Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	speak_v	word_n	18,876	5	4.5025	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51569	Tyranny and hypocrisy detected or, a further discovery of the tyrannical government, popish-principles, and vile practices of the now-leading Quakers. Being a defence of the letter, intituled, The spirit of the hat, against the deceitful, defective and railing Answer, called The spirit of Alexander, &c. With a challenge, to refer the judgment of matters of fact to the verdict of twelve impartial judges, equally chosen. Also, many of their letters, papers, and transactions among themselves are made publick; wherein they contradict one another, and attribute titles to George Fox, that are proper only to Christ.	Mucklow, William, 1631-1713.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Mucklow, William, 1631-1713. Bemoaning letter.	1673 (1673)	Wing M3036; ESTC R201177	45,022	73

therefore we may well conclude it for truth and that they had nothing to say in excuse of it for it i● a most considerable charge against the Man of thei● adoration whom they can scarce mention without a● Epithet of praise as of innocent good holy uprigh● Man of God Prophet indeed and the like Tha● saying of S. Eccles cited by our Author wherein that which is spoken of Jesus or the True Light Job 1.10 is applyed to G. F. who is also said to b● that true Prophet whom John said he was not wh● is no other but Christ This Blasphemous Testimony was complained of by some of the Quakers themselves but they could not prevaile that it might b● recall'd for G. Fox had approv'd it both before and after it was printed but they got S. Eccles to writ● an explication of it which made the matter so muc● the worse that it was thought good to suppress tha● And notwithstanding these complaints from several hands yet I never could hear that G. Fox reprov'd him for it but he made him one of his select Disciples to accompany him in his travels for the propagation of his Gospel in America Where as is related in the Account of his proceedings read in the Quakers Meetting here at London he sent for at one time an Emperour and two Kings to come and hear him and they gave their attendance to the great Prophet G. Fox at whose name as was writ formerly by one of their Ministers even the Heathen tremble The said S. Eccles at a publick Meeting celebrated him in these words Blessed be the man that came out of the North Blessed be the womb that bare him and the paps that gave him suck And Josiah Coal an eminent Foxonian Minister writes thus to G. Fox from Barbado's 21 day 12 month 1658. Dear G. Fox who art the Father of many nations whose life hath reach'd through us thy children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting of many again unto a lively hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose being and habitation is in the power of the Highest in which thou rules and governes in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is establish'd in peace and the increase thereof is without end This great Prophet I say is charg'd by our Author with opening Letters and altering the Contents that he took a Letter of John Whiteheads a most emiment Minister among the Quakers which was writ by him as he said in the name of the Lord and blotted out a line or more and wrote or caused to be writ to a quite contrary sense to wit That he did judge those that kept the Hat on and not those that kept it off or words to this effect whereas John Whitehead did therein justify both those that kept it off or on c. This Letter was as I am informed sent into Holland to the Quakers there which comming to the hands of Benj. Furly he discovered the forgery and it was sent back again and being complained of at a private Meeting by John Osgood William Penington and John Pennyman c. and John Bolton putting on 't to John Whitehead whether he did not give G. Fox liberty to alter it said No not any liberty to alter a substance which he said that was and at another time said he was abused therein c. Let the world see by this Instance from what Spirit it is these men speak and write in the name of the Lord when they can so flatly contradict one another more of this afterwards Let the world see also the Quakers way of answering Books when they can slip over such a charge as this against their chief Prophet which containes in it that which for the nature and kind of it is one of the greatest crimes that mortals can be guilty of 'T is the same with that of Ananias and Sapphira his wife Act. 5. which the Apostle Peter animadverted upon them by a miraculous infliction of Death for as he and his wife consented to bely the Holy Ghost as Erasmus allows and other learned men sense it to wit by pretending an inspiration and motion from the Spirit of God for the doing of that which they had no inspiration for and knew they had none So also G. Fox doth in this Letter make John Whitehead with the Holy Spirit to write that in the name of the Lord which G. F. knew that neither he nor the Spirit did write any such thing but the contrary Thus he doth at once belie both John Whitehead and the Holy Spirit of God and that knowingly For I do not doubt but the Quakers do frequently write and speak that in the name of the Lord and as from his infallible Spirit which is false but they perswade themselves it is true but here we have G. F. writing that for the words of the Lord and the judgment of the infallible Spirit in John Whitehead which he himself knew to be false O Prodigious Impudence He that counterfeits any mans name in a matter of any concernment deserves to be exposed on a Pillory and to lose his ears how much greater punishment doth he deserve that counterfeits both the name of God and man in a matter of religious concern Neither may they hereafter