time They were all Traytors against Christ that desired an earthly King The true Christians will not have any more Kings among them but Christ c. News coming up out of the North c. p. 18. Dreadful is the Lord and powerful who is coming to execute true judgment upon all you Judges and to change all your Laws Ye Kings all you Rulers must down and cease and all you underling Officers which have been as the Arms of this great Tree all your branches must be cut down for you have been the fruitless branches grown on the fruitless tree p. 19. so you must be cut down with the same power that cut down the King who reigned over the Nation whose Family was a Nursery for Papists and for Bishops which held up Railes c. VVo wo is coming upon you all the same Teachers are standing that were in the time of the King and thâ— same that were in the time of the Bishops such as take Tythes you must both be tormented together Beast and false Prophet P. 20. Sing all ye Saints and rejoyce clap your hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will reign 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 p. 27. Sound the trumpet sound an alarm call up to the battel gather together for the destruction draw the sword hew down all fruitless trees which cumber the ground hew down all the powers of the earth slay Baal all the hirelings must be turned out of the kingdom p. 35. All you who receive Tythes deny that Christ is come to us in the flesh p. 38. And thou beast and false Prophet must into the fire the false Prophet is the Councellor to the Beast and the Beast maintains the false Prophet c. E. Burroughs Declar. p. 33. Upon a Rumour that the Quakers Meetings were to be broken up they writ viz. These Tydings do not trouble us neither are we thereby moved no not to beg of any man or men the contrary p. 40. and to any outward Authority we cannot seek Mildenhall 25th of Feb. 1695. Fr. Bugg Senior We acknowledge and believe the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament to be the most certain Rule of our Faith and that not so much for the common consent of the Church but because of the Testimony and perswasion of the Holy Ghost And we believe that the doctrine contained in the holy Scriptures proceeds from God from whom only and not from men it derives its authority And forasmuch as it is the Rule of all Truth containing all matters necessarily required for the worship of God and our Salvation it is in no wise lawful for Men nor Angels to add unto or take from this doctrine or to change it And hereupon it followeth that it is not lawful to oppose either Antiquity or Custom or Multitude or humane Wisdom Judgments Edicts or Decrees or Councils or Visions or Miracles unto this holy Scripture but rather that all things ought to be examined and tried by the Rules and Square thereof wherefore we do for this cause allow of those three Creeds namely the Apostles the Nicene and Athanasius his Creed because they be agreeable to the Word of God We believe that all the Off-spring of Adam are infected with Original Sin which is a vice hereditary to us by propagation and not only by imitations as the Pelagians assert whose errors are detested by us we believe that this stain of Original Sin is Sin indeed howbeit they that are the Children of God shall never be condemned for it because God of his rich grace and mercy doth not impute it to them but out of his bounty doth deliver them through our Lord Jesus Christ And we believe that Jesus Christ being the Wisdom and Eternal Son of God took upon him our Nature so that he is one person God and man man that he might be able to suffer in soul and body made like unto us in all things sin only excepted so that as to humâ—ne nature he was indeed the Seed of Abraham and of David conceived in due time in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the secâ—et and incomprehensible power of the Holy Ghost and that in one and the same person to wit the Lâ—rd Jesus Christ his two natures are inseparably conjoined and united yet nevertheless in such a manner that each nature doth retain its distinct properties so that even as in this divine conjunction the divine Nature retaining its properties doth still abide uncreated infinite and filling all places so also the humane nature remaineth finite having form measure and property And also the Lord Jesus Christ when he rose from the dead gave Immortality to his body yet he never deprived it of the verity of its nature therefore we do so consider Christ in his Deity as that we do not rob him of his Humanity We believe that by that one Sacrifice which Jesus Christ offered upon the Cross we are reconciled unto God that so we may be accounted righteous in his sight And we believe that Jesus Christ is conferred upon us to be our alone Advocate and that he commandeth us in our prayers to present our selves to the Father in his name We do also reject those means which derogate from the satisfaction of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ And we believe where the word of God is not received and where there is no use of Sacrameâ—ts we cannot judge that there is any Church for we believe that the Sacraments are absolued unto the word that they may be pledges and tokens of the Grace of God We believe that God will have the world ruled by Laws and Civil Government that there may be somâ— sort of bridles by which the unruly lusts of the world may be restrained and that therefore he appointeth Kings and Commonwealths and other kinds of Principalities whether hereditary or otherwise and not that alone but also what pertaineth to the Ministration of Justice whereof he avoucheth himself to be the Author therefore hath he deâ—ivered the Sword into the Magistrates hands that so sins committed against both Tables of Gods Law not only against