a Miracle as any thing can be found in the Popish Legends for if setting a Man's Neck aright that had gone awry by a fall be a Miracle then many Miracles have been wrought in England and elsewhere for it is very common and yet was never called a Miracle until now that these who published his Journal have so called it and like to this is that one recovered from Sickness after G. Fox had prayed and if this was a Miracle many such Miracles are wrought by Ministers of the Church of England and others SECTION IX Divers particulars contracted out of the General History and branched into six distinct Heads where their Anniversary Synods and their Church Government and private Devotions are Treated of shewing the effects to be disparaging the Scripture withholding Tythes refusing to pay Church Rates neglecting to read the Bible in their Meetings refusing to vindicate it from the aspersions of the Papists throwing of the Sacraments allowing Women to Teach and Vsurp Authority in their distinct Womens Meetings omitting private Duties censuring and reproaching the Church Liturgy Magistrates Ministers such as write against them and for Conscience sake separate from them their gross Hypocrisy in making Legal punishments to be persecutions in saying and recording that they suffer great penalties when they really do not c. GEN. Hist p. 50. to 56. They the Quakers have likewise Meetings like to those we call Classes and Provincial and National Synods or Councils these Conventions are celebrated but so as to allot each Sex both Men and Women their distinct and particular Meetings other Meetings are appointed every Month others every three Months in which they consider their Provincial affairs In these they inspect into and recognize all Books that are to be printed after they have been perused and approved by the Censors appointed for that purpose The Acts of these Meetings are put into Registers they have Anniversary Synods in every considerable Kingdom to whom belong the Care and Administration of all the Affairs of that Kingdom In England their Metropolis they have a fixed Anniversary Synod on the third day of Penticost continuing sittting 4 or 5 days together They have Delegates also come to this Synod from all their Churches in all Counties or Places where the Quakers obtain footing but these must be such as are in the Ministry At this Meeting they make a Catalogue of the Sufferers for their Religion discovering what their Sufferings were and for what causes they were inflicted and by whom when the Synods are dismissed all their Acts and Decisions are enregister'd by the publick Authority of the Synod which are afterwards copyed from the Records in order to be printed and sent to all the Synods of their Associates throughout the World They have no President to their Synod which place say they is supplyed by the Holy Ghost but they have a Clark who marks down every thing moved by the Assembly Moreover it is their custome in their Houses never to express a Religious Duty with an outward voice as Praying to God craving a Blessing e'er they take Meat or go to Bed till they feel the impulsion of the Spirit c. Having contracted the sense of several pages wherein my Author relate the Way Manner and Method of the Quakers Church Government and Family Behaviour now I shall make it my business to shew how Quakerism grows encreases and makes its progress in and by these Ways and Methods and thereby discover not only that Quakerism tends to root up the Foundations of the Christian Religion Instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ who so loved the World that he laid down his precious Life for lost Man but also tends to unhinge the Government both of Church and State and in order to make some further discovery hereof I shall digest the matter into a few Heads and speak briefly and distinctly to each in their place 1. The Quakers in their Synods have no President the Holy Ghost supplying that Office 2. The Quakers at their Synods make a Catalogue of them which suffer for their Religion what they suffer and by whom 3. That the Quakers at their Synods inspect Books to be printed and recognize the same 4. About the Womens distinct Meetings and their way of Government 5. The Quakers custome observed in not Praying to God in their Families nor craving a blessing before they Eat 6. About their Anniversary Synods particularly that at London with some of its Fruits and Effects And lastly with some observations upon a passage in the General History p. 110. The Quakers also could not but Love King William and embrace him as their most effectual Defender c. And so shall conclude these seven particulars 1. The Quakers have no President in their Synod which place they say is supplyed by the Holy Ghost c. This is the great Foundation upon which the Church of Rome build their Faith touching the Doctrine of infallibility and of which they mightily boast over all Protestant Churches For tho' all true Protestants believe that the Holy Ghost is with and will continue with his Church to the end of the World according to Matth. 28. yet that thereby any Synod Councel or Church is infallible in their Precepts and Councels that as such they are to be indispensably obeyed as was the Precepts of the inspired Apostles this they deny and none hold it but the Papists and Quakers And as this vain glorying of infallibility in the Papists has been refuted so it will be in the Quakers also and in order to it let us examine how and in what manner the Holy Ghost is the President of the Quakers Counsels and Synods c. It is written John 5. 23. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son v. 27. and hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man And to this agrees that Apostolical saying Acts 17. 31. Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Now this Text in St. John the Quakers do not like it as translated and therefore to bend the Scripture to serve their design and to quadrate to their principles they have perverted these Scriptures in Josiah Coal's Works p. 93. saying All Judgment being committed to the Light that Lighteth every Man the Light that is in every Man must of necessity be Judge of all controversies c. So that it plainly appears from hence as also in my First Chapter in the First Part. That whereas God Almighty hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath ordained him to be Judge of quick and dead because he is the Son of Man Therefore the Quakers translate this Prerogative from the Son of God Christ Jesus to their Light which by their Logick is the Son of Man which
