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-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
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
them to Charge you And when you shuffled and evaded their Charge it gave them Encouragement for the Petition that they might Examine you an Abstract thereof is as followeth viz. The Humble Address of the House of Commons to the KING May it please Your Majesty WE your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled do with great Joy and Comfort remember the many Testimonies which your Majesty hath given us of your Sincerity and Zeal for the true Reformed Religion as established in this Kingdom and in particular we beg leave to present to your Majesty our most Humble and Thankful Acknowledgments for the late Gracious Declaration your Majesty has made to us from the Throne that you would effectually discourage Prophaneness and Immorality c. We do further in all Humility beseech your Majesty that your Majesty would give such effectual Orders as to your Royal Wisdom shall seem fit for the suppressing all Pernicious Books and Pamphlets which contain in them Impious Doctrine against the Holy Trinity and other Fundamental Articles of our Faith tending to the Subversion of the Christian Religion and that the Authors and Publishers thereof may be Discountenanced and Punished c. And to the end that the Quakers may see the Zeal of our Government against the Errors contained in their Books and not to presume to Discourse as they do as if they and they only were the White Hen's Chickens and the only Favourites as I can give particular Demonstrations both by what I have heard with my Ears from some of their Young Disciples who as the Old Cocks Crow the Young ones Learn as well as I have observed from Credible Information I shall recite His Majesties most Gracious Answer to the foregoing Address which is as followeth viz. Gentlemen I Cannot but be very well pleased with an Address of this Nature and I will give immediate Directions in the several Particulars you desire But I could wish some more Effectual Provision were made for the suppressing those Pernicious Books and Pamphlets which your Address takes notice of By this time the Quakers thought themselves concerned being Conscious to themselves as well they might that no People in the King's Dominion no not the Muggletonians were so obnoxious to the Censure of the King and Parliament as themselves Upon which they bestirred themselves like the Magicians in Moses's time to bring forth a likeness And therefore when there was a Bill Preparing they Printed a Paper and presented it to the House of Commons by way of Instructions in which there were these Words viz. WHereas the Bill enacts That if any Person or Persons c. shall deny any of the Persons in the Holy Trinity to be God and make it punishable by the same Bill were it not more safe and plain to put it in Scripture Terms as instead of Deny any one of the Persons to be God to insert If any one shall deny any of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or the Holy Ghost to be God 1 John 5.7 Now if the Quakers can but bend the Parliament to their Bow then they 'll agree but as for them they cannot condescend a Hair's Breadth as one of their Teachers Patrick Livingston formerly Taught For say they The Father is Light the Son is Light and the Holy Ghost is Light Nay if they desire three or four Persons more added as that the Door is Light the Elect Stone is Light the Vine is Light the Blood is Light the Water is Light they 'll allow all and all these are One no one of which was before or after the other nor one greater or lesser than another and yet all this while they mean not a Word according to the Scriptures and the common belief of all Sound Christians but Reduce all to their Light within But still fearing what might happen and to guard their Errors they soon presented His Majesty with a Paper and this put me upon undergoing the Charge of Reprinting one of their Books intirely that so I may set them in their True Light to be seen and read of all Men And as it is my Duty so by my Reasonable Service to God and my Country though by some my Words may be despised Eccles 9.16 A Copy of the Quakers Paper is as followeth viz. To King William III. over England c. The Grateful Acknowledgment of the People Commonly called Quakers Humbly Presented May it please the King SEeing the most High God who rules in the Kingdoms of Men * * Dan. 5.21 and appointeth over it whomsoever he will hath by his over-ruling Power and Providence placed thee in Dominion and Dignity over these Realms and by his Divine Favour has signally preserved and delivered thee from many Great and Eminent Dangers and Graciously turned the Calamity of War into the desired Mercy of Peace we heartily wish that we and all others concerned may be truly Sensible and humbly Thankful to Almighty God for the same that the Peace may be lasting and a perpetual Blessing And now O King the God of Peace having returned thee in Safety it is Cause of Joy to all them that fear him to hear thy good and seasonable Resolution effectually to discourage Prophaneness and Immorality Righteousness being that which exalteth a Nation And as the King has been Tenderly Inclined to give Ease and Liberty of Conscience to his Subjects of different Perswasions of whose Favour we have largely partaken so we esteem it our Duty Gratefully to Commemorate and Acknowledge the same earnestly beseeching Almighty God to assist the King to prosecute and effect these his just and good Inclinations that his Days may be Happy and Peaceable and hereafter he may partake of a lasting Kingdom that will never fade away London the 7th of the 11th Month 1697. Signed in Behalf of the said People by us George Whitehead Peter Bowen Will. Mead Gilbert Layty John Edge Daniel Quane Tim. Emmerson Thomas Hawes Samuel Jobson Theod. Eccleston Nicholas Gates Will. Ingram Will. Onkingate Thomas Lower John Paine John Butcher Will. Macket Rich. Needham John Vaughton John Hound Michael Russel Jof Wilkinson Joseph Wyeth John Hall Josiah Ellis Now by this fair and smooth Paper who would think but the Quakers would have Signed the Association pursuant to the Act of Parliament Intituled An Act for the better Security of His Majesties Royal Person and Government c. Oh! no by no means For they tell you in their Paper Intituled The Ancient Testimony and Principle of the People called Quakers Renewed with respect to the King and Government and touching the present Association Dated the 23d of March 1695 6 viz. And whereas we the said People are required to sign the said Association we sincerely declare That our refusing so to do is not out of any dissatisfaction to the King and Government nor in Opposition to his being declared Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms but purely because
A Modest Defence Of my Book Entituled Quakerism Expos'd AS ALSO Of my Broad Sheet with a Scheme of the Quakers Yearly Synod and other Books presented Anno 1699. to the PARLIAMENT AND G. Whitehead's Inside Turn'd Outward by Reprinting his Ancient Book Ishmael c. intirely shewing thereby the Quakers Ancient Testimony of Contempt of the Holy Scriptures and Blasphemy against the Blessed Trinity and they tell us they are not chang'd By FRANCIS BVGG There shall be false Teachers amongst you who shall bring in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. ii 1. LONDON Printed by R. Janeway Jun. for the Author and sold by J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard H. Rhodes at the Star at the Corner of Bride-Lane Fleetstreet Ch. Broome at the Gun in Ludgate-street and J. Marshall at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street 1700. To the Right Honourable the High Court of Parliament Humbly Dedicated c. Right Honourable WHereas the Quakers for many Years have presented their Books and Papers to the Parliament under many fair Shews whilst the Tendency of their Doctrine is to Subvert Christianity and I being sensible thereof think it my Duty to God and my Country both as a Christian and Free-born Englishman to discover the same and therefore to obviate some Objections I do most humbly beg Leave to Apologize for my self in this Affair since by many Books of the Quakers I have been represented as an indigent Person a Mercenary Agent one that is prompt on by other a Judas c. and thereupon I am greatly desirous to acquaint your Honours that I am no such manner of Person And as a Demonstration thereof I have somewhat to offer in my own Defence which is briefly this I came of a good Yeoman Family and have lived in good Repute all my Days having had a competent Estate of near a Hundred Pound a Year besides Stock and that whilst I was a Quaker I was of good Repute and Esteem amongst them I entertained their Teachers with no little Charge I put Cloaths on the Backs of some and Money in the Purses of others I was Register to their Monthly and Quarterly Meeting about Sixteen or Eighteen Years together to which I rode Fifteen or Sixteen Miles every Month and all this freely as themselves know if they would speak I was Prisoner for the Cause of Quakerism Three Years and Four Months and for Meetings I suffered by Fines and Distresses more than One Hundred Pound and when we built a Meeting-House for before Meeting were at my House I gave 20 l. towards it and to that Day all freely without any Retribution all which considered might abate the edge of their Defamations and lead them to keep to the Matter in Controversie And since upon a sight of their Errors I left them I have been Useful but never Mercenary I have born all Town-Offices as Overseer Constable and Church-warden I have been often an Assessor and sometimes Collector of His Majesty's Taxes serv'd on