the second but first also may be suppressed and therefore because God is the Author of this order we must not only suffer Magistrates whom he hath set over us but we must also give them much Honour and Reverence as unto his Officers and Lieutenants which have received their Commission from him to exercise so lawful and sacred a Function therefore we affirm that Obedience must be yielded unto their Laws that Tribute and Taxes must be paid and the Yoak of Subjection born although the Magistrates be Infidels so that the Soveraign Government of God be preserved wherefore we do detest all those who do reject the higher powers BOoks written by Fr. Bugg Sen. as followeth some of which are intended to be bound together and sold as on the Title Page whereby such as desire further satisfaction into the nature of the Controversy may inform themselves I. De Christianae Libertate in Octavo bound II. The Painted Harlot both stript and whipt c. III. Reason against Raiâ—ing and Truth against Falshood c. IV. Innocency vindicated and Envy rebuked c. V. The Quakers detected and their Errors confuted c. VI. A Letter to the Quakers shewing their frequent addressing to the late K. J. and their never addressing his present Majesty VII Battering Rams against New Rome c. VIII One Blow more at New Rome c. IX New Rome unmasked and her Foundation shaken c. X. New Rome arraigned and out of her own Mouth condemned XI A Sheet delivered to the Parliament Dec. 93. intituled Something in answer to the Quakers Allegations c. XII Quakerism withering and Christianity reviving c. in Octavo XIII Quakerism anatomized c. being a Chaâ—lenge to R. Ashby XIV A Sheet intituled The Quakers Yearly Meeting impeached c. XV. A Second Summons to the City Abel 2 Sam. 20. by way of metaphor to deliver up Sheba the Son of Bichri i. e. G. Whitehead XVI The Quakers set in their true light ERRATA PAge 2. line 7. for Book read Books l. 28. for Book r. Books p. 5. l. 4. for White r. Whitehead p. 7. l. 26. for ot r. not p. 11. l. 23 and 24. for troop r. trooper p 12. l. 42. for Isays r. Jays p. 21. l. 17. for of him r. of truth FINIS
tells the Quakers and I think not without good reason that this Doctrine of the Quakers springs from such a pernitious principle as carry all iniquity in the womb of it c. But as W. Pen desires beseeches and begs that I should for once do a poor deluded people right so I will answer his request and the way to do it is to set down Burroughs Doctrine and W. Pens Answer at least so much of it as carry the strength of his argument viz. Burrows Works p. 47. That is no command from God to me what he commands to another diâ— any of the Saints which we read of in scripture act by the command which was to another not having the command to themselves Whereas from the recited Doctrine of Burroughs Mr. Faldo charges the Quakers to teach that no commands in Scripture as such are binding to us which he accounted as such a pernicious principle as carried all iniquity in the womb of it c. to salve which pray hear Mr. Pens answer To this saith he I answer briefly and plainly no commands in scripture are any further obliging upon any man than as he finds a conviction upon his conscience otherwise men should be ingaged without if not against conviction a thing unreasonable in a man Now I cannot see how W. Pens argument can answer the end proposed since 't is very hard for the Quakers nay impossible to be convinced of the reasonableness of their obedience to Scripture commands as such if they adhere to the Quakers Doctrine and names of contempt they frequently cast upon it First for names viz. Beastly ware carnal letter the husk dust death serpents meat some of it spoke by the grand Impostor some by wicked Men some by true Prophets yet false some by wise and good Men yet either ill applied or ill expressed And that whether Moses or Hermes was the first Penman remains a question c. I say here is no ground to hope that these Teachers will ever convince their Hearers of their duty of obedience to Scripture commands as such Again that the people may as well burn the Scriptures as their Books Again If ever you own Christs and the Apostles you will ever own our Writings say the Quakers which are given forth by the power and spirit of God Again What is spoken from the spirit of him in any is of as great authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater and very much to this effect as in this Treatise as also in New Rome Arraigned is plainly proved from the Books of their Teachers of greatest note Insomuch that there seems no possibility for the conviction of their followers who adhere and believe such doctrine of their duty of obedience to Scripture commands as also may appear from their practice as for example Christ said go teach all nations baptiâ—ing c. do this in remembrance oâ— me c. here is two positive commands which the Quakers have quite thrown off upon their principle that no commands of God which he commanded to others are binding now unless they have a command from God as the Apostles had at least until as Pen saith they are convinced 't is their duty to obey which is impossible if they tell them 't is Conjuration to preach out of the Scriptures that they are beastly ware serpents meat dust and deaths c. Again hear what one of their most noted Teachers says A Musick Lecture c. p. 35. Where they the worlds people are I was in performances in ordinances in hearing in reading in prayers and fasting but when I came to bend my mind to that of God in me viz. Quakerism I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals set before me c. And the reason is plain he not having the same command the Apostles had for if Scripture precept had been binding he had not only the command but example of Christ and his Apostles and the like may be urged