i. e. Samuel Waldenfield lately took occasion to repair to the said Bishop of Glocester having the reputation of a moderate Person and shewed him Fr. Bugg's said Pamphlet and Epistle dedicated to him and this very Passage of his Submission as not knowing but he had delivered it first in Manuscript to the Bishop for his Perusal and Correction Which when I enquired of him about the Bishop answered he had never seen it before nor knew the Man Whereupon I shewed him how preposterous it was for F. B. to expose his said Pamphlet in Print to general Judgment before he had the Bishops Judgment about it and how inconsistent with his said offer of his Book to his Perusal and submitting to his Censure the Matters therein How insincere F. B. was herein is obvious It seems he was resolved to traduce and asperse the Quakers in Print first that the Bishop might not have the opportunity to prevent him therein Though for a Pretext and Colour he Complements the Bishop with his Conditional Submission to his Censure and Judgment whether he had wronged the Quakers or not Did not this tend to make the World believe he had the Bishops Privity or Approbation therein or otherwise that he would not have divâ—lged what he had writ because offered to the Bishops Perusal and Censure who knew nothing of it until 't was gone out into the World What a Mockery and plain Abuse was this tending to make the Bishop suspected of giving Countenance thereto To whom we shewed also Bugg's other Book against us stiled New Rome Arraign with his Mock Trial and Condemnation of Perjury and Pillory against us and the Occasion thereof which Calumnies the Bishop disowned and could not allow of such Treatment And I thought meet to give this hint thereof to do the Bishop so much Justice that he might not lye under the suspition of giving Countenance to this our Implacable Adversary in these his Calumnies and bitter Invectives against us As I did in the Postscript of my late Answer Innocency Triumphant For Henry Goldwell Justice of Peace and late Member of Parliament to whom F. B. dedicated his other Scandalous Book stiled New Rome Arraigned without his Privity or Knowledge as he confessed and for which he also told some of us he severely advertised F. Bugg when he saw it in Print with his Mock-Trial Perjury and Pillory against us being sensible it was a Reflection on his Reputation to be rendred or suspected as the Patroniser or Countenancer of such Scandalous Pamphlets And 't is to be much more hoped that the said Bishop will advertise F. B. for endeavouring to shelter himself under his Countenance or Reputation In point of Civility I thought meet to shew the said Bishop of Glocester this foregoing Passage relating to him about F. b's Dedication in Manuscript before 't was printed because I had such occasion to make use of his Name in Print that he might not be offended which he was not but took it well from us Samuel Waldenfield being then also present with me However whatever we suffer there is a just and all-seeing God that will judge righteously do rightly and finally determine the Controversie between the Two Seeds the Righteous and the Wicked To Him the Righteous Judge of all we commit our Innocent Cause Friendly Reader my Concern in this Controversie is designed only to vindicate Truth according to my understanding thereof and to do particular Persons wronged so much right as to their Principle as by referring to their own Explications for where either their Words are perverted or seem dubious in the manner of Expressions their own more full and clear Demonstrations ought to be taken notice of in point of Justice to them And where the whole Body or People called Quakers are wrongfully charged about their Principles from particular Persons 't is an absurd way of arguing whether it be from any one 's defective or dubious manner of Expressions or our Adversaries own perversions and misrepresentations And in that case to manifest Truth and to do the said People right as to their Principles c. I find it the plainest way to have recourse to their Concurrent Testimonies and Harmonies of their Writers and Books to evince the truth of their Principles to others And this Method which I do sincerely observe all Religious and Christian Societies will allow of and not condemn a whole Body of Sober Religious People or Christian Society for any particular shortness in manner of Expressions for that were very partial and unjust And I doubt not but the Lord our God will stop the Mouth of Iniquity that 's open against us and clear our Innocency more and more that his Truth may prevail over Deceit and Envy and the Upright in Heart shall see it and rejoyce in the Lord and in the prosperity of his blessed Truth over his and their Enemies From a Servant of Christ George Whitehead London the 3d. of the 2d Month 1694 Reader Note That the omission of the Names of our present Opposers in the Title is 1. Because of the Contempt brought upon them by their great Envy and outrage 2. Lest their Names in the Title should cause some to refuse inspecting this Treatise In opposition to the great Abuses Misrepresentations of F. Bugg and his Advocate Tho. Crisp against us the following Testimony which was lately delivered to the Parliament is added WE whose Names are underwritten being in Christian Society with the