the whole World Thus have you made the Apostles false Witnesses who have charged the Jews with slaying the Lord of Life and Glory As to the Sufferings of Christ the Question still remains unanswered I know you now see cause to say his Sufferings were grievous Sufferings sweating drops of Blood yea great Sufferings Thus far G. W. is got but George you know there is degrees of Greatness there is magnus major maximus great greater and greatest of all Now the great Query is Whether was the Sufferings of Christ or the Sufferings of the Quakers greatest Ed. Burroughs says the Sufferings of the Quakers was greatest And G. W. hath not yet said the Sufferings of Christ was greatest no other word will do I still pursue the Terms of my Query and wait to have it answered but I find G. W. pinched and in a great strait and knows not which way to wind him Condemn Ed. Burroughs's Expression as a Lye that he cannot do for a World for he was by G. W. counted a Prophet a Son of Thunder one in whom was the Almighty Power of God Can such a man lye Can he err No they cannot give Evidence against themselves so not fit to be of a Jury not fit for any place of Trust in Government not fit to have yea and nay pass for an Oath If so then if the Jury be most Quakers they 'l never give it against themselves they are not impartial they cannot be impartial they are the greatest respecters of Persons this day on Earth E. B. has said The Sufferings of the Quakers is greater than the Sufferings of Christ and his Apostles which is horrid blasphemous yea they thereby undervalue the Sufferings of the Lord of Glory and exalt their own as greater Sufferings This they cannot deny nor this they cannot condemn see the Fruit of Infallibility having once spoken whether true or false a Lye or a true Story both must be infallible they cannot retract they cannot confess their Sins to God how then should they retract and acknowledge their Errors No not for a World then down goes Infallibility the principal Studd of their new kind of Popery The Perfect Quaker in favour of their own Books An Epistle from their Yearly Meeting 1675. It is our Sence Advice Admonition and Judgment in the Fear of God and the Authority of his Power and Spirit that no such slight and contemptible Names and Expressions as that faithful Friend's Papers which we testifie have been given out by the Power and Spirit of God are Mens Edicts or Canons with such scornful Sayings be permitted Subscribed by W. Penn G. Whitehead and others Several Petitions answer'd c. p. 30. If ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles you will own our Writings which are given forth by the same Spirit and Power Truths Defence c. p. 2 104. You might as well have condemned the Scriptures to the Fire as our Papers and Queries for our giving forth Papers or printed Books it is from the Immediate and Eternal Spirit of God Several Papers given out for the spreading of Truth c. p. 60 61 62. Friends to you all this is the Word of the Lord this is the Word of God G. Whitehead's Serious Apology c. p. 49. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater c. Renewed Advice to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings c. Anno 1693. Dear Friends it 's advised that you be careful in spreading all such Books writ in defence and for the Service of Truth Record this Epistle in your Quarterly Book and sometimes read it for remembrance and notice B. B. The Perfect Quaker's Perfect Contempt of Scripture Saul's Errand c. p. 7. The Letter of the Scripture is carnal and the Letter is Death and killeth and all that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and their Teaching is from Conjuration which is not spoken from the Mouth of the Lord. A brief Discovery c. p. 7. The Priests of the World are Conjurers raising dead Doctrines dead Reasons dead Uses dead Motives out of the Letter which is Death raising Death out of Death Notable Conjurers P. 8. The Commission of Baal's Priests came from Oxford and Cambridge the same poisonous Fountain is filthy the Streams are no better Simon Magus would have purchased the Holy Ghost with Money even the Sir Simons of our Age run to Oxford and Cambridge Babylon's Merchants selling beastly Wares the Letter which is Dust and Death really they are Bloodhounds still hunting and gaping after their Prey like the Mouth of Hell Ja. Naylor's Answ to the Jews p. 4 22 25. It 's Blasphemy for any to say the Letter is the Word of God it is the Devil which contends for the Letter to be the Word of God The Quaker's Refuge fixed c. p. 17. Whether the first Penman of the Scripture was Moses or Hermes or whether both these two or not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill applied some by Good Men ill expressed some by False Prophets and yet true some by True Prophets and yet false c. News coming up c. p. 14. Their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter The Counterfeit Quaker facing round about Quaker's Vindication p. 4. We confess that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of Divine Authority as being given by Divine Inspiration of God c. Count. Conv. c. p. 26. That we prefer the Holy Scriptures before all the Books extant in the World A treble Observation upon a triple Quaker Courteous Readers whether Christians or Jews what think you Is the Counterfeit Quaker sincere Do you believe that he means what he says namely that the Scripturesare of Divine Authority and that he prefers them before all the Books extant in the World If so you may believe Transubstantiation Can you think I say that he believes the Scripture is of Divine Authority when he tells you that Matthew Mark Luke and John is Dust and Serpents-mear and that the Scripture is Beastly Ware that 't is Conjuration to preach out of them that 't is questionable whether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of Sacred Writ or whether either or neither and that what was spoke by good and wise Men was ill applied and ill expressed and what the true Prophets spake was false and what the false Prophets spake was true c Answer me for my part I cannot G. W. tells me I was but a kind of a Quaker and I think 't is the truest word in his Book I think I was not above a third part of
one and that too much too Secondly Do you think he values and prefers the Scriptures before all Books extant in the World I think not my Reasons are many First you hear he calls the Scriptures Dust Death and Serpents-meat Beastly Wares dangerous to read see Truths Defence c. p. 101. yea so uncertain that whether Moses or Hermes be the first Pen-man of Holy Writ is a question But as for what G. Fox c. wrote their Yearly Meeting testifies it was given forth by the Eternal Spirit yea the same Men that charged their Disciples in the Name of the Lord not to call their Papers Edicts or Canons call the Scriptures Death Dust and Serpents-meat judge Reader which they prefer Yea G. W. avouches that what is spoke from the Spirit of Truth in any much more in them is of equal nay of greater Authority than the Scriptures judge Reader which they prefer They say 't is Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God and that 't is the Devil that so pleads Yet they say of their own Epistles This is the Word of God judge which they preferr They say we may as well burn the Bible as their Papers and Queries judge which they prefer Come G. W. what Gloss have you in store your Paint begins to vanish and your Jugglings will not now do And as to you that are mis-led by your Teachers I exhort you to read the Scriptures and pray to God to open the Mysteries of Salvation held forth in them that so you may come to have your Judgments rectified Likewise read G. K's Ten Articles which came providentially to my Hand which being sound and orthodox I have exposed them to publick view for general Service desiring from my Heart that you may receive them in the same love they were writ and now exposed yet if you will not hear me nor receive them I of