thy obedience and here is thy fruits and here is thy service who commits Sin and a Servant to Sin and free from righteousness Iohn 8.24 Rom. 16.20 Oh thou blasphemer and slanderer of the just when wilt thou cease from thy Lyes and Blasphemy where dost or canst thou prove such a Scripture as the most emminent believer Sin in any things when the Scripture saith he that believeth is born of God and he that is born of God sinneth not for whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him and he that committeth sin is of the Devil and there 's thy condition and he is thy Father who is the Father of all lyars as thou art i. Iohn 3.3 4 5 6 7 8. Priest And to conclude thy filthy rotten stuff thou sayest they that make not the word of God the rule for their actions are led either by their own fancies or the Devils temptations or both Ans Thee Priest Townsend art here laid open and thou art uncovered and here thou art found to be a denyer of the word and rule and foundation and thou art led by thy dreams and fancies and thy foundation * Viz. The Holy Scritures is in the dust and thou art reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for everlasting fire and here thou in all these thy lyes are shut our from God and all the Children of God among the Doggs and Sorcerers and the Lake is thy portion which is the portion of all lyars Iude 6 7 8. thus have we returned a full answer unto thy senceless stuff and in plainness have we dealth with thee and have not flattered thee at all there call it not railing lest thou violate the Scriptures so with the word of truth thou art tryed and comprehended and us shalt thou witness eternally when the book of Conscience comes to be opened and thou judged out of it so we remain Sufferers for the truth and witnesses against thee and thy generation Named according to the flesh George Whitehead Christopher Arkinson James Lancaster Thomas Symonds A Cutting Switch FOR THE Wounded Snake I have used Similitudes Hos 12.10 READER BY the Word Snake which I use by way of Metaphor alluding to the Quakers obscure way of Reasoning evermore hiding themselves in the dark by their Ambiguous and Doubtful Way of expressing themselves in their Unintelligible Way of Writing is what I call Quakerism and having taken this Snake Quakerism out of the Grass and laid her on the Table and taken out her Sting I am now coming to exercise my Switch which I lately twisted out of Jos-Wyeth's Hand as David did the Sword out of the Hand of that uncircumcised Philistine Goliah of Gath which he design'd to wound the Israelites with for this Joseph like blind Hob playing at Blind-Man's-Buff smiting every Man that passed by without all Fear or Respect being Fool hardy I was resolved to unarm him and take his Weapon from him for like Goliah's Sword there is none like it And whereas this Water-Snake has swam over Sea I am minded to send this Switch thither also that so where-ever her Spawn is gone rattling up and down in other Nations and Plantations this Switch may pursue her and deal severely or cuttingly with her for she has done much Harm And now I shall tell what is the Cause of this Snake's Fury which is as on the Title Page of this Third Part and where you may see she put forth her Sting against Mr. Townsend for that he like other Christian Champions went to prove the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God for this the Rattle-Snake came out of his Thicket and flung out his Deadly Poyson at Mr. Townsend thus Ishmael and his Mother cast out among the Beasts c. calling him a Dreamer a Deceiver a Witch a Liar a blind Guide without Christ and his Knowledge an Enemy of God an Antichrist a blind Sot a sottish blind Guide shut up in perpetual Darkness Blasphemous Beast as in P. 7 8 10 14 17 25 29. Thus Reader having shewed thee the Cause of the Dragon's Fury and the Ground why he threw out his Floods of Malice against the Gospel Ministers I shall next shew thee in short a few Words to Confirm what I have said and that out of the Snake's own Mouth as in P. 14 17 24. first That the Scriptures are not the written Word of God but a Rotten Foundation not the Means to work Faith in the Heart And because Mr. Townsend in Opposition to the Quakers Heretical Doctrine had proved the Scriptures to be the written Word of God and as such a good Foundation for our Faith in our Crucified Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the Means to work Faith in our Hearts which works by Love Oh how did Geo. Whitehead and his Partners hiss like Snakes sting like Adders and roar like Dragons calling him as before noted Dreamer Deceiver Witch Liar blind Guide Enemy to God Antichrist Sot blind Sot Blasphemous Beast shut up in perpetual Darkness with other the like Virulent Railing and Hellish Malice And this Reader is a Map of the Original Controversie between the Clergy and the Quakers for with them the Scriptures are Death Dust Carnal and Killing Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation For alas they have no need of the Scripture with them the Holy Scriptures are needless as I shall just now shew See Isaac Pennington's Book stiled Some things relating to the Royal Society c. p. 7. Now observe the Difference between the Religion which God hath taught us and led us into and the Religious of all Men upon the Earth besides our Religion stands wholly out of that which all their Religions stands in their Religion stands in the Comprehension in a Belief of a Literal Relation or Description our Religion stands in a Principle which changeth the Mind where we hear the Voice and see the express Image of the Heavenly One i. e. God and knows things not from an Outward Relation yea here say they we must profess that we so know things that we are fully satisfied about them and could not doubt concerning them tho' there had Never been Word or Letter written of them c. And to this agrees the Doctrine of Edward Burroughs in his Epistle to Fox's Great Mystery p. 17. and many other Places I could mention but I study Brevity But Reader I have not done with this Snake but must have the other Blow at her and smite off her Head lest she get into the King's High Court of Parliament and do mischief for she is mischievous Beast and full of deadly Poyson and begins to stink all the Nation over and the Cause why I shall give this Mortal Wound to this Rattle Snake which so often changes her Skin while she is the same with respect to her Venomous Nature that she was at her first Rise Anno 1650. I say the Cause is this Whereas Mr. Townsend of Norwich having proved the Scriptures