for their disobedience to the Laws of the Land particularly about Tythes which W. Pen and the Quakers make criminal in their hearers to pay as likewise to shut up their Shop-windows on Fast days commanded by Authority these are made capital sins in the hearers But for non-submission to their own humane inventions they charge them with Ranterism thus have they like their Predecessors the Pharisees who strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel made void the commandments of God and precepts of the Gospel of none effect by their tradition Thus 't is apparent that this Doctrine That no commands of God in Scripture are any further obliging upon any man than he finds a conviction upon his conscience is so pernitious that it carries all iniquity in the womb of it And that this position opens the Flood-gates to all error atheism impiety and wickedness for if conviction be all the ground of obedience to the commands of Scripture and that no man until he is convinced that he is obliged to obey the commands of God laid down in the Scripture then all rational Laws Orders and Governments both divine and humane are overturned and from the date of this position a stop is put so far as 't is received and imbraced to all Religion and Piety towards God and upon this bottom as their principal foundation and corner stone the Quakers first rose in the North breaking all Law Order and Government disturbing the Ministers in their Churches and all other Societies for they were not convinced that they ought to obey Magistrates nor their Laws and how far they still retain this principle this Treatise will shew tho I grant for self-ends they are somewhat reformed and to maintain their Grandeur their Trade and to get into the favour of the Government that in time they may come to be Justices of Peace For it is certain that this position together with their other doctrine take away and rob the Scriptures of their divine Authority leaving all loose and uncertain and where this doctrine will end were it generally embraced God only knows for the Quakers conscience being hardened by the Doctrine of their Teachers against the Ordinances of Jesus Christ Obedience to the Laws of the Land the Papists the Jesuits the Turks the Arians the Socinians the Antitrinitarians all may as well plead to be left whether to obey Scripture commands as the Quakers and the Hearers of them all in all probability as like to be convinced by their Teachers as the Quakers c. who yet at the same time injoyn their Hearers not to pay Tythes not to marry unless they publish their intention before their Womans Meeting not to marry by a Priest not to shut up their Shop on a Fast day but to keep it open in Testimony against the command of the Magistrate and his Authority and a hundred things more and for non-submission to these injunctions there must be no plea nor liberty given nor forbearance until conviction but the Scripture commands
THE QUAKERS Set in their true Light In order to give the Nations A Clear SIGHT Of what they hold concerning Jesus of Nazareth the Scriptures Water Baptism the Lords Supper Magistracy Ministry Laws and Government HISTORICALLY COLLECTED Out of their most approved Authors which are their best Construing books from the year of their Rise 1650 to the year of their Progress 1696. By Francis Bugg Senior But evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived For as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole housholds but they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men 2 Tim. 3.8 9 13. Titus 3.11 LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by C. Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls and J. Guillim Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street 1696. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND HENRY L. Bishop of London My Lord I Humbly conceive it my duty to discover to your Lordship what I apprehend may be of dangerous consequence either to Church or State And this emboldens me to offer the ensuing discourse to your Lordships pious consideration I must humbly confess 't is a great presumption upon your Honours Patience and Patronage But that which amongst other things gives me encouragement hereunto and which I hape may plead my excuse at least extenuate my offence is the Quakers frequent Dedications and Presentations of their Books to the King Lords and Commons and other Magistrates from year to year one Sessions of Parliament after another for thirty or forty years together beseeching begging and craving their aid support and authority whilst in their Books to their Disciples they utterly disclaim any such seeking to outward authority But instead thereof when not suiting their Interest they 'll Impeach and Condemn their proceeding as Antichristian and Arraign Try and Condemn the Learned Protestant Clergy as inconsistent to Christianity Thus like the Camelion they can turn themselves into all colours their Books being of two sorts carrying two different faces And it was by this method that the Arians of old deceived the Emperor Constantius who at last made Laws in their behalf against the Orthodox And that this is no new Artifice your Lordship may observe from the book of Exodus that notwithstanding Moses was divinely inspired and gifted witb Miracles to confirm his Commission yet the Magicians by their Magick Act and cunning Intreagues came very near him in shew likewise Simon Magus Acts 8. by his Sorcery and Juggling Tricks so bewitched the Samaritans that they gave great heed to all he said And History sufficiently informs us what hard work the Protestants had to confute the Papists whose Books were like the Quakers of two sorts professing in one sort what they utterly rejected in the other sort And this made Bishop Jewel in his Defence to the Apology