against his own and his Brethrens present Practice who before they have used all those rational and Religious means which they then used in Meekness of Wisdom to convince them of any Error or mistake have given their consent by Bill to the ruining of the Quakers and also before the passing of the said Bill have permitted their Apparitors and other Officers who have hunted Poor Innocents from place to place as it were on purpose to weary them out like Tormentors by summoning them to Courts far remote from each other and that onely for either not coming to the Publick Place of Worship or for not paying of Mortuaries Smoak-Pennies Peter-pence Easter Reckonings with other such like spiritual Impositions which seeing we find them not mentioned at all in the Scriptures nor practiced among Primitive Christians whether they are not meerly mens Traditions and Inventions yea and Relicks of the Church of Rome we desire to be informed by the Bishop in all plainness if he judges they are not Bish. Or secondly by rationall convincing them of their Error which is a work of time and dexterity not to be done on the suddain though very worthy to bear a part in the Discipline of the Church which should require of every one a Reason why they differ from and forsake the establisht Religion Answ. We appeal to the Bishop himself where ever there hath been as yet any such rational proceedings of the Bishops with us in order to the convincing us of Error with such time and dexterity as he speakes of Yea rather have they not run upon us on the suddain without using any of there own prescribed remedies without exercising that which he calls a part of the Discipline of the Church without requiring as they say they ought to do of every one a reason why we differ from them in Religion Although we have been alwayes ready to render not only to them but to every one that asketh us a reason of our Faith and Practice but that the Deficiency hath been ever on their part witness the Bishops own words Pag. 7. where he saith of himself at least who hath had as much to do with the Quakers as any one of them all hath had I never conversed with any of their Persons and pag. 4. With the Quakers I have so little Correspondency that I have not any acquaintance not knowing any of that way by face or name or so much as one hours conversation But the Bishop who hath a Plaister ready at hand to apply to every wound that he gives himself unawares by his unwary conflicts with the Quakers hath one Pittiful Put-off for this oversight also for saith he in the same place of the Quakers Bish. They are a Generation of People so Supercilious or so shie that they are scarce Sociable or accessible speaking much in their Conventicles behind mens backs but seldom arguing any thing in presence of those that are best able to answer or satisfie them Answ. To which we reply that it is very well known that they are a People not so Supercilious or so shie as he would make them for Shieness Superciliousness Unsociableness Unaccessibleness is the usual Deportment of the Bishops themselves towards the Quakers whom while they seem to themselves to be some sons of Anak they look upon as Grashoppers with disdain whose Greatness will scarce stoop to entertain any conference with the Poor silly Quakers as he terms them in order to their Conviction of the Errors they deem them to be in although the Holy Men and Ancient Fathers of the Church above named as this Bishop himself testifies of them did not at any time so despise the meanest of any Christians outward Condition or the Fatuity of their Opinions as not to set a great value on their Souls for whom Christ dyed Neither do the Quakers seek Corners to speak in behind mens backs as he falsely charges them with the doing of in their Conventicles which are places open to all comers but appear as publickly as possibly they can in their Testimony to the Truth of which they are not ashamed neither do they refuse to argue any thing but rather offer often to argue every thing in presence of those even the Bishops themselves who judge themselves best able to answer or satisfie them who are indeed so wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight as to take upon them to impose things to be believed and done on seventy-times seven men that are able were the Bishops as willing to condescend by word of mouth to render their reasons for them to render a sufficient reason to the contrary By the Bishops own prescription then of this second Remedy as well as of the first Sith in this second which he commends he is found defective while he Condemns the first which alone he is found active in he stands altogether Condemned by himself not onely in what he Condemns but in what he â—…wes Bish. Or thirdly by changing the Established Lawes for their sake which is not for the Piety Prudence Honour and safety of a Nation and Church when it judgeth its Constitutions to be Religious Righteous and convenient Answ. This were an effectuall way to end and mend all indeed to change the Lawes Established which are for the Establishing of Persecution for the sake of the Persecuted sufferers that dissent out of Tenderness of Conscience and to Establish in their stead such as allow a Liberty to all Religions while they keep Righteousness and Peace amongst each other in outward matters whether Ethnicks Turks Iewes Papists or Protestants of what Form or Profession soever The Civil Power interposing between them all to no other end then the bare preserving of the Civil Peace and of equity innocency honesty and truth in their dealings each with other in meer externall affaires Yea doubless no Nation will ever stand firm in the time that is now to come till their Foundation be that Love that allowes to all men the same Liberty of their Consciences which each man desires to enjoy himself till all People be permitted to walk in the Name of his God and the Lords own People to walk in the Name of the Lord their God without any molestation or prohibition for Conscience being that truly tender part in which those onely excepted by the Bishop himself which being wholly resolved into suffering Principles cannot make resistance all others though never so Conformable through fear for a timè being trod upon will turn again and when they can relieve themselves from the heavy hands of their Oppressors And besides all those mischievous and ill consequences of War which ariseth mostly about Religion 't is the express command of Christ which what Nation soever violates will first or last dearly rue their violation of it Mat. 13. that the Tares viz. false worshippers should stand and be let alone though not in the Garden or true Church yet at least in the Field which
count their Persecutors And p. 164. Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigor of the Lawes there being nothing worse then Legal Tyranny But we need not go so far abroad to fetch in Testimonies of others to the truth of this seeing we have the Bishops own Testimony herein siding with us neerer home whose words in that 7. 8. pages of his Epistle are these In point of State Policy or Methods of true Government I do conceive that meer Plagiary Counsels and Punitive courses are never likely to obtain the main end which is to stop the contagion of Errors and to extirpate those depraved opinions which are justly thought to be the spawn of dangerous Actions for unless the generality of credulous people who are Spectators of those that differ and suffer for their Opinions and Consciences do also see so much Light of Reason and clâ—…er Religion as may justifie the severity of the Lawes Executed upon those offenders who profess Conscience for their disobedience and Scripture for their Consciences it is most certain that the Spectators of their sufferings will very much soften to a compassion for them and by Sympathizing with their persons in affliction they will by degrees Symbolize with their Opinions easily runing as metal that is melted into the fame mould At length the Popuâ—…acy if not fortified by Pregnant Demonstrations of Truth against those spreading Errors and their Pseudo-Martyrs will mightily cry up their Piety admire their courage and magnifie their constancy At last they will conclude those sufferers to have some special support or Diviner Spirit above ordinary men because they seem to be so much above the ordinary passions of fear and hope self-love and preservation which prospect of Patience Justine Martyr tells us was the first occasion of his examining the Doctrine of Christians that he might see on what ground so fixed a constancy grew which shewed a Divine security midst humane infirmity By such popular pitty and applause not onely sufferers will be confirmed in their pertinacy but their Spectators also will dayly increase and multiply as the shoot's of Trees do by the lopping of their Branches especially iâ—… the lives and actions of such dissenters and sufferers be morrally just and civilly honest And pag. 9. where harmlesness of life sets a gloss on Opinions and Errours thereby grow more lusty and rank there meer robust Power or punitive severity can no more pull them up then a strong arm doth Thorns and Bushes when they are deeply rooted breaking of the stemme or top of them but leaving the roots still in the ground which will spring again and spread farther All this the Bishop writes in pursuit of the proof of that truth we affirm in justification of the above said Indulgence and Tolleration and in condemnation of the rashness of them who hastily run into Rigor Severity and Persecution as such as make more hast then good speed to the end they aim at and are more mischievous and Injurious then successful to themselves in their own undertakings Only with this difference from us which we may not passe by without some notice viz. that whereas we look upon such conscientious dissenters as are morally Righteous civilly innocent and of harmless lives and are also sufferers meerly for their Consciences under what dark Form soever because for want of conviction only they cannot conform to another Form that is false and darker as true Martyrs whether Papists suffering for not turning Turks and Iewes or Protestants not turning Papists as in the Marian dayes those that owned not the real presence or any People more reformed in matter of Form for non-conformityâ—…o â—…o those that remain behind more Superstitious unreformed The Bp. mean while looks on all such kind of suffering dissenters though never so morally honest just civilly innocent and harmlesâ—… in their lives as contagious dangerous disobedient offenders spreaders of Errors and Pseudo-Martyrs In confutation of which Episcopal Error and mistake in that particular we need go no further than this self same Section of the Bishops sayings in which he is found confounding himself while he sayes that same prospect of