites of observing Holy-days These the Quakers did vigorously oppose c. Reader as I have given a hint of the Quakers addressing themselves to the supreme Assembly i. e. Parliaments as well to prove the learned Authors Testimony true as to let the World see how Quakerism advanced by their bitter Letters and invective seditious Petitions and Books keeping therein to their old way of Accusations as he well observes concealing their own Crimes and how their business was to defame others both Magistrates and. Ministers imprecating all Evils upon them from the most High God I am now come to prove what he says touching their enveighing against the Liturgy for where I find him well informed I am willing to corroborate his Testimony from matter of Fact as well as where I see him warp to correct and set him right viz. Smith 's Works p. 161. A general Summons from the Authority of Truth to all Ecclesiastical Courts and Officers And now upon what Foundation will your Building stand for your work is found contrary to the Law of the Nation and contrary to the Spirit of Truth contrary to the Scriptures contrary to Christianity contrary to Reason contrary to the Law and the Prophets contrary to the Doctrine of Christ contrary
to the King's Mind Where will you have a Foundation to build your Work upon for as it is found contrary to all these weighty Things so by their Authority your Work in cases of Conscience may well be Questioned The Law of the Nation may justly question you the Spirit of Truth may justly question you the Scriptures may justly question you Christianity may justly question you Reason may justly question you Christ Jesus may justly question you the King may justly question you and what can your Foundation be but the love of Money printed 1668. Mark Reader the Impudence of these Quakers who twit others with their own Crimes I am sure every particular may be apply'd to themselves rightly and yet such is their insolent boldness even whil'st Diffenters and acted as well contrary to the Laws as all the things by them mentioned to give out a general Summons to all the Ecclesiastical Order Established by Law But if I give them a Summons this is presumptious seditious tumultuary yea if I Arraign them as New Rome and print without Licence I must be by them indicted and had I not had a Church of England Jury I might have been ruined These are the meek Men the righteous Men the just Men that Burrows and in him the Quakers prayed in the last recital of Burrow's Works to the Government that they might have the executive part of the Law and that Cases between Man and Man might be left to them but thanks be to God who have given the Nation such a sight of their Hypocrisie that hitherto they have not been thought worthy of a place in the Government no not so much as Constable a remembring their Anti-magistratical principle laid down by their first Founder as in News coming up c. p. 20. Sing all ye Saints and Rejoyce clap your Hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will Raign and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers Judges and Justices Lawyers and Constables all this tree must be cut down and Jesus Christ in us will Rule alone c. But I thank God this Tree of Defence is still standing which preserved me from your inveterate malice who for not Licensing my Book tho' it be your own daily practice Indicted me as one turbulent and unquiet practicing and intending falsly unlawfully seditiously and maliciously c. as also to move stir up and cause discords tumults and miserable slaughters c. and all because I printed unlicensed Arraigned them as New Rome c. But behold they can Arraign Try Summons and Judge yea and Condemn Magistrates Ministers and whole Churches by whole sale Are these the meek Men the just Men the righteous Men that would so fain have the Administration of the Government God forbid and let all good Protestants and sincere Christians say Amen Reader I must beg pardon for this Digression 't is a fault that sometimes better Writers fall into The next I shall recite is a Dialogue or Catechism between Tradition and Truth The Terms being interpreted are thus in the Original Truth that is the Quakers and Tradition that is the Church of England and if I were to recite it all it is worse than Tho. Hicks's Dialogue between a Quaker and a Christian for the substance of that is true to my certain knowledge but this is so barbarous a Dialogue as none but such that are void of Charity and the Fear of God would ever have attempted but the Quakers they may domineer and insult over their Superiors yea Summon Arraign Try Judge and Condemn the Church of England and thereby the Magistrates Ministers and People present their seditious Petitions to the Parliament Advise and Councel them to let the Ministers alone stand not say they by Baal's Priests down with all that judge for Money alias take Money for their pains and labor as the Quakers themselves do yet none must say a word to them Oh no no touch the hem of their Garment as if they had a Pattent to commit all manner of reproaches revilings scandalous destructive horrible Blasphemies and