need not here relate what an Influence their first Epistle had and how little the Law was regarded or observed the whole Nation is witness and as to the last about Tythes and Church-warden Rates which the Parliament took care to preserve in their old Channel in the same Law which indulge the Quakers in the exercise of their perswasion yet this very Law they Anno 1696. Charged implicitly with Antichristianism saying p. 1. That all due care be taken against that grand Oppression and Antichristian Yoke of Tythes that our Christian Testimony born and greatly suffered for be faithfully maintained against them in all respects and against Steeple-house-rates or Lays as also against the burthen and imposition of Oaths c. Here we see Tythes are Antichristian and their Testimony Christian a perfect Map of their whole Doctrine the Parliament Antichristian the Quakers Christian the Parliament great Oppressors the Quakers Oppressed tho' they pay no more than their Neighbours the Parliament lay Antichristian Yokes upon the Quakers the Quakers the only Christian sufferers and persecuted People of God whose sufferings and persecutions are greater and more unjust than the sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs for what was inflicted upon them was duly executed by a Law and to this practice of ours agree that Doctrine of St. Edw. Burrow's as it is written in our Gospel in the Book of our Holy Scriptures which we at all times stand ready to vindicate vulgarly call'd Ed. Burrow's Works p. 501. Witnesses we stand against Parliaments Councels Judges Justices who make and execute Laws in their own wills over the Consciences of Men and to such Laws Customs Courts or Arbitrary Usurped Dominion we cannot yield obedience c. And therefore by this our Anniversary Decree we Ordain and Enact that the Members of all our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and all other our Associates in every Kingdom Nation and County that adhere to us and believe us to be the universal Church of the First born who cannot err but are led by an infallible Spirit that all and every of our Disciples throw off all these Antichristian Yokes of grand Oppression and from henceforth stand faithful Witnesses against Tythes as Antichristian against Church Rates against lawful Oathes against carrying Guns and this as the Historian says is to go through England and Wales yea all the World over and all that suffer for their Stubborness and Antimagistratical Principles by the same Edict is to be taken into Record who it is that suffer for what cause they suffer and on what account I have not time to set forth the dangerous consequences of these Anniversary Synods when they once gain upon the People that they are the only universal Catholick Church and as such cannot err that as G. Whitehead Teaches the People are to believe as she believes I say on this Doctrine of Infallibity hangs a load of dangers the Parliament say one thing the Anniversary Synod at Devonshire-house another they now argue privately but in time may dispute the Point publickly Infallibility sticks at nothing provided it be for the Holy Church in the Papists Dialect or for Truth 's sake in the Quakers They are Terms Synonymous respecting their Authors and W. Penns Books cited declare plainly how vigorous he was for his near Friends and dear kindred in the late Reign and the Quakers addressed from their Anniversary Synods run in the same Channel and flow from the same Fountain for K. J. II. and against the Church of England there came forth publick Addresses Annually besides Books every Month in favour of the then Government and against the Church But since King William came to the Crown never a publick Anniversary Address to King W. nor one Book wrot in favour of the present Governments as anon will appear And thus Quakerism like the Snake in the Grass creeps on undiscovered or at least little notice taken how she secretly Smites and privately Stings and throws out her Poyson both at Church and State She 'll Arraign Impeach Try Judge Summons Dialogue Condemn both Magistrate and Minister Ruler and People yet if she be but toucht Oh how she winches and giffles up and down crying she 's wrong'd she 's abus'd and all is malice that 's said of her whil'st she takes the liberty to abuse traduce stigmatize and calumniate all other People This is the Temper of this clamorous Woman and tho' I do solemnly profess as in the sight of God Angels and Men I am not for Persecution neither do I desire nor none need to fear that our King and Parliament should follow the French King's example in what is of the nature of Persecution or Cruelty yet on the other hand when they perceive the Ingratitude of this insolent People they probably may take some measures to stop the stream of Heresie which spreads like a Leprosie through the Nation And forasmuch as something that is praise worthy on the French King's part in granting the Ministry of the reformed Churches leave to hold a national Synod and for the exemplariness of the French Protestants zeal for God care of his Church subjection to the Laws according to the Evangelical Doctrine of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs I shall set down a few things worthy observation from the 28 Synod held at Charenton near Paris the 26 day of December 1644. as in the 2 Vol. of John Quick's Hist p. 4. 