Patience which is found among meer modern Sufferers and is at this day and thereby many like Lyons are become as Lambs to them seen among the Quakers of all others whom yet with others the Bishop seems to conclude as disobedient Offenders Spreaders of Errors and Pseudo-Martyrs was seen among the Primitive Christians and was the first occasion of Iust. Mart. examining the Christian Doctrin that he might see on what ground so fixed a constancy grew and which shewed a Divine Security midst of humane Infirmity For if it be the same Patience Piety Courage and Constancy as was in the primitive Christians that now appears in the Quakers by which they are kept above the ordinary passions of Fear Self-Love and Preservation as himself saith it was then Bishop Gauden must either prove that all those vertues in those Christians by which Iust. Mart. as by the occasion of it was convinced was no true ground whereupon to conclude them to be true Christians but that all those things notwithstanding they might be Erroneous Contagious Dangerous Depraved Disobedient Offenders Spreaders of Errors and Pseudo-Martyrs or else upon the same groâ—…nd and Prospect of their Patient Sufferings must he conclude and acknowledge that the Quakers are proved to be true Christians and neither contagious nor dangerous â—…or deproved in their oppinions or actions nor Offenders nor Spreaders of errors nor Pseudo-martyrs And in prosecution of the proof of the point afore spoken to viz. how not only ineffectual but also dangerous and disturbing it is to Nations to Persecute and not tolerate Dissenters from the Religion establisht The Bishop saith moreover in the 13th page of his Epistle thus I am not for heavy Mulcts and rigorous Eâ—…actions which shall Imprison Banish Impoverish or Destroy modest Dissenters and their Families onely for the variety of their Iudgment when their Civil Actions are otherwise moral just and inoffensive this Severity would in some Countries and possibly now in England be not only destructive to many thousands but very disadvantagious to the King and Kingdom to the Trade and commerce of the Nation by opening a little Wicket of Royal Clemency only to some and shuting the Great Gate to many whose tender and unsatisfied or Scrupulous Consciences do as much need and deserve it as those that have it in petty matters while all other Scruples are driven to discontent and dispair by denyal of all indulgence to them in greater Scruples Thus far the Bishop goes along hand in hand with the Quakers in his pleas for Liberty of scrupulous Consciences impleading tooth and nail the Principle of Non-toleration and Persecution as if he were most earnestly desirous to impede the parctice of it from the consideration of its dangerousness to the King and Kingdom as well as its
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE BISHOP BUSIED BESIDE THE BUSINESSE OR That Eminent OVERSEER Dr. Iohn Gauden Bishop of Exeter so Eminently OVERSEEN as to wound his Own Cause well nigh to Death with his Own Weapon in his late so Super-eminently-applauded Appearance For the Liberty of Tender Consciences For the Legitimacy of Solemn Swearings Entituled A Discourse concerning Publick Oaths and the Lawfulness of Swearing in Iudicial Proceedings in order to answer the Scruples of the QUAKERS Which singularly double Discourse is in the Two Parts of this following Animadversion of it both seriously and singly Discoursed with and Discovered to be Not more Pretendedly AGAINST Persecution for Conscience Than Really FOR it Nor more Intentionally FOR Solemn Swearing among Christians Than Effectually AGAINST it By Samuel Fisher Prisoner in Newgate for the Truth of Iesus Quis non Ridet Qui non Videt Suo Se Iugulavit Gladio Evangelica Veritas non recipit Iuramentum Hieron Non Oportet ut Vir qui Evangelicè Vivit Iuret Omnino Chrisost. Printed in the Month called August in the Year 1662. TO THE READER READER TO say nothing here how far the Bishop's Book which this relates to as an Answer fall's short of that Beauty and Strength of true Religion spiritual Sense and sound Reason it pretends to which it scarcely seems in some parts of it to have so much as the ordinary Lineaments and Symmetry of at least in our Apprehensions who are wholly strangers save that we see it in sundry of those Polemical Pieces that by the Parochial P. P. Priest's of all the three Postures viz. Papal Prelatical and Presbyterial have been put forth against us and that Eternal Truth of God still testified to by us to any such Self-subverting Sermons and unsaid Sayings as the said Book consists of Had we discerned in it any considerable weight of Argument or Sufficient Evidence to Evince the main point undertaken i. e. the Lawfulness of Swearing to the Conviction of our Consciences we should very likely either in Print have signified our Subscription to it or else have sate down in silence and thereby at least signified our Satisfaction And even as nothing as it is to its propounded Purpose we could but that we must say for Truths sake with him of old who of a Priest was made a Prophetical Reprover of the Priests Ierem. 15. 10. Wo is me my Mother fon thou hast born me a man of Strife and Contention to the whole Earth be very well contented to be silent rather than to be found ore and ore again contending with every new Opposer of those Old Truths the Old Encounterers and their most Critical Encounters of which have been profligated by us long ago Moreover to let pass those other disadvantages we adventure upon of Caeteris imparibus our present Low Streitned Imprisoned and in a manner Condemned Conâ—…ition by reason whereof as Damnati Lingua vocem habet vim non habet so we may expect our Words how true soever should gain but small Credit against the Bishops we have so much the smaller Encouragement to reply at this time sith by so doing we expose our selves to the Lash and Severity of a sharp Law some of the Executioners of which are in their blind Zeal and malicious Minds far more Rigid Sharpe and Severe in their Hyperbolical Prosecution of it then we are yet apt to believe the most Supream Enactors of it â—…ere at their Enacting it in their Intentions All which notwithstanding for as much as the Internal Eternal Truth of our God which we have known received and belived is very pretious honourable and of great esteem with us yea far more than either Life Liberty Estate or any External Treasure or Enjoyment whatsoever and considering how it lies at stake so in this Case that our Total Silence might not unlikely be mistaken for consent and how apt some are to deem all their Aspersions of us Assertions and Arguments against us to be owned and assented to by us if they be not answered though else it might have been more Prudential as to the expedience of our Liberties and Estates to have forborn in such a Juncture we could do nâ—… less in order to the clearing of our selves from the câ—…lumnies which continue to be oast upon us by both Priests and People of different Principles and Perswasions and the clearing of that Truth we hold forth both more generally as concerning the Light and more particularly as to the Case of Oaths about which we are so angrily contested with than enter our dissent in publick in such wise as in the Book ensuing Which Book in both the Parts thereof into which it stands divided respectively to the two sorts of matter which is handled in the Bishops viz. that about Liberty and compulsion of Conscience and that of Swearing before Courts of Judicature is devoted Reader to thy most serious and impartial Perusal that thou mayest see how the Bishop in the self same Work wherein he labours earnestly to bring all men to be Conformitants to him is found a most egregious Non-couformitant to himself For in his Epistle and in the former part of his Undertakings which is more positive this Bishop seems in very many passages of it to be much what of the temper of his quondam Predecessor in the same See and Reasons much against the Inhumanity Anti-christianity Uneffectualness Unsafeness Unlawfulness Tyrannousness Irreligiousness Unrighteousness Unreasonableness of meer Plagiary Counsels Punitive Courses Sharpe Penalties Flagellant Methods the Cudgel Sword Prisons Banishments Plunderings Sequestrations and such like as if he had indeed so much Native Candor and true Christian Charity as did constrain him after the Genius of Primitive Christians who were never exercised in the Inflictions of any such as Carnal as Cruel censures on the outward Man whereby to convince the Conscience he did utterly abhor and detest all such doing's upon the score of Region only Nevertheless considering not only various Passages intermingled among the above said matter standing as it were diametrically opposite thereunto wherein he pleads the Destructiveness and Injuriousness of lenity and no less than even a necessity of the use of such Severities more or less to the most modest and moderate Dissenters to the Peace Safety and happiness of the Community but more especially considering his confessed consent to that acknowledged unseasonable issuing out of that Act for the Non-toleration Coercion Compulsion of the Quakers themselves whom he deems to be the Innocentest of modern Dissenters together with such other concurrent Circumstances as are onely thus hinted at here seeing they are more largely handled in the Book it self to which the Reader is hereby referred saving all his fair and formall Shews of so much Favour and Facility to tender Consciences as he would fain seem to be found in his charitable Endeavours as he calls them do more truly tend what ever they pretend to to the Re-establishing than to the total