pretend in their excuse for this omission that G. Fox the man chiefly concern'd was absent for both John Bolton and Samuel Newton two Zealots against the Hat-men were both present at the said private Meeting and stood in the justification of the alteration and others that are here present know very well the circumstances of this business and it 's like some of them as well as G. Whitehead were privy to the aforesaid forgery as Sapphira was to that of her husband Ananias This is the course that G. F. took to make his injunctions be observed as well in Holland as in England 13. The next instance shal be that of M. Bowman and Eliz. Baily mentioned p. 33. Now you must know that G. F. and his Peers have under pretence of good and comly Order at length injoyned all Quakers that will marry that they first come before the Meeting and refer the matter to them and acquiesce in their determination who will be sure not to pass it if the party desiring Marriage one or t'other differ from them in the least Ceremony as appears in that of J. Osgood that of W. Mucklow and in that of Oliver Holms and * An honest plain Couple came before the Mens Meeting desired to be married Their Integrity was fully attested yet because the Man could not say after Prayer and Fasting for resolution in the Question that he thought it an evil to go and be married with the Priests according to the Law they would not pass it Others they have refused for carrying great Guns in their Ships and yet John Thompson a Quaker Master of a Ship owned by G. R. S. N. and other Quakers not only carried Guns but

wanted not Will but Power to punish Yea it 's so manifest to those that have used their Meetings that W. P. in appealing to God's holy Witness in all Consciences for their vindication discovers himself a man greatly to be lamented as either blind or impudent Let Francis Chadwel tell of the usage he has found amongst them Have they not added pushing pinching kicking and hard-treading upon feet and toes to those other violences But W. P. answers that they never refused Conscientious Inquirers and would be informed if ever they so used any conscientious Inquirer or opposer Let us name who we will I dare warrant he 'll never allow any of them to have been conscientious I have seen some Papers of one William King a Quaker and who upon that account has exposed himself to imprisonment for speaking in the Quakers Meetings But he complains of the same usage from the Quakers as from their persecutors that he has been hal'd down out of their Gallery in Grace-church-street with such violence that he has scarce felt the stairs that he has often felt their cruel hands that G. Whitehead being in a great rage and fury at Jer. Clerk's house gave him a sore pinch in the arm that they would not suffer him to be a prisoner tho for the same cause among them but procur'd that he should be keept in the common-prison with a great deal to the same purpose Now because he doth in some things disagree with their judgment they deal with him in this manner Nay moreover he saith G. Whitehead and others came to Henry Pawson and his wife with whom he lodged and charg'd them not to entertain him thereby indeavouring what they could to force him out of the Land Now perhaps they will say W. King is a mad man if he be they ought to show more compassion towards him and not to deal with him in that cruel manner they do but for my part I see nothing in his Papers which doth not become a Quaker and is not sutable to their Principles There are several other Instances of their using Violence in their Meetings which may be urg'd as occasion shal serve And their Paper against John Pennyman when he was in Prison may show what spirit they are of Nay they would not spare that grave ancient Gentlewoman Anne Mudd who being moved to speak a few words among them before their Speakers began Thomas Matthews who guarded the stairs pulled her away by violence These are the People that in former dayes have vex'd and disquieted all sorts of Religious Assemblies with their Messages as they said from the Lord and have clamour'd against those as Persecuters that could not otherwise obtain their peace than by thrusting or carrying them out and yet themselves do the same and worse not only to those of a contrary mind and Judgment but also to those of the same Mind and Principle even when they profess as themselves to be moved thereto of the Lord. The Jews at Venice permitted the Quakers to speak in their Synagogues but that the Quakers will not allow others They have professedly denied to permitt any of their Religion to marry a Christian or one of the world how honest and pious soever if not in their way Witness Oliver Holmes W. Mucklow and many others And W. Pen owns it as a peice of not only just but necessary punishment to be inflicted upon him that is not a Quaker or him that is so in all things but the Ceremony of the Hat in Prayer that if he could not get a wife save among the Quakers he should never have one See his p. 10. where he calls such an one's dissent Imaginations and Whimseys As for their denying such an one a burial though they would deny it him alwayes as one of them but especially their now usurping his property in a burial-place is he sayth a down-right forgery Kindness They would not suffer such an one to stinck above ground but he should be buryed not among the Catholicks but as Hereticks in Spain or Italy But it is so notorious and common with them as they that have been among them report to deprive such disowned persons of their property in the burying-place that I wonder with what face they can deny it or what evasion they can have for it Did they not Tho. Fisher and did not J. Bolton deny it to W. Musklow c. Did they not make void from the Hat-men as they called them the Notes they had for the use of