Juries of Life and Death as well as Nisi Prius in all which places I have discharged my Trust free from any Accusation And since I have more narrowly looked into their Principles and found them to be Pernicious to both Church and State I have first used all private Means to Reclaim them But when they persisted therein and would justifie excuse and defend all things whether agreeable to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles or in Contradiction to them I have thought it my Duty to discover their Pernicious Ways and therein I have proceeded upon a Principle of Justice and can with good Conscience say that from first to last no Clergyman in the Kingdom ever asked or desired me to write one Book Page or Line against the Quakers nor have any one Man Clergy or Laity seen this Book till printed tho' I do grant that by my Constancy of Writing for more than Twenty Years together and by the Charge of Printing together with other Losses incident to Tradesmen I have been reduced and I am not ashamed to acknowledge that the Gentry the Justices of Peace the Clergy and some Protestant Dissenters have extended their Bounty towards my Support and which the Quakers themselves do to their own People And if this be Cause sufficient to render me a Judas or Mercenary they have many Mercenary Judas's among themselves I have read in the Book of Esther That when Haman designed the Destruction of the Jewish Church then in Captivity how Queen Esther appeared in the Defence thereof saying Esther 3.6 14 16. I will go in to the King which is not according to Law and if I Perish I Perish And it is in the remaining Story of Esther in the Greek and Latin Copies Cap. 13. Mordecai appeals to God thus Thou knowest O Lord that it was neither of Malice nor Presumption nor of any Desire of Glory that I did this c. And when I came to understand the Pride and Cruelty of George Fox and his Accomplices which was equal to that of Haman who in Oliver Cromwell's time as by their Books appear were for Slaying and Banishing all the Clergy in the Kingdom and how averse they ever were against Liberty of Conscience as elsewhere I have shewed as also what Enemies they were to the Holy Scriptures and Ordinances of our Saviour namely Baptism and the Lord's Supper damning the Ever-blessed Trinity to the Pit of Hell and divers other Blasphemies too many here to relate I was stirred in my Spirit to appear in Defence of our Holy Religion which their Doctrine tends to overthrow saying with Queen Esther If I Perish I Perish and can appeal to God as Mordecai did saying Thou knowest O Lord that it was neither of Malice nor of Presumption nor any Desire of Glory that I did this c. And who knows but for such a time as this I was deliver'd from them by the good Hand of Providence And Right Honourable that which is chiefly defir'd by me is and that in Concurrence with many Thousands of good Christians that the Quakers may be examined whether what I object against them be so or no and if found true upon them that they may then be obliged to Retract and Condemn what is Erroneous as well as Dangerous and this is no Persecution Nor do I know of any who desire any Alteration of the Act of Toleration I have likewise read the Story of Bell and the Dragon wherein the Fraud of the Priests of Bell is set forth who pretended as our Quakers do that they served in the Temple freely and that their God Eat up all the Provision set before him But upon Examination it was found far otherwise Even so I make this offer and that on the Terms of Daniel's Proposition to make it appear notwithstanding the Quakers Loud Clamours against the Clergy for their Tythes and other Dues set apart by Law for their Maintainance whilst they Serve at the
Altar that Ten of the Quakers Teachers have received more Gifts than Fifty of our Episcopal Divines Rectors of Parishes in the Counties of Suffolk and Norfolk only by strewing a few Ashes on the Floor or something Equivolent But as the Priests of Bell were too powerful for Daniel without Assistance from the Government even so are the Quakers for me I can only discover the Riddle and propose a Method to try them by but cannot bring the Matter about to bring proof thereof without Assistance from the Government But as Daniel by his threefold Medicine Pitch Fat Hair boil'd together by God's Blessing burst in sunder the Babylonians Dragon their other Idol-God even so have I been Instrument l with the help of Pen and Ink Paper well prest together and applied Warm with God's Blessing Burst in sunder the Quakers great Idol their Darkness within which they call Light So that their Infallibility is flown one way and their Sinless Perfection another their Spiritual Discerning they pretend to so as to know who are Saints and who are Devils and who are Apostates without speaking a Word this way and their Miracles that way And if to bring this to pass I have sometimes taken the freedom of the Prophet Elijah 1 King 18. who speaking to the Prophets of Baal in a Holy Derision of them and their Idol Gods said Ver. 27. And it came to pass at Noon that Elijah mocked them and said Cry aloud for he is a God either he is Talking or he is Pursuing or he is in a Journey or peradventure he Sleepeth and must be Awaked c. if then I have taken such freedom with the false Quaker Prophets and their Dumb Idols which can neither See Hear nor Understand much less discern who are Saints who are Devils or who are Apostates without speak-ever a Word or if I have with the Woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. by way of Metaphor brought about a Form of Speech with design to get the Quakers examined whether what have been Objected against them be true or not I hope it is Pardonable since in all Ages in the World the same Cause leads to the same thing For I do Believe and not without Ground That as there never was a People since Simon the Sorcerer pretended to such High Prophetical Attainments so likewise there never was a Sect of Falser Prophets since the time of Elijah nor that ever held such Blasphemous Principles as their Books set forth And they say they are the same still their Principles the same and not changed Be not deceived I beseech you by the Quakers who appear like the Pharisees Fair and Beautiful even like Painted Sepulchers Remember the Subtilty of the Gibionites Josh 9. how they by their Dissimulation deceived good Joshua and all the Princes of the Congregation of Israel The Quakers tell you they own the Scriptures to be given by Divine Inspiration but mean not one word of it like other Christians for so they own their own Books They tell you they own a Scripture Trinity but mean not a word of it This is a Matter Right Honourable of great weight and your Honours will find it as difficult a thing to gain the true meaning of the Quakers touching the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures and their Belief of a Scripture Trinity as Constantius the Emperour found it in the Examination of Arius the Heretick to get his true meaning touching the Faith of one Substance For the Quakers as did Arius mean as they have written but how Namely in their own Books I mean of that sort they read in their Meetings and keep close among themselves one of which I have herein Reprinted In these sorts of Books they deny the Scriptures to be the Written Word of God For it is say they a Rotten Foundation Dust Death and Serpents Meat In like manner they dissemble the Doctrine of the Trinity when they pretend to own it whilst in their Books they Damn it to the Pit and Lake All this and much more I offer to make appear who am with all Submission Right Honourable Your Honours most Humble and most Obedient Servant Fran. Bugg A PREFACE By Way of PARABLE THere was an Island very Populous and well Scituated the Air good and the People generally of a sound Constitution and governed by wholesom Laws and professed the most Reformed Religion of any Nation round about them But so it fell out that in the North Part of this Island Anno 1650. there arose a great Sea-Monster †Viz. Geo. â—â—x alias 〈◊〉 Magus of a Luciferian Pride who pretended that he and all that received embraced and had the same Spirit that moved him were equal to God That he was the Eternal Judge of the World and knew who were Saints who were Devils and who were Apostates without speaking ever a Word and he having betrothed himself to a young Harlot * i. e. The â—â—nters she conceived and brought forth her Young to whom she drew out her Breasts and gave them Suck and they multiplied exceedingly and many of them became fiery flying Serpents †Such of 〈◊〉 Proâ—â—â—ts as â—â—â—re him â—â—â—h Diâ—â—â—e Attriâ—â—â—es and spread themselves like Locusts all over the Island some entering the Churches where they stung both Men Women and Children others entered into the Market-places Barns Orchards and private Chambers like the Frogs in Egypt poysoning the Air and infecting much People Upon this the Physicians both Conformists and Nonconformists were extreamly allarmed not well knowing what to do or what Course to take to stop the Gangrene of this Pestilential Disease and to heal the People who were bitten by these Serpents but as wise Physicians they took their Christian Dispensatory * i. e. The Holy Scriptures and turn'd over to this Chapter and that Verse and made excellent Receipts which were sold at reasonable Rates at every Booksellers Shop and prepared many Antidotes against the Venom of this dangerous Infection But these wounded People being intoxicated by the Venom of these Scorpions they refused all these Christian Offers but the Physicians as in Duty bound resolved to apply their Medicines to the grieved part of this wounded and bewitched People who like the Samaritans of old said That this Monster was the Power of God †G. Fox's Journal 3d Index under the Letter M. that he wrought Miracles that he had Power to bind and loose whom he pleased and cried out who is able to make War with the Beast But notwithstanding the Power and Prevalency of this Dragon they applied as aforesaid their Medicines very warm and withal giving them some Physick to purge away the Dregs of their Distemper which as soon as they had done and before they could finish their Prayers for a Blessing upon their Endeavours these diseased People grew into a raging Fit and raved at the Physicians like mad Men saying We are perfect and free from Sin sound and have no need of any