all Men may bear with you in that I once was as averse to Information as the most of you but I obtained Mercy in that I did not wilfully persist against Conviction c. Some of the Principles of G. Keith and his Friends 1. That Bodily Sickness and Death came in by the Fall 2. That Christ has now in Heaven a Soul and a Body that is not the Godhead but the Temple of it and most gloriously united therewith 3. That Christ's Body that was crucified and buried without us rose again without us and is now in Heaven without us 4. That the Man Christ Jesus will come again in that Body without us to judge the Quick and the Dead 5. That there shall be a general day of Judgment that all the deceased Saints are in expectation of 6. That we get not the Resurrection of the Body either in this mortal Life or immediately after Death 7. That Faith in the Man Christ without us as he died for us rose again and is gone into Heaven wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ is universally necessary to make Men true Christians and Children of God born of the Free Woman who have the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father 8. That Christ's Obedience and Righteousness which he performed in himself without us is imputed to us by Faith for the Remission of Sins 9. That Christ is not only God's Elect but all that shall be saved from the beginning to the end of the World are God's Elect being chosen in him not only before they believe and repent but before the Foundation of the World 10. That all and every one of the Members of the Church of Christ who are at age and can speak ought to confess with their Mouths in the hearing of some of their Fellow Members the Fundamental Principles of their Christian Faith before they can be own'd to be Members of the Church that by the same as well as by a Good Life and Conversation it may be known who are qualified to be Members of our Church which is Aboundary Terms and Bond of our Union the Spirit being the Principal which may be easily done by Answering to some plain Questions This is a Copy of G. Keith's c. sound and necessary Articles of the Christian Faith proposed to the Quakers of whom I wish it may not be said Oh how oft would I have gathered you as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but you would not but now the things which belong to your Peace are hid from your Eyes I remember G. W. queried of me Count. Conv. p. 15. Whether I when a Quaker denied Jesus of Nazareth to be the Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation Answ I do believe I then did not hold the worst part of Quakerism as by my Book de Chr. Lib. c. which he so often quotes to justifie the Quakers from what I now charge them with may be seen yet I do freely acknowledge that I was in great Errors particularly touching the Point of Justification for I then expected Salvation thro' my Obedience to the Light which the Quakers taught was sufficient to Salvation But since it pleased God to open my Eyes I believe that Salvation it attained through the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus by Faith in the Merits of his Passion and Obedience to his Precepts Again G. W. says Count. Conv. p. 29. Not reading the Scriptures in our Meetings for Worship is no Proof that we have not a Spiritual Worship nor Evidence that we disbelieve the Doctrines contained in them Answ I do not give it as the only Evidence but as a Demonstration yet if you did in good earnest believe the Doctrines and Precepts of Christ in the Gospel to be blessed and holy as you pretend you would read the Scripture and prefer the Bible before any other Book extant in the World you would read the Scriptures in your Meetings if any Book at all and if you recommend any Book to your Friends beyond Sea it would be the Scripture But since you do neither but instead thereof read and recommend your own Epistles and that as you say for the spreading of Truth this is a Demonstration that you do not believe the Doctrine and Precepts of the Bible to be blessed and holy and an infallible Evidence that you prefer your own Books Papers and Epistles before the Scriptures unless you be arrant Cheats indeed to read and recommend that which you know is worst and hide and keep from them that which is best which I can hardly think And as impertinent as G. W. renders my Ten Reasons I find him not able to confute them As for his Pretence to Pray after the manner Christ taught his Disciples I deny it for it you kept to the manner though not to the form you would not be alone But let the Reader observe all the Prayers of Steph. Crisp R. Ashby W. Bingly and others printed at the end of their Sermons nay all your Books extant in the World and he will not find this passage Forgive us our Sins as we forgive them that
Interests and all to such a Make-bate such a continual contentious Scribler who in nine Months wrote three Books against me and since I wrote my last hath wrote three more against me and others Are you not sensible what pretences he makes in his Books to Charity to Seriousness to Sincerity and yet void of all Have you not taken notice of his late little Book about the great Divisions amongst the Quakers in Pensilvania intituled The Christian Doctrine and Society of the Quakers c. wherein he carries two faces in one Hood hold with the Hare and run with the Hound as the Proverb is writes against writing that 's his main design And if writing be a fault who more guilty than G. W. for in that Book he peeps and creeps he turns and winds this way and that way hither and thither but centers no where but JANUS like looks two ways for he seems to own Geo. Keith's Doctrine but dare not own his Testimony nor him in it he seems to blame the Doctrine of Fitzwater Young and Lloyd but dare not blame their Persons nor give Testimony against their Doctrine as theirs they being of the Foxonian Party and one with him in the ground and in those Fundamental Errours For said Fitzwater The Plea c. p. 4. God that died in us and laid down thy life in us and took it up again And Rob. Young affirmed that when Christ ascended he was separated from his Body And Tho. Lloyd who said p. 5. That Faith in Christ without us as he died for our sins and rose again was not necessary to our salvation c. Now had G. W. been plain and against these Errours he ought to have reprov'd these Persons sharply and joined with G. Keith against them in his charging them with such Damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils as was no where tollerated in any Christian Society but only amongst the Quakers The Plea c. p. 11. I say had he been sincere he would have been plain as G. Keith is and not to come out so smooth and demure saying Why do you thus write why do you thus amuse the World and trouble the World with such bitter treatment complaining bitterly of Rents Schisms and Divisions Come on what can you say why do you let him alone why do you not unmask and discover this subtil Fox and uncharitable George and insincere Whitehead out of his Hole and Den where he lies lurking writing and scribling and neither studies Events nor fears Effects and make him be plain And if G. Keith c. in your opinion who preaches up and holds forth the Death and Sufferings and meritorious Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ as necessarily to be believed in order to our salvation be right why then does not G. W. stand by him and his Friends in this their sound Testimony But if G. W. be one with Fitzwater and the Foxonian Quakers that there is no other Christ than in them no other Crucifiction than within no other Resurrection than within no other Heaven nor Hell than within us as quoted in New Rome unmasked c. p. 89. Why does he not joyn with Fitzwater Lloyd c. against Geo. Keith c. let him be plain in his next let him not thus halt between two Opinions If Geo. Keith c. be right let Geo. Fox his Books be burnt and your Epistles burnt wherein they do not teach that the Sufferings of Christ and his meritorious Death and Passion and the Imputation of his Righteousness are necessary Articles of the Christian Faith in order to Salvation No a thousand of your Epistles read in your Meetings will afford no such Doctrine nor no Confession of Sins nor no asking Pardon for his sake And why do you suffer him to complain of bitter Treatments Rents Schisms and Divisions whoever treated their Opposers with such bitter Language as the Quakers have done whoever made greater Rents and Divisions in Church and States in Towns and Families than the Quakers have done And why do you let him thus complain of printing and troubling and amusing the World with printing when you know no People print more nor take the like care to disperse their Pamphlets when printed witness your Orders for sending two of each sort to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in the Country their sending them out by Pack-horses to Markets and Fairs as was the practice of Jos and Ben. Townsend to my knowledge who send their Epistles to be read in all Meetings in England Scotland Ireland Holland Mariland Barbadoes nay I understand by your last yearly Epistle that you have got footing in Germany why then do you suffer him to act thus prepostrously to chide others for his own fault to deal thus deceitfully in almost all things you can mention Are you not ashamed of these things what have you not a spark of that honesty you pretend to if you have blow it up and let it become a flame to burn up this heap of Hypocritical Rubbish that at last we may rightly understand what a Quaker is THE SECOND CHARGE II. THE Quakers DENY THE SCRIPTURES 1. BY SPEAKING CONTEMPTUOUSLY OF THEM AND 2. BY OVER-VALUING THEIR OWN BOOKS REMARK Reader this Branch of the Charge is more than sufficiently proved already but by reason of some little Argument which passed between me and Sam. Cater and John Cade two of their Preachers at the Meeting when I exhibited the said Charge Nov. 20. 1692. touching the Scriptures and that thereby their shuffling equivocating and evading may be the more manifest and particularly G. W's twelve Men which he hath got to testifie on the behalf of the Quakers that they never said never believed nor never affirmed the Scriptures to be Dust Death Serpents-meat I say for this reason for as I said I shall spare none I may recite an astonishing Confutation of these Infallible Doctors c. Fr. Bugg Come Sam. Carter will you accept of this Charge and appoint a time ten twenty days or a month hence you and I singly or if you will take four six or ten of your side I will take the like number Let me know your Answer and I will be gone I do not come to disturb you but to charge you with your Errours c. Sam. Cater There is no end of Disputing with thee neither shall I undertake it F. Bugg Why not If I fail of proof to make good my Charge you will have the Victory and it will tend to the honour of your Cause And you may be glad of the opportunity to manifest F. Bugg since you say he charges you falsly S. Cater Thou maist be gone we have other business to do than to Answer thee F. B. Well if you will not accept of the Charge nor set a time when to argue the Point I shall proceed to read the second part of my Charge which is your denial of the Scripture by calling it Death Dust and Serpents-meat c.
Observation So then I read out of G. Fox his Book what followeth the Astonishing Confutation abovesaid News coming up out of the North c. p. 14. So Dust is the Serpents meat their Original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death their Church is Dust and their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter S. Cater I deny that we call the Scriptures Dust or Serpents-meat F. B. But S. Cater wilt thou deny it if you see it in one of your Friends Books S. Cater Yea wherever I see it I will deny it F. B. Richard Tilson go and fetch my Box which he did I read it as in the recited Charge and Sam. Cater took the Book and read it S. Cater Thou saidst we call'd the Scriptures Dust and Death but there is not the word Scripture in the whole Passage F. B. People I appeal to you whether Matthew Mark Luke and John be not Scripture With that perceiving S. Cater's Evasion the People gave a great shout and said Yes Yes S. Cater Matthew Muck F. B. Hold Sam. what Matthew muck what Muck is that what shall we have a new Gospel John Cade a Norwich Preacher said Friends take notice that as the Bible grows old it will moulder and crumble away and become Dust F. B. People observe They would not have you think that new Bibles are Dust but when they grow old they moulder away c. and therefore my Advice to you is to get new Bibles W. Read Francis we deny thy words we have given it in to the King and Parliament that we believe the Scriptures was given forth by Divine Inspiration and they have accepted of it F. Bugg The more shame for you to be so deceitful to give in a Testimony so contrary to your Belief For if so why do you not Retract and Condemn your Books which are as opposite to what you now say as Light is to Darkness And some few Passages more we had But if they believe as they write that the Gospel Matthew Mark Luke and John be Dust I wonder with what face they could appear before the Parliament until they had first retracted and by some publick Act have condemned their Books which throw such Contempt upon the Holy Scripture For a further proof of this Charge see the sixteen Instances Object But possibly some may object and say It 's true you have more then sufficiently proved your first Charge and in the proof thereof there is enough said of their speaking contemptuously of the Holy Scriptures by calling them Dust Death Serpents-meat Carnal Letter killing Letter Dangerous to read c. yea and their contemptuous Speeches of the Sacraments Church Ministery c. yet the second Branch of your second Charge seems unproved where you bring it as an Argument against them of their not owning the Scriptures and that they over-value their own Writings Now if you have any thing material to offer pray do Answ I am very willing as I always was to leave things as clear as I can and place my Argument upon Matter of Fact out of their own printed Books And having already signified that ERROURS and CONSEQUENCES are out of their Books and their rejecting the Scriptures and reading the Scriptures in their Religious Meetings if I may so call them being a Consequent of the second Errour I shall so call them viz. both the Titles of their Epistles and the Conclusion enough to signalize their way and manner and THE DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES OF THE Quakers ERROURS First THIS IS ONLY TO GO AMONGST FRIENDS c. Directed To the Camp of the Lord in England meaning the Quakers Subscribed Edw. Burrough and Fra. Howgill Second To the Flock of Christ every where to be read in their Assemblies by G. Fox Printed for Ben. Clark 1681. Third To the Children of Light c. Directed thus I desire this Epistle may be read in the fear of the Lord in your several Meetings By William Penn. Fourth A Salutation of Love from the Spirit of Life unto all Friends of Truth c. Let this be read amongst Friends who are Exiled or sentenced for Exilement when they are met together in the fear of the Lord. Josiah Coale Printed 1665. Fifth An Epistle to Friends in Holland Let this be sent amongst the Friends in Holland Jos Coal Printed 1667. Sixth To the Flock of GOD gathered out of the World in the Province of Mariland Let the Copies of this Epistle be sent amongst Friends every where in the Province of Mariland to be read amongst them in all their Assemblies in the fear of the Lord. Jos Coal Seventh Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth c. I charge you in the presence of the Lord God to send this amongst all Friends and Brethren EVERY WHERE to be read in all Meetings To you all this is THE WORD OF GOD G. Fox REMARK Thus Reader I have given a few Instances of their way and manner of sending their