in the beginning we were Convinced by G. Fox that Matthew Mark Luke and John were Death Dust and Serpents Meat that the Scriptures were heastly-ware c. This Passage by the way is a gross Forgery and notorious Lie still I never thus preached nor ever were we convinced by G. Fox or any other that either the Doctrine of the holy Evangelists were Serpents Meat Dust or Death or the Scriptures Beastly-ware as 't is frequently repeated by F. B. Unto which foul Abuse he farther adds as my Sermon viz. And therefore I warn you all to take heed of Apostatising from our ancient Testimony as you have it in my Text for what we were Convinced of by our Light in the beginning to be Evil to be Death Dust Serpents meat 't is so still to be Beastly-ware and Conjuration 't is so still p. 120. Obs. This is a blasphemous Fiction not only against the Holy Scripture but against the Light which he calls Your Light For neither did the Light ever so Convince us to call the Scriptures Beastly-ware nor did I ever Preach such blasphemous Doctrine of the Light as here I am grosly misrepresented but the Contrary As no Man speaking by the Spirit can Blaspheme or call Jesus Accursed so no Man speaking by his Light can Blaspheme or Reproach his holy Scriptures which Testifie of him The Book Bugg quotes for his so often-repeated Lie of calling the Scriptures Beastly-ware is stiled A Brief Discovery of a three-fold Estate of Anti-christ printed 1653. Page 9. I have that Book by me and I have searched both Book and Page and I find no such words as calling the Scriptures Beastly-ware But Babylon's Merchants selling Beastly-wares for a large Price all the Week time heaping up a Rabble of Notions into the Brain So that the Beastly-wares intended was their Rabble of Notions and not the Scriptures Obs. Again How scurrilously F. Bugg makes me to come to a Stop in this Insolent and Presumptuous Romance which he calls George Whitehead's Sermon after this manner viz. And therefore keep up your ancient Testimony my Dear Lambs in all the part of it Ha ha ha hme hme hme silent p. 120. Thus this Scorner forges a ridiculous Tone as my Conclusion or Stop in that place somewhat resembling the Mockers of Old whom the Psalmist complains of Psalm 35. 21. Yea they opened their Mouth wide against me and said Aha aha And Psalm 40. 15. Let them be desolate for a Reward of their Shame that say unto me Aha aha And Psalm 70. 3. Let them be turned back for a Reward of their Shame that say Aha aha And then after a little Silence he most absurdly represents William Bingley as preaching in Confirmation of his Confused and Absurd Romance aforesaid which he calls George Whitehead's Sermon In W. Bingley's Name thus viz. Friends Friends I am filled I am filled as with new Wine I am ready to burst at the Joyful News I have heard to day respecting our Ancient Testimony And O magnified be our Light within which hath thus exalted us above the Prophets above the Apostles above the Martyrs and above all Christians as our dear Brother G. W. hath most excellently made it out first in opening his Text and also in the two Branches proceeding from it but more especially in the Use and Application where he hath confirmed me in not making Confession of Sin nor regarding the Ten Commandments nor those two Ordinances of Baptism and Supper p. 120 121. Obs. How shamefully he personates W. B. to asperse and abuse him as if he were highly Elevated and magnified our Light within because of what F. Bugg has most falsly feigned G. W. to Preach in Contempt of Scripture and for Exalting our selves above the Prophets Apostles c. Thus he presumptuously adds Sin to Sin Lye to Lye Forgery upon Forgery such sordid Stuff as we never heard W. B. preach but he utterly disowns and testifies against the same with Abhorrency to such Abuse of him and others And not only so but Bugg wickedly represents W. B. as making our Light within the Author of his foregoing Absurd Forgery and Romance in G. W's Name against the holy Scriptures Ten Commandments c. Consequently to blaspheme our Light within which is the Light of God and his Dear Son as if that oppos'd its own Testimony in holy Scripture and as if that led to Self-Exaltation above the Prophets and Apostles c. O wretched Man F. B How wilt thou appear before the Tribunal-Seat of Christ What a sad Account wilt thou have for such Profanation design'd Deceit and Wickedness Who further proceedest in W. Bingley's Name viz. Forgery But yet I have a short Testimony to bring in touching the Priests which I think our Friend G. W. left out unawares for I take it to be as necessary an ancient Testimony to be kept up as any other only a little more privately and prudently for they are as great Enemies to our design of Supplanting Christianity as any the World affords p. 121. Observe again Oh shameful Folly and Falshood Where and when did ever W. B. thus Preach That our Design is the supplanting Christianity Whenas our Design is well known to the contrary to such as truly fear God and to be for the Promoting of Christianity both in Spirit in Faith Life and Conversation Forgery Benjamin Bealing Clerk Let us sing an Hymn of Praise and Self-Exaltation and to the Confusion of our Adversaries as you will find it written in the Epistle of that Son of Thunder Edward Burrough prefixed to our Apostle G. Fox ' s Great Mystery printed 1658. The Waters have I seen dry'd up the Seat of that great Whore Who hath made all Nations drunk with her enticing Power Observe Now F. B. dost not thou Glory in thy Shame in such Invention as this Where did ever any in the World hear Benjamin Bealing set or sing such a Hymn as this in the end of a Meeting or any time else Observe his own Testimony viz. These are to Certifie all sober Readers That Francis Bugg's Representing me as calling to the Yearly Meeting To sing an Hymn of Praise and Self-Exaltation c. and making some Verses out of Edward Burrough's Preface to G. F's Great Mystery to be that Hymn 'T is all an idle false Invention and Forgery of his own for I never was concerned in any such thing in my Life-time and I am heartily sorry that this poor Man should be so given up in his old Age to serve the Father of Lyes with whom in the Lake he may expect to have his Portion without he unfeignedly Repents Witness my Hand Benjamin Bealing London the 4th of the 5th Month called July 1699. Oh F. B. thou appearest one of that sort who are arrived to that ill Habit of Iniquity and Hardness that they know no Shame And thy presumptuously Prophaning the sacred Name of God and of his dear Son and of his Light within using the same