all manner of impieties cum privilegio Smith 's Works p. 157. A Catechism by way of Dialogue to all Priests and Prelates Truth lay down thy Fundamentals and what they are that they may be known and in their place come to Tryal Tradition these be my Foundation principles of my Religion believing they are sound because I find in the Scriptures that the Saints performed them and served God in them I have Churches Preaching Praying Singing and Bishops Ministers and under them other Officers for order sake Truth these in their places must be examined and by the Spirit of Truth i. e. Quakers proved whether they be right in the ground and have their rise from the Power of God Open thine Eye and behold thy Ceremonies and see what Monsters thou hast generated and brought forth from thy Adulterous Womb. And so hath the birth of thy Adulterous Womb deceived the Nations Tradition I am reasonably satisfied from what hath been said as to the Ceremonies belonging to my Worship but as to my Church Preaching Praying Singing Bishops and Ministers they must be duly observed Truth I shall try them in order and if I find them right in the ground shall approve them if not testify against them therefore speak plainly what thy Church is that I may proceed to Tryal Tradition my Church is a consecrated Place for my Worship to be perform'd in and by many Ancient Fathers Laws been set by c. Truth now I shall try thy Church and if it be not in God it is none of his but an adulterated Harlot covered over with the Mystery of Iniquity therefore Tradition be silent a little and Truth will shew thee thy Error so be cool and hear what Truth saith for now thy Church comes to Tryal Tradition I know that Praying in my Worship is right for it is mentioned in the Scripture and was practiced very much by the Saints and I have the Lord's Prayer and have made many other Prayers which be useful and comfortable for all conditions and on all occasions and I have put them together in a Book which I call the Book of Common Prayer and use it in my Devotion Truth Prayer in the Spirit the Saints practiced but thou art degenerated and hath formed such Prayers as the Lord hath not required neither doth he open his Ear to them and that which thou call'st the Lord's Prayer be thou silent and make no mention of it for thou hast nothing to do with it Oh thou Adulterous Tradition What Monsterous births hast thou brought forth Thy Common Prayer Book is seen to be conceived in thy Adulterous Womb and to branch forth from the Pope Tradition but what if my Common Prayer Book do not fully agree with the Scriptures and the Saints practice yet there are many good things in it and many Scripture sentences which may edifie and comfort Truth that which is
born of the Flesh is Flesh and that is against the Spirit and can neither edifie nor comfort though good Words and Scripture sentences may be spoken for it is not speaking the Words of others that doth make a true Prayer but in receiving a measure of the same Spirit of Prayer which is not in thy Common Prayer Book to be found therefore it is made of none effect because thy bowels bring it forth and the Pope gives Life and Breath unto it and from his Loyns it draws its Strength and not from the power of God Tradition what can I say to be received for truth my Ceremonies c. are denyed but there can be nothing said against my Bishops and Ministers the Scriptures speak so plainly of them c. Truth now Tradition harken what Truth saith and give thine Answer to what is demanded of thee Who made thy Archbishops and Lord Bishops and who gave them these Names And who first divided unto them their several Diocesses and appointed them to Rule within their own Diocess And who first made Deans and Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and who gave them their Names And who first set up certain Places for Schools And who gave them the Names of Universities And how came they to be call'd Christ's Colledge and Emanuel's Colledge John's Colledge and Jesus's Colledge And who set up Commencements and Degrees that a Man must be made Batchelor of Art and Master of Art before he can be approv'd to be made a Minister in thy Order And who first made that Law which forces and compels the payment of the Tenth part of things encreased to such a Ministry and whether are such the Ministers of Christ who make use of that Law to force their maintenance Are these thy Bishops and Ministers which thou say'st there can be nothing said against them Open thine Eye and behold them for they are Monsters which from thy adulterous Conception are brought forth and they are stamped with thy Image and all thy abominations are denyed and testified against this is a Charge against thee Tradition this thing which make such discoveries of my Practices and with such boldness reproves me for them it is of God for it is not in fear of me nor my power which now is Strong and of great Authority Truth that which doth discover thee and thy deceitful Practices is the Truth i. e. Quakers of God which was before thou had'st a Name and will be when thy Name is lost and it doth boldly reprove thee and is