aforesaid i. e. A Brief Discovery c. p. 6. the Quakers Painter G. Whitehead says in his Truth and Innocency c. p. 9. We says George deny the Words as there printed tho' not until near 40 Years after printed therefore the Words He that hath should be left out Now George may not the London Jews by the same Art and with as much Truth and Innocency defend their deceased Brethren the Jews in their Blasphemy against Jesus Christ in the Days of his Flesh who said John 8.48 Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil But then by G. W.'s Rule of Arguing the London Jews may now say The Words and hast a Devil should be left out they only meant that he was the compassionate Samaritan mentioned Luke 10.33 Would this do George No sure theirs was plain Blasphemy and Fox's is as plain Blasphemy who said he was equal to God as aforesaid Thus Reader have I shewed thee the Quakers way of answering Books viz. First by Transposing Words by which if allowed I have proved that James slew Herod Secondly That by their Adding Words they likewise may excuse any Blasphemy as Whitehead here doth his Brother Burroughs who said first that the Quakers Sufferings are greater than Christ's and all his Apostles and Martyrs under the Heathen Emperors and Bloody Massacres to this Day Secondly That the Sufferings of the Quakers are more unjust than all the forementioned Thirdly That what was done to Christ his Apostles and Martyrs was chiefly done by a Law Fourthly and in great part by the Due Execution of a Law But says Whitehead It should rather have been said by a Regular or Judicial Procedure and truly this is so far from clearing Edw. Burroughs and his Brethren for they are all of one Mind being lead into these Blasphemies by their Darkness within which they call Light that it rather confirms what he Blasphemously said than otherwise And no great Marvel for the Quakers in Print deny that Person which suffered upon the Cross to be properly the Son of God * See W. Penn's Serious Apol. p. 146. For a Confutation of Penn's Doctrine read John 14.28 yea the whole Chapter and the Jews being of the same Faith they said as in John 19.7 We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Thus do both Jews and Quakers agree in their Fundamentals the Quakers deny him properly to be the Son of God and the Jews put him to Death because he said he was the Son of God and both Jews and Quakers herein resist the Testimony of God himself the Glorious Angels the Holy Apostles and Army of Martyrs yea all Christian Churches to this Day and because my self and others urge that they may be examined touching these their Blasphemous Books therefore they cry out Persecution Persecution Fr. Bugg would raise the Monster of Persecution with this they make a Noise and raise a Dust but fear no such thing they only fear being examined about their Blasphemous Books and obliged by Authority to Retract them and then down goes their beloved Darling Infallibility And what remains now but to follow the Pious Example of good King †Against the Blasphemy of Senacherib King of Syria Hezekiah 2 Kin. 19.14 And Hezekiah received the Letter of the Hand of the Messengers and read it and Hezekiah went into the House of the Lord and spread it before the Lord and prayed c. And therefore that God may give a Blessing to our Labour and for his Name Sake Rebuke this Spirit of Blasphemy which have entered this our Island and if it be his Holy Will to convince the Gainsayers of his Sacred Word and Ordinances For as St. Paul Teacheth 1 Cor. 9.10 He that ploweth plows in Hope and he that thresheth in Hope shall be partaker of his Hope especially if he faint not and though to Plow and Thresh and Beat Clods be hard Work yet 't is a necessary Work to Prepare the Field For the Seedsmen who are ordained thereunto not that the Plowmen or the Sowers have wherewith to Glory for Paul may plant and Apolo water but it is God alone that giveth the increase And to him not unto us belong the Glory And tho' it has been my work to Plow and Break the Clods which is hard Labour and to thresh the Mountains that the Fields may be prepared and fitted for the Master's use yet I can say according to the discretion God has given me I have not desired to break the Bruised Reed nor to quench the Smoaking Flax by being harsh to the weak or severe to the tender but have cut down the Lofty Weeds and hewed down the Tall Ceders who stood in opposition to the way and work of God which he is bringing to pass in the Earth And therefore I shall conclude in the Prayers of our Church beseeching God of his Great Mercy to give his Blessing to my weak Endeavours And say We Sinners do beseech to thee to hear us O Lord and that it may please thee to Rule and Govern thy Holy Church Universal in the Right Way That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true Worshiping of thee in Righteousness and Holiness of Life thy Servant William our most Gracious King and Go vernuor That it may please thee to Rule his Heart in thy Faith Fear and Love and that he may evermore have Affiance in thee and ever seek thy Honour and Glory That it may please thee to be his Defender and Keeper giving him the Victory over all his Enemies That it may please thee to Illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of thy Church with true Knowledge and Understanding of thy Word and that by their Preaching and Living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility with Grace Wisdom and Understanding That it may please thee to Bless and Keep the Magistrates giving them Grace to execute Justice and to maintain Truth That it may please thee to give to all thy People Increase of Grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure Affection and to bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit That it may please thee to bring into the way of Truth all such as have Erred and are Deceived That it may please thee to Strengthen such as do stand and to Comfort and Help the weak Hearted and Raise up them that Fall and finally to beat down Satan under our Feet That it may please thee to Defend and Provide for the Fatherless Children and Widows and all that be Desolate and oppressed That it may please thee to forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and to turn their Hearts That it may please thee to give us and all Men true Repentance to forgive us all our Sins Negligences and Ignorances and to endue us with the Grace of thy