in G. W's Name I have also closed my Discourse with the Prophecy of Sam. Fisher which you need not doubt of but will come to pass it may be sooner than you are aware of c. only for the present we must be content to stay and patiently bear For as yet we cannot think we shall be made to handle the Sword But when the time does come I have shewed you the Testimony of two of our Prophets and early Champions what we shall do how we shall kill cut off and destroy and bathe our Swords in the Blood of Amaleck and lay waste fenced Cities and tread down the Honourable of the Earth and spare neither Old nor Young p. 126. Observe his evil Design by inventing and framing this in my Name as part of my Sermon as if I prophesied that we should be made to handle the Sword kill cut off and destroy c. and spare neither Old nor Young c. Which he would have understood in a literal Sense to make me and our Friends as Obnoxious and Criminal as he can which bespeaks not only an evil Design but premeditated Malice and Injury And I am apt to think the Man Sinneth knowingly against Light and Conviction in taking up and representing such words in a literal Sense as are in Sam. Fisher's Prophecy to O. Cromwel in 1656. and in Fra. Howgil's and E. B's in the same Year S. F. having these words I will beautifie my Meek Ones with Salvation and I will put my High-Praise into their Mouths and a two-edged Sword into their Hands and they shall execute Vengeance upon the Heathen c. And the other have these words viz. Out of thee i. e. the North of England Kings Priests and Prophets did come forth in the Name and Power of the Most-High which uttered their Voices as Thunders and laid their Swords on the Necks of their Enemies c. Gird on your Sword upon your Loyns put on the tried Armour c. My beloved Brethren and Fellow-Soldiers make all plain before you Thresh on with a Threshing Instrument which hath Teeth beat the Mountains to Dust let the Breath of the Lord scatter it c. p. 124. Now that F. B. renders these and such like Passages in a literal Sense observe his Notes in the Margent i. e. Are not these Fifth-Monarchy-Men Retract these bloody Books and horrid Principles Hereupon I would ask him and those Priests who abet him 1. If the Psalmist meant Literally in Psalm 149. 5 6 7 8 9 Let them read it at large and therein Samuel Fisher's words concerning the Saints High Praises of God in their Mouths and a Two-edged Sword in their Hands c. and the Honour they have And Isaiah 41. 15. Behold I will make thee a new sharp Threshing Instrument having Teeth thou shalt thresh the Mountains and beat them small and shalt make the Hills as Chaff 2. If he really thinks our Friends meant that God's Prophets in this Gospel-Day should go forth with outward Swords of Iron and Steel and with an outward Threshing Instrument having Teeth of Iron or Steel and that they were therewith to beat down and lay level the great Mountains of Stone and Earth some of them a Mile or Two high as they are in the North of England and other parts No I cannot think that Francis Bugg believed thus Literally either of the Prophet David Isaiah or of our Friends in the places recited by him for part of my Sermon p. 122 123 124 125. Therefore the more fallacious and deceiful he to represent them in such a literal and gross Sense to make us Obnoxious to the Government as a People of Bloody Principles Whereby he hath shewn what a Bloody Persecuting Spirit lodges in him against us There are many more Forgeries Lyes and perverted Quotations in the said Romance falsly stiled G. Whitehead's Sermon which for Brevity's sake are here pretermitted and waved And this Point concerning S. Fisher's Message to O. Cromwel and other Passages relative thereto quoted by F. B. is more fully spoken to in the Answer to the Three Norfolk-Priests Entitled Truth and Innocency vindicated p. 36 37 38 39 and p. 62 63 64. THE Rambling PILGRIM EXPOSED PART II. AFter F. B. has made such a large Confession to the Light of Christ within and to the Dispensation of God to Mankind and to the comfortable Presence of the Lord our God attending our Meetings it is very ill-becoming him now to speak so slightly and contemptuously of both as he doth in his Chap. III. p. 5. where he saith All were exhorted to adhere to the Light within to obey the Light within and to follow the Teachings thereof as a Guide sufficient to lead us to Salvation yea above Scriptures above Fathers above Councils and above Churches This I now confess quoth he was a Paradox not Orthodox but absolutely Heterodox This Confession of his is since he disobeyed the Light and turn'd his back of it otherwise he would still confess that Christ the true Light the Head and Lawgiver to his Church is above Scriptures Fathers Councils and Churches and was before them and is the Light of the World which whoever follows shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life Consequently this Light of His is a Guide sufficient to lead us to Salvation and to Understand Believe and Practice according to Holy Scripture and not to oppose it It is a wicked Calumny against our Silent Meetings to say That they were designed to wean us off from so much as the Remembrance of all External Religion and also to prepare us to receive the false Notions of Quakerism p. 5. Our Externally Meeting together to wait upon God and our living Experience of his Presence and Power and Spiritual Ministry to our great Comfort and Edification in those our Meetings do testifie the contrary to F. B's Aspersions against them and us He has unjustly quoted me about the Authority of the Spirit and the Scriptures p. 6. as the Three Norfolk-Priests did as I have shewn p. 16 17. of my Just Examination of their two Books Entitled Truth and Innocency vindicated leaving out the very Explanatory Words relating to the Spirits Immediate Teaching being of greater Authority or Efficacy than the Letter of the Scriptures as divided into Chapters my Explanation being viz. As Christ's Words were of greater Authority when he spoke than the Pharisees reading the Letter and they in whom that Spirit speaks not are out of the Authority of the Scriptures c. See the Matter further explained in my said Examination referred unto For here we own the Divine Authority and Efficacy of the Holy Scriptures as spoken by Christ but the Division of Chapters and Verses and the bare Letter thereof not to be of the same Authority and Efficacy I deny his Consequence That any little Pamphlet of Our's is of greater Authority than the Bible or of as great for I never asserted the holy Doctrine in