c. propose to his Reader viz. Good Reader if thou wilt examine our doings I beseech thee search and prove what hath been wrote on both sides and do not suffer thy self by shews and shifts to be beguiled for what man will seem to deal so uprightly as a Juggler he will strike up his sleeves make bare his arms and open his hands and fingers and bid thee behold And thou wilt think him to be a good plain man and marvel thou shouldst possibly be deceived and yet indeed his whole design is nothing but to deceive thee and the more simply and plainly he would seem to deal so much the more he will deceive thee otherwise he were no Juggler c. And to this agrees that notable saying of Ireneaeus in his third Book against Hereticks viz. Whilst Heretick speak like the faithful they not only mean otherwise than what they say â—â—â— clean contrary And by their Tenents full of Blasphemy they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the poyson of their foul opinions And no marvel saith St. Paul for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light therefore it is no great thâ—ng if his Ministers also be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 13.14 And my Lord being sensible of the Quakers method not only of their unwâ—â—y'd sollicitation of the Members of Parliament both Lords and Commons for many years but also in sending their Books into all Counties Shires Cities Towns and Villages in England and Wales as well as parts beyond the Seas I thought it my duty to let the World know their principles from their Printed Books For as simple as they look and as innocent as they seem to appear for deep subtilty they outstrip both Jew and Jesuit and notwithstanding their many and great pretences to meeknesâ— charity and long-suffering there is not a more uncharitable and censâ—◠〈◊〉 people under heaven I am My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble and obedient Servant Fr. Bugg An Apologetical Introduction to the History of the Rise Growth and Progress of QUAKERISM Friendly Reader IF Athanasius made an Apology for his writing against the Arians and other of late for their exposing the errors of the Socinians nay if the Church of England thought herself oblig'd to Apologize in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth for writing against the errors of the Papists 't is but reasonable for me to think myself under the same Obligation for writing against the dangerous errors of the Quakers for surely there has not appeared a more compleat Monster upon the Stage since the days of Simon Magus than George Fox was in his day nor did Simon Magus more applaud himself nor more of his Followers adore him nor take greater care to continue the Memory of him than the Quakers have done of G. Fox witness the reprint of his Labours his Travels his Miracles and Wonders Insomuch that what many Ages have perplexed the Church withal singly we are assaulted with at once as if the scattered Limbs of Heresy had rallied and reinforced themselves for a fresh Battle I have seen Muggleton's Transcendent Spiritual Treatise c. and I cannot find that he holds pace with George Fox in his Books Truths Defence c. Sauls Errand c. A Threefold Estate of Antichrist c. and divers other Books wrote formerly and which they â—â—ill own commend and recommend to their Disciples as Books wrote by divine Authority yea from the Eternal Spirit and Power of God see Sect. the XVI Nay in many things Muggleton and the Quakers seem to be Twins For Muggleton says 't is not lawful to fight with a Sword of Steel so say the Quakers at least until they get power into their hands as in Pensilvania where they can both fight with a Carnal Sword fine imprison and persecute their Brethren as the Trial of G. Keith and others sets forth at large Muggleton denies the Blessed Trinity
any Prosecution in any Ecclesiastical Court or elsewhere for the same And I knowing these things and considering their calling part of the Parliaments proceedings in the very same Act of Parliament grand oppression yea an Antichristian Yoak of Bondage and as such warn their Disciples not to pay them thereby acquitting and absolving the Kings Subjects if the Quakers be such from their active obedience to the Laws of the Land and which is still worse to cause them to bring up to London a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the distresses taken for their non-payment of Tythes Church-Wardens Rates c. and all this disobedience is in a great part owing to the usurpation of this Anti-magistratical Synod or Convocation Nor is this all but if their yearly Epistles which they keep as close as possibly they can were all seen you would see a hundred Instances of the like kind one more I may shew viz. In the 22d Year of King Charles the 2d there was an Act of Parliament made to prevent seditious Conventicles and that no Meetings above the number of four besides the Family were to beheld under pretence of Religious Worship in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England But in direct opposition to this the Quakers made a Law at their Yearly Meeting or Convocation held at Devonshire House the 27th of May 1675 viz. So it is our Advice and Judgment that all Friends Gathered in the Name of Jesus keep up those publick Testimonies meaning their Meetings 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 meaning the Presbyterians Independants and Baptists because of Informers and the like Persecutors Signed per G. Whitehead William Pen c. Whereby it may be seen that their Principles and Doctrine are Anti-magistratical and Unscriptural too for said Christ If they persecute thee in one City flee to the next And his Desciples met privately for fear of the Jews as more largely handled in my Book The Painted Harlot both stript and whipt c. Thus much by