of it and then I cannot think any thing is lacking to make the Quakers Known and Understood But if after all G. W. can with his Juggles and Paint blind the Eyes of some that are dim-sighted let them look well into his own Book i. e. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. which I herewith Reprint that so he may not say I leave out the foregoing or subsequent Words his old and usual Policy to blind his ignorant Followers and I am perswaded they may see and know Quakerism to be the most horrible Heresie that ever the World knew Indeed when the Norfolk Clergy presented their Books to the Parliament of the vile Heresies Seditions and Blasphemous Principles of the Quakers I thought it almost impossible for the Quakers to withstand the Force of the Quotations taken out of their Books but rather that they would have blushed repented and have begg'd of God and the Nation Forgiveness for the Hurt they have done to Christianity and Scandal they have brought upon the Protestant Reliligion both at home and abroad but behold G. W. like the Inchanters of old Exod. 8. with his cunning Craft whereby he lies in wait to deceive as St. Peter well describes such as if he had eaten Shame and drank after it whose Face is like Brass and his Forehead like Case-hardned Steel he ventures to defend vindicate or excuse every Error every Blasphemy every Seditious and Treasonable Principle objected against them the like of which was never broached before in England And why not For by the Method he has taken if allowed he may do it Nay this I dare undertake allowing me his Method to vindicate or excuse all the Blasphemous Heresies and Treasons that ever was wrote since the Days of William the Conqueror and thereupon it came into my Heart to Reprint one of his Books herewith viz. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. Verbatim except the Postscript to which no Hand is set to avoid his future Cavils and possibly hereafter may Reprint his Truth defending the Quakers c. and Truths Defence if I see Cause And tho' I shall not answer every Particular in his Truth and Innocency vindicated yet I shall give some brief Hints of his Method in defending the Quakers and himself from the Quotations taken out of their Books by the Norfolk Clergy which I am sure they did with great Care and Fidelity and that to my Knowledge viz. P. 6. These Words whom John said he was not we disown in that place his Intention ought to be considered P. 9. We deny the Words as there printed He that hath should be lest out P. 11. We know they intended P. 19. The Words should be transposed P. 25. They wanting due Points there wanted this Parenthesis P. 29. He means Spiritually and not Literally P. 30. He meant Earthly Persecuting Kings P. 45. His Words should run thus P. 46. It should rather have been P. 52. Here I take him to mean P. 63. Not warrantable Expressions P. 55. He means I know his Intent was not P. 59. He means not derided P. 61. Was never so intended P. 62. The Words should be transposed P. 67. It was directly intended c. I say give me but this Allowance and I dare engage to defend and excuse all the Treasonable Words Blasphemous Expressions and Heretical Principles that ever was wrote by Pen yet this is the Method that G. W. has taken to excuse all the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles quoted by the Norfolk Clergy out of the Quakers Books instead of condemning them to the Flames as he ought to have done had he had the tenth part of that Sincerity he oft pretends to Nay moreover when some of the Quotations were so apparently Seditious as that they struck at the very Constitution of our English Government viz. That a Parliament chosen by most Voices could not act for God nor the Good of his People and wrote by a Prophet too enough to raise the Mob insomuch as Whitehead did not dare to recite the said Quotation yet had he the Impudence to justifie his Brother Fox p. 33. viz. Certainly he Fox had an honest intent in what he writ on this Subject Yet nevertheless in the same Page and p. 64. his Heart so smote him that he cried out I would not says Whitehead be understood in any wise to oppose the Peoples just Rights of Elections not understood No I believe it that is tho' he owns Fox's Seditious Doctrine tho' he defends and justifies it saying Certainly he had an honest Intent in what he writ on this Subject yet he would not be understood so The English of which is this that tho' both Fox himself and the rest of their leading Gang own this Doctrine as their Ancient Testimony from which as themselves say they have not deviated in any one Point only for some Politick Reasons he would not be So Understood that is he would not be understood to be what he really is else why should he justifie that in his Brother Fox which he disowns in himself Indeed he makes an Apology for Fox