born of the Flesh is Flesh and that is against the Spirit and can neither edifie nor comfort though good Words and Scripture sentences may be spoken for it is not speaking the Words of others that doth make a true Prayer but in receiving a measure of the same Spirit of Prayer which is not in thy Common Prayer Book to be found therefore it is made of none effect because thy bowels bring it forth and the Pope gives Life and Breath unto it and from his Loyns it draws its Strength and not from the power of God Tradition what can I say to be received for truth my Ceremonies c. are denyed but there can be nothing said against my Bishops and Ministers the Scriptures speak so plainly of them c. Truth now Tradition harken what Truth saith and give thine Answer to what is demanded of thee Who made thy Archbishops and Lord Bishops and who gave them these Names And who first divided unto them their several Diocesses and appointed them to Rule within their own Diocess And who first made Deans and Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and who gave them their Names And who first set up certain Places for Schools And who gave them the Names of Universities And how came they to be call'd Christ's Colledge and Emanuel's Colledge John's Colledge and Jesus's Colledge And who set up Commencements and Degrees that a Man must be made Batchelor of Art and Master of Art before he can be approv'd to be made a Minister in thy Order And who first made that Law which forces and compels the payment of the Tenth part of things encreased to such a Ministry and whether are such the Ministers of Christ who make use of that Law to force their maintenance Are these thy Bishops and Ministers which thou say'st there can be nothing said against them Open thine Eye and behold them for they are Monsters which from thy adulterous Conception are brought forth and they are stamped with thy Image and all thy abominations are denyed and testified against this is a Charge against thee Tradition this thing which make such discoveries of my Practices and with such boldness reproves me for them it is of God for it is not in fear of me nor my power which now is Strong and of great Authority Truth that which doth discover thee and thy deceitful Practices is the Truth i. e. Quakers of God which was before thou had'st a Name and will be when thy Name is lost and it doth boldly reprove thee and is without any fear of thee or thy power and hath opened thee and ript up thy Bowels and discovered thy adulterous Womb and all the false Conceptions that hath been conceived their and now behold ye Archbishops Lord Bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all Prelaticals here is the Womb of your Conception opened and that made manifest from which you draw your breath and prolong the length of your days with all your Service and Worship which you so much esteem and promote Therefore hear and consider ye Bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates with all Prelaticals you must come to the Bar and if you will but soberly peruse this Catechism or Dialogue you may know and learn that which all your Universities could never give you the knowledge off nor all your Learning and Wisdom could never teach you so escape for your Lives that the stroak may not fall upon you Truth Reader marvel not too much at the Impudence of this Man for it is the Heart of Quakerism He was a right Quaker and no Mungril and Eminent Teacher and a ready Sail. You see he feared not the Bishops nor their Power he had no respect to the Law which Establish'd the Book of Common Prayer nay should the Question be put to Geo. Whitehead whether he would under his Hand condemn this Antichristian piece to be burnt on Tower-hill he would say no not for a World it is the Marrow of his Religion I could give Instances of the like nature out of 100 of their Books but for brevities sake and that I may not stay my Reader too long from something new I shall only recite 2 or 3 Books more that so the Author of the Gen. History may hear his Text fully proved viz. that the Quakers enveigh against the Liturgy and that bitterly too together with the Ministry of the Church of England A Touchstone or perfect Tryal of all Priests Bishops and Ministers This Book contains more than 100 Pages in Quarto printed 1667. by Margaret Fell whom George Fox afterwards Married the purport of which is to shew them all the Clergy are false Prophets Deceivers c. which being but a Woman tho' a very proud imperious Dame I pass her by The Innocency and Consciousness of the Quakers c. p. 7. As for the purity of the Church of England it 's out of our sight we can see a great deal of impurity in it and as much the Members of it confess themselves indeed they confess enough of themselves to cause all wholsome sound understanding People to shun them and their Church and Worship as Men shun a contagious Disease or Infection I think this is so bold as well as base that it need no comment But if they look into the Cage I presume they 'll find little cause to boast especially if I give them the right Key to open it and that amongst their Teachers and Writers but if I should make a Cage for their Hearers ir would be much enlarged every way Truth exalted in a Short but sure Testimony c. by W. Penn p. 9. Come Church of England whence came your Forms of Prayer and Church Government from the Scriptures or the Mass-Book and Popish Canons and what President do you find for Litanies Responces Singing Organs Altars Bowings c. with much more such like dirty Trash and soul Superstition Stand up and answer me you Members of the Church of England But are they not the Off-spring of the Popish Generation God is now breathing forth in Vengeance to Thunder down and Consume all your fair Buildings and pleasant Pictures of Babilonish Inventions But alas poor Souls are you not at have mercy upon us miserable sinners there is no health in us from seven to seventy c. The Guide mistaken by W. Penn p. 18. And whil'st the idle gormondizing Priests of England run away with above 1500000 l. a Year under pretence of being God's Ministers and that no sort of People have been so universally thorow Ages the very bane of Soul and Body to the universe as that abominable Tribe for whom the Theatre of God's most Dreadful Vengeance wait to act their Eternal Tragedy upon Burrow's Works p. 244. Oh what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in Civil Government Oh what abominable Superstition and Idolatries have been in Church Government It is a vexation to the Spirit of the Lord to consider it and the righteous Soul hath long