Epistles to be read in their Meetings both in England Holland and Mariland and were it needful I could give you a hundred more which shews that they give their own Writings the preferrence as well as that they lay aside the use of the Scriptures in their Meetings and no marvel if the Scriptures be Death Dust Carnal Serpents meat and if it be Conjuration to preach out of them and if the Ministers of the Scriptures be Ministers of Death and if it be dangerous to read them as were they as by the Quakers esteemed Dust Death Serpents-meat it were surely dangerous to read them for who would feed upon Dust and Death and Serpents-meat this could no way nourish nor strengthen but corrupt poison and putrifie the Minds of such as are most exercised in reading them and that so it is in their Judgment For if it were wholesome to read them and that they believed them to be given forth by Divine Inspiration as they to the Parliament have pretended to serve a Turn why do they not read the Scriptures or sometimes a Chapter or sometimes one of the Apostles Epistles in their Meetings as that they do not nor never did nay I challenge all the Quakers in England whether ever their Ministers recommended so much as one Chapter to be read in any of their Meetings for Worship these forty years much less charged them in the presence of the LORD GOD to read such a Chapter or such an Epistle as wrote either by the Prophets or Apostles And if they cannot let it be a Sign for ever that they deny the Scriptures first by contempt thrown on them and next by their practice of laying them aside and reading their own Epistles and let it rest upon Record as a witness against their deep Hypocrisies and let it be a Testimony against the false Pretences and Perjury of the twelve false Witnesses Nay and not only in their own Meetings but let me give you one
trespass against us No nor yet after that manner for though you must needs know that you are Sinners as well as others and have transgressed the Laws of God in both Tables yet you can neither make Confession of Sin to God nor beg Pardon for Christ's sake which not only shew that you do not Pray after the Manner but that you do not pray in the Name of Christ to God the Father as the Mediator and Intercessor between GOD and Man which is an infallible Proof that as you therein differ from the Faith and Practice of the Primitive Saints and Martyrs yea all Protestant Churches to this day so you do not believe the Doctrine and Precepts of the Bible to be blessed and holy which teach Men so to do which is one Reason Secondly In that you warn charge and command your Disciples to read and cause to be read in your Meetings not only in England but beyond Sea your own Papers Epistles and Books whilst you not only lay aside the Scripture as useless but declare to all the World they are Death Dust and Serpents-meat Beastly Ware and that such as preach out of it are Conjurers Notable Conjurers Thirdly Because you say it's Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God and yet allow your own Books that Title giving forth That what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater questioning whether Moses be the first Pen-man thereof Fourthly A fourth Reason is because you deny the Ordinances of Jesus Christ as Baptism and the Lord's Supper which the Scriptures teach saying Go teach all Nations baptising c. this do in remembrance of me c. Which the Apostles Primitive Christians and Martyrs practised who had the Spirit as much as you and witnessed Christ's second Coming as much as you Fifthly Your laying aside the use of the Lord's Prayer both in Manner and Form as aforesaid Sixthly Your laying aside the use of the Ten Commandments Seventhly And the Apostle's Creed Eighthly If you question whether Moses was the first Pen-man of Sacred Writ and what the Prophets spake true or false you I say cannot believe what you question Ninthly You teach that such as preach Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above are false Ministers but the Scripture tells you That Christ is risen and sits in Glory at the Right Hand of God in Heaven above And Tenthly Because you rob Christ of his Divine Attributes and put them upon your glorified George Fox calling him the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness c. See your Epistle This is only to go amongst Friends largely recited in this Introduction p. 5 6. which notwithstanding G. W's Denial is plainly proved to mean G. Fox yet to strengthen the said Proof see J. Whitehead's small Treat p. 4 5. After these things in the year 1648. God who had compassion on his People did cause a Branch to spring forth of the Root of David which was filled with Virtue for the Covenant of Life and Peace was with him and he spread and shot forth many Branches which did partake of the fatness of the Root and the weary came to rest under his Branches In him also was the word of Reconciliation which turned the Hearts of the Children and the Disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just And in the year 1655. I being a Branch of this Tree meaning G. Fox the life of its Root caused me to blossom and bring forth Fruit for the Spirit of the Lord came upon me c. I say G. F's saying that he rise out of the North was prophesied of c. and the recited Epistle saying O thou North of England who art reckoned barren c. and J. Whitehead setting the date of the rising of this Branch and Star 1648. and that in 1655. he also becoming a Branch of this Tree 't is manifest that what I said in New Rome unm c. p 79 to 87. was not without warrantable ground as by the coherence of their Doctrine doth manifestly appear And since your Books thus interfere let us prove whether they be sincere or which shall we take to be their Judgment in good earnest Answ That they are not sincere I have already given ten Reasons but that I may renew your memory I will add one more viz. In all their Meetings for Worship of GOD they never read one Chapter of the Bible nor one of the Epistles of the Apostles for this thirty years but 't is frequent with them to read their own Epistles as herein I shall further shew only one instance for the present I may recite to confirm you in the truth of their practice and by which you may measure great part of their pretences viz. Several Papers given forth for the spreading the Truth c. p. 60 61 62. Friends to you all this is the Word of the LORD take heed of judging one another To you all this is the Word of the LORD to spread over all I charge you in the presence of the LORD GOD to send this Epistle amongst ALL FRIENDS AND BRETHREN EVERY WHERE to be read IN ALL MEETINGS This is THE WORD OF GOD. G. Fox 1. Pray observe first the design of sending their Books up and down it is TO SPREAD TRUTH and this might be done as well by recommending the reading of the Scriptures or some Portion thereof if indeed they do believe the Doctrine and Precepts contained therein be holy and blessed unless they will say their Books have a greater measure of holiness then the Scriptures which in the best sence they must believe unless they cheat the World most abominably to send them that which they know to be worse or least for their profiting Secondly You may observe what a Charge is given viz. I charge you in the PRESENCE of the LORD GOD to send this Epistle amongst all Friends what to do namely for a Publick Liturgy or Form of Divine Service viz. To be read in ALL MEETINGS Well what Authority had G. F. to impose this upon the poor People namely This is THE WORD OF GOD. Now if they do believe the Doctrine and Precepts contained in the Bible to be holy and blessed why do they not charge their People to read some part of the Scriptures for their Instruction but alas they have disputed against the Scripture being the Word of GOD but now you see they stile their own Nonsence to be THE WORD OF GOD and charge their poor ignorant People as such to receive it and as such to read it and as such to send it up and down into all the Countries and all Places and who dare gainsay the mighty Power of G. Fox Who as Ios Coal says hath his habitation in the power of the Highest who rules and governs in righteousness and his Kingdom is established in peace and the increase thereof is