the Bible not to be first given forth from one and the same Spirit of Truth from which we have given forth Writings and Religious Books which contain many Doctrines in the Bible and by referring thereto they prefer the Bible and the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures contain'd therein And we still prefer the Bible before all other Books extant in the World For even the Statute-Book is of greater Authority than all the Abstracts made of it how true so ever And whereas he takes Occasion against me about an Answer given to a Priest's Question viz. Is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments a Rule to the Christians Life The Answer is Thou mightest as well ask If the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ For the Christians Life and Rule is Christ to which F. B. adds Meaning their Light within And suppose I meant so as I did mean That Christ was and is the Christians Light and Life Col. 3. 3 4. 't is not Christians Lives and Conversations in the Question but Christian's Life in the Singular to which the Answer was adapted that the Christian's Life is Christ when Christ who is our Life shall appear Col. 3. 4. Can we suppose this Life or Light to be under the Law which was added because of Transgression till the Seed came or under those Prohibitions in the Ten Words or Commandments Or is it meet or proper to apply them thereunto and say to Christ or his Light in Christians Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Thou shalt not bear false Witness c. Or is it good Doctrine to suppose True Christians in Christ to be literally under the Law of those Prohibitions and thereby only restrained from Idolatry from taking the Name of God in vain from Killing from committing Adultery from Stealing and bearing false Witness against their Neighbours Or are they not rather redeem'd by Christ from that Depravity and corrupt Inclination from whence those Evils proceed and consequently under a higher Restraint from those gross Inormities prohibited even by his Light and Grace dwelling in their Hearts than only the Letter of the Law as outwardly written The Substance whereof God first writ in Man's Heart and after writ it in the Two Tables Exod. 31. 18. Deut. 9. 10. Exod. 34. 1. before Moses writ the Law And Christ the true Light and Lawgiver writes his Laws of the New Covenant in Men's Hearts and he it is who came not to destroy the Law but fulfils the Righteousness of the Law in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. Christ being also the End of the Law for Righteousness not for Transgression to them that believe This Point is spoken to before though here farther Explain'd And further F. B. bitterly inveighs against our Silent Meetings which in Derision he calls Silent Universities tending only to empty the Mind of all true and solid Notions of the Christian Religion and only to prepare them to the wild Notions of Quakerism and this he affirms from an Experimental Knowledge he saith p. 7. and calls them Schools of Ignorance and that they had strange Effects upon us and how we thereby became not only levened into a Temper to throw off all Instituted Religion but to a degree higher even to throw Contempt both upon the Scriptures Ordinances and Ministers and all things Sacred p. 8. And by their Silent Meetings weaned and drawn off from the Principles and Practices of the Christian Churches in all Ages p. 10. Answer Whither art thou now run F. B Thy own Confessions condemns thee and shall rise up in Judgment against these Envious Evil Reports of thine against those Meetings of our's for which thou hast confessed even since thou left them That God blessed our Meetings with the comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence Which could not tend to any such ill Effects as before rehearsed as either To Empty our Minds of the Knowledge of the Christians Religion or To make our said Meetings Schools of Ignorance or To Throw Contempt upon the Scriptures or To draw us off from the Principles and Practices of true Christian Churches How hast thou herein blasphemed against the true Light against the comfortable Presence of God wherewith he blessed our Meetings And how hast thou Given thy self the Lye and bely'd thy own Conscience in thus contradicting thy own solid Confessions made to our Doctrine of the true Light Ministry Dispensation of God's Love our Sufferings Love unfeigned blessed Meetings c. As also that We told People That the Scriptures were Good and a true Declaration of those things which were most surely believed by the Apostles and by us ought to be believed yet not the only Rule but still the Spirit of God which was the first Principle c. As more largely thou hast confessed in thy Book De Christianâ Libertate Or Liberty of Conscience upon its true and proper Grounds asserted and vindicated printed 1682. Part 2. Chap. 1. And thy Offence against Light Conviction and Conscience and thy Self-contradiction and Condemnation may farther also appear 1st From thy own Account and Consideration How thou camest to be a Member of our Society The Reasons thereof thou hast given in thy Quakers Detected printed 1686. two Years after thou left us and Conformed wherein thou hast given solemn Confession to the Truth of our Principle the Light and the Sufficiency thereof our Ministry Conversation Love Society blessed Meetings c. 2. And then placing the Cause of thy being Weary of our Society and turning to the Church of England upon the Quakers Apostacy as thou judgedst i. e. from our first Principles of Union see thy Quakers Detected p. 3 4. 3. Now to go round again Thy Great Work is to Expose our ancient first Principles and Testimony to as much Derision and Contempt as thy loose Invention can Produce Witness thy idle Romance and false Fiction which thou falsly termest George Whitehead's Sermon detected but especially thy profane Contempt against our Testimony of the Light within or in Man which now instead of owning it to be that True Light testified of in John 1. 9. wherewith Christ hath Enlightened Men the Treatment and Characters this Light meets withal from thee is That 't was a Parodox not Orthodox but absolutely Heterodox to exhort to the Light within to obey the Light within and to follow the Teachings thereof as a Guide sufficient to lead us to Salvation c. Pilgrim's Progress p. 5. opposing their i. e. the Quakers Light within to the Christians Life which is Christ p. 6. to the Man Christ as if Christ being Man without us hindered him from being our Light as he is the Word in us which were Ignorantly to suppose him divided And F. Bugg perverting Josiah Cole's words on John 5. 22. All Judgment is committed unto the Son i. e. the Light J. C's Works p. 93. This say'st thou Is a bold Attempt this is most Horrible