without any fear of thee or thy power and hath opened thee and ript up thy Bowels and discovered thy adulterous Womb and all the false Conceptions that hath been conceived their and now behold ye Archbishops Lord Bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all Prelaticals here is the Womb of your Conception opened and that made manifest from which you draw your breath and prolong the length of your days with all your Service and Worship which you so much esteem and promote Therefore hear and consider ye Bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates with all Prelaticals you must come to the Bar and if you will but soberly peruse this Catechism or Dialogue you may know and learn that which all your Universities could never give you the knowledge off nor all your Learning and Wisdom could never teach you so escape for your Lives that the stroak may not fall upon you Truth Reader marvel not too much at the Impudence of this Man for it is the Heart of Quakerism He was a right Quaker and no Mungril and Eminent Teacher and a ready Sail. You see he feared not the Bishops nor their Power he had no respect to the Law which Establish'd the Book of Common Prayer nay should the Question be put to Geo. Whitehead whether he would under his Hand condemn this Antichristian piece to be burnt on Tower-hill he would say no not for a World it is the Marrow of his Religion I could give Instances of the like nature out of 100 of their Books but for brevities sake and that I may not stay my Reader too long from something new I shall only recite 2 or 3 Books more that so the Author of the Gen. History may hear his Text fully proved viz. that the Quakers enveigh against the Liturgy and that bitterly too together with the Ministry of the Church of England A Touchstone or perfect Tryal of all Priests Bishops and Ministers This Book contains more than 100 Pages in Quarto printed 1667. by Margaret Fell whom George Fox afterwards Married the purport of which is to shew them all the Clergy are false Prophets Deceivers c. which being but a Woman tho' a very proud imperious Dame I pass her by The Innocency and Consciousness of the Quakers c. p. 7. As for the purity of the Church of England it 's out of our sight we can see a great deal of impurity in it and as much the Members of it confess themselves indeed they confess enough of themselves to cause all wholsome sound understanding People to shun them and their Church and Worship as Men shun a contagious Disease or Infection I think this is so bold as well as base that it need no comment But if they look into the Cage I presume they 'll find little cause to boast especially if I give them the right Key to open it and that amongst their Teachers and Writers but if I should make a Cage for their Hearers ir would be much enlarged every way Truth exalted in a Short but sure Testimony c. by W. Penn p. 9. Come Church of England whence came your Forms of Prayer and Church Government from the Scriptures or the Mass-Book and Popish Canons and what President do you find for Litanies Responces Singing Organs Altars Bowings c. with much more such like dirty Trash and soul Superstition Stand up and answer me you Members of the Church of England But are they not the Off-spring of the Popish Generation God is now breathing forth in Vengeance to Thunder down and Consume all your fair Buildings and pleasant Pictures of Babilonish Inventions But alas poor Souls are you not at have mercy upon us miserable sinners there is no health in us from seven to seventy c. The Guide mistaken by W. Penn p. 18. And whil'st the idle gormondizing Priests of England run away with above 1500000 l. a Year under pretence of being God's Ministers and that no sort of People have been so universally thorow 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 wait to act their Eternal Tragedy upon Burrow's Works p. 244. Oh what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in Civil Government Oh what abominable Superstition and Idolatries have been in Church Government It is a vexation to the Spirit of the Lord to consider it and the righteous Soul hath long
Reason why For George Keith call'd us forth to clear our selves from those four Fundamental Errors which both he you and I know we can no way clear our selves but by a Retractation And you know we no sooner Retract then let fall our Infallibility And this thee may'st assure thy self G. Whitehead will never do Clark But Secondly why then do he call George Keith's a Usurped Arbitrary and Irregular Proceeding Cannot we be content either to meet him and clear our selves or if we think that impossible as indeed I fear it is then to lie contented under his Charge without Noise besides 't is known well enough by the world's People how we have Summoned all the Clergy from the Bishops to the lowest Order We have Arraigned Tryed and at the Bar of Justice Condemned all the Clergy as contrary to all the Ministers of Christ and to Agree and Concur with all the false Prophets Deceivers and Hereticks in both their Call Maintenance and Doctrine nay moreover we have Impeached the Proceedings of all Courts