Holy Spirit to amend our Lives according to thy Holy Word Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without End Amen ERRATA PArt 1. Page 1. line 13. for of God read for God p. 8. l. 1. f. derided r. divided p. 21. l. 14. r. doth blind p. 32. l. 12. f. 45. r. 35. p. II. p. 12. l. 16. f. third r. second part p. III. p. 13. l. 32. f. unwilling r. willing p. 26. l. 12. on this del p. 15. l. 7. f. K. C. II. r. K. C. I. in Cutting off his Head for that say they was a remarkable Record of the Righteous Judgment of God * See their Book West Answering to North p. 97. George Whitehead TURN'D TOPSIE-TURVY PART I. I Find in a Book wrote by W. Penn intituled A Key c. and presented to the Parliament 1699. to obviate the Objections against the Quakers in several Books then presented to both Houses of Parliament by the Norfolk Clergy this Passage to the Reader in his Epistle i. e. It is very Unfair as well as Indiscreet in any to Oppose and Calumniate what they do not Understand It has been says he our Unhappiness far more than all our Adversaries have been able to say against us that hitherto we remain Unknown by those who yet stick not to condemn us c. This indeed if true might Apologize for them but it is so far from that that were their Principles and the Danger of them fully known it would operate more against them that all their Adversaries as they account them have yet said against them for want of knowing them so fully as by their Fruits in time possibly may be manifest But whose Fault is it that they are no better known Is it not their own By their two-fac'd Practice and double Meanings in all they say or write their Books being of two sorts contrary each to other suitable to their Titles and Directions one sort to the World's People whether to the Parliament Bishops Judges Justices Priests and Professors in many of which they 'll pretend to own the Scriptures yea and a Scripture-Trinity too tolerably well but their other sort of Books to their Disciples directed with these and the like Titles viz. This is only to go amongst Friends Again This is only to go among Friends and not otherwise Again Written only for Friends that can read it In which they tell you the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation a Dead Letter the Husk c. and that such as tell People that the Scriptures are the written Word of God are no Ministers of Christ that the Scriptures are not a Means to bring People to the Knowledge of God and to work Faith in them and that the Trinity of Persons is for the Lake and the Pit But notwithstanding all this and ten times more that I could recite First Of their acknowledging to the World's People as above the Excellency of the Holy Scripture and that it 's of Divine Authority and the best Book extant in the World in direct Opposition to their Doctrine they teach to their poor deluded and willingly ignorant Disciples yet they frequently call their own Books The Word of God as in many Instances I could shew Nay I have one Book of theirs by me wrote by Christopher Tayler one of their ancient and approved Teachers bearing this Title Certain Papers which is the Word of the Lord and in p. 2 3 16. of that Book it 's said To you all this is the Eternal Word of God Nay further Geo. Whitehead preferrs them to be of greater Authority than the Bible Thus do they to their Disciples contemn villifie and set at nought the Sacred Word of God whilst they extol their own Pamphlets as The Word of the Lord yea The Eternal Word of God and as such of greater Authority than the Holy Scriptures How then is it possible for such as are not Conversant with their Books to know them Indeed to understand Quakerism rightly is the Business of an Age I have had more than Forty Years Experience of them and yet I do not know the Depth of their Deceit and Hypocrisie I mean of their Leaders for amongst their Hearers I do believe there are many honest tho' miserably deluded amongst them I my self in my young Years was carry'd away with their Dissimulation and a great Zeal I had tho' I must confess it was without true Scripture Knowledge But some Years before I left them I saw them both to walk and act contrary to their Pretensions a large Account thereof I have given in my Pilgrim's Progress insomuch that I wrote four Books against their Hypocrisies whilst with them in hopes of a Reformation amongst them but still the more I came to examine into their Principles and to observe their Practices the more cause I found to leave them and to this Day I have kept on Ripping and Stripping this well-favoured Harlot who calls her self the only true Church of Christ and that out of her there is no Salvation as in Josiah Coole's Book The Whore unvailed c. p. 12 16 18 28 31 41 50. where also she asserts their Infallibility and that there 's no Tares in their Church that their Light is Judge of all Controversies all Power in Heaven and Earth being committed to it and Miracles thereby wrought And that she agree with the Papists that our Bible is a brazen-fac'd Book an unjust corrupt and perverse Bible else she would not have printed it after them without a Word of Reproof and the more I came to study this Point the more cause I found to discover and lay bare her Nakedness to the view of the Nations and my Labour has not been in vain but have prospered notwithstanding G. W.'s Inchanting Demureness and hardy Boldness to defend himself and Brethren from my several and repeated Charges of divers Kinds tho' like the Magicians of old Exod. 8.7 he has done much Hurt But this Book of his I am now Reprinting will be like ver 18. I know and am perswaded there is a Finger of God's Divine Providence that has attended those who have denied themselves and have faithfully managed this Controversie of God's Glory and the Good of Souls and are content to become as the Off-scouring of all things for his Name sake But why do they still complain they are not known I do think if they look into my Books they may see themselves as in a Glass and so may others especially in New Rome Unmask'd c. New Rome Arraign'd c. The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. my Pilgrim's Progress c. and Quakerism Exposed I say these especially tho' I think there 's none that I have writ but give some Discovery mote or less but if all these be wanting read The Snake in the Grass and the Defence