solemn Testimony how expresly contrary it is to his present Treatment of us the said People as it is in his Book stiled The Quakers Detected c. printed 1686. about Two Years after his leaving our Communion and Conforming to the Church of England as 't is in his own words following viz. The first Point under Consideration is how I came to be a Member of their Society c. i.e. of the Quakers In the beginning they taught That all Men were enlightned according to John 1. 9. and that this Light wherewith Christ had enlightned them was sufficient if obeyed to lead to Salvation and that it was the Work of the Ministers of Christ to turn the Peoples Minds from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God Affirming That this Light was a sufficient Teacher Leader and Guide to every Believer without the help of outward Prescriptions Forms Orders and Decrees of Men Upon these and the like Notions I became perswaded to make Trial of their Doctrine and when I came to see and observe their Practice Conversations and Deportments in the Beginning and what Simplicity and Plainness attended their Ministry I was still more Confirmed that it was a Dispensation of the Love of God sent as a Visitation to Mankind And being thus perswaded I was resolved to bear the Cross and did utterly despise the Shame that attended them and their Message and was not behind any of my Equals both in doing and suffering for the Testimony thereof as some amongst them can still bear me Witness And in this manner we went on for many Years and loved one another with Love unfeigned and doubtless God blessed our Meetings with the Comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence p. 3. From which solemn Confession thus made by Fra. Bugg after he forsook our Communion and went to the Publick as he saith it follows naturally that he did not forsake us because of our Christian Principle or Profession of the Light or because of our Doctrine Conversation Communion or Meetings or any Dislike had thereof but because he deem'd us guilty of Apostacy from our first Principle and Profession and that by his own Confession he did not thereby make his Progress from Egypt into Canaan appears by his applying to himself the words of Joseph when in Egypt viz. But I can say as Joseph did to his Brethren Gen. 50. 20. But as for you ye thought Evil against me but God meant it unto Good And Chap. 45. 5. Now therefore be not griev'd nor angry with your selves that you sold me hither Quakers detected p. 8. How came F. B. to apply these words to his State when turn'd from us to the Publick if he did not think himself then in Egypt or turn'd from the true Light into Darkness But we sold him not thither he fled in Winter when he had let in Unbelief and Fearfulness because of Suffering and Persecution which he had felt something of but fell into Impatiency and Quarreling under it and having lost Sincerity and Truth turn'd Envious Temporizer And because he has so frequently and falsly charg'd the said People with denying Jesus of Nazareth and Contempt of holy Scripture I may acquaint you with One or Two Passages more which concern himself as recited in my Answer to his New Rome Arraigned entitled Innocency Triumphant over Insolency and Outrage printed 1693. p. 25 26. as followeth viz. And to his saying The Names Jesus and Christ are given to the Mediator c. True but what follow Therefore quoth F. B. 't is no Absurdity to say It was not Jesus Christ for whom the Body was prepared it was not Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh but the Word John 1. 1. Apol. Introd p. 3. And yet he has confessed it was the Son of God that took the Body p. 4. What Confusion and Self-contradiction does the Man blindly run into And how contrary to the Apostle John's Testimony is his Doctrine herein See 1 John 4. 2 3. Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God and every Spirit which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God but this is the Spirit of Anti-Christ What Spirit is this in our Adversary which saith It was not Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh Who was it then It was the Word the Son of God As if Jesus Christ were neither the Word nor the Son of God O horrible Anti-Christianism And contrary also to that Martyr Dr. Barnes his Confession as cited by F. Bugg himself p. 4. 5. viz. I believe that without Man's Will or Power Christ Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and took Flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary Acts and Mon. p. 610. Now If Jesus Christ took Flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary then it was Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh But it was Jesus Christ that took Flesh Therefore 't was Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh. Consequently F. Bugg's Doctrine That it was not Jesus Christ that came in the Flesh is Anti-Christian Anti-Apostolical and Contradictory to the said Martyr's Doctrine In his Book stiled De Christianâ Libertate Part 2. Chap. 1. he confesseth in the Name and Person of the People called Quakers That we told them i. e. the said People that the Scriptures were good and a true Declaration of those things which were most surely believ'd by the Apostles and by us ought to be believ'd yet not the only Rule but still the Spirit of God which was the first Principle c. And many more Confessions he has given to the Truth of our Principles both with respect to Jesus Christ his Light and the holy Scriptures Now I recommend you to the faithful Witness of Truth in all your Hearts which will Judge Righteously and desire you seriously to peruse the following Treatise and hear us in our Answers and Defence as well as our Adversary in his Accusations remembering that common Maxim To Condemn no Man before he be heard By a Servant of Jesus Christ and real Friend to your Immortal Souls G. Whitehead London the 30th of the 4th Month 1699. The CONTENTS of this Treatise PART I. OF Francis Bugg's Fictitious Profane Sermon in G. Whitehead's Name From Page 1 to p. 16. Of our Yearly Meeting p. 1 2. Of the Scriptures p. 2 3. Of one only God the Father Son and Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures p. 3 4. Of Confession of Sin and Prayer to God p. 5 6. Of the Ten Commandments and Moral Law p. 7 8. Of his gross Fiction against the Holy Scripture and the Light within p. 9. Of his resembling the Mockers Psalm 35. 21. and 40. 15. p. 9. His Forgery against William Bingley and Ben. Bealing's Certificate p. 10 11. His repeated Forgery about G. Fox touching the Branch the Star c. p. 12 13. Of his Counterfeit Court and Condemnation p. 13. His Forgery and Frofaneness about our Light and Exaltation p. 14.