Gentlemen Justices of the Peace Ministers of the Gospel and People within the County Sheweth That George Fox and James Nayler are Persons disaffected to Religion and the wholsome Laws of this Nation and that since their coming into this County have broached Opinions tending to the destruction of the Relation of Subjects to Magistrates Wives to their Husbands Children to their Parents Servants to their Masters Congregations to their Ministers and of People to their God ††Indeed Mr. Croese in the foregoing recital tacitly says the same and have drawn much People after them many whereof Men Women and Children at their Meetings are strangely wrought upon in their Bodies and brought to fall foam at the Mouth roar and swell in their Bellies and that some of them affirm themselves to be equal with God contrary to the late Act as hath been attested at a late Quarter Sessions holden at Lancaster in October last and since that time acknowledged before many Witnesses besides many other dangerous Opinions and damnable Heresies as appear by a Schedule hereunto Annexed c. May it therefore please Your Honours upon consideration of the Premises to provide a Remedy as to your Wisdoms shall seem meet that some speedy course may be taken for the speedy suppressing these Evils And your Petitioners shall ever pray as in duty bound 1. Charge That George Fox professed and avowed that he was equal with God Defence It was not so spoken as Geo. Fox was equal with God but the Father and the Son is one I and my Father are one and where the same is revealed this is witnessed Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the Form of God thought it no Robery to be equal with God and this I witness to be fulfilled for the same Spirit where it is is equal with God and he that hath the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ is equal with God Observa Mark Reader here is the Charge that 's Blasphemy you do not hear him deny it only he brings in an Equivocation like G. W.'s It is not spoken of George Fox who then is that He I say who is this He if not George that Hath for He and Hath are but the Relative and the Verb. It cannot be meant here that the Spirit of God is equal no it is and He the Man that hath the Spirit which raised Jesus Christ is equal with God 'T is prov'd Blasphemy beyond all the Quakers Glossing 2. Charge That George Fox professed himself to be the Eternal Judge of the World Defence He that was a Minister of God said that the Saints should Judge the World yea Angels Herein they do shew themselves to be no Ministers of God Observe The Charge is confess'd and the Ministers who handed the Petition condemned as no Ministers of Christ for that they will not allow George Fox to be the Eternal Judge of the World 3. Charge He said he was Christ the Way the Truth and the Life Defence The old Man cannot endure to hear the new Man speak which is Christ and Christ is the Way and if Christ be in you must he not say I am the Way the Truth and the Life Observ 1. The Charge is Blasphemy 2. 'T is not denyed but fairly owned and the Petitioners justified to be wise and good Men and not wicked Men nor Fools 4. Charge That George Fox said whosoever took a place of Scripture and made a Sermon of it and from it was a Conjurer and his preaching was from Conjuration Defence And all that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and draw Points and Reasons and so do speak a Divination of their own Brain they are Conjurers and Deceivers and their Teaching is from Conjuration which is not spoken from the Mouth of the Lord c. Observ What contempt is here thrown upon the Scripture and upon all the Servants of God who from the beginning of the planting of Christianity have frequently read the Scripture in the Churches and sometimes have expounded a Chapter and Catechized c. And frequently have taken a portion of Scripture and open'd it and held it forth to the People What signifies the Quakers vindicating the Martyrs printing a Book in Folio Entituled The Spirit of the Martyrs revived c. 'T is not reviv'd in the Quakers surely when they thus condemn them and their practice and condemn all Ministers of the Christian Faith as Conjurers Diviners c. This I would ask G. W. whether these following Martyrs and Ministers were Conjurers and Deceivers Viz. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Ridly Bishop of London Latimer Bishop of Worcester Hooper Bishop of Glecester Bradford Prebendary of St. Pauls Dr. Taylor Parson of Hadly I say were these and their Brethren which took places of Scripture and Preached from them with the Assistance of God's Spirit accompaning the Ordinance all Conjurers and Diviners 5. Charge That Fox said the Scriptures were Carnal Defence The Letter of the Scripture is Carnal Obser This contempt is confessed c. 6. Charge R. Hubberthorn said that Christs coming in the Flesh was but a Figure Defence As he is held forth in the Scripture Letter without them as in the Flesh without them he is their Example or Figure which is both one Obser Then Christ in the days of his Flesh was but a Figure his Death and Sufferings a Figure his Resurrection and Ascension a Figure of the Quakers Light within them his Death within them his Crucifixion and Resurrection within them This is perfect Blasphemy and infallible Quakerism 7. Charge Ja. Milner professeth himself to be God and Christ and gives out Prophesies that the day of Judgment shall be the 5th of Novem. next that there shall never sit Judge more at Lancaster that he must e'er long shake the Foundation of the great Synagogue i. e. the Parliament c. Defence George Fox said as for Ja. Milner tho' his Mind did run out from his Condition and from minding that Light of God which was in him whereby the World takes occasion to speak against the Truth and many Friends stumble at it yet there is a pure Seed in him Obser I am the longer on this Head because it contains all the Pillars upon which Quakerism stands Gen. Hist p. 103. say these Words were denyed there is not a word of reproof like that of the Apostle who has bewitched you Not a word of condemning his Blasphemy but all is hush'd he had a pure Seed in him I write the more for Mr. Croese his sake that he may see and in seeing may correct the Quakers for their false Information 8. Charge Leo Fell said that Christ had no other Body but his Church Defence There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called c. Obser John Whitehead Joshua Coal and as many of them as have spake honestly what they
