WILLIAM PENN And the QUAKERS EITHER Impostors or Apostates Which they please Proved from their avowed Principles and contrary Practices Inest sua gratia parvis 2 Tim. 3.8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men as theirs also was By Trepidantium Malleus LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey 1696. TO THE Humoursom READERS My Brethren IN this quarrelsome Age wherein little that is written can please all or most I must expect to fall under the Censure of not a few Perhaps in an angry fit you will be ready to Object Is there not enough and more then enough in this scribling Age written against this People already I Answer There is too much and yet too little Many trouble the world with long vagaries about things less material or their more weighty things are not express'd in so few words nor their arguments managed with that conciseness as could be wish'd He is the best Soldier who attacking an Enemy runs on him and stabs him to the heart whether I have so stab'd Quakerism to the heart if you will be sober be you judges or the Quakere either who have any intervals from their Deliriums Two things are often enquired about Books How large they be And what they cost If they be too large or cost too much Men either neglect them or read them with a running eye but if short and of little cost not only their Money but that which is more precious to Studious men their time is well saved Here is a little Book and of small price and things not written of by others Some may ask What should induce you to this work A. I have sought for William Penn many years and coming as a stranger to London have here found him and I think the Queries sent to him are unexceptionable and unanswerable and I have more reasons than one to think William Penn is of the same Opinion for this I appeal from his mouth to his conscience if he hath any he may say as Ahab to the Prophet Hast thou found me O mine enemy 1 Kings 21.20 It may be you will say You are too hot A. Perhaps you are too cold read the after-account of the Man before you are so waspish and quick If you say I like not this Dispute then let it alone and leave it to them that do If the Bookseller have been deceived by me it is pity you should be so by him Look well to your Pockets and be sure you throw not away your Money for nothing especially when good Money is as scarce as good Subjects Many Writers get others to recommend their Books to the world but I care not to trouble any such for they overvalue their Freinds and so their Writings I will therefore do it my self In short I tell you I am a quick writer of sudden flights Yet if you will have my opinion I think it is not jejunely done nor to be reckoned among the meanest Books against this People However I have pleased my self and that is something and many an honest man too I doubt not and that is more But if I please not you I care not and so till you and I be in a better humour Farewell QUESTIONS SENT TO William Penn. Question 1. WHether He or any of them will or dare stand forth and say I desire no Pardon from a Holy God for any Imperfection in Thought in Word or in Action in the close of a Day of a Week of a Month of a Year since his or their imaginary perfect sinless State I intreat them into whose hands this Book shall fall to take notice That I kept no Copy of my Queries to him not intending them for open view much less for the Press I dare not therefore pretend strict exactness to words but sense and for this I dare challenge him to deny it Now if they are as Perfect as Adam was before he Fell as some have said I say he then needed no Pardon if they be as Holy as some have blasphemously said as God himself I say God need not Pardon himself Perfection in Scripture is sometimes put in opposition to Hypocrisy So all the Saints are Perfect God so loveth Holiness that he calls the least degrees of Holiness by this honourable name Perfection to encourage men in the thoughts of their present acceptance with him and to let them know the unshaken foundation is now laid So Noah Abraham Job and others are said to be Perfect that is no Hypocrites but Sincere ones Yet they were guilty of great and visible Sins and made Confessions of them to God in this their perfect State The instance of Asa is most pregnant it is said of him That he put the Prophet in Prison who Prophecied to him in the Name of the Lord that he was wroth with him very great sins sure and of a deep die and one would think inconsistent with true Grace When he was pained in his Feet he sought not to the Lord but to the Physician one would think he could be no Good Man yes says the Holy Ghost He was no formal Hypocritical Man he was good in the bottom and how is this express'd 1 Kings 15.14 Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord his God all his days What is that Without Sin Then the sense is this Asa committed very great sins nevertheless he sinned not all his days Sometimes perfection is put in opposition to imperfection This distinction is clear in the words of Paul 3 Phillip 13 14. Not as if I had attain'd or were already perfect I press on