28. to 437. viz. The Sessions being opened with Prayer the Lord Marquis of Clermont General Deputy presented the Writ given forth by His Majesty's Command for calling the Synod as followeth This day being the 12 of February 1644. the King being then at Paris upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the pretended reformed Religion to permit them the calling and holding a national Synod desiring to gratifie and treat favourably his said Subjects hath permitted and doth permit them the Convocation of a national Synod next to Charenton but with this condition that they treat in it of none other matters but of those which he allowed them and that the Commissioner whom His Majesty shall please to appoint be present in the said Synod as hath been accustomed in witness whereof His Majesty hath commanded me to issue out this Writ which he hath Signed with his own Hand and caused it to be counter-signed by me his Commissioner and Secretary of State and of his Command Signed in the Original Lewis and a litt'e lower Phelipeaux The Lord Commissioner unto the Synod Messieurs AS it is a very great honour to me to be Commissionated to assist in your Synod and to acquaint you with his Will and Pleasure so also have I great deal of joy and satisfaction to behold this illustrious Assembly chosen out of all the Provinces of this Kingdom and that I can tell you by word of Mouth which is to assure you of their Majesties good will unto you and protection of you and of all your Churches and
p. 223. A just and lawful Tryal of the Ministers of this Age by a perfect proceeding against them and hereby they are righteously examined and justly weighed and truly measured and condemned to disagree and be contrary to all the Ministers of Christ in former Ages and to agree and concur with all the false Prophets and Deceivers in their Call in their Maintenance and in their Doctrines Conversations and Practice and being brought to the Bar of Justice are truly charged and legally proved upon them and found guilty c. I forbear to recite their proofs but by the Title aforesaid 't is easie to see their Insolence Impudence and Arrogancy That a dissenting People should thus Arraign Try and Condemn the national Ministry to be contrary to all the Ministers of Christ and to agree and concur with all the false Prophets and Deceivers This is such a Charge as is worthy observation and yet if they be Arraigned oh how they take it Witness their Books against me for Arraigning them c. next Burrow's Works p. 523. why they see that the wicked Clergy's Interest is more prospering than the just freedom of the People And this I say unto you the Parliament in the Name of the Lord that whil'st that Interest of the Priesthood is so much favour'd and defended you can never prosper nor the Nations be happy under you for it is one of the greatest Oppressions this day of the Nation the maintaining and upholding of this Ministry by Tythes and the very Land groans under the Oppression of this Church and Ministry which lies as a heavy burthen both upon Persons and Estates and Consciences of many good People even of your dearest Friends Their own doings are a sufficient Testimony of the malice of their Hearts against you and all good Men in the Nation yet nevertheless some of you seem to shut your Eyes crying up your Godly Ministers and thus are you blinded and see not were the Cause lies of your interruptions I say 't is the favouring of that Interest which stops the issue of good things and while you oppress peoples Persons Estates and Consciences to uphold this Ministry and Priesthood aforesaid the Lord shall never prosper you nor make the Nations happy under your charge wherefore I do say unto you it is high time for you to lay aside the Interest of this oppressing Clergy so much levened of the Whore of Rome your selves do know that the Spirit of the Romish Clergy was in the late Bishops which you cast out for their wickedness and the very Spirit of those Bishops is entered into these Priests and bears Rule in their Hearts and thus by succession hath the Whore of Rome levened the Clergy of England Therefore clear your selves do not any longer Drink the Whores Cup neither be you carriers of her and leave this false Church and Ministry to themselves for while you maintain and uphold this Ministry Church and Worship you do but cause People to drink the Whores Cup and you are but them which carry the Whore viz. the false Church and this is plain dealing to tell you the truth whether you will reject it or receive it Wherefore cast them off and let them not surk under your Wings for one day they will rebel against you and another day flatter you and for a season they will shew forth much love and kindness to you in Hypocrisy you had better be in a just opposition against them than in an unjust peace with them I know it appears to many of you a thing very hard to be born what to forsake our Godly Ministers think ye to hear tell of laying them aside is an amasement to some of your minds was it not the same concerning the King and Bishops Was it not as much terrible to him and his Lords and Councils to think of the overthrow of the then called Godly Fathers and Bishops but better had he cast them off and saved himself than to have perished with them for I tell you again that the very Spirit of the old Idolatrous Bishops is entered into the Hearts of these Men and there is as