the Scriptures say that God the Father the First Person in the Trinity is the Word No Christ the Second Person is the Word proved by that Scripture above quoted and perverted by them Whitehead in Ishmael p. 9. II. They are such Teachers as tell People of a Sacrament for which there is not one Scripture and so feed the People with their own Inventions and therefore we deny them III. They are such Teachers as have told us the Letter was the Light whenas the Letter saith Christ is the Light therefore we deny them John 1 c. Query Where is the Man What is his Name What Book is it in That the Publick Ministers ever said that the Letter as they contemptuously call the Holy Scriptures was the Light mentioned John 1. or the Essential Word of God only the Written Word of God spoke forth by Men Divinely Inspired and as such are a Light or give us Light and are a Means to understand the Mind and Will of God through the Influences of his Holy Spirit assisting therein No this I take to be a false Accusation like that of Joseph Wyeth's Anguis Flagellatus p. 158. i. e. Upon Examination of Christopher Wade's Words they seem to imply as if he had affirmed of the Scriptures that they were the Eternal and Indwelling Word of God c. This is a Lie told in Hypocrisie for I have read the Page through and there is no such Saying or any thing like it And thus do they belie their Adversaries both by false Citations and Charges Wherefore as the Protestants says touching the Jesuits so may the Protestants conclude by the Quakers both in reciting their Opponents their reciting their Friends and their Sham-Creeds and Protestations in their late Books presented to the Parliament the Judges Justices c. viz. Distrust them in all they say A Specimen of all which you have in this small Treatise But to go on IV. They are such Teachers as tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel therefore we deny them V. They are Babylon's Merchants that make a Trade of the Scriptures there-we deny them VI. They are such Teachers as take a Text out of the Saints Conditions i. e. out of the Scriptures therefore we deny them These are some of the chief Reasons why the Quakers deny the Publick Ministers and not only so and there leave it no but in Magisterial Insulting Domineering manner counsel and command the People contrary to all the Laws made and established to go no more to Church The like of which I do believe never was done by a dissenting People who enjoy their Liberty by Indulgence since the World began which after I have recited Fox's Motion from God as he audaciously pretends I shall recite this Counsel against the Estabished Church and next his Authority from The Word of God as he audaciously pretends as in p. 15 54. viz. Moved of the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord for the Cleansing of the Land of all False Teachers Seducers and Deceivers and Witches who beguile the People and Inchanters and Diviners and Sorcerers and Hirelings c. All People that read these things never come ye more at the Steeple-House nor Pay your Priests more Tythes till they have Answered them for if ye do ye uphold them in their Sins and must partake of their Plagues This is the Word of the Lord God to you all G. F. Reader their First and Great Commandment is Pay your Priest no more Tythes and their Second is like unto it Never go more to the Steeple-House and upon these Two Commandments hangs their Law and their Prophets and by this you may know that his Disciples love him in that they keep his Commandments And the Reasons he gives to enforce Obedience to their Commandments are because the Priests tell them that the Holy Scriptures are the written Word of God because they tell us of a Sacrament because they tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel because they take a Text out of the Scripture and Expound it to the People And for these and the like Reasons they call them False Teachers Seducers Deceivers Witches Inchanters Diviners Sorcerers and Hirelings And for their Warrant This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat even as in O. Cromwell's Time and for the same Cause now as then they have Condemned not only the Church of England but Protestant Dissenters too But George as I have turned thee topsy-turvy so am I now turning thy Inside outward shewing by thy Ishmael c. thy Ancient Testimony and Principle and thou sayest thou art not changed See thy Ishmael to which I have neither added nor diminished only the backside of the Title-Page Running Title Marginal Notes and Observations from Pag. 11. thy Name being on the Title-Page the middle and at the end Signed and also Sealed with your Common Seal i. e. Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us G. Whitehead c. But let me clear up one Passage in your Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 31. As for this Quotation in Ishmael c. p. 10 11. G. Whitehead hath positively disowned the Words and affirms they are none of his and that he writ not that Part of the Answer to Townsend which was in the Year * It was 1655. 1654. and that he shall neither stand by nor own these Words viz. And here thy Antiquity and the Three Persons which thou would devide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit Now George tho' thy Signing and Sealing this Book with thy Hand and Common Seal as aforesaid were sufficient to Entitle thee to this Hellish Blasphemy as if thou hadst Signed and Sealed a Bond of an Hundred Pound made by a Scribe would oblige thee to Pay the Debt tho' thou didst not write the Bond yet George I have a further Demonstration to prove the Book thine and never heard that until 1690 an Act being made which enjoined all that expected Toleration to own the B. Trinity that you did disown any part of this Book But George Disowning will not now do you must Retract and Condemn it and this to do will be as bitter a Pill as it was to thee and thy Brethren to own K. W. III. Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms For I have Mr. Smith's Book The Quakers Disarmed c. and your Book Truth Defending the Quakers c. both Printed 1659. wherein he charges you with this Ishmael and you both own and defend it And first The Qua. Disarm c. Mr. Smith He that writ this Book Ishmael opens a Door to Damnable Heresies you writ this Book G. W. therefore you open a Door to Damnable Heresies G. W. I deny it I did not write all there is something scribled on it Mr. Smith True here
are some things writ on the back-side I 'll charge you with nothing but what is printed Were you the Author of all that is printed in this Book your Name is printed at the beginning middle and end of it G. W. About three Years ago I and Four more writ it betwixt us Mr. Smith Pray tell me plainly whether you will own it or not if you will not own it at all then tell me what you will own and what not otherwise when I have proved it a most wicked Book you may disown it and so all my Discourse fall to the Ground 'T is no pleasure to me to speak or this People to hear vain Words If you will not own it speak but you may as well disown to morrow all that you say to day telling us Words are but Wind if you disown what you have Printed and affixt your Name so often unto G. W. Well I will own it prove what you can Now George lest thou should'st say this is an Adversary's Book tho' that in this Case would not help Dun out of the Mire I shall now come to thy own Book Truth defending the Quakers c. * Of Damning the B. Trinity to the Pit and Lake said in the Title-Page also to be written from the Spirit of Truth in G. W. c. P. 1. Question recited out of the foregoing Book to which this is in Answer Mr. Smith Do not you repent G. W. for your endeavouring vainly to Defend Aug. 29. 1659. in so great a Congregation these Positions printed in your Book of Ishmael c. G. W. The Positions we defended are according to the Scriptures of Truth and them we need not repent of As first in denying the Bible to be the written Word of God Secondly in asserting the Scriptures not to be the Word Thirdly that there is no such Word in the Scripture as Three Persons in the Trinity but it is a Popish Doctrine mentioned in the Popish Mass or Common-Prayer-Book Fourthly And thou that affirm Three distinct Persons in the Godhead art a Dreamer and he that Dreams and tell Lies he with his Imaginations and Dreams is for the Lake Truth Defending c. Where in the 33d Question in The Quaker Disarm'd c. thou hast falsly Charged George Whitehead's Book * Here he owns the Book and defends the Doctrine with proving several Blasphemies in it which is a wicked Lie and Slander for thou never yet proved any Blasphemy in it For that thou countest Blasphemies was our ‖ Mark Our Witnessing Witnessing against such Doctrines as thou couldst not prove by Scripture as that of a Trinity of Three distinct Persons in the Godhead and that of the Letter being the Word Truth defending the Quakers and their Principles c. P. 24. G. Whitehead therein reciting the 45th Question of Mr. Smith's out of his Book The Quaker disarmed p. 6. for I have them both before me G. W. thus Recites and then Answers viz. Do not you G. Whitehead blasphemously take to your self an Attribute of God while you pretend ordinarily to know the Hearts of Men and tell Mr. Townsend of Norwich in the second Page of your Ishmael that the Light of God is departed from his Conscience c. I think 't is the fairest Citation that ever I met with viz. of G. W.'s now comes his Answer I says G. W. take no Attribute of God to my self but what God hath given me c. And as for Townsend I never said that the Light was departed from his Conscience as thou hast belied me But that from the Light of God in his Conscience he is departed * And so are the Words in p. 2. of Ishmael as you may see A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. Truth Defending c. P. 25. In thy 46th Question thou hast says G. Whitehead charged me with Printing Railing Language with calling Priest Townsend Witch Lyar Blind Guide in p. 3. of Our Book * A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. But there is not the Word Witch but that thou would bewitch People with thy Lies c. Reader I cannot inlarge I now refer you to the Book which Geo. Whitehead owned when he and his Partners Wrote it when they Printed it when they Disputed with Mr. Smith Aug. 29. 