Evil not being espoused to any Opinion or Iudgment but what carries Demonstration of Truth with it unto and upon our Consciences it being our Principle to keep them alwayes void of offence towards God and towards Man do here profess in the sight of God and all men that notwithstanding what ever is therein written to the contrary our belief is that Christ's and the Apostles words Mat. 5. Iames 5. who say Swear not at all by Heaven nor by Earth nor any other Oath c. are still to be understood as formerly upon occasion we have declared and do now again declare in this our return and reply to the Book aforesaid not out of Obstinacy and Wilfulness but Duty and Conscience to God and his Truth which is dearer to us than all we have to loose for the sake of it for as we had no scruples in our selves before his Book came forth as the Bishop supposeth we had about Swearing in order to the resolution of which he pretends to write being sufficiently clear in our Iudgements against it So we have met with nothing in our serious perusal of this Bishops Book but what hath rather contributed to the strengthning of us in our former belief and perswasion than in the least either to the shaking of our Confidence or the convincing us of Error in this our Way and Practice of denying to Swear at all The Insufficiency of the Book aforesaid of the Matter therein contained to conviâ—…ce us or any that sincerely seek the truth in this particular appears to us and may appear unto any who are impartial both by the sundry Confusions and Contradictions that are to be found in it to it self in more points than one and also by the weakness of the Arguments thereof to evince the thing pretended to both of which we have here with as much brevity and plainness as might well be presented to publick view in such-wise as hereafter followeth I. Whereas the Bishop promises very many things in order as he supposes to the better understanding of these two Tâ—…ts after his way of 〈◊〉 it may not be amisâ—… for us to take some notice and make some useful observations of sundry of those precedent passages both in his Book and his Epistle to it which for orders sake we shall consider of under those three general Heads into which he seemâ—… to have moulded all that matter of his Book which is anteâ—…dent to his Discourse concerning Swearing viz. First his Christian Charity to the Quakers Secondly his Pitty to the Quakers Thirdly his Commendations of the Quakers In each of which it 's not uneasie both to discern and to discover him to be more Pretended then Real yea more Uncharitable Abusive Ironical and Condemnatory than either truly Charitable or Compassionate or Commendatory towards the Quakers Yea we cannot but see unless we will close our Eyes how a vein of Scorn Reproach Defamation and Contempt Persecution and Spoile â—…ns along throughout both his Epistle and all the fore-part of his Book notwithstanding the most faire and specious Pretences of it to Pitty Compassion Mercy Moderation Commiseration and Commendation and howbeit it guilds and plaisters it self over in many places with some seeming shewes of Love Bowels to and applauses of the Quakers and those tender termes of Lenity Facility Gentleness Humanity Candâ—…r Christian Charity c. superficially sprinkled up and down here and there as a vail upon the face of it yet it goes noâ—… so disguised but that there are Eyes which through all those thin Tiffany Pretexts see clearly such a frowniâ—…g Face and course Complexion such a sour visage of Severity Rigor yea and Cruelty it self as in case of Immedicabile vulnus the Quakers non-conviction of that for truth which they have tried the truthlesness of already by a surer Touch-Stone than that of the Bishops Traditional talk or in caâ—…e of Non-submission even against Conviction which himself confesseth would not be pleasing to God to the Bishops bare Conceptions upon a Text or two when once held forth to them by him so or so interpreted as to some unâ—…rring Canoâ—… por quem cuncta prius tendand a could heartily wish notwithstanding the 〈◊〉 voice of Iacob that the â—…ough hands of Esaâ—… might be laid on to no less than very Amputation and Abscision For first as to that point of Liberty of Conscience which in his Epistle and the first part of his Book also he treats much about though he would be thought to be in his Pitty and Christian Charity â—… pleader for it at least on the behalf of those Poor Silly Quakers as he 〈◊〉 terms them as if he were indeed some Compassionate Moderator of mens â—…rathful and hasty Spirits towards them Yet considering how like the Lizard which what ever good prints he makes with his Feet on the Sand when he runs dashes them all out again with his bushie Taile that comes behind this Charitable and Pittiful Bishop interlines his Pitty and Christian Charity with so much Unchristian Antichristian Cruelty so many Corrosives among his Cordialls flings so many Firebrands after his favourable Fomentations and seconds his lenitives with so many sharpe and supercillious lancings all he utters to the mollyfiing of mens Minds and Manners towards us amounts to as much as if he had said just nothing His Charity and his Pitty also for the expression of which and his paines therein though he expect it not as he sayes because of out Ingratitude yet he seems to himself to have deserved thanks was expressed as the Bishop himself intimates in that his Intercession for us to the House of Lords not obliged but unspoken to by the Quakers before the Exhibition of the Edict against usâ—… that it might be forborn till some course might be taken for our Information Secondly In this present course of putting forth this his Book in order to such an Information of the Quakers as aforesaid Which first way of the expression of his Charity is by himself testified to pag. 1 2 3. in these Words Bish. Finding lately in the most honourable House of Peers that a 〈◊〉 was likely to pass in order to punish with great Penalties those English Subjects who under the name of Quakers shall refuse to take as other legal Oaths so those which are usually required in Judicial Proceedings c. I was hereupon bold thus far to intercede with that honourable House in the behalfe of those poor People who are likely to fall under the Penalties of the Law that I craved so far a respite for some time as to the Execution of those Penalties upon any of them as Offenders until some such Rational and Religious Course were taken 〈◊〉 might best inform those men of the Lawfulness by God's aswel as Man's Law of imposing and taking such publick Oathes that so answering first their Scruples and fairely removing their Difficulties either they might be brought to a cheerful Obedience in that particular or else be
left without Excuse before God and man while the Truth of the Law was justified against their Errors and the Severity of it only imputable to their own Obstinacy I further recommended this previous Method of Christian Charity or meekness of Wisdom as best becoming the Piety Humanity and Honour of that House Secondly As most agreeable to the wonted Clemency of his Majesty to all his good Subjects Thirdly As the aptest means to reclaim such as were gone astray from their Duty by the errour of their Fancy Fourthly to stop for the future the spreading of this and other dangerous Opinions which are usually known under the name of Quakerism c. Fifthly As very sutable to my Profession as a Minister of the Gospel as the special care of the Bishops and Fathers of the Church Relations which carry in them great Obligations to Humanity Charity Ministerial Duties Episcopal Vigilancy and Paternal Compassion to any men especially Christians who are weak or ignorant erroneous in their Iudgement or dangerous in their Actions Lastly I urged the Pattern of divine Justice whose usual fore-runnâ—…r is Mercy Vengeance rarely following but where Patience hath gone before instructing men of their Duty warning them of the danger of their Sins bearing with their manners for a time and calling them to Repentance before â—…he Decree come forth to Execution To this purpose I am sure I spake c. Answ. It is confest the Bishop uses here many good Arguments in which we cannot but agree with him that they are Cogent not only so far as he makes use of them viz. for the procuring of Respite for a time only but for the putting of a stop also for ever to such an altogether Unchristian and Antichristian Course as it is for Christians by outward Penalties to Persecute any men meerly for their Consciences about Religion specially Christians who how they can be dangerous in their Actions as he supposes they may and yet be truly Christians since he who is owned by Christ to be so indeed must depart from all Iniquity we are yet to learn Yea undoubtedly if we were in any dangerous Opinions which yet is more than all the Bishops were they as willing as they are averse to it will ever be able to make proof of to our faces it had been an apter means to reclaim us from them and to stop the growth of what he in his wonted Emphatical way scornes at under the name of Quakerism and more suitable to the Profession of Gospel Ministers Bishops and Fathers of the Church more answerable to Divine Iustice more becoming the professed Piety Humanity and Honour of that House and the other also more agreeable to the Kings wonted Clemency if not to have quitted those more riged Inflictions by Penalties altogether yet at least to have used first those Rational and Religious Courses which the Bishop calls softer Applications for our Information of the lawfulness by God's aswel as Man's Law of both those things which by the said Act on pain of Spoile and Banishment are strictly imposed on us which are not only that of Swearing which the Bishop would fain seem to have said something though hoc aliquid nihil est more then was ever said before in proof of the lawfulness of but also that Sin of forbearing to meet together to Worship God publickly according to our Consciences and his own Will concerning us Yea and lastly to add one thing more which whether the Bishop forgot to urge it or no I know not but sure I am had as great weight of a reason in it as any of the rest to have byassed and swaâ—…ed both Houses another way whereupon the King himself in his Wisdom saw fit as in reference to himself and them to urge it so often in his Speeches to them aswel as the Chancellor in one of his May the 8th 1661. more evidently and eminently consistent with that signal Credit and Affection that high repute and honourable esteem in the hearts of his truest Subjects which the first making of such Promises Crowned the King withal aswell as with his Truth and Faithfulness in the performance of all those Promises he hath so fully and freely made and so frequently reiterated concerning such a continued Liberty to the tender Consciences of such as should not disturb the Kingdoms Peace as on our parts we have not that no such should be disquieted or so much questioned for their differences of Opinions in matters of Religion and that he should be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon mature deliberation should be offered to him for the full granting of such Indulgence We say the urging of all these Promises had been an Argument of as much force in it self and as much likely to have prevailed with the House as any of the rest had it been in the mind of the Bishop to have made use of it as it seems it was not for this is enough to render the Word of the King less Creditable among all save such as are yet unwilling to believe any otherwise of him than that he once truly intended what was then by him so solemnly Avouched that instead of an Act for the full granting of the Liberty so often promised there is an Act now out for the final taking away of the same Nevertheless though the Bishop made no mention of these matters in his speech whether for fear least in so doing his intercession should take more effect then he truly desired it should or no God knows I will not say so but by some other passages of the Bishops book many a one may be apt to think so for all that yet his own Arguments might have moved if not the House yet at least himself not at all to have consented to so sudden a passing of that Bill the forbearance of which for a far longer time then was allotted to so great a work as our Information himself seemed so sincerely and seriously to plead for But behold how notwithstanding that favourable acceptance which he saith his motion had in the House from many Lords Temporal and some of his brethren the Bishops also yet contrarily thereunto the Decree is both passed and come forth against us even before any of the aforesaid rational or religious courses which he judges ought to have been used were at all used towards us for our Conviction of our Errour and mistake Insomuch that howbeit his Chartible Intercession and his Pittiful motion in the House who as he saith of himself pag. 3. is thought to be no barren nor diffident Speaker is rather to be accepted of and Commended than either Condemned or despised if it were indeed as he relates it and also made in the Integrity and sincerity of his heart albeit it hath not accomplisht its pretended End yet we appeal to his own Conscience whether he hath not manifested not only some Pittilesness and want of Charity saving all his fair pretences of