great a measure of Tyranny and Injustice and Abomination lying upon these as once was upon the Bishops and these are no less free from the abomination than they were and these are nigh as ripe for Vengeance c. Burrows Epistle c. And the word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare caused the deaf to hear and the blind to see and the dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and terror took hold on our Enemies And first of all our mouths were opened and and our Spirits filled with indignation against the Priests and Teachers and with them and against them we first began to War as being the causers of the People to err and the blind leaders that carried the blind into the Ditch and against them as the Fountain of all wickedness abounding in the Nations and as being the issue of Profaness and against them we cryed shewing unto all these People that they were not lawful Ministers of Christ but Deceivers and Antichrists and we spared not publickly and at all seasons to utter forth the Judgments of the Lord against them and their Ways and their Churches and Worships and Practices and this was our first Work we entered upon to thresh down the Deceivers and lay them open that all People may see their shame and come to turn from them Reader I gave you an account of their Rise and when and now of their Progress and how These are the Sayings of Edw. Burrow the Quakers great Prophet spoken about 1658. by the motion of Edward Burrow's Spirit and reprinted by the order and approbation of George Whitehead Geo. Fox Josh Coal and others of their Teachers Anno 1672. And the whole community own stand by and at all turns are ready to defend my Lord chief Justice Burrow's who you see first by a just and lawful Tryal hath arraigned and condemned the Clergy by wholesale and for a crime if it were true would deserve it too tho' not from them viz. being contrary to all the Ministers of Christ in all things and according to all the false Prophets and Diviners in all things oh dreadful You see also their Petition to the Parliament it needs no comment they plead heartily against the Clergy against their Interest against their Tythes they tell the Parliament they can never prosper if they do not throw off the wicked Clergy leave them to themselves stand in a just opposition to them that their first Work was to make War against the Clergy as the Deceivers of the Nation the Issue of Prophaness yea the Fountain of all Wickedness and with them and against them they first began to War for their Mouths were filled with indignation against them I believe them and in all Places publick and private in Churches in Markets on the high Ways and in private
to the King's Mind Where will you have a Foundation to build your Work upon for as it is found contrary to all these weighty Things so by their Authority your Work in cases of Conscience may well be Questioned The Law of the Nation may justly question you the Spirit of Truth may justly question you the Scriptures may justly question you Christianity may justly question you Reason may justly question you Christ Jesus may justly question you the King may justly question you and what can your Foundation be but the love of Money printed 1668. Mark Reader the Impudence of these Quakers who twit others with their own Crimes I am sure every particular may be apply'd to themselves rightly and yet such is their insolent boldness even whil'st Diffenters and acted as well contrary to the Laws as all the things by them mentioned to give out a general Summons to all the Ecclesiastical Order Established by Law But if I give them a Summons this is presumptious seditious tumultuary yea if I Arraign them as New Rome and print without Licence I must be by them indicted and had I not had a Church of England Jury I might have been ruined These are the meek Men the righteous Men the just Men that Burrows and in him the Quakers prayed in the last recital of Burrow's Works to the Government that they might have the executive part of the Law and that Cases between Man and Man might be left to them but thanks be to God who have given the Nation such a sight of their Hypocrisie that hitherto they have not been thought worthy of a place in the Government no not so much as Constable a remembring their Anti-magistratical principle laid down by their first Founder as in News coming up c. p. 20. Sing all ye Saints and Rejoyce clap your Hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will Raign and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers Judges and Justices Lawyers and Constables all this tree must be cut down and Jesus Christ in us will Rule alone c. But I thank God this Tree of Defence is still standing which preserved me from your inveterate malice who for not Licensing my Book tho' it be your own daily practice Indicted me as one turbulent and unquiet practicing and intending falsly unlawfully seditiously and maliciously c. as also to move stir up and cause discords tumults and miserable slaughters c. and all because I printed unlicensed Arraigned them as New Rome c. But behold they can Arraign Try Summons and Judge yea and Condemn Magistrates Ministers and whole Churches by whole sale Are these the meek Men the just Men the righteous Men that would so fain have the Administration of the Government God forbid and let all good Protestants and sincere Christians say Amen Reader I must beg pardon for this Digression 't is a fault that sometimes better Writers fall into The next I shall recite is a Dialogue or Catechism between Tradition and Truth The Terms being interpreted are thus in the Original Truth that is the Quakers and Tradition that is the Church of England and if I were to recite it all it is worse than Tho. Hicks's Dialogue between a Quaker and a