the Burying-place presently after the Papers of Orders by the 11 Elders and did not these men's money pay for it 11. As for John Osgood's Cabbalistick Harangue which is pretended to be for the clearing of God's Truth and People in the matter of his concern it 's so far from that that it confirms what is said by our Author against the Quakers but shews that John Osgood is now by joyning with them and becoming a Preacher among them become another man so that instead of complaining against as formerly he seeks to cover the iniquities of his Brethren For whilst he doth in general terms deny all he doth in particular deny nothing at all Read p. 30 31 32. of the Spirit of the Hat and he either sayes nothing to those things that are there related or confesseth to that which he would seem to deny He says p. 21. the opposition he had related not to his Marriage as a Marriage or to hinder his proceed therein but that the Meeting could not pass it as their approvement he being not in unity with the Meeting as to that matter aforesaid viz. of giving testimony against the Spirit of the Hat which he did already in his practice disapprove And what doth our Author say more and how could this acute man say the Meeting would not hinder his Proceed in his Marriage when they would not approve of his Marrying without which Approvement he could not legally proceed But the Mother of his Bride Rebekah Trevers being a great Mother and Governess among them cryes out then in her own and Daughters concern that their cruelty was worse than that of the Bishops and so by her Authority and J. Osgoods Interest they proceed to Marriage without Licence which was so offensive to John Bolton that he publickly disowned Tho. Salthouse one of their Ministers for being a Witness to it and for his Moderation 12. Let us now proceed to other Instances mentioned in the Spirit of the Hat whereby it will evidently appear that the great zeal labours and sufferrings of the leading Quakers tend chiefly to their owne ambition and to the obtaining of a Lordly power domination over the Persons and Conscience● of their Proselytes and that they use most wicked wayes and means for accomplishing these ends And that which first offers it self in this service is that instance of G. Fox menioned p. 28. which the Quakers in their Spirit of Alexander c. say nothing to and

the leading men contradict one another notwithstanding they profess the infallible Light to be their guide then he that has the strongest interest among the Elders shall judg the other party and if he or they do not submit themselves to this judgment he shall be condemned in the name of the Lord and deprived of all both Ecclesiastick and civil priviledges which they can by any means hinder him of And besides if he make any publick complaint and do not conform to their wills they will then load him with all possible reproaches and rather than fail they 'll say he is broken in his brain or distracted as they did of John Pennyman so if he be a man who in respect of his Trade or Calling doth depend upon them or those they have intrest in he and his family shall be pitilessly ruined This is the substance of what this Author has set forth and which W. P. defends 5. Now who this Author is I know not and I do not perceive him concerning himself to make any reply to the Quakers railings perhaps he thinks as the truth is that his vindication is so evident to every one that will but impartially read his Letter that there 's no need of more For who can otherwise than presume this man capable of giving a just and true account of the Quakers chief principle upon which himself was owned and receiv'd by them and continued with them some years And 2. who can read and not clearly perceive that the practice he found among them doth absolutely subvert that principle For if every man must upon pain of sin walk according to the Light in his own particular then he cannot without sin walk according to the Light in G. Fox See Cont. Dial. p. 63 64 65. or other Men when that is contrary or diverse from his own 6. As for my self and other Christians this Letter serves us most effectually to prove 1. That these Quakers their crying up the Light within or the infallible rule and guidance of the Holy Spirit in every particular Conscience as the supream Judge is but a shooing-horn to draw people in and that when they are brought over to them by that means then they must be ruled and guided by the judgment of G. Fox and the ruling Elders So 't is manifest They preach that in their Doctrine which they contradict in their practice 2. That some Quakers and it 's more than probable that the most of them believe and practise by tradition and imitation of their Leaders perswading themselves in the mean time that they are taught by an infallible Light in themselves so to do 3. That the Body of the Quakers consists of such a sor● of implicite Beleivers for when this man and his Companions gave themselves so much liberty as to examine things to find a particular conviction they could find no such thing and its easy to perceive by his reasoning that he is more able to examine things than one of a thousand of them So that 4. Quakerisme properly is not built upon that Principle rightly understood viz. Every man ought to believe and practise according to the Light in himself for in that respect we and all honest men are Quakers but upon a false and mistaken notion and sense of it viz. That what the leading men teach for the Light in every man is indeed so 5. This instance gives a full answer to that common evasion of the Quakers when we plead that we also walk according to the Light of God in us they presently reply that we are of the world and in the customs and reasonings of it but if we would come out of the world and be obedient as they are we should