that they were wrote occasionally in the Commonwealths Day what then I grant they were first wrote in 1659. but then they were Reprinted by the Quakers as one of their Ancient Testimonies Seven Years after viz. 1665. and has gone among the Friends ever since as the Word of the Lord wrote by a Prophet of the most high namely Geo. Fox Jun. But George if it was so certainly honestly writ why didst thou not recite it that others might have been Judges of it Well but since thou hast not I shall viz. A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices of the Quakers c. p. 17. Geo. Fox Jun. in his Works Reprinted 1665. p. 87 88. intitles his Epistles A few plain Words to be considered by those of the Army or others that would have a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People c. wherein is shewed unto them according to the Scriptures of Truth that a Parliament so chosen are not like to govern for God or the Good of his People Consider these things saith he which I declare unto you which in waiting upon the Lord he by his Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding opened in me concerning the chusing of Parliaments by the Voices of the People And p. 89. he says You are not like to see your Desires fulfilled by a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People Now if you believe these Scriptures John 15.19 Matth. 7.13 Rom. 9.27 Then may you see that a Parliament that is chosen by most Voices are not like to act for God and the Good of his People And p. 91. And likewise the chusing of Parliament Men according to the Custom of England which is called its Birthright stands in respect of Person and not in Equality for the Rich Covetous Oppressing Men who oppress the Poor they have the only Power to
aforesaid i. e. A Brief Discovery c. p. 6. the Quakers Painter G. Whitehead says in his Truth and Innocency c. p. 9. We says George deny the Words as there printed tho' not until near 40 Years after printed therefore the Words He that hath should be left out Now George may not the London Jews by the same Art and with as much Truth and Innocency defend their deceased Brethren the Jews in their Blasphemy against Jesus Christ in the Days of his Flesh who said John 8.48 Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil But then by G. W.'s Rule of Arguing the London Jews may now say The Words and hast a Devil should be left out they only meant that he was the compassionate Samaritan mentioned Luke 10.33 Would this do George No sure theirs was plain Blasphemy and Fox's is as plain Blasphemy who said he was equal to God as aforesaid Thus Reader have I shewed thee the Quakers way of answering Books viz. First by Transposing Words by which if allowed I have proved that James slew Herod Secondly That by their Adding Words they likewise may excuse any Blasphemy as Whitehead here doth his Brother Burroughs who said first that the Quakers Sufferings are greater than Christ's and all his Apostles and Martyrs under the Heathen Emperors and Bloody Massacres to this Day Secondly That the Sufferings of the Quakers are more unjust than all the forementioned Thirdly That what was done to Christ his Apostles and Martyrs was chiefly done by a Law Fourthly and in great part by the Due Execution of a Law But says Whitehead It should rather have been said by a Regular or Judicial Procedure and truly this is so far from clearing Edw. Burroughs and his Brethren for they are all of one Mind being lead into these Blasphemies by their Darkness within which they call Light that it rather confirms what he Blasphemously said than otherwise And no great Marvel for the Quakers in Print deny that Person which suffered upon the Cross to be properly the Son of God * See W. Penn's Serious Apol. p. 146. For a Confutation of Penn's Doctrine read John 14.28 yea the whole Chapter and the Jews being of the same Faith they said as in John 19.7 We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Thus do both Jews and Quakers agree in their Fundamentals the Quakers deny him properly to be the Son of God and the Jews put him to Death because he said he was the Son of God and both Jews and Quakers herein resist the Testimony of God himself the Glorious Angels the Holy Apostles and Army of Martyrs yea all Christian Churches to this Day and because my self and others urge that they may be examined touching these their Blasphemous Books therefore they cry out Persecution Persecution Fr. Bugg would raise the Monster of Persecution with this they make a Noise and raise a Dust but fear no such thing they only fear being examined about their Blasphemous Books and obliged by Authority to Retract them and then down goes their beloved Darling Infallibility And what remains now but to follow the Pious Example of good King †Against the Blasphemy of Senacherib King of Syria Hezekiah 2 Kin. 