Christian for the substance of that is true to my certain knowledge but this is so barbarous a Dialogue as none but such that are void of Charity and the Fear of God would ever have attempted but the Quakers they may domineer and insult over their Superiors yea Summon Arraign Try Judge and Condemn the Church of England and thereby the Magistrates Ministers and People present their seditious Petitions to the Parliament Advise and Councel them to let the Ministers alone stand not say they by Baal's Priests down with all that judge for Money alias take Money for their pains and labor as the Quakers themselves do yet none must say a word to them Oh no no touch the hem of their Garment as if they had a Pattent to commit all manner of reproaches revilings scandalous destructive horrible Blasphemies and all manner of impieties cum privilegio Smith 's Works p. 157. A Catechism by way of Dialogue to all Priests and Prelates Truth lay down thy Fundamentals and what they are that they may be known and in their place come to Tryal Tradition these be my Foundation principles of my Religion believing they are sound because I find in the Scriptures that the Saints performed them and served God in them I have Churches Preaching Praying Singing and Bishops Ministers and under them other Officers for order sake Truth these in their places must be examined and by the Spirit of Truth i. e. Quakers proved whether they be right in the ground and have their rise from the Power of God Open thine Eye and behold thy Ceremonies and see what Monsters thou hast generated and brought forth from thy Adulterous Womb. And so hath the birth of thy Adulterous Womb deceived the Nations Tradition I am reasonably satisfied from what hath been said as to the Ceremonies belonging to my Worship but as to my Church Preaching Praying Singing Bishops and Ministers they must be duly observed Truth I shall try them in order and if I find them right in the ground shall approve them if not testify against them therefore speak plainly what thy Church is that I may proceed to Tryal Tradition my Church is a consecrated Place for my Worship to be perform'd in and by many Ancient Fathers Laws been set by c. Truth now I shall try thy Church and if it be not in God it is none of his but an adulterated Harlot covered over with the Mystery of Iniquity therefore Tradition be silent a little and Truth will shew thee thy Error so be cool and hear what Truth saith for now thy Church comes to Tryal Tradition I know that Praying in my Worship is right for it is mentioned in the Scripture and was practiced very much by the Saints and I have the Lord's Prayer and have made many other Prayers which be useful and comfortable for all conditions and on all occasions and I have put them together in a Book which I call the Book of Common Prayer and use it in my Devotion Truth Prayer in the Spirit the Saints practiced but thou art degenerated and hath formed such Prayers as the Lord hath not required neither doth he open his Ear to them and that which thou call'st the Lord's Prayer be thou silent and make no mention of it for thou hast nothing to do with it Oh thou Adulterous Tradition What Monsterous births hast thou brought forth Thy Common Prayer Book is seen to be conceived in thy Adulterous Womb and to branch forth from the Pope Tradition but what if my Common Prayer Book do not fully agree with the Scriptures and the Saints practice yet there are many good things in it and many Scripture sentences which may edifie and comfort Truth that which is
and be perswaded to embrace that old bloody Apostatiz'd Church again with all her Slavish as well as Ridiculous Superstitions is a crime so offensive to God and intollerable to Men as the time hastens that the very Stones of the Street will rise up in Judgment against them p. 38. Question whether in case they could not be conformed unto they would allow a tolleration were they powerful whether in case they should say yes we ought to believe them since it is one of their most Sacred maxims not to keep Faith with Hereticks as was seen in the case of those in the Alpine Valleys J. Hush c. and in that they have in all Ages brought so great a deluge of Blood upon the Europian World Question whether it be the Interest of the English Nation to Subject her self to a Popish Yoke considering the incomparable Bloody Massacres of that sort of Men in several Reigns Thus have I undertook tho' with much brevity an enervation of the Romans Faith at least a detection of their Craft their horrid Couzenage and present way of Insinuation among the People Next see his Book stiled Engl. great Int. in the Choice of this new Parliam c. p 4. by W. P. Pray see that you chuse sincere Protestants Men that don't play the Protestant in design and are indeed disguis'd Papists ready to pull off their Mask when time serves you will know such by their laughing at the Plot disgracing the Evidence admiring the Traytors constancy The contrary are Men that thank God for this discovery and in their conversation zealously direct themselves in an opposition to the Papal Interest which indeed is a Combination against good Sense Reason and Conscience and to introduce a blind obedience without if not against Conviction and that principle which introduces implicit Faith and blind Obedience in Religion will also introduce implicit Faith and blind Obedience in Government so that it is no more the Law in the one than the other but the Will and Power of the Superior that shall be the Rule and Bound of our Subjection This is that fatal mischief Popery brings with it to civil Society and for which such Societies ought to be aware of it One Project for the Good of England c. by W. Penn p. 10. The New Test I. A. B. do solemnly and in good Conscience in the sight of God