to his Iudgement and forborn to have urged so much against it But if it were against the Conviction of his Conscience that it should passe till such a time he hath the more inexcusably before the time of using softer Courses so easily and earnestly consented against his Conscience to the passing of it and must go Condemned in himself of such unfaithfulness as is a shame that it should be found in one of his Profession For as Qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita altera aequumlicet statuerit hand Aequus fuerit he must needs passe sentence against himself as unequal in his ways who though the thing determined should be an equal thing determines it before he hath had a fair and full hearing of all Parties much more may such a one as assents to the Acting of that severity against which but just before himself very Eagerly argued say with shame enough of himself Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see the best way but chuse the worst and whether this Bishop may not say of himself the same as to the Case in hand we appeal to the Light of God in his own and all mens Consciences since he confesseth that foâ—… many reasons we ought to have had respite for a time as to the Execution of the Penalties of the Act upon us and yet confesseth his consent to the Act for our Suppression before we had it Object But the Bishop sayes pag. 2. He might consent to the passing of the Bill out of the Iustice and Charity which he owes to the Publick Peace to which all private Parties Interests and Charities must submit Ans. If that be Iustice and Charity to the Publick Peace for any to suppresse all Interests and Private Parties but their own we are yet to learn what Iustice and Charity is For the Iustice and Charity which we who are called Quakers do even owe and exercise towards the Publick Peace is as to the point of Liberty of Conscience to plead the Civil Interest of all Private Parties they behaving themselves Peaceably in their Respective Religions in the same Equality with our own Though the Bishops we see might they be their own Carvers would prove such Impropriators as to Engross all Publick Countenance and Encouragements by the Injunction and Protection of the Law all Favour of Princes all Publick Maintenance and Honour and use of Publick Oratories Publick Offices and Employments of Authority forreign and Domestique yea all advantages of what sort soever as their proper Honoraries appropriated to one Interest that is their own yea to it and it only as Bishop Gauden expresseth it in pag. 5. of his Epistle yet as Universalia nec existant nec apparent nisi in singularibus suis he cannot appear to be a well wisher to the Publick Peace and welfare who denies it to any Particular much more to all Particular Parties and Interests but his own so if all Private Parties Charities and Interests must submit to the Publick Peace and welfare we shall then believe the Bishops to have that Iustice and Charity they owe to the Publick Peace and welfare when we see them submit theirs so at least as to let others live quietly in the Land besides them but not before That being whatever largeness of Love and Liberality it may pretend to a Private Narrow Selfish Pinching Churlish Spirit and not that truly Charitable Publick Peaceable Universal Liberal Soul that deviseth Liberal things and by Liberal things shall stand that cannot bear all other Professions of the same Religion with it self to stand quietly and live Peaceably by it self in the same Land or Nation Nor are they any more true seekers of the Publick Peace who to preserve it destroy the Private Peace of those many thousands that seek it more seriously then themselves and with no small denyal of their own then those are true seekers of the Publick safety of the whole Ship who would fain sink all other mens Cabbins dreaming by so doing to save their own In this respect in that after the softer applications and Rational and Religious Courses used for our Information about Oathes it s taken for granted by him that it is no less then obstinancy in us if we be not Ipso facto brought into a Chearful Obedience in that particular and that we are left without excuse before God and man and both the Truth of the Law justified against our Error and the severity of it onely imputable to our obstinancy so that after some small respite in Case of non-conviction concerning the Lawfulness of that Swearing they impose or in Case of our non-submission even against Conviction which Conviction is the Work of God and not of man and never likely to be effected whilst the World stands so clearly are many thousands from God himself convinced to the contrary by all that slender Evidence this Bishop can for Swearing hold forth from Scripture then the Vengeance decreed is to fall without Remedy without Mercy Pitty or Commiseration with a heavier stroke upon the Quakers then before not now as offenders onely but as obstinate offenders as wilful refusers and resecters of the Truth and of the Patience exercised and Mercy tendered and all this without any Colour of excuse or ground of Plea for themselves under all their Tribulations in the sight of God as well as men Thus such as are not unwilling to see it may easily see that though the Bishops book viewed only by some running Reader that eyes it not very waâ—…ily may seem by some passages of it to have the fair face of nothing else but Charity and of nothing less then such a thing as Cruelty nevertheless being well viewed in other passages of it and in that most Ultimate End which it most strenuously ayms at which is primus in intentione though ultimus in Executione first in his intention though last in Execution then it may appear very easily to any one that latâ—…t anguis in herba it carries the sting of Severity in the Tayle of it at least not so much Zeal Charity and Pitty by far as it pretends to Though then the Bishop would fain seem to be very slow and backward to have rigidity used towards the poor silly harmless unwary Quakers as he calls them whom he much Puties as a People possibly of no Evil minds and such like yet his desire of forbearance towards them mainly is that they for all the leaden heels he moves on with might at last be the more Cruelly handled with Iron hands let them alone for a while let them be voâ—…chsafed so much honour and favour in order to their reducement as to have some Rational and Religious Course exercised to them by those that are so high above them as the Bishops and Fathers of the Church and then for not seeing with their eyes alias not believing as they do at Rome as the Church believes whose Spiritual Fathers are the Representatives of it be
for good to be evil and evil good for if it be good in the Quakers to choose to Suffer rather then Sin against it then it cannot be good in others by Penalties to seek to prevaile with them to Sin against Conscience rather then to Suffer Object But if Bishop Gauden shall say he would not have men Sin formally against Conscience nor Suffer for their not so Sinning but for their Sinning materially through the Error of their Conscience against the yet unknown rectitude it self against the Truth of the Rule as he sayes page 11. Men do when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgement is not according to Truth whose Sin of the Action however the integrity of Intention may be commendable and so mitigate the Fault may be great as it is an enormity or aberration from the rule of Eternal Truth and Iustice this being as Bishop Gauden sayes the Snare or dilemma of the Devil which a Conscience thus erring falls into viz. that it cannot whilst so but sin one way or other either materially against the intrinsecal Iustice and Truth of God and his holy Will or else formally and wilfully against the supposed Will of God Answer We reply This will in no wise relieve him from the just consute of Absurdity Falshood and Confusion which he still falls under as he pleads that principle of any Persecution or Infliction of outward Penalties for Cause of Conscience though yet erring as to its knowledge of what is Truth for asmuch as he commends it as good in the Quakers for chusing rather to Suffer then to Sin against even an erring Conscience and yet justifies that also as good in those who cause them to suffer for nothing but for Non-conforming and makes it the greater Evil of the two to Conform against Conviction than not to Conform meerly for want of Conviction of it to the very Truth for hereby he still evinces the Quakers Suffering to be a Suffering for Good and consequently their work to be Evil who for that good only do make them Suffer Obâ—… And if he say it is good and commendable comparatively only or in respect to a greater evilâ—… as it is from such an Integrity of the Intention as mitigaâ—…es the fault but in it self it is an Evil as here 's Error in the Iudgement albeit a lesser Evil than to act against the Iudgment and so justly punishable with Penalties by outward Powers Answ. We reply and he that hath an Eare let him hear what B. G. confesseth to be the just Cause of the Quakers Sufferings at least it amounts to no less than this however that the Bishop would have Quakers suffer for choosing of two Evils whereof he sayes one of necessity must be taken that which is the lesser and consequently for doing that which is comparatively better and for their declaring that which without all controversie is the worse which is as just good and true a thing in the Quakers were their Iudgements as erroneous as the Bishop would