Holy Spirit to amend our Lives according to thy Holy Word Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without End Amen ERRATA PArt 1. Page 1. line 13. for of God read for God p. 8. l. 1. f. derided r. divided p. 21. l. 14. r. doth blind p. 32. l. 12. f. 45. r. 35. p. II. p. 12. l. 16. f. third r. second part p. III. p. 13. l. 32. f. unwilling r. willing p. 26. l. 12. on this del p. 15. l. 7. f. K. C. II. r. K. C. I. in Cutting off his Head for that say they was a remarkable Record of the Righteous Judgment of God * See their Book West Answering to North p. 97. George Whitehead TURN'D TOPSIE-TURVY PART I. I Find in a Book wrote by W. Penn intituled A Key c. and presented to the Parliament 1699. to obviate the Objections against the Quakers in several Books then presented to both Houses of Parliament by the Norfolk Clergy this Passage to the Reader in his Epistle i. e. It is very Unfair as well as Indiscreet in any to Oppose and Calumniate what they do not Understand It has been says he our Unhappiness far more than all our Adversaries have been able to say against us that hitherto we remain Unknown by those who yet stick not to condemn us c. This indeed if true might Apologize for them but it is so far from that that were their Principles and the Danger of them fully known it would operate more against them that all their Adversaries as they account them have yet said against them for want of knowing them so fully as by their Fruits in time possibly may be manifest But whose Fault is it that they are no better known Is it not their own By their two-fac'd Practice and double Meanings in all they say or write their Books being of two sorts contrary each to other suitable to their Titles and Directions one sort to the World's People whether to the Parliament Bishops Judges Justices Priests and Professors in many of which they 'll pretend to own the Scriptures yea and a Scripture-Trinity too tolerably well but their other sort of Books to their Disciples directed with these and the like Titles viz. This is only to go amongst Friends Again This is only to go among Friends and not otherwise Again Written only for Friends that can read it In which they tell you the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation a Dead Letter the Husk c. and that such as tell People that the Scriptures are the written Word of God are no Ministers of Christ that the Scriptures are not a Means to bring People to the Knowledge of God and to work Faith in them and that the Trinity of Persons is for the Lake and the Pit But notwithstanding all this and ten times more that I could recite First Of their acknowledging to the World's People as above the Excellency of the Holy Scripture and that it 's of Divine Authority and the best Book extant in the World in direct Opposition to their Doctrine they teach to their poor deluded and willingly ignorant Disciples yet they frequently call their own Books The Word of God as in many Instances I could shew Nay I have one Book of theirs by me wrote by Christopher Tayler one of their ancient and approved Teachers bearing this Title Certain Papers which is the Word of the Lord and in p. 2 3 16. of that Book it 's said To you all this is the Eternal Word of God Nay further Geo. Whitehead preferrs them to be of greater Authority than the Bible Thus do they to their Disciples contemn villifie and set at nought the Sacred Word of God whilst they extol their own Pamphlets as The Word of the Lord yea The Eternal Word of God and as such of greater Authority than the Holy Scriptures How then is it possible for such as are not Conversant with their Books to know them Indeed to understand Quakerism rightly is the Business of an Age I have had more than Forty Years Experience of them and yet I do not know the Depth of their Deceit and Hypocrisie I mean of their Leaders for amongst their Hearers I do believe there are many honest tho' miserably deluded amongst them I my self in my young Years was carry'd away with their Dissimulation and a great Zeal I had tho' I must confess it was without true Scripture Knowledge But some Years before I left them I saw them both to walk and act contrary to their Pretensions a large Account thereof I have given in my Pilgrim's Progress insomuch that I wrote four Books against their Hypocrisies whilst with them in hopes of a Reformation amongst them but still the more I came to examine into their Principles and to observe their Practices the more cause I found to leave them and to this Day I have kept on Ripping and Stripping this well-favoured Harlot who calls her self the only true Church of Christ and that out of her there is no Salvation as in Josiah Coole's Book The Whore unvailed c. p. 12 16 18 28 31 41 50. where also she asserts their Infallibility and that there 's no Tares in their Church that their Light is Judge of all Controversies all Power in Heaven and Earth being committed to it and Miracles thereby wrought And that she agree with the Papists that our Bible is a brazen-fac'd Book an unjust corrupt and perverse Bible else she would not have printed it after them without a Word of Reproof and the more I came to study this Point the more cause I found to discover and lay bare her Nakedness to the view of the Nations and my Labour has not been in vain but have prospered notwithstanding G. W.'s Inchanting Demureness and hardy Boldness to defend himself and Brethren from my several and repeated Charges of divers Kinds tho' like the Magicians of old Exod. 8.7 he has done much Hurt But this Book of his I am now Reprinting will be like ver 18. I know and am perswaded there is a Finger of God's Divine Providence that has attended those who have denied themselves and have faithfully managed this Controversie of God's Glory and the Good of Souls and are content to become as the Off-scouring of all things for his Name sake But why do they still complain they are not known I do think if they look into my Books they may see themselves as in a Glass and so may others especially in New Rome Unmask'd c. New Rome Arraign'd c. The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. my Pilgrim's Progress c. and Quakerism Exposed I say these especially tho' I think there 's none that I have writ but give some Discovery mote or less but if all these be wanting read The Snake in the Grass and the Defence
