I deny and this Light to whom they say all Judgment is committed and which they have in them must be Judge of all controversies and consequently their President which deserves the casting Voice No marvel then that the Quakers are not concern'd to vindicate our Bible against the contempt cast upon it by the Papists as saith the same Josiah Coal ibid. p. 104. I find the rest of his Book i. e. A. S. the Roman Catholick consists of divers Arguments in which he controverts with Sectaries and their Bibles and Ministers whose cause I am not engag'd in therefore it doth not concern me to Answer his Charges against them c. No what neither Sectaries their Bibles nor Ministers Surely tho' he thought himself not engag'd to vindicate the Sectaries nor their Ministers yet if as they pretend to the Parliament they do believe the Scriptures to be Divine and left us by Men Divinely Inspired and that they are a rule of Faith and Behaviour they ought to have vindicated the Bible at least Well but some may say what did this A. S. the Papists call the Bible that they the Quakers think themselves thus unconcern'd to vindicate I Answer 't is his 14th Chapter and which the same Josiah Coal hath printed as an Abettor and Co-workers with him in p. 113. to 116 of his Works The contempt the Papists cast on the Bible and which the Quakers are not at all concern'd to vindicate is viz. Protestant Sectarian Ministers and Preachers who stand in a Pulpit or Tub with such a brazen Fac'd Book as is their unjust corrupt and perverse Bible in their hand c. Oh the deceit of this People What do they pretend to own the Bible only for their own ends to obtain their Liberty and when the Papists vilifie and contemn it and call it a brazen Fac'd Book a corrupt and perverse Book and they not concern'd hereat Well I do still hope that some will be concern'd to vindicate the Holy Bible from the contempt of the Papists calling it a brazen Fac'd Book perverse Book and from the contempt of the Quakers who call it Death Dust Beastly ware Carnal Serpents-meat c. 2. That the Quakers at their Synods make Catalogues of Sufferers for their Religion and what they Suffer and by whom c. I have spoken to this Head largely in the 4th Chapter of the first Part and therein shewed how they boast of their Sufferings how they Augment and make them more than they are yea put them in their Monuments Sufferers 20 l. when they are so far from that that they have gotten 10 l. clear into pocket as in the case of Samuel Cater I have made it appear likewise as my Author says Gen. Hist p. 137. that they amplify their Sufferings viz. A scratch a pinch or a blue spot for a grievous Torment and bloody Wound which may be well observed in most of the Monuments which these Men have left of their Sufferings c. 3. That the Quakers inspect their Books to be printed after approved by their Censors c. From whence let it be noted that if their Books be thus inspected and approved by their approved Censors then are the whole answerable for the Errors contained in those Books and for all the horrible Blasphemies in them But their case is still worse for suppose any one or more of them be moved as he pretends to write a Message Warning or Exhortation to a Nation People or Society as the Word of the Lord God their frequent pretence This Book is first sent up to London for inspection and approbation to one of these Meetings or Synods where their Light is President and made infallible Judge having all Judgment committed to it in Heaven and in Earth this Synod thus Assembled shall afterwards vary the Title and change the Matter to make it harmonize with their design and when this Writer Dyes and leaves 20 or 30 Books thus approved and thus sent abroad the surviving Synod shall take these Books and again alter them put in and take out a second time what they please then re-print them again And what is become of their Infallibility now They had their President at their first inspection what could he not then see and discern clearly but that here must be a new inspection was not their President their Light the same For either the Quakers write as they are moved by the Eternal Spirit of God or they do not if they do then they are equal with the Apostles Writings and then the Judgment denounced Rev. 22. 18 19. If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto them the plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book c. This reward they must expect Again if they do not then are they most horrible Deluders and great Deceivers when they write thus this is the word of the Lord God to you the Inhabitants of Bristol or the like and they believe it not they do not believe the Author to be so moved and commissioned and forasmuch as they served the Works of Edward Burrow W. Smith George Fox Is Pennington so viz. altered added and diminished to my certain knowledge I do thereupon affirm that they are not the Works of Fox Burrow Pennington and Smith but the Quakers in general and they are answerable for their Errors notwithstanding each title assert the same Thus hath Quakerism been carried on thus hath it grown and taken its progress by Cheats Frauds and Hypocrisies 4. About their Womens Meetings and their manner and way of their Female Government Having by my Book de Christiana Libertate c. not only treated at large on this head but also been instrumental thereby in giving that Image a deadly blow insomuch as that in some part of the County of Suffolk as well as in divers other Counties in England there is not a distinct Womans Meeting to be seen nor heard of But yet since 't is mentioned in the Gen. Hist p. 50. They have likewise Meetings like those we call Classes and Provincial and National Synods or Councils These Conventions are celebrated oftner or seldomer as the number of their Churches is but so as to allot each Sex Men and Women their distinct and particular Meetings c. I say since the Relation of their Womens Meetings are here brought to light which many think are so dead and dying as that it 's hard to find one in many places and that by way of commendation as I take it I shall therefore briefly touch upon the principal Heads and Orders both of its novel rise and arbitrary Government and chiefly for this reason because in all the Orders there is not so much as one Scripture proof mentioned to confirm and to