People commonly called QUAKERS Do in good Conscience Declare and Certifie all Persons concerned 1. That we sincerely believe and Confess That Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Virgin Mary is the true Messiah the very Christ the Son of the Living God to whom all his Prophets gave Witness And we do highly value his Death Sufferings Works Offices and Merits for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind together with his Laws Doctrine and Ministry 2. That this very Christ of God was and is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World who was slain was dead and is alive and lives for evermore in his divine eternal Glory Dominion and Power with the â—ather 3. That the HOLY Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of divine Authority as being given by Inspiration from God 4. And that Magistracy or Civil Government is God's Ordinance the good ends thereof being for the Punishment of Evil-doers and Praise of them that do well And we know of no other Doctrine or Principle preached maintained or ever received among or by us since we were a People contrary to these before mentioned Signed in Behalf of the said People Thomas Lower William Crouch William Ingram William Meade William Macket Philip Ford Francis Camfield John Edge Thomas Hutson Charles Marshall Josiah Ellis Gilbert Latey Theodor Eccleston Joseph Wassey Thomas Cox John Bowater Benjamin Antrobus William Philips Edward Brook William Townsend John Hall George Oldner Thomas Barker Abraham Johnson Tho. Twinbarrow
the efficient cause of Man's Salvation Qu. Wither p. 22. Seeing that Light of Life was the Light and Life of the same Jesus Christ. And I think it is a real owning Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary to be the efficient Cause of Man's Salvation to confess that to his own holy Divine Light of Life Salvation is chiefly ascribed but Instrumentally to his Body And hath not the Apostle Paul the like Distinction where he confesseth we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5. 10. Here 's Reconciliation by his Death and much more Salvation by his Life Wherefore F. Bugg's Consequence against us as bringing in Damnable Heresies Denying the Lord Jesus Christ to be a compleat Saviour p. 23. is a most foul and absurd Slander His instance in p. 23 that the Serpent is a Spirit and therefore that promised Seed which bruiseth his Head must be Spiritual And that Seed is Christ. To which I add consequently not only the outward Body or Flesh which he took upon him I cannot understand how this can be a Denial that Jesus Christ himself is the efficient Cause of Man's Salvation unless F. Bugg doth think that Christ was made up only of that outward Body of Flesh without any Divine Principle of Light and Life in him which I suppose he will not attempt to own or prove For though Christ took upon him the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh and was the Seed of the Woman that bruises the Serpents Head even the promised Seed who through Death was to bruise under and destroy him that had the power of Death viz. The Devil yet he effectually doth it by his Divine Power Light and Life as the immediate and efficient Cause of Man's Salvation Wherein we still confess his Sufferings and Death in the Flesh Instrumentally to Contribute thereunto Christ Jesus as the promised Seed who came of a Woman made under the Law bruised the Serpent's Head both without us and within us without us through his Sufferings and Death by his Divine Testimony Word and Power within us by his Divine Life Light Word or Seed Spirit and Power which is all but one Christ himself not Two Christs nor to be divided Else how could we be born again of incorruptible Seed Or how doth that Seed remain in him that 's born again And is not that Seed Christ And is not the Word of Faith Christ in Spirit 'T is well that F. B. grants the head of the Serpent in Men shall be bruised Consequently this must be for their Salvation And Christ therefore as inwardly revealed by â—is Spirit and Power the efficient Cause there of Divers other absurd Consequences he draws upon us in this case not worth tracing His other Instances to prove his false Charge of the Quakers denying Jesus to be Christ and efficient Cause of Man's Salvation are most grosly applied and perverted as he saith by G. Fox's assuming Divine Attributes to himself p. 26 27. Which we must needs look upon to be a reiterated aspersion For where G. F. uses these Words I am the Light him by whom the World was made and doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World c. This he speaks in the Name of Christ and not of himself nor in his own Name as his following Words plainly shews viz. If you love the Light wherewith you are enlightened you will love Christ who saith Learn of me Now F. B. Dost thou in Conscience believe that G. F. assumes this to himself or that he himself made the World Or that he himself enlightens every Man 'T is very sad to see thee so hardened and wilfully perverse in thus perverting truth Thou knowest better and sins against knowledge in thy Calumnies against us F. Bug's Second Charge against the Quakers Their Books are Blasphemous and their practice Idolatrous c. This we utterly deny as a Calumnious Clamâ—uâ— against our Books and practice in general And therefore the more impossible for Fr. Bugg rationally to produce the Colour of proof thereof Wherefore I question him about his pretended Allegations 1. What Blasphemy or Idolatry was it for any of our Friends to write viz. Thou O North of England out of thee did the Branch spring and Star arise which gives Light to all the Regions round about in thee the Sun of Righteousness appeared c. 2. How proves F. Bugg that Fox's Disciples or Proselites as he scornfully calls them ecchoed back these Adorations to him as calling him the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness Alluding to Mic. 5. 