make them and as it 's most certain they are cleere as that maxime is true viz. Ex duobus malis minimum est Eligendum See then and behold the sum and Substance of Bishop Gaudeâ—…s Divinity and of his Pitty and Christian Charity to the Quakers though he praises approves and commends it as good in the Quakers for choosing to Suffer for acting and sinning materially only which in reference to that other sort of Sinning formally he calls good and commendable Rather then to Sin formally malitiously and wilfully against their Consciences yet contrariwise he condemns it not only as erroneous but also such obstinacy and wilfulness in their Errors as justly deserves the severity of the Law and its rigid Inflictions and Penalties to be executed on them if after a little respite though they never be convinced they Conform not contrary to their Consciences Bish. And whereas he sayes this is the Snare and Dilemma of the Devil that an Erring Conscience falls under viz. that it must Sin either the one way or the other instancing in the Case of Paul when he Persecuted and Blasphemed the Christian Religion being verily perswaded that he ought so to do against that way and of others who should think they did God good Service while they killed Christ's Disciples Answ. We grant that an Erring Conscience is indeed in such a snare But this is that very Snare and Dilemma of the Devil that not the Conscience of the Quakers which are truly Enlightned and so escaped out of the Snare of that old Fowler but the erring Consciences of their Adversaries who Persecute them in their blind Zeal are fallen into at this day as Paul while he was yet Saul breathing out Threatnings and Slaughter against the Saints was before the time of his Conversion to the Light in which principle of persecution of men for Conscience while they own it it 's impossible for them to escape without being Iudged one way or other let them do what they will or to escape so but that they must fall into Condemnation and the Snare of the Devil for if they Persecute the Lord's Servants and take Crafty Counsel against his hidden Ones to destroy and root them out then Wrath is upon them from the Lord who also will give Kingdoms for their Ransom and Nations for their Life rather then let their Causless Sufferings go unrequired but if they cease to Persecute the Saints of whom the World is not worthy whom in their be-nighted minds they think to be such mischievous Misoreants as are not worthy to move and have their â—…eing in it then they are afraid they are too negligent in doing God that good service which according to their Consciences thus crookedly constituted and erroneously opinionated they for want of â—…eeding the Light verily think they ought to do Thus as error 〈◊〉 in principio fit semper major in medio maximus in fiâ—… and as positâ—…â—…no absurdo sequuntur millia so the Powers and Professoâ—…rs of the Christian World both Temporal and Spiritual Princes Priests and People being gone off and degenerated from that pure Primitive tender temper of Liberty of Conscience or Tolleration of all Religions in Civil States men behaving themselves respectively no otherwise then Peaceably and honestly therein into that as blinâ—…t as bloody Principle of Persecution of honest men meerly for a meer Conscientious non-conformity to the Priests needless Superfluous Ceremonies and endless Impositions and Inventions have involved themselves in such inexâ—…ricable Snares and deep Dilemma's of the Devil that we may truly say of some of them but most especially of some of the Clergy who are the stirrers up of the strife as Christ said of old of those Chief Priests who were the Chief Persecutors of his Disciples and of those Scribes and Pharisees whom he called Serpents and a Generation of Vipers how can they escape the Condemnation of Hell For if they 〈◊〉 not according to their Professed Principle so as with
may labour in the Fire of their own fierce Wrath and Fury to hold up all their own Forms respectively yet weary themselves for very Vanity and to as little purpose as those who have that endless task in hand of striving to make a dead Carcass stand which howbeit it hath all the outward Proportion Shape Parts Limbs and Leggs of a Living man can never possibly stand longer than it 's held up on every side by some External Props or other because as one said deest aliquid intus there wants the main Wheel the master Piece of all viz. the Spring of that powerful Principle of the Life within Bish. But I confess saith he I would not have this Legal and avowed Religion of the Nation so Rigorous Sharpe and Severe as Sarah to Hagar by the suddain overawing or violent overlaying of all other different Perswasions in Peaceable men as not to let them breath in the same common air or not to enjoy their Lives civil Liberties and Estates with their dissenting Consciences in all modest Privacy and Safety I abhorr as much as I dread all Racks and Tortures of mens Souls or those cruel no less than curious Scrutinies of mens Consciences which covet first like God to search Mens hearts and then like the Devil delight to torment them in their Estates and Liberties only because they are not so wise as themselves but as honest perhaps and sincere in the sight of God Answ. Hence we may take notice of sundry things But first by the way whereas the Bishop stiles the avowed Religion of the Nation Legal how legal it is in one sense we matter not much for enquiring but we grant how little Evangellical soever it is it is Legal enough if not too much in another for it seems to us by the Pompe and Pay of its Priesthood who talk for Tithes and a number more of its Levitical Ceremonious Services to smell much more of the Law than of the Gospel Secondly It is very observable here that the Bishop would seem to be against not only the Killing but also the Banishing of Tender Consoientious Dissenters in that he saith he would have them have their lives and to breath also in the same common air and not only so but also against both the Fining and Imprisoning them for saith he I would have them have their civil Liberties and Estates Notwithstanding all which this Bishop with whom Confusion is as frequent as contradiction to himself intimateth page 2. how he gives his consent to the passing of that very Bill which inflicteth on them both Fines Imprisonments and Banishments from their native Country and so from breathing in the same common Air with other People But in very deed what kind of Liberty and Enjoyment it is that in his Pitty and Christian Charity to the Quakers he would have granted to them we have shewed somewhat of before though himself seeking of sweeten all his foure sayings and to sugar over all his bitter Pills with the fair Speeches of Love and Lenity is loath to speak it out plainly however it here very plainly appears either that this Bishop hath assent 〈◊〉 with all his heart to what he sayes he would not have but dissentâ—… from and desires the contrary to with all his heart or else that he heartily dissents for so he seems to do by his wishes here from that which he as heartily assented to when he passed his yea to the late Bill while it passed against us Utrum horum mavis accipe Thirdly Whether the Bishops wishings and wouldings here to have it otherwise be true or counterfeit yea or nay we shall not take upon us to determine but this we are well assured of that notwithstanding his express desires to the contrary there is executed at this day but it is from the Seed of Hagar towards the Seed of Sarah such a suddain overawing and violent overlaying of the different Perswasions from that more Legal than Evangelical yet avowed Religion of this Nation in those most peaceable men called Quakers as not to let them breath quietly in the same English common Air nor scatcely to enjoy their Lives without hazard of loosing them not onely by the Pistols and naked Swords of rude Souldiers from whom though Iohn the Bapist taught them to do violence to no man no less than Violenoe is acted but by the hands also of some called Iustices of the Peace who by Kicking and Smiting the Quakers with their own Feet and Fists break the Peace more then the Quakers who cannot strike and as much perhaps as the worst of men that are brought before them much less to enjoy their Civil Liberty and Estates Witness the present filling of the Prisons with them throughout this City of London in order to the Fining of them in their Estases and all this extempore without the praeuious use of any of those rational and religious courses to them or resistance on their parts of the softer Applications the Bishop seems so much to plead for unless by softer Applications he means summoning to their spiritual Courts spoiling of their Goods Imprisoning of their Persons under which also they have never yet resisted for if by softer Applications he intends any Gentle Christian addresses excepting his own invective Book which came out of due season to convince them of any Error he believes they hold of this sort they have received none as yet from the Bishops though Discourses have been as often desired by them and by others for them as it 's here once for all seriously again desired by themselves who are alwayes ready as well publickly as privately to render an account of what they believe and practise and to prostrate themselves at the feet of right Reason and true Religion Howbeit the guilt of that suddain overawing and violent overlaying aforesaid cannot be in any common ingenuity by us made immediately at least imputable to this Bishop or his Brethren who are supream more directive than corrective and for whom it 's enough to determine what is Truth and direct the civil Ministers of Iustice what is to be inflicted on such as err against it and too much to be the Executioners also of their own Conceptions and Appointments but we rather impure it to the Haaâ—…nitish humour of some few haughty Spirits in subordinate Power who while all prudent and patient Men look well before they leap having not that more expected then deserved homage of the Hat an Honour the denyal of which the King himself so express is his humility in that particular takes not so much notice of aâ—… some Sub-subs do from the Seed of the Iewes run on on a suddain with as great hast as little speed to the overawing of the Quakers who stand more in awe of God than in awe of them and to such a violent overlaying of the different Perswasions of those peaceable honest men as whereby they overcharge and overset themselves through eagerness so