way of Apology for my Impeaching the Quakers presumptuous Proceedings in their Synodical Assembly 4. That what I have wrote hithetto or great part of it is not of my own doing but by the Assistance of Learned Persons Answer I know it has been the way and manner of the Quakers from the first day I wrote against their Errors to use all the ways and means they can to blast my endeavours and by lies and false insinuations to weaken my Testimony sometimes I write say they like a Fool a Boy of 11 Years of Age will laugh at it when that will not do then I write so much otherwise that it cannot be my own but some of the wicked Priests as they account the Clergy help me c. And this being bruted abroad several Gentlemen have desired me to give some account thereof which is as follows When G. W. in his charitable Essay p. 2. charged me with Socinianism saying Why did not thy Minister stop thee from running into such Socinianism c. I went to Mr. Archer our Minister and shewed him the passage and desired his assistance all answering that particular He read Whitehead s Essay and my Book to which his was pretended to be an Answer and he told me that what I had wrote was found and he immediately took his Pen and wrote part of the 3d and 4th pages in the Introduction of New Rome Arraigned c. And which I also in the same page acknowledge in these words And this my Minister tells me is not Ignorance nor Socinianism but your Books teach it c. And except this I do not know that ever I had any Clergyman or other Scholar by me an hour in all I have wrote nor six lines added or diminished by any such a one nor has any Man so much as seen this before I sent it to London for the Press I do say that my Book New Rome Unm. c. and New Rome Arraigned c. I did show to Mr. Archer and to another neighbouring Minister a very worthy and learned person in Manuscript and both of them might alter here and there a word which in the whole in both Books might contain 3 or 4 lines but they altered no matter neither by adding or diminishing but very well approved of what I had done considering my capacity as to Learning and my business as a Tradesman But what if I had assistance I am not the first better men than I am and fitter for such work have had assistance I could if it were for my present purpose shew that the very Quakers who pretend they write by the Eternal Spirit immediately from Heaven they not only have assistance but when their Books come at their second days Meeting in London for Approbation they then will take out and put to what is said to be thus wrote in the Name of the Lord which is a most horrible cheat for their message so wrote is either so or not so if so how unfaithful are these Seers to alter what was given forth in the Name of the Lord if not see what Impostors are these Elders to approve of what they believe is false And yet how frequent is it with their Quaker Teachers to question the truth of all mens sincerity but their own charging the Clergy to be False Prophets c. And now I do challenge G. W. and W. P. to produce one Clergy-man in the Nation that ever prophesied in the Name of the Lord and the thing came ot to pass But G. W. and W. Pen know that 't is frequent with their Preachers so to prophesy and are found false Prophets in that the thing comes not to pass witness Sol. Eccles who prophesied that John Story should dye within a year he being at that time ill yet it pleased God he lived about 4 years after But why should they render me such an Ignoramus as that I should not be able to deal with the Quakers who are not such Conjurers themselves I know they did not always account me so when they chose me to be their Representative to go to the London meeting about Sufferings about the year 1670. Nor when I was Clerk to their monthly and quarterly meetings 16 or 18 years together Nor when they had their Register-book to new model and to add Ely sufferings to it which old Records being by me serve to shew me many of their Intrigues particularly Sam. Cater's sham-suffering for preaching at Plakenham in Norfolk where pretending he lost 20 l. yet got 10 l. clear by it See Sect. 17. c. as this Licence shews viz. Fra. Bugg we desire thee to draw out the sufferings out of the monthly Book and record them in the Publick Register-books and add Ely and Littleport sufferings to the rest Let them be done carefully and
and State of Lib. Spir. p. 3 11. pr. 1681. 't is the Root of Ranterism to asser that nothing is a duty incumbent upon thee but what thou art perswaded or convinced is thy duty for the seared Conscience pleads this liberty against all duty The dark Conscience is here unconcerned the dead Conscience is here uncondemned I see no evil says one in paying Tythes to the hireling Priests I see no evil says another in marrying by a Priest I see no evil says a third in hiding in times of suffering for I have Christ 's and Paul 's example I see no evil says a fourth The Quakers themselves force their Apprentices to stand bare-headed before them in their Shops and Houses where they are Superiours Oh Deceit and Hypocrisie c. in putting off my Hat to my Superiors I see no evil says a fifth in shutting up my Windows in obedience to authority on Christmas-day or on Fast-days or other days set apart by the Magistrate c. Thus Reader you may see the first capital sins against the Quakers Commandments and secondly that they leave no room for their Disciples to stay until they be convinced whether indeed these be sins either in their own nature or against the written word of God or contained in the first or second Table of the ten Commandments oh no they are transgressions against the Orders Laws and Commands of Geo. Fox And as such they are obliging upon all whether conviction or no conviction c. behold the Doctrine of W. Pen yea the same