Covetous Persecuting Priests who make a Trade of Preaching and of the Scriptures and such whom the Prophet Isaiah called greedy dumb Dogs Isa. 56. 10 11. How will F. B. prove such Christ's Ministers or Gospel Ministers We have but his bare say-so for it but want proof for it wherein he does but meerly impose upon us to Vilifie us and Ingratiate himself into Favour with that sort of the Clergy who are most Guilty of the Sin of Covetousness and Persecution The Mocker again repeats his false and empty Boast by way of Question p. 12. viz. Why then will you not bring forth Sheba the Son of Bichri the Man of Belial G. W Is there not a wise Man amongst you His Cruel Mocking and Calumny in this unjust Comparison is denied no doubt his Malice is cruel and deadly enough to bring G. W. to Sheba's End if he had Power or could with any Colour or Pretence bring him under Sheba's Crime of Treason or lifting up his Hand against the King 2 Sam. 20. 21 22. For doth not this Mocker's Language Comparison and Treatment of this kind bespeak his deadly Malice and Design He goes on with his empty boasting viz. He tells you That I wrong the Quakers in Charge Citation and Observation ☞ Bring him forth according to his Proposal and you will see it proved that I have not As it was G. W's part to make good his Proposal or Charge against F. B. so he hath greatly endeavoured a Meeting with F. B. in London before Witnesses for the same purpose but evaded by F. B. on other Terms than were in the said Proposal as is before related Now he has no cause to cry Bring him forth according to his Proposal For that is abundantly proved in the Answers before-mentioned Whereas F. B. further boasts G. W. hath wrote to divers Clergy-men to prevail with me to desist they give me his Letters and wish me good Success p. 12. The Clergy-men which G. W. wrote to were William Smithies of Cripplegate London and Isaac Archer of Milden-hall in Suffolk which was to shew them some of his foul Abuses and Calumnies to try them as having a particular Interest in him if they would stop him Why did he not Print G. W's Letters to them and to himself too also But thereby his Abuses and sorry evasive Shifting would have been the more apparent Wherefore seeing he boasts of their wishing him good Success these Two Questions are put to you the said William Smithies and Isaac Archer viz. Q. 1. Do you really in your Consciences Approve of Francis Bugg's writing Books and Pamphlets against the People called Quakers as he hath done Q. 2. Do you really Approve of his Books and Pamphlets writ by him against the said People as namely of these in particular under these Titles viz. 1. The Quakers Detected Printed 1686. 2. New Rome Vnmask'd 1692. 3. New Rome Arraigned which hath in it his Pretended Trial and Pillory Printed in 1693. 4. New Rome Arraigned Second Impression without the Pillory 1694. 5. His Impeachment pretended in Behalf of the Commons of England 1695. 6. A Second Summons 7. His Sheet stiled Something in Answer to the Allegations of the Quakers in their Printed Case presented to the House of Commons December 1695. But the Second Edition whereof stiled The Converted Quaker's Answer to the Allegations of his Old Brethren the Quakers c. CHAP. VIII An Appendix to the foregoing Controversies in Certain Positions of the Sincere Belief and Christian Doctrine of the People of God called Quakers in Opposition to the Misrepresentations and Calumnies of F. Bugg and other Apostates in his pretended History of the Quakers and other his and their Books and Pamphlets 1. WE the said People are bound in Conscience and Duty by the Holy Spirit and Light of Christ Jesus only and humbly to Adore and Worship the only True and Living God Creator of Heaven and Earth the Sea and all Creatures and not to Adore or Worship any Mortal Man or Creature or any other God whatsoever 2. To Believe and Confess the Holy Divine Three or Scripture Trinity that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or Son and Holy Spirit and that these Three are Essentially One in the Divine Being and Substance One God Blessed for Ever 3. We are livingly taught and led by the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Living Word in our Hearts and that according to Holy Scripture to Believe Own and Confess the Incarnation of Jesus Christ that is his Real Coming in the Flesh without us even the same Jesus of Nazareth that was Conceived in the Virgin Mary by the Power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her and Born of her in Bethlehem of Judea Mat. 2. 