Their pretence that such as have the same Spirit which raised up Jesus are equal with GOD I must say 't is horrible Blasphemy yet it ought to be charged upon them until they publickly condemn the Book which hath little else in it but Blasphemy and false Doctrine and railing on the Publick Ministry However it never was corrected by Errata as is usual and hath gone for a Gospel Truth above forty years and as their Principle if they believe as they write and therefore I charge it upon them until they condemn the said Book And secondly their Impudence in saying that if we will own the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles we must necessarily own their Books this is of kin to the rest i. e. Blasphemy And thirdly for them to say If Christ the Light in them say I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE why may He not speak I answer If they can work the same Miracles He did and produce as many Prophets that foretold of G. Fox's coming out of the North as I shall that foretold of Christ's coming then I shall believe them Fourthly What horrible Blasphemy is it to say 'T is dangerous to read the Scriptures and to call them Dust Death Carnal Serpents-meat as likewise the Ordinances of Christ and the Communion of Saints which Christians ought to hold and believe as an Article of their Faith And then fifthly to call the Publick Ministers Witches Devils Conjurers c. is very pernicious Such Books ought to be burnt as Jacob Baker a Quaker once confest he would burn it And sixthly for them to hold that they and they ONLY are in the Truth 't is the perfect Pharisee But for them to write that G. Fox was before Confusion or the many Languages were is monstrous Such Blasphemies ought to be posted As likewise Ja. Parnell to say that he was before Arguments was and was come to the end of all Arguments is notorious And seventhly so is it in G. Fox to say that he stands covered and neither he nor his name known in the world O what shall I say was there ever such wickedness And yet here is nothing so bad nothing so wicked nothing so false so Idolatrous so Blasphemous But G. W. can salve it he can vindicate or excuse it nay more then so he can procure twelve Witnesses to say We 〈…〉 declare on the behalf of the Quakers that what Fr. Bugg says is 〈…〉 and wicked for they never so believed so said nor so affirm'd c. 〈…〉 being solemnly avouched as in The holy fear of Almighty God 〈…〉 an Oath and if what these twelve affirm be false then they are perjured Persons in the eye of the Law and deserve to be Pillored And thereupon I charge them with Perjury with false-witnes bearing until they by publick retraction repent and give Satisfaction For as you will spare none neither Ox nor Ass old nor Young no more will I I will not spare nor my eye shall not pity Friend or Foe which comes up with false Evidence yea so false as if they should say black is white and white is black I must say that as T. G. hath no need to depend on G. W. and that he must know that G. W. hath as little love for him as for some he hath wrote against yet I am sorry to see his Name there As for the others many of them have their dependency on the Chair and G. W being therein I marvel not at them provided their Testimony had been true but I am sure it is notorious false nay and that they themselves know it to be false I will give the World a SIGN which is this If they know and be conscious to themselves that their Evidence is false they will not come forth according to my Proposition in this Book made to meet me but if they be not conscious to themselves of false Evidence how false soever it is they will come forth to clear themselves and be glad I give them the opportunity and by this SIGN they shall be proved Come on you twelve Master-Builders can you read these sixteen Instances and not blush when you behold your Certificate and particularly the first third fifth and eleventh as also the first second and third Errours I say can you read the Passages taken out of your own Books wrote by your most eminent Preachers and yet affirm you never said so wrote so believed so nor taught so and not blush and be horribly ashamed But I have given a Sign to prove you and by it you shall be tried Again Can you read p. 77. of G. F's Great Mystery where he justifies Felony under a pretence of being moved by the Spirit of GOD and not blush What is all your Zeal gone or are you fearful of displeasing G. W. now he is got into the Chair Can you look on the fifth Instance and see how G. W. teaches that the Scripture is not the Rule nor Matthew Mark Luke and John the New Testament but the Letter which killeth c. And can you behold his contrary Pretences in his late Writings and not reprove him can you hear him pretend that he was moved of GOD to write Judgment Fixed c. and that GOD laid a necessity upon him to write that Book and that therein the neither consults the Events nor fears the Effects and yet proved to write notorious Lies And can you thus let him pass only with saying he was mistaken when he fathered all his Lies upon the moving of the Spirit of GOD even six Lies in number and great part of his Matter bottomed thereupon Can you hear and read his Excuses and Vindications of the Idolatious Letters wrote to G. Fox by Jos Coal John Audland John Blaikling and Sol. Eccles and can you be silent at these things Read my Parallel between the Papists and Quakers in New Rome c. p. 40. to 49. Can you take notice of the Names he and others have given my self and such as have opposed your Church Government and the imposing the observation of your Womens Meetings which some of you are no more in love with then some of us which wrote against the mischief of your Impositions I say can you behold the Names he c. gave us viz. Old canker'd Apostates vile Apostates unruly Beasts Runagades Treacherous Apostates Apostate Informers betraying Iudas's Devils Incarnate Wolves Doggs Enemies of all Righteousness Children of the Devil dark Devil-driven dungy Gods Heathens Atheists c. See some of the Quakers Principles and Doctrines c. p. 10 11. for more of this stuff nay such personal defamations and detractions which hath had such an Effect not only of our Profession in Religious Matters but upon our Persons and Imployments which in time may be further taken notice of Can you behold all this and a hundred things more which I might name which hath occasioned a great part of your Troubles And can you submit your Necks your
of G. Fox his Epistles sent to the Publick Churches to be read and received as a New Liturgy only they rejected it and kept to the Bible It is thus Intituled TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO MEET IN STEEPLE-HOUSES IN ENGLAND AND ELSEWHERE Page 2. So all you that have the Letter in England and calls a Steeple-House a Church and do not Worship God in Spirit therefore to you all this is sent a Message from the Lord Jesus Christ in England and elsewhere into all the Steeple-houses or elsewhere to be read And God is the same he is a Spirit and his Spirit is drawing from all Steeple-houses now where it is ruling And they the Clergy tell People of a mediate Call so they are in their Witchcraft and Whoredom Christ is not in the Letter nor the Life is not in the Letter This mediate staff hath raigned long in the Cage of unclean Birds Now in this our Age we Quakers who have the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which the Apostles was in and this is to go abroad in all Steeple-houses in the Nation and their High places and through the World that they may come to God from them REMARK Now had the Christian People of England been as tame as the Quakers they had an opportunity put into their hands to have had a new