as many as are perfect be thus minded In the first place he speaks of Perfection in opposition to Imperfection I have not attained it says he if he had not by the way we have mad men running up and down among us that say they have but without the breach of Charity I dare be bold to assert the Perfection they have attained to is a perfection of Stupidity and Obduration but saith Paul I press forward I have perfection in my Eye tho not in my Heart as many as be perfect that is sincere upright be thus minded For they that in the former sense are perfect cannot be said not to have attained it or to press after it Job says of himself of whom God gave this testimony There was none like him in all the earth a perfect man that is a sanctified man 1 Job 1. If I should say I were perfect that would prove me perverse say it no he detests it in the next words I perfect for those words are only found in the Original I would not know my own soul 9 Job 20 21. Who can say his heart is clean says Solomon Yes A Pharisee a
Papist and a Quaker The Doctrine of Perfection or a Sinless State began among the Pharisees who thought mental sins nothing therefore Christ reproves them convinceth them that a Wrathful thought is Murther an Unchast thought Adultery a Covetous thought Theft for these are contrary to the Divine Law and stain the Heart of Man The greatest wickedness that ever was acted by the most Profligate man in the world was at first but a Thought and his greatest sin virtually therein The greatest Oak was once no bigger than an Acorn the Fire that Burnt London but a Spark I trouble not the Reader with the usual distinctions among the Learned of a Perfection of Parts and a Perfection of Degrees Not that I think them unuseful but not so intelligible to all Capacities He sinneth in his highest acts of Love to God that cannot say I love God so well it is not my duty to love him more neither have I reason to bewail the want of it So I might enlarge about Time Prayer c. Now as this Doctrine began among the Hypocritical Hereticks in the Church of the Jews so it was taken up by such in the Church of Rome and carried on by such in the Protestant Church I affirm and am able to prove it The Quakers borrowed their Expositions and Arguments out of Popish Authors Let any man compare Kellison the Jesuit his Survey of the New Religion and Barclay's Apologia pro Theologia vere Christiana together and speak his mind in this point I could never get any of our Perfectionists for so I often call them as detesting them for this worst of Doctrines to Answer this first Question They desire no Pardon of God for any Imperfection in the end of a Day For fear I think God should take them at their word few of them now pretend to it or talk so much of it for fear it may be they should be laught at so many living and conversing with them see so much pride passion unfair dealing neglect of all Family and secret Duties I remember one of Bristol a Scholar who tells us in Print his outward name was Lawrence Steel a Novice lifted up with Pride and so fell info the Condemnation of the Devil he once said to the Reverend Mr. Fairclough of that City Not that I am Perfect would I were yet going on in Disputing or rather Prating he urged that much mistaken and abused place He that committeth sin is of the devil then you are so said Mr. Fairclough to him on your own confession according to the wrong gloss you give of the words Instead of an argument for an answer he fell into an angry fit and so into angry words Question 2. Whether George Bishop of the City of Bristol a Scholar writing a Book call'd A Looking-Glass for the Times was not a most deceitful Writer though then their grand Champion He saith in the Title page That the quakers were most like to the ancient Christians as was proved in the Book out of Eusebius Socrates Scholastieus Evagrius and Dorotheus Yet in the Folio is so far from such a proof that he doth not attempt it But to do him right he gives a true account out of those Authors but such a description of Ordination by Laying on of Hands Singing of Psalms Swearing against the Arians and all other things that prove them to be altogether unlike the Quakers and like us It is true by the ble in a few leaves he speaks of Jerom and it may be some others who were against taking of Oaths which if true is not material for I knew one worthy Minister against it and some private Christians and would to God this were all the Controversie between us and our Perfectionists The Book cur'd me of the temptation which I confess induc'd me to read it Tell me Was there ever such a cheat since Writing or Printing were known in the world Did he think we would look no further than the Title Page and take his word for all the rest One of these Books for this rare admirable Discovery was sent to every Doctor in the University in my time which was twenty seven year since for their Conviction and Edification If any say the Quakers were like them for Sufferings so were the Protestants much more in Queen Mary's days the Papist in Queen Elizabeth's days the Nonconformists in the Reign of King Charles