1. and that he was Crucified and put to Death as concerning the Flesh without the Gates of Jerusalem and we highly do Value and Esteem his Sufferings Death Precious Blood and whole Sacrifice for Sinners together with his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and Glory and that he only was and is the Promised Messias the Very Christ the Only Begotten Son of the Living God And as for his Divinity That he is the True Light Life Power and Wisdom of God and none other according to plain Scripture Testimony 4. The Divinity and Humanity i. e. Manhood of Christ Jesus that as he is True God and as he is most Glorious Man our Mediator and Advocate we livingly Believe and have often sincerely Confessed in our Publick Testimonies and Writings 5. That as sincere and fervent Prayers to God in the Name and Spirit of Christ Jesus is the Duty of all True Believers and Christians professing him for whatsoever they stand in need of especially with respect to the Peace and Happiness of their Immortal Souls so all who are truly humbled under a Sence of their Sins in order to true Repentance and Conversion ought to crave Forgiveness in the Name and for the Sake of Christ Jesus which hath been our Practice both Publick and Private and God in Mercy hath accordingly answered us who by his Grace in our Hearts hath led many both to confess and forsake Sin that they might find Mercy in Christ Jesus 6. Though we are bound in Conscience truly to Esteem and Magnifie the Divine Light the Ingrafted Word the Spirit and Power of Christ in us as sufficient and able actually to save and deliver the Soul from Sin Death and Condemnation and thereby we Confess the Man Christ Jesus with respect to his entire Existence or Being as without us as well as we do own him Spiritually within us knowing that this Light Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus Testifie of him and certainly Guides the truly Obedient and Sincere Believers in his Name and Power Inwardly Livingly and Experimentally to partake of the Real Benefits Fruits and Blessed Ends of his outward Suffering Sacrifice and Death for Mankind to wit their Repentance Conversion from Sin Effectual Reconciliation unto God Eternal
Love of God to Mankind and that God blessed their i. e. the Quakers Meetings with the Comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence for many Years as F. B. has more fully declared for us in his Book stiled The Quakers Detected Printed 1686. Two Years after he had left our Communion and turned to the Church of England F. B. his Title of New Rome c. is a refuted Calumny unjustly cast upon the Protestant Subjects called Quakers Foxonian Quakers is a scornful Nick-name and no such distinction own'd by the said People His Charges of dangerous Errors and pernicious Principles tending to Overthrow the Christian Faith to obstruct the Jews Conversion to encourage MAHOMETISM and to pervert the right way of the Lord are also Perverse and Lying Aspersions and Calumnies which neither are nor can be proved by him or you his Abettors against the said People on due Examination besides his dubious Question on his own Charge renders him the more uncertain and questionable therein by his thereupon saying viz. Which whether so or no deserves the Examination and Consideration of the Christian Ministry of all Protestant Churches so short and dubious is he in his own Examination and Consideration tho' very loud clamorous and positive in his Charges wherein he does it seems but make work for others which he is never able to perform himself nor his Abettors Tending to Encourage Mahometism is a new as well as undue Charge what 's his pretended Reason or Proof for the same In his Preface to the Reader p. 2. His supposing That they do not believe Christ to be distinct from the Saints or from his Body the Church which he is Head of herein is a mistake yet this can be no proof of his Charges if by distinct from them be meant separate from them as may be rationally supposed for Christ and his Saints as to their Beings are distinct and not confounded yet not divided nor separated from each other in Spirit That they do not Pray in the Name of Jesus to God the Father thereby to own his Mediatorship is a notorious and publickly known Lie as Thousands can Testifie consequently far from proving his said Charges Nor make Confession of Sin to God in Prayer nor beg Pardon for the same are also two notorious Falshoods knowing that many who frequent our Meetings have great need of both sincere Confession Repentance and Pardon of Sin for Christ's sake and their own poor Souls But look at Christ within the Light within his Intercession within and so did all true Christian Believers who knew the Mystery of Christ in them who believed and walked in his Light and received the Spirit of the Son of God into their Hearts making Intercession and crying Abba Father We do not believe this to be any pernicious Principle either tending to Overthrow the Christian Faith or to Encourage Mahometism His Crucifixion within is not this to insinuate that they do not believe Christ Crucified without which is a perverse and injurious Falshood implied against them having often confessed Christ Crucified without on the Cross at Jerusalem as the Scripture testifies And if we should say that F. Bugg and such envious Apostates do Spiritually Crucifie Christ afresh unto and in themselves and put him to open shame by maliciously Reproaching