William Pen that tells Mr. Faldo That there is no Command in the Scripture farther obliging upon any mans Conscience than as he meets with a Conviction SECT XV. BUt possibly some may say Indeed this yearly Epistle seems very ungrateful in divers respects and which deserves consideration but what is the reason that the Chronicle and compendious History do not come forth that the Quakers have boasted of near this thirty years in their Book Judas and the Jews c. p. 58. And their Rejoinder p. 410. saying Our faithful Chronicle of the bloody Tragedies of that professing generation will tell future ages other things c. I say why future ages This looks very odd to tell us 20 or 30 years together of a compendious History to come forth of their faithful Chronicles to come out and yet none is come forth to publick view No they are sadly dull they begin to draw back what do not the Quarterly and Monthly meetings carry up enough every year or are they minded to reserve it till all persons concerned therein are dead and gone and see none left to detect it At that rate indeed they may tell future ages a lamentable story of cruel sufferings and little of it true if any Answer 1. As to the quarterly and monthly Meetings tho they may be somewhat dull and want quickening yet no doubt but they have gathered up enough to print several volumes for you see thay call for the whole number viz. Take more care for the future that all friends suâ—â—erings may be brought up as full and compleat in all respects as possible may be c. Thus we see what care they take first to magnifie themselves by their great sufferings which in all the History that I have read of the French Protestants I have not taken notice of any thing of the like nature 2. You may see by their threatned Chronicle how they intend to represent this Nation as a persecuting bloody-minded people And knowing that great part of their sufferings are shams and nothing but noise they are asham'd as well they may to bring it forth And to convince the World that it is so see my Book New Rome unmaskt c. p. 54. where Samuel Cater of Littleport in the Isle of Ely one of their preachers is detected for being recorded in their quarterly book for suffering a fine of 20 l. for preaching at Plakenham in Norfolk when indeed he was so far from losing 20 l. that he got 10 l. into pocket tho a rich man in clear money It 's true he was fined and his goods destrained but never carried away and in a little time every pennyworth returned as 40 neighbours will witness but this made such a noise and Sam being a right man for Fox and as true to him as he was to Ja. Naylâ—r when he led his Horse into Bristol he had 10 l. sent him out of the publick Stock Fund Exchequer or Treasury or what you will call the Common Bank by John Peacock deceased late of St. Ives as a Reward for his Valour and Courage but you must note he was a Preacher for June 9. 1670. which as my old Records still by me tell me there was a meeting at Littleport where Sam. Fullig Cl. Crabb Tho. Hawks Jo. Love Henry Waddelow Tho. Paine R. Crabb and others were fined who had their Cows Horses Mares Pewter and Brass taken away but never any thing sent them from London nor their goods returned But that which makes Sam. Cater's Case still worse tho indeed I think there can be no greater cheat put upon future ages yet this is more impudent for anno 1679. S. Cater and Jos Harrison put forth a Book entituled A Lamentable Cry of Oppression c. In which Book the said Sam. renews the memory of his sufferings for that meeting for which he did not suffer a groat but got 10 l. clear into pocket as I have said read p. 14. There being a meeting at Jos Harrison's in Plakenham July 2. 1670. And Sam. Cater being there declaring the truth W. Watts's his Wife came and went and informed the Officers who came and had him before Chr. Colthorp who said he would fine Sam. 2O l. which accordingly he did and sent the Records of Conviction to Ely Magistrates who sent out their Warrants and took away his goods c. Thus ends the Relation as to matter of fact but he that writes a History of that nature should tell the whole truth viz. Indeed I was so inform'd against so fined and destrained But I had my goods again this at least he should have said tho he had kept private his Reward of 10 l. which was purposely sent him c. But alas he to make the world believe that he thus lamentably suffered under that lamentable Justice Sir Christopher Colthorp nine years after the transaction was committed and done and also to make the poor Quakers that heard him and lost their Fines without any reparation believe that their Minister was zealous for the cause a great sufferer yea 20 l. thick for coming to visit them as a servant of the Lord and a Messenger from the great God He goes on p. 44. saying And now it is upon me from the Lord to warn you all that have had any hand in oppressing his Children and evil intreating his Servants and Messengers that he hath sent amongst you to exhort you But instead