2. Numb 24. 17. Mal. 4. 2. Zech. 3. 8. p. 31. I challenge Bugg to prove where the Quakers gave these Titles to the Person of George Fox or that he assumed them to himself Observe I have viewed over that Epistle of Edward Burrough's to the Camp of the Lord in England p. 64 65 66 67 where mention is made of the North of England and where the Branch did spring and the Star arise and the Sun of Righteousness appeared c. And G. F. is not so much as mentioned or named in all that Epistle and therefore Bugg has most shamefully belied and scandalized the Quakers in this point also not only in charging them that the Quakers Prophets give Witness to G. Fox instead of Christ that they call him the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness and put the North of England for the Town of Bethlehem N. Rom. unm Epist. to Ber. p. 2. But also because of our Testimony against this Horrid Lye and Abuse among others Bugg staged Twelve of us being Citizens Tradesmen and others of good Repute in his Mock Tryal wherein he condemns us for Perjured Persons to the Pillory with a form thereof in his N. Rom. Arraign to redicule and most grosly defame us both as to our Christian and Civil Reputations affected thereby Oh horrible Insolency and Wickedness in thee F. Bugg Thus wilfully to persist in thy Imposing gross Lies and Calumnies upon the World against us 3. What Divine Attributes did G. F. assume to himself in saying he wrote from the Mouth of the Lord or that he was cloathed with Righteousness p. 30. 5. How proves Bugg that to be a true and entire Copy of John Audland's Letter to G. F. which he cites p. 30 I deny his Citation and there 's reason to question the truth of it being also so often varied in Print and particularly from the Copy sent me by John Pennyman besides the Date of 1665 given it in the printed Libel entituled Some of the Quakers Principles c. gives more Cause to question the Truth of his Copy For that Date was Two Years after John Audland Died being in 1663 't is great Nonsense to suppose he writ it after he Died as appears by their Register of Burials in Westmorland And thou F. B. hast owned the said Libel and the
composing of it in thy N. Rom. Arr. p. 10. And didst thou find the Date of 1665 on the said Letters or didst thou give it or who did Answer truly We may not be imposed upon by thy various uncertain Accounts or Equivocations in this Matter 5. Which of you have the Original Letter of J. A's And which of you are able to make it appear by comparing of Haâ—ds to be his as printed by thee as thou sayest p. 32. Which of you are so expert in his Hand that you can make it so appear ex certa scientia I greatly question it I am sure that John Audland believed in and confessed the true Christ of God according to Scripture as is fully proved in his Works cited in my Just Enquiry p. 26 27 28 29. and that he esteemed G. F. no otherwise than eminently Instrumental in Christ for his own and others help and comfort 6. What Blasphemy and Idolatry canst thou prove against W. P. and others in their Book Judas and Jews and in excusing Josiah Coa's Letter Thy proofless Clamours will not do to bear us down nor thy hideous out-cry and clamour that never greater Blasphemies were spoke by Man than by Fox For shame leave these thy Malicious Calumnies 7. What Blasphemy and Idolatry provest thou against John Blackling's Testimony that G. F. was blessed with honour above above many Brethren Were there not Elders worthy of double Honour And is not that Honour Eternal which God gives and is from above and wherewith he Honours them that Honour him 8. And that his Life Reigns i. e. the Life that G. F. partook of Is not Christ the Life of all his true Believers and Followers 9. His tender Words in the Lords Love were my Sâ—â—â—'s Nourishment If these were J. B's Words what Blasphemy or Idolatry was in them as believing G. F. Instrumental in the Lord's Love for his Souls Comfort Did not Paul say I have fed thee with Milk and not with strong Meat 1 Cor. 3. 