of it and then I cannot think any thing is lacking to make the Quakers Known and Understood But if after all G. W. can with his Juggles and Paint blind the Eyes of some that are dim-sighted let them look well into his own Book i. e. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. which I herewith Reprint that so he may not say I leave out the foregoing or subsequent Words his old and usual Policy to blind his ignorant Followers and I am perswaded they may see and know Quakerism to be the most horrible Heresie that ever the World knew Indeed when the Norfolk Clergy presented their Books to the Parliament of the vile Heresies Seditions and Blasphemous Principles of the Quakers I thought it almost impossible for the Quakers to withstand the Force of the Quotations taken out of their Books but rather that they would have blushed repented and have begg'd of God and the Nation Forgiveness for the Hurt they have done to Christianity and Scandal they have brought upon the Protestant Reliligion both at home and abroad but behold G. W. like the Inchanters of old Exod. 8. with his cunning Craft whereby he lies in wait to deceive as St. Peter well describes such as if he had eaten Shame and drank after it whose Face is like Brass and his Forehead like Case-hardned Steel he ventures to defend vindicate or excuse every Error every Blasphemy every Seditious and Treasonable Principle objected against them the like of which was never broached before in England And why not For by the Method he has taken if allowed he may do it Nay this I dare undertake allowing me his Method to vindicate or excuse all the Blasphemous Heresies and Treasons that ever was wrote since the Days of William the Conqueror and thereupon it came into my Heart to Reprint one of his Books herewith viz. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. Verbatim except the Postscript to which no Hand is set to avoid his future Cavils and possibly hereafter may Reprint his Truth defending the Quakers c. and Truths Defence if I see Cause And tho' I shall not answer every Particular in his Truth and Innocency vindicated yet I shall give some brief Hints of his Method in defending the Quakers and himself from the Quotations taken out of their Books by the Norfolk Clergy which I am sure they did with great Care and Fidelity and that to my Knowledge viz. P. 6. These Words whom John said he was not we disown in that place his Intention ought to be considered P. 9. We deny the Words as there printed He that hath should be lest out P. 11. We know they intended P. 19. The Words should be transposed P. 25. They wanting due Points there wanted this Parenthesis P. 29. He means Spiritually and not Literally P. 30. He meant Earthly Persecuting Kings P. 45. His Words should run thus P. 46. It should rather have been P. 52. Here I take him to mean P. 63. Not warrantable Expressions P. 55. He means I know his Intent was not P. 59. He means not derided P. 61. Was never so intended P. 62. The Words should be transposed P. 67. It was directly intended c. I say give me but this Allowance and I dare engage to defend and excuse all the Treasonable Words Blasphemous Expressions and Heretical Principles that ever was wrote by Pen yet this is the Method that G. W. has taken to excuse all the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles quoted by the Norfolk Clergy out of the Quakers Books instead of condemning them to the Flames as he ought to have done had he had the tenth part of that Sincerity he oft pretends to Nay moreover when some of the Quotations were so apparently Seditious as that they struck at the very Constitution of our English Government viz. That a Parliament chosen by most Voices could not act for God nor the Good of his People and wrote by a Prophet too enough to raise the Mob insomuch as Whitehead did not dare to recite the said Quotation yet had he the Impudence to justifie his Brother Fox p. 33. viz. Certainly he Fox had an honest intent in what he writ on this Subject Yet nevertheless in the same Page and p. 64. his Heart so smote him that he cried out I would not says Whitehead be understood in any wise to oppose the Peoples just Rights of Elections not understood No I believe it that is tho' he owns Fox's Seditious Doctrine tho' he defends and justifies it saying Certainly he had an honest Intent in what he writ on this Subject yet he would not be understood so The English of which is this that tho' both Fox himself and the rest of their leading Gang own this Doctrine as their Ancient Testimony from which as themselves say they have not deviated in any one Point only for some Politick Reasons he would not be So Understood that is he would not be understood to be what he really is else why should he justifie that in his Brother Fox which he disowns in himself Indeed he makes an Apology for Fox that they were wrote occasionally in the Commonwealths Day what then I grant they were first wrote in 1659. but then they were Reprinted by the Quakers as one of their Ancient Testimonies Seven Years after viz. 1665. and has gone among the Friends ever since as the Word of the Lord wrote by a Prophet of the most high namely Geo. Fox Jun. But George if it was so certainly honestly writ why didst thou not recite it that others might have been Judges of it Well but since thou hast not I shall viz. A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices of the Quakers c. p. 17. Geo. Fox Jun. in his Works Reprinted 1665. p. 87 88. intitles his Epistles A few plain Words to be considered by those of the Army or others that would have a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People c. wherein is shewed unto them according to the Scriptures of Truth that a Parliament so chosen are not like to govern for God or the Good of his People Consider these things saith he which I declare unto you which in waiting upon the Lord he by his Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding opened in me concerning the chusing of Parliaments by the Voices of the People And p. 89. he says You are not like to see your Desires fulfilled by a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People Now if you believe these Scriptures John 15.19 Matth. 7.13 Rom. 9.27 Then may you see that a Parliament that is chosen by most Voices are not like to act for God and the Good of his People And p. 91. And likewise the chusing of Parliament Men according to the Custom of England which is called its Birthright stands in respect of Person and not in Equality for the Rich Covetous Oppressing Men who oppress the Poor they have the only Power to