experience the Truth as they do Well! we have here an experienced man and he 's not alone that has given obedience as they to the Light in himself which because it contradicts the will of G. Fox and the Ruling-Elders he is disowned by them Now then 't is evident they would not have us to follow the Light in our selves but the Light in Geo. Fox c. and that the Assurance and Infallibility from Experience they talk of is meerly a strong Confidence in G. Fox and his Companions 7. But to come to the particulars of the Cause We are bespatter'd saith W. Pen p. 4 5. because we abhor renounce and rebuke with severity that rude Imagination of the * G. F. did not so in the Book entituled True honour amongst the Jews p. 7. And is not this Cap-honour from below and worshiping the Beast and Dragon And p. 9. For the bowing the Hat is a will-worship Hat on in publick Prayer which did we use we should but be esteemed by you Professors the worse Answ Very likely Sir But do you order your selves in the Worship of God by the reason of gaining our esteem Why do you not answer your Friend's Argument drawn from your own Principles You acknowledge a Respect and Reverence due unto Magistrates but you deny them that of the Hat why Because it 's low and perishing and may be trampled on there 's no solidity in it The Hat-honour Hat-worship Hat-humility is an honour below but men that be in the Law of God they mind not the Hat G. F. And will you give that as a reverence to God which you say is too low for men Doth G. Fox say in Print to them that keep on their Hat at your Prayers You give no more reverence unto God than unto a Horse and yet keep it on before Princes and Governours to whom he allows at least more reverence than to a Horse But whence is the obligation of putting off the Hat at Prayer The Quakers do not pretend the Authority of the Scripture 1 Cor. 11.4 Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered dishonoureth his head And John Perrot has long ago urged that against them For if it be unlawful to cover the head in Prayer 't is so also in Prophesying or Declaring which notwithstanding they practise if the one be lawful the other cannot be unlawful And why saith our Author should it be lawful to have the head covered when a Minister returns high praises to the Lord and matter of Excommunication to do the same in time of his Prayer p. 33. We say There 's no Divine Command for it it becomes an outward token of reverence to God from the custom of the Country that useth it for such toward men Therefore in the Eastern Countries where they use it not for a reverence to men neither do they use it toward God but have their heads covered at publick Prayer G. F. p. 10. The Jews did not put off their Hats when they went into the Synagogues or Temples c. P. 11. The Priest was not to uncover his head in the Sanctuary Lev. 21.10 which is contrary to the Priests now in the Temples P. 4. And the Turks count it an odious or hateful practice

to put off the Hat yet they are to honour How come then the Quakers who abhor the Customs of the World to retain this in the Worship of God Did G. F. in this matter forget himself or had he a special Revelation for it A special Revelation without doubt if it be true that he doth nothing without one Well! that 's enough to justifie him in so doing But how comes he to require other men to practise it when they are not convinced of it O saith Pen I utterly renounce that in our Friend's name as an infamous slander But saith he we will be well satisfied with any Members dispractice of an orderly performance once cheerfully owned p. 10. Is not this a deep-studyed Man think ye that could find out such a learned distinction Nay but probably he will pretend he writes by Revelation So then they do not require Men to practise what they are not convinced of but they require men not to dispractise what they are not convinced of I had always thought that two Negatives in English make an Affirmitive and so that not to dispractise is the same as to practise Let the learned world vail to W. Pen But he means that they require men not to leave off to practise what they have practised what though they practised without consideration or conviction Yes That is saith Pen most reasonable and orderly P. 10. If once you become a Quaker and do as they do let the inducement be the Opinion you have of G. Fox or what it will if ever you dissent from them in the least Ceremony you are an Apostate and shall be dealt with accordingly as it seems our Author was 8. But how will W. Pen's learned distinction serve the case of the Maid who being required of John Bolton by vertue of an Order from G. F. to few up the slit in her Waistcoat-skirt behind answered that she saw no evil in it and James Claypole thought it sutable to their principle that she should first see the evil of it in her self before she judged it and not saith he because we say it But the poor man as saith our Author p. 29. was fain to acknowledge his error in it though in private he confest it to G. Welch of which 't is believed John Osgood is not ignorant to be no error But I know not how it comes to pass but J. Claypole is as subtile in distinguishing here as W. Pen himself The intent of my words saith he was that every one should be left to God's Witness in their Consciences to condemn what that condemns and to justifie what that justifies and not to condemn or justifie barely upon the motion or judgment of others This he asserts and the Slander he denies is this That the Tyranny of their Elders is such as to impose upon the weak and simple that which they cannot believe And the misapprehension upon which he was called to judgment was as if saith he my words had extended so far as that nothing was to be accounted an evil unless the guilty party saw it to be so The Question