Liturgy a new Religion a new Gospel yea and a new sort of Manisters too such as they are yea all new new Meeting-houses as fine as some Churches For if this Epistle which was sent to be read IN ALL STEEPLE-HOUSES and elsewhere yea TO GO THROUGH THE WORLD had taken place we should have had all things turned upside down A new Christ too and a new Scripture too not one made of Dust Death Serpents-meat but one given forth by infallible G. Fox who as he said himself News coming up out of the North c. p. 1. was Written from the Mouth of the Lord from one who is naked and stands naked before the Lord clothed with Righteousness whose Name is not known in the World risen up out of the North which was prophesied of but now it is fulfilled And p. 20. Clap your hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will reign and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers Judges and Justices Lawyers and Constables all this Tree must be cut down and Jesus Christ will rule alone I say had this super-excellent Epistle of G. Fox taken place and been read and received and the Letter viz. the Scripture thrown aside we should not only have had a new Religion a new Liturgy a new Scripture and new Ordinances as they call their Womens Meetings but new Rulers or rather no Rulers but the Light in G. Fox no not so much as an outward Judge and outward Justice an outward Lawyer or an outward Constable all things should have been new And why not if G. Fox was such a King as the poor Quakers deemed he was Witness a Letter from Barbadoes to him by one of their ablest Ministers namely Iosiah Coal and which they justified see Judas and the Jews p. 44 45 46. viz. Dear G. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting many again to a lively Hope for which generations to come shall call thee blessed whose being and habitation is in the power of the highest in which thou rulest and governest in righteousness and THY KINGDOM IS ESTABLISHED IN PEACE AND THE INCREASE THEREOF IS WITHOUT END Thus Reader have I answered the Objection and proved my Charge more then sufficiently but in regard they have such false Witnesses at their beck to justifie G. W. and to back his Work with the most notorious Lies that men can be guilty of I am forced to dwell longer upon the proof then otherwise I need to do And now I proceed to the last part of my Charge viz. THE THIRD CHARGE THAT THEIR TEACHERS ARE DECEIVERS OF THE PEOPLE FAVOURERS OF BLASPHEMY EXCUSERS OF IDOLATRY AND OF A DIFFERENT FAITH FROM THE APOSTLES PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS BLESSED MARTYRS AND THAT THEIR DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE TEND TO OVERTHROW THE CHRISTIAN FAITH REMARK Reader Not doubting but that in the proof of the former two Branches of my Charge I have proved this also yet if any thing be wanting possibly before I conclude I may supply the vacancy However remembring that in E. B's Works p. 223. there is a Book intituled A just and lawful Trial of the Teachers and Ministers c. I shall turn the Title of E. B's Book upon the Quakers and say A just and lawful Trial of the Teachers of the World I mean of the Quakers whereby they are examined and out of their own mouth and by their own practice CONDEMNED and being brought to the Bar to use E. B's words of Justice these things are truly charged against them and proved upon them and by the Testimony of the Scriptures they are found guilty c. THE PROLOGUE Having thus inverted the Title of his Book I shall indeavour to prove that first the Quakers to be of the World and secondly their Teachers to be the Ministers the false Teachers who of old were prophesied of who should bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them yea deceivers of the People false Apostles and deceitful Workers who by their subtil twisting and twining intermixing gross Errours with some more general Truths transform themselves into the likeness of the Ministers of Christ But as Christ said Ye shall know them by their Fruits and to me they were first discovered by their fruits as by my Book De Chr. Libertate c. and that intituled The painted Harlot stript and whipt c. does appear And secondly by their false Doctrine and pernitious Principles as by my Book New Rome unmasked c. also appears For in my young years I was carried away by their dissimulation and being long trained up and educated in their way and they often as a Decoy exhorted us to obey the Light and Spirit of GOD in our own hearts and to observe the dictates of our Consciences to abstain from evil and pursue what was good and to follow the leadings and guidance of the Light within which was sufficient to lead to Salvation c. And this being a general Truth and a Duty upon all Christians and no less than the Publick Ministry does yea and ought to exhort too But still when all this is done and I am as obedient to the Light as I can yet 't is but my duty I must not as they have taught place Salvation there I say as by the Publick Ministry I am instructed to obey the Dictates of my Conscience to abstain from Evil and follow that which is Good according to the Rule of GODS Word revealed in the Scripture yet as they teach and I believe I ought not to lean upon my own Obedience for Salvation and
to GOD and beg'd his pardon too If you were humble you would do so too 4. And now observe all you that do pass by And notice take how coupled they do lye For as they live and no Confession make Even so they die which makes my heart to ake 5. Yea and lament when that I lay to heart The sad estate of such as do depart Depending on their own Righteousness Their own Deserts and outside Holiness 6. I say behold how grovelling they do lye And cross yea cross all cross to all and why No Man can tell nor they a Reason give Why they so cross should be to all that live 7. Pretences great they to Religion make Though cross to all some think for crosness sake In practice cross yea in their Fruits also In Manners cross in Faith and Doctrine too 8. Cross to the Saints cross to the Prophets too Yea cross to all till they themselves undo For who so cross as they who when convict Will still persist their Errours not retract 9. Remember then that Babels Walls are shaken And her own Birds in her own Net are taken As in the Cage you may perceive right well Such hateful Birds as have no parallel 10. Who though they boast of a sinless Perfection As without sin so no need of Confession Yet in each Pair you certainly may find A Bird unclean in Body and in Mind And now let me proceed to strengthen what I have said in the Discovery of your Errours who are called Quakers and not only so but by many Scripture Proofs demonstrate and set forth to you the Excellency of the Christian Faith which may be a means if you will peruse what I have wrote for your Instruction to shew you your great mistake and that in Fundamentals too and to inform your Judgments and to clear up your Understandings in the Principles of the Christian Religion And as I have taken great pains herein and thought no labour too much so I do assure you nothing would more comfort me than to see you humble and to come to a sight of your Errours and to use the means appointed of GOD for your Relief And therefore follow the Example of the blessed Martyrs who were in great Errours and thought themselves not too good nor too high nor to holy to acknowledge their Mistakes and confess their Errours as in my last Book I have at large shewed from the Example of Dr. Robert Barns Bishop Latimer Martin Luther and others who in humility made Confession of their Sins of their Errours and of their ignorant Zeal and then magnified the goodness of GOD in discovering to them his saving health And why should you be over confident why should not you examin the Scriptures Come try a little lay all prejudice aside though you may not believe me whom your Teachers have prejudic'd you against yet believe the Scriptures I have quoted and let my Arguments have place