19.14 And Hezekiah received the Letter of the Hand of the Messengers and read it and Hezekiah went into the House of the Lord and spread it before the Lord and prayed c. And therefore that God may give a Blessing to our Labour and for his Name Sake Rebuke this Spirit of Blasphemy which have entered this our Island and if it be his Holy Will to convince the Gainsayers of his Sacred Word and Ordinances For as St. Paul Teacheth 1 Cor. 9.10 He that ploweth plows in Hope and he that thresheth in Hope shall be partaker of his Hope especially if he faint not and though to Plow and Thresh and Beat Clods be hard Work yet 't is a necessary Work to Prepare the Field For the Seedsmen who are ordained thereunto not that the Plowmen or the Sowers have wherewith to Glory for Paul may plant and Apolo water but it is God alone that giveth the increase And to him not unto us belong the Glory And tho' it has been my work to Plow and Break the Clods which is hard Labour and to thresh the Mountains that the Fields may be prepared and fitted for the Master's use yet I can say according to the discretion God has given me I have not desired to break the Bruised Reed nor to quench the Smoaking Flax by being harsh to the weak or severe to the tender but have cut down the Lofty Weeds and hewed down the Tall Ceders who stood in opposition to the way and work of God which he is bringing to pass in the Earth And therefore I shall conclude in the Prayers of our Church beseeching God of his Great Mercy to give his Blessing to my weak Endeavours And say We Sinners do beseech to thee to hear us O Lord and that it may please thee to Rule and Govern thy Holy Church Universal in the Right Way That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true Worshiping of thee in Righteousness and Holiness of Life thy Servant William our most Gracious King and Go vernuor That it may please thee to Rule his Heart in thy Faith Fear and Love and that he may evermore have Affiance in thee and ever seek thy Honour and Glory That it may please thee to be his Defender and Keeper giving him the Victory over all his Enemies That it may please thee to Illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of thy Church with true Knowledge and Understanding of thy Word and that by their Preaching and Living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility with Grace Wisdom and Understanding That it may please thee to Bless and Keep the Magistrates giving them Grace to execute Justice and to maintain Truth That it may please thee to give to all thy People Increase of Grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure Affection and to bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit That it may please thee to bring into the way of Truth all such as have Erred and are Deceived That it may please thee to Strengthen such as do stand and to Comfort and Help the weak Hearted and Raise up them that Fall and finally to beat down Satan under our Feet That it may please thee to Defend and Provide for the Fatherless Children and Widows and all that be Desolate and oppressed That it may please thee to forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and to turn their Hearts That it may please thee to give us and all Men true Repentance to forgive us all our Sins Negligences and Ignorances and to endue us with the Grace of thy
and foolish People that would have a King and what Work Joshua made with the Kings how he brought them out of the Cave a fit Place for them and all these Novices Christians that are crying up Earthly Kings And we know that these Kings are the Spiritual Egyptians got up since the Days of the Apostles Come smooth George with all thy Puritanical Sincerity why didst thou not recite this whole Quotation But it seems thou art not under a necessity to be plain-hearted What! it seems this is too plain and too manifest What! to be absolutely against all Kings and Kingly Government and thy Paint not able to cover it But George thou also say'st p. 69. Let their Books and ours be compared to clear our Innocency from these Adversaries Calumnies Ah George this is still worse what to add Hypocrisie to Treason Thou knowest George in thy Conscience if thou hast any or if it be not quite seared that at West Dereham Conference your Friends had an Opportunity were pressed to it but could not be prevailed with nay tho' there then were near Twenty of your eminent Teachers and about an Hundred of your Hearers yet not one of them could be prevail'd with either to compare your Books nay nor to own them and vindicate the Doctrine contained in them how then hast thou now the Impudence to say Let their Books and ours be compared as above Wherefore in your next be plain whether you have not deviated in any one Point from what you were in the beginning and whether you resolve to justifie your Friends