where this is the word of the Lord unto you all this you may read amongst the children of the light and of the day per G. Fox 7. This is only to go amongst Friends 8. An Epistle to Friends in England to be read in their Assemblys 9. An Epistle to the Remnant of Friends per G. Whitehead concluding thus Let this be read distinctly in the life and authority of God from whence it came among Friends in and about the City of London and elsewhere as any Friends are moved in the same Life 10. To all people who meet in Steeple-houses in England and elsewhere p. 2. A message from the Lord Jesus Christ in England or elsewhere into all the Steeple-houses to be read 11. To the Children of Light c. I desire this Epistle may be read in your several Meetings William Pen. 12. Several papers given forth for the spreading of truth c. I charge you in the presence of the Lord God to send this Epistle among Friends and Brethren every 〈◊〉 to be read in all Meetings to you all this is the word of the Lord God Geo. Fox SECT XVII HAving in the foregoing Section proved from plain matter of fact that the Quakers prefer their nonsensical Pamphlets before the Scriptures being compared with the contemptible expressions they give them as beastly ware death dust and serpents meat c. notwithstanding their Hypocritical Sheet they delivered to the Parliament and as a proof it will stand against them beyond all their glossing I think I need to make no other Remark or Observation having largely shewed their practice from their own works and therefore I come now to answer an Objection viz. Object Possibly some may say that tho they take the liberty of the Press to spread their Heretical Doctrine and defamatory Libels as the Battledoor for the Magistrates Teachers and Professors in the form and figure of a Childs penny horn book to learn the English of tu and vos As likewise their Primmer put out by G. Fox formerly a Journeyman Shoemaker containing 2434 Queries as what is a Noun a Pronoun a Participle an Adverb c. as at large recited by me in my book Battering Rams against New Rome c. p. 16 17. yet they often pretend to moral vertues and they pretend they do not hinder the Sale of your Books as in W. Pens Rejoinder c. part 2. p. 404. I do aver says W. Pen in the name of the Quakers we never endeavour any such thing as to prevent the sale of an Adversaries Books Therefore in so many words they who say we do have certified an absolute Lye c. Answ Now for proof that the Quakers do hinder the Sale of their Adversaries Books I will give you three instances whereby it will appear how false William Pen is in this case as well as in many more that might be mentioned but what will they not say for holy Church Oh the deceit the fraud and religious cheats that are to be found amongst the Teachers of this people but as he himself observes in a little Pamphlet of his stiled A Brief Answer to a false and foolish Libel c. p. 25. But the truth is error can only be maintained by error And what can we expect from W. Pen who has vindicated as gross Idolatry wrote by Jos Coal to G. Fox as ever Muggleton uttered in his Book Judas and the Jews c. p. 44 to 47. I say what can we expect of such men as Pen and Whitehead who will say and unsay this to day and that to morrow and by and by stand to neither well but let me proceed to prove W. Pen a Lyer for once since he avers in the name of the Quakers that they never hinder the Sale of their Adversaries Books c. Instance 1. About the year 168â— William Rogers put forth a Book against the Foxonian Quakers Usurpation of their Womens Meetings c. intituled The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovate in five parts This Book John Barnard a dissenting Quaker sold and for which thing only they excommunicated him as at large set forth in my Book de Chr. Lib. c. part 2. p. 179. An Abstract thereof I shall recite viz. From the monthly meeting at Devonshire-house the 4th of the 11th month 1681. Whereas there have been some unruly Spirits gone out from the truth and the unity of the blessed power of God writing printing and publishing things hurtful to truth by corrupting of peoples minds tending also to draw them into disesteem * Mark the two things this excommunication are bottomed upon viz. first corrupting of peoples minds next tending to weaken the esteem the pâ—or ignorant Quakers have of such Deceivers of many of the Lords Servants we find our selves concerned to take notice of some of this kind befaln Jo. Barnard formerly a member of this Meeting who hath dispersed into several parts of this Nation divers of those perniâ—ioâ—s Baâ—ks in print wrote by W. Rogers called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovater So that now we being wholly clear having used an utmost endeavour to reclaim him do not only Tâ—stifie against that Spirit which hath led him into that disorderly practice but also against â—i while joyned thereunto nor can we have Spiritual communion or fellowshiâ— with him until unfeignedly he shall return unto the truth by condemnation of that Work and Spirit c. By which 't is plain that the Quakers do endeavour to hinder the Sale of their Adversaries Books as this excommunication out of their Fellowship and Spiritual Communion for selling the said Book is an evidence and sufficient proof c. Instance II. Whereas G. Keith wrote several Books against the errors of the Quakers in Pensilvania and for which they persecuted him as their Book stiled The Tryals of Peter Boss George Keith Tho. Budd and William Bradford before a Court of Quakers at the Sessions held at Philadelphia in Pensilvania c. at large set forth But the said Geo. Keith coming into England was examined by the yearly meeting June 1694. Where they advised G. Keith in these words And therefore it is the tender Advice and Counsel that Geo. Keith should either call in these Books or at least publish something effectually to clear the body of the people called Quakers and their Ministers from those gross errors charged on some few in America c. This continued until May 1695. And G. Keith not calling in his Books nor clearing the body of the Quakers from those gross errors which G. K. had charged on them they excommunicated the said G. Keith May 17. 1695. As acted by an unchristian Spirit and it is the sense and judgment of this méeting say they that the said Geo. Keith is gone from the Blessed unity of the peaceable spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ and hath thereby separated himself from the holy fellowship of the Church of