his Truth and People this is not to deny his being Crucified without I cannot see any Mahometism from thence justly Chargeable upon us Neither does his following Objection prove us guilty thereof but himself very Ignorant of Christ and Christianity viz. Object Yet they have among them many good Exhortations and they own Christ to be the Word of God the Power of God the Wisdom of God will not this do Supposing they mean all to be within yea Heaven and Hell and all within c. Unto which F. B. the Framer of the Objection has Cited this for Answer viz. The Mahometans hold Abraham to be the Friend of God and Moses the Messenger of God and Christ the Breath of God and they Punish such as speak against Christ whose Religion was not say they taken away but mended by Mahomet Heylins Cosmog Lib. 3. p. 104. And our Saviour is called in their Alchoran The Word the Power the Soul and Strength of God c. Quoting the Lives of the Patriarchs Printed 1694. Answ. 1. The People called Quakers do utterly deny Mahometism 'T is not at all Concerned in their Principles or Religion being Christian and wholly Opposite to the Adoration of that Impostor Mahomot 2. They utterly deny that Christs Religion could be mended by Mahomet or any Man or Men else whatsoever 3. But if the Mahometans hold Abrham to be the Friend of God and Moses his Messenger and Christ the Breath the Word the Power the Soul and Strength of God and Quakers hold the same this can no more prove that their Principles and Doctrines tend to encourage Mahometism than that the Holy Apostles Doctrine did so for they held Christ to be the Word of God John 1. 1 John 5. 7. Rev. 19. The Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. Yea The Life Strength and Arm of God and a Quickning Spirit also Isa. 53. 1 Cor. 15. Could this be to Encourage Mahometism No sure 'T were Blasphemy to Assert it The Mahometans hold many Truths out of the Law of Moses corruptly mixt with their Mahometan Imposture and so do many Idolaters Apostates and Antichrists in Christendom does it follow that because the Quakers own those Truths that therefore they are either Mahometans or Idolators c. 2. That 's no good Consequence and but ill Argued at this Rate F. Bugg may as well prove any true Christian to be of any Religion and himself also a gross Impostor because he holds some Truths which gross Imposters c. hold Neither can he Mahometize or Unchristian the Quakers by his False Supposition viz. If they do not come to this Result to own the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Crucified Dead Buried Rose again and in the sight of the Galileans Ascended into Heaven Seeing we do Sincerely and Frequently and Publickly own and confess the same Jesus both in Print and Publick Testimony as Thousands are Witnesses that we Confess Jesus Christ come in the Flesh Born of the Virgin Mary that he was the Word which took Flesh and Christ also a Spirit even a Quickning Spirit 1 John 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 45. But F. Bugg Falsly adds this more Possitive Charge viz. And Publickly Condemn their Books which Teach the Contrary Preface p. 2. And what 's contrary but that the Quakers disown the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Mary which is a Notorious Falshood and Calumny And therefore I Challenge him and you his Teachers Abettors and Congratulators to produce those Books of the Quakers with the Pages and Words wherein the same Jesus is so disowned otherwise for shame Retract and Condemn this his Abuse and Calumnious Aspersion He
other Apostates c. F. Bugg in his Epistle Dedicated to the Bishop of London compares the Quakers to Magicians of Egypt to Simon Magus the Sorcerer to Juglers rendring them no better than Hereticks Blasphemers and like Satan himself and his Ministers thus odiously representing them All which and much more such like Stuff we reject as his own gross and sordid Calumnious Railery and hope the said Bishop on serious Consideration will not Credit nor Patronize such gross Railery nor Esteem it for his Reputation or Honour to be Credulous in such Cases against us from the bare Authority of not only partial but bitter and implacable Adversaries as the said Bugg has notoriously manifested himself to be Here follows F. Buâ—g's most general Slanders repeated and refuted gross Calumnies against the People called Quakers in his said History with brief Notes on them 1. P. 3. Bugg saith That none Preached Murther more than the Quakers Note What he alledges for this gross Calumny is answered long since in our Book Entituled Christ's Lambs defended from Satan's Rage 2. P. 4. That they sit at Devonshire-house to null make void and repeal as Vnlawful what the King Lords and Commons make Lawful at Westminster Note This Calumny is refuted in Answer to him before and his envious design therein discovered See The Counterfeit Convert p. 46 47 48 49 50 51. 