O Abominable Abuse And I positively deny that we so translate the Words of Christ John 5. 22. as F. B. saith as if we believed no Son of Man without us but only the Light within us which is as falsly Charg'd as the rest though the Son of Man which is Christ the Son of the Living God be the true Light yea the Light of the World the Sower of the good Seed of Life and Light in the World Forgery Notwithstanding we call the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Ware c. Obs. Note Upon this often-repeated Falshood is grounded much of his idle and wicked Romance which he calls George Whitehead's Sermon Oh F. B. repeat this Lye no more Forgery Now my Friends though this Confession be as contrary to our ancient Testimony as Light is contrary to Darkness as by our Books quoted you may see And what Confession that is he relates just before viz. I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth the sacred Scriptures to be Divine left us by Men inspired of God c. And I profess to believe in one only God who is the Father and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son very God and very Man and in the Holy Spirit one and the same God with the Father and Son blessed for evermore Observe How he most falsly and ridiculously feigns me to Preach this Connfession to be as contrary to our ancient Testimony as Light is contrary to Darkness and consequently to make me Preach us all guilty of gross Dissimulation and Blasphemy What horrid absurd Folly is this Agent guilty of Forgery And therefore I exhort you this day to stand Faithful to your ancient Testimony which is to throw down the Scriptures and exalt our own Books and so will the Work of your Light prosper in your hands p. 113. Observe Thus he represents me to Preach expresly contrary to my known Principle and Testimony for the preferring and exalting the holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the World So far am I from Preaching to throw down the Scriptures and from Fathering any such Doctrine upon our Light as I am wickedly misrepresented in contempt against the Light also contrary to this Man 's former serious Testimonies for the Light And the Preference I have ascribed to the Spirit of Truth and its Immediate Teaching either in or through its Ministers to the Scriptures or Chapters was not any Preferring of our own Books thereto as I am often misrepresented But allowing the Spirit its due Preference to the Scripture Letter or Chapters For the Spirit was before Scripture and I never heard any assert the Division of Chapters and Verses to be of Divine Authority though the holy Doctrine contain'd in Scripture be This Point is more fully explain'd in my late Just Examination of the three Norfolk Priests entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated c. p. 16 17 19 to 23. p. 57 58. Forgery My tender Lambs You see first that we are the true Church of Christ next that you are to believe as the Church believes and there lies G. Fox ' s Journal on the Table c. For as our Brother Mead has express'd himself It is the best Book in the World for our keeping up our ancient Testimony yea better than the Bible said he And now to conclude this Head look into the Book of Canons which lies before you on the Table p. 114. Observe Thus to ridicule me he forges such Stuff in my Name which I never owned preached or asserted neither did I ever hear W. Mead so express himself as That G. Fox ' s Journal is the best Book in the World yea better than the Bible but expresly the contrary and denies that ever he said so but gives the Bible the Preference to all other Books Forgery Friends I am now come to the last thing propos'd to speak to on this solemn Occasion and it shall be by way of Use and Application for your Comfort and Consolation c. First respecting Confession of Sin shewing your Exaltation above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all the Christian Churches to this day p. 114. And p. 115. You being the True Ancient Apostolick Church of Christ and as Quakers elected thereto c. have no need to make any Confession of Sin in our Prayers to God as our Practice for near Fifty Years does confirm c. Our Adversaries cannot prove from any one of our Books wrote by my Self G. Fox E. B F. H Father Penn S. Fisher c. that ever we made Confession of Sins and asked pardon for Christ's sake nor that ever we recommended such a Practice to our Disciples c. Now Friends what Cause have we to rejoyce and to magnifie our Light within which hath led us to such a State of sinless Perfection Obs. Thus F. Bugg represents me preaching such Stuff as I never preached in my Life nor ever own'd any such Flattery or Deceit as to exalt any Auditory above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles c. or to disswade any from making Confession of Sin or asking Pardon for Christ's sake who have need of both or who have not received forgiveness of Sins And my known publick Practice both in Ministry and Prayer often times testifie the contrary To the True Witness in all who know me and my publick Exercise and Travel for the good of Souls I do Appeal to clear me in this Matter against this Man's absurd and abominable Forgeries which he terms George Whitehead's Sermon And he goes on still with his Forgery as my Sermon viz. Forgery Now Friends what a happy thing is this that you need not trouble your selves with any Confession of Sins since you are not like other Men nor like these Publicans And therefore I exhort you to keep to your ancient Testimony in all the parts of it make no Confession of Sins nor be sure you do not recommend the Practice of it by Word or Writing but keep to our ancient Practice Nor is there any need for our Hearers to follow those Christian Precepts viz. And whatsoever you do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving Thanks to God the Father by him Col. 3. 17. Whether ye Eat or Drink or whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God 1 Cor 10. 31. Matth 15. 36. Observe Where did ever F. Bugg or any other hear me or any of us Preach such a Sermon as this to exhort the Hearers to make no Confession of Sin or ever tell them there is no need for them to follow those Christian Precepts cited as before out of Col. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 10. 31 Oh poor Francis What will become of thee What will be the End of this thy Liberty and Profaness How wilt thou Answer the great God in the Day of Judgment for such presumptuous Forgery and Profanation of the Sacred Name of God and Abuse of me his Servant who have been many times