amongst you so far as they are bottomed on the Authority of the Scriptures and no further I intreat you I know you have been told much about G. Fox of his coming out of the North of his being clothed with Righteousness Prophesied of c. but alas this is without bottom Indeed after he came out of the North I know that J. Coal J. Audland Fra. Howgill Edw. Burrough Sol. Eccles Jo. Blaikling and abundance more call'd him the Great APOSTLE some that true PROPHET whom John said he was not others the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness and Father of many Nations and that his Life reached through us to the Isles afar off and that his BEING and HABITATION was in the POWER of the HIGHEST in which he RULED and GOVERNED in RIGHTEOUSNESS and that HIS KINGDOM was ESTABLISHED in Peace and that of the INCREASE thereof there was NEVER to be an end And although these Men gave witness to G. Fox yet not as the Prophets gave witness to Christ for the Prophets foretold of Christ's coming of his Death and Sufferings of his Kingdom and Government of his Rule and Dominion I say these things nay all that CHRIST did and Suffered the Prophets foretold of Besides 't is plain by G. Fox's Doctrine Example and Practice how he interfered with Christ his Doctrine and Practice in many things particularly in his Book stiled Gospel Liberty c. p. 7. where he calls the LORD's PRAYER OUR FATHER c. the Common-Prayer or A Common-Prayer c. Printed 1668. by which Expressions and his and the Preachers Example the use of that Prayer hath been wholly laid aside by them though it be so clear that all may understand it so short that any may learn it so full as to take in all our wants and so exact as to shew us what we should be as well as what we should ask O what a resemblance it bears to the Author thereof who was the highest and lowest the greatest and the least GOD and Man who knew best what form of Prayer suted his Disciples and all that obey their Doctrine But it teaches one thing which G. Fox never taught you nor do your Leaders teach you nor do you practice it your selves that is this Confession following FORGIVE US OUR SINS AS WE FORGIVE THEM WHICH TRESPASS AGAINST US c. this your Teachers do not do this they do not teach you to do and this I presume is the main Reason why your Leaders have laid aside this most excellent Form of Prayer taught us by Jesus Christ himself who is the wonderful Counsellor and best knew what was fittest for us Again your Teachers have laid aside and you also by their Example the Apostles Creed I BELIEVE IN GOD c. which Tertullian calls the Rule of Faith as well as the Scripture and saith it was instituted by Christ And the Ancients quote this Creed as well as Scripture to confute Hereticks and seems to have given it the same honour because it is indeed the same thing called therefore the Compendium of the Gospel and the Epitome of the Holy Scripture And all this I could prove to you if you had the Scriptures in that esteem you ought to have and would abide the Decision thereof acknowledging it to be a sufficient Rule to square your Actions by both with respect to Religious Exercises and the Affairs of Human Life Thus doth it more and more appear that as G. Fox and his Preachers would seem to justle CHRIST out of his Place and rob Him of his Honour so hath their Doctrine and Example overturned the Exercise of these two Christian Duties as well as other Ordinances and Precepts instituted by CHRIST and by his Apostles and thereby have they declared to all the World that they differ in Faith and Practice from the Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages and the Reason is plain for if they do not believe in HIM that was born of the Virgin who suffered and rose again nay cannot call Him
CHRIST but A Vail A Garment A Vessel c. How should they say this Creed if they do not believe that he is risen yea and that the SAME JESUS is ascended and now sits at the right hand of GOD in the SAME BODY in which he ascended according to Acts 2. how should they say this Creed if they do not believe the Resurrection of the Body out of the Grave at the day of Judgment How should they say or teach others to say this Creed And therefore I exhort you to read the Scriptures and though your Teachers have told you that F. Bugg is a Beast a Dog a Wolf an Enemy of all Righteousness a Child of the Devil yea a Devil Incarnate c. What then did not the unbelieving Jews call Christ a Devil and have they not called the Publick Ministry yea all without restriction or limitation Thieves Robbers Witches and Devils c. what then never regard that but as I said read the Scriptures and take my advice no farther than the Scripture warrants it and so far my Soul for yours you are safe but if your Teachers have begotten such an ill opinion of me as that you will not take my advice as they have against the Publick Ministry that you will not hear them yet I am perswaded what I have wrote will be of service to your Children yea and your Childrens Children and if so why should I not proceed to discover your Errours that so the blind may not always lead the blind but that you may become wiser than your Teachers and see for your selves I am now speaking to you the hearers among the Quakers who have a zeal I bear you record though not according to knowledge and your Leaders have been instrumentally the cause of your Errours and Blindness O consider of what I say and be considerate and cool I am not angry as ye suppose If I be sharp 't is my zeal for the Truths of the Gospel which your Teachers have defaced And therefore bear with me I pity you I lament for you whether you believe it or not They tell you that none was ever converted to GOD by outward and external hearing though the Scripture says that Faith comes by hearing O consider and peruse what followeth and the Lord give you an understanding heart The Prophesies of the Holy Prophets fulfilled and accomplished in and by our blessed LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ Hear the words of our Saviour Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5. 39. These are the words which I spake unto you whilst I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which was written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning ME. Luke 24. 44. The Scriptures cannot be broken Joh. 10 35. It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than for one Tittle of the Law to fail till all be fulfilled PROPHESIES FULFILLED Isa 7. 14. THerefore the Lord himself shall give you a Sign behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall call his Name Immanuel Matth. 1. 23. BEhold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Immanuel which being interpreted is GOD with us Isa 8. 14. And he shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare c. V. 15. And many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and taken Matth. 2. 16. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder Micah 5. 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall come forth unto me THAT is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been of old from everlasing Matth. 2. 16. And thou Bethlehem in the Land of Judah art not the least among the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel Psalm 2. 2. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against his Anointed saying c. Matth. 26. 3. Then assembled together the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders of the People unto the Palace of the High Priest who was called Caiaphas See also Matth. 27. 1. Jer. 31. 15. Thus saith the LORD a voice was heard in Ramah Lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children refused to be comforted for her Children because they were not Matth. 2. 18. In Ramah was there a voice heard Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they are not Isa 53. 7. He was oppressed HE was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth HE is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so opened HE not his mouth Matth. 