the Scriptures say that God the Father the First Person in the Trinity is the Word No Christ the Second Person is the Word proved by that Scripture above quoted and perverted by them Whitehead in Ishmael p. 9. II. They are such Teachers as tell People of a Sacrament for which there is not one Scripture and so feed the People with their own Inventions and therefore we deny them III. They are such Teachers as have told us the Letter was the Light whenas the Letter saith Christ is the Light therefore we deny them John 1 c. Query Where is the Man What is his Name What Book is it in That the Publick Ministers ever said that the Letter as they contemptuously call the Holy Scriptures was the Light mentioned John 1. or the Essential Word of God only the Written Word of God spoke forth by Men Divinely Inspired and as such are a Light or give us Light and are a Means to understand the Mind and Will of God through the Influences of his Holy Spirit assisting therein No this I take to be a false Accusation like that of Joseph Wyeth's Anguis Flagellatus p. 158. i. e. Upon Examination of Christopher Wade's Words they seem to imply as if he had affirmed of the Scriptures that they were the Eternal and Indwelling Word of God c. This is a Lie told in Hypocrisie for I have read the Page through and there is no such Saying or any thing like it And thus do they belie their Adversaries both by false Citations and Charges Wherefore as the Protestants says touching the Jesuits so may the Protestants conclude by the Quakers both in reciting their Opponents their reciting their Friends and their Sham-Creeds and Protestations in their late Books presented to the Parliament the Judges Justices c. viz. Distrust them in all they say A Specimen of all which you have in this small Treatise But to go on IV. They are such Teachers as tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel therefore we deny them V. They are Babylon's Merchants that make a Trade of the Scriptures there-we deny them VI. They are such Teachers as take a Text out of the Saints Conditions i. e. out of the Scriptures therefore we deny them These are some of the chief Reasons why the Quakers deny the Publick Ministers and not only so and there leave it no but in Magisterial Insulting Domineering manner counsel and command the People contrary to all the Laws made and established to go no more to Church The like of which I do believe never was done by a dissenting People who enjoy their Liberty by Indulgence since the World began which after I have recited Fox's Motion from God as he audaciously pretends I shall recite this Counsel against the Estabished Church and next his Authority from The Word of God as he audaciously pretends as in p. 15 54. viz. Moved of the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord for the Cleansing of the Land of all False Teachers Seducers and Deceivers and Witches who beguile the People and Inchanters and Diviners and Sorcerers and Hirelings c. All People that read these things never come ye more at the Steeple-House nor Pay your Priests more Tythes till they have Answered them for if ye do ye uphold them in their Sins and must partake of their Plagues This is the Word of the Lord God to you all G. F. Reader their First and Great Commandment is Pay your Priest no more Tythes and their Second is like unto it Never go more to the Steeple-House and upon these Two Commandments hangs their Law and their Prophets and by this you may know that his Disciples love him in that they keep his Commandments And the Reasons he gives to enforce Obedience to their Commandments are because the Priests tell them that the Holy Scriptures are the written Word of God because they tell us of a Sacrament because they tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel because they take a Text out of the Scripture and Expound it to the People And for these and the like Reasons they call them False Teachers Seducers Deceivers Witches Inchanters Diviners Sorcerers and Hirelings And for their Warrant This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat even as in O. Cromwell's Time and for the same Cause now as then they have Condemned not only the Church of England but Protestant Dissenters too But George as I have turned thee topsy-turvy so am I now turning thy Inside outward shewing by thy Ishmael c. thy Ancient Testimony and Principle and thou sayest thou art not changed See thy Ishmael to which I have neither added nor diminished only the backside of the Title-Page Running Title Marginal Notes and Observations from Pag. 11. thy Name being on the Title-Page the middle and at the end Signed and also Sealed with your Common Seal i. e. Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us G. Whitehead c. But let me clear up one Passage in your Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 31. As for this Quotation in Ishmael c. p. 10 11. G. Whitehead hath positively disowned the Words and affirms they are none of his and that he writ not that Part of the Answer to Townsend which was in the Year * It was 1655. 1654. and that he shall neither stand by nor own these Words viz. And here thy Antiquity and the Three Persons which thou would devide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit Now George tho' thy Signing and Sealing this Book with thy Hand and Common Seal as aforesaid were sufficient to Entitle thee to this Hellish Blasphemy as if thou hadst Signed and Sealed a Bond of an Hundred Pound made by a Scribe would oblige thee to Pay the Debt tho' thou didst not write the Bond yet George I have a further Demonstration to prove the Book thine and never heard that until 1690 an Act being made which enjoined all that expected Toleration to own the B. Trinity that you did disown any part of this Book But George Disowning will not now do you must Retract and Condemn it and this to do will be as bitter a Pill as it was to thee and thy Brethren to own K. W. III. Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms For I have Mr. Smith's Book The Quakers Disarmed c. and your Book Truth Defending the Quakers c. both Printed 1659. wherein he charges you with this Ishmael and you both own and defend it And first The Qua. Disarm c. Mr. Smith He that writ this Book Ishmael opens a Door to Damnable Heresies you writ this Book G. W. therefore you open a Door to Damnable Heresies G. W. I deny it I did not write all there is something scribled on it Mr. Smith True here