Synod the King may have his Commissioners present to Inspect and even to Regulate their Proceedings That nothing may be their Transacted prejudicial to the Government How much more reasonable is it to have the Quakers Synods Inspected who have given such demonstration of their Antimagistratical Principles If Christian Emperors and Princes have had their Ambassadors and Ministers present in general Councils If the Hugonots in France have submitted nay desired and requested to have the Kings Commissioners present in their Synods which by His Majesties Grace and Favour they have been suffered to hold If the Presbyterians in Scotland tho' now Establish'd as the National Religion have a Commissioner present in their general Assemblies why should the Quakers not be oblig'd to receive a Commissioner from the Government to recide in their Anniversary Synods If at their beginning they were too Inconsiderable for the notice of the Government they are now become a numerous and wealthy People and in all respects worthy not to be neglected especially if their Principles be as their Writings set forth And their not meeting G. Keith and others who have in like manner challeng'd them is not the least demonstration of their Guilt The Postscript to the Map Being told that the Quakers had Answer'd my Book The Qua. Set I went yesterday to their Booksellers Shop in White-hart court for one but found it not but seeing G. Whitehead's Antidote against the venome of the Snake c. I found two Passages which being Reply'd to may indifferently serve for an Answer to the Book For no Charge can be undenyably true upon them Why Because they can deny any Charge how true soever it be Again if they will not Determin a Point in Controversie being proved out of their most Authentick Authors unless we can produce the Original Manuscript Copy which is impossible for us to do then farewel all Answering Books Behold the Quakers run and are ready to give up their Cause the Passages are these viz. The Author of the Snake c. said That Mr. John Pennyman was an Ancient Worthy and most Sincere Gentleman as indeed none that know him can with any Colour of Justice say the contrary who had been invegled with their False Shew and Pretence to Piety till he discovered their Gross Immoralities which being complained of tho' the Fact could not be denyed yet they could not Sensure any that remained in their Unity for which Reason he at last left them G. W's Antidote 252. Answer as his Character of John Pennyman is in the Superlative Degree appears Flattery and his Scandalous Story 's on his behalf and reason of leaving us appears neither True nor Impartial I never had any undeniable Proof of the Matter of Fact heard from John Pennyman c. Reply Well done George thou art in the right on 't for I never knew any Matter of Evil Fact Charged on the Quakers and their Errors but thou hast had the Impudence to deny it at least as Stated or in some other Sophistical manner So that 't is Morally Impossible to prove Matter of Fact against the Quakers undenyably True Why because they have a Face of Brass to deny any Matter of Fact against them how true soever it be of which this Antidote is not the least Instance and for which Reason I could wish the Author of the Snake may not trouble himself to Reply Again 2dly p. 254. G. Whitehead has Cited a Passage in the Snake c. viz. Quakers Registring their Sufferings for the Truth as they call it would make them exceed all the Ten Persecutions and to be more Undescerving than the Sufferings of Christ himself or the Apostles c. To which G. Whitehead Answers These are False Suggestions we have no such hopes he i. e. Snake Cites Edward Burrough's Unfairly and Partially in this Point And yet the Comparison of the Quakers Sufferings as Greater and more Unjust than in the Days of Christ and his Apostles or any time since is a mistake And whether it was so first Verbally Stated by Edward Burrough's or some time since I shall not Determin unless I see the Original Copy c. Reply I do positively Affirm and before any Ten Ministers of the Protestant Churches viz. Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Baptists will prove that the from Recited Authors Charge is undeniably true Matter of Fact But what then G. W. still complains of Evil Suggestions of Unfair and Partial Citations tho' poor Heart he is so Stung with this Snake that he is forced to acknowledge a Mistake some where but dust not determin where oh horrible what a Book Wrote in 1657. by one of their Inspired Prophets as the Word of the Lord and dispersed 15 Years up and down the Nations and then Reprinted by thy own Approbation dear George with thine and G. Fox's Epistles of Recommendations And now to tell us of a Mistake but know not where and to call for Original Manuscripts Wrote 40 Years since is such a piece of Fallible Infallibility that had I room I should farther enlarge upon it Francis Bugg Sen. May 13. 1697. BOOKS Wrote by Fra. Bugg Sen. 1. DE Christianae Libertate c. in 8vo bound 2. The Painted Harlot both Strip'd and Whip'd c. 3. Reason against Railing c. 4. Innocency Vindicated and Envy Rebuked c. 5. The Quakers Detected and their Errors Confuted 6. A Lette to the Quakers shewing their Frequent Addresses to K. J. 2. 7. Battering Rams against New Rome c. 8. One Blow more against New Rome c. 9. New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation shaken c. 10. New Rome Arraigned and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. 11. A Sheet delivered to the Parliament Dec. 1693. Entituled Something in Answer to the Quakers Allegation c. 12. Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. 13. Quakerism Annotonized c. 14. A Sheet Entit The Quakers Yearly Meeting Impeached c. 15. A second Summons to the City Abel by way of Metaphor to deliver up Sheba the Son of Bichri 2 Sam. 20. i. e. G. Whitehead c. 16. The Quakers set in their true Light c. 17. A Brief History of the Rise Growth and Progress of Quakerism 18. The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. FINIS