Ancient Books as you say you can see the Postscript to your Ishmael annexed I will only trouble my Reader in this Place with one Citation more and it is about the Trinity and in this George is as defective and short as in the other and the reason is as plain which is to cover over their Blasphemy against the Blessed Trinity to manifest which there are several Charges out of divers Books of the Quakers in the Book intituled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies and their Bloody Treasonable Principles Destructive to Government out of which I shall mention but one to shew as well how short Whitehead is in reciting it upon his Excuse of being only defensive and thereby not under a necessity to cite the whole as above noted See Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemous Heresies c. p. 1. out of G. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 246. The Scripture do not tell the People of a Trinity nor Three Persons but the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope To this George Whitehead Replies Truth and Innocency vindicated c. p. 50. saying Their first Objection the Scripture do not tell People of a Trinity nor Three Persons c. and so dropt the other part of the Quotation out of Fox viz. But the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope These he left out as now not proper to mention since the Act of Toleration enforces the Acknowledgment of the Blessed Trinity as the Condition of their Liberty But as a Salvo p. ibid. George Whitehead urges another Book of George Fox's stiled Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers c. Printed 1671. p. 43. Of the Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and all these are one I have with some Difficulty procuted this Book in order to trace and to find out George Whitehead in all his Subterfuges and lurking Places and I find him as false in citing Fox their Apostle as in the above-noted For of the 57 Words in Fox's Paragraph he G.W. has cited but 26 Words which is not the one half but the reason is there is no more for his Turn and his Business is only to serve a Turn Jesuit-like as his Friend Anne Docwra well observes now to the Quotation of Fox which Whitehead has split viz. Some Principles of the Elect c. p. 43. Of this Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and of Water Blood and Spirit and all these are one among us as in the Primitive time among the Apostles who gave no such outward Names to them as Trinity as the World now doth c. Who then can believe this People who thus split Sentences and mangle the Sence For here is Six Persons in the Quakers Godhead Father Son Holy Ghost Water Blood Spirit all these are one among the Quakers so that here is a twofold Trinity Trinitas Trinitas in the Unity of their Essence where no one is greater or lesser than the other nor yet one before or after the other for the Water is Spirit the Blood is Spirit and both the Light within Father Son and Holy Ghost and all within and every of these Lights is their Eternal God And to this agrees George Fox Jun. in his Works p. 66. viz. By one that witnesseth God Christ the Light the Word the Spirit the Truth the Kingdom of God within me and these are one Reader Here is in the Quakers Essence Septem Personas of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than another and all within Again p. ibid. Stumble not at the Light for if thou dost thou stumblest at God at Christ at the Door the VVay the Truth the Life the Rock the Elect Stone and all these are but one Here again is one added here is Octo Personas in the Unity of their Essence of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than the other for the Stone is Light the Rock is Light the Life is Light the Truth is Light the VVay is Light the Door is Light and God is Light and all within them Only measurably as p. 72. And verily Friends if you keep not to the measure of the pure God in you so that God dwells in them by parts or measure see p. 55 83. ibid. The next thing I am to prove is their Light within to be the Eternal God this done I think I have proved that they like Thieves and Robbers have climbed up another way distinct from the Holy Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all Christian Churches to this Day in order to which see p. 46 to 50. ibid. I the Light will fall upon you and grinde you to Powder All who will not own me the Light in you and I will make you to know that I the Light am the true Eternal God which created all things and that there is not another beside me can save I matter not by what Name you are called by whether it be King Protector Prince Duke Lord Judge Justice Parliament Priest Lawyer Gathered Churches Army Gentry Mean Men or Beggars I 'll break all Sects and Opinions and Gathered Churches which
