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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44231	A brief relation of some part of the sufferings of the true Christians, the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, in Ireland, for these last eleaven years, viz, from 1660 until 1671 with an occasional treatise of their principles and practices briefly stated, whereby the innocency of their cause, for which they so suffer, is not only plainly demonstrated, but also from all false asperations and causeless pretences sufficiently vindicated / collected by T.H. and A.F.	Holme, Thomas, d. 1695.; Fuller, Abraham, d. 1694.	1672 (1672)	Wing H2514; ESTC R7372	56,059	82

Pharisees John 8. 59. a great professing people even by such as professed the Messiah to come Thus was the Just and Holy One the Messiah Christ Jesus the Seed the Son of God and Saviour of the World put to Death by Wicked and Ungodly Men who are of the Line of Cain's spirit the seed of the Serpent the Devil Peter and John went into the Temple Acts 3. 4. 1. the place of Worship at the time of Prayer and preached Christ which the Temple-Worshippers could not bear but laid hands on them whipt them and put them in Prison strictly charging them To Preach no more in the Name of Jesus the Priests being the chief Instruments as also at the killing of Christ Stephen a true Worshipper of God Acts 6. was accused of many Falshoods by men subborned and false Witnesses and brought before the Council of the Jews false Worshippers and he being full of Faith and Power preached Christ unto them and withal told them Acts 7. That God dwelled not in Temples made with hands further charging them and their Fathers with persecuting the Prophets and murdering of Jesus for which he was stoned and put to Death by the National Worshippers Paul preached Christ in the Synagogues Acts 9. 20 23. for which the Jews took Counsel against him waiting and watching at the Gate day and night so great was their Envy to kill him And he and Barnabas preached in the Jews Synagogues at Cyprus Antioch c. and the Jews persecuted them and Banished them their Coasts Acts 13. as many of God's Servants are served in these dayes And at Iconium they were also persecuted and Paul stoned near unto Death by the professing Jews and false Worshippers for going into their Synagogues and preaching Christ Acts 14. And at Thessalonica Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogues on the Sabboth dayes and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ c. Acts 17. and the Unbelievers and base people set the City on an Uproar against them as such do now against God's Servants for preaching the same Christ accusing them with turning the World upside down and doing contrary to the Decrees of Caesar and troubled the City and the Rulers even as the Priests and worst of People in our Age do concerning us whom the Lord hath redeemed from their Mouthes And when Paul came to Athens he did not joyn to the publick Worship but his Spirit was stirred in him seeing them given to Idolatry he disputed in the Synagogues with the Jews and in the Market daily with them that met with him there certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoicks encountred him some calling him a Babbler others a Setter forth of strange Godds because he preached Jesus and the Resurrection and yet they themselves knew not the Living God Thus Peter and several of the Apostles Disciples the true Worshippers for bearing the like Testimony were also persecuted and some to Death Many more Examples might be mentioned of the true Worshippers of the Lord even through Ages and Generations recorded in the Scriptures who knew God whom they worshipped and could not joyn with the false Worshippers yea if National Worshippers in their day that knew not the Lord but reasoned with them and testified against them in their publick places and else-where as the Lord required them and they were alwayes persecuted by the false birth of Religion the false Worshippers and seed of Evil-doers that knew not God according to the Saying of the Apostle Gal. 4. 29. He that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit And also It may be seen in Histories and Books of Martyrs that many have suffered Martyrdom because they could not joyn to and with the National and established Worships then set up by men and so forsake the Spiritual Worship set up by Jesus Christ And as in former times so in these dayes the true Worshippers who worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth Jo. 4. 23 24. which is the Gospel-Worship set up by Christ Jesus cannot joyn contrary to their Consciences and Understandings with the National publick Worship for which there is neither Command nor Example in the Scriptures of Truth for their Practice Discipline Manner of Worship and Worship it self And seeing it is of necessity to know God before he can be worshipped aright and that none know the Father but the Son and him to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 27. if none then know God but by the Revelation of Christ Jesus and that the national Worshippers say Revelation which it seems is the only way to know God is ceased then by their Doctrine it follows That the Knowledge of God is ceased and then in vain do men worship for they worship they know not what How then can we joyn with them in such a Worship whilst they deny Revelation so worship an Unknown Godd But we come to know God by the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 John 4. 