Lizards Moles Tinkers Red-coats Cow-dung Green-headed Trumpeters Rare and Base Wheelbarrows Gimcracks Whirlpools and Whirlygigs a Moon-calf their Bell has no Mettle but the sound of a Kettle capers about quivers up and down like a blind Night-bat Ragged Torn Thredbare Tatterdemallions malicious Serpents Vipers grinning Dogs Jack-puddings dunceable Darkness gropable Blindness Then so many leaps of a Louse bo to a Goose Hedge-hogs Fiery fighters Baxter and Tombs as Twins that tumbled out of one Belly the Womb of that Babylonish Bawd c. All which idle Drollery and ridiculous Nonsence is vindicated by W. Penn in his Epistle prefixed to this Sam. Fisher's Works saying It was so ordered by God's Providence that his Fisher's part fell to be most Controversial in which to carry a clear Mind and an even Hand is very difficult However allowing him in some passages the freedom of the Prophet Elijah against the Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18 27. sometimes exposing absurd things by vulgar Terms and Proverbs to Derision in the view of his ingenious Reader he hath discharged himself as a conscientious fair and learned Apologist c. Now if the Quakers will have allowance from the Prophets to vent this sort of wild Gibberish I hope I may take a little liberty to expose their absurd Principles to the just abhorrence and derision of the People Obj. 3. But some may say was there no way to accommodate this Controversy without this publick method surely a more Amicable and Friendly way had been more sutable to a religious Difference Ans It would be too tedious to recite the many and frequent offers that I have given them from time to time to meet me and that according to the very words of their own propositions but they would not I have sent them Summons after Summons until at last I Summoned 12 of their Hearers to give me a meeting but they would not a Copy thereof is as followeth A third Summons For Jo. Hubbard Thomas Brewster J. Haws Ed. Deeks Jo. Peacock Jo. Cranwell Jo. Carver Jacob Baker William Mead John Knight Sy. Birgis Amb. Friend Hearers amongst the Quakers to bring forth Sheba the Son of Bichri 2 Sam. 20. Alias G. Whitehead to stand to his own Proposition in his printed Sheet deliver'd to the Parliament December 1693. Entituled The Qua. Vind. c. p. 4. otherwise to give me a meeting your selves within 20 Miles of my Dwelling and timely notice thereof and then and there openly and publickly either justify your Teachers Books by Scripture proof and if it be not possible for you so to do then to condemn the Errors contained in them under your Hands for the prevention of further controversies thereabout but if not then know that my hand will be heavy vpon you if God permit July 20. 1696. Fr. Bugg Sen. But this being sent to divers of them near 6 Months since and they will neither hear nor answer any proposition how equal soever it be tho' I have often wrote to them and spoke to them Therefore I now proceed to lay their pernicious as well as presumptious Errors further open and in so doing I shall not spare them nay nor pity them being wholly clear of them Obj. 4. But if this had been sooner before they got to this heighth and to this order and settlement as to have their Classes their Provincial Synods their Anniversary Synods and Councels and the favour of the Government it might happily have stopt their further growth which now seems impossible Ans I grant their Heresie is of long continuance yet the Arrians much longer which continued as I have read more than 300 Years who thro' their subtilty got so much into the favour of the Government as to get the Pulpit and the exclusion of the Orthodox yet they are dispersed and withered away and these have not yet been half a century and their Errors more notorious And 't is my belief they will not remain the other half before they are exploded Why then should any be discourag'd in such a work The Pope and his Superstitions have not gone on without many Testimonies against them 'T is said that our famous Wickliff an Oxford Scholar has wrote more than 200 Volumns against his Errors and Innovations And I hope we are not without some such now in our famous Universities who as they become sensible of this Quicksilver Tribe I mean New Rome and know where to fix upon them and their invisible Tenets which at present they mask under disguise owning in words being examin'd what in their Books they deny For indeed their Books are of two sorts carrying two contrary Faces The one to the World to decoy people the other to their Friends to be read in their Meetings insomuch as 't is hard to know a Quaker who as Irenaeus said in his third Book against Hereticks viz. Whil'st Hereticks speak like the Faithful they not only mean otherwise than what they say but clean contrary and by their Tenets full of Blasphemy they destroy the Souls of those who with their fair words suck in the poyson of their foul Opinions c. And no marvel saith St. Paul for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be also transformed as the ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 13. 14. And for our pattern we have the famous Wickliff who pav'd the way for great Luther in Germany who was wonderfully carryed on even as upon Angels Wings which made the Papists rave and roar fret and fume calling him Apostate Self-condemn'd Apostate insomuch that all Mens minds stood as it were upon their tiptoes to see the issue of Pope Leo's rage and brave Luther's courage who went on undauntedly writing many Books until he finished both his Days and Testimony of whom Beza said Rome tam'd the World the Pope tam'd Rome so great Rome Rul'd by power the Pope by deep deceit But how more large than theirs was Luther's Fame Who with one Pen both Pope and Rome doth tame Go fictious Greece go tell Alcides then His Club is nothing to great Luther's Pen. Jan. 18. 1697. Fra. Bugg Sen. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Rice Growth and Progress OF Quakerism With a modest Correction of the General History of the Quakers writ in Holland by the Learned Croese Anno 1696. The PROLOGUE WHen I first heard of the said History I thought it might have spared me this Labour hoping it would have given an impartial Account not only of the coming in of that Sect of the names of the Persons of the places of their abodes of their Handicraft professions of their tumultuous behaviours of their belching out their Defamations and scurrilous Languages to Magistrates and Ministers and of their frequent disturbing the Churches and contemning the Ordinances of Christ and all Instituted Religion But also the ways and methods by which Quakerism have grown and increased and prevailed to