and Men declare that King Charles the 2d is Lawful King of this Realm and all the Dominions thereun to belonging and that neither the Pope nor the See of Rome nor any else by their Authority have Right in any Case to depose the King or dispose of his Kingdom or upon any score whatever to absolve his Subjects of their Obedience or to give leave to any of them to Plot or Conspire the hurt of the King's Person his State or People and that all such Pretences and Power are False Pernicious and Damnable And I do further sincerely profess and in good Conscience declare that I do not believe that the Pope is Christ's Vicar or Peter's Lawful Successor or that he or the See of Rome joyntly or severally are the Rule of Faith or Judge of Controversies or that they can Absolve Sins nor do I believe there is a Purgatory after Death or that Saints should be Prayed too or Images in any sense to be Worshiped Nor do I believe that there is any Transubstantiation in the Lord's Supper or Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof by any Person whatsoever But I do firmly believe that the present Communion of the roman-catholick-Roman-Catholick-Church is both Superstitious and Idolatrous And all this I do Acknowledge Intend Profess and Declare without any Equivocation or reservation or other sense than the plain and usual signification of these Words according to the real intention of the Law maker and the common Acception of all true Protestants c. This is the Test I offer large in Matter because comprehensive of Oaths and Test too yet brief in Words The Abuse of this Discrimination should be very Penal for 't is a great Lye upon a Man 's own Conscience and a Cheat put upon the Government Your Wisdoms i. e. Parliament can best proportion and direct the Punishment but it can scarcely be too severe as our Case stands Reader There is a Proverb that a treble Cord is not soon broken but W. Penn break all these and as many more on the same Subject and yet that is not the worst on 't but led many thousands into the same Snare peculiarly the Quakers as anon will appear And thereby notwithstanding his Wit and Parts became an ill Instrument and the greatest Enemy the Church of England then had But in regard his Writing Pro and Con say so much and give such a Demonstration I shall say the less not being willing to stay too long on this Head Good Advice to the Church of England Roman Catholick and Protestant Dissenters to Abolish the Penal Laws and Tests c. p. 39. 42. It happens now that God and Cesar are both of a mind which perhaps does not always fall out at least about the Point in hand Edward the 6th succeeded a Prince that promised Vertues that might more than ballance the Excesses of his Father and yet by Archbishop Cranmer was compelled to Sign a Warrant to burn poor Joan of Kent a Famous Woman but counted an Enthusiast thus even Protestants begun with Blood and taught the Romanists in succeeding Times how to deal with them I hope I may conclude that the Penal Laws have been a make-bate in the great Family of the Kingdom setting the Father against the Children and Brethren against Brethren and for this the Church of England has paid a severe Reckoning if she hope by her aversion to a general ease to set up for a Bulwork against Popery One Year will show the trick and mightily deceive her and the Opportunity will be lost and another Bargain driven I dare assure her mightily to her disadvantage Violence and Tyranny are no natural Consequencies of Popery c. 2. A Reply to the Answer of the Man of no Name c. p. 22. 2. And one thing I must say Roman Catholicks have been Loyal in England and Holland so that it is not necessarily true The Gentlemen that tore the Kings Declaration of the Indulgence from him were high Churchmen and they oppos'd his Political Capacity to his Natural on purpose to overthrow that Act of Grace by which Destination the late Civil War was made so that 41 overtook 73 or that returned to 41 and who knows not that they were such as hardly knew how to Pray but out of our Liturgy that attempted to Exclude the Presumptive Heir to the Crown upon the score of Religion A Defence of the Duke of Buckingham 's Book c. p. 12. Now tho' this Man would think it imprudent in me and I that it is none of my business to vindicate
the Persons charged from his Imputation yet I have so much Justice I confess as not to condemn Parties by Particulars and Charity as to be satisfied with their solemn disclaiming of such Practices For I did never love that one Man should have the making of another Man's Faith and Confession especially if he were his Adversary I must tell him also I cannot admire his Wisdom Manners or Justice in his Reflections on the Roman Catholicks after the Assurance that so great an one of their Communion has given him and his Friends of their Security and Protection for if they are a People able to ruin the whole Earth and lay the Foundations of Eternal Mischief to Mankind believe me England is in an ill pickle And tho' I am an ill Judge he has in it put but a scurvy Complement upon the King let him be just and he will find the Excluders almost every Sunday at their Parish Churches and if three quarters of them were to pray for their Lives it may be they could better read their Clergy than say their Prayers without the publick Liturgy c 3. Animadversions on the Apology of the clamorous Squire c. p. 3. But when he has done all he can they were not Dissenters under Correction that in 1680. prosecuted the Roman Catholicks and refused them Liberty but Church of England Men and such of them too as would not allow it to some Protestant Dissenters for fear that Dissenters should hide themselves amongst them and that they therefore must swallow the most severe Tests that could be framed †Whilest the