13 14 15 16. and therefore we worship him and fear his holy Name and for thus worshipping we ought not to be persecuted especially not by those that profess Christianity Fifthly Concerning our not Swearing not taking off our Hats and for Working on dayes by some called Holy-days we have also good Ground and Scripture Authority First AND first for our refusing to Swear we have plain and undeniable Scripture Proofs 1st from Christ Jesus the Son of God in whom we believe Joh. 14. 1. who in his Sermon to his Disciples preached and opened the glorious Work and Worth of the Gospel above the Law though he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it You have heard said he that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not Forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths but I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. but let your Communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of Evil Mat. 5. 17 33 35 36 37. And if men were not wilfully bind and hardned against Truth how could a Mouth be opened much less a Hand lifted up against us by the Professors of Christianity for our Principles herein seeing Christ the Gospel-Law giver bids us not Swear at all and him we are to hear and obey And as they under the Law were to Swear truly so we under the Gospel are to speak truly for true Christians are as far to exceed the Jews as the Gospel doth the Law because of that Noble and Just Principle in them which is to lead them and guide them into all Truth John 16. 13. to speak and act truly altogether at all times and in all places and then a Testimony to speak the Truth answereth unto and is in the Ground as valid as Swearing truly that which might be sworn unto in the time of the Law is now only to be confirmed by Confession Yea

stand betwixt God and a mans Soul if the man hath acted contrary to his own Understanding and Conscience Can Priest or Magistrate then plead for or be heard against Conscience it self which is more then a Thousand Witnesses to excuse the Guilty Soul before God or Would our Persecutors be compelled to a Worship contrary to their own Consciences So that let our Persecutors pretend what they will or can it is evidently matter of Conscience rightly informed and surely grounded even God's Spirit Scripture Authority and the Practice of the Saints and primitive Christians that makes us thus meet and wait upon and worship God and suffer thus for the same Secondly Touching our not paying Tythes and Maintenance to the Priests and their Clarks we have good Ground for the same For First BEfore the Law Abraham was the first we read of who having rescued his Brother Lot by force of Arms from the four vanquished Kings gave the Tenth of the Spoil unto Milchizedeck Priest of the most High God Gen. 14. 20. Here the Original of Tythes was a free Gift and not a general Command for then all Princes should have paid the Tenth of their Spoils And Jacob also vowed the giving of the Tenths unto God Gen. 28. 22. Secondly Under the Law Tythes were ordained of God Deut. 14. 29. for the Levite Strangers Widdows and Fatherless and they were to be brought into God's Store-house to be dispenced to the Levite who had no Inheritance with his Brethren and Priesthood for their continual attendance about the Alter Sacrifices Offerings c. Num. 18. 24. And the with-holding of Tythes or the not duly paying of them on this account was no less then a Robbery done to God Mal. 3 8 9 10. and incurred a Curse and not Imprisonment to Death as they do now who set them up without Command from Christ who ordained them amongst other things holy and were to continue in force as long as the Levitical Priesthood Law and the Ordinances thereof lasted Thirdly But when the fulness of time was that the Messiah Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 4. came of whom Moses Prophesied saying Him shall you hear in all things and whom the Priests and Jews by the Scriptures professed should come yet when he came they believed not in his then appearance in the Flesh no more then the literal Professors of this Age can believe in his now Spiritual Appearance Rom 10. 16. 21. And Christ Jesus did chuse Apostles out of the Disciples that believed in him who were of several Tribes and not out of the Priests or Tribe of Levi only and he ordain'd them more Disciples and gave them Power and Authority and sent them forth to preach the Gospel Luke 6. 13. chap. 9. from 1. to 8. chap. 10. from 1. to 10. Here was neither Paper nor Parchment Commission nor their Authority to preach derived from the Jewish Rulers or Roman Power and for this their Gospel Mission and Preaching he instituted and appointed them a Gospel Maintenance suitable to their Gospel Dispensation Ministry read Mat. 10. Mark 6. 8. Luke 9. 10. where Christ giving the verbal Commission to the Gospel Preachers saith Freely ye have received freely give provide neither Silver Gold Brass Scrip nor Bread for your Journey salute no man by the way the Workman is worthy of his Meat and into what Town or City soever ye enter enquire who is worthy c. And after they had performed their Service and returned to Christ they rejoyced they complained not of a hard Master or hard Commission or of want in their Gospel Service of Preaching and Journeys neither asked they for any Augmentation for they lacked nothing Luke 22. 