3. P. 9. That they prest into the World with Principles against ALL Rule and Government Note A loud and most gross Lie our Principles were always for Christ's Rule and Government among Christians and for all Just Rule and Government among Men as being God's Ordinance 4. That the Foundation they went upon was under pretence of magnifying the Light in themselves to deny Jesus of Nazareth to undervalue his Death and Sufferings contemn his Laws contain'd in the Holy Scriptures c. p. 9. Note These are notorious and most horrid Falshoods the quite contrary is asserted frequently by us We magnifie Christ's Light and Life in Man for no such Ends but the contrary as thereby sincerely to own and follow the Lord Jesus Christ through his Sufferings and according to his Laws It was by his Light in us that we were led to Suffer with him and to be Crucified with him and to Die with him that we might Live and Reign with him who tasted Death for every Man 5. That G. W. hath vindicated this i. e. that the Scripture was Serpent's Meat Beastly Ware c. p. 9. Note A foul Calumny against G. W. 't was never my Principle so to term the Scripture I have always had from my Childhood a real esteem and great love for the Holy Scriptures nor do I know of any among us that ever called them Beastly Ware or Serpents Meat nor do we own the Expressions as applicable to Holy Scripture we having also most generally bought Bibles which I never heard any call Beastly Ware before tho' probably some or other might so term such Mens perversions on Scripture as make a Trade thereof for Money or filthy Lucre wherein I suppose they could not intend any contempt of Holy Scripture but upon their Unscriptural Preaching for filthy Lucre. 6. That G. W. and his Followers have published a Journal of G. F's deluding Charms on purpose to Bewitch the People like SIMON MAGUS p. 9. Note This is still foul filthy and abusive for 1. We know no deluding Charms in that Journal 2. Nor had we any such purpose in the Publication thereof as to Bewitch People Behold how the Man belches vomits and foams out his own shame against us contrary to his own former Testimonies for us c. 7. That G. F. wrought Counterfeit Miracles and never in the Name of Jesus p. 11. Note This is still enviously to Abuse G. F. and us we read not in all his Writings that ever he so much as pretended to work any Miracle either by himself or in his own Name or by his own Power but that by the Power of the Lord which is no other Name but that which was given to Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 9. some Great Things have been wrought even in Answer to the Prayers and fervent Breathings to God of that Good Man G. F. and others of the Church-partakers of the same Faith in Christ with him wherein they did not pretend to pray in any other Name Power or Spirit but that of Jesus Christ. 8. That both Fox and Parnell call themselves Christ in W. P's Since p. 12. Note I do not believe W. Penn either gave or will own any such Sence it being contrary to his and all our Sence so to call any Mortal Man upon Earth tho' some may be come to THAT which was before Languages or Humane Arguments were i. e. to the Word and Power of God and his Son Jesus Christ which was only the same G. F. and J. Parnell intended 9. That the Humanity of Christ the Quakers deny it as clearly as the Socinians deny his Godhead p. 12. Note This is a gross and notorious Falshood we i. e. the Quakers so called have often clearly and scripturally Confessed and Asserted both the Divinity and Humanity i. e. Manhood of Christ Jesus as many of our Books manifestly prove 10. That the Foxonian Quakers say of G. Fox he is the Power of God p. 13. Note This also is positively denied by us as a gross and foul Calumny Pray where do any of the Quakers so say of G. F I know not neither do we own his scornful Nick-name and Distinction of Foxonian Quakers for we are sure 't is contrary to our Principle and Profession to set up any Sect Masters over us or to Adore any Mortal Man or Finite Creature as 11. God as is also charged upon G. F's Followers touching him pag. 14. which we deem also a notorious Falshood 12. That all the Quakers Prophets being 400 in number give Witness to G. Fox and Adore him as the Branch the Star the Sun of Righteousness p. 15. Note This old Story of Bugg's is a gross refuted Lie and Calumny G. Fox is not so much as mentioned in that Epistle out of which those words viz. the Branch the Star the Son of Righteousness are taken directed to the Camp of the Lord in England p. 66. of E. B's Works 13. That Baptism and the Lord's Supper God never commanded are given forth by them who are Brazened with Deceit p. 15. Note This is falsly charged and stated in both and contrary to what we have frequently confessed with respect to both for 1. John's Baptism was by special Command from Heaven and had its Dispensation and Time as 't was Typical of Christ's Spiritual Baptism 2. The Lord's Supper both as in the Type and in the Antitype in the Figure and in the Mystery and Substance distinctly and truly considered in their placed Dispensations we have often Scripturally confessed and even in Answer to this Adversary let him review The Quakers Vindication against F. Bugg