his Service though since devoted to a somewhat more refined Service is absolutely by our Lord Christ forbidden to his Disciples God forbid we Quakers should not obey his Word and submit to every Ordinance of man for his sake whether to the King as Supream or those that are sent by him and ought to be a praise to them that do well and for the punishment onely of Evil Dâ—…ers against whom onely God's Law is rather then violate not only the Kings Command but Christs also to whom we Christians owe the highest Love Loyalty and Obedience But if it shall appear as it â—…asily may in any one that is of the true Religion Iames speak of that is undefiled before God and to keep unspotted of the Lusts and Superstitions of the World to religious reason that the Words of Christ neither in the Conscience nor in the Scriptures express or import any such absolute forbiding of all meetings to worship him any where or in any wise saving in the times places and forms aforesaid but by the scope of them and the Analogy of Scripture they have no such limited meaning as the Bishop had when he consented to the Act for the suppressing of the Quakers Meetings to Worship God and when he wrote those Words in his Epistle viz. for Dissenters i. e. from the Bishops meaning Quakers as well as others to have multitudinous Conventicles when where and as many as they please cannot be safe then we must not be so much Slaves to mens Wills which are below the Letter of the Scripture which is a Declaration of the Will of God as to lead Truth and Reason captive or to deprive our selves of that Religious Liberty which is left us by Christ and so is not only lawful for Christians to use but in some cases as namely that of conscience obliging thereunto necessary though else it may be prudential to forbear our meetings as to the expediences of our Lives Liberties Estates and good Names among evil men not only in private but much more in our publick Dispensations of the Word of Truth which is of most moment and concernment to the publick Peace and to the general satisfaction about the truth of the whole Polity and Community wherein we live sociably enough under the civil Laws and Governments of men so far as we can be both under them and under Christ. But alas why talk we of changing of the Law for our sakes eleven points of the twelve of which is possession which when once the Clergy of any of the three sorts at any time have eminently obtained they tell us it 's then too late for us to expect dispute or any other change of establisht Law for our sakes then that which the Bishop hath of late been necessary to by his own suffrage which is no repeal of any old Laws for the punishment of Dissenters which were establisht so long ago that they were well nigh worn out and forgotten and ready to die out of date of themselves but a revâ—…ving of them into their former force and an addition of new ones to the same end and purpose so that if our Cause be better then the Clergies yet their clawes are longer than ours and that 's cause enough whereupon for Lambs to be devoured And now that the Sentence passed against us as erroneous and seditious should be repealed upon the account of whatever strength of reason is by us rendered at so great a disadvantage as we who stand already both imprisoned and condemned do appear in against such an eminent Accuser of us as a Bishop who is so highly esteemed as Iohn Gauden who sayes he is thought to be no barren nor diffident Speaker pag. 3. when he speakes for us and is also as fluent as fervent and blindly confident when he talks against us how little is it to be expected unless the Lord set home some of the Quakers honest plainness to the Consciences of the present Powers in whose hands the hearts of Kings are so that he can turn them as the Rivers of Waters sith Damnati lingua vocem habet vim non habet Besides it is the manner of all those parties in these latter dayes whose professed principle it is by Penalties to prosecute all Dissenters from what Religion shall be established in this Nation and who are not wholly resolved as the Quakers are into suffering Principles however they cry out of the morosness and tyrannousness of those times wherein they are underlings respectively and mutually to each other and plead with all earnestness and evident demonstration the Liberty of their own Consciences to plead down the Liberty of others yet not without some subtile pretence some nice distinction between Persecution and Preservation of publick Peace or some kind of odd Secundum quid or other And how exquisitely soever they exclaim of others Sharpness and Cruelty while they feel the blowes yet to lay on themselves with less compassion than those they complain on when the backs of others are to bear them Witness not onely the grievious groans that were uttered for liberty of Conscience out of Smectimnuus his own mouth while he was under the hatches who yet Lorded it over all others as well as over God's Heritage when he obtained to sit at the stern and handle the helm himself But also the Cryes of the Prelatick Party both against Smectimnuus and against the Pope according as they have at any time respectively suffered under either who yet give no small Symptomes by this Bishops Book as smooth as 't is that how soft and silently soever they went in the late dayes of their Humiliation which 'twere not amiss for them yet to beware they do not forget as Cats and Lions do on their Pawes yet they have sharpe fangs and reserved talons as the others have who never do shew till they find a fit prey and Opportunity wherein to shew their cruel clawes Obj. And if any say were you Quakers once in Power you would also do the same Answ. We reply on the behalf of our own Consciences and the consentient sence of all the truly Christian and not unchristian nor Antichristian Church from Christ's time to this very day even that general Assembly and Church of the first-born which is in God whose names are written in Heaven to which we are come as they were Heb. 6. That after the genius of the Primitive Christians which was as all that will live Godly in Christ Iesus must do to suffer Persecution and not to persecute and after that divine Nature of which we are made parâ—…akers and that native temper we are begotten into by the Word of Christ whose mind we have as they had of old 1. Cor. 2. Phil. 2. We abhorr without such reserves and exceptions as Bishop Gauden makes when he sayes so of himself All such Severâ—…ty and Rigon as iâ—… pleaded for by the fame Bishop that pleads against it upon the score of Religion only
which the Scripture is a Testimony to as those who wrote it did testifie to it by word of mouth as well as by it and were sent to turn all men from Darkness to Ier. 6. Acts 22. 1 Iohn 1. Tthat way which was before Allwayes that say they are before it and stile it upstarâ—… of which each other Way that seems to it self to be elder than it and is now scuffling against the rest about its pedigree from Peter and other kind of Antiquity may say as truly in reference to it self as Iohn did Iohn 1. in reference to himself of Christ who is that true Light whose Light this is we speak of and from whom it comes This is it which though it cometh after me yet it is preferred before me for it was before me And as this of the Light and Spirit of God is that old Way in which all holy men ever walked and we are bid now to walk in Gal. 5. so whoever walk't in it and according to those truly Christian and Evangelical Principles Pathes and Practices it leads into which were those bowels of Love Pitty Meckness Mercy Tenderness and Compassion as could admit of no consent to the violent Persecution of any others either for not professing their Religion or for open professing from meer Principles of Conscience the very contrary were led as to do no injury to others which they would not have done to themselves and sure we are no men would willingly be fâ—…rc't against their Faith so whatever they would that others should do unto them to do even so unto others which saith Christ is i. e. as to the sum and substance thereof the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. which golden Rule as Bishop Gauden himself calls it and also intimates of it is the best measure of all pollicy and this is it whereby all Persons of what sort soever even all Kings and their People that follow it are bound to such a good behaving of themselves according to it as in which they shall assuredly be secured and preserved when those Princes Priests and People that walk beside it in that Darkness that comprehends it not in those dark wayes and places of the earth which it condemns which are full of the habitations of Cruelty Psal. 74. 12. as Simeon and Levi did of old who Slâ—…w Men in their anger and had the Instruments of Cruelty in their Habitations will at last be divided in their Counsels and scattered in the imaginations of their own Hearts however they may seek to secure themselves for a time by such outward wayes as seeking to divide and scatter God's truly tender-hearted Israel for keeping their Conscience pure and without Offence in the sight of God and Men. For Kings not when the Righteous but when the Wicked are taken away from before them their Thrones shall be established in Righteousness Prov. 25. 5 yea the King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be establisht for ever Prov. 29. 14. Yea this we dare determine for a truth which we find the Bish. himself not denying but confirming that as such Christians as by Gods Grace are taught to be truly honest need no Imposition of Oaths nor outward Sureties nor outward Securities nor outward Severities nor outward Penalties whereby to bind them to their good behaviour for such are bound by a strictèr tye then an humane Law to behave themselves as becometh the Gospel in all Righteousnesse Peaceableness Truth and Innocency towards all men so such as are not bound by that of God within themselves to that Peace Truth and Equity which it strictly calls to may Swear and swallow Oaths as fast as they can be imposed upon them yet will as occasion serves them to help themselves be of little the better good behaviour toward the King or any else for that Obligation and least of all then when they are not obliged also by that bond of love which is begotten among Subjects when without violence or being forc't to a violation of them they may enjoy the true Liberty of their Consciences but rather are touched in that most tender part which such as are free to Fight had rather resist and kill and such as are not free to resist had rather be killed and die than suffer Rape in So that as it's truth it self that tyes such as attend to it while it talks to them within themselves to their good behaviour to God the King and to one another so That alone whereby Kings and Kingdoms can be kept in safety without Subjection to change or shakings is that same truth which calls for Mercy taken heed to by Kings themselves as 't is said Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and Truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by Mercy which is indeed that truly Christian and Evangellical Principle and