is touching a thing not in its own nature evil the meaning must be this That the slit in the maid's waistcoat must be accounted an evil because G. Fox had judg'd it to be so and the made must few it up as many others had done upon the said Order though she her self saw no evil in it What now doth this come short of requiring to practise before conviction or imposing upon the weak what they cannot believe except they be resolved to believe as the Church believs Are these men fit to be talked to that dare affront the world with such deceiful defences as these are Is this your glorious liberty ye members of the Quakers Body That if ye submit not to the Law of G.F. or the ruling-Elders ye shall be accounted Belialites and in the Spirit of Ranterism ranting Spirits and to be dealt with accordingly The best words utter'd from Christ in the dayes of his flesh saith G. Keith and yet recorded in Scripture cannot reveal the Father but it seems the words of G. F. or the Elders can reveal the Fathers will even in things positive and so are of greater efficacy and authority than Christ's He that can say any thing can reconcile these things with what W. P. sayth in his caveat against Popery p. 8. who speaking against the determinations of general Councills as requisite to be indispensibly obey'd inferr's that so the morall or doctrinall good or evil of an Act or principle in and from a mans owne judgment shall not be obliging but he must be bound against his owne sense reason and faith 9. Now I think the liberty or rather slavery the Quakers are in one to another is manifest Let us next see what liberty they allow to the world that is to Christians who are not of their Body particularly to Presbyterians Independents Baptists to them G. F. will not allow liberty because they are not in the Power or Truth But W. P. never wants a Salvo for George let him say what he will He meant it saith he not of outward but of inwardly Liberty And yet W. P. knew it was spoken to one at a meeting at Devonshire-house who pleaded for Liberty of Conscience about his Hat which is an outward exercise But why we should imagin they would give Liberty whose both Principles and and Practices are against it I know not of both which we have in these sheets a fair account For 1. They pretend to an infallible Judgment in all matters of Religion whereby the possibility of being in Truth to Persons differing from them is quite taken away 2. They account him a Ranting Spirit who shall not account that evil even in matters of Ceremony which they account evil after due admonition c. And is it consistent with any Government in the World to tolerate Ranters 3. They do frequently impute to men those crimes as manifest that are justly punishable by the Magistrate such as are Malicious Acts Slanders Injurious Lying Designs to Mischief Injustice a Murdering Mind Sacriledge Villany c. So that if W. Pen's reasoning against the Baptists in his Epistle before Plain Dealing c. be valid then the Quakers will certainly persecute for thus he saith But this notably shews their spirit who thus adventure to persecute viz. by revilings without power Let who will believe they would not do it if they had power for my own part saith he I declare my self none of that number Now I appeal to the sober judgment of all men that are conversant in reading Books whether they ever met with any writings so full of reviling and il-bread language upon such slight grounds as those of the Quakers 4. It 's so notoriously true what this Author saith that he hath seen pulling down haling out and thrusting forth of their Meetings and that they went as far as their Power and consequently

asked him concerning it Thus we see that G. Whitehead could pretend a motion from the Lord not only to condemn with detestation what his Friend was mov'd to but also to send one to get away that which was become another mans propriety and that upon a false suggestion Moreover G. W. said he would not return it except the Lord requir'd him What strange Doctrine is this replied J. P. that thou wilt not return me that which was stolen from me except the Lord require thee XVI Moreover let those that have been careful to compare the judgment of the Ruling Elders with the Truth in those things that might by future events be discerned tel us whether particular persons or the Juncto has been more deceived God in his Providence did as has been commonly related for ends best known to himself raise up among the Quakers a man by name Thomas Ebbit who came out of Huntington-shire to London in great haste to Prophesie the burning of the City and arrived here a day or two before that dreadful Fire began This Man as I am informed the Elders who so highly pretend to the discerning of Spirits took unto them and examin'd him concerning it and instead of approving his Prophesie they did almost perswade the Man that it was a Delusion and so in a matter that so highly concerned them as well as others I never could hear that any of them gave credit to him but were as far from discerning Truth in that Word which came to pass as any of their Neighbors and suffered equally with them in that general Calamity And so this Prophet who if they had given heed to him might have been a great glory to their party is the shame and reproach of them all to whom his Tidings came but especially to the Judging Elders Supposing now G. F. and his adherents to be the old Prophets as they would be estemed we see by this instance they can contradict the Word of the Lord in the younger Prophets as did the old Prophet 1 Kings 13. But me-thinks the sad fate of that young Prophet for giving heed to the old one should sufficiently caution the young Quakers against believing the old ones contrary to the Light in their own particulars XVII Having now seen G. Fox's forgery in the