but to it art found adding in thy reason and thy invention and therefore the plagues that are in it written is thy portion and the lake which is the portion of all lyars as thou art Rev. 21.8 Rev. 22.18 19. Priest Again thou sayest that the Scriptures ought to convince us as Christians reason as rational men Answ They that are Christians do see and comprehend thee and thy reason thy faith thy obedience thy rule thy foundation to be without the foundation and the word which was before thy inventions was and before Tuball Cain the inventer thy father was P. 8. 4 to in whose condition thou art and the word and foundation and the way was before the Beast and false Prophet was which thou art Isa 9.15 16. and this rule and foundation and worde did Moses David and the rest of the holy men of God witness who spoke forth Scripture which thou calls the word rule and foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 Psal 18.2.31.3 Here thou would make Moses David and the rest of the holy men of God who spoke forth Scripture blind like thy selfe both without the word rule and foundation Priest Now to prove the Scripture the word of God thou brings Exod. 20.1 Levit. 10.13 and many other Scriptures thou brings to the same effect how God spoke these words Answ Thou blind sot we challenge thee in the presence of the living God to prove in any of these * They deny the Scriptures to be the written Word of God This is their Ancient Testimony from which they are not changed they tell you so Scriptures that the Scriptures are the written word of God or else stop thy mouth thou evil beast and slow belly dost thou make no difference between the word and these words and here again wee charge thee to be a lyar and an adder to Scripture Priest And thou brings these Scriptures Isa 24.3 and Psal 125. and other Scriptures to the same purpose how the Lord saith and thus saith the Lord and Jer. 1.1 2.4.9 the words of Jeremiah to whom the word of the Lord came Answ And the word of the Lord that came to Joel Amos and others thou dreamer doth ever Isaiah Jeremiah or David or Joel or Amos or any of the holy men of God say that the Scripture is the written word whenas God who is the word John 1. spoke these words unto them whose voice thou never heard who spoke unto them before the Letter was written which is a declaration of what the word spoke unto them or was that paper and Ink or could it be contained in paper and Inke which came to the Prophets whenas Jeremiah saith the word is fire in his heart and a burning shut up in his bones and a hammer that breaks the rocks Jer. 20.9 Jer. 23.29 30. and behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my word every one from his neighbors and behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say he saith and behold I am against them saith the Lord that profess false dreams and tell them as thou dost and cause my People to erre by their lyes P. 9. 4 to and by their lightness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit the people at all saith the Lord and there thou art among the false Prophets and dreamers which Jeremiah who witnessed the word cryed wo against such Pastors as thou art Jer. 23.1 Priest Thou sayest thou shalt not need to mention the sayings and doing of our Saviour Christ which are frequently recorded in the New Testament and hence it is called the word of Christ and thou brings the Scripture Coloss 3.16 let the word of Christ dwel in you Answ Here again we challenge thee to be a lyar and an adder to the Scripture dost thou make no difference between death and life for Christ saith my words gives life and it was by his word that the dead was raised John 11. now that which Matthew Mark Luke and John wrote of Christ could not give life for that is called a Declaration of those things which was freely delivered among them Luke 1.1 and that thou calls the word which is death and killeth as thou may read 2 Cor. 3. and Paul was a Minister of the New-Testament and not of the Letter which thou calls the New-Testament ver 6. and this word which dwelt in the Saints they did neither call the Bible nor the Letter as thou dost here thou hast manifested thy self to be a blinde guide both ignorant of the Word and the Letter Priest Thou sayest that it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith Answ Thou blasphemous beast dost thou make no difference between the Scripture and God or is the Scripture God * God who is the Word so they do not distinguish the Father from the Son i. e. the Second Person of the Trinity when the Scripture saith God who is the word was in the beginning and by him was all things made and this was before the Scriptures was written John 1.1 which thou would make thy God of and here let all that reads this see thy blasphemie Priest Again thou sayest the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture and thou brings Joshua 1.5 Answ Let all that reads that Scripture Judge and condemn thee to be a Lyar for it speaks not such a word as God speaking in the Scripture Priest Again the same page thou sayest that all the rest that is written in the volume is but a comment or exposition of those ten precepts Answ Thou diviner where dost thou prove such a Scripture as comment was that which the Prophets Christ and his Apostles spoke out a comment or exposition here again we charge thee Priest Townsend to be an inventer and a deviser of lyes P. 9. 4 to which thou hast no Scripture for Priest Again thou sayest that thus it appears that the Scriptures are the word of God because God writ them and caused them to be written Answ That which is written is the Letter which is death and killeth 2 Cor. 3.16 but the word is living Heb. 4.12 there again with the Scipture thou art disaproved to be a lyar Priest Again in another page thou sayest that the Scriptures are called the counsel of God the will of the Lord the mystery of Gods will and thou bring these Scriptures Rom. 3.2 1 Pet. 4.11 Acts 20.27 Psal 33.11 and Pro. 19.21 Ephes 5.17 and to conclude this thou sayest that God himself calls the Scriptures his word and to maintain that thou brings Zach. 1.6 Answ Let all that reads these * Here Mr. Townsend is together with the Holy Scripture judged and condemned behold their Ancient Testimony Scriptures see thee to be a perverter of Scripture and adds thy inventions to them for they that spoke forth these Scriptures knew the Counsell of God and the mystery and the Gospell