good old Way of God which was before any of that Cruelty which at the will of the Devil was ever acted by Cain Ishmael Esau and their Envious Malitious Wild and Wicked Rough and Rigid Race against the Righteous Race of Abel Isaac and Iacob had any Being at all in the World Neverthelesse though the Bishop is sometimes a very great Pretender to this Principle and seems in sundry places above spoken to to be for Respite Lenity and Mercy and to be a very pittifull Pleader for it yet contrarily not onely to Gods Wisdome but to his Own Pleadings for it in other Passages he is found Pag. 3 4. though Stiling his Adresses to the King in his Book His Charitable endeavours on behalf of the Quakers yet to go round again under a pretence of exposing himself and his Kingdomes to those great troubles and dangers which in his own words above cited he had said would accrue to both King and Kingdom through their sufferings if the Quakers should passe unpunished and permitted stirring up the King to those Severities against the Quakers which himself sayes are not Sutable to his Royal Clemency nor Native Gentlenesse in such like words Bish. The publick necessity will Require those severities of a Wise and Iust King whose Lenity to any Party of his Subjects contrary to Law will soon become an injury to the Community which cannot be fafe or happy but by an Uniform Obedience to the same Laws which must be the Rules and Measures to all mens Publick Actions the Tryers of their failings and Inflicters of their punishments Answ. We say we appeal to all honest men to judge whether the Bishop is not here found in oppossition to himself and to those many places of his Book before mentioned where he would be thought to advise to Lenity Forbearance and Indulgence to Dissenters For above he Intimates it to us aâ—… his Iudgement that flagellant Methods have nothing of Reason or Religion in them neither are the fittest means to Rectifie the Obliquities of inconforme but innocent actions also that to force Dissenters into Conformity by Impoverishing Imprisoning Banishing c. is a
seduced back again nor ever will be from that true Primitive Doctrine and Principle of the Light of Iesus nor from that foundation of God on which their Faith is built by all those various winds of Priestly Doctrine about the Forms of their several Woiships for which they contend with one another more than for the Power of Godliness which winds have blown now this way now that way of latter years in this Nation nor by any of that cunning Craftiness whereby the Clergy hath lain in wait to deceive them nor by any of those above said or any other specious Pretensions whatsoever And as for those Transactions of the Quakers which like some Great Master of that Art of Taunting and Agitators for his Party against the Quakers he flouts at under the wonted Ironical Terms of Raptures and Enthusiasms by which what he intends God knowes but if thereby he quips at the Quakers Petty Opinions and odd Practises as he speaks above of blindly Censuring boldly Dictating in their abrupt and obscure Way their good Words and godly Phrases bâ—…bbling forth many specious Notions short-liv'd Conceptions obtruding their Rudeness Silliness and crude Fancies in an Agâ—… of so much Learning against their Ecclesiastical Prudence We give the Bishop to understand that though it grieve him that it is not yet the Spirit of the Lord which blows where and on whom it lists will be never the more straitned for his forbidding it though he knows not the way of it nor which way it goes from himself who smites the Lords Prophets to speak unto those Prophets of his who are smitten by him Nay verily as little as the Bishop's Eyes are open to see and their Hearts to believe what is so palbâ—…bly declared to them of these last Dayes in the very Scripture of which they deem themselves to be such Divine Interpreters yet upon Young men who shall see Visions as well as Old men who shall dream Dreams will the Lord pour out of his Spirit even the fulness of that in these latter Ages which the primitive Churches had but the first Fruits of so that the Glory of this second house that is crected after the long treading down of the holy City and true Worship by the Nations that have got into the outer Court viz. the meer name of Christians and external Forms of Christian Worship shall exceed the Glory of the former that was before the Romish ruinations of it yea upon his Daughters and Hand-maids as well as on his Sons and Servants though the Mockers shall say as of old they did Acts 2. they are Drunk and Mad and they shall Prophefie and grand Gamaliels and great High Priests that have pass'd for Prophets shall cover their Lips because they have no answer of God and either Learn or mâ—…urn in silence while Doctorem et Dictraorem induit â—…xor not only young and mean Men as Timothy and Titus shall be old in sober-mindedness Examples of Gravity Paterns of Purity honourable for their Honesty regenerated into Primitive Innocency Grace and Glory Beautiful for Holiness Eminent in Righteousness Fathers for Experience of Gods Power upon their Spirits but very Women also be as mothers in Gods Israel though they seem at least in the apprehensions of some that go for Fathers who are yet strangers to that Chimical Divinity that God is declaring forth the misteries of his Kingdom by to be no better than meer Canâ—…ens Bablers and bubblers forth of such fine Fancies and short liv'd Conceptions from an empty airy Brain as cannot endure the firm touch or breath of any serious Iudgement Finally as to that Insinuation and suspition of Iesuitick Acts to be among the Quakers in order to some designe but whether publick or private forreign or domestick God knowes We say God knows and it is well for us sith men are and yet will be willingly ignorant of it let them have never so much experience of our Integrity that he does know it who will also once clear our Innocency as the Light and our Righteousness as the noon Day to whom principally we appeal to judge between us and our Mis-representers We say God knowes we have no other designe at all but to promote the Truth and Power of Godliness Liberty of Tender Consciences and the Gospel of Peace in the flourishing of all which the Peace of this Nation is so eminently concerned that if ever it come to know perfect Peace if any one Ecclesiastical Power whether Papal Prelatical or Presbyterial shall be permitted by the civil Power which is supream de jure to exercise such a superintendency and supreamacy de facto as to suppress as well the Quakers as all others called Christians but it self then the Lord hath not spoken at all by us Mean while this is the Ioy and Rejoycing of our hearts whatever the Bishops count of us or can do to us the Testimony of our Consciences that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity we have our Conversation both towards God and among all men being far from so much as seeming save that the Bishop looks upon us with an eye of groundless and needless jealousie to conspire with any crafty Loiolists or to bear an implacable Hatred to the Church of England the worst evil that we do as 't is the best good in Love we can wish to which is that it might once arise purely out of that grand Apostacy into the hundreds of pithless Forms of it up into the Life and Power of Truth it self and become as Apostolical as the Quakers are much less under any Religious Pretensions whatever do we seek to undermine the civil Peace amongst any Factions or factions Ones whatever Nevertheless if this Bishop had been such a Wise Man and Sober Christian as we perceive he accounts himself to be in comparison of the Quakers his Wisdom would certainly have justly restrained him here and have instructed him better than to seem so publickly as he does in his Book to be so much afraid of such a mean company of silly Fools or to suspect Iesuitick Acts among such sensless Simpletons un-catechized Ignoramus's such home spun plain-bred unpollisht Manner'd Petulant Incapacious shallow Brained Easie Unwary Blind People as he counts the Quakers seeing Iesuits are known and own'd to be Rabbies of no small Renown for Parts and Pollicy as well as their pretended Piety throughout the World Herein the Bishop hath utterly loosened his own Tackling so that he cannot well strengthen his Mast to bear him up in this battle against the Quakers but that he 'l sink before them as to one or other of his Assertions which can no more than two Contradictories be both true at once Ad Hominem What can such mean People as the Bishop represents the Quakers to be for Birth and Breeding for Reason and Understanding as well as Estates men so Unlearn'd and Unstable of such Rudenesse Sillinesse and Crudity of Fancy and possibly of no evil Minds People that have
that are not burden'd with them but onely from our own that are We are pretty well content to part stakes with the Bish. in the Controversie and as he sayes of himself and his sort of Christians viz. As Christians of evil hearts manners full of dissimulation and fraud abounding in iniquity encreasing in persidiousness uncharitableness distrusts jealousies unsatisfactions insecurities As weak and unworthy to be trusted they cannot be without Oaths but Oaths are necessary not absolutely nor morally or preceptively but as a remedy against those Diseases when yet possibly were they Christians truly such they would need no swearing in publike or private So we say of our selves and those true Christians call'd Quakers as Christians truly such in whom is no iniquity guile fraud dissimulation deceit who walk in truth out of strife who can say in truth We are Christians indeed non nomine tantum tenus sed reapse which is security enough in all cases we need no Oaths to be us'd among or impos'd upon us But this being that snare and dilemma that hypocritical Formalists and Christians not truly such but so in Name onely not in Nature fall into that one sin that they are fallen into begets a necessity of another one inconvenience and mischief subjects inavoidably to another as posito uno absurdo sequntur millia Such being yet under the bondage of their own corruptions and lying dead in their trespasses and sins pull thereby upon themselves a number of cumbersome remedies which are oft as bad as the diseases but at best needless if the diseases were not And thus God's Law is added as a lash to the lawless liver or transgressor and as a School-Master to bring to Christ the life and to his life who is the Truth it self And such Christians living in all dishonesty â—…righteousness â—…ying falseness theft cozening cheating enmity hatred malice envy and strife the heavy yoke bondage and charge of mans Laws and Lawyers hireling Priests and covetous Preachers are put upon them to keep them in peace and honesty â—…ill they come to know and â—…e led by that Light of