and foolish People that would have a King and what Work Joshua made with the Kings how he brought them out of the Cave a fit Place for them and all these Novices Christians that are crying up Earthly Kings And we know that these Kings are the Spiritual Egyptians got up since the Days of the Apostles Come smooth George with all thy Puritanical Sincerity why didst thou not recite this whole Quotation But it seems thou art not under a necessity to be plain-hearted What! it seems this is too plain and too manifest What! to be absolutely against all Kings and Kingly Government and thy Paint not able to cover it But George thou also say'st p. 69. Let their Books and ours be compared to clear our Innocency from these Adversaries Calumnies Ah George this is still worse what to add Hypocrisie to Treason Thou knowest George in thy Conscience if thou hast any or if it be not quite seared that at West Dereham Conference your Friends had an Opportunity were pressed to it but could not be prevailed with nay tho' there then were near Twenty of your eminent Teachers and about an Hundred of your Hearers yet not one of them could be prevail'd with either to compare your Books nay nor to own them and vindicate the Doctrine contained in them how then hast thou now the Impudence to say Let their Books and ours be compared as above Wherefore in your next be plain whether you have not deviated in any one Point from what you were in the beginning and whether you resolve to justifie your Friends Ancient Books as you say you can see the Postscript to your Ishmael annexed I will only trouble my Reader in this Place with one Citation more and it is about the Trinity and in this George is as defective and short as in the other and the reason is as plain which is to cover over their Blasphemy against the Blessed Trinity to manifest which there are several Charges out of divers Books of the Quakers in the Book intituled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies and their Bloody Treasonable Principles Destructive to Government out of which I shall mention but one to shew as well how short Whitehead is in reciting it upon his Excuse of being only defensive and thereby not under a necessity to cite the whole as above noted See Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemous Heresies c. p. 1. out of G. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 246. The Scripture do not tell the People of a Trinity nor Three Persons but the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope To this George Whitehead Replies Truth and Innocency vindicated c. p. 50. saying Their first Objection the Scripture do not tell People of a Trinity nor Three Persons c. and so dropt the other part of the Quotation out of Fox viz. But the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope These he left out as now not proper to mention since the Act of Toleration enforces the Acknowledgment of the Blessed Trinity as the Condition of their Liberty But as a Salvo p. ibid. George Whitehead urges another Book of George Fox's stiled Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers c. Printed 1671. p. 43. Of the Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and all these are one I have with some Difficulty procuted this Book in order to trace and to find out George Whitehead in all his Subterfuges and lurking Places and I find him as false in citing Fox their Apostle as in the above-noted For of the 57 Words in Fox's Paragraph he G.W. has cited but 26 Words which is not the one half but the reason is there is no more for his Turn and his Business is only to serve a Turn Jesuit-like as his Friend Anne Docwra well observes now to the Quotation of Fox which Whitehead has split viz. Some Principles of the Elect c. p. 43. Of this Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and of Water Blood and Spirit and all these are one among us as in the Primitive time among the Apostles who gave no such outward Names to them as Trinity as the World now doth c. Who then can believe this People who thus split Sentences and mangle the Sence For here is Six Persons in the Quakers Godhead Father Son Holy Ghost Water Blood Spirit all these are one among the Quakers so that here is a twofold Trinity Trinitas Trinitas in the Unity of their Essence where no one is greater or lesser than the other nor yet one before or after the other for the Water is Spirit the Blood is Spirit and both the Light within Father Son and Holy Ghost and all within and every of these Lights is their Eternal God And to this agrees George Fox Jun. in his Works p. 66. viz. By one that witnesseth God Christ the Light the Word the Spirit the Truth the Kingdom of God within me and these are one Reader Here is in the Quakers Essence Septem Personas of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than another and all within Again p. ibid. Stumble not at the Light for if thou dost thou stumblest at God at Christ at the Door the VVay the Truth the Life the Rock the Elect Stone and all these are but one Here again is one added here is Octo Personas in the Unity of their Essence of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than the other for the Stone is Light the Rock is Light the Life is Light the Truth is Light the VVay is Light the Door is Light and God is Light and all within them Only measurably as p. 72. And verily Friends if you keep not to the measure of the pure God in you so that God dwells in them by parts or measure see p. 55 83. ibid. The next thing I am to prove is their Light within to be the Eternal God this done I think I have proved that they like Thieves and Robbers have climbed up another way distinct from the Holy Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all Christian Churches to this Day in order to which see p. 46 to 50. ibid. I the Light will fall upon you and grinde you to Powder All who will not own me the Light in you and I will make you to know that I the Light am the true Eternal God which created all things and that there is not another beside me can save I matter not by what Name you are called by whether it be King Protector Prince Duke Lord Judge Justice Parliament Priest Lawyer Gathered Churches Army Gentry Mean Men or Beggars I 'll break all Sects and Opinions and Gathered Churches which
are some things writ on the back-side I 'll charge you with nothing but what is printed Were you the Author of all that is printed in this Book your Name is printed at the beginning middle and end of it G. W. About three Years ago I and Four more writ it betwixt us Mr. Smith Pray tell me plainly whether you will own it or not if you will not own it at all then tell me what you will own and what not otherwise when I have proved it a most wicked Book you may disown it and so all my Discourse fall to the Ground 'T is no pleasure to me to speak or this People to hear vain Words If you will not own it speak but you may as well disown to morrow all that you say to day telling us Words are but Wind if you disown what you have Printed and affixt your Name so often unto G. W. Well I will own it prove what you can Now George lest thou should'st say this is an Adversary's Book tho' that in this Case would not help Dun out of the Mire I shall now come to thy own Book Truth defending the Quakers c. * Of Damning the B. Trinity to the Pit and Lake said in the Title-Page also to be written from the Spirit of Truth in G. W. c. P. 1. Question recited out of the foregoing Book to which this is in Answer Mr. Smith Do not you repent G. W. for your endeavouring vainly to Defend Aug. 29. 1659. in so great a Congregation these Positions printed in your Book of Ishmael c. G. W. The Positions we defended are according to the Scriptures of Truth and them we need not repent of As first in denying the Bible to be the written Word of God Secondly in asserting the Scriptures not to be the Word Thirdly that there is no such Word in the Scripture as Three Persons in the Trinity but it is a Popish Doctrine mentioned in the Popish Mass or Common-Prayer-Book Fourthly And thou that affirm Three distinct Persons in the Godhead art a Dreamer and he that Dreams and tell Lies he with his Imaginations and Dreams is for the Lake Truth Defending c. Where in the 33d Question in The Quaker Disarm'd c. thou hast falsly Charged George Whitehead's Book * Here he owns the Book and defends the Doctrine with proving several Blasphemies in it which is a wicked Lie and Slander for thou never yet proved any Blasphemy in it For that thou countest Blasphemies was our ‖ Mark Our Witnessing Witnessing against such Doctrines as thou couldst not prove by Scripture as that of a Trinity of Three distinct Persons in the Godhead and that of the Letter being the Word Truth defending the Quakers and their Principles c. P. 24. G. Whitehead therein reciting the 45th Question of Mr. Smith's out of his Book The Quaker disarmed p. 6. for I have them both before me G. W. thus Recites and then Answers viz. Do not you G. Whitehead blasphemously take to your self an Attribute of God while you pretend ordinarily to know the Hearts of Men and tell Mr. Townsend of Norwich in the second Page of your Ishmael that the Light of God is departed from his Conscience c. I think 't is the fairest Citation that ever I met with viz. of G. W.'s now comes his Answer I says G. W. take no Attribute of God to my self but what God hath given me c. And as for Townsend I never said that the Light was departed from his Conscience as thou hast belied me But that from the Light of God in his Conscience he is departed * And so are the Words in p. 2. of Ishmael as you may see A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. Truth Defending c. P. 25. In thy 46th Question thou hast says G. Whitehead charged me with Printing Railing Language with calling Priest Townsend Witch Lyar Blind Guide in p. 3. of Our Book * A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. But there is not the Word Witch but that thou would bewitch People with thy Lies c. Reader I cannot inlarge I now refer you to the Book which Geo. Whitehead owned when he and his Partners Wrote it when they Printed it when they Disputed with Mr. Smith Aug. 29. 1659. when G. W. Printed his Truth Defending c. which is at four or five sundry times and till 1690 which was 45 Years never disowned it Yet now he finds Quakerism sinking would insinuate he did not Write it doth not Own the Words is sorry his Name is to it and the like Dissimulation No George you must either Condemn it as rank Blasphemy or Defend it since your Hand Wrote it Signed and Sealed it as your Act and Deed. Now therefore George my Advice is That you go forthwith to your Second-Day-Meeting and together with them Condemn by Publick Censure under your Hands this your Blasphemous Book Ishmael and all other Books of yours and of your Friends of the same Nature and Tendency For as St. Peter once said to Simon Magus I fear it may be said to your Self and Partners Read Acts 8.21 22 23. Thy Heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of this thy Wickedness and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thy Heart and the Words of thy Mouth may be forgiven thee for I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity FINIS ISHMAEL AND HIS MOTHER Cast out into the WILDERNESS Amongst the wild Beasts of the same Nature OR A Reply to a Book entitulled The Scriptures proved to be the word of God put forth by one of Ishmaels Children who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel and a Pastor of S. Austins and Savours Parish in Norwich but is clearly made manifest by the light of God in his Servants to be a scoffer and an enemy to the Gospel which the Saints of God are Ministers of and sufferers for by such as he is who Ishamellike hath laid his folly open and is discovered to the faithful who are of Abraham and of the seed of Promise ALSO A cleer distinction between the Ministers of Christ who are of the seed of Abraham and the Priests of this generation who are of Ishmaels root who with the Truth are plainly made manifest by the light of Christ in us who for the testimony of God do suffer by the sons of Hagar and this Generation of the Priests in Norwich Given forth for no other end but that the truth may be cleared from such as scoff and deny it Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us that do suffer in the Goal of Norwich for the truths sake which is persecuted and slandered by the Priests and Rulers of this City Whose names in the flesh is Christopher Atkinson George Whitehead James Lancaster Thomas Simonds London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black
which to thee is hid whom the God of this world hath blinded thy eyes and out of the mystery and Gospel and rule and foundation thou art with that which thou calls the only rule and word and foundation art thou judged and with light seen and condemned to be an inventer of lies and a deceiver of the blind but no further canst thou proceed for thy folly shall be made manifest to all men Priest In a second reason of thine thou sayest the antiquity of the Scriptures do clearly prove them to be of God for man could never write of things done before he had a being but the works of the five first dayes Creation are mentioned in Scripture but man was not made till the sixt day therefore they must needs be the word of God Answ Here thou blind Beast who art ignorant of God who makes antiquity as thou calls it the perfect knowledge of God and sayes that man could not declare of things before ever he had a being and so would make people believe that the Scripture reveal God thou blind Beast whether was man or the Scriptures first and whether did God make himself manifest unto and thou that sayest that the Scripture reveal God thou art a lyar for God revealed himself to Moses before the Scripture was written and Moses was the first pen-man of the Scripture was 14 Generations after the fall and yet he wrote of things before the fall was and thy father Cain was before Moses was and yet he knew no Scripture and thou that would make the Letter the light and way of knowing God are not so much as a Minister of the Letter and here thou art made manifest to be in the fall in the death which past over all men before Moses was and are not come to fee the first Days VVork to see light divided from darkness and here let all the Prophets and holy men of God judge thee with the Light from which thou art erred for they wrote of Christ and saw his day many Generations before he came in the flesh and here thy antiquity and thy reasons and the three persons thou dreams of which thou would divide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual darkness for the lake and the pit for thou hast no Scripture that mentions such things * This is their Ancient Testimony to damn the Blessed Trinity to the Pit of Hell P. 11. 4 to Piest And where thou art telling that the Scripture converts the Soul and works Grace and the opening thereof make hearts to tremble and says that Scripture discovers mens thoughts and makes Laws for them Answ Here thou hast made thy self manifest where did ever any of the holy men of God say that the Scriptures converts the Soul or make Laws for mens thoughts and what is that which opens the Scripture or where is it if the bare Letter convert the Soul here thou Priest of Baal for that is thy name thy lyes are made manifest and deceits laid open to the children of the Light and art seen with the light from which the Scripture was spoken Priest Again thou sayest the Scripture speaks to all men alike but thus do not the word of man therefore thou sayest they are the word of God Ans But thou thy self and thy generation are perverters of the Scripture and are respectors of persons for you are called of men Master stands praying in the Synagogues has the chiefest places in the assemblies and the greeting in the Markets and are pleading for cap and knee and says we do not reverence Magistrates because we do not put off our hats and bend our knees as thou and the rest of thy generation of Hypocrits do who have mens persons in admiration because of advantage Iude 16. and this which you calls the word speaks not to all men alike for wo is pronounced in it to such as thou art who art found in the steps of the false Prophets and Scribes and Pharisees and goes in the way of Cain to envie and after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards which wo was never pronounced to the righteous and wo unto thee thou lyar who art a wrester of Scripture to thy own destruction and art found with so many Lyes as thou hast here uttered Priest In another place thou sayest no Creature Angels men or Devils if all were put together in one could ever declare before-hand what particular person should be born and what should be their names in so many thousands yeers before their birth Ans Here thou art taken with another lye with which thou hast stuffed up this thy confused Book for both by Angels and Men was Iesus Christ the Son of God prophesied of Moses who was many years before Christ came in the flesh prophesied of Christ and said like unto me will God raise up a Prophet him shall the People hear Mat. 1.17 see if thou can number the year of all these generations which prophesied of Christ and when Christ came he saith before Abraham was I am thus art thou known and comprehended with the truth which all thy fathers and generations past persecuted so be ashamed and stop thy mouth for ever Priest In that thou calls thy two propositions 1. thou sayest the Scriptures are the means by which faith is wrought and to prove that ly thou brings Rom. 10.17 Ans Shame cover thy face thou full of rottenness and filthy dreams Scriptures not a means to work Faith This is their Ancient Testimony where did thou ever read in Scripture that it is the means whereby faith is * P. 12. 4 to wrought when that Scripture saith faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word here thou art deaf and never heard the word and thy faith and word is without but the word of faith which we preach is nigh in the heart and mouth Rom. 10.8 therefore search thou the Scripture with the Saduces who knew not Christ for in them thou and thy generation thinks to have eternal life but ye will not come unto Christ that ye may have life Iohn 5.38 39 40. Priest Again thou sayest that the Scripture which thou calls the word is an everlasting rule so long as we live on earth The Scripture which Mr. Townsend calls the Foundation of Faith in the Mire and Dirt. Ans Thou blind sot see thy confusion can that Letter be everlasting while we live upon earth here thou hast shewed thy reason where it is that they that are not stark blind may see thee thy reason and thy foundation to be in the mire and dirt and may see thee to be a senceless natural bruit Beast who with thy lyes art made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.13 Priest And again thou sayest the most eminent believer sin in many things Ans Here is the end of thy teaching here is thy rule and here is thy foundation and here is