Here are Four Falshoods in this Observation 1. That Is. Penington denies Jesus of Nazareth to be Christ we find not that denial in his Works 2. That he makes HIM BUT a Vail a Garment c. This is not so spoken by Is. Penington of Him i. e. the Intire Jesus of Nazareth or Son of God but of his Flesh which he took on him called the Vail by the Apostle himself Heb. 10. 20. wherein he does not call Jesus Christ himself but a Vail or Garment 3. That Is. Penington and G. W. mean that Jesus is only a Garment is a foul Perversion and never so intended by either 4. Or that they mean ' t was the Light that was therein that was Crucified and only is the Christ. This also is an absurd Consequence and Perversion for they mean that Christ was Crucified according to the Flesh that he was put to Death as concerning the Flesh 1 Pet. 3. 18. which his Spirit or Light within could not be therefore the one thing G. W. and Is. P. Intend or mean is neither to deny Jesus of Nazareth to be Christ nor that he is only a Garment as both are unjustly Charged and 't is to be observed how F. B's Friend George Keith has Contradicted and Confuted him in this very Charge in his Serious Appeal Printed but in 1692. against Cotton Mather p. 25 26. in these words viz. But because he cannot fix his false Charge upon me of denying Christ he Essayeth but with as ill Success to fix it upon my Brethren as Dear Isaac Penington whom I well knew to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and whose Soul I believe is in Rest in Christ in Heavenly Glory And as to his words we can never call the bodily Garment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the Body It is easie to put a fair and charitable Construction on it as well as on Christ's words when he said He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and yet many saw Christ's Body of Flesh that never saw the Father But to clear this thing I. P. speaketh this in opposition to Socinians and others Tinctur'd with Socinian Principles as if the Manhood of Christ that was Born of the Virgin excluding the Eternal Word was the only and whole Christ whereas Christ was before his Body of Flesh therefore he is said to have come in the Flesh and to have taken Flesh and if we consider Christ as he was before the World was by whom all things were Created and in respect of his Godhead the Body was not that but the Garment of it when he assumed it But when we consider Christ as Man as every other Man hath both Soul and Body belonging to his Essential Constitution as Man so had Christ and still hath a most Glorious Soul and Body Observe now how Charitably and Plainly G. Keith hath Vindicated Is. Penington both contrary to F. Bugg's and Tho. Crisp's Calumnies and Abuses against him in this very Matter As to F. B's Railing and Scoffing at Womens Meetings p. 5. falsly Accusing G. Fox with assuming Divine Attributes to HIMSELF and the Quakers with Adoring him p. 6. These often repeated Calumnious Abuses are Answered and Refuted in these Answers to F. B. c. viz. 1. A Just Enquiry 2. A Charitable Essay 3. Innocency Triumphant 4. The Counterfeit Convert 5. The Quakers Vindication against F. Bugg ' s Calumnies 6. The Contentious Apostate and his Blow Refelled 7. The Contentious Apostate Recharged 8. The Quakers Answer 9. Innocency against Envy Some of which Answers are Sold by Tace Sowle and others by Thomas Northcott London F. B. has not given a fair Reply or Answer to any of them but for want of better Matter Reprints his old Refuted Stuff over and over Among those called Divine Attributes which he accuseth G. F. with assuming to himself are these viz. 1. Who is the Son of God 2. I was in the Paradice of God 3. That it was Christ the Eternal Power of God that spake in me at that time unto them 4. Pretended Miracles wrought in his own Name only Journ p. 371 374. 5. He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ is equal with God p. 5. Which with other pretended Instances partially and perversly pickt up this Mocker terms a few Instances of Blasphemy But 1. To the first If G. F. said Who is the Son of God which should rather have been a Son of God yet therein he did not say That he himself is the only begotten Son of God that Eminent Title belongs only to Christ for was not Adam called The Son of God Luke 3. 38. Was this then Blasphemy How Ignorant is this Mocker of Scripture Language 2. To the second It was no Blasphemy to say he was in the Paradice of God no more than to say he was a Man in Christ for so said Paul yet no Blasphemer 2 Cor 12. 3. It is no Blasphemy to say That Christ or the Spirit of Christ speaketh in or through his Ministers and Servants for both he and they so testified See Mat. 10. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 3. Mark 13. 11. Luke 12. 11. 4. 