in the unity of Essence Refuted The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. Your imagined God beyond the Stars and your carnal Christ is utterly denied and testified against by the light to say that Christ is God and Man in one person is a Lye A Question to Professors c. p. 20 27 33. To whom do the Names Jesus and Christ chiefly and in the first place belong do they belong to the body which was took by him or to him who took the body Is not the Suâ—stance the Life the Anointing called Christ whereâ—ver it is found doth not the Name Christ belong to the whole body and every member in the body as well as to the dead Now the Scriptures do expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which he wore between him that came and the body in which he came between the substance which was vailed and the vail that vailed it Lo I come a body hast thou prepared me there is plainly he and the body in which he came there is the outward vessâ—l and the inward life this we certainly know and can be â—er call the bodiâ—y â—arment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the body c. Thus do they deny Christ which the Apostles preached saying Acts 5.30 35. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ c. The Christians Faith WE believe and confess there is but one God only whose being only is simple spiritual eternal invisible immutable infinite and incomprehensible And that the Holy Scripture teacheth us that in that one simple divine being there be three persons subsisting the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the Father to wit the first cause in order and the beginning of all things the Son his everlasting word the Holy Ghost his vertue power and efficacy the Son begotten of the Father from everlasting the Holy Ghost from everlasting proceeding from the Father and the Son these 3 persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not divided but of one and the same essence eternity power and equality and to conclude we allow of that which those four ancient Councils have determined and we detest all other Sects and Heresies condemned by those holy Doctors St. Athanasius St. Hillary St. Cyril and St. Ambrose Now if the Light only be Christ and as they say they can never call the Body Christ then are the Apostles found false Witnesses and the Quakers acquit Judas and the Jews for they never did hang the Light or Spirit upon a Tree they never Crucified the Light see Quakerism withering and Christianity reviving c. p. 15 to 30 for more of this Will. Bayley's Works p. 300 307. He being asked What Body Christ hath and where is it seeing its said to be at the Right hand of God he replies saying A Body hast thou prepared me mark the distinction thou me and a body This me that spake in the body was the Christ Again p. 307. For they his Disciples loved his person for the sake of the frame and quality of the Spir t that dwelt in him or else what was his person to them mâ—re than another person but for the sake of that which dwelt in him they loved him The Christ Qua. and his Dev. Test p. 98. The Se-pent is a Spirit now nothing can bruise the head of the Serpent but something that is Spiritual as the Serpent is but if that body of Christ were the seed then could he not bruise the Serpents head in all because the body of Christ is not so much as in any one And consequently the seed of the promise is an holy principle of Light and Life that being received into the heart bruiseth the Serpents head And because the Seed which cannot be that body is the Câ—â—ist as saith the Scripture the Séed is one and that Séed is Christ Touching the Scriptures Geo. Whitehead's Serious Apology p. 46. That which is spoken from the spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater G. W. s Ishmael p. 10. That which is written is the Letter which is death and killeth Saul's Errand to Dam. c. p. 7. All that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers the Letter of the Scripture is death and killeth Several Petitions answered p. 30. If ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles you will own our Writings which are given forth by the same power and spirit Truths Defence p. 2 102. You might have as well condemned 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 The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are 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 Impostor some by wicked men some by wise men ill applied some by good men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false c. Davids Enemies discovered c. per G. Whitehead and Christopher Atkinson p. 7. And these the Apostles do not call the Letter the Rule and the four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament and Gospel as thou and thy generation the Priests do and thy Ministry is in the Letter which killeth News coming up c. per G. Fox p. 14. Your Original is carnal Hebrew Greek and Latin and your word is carnal the letter and the light is carnal the letter and your Baptism is carnal and your Sacrament is carnal and their Communion is carnal A little Bread and Wine so dust is the Serpents meat their original is but dust which is but the letter which is death their Church is dust so the Serpent feed upon dust and their Gospel is dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is but the letter Touching Ordinances P. 34. A voice and a word to all you Deceivers who deceive the people and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemy and Hypocrisy that tell people of a Sacrament and tell them it is the Ordinance of God blush blush and tremble before the Lord God Almighty you who live in the Witchery and bewitch the people c. Burroughs Works about Water Baptism p. 518. We do utterly deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God but it is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a popish Institution