sorry for thee under a Sense of the Lamentable Desperate State How darest thou thus proceed to Sin against Light and Knowledge to Invent such a Scurrilous Sermon in above two large Sheets in Print and Call it George Whitehead's Sermon when thou knowest it is a Defaming Counterfeit Device and Romance of thy own having also given thy self the Lie by saying 'T is a Sermon for G. W. How binding are God's Commands to thee viz. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless that taketh his Name in vain Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour Exod. 20. Yet thou audaciously proceedest in thy Forgery and False-Witness-bearing against me and our Friends and in my Name as thus Preaching viz. Forgery You know that we our selves to be seen of Men do make a kind of Prayer to our Light within when we are at their Tables when Company is present but if alone either at home or abroad we seldom give Thanks for our Food and seldomer with our Eyes towards Heaven as Christ did as Stephen did or as the Martyrs did no you know we are of another yea of a different Faith and Practice from all the ancient Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and holy Confessors and all Christian Churches to this day being exalted above them for we sit in heavenly Places singing the Songs of Sion in the Beauty of Holiness without Sin or any Imperfection p. 117 118. Obs. I challenge F. Bugg and all his Abettors and other Adversaries in the World to prove when and where ever I or any of us preached such a Sermon as this importing such Dissimulation in Prayer publick or Neglect of it in Private or any such Self-exaltation above the ancient Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs or all Christian Churches c. No I abhor such vain Ostentation foolish and false Boasting and Professing or Preaching up a Faith and Practice different from theirs And 't is as notoriously false That we pray to be seen of Men and seldom give Thanks at home or abroad if alone and that we so make Prayer to our Light within as having our whole God within us as safely as the Papists have their Crucifixes in their Pockets p. 117 118. This also is an ignorant contemning Scoff and Flout as well as Forgery and a Slight also put upon the Light within which though God and Christ is our Light Life and Salvation yet we do not limit nor confine him as the whole God within us only he being an Omnipresent and All-seeing God whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Forgery My very Doctrine shew it to be the Ten Commandments first by telling the Priests they might as well carry the Ten Commandments to Christ the Consequence of which is that Christ had as much need to learn them as we p. 118. Obs. Though he unjustly makes this a part of my Sermon 't is none of my Doctrine or Preaching neither are the Words mine as cited He refers to Truth Defending the Quakers printed 1659. p. 18. but falsly quotes the Words I did not tell the Priests They might as well carry the Ten Commandments to Christ much less that Christ had as much need to learn them as we I disown such Blasphemy But the Question being put Is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments a Rule to the Christian's Life The Answer was Thou might as well ask if the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ For the Christians Life and Rule is Christ who is the End of the Law for Righteousness who came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Therefore my Intent was not to make void or to break the Moral Law or Ten Commandments but to refer them to Christ the true Christian's Life Way and Principal Rule and that Christ is their Life who live to him is Evident see Col. 3. 4. For ye are dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Now this Divlne Life of a Christian which is Christ cannot be under the Law as a Rule to him though the Law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith but after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-Master Gal. 3. 24 25. And if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. Therefore being in the Faith of Christ their Life their Lord and Master they were grown past the State of such Children who were under such a School-Master as the Law being no more under the Law but under Grace For what the Law saith it saith to those who are under the Law that the wholé World may become Guilty before God which his Children are not Forgery That we never recommend the Ten Commandments to our Hearers that they should teach them to their Children c. This therefore may confirm you in our ancient Testimony which hath been to lay them by as a dead Letter Dust Death Serpents Food and beastly ware c. p. 118 119. Obs. This is not only a gross and repeated Forgery as 't is made a part of my Sermon but also in it self containing two gross Lies 1. That our ancient Testimony hath been To lay by the Ten Commandments 2. As Beastly-ware Serpents food c. Where did I or we ever give such Testimony of the Ten Commandments as to call them either Beastly-ware Serpents food c. I utterly deny with abhorrence any such Testimony concerning the Ten Commandments being all comprehended in that great Commandment of Love And for me or any of our Friends preferring the Spirit before the Letter the Gospel above the Law and the Ministration of the Spirit and Life above the Ministration of Death and exalting it above the Letter of the Scriptures I know no spiritual Christian will blame us for that or for any such Doctrine which is so evidently agreeable to the holy Apostle Paul's Testimony and Distinction in that Case as between the Letter and the Spirit between the Ministration of Death written and engraven in Stones and the Ministration of the Spirit which was much more Glorious As more largly he distinguishes 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8 9 10 11. The Apostle using the very words The Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and if the Mininistration of Death written and engraven in Stones c. which could neither be in Contempt of the Holy Scriptures or Ten Commandments much less to lay them by as Beastly-ware c. Now F. Bugg repeat these Lies no more and you of the Clergy concerned encourage F. B. no more in 's work against us Forgery Beloved I cannot but allow that if the Scriptures were of greater Authority than our Sayings or that the Words of Matthew Luke and Paul were of greater Authority than are our Sayings I should be on the Christians side c. But Friends