35. This was the first Call and Ordination of Gospel Preachers as also the Allowance and Maintenance for them and here is Scripture for it Come now ye that say You are the Minister● of the Gospel and say for you do but say That the Scripture is the standing Rule let us try you by that Rule for we dearly own and love the Scriptures of Truth which were given forth by the Inspiration of God for they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 16. and we wish in our Hearts you would come so far as to the Rule of the Scriptures for then must you deny your Call Ordination Commission and manner of Maintenance yea your Doctrine Discipline Worship Manner and Places of Worship and Compulsion to your Worship with all your Height Pomp Mastership Lordliness and Court-Powers as being expresly contrary to the Scriptures so that in the true Ballance you are found wanting and by the very Scales and Waights which you have chosen to be weighed in and by you cannot hold out Waight and Measure by that which ye your selves say is the Rule viz. the Scriptures And so Christ in his Gospel Institution of Ministry never ordained Tythes or any other compulsive way or means for his Ministers Means and Maintenance but ordered a Maintenance as before said suitable to the Gospel Afree Gospel and a free Maintenance and Christ being offered up ended the Law and first Priesthood and the Commandment that gave them Tythes with all its Ordinances Offerings Sacrifices Tythes c. he remaining a Priest forever Heb. 7. 12. and chap. 9. vers 10 11 14. Fourthly In the primitive Church's time when there were many Disciples and Gospel Ministers that preached to the Jews and other Nations at great distances the Management whereof must needs be supported with a suitable Charge and Maintenance yet no mention of Tythes nor petitioning the Rulers either for Authority to preach or Maintenance for their Preaching and Service in their Ministry for they that were sent forth by Christ were content with his Allowance and the Churches made provision for all such necessary Supplies and also for the Poor by their Free Collections and Voluntary Contributions and there was no Lack or Complaint Rom. 15. 26. So that as under the Law God ordained Tythes for the Priests and Levites that were employ'd about the Temple-worship Sacrifices c. and for the Widdow and Fatherless c. so under the Gospel Christ Jesus the Saints and true Christians Law-giver hath alotted and provided for his Ministers that he calls and sends forth to preach the Gospel and his Church takes care of their Poor who appointed men to see that nothing was lacking Acts 6 3. 1 Cor. 16. 12. Is not this good Gospel Order and this we are for And the Apostle to the Hebrews in a great part of his Epistle to them strives to bring them off from under the Law the first Priesthood and all the Ordinances pertaining thereunto unto Christ Jesus the Everlasting High Priest Heb. chap. 3. to chap. 11. shewing them the invaliditity of the Law and its Ordinances in comparison of Christ as also how that they are ended and fulfilled in Christ saying The Priesthood being changed there is

Plea of the Transmutation of the property of Tythes from jus divinum to jus humanum will not serve in sound reason nor by Scripture to exact Tythes from true Christians nor yet for them to pay Tythes either to the Clergy or Lay-men And the Apostles continued in Christ's Doctrine and preached the Gospel freely coveting no mans Silver Gold or Apparel but laboured with their hands that neither they nor their Gospel might be chargeable 1 Cor. 9. 18. And Paul layes down in his Epistle 1 Tim. 3. the Quallification of Ministers and Bishops That they must not be Strikers nor Covetous nor greedy of filthy Lucre nor Proud c. and against such as preach for Lucre and make Merchandize of the Word both he and several of the Apostles bore Testimony as may be seen in the Scriptures And there having been so many Volumns published of late by several of our Friends against Tythes enough to satisfie a moderate and rational man against the use of them whether by payment or reception in these our Gospel dayes that we need not enlarge hereon and besides the Understandings of people in our Nations are so enlightened that very few do pay Tythes on the account of Conscience or Scripture Authority but as being constrained thereunto against their Wills for as peoples eyes are opened by believing in and embracing the true Light Christ Jesus they will easily see over the Apostacy unto the primitive true Christians times and so to discern the true Gospel-Ministers and their Allowances by Christ from the now National parochal hired Priests and their Maintenance by Tythes and forced wayes set up by men and that by the Scriptures of Truth Tythes and forced means is not a Maintenance for Gospel Ministers and that he that takes and he that pays Tythes now do both deny Christ come in the Flesh Thirdly Touching our not paying to the repair of the Parish or publick Houses of Worship called Churches we have good Ground First BEcause there is no Example for this from the Antient People of God the Jews either in building or re-edifying and repairing of the Temple of Jerusalem a Place Appointed and expresly Commanded of God to be built For neither did David that prepaired aboundance for the Building of it nor yet Solomen his Son that built it nor yet Zerubbabel and the Jews that Re-built and repaired it would admit of any of the Gentiles or strange Nations to help or assist them therein for when their Adversaries proffered help they refused acceptance saying You have nothing to do with us to build a House unto our God we our selves together will build it unto the Lord God of Israel Ezra 4. 