one of their Prophets and Teachers ador'd G. Fox with Divine Attributes This Witness is true 6. That their People bowed down on their Knees to G. Fox for Absolution in particular John Fretwell Christopher Gilborn James Naylor which was Idolatry This Witness is true 7. That G. Fox's Luciferian Pride was manifest when he gave out a Paper That his Marriage with Margaret Fell Widow was a Figure of the Marriage between Christ and his Church and that his said Marriage was above the State of Adam in his Innocency in the State of the second Adam that never fell This Witness is true 8. That great Pains had been taken by Sam. Newton and John Bolton to bring to light the unheard-of Practices and Beastly Wantonness and filthy Uncleanness of their Teachers This Witness is true 9. That John Bolton had a Confession in writing of one or two of the Females concerned in their Debauched Actions shewing also that many eminent ones in their Ministry resorted to them daily giving them these Appellations Innocent Lasses and Daughters of Sion This Witness is true 10. That the Quakers represent such as discover these their Abominations Envious Malicious Distracted Bad Dirty and Factious Spirits who are gone from Truth c. This Witness is true Therefore saith St. Paul rebuke them Sharply Severely or Cuttingly who notwithstanding their high Pretences to Meekness Charity Self-Denial Temperance and other Graces of the Spirit yet are found to be Liars evil Beasts Slow Bellies great Forgers gross Hypocrites and proud Blasphemers Read over the 20 Instances and R. Saudiland's Letter of Retractation together with what else you find in this and my other Books for to them I refer for further Demonstrations of the Deceitfulness of these vain Pretenders and high Boasters If they tell you this Book of W. Mucklow's is answer'd and again complain that I take no Notice thereof as Jos Wyeth does of the Author of The Snake in the Grass c. in his Anguis Flagillatus c. to them I thus reply that their pretended Answers are in Reality no Answers otherwise than mock Answers to abuse the World and to blind their Proselytes and to paint over the Poyson of their foul Opinions and this is easie to discern by any that will be at the Pains to read what is wrote on both sides and by considering their way and manner of answering Books See G. W.'s Truth and Innocency vindicated c. in these three Instances viz. I. Their Way of Transposing II. Their Way of Adding Words III. Their leaving Out Words Of their Transposing Words First As to Transposing G. Fox having taught in his Great Mystery c. saying p. 213. You cannot know Scripture but by the same Degree of the Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had c. this was objected against the Quakers as Pride in them that so thought and false Doctrine in them that so teach see A Brief Discovery c. p. 8. to which G. Whitehead reply'd in his Truth and Innocency c. p. 19. These Words says he should be Transposed it should run thus Thou canst not know Scripture but by a Degree of the same Spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Now by thus Transposing Words we may read Acts 12.2 That James slew Herod with the Sword and so overthrow the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures whether Doctrinal or Historical Now whether G. W.'s Method of Transposing the Words of their Prophets was not to cover and palliate their Errors let the wise in Heart judge Their Way of Adding Words Secondly Again their Way of Adding Words A Brief Discovery c. p. 26. the Clergy having objected to the Quakers a Blasphemous Position out of Burrough's Works p. 273. viz. The Sufferings says Burroughs of the People of God i. e. Quakers in this Age is a Greater Suffering and more Unjust than in the Days of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs or any time since What was done to Christ or his Apostles was Chiefly done by a Law and in Great Part by the Due Execution of a Law c. To this G. Whitehead the Quakers Soderer replies see his Truth and Innocency c. p. 44. not once mentioning the Page in the said Brief Discovery on purpose no doubt to lead his Reader from the Sight and Scent of their Blasphemy and that which confirms me therein is that he dropt the latter part of the Quotation viz. What was done to Christ or his Apostles was Chiefly done by a Law and in Great part by the Due Execution of a Law No this was so apparently Blasphemous that as hardy as he G. W. is he was ashamed to recite it but whilst he blames others for splitting Sentences Mangling and Curtailing he is a profound Practitioner of it but in p. 46. ibid. being loth to let it pass wholly unspoken to he there says Instead of Due Execution it should rather have been said by a Regular and Judicial Procedure But how far this mends the Matter let all true Christians judge viz. whether the Proceedings of the Jews against our Saviour when they Scourg'd him Spit upon him Platted a Crown of Thorns upon his Head Smote him with the Palms of their Hands when Herod and his Men of War set him at nought and mocked him and the like Indignities which were not then nor now done to the greatest Malefactors I say was this A Regular and Judicial Procedure against our Blessed Saviour as G. Whitehead he being expert in Law Terms grants it to be in favour of his Brother Burroughs Again George one Question more were the Jews Nailing his Innocent Hands and Feet in whose Mouth never was Guile nor sinful Thought in his Breast to the Cross and the Soldiers piercing his Side with a Spear so that his Precious Blood †Which the Quakers say is no better than the Blood of another Saint streamed out at five Places I say was this A Regular or Judicial Procedure Answer in your next Again A Regular and Judicial Procedure supposeth a Transgression of some Law And Burrough says expresly that he not only suffered by a Law but in a great part by the Due Execution of a Law as above Again and George since you grant that all the Indignities and cruel Sufferings our Saviour underwent for the Salvation of Mankind was by A Regular or Judicial Procedure which presupposeth a Law and that Law transgressed therefore be plain for once and tell us what Law it was by which he was for the Transgression thereof Regularly and Judicially proceeded against and consequently therefore Condemned Crucified and Slain by the Jews if you cannot do this then condemn both your Truth and Innocency as Blasphemy Of their Leaving out Words Thirdly G. Fox having taught in his Book Saul's Errand to Damascus c. p. 8. saying HE that Hath the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ is Equal with God this being urged against the Quakers as Blasphemy by the Norfolk Clergy in their Book
and now calls it reason which from reason was never spoken but holy men of God spoke them forth as they were moved by the holy Ghost now the Apostle which was as Minister of Christ never took wages of of the world neither did he compel them though to them he preached the Gospel and though he robbed other Churches yet he robbed not the world neither took he wages of the world nor hired with them for a certain time as thou and thy generation do and this was his boasting to cut off offences 2 Cor. 13.9 10 12. but with the light of God in the offences we find you who take wages of the world contrary to the Apostles whose practises judges you to be without their life whose entrance unto the Thessalonians he plainly doth declare that it was neither for pleasing men neither of deceit nor guile nor a cloak of covetousness neither was their Gospel burthensom as thou may read 1 Thess 2 3 4 5 6. contrary to which thou and thy generation art found in the steps of them Mark the Perversion Offences for occasion these are the Infallible Reformers the Prophets Christ and his Apostles cryed against as thou may read Isa 56. and Ier. 5. and Mic. 3. and Mat. 23. and 2 Pet. 2. and Iude 11. And this is the Gospel the Apostles preached which is witnessed by the same Spirit which to thee is hid and all thy generations who out of their steps are found walking in the steps of the false Priest Again thou sayest the Apostle intimates that God is mocked when his Ministers are not maintained and thou sayest that God will not be robbed Answ Here is another of thy lyes who perverts the Apostles words and art found adding thy lyes to Scripture when there is not such a word in all the Apostles words as intimate but thou and thy generation are seen to be both thieves and robbers who enters not in at the door but climbs up another way in your inventions consequences and imaginations which are here plainly seen and discovered to them that enter in at the door and for dishonest gain you destroy Souls Ezek. 22.25 26 27. P. 6. 