same W. P. framed the said severe Tests to shew themselves * It seems it was but to shew himself no Friend to that Communion not Friends to that Communion i. e. Papists and to tell Truth and I beseech the Gentleman not to take it amiss that I say the Dissenters were invited into the share they had in opposition to Popery by Church Men ay they were for a comprehension to make the Church of England stand broader the better to receive the assaults of Rome without hazard p. 4. I do affirm the excluders were Conformists and are yet Communicants of your Church and the greatest part of them upon education and constant practice too and that this is a Truth and no Slander read the List and 't is a demonstration nay I challenge the Gentleman to name six Persons of all the excluders that dissent from the Estalish'd Church nor is this of yesterday for if we look back we shall see the most celebrated Bishops of our Church barring the succession in the Law the 13 and 27 of Eliz and when that Queen pleaded Conscience in not assenting to a Law to put our King 's great Grandmother Mary Queen of Scots to Death the same Reverend Bishops undertook to remove the Scruple p. 5. 'T was the Gentlemen of that Communion that impeached the Prerogative in the Declaration of Indulgence and set the Political capacity of the King in opposition to his natural and to make their business more popular bestowed that comment upon it of a design in the Court to let in Popery and Arbitrary Government p. 2. Our Brave King 4. A persuasive to moderation submitted to the King c. p. 1. Pref. We have not to do with an insensible Prince but one that has been toucht with our Infirmities more than any Body sit to judge our cause by the share he once had in it 5. Reasons for the Repeal of the Tests c. p. 3. They ought to be taken away because they are unreasonable and unjust p. 5. 'T is highly necessary that these Tests be abrogated this appears in that the King desires it the Papists crave it and the Interest of the whole Nation requires it We are all then in prudence to consent thereto We have been Taught †who Taught that Doctrine more than W. P. See the first 3 Books quoted to entertain very hard thoughts of their Religion and as we learnt to speak so we stammer'd it out no Papist no Popery Whence sprung this aversion mainly I am sure from our apprehension that Blood and Cruelty attended it The Roman Catholicks tho' sure of the King are willing to concert and accomodate matters with us and to deliver us from what we so dreaded their persecution upon the most reasonable and equal Terms of being freed from the danger of ours I hope our Establish'd Church will bethink her self and better consider of things than by her stubborn Adhesion to her Laws of severity and force to encline us to love Popery when we find it gentle and easie to be entreated p. 6. 7 8. The King promised to maintain her so he doth and will undoubtedly persevere to do if she runs not her self into a forfeiture of the Royal Grace Let her cease to be angry and rebuke her Sons very unmannerly sitting in Judgment upon and censuring the King's Proceedings Let her I say be Wise and know her Duty and Interest the advice is requisit she being at this day tampering to draw the Fanaticks into an Association against the King's most Gracious purpose to them and all his People It is insinuated that undue and false returns of Parliament Men may be made c. But surely there lives not a Man without the Pale of the Church we are talking of so wicked as to think the King doth not detest the Thought of so base a practice he that whispers a thing so greatly below the King will for ought I know suggest that to morrow his Majesty will return us a House of Commons from Hounslow-Heath Discourses of this kind may not be heard but in Bedlam or Newgate therefore adjourning them thither for cure or correction 6. The great and popular objection against the Repeal of the Penal Laws and Tests briefly stated and considered c. p. 3. If the consequences that are imagin'd to follow the Repeal of the Penal Statutes and Tests were indeed so terrible as they are industriously represented I should readily fall in with the common jealousy and help to augment the number of those that are for their continuance But when I consider how long our Government was happy without them how much of heat and partiality prevailed in their constitution and how troublesome and impracticable their Execution are and that in our present circumstances they appear a plain barriere to our happiness p. 11. I own it may affect the present Ecclesiastical Policy of the Church of England but I never took that for Protestancy Reader the reason why I have insisted so long on this Head beyond my first intention is threefold 1st to shew W. Penn by his 3 first Books in his Protestant Dress and by his last six with his Mask off in the contrary Dress 2. That by comparing his last six Books with the Quakers Addresses to the late K. J. 11. from their Anniversary Synods you will see they run in one and the
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