together in the presence of many Witnesses and a Record in Writing witnessing the Day Place and Year Subscribed by Witnesses A Fourth Order for Marriage At a Quarterly Meeting in Hadenham in the Isle of Ely 1st of the 10th Month 1675. viz. It is ordered and agreed upon at this Quarterly Meeting that no Friends for time to come may permit or suffer marriages without the consent of Friends at two Mens and Womens Meetings and the Man and Woman to come both to the said Meetings to receive the answer of Friends that so no disorderly and indirect proceedings may be carried on any more contrary to the unity of Friends c. From whence several things are observable First their alteration in Judgment about taking money for Recording at first none now 50 l. per Ann. if they say there is more work there is more Persons to do it so that if it was criminal at first 't is criminal still Secondly at first they might publish at the market-cross or they might not as their Light bids them but now they are not permitted so to do but must come to their mens and womens distinct Meetings in manner and Form All liberty is taken away and imposition and forms erected amongst them which in others they condemned But it was but whil'st they could graft themselves into a Government for I. A. took his Wife according to the 3 former Orders but transgressing this last he was excommunicated or declared out of their unity for nonconformity I shall shew that and then conclude this Head At a Quarterly Meeting in Hadenham the 4th of the 7th month 1678. We at this Quarterly meeting having the business of John Ainsloe's taking his Wife contrary to the Order of Friends brought before us and Friends having several times spake to him about it and he not giving Friends satisfaction we do testify that we have no union with him in this his so doing c. Here is Liberty given and Liberty taken away an Order that nothing should be paid in money for Recording marriages c. and now common They formerly cryed out against Forms and now impose Forms and enjoyn a conformity to them and for non-submission Record out of the unity which is all they yet can do when they can do more look for it they will do more and this time will manifest A Postscript by way of Dialogue READER by the First Part of this Book I have set forth the Quakers claim to their Tytle to be the true Church of the First Born and from their Books have proved the contrary as also cleared the Magistracy from the Odium of Persecution And by the second part I have Historically treated of the Rise Growth and Progress of Quakerism shewing not so much the Names and Handicraft Professions of that People the Places of their abode with some other particulars thereabout the same being excellently well done by the Author of the General History of the Quakers but how and by what means Quakerisme hath advanced and therein have modestly corrected the said Historian and shewed him his mistakes in many things as also corroborated and strengthened him wherein he is right and now I am come for diversion's sake by way of Dialogue to handle some points relating to both Parts in which I shall suggest nothing but what I stand ready to make appear And this familiar Discourse between Thomas a Preacher and Benjamen their Clark I shall endeavour further to illustrate the matter in hand viz. Teacher Friend Benjamen how dost thee do I am glad to see thee prethee let us smoke a Pipe and drink a Glass and have a little serious Discourse about the affairs of Truth and let us be free for who can argue these points better than we Clark Friend Thomas with all my Heart let us go to Jacob Francklins for there is a glass of good Claret known by all and many of the World's People come thithet which is a demonstration I know you travel from East to West from North to South and from one Nation to another like our Grandfather Ignatius Loyola Teacher Drawer bring us a Bottle of good Claret and 2 or 3 Pipes I profess Benjamen I am glad to see thee and how goes things relating to Truth Clark Pretty well here away only here are some Apostate Quakers that are like thorns in our sides who hinder the progress of Truth and seem to follow the steps of Luther and others who you know were great Enemies to our elder Sister Rome However there is but few that go from us prove Champions for the cause of others against us yet I must confess G. Keith hath done us more hurt than any that ever went from us for he does charge us boldly without fear of us or our power with these Four things 1. To deny Faith in Christ as he dyed outwardy Suffering without the Gates of Jerusalem to our Salvation 2. Justification and Sanctification by the Blood of Christ outwardly shed 3. The Resurrection of the Body that dyed 4. And that we deny Christ's coming outwardly in his glorify'd Body to Judge both the quick and the dead and the general day of Judgment as in his Narrative p. 14. And I perceive the Apostate Christians are generally pleased with this his Work both Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants and Baptists for they all acknowledge and confess to all these Points tho' in some things they differ each from others and to be plain with you I fear there is too much truth in what G. Keith says pray how is it in Barbadoes Merryland East and West Jersy Pensilvania Burmodoes Antego Mevis Holland and other parts where you Travel holding forth Truth Teacher I do acknowledge that our Friend Barkly in his Anarchy p. 16. saith I find Professors make but small boasting of any Proselites they get from us I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us c. But to be plain they so far prevail that I find G. Whitehead the cunningest Writer we have except Friend Penn and Ellwood is hardly able to encounter them and to be free with you G. Keith hath proved such a Champion for them and against us as that the City and Country as well as parts beyond the Sea ring of his same for he has lighted such a candle as we cannot blow out nor extinguish the light thereof for both he and others produce matter of Fact from our Books which none of us if we would speak truth can deny so that to deal freely I am of your mind I fear there is too much truth in their Allegations against us on those four Heads which are such four Fundamentals held by the Apostate Christians and so proved by the Letter which they call the word of God that I know not what to think of these things Clark Pray what think you of George Fox's Miracles mentioned in his Journal some talk strangely of them especially Fra. Bugg and this I observe