4 to and as a Troop of Robbers wait for a man so do the company of Priests murther by consent Hosea 6.9 and are found Robbers of God as the false Prophets were who in the time of the Law took tythes and did not bring them to the store-house as thy generation now do as thou may read Mal. 3.8 9 10. Priest And thou says thy design according to promise is to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God the only ground of faith and rule for our obedience which thou sayest thou presented us with and bids us read it examine it if it be not truth witness against it by truth if it be so as undoubtedly you will find it truth as thou sayest and so bids us submit to it be ruled by it and undoubtedly our bodies shall be freed from our deserved Imprisonment Answ We have read it and examined it and thee both and have found thee to be a lyar and a denyer of the Word and of the rule and of the foundation which is Christ and with that which thou calls a rule and word and foundation art thou judged and with the light thou art seen to be a wrester of the Scriptures and thy Rotten foundation being already to fail thee The Holy Scriptures they say are a rotten foundation this is their Ancient Testimony from which they have not varied for it is among the blind Watchmen and greedy dumb Doggs and hirelings and among the thieves and robbers and among the Doggs and swine and filthy dreamers which the Scriptures speaks of and as for our deserved imprisonment here thou lyar do we challenge thee and them that imprisoned us to prove the breach of any law by us for they that did imprison us as many can witness could not charge us with the breach of any Law but by their wills to maintain such dumb shepherds as thou art for for the truths sake which witnesses against thee and all thy generation do we suffer for which thou and thy generation did never suffer imprisonment nor persecution of the world for ye are the world and the world speaks well of you and hears you as it did of your Fathers the false Prophets 1 John 4 5 and Luke 6.26 drunkards swearers lyars and thieves speaks well of you and fights for you and loves you and pleads for you and there is your fruits and freedom from our imprisonment will we never speak for in yielding to thy lyes and false accusations as is plainly here laid open Priest And thou sayest from thy study Ianuary 29. Answ Here thy filthy rotten stuff which thou hast been such a long time of gathering together in thy study it s tryed and seen to be fewel for the fire and thou art seen to study divinations of thy own brain and to be an inventer of lyes contrary to Scripture and where did ever any of the Saints go into a study and rake up such filthy stuff and invent such lyes as thou art disapproved in and with that which thou calls thy word thy foundation and only rule of obedience Here let the life of all the holy men of God judge thee to be both shut out of their life and out of the Scriptures Having returned answer to the former part of thy rotten stuff P. 7. 4 to Sampson Townsend wherein thy lies and deceit is uncovered to all them that have eyes to see may see thy nakedness and thy shame laid open now for the simple ones sake which thou by thy lyes and divinations makes a prey upon and through thy covetousness makes Merchandise of who pharisee-like would neither enter into the Kingdom thy self nor suffer others to enter in now for their sakes are we moved to unvail thee and thy deceit that they that see not might see thee in thy lyes and wresting the Scripture as thou hast also made it appear in the latter part of thy book wherein thou sayest Priest That thou hast undertaken against the Quakers these two Propositions i. that the Scriptures contained in the Old or New-Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed will and word of God 2. That the Scripture which is the word of God is the only foundation of our Faith and only rule for our obedience which thou sayest thou wilt prove 1. by Scripture 2. by Reason and thou sayest that he that will not hear the voice of the Scriptures is an Infidel and he that will not hear the voice of reason is a beast Ans We who in scorn by thee and thy generations are called Quakers do own Scriptures but thee we utterly deny for an evill Beast whose mouth must be stopped Tit. i. 10 11 12. who in thy filthy reason art going about to maintain those things which thou canst not prove by any plain Scripture
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
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
brought forth to shew whether they suffered for the Name of Jesus or for Righteousness sake Still like Fox's Miracles never an one of which are said to be wrought in the Name of Jesus but only in his own Name and by his own Power like Simon Magus whom the Samaritans Adored even as the Poor Infatuated Quakers Adore this Fox They the Samaritans called him Simon Magus the Power of God so do the Quakers call Fox and that his Kingdom is Established in Righteousness and that of the increase thereof there is no End And for these Reasons these Sufferings ought to be even as Fox's Miracles are and thatby many of the Quakers too rejected and held as Fabulous as the Papists Legend And now as a further Demonstration that this Abstract with all its Appendices ought to be rejected and held as a Fabulous Story I shall give Twelve Reasons in order to Confront John Feild's magnifying their Sufferings which can be for no other Reason than for which they at first Record them that is Pride and Ostentation And my Reasons shall be grounded upon such a bottom as all the Quakers that will see with their own Eyes and read in the Quakers Books must say Amen to even upon that lying Spirit which has entred all their Inspired Prophets And if they can tell 12 Lies they may tell 12000 Lies and then what Credit is to be given either to the Miracles of Fox or the Sufferings of the Quakers LIE 1. In that they teach by their Books That their Sufferings are greater and more unjust than the Sufferings in the Days of Christ his Apostles the Ten Persecutions or any time since Burrough's Works p. 273. LIE 2. That Sam. Cater one of their Wordy-windy Teachers said and got it recorded That he suffered Twenty Pound when he did not suffer Twenty Farthings LIE 3. In that G. Fox their Apostle and High-Priest of their Profession said He was covered from the World and that the World neither knew Him nor his Name when there was not Ten Men in this Kingdom whose Names were better known See their Book Several Petitions Answered p. 30. LIE 4. In that they teach saying HE that HATH the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the Dead is EQUAL with God Saul 's Errand to Damasscus p. 8. LIE 5. In that they teach That Geo. Fox was before Languages were See the Introduct to their Battledoor in Folio LIE 6. In that they teach That the Thundering Voice answered Geo. Fox at his Trial in Lancaster Assizes as in p. 21. of his Book and which the Quakers have left out of his Journal Saying I have Glorified thee and will Glorifie thee again And immediately his Head and Ears was filled with Glory Thus do they vye it with Christ not only in saying their Sufferings are greater than his his Apostles and all the Martyrs but as there was a Voice from Heaven from God the Father speaking to God the Son or Second Person in the Trinity saying I have Glorifed thee and will after the state of Humiliation was past Glorifie thee again LIE 7. In that Fox your Apostle said He saw a Pool of Blood and a Channel of Blood in the Town of Litchfield when there was not a Drope of Blood much less a Channel See his Journal p. 53. And the Young Prophets believe him else they would not have Printed it after his Death in his Journal LIE 8. In that William Mead the great Quaker told William Harris That this Journal of Fox is a better Book than the Bible LIE 9. In that G. Fox says and the Quakers believe it else they would not have Printed it in his Journal p. 47. viz. That he saw the Heavens open as St. Stephen did nor that the Quakers had seen David's Sepulchre so many Thousand Miles off England as Fox say they did See Truth 's Defence alias the Fountain of Lies and Blasphemies LIE 10. In that Geo. Whitehead teach in his Book Truth Defending the Quakers p. 7. That what is now spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any meaning the Quakers is of greater Authority than the Holy Scriptures LIE 11. In that Father Penn in Print Teach and whom Geo. Whitehead vindicates therein Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 52. That the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem was properly the Son of God we Quakers says he utterly deny See his Serious Apology c. p. 146. LIE 12. In that the Quakers teach That the Name Jesus and Christ belong to every Believer as well as to the Head See Pennington's Questions to Professors c. p. 27. When the Lie is so manifest as that the Name Jesus and Christ do not belong to Geo. Whitehead nor Will. Penn so well as it did belong to the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem which the Quakers utterly deny to be the Son of God And if not to them too much less to the Quakers of a lower Form whom yet they account Believers yea the only Church of Christ And that they may have full Tale I 'll give them a Baker's Dozen of Lies to confront their dubious and unintelligible Abstract LIE 13. They teach Tht there is no Salvation out of the true Church and that the Quakers are this true Church And also that in their Church there is no Tares nor Hypocrites See Josiah Coal's Whore unvailed First Impression p. 16 18 40 41 43. And R. Farnsworth's A Rod to drive out the Wild Boars c. Printed 1655. p. 13. And to prove this a loud Lie see the Cage of Unclean Birds in my Pil. Prog. cap. 14. p. 127 to 145. LIE 14. The Quakers say They are resolved to Love their Enemeis and Pray for their Adversaries And for proof of this pretence see John Feild's Defence c. p. 11 19. Saying I did not say that Francis Bugg was like Judas Contradictory to the stream of the whole Gang or that Haman and Judas his End might be his for I pray God it may not We are resolved to love our Enemeis Bless them that Curse us do Good to and Pray for them that Persecute us c. Oh! John as this is contrary to thy Natural Temper so it is to the Spirit of Quakerism else you are changed and not the same that ever you were No John I take this as a Piece of Flattery a sudden Mood a Fit that will over and be gone presently Nay John is yet more kind for I 'll give the Devil his due p. 11. ibid. I am persuaded the Quakers never designed Fran. Bugg any harm O! John I see thy Cloven Foot and will keep out of harms way as near as I can and therefore D. do thy worst But to prove this a Lie spoken in Hypocrisie to glos over their Malicious Spirit which is the most revengeful of the Seven Evil Spirtis which possesses the Leaders of this Sect and which is as contrary to their Ancient Principles as Light is contrary to Darkness see their great Apostle Fox's