that whereas the Miracle wrought by the Apostles in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth was a means to convert the Jews to the Christian Faith and to confirm the believing Gentiles But these of G. Fox's in regard he wrought them in his own Name only they seem to be a means to shake the Faith and Confidence that some well wishers to us had of our Religion nay and to be plain many amongst us begin to doubt of them and to think them too like the Popish Legend and the counterfeit Miracles of Simon Magus that Sorcerer and I my self am almost at a stand about them and divers others of his assertions touching himself which before our adversaries quoted them I did not take so much notice of Teacher Friend Benjamen you are in the right of it for betwixt You and I Christ never wrought Miracles in a corner and publish'd them 20 or 30 years after they are said to be done but in the face of the World before multitudes of mixt People Friends and Enemies witness that of Cand in Gallilee where he turned Water into Wine likewise his feeding many Thousands with a few barly Loves and a few small Fishes He healed all manner of Diseases whether the Disease were present or absent and some of his Miracles he wrought on the Sabbath day which the Pharasees his great Enemies found fault with him for though they could not deny matter of Fact Likewise his Followers who preached in his Name the Resurrection of the dead they likewise wrought Miracles saying in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk and he the Cripple walked and leaped and praised God Clark Ah these were Miracles indeed But this Fra. Bugg makes the World believe that G. Fox's Miracles are meer shams lying wonders and delusions and I must tell thee I fear so too and to be free some Friends tho' they dare not say it openly think so as well as I and for my part I do not like them at all Teacher Like them who can I was at a Friend's House not long since where I heard an eminent Friend say that since some had wrot so much against the Journal and Miracles c. she had a mind to see it and I asked her how she liked it she said she did not like it at all and indeed if we consider a few things who can like it For 1. His Miracles were done in a corner no body knows where noâ— when otherwise than by his own relation 2. Never published till many years after they are said to be done 3. They were wrought in his own Name only and not in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth 4. Here is not one Cripple that ever he cured nor one dead Person that ever he raised nor one blind that ever he gave sight too to come forth and avouch that he was cured was raised was blind and now he sees and to be very plain I do believe there never was any thing of a Miracle at all but only an Artifice to hold the people in admiration of G. Fox and to confirm them in the belief that we are the only true Catholick Church of the First-born and that the Apostolick order thereof as well as Miracles are restored and re-established amongst us But let us have a care that no body hear us for if this discourse were known to G. W. I should loose my place and you might be in danger to loose yours Clark But pray what think you of his pretence to discerning who said he knew who were Saints who were Devils and who were Apostates without speaking ever a word Again W. Penn said none need to furnish him with discerning or judgment Christ has furnish'd us already and doth on all occasions Teacher Oh Friend I have been a Quaker more than 20 years and am ashamed to hear of such vain boasting For indeed if we were always thus furnished with discerning and judgment on all occasions so that we knew who were Saints Devils and Apostates without speaking ever a word how came it to pass that Sam. Cater in his Narrative p. 18. 19. was so mistaken that Geo. Fox was so mistaken in Thomas Murford Ste. Crispe Tho. Rudyard Ezekiel Woolly c. And how came it to pass that G. Whitehead was so mistaken in Christopher Atkinson Tho. Leacock W. Warwick c. Clark But if this Journal be so erronious so stuft with false and counterfeit Miracles so thick larded with Antichristian as well as Antiscriptural Principles why do our Friends thus run a whoring after it as to have it taught in Schools and placed in all Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales and parts beyond the Seas Why is it sent to the University to be reserved to posterity in their Library and to be free I think our Friends run a whoring after it as much as the revolting Israelites did after the golden Calf c. Teacher Come Friend Benjamen I will Answer you by what I have heard in my Travels 1. By teaching our Youth it they are the more weaned from the Professors Religion which is founded on the Letter 2. For that it is sent to all Quarterly and Monthly Meetings it has this service namely to prove the antiquity of our Religion and to shew how it was confirmed by Miracles 3. And its being received into the Library in Oxford it is to shew our Errors and to expose us as may be seen by a Letter sent from the Library-keeper to Fra. Bugg which is as followeth viz. Mr. Bugg You must needs think it strange to receive a Letter from a Man so utterly unknown to you yet the same motive which made you to publish your useful Books I mean the publick Good causes me to become a Petitioner to you in the behalf of the publick Library of Oxford in which place I have the honour of being a Servant to our Universary I have seen your Book call'd The Quakers set in their true Light c. At the end of which is a Catalogue of 15 Books more all written by you The Quakers have already presented us with Fox's Journal Barkly's Works c. I am satisfy'd it would be extremely well taken if you would be pleased to send us your own Works which are so capable of instructing those who are desirous of hearing what can be alledged on both sides Here they will be for ever preserved and your Donation shall be particularly Register'd among the other Benefactors by Sir your unknown but humble Servant c. H. W. Bodlejan Library April 6 1696. Clark Come Brother it grew late if thee wilt answer me a few Questions Briefly do and we will part for this Time and wait another Opportunity for a little more Familiar Discourse about Truth 's Affairs And First Why did our Brother G. Whitehead send a Paper to Turners-hall April 29. 1697. called a Protestation against George Keith's Advertisement and not come and defend our Books Teach Why You need not ask the