forth from the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and from the Mouth of the Lord how then do you value the Scriptures above any Books in the World But as Solomon said Prov. 26.3 A Whip for the Horse a Bridle for the Ass and a Rod for the Fool 's Back And so you must give me Leave to whip this J. Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit and I wish it may do him Good what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own This is such a Lie that it stabs it self when you exalt and value your own as of greater Authority and as such are commanded by your Teachers to read them in your Meetings whilst you never read nor by your Teachers exhorted to read one Chapter of the Old or New Testament in your Religious Meetings if such I may call them since you were a People neither is it agreeable to your Ancient Testimony Nay farther I am fully perswaded That should the Government think fit for a Proof of your Sincerity herein to enjoin you to read a Chapter of the Bible at the beginning of your Meetings I mean by such of your Teachers as can read a Chapter for many of them cannot you would be so far from submitting to Authority that you 'd first go to Jayl and then call it Persecution and Record it as such to Posterity But would it therefore ever the more be so I trew not since it was the Practice of the Jewish as well as the Christian Churches in all Ages of the World c. Now in Answer to this long Paragraph John Feild in his Defence c. p. 7. This Fran. Bugg saith is false with a witness and so you must give me Leave to whip John Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own this is such a Lie that it stabs it self c. This Reader is all he recites neither does he go about to Refute my Reasons for what I said nay nor so much as mention them How then can this be an Answer Only he re-asserts in the same Page saying I do affirm that the Quakers always had and still have a high Esteem and true Value for the Holy Scriptures c. But this is his own bare Ipse Dixit without any Refutation of or once reciting my Arguments for what I said and therefore this Tool I am loth to say Fool must yet be more scourged for his deep Deceit and Hypocrisie And therefore Christian Reader I beg of you to dwell a little here and to consider of the Quakers way of answering Books you see my Charge and how I proved it both from Matter of Fact and Demonstration first They teach the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware c. not a Word of it Deny'd or Refuted Again That Preaching out of them is Conjuration not at all by him deny'd Again And that by G. Whitehead's Doctrine That their Sayings from their Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority than the Bible not a Syllable of it Deny'd or Refuted Again You hear they command their Disciples to Read their Own Epistles in their Meetings for Divine Worship not a Word of it deny'd or justified Again That they never since they were first a People did so much as read any one Chapter in the Bible in their Religious Meetings which if they had such an high Esteem and true Value for the Scriptures even above theit own Books and Epistles they surely would or else they are very Hypocrites indeed if they will not read and recommend to be read in their Meetings to their People that which is best most esteem'd and of highest Value yet you see he cannot say that they do or ever did read a Chapter in such their Meetings Now whether this Tool Feild does not deserve to be severely lash'd as well as his Tutor Geo. Whitehead in this black Art let the Reader judge Thus much then as a Proof First Of their not citing the Substance of their Opponent's Position but by picking Sentences and breaking them in pieces thereby marring the Sense Secondly That the Quakers are guilty of the several things therein charged else J. Field who has a Fund to support him in his Charge of Printing would not so silently pass by all those several Charges without a Vindication of his dear Friends and this being a Figure of all their Answers I shall pass by many things of the like Nature and apply my self next to their Sufferings That being the best Flower in their Garden and in which they most of all glory much Good may it do them since they bring most of it upon themselves by their obstinately adhering to their blind Guides and the Dictates of their Erroneous Consciences which has befaln them thorough their Contempt and Neglect of adhering to the Rule of the Sacred Word of God I mean the Writings of the Holy Prophets and Apostles and the Practice of the Primitive Saints and Martyrs in all Ages Again A Defence c. p. 21. A Brief Abstract of some Sufferings of the People call'd Quakers given to Confront Francis Bugg 's Diminutive Account c. Reply I find of late some Alteration in the Quakers Arrogant Stile touching themselves it formerly was generally thus The People of God called Quakers or Some Principles of the Elect People of God call'd Quakers or from the People of the Lord call'd Quakers but now of late they are come a Step lower viz. The People commonly call'd Quakers or The People call'd Quakers I hope the Sermon I prepared for the Quakers which I took out of their Writings with no little Study and Pains have done them some Good see Pilg. Prog. p. 108 to 127. It was a long Sermon I confess but in regard it turn to a good Account I think not my labour vain But why is my Account of their Sufferings diminutive Were they not Sufferings Yea else they would not have recorded them were they then not recoraed Yea I took them out of their Chronicle and told them both Book and Page Well what then Oh! but they were of the least Size No matter for that if Sufferings then Meritorious else why were they so carefully Collected and put in Order even to a Row of Pins a Child's Biggen a Child's Double Clout a Woman's Cross-cloth a Night-cap a Dung-Fork and the like fit to be put into their Martyrology But to deal plainly I question the truth of them and much more the truth of this Abstract For to me they appear like Fox's Miracles in his Journal Published Thirty or Forty Years after they are said to be wrought And no Body can tell me where not when nor the Persons Names Cured or any Witnesses to attest them Even so are the Sufferings of this Abstract Nor is their one Justices Warrant cited nor any formal Trial of any one of these Sufferers