incense the Civil Government against them and he being therein often Refuted I am concern'd herein to take notice only of a few of his notorious Abuses Misrepresentations and Perversions viz. 1st In his Dedication to the High Court of Parliament p. 10. he tells them The Quakers tell you They own the Scriptures to be given by Divine Inspiration but mean not a word of it like other Christians 2dly They tell you they own a Scripture-Trinity but mean not a word of it and that 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 Constantinus the Emperor found it in the Examination of Arius the Heretick to get his true meaning touching the Faith of one Substance And he would have them believe The Quakers are such Enemies to the holy Scripture as that they say It is a rotten Foundation Ibid. p. 11. And that with them it is Beastly Ware c. part 2. p. 29. And that they render the holy Scriptures to be of no more Authority than Aesop 's Fables part 3. p. 40. Such abominable Falshoods this Incendiary presumes to Dedicate and Present to the Parliament expresly contrary to our sincere and publick Confession to the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures as Eminently given by Divine Inspiration and our Estimation and Preference of the Bible to all other Books extant in the World though many of them may be given by a Degree of the same Divine Inspiration yet the holy Scripture contain'd in the Bible have not only the Priority but more Eminently and Signally Confirm'd by Divine Authority more Comprehensive and more Generally accepted than other Books or Commentaries thereupon the holy Pen-Men of the Scriptures of Truth having also a higher Degree of Illumination and Inspiration in many things than other Writers in after-Ages And Christ himself whose blessed Testimonies are from him Recorded received the Holy Ghost or Spirit not by Measure but in Fulness and to be sure we are bound in Conscience highly to prefer the Authors of Holy Scripture i. e. Christ his Apostles and Prophets above our selves or any other Writers whatsoever therefore we have cause to allow the Bible the Preference as well as Priority before other Books But our embittered Adversary to render us the said People Incredible or not to be Believ'd and such a difficult thing to gain the true Meaning of the Quakers he thus treats us with his wonted Course of Defamation and Calumny giving this pretended Relation viz. That the honest Quakers for some such there are amongst them have suspected G. Whitehead to be a Jesuite at least like them This Witness is true quoth F. B. Pref. p. 18. And farther he proceeds with this Out-cry viz. By which Evidence we may know that the Quakers like the Cretians were always Lyars evil Beasts slow Bellies but not only so but Lyars Forgers and to speak comparatively Knights of the Post Jesuits and dangerous to the Government c. Pref. p. 19 20. Thus furiously he runs on and clamours like one without Eear or Wit he is Accountable for such odious Defamation and the Righteous Judge of all I doubt not will rebuke him for such his Folly and Outrage He strives in his Persecution against us as if it were for Life even for our Lives in not only defaming G. Whitehead for a Jesuit but the Quakers in General and yet some of them Honest Quakers too Such Confusion Envy produces But who these Honest Quakers are that suspect G. W. to be a Jesuit at least like them we are to seek he tells us not who is his true Witness in this Case G. W. utterly denies the Defamation against himself and the rest of his Friends called Quakers being known to be as wholly and absolutely Averse to Popery as any People in Christendom and more than all Persecutors whatsoever Persecution being a principal Prop and Pillar of Popery commonly raised by such Clamour and Outrage as Away with them Hereticks and Schismaticks they are Seditions and Dangerous to the Government and then Imprisonment Havock Exile or Death must follow c. To his other odious Calumny viz. That the Quakers Church agrees with the Papists That our Bible is a Brazen-fac'd Book an unjust corrupt and perverse Bible part 1. p. 4. Oh Horrible The righteous Lord rebuke this Lying Spirit which possesses this Poor Creature How like a furious Incendiary in his boundless Outrage does he Defame and most unjustly Asperse the Innocent Are not the Bibles we frequently use in our Houses and Families the same used by other Protestants and allow'd by Authority Pray let this be observ'd and further inquired into that the notorious Lyes of this Adversary may more manifestly appear to the World to his own and his Abettors shame and disgrace And as I have often urg'd plain Proof from him that the Quakers call the Scriptures Beastly Ware but never yet could obtain it So I now demand Proof that they say The Scripture is a rotten Foundation as before Ded. p. 11. For Proof of this Lye he has quoted a little Pamphlet or Book which he has rak'd up and Reprinted Entitled Ishmael and his Mother cast out first printed in 1655. Upon the Margent on the 14th page he repeats the same gross Lye again thus viz. The Holy Scriptures they say are a rotten Foundation This is their ancient Testimony from which they have not varied This is F. B's Annotation against the People called Quakers but where is his Proof still 'T is upon these words viz. With the Light thou art seen to be a Wrester of the Scriptures and thy rotten Foundation being ready to fall thee c. Here is no such word as the Quakers saying The Holy Scriptures are a rotten Foundation but the contrary viz. Against that Adversary for Wresting the Scripture and that he was judged thereby And that the Scriptures of Truth proceeded from the Life and Power of God were spoken by holy Men as mov'd thereby as also a true Declaration of God the Words of God who with his dear Son Christ Jesus and Holy Spirit and the Baptism thereof are also confess'd in the said Book quoted but falsly noted on the Margent as before quite contrary to these Confessions unto the Truth and Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures They that writ the said Book Ishmael c. did judge that pretended Pastor S. Townsend their then Adversary neither to be built upon Christ nor upon the holy Scriptures and that therefore neither of them was his Foundation but a Spirit of Enmity when he enviously writ and aspers'd those of us that were then Prisoners for Conscience sake in Norwich Goal which was in the year 1654. being 45 Years ago He then more like a busie Incendiary than a Minister of Christ with his envious defaming Pamphlet did Persecute us by Reproaches to add Affliction to our Bonds which