him in themselves who onely guides their feet in the way of Truth and true peace which they yet yet know not there we say with the Bish. Oaths as de facto they are so de jure might be used at least if credit could be given any more than to lyars to such Christians solemn swearing for posita causa ponitur effectus And so if the Church of England be not a Church of Christians truly such as the Bish. seems to intimate by his own words it is not we have the less to say to them as concerning their swearing they have a liberty for us and they would have so much the less to answer for in the day when God takes a final account of them if they would let us have the same liberty from them to decline it rather than force men to sin against their Consciences to swear as they do and as much as they will and that not onely solemnly but prophanely since none of their own Laws against that can reclaim nor restrain them from it for while men are yet the servants of sin as Christians not truly such are as much if not more then Heathens so called they are free from that righteousness that Christ requires of his which is that of the Gospel which far exceeds that of the Law and all legal chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees But such Christians as are by Christ made free from sin as the Quakers are though once as well as others under the power and dominion of it these are bound as servants to that perfect righteousness of the Gospel which as that of the Law to the natural deceitful contentious Iew was forswear not but perform thy Oaths to God if thou make Oaths to end strife and controversies is to the true spiritual Iew or Israelite in whose heart is no guile even to Christs Disciples neither go to law one with another nor swear at all And if England ever come to be a Church constituted of such Christians as are truly such as the primitive Christians were and as the Quakers are who by the Light are led out of strife into the love that casts out all feaâ—…s and jealousies and workâ—… no ill to the Neighbour we shall expect as God does another matter and other fruits than that of swearing and forcing each other to swear on pain of Ruine and we shall not need to clear our selves of that which they call our crime of not swearing for the Light of Christ will lead all that follow it into the same and so as posita causa ponitur so sublata causa tolliâ—…r effectus Sin and Deceit standing Oaths stand though to little purpose where solemn swearers being prophane swearers also are no more to be believed than Lyars but where sin deceit and strife cease there swearing hath no use nor place and so the Bish. doth confess while he says p. 23. The Eutopian desire and aim of these Quakers is not to be found fault with if it were feisable And feisable we say it is if perfection so far as to freedom from sin deceit hatred malice and strife is attainable And that that is attainable in the body even in this very humane nature if the Light of Christ which is that of the Gospel be attended to what need we prove it against our Adversaries in that point when the Bishop confessâ—…s it to our hands And that he so does let him take his own words at large as they lye p. 27 28. where speaking of the design of Christs Sermon Matth. 5. and how the righteousness he calls to must exceed that of Scribes and Pharisees He says Our Saviour gives many singular Lessons or Precepts of more eminent diligence patience charity mortification self-denial sincerity conspicuity perseverance and perfection of obedience required now under the Gospel above mark what either the Letter of the Mosaical Law seemed to exact or by the Pharisaical interpretations nere taught to the Jews and however by Divine Indulgence and connivance or by the hardness and uncharitableness of their own hearts and the customary depravedness of times and manners they might seem to have some temporary dispensation heretofore granted to them or at least to take it to themselves yet now under the Evangelical strictness to which Christ came to restore or raise the Church they might not fancy to themselves any such liberty but were to keep themselves in thought look desire word and deed to that sanctity and severity that was required by the Law and most conform to the holy Will Attributes and Nature of that God whom they ought to imitate as their heavenly Father in all sacred perfections which humane Nature assisted by the Light of the Gospel the Grace of Gods Spirit and the visible example of Christ was capable to attain at least sincerely to aim at and endeavour Which whoever doth
resistance which Passive obedience all wise men own to be true obedience as well as Active Nor 4thly so as to rectifie our Iudgements which were once irregular when we made no Conscience thereof but return'd to their rectitude when we became so tender as to fear an Oath Nor 5thly so as to stop that which he is pleas'd not for want of mistake error and superstition to miscall the contagion of our error and superstition to others in this point for we are perswaded many will be convinced as well as some are already confirm'd against all swearing seeing how little the Bishops have to say and shew in confirmation of it Nor 6thly so as to the redeeming us from the penalties of the Law for they are now with full measure heaped up and running over even beyond the bounds of the Law it self executing and insticting upon several of us Nor 7thly and lastly so as to redeem us into safety and peace for howbeit we seem in the eyes of the unrighteous and of some Religious ones to be in danger of perishing in our troubles yet come what evil can come to us for our Consciences we â—…earkening still unto Christ dwell safely and are at quiet from the fear of evil being as the same Seed and sort of Saints before us also were 2 Cor 4. though Troubled on every side yet not distressed Perplexed yet not in despair Persecuted yet not forsaken Cast down yet not destroyed Dated and Dedicated in service to the Truth in the Month called July 1662. by Samuel Fisher imprisoned for Conscience by the space of about Fifteen Months of the two years last past First in the Counter 2dly In Newgate 3dly In the Gate-House 4thly In Old-Bridewell 5thly Now in Newgate again Where without the least Crime prov'd against him or so much as said to his charge he stands with many more so recorded in the very Calender discharged by the Kings late special favour notwithstanding which he is not released but retained FINIS ERRATA IN the first part in the Epistle p 5 l 30 for yet r. yea p 2 l 39 r. tentanda p. 8 l. 7. r. in it p. 9. l. 8. r was at least â—… 9. â—… 30. r. that he is p. 11. l. 37. p. 12. l 2. r. obstinacy p. 13. l. 4. r graviore p. 14. l. 12. for his r. their p. 16. l. 31. for 〈◊〉 r. declining p. 20. l. 27. r. ungue p. 21. l. 3. r to the Bishops p. 24 l. 3â—… r. to sweeten p. 32 l. 9 r. do p. 34 l. 4 r. redarguit p. 37 l. 9 r. what he hath p. â—… l. 29 r. Agitator p. 85 l. 21 r Dictatorem p. 89 l. 25 r. 〈◊〉 In the second part p. 4 l. 9 r presumed l 13 r. frivoulosity p. 9 l. 29 r. inventitious p. 13 l. 15 r. Christians p. 16 l. 3. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 21 l. 19 for by in r. in by p. 21 l. 20 for in r. is p 25 l. 4 for we r. they p. 25 l. 7 for of r. of old p. 27 l. 38 r. is p 2 l. 14 â—… Diali p. 30 l. 20 for is all r. is in all p. 41 l. 33 â—… Petitionem p. 44 l. 39 r signifies p. 45 l 11 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 50 l. 13 r. yet not l 16 r. yet are so l. 18 r. makes l. r 9 r. him p. 55. l. 12 r. dispersation p. 56. l 23. r. as well as p. 62. l. 13. for wave r. use READER Find no fault with what faults thou find'st with th' Press Correct the greater thus the rest lack less * Though Iuditium paenale de jure nunquam excedit casum * Viz. Joseph Hall once Bishop of Exeter who allowed of Variety in outward Forms of Worship saying in pag. 58. of his Susurâ—…ium thus It is a great and iâ—…solent wrong in those who shall think to reduce all Dispositions and Forms of Devotion and Usages into their own since in all these there may be much Variety and all those different Fashions may receive a gratious acceptation in Heaven One thinks it best to hold himself to a set Form of Invocation another deems it far better to be 〈◊〉 to his Arbitrary and Un-premoditated Expressions c. and pag. 60. O God let my main care be to look to the Sincerity of my Soul and to the sure Ground of warrant for my Actions for other circumstantial Appertenances where thou art pleased to be liberal let not me be strait-handed And pag. 184. It is a true Word of the Apostle God is greater than our Conscience and surely none but he under that great God the Supream Power on Earth is the Conscience every man is a little World within himself and in this little world there is a Court of Judicature erected wherein next under God the Conscience sits as the Supream Judge from whom there is no appeal that passeth sentence upon all our Actions upon all our Intentions for our Persons absolving one condemning another for our Actions allowing one forbidding another if that condemn in vain shall all the World besides acquic us if that clear us the doom which the World passeth upon us is frivoulous and ineffectual I grant this Iudge is sometimes corrupted with the bribes of hope with the weak fears of loss with an undue respect of Persons with powerful Importunities with false Witnesses with forged Evidences to pass a wrong Sentence upon the Person or cause for which he shall be answerable to him that is higher than the Highest but yet this doom though reversible by the Tribunal of heaven is still obligatory here on Earth So as it 's my fault that my Conscience is misled but it 's not my fault to follow my Conscience * Witness the Kings Letter from Breda sent to the House of Pâ—…eres and read in the House May the 1st 1661. and ordered to be printed for the service of the House and satisfaction of the Kingdom and now to be seen in the 89. page of the Book of Collections of his Speeches whose Words are these viz. We do declare a Liberty to tender Consciences that no Man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences in â—…pinions or in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to Consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon maâ—…ine deliberation shall be offered to us for the full granting of that Indulgence Also in the Kings Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affaires dated October the 20th 1660. it is said thiâ—… In a word we do again renew what we have formerly said in our Declaration from 〈◊〉 for the Liberty of tender Consciences No Man shall be disquiâ—…red or called in question for Differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not distrub the Peace of the Kingdom And if any have been disturbed in that kind since our arrival here it hath not proceeded