Name of the Lord and the Elders contradicting the Elders in the same Meeting in the Name of the Lord and the whole Body of Quakers divided in the Name of the Lord between the Foxonians and the Hat-men and G. Bishop by the same Spirit opposing the Eleven Ministers Let us now take a view of Jo. Swinton opposing himself in the Name of the Lord. And whereas he saith p. 22. in extenuation of his fault in writing that Paper which he is charged with in the Spirit of the Hat p. 34. that soon after he was convinc't to be a Quaker he was shut up in a close prison and continued a prisoner for divers years and being at a distance and much alone was betrayed to the writing of that Paper mentioned and when he came to see what he had done by it he came forth in absolute judgment against that Paper and the Spirit in which it was writ and this judgment was not in an hour of Temptation c. So he acknowledges the Truth of what our Author has told concerning him but he deny's the inference namely that his Recantation was rather in an hour of Temptation If it be true as true it is that this recanted Paper was wrote in Newgate 1664 then we may justly complain that this man who has sometimes born a great place and title comes far short of that ingenuity that might be expected from him for Newgate was far enough from being a close prison there being very many of the Quakers prisoners with him at the same time also I find him come to that proficiency in Quakerism in the year 1660 that he undertakes to write a Paper directed To all the Friends to Truth in the Nations and he begins thus Dear Friends I am commanded of the Lord God c and in the process I speak what in the Infallible I see and know This they say was written from the Gatehouse-Prison here he tels them the enemy hath entred and I say in the dread Authority and Power of the Living God hath leavened many and the Seed hath been and is burthened in many particulars and in one another The world hath entred Self hath entred the high mind hath entred c. In the year 1664 I find another Paper of his written at Franly in Cheshire the 27th of the 6th month And the Recanted Paper called a * Therein he writes thus For Friends in the Name and Authority of the Living and Eternal God I have seen the Anger and Fury the Indignation of the Almighty God ready to break forth into a mighty flame yea and the Leaders many of them not standing clear herein speaking of outward things Is this all Nay nay Israel's wound lies deeper is more Spiritual and inward and therefore the more incurable Pride Conceitedness High-mindedness love of Dominion Selfishness an Exalted spirit an Itching mind to declare words in and above the Seed of the Kingdom hath deeply entred Israel yea the Leaders the Leaders c. Lamentation c. bears date the third of the ninth Month which was about ten weeks after Let the Reader judg whether his being a close Prisoner and much alone and at distance be a righteous excuse it 's observable that in this time of Temptation as he now calls it he wrote that which is as likely to have been prophetical as any thing he ever wrote for in the beginning of the great Sickness which we know was followed by the Fire he saith thus O London London thy Tryals are but beginning These are but the beginnings of the evils that are to overtake thee Desolation Desolation shall enter into thy Bowels yea even into thy very bowels 29th of the month called July 1665. Afterward in the year 1668. I find a Paper of his dated 26th of the 6th month directed to the Mens Meeting wherein he tells of his coming to London the Winter foregoing and of the constructions put upon his 64th Paper which saith he was writ in the express motion of God and in his manifest leadings out of and beyond all thoughts and reasonings c. and that upon every recourse to God the searcher of his heart in that matter he had always renewed justification and acceptation Then he gives an account of what passed between him and them at a Meeting with the Elders how they judged his Paper in the Name of the Lord and would have him to aquiesce in their judgment that being in his own hired House it rose in him to visit Friends in London again that the Lord was with him as he passed in Northumberland Bishoprick Yorkshire Lincolnshire Norfolk Suffolk Essex And he concludes thus which Paper I am again

write tho' perhaps they may be owned by other Persons or Meetings in the Country For I suppose that John Bolton his keeping on his Hat when Tho. Salthouse pray'd in the Meeting after he had committed the offence of being a Witness at John Osgood's Wedding was such a disowning him that J. Bolton would in presence of God have deny'd him to be of their Ministry and yet at the same time he was owned by the multitude 4. I doubt they exclude also those that have sinned and have been judged by G. F. or some few and have own'd their condemnation and so have been pardon'd For I hear there is one W. C. in New-England who was long ago accused here in London but either denyed the charge or through favour or otherwise avoided sentence but now G. Fox writes from New-England that W. C. ownes condemnation 5. If any error has been found in the evidence as in the case of Tho. Mur. who under pretence of Physick or Chirurgery made it his common practice to commit Uncleanness and was employed by G. Fox to judg Persons and Meetings c. See Spirit of Hat p. 31. Here the mistake of the Mistress for the Maid though the man was guilty got him rather justification and the reporters condemnation as abovesaid Now I suppose that in such a case as this such a Minister will be deny'd by them to be guilty till further evidence appear and when such evidence that cannot be evaded doth appear then he shall perhaps be judged and disown'd privately and so not of their Ministry 6. The scandalous familiarity