only knew no other Language save his Mother-Tongue but even in that he was so little expert and so ill qualified either for Speaking or Writing all the whole course of his Life that what he understood perfectly well he could not explain or inlarge upon in any tollerable good English and far less could he deliver it in Writing And this I thought worth the remarking because a great many Books are extant in Geo. Fox's Name writ not only in Letters of English but also in Latin and interlarded with Sentences of many other Languages which are but little known to the learned World which whether it was an effect of simplicity in him or of his Ambition and Ostentation I will not determine only 't is plain he had not the gift of Tongues p. 10. The Quakers Doctrine is for a great part of it New or taken from some Ancient Opinions condemned and rejected by the Church which have lain so long dormant are revived anew by them and as to the rest 't is a medly or hotch-potch diametrically opposite to that of ours and their manner of Life so singular from all Christians as possibly can be And these are the Tenets they have so busily spread both at their first rise and in the further progress of the Sect and all that are capable of Speaking or Writing do diligently apply themselves in all places to the Explaining Defending and Propagating their Doctrines inveighng and railing against the contrary opinions in others with as bitter and reviling expressions as they can invent And such their accusatory Libels they disperse abroad into all Countries p. 11. The Original Mother and Nurse of the Quakers is England a Country once famous for Banishing and Extirpating Heresies now the Seat and Centre of all manner of Errors p. 25. Nay when their Number increased they became bolder going into Peoples Houses when not invited intruding themselves into company Litigiously starting Controversies Thus would they belch out ignominious Reproaches and Slanders against Religious Men and especially the Ministers of Churches p. 26. And now would they publickly appear on the High-ways in the Market-places yea enter into Churches and that boldly too finding fault with the Discourses and Prayers of the Ministers disparaging and defaming them and their actions with all manner of Insolence and Impudence p. 32. Charging them to Preach only for love of Lucre and Reward But in all these controversies he George Fox never considered how near of Kin his own case was unto theirs for tho' he pretended to take all this pains and trouble in running about to Preach Gratis yet those he Preached to supplyed his necessities before he ask'd it of them at least-wise he never was denyed the Liberty of coming uncall'd for as the Flies and like Mice feeding upon others Provision c. Thus far Mr. Croese hath given a very fair account tho' not from their Manuscripts I presume and true it is with respect both to their rise and progress in every particular as 1st their Censorious way to accuse condemn and set at naught all Christians 2dly That their Doctrine is either new or some old Heresie revived and new vampt 3dly That their Religion is a meer hotch-potch diametrically opposite to the Christian Faith 4thly That their very business has been to rail on others to belch out ignominious Reproaches and Slanders defaming them both Insolently and Impudently 5thly That they banter other Ministers for taking Rewards whil'st they themselves like Flies and Mice come uncall'd for feeding upon others Provision 6thly That it cannot be denyed but that this grand Heresie had its first rise in England c. whoever reads The Snake in the Grass c. Mr. Falo's Quakerism no Christianity c. may see every Point Confirmed SECTION II. The Time and Place of their Rise and the occasion of their growth The Historians mistake The Quakers prov'd Blasphemers out of their own Mouths IN the Year 1650. G. Fox and John Fretwell went into the Church of Darby and uttered divers Blasphemies and pernicious Principles for which he was examin'd by Mr. Jer. Bennet from one of the Clock till nine at night at Mr. Bennet was the first that gave them the Name Quakers 1650. last sent him to the House of correction as a Quaker and was so rightly call'd as not deserving the Name of a Christian A Copy of the said Mittimus is as followeth viz. To the Master of the House of Correction in Darby greeting We have sent you here withal the Bodies of George Fox late of Mansfield in the County of Nottingham and John Fretwell late of Stansly in the County of Darby Husbandman brought before us this present Day and charged with the avowing uttering and broaching of divers Blasphemous Opinions contrary to a late Act of Parliament which upon their examinations they have confessed These are therefore to require you forthwith upon sight hereof to receive them the said G. F. and J. F. into your custody and them therein safely to keep during the space of six Months without Bail or Mainprise or until they shall find sufficient Sureties to be of the good Behaviour or be thence deliver'd by Order from our selves hereof you are not to fail given under our Hands and Seals this 30th of October 1650. Jer. Bennet Nath. Barton Upon the like Crimes there was a Petition not long after by the Gentlemen c. of the County as Quoted by George Fox in his Book stiled Saul's Errand to Damascus c. And by reason the Author of the Gen. Hist is pleased first to mention it and then excuse the Quakers to whom he had not long before given their due correction First reciting the principal part of the said Petition Gen. Hist p. 103. saith But yet as they left nothing that was objected against them without some Answer so did they also confute this Petition in their Writings in such a manner and with such Reasons that it was very apparent that they were wicked Men who invented these things and that those who believed them were Fools excepting the Prophesies of Milner the vanity of whose Words they willingly acknowledg'd and reproved and overthrew these Charges c. Now if the said Historian had the said Book Saul's Errand c. not by him he is to be born with if he had it he deserves correction and that the state of the matter may be clearly seen as it is I will transcribe the Petition their Charges in the Petition and their Answers to the said Charges and all of the Quakers Writing and Printing And when I have thus done I doubt not but it will appear that they have rather own'd the Charges than denyed them and that instead of confuting they are still most obnoxious to them And that there is no apparent Reasons given why they were wicked Men that charged the Blasphemies upon them nor Fools that believed it viz. To the Right Honourable the Council of State the humble Petition of several
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
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
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