to be as indeed they are the written Word of God and a good Foundation for our Faith and a great Means to work Faith in our Hearts all which George Whitehead and his Partners opposed with great Vigor he Mr. Townsend having first proved these things he then goes on to prove a Trinity of Three distinct Persons in the Godhead according to the Faith of all sound Christians and for Proof thereof he does not only bring Scripture but many strong Reasons as well from Antiquity as of later Date To all which George Whitehead c. from the Spirit of their Lord in them as in p. 22. And here thy Antiquity and thy Reasons and the Three Persons thou dreams of which thou would divide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit c. adding by way of Corroberation respecting Mr. Townsend p. 26. thus Thou Townsend art Reserved in Everlasting Chains under Darkness for Everlasting Fire shut out from God among the Dogs and Sorcerers Having by this time not only discovered the Snake but given her a deadly Blow I shall next shew that the Quakers respecting their Principles are the same that ever they were only I am in Hopes they shall never do so much Hurt in a Hundred Years as they have done in Fifty the time of their date The Sting of Quakerism being taken out and the Bowels thereof ript up and their Inside turn'd Outward by many Infallible Proofs out of their Impious Books especially by Reprinting one of them but let us not be too secure lest the deadly Wound which she hath received should be healed and my Counsel is that as Persecution never did Good so may it not be used amongst Christians but yet a good Expedient is very proper which is to have them examined whether these things be so or no and if what has been objected against them be proved upon them let them be obliged to Retract and Condemn these their Ancient Blasphemous and Heretical Books and Pamphlets which have poysoned many Thousands of otherwise well-meaning People and as this will be easie so will it be one effectual Means to stop the Gangrene of this Pestilential Disease and this will be no Persecution POSTSCRIPT AND to shew that the Quakers are the same still notwithstanding their contrary Testimonies I shall recite some few Passages out of their Writings viz. I. In their Yearly Epistle 1696. We cannot say they but recommend unto you our dear Brethren the holding up the Holy Testimony of Truth which hath made us to be a People and that in all Parts of it * Then in Damning the Blessed Trinity for Truth is one II. The Quakers cleared c. p. 7. God is the same Truth is the same his People the same and their Principles the same III. Their Primitive Christianity c. Printed 1698. p. 6. Our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People IV. They have inserted a long Paragraph in the Post-Man Numb 568. saying The Quakers not questioning but to acquit their Ancient Friends and their Writings not being Conscious of deviating in any one Point of Doctrine from what they first held †And what they held in 1655. G. W.'s Book Ishmael gives a Sample for they are all of a Piece V. But Jesuit-like G. W. thus saith in his Count. Conv. p. 72. I may says he see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same c. FINIS A Reply to a Book Entituled A Defence of an Apology for the Quakers in Answer to a Book Entituled Quakerism Expos'd c. wrote by Fran. Bugg Or some Papers delivered to the King and Parliament PART III. I Have read and consider'd this Book of John Field's A Defence c. in Answer to the Books and Papers aforesaid but how far his Book answers his Titlte will best be understood by comparing both For in J. Feild's Book of 32 Pages in Quarto I find but 35 Lines of mine cited which is not one Page of 64 of mine in Octavo and that not pag'd and thereby difficult for his Readers to find in order to compare the Books a right Trick of a Quaker Now how this can rightly be call'd an Answer is a Paradox to me but however an Answer they must have tho' nothing almost to the purpose and then tell their poor Hearers Fr. Bugg's Book is answered Ay that it is nay and repeatedly too tho' I do not know of one single Book of mine so answered by the Quakers but that they have left untouched the greatest Part of the Charges objected against them and Six or Seven Books of mine never so much as pretended to be answer'd Oh the Polacy and Deceit of the Ringleaders of this Sect And this has occasioned me to give and take this Advice from a wise and prudent Caution in a Book Entituled The Missionaries Arts c. wrote against the Jesuits Printed 1668. p. 32. viz. To distrust every thing they say For as the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet late Bishop of Worcester in his Discourse of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome c. p. 282. very well observes that they are as like as if the Quakers and the Jesuits were Children of one Father and brought