of Judicatures we have called the Church of England the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her Moreover we have Diologu'd the Prelates and Church and Common Prayer and told them we have discovered their Deceitful Practices and rip'd up her Bowels and Discovered her the Churches Adulterous Womb and all her false Conceptions p. 39. Saying behold the Arch-bishops Lordbishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all Prelaticals Here is the Womb of your Conceptions opened from which you draw your Breath and prolong your Days open your Eyes and behold them for they are Monsters As for your Common Prayer the Pope gives Life to it and from his Loins it draws its Strength Teach My Dear Friend Ben. we must part you ask me such home Questions that I must Answer Affirmatively that it is ten thousand times more tollerable for George Keith to call us out than for us thus to Summons Arraign Try Judge and Condemn all the Protestant Clergy unsent too unheard behind their Backs in this Clandestine Obscure Arbitrary Pernitious and Scandalous Manner fit to raise the Mobb to Invade their Property raise Tumults cause Divisions like Turbulent and Seditious Incendiaries as if we were about to erect the Star-chamber-court and to Enact another Writ de haeretico comburendo And instead of the six bloody Articles six hundred for really Brother I must needs say that if the Church of England her Bishops Pastors and Teachers be according to all the false Prophets in all things and contrary to all the Ministers of Christ 'T is high time to Arraign Try and Judge them and all that Adhere to them Clark Thirdly but good dear Brother Thomas since we are thus closs in Argument and very free one with another what do you think of our Brother Whitehead so often boasting of our being Recognized by Law as that therefore they may not be Convicted of Error nor their pernicious Principles be Condemn'd for though they are Indulg'd in the Exercise of their Perswasion Yet I do not think our Books which hold the Errors Complained of are Recognized If so then we are in a better Station then the Church Established for thee knowest how we Write against both Priests and People we Summon Arraign Try and Condemn them as I said before pray Answer me Cordially do you think this is good Arguing that because the Government have tolerated us that therefore none may Write against us that none may Challenge us I am perswaded that the Episcopolians are much kinder to us then we should be to them had we the Swaying of the Scepter Teach Very true dear Brother for if you look into the 227 page of our deceased Brother Hubberthorn's Works there you shall find in Answer to the Baptists who professed solemnly that if they were in their Hands they would give the Members of the Church of England Liberty of Conscience In Answer to whom here our Brother Hubborthorn an Eminent and early Writer and Preacher viz. It seems then there is not so much difference betwixt them i. e. the Church of England and you the Baptists who will make them Antichristian and you Christian What Confusion is here You will not tolerate Popery nor such as Worship a false God nor any that speak Contemptuously of the Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet you are not against the tolerating Episcopacy Presbytetry or any stinted form Why will you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy Have not the Professors of Episcopacy Murdered and Slain and do Labour to Murder and Slay the People of God as well as the Papists and will you tolerate the Common Prayer among the Episcopacy and not the mass-Mass-book among the Papists seeing that the Mass was the Substance out of which the Common Prayer was Extracted Here is nothing but Partiality to tolerate one Thing and not another of the same kind c. Now Brother you see how we are against Episcopacy even as much as against Popery and should tolerate the one as soon as the other And to be plain I think the Episcopal are kinder to us than we deserve Clark But say G. Whitehead we do not believe the Civil Authority or any concerned therein will Countenance or Permit such an Usurped Authority or Pernitious President as G. Keith has Assumed or Attempted in this Case We presume the said G. Keith can produce no Legal Commission .c Now Friend Thomas how came G. Whitehead to be thus Unbelieving and Presumptuous for I am told the Lord Mayor with the Concurrence of the Bishop of London gave G. Keith leave and sent his Marshal to keep the Peace and that one of the Sheriffs was their also and that the World's People for so we call all but our selves were well satisfied and glad of the Opportunity to hear the gross Errors and vile Heresies of our Brethren laid open and exposed to publick Notice Teach I must again answer on the Affirmative that our Brother Whitehead was first Unbelieving and secondly very Presumptive and thereby Reflected on the Wisdom and Conduct of the Civil Magistrate Arroganely signifying and suggesting that the Magistrates are more ready to Recognize Help and Assist us who have Arraigned Tryed and Condemn'd them all who have Impeached their Proceedings in their Courts of Judicature who have Dialogu'd the Bishops Pastors and Teachers who say the Common Prayer is a Branch Sprung from the Pope that the Pope gives Life and Breath to it and that from the Popes Loins it draws its Strength that the Church of England is the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her That the Bishops and Ministers are Monsters which from the Adulterous Womb of the Church are brought forth that we have rip'd up the Bowels of the Church and discovered her Adulterous Womb. Saying p. 39. And now behold ye Arch-bishops Lord-bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all