strengthen the same even like William Smith's Primmer and Catechism which contain more than a 100 pages yet in all the Treatise there is not one verse of Scripture quoted nor that I remember one exhortation to read the Scriptures in their Family and in his Works in Folio do I find very few Scripures quoted if any and them that are quoted much perverted and abused but to the matter Of Womens Meetings see an abstract of a Letter from G. F. who was the first mover and setter of them up viz. Dear Friends To whom is my Love It would be well and be of service to have a Womans Meeting that you may assist and inform the Men of necessities in what you cannot do your selves and so it would do well for the Women to have a distinct Meeting by themselves once a Month in the County Town meeting together about the Tenth hour of the day and keep a little Stock amongst themselves George Fox This Letter was wrot about 1670. pursuant to his motion for the Establishment of a Womans distinct Meetings but yet in many places they came on slowly and they made but small progress in this Administration of their Female Church Government for it met very early with opposition from amongst themselves and especially when the observation of it came to be imposed as a thing necessary which many looked upon a thing indifferent and therefore the Anniversary Synod confirmed it in all Points by one of their Acts Anno 1675. A Copy thereof followeth viz. London th 3d. Month 1675. To all Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and elsewhere c. touching Womens Meetings It is our Judgment and Testimony in the word of God's Wisdom that the Rise and Practice setting up and establishing Mens and Womens distinct Meetings in the Church 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 that it is the duty of all Friends and Brethren in all places to be diligent therein and to encourage and further each other in that blessed Work and particularly that Friends and Brethren in their respective Counties encourage their faithful Women in the settlement of the said Meetings and if any professing Truth i.e. Quakerism shall either directly or indirectly discountenance or weaken the Hands of either Men or Women in the Work and Service of the Lord let such be admonished according to the order of the Gospel and if they receive it not but reject it resist Counsel and persist in the work of Division We cannot but look upon them not in the unity of the Church of Christ and order of the Gospel Therefore let Friends go on in the power of God and in that work for him his Truth and People and not be swayed or hindered by them or their opsitions Signed by William Penn Stephen Crispe John Burnyet George Whitehead Thomas Salthouse Alex. Parker c. This new order of George Fox's for Womens distinct Meetings being ratify'd and in all Points confirm'd and special orders from above given for the strict observation of them There was then but few that in plain words did care to oppose them notwitstanding their was not a word of Scripture neither by Fox nor their yearly Meeting offer'd to prove their proceedings Apostolical nor to warrant their Precept nor to shew a President since the days of Christ or before that Women should hold a Court or Synod distinct by themselves have a Clark a Book a Purse and the management of Church Government once a Month to meet in the County Town about the tenth hour c. according to the Order and Institution of George Fox And notwithstanding there was no Scripture President nor Divine Authority to confirm this Order of George Fox Yet you see by this Anniversary Synod it was ordained enacted and decreed by and with the Assent of the Delegates and Representatives that whoever discountenanced them directly or indirectly was ipso facto to be declared excommunicate out of the unity of their Church I might enlarge and shew the Decree which went forth from their Anniversary Synod 1677. Signed with 66 Names of the Foxonian Quakers condemning John Story and John Wilkinson and their Party for refusing subjection to the Decree above mentioned as likewise another Letter from the Storian Quakers out of the North signed by 67 Quakers disdaining and utterly condemning the Foxonian Quakers and their Pride and Arrogancy who look upon them not only to make Laws unscriptural but when done to condemn such as did not obey them and over whom they had no power but I rather refer to a Book stiled a Testimony against the 66 Judges c. and W. Rogers stiled The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator c. and my Book aforecited where both the said Letters are at large and the controversy thereabouts more largely handled I shall only add a Prophesy delivered in the Name of the Lord in a Letter to John Story one of the opposers of the Womens Meetings before several Witnesses the first of the first Month 1677. viz. Oh John Story what hast thou done against the Lord and thy own Soul Thou hast divided the Heritage of the Lord and the good Ordinances which Christ Jesus hath set up in his Church hast thou contemned especially Womens Preaching and Womens Meetings therefore the Lord will throw contempt upon thee and if thou dost not repent speedily miserable will be thy end Oh how hast thou lost thy Place and Dignity which thou had'st among the Saints in Light and now to be numbered amongst the Rebellious If ever thou findest Mercy with the Lord go home to the North with speed and break up the divided Meetings which thou and John Wilkinson has been Instrumental to divide from the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ The Anger of the Lord is chiefly against thee and thou art bound with two bonds for the Church and Brethren have bound thee on Earth and thou art surely bound in Heaven and this is the Testimony of Jesus to thee neither shalt thou be able to get from under these bonds till thou art reconciled to the Brethren i. e. submit to G. F. c. Oh hast to the Work abovesaid least the wrath of the Lord overtake thee before it be done and be reconciled to George Fox who is God's Friend and the Servant of the living God and great Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ hast away into the North for thy time is short and go quickly thou and thy brother if possible you may bring again to the Body of Jesus Christ those ye have scattered least their blood be required at your hands Arise quickly and be going for this is the word of the Lord to thee viz. That this year shalt thou John Story dye because thou hast taught Rebellion against the living God Solomon Eccles. I have recited the more of this Letter of Solomon Eccles for