the Second that Papist in Masquerade as he confessed on his Death-bed No he pretends likewise in Principles and Practice Since the Reading of his Book I could never think of the Author without great detestation as the greatest piece of Falshood and Impudence that ever appear'd in the world Yet our Perfectionists never testified against this man have call'd me a Persecutor for thus telling the truth I could name other Quakerish Writers of History but will not Question 3. Whether the Quakers in the time of the violent Proceedings against Dissenters begun about almost Fifteen years since and continued about Five years leaving the Places of their Publick Worship for fear of Confiscation of Goods Imprisonment or Banishment were not either Notorious Impostors or Notorious Apostates acting on our Principles after the severest Censure of them They have asserted in many many many of their printed Books Speakings and private Conference That it was unlawful for any to leave the Place of their Publick Worship for any Persecution whatever That they were moved by the Holy Spirit sent by the Ever-living God to testify to us in the Name of the Lord That we were Hypocrites Carnal Persons Lovers of the World more than of God for not appearing openly So Pen and others Though we declared we so far were from thinking such an open Appearance to as they phrase it bear our Testimony to be Duty that it was Folly Either say I when they themselves lest their Meetings which they generally did all England over where the then Rage was fiery and burning their Minds were changed about this thing or not If they were not they were Notorious Apostates to live in the sinful omission of open Duties so many years as many did going up and down about their business till not Conscience but King James's illegal deceitful Toleration brought them to those Places again They observ'd not their own Message from God to us And if we through ignorance must be damned they much more for acting against their Light and that after thousands of Protestations to God and man of the contrary If their Minds were changed as Richard Vicarr confessed privately to me he believed they were then were they Notorious Impostors to bring us a Message from the Devil in the Name of the Lord. Then have they blasphemed the Name of the Eternal God and belied the Holy Ghost Then have they defamed slandered the Generation of the Righteous and reprobated and damned them for an innocent lawful justifiable Action Know Reader that we ever asserted That it was lawful to flee in a
of them and that if I were Sober and Temperate he would spend an half hour with me though much business lay before him To whom I presently replied in a Letter That I was never taken for a Wet Dissenter that it was very unfair to put me off with such an excuse For what if I should say I had consulted my Friends about him and that they told me 〈◊〉 was a Roman Catholick a Plotter for â— Popish Tyrant against the best of Kings But said I away with such trash Thaâ— I did suppose R.V. was the Man noâ— with him who was my Accuser hâ— knew the contrary that I received him civilly in my house he me in his thaâ— many Quakers could testifie that I haâ— been very kind to many of them shewâ— kindness to their Sick when I was in thâ— same Goal with them that I once paiâ— the Fine of one and caused his Goods tâ— be returned He bids me in his Letter to take my course but I observed added not hâ— feared not as men commonly do which now I have done and let him try what he will gain by it READER Seeing William Penn would not that is in plain English could not Answer my Questions I will treat thee more fairly Iâ— will Answer thine which may be in thy Heart Question 1. What is William Penn I will tell you some things he wrote and what I have heard from credible Witnesses that knew him then judge you not I. He in the Reign of King James the Second saluted him thus That he was the most Illustrious Example of Integrity that for his Conscience sake ventured the loss of Three Kingdoms Now it is well known the excluding Parliaments never Treated with him nor made him any Proposals about Religion He also then told the world there are not Papists enough in London to make the Coal fires and yet here is such a cry of the danger of Popery To that Objection Shall we Tolerate Idolatry If Popery said he be Idolatry He makes an If of it Now he that at that time should say There was no danger of Popery must be a Knave or a Fool a Fool if he thought as he said a Knave if he said as he thought not Now Penn was no Fool. There were Papists enough in London once to burn the City whether enough or no then to make the Coal-fires One that knew him very well told me he was no more a Christian than a Mahumetan for they believe Christ to be a Good Man and that W. Penn as he thought believed not now either Christ's Divinity or Humanity I will tell you one Story more of William Penn and then speak your Minds I have had it from good hands that Mr. Charles Nicholets hath often declared that when the late K. J. preferr'd him for a Paper of Verses in commendation of his Vertues offering