will vouchsafe to take these Matters into your Care and Consideration that with whatever Tenderness to the Persons and Estates of these People their said Principles and Practices may be strictly Examined and Censured or Suppressed as they shall appear to deserve and as in your great Wisdom shall seem expedient and that our true Christian Religion more dear to us than our Lives may be Defended and Preserved to all Posterity free from Popish Superstition and unpolluted with Enthusiastical Innovation Thus have I recited the Petition and that for these Reasons following viz. 1. Because it is nothing but what is agreeable to the Mind and Pleasure of the King's Majesty and his Honourable House of Commons and thereby no Dishonour to the Petitioners 2. Because that when the Petition is Presented every Member may have one of them in his Custody to Consider of it and the Reason that put them upon so doing 3. Because there are more Petitions of the same Nature prepared and preparing as this find Acceptance when a convenient opportunity offer it self 4. To let the World see how reasonable a thing it is and not such a monstrous thing as the Quakers have represented it even to raise up the Monster Persecution 5. Because it is nothing but what they conceive to be their Duty to God and their Country to acquaint that great Assembly with the Grievances of the County and that as the most proper place for a Remedy 6. And Lastly that the Contents are agreeable to the Laws of the Land and particularly to the very Act of Tolleration And to manifest the same I may recite a Branch thereof which is as followeth viz. Provided alway and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that neither this Act nor any Clause Article or Thing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to give any Ease Benefit or Advantage to any Papist or Popish Recusant whatsoever or that any Person that shall deny in his Preaching or Writing the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity as it is declared in the aforesaid Article of Religion I have likewise Discoursed with some of the most Eminent of the Protestant Dissenters and with their own Mouths they have declared that they are sorrowfully affected to think that the Quakers should be joined with them in the Act of Toleration and to see Christianity suffer so deeply by their Antiscriptural Doctrine And not only so but I have a Testimony well Attested of their Abhorrence of their Blasphemous Tenets The substance of which is as follows viz. THat the Quakers render the Holy Scripture to be of no more Authority than Aesop's Fables That the Blood of Christ is no better than the Blood of another Saint That the Quakers are the Spawn of the Ranters That the Quakers owning Christ is no other than a Mystical Romance The the Tendency of all the Quakers Reasoning about Instituted Religion is to Debauch Mankind * that their Principles improved are destructive to all Humane Society That their Teachers are Cheats and Impostors and Implacable Enemies to the Christian Religion c. Here then is the unanimous Consent of all sound Protestants the King's Majesty and his Honourable House of Commons and the Laws of the Land What remains now but Examination and for that too we have some Encouragement from the Quakers themselves if they mean as they say See An Apology for the Quakers by J. Feild c. p. 7. Examine say they the Doctrine of your Neighbours the Quakers blame not before thou hast examined the matter first understand and then rebuke c. Again George Whitehead to the same purpose in his Book Truth and Innocency vindicated c. p. 69. Let our Books says George be compared to evince them more fully and clear our Innocency c. Now whereas the Quakers themselves if they be sincere in what they say seem to be willing to have their Books and the Doctrine contained in them come under Examination in order to be cleared from the Objections against them and as this is highly reasonable on their parts so it will I humbly conceive be a means to put a stop to the Gangrene of Quakerism as also answer the Request of many Thousands who are earnestly solicitous to have their Books Examined and their Errours Censured who yet are not for Persecution nor any Alteration in the Act of Toleration so is it also a Method pursuant to their own Terms and Proposition and with which they cannot reasonably be offended And thereupon I do most humbly pray That our Superiours if it may seem good in their sight in Answer to the Quakers Request and the Peoples Prayer would appoint some Judicious Learned Men to give us an Equal Hearing and the Quakers Books an Impartial Examination And if I do not make a full Proof of what I Charge them with let me suffer any Punishment for my Default which our Government shall think fit But then on the other hand if I do make good my Charge as an Equivalent to my Suffering in case I do not let the Quakers be obliged to Retract and Condemn such Books of theirs as do contain such Impious Doctrines as I have or yet shall both Charge and Prove And this is all I desire and which I believe would be a General Satisfaction to the Nation as well as for the Good of the Quakers themselves But remembring a Saying of Festus a Roman Governour tho' in a contrary Case Acts 25.27 For it seemeth a thing unreasonable to send a Prisoner and not withal to signifie the Crimes laid against him And so it seems to be unreasonable in me to desire the Examination of the Quakers Books and not signifie the Errours at least some of them contained in them and especially since it is at the Quakers earnest Request For say they in their Book A Defence of an Apology c. pag. 7. Pray let Francis Bugg make it appear to the King and both Houses of Parliament that our Shuffle at West-Dereham in Norfolk put the Gentry Clergy and Protestant Dissenters upon their Petition to the House of Commons and that they are unanimous therein And let him Francis Bugg tell if he can what he means by that Common Christianity which the Quakers Principles are so destructive to As to the first that is That the Justices of Peace the Gentry the Clergy and Protestant Dissenters are unanimous herein I have already shewed And as to the second Part that is what I mean by that Common Christianity which the Quakers Principles are sodestructive to I shall at his viz. J. Feild's Prayer and Request shew in the next place For wherein I can find his Prayers and Request reasonable I hope I shall be ready to gratifie him For I believe with the Gentry the Justices the Clergy the Protestant Dissenters and all other Christians That Jesus Christ who was Born at Bethlehem of Judea of the B. Virgin Mary was the Son of God that he was Crucified
Dead and Buried that he Rose again the third Day and Ascended into Heaven and there sits at the Right Hand of God making Intercession for us Sinners who lay hold on him by Faith and live in Obedience to him his Laws Institutions and Precepts in the Gospel left upon Record by the Four Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John and others of his Apostles in their Epistles And that we ought to Worship and Adore him together with God the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God in the Unity of his Essence This is the Trinity in Unity of the Father Son and Holy Ghost which is One God blessed for evermore And this is that Common Christianity which I mean that the Quakers Principles are so destructive to Now the next thing I am to tell at the Prayer and Request of John Feild is Wherein and whereby their Principles are Destructive c. I. The Quakers deny Jesus of Nazareth who was Born of the Virgin and Suffered at Jerusalem to be the Son of God II. That they account him only a Vail a Garment an outward Vessel and can as their Books teach never call him Christ and that his Blood was no better than the Blood of another Saint III. They teach that their Sufferings are greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs in all Ages since For that as they teach the Sufferings of Christ and his Army of Martyrs were inflicted by a Law and in great part by the due Execution of a Law IV. That such are False Ministers who bid People believe in Jesus Christ as he is in Heaven above at God's Right Hand and that by Preaching Christ in Heaven the Devil gets his Work done on Earth V. They teach That G. Fox was their great Apostle which said thus of himself I am the Light of the World him by whom the World was made and doth inlighten every Man that cometh into the World VI. They teach That the Name Jesus and Christ belongs to every Believer as well as to the Head Christ that Suffered Died Rose again c. VII And thereupon they teach That he that hath the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the Dead is equal with God VIII And in coherence with this Doctrine their Prophet Sol. Eccles taught That Geo. Fox was a Prophet indeed And that as it was said of Christ He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not So it might be said of G. Fox as in the 5th Instance XI They teach That G. Fox was the Father of many Nations that his Being and Habitation was in the Power of the highest that he Ruled and Governed in Righteousness that his Kingdom is established in Peace and that of the Increase thereof there was never to be an End X. They teach That the Holy Scriptures are not the written Word of God but contrarywise that they are Dust Death Serpents Meat Beastly Ware but that their own Writings