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Rise Growth and Progress OF QUAKERISM Setting Forth That the Principles and Practices of the Quakers are Antichristian Antiscriptural Antimagistratical Blasphemous and Idolatrous from plain matter of Fact out of their most approved Authors c. Containing Also A modest Correction of the General History of the Quakers wrot in Holland by Gerard Croese By Francis Bugg Senior Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. 1. 24 26. Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psalm 137. 7. London Printed Anno 1697. THE INTRODUCTION Courteous Reader IN my former Books I thought my self obliged to Apologize for my writing against the Errors of the Quakers because some People then even the Author of the Snake in the Grass c. thought I might wrong them as the Quakers suggested who since are better satisfied therein their Mask being taken off But yet some objections still remain to obviate which I shall proceed to do Obj. 1. But say some Fra. Bugg in his Book Entituled The Qua. Detected c. gave a tollerable account of the Quakers respecting their beginning and now to write contrary seems contradictory Ans I do acknowledge that in the year 1686. when I wrot that Book I had better thoughts of them respecting their beginning than now I have neither did I then in 1686. know them guilty of holding such pernicious Principles and Fundamental Errors as now I know they do having then not seen many of their Books which since I have both seen and perused But grant I did not so clearly see them then as now nor understand their Fundamental Errors so clearly then as now yet I saw enough to justifie my separation from them from the charge of Apostacy as I made fully appear not only in that Book but also in my Book i. e. New Rome unmask'd c. neither did my acknowledging them and their deportment and the simplicity and plainness of their Carriage which attended them and their Doctrine which I since understand was only a decoy to catch simple Souls to be a reason for their being Orthodox and my self an Apostate from the Christian Faith since not only I but Men more Learned and of better Judgments than I have been mistaken Witness that famous Man and worthy Martyr of Jesus Christ Archbishop Cranmer See Fox's Acts and Mon. p. 1488. The Church of Rome Taught in the beginning a pure Doctrine but after she fell into the new Doctrine of Transubstantiation I marvel that any one could allow it if they knew it But whatever they bear the people in hand that which they write in their Books hath neither Truth nor Comfort Again p. 1325. ibid. I am said Huge Latimer that worthy Martyr Ignorant of things which I trust hereafter to know as I do now know things in which I have been Ignorant heretofore ever learn and ever to be learned to profit with learning I thought in time past that the Pope was Christ's Vicar had been Lord of all the World as Christ is So that if he should have deprived the King of his Crown it had been enough for he could do no wrong Now I think otherwise I thought in time past that if I had been a Fryer in a Coul I could not have been Damned nor afraid of Death and by reason thereof I have been minded many times to have been a Fryer namely when I was sore sick and diseased But now I behold my Superstitious Foolishness It were two long to tell you what blindness I have been in and how long it were e'er I could forsake such Folly c. Reader These two Instances if there were no more shew forth that the best of Men are fallible and may err as I did and be mistaken as also the Humility of these two learned Prelates and worthy Martyrs are exemplary in their Christian acknowledgment thereof and forsaking such a corrupted Church infected with Idolatry and Superstition which cleared them from the charge of Apostacy and the same cause leads to the same thing And if I once had a good opinion of the Quakers you see these famous Men had as good if not a better opinion of the Papists who yet left them and forsook them as I did the Quakers and for which I bless God who put it into my heart to forsake such a manifest Heresie Amen Obj. 2. But say the Quakers in their Book Judas and the Jews c. p. 78. But herein you shew your malice for had G. F. been a cursing Man like Muggleton c. Implying it somewhat pardonable then to write against the Quakers Ans See their Book Truth 's Defence c. G. Fox's words to Mr. Camelford a Minister thus O thou filthy Beast no Prayers can we send to thee but for thy Destruction thou Man of Sin and Enemy of Christ O thou impudent and brazen fac'd thou Hypocrite and Pharisee thou art damn'd openly Thou art in the Sorcery in the Witchcraft and in the Adultery and in the corrupt Seed whose Blessings are Cursed O thou slanderous Beast thou natural Brute-beast and here I charge thee to be a Witch and to bewitch the People Thou deaf Adder and Serpent thou child of the Devil Blasphemer and Enemy of all Righteousness O thou falsehearted dissembling Hypocrite the Plagues of God are due to thee and that is thy portion thou blind Sot thou dark Sot thy Torment is but beginning and so fare thee well Thus far Fox Again hear another of the same Praternity viz. Ed. Burrow in his Works p. 29 30 31. In Answer to certain Queries sent to the Quakers by one Mr. Bennet Burrow's Answer runs in this Channel viz. Thou art manifest what thou art where thou art and what Spirit thou art off a Reprobate a child of Darkness the Light condemns thee and all thy Generation of Priests Eternally we witness thee and all thy Generation to be in the Witchcraft and Sorcery for thou art Darkness it self Here thou full of all subtilty hast made manifest thy Poyson and Enmity Here thou Jesuit and thou Reprobate see whether thou be'st not a blind ignorant Sot there thou accursed art made manifest Here thou beast to whom the Plagues of God are due and upon whom his wrath must be accomplished Here thou dark blind Hypocrite thou dead Beast here thou polluted Beast here stop thy mouth thou Sorcerer O thou dark Beast and Conjurer who art Querying with thy Conjuring words c. Reader behold and be amazed that this people should blame any body for writing against them when never did any write like themselves nor was Muggleton a greater Curser and Damner than Fox The next I shall mention is their Learned Fisher who writing against John Owen Richard Baxter Thomas Danson and John Tombs In his Book Stiled The Rusticks Alarm c. calls and compares them to