of the Prophets and Prophetesses or Mistresses before marriage must go for nothing that is must have no force to prove matter of viciousness in their Ministry Now this is the case of a great Man among them and his Lady concerning whom M. Y. informs that M. Bt. said she was grieved and burthen'd at her heart by reason that M. B. her Brother had reprov'd some secresies between those two fearing lest they should become publick to the World to dishonour Truth These things considered how wary are these men in their challenge and how do they prevaricate with God and men in their appeal Allow us the equity you desire let the Quakers Informations by word or writing be taken as proof upon Oath and let the solemn Testimony of others have the force of solid Evidence let those that have declared and prayed amongst you with tokens of Approbation be accounted to have been or to be of your Ministry and then let us go to tryal In the mean time let me tell you we have seen and could make publick the information of M. Y. wherein many of your Friends and four or five of your Ministry were concern'd and whereby their names would be sufficiently exposed but it is so full of obscenity and abominable prophaneness that love to the profession of Religion and charity to the World and Personal modesty forbid its Publication And we have seen in Andrew Robeson's Answer to Jasper Bat and John Graves Letter to John Swinton these words What was it in that Paper chiefly hath given you offence was it the intimation that many of the Leaders of Israel are so inclin'd and had a tend ncy to draw back into the flesh-potts of Egypt again which you call lyes and slanders if such things be lyes what meanes these frequent and abominable Whoredoms that some are run into c. and in the close he writes particularly to J. Gr. saying How contrary is this thy work to the private discourses betwixt thee and me even now in London not a week before this were not thy very words ALL OUR MINISTERS ARE WRONG c. 18th of the 5th Month 1668. And notwithstanding John Bolton's seeming denyal c. yet he hath since acknowledged that he had by him the confession of the two women chiefly concern'd in the said information whereof our Author has made mention p. 43. We could name several of your body notwithstanding your impudent denyal of it some that have had Meetings frequently at their houses and others great sufferers for your cause that have been detected of whoredom or uncleanness T. Rawl for a long time G. Fox's companion was at length detected of great wantonness toward the Maids We may observe here that W. P. saith an hearing against any of them shall never be refus'd and that our Author doth wickedly distinguish when he saith p. 29. If any of the Ministers commit a fault their Peers or Equals are only to be their Judges and not the Laity And yet that is so far true that those words or to that effect were spoken by famous S. Eccles upon occasion of W. Mucklow's offering to be at the Hearing of John Whitehead upon an information of wantonness committed by him concerning which W. M. could say something but was rejected for the reason aforesaid And John Harwood formerly one of their Ministers and whilst such found guilty of notorious uncleanness falling our with G. Fox accus'd him of divers matters but could not obtain a Hearing and thereupon publish'd his charge in print And when W. M. accus'd G. Fox to be a respecter of Persons in judgment tho' divers confess'd the charge was true yet none had the courage at the Meeting to take his part but woes and curses were pronounc'd against him by the Grandees for accusing an Elder So when at an extraordinary Meeting after the great plague E. Barns as the Ministers were exalting themselves cry'd out while R. Farnsworth was preaching You have whored from the Lord. Farnsworth reply'd Thou art a whore or the whore whereupon M. Stanclift said softly An unsavory word Th● next second-day Meeting M. St. being greived i● Spirit complain'd of the carriage of the said Meeting where he expected humiliation rather than exaltation but they in stead of hearkening to him having notice of that word unsavoury judged him and ●ast him out for that as they said in their Letter of Excommunication subscribed by A. Stodart T. Covency J. Elson G. Laytee he had called the Spirit of Truth an unsavoury Spirit Thus was this man of known honesty cast out for appearing against the Ministry But if you would have your Ministry fully vindicated as to this matter provoke Mr. Hicks to give you the particulars of that general sugestion of your viciousness mentioned in the end of his Continuation c. and then clear your selves of it if you can XX. Thus I have considered the Testimony which they severally give of their own Innocency and the Innocency of their Body which I know not what People in the world would have had the face to call them by that title except the Foxonians Now because I have in these Papers sometimes used that denomination to those people and also called G. Fox by the title of King tho the reason of these titles is evident enough to him that takes notice of J. Coals Letter yet lest to the unwary Reader I may