2. And did not Christ's Ministers comfort the otints who were in Trouble by the Comfort where with they themselves were comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. Were these Blasphemous or Idolatrous supposest thou F. Bugg Oh how filthy Loud and Clamourous art thou in thy Charges and how poor faint dull and short in thy proof Fr. Bugg's Third Charge against the Quakers That they deny the Scriptures by speaking contemptously of them c. Their Contemptuous Expressions of the Holy Scripture their contempt of the Holy Scriptures p. 32 33. We utterly deny these his Charges as both Calumnious and directly contrary to our Principles His Allegations are fully answered in these our Three Treatises viz. A Charitable Essay A Just Enquiry and Innocency Triumphâ—nt But he is so tenacious to his own Opinion and so Implacable that he 'll receive no Answer but repeat and impose his old worn Reproachful Stuff over and over again I am sure our Friends Books alledged by him if impartially viewed will clear them in this Case from either Denying or Contemning the Holy Scriptures And even that of News coming out of the North so often objected doth in divers parts of it clear the point both by the numerous Quotations of the Scripture in the Margents as also where it s therein said the Lord hath spoken by his former Prophets and what The Scripture And p. 8 Christ Jesus the Substance of the Prophets Ibid. The Testimonies of the Prophets of God and Apostles of Christ against false Prophets and the Works of the World owned And p. 12 13. The Scriptures and Saints Conditions and the Words spoken by the Prophets Christ and his Apostles owned And in Eternal Substantial Truths p. 17. The Life and power of God gave forth the Scriptures he saith Now could this be any Contempt of Holy Scripture No but the Contrary And where do the Quakers say that to preach out of them i. e. the Holy Scriptures is Conjuration There may be true Preaching out of the Holy Scripture by the Spirit of Truth and there is false Preaching by perverting the Holy Scriptures Bugg's own instance which is against them that study to raise a Living thing out of the Dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and Diviners their teaching not being from the mouth of the Lord p. 34. This is no proof of his general Charge that to preach out of the Holy Scriptures is Conjuration Quer. Where proves he these Words His Observation is also false That the Quakers call the Holy Scriptures Death Dust and Serpents Meat This is a foul perversion seeing they esteem the Holy Doctrine to be the Holy Scripture which he also has granted and agreed to And our distinguishing between the outward Writing or Books and the Holy Doctrine therein contained and between the Letter and the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6 7. This was no Juggle nor any Contempt of Holy Scripture as falsly suggested p. 33 36. The Holy Scriptures mentioned amongst those Writings which I. P. did bring to the Exchange And to this F. B. saith Surely they could not burn the Holy Spirit and that it seems they can call the Bible the Holy Scriptures for a Wicked Design p. 36. This is impertinent as well as Malicious for the Holy Scriptures therein mentioned was with the respect to the Doctrine therein contained for I must tell F. B. that it would shew Contempt to Holy Scripture even to the Holy Doctrine contained in the Bible if a Person should voluntarily offer to burn the Bible it self as the King of Judah did Jeremiah's Roll Jer. 36. though he could not â—urn the Word of the Lord. But to say the Bible or Books made up of Paper and Characters will decay and turn to Dust but the Holy Doctrine Word and Spirit from whence it came will endure This is no Contempt of Holy Scripture nor yet to the Bible His Saying G. W. holdly imposes upon the World that though they call the Scripture Dust c. yet they do not call the Holy Scripture so The first part he falsly imposeth upon me as he doth on the Quakers Not only that they call the Holy Scriptures Dust Death Serpents Meat Beastly Ware c. which is a horrible Calumny but also that they do not believe the Doctrine and Precepts recorded in Scripture to be either Blessed or Holy p. 38 39 Thus he imposeth his horrid and gross Lies against us upon the World as also that the Quakers never did beg Pardon of God for Christ's sake and that they do prefer their own Books Papers and Epistles before the Scriptures p. 40. These like the rest are gross Lies and contrary to our Testimonies extant in Print as in divers of our Books we positively declare That we prefer the Holy Scripture above all other Books extant in the World and also declare that we are truly thankful to God for preserving to us the outward Writings Scriptures or Books commonly called the Bible as in
is pretended by one Party This is falsly represented and perverted against G. W. in the first Part who did not represent those of G. K's Doctrinâ— mentioned but as pretended Fundamentals although T. C. has this falsehood pretended Fundamentals divers times over in his Introduction Whereas my Words are as is pretended by one Party relative to divers Accounts lately published in Print of some â—ate Divisions and Disputes about several Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith as is pretended by one Party which therefore at least some whereof I grant to be such and do not call them pretended Fundamentals But that the late Division is pretended to be about them according as my Words are clear in our small Treatise referred to viz. The Christian Doctrine and Society of the People called Quakers p. 1. one of which Fundamental Doctrines which he says G. W. represents but as pretended Fundamentals is That Christ is in Heaven in his glorified Nature of Man Body and Soul God and Man both Introduction p. 2. And where have I contemned or opposed this Doctrine How Inadvertent and unjust art thou T. C. in this Do not I plainly declare in the same Treatise p. 3 That as Man Christ died for our Sins rose again and was received into Glory And p. 5. That Christ's Body that was Crucified by the power of God was raised from the Dead and that the same Christ that was Crucified ascended into Heaven and Glory and that his Flesh saw no Corruption it did not Corrupt But yet doubtless his Body was Changed into a more Glorious and Heavenly Condition than it was in when subject to divers Sufferings on Earth c. Where 's now the Contempt of his Person Mayst thou not be ashamed of thy false abusive Charge From my Saying the same Christ that was therein i. e. in the Body or Flesh Crucified thou falsly inferrest So then he that was nailed to the Cross and pierced was not Christ p. 24. Here thou quarrellest with the Apostles Doctrine and Language 1 Pâ—t 3. 