to the King's Mind Where will you have a Foundation to build your Work upon for as it is found contrary to all these weighty Things so by their Authority your Work in cases of Conscience may well be Questioned The Law of the Nation may justly question you the Spirit of Truth may justly question you the Scriptures may justly question you Christianity may justly question you Reason may justly question you Christ Jesus may justly question you the King may justly question you and what can your Foundation be but the love of Money printed 1668. Mark Reader the Impudence of these Quakers who twit others with their own Crimes I am sure every particular may be apply'd to themselves rightly and yet such is their insolent boldness even whil'st Diffenters and acted as well contrary to the Laws as all the things by them mentioned to give out a general Summons to all the Ecclesiastical Order Established by Law But if I give them a Summons this is presumptious seditious tumultuary yea if I Arraign them as New Rome and print without Licence I must be by them indicted and had I not had a Church of England Jury I might have been ruined These are the meek Men the righteous Men the just Men that Burrows and in him the Quakers prayed in the last recital of Burrow's Works to the Government that they might have the executive part of the Law and that Cases between Man and Man might be left to them but thanks be to God who have given the Nation such a sight of their Hypocrisie that hitherto they have not been thought worthy of a place in the Government no not so much as Constable a remembring their Anti-magistratical principle laid down by their first Founder as in News coming up c. p. 20. Sing all ye Saints and Rejoyce clap your Hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will Raign and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers Judges and Justices Lawyers and Constables all this tree must be cut down and Jesus Christ in us will Rule alone c. But I thank God this Tree of Defence is still standing which preserved me from your inveterate malice who for not Licensing my Book tho' it be your own daily practice Indicted me as one turbulent and unquiet practicing and intending falsly unlawfully seditiously and maliciously c. as also to move stir up and cause discords tumults and miserable slaughters c. and all because I printed unlicensed Arraigned them as New Rome c. But behold they can Arraign Try Summons and Judge yea and Condemn Magistrates Ministers and whole Churches by whole sale Are these the meek Men the just Men the righteous Men that would so fain have the Administration of the Government God forbid and let all good Protestants and sincere Christians say Amen Reader I must beg pardon for this Digression 't is a fault that sometimes better Writers fall into The next I shall recite is a Dialogue or Catechism between Tradition and Truth The Terms being interpreted are thus in the Original Truth that is the Quakers and Tradition that is the Church of England and if I were to recite it all it is worse than Tho. Hicks's Dialogue between a Quaker and a Christian for the substance of that is true to my certain knowledge but this is so barbarous a Dialogue as none but such that are void of Charity and the Fear of God would ever have attempted but the Quakers they may domineer and insult over their Superiors yea Summon Arraign Try Judge and Condemn the Church of England and thereby the Magistrates Ministers and People present their seditious Petitions to the Parliament Advise and Councel them to let the Ministers alone stand not say they by Baal's Priests down with all that judge for Money alias take Money for their pains and labor as the Quakers themselves do yet none must say a word to them Oh no no touch the hem of their Garment as if they had a Pattent to commit all manner of reproaches revilings scandalous destructive horrible Blasphemies and all manner of impieties cum privilegio Smith 's Works p. 157. A Catechism by way of Dialogue to all Priests and Prelates Truth lay down thy Fundamentals and what they are that they may be known and in their place come to Tryal Tradition these be my Foundation principles of my Religion believing they are sound because I find in the Scriptures that the Saints performed them and served God in them I have Churches Preaching Praying Singing and Bishops Ministers and under them other Officers for order sake Truth these in their places must be examined and by the Spirit of Truth i. e. Quakers proved whether they be right in the ground and have their rise from the Power of God Open thine Eye and behold thy Ceremonies and see what Monsters thou hast generated and brought forth from thy Adulterous Womb. And so hath the birth of thy Adulterous Womb deceived the Nations Tradition I am reasonably satisfied from what hath been said as to the Ceremonies belonging to my Worship but as to my Church Preaching Praying Singing Bishops and Ministers they must be duly observed Truth I shall try them in order and if I find them right in the ground shall approve them if not testify against them therefore speak plainly what thy Church is that I may proceed to Tryal Tradition my Church is a consecrated Place for my Worship to be perform'd in and by many Ancient Fathers Laws been set by c. Truth now I shall try thy Church and if it be not in God it is none of his but an adulterated Harlot covered over with the Mystery of Iniquity therefore Tradition be silent a little and Truth will shew thee thy Error so be cool and hear what Truth saith for now thy Church comes to Tryal Tradition I know that Praying in my Worship is right for it is mentioned in the Scripture and was practiced very much by the Saints and I have the Lord's Prayer and have made many other Prayers which be useful and comfortable for all conditions and on all occasions and I have put them together in a Book which I call the Book of Common Prayer and use it in my Devotion Truth Prayer in the Spirit the Saints practiced but thou art degenerated and hath formed such Prayers as the Lord hath not required neither doth he open his Ear to them and that which thou call'st the Lord's Prayer be thou silent and make no mention of it for thou hast nothing to do with it Oh thou Adulterous Tradition What Monsterous births hast thou brought forth Thy Common Prayer Book is seen to be conceived in thy Adulterous Womb and to branch forth from the Pope Tradition but what if my Common Prayer Book do not fully agree with the Scriptures and the Saints practice yet there are many good things in it and many Scripture sentences which may edifie and comfort Truth that which is