are the Word of God given forth by Divine Iuspiration and that they as such are of greater Authority than the Bible and thereupon read them in their Meetings for Divine Worship whilst they never read in any such Meeting this Fifty Year one Chapter of the Bible either in the Old or New Testament For they teach They are not the means to work Faith in the Heart but are a Rotten Foundation XI They teach That Circumcision is as much in force as Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb as Bread and Wine and their disuse of these two Ordinances for this Fifty Years shew that they reject them and allows not of them XII And touching the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity they are so far from owning it as that they Damn them to the Pit of Hell as in G. Whitehead's Book Ishmael c. herein Reprinted may he seen Now John I having Replied to your Book A Defence of an Apology c. i. e. to the principal parts of it and shewed your Falacies and shallow Subterfuges as well as in some places answered your Request I rest desiring that your self and your People may Consider of it Repent of your Errors Retract and Condemn the same and Pray to God and the Nation to forgive you in which I shall join with you And in this you will have no cause to cry out of Persecution who am your Friend Fran. Bugg An Humble Address to His Majesty King WILLIAM III. over England c. by one of the Meanest yet most Dutiful Subject FRANCIS BUGG May it please your Most Excellent Majesty I Cannot but with great Joy and Comfort Remember your Majesties Repeated Assurances given to your Loving Subjects of your Majesties Care and Christian Zeal for the Protestant Religion as by Law established in this Kingdom by your many and repeated Speeches to your Parliaments and particularly by your late Gracious Proclamation consisting of two Parts In which your Majesties Pious Zeal has been abundantly manifest First Against Vice and Prophaneness and Secondly Against such Books as contain in them Impious Doctrine against the Holy Trinity and other Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith and therein have given Encouragement to all your Loving Subjects to discover the Authors of such Books Wherefore in Obedience to your Majesties Royal Command as well as my Duty therein to God I have herein Reprinted one of the Quakers Books of which Geo. Whitehead is one of the Authors to the intent that your Sacred Majesty and the whole Kingdom may be presented with a Specimen of the Quakers Doctrine And do most Humbly Pray in the Name of the Church of England and other your Majesties Dissenting Protestants that such Care may be taken to suppress the same with others of their Books of the same Narure as to your Royal Wisdom shall seem meet And as it pleased God Almighty to give King Solomon Wisdom to Execute Justice so will he endue the King with an Understanding Heart to Judge who is in the wrong and to Punish accordingly And in this case let not the King Respect Persons in Judgment but if I be not able to maintain my Charge then let me bear his Majesties Displeasure and suffer what Punishment shall be due for the same But if I do make good my Charge then do as seems good in your Eye Thus with all Dutiful Submission do I Sign this my Humble Address this 13th Day of December 1699. Francis Bugg FINIS A Catalogue of Books wrote by Fran. Bugg 1. DE Christiana Libertate c. in 8 vo bound 2. The Painted Harlot stript and whipt c. 4 to 3. Reason against Railing c. 4 to 4. Innocency Vindicated c. 4 to never Answered 5. The Quakers Detected and their Errors Confuted c. 4 to 6. A Letter to the Quakers shewing their frequent Addresses to and Prayers for the late King Jam. II. and not to King Will. III. 7. Battering Rams against New Rome c. 4
to 8. One blow more at New Rome c. 4 to 9. New Rome Unmask'd and her Foundation Shaken c. 4 to 10. New Rome Arraigned and out of her own Mouth Condemned c. 4 to 11. A Sheet Presented to the Parliament 1693. in Answer to the Quakers Allegations c. 12. Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. 8 vo 13. Quakerism Anatomized c. 4 to never Answered 14. The Quakers Yearly Meeting impeached on the behalf of the Commons of England c. 15. The Quakers set in their true Light c. Presented to the House of Lords 1696. never answered 16. A Brief Reply to the Quakers Ancient Testimony presented to the Lord's House 1696. never Answered 17. A Brief History of the Rise Growth and Progress of Quakerism 8 vo never Answered 18. The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life 8 vo never Answered 19. A Sober Expostulation with their Hearers touching the Mercenary Teachers never Answered 20. The Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity c. Printed in 4 to and Reprinted in 8 vo 21. Seventy Queries to several Quakers c. never Answered 22. A Broad Sheet with a Scheme of the Quakers Synod presented to the Parliament 1699. 23. Jezebel withstood and her Daughter Anne Dowcra publickly Reproved never Answered 24. Quakerism Exposed to Publick Censure c. 8 vo 25. The Christian Ministry of the Church of England vindicated c. 8 vo never Answered 26. A Defence of my Book Quakerism Exposed c. Besides three Books I wrote part of 27. Will. Rogers his Seventh Part of the Christian Quaker distinguished c. about 1682. 28. A Looking Glass for the Quakers in 2 Columns 29. A Postscript to the Norfolk Clergies Book i. e. A Brief Discovery some of of the Quakers Blasmous and Seditious Principles c. ADVERTISEMENT IF any Person be desirous to have this Book and my former Books bound either them in Quarto or them in Ostavo or Single sticht they may be furnished with all except them of those Impressions wholly Sold off at Mr. Janeway's a Bookbinder in St. Paul's Church-yard next Door to Child's Coffee-House London And Likewise if any Abler Men for of such there is very great need be disposed farther to unmask the Leaders of this Heresie this is to give notice that in the Library of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford there is by a Worthy Gentleman a Divine of the Church of England bought of me and given by him for the Service of the Church of Quakers Books wrote by the most approved Authors of that Sect which I think are thus Chained up from doing any more hurt First G. Fox's Journal next to it Muggleton's Journal or Works containing more than 1000 pages 4 to and I think the best Quaker of the two next to that G. Fox's Great Mystery c. Fol. with near 20 more of his Books next the Works of Edw. Burroughs Francis Howgil Will. Smith Sam. Fisher all in great Folio's next the Works of Jos Coal Step. Smith R. Hubberthorn Will. Bayly Is Pennington G. Fox Junior in 4 to next divers Books wrote by James Naylor Will Penn Christ Atkinson G. Whitehead Sol. Eccles Tho. Lawson Christ Taylor R. Farnsworth Geo. Bishop and divers others in all near the Number of Four Hundred bearing distinct Titles which may furnish any Person sufficiently with Matter of Fact The CONTENTS A Parable of an Island Page 14 In which arose a Sea Monster ibid Who stung many of the Inhabitants ibid The Physicians several Applications Page 15 The Quakers Ingratitude Page 16 The Wounded Peoples Ingratitude Page 17 St. Paul's Example a good President ibid. Anne Docwra's witness touching the Quakers Page 17 R. Sandylan's Letter of Retraction Page 20 Will. Mucklow's witness is true Page 21 Their Singuler way of Answering Books Page 23 Their Sufferings greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ or his Apostles Page 24 They deny Jesus to be the Son of God Page 26 The Author's Apology for his proceedings Page 27 Prayers for their Recovery Page 28 Part the First Their Contradictory Books hinted at Page 2 How the Quakers and Papists agree Page 4 About chusing of Parliaments Page 9 Their Sentence of all Kings Page 14 Of their denying the Blessed Trinity Page 17 30 Of their Light within being God Page 20 The Quakers began this Contest Page 23 Of G. Whitehead's owning his Ishmael his shuffle about it since Page 30 His Blasphemy therein hinted at Page 31 Counsel given him Acts 8.21 22 23. Page 32 The Second Part G. Whitehead's Book Ishmael Reprinted Page 1 The cause of the Quakers Rage discovered Page 2 They deny the Scriptures to be the Word Page 4 They also deny the Scriptures to be the Rule Page 10 Saying they are a Rotten Foundation Page 14 That they are Death and killeth Page 20 That they do not work Faith Page 24 And to them not necessary Page 29 As a consequence thereof they Damn the B. Trinity to the Pit and Mr. Townsend the Minister also Page 22 26 The Snake deciphered Page 27 Jos Wyeth wounded and unarmed Page 28 The Snakes Hiss like Serpents Page 29 Another stroke at the Rattle-Snake Page 30 G. Whitehead's Blasphemy explained Page 31 She not changed in Principles proved Page 32 Part the Third A Caution to beware of Quakerism Page 2 The Quakers the Off-spring of the Jesuites Page 3 Their Answer to Books horribly falacious Page 5 Of their diminitive Sufferings Page 7 Their Sufferings and Miracles jointly considered Page 8 Twelve Reasons to confront J. Feild's magnifying their Sufferings Page 9 J. Field does not say F. B. is like Judas Page 13 His Hypocrisie therein discovered Page 17 Their not Praying for K. W. III. Page 15 The Quakers greatest Persecutors Page 16 Their Dissimulation thereabout discovered Page 18 Quakers fling at Dissenting Protestants Page 19 The Quakers against Liberty of Conscience Page 20 At first lay in Barns like Gypsies Page 22 Their rendring the Government odious for Persecution further Illustrated Page 24 An Address from the Honourable House of Commons to His Majesty and his Answer Page 30 Their Printed Paper to the Parliament Page 31 Their Paper to his Majesty Page 32 They debar'dd of Places of Profit Page 35 FINIS