because the Parliament do not know them no more than Constantius knew the Hypocrisy of the Arrians who at length thro' their subtle delusions and fair pretences prevail'd and got the Pulpit and the Orthodox banished and I have heard some fear the like consequence respecting the Quakers But let such be satisfied that Quakerism is at the heighth and begins to tumble and our Governours both of Church and State begin to see them I remember that in 1693. They were very fair to obtain a Bill for their solemn Affirmation to go for an Oath but when I deliver'd in my sheet shewing their Principles in two hours time it was thrown out and as Col. Goldwell told me there was not a Man appeared for them and when I came to London March 1696. some worthy Members of the Commons House chid me for not coming sooner saying they wanted matter of Fact adding that the Quakers frequent and unwearied Sollicitation prevail'd with too many worthy Gentlemen who understand not their undermining Principles However much good may their obtained Bill do 'em since the 10 l. clause is in and they barr'd from any place of Trust so much as of being Constable And whereas their judgment is whatever is more than yea yea and nay nay cometh of evil and is Swearing yet now they must call God to witness c. which is indeed not less nor more than an Oath and this pleases some of them that could Swear before but some it displeases who say the Act do them no good for whatever is more than yea yea nay nay is swearing Well but may some say have not the Quakers Merrited the favour bestowed on them yea by the rule of contraries for the Quakers have Recogniz'd the Parliament Antichrists the Beast that carry the Whore and that it 's as commendable to give Liberty of Conscience to the Papists nay to a People that worship false Gods graven Images c. as to tollerate Episcopacy the false Church whose Bowels they have ripped up adding that the Common Prayer Book is Popery and from the Loyns of the Pope receiv'd its Strength c. And the Parliament have as they pretend and often boast Recogniz'd them Protestant Dissenters give them their Liberty without any restraint but how not knowing them nor their Principles but as Constantius was are mistaken in them whose Books and Carriages are of two sorts I remember the last Whitsuntide in Northcoat's Shop in George-yard Lombard-street W. Mead the great Quaker asked me if I broke Bread with the Church of England I said yea what said he dost thou lick up thy old Vomit I 'll warrant you he said no such word to the Worthy Members of the House of Commons nor to the Bishops of the Church no no as their Books carry two different Faces so do their Carrage and if it be Criminal to conceal Treason against my natural Prince what is it to conceal these Impostors who undervalue the Death and Sufferings of Christ condemn his Laws despise his Ordinances revile his Magistrates and reproach his Ministers which I hope this Book fully sets forth and which I stand ready to prove out of their Books upon G. W.'s Proposition to the Parliament as cited by me in the First Part p. 123. And until they do so meet and if proved upon them then Retract them they are not to be believed tho' in their Meetings they like the Magitians in Moses's time may make the likeness of the same Confession and Profession that G Keith and others do as well as in their late Books yet while their other Books which teach the contrary stand uncondemned the Quakers are Quakers still and their Principles diametrically opposite to all Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages and they ought to be guarded against as Enemies to Church and State May 5. 97. F. E. A Short Map of Quakerism Reader HAving since the foregoing was Printed off seen a Book Entituled Some Seasonable Reflections upon the Quakers Protestation against the Proceedings at Turners-hall April 29. 1697. c. Wrote by an Ingenious Hand Wherein the said Author marvels as well he may that the Quakers should Accuse G. Keith for Invading of Property who themselves hold it no Sin to Invade the Properties of others as in the Case of Tyth's which are as much the Property 's of the Clergy Confirmed by Act of Parliament as any Man's Estate in England nay not only so but as the Author well observes in other things from several Particulars which G. Fox c. sent to the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England Printed 1659. p. 8. 