be heard J. Prime We will not hear thee F. B. I desire you to hear me that is the least you can do Pet. Watson No no we will not hear thee we have heard too much of it already F. B. I desire a Copy of the Award that the self-chosen Arbitrators made P. Watson No thou shalt not have a Copy of it what wilt thou do with a Copy of it F. B. It is but reasonable that I should have a Copy of it and thereupon I demand it J. Ainsloe E. Love R. Smith Friends let him have a Copy of the Award it is indeed but reasonable he should have a Copy of it P. Watson Nay he shall not have a Copy of it F. B. I have something material to offer and therefore desire to be heard and I marvel that you will neither hear me nor give me a Copy of your Award this shews your guilty Consciences J. Ainsloe For my part I would have F. B. heard what he can say really if we proceed thus we shall be the most Arbitrary People in the whole World if you will not hear him it shall be put to the Vote R. Smith We shall not be like the Israelites unless we hear him What shall we not hear the complaint of the oppressed We ought to hear the complaint of a Servant yea of a Stranger much more of F. B. who has been so serviceable to us and a great sufferer for Truths sake c. But all would not do they could not be prevailed upon either to give me a Copy of their Award or a full hearing before they condemned me Whereupon I drew a Figure of the proceedings of their Monthly Quarterly and Yearly Meeting The painted Harlot c. p. 28. 29. together with the proceedings of the High Court of Justice wherein K. Charles I. was Arraigned Tryed Judged and Condemned and not once suffered to give his reasons for what he had to say and to offer against their Arbitrary proceedings as in The History of Independancy c. On the one hand shewing their Affinity and meek Moses and Scripture Judges on the other hand shewing their contrariety and when I had so done I set this motto and the reason for it as you may there read at large Here is a Figure pray mark it well Another I can make I do you tell But this may serve to be a Looking-glass To shew you plainly how things come to pass But if you say we never did profess The Scripture for our Rule in any case But Judgment we 'll give out as we see cause Not minding Justice Equity or Laws Then I do say another there needs not To manifest the same since 't is my lot Which for to do I here declare and tell The Scripture I must take to do it well Because 't is however in my esteem The truest standing Record I have seen Condemning errors in the Judgment Seat But Truth and Justice it maintains complete Having proceeded thus far in this old controversy it will not be amiss to let the World see how Sam. Cater's case was manag'd First by partial Judges as above told and next by lying Lawyers For Tho. Rudyard S. Cater's Lawyer thus said in his defence about the 15 l. I suffered for Sam. Cater as aforesaid viz. The Fine of 15 l. was paid in Money voluntarily before distress was made which is a payment that our Testimony was ever against and has been oftentimes 3 or 4 times the value of the thing demanded and charge because they could neither pay nor compound for such spoiling their Goods c. Now this went a great way with many against me that I should pay the Money voluntarily before distress was made and the further in that Geo. Whitehead who says in his Preface to his Book stil'd Judgment Fixed c. If I did not feel the Lord my God laying a real necessity upon me to be publickly concerned in this controversy I would rather chuse to sit down mute But the Lord has laid the necessity and in discharging my Duty I neither consult events nor fear effects c. Now Reader observe and I will shew thee one instance of many that might be mentioned by which thou may'st measure the reality of this necessity which G. W. pretends God that cannot lye nor move any to lye laid upon him in such a degree that he in writing that Book neither consulted events nor yet feared effects For this T. Rudyard the Lawyer had said in defence of his Client Sam. Cater that I Fra. Bugg paid my 15 l. Fine voluntarily before distress was made And Reader this was a lye as I can prove by 20 Witnesses still alive for my Goods were distrained and carried to an Inn viz. the White Hart in our Town and there lay until I entered my Appeal at which time I paid the Money and took my Goods again and to the truth of what I say and to prove G. Whitehead's lying necessity I may recite a Certificate under the Man and Womans hand who at that time kept the House viz. Memorandum and that we who subscribe our Names do testify that the Goods of F. B. which were distrained for the Fine of 15l 10 s. the 10 s. being for my own offence and the 15 l. for Sam. Cater by vertue of a Warrant from Tho. Shelly Esq late deceased was after they were distrained carried to the White Hart and afterwards the said F. Bugg came and paid down his Money and took Home his Goods this my Wife and I who was then Constable can testify Witness our Hands the 6th of Sept. 1691. Peter and Judith Maxey Thus is it manifest that Sam 's Lawyer told an absolute lye in saying I paid my Money voluntarily before distress was made of my Goods and as manifest that God never laid a necessity upon G. Whitehead to vindicate the said Rudyard as he did in the recited Book i. e. Judgment Fixed c. p. 219 220. of which I have taken notice in my Book Entituled New Rome unmask'd c. p. 33. to 36. And so I shall leave poor Sam 's Lawyer with the same motto I set upon him in Painted Harlot c. p. 50. viz. A Lawyer and a Friend can he be found Professing Truth I say on English ground Who truth will speak upon occasion free From lying words and base partiality If not the wo was nor pronounc'd in vain Since to such Lawyers it doth appertain Who can pervert and wrest an honest Cause Their refuge being lyes and not our Laws Having done with this Lawyer 's lyes and Whitehead's vindication of him saying where is now thy lying Lawyer Art not thou herein manifest to be the lying Defamer c. and much more to that purpose I say having briefly passed over Rudyard the Lawyer and Whitehead the Forger let me now answer an Objection Obj. But possibly some may say that Sam. Cater has wrot a Narrative of this controversy which tho' it be fully