convincement at first but then immediately and on the contrary derides John Pennyman and Mary his Wife for her Farrendine Gown and Sattin Bodice Thus he lays about him like a mad-man The Author has vext him and he wrecks his fury upon M. Pennyman We may see what a kind of Gentleman he is a true Knight would have spared a Woman that gave him no offence and not have stript her to her Bodice and exposed her in the open streets with her Name and Crime in her forehead but all this is sutable to a Peer of G. Fox's Kingdom XXII But as for J. Pennyman he is one who for many years has had his Soul vext by seeing and hearing the things complained of by our Author and such like insomuch that he has often bore Testimony against them and therefore they conclude him of the same spirit with the Author which was sufficient to entitle him to all the reproach they could cast upon him which dealing of theirs with their shameful covering or denying the matters objected and bold challenge to make them good fell out to the advantage of our Authors Letter for thereupon May 30 1673 J. Pennyman went to the Quakers Meeting in Grace-Church-street and there openly declares that though he was wholly ignorant of either the writing or printing of the Spirit of the Hat yet knowing many of the matters therein inserted to be true he was willing to give John Osgood who knew them as well as himself and others a private meeting to manifest the same and also many other matters of as high concern and of as great wickedness which saith he for about these thirteen years my self with several others in those dayes bore a faithful Testimony against The next day W. Pen J. Osgood J. Claypool and W. Brend came to his house and demanded of him to give them a particular charge * They would not grant John Whitehouse a coppy of his charge which John Boulton and others had drawn up against him which he soon drew up and sent to W. Pen containing twenty four particulars many of which are intimated in these Papers The 23d against George Fox discovers his hypocrisie and dawbing which we publish not as W. P. doth any base Insinuation that may make his adversary obnoxious to the Government To which W. Pen according to his wonted modesty replyes that they wondred to see so empty an Account after so great a charge publickly exhibited that they had agreed among themselves that before they proceeded to a meeting be should let them know if this were all be intended to insist upon and if the issue of that Tryal should be the decision of the controversy between them they would not have their charge piece-meal with more to that purpose To which J. P. returns that he had done enough at present Thus these great Champions evade the answering of this fair Challenge And now though our Author's name doth not appear yet we have that which gives more vallidity to his Work the publick attestation of a credible person personally given For names to Books have been not seldom forged and who knows whether W. Pen will publickly attest to all those Pamphlets and things in them that are printed with his name If he will then let him hear what a judicious Country-Gentleman writes to his Friend upon the reading of The Spirit of Alexander and the Winding-sheet W. P's words of J. P. are more scornful than can be seem any pretender to sobriety His stomack is neither nice nor squeamish He can I see talk at the rate of a Coffee-house Pamphleteer and account it a piece of high self-denial to set his name to his jerking answers This man is more mild than that learned and conscientious man who upon the reading of his Winding-sheet gives him in his Letter the title of Buffoon and much more of that import which I do not remember VV. P. His treating of J. P. and his Wife in this manner puts me in mind of his calling it a horrid lye that they with the Papists prefer a loose person before a Non-conformist p. 15. for what are J. P. and his Wife our Author and the other ingenious Quakers whom they call Hat-men any other but Nonconformists whom yet he treats as Apostates the worst of men so that his answer to that charge which he calls a horrid lie proves it a clear truth if there were nothing else as there wants not enough to bear evidence XXIII Now for conclusion to this very unpleasent work which the benefit I hope many will reap from it has put me upon I shall further alledg several testimonyes both out of G. Fox VV. Pen himself and divers other of their approved men against the honour and reverence of the Hat which now they impose upon peril of all sacred and civil privileges that are in their power to deprive their people of King G. Fox True Honour among the Jews P. 8. The Honour and Worship with the Hat and that humility so called is voluntary and voluntary humility and not of command by Christ and his Apostles c. P. 11. For the Hat is an earthly thing and a thing below and they that trouble fine imprison about it cannot chuse but mind earthly things and mind things below and circumstances and customs and fashions of the world and feigned humility in which there is no substance which is below the Royal Seed and the nobility and dignity of a man and the honour above and the Worship of God and the true humility which goes before true honour that is above P. 13. Now is not Christians worse then these who make such a work and adoe about putting off their Hats which are for the covering their nakedness But the true Jews would not put off their Hats in the Synagogue nor in the Temple c. 1653. G. Fox and Rich. Hubberthorus Reply to the Northern Ministers in a Book called Truths Defence c. P. 22. And when you read them the Psalms Hats you keep on and when you sing them Hats you put off and here you worship the works of your own hands c. 1653. G. Fox in a Book called Several Papers c. P. 5. And when they read the Psalms they keep on their Hats and when they sing them they keep off their Hats here they worship the work of their own hands all such practices we deny About 1659 G. Fox To the Judges and Lawyers P. 10. Now the Hat-Worship that Honour that Idol is set up by transgressors but men that be in the Law of God which is over transgression they mind not the Hat P. 25 Now puting off the Hat is but a custom got up among the Christians since the Apostles in the Apostacy a vain custom set up by traditions which is a worship of Men and of the Beast and honour below and an Idol set up by Transgressors P. 27. O what a covering of darkness is got over you speaking of the then