18. Being put to Death in the Flesh And ch 4. 1. Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh. 1 John 4. 2. Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh And 2 John 7. And many Deceivers are entred into the World who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh. Mark here Christ suffered in the Flesh and Jesus Christ come in the Flesh. Was this to deny him that suffered on the Cross to be Christ or to Conâ—emn his Person No sure How sillily hast thou deduced many Inferences of this kind against us as if thou wert minded to be Litigious Again Thy inferring That he who was nailed â—o the Cross was not Christ but a Body a Vail a Garment of an Earthly Perishing Nature p. 24. Here again thou pervertest and abusest us Where did we ever say that he who so suffered was not Christ but a Body a Vail c. Seeing 〈◊〉 was Christ that suffered in the Flesh and his â—â—esh was called the Vail Heb. 10. What Contempt to Christ or Denial of him was such Sayâ—â—g And where did ever any of us say that â—â—s Body that was nailed to the Cross was of a â—â—rishing Nature seeing his Flesh saw no Corâ—â—ption But thy great Offence is about Iâ— Pennington's â—ords viz. We can never call the Bodily Garâ—…t Christ p. 26 c. And what then is this 〈◊〉 Undervaluing or Contempt to Jesus Christ â—25 Is it not as true literally as a Man's Garâ—ent cannot be the Man himself that wears it â—â—d may it not be as true figuratively as Christ's Flesh was the Vail And that without any Contempt to him his Body or Flesh called the Vail Unless thou canst prove the Holy Apostle a Contemner thereof who used the same Expression He i. e. Christ hath Consecrated for us a new and living way through the Vail i. e. his Flesh Heb. 10. 20. That Christ Jesus as to his entire Existence or Being doth not consist only of the Body or Flesh that was Crucified Thou grants as much not only in thy Confessing his Person as joyned to the Godhead Power Life and Soul was called Jesus and the Saviour p. 24. But also his being the Anointed as well as the Anointing p. 5. For Christ was before Abraham and David in Spirit called him Lord and he was that Spiritual Rock that all Israel drank of As for excusing Errors and Contempt of our Lord Jesus falsly charged on J. P. and being liable to be charged therewith p. 26. I am not conscious to my self of so doing by discovering his Intention and by his own Explications of the Words objected against him viz. As either that the Vail which was Christ's Flesh or that the Bodily Garment we can never call the entire Christ as intimated by his own Words chiefly and in the first place Christ as in one of his Questions 'T is strange that thou should shew so much Envy against that Innocent Man as to charge him with Contempt of our Lord Jesus who did more sincerely believe and confess him both in Principle Doctrine Charity and Innocent Conversation than thou hast done whose sincere Confession is also evinced against thy Brother F. Bugg By the Term Vail we neither undervalue Jesus nor set his Light above himself as is implied against us p. 25. For though every degree of Divine Light in us is of and from Christ Jesus yet 't is greater and more as in him in whom the fulness is as is more fully cleared in our said Treatise of our Christian Doctrine Concerning the Flesh of Christ being a Vail Heb. 10. thou grants was in respect to Man and so the Figure may be proper as intended by the Apostle If so then that Vail was not the entire Christ though the Name was given both to his Soul and Body in Scripture jointly and severally if by the Term Flesh be commonly understood the Person of our Lord Jesus where then dost thou prove that the Quakers contemn the Flesh of Christ considered either Spiritually or Litterally And though the Person of Christ I find but once mentioned in Scripture 2 Cor. 2. 10. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in facie Christi vel Conspectu Christi in the Face or Sight of Christ. Yet understanding thy meaning I am not minded to quarrel with thee about Words and Terms To thy excusing F. Bugg's false Charge of Denying Jesus of Nazareth against us p. 25 I do not perceive thou canst make any good work of it upon his Instances where he makes our confessing Christ in us and witnessing him nearer us than at Jerusalem as J. Naylâ—r did c. to be a denying of Jesus of Nazareth or confessing that Divine Principle i. e. the Word the Life or Spirit of Christ to be the Foundation Principle of Living Faith and Knowledge of Christ in his Spiritual Appearance in us I cannot see how this can be a Denying of Jesus of Nazareth any more than the Apostles preaching