Prelaticals Here is the Womb of your Conception opened c. Now Brother Ben. all these things considered what reason had our dear Brother in Iniquity G. Whitehead to presume had not he been Impudent as well as Presumptuous That the Government should so far tolerate us and not Assist G. Keith who hold all the Essential Points of the Christian Faith that the Men of the World hold viz. First That Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as he Suffered and rose again from the Dead is necessary to our Salvation Secondly That Justification and Sanctification is by Faith in the Blood of Christ outwardly shed being applyed by Faith and the Operation of his Holy Spirit in us Thirdly That after Death there will be a Resurrection of the Body that dyeth Fourthly And that Christ will come without us in his Glorified Body at the Day of Judgment to Judge both the Quick and the Dead and whose Principles lead him to submit to Authority witness his keeping the Fast appointed by King William April 28. 1697. When our Brethrens Shops were open in Submission to the Commandment of our great Apostle G. Fox I say all these things considered I cannot but marvel at our Brother Whitehead's Presumption not to say Impudence really Brother Ben. I am perswaded we loose Ground and I fear we are going downwards and that our fall will be speedy unless we sincerely Retract our Scandalous Books and Erroneous Writings and though our Brother Whitehead neither consult Events nor fear Effects I think it will stand us in hand to look about us So that we have little reason to boast of being Recognized Protestants by such as we account Christians and whom we would not tolerate no more then we would Tolera Papists or such as Worship false Gods as this Book of ours Teach Clark Fifthly Well come 't is not very late and since we are entred into Discourse let us talk freely I will warrant thee that John Pennyman George Keith Francis Bugg and Thomas Crisp before they left us have had many an Hours Discourse of this Kind pray then what think you of G. Whitehead is he not very bold to send out the Quakers Protestation against the meeting appointed by G. Keith And therein to be so Presumptuous as to suggest that G. Keith had not License of the Civil Authority as if he knew the Lord Mayors Place and Power better than himself Teach I Answer G. Whitehead was not only Bold but Impudent But what shall I say I have of late seen his Books and considered them and 't is like him every way I remember I saw a Friend that was lately in the North and saw his House where he was born not worth Fifty Shillings I Discoursed another that said he came among us a poor Boy on foot and lived upon Alms yet lately Riding out of Town he had Ben. Antrobus to ride before him and Tho. Kent one of our Ministers worth many Hundreds of Pounds rod behind him carrying his Portmantel and he in State in the mdidle like some Peer which answers the Old Proverb set a Beggar on Horseback and he knows not how to Ride Again for us that account the Church of England the Whore of Babylon and Antichristians Summon the Bishops Dialogue the Clergy Arraign Try and Condemn the Protestants and declare in our Books that t is as Laudable to tolerate Popery as Episcopacy And after all this to presume that the Government thus Condemned will so stand by us Assist us and Defend us as not to have our Errors exposed this is such Presumption and manifest Impudence that I presume hath not a Parallel Clark Well but I have heard that in Scotland as well as in France that the Government do not permit the Presbyterians to hold a Synod unless they have a Commissioner Recide therein but I confess we are above that First we scorn to ask the World's People leave for we once a Year in Whitson-Week hold a Synod keep our Doors Lock'd or else a good Guard to keep out the World's People and when we are met we consider what Laws the Worldly Magistrates have made which sute not with our Light within And if we find any for paying Tythes or Repairing Churches or the like them we give warning to all our Associates through the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed not to pay to them but Testifie against them as a Grand viz. a great Oppression and not only so but which is ten times worse an Antichristian Yoke and thereby Absolve our Disciples from their Obedience to the Laws of the Land And if the King himself give forth a Proclamation to keep a Fast we matter it no more than we do their Law for Tyth's they being both against the Commandment of George Fox our great Apostle see part the first p. 12. Now the Question is whether this be not great Impudence Teach Answer yea and if I do answer I must say yea but 't is like all our Proceedings For First our Books teach that George Fox was Glorified at Lancaster Assize 1664. That none knew him nor his Name that he was before Languages were part the first p. 38. That he see the Heavens opened that he was in the Paradise of God so fill'd with Power having on his Leather Bretches that the World's People did fly before him that in Beverly Church he was like an Angel and spoke the Wonderful things of God The Voice of God came to a Trooper and bid him go to G. Fox for Direction F. Howgill said of him that he spake with Authority and not like the Scribes Jos Cole said his Kingdom was Established in Righteousness and of the Increase thereof there shall be no end Sol. Eccles said of him the World was made by him John Audland said Dear and Precious one in whom my Life is bound up and my Strength in thee stands Then he went through the City of Litchfield baresoot crying wo wo to the Bloody City of Litchfiield I saw in the Street a Pole of Blood c. and a hundred Lyes Stories and Fables and pretended Miracles in his Journal c. And for us to think that the Government will be against the Discovery of these and the like Errors no let us not be mistaken I am truly Brother Ben. afraid that G. Keith Francis Bugg Thomas Crisp and others follow us up so to the Heels as at last we shall be forced either to Retract our Errors or do worse and then we shall go down faster then we got up And so fare thee well till I see the next Volume of G. Fox I must go hence 't is late The Conclusion Christian Reader I think the Friends have spoke more truth in a corner in two or three hours time than all their Leaders have Preached this 20 years But say some if these things be so in very deed how came they to obtain so many and frequent Favours of the Government I Answer