that it shews 1. That the Quakers believe that Womens Meetings are the Ordinances of Jesus Christ 2. That they pretend to have power to bind and loose 3. That the only way to find Mercy was to submit to George Fox and consequently to obey and observe his Laws 4. That this false Prophesy delivered in the Name of the Lord might be from Age to Age continued upon the Quakers as a brand upon their pretence to Prophesy for when the said Solomon delivered this Message by Letter to John Story the said John was very ill and not like to live yet it pleased God for the honour of his Name and that these false pretenders might be manifest to give him length of days about 4 years after 5. That they accounted George Fox the great Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ from the First Instance 't is no marvel then that the Quakers have thrown off and rejected the Ordinances of Baptisme and the Lord's Supper Instituted by Christ himself since Fox their Apostle have ordained Womens Meetings From the 2d That they are one with the Pope touching the power of the Church From the 3d. That the Merits and Satisfaction of Christ as our Mediator and Intercessor of his Death and bitter Passion are by the Quakers laid aside if the only way to find Mercy with God be to be reconcil'd to the Quaker Church From the 4th That the Quakers are not zealous for God by their cloaking and excusing this false Prophesy of Solomon Eccles as well as divers others of his Idolatrous Practices and by their owning him and his Books to the last and never passing a publick censure upon him and his Books From the 5th That 't is no marvel that they are so much concern'd to vindicate every little Pamphlet of their own with great charge and industry but when the Papists call our Bible a brazen Fac'd corrupt and false Bible this they say in so many words they are not concern'd to vindicate this they leave to the Sectarian and Episcopalians to do for alas they have work enough besides and as to the Bible though the Papists call it a brazen Fac'd Book false and corrupt yet the Quakers are not concern'd to vindicate the Bible and indeed how can they against the Papists for the Papists would soon reply what do the Quakers blame us for calling your Bible a brazen Fac'd Book whil'st you your selves call it Death Dust Beastly Wares Serpents Food How then can you blame us since we are Cousin Jermains and Dear Brethren in the common cause against the Church of England Good God when I consider their deep Hypocrisy in their confession to the Parliament I am astonish'd at their impudence and so I proceed to the next Head 5. Moreover saith the Historian p. 55. it 's also their custome in their Houses never to express a Religious Duty with an outward Voice as praying to God craving his Blessing e'er they take Meat or go to Bed till they feel the impulsion of the Spirit This also is the fruit of Quakerism read one of their Books stiled A Musick Lecture c. p. 25. For where they i. e. Christians are I was in Performances in Ordinances in Family Duties in Hearing in Reading in Prayers in Fastings well but when I came to bend my Mind to that of God in me which is Christ then I begun to learn to be a Fool insomuch that I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals that were set before me c. Reader this their practice is so well known in England as well as in Holland that I need not to enlarge upon it only take up a Lamentation when I consider how many Thousand Families of Quakers there are in England that never prayed to God in their Houses nor gave thanks for Blessings received with outward Voice since they turned Quakers perhaps 20 or 30 years What account then will they be able to give at the great and terrible Day Who have thus bewitched the People from the practice of the Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all Protestant Churches to this day unto the practice of the Heathen that know no God read Jeremiah 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the heathen and upon the families that call not on thy name But possibly they 'll say they think of God when they go to Bed and when they receive the Comforts of this Life to which I answer if that be enough and that words are useless why then do their Teachers speak and pray in their Meetings with an audible Voice and sometimes at your own Houses when People are there Is this their practice only that they may be seen of Men a thing I am jealous of for if they look upon it their Duty why not a Duty incumbent upon the hearers also But they say in Burrow's Works p. 47. That is no command of God to thee which God commanded to others unless they receive it a new as the Inspired Apostles did Thus have they taken away they Key of Knowledge from the People I mean the use of the Holy Scripture which would instruct them better Nay this is not all but where the Spirit of Quakerism is in its full vigor if they happen to be in company with a Man of another Profession whether Episcopalian Presbyterian Independant or Baptist who crave a Blessing upon what they receive ☞ sits the Quaker with his Hat on as a Testimony against that laudible Practice 6. They have Anniversary Synods in every considerable Kingdom to whom belong the Care and Administration of all the Affairs of that Kingdom In England they have a fixed Anniversary Synod on the third day of Penticost Gen. Hist p. 51. This may be true but of how dangerous a consequence both to Church and State I am not able to determine but time will further manifest But the more they encrease and gain upon their People and believe that they are the only true Church and as such cannot err that they have power to bind and loose and that their Precepts and Prescriptions are of equal Authority to that of the Apostles and thereupon ought to be indispensibly obeyed I say as this comes to be received and embraced the danger of these Anniversary Synods will be seen more and more and it may be when 't is too late for they not only already think themselves capable to teach Judges Justices yea and the Parliament too What is their Duty what they may do and what they may not do and the utmost confines of their Jurisdiction particularly in the case of Heresy of which I have recited some Instances and can hundreds more as also by two of their Anniversary Synods they have virtually tho' not verbally repealed great part of two Statute Laws that of the 22 of C. II. and that clause of an Act of Parliament made in the First of K. W. Ill. relating to Tythes by their yearly Epistles enregistred by Authority of their Anniversary Synods I