1 2 3. So that the Jews for the love and zeal they bore to God and his Worship denied those that were not of their Religion that joyned not with them in their Worship to help them to rebuild or repair the Temple which was the Place for the Jews to worship at and this is contrary to you that call your selves Christians that compel others not of you to build mend your Places of worship Secondly Because there is no Example from the Primitive true Christians for after Christ came who ended the Temple Worship c. there were many thousands both of the Jews and Gentiles converted to the Faith and met in several Places and Houses to worship God Acts 11. 26. 20. 20. 28. 30. yet we do not read that they either imposed upon one another or compelled the Jews or Gentiles from whom they were turned to build up Places of Worship nor yet that the unconverted Jews and Gentiles compelled the Christians either to build or repair the Jews Synagogues or Diana's Temple Thirdly There is no equity or reason for us to pay to the building or repairing of those now Places of Worship called Churches for God hath so perswaded our hearts that we cannot joyn with them that go to worship there we having good Scripture ground both against the Worship it self the manner of worshipping and the Worshippers and therefore we refuse to go to the Place And can we do less then appeal to the equal Principle of God in men Whether it is not repugnant to right Reason and Equity for the Priests and others to ask much more to assess and compel by taking away our Goods excessively to pay to the building or repair of their Places of Worship called Churches which they themselves and not we make use of for we disown them in their Will-worship 2 Tim. 3. 5. where is taught for Doctrine the Commandments of men Mat. 15. 9. and where Prescriptions and Traditions of men form out a compuisive way of worship for Time Place Manner and Matter as being contrary to Christ's Speech to the Woman of Samaria Neither in this Mountain where the Patriachs worshipped nor yet at Jerusalem the place commanded by God to be built for him once to be worshipped in but the Hour cometh and now is said he that the true Worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and in Truth for such the Father seeks to Worship him and he is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship in the Spirit Joh. 4. 21 22 23 24. And further doth not this manifest that the litteral Professors of Christianity in this Age are grown very cold much below God's ancient People the Jews who for all they had been banished out of their own Country and been Captives in a strange Land in Caldea and Persia 77 Years yet at their return to Judea would not suffer any that were not of their Religion and came not to their Worship to help them to re-edifie repair the Temple commanded of God to be built is not this much unlike this Generation of men that by force make havock of us and out Goods for not helping them to build and repair their now places of Parish-Worship called Churches for which they have no Command from God to build or repair So now this may serve to inform people how innocently and that for Conscience sake we suffer in this thing and that our Persecutors have neither Example of God's Antient People nor of the primitive true Christians nor yet Reason or Equity on their sides for what they have done against us herein Fourthly For not going to the publick Worship and not joyning with them in their Worship at their said places called Churches and for Reproving and Exhorting them to fear God in the said Places and in Streets and Markets as we are commanded of the Lord we have good Ground though we have or may suffer for the same First For it appears by the Scriptures of Truth that in the Infancy of the World even before there was any written Law or outward Rule commanded or prescribed by God that People then offered or worshipped God each of them according to the perswasion of their own hearts and minds as is hinted at in the first Branch For Abel did not joyn with

a further Testimony of our Sincerity herein we further say and declare That we are content to suffer as much for not Serving truly and for not Speaking and Evidencing truly as those that are Perjured or Forsworn for we hold our selves as much yes more oblieged by affirming or speaking Truth by our word Yea and Nay as others do by Swearing truly or performing their Places by an Oath And if this sufficeth not then we must needs say It s hard to perswade men of a contrary mind to us herein until they come to own and believe in the Truth Christ the Light and then they will with us be like-minded with us that what we say affirm and witness is really Truth or truly said and done seeing they themselves are often doubtful of the verity of what is sworn or testified upon Oath by such as worship with them and are of the same Opinion with them and hold it as they do lawful to Swear for several times neither the Swearers nor the Matter sworn is believed by the Magistrate for men of good Fame are called and depended on for the truest Evidence So that it appeareth That it s not the taking of a bare Oath simply considered as an Oath which oblieges to perform or evidence and swear truly but rather the Honesty and good Conscience of the Party which proves the Performance from a Principle within and not from a formal Oath then we say Why should not a man as well be believ'd in speaking truly as swearing truly seeing all that swear cannot be believed there being so many Perjured False-sworn Secondly For not taking off our Hats which are part of our Bodily Garments and put and placed upon our Heads to keep them warm and dry as the rest of our Garments are for the other parts of our Bodies and so not Honouring mens Persons with pulling them off which it seems troubleth and distasteth the minds of some men that seek the Honour below in order to content and satisfie the Pride and Ambition for curreous and good-natured men contemn and disregard it looking upon it at best but an Alamode Complement of a late Edition and rather become a Fashion in our Country a National or general Custom then any absolute matter of Duty or Necessity And besides it would be no hard thing to prove the use of National or general Customs to be incongtuous with and dissonant unto the Life of a true Christian who is not to be fashionedunto the World 1 Pet. 1. 