forth by one Mother even Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots and Cage of every Unclean and Hateful Bird His Words are these viz. Any who compares them i. e. Jesuits and Quakers would imagine the Life of Ignatius Loyola had been their great Exemplar I know not said the Bishop whether any of that Innocent and Religious Order or Jesuits had any Hand in forming this new Society of Quakers among us as hath been frequently suggested but if one may guess the Father by the Child's Likeness Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Jesuits was at least the Grandfather of the Quakers c. And as I do believe the recited Caution To distrust every thing they i. e. Jesuits say 't is as applicable to the Quakers and to demonstrate this let us but observe how frequent it is with them to blame their Opponents with splitting Sentences mincing mangling and curtailing whilst themselves are ten times more guilty for instance I find a Passage in my Book Quakerism Expos'd c. p. 27 28. 4thly That you Quakers value the Scriptures above any Books in the World This is false with a Witness when you in Print tell us we may as well burn the Bible as your Writings Truths Defence p. 2 104. calling the Scriptures Dust Death Serpents Meat Beastly Ware and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration And G. Whitehead tells us in his Book Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. That what is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater And many of your Books nay even that are said to be given
forth from the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and from the Mouth of the Lord how then do you value the Scriptures above any Books in the World But as Solomon said Prov. 26.3 A Whip for the Horse a Bridle for the Ass and a Rod for the Fool 's Back And so you must give me Leave to whip this J. Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit and I wish it may do him Good what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own This is such a Lie that it stabs it self when you exalt and value your own as of greater Authority and as such are commanded by your Teachers to read them in your Meetings whilst you never read nor by your Teachers exhorted to read one Chapter of the Old or New Testament in your Religious Meetings if such I may call them since you were a People neither is it agreeable to your Ancient Testimony Nay farther I am fully perswaded That should the Government think fit for a Proof of your Sincerity herein to enjoin you to read a Chapter of the Bible at the beginning of your Meetings I mean by such of your Teachers as can read a Chapter for many of them cannot you would be so far from submitting to Authority that you 'd first go to Jayl and then call it Persecution and Record it as such to Posterity But would it therefore ever the more be so I trew not since it was the Practice of the Jewish as well as the Christian Churches in all Ages of the World c. Now in Answer to this long Paragraph John Feild in his Defence c. p. 7. This Fran. Bugg saith is false with a witness and so you must give me Leave to whip John Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own this is such a Lie that it stabs it self c. This Reader is all he recites neither does he go about to Refute my Reasons for what I said nay nor so much as mention them How then can this be an Answer Only he re-asserts in the same Page saying I do affirm that the Quakers always had and still have a high Esteem and true Value for the Holy Scriptures c. But this is his own bare Ipse Dixit without any Refutation of or once reciting my Arguments for what I said and therefore this Tool I am loth to say Fool must yet be more scourged for his deep Deceit and Hypocrisie And therefore Christian Reader I beg of you to dwell a little here and to consider of the Quakers way of answering Books you see my Charge and how I proved it both from Matter of Fact and Demonstration first They teach the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware c. not a Word of it Deny'd or Refuted Again That Preaching out of them is Conjuration not at all by him deny'd Again And that by G. Whitehead's Doctrine That their Sayings from their Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority than the Bible not a Syllable of it Deny'd or Refuted Again You hear they command their Disciples to Read their Own Epistles in their Meetings for Divine Worship not a Word of it deny'd or justified Again That they never since they were first a People did so much as read any one Chapter in the Bible in their Religious Meetings which if they had such an high Esteem and true Value for the Scriptures even above theit own Books and Epistles they surely would or else they are very Hypocrites indeed if they will not read and recommend to be read in their Meetings to their People