32. Particular viz. Let all those Fines that belong to Lords of Mannors be given to the Poor for Lords have enough Particular 29. Let all those Abby-lands Gleab-lands that is given to the Priests be given to the Poor of the Nation let all the Abby's Steeple-houses and Whitehall be for Alms-houses for the Blind and the Lame to be there And in the fore mentioned Address to the Parliament 1659. Subscribed by above 7000 Quakers p. 59. 63 and 65. They require that the Late King as these Rebels Stil'd him his Rents Parks and Houses should be Sold and all the Colledges and Lands and the very Bells out of the Churches except one in a Town to give notice of Fire c. This was no Invading of Property in them but for G. Keith or any others to Detect their Errors this is Incroaching upon their Properties as English-men yea forsooth Persecution But say's Edward Burrough in his Word of Advice to the Souldiers p. 2. Give the Priests Blood to drink for they are worthy Slay Baal turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom c. Here was no design of Persecution or hurting any Man's Property or of Reviling and Blemishing the Reputation of Free-born English-men and exposing them to the Fury of the Mob to the Scorn Contempt and Rage of the mixt Multitude who are Unmeet to Judge of Religious Controversies as these Meek Lambs the Quakers urge against G. Keith in their Protestation c. And that they are not chang'd see their last Yearly Epistle 1696. Wherein they Exhort their Disciples not to be mov'd at the Objections against their Doctors But to hold up the Holy Testimony of Truth which hath made us say they a People to God and Preserved us unto this Day And that in all the parts of it for Truth is one and changes not and what it convinc'd us of to be Evil in the beginning it Reproves still c. i. e. The Church of England and all the Magistrates Kings Lords and Commons to be Serpents Devils and Scarlet-coloured Beasts c. For Truth is one say they and changes not i. e. Quak. who are and always have been in the Truth have not chang'd at all since the beginning So that 't is plain that as they are the same still so have they made themselves answerable for all that have been said by them since their
same Channel issuing from one and the same Fountain especially when you consider that from their said yearly Meetings they never made one Address to his present Majesty nor wrot one Book in favour of the present Government 3. That by both their Addresses a Sample of them you 'll have by and by and by their Books they have joyntly and severally born against the Church of England as with one Shoulder Thus have I briefly shewed what a Writer W. P. hath been and how he has bestowed his parts even against the Protestant Interest the Establish'd Religion and the common cause of Christianity and so I conclude this Head SECTION VII Their horrid Blasphemies their Self-exaltations and vain boastings of their Learning c. GEN. Hist p. 165. About this time came forth a Book call'd a Battle-door for Teachers and Professors to learn singular and plural mark'd in every page with the Form Figure of a peny Horn-book The work was neatly done by John Stubs and Benja Furly but Fox who besides his Engglish Tongue knew none of the Languages therein being Thirty in number as Latin Greek Hebrew Caldee Italick Syriac Arabick c. was so desirous to seem to be the Author of this Book and that what ever it contain'd of Industry and Praise-worthiness had its Original from him that he even here and there subscribed his Name to every page and by him confirmed p. 240. George Fox sent a Letter to John III. King of Poland Written originally in English and sent into Holland and there Translated into the German Tongue This Epistle was so Learnedly done that it looked not like the work of a single Person yet so as that they left it to Fox an ignorant Fellow who Subscribed it only Geo. Fox And hence it is apparent that there is no Mind so humble but is apt to be carried away with the Air of vain Glory yea oftentimes applause is most coveted by those who most condemn it in others c. Now Reader tho' my Learned Author and I differ'd about W. Penn in some Points yet in this we agree in every punctilio touching the Pride vain Glory and Ambition of George Fox who was an ignorant Fellow yet would seem to be Author of a Learned Book containing Thirty Languages as also of a Learned Letter sent to John III. King of Poland in both which as well as in divers cases he gave out that himself was some great learnt Man attributing to himself that which he never had which doubtless was the occasion of a discourse rumour'd about our Country about the Year 1663. or 1664. That George Fox had in one nights time 24 Languages given him by Divine Inspiration and I did believe it and divers others of us for near 20 years I also spake to a Quaker now living and still eminent amongst them who told me he ever did believe it until the late divisions Thus by his counterfeit Miracles his gift of Tongues he still like Simon Magus gave out that he was some great Man for thus he wrot in the Introduction viz. All Languages are to me no more than Dust who was before Languages were c. and towards the end of the Book thus next follow a