then were severe and we under Hardship in the depth of Winter wherein my self with the rest had my share Though I then was but weak and young being but about 18 Years of Age yet was in my Heart truly tender and sincere to God and his Presence I often felt to strengthen me in that and divers other hard Imprisonments in Cromwel's time and by his Special Divine Providence I was supported in his Work and Service blessed be his Name for ever Who also hath made me to Triumph in Christ over Reproaches and Aspersions of This and all other my most Implacable Adversaries F. B. may think he has found out a deadly Weapon against me by his raking up and reprinting the said Ishmael c. printed in 1655. But he does very ill and very dis-ingenuously in upbraiding me and my Friends with some unwarrantable Expressions which I have positively disown'd and disclaim'd in Two Books as he knows And yet from thence he unjustly asperseth the Quakers That 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 Ded. p. 11. And part 2. p. 22. Margent This is their ancient Testimony to damn the blessed Trinity to the Pit of Hell the like in Part 3. p. 35. I say This is not true 't is neither the Quakers Ancient nor Modern Testimony and the passage upon which he makes this Note in the Margent though never intended against either God his Son or Holy Spirit or this Scripture-Trinity as I may say Yet I say as to the said Passage noted upon on the Margent I have positively disown'd those offensive Expressions publickly in Print in Two Books The 1st Entitled The Christianity of the People called Quakers Vindicated 1690. p. 28. The 2d Truth and Innocency Vindicated 1699. p. 51. Besides many Years since I corrected them where I met with that Answer And though I writ some Passages therein yet I still affirm I was not the Author of the said Unwarrantable Expressions nor of divers other sharp ones but C. Atkinson who miserably fell into Pollution and Condemnation after my self and my other Fellow-Prisoners had left him in Prison being discharg'd before him I was sorry my Name was to that Answer without distinction between my own Words and his For though I was then but Young Weak and Low yet I still believe and am satisfied I had a Measure of Understanding given me of the Lord and a Sense of his Power and Presence And I do not deny but I writ some Part or Paragraphs in that Book aforesaid by reason whereof I suppose my Name was to it and the Substance of what I writ I cannot disown to this day namely 1. Asserting the Word which was in the beginning to be God Christ the Light and the Foundation of Faith 2. And that the Word was before the Scripture or Writing or Letter thereof was 3. That Jesus Christ was the true and only Foundation 1 Cor. 3. 11. This was in Opposition to our then Adversary's Asserting the Scripture to be the only Foundation of Faith c. And I cannot in the least believe that there ever could be any Intention of Contempt or Contemptible Expressions design'd against God or his Dear Son or Holy Spirit among us or that we could be so grosly dark and ignorant as to think to confine him in Darkness who is an Omnipresent God and he being Light in whom is no Darkness at all this hath been our Principle from the beginning But to fasten the whole Book Ishmael on G. W. F. B. saith he owns the Book viz. in Truth Defending 1659. 1. From Tho. Smith's calling it G. Whitehead's Book 2. From the words Our Book Part 1. p. 31 32. Answ. How far I then own'd it I have signified 1. As having writ some part of it 2. But not then espousing the very words chiefly objected by F. B. and disown'd by me as before but my own Construction then given partly in these words viz. And he that Dreams and tells Lyes contrary to the Scriptures of Truth which we own he with his Imaginations and Dreams is for the Lake Rev. 21. 8. Yet what the Scripture saith of the Godhead the Father the Word and the Spirit which are one 1 John 5. 7. we own Truth Defend p. 1 2. Tho' I confess I there questioned the Notion of Three Distinct or Divided Persons as not Scripture but an Imagination And in our Disputes at Cambridge in the same Year 1659. My Opponents then Arguing They i. e. the Father Son and Holy Ghost are Three Hees therefore Three Persons and that because Christ was under the Water when baptised and the Holy Ghost then descended upon him like a Dove therefore Three Distinct or Separate Persons I then thought such Arguing as much beside true Scripture-Divinity as good Logick However I cannot call to Mind That at those Disputes I had with Tho. Smith the Library-keeper c. in Cambridge 1659. I either did own or defend that very Passage now objected against us out of Ishmael which I have disown'd and disclaim'd as before If I were now Conscious thereof I should be sorry for it To conclude this Point about the Trinity I refer the Reader 1. To a Catechism in the Words and Phrases of Scripture with this Imprimatur Guil. Sill. R. P. D. Henr. Episc. Lond. â Sacris Domesticis printed 1693. wherein are these Questions and Answers viz. Q Is there any more than One God A. There is none other God but one 1 Cor. 8. 4. Q. What is said of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost A. It is said That these Three are One 1 John 5. 7. Note Here they confine themselves to Scripture-Language 2. 'T is worthy of Observation what Dr. Burnet now Bishop of Sarum in the Life of John Earl of Rochester p. 104. speaking of the Trinity saith Which for want of Terms fit to express them by we call Persons and are called in Scripture the Father Son and Holy Ghost Besides the false Printing and bad English in the said Ishmael as F. B. has expos'd it there 's another Defect after the words The Lake is thy Portion which is the Portion of Lyars the words except thou speedily Repent are omitted there and in some other places The Old Impression I have not seen for many Years nor do I know where to find it tho' it seems F. B. hath industriously sought it out and reprinted it after a fashion with his perverse Annotations in the Margent to reproach Quakers withal And now let 's a little observe F. B.'s Definition of Person part 1. p. 18 19. viz. From the words God Christ the Light the Word the Spirit the Truth the Kingdom of God within me and these are one F. B. infers viz. Reader here is in the Quakers Essence Septem Personas Also from the words Stumble not at the Light for if thou dost thou stumblest at God at