that which is best most esteem'd and of highest Value yet you see he cannot say that they do or ever did read a Chapter in such their Meetings Now whether this Tool Feild does not deserve to be severely lash'd as well as his Tutor Geo. Whitehead in this black Art let the Reader judge Thus much then as a Proof First Of their not citing the Substance of their Opponent's Position but by picking Sentences and breaking them in pieces thereby marring the Sense Secondly That the Quakers are guilty of the several things therein charged else J. Field who has a Fund to support him in his Charge of Printing would not so silently pass by all those several Charges without a Vindication of his dear Friends and this being a Figure of all their Answers I shall pass by many things of the like Nature and apply my self next to their Sufferings That being the best Flower in their Garden and in which they most of all glory much Good may it do them since they bring most of it upon themselves by their obstinately adhering to their blind Guides and the Dictates of their Erroneous Consciences which has befaln them thorough their Contempt and Neglect of adhering to the Rule of the Sacred Word of God I mean the Writings of the Holy Prophets and Apostles and the Practice of the Primitive Saints and Martyrs in all Ages Again A Defence c. p. 21. A Brief Abstract of some Sufferings of the People call'd Quakers given to Confront Francis Bugg 's Diminutive Account c. Reply I find of late some Alteration in the Quakers Arrogant Stile touching themselves it formerly was generally thus The People of God called Quakers or Some Principles of the Elect People of God call'd Quakers or from the People of the Lord call'd Quakers but now of late they are come a Step lower viz. The People commonly call'd Quakers or The People call'd Quakers I hope the Sermon I prepared for the Quakers which I took out of their Writings with no little Study and Pains have done them some Good see Pilg. Prog. p. 108 to 127. It was a long Sermon I confess but in regard it turn to a good Account I think not my labour vain But why is my Account of their Sufferings diminutive Were they not Sufferings Yea else they would not have recorded them were they then not recoraed Yea I took them out of their Chronicle and told them both Book and Page Well what then Oh! but they were of the least Size No matter for that if Sufferings then Meritorious else why were they so carefully Collected and put in Order even to a Row of Pins a Child's Biggen a Child's Double Clout a Woman's Cross-cloth a Night-cap a Dung-Fork and the like fit to be put into their Martyrology But to deal plainly I question the truth of them and much more the truth of this Abstract For to me they appear like Fox's Miracles in his Journal Published Thirty or Forty Years after they are said to be wrought And no Body can tell me where not when nor the Persons Names Cured or any Witnesses to attest them Even so are the Sufferings of this Abstract Nor is their one Justices Warrant cited nor any formal Trial of any one of these Sufferers
two Traytors Why the difference is twofold the first was a Judas the latter a Bugg Secondly Judas had thirty Pieces of Silver which was paid by the High Priests the latter had his Money not only from the High Priests but a Recommendation also I am the larger herein to shew John Feild the Nature of this Beast that carries their Bell and how it suits with the Spirit of Quakerism Only this Defence being designed for the Hands of some Persons which he thought might resent it and therefore he is now for not calling F. B. Judas no by no means but for Praying for him Which being rightly interpreted is as Fox Prayed for the Priests namely for my Destruction But I thank God I fear not their Curses nor regard their Pharisaical Prayers And this being as great a Lie as most of the other I shall therewithal conclude this Head thereby confronting John Feild's Abstract of Sufferings But J. Feild proceeds in his Defence c. Now if he prove that those Ministers of that Age who entred into a Solemn League and Covenant against Prelacy Kingly Office House of Lords c. were God's Heritage c. Reply I grant that if any of the Ministry did so for he names none they were so far in the wrong yet with this difference The Quakers in those Days did thus much and much more and that as Prophets of the most High God and they tell us they are still the same Print and Reprint their Books which so teach But the Publick Ministers if any such did so they did not pretend they were led therunto by the Eternal Spirit that they are the same still and their Principles now no other than they were then They now are obedient to the King's Laws they have by their joining in the Association declared him Rightful and Lawful King they Pray for him in their Assemblies But the Quakers have in their