this very Testimony from this Great Prophet of theirs Printed 1659. and Reprinted in 1672. by Whitehead and the Chief Quakers Approbation and at the same time too when the Quakers were seeking Favour was such a piece of Impudence as Arius never had But to proceed to my 4th and last Head proposed viz. Who are in the Quakers Account True and Orthodox Preachers since all that Baptise with Water all that Study the Scriptures and Preach out of them all that Preach Christ without as he is in Heaven above all that take Receive or pay Tyth's are false Ministers Witches Devils c. In a word all not Quakers for so they affirm The Quakers Challenge c. p. â— Come Protestants Presbyterians Independents and Baptists the Quakers deny you all p. 3. The Quakers are in the Truth and none but they c. And therefore 't is highly necessary to know who they account true Preachers which are these that follow viz. 1. Such as Teach that the Name of Christ belong to every Member of the Body as well as to him that Suffered at Jerusalem that his Body was but a Vail a Garment c. and which they can never call Christ that his Person was no more to his Disciples then another Person but for the sake of the Spirit Frame and Temper that dwelt in him his Disciples loved him that Christ is not God and Man in one Person For Proof hereof see Is Pennington's Question to Professors c. p. 20. to 33. Will Bayly's Works p. 300. 307. The Sword of the Lord Drawn c. p. 5. 2. Such as deny the Blessed Trinity see W. Penn's Sandy Foundation c. p. 15. to 20. and W. Penn's Christian Quaker and his Dev. Testimony p. 98. 3. Such as Teach that the Scriptures are Dust Death Serpents Food that the Sacraments are Dust that Matthew Mark Luke and John are Serpents Meat Dust and Beastly Ware and such as propose it doubtful whether Moses or Hermes was the 1st Pen-man of the Scripture and whether some of it was not spoke by the Grand Imposter some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill Applyed some by Good Men ill Expressed some by False Prophets and yet True some by True Prophets and yet False for Proof see The Quakers Refuge Fixed c. p. 17. News coming out of the North c. p. 14. David's Enemies Discovered c. p. 7. 4. Such as Teach that the Scriptures are not the Word of God and that so to Affirm is Blasphemy See G. Fox's Book Stiled Firebrands c. 2 part p. 159. Printed 1678. and his Great Mist c. p. 240. Printed 1659. 5. Such who Teach that the Quakers Writings are the Word of God given forth by the Eternal Spirit of God that we may as well burn the Scriptures as their Books Papers and Queries That if ever we own the Prophets Christ or the Apostles we will own their Books that what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater for Proof See Truth 's Defence c. p. 2. 104 107. Fox's his Answer to the Westmorland Petitioners c. p. 3. both Printed 1653. likewise G. Whitehead's Serious Apology c. p. 49. A Brief Discovery c. p. 8. Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth c. p. 40. 6. Such as Teach that Water Baptism is no Ordinance of God but an Institution of the Whore of Rome And that the Practice of it is Idolatry and that such are bewitched to accept of those two Institutions of Christ Baptisme and the Lord's Supper For Proof News coming up out of the North c. p. 34. 35. A Musick Lecture p. 25. Burrough's Works p. 51. 518. William Smith's Primmer p. 36. 7. Such as Teach that the Quakers Sufferings are greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and all the Marters since That the Sufferings Inflicted upon Christ his Apostles and Martyrs were chiefly done by a Law and in a great part by the due Execution of a Law see Burrough's Works p. 273. Behold Reader not only how they Magnifie their Sufferings the Blasphemy of their Doctors But the horrible Lye far exceeding that of Mahomet's Journey to Heaven as at large in that Learned Treatise Wrote by Dr. Prideaux Arch-deacon of Suffolk Entituled The Nature of an Imposture in the Life of Mahomet c. Printed 1697. Sold by W. Rogers at the Sun in Fleetstreet London 8. Such as Teach and leave it upon Record to Posterity that they Suffer 20 l. at a time for Preaching when they not only not suffer a penny but get ten pound clear by the Bargain as in this Book at large shewed in the Instance of that Self magnifying Teacher of theirs Samuel Cater of Little Port in the Isle of Ely See The lamentable Cry of Oppression c. p. 40. to the end Hadenham old Records c. 9. Such as Teach that the very Christ of God is within us his Sufferings within us that his offering himself as a Sacrifice is within us and by the scope of their Ancient Testimony deny him that was nail'd to the Cross Pierced c. to be Christ which their Light never was c. See Burrough's Works c. p. 149. W. Smith's Primmer p. 8. 9. and his Catechism p. 57. to 60. 10. Such as Teach that the Quakers have a a Spirit given them beyond all the Fore-fathers and thereby know who are Saints who are Devils and who are Apostates without speaking ever a word and that none need to give the Quakers Discerning or Judgment for Christ i. e. their Light doth furnish them at all times and on all occasions see G. Fox's Great Mist. p. 89. Judas and the Jews c. p. 58. 11. Such as Teach and that truly too that the Quakers are raised contrary to all Men yea ever since Noah's Flood and that they have given their Power only to God and that they cannot seek that 's a grand Lie the Parliament can bear me witness to outward Authority But stand Witness against Parliaments that 's true Judges Justices and to such Laws Customs Courts c. they cannot yield Obedidience that the Quakers Kingdom is from above and that they reject the Beasts Authority i. e. the Parliament and the Dragons Power And that the Quakers are gather'd up into the Life which the Holy Men of God lived in That they i. e. Quakers are fallen from the World and it's Ways and Nature That even the Father oh dreadful Blasphemy bears Witness of them and therefore their Witness is true Alluding as in many other Cases to Equalize themselves to Christ John 5. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know the witness which he witnesseth of me is true that Teach saying What have you the publick Ministry lost the Lord to be your Strength that you must flee for Help to Men Must they make Laws to Establish