must have a clause put in to bind us to pay Tythes and this will go down but ruggedly with the Friends What shall I say or how shall I come off If I accept of it on these Terms I shall displease many if I loose the Bill and with it our Money spent to obtain it tho' when all is done 't is no less nor more an Oath then I took my self in the Lord Mayor's Court upon a Bill exhibited against me by Thomas Daniel and Elizabeth his Wife April 9th 1695. I shall displease others what shall I do I am beset round on every side without are fears within are doubts one sort of Friends will blame me for accepting of it thus I A. B. do declare in the presence of Almighty God the witness of the Truth of what I say which the World's people will say 't is equivalent to an Oath and at the end of it there is such Rider as enjoyns us to pay Tythes c. and yet this will not do neither unless we sign our Association and mention King William these things are hard yet we will submit to Parliaments for once c. Reader this is the case their first Paper dated March 3 1695 6 not signed nor King W. named was thrown out and poor G W. and his Associates signed another dated the 3 d day of April 1696. A Copy thereof a Person of Quality sent me which Paper was signed and the King's Name at large in it that part of it which answers to the other part already recited I will set down viz. And we believe that the timely discovery and prevention of the late barbarous Design and mischievous Plot against King William and the Government and the sad Effects it might have had is an eminent Mercy from Almighty God c. At a Meeting of the said People the 3d of April 96. Signed by many of us on behalf of our selves and the rest of our Friends c. Note Reader that this Paper presented to the King April 8. 1696. dated April 3. 96. was never dispersed among the Quakers but kept private But that Paper dated March 3. 1695 6. wherein the King is not named and which therefore the Lords threw out that Paper was dispersed far and near so the poor Quakers still may be to seek what King their Teachers mean c. Reader I have already put down the Form of the Quakers Oath I A. B. c. I shall now add another clause in the said Act which will prevent them from coming into any share of the Government which they have long waited for but thanks be to God Quakerism has by this Act got such a blow as they will not easily rub off viz. Provided and be it Enacted that no Quaker or reputed Quaker shall by vertue of this Act be qualify'd or permitted to give evidence in any Criminal Causes to serve on any Juries or bear any Office or place of Trust or Profit in the Government any thing in this Act contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And having thus far shewed Mr. Croese his mistake of the Quakers loving King William as their effectual Defender as well as in some other things in his General History I am about leaving him until the next opportunity hoping when he considers and sees how Quakerism first rose and how it has grown and by what means and methods it has had its progress that he will not blame me for dealing plainly with them especially when he sees and considers the scurrilous Names and ignominious Terms they have cast upon the Learned Clergy of this British Nation as Robbers Thieves Witches Devils Antichrists Bloodhounds the Sir Simons of the Age Monsters Baal's Priests Sodomites and what not which might render them and their function odious to the People as also their Pamphlets to the Parliaments to leave and forsake them and so I take my leave of this learned Historian and bid him farewel By this time some may say you seem to know the distemper of this corrupted Body of Quakerism pray let us know a Remedy to stop the gangreen for many wise and learned Men have endeavoured to apply a Remedy but have hitherto missed yea sometimes by Corrasives which have been too severe to stop the running thereof and sometimes by Lenetives which have taken no place at all Ans I do acknowledge and experience teacheth us that sometimes the ablest Physitian for want of knowing the Disease has missed when one not so noted has with the help of Herbs and what is common wrought a Cure First then the most proper way to Cure this Distemper which lies in the Brain and affects the Heart also is to let George W. and some few of the most eminent Teachers and Writers amongst the Quakers be summoned by Authority and by the same examined whether these Books quoted as theirs be really so or no. Next if proved upon them let them either justifie or retract them Secondly after this is done let them set forth certain Articles of their Faith and if it be agreeable to the Christian Religion then let them condemn all their Books which teach the contrary This was the way of the French Protestants and when so done let each Congregation of Quakers have their Teacher and each Teacher have their Congregation and take care of the same that so the Generation of Youth be not corrupted and poysoned by sucking in false Notions and imbibing false Principles in their young years This is what pleases all Protestant Dissenters both Presbyterians Independants and Baptists and for which they are very thankful to the Government and in their Meetings pray heartily for the preservation thereof as I have heard in all their Societies And if nothing less then Anniversary Synods and General Councels will please these aspiring Quakers before they have them let them ask leave of the Government to hold them and how long to continue the sitting thereof and if the Government think good to bestow that Favour of them it would be very proper that there should be a Commissioner or two Ordered and Commissioned by His Majesty to reside in their Councel the doors being open and free ingress for their Deputies and liberty for them to speak freely and their Acts put into Writing for preventing confusion and when this is done it will be proper to limit and set them bounds who of themselves are boundless and to restrain them from these things following 1. That all their Ministers who are not natural born Subjects but Foreigners whose coming may be to spy out the weaknesses of our Country to alienate the King's Subjects from their obedience to their Sovereign may be excluded out of their Synod and have neither place nor voice in their general Counsel 2. And that during the time granted them by Authority to hold their Synod they may have no communication with Forreigners or other suspected Persons as Jesuits c. 3. And forasmuch as the Quakers are not