'T is a notorious Lie also That G. F. pretended Miracles wrought in his own Name only for he ascribed them not to himself but to the Power of God and his Motion to whom he frequently prayed for the Sick and Diseased upon which the Lord restored some to him therefore G. F. returned the Praise See his Journ p. 103 170 171 407. 5. The fifth Instance as 't is worded is disown'd and we do not believe that G. F. ever said this of himself but that he 's wrong'd herein See what G. Keith saith to it contrary to F. B. Serious Appeal contra Cotton p. 60. viz. And whereas he would in the Conclusion fix it upon G. F. that he thought himself Equal with God and that the Soul of Man was God or a part of him But seeing he bringeth not this from G. F. but from Faldo a most Partial and Envious Adversary it is not to be regarded and W. Penn hath sufficiently Vindicated G. F. and also G. F. hath cleared it in his Book that he did Witness both the Son and the Holy Spirit revealed in him who as he taketh notice by the Westminster Confessions Acknowledgment are Equal to God the Father What says F. B. to this Vindication The rest of his Aspersions are Answered in the aforesaid Answers As to the Account and severe Characters F. B. gives in the Quakers Name against False Ministers and Ministry p. 7 8. this he has scraped and patch'd up and printed and reiterated over and over in most of his Pamphlets against us and will needs have it that therein the Quakers reproach the Ministers of the Gospel Christ's Ministers p. 10. which we positively deny and 't is wholly without proof and what he cannot prove i. e. that we reproach Christ's Ministers in Testifying against
as for a Convenient Place which B. A's was esteem'd to be he could neither except against the Place or Time when proposed to him at Jacob Frankling's the of the Twelfth Month 1693. before several Witnesses And I did not propose to F. B. any uncivil confused tumultuous or populous Meeting to Debate Matters if I had he might justly have rejected my Proposal but a Meeting of a few Sober Moderate Persons to be Witnesses only of what passed and such did meet with me at several Convenient Places in London but were disappointed by F. B's keeping away 2. The Conditional Retraction proposed by him was afterward contrived for an evasive shift when he saw I was in earnest and resolved to meet him before some Witnesses as proposed and appointed several Times and Places in London so to meet him giving him timely notice aforehand and waited for him several Hours but he would not Adventure to come and give me Meeting for a fair Disquisition of Matters in Controversie unless I would either submit them to the Judgment and Determination of Persons of a contrary Perswasion or aforehand engage to such a Conditional Retraction as he proposed all which appeared designed shuffles and shameful evasions to shun Meeting as aforesaid contrary to his own Word and Acceptance before-cited as may be seen more at large in my Answer Entituled The Counterfeit Convert a Scandal c. from p. 1 to 9. and yet he has a most insolent and odious Custom of boasting cracking and upbraiding at a distance and falsly telling the World that Whitehead evaded and shuffled i. e. from Meeting him p. 2. which was his own act not mine but a notorious and gross Lie as many then present can testifie how many Hours I waited for him time after time and my Letters and Challenges also wherewith I followed him from time to time if he durst but produce them in Print they would manifestly decide this Matter between us wherein he most falsly asperseth me with his own Act of evasion and shuffling as if he were such a Potent Goliah and formidable or frighting Adversary Alas poor empty cracking boasting insulting Reviler Our Adversary again falsly Charges Is. Pennington saying he denies Christ which by the way is an abominable Slander on that Innocent Man and calls Him that was Born of the Virgin a Veil c. and then saith Yet G. Whitehead the Counterfeit Quaker in his Book Stiled The Counterfeit Convert c. p. â—2 vindicates him What in denying of Châ—ist Oh horrible Falshood saying Aâ—d tho' I have evinced Is. Pennington's meaning on his words reflected on about the Body or Flesh of Christ it follows not that I make his Expressions mine seeing I note them as his for says G. W. I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same c. Then our Adversary goes on Canting Taunting and Abusing us from this passage as with Equivocating Jesuitism with a Witness or Arius risen again under a new form and figure c. But herein our scornful Adversary has insinuated most grievous Lies against me and others 1. As denying Christ. 