few words to the whole matter by George Fox who is before confusion and many Languages were c. This together with what I elsewhere have quoted out of his Books and Journals shew that he was willing to be esteemed a great Man an old Man a learned Man a wise Man an Angel one that see the Heavens open as St. Stephen did and much more to this purpose By all which it appears that he was a great Deceiver And thus Quakerism grew and by deceit prevail'd in its progress And since this learned Author hath given such a full proof of Fox's Pride who being an Ignorant Fellow as he stiles him and yet desirous to be taken for the Author of the said Battle-door containing Thirty Languages I will give him a third Instance viz. Anno 1659. George Fox puts forth a Book Entituled A Primmer in contempt of Learning for all the Doctors and Scholars in Europe c. wherein are contained 2434 Queries in this Method viz. What is a Participle what is it in it self and by whom it came and out of what Ground And why are these declined who was the First and Author of it and by whom it came And why is the Word called Adverb and what is an Adverb the word it self and who was its rise And why do you call the word Conjunction and who was its rise and why the word Preposition and who was its rise And who was the Author of the word Interjection and what are these two words in themselves and whether or no these did not come by the Art of Man What is a Vowel in it self and what was the word Vowel And what is the word Diphthong and who was the Author of these and where are they called by such Names in Scripture so who was the Author of these Names in themselves and of themselves and came they not from the Art of Man yea or nay Why do you call the word Masculine Feminine Neuter and Epicene and what was the ground of these words in themselves What are they and why do they use the word Declension and what is in the word it self and what was its root And why the word Comparative Positive and Superlative and what be these words as they are words of what Author and Root came they from and who gave them these Terms first who was the first Rise and Author of them c. Thus have I taken out six entire Paragraphs as they lye in the said Primmer but I profess I cannot answer these why then should I cite more I cannot tell who spake these words first no more than I can tell who spake the word to first or spake the word and first and who was the first Rise and Author of the word of which to know is as unnecessary as it is ridiculous to query Well take a few more as they lye scattered up and down the said Primmer What is a Major What is a Minor What is Extraction What is Geometry What is Dog-madness What is Badger-madness and what is Wolf madness c. nay what if I add one query what was Fox-madness and folly and whether was not Pride and Ambition the Author of Fox's Madness answer G. W. Having thus far proceeded I shall next recite a few of Fox's words by way of challenge to the Doctors and Scholars viz. These queries are to call you out into the Field let them come out now to little Children little Davids are risen who have the Bags and the Slings and the Stones yea that profess your selves to be Wise and Learned Men and Scholars and are Novices and Fools Answer me draw out your Weapon if you have any and Answer me these things come out of your holes do not hip nor skip from them answer
by any legal constitution a body Politick therefore they should not meddle in State Affairs viz. to condemn Acts of Parliaments as Antichristian and Oppressive to the Subject and thereby absolve their Disciples from their obedience to their Lawful Magistrates whom they ought to obey as the higher Powers set over them by God entrusted with the supreme Authority and their part is to yield a dutiful subjection and faithful obedience as whereunto they stand oblig'd by the commands of Christ and his Apostles and the practice of God's faithful Saints and Servants holy Apostles and Martyrs in all Ages by their Birth as natural born Subjects of these Realms by the dictates of their Consciences and the many Favours they daily receive in being defended and protected in their Liberty and Property and by all kinds of consideration both general and particular c. 4. That they print no Books but what are licens'd by Commissioners appointed by His Majesty for that purpose under pain of forfeiting the whole impression this would be a great means to restore England to its Pristine Glory which once it had when it was famous for extirpating Heresie whereas of latter years 't is reported by the Historian of the Quakers History to be a Nurse for Heresie c. 5. That they do not arrogate to themselves the power of excommunicating such as dissent from them and conform themselves to the Establish'd Religion nor treat them Reproachfully but that they study to be quiet and mind their own business 6. That they be not permitted in their Books and Sermons to call legal Punishments Persecution calling the Magistrates Persecutors thereby rendering them odious to the common People 7. That they be not permitted in these Synods to approve of such Books nor