punished if they will follow their own Light blind Zeal and Imaginations In like manner such as poyson the Streams of the Christian Religion subvert the Faith undermine Christianity broach and maintain damnable Errours denying the Lord that bought them as you have done I hope then it is not raising Persecution to have you Examined and your Errours censured which is the main thing you fear whilst you would make the World believe you fear Persecution In answer to this John Feild in his Defence c. p. 3. recites thus much viz. I do profess my self a Member of the Church of England I have often and do again tell you that I am against Persecution and will add That Persecution for Righteousness sake is a Badge of a False Church c. But these Words with many others as by comparing you may see for the Name of Jesus he has dropt as not for his turn And in this tho' John Feild was a Tool yet he was no Fool for he knew very well that no Quakers ever suffered in England for the Name of Jesus Neither was there in their time ever known that an Act Parliament was made or a Justice's Warrant ever signed to persecute any Man for the Name of Jesus And I now anew do declare That I am against Persecution and do refer the Reader to my Book The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. pag. 73 to 125. for my Judgment in that Case But there is one Passage I may not let slip in Geo. Whitehead's Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 44. Such Records are not intended to make the Governors nor Government odious for Persecution to Posterity Neither do I know of any among us that have so threatned to publish to After-ages c. Reply But Ah George what is become of thy Sincerity that canst thus Lie in the Face of the Government What dost not thou know W. Penn Is he not still among you And tho' others be dead yet their Books are still among you I am now turning thee upside down even thy Inside outward therefore hold up thy Chin and draw near me that I may take off thy Mask of Sincerity and shew thy foul Inside Read the Picture of Quakerism p. 102 103. where divers of your Books are quoted that do so threaten particularly W. Penn's Judas and the Jews c. p. 41. Our faithful Chronicles says he of the Bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation will tell future Ages other things Now George is not this a Threat Yes sure Only Sam. Cater's and other Sham-Sufferings are discovered which will despoil your Chronicle Again in his Rejoinder p. 410. New Provocations says Penn may give fresh occasion for their History to come abroad to the Nation more compendiously than ever See also R. Barkley's Anarchy c. p. 42. That as thro' our Faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the National Ministry hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their forced Maintenance and Tythes against which we have testified by many cruel Sufferings of all kinds as our Chronicles shall make known to Generations to come c. What George is here no Threatning Dost thou indeed say thou knowest of none among you that have an intent to publish your Sufferings to render the Government odious for Persecution This is such a Lie that it will wound the Author And so I turn to John Feild again In my Book Quakerism Exposed c. there is this Passage p. 23. But this your Shuffle shewed the Gentry Justices of Peace the Clergy and Protestant Dissenters That your Principles are so destructive to Common Christianity as that you did not dare to stand the Test And this yea on this yea only this so far as I know put them upon a Petition to the Honourable House of Commons to do that for God and the Christian Religion which they could not do namely to Examine your Principles and Censure your Errours as to their Wisdom should seem meet And in this they i. e. both the Church of England Men and Protestant Dissenters are unanimous and this disturbs you this perplexes you and for this your Tool John Feild calls and compares them to Herod and Pilate Haman and Judas Upon this John Feild by way of Prayer replies Defence c. p. 10. Pray let Fra. Bugg who asserts this make it appear to the King and both Houses of Parliament that this yea only this put them upon it and that they are unanimous herein For if so there is not one of these Sorts but what is consenting thereto or hath been actually concerned in the Petition But if it hath not been so then the Parliament may be hereby informed That he hath not truly represented themselves i. e. the Parliament for they are included in his general Words And let him tell if he can what that common Christianity is that the Quakers Principles are so destructive to c. Well John I have hear'd thy Prayer and G. W.'s Ishmael herewith reprinted do tell you if what I have hitherto does not what that common Christianity is which your Principles are destructive to and in a great part shew the Cause of your Shuffle in that you did not dare to own your Books and either defend or retract your Blasphemous and Seditious Principles together with many other Reasons in my said Book Qua. Exposed c. to which I refer the Reader Nor doth it follow from what I therein said that every individual Man of all sorts was concerned in the Petition nor that the Parliament was at all concerned What the Parliament Petition the Parliament No John this is a Quibble which hath no Ground in any Field but such that bring forth nothing but Thorns or Thistles But John here is more in this Suggestion than every body on first sight will be aware of For what is it less than to tell all the Counties Shires Cities and Burroughs in England and Wales that their Representatives are such Friends to your Errours that they are not unanimous in and with their Electors as to have you examined about them And not only so but the Protestant Churches abroad who are Scandalized by your pernicious Errours if you be as your selves boast Recognized Protestants And this John I take to be Scandalous to our English Protestant Parliament who profess Faith in our Lord Jesus which you testifie was not the Son of God which is a Damnable Errour denying the Lord that bought you with the Price of his most Precious Blood if you would accept thereof on Gospel-Terms And from this Scandal there needs be no other Vindication than the Good and Christian Laws already made and their frequent Votes in Parliament and the Humble Address made to the King's Majesty in the Year 1697. which not only gave me Encouragement to Charge and Challenge you and when you threw that off and Challenged the Clergy it likewise incouraged