Books of Divine Authority as they boast Anathematiz'd all Kings since the Days of the Apostles as Apostates and Spiritual Egyptians That a Parliament chosen by the most Voices were not like to act for God or the Good of his People And they tell us they are the same still only they word the Matter otherwise I grant the Dissenters then were against the Bishops yet not like the Quakers for in their Declaration recited by the Quakers they were for preserving their Persons from all Violence and Injuries and for Liberty of Conscience tho' with some Restriction But the Quakers as in Burrough's Works p. 618. and in R. Hubberthorn's Works p. 229. assaulted this Declaration saying What are you about to make a League and Covenant with Antichrist Do you look upon them i. e. the Clergy to be Ministers of Christ or of Antichrist What are you now for tolerating Episcopacy And if Episcopacy why may not Popery be tolerated and the like No nothing but Blood and Slaughter Banishment and the utter Extirpating of the Clergy would satisfie their blood-thirsty and malicious persecuting Spirit As in Fox's Book stilled New coming up out of the North p. 31. So you must be cut down with the same Power that cut down the King whose Family was a Nursery for Papists and Bishops the same Teachers are standing that were in the time of the King and the same that were in the time of the Bishops Sound the Trumpet sound an Alarm call up to the Battel gather together for the Destruction draw the Sword hew down all fruitless Trees which cumber the Ground cleanse the Land from Filthiness slay Baal Balaam must be slain all the Hirelings must be turned out of the Kingdom c. This was in Oliver's Time but you tell us you are the same still and your Actions manifest the same For tho' you held in Oliver's Time a Mock-Court wherein you Tried all the Clergy and Condemned them yet when in 1672. you reprinted the Works of your Prophet Burrough you revived your Trial and reprinted the same as in pag. 223. Viz. A Just and Lawful Trial of the Teachers and Ministers of this Age 1672. by a perfect Proceeding against them and they are righteously Examined justly Weighed truly Measured and Condemned to be contrary to all the Ministers of Christ in former Ages and to agree and concur with all the false Prophets and Deceivers and being brought to the Quakers Bar of Justice these Things are truly charged and legally proved upon them and found Guilty c. I need not add the Trial And yet G. W. sayâ— he was nâ—â— skilled iâ— Law-terms thâ— more Foâ—â— he the Title of the Book setting forth the Quakers Verdict where my Lob Chief Justice Burrough the Quaker-Prophet was both Judge Witness Jury and Executioner is enough to set forth their presumptuous unwarrantable arbitrary and extrajudicial Proceedings not only against 12 but 1200 Persons And that it may further appear that tho' this Quaker-Court was first erected to shew what they would be at had they Power in O. Cromwell's Time yet in 1672 they to set forth his Skill in Law-Terms reprinting the same Trial as a Monument of his Righteous Judgment and that he might make Work on 't to some purpose in p. 273. he joined with the Jews and all the persecuting Heathen Emperours against Christ his Apostles and Martyrs saying That the Sufferings of the Quakers were greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs c. But still as one Demonstration more though I could give twenty that it was not the Ministers in Oliver's Time only that the Quakers thus Arraigned Judged and Condemned as John Feild would insinuate but also King Charles the Second his Reign see W. Smith another of their Preachers in his Works printed Anno 1668 p. 161. viz. A General Summons from the Authority of Truth to all Ecclesiastical Courts and Officers c. By which we may see their arrogant Boldness thus to Summons Judge Try and Condemn not only the Clergy but all Courts Ecclesiastical and Officers notwithstanding they were Dissenters a poor illiterate People that as Burroughs tells us in his Epistle to Fox's Mystery they lay in Barns like Gypsies See then the Impudence of these Proud Pragmatical Quaker-Prophets In my Book Quakerism Exposed c. there is this Passage pag. 28. Now tho' I profess my self a Member of the Church of England I have often and do now again tell you that I am against Persecution and will add That Persecution for the Name of Jesus or for Righteousness sake is a Badge of a false Church of which your Schism in Pensilvania has given a Demonstration and had you Power in your Hand which God grant you may not I doubt not but we should soon feel your Little Finger as heavy as ever you felt the Parliament's Loins witness your Indicting me in the Old Bailey your Persecuting G. Keith But I hope all Suffering is not Persecution Shall Men Fire Houses and Poyson Rivers and not be controll'd limited nay