to teach such Doctrine as call the national Ministry Witches Devils Antichrists nor the Parliaments Judges Justices and other Magistrates the Beasts that carry the Whore Persecutors of the Saints nor to impeach their judicial Proceedings 8. That they be not permitted to Summons Try Judge Arraign Condemn and Dyalogue the national Ministry Magistracy and People and thereby lift up and extol themselves as the only Catholick Universal Church of the First-born which cannot err and Curse Damn and Reprobate all other Christians This has been their frequent practice and a main Pillar of their Heresie for when they gain upon the common People that the Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ is re-establish'd only amongst them and that all other Societies are Apostates Antichrists Heathens and Infidels they then have gained the point and will soon claim the Chair and reach at the Scepter 9. That they be forbidden to make Collections and Tax the People and lay by Funds as their manner is for as Money is said to be the Sinews of War so may it be call'd the Nerve of Heresie but let each Society of Quakers maintain their own Teacher and not have a common Bank at London and Feoffees entrusted therewith to give 8 10 or 20 l. at a time to their Travelling Teachers who range all the World over bantering all other Ministers who have a settled maintenance and are far less chargeable to their Hearers than are the Quakers Teachers who come uncall'd for like Flies and Mice eat up the provision of others as saith the Historian 10. That they be not permitted to call the Scriptures of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles by those contemptible Names of Death Dust Beastly-Ware Serpents-Food and the like 11. But that they be compell'd to condemn those Books of theirs which so teach for thus do they bring the Christian Religion into contempt in order to raise Quakerism as the most excellent of all Religions 12. Let them not be permitted to call the Church of England an Adulterated Harlot nor to charge her with Witchcraft and Sorceries to be an Adulterous Womb which brings forth monsterous Births neither let them be permitted to call the Book of Common Prayer which is grounded on the Holy Scriptures composed and professed by our Martyred Ancestors and confirmed by Authority of King and Parliament a branch which proceeded from the Pope and from his Loyns say they it draws its Strength Neither let them be permitted to print and publish to the Nations that they have ript up the Bowels of the Church of England and discovered her Adulterous Womb and all the false Conceptions conceived by her and that without any fear of her or her power 13. Neither let them be permitted to teach Schools for there they read W. Smith's Primmer and Geo. Fox's Primmer and a certain portion every day of Geo. Fox's Journal all which enveigh bitterly against the Church of England and all instituted Religion which tends to instil corrupt Principles whil'st the Bible and other good Books are laid aside These things ought to be noted and for the Generation of years sake to be guarded against 14. Upon the whole matter these sayings contained in the 12 particulars being great contempt upon the Magistracy and Ministry upon the King and his People and upon the whole Nation Yet thus do their Books Teach thus do they print and publish even in so many words if they deny it I am ready to prove it And notwithstanding this and much more that might be said of the same nature yet they are so high and rampant that when I printed my Book New Rome Arraign'd c. and laid open some of these Errors they indicted me and prosecuted me at Law to my great cost and damage seized my Books and prosecuted me with all the aggravations imaginable And that it may yet further appear how tender they are of their own Church their own Ministers their own Writings and Epistles I shall recite one of their Anniversary Injunctions viz. From our Yearly Meeting in London 27 of 3d Month 1675. To all our Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in England c. Concerning Mens and Womens Meetings it is our Judgment and Testimony in the Word of God's Wisdom that the rise and practice setting up and establishing of Mens and Womens Meetings in the Churches of Christ in this our Day and Generation is according to the Mind and Counsel of God and done in the ordering and leading of his Eternal Spirit And it is our Sense Advice Admonition and Judgment in the fear of God and in the Authority of his Power and Spirit to Friends and Brethren in their several Meetings that no such slight and contemptible Names and Expressions as calling Mens and Womens Meetings Courts Sessions or Synods that they are Popish Impositions useless and burdensome that faithful Friends Papers which we Testify have been given forth by the Spirit and Power of God are Mens Edicts or Cannons Elders in the Service of the Church Popes and Bishops with such scornful sayings be permitted among them c. Behold what Names and Expressions are contained in the recited 12 particulars given by themselves to the Scripture Bishops and Clergy Ministry and People