2. As intending the same 3. Yet otherwise word the Matter to Equivocate and act the Jesuit Now pray you his Approvers observe how notorious his Abuse and Calumny is in this very Matter That I was dissatisfied with wording that Matter in some recited Expressions I grant but that Is. Penington's meaning or mine either was to deny Christ I utterly deny Observe the passage at large quoted Counterfeit Convert p. 72. which is this viz. I know no Contemptuous Speeches of our Lord Jesus or of Scriptures excused consequently much less owned by me And tho' I have evinced I. P's meaning on his words reflected on about the Body or Flesh of Christ it follows not that I thereby make his Expressions mine seeing I note them as his I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same We have not the same Expressions and Utterance in all Cases and yet may aim at and mean the same thing but never to contemn our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Holy Scriptures which testifie of him in any respect far be it from us so to do Therefore T. C. yea and F. B. too have grosly wronged and misrepresented us in these Matters Now pray observe here 's no such Concession or Grant as F. Bugg would insinuate viz. That either Is. Penington denies Christ or that I vindicate any such denial or him therein but the contrary far be it from us either to contemn or deny our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Holy Scriptures for they testifie of him wherein is not the least Equivocation or Jesuitism Counterfeit Two-fac'd Quakers as Bugg unjustly and scornfully brands us who has not only made eight or nine Repetitions of my words about seeing cause otherwise to word the Mâ—tter and yet our Intentions the same but also impertinently and unjustly applies them to sundry and divers Matters to which they were never intended and that designedly to render us as odious as he can as for instance he applies the said words of mine aforesaid as if our Intentions tended 1. To a Denial of Christ. 2. To a Denial of Preaching a Belief in Christ as he is in Heaven above p. 3. Q. Anat. 3. To a Contempt of Holy Scriptures contrary to our Confessing the Divine Authority thereof p. 4 5. 4. To what he calls Anti-Magistratical Principles p. 5. Implying that the Quakers intend all these whatever they seriously confess or profess to the contrary whereupon the Nick-name of Counterfeit Quaker is frequently cast upon us by this Implacable Adversary It would fill a Volume to set forth and enervate all his Scurrilous Abuses Raileries Absurdities Forgeries gross Slanders and Calumnies in these and many other Matters And further to pacifie our angry Adversary as to what he has noted Fundamental Errors Damnable Heresies c. tho' I cannot in Justice Charge the Persons accused in their Absence as 1. God that died in us c. 2. And that when Christ ascended he was separated from his Body 3. And that Faith in Christ without us as he Died for our Sins and Rose again was not necessary to OUR Salvation p. 37. These I do really disown as contrary to my Sence and Judgment and to Holy Scriptures Testimony as sincerely believing 1. The Only True and Living God is Immortal 2. That Christ visibly Ascended in his Body 3. And therefore that Christ did not only Die for our Sins but Rose again for our Justification and consequently that Faith in him as he so Died and Rose again and Ascended into Glory is necessary not only to our Salvation but to all others that have certain Demonstration or Proof of the same afforded unto them either by an Effectual Living Ministry or Revelation of the Spirit The unbelief thereof when so demonstrated I count as real a Sin and
dangerous as it was in them who would not believe that Jesus was the Christ when on Earth who therefore were liable to Die in their Sins Yet for those Moral and Pious Gentiles that have not such Discovery of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ nor outward Means thereof afforded to them we may not condemn them lest we should reflect upon God but leave them to his Universal Grace and Mercy in Jesus Christ who is given for a Light unto the Gentiles and to 〈◊〉 God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth wherein we hope no Professed Christians will be so Harsh Uncharitable or Atheistical as to conclude such liable to Damnation or Destruction for want of Scripture or an outward Ministry when God does not afford the same to them seeing he has afforded and given the greater even Christ himself to be both the Light of the Gentiles and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth that they believing in him the Light may be saved by him and have Eternal Life it being the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men believe not but love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil John 3. And the Lord God has not left Himself or Mankind without Witness both immediate and mediate in his Creation thereby leaving all them inexcuseable who persist in Impenitency and Rebellion against him and his Light and Grace in them Whereas I intimated in my Epistle to The Counterfeit Convert in these words viz. I do hereby sincerely declare That 't is not for Controversie sake that I am so much engag'd therein nor am I the beginner of these Controversies being wholly defensive c. And what has our Adversary against this I know it to be very true tho' the Devil and all