him first to be Ranger of his Park which he refus'd afterwards by making him Licenser of the Press that he gave a License to a Book against Popery William Penn ask'd him What he meant to License a Book against the King's Religion Why said Mr. Nicholets I am no Papist and though I have Licensed Popish Books which I know I should not yet I will not deny a License to a Protestant Writer So Penn was much displeased and caused him to be turn'd out of his Office My Friend told me he would give it on Oath Mr. Nicholets so told him Question 2. What are the Quakers Quakerism is the sink of all Heresies Some Quakers are Socinians believe not the Trinity nor Divinity of Christ some be Sabellians they believe Christ's Divinity but not the Trinity some of them have respect to Scripture-Authority others regard them no more than an old Almanack not containing any Duty for us but for others in their day Some are for others against Womens speaking A Quaker came from a Meeting and told a friend of mine I have heard Nine Women speak this day but a Man may put in an Egg-shell all the sense they spake Every Whâ—m was once a Message from the Lord but now that folly is so manifest to all Men that they are more sober One came to another and said Thus saith the Lord to thee James Nobbs thou art this and that the Man heard all patiently and then said Hold thy Tongue thou prating Fool for the Lord knows I am not James Nobbsae Another had a Revelation to go with a Message from the Lord from Oxon to Abbington Five Miles when he return'd in the close of the day his Wife who was no Quaker ask'd him Whether he had delivered his Message No said he the Man was not at home he is gone a great journey O thou Child of a Man said she Dost thou think the Lord sent thee to a Man that was not at home Which as I remember made the Man more sober In my younger days on a Temptation I confess I sought converse with the chief of them I could meet with to try their Perfection and Attainments above all others I found as others know that went amongst them on the like Temptation their hearts heads and hands were all in the world no Family or Secret Prayer minded their Children's Souls neglected some of them said they would teach them to be Sober and no more I first read G. B's Book then Conversed with R. B. of Oxon a great Quaker but he was a vile Jester said he to one I can prove thou art an Atheist How said he Thus Art thou a Wise Man or a Fool No Wise Man replied the Man then said B. Is it not said The fool hath sâ—id in his heart there is no God c. J. L. of Plimouth who for his Bounty which indeed was very great was a most frothy abusive Jester though his Name founds with a delicious Air every where among them yet a filthy and wicked Jester was he J. M. of Pensilvania hardly escaped whipping a few years since for Lying with his Maid who had thus Punish'd others for the same Vice he being there a Justice of the Peace and a great Speaker How they painted out one another in Print in their open Meetings in Bristol for Drunkenness and other Vices is well known He that would read their Blasphemies let him read Rogers's Book a Quaker of that City what he says of Fox and others and yet these were the Perfect Sinless Creatures all the while In their Letters one against another they would begin on both sides This is the word of the Eternal God from me to thee Thou art an Hypocrite Some must Blaspheme Reviling of Ministers was a Meritorious work Some reported of Mr. Hughs once of Plymouth the best Man that ever that Town was blest with that he would drink Fifty Glasses of Sack at one Meal Say it as often as they would I dare say not one believed it Every common thing was from God Read the Snake in the Grass a Book worth Gold Let Penn or any
stumbled regard it not As now How often is it objected That the Jews borrowed of the Egyptians Jewels of Silver and Jewels of Gold with an intent never to pay them and one gives one answer God bade them another another they had abused the Jews For my part I think the matter is clear they gave them for as the Jews borrowed so the Egyptians lent now did they think when God by a mighty Hand brought them out of Egypt they should see the Men more no nor the Jewels neither How often have I seen others mock 4. Matt. 8.9 The Devil took Christ on a high mountain to shew him the kingdoms of the world Why I hope the higher the Mountain was the more he might see and how high he was lifted up above the Mountain who can tell Divines say there was a Map and Idea of all to Christ Hobs himself in his Leviathan seems not to be scandalized here take his Opinion rather than blaspheme That all was done Visionary Many places in the Old Testament mentioned in the New are carried from their primary intention to a secondary one Out of Egypt have I call'd my Son 11. Hos 1.2 Matt. 15. is clear 8. Psalm 4. What is man is true of all though carried in a high sense of Christ And because some cannot be persuaded but that of the Prophet Isaith A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son 7. Isa 14. was of the Prophetess to whom Isaiah went who bare a Son one that was a Virgin