14. so that the not putting them off to answer the Will a lofty part in man is also Matter of Conscience to us for God knows our hearts that it s done in the Cross of Christ Jesus and not in Contempt of Authority or mens Persons bearing Rule For we dare not Respect Persons act contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said Jam. 2. 1 to 11. If ye have Respect to Persons ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors to this agrees Christ's Saying to his Hearers John 5. 41 44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that comes down from God only and we do not read in the Scriptures that of all that were brought or voluntarily went before Kings Dukes Governours and Magistrates that any were commanded to put off their Hats or Bonnets nay Nebuchadnezar was not offended as we read with the three Children for their Hats Dan. 3. 21. for they were cast into the Fire with their Hosen and Hats Doth not the Turk mock it Christians for putting off their Hats shewing their bare Heads Is not this a Reproof to Christians that Persecute Fine and Imprison for not putting off the Hat to them because they have not the Hat-Honour and Hat-Respect which they cannot say is the Honour from above which Christ commendeth to seek Thirdly For Working or Opening our Shops on the Week-dayes called Holy-dayes we have this to say which though little yet may suffice a moderate man and will a true Christian We find Exod. 20. 6. the Law allowed Six Dayes in the Week to Work or Labour on and neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever forbid it nor yet ordained any such dayes as Holy-days to be kept and observed by the Churches in the Primitive Times And the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans saith Rom. 41. 5 6. One Man esteemeth one Day above another another esteemeth every Day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own Mind he that regards a Day regards it unto the Lord and he that regards not the Day to the Lord he doth not regard it And he also said They should not judge one another about such things And seeing that neither the Apostles nor the Councils in their dayes made any such Decree or Law for observing such dayes have not therefore these Decrees and Laws been made by the Pope and his Councils since the Apostles dayes And who shall be observed the Apostles or the Pope judge ye So that there being no Institution of such dayes by Christ his Apostles or Primitive Councils why should we suffer or be persecuted for following our lawful Labours and Callings thereon especially by such as are called Christians AND thus Reader in this foregoing occasioned Treatise of the several Branches of our beforementioned Sufferings we have used brevity in regard divers of our Friends have published much already to the same purpuse yet we cannot be altogether silent at this time Prudence prompting us to put thus much to publick view for no other Cause and End then so far to vindicate our Principles and Practices by the holy Scriptures of Truth Practice of Primitive true Christians and other good Grounds and Reasons as that thereby it may plainly appear to any Sober and Moderate Man that we suffer Innocently not for Evil-doing and that our Persecutors are the more culpable and so much the more for that they profess the Scriptures And notwithstanding their thus Vnjust Vnchristian-like Vsage and Persecuting of us we purpose and resolve in the Lord God That the Powers and chief Rulers of the Nations as hitherto so hereafter also shall never have more against us then Nebuchadnezar had against Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. and Darius against Daniel Dan. 6. 4 to the end for Daniel and the Three Children were Faithful to the Kings of Babylon and Medea as their Accusers acknowledged who sought Occasion against Daniel but confessed they could find none except concerning the Law of his God which was his Worship and Religion THE END Dr. Taylor late Bishop of Down Derry Chrysost Tertul. Haywardus K. James K. Car. 1. Isa 42. 4. Phil. 3. 15. Gal. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Mat. 11. 25. Luke 4. 23. Mat. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Mat. 20. 26. and 23. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. Luke 22. 24 25 26. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Da. 5 27 Act. Mon. Thorp Huss G. Clapham Priest of Mountmelick and Geo. Walker Priest of Kilmore Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. Gen. 4. 3 5 6 7 8. Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 6. 9 18. Gen. 8. 20 21. Gen. 12. 1 5 6 7 8. Gen. 13. 18. Gen. 15. 1. Gen. 17. 1. 18. 1. Ge. 20. 1 2. 21. 33 34. 22. 9 13 14. Genesis 23. 19 20. Genesis 24. 3 4. Genesis 26. 25. Genesis 28. 1. 2 Genesis 32. 28. Gen. 33 18 19 20. Genesis 35. 7 14 15. Genesis 47. 28 29 30 31. Genesis 50. 24 25 26. Ex. 17. 15. 19. 20. 27. 1. 30. 1. Jerom Chrysoft Ambr. Origen Act. and Mon. Bish Gawden Wil. Thorp Wil. Brute Acts 5. 29.