his Agents should say the contrary and endeavour to outface me with their Lies Our Adversary saith viz. I am willing to let Richard Ashbye know that his Brother Whitehead is false in this also And why so For quoth F. B. he writ against Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants and Baptists before ever they wrote against him Answer I deny that and we have no proof but his own bare ipse dixit for it Some of them i. e. Presbyterians in Cromwell's time when the Episcopal had no Power begun to Persecute and Imprison me and others and also to defame us in Print before ever I was concerned in Printed Controversie against them and it was the worst and most rigid sort that I was so concerned against and therefore not the beginner of either of those first Controversies i. e. with some Presbyterians nor yet of these with this Adversary but was and am still wholly defensive And suppose as he saith I had writ Ten Books against others to One Book against me of any one Man's Writing I did not write Ten Books against any one Man for only his One Book against me But suppose Ten Books wrote either by Ten Persons more or fewer either against me in particular or against me inclusively with others and I had or have wrote Ten Answers to those Ten Books this proves me not a Contentious Scribler as he renders me but still I am on the defensive part and put upon a necessity of being defensive Yet to prove me false herein our Adversary adds viz. And in Nine Months time he wrote Three Books against me to one of mine against the Quakers and Two of them without any fresh occasion given him But F. Bugg knows he gave the first occasion he begun the Controversie and that I was wholly defensive therein by way of Answer to his bitter Invectives and foul Aspersions against the Quakers so called their Order and Discipline for did I begin to be concerned before his Book De Christiana Libertate came forth No 't was his foul Abuses in that Book against us gave me the first occasion to appear in Print against him and after that his divers other abusive Books and Pamphlets against us both before and since he turn'd to the Priests and so often falsly accusing us the said People with Contempt of the Scripture denying Jesus to be Christ despising his Ordinances his Ministers and Magistrates making Divisions in Church and State p. 7. c. with many more Calumnies and all to excuse and cover his own base Backsliding and Self-condemned Apostacy and Judas-like to incense both Priests and Rulers against us by his foul Railery black and odious Characters which he has maliciously put upon us but as to the latter the Lord has hedged up his Way and manifested his Folly restless Envy and implacable deadly Malice unto many and our God has given us Power and Zeal to withstand and oppose him therein and trample upon his great Malice and such fruitless Attempts to Inveterate Adversaries As to our Adversary's Postscript to G. W. about his aforesaid Letters to William Smithies and Isaac Archer which he questions if he has not rightly Interpreted the purport of I must needs say it appears a very idle silly boasting Romance and scurrilous piece of fictitious Forgery feigned upon me and in my Name and tho' never so said nor sayable by me See how unlike G. Whitchead or any other Quaker he introduces his feigned Story viz. G. W. I perceive how uneasie you are and how smooth you appear as in your Letters to Mr. Smithies and Mr. Archer and by the tenure thereof methinks I hear you say Good Gentlemen be so kind to us the distressed and perplexed Quakers as to stop F. Bugg from writing against our Errors c. with much more such stuff Is this like my Language He never heard me say any such thing Oh false Oh silly Oh idle Romance CHAP. V. A Brief Answer to F. Bugg's Pretended Brief History of Quakerism Stiled The Quakers set in their True Light UPON a serious perusal of the said pretended History and comparing the same with his other Reproachful Books and Pamphlets against the People called Quakers which have been duely Answered and justly Refuted in Course His Title The Quakers set in their True Light is very impertinent to his partial and false History tho' very true as to the Quakers whose True Light is no other but Christ the True Light which lighteth every Man coming into the World John 1. 9. This same pretended History of F. Bugg's appears to be chiefly made up of the same Abusive and Calumnious Stuff which his other Pamphlets are composed of and frequently reiterated by him tho' plainly refuted which being now by him turned into History appears a sordid kind of imposing the Credit of his own presumptuous Authority as Historian even in those very things which he cannot maintain in Controversie nor support his own Credit in therefore as a most impertinent partial and envious Historian he may be justly deemed Please to take a few Instances of F. Bugg's false Stories and gross Calumnies in his said pretended History before clearly refuted i◠our Answers to him and