26. 63. But Jesus held his peace And the High Priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of GOD. Matth. 27. 14. Jer. 16. 16. Behold I will send for many fishers saith the LORD and they shall fish them c. Matth. 4. 19. And he said unto them follow me and I will make you fishers of Men. Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me because the LORD hath anointed ME to preach good Tidings to the Meek he hath sent ME to bind up the broken heart to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that are bound Matth. 11. 5. The blind receive their sight the lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them Isa 53. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the Transgressors and he shall bear the sins of many and make Intercession for the Transgressors Matth. 27. 38. Then were there two Thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and another on the left See also John 19. 18. read also Acts 10. 35. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that GOD hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both LORD and Christ Acts 5. 30 31. The GOD of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree Him hath GOD exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Isa 42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles Matth. 12. 18. Behold my Servant whom I
will you then if I shall them inlarge The Conolusion by way of Exhortation FRiends Let me exhort you to beware of the Doctrine of the Pharisees I mean of the Quakers which is Hypocrisie I have read of the Heresies of the Gnosticks Nicolaitans Donatists and others but none seem to me to be those Christ foretold of Matth. 24. 24. which should if it were possible deceive the very Elect so evidently as the Quakers for how have they prevailed how have they deceived high and low noble and ignoble and yet to me it seems easie to write a History of their rise growch and progress of their Church Government and that MONSTER Womens Meetings how when and by whom and by what Authority carried on and how the Spirit of Persecution hath been amongst them from the beginning sixty six in number of G. Fox's Party against sixty seven of John Stoy and John Wilkinson's Party Quakers against Quakers Councel against Councel until Geo. Keith one of their most Learned Preachers hath been constrained to testifie against their Errours charging them with Damuable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils yea even such as no Christian Society would tolerate And I knowing these things also cannot but warn all People to beware of their Glossings and deceiveable Paintings For they will direct you to the Light bid you be obedient to it tell you 't is sufficient to lead you to Salvation that its teaching is above Councels above Churches above Fathers and Scriptures but in all this they act but the part of a Juggler 't is only to decoy you over to them they do not so think that thus advise and counsel you for if you refuse Conformity to their Orders and Prescriptions alledging the Light to which they directed you doth not lead you thereunto pleading to be left to the Grace of GOD in thy self they that thus at first directed you to this Light will now tell you your Plea is Sordid Ranterism and pernitious to the Christian Religion See their Book stiled A brief Examination of Liberty Spiritual c. p. 3 11. For as it is false Doctrine to teach that the Light being obeyed is sufficient to lead to Salvation for then your Obedience is meritorious and Christ died in vain so do they not believe it sufficient by their rejecting your Plea wherefore be impartial in your search take the Apostles advice Prove all things search the Scriptures and hold fast that which is good A wise man saith Solomon will search out a matter And what is of more concern than the Christian Religion God of his mercy confound all Errours and manifest all Impostors and Deceivers and give the Victory to his Truth and Glory to his Name Amen Mildenhall Sept. 20. 1693. Fra. Bugg * i. e. The first Impression * A London Minister * A little like M. Fox the Story you may possibly have hereafter more at large * Aluding to Bethlehem read Micah 5. 2. Matt. 2. 5 6. * Which by Interpretation was all that professed Jesus of Nazareth and that called the Scriptures the Word of God c. †Here is not only great Miracles pretended but the Work of the Angels ‖ Here is excellent words for themselves yea compared to the Virgin Mary Luke 1. 28 48. * Quer. Why then should you be pitied or spared †Meaning both Gentry and Clergy and Church of England ‖ Quer. Why may not the little Whore have the Dregs of the like Cup * They understand the Plural Number †These were the Usurpers G. W. mention'd who defended the Ch. of Engl. against the Venom of Quakerism * Come G. W. do you think the False Prophets as you count the Clergy will help you no you may call and cry weep and wall but there is no Advocate among them for you until you condemn these your impudent Prophecies †If so why do you call and cry to them to stop me from discovering your Abominable Errors and shewing your Villanies * Thus Reader you see Christ denied which confirm all their foregoing Doctrine by which they deny Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ of God for say they the Seed which cannot be that Body is Christ †Christ's Sufferings and Satisfaction undervalued and made of no effect if he was Finite as W. P. says * See the Cage p. 50. * No take heed of that Judge all the World first and call them all the Names you can invent F. B's Charge against the Quakers F. B's first Charge The Quakers first Errour * Then not in them in the Quakers sence no no otherwise then by Faith nor no otherwise to this day for Christ said at His last Supper ME ye have not always its expedient that I go away but when I am gone I will send the Comforter The Quakers second Errour * viz. The Light in them or Christ that suffered on the Cross This is the Question observe his Answer Acts 13. 35. The Quakers third Errour Contrary to the express Testimony of holy Writ See Matth. 1. Luke 2. and 1 2 3 4 5 7 and 10th Chapter of the Acts c. * A Quest c. p. 22. * I inlarge the more on this Subject out of this Book by reason of the impudency of the Certificates handled by twelve Persons in G. W's Charitable Essay p. 8 O dreadful to deny what they know to be true is the most abominable thing that can be And this I charge upon them as a pack of false Witnesses and perjured Persons for their Solemn Protestation ought to be as binding as an Oath and the breach of it as punishable * Pray who do you account this Branch if not G. Fox for he came out of the North and as he said himself was prophesied of I say who else did you assign these Titles to i. e. the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness was it to G. Fox or the Light in him Pray distinguish in your next You are excellent at the Art of distinguishing for till then I can assign your Attributes to no other * Here was sad killing cutting and destroying not to spare Ox or Ass 'T is well they meant no other than what was within them as also all their Miracles are Mysteries Fancies Whimseys all within your Heaven Hell and Devils all within their Swords and whole Train of Artillery within * Though 't was not for printing sake but because such printing exposed their Antichristian Principles and great Divisions beyond the Seas * I do except G. Keith and his Friends as in New Rome unmasked p. 69 70 71. * G. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 33 82 107. * De Praescr l. 1. c. 13. It is also called the Rule of Faith by Origen * Firebrand c. 2d part p. 87. G. F. J. B. Psal 51. 2 3 90. Job 7. 20. Lam. 3. 41 42. Isa 64 6. Dan. 9. 4. to the end 1 John 1. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Rom. 7 Luke 11. 4. 1 King 8. 46. to 49. Psal 32. 5. Jer. 14. 20. Jam. 5. 16. Eccles 4. 26. Prov. 28. 13. Neh. 1. to the end Ezra 9.