when Isaiah made the Prophecy might not be so after They say That what was true in sensu diviso of that Prophetess was in sensu composito of the Virgin Mary a Maid and Mother at the same time as the Prophetess in a different time If this be yeilded I know not but some are sooner and more fairly silenced I will not tell my thoughts if any conjecture they shall but conjecture Now the Scripture direct about matters of Faith and matters of Practice without which we should not know the one or the other Direction 2. Timely instruct your Children and endeavour to transmit Religion from Family to Family Do your Children love History What is better than that of Joseph and his Brethren of Esther Haman and Mordecai and Ahasuerus The Creation of the world Fall of Man Call of Abraham Plagues of Egypt Contract some things in hints and Books in Verses English ones such there are others in Latin as the Ten Plagues of Egypt are express'd in four Verses Fit cruor ex undis conspurcant omnia vanae Dat pulvis cimices postea musca venit Dein pectu post ulcera grando locusta tenebrae Tandem proto tocos ultima plaga necat Convince them of their natural state you may say 9. John 20. That this is our son we know and that he was born blind we know blind in Spirituals Look well to their Company Mr. White adviseth Parents to invite sober Lads to their House and make them their Childrens Companions He that walketh with the wise shall be wise a companion of fools shall be destroyed saith Solomon Above all duties teach them secret Prayer 6. Matt. 6. shew them the necessity benefit sweetness of this this gives life to all other duties Talk most against the Sins they be inclined to Pride Passion Idleness Stealing taking God's Name in Vain c. Allow them convenient time for Diversions and Recreations Look well they be such as for nature are Lawful for time Seasonable for use Moderate Avoid Plays suspiciously Evil. Mr. Perkins condemns in his Cases of Conscience Playing at Cards as an Evil in it self Dr. Taylor in his Ductor Dubitantium doth not so yet doth disswade from the use of them You will at a full Table let alone a suspicious Dish not proper for you when many safe ones Plays are lawful and the matter of God's Promise The Quakers have condemned all as well as Family Prayer and other Duties How feebly doth Robert Barclay the great Quaker in his Apology write against playing at Bowls and Nine-pins we have Bodies as well as Souls 8. Zech. 5. The streets shall be full of boys and girls playing Paul took delight to think of the Family Timothy came from 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to mind the unfeigned faith which first dwelt in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also Not the same numerical Faith which could not be without a Transmigration of Souls but specifical like for kind Qui studes patrimonio terrestri magni quam caelesti filios tuos commendas Diabolo magis quam Christo I remember Cyprian somewhere says Pray consider he that minds his Child's Body more than his Soul is like one that if Child and Dog were like to he drowned should take care to save the Dog but let the Child be drowned To make your Childrens lives Religious is to make your own comfortable Let the Spirit teach my Children I will not say some Perfectionists If you will not an evil Spirit you see early doth Catechise them often and well Direction 3. Endeavour to retain what you hear or read to confirm your Faith against all unsound Doctrines Pray to God for good Heads and Memories as well as for good Hearts and Affections many are turn'd to and fro with every wind of Doctrine Many take want of Memory to be only their infelicity which I say is their fault To help you here take these Directions 1. Mind the chief word in a sentence direction story or comparison on which all depends revolve that in your mind over and over 2. Chuse some good Companions whose good Memories may help your bad ones ask them what they remember tell them what you do Thus let one hand rub another till both be warm 3. Write down if you can what most concerns you you do so in other things Debts Directions for Distempers New Affections many years hence will make old things heard new 4. Beware of Meats and Drinks for Quantity or Quality that indispose you to dullness in hearing 5. In the close of a Sabbath and in the opening of the next day in your Beds repeat what you are willing to retain in your mind 6. Use some mark with a Pen or Pencil in reading excellent Books where you are most willing to remember O what a shame it is for Men to remember every thing except what they should can tell all the News going long stories of Contentions or Pastimes but what is said to strengthen Faith they have forgot here Fuller in his Meditations says thus I heard a merry story long since and that I remember I heard a good Sermon lately and that I have forgotten thus Lord is my Memory like a filthy pond where Frogs live and good Fish dye Mind these Directions so may you give an account of the reason of the Hope in you so may you convince Gainsayers so may you be kept in an hour of Temptation for Heresies