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
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
this very Testimony from this Great Prophet of theirs Printed 1659. and Reprinted in 1672. by Whitehead and the Chief Quakers Approbation and at the same time too when the Quakers were seeking Favour was such a piece of Impudence as Arius never had But to proceed to my 4th and last Head proposed viz. Who are in the Quakers Account True and Orthodox Preachers since all that Baptise with Water all that Study the Scriptures and Preach out of them all that Preach Christ without as he is in Heaven above all that take Receive or pay Tyth's are false Ministers Witches Devils c. In a word all not Quakers for so they affirm The Quakers Challenge c. p. â— Come Protestants Presbyterians Independents and Baptists the Quakers deny you all p. 3. The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they c. And therefore 't is highly necessary to know who they account true Preachers which are these that follow viz. 1. Such as Teach that the Name of Christ belong to every Member of the Body as well as to him that Suffered at Jerusalem that his Body was but a Vail a Garment c. and which they can never call Christ that his Person was no more to his Disciples then another Person but for the sake of the Spirit Frame and Temper that dwelt in him his Disciples loved him that Christ is not God and Man in one Person For Proof hereof see Is Pennington's Question to Professors c. p. 20. to 33. Will Bayly's Works p. 300. 307. The Sword of the Lord Drawn c. p. 5. 2. Such as deny the Blessed Trinity see W. Penn's Sandy Foundation c. p. 15. to 20. and W. Penn's Christian Quaker and his Dev. Testimony p. 98. 3. Such as Teach that the Scriptures are Dust Death Serpents Food that the Sacraments are Dust that Matthew Mark Luke and John are Serpents Meat Dust and Beastly Ware and such as propose it doubtful whether Moses or Hermes was the 1st Pen-man of the Scripture and whether some of it was not spoke by the Grand Imposter some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill Applyed some by Good Men ill Expressed some by False Prophets and yet True some by True Prophets and yet False for Proof see The Quakers Refuge Fixed c. p. 17. News coming out of the North c. p. 14. David's Enemies Discovered c. p. 7. 4. Such as Teach that the Scriptures are not the Word of God and that so to Affirm is Blasphemy See G. Fox's Book Stiled Firebrands c. 2 part p. 159. Printed 1678. and his Great Mist c. p. 240. Printed 1659. 5. Such who Teach that the Quakers Writings are the Word of God given forth by the Eternal Spirit of God that we may as well burn the Scriptures as their Books Papers and Queries That if ever we own the Prophets Christ or the Apostles we will own their Books that what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater for Proof See Truth 's Defence c. p. 2. 104 107. Fox's his Answer to the Westmorland Petitioners c. p. 3. both Printed 1653. likewise G. Whitehead's Serious Apology c. p. 49. A Brief Discovery c. p. 8. Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth c. p. 40. 6. Such as Teach that Water Baptism is no Ordinance of God but an Institution of the Whore of Rome And that the Practice of it is Idolatry and that such are bewitched to accept of those two Institutions of Christ Baptisme and the Lord's Supper For Proof News coming up out of the North c. p. 34. 35. A Musick Lecture p. 25. Burrough's Works p. 51. 518. William Smith's Primmer p. 36. 7. Such as Teach that the Quakers Sufferings are greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and all the Marters since That the Sufferings Inflicted upon Christ his Apostles and Martyrs were chiefly done by a Law and in a great part by the due Execution of a Law see Burrough's Works p. 273. Behold Reader not only how they Magnifie their Sufferings the Blasphemy of their Doctors But the horrible Lye far exceeding that of Mahomet's Journey to Heaven as at large in that Learned Treatise Wrote by Dr. Prideaux Arch-deacon of Suffolk Entituled The Nature of an Imposture in the Life of Mahomet c. Printed 1697. Sold by W. Rogers at the Sun in Fleetstreet London 8. Such as Teach and leave it upon Record to Posterity that they Suffer 20 l. at a time for Preaching when they not only not suffer a penny but get ten pound clear by the Bargain as in this Book at large shewed in the Instance of that Self magnifying Teacher of theirs Samuel Cater of Little Port in the Isle of Ely See The lamentable Cry of Oppression c. p. 40. to the end Hadenham old Records c. 9. Such as Teach that the very Christ of God is within us his Sufferings within us that his offering himself as a Sacrifice is within us and by the scope of their Ancient Testimony deny him that was nail'd to the Cross Pierced c. to be Christ which their Light never was c. See Burrough's Works c. p. 149. W. Smith's Primmer p. 8. 9. and his Catechism p. 57. to 60. 10. Such as Teach that the Quakers have a a Spirit given them beyond all the Fore-fathers and thereby know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates without speaking ever a word and that none need to give the Quakers Discerning or Judgment for Christ i. e. their Light doth furnish them at all times and on all occasions see G. Fox's Great Mist. p. 89. Judas and the Jews c. p. 58. 11. Such as Teach and that truly too that the Quakers are raised contrary to all Men yea ever since Noah's Flood and that they have given their Power only to God and that they cannot seek that 's a grand Lie the Parliament can bear me witness to outward Authority But stand Witness against Parliaments that 's true Judges Justices and to such Laws Customs Courts c. they cannot yield Obedidience that the Quakers Kingdom is from above and that they reject the Beasts Authority i. e. the Parliament and the Dragons Power And that the Quakers are gather'd up into the Life which the Holy Men of God lived in That they i. e. Quakers are fallen from the World and it's Ways and Nature That even the Father oh dreadful Blasphemy bears Witness of them and therefore their Witness is true Alluding as in many other Cases to Equalize themselves to Christ John 5. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know the witness which he witnesseth of me is true that Teach saying What have you the publick Ministry lost the Lord to be your Strength that you must flee for Help to Men Must they make Laws to Establish