1659. when G. W. Printed his Truth Defending c. which is at four or five sundry times and till 1690 which was 45 Years never disowned it Yet now he finds Quakerism sinking would insinuate he did not Write it doth not Own the Words is sorry his Name is to it and the like Dissimulation No George you must either Condemn it as rank Blasphemy or Defend it since your Hand Wrote it Signed and Sealed it as your Act and Deed. Now therefore George my Advice is That you go forthwith to your Second-Day-Meeting and together with them Condemn by Publick Censure under your Hands this your Blasphemous Book Ishmael and all other Books of yours and of your Friends of the same Nature and Tendency For as St. Peter once said to Simon Magus I fear it may be said to your Self and Partners Read Acts 8.21 22 23. Thy Heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of this thy Wickedness and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thy Heart and the Words of thy Mouth may be forgiven thee for I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity FINIS ISHMAEL AND HIS MOTHER Cast out into the WILDERNESS Amongst the wild Beasts of the same Nature OR A Reply to a Book entitulled The Scriptures proved to be the word of God put forth by one of Ishmaels Children who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel and a Pastor of S. Austins and Savours Parish in Norwich but is clearly made manifest by the light of God in his Servants to be a scoffer and an enemy to the Gospel which the Saints of God are Ministers of and sufferers for by such as he is who Ishamellike hath laid his folly open and is discovered to the faithful who are of Abraham and of the seed of Promise ALSO A cleer distinction between the Ministers of Christ who are of the seed of Abraham and the Priests of this generation who are of Ishmaels root who with the Truth are plainly made manifest by the light of Christ in us who for the testimony of God do suffer by the sons of Hagar and this Generation of the Priests in Norwich Given forth for no other end but that the truth may be cleared from such as scoff and deny it Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us that do suffer in the Goal of Norwich for the truths sake which is persecuted and slandered by the Priests and Rulers of this City Whose names in the flesh is Christopher Atkinson George Whitehead James Lancaster Thomas Simonds London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black
but to it art found adding in thy reason and thy invention and therefore the plagues that are in it written is thy portion and the lake which is the portion of all lyars as thou art Rev. 21.8 Rev. 22.18 19. Priest Again thou sayest that the Scriptures ought to convince us as Christians reason as rational men Answ They that are Christians do see and comprehend thee and thy reason thy faith thy obedience thy rule thy foundation to be without the foundation and the word which was before thy inventions was and before Tuball Cain the inventer thy father was P. 8. 4 to in whose condition thou art and the word and foundation and the way was before the Beast and false Prophet was which thou art Isa 9.15 16. and this rule and foundation and worde did Moses David and the rest of the holy men of God witness who spoke forth Scripture which thou calls the word rule and foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 Psal 18.2.31.3 Here thou would make Moses David and the rest of the holy men of God who spoke forth Scripture blind like thy selfe both without the word rule and foundation Priest Now to prove the Scripture the word of God thou brings Exod. 20.1 Levit. 10.13 and many other Scriptures thou brings to the same effect how God spoke these words Answ Thou blind sot we challenge thee in the presence of the living God to prove in any of these * They deny the Scriptures to be the written Word of God This is their Ancient Testimony from which they are not changed they tell you so Scriptures that the Scriptures are the written word of God or else stop thy mouth thou evil beast and slow belly dost thou make no difference between the word and these words and here again wee charge thee to be a lyar and an adder to Scripture Priest And thou brings these Scriptures Isa 24.3 and Psal 125. and other Scriptures to the same purpose how the Lord saith and thus saith the Lord and Jer. 1.1 2.4.9 the words of Jeremiah to whom the word of the Lord came Answ And the word of the Lord that came to Joel Amos and others thou dreamer doth ever Isaiah Jeremiah or David or Joel or Amos or any of the holy men of God say that the Scripture is the written word whenas God who is the word John 1. spoke these words unto them whose voice thou never heard who spoke unto them before the Letter was written which is a declaration of what the word spoke unto them or was that paper and Ink or could it be contained in paper and Inke which came to the Prophets whenas Jeremiah saith the word is fire in his heart and a burning shut up in his bones and a hammer that breaks the rocks Jer. 20.9 Jer. 23.29 30. and behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my word every one from his neighbors and behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say he saith and behold I am against them saith the Lord that profess false dreams and tell them as thou dost and cause my People to erre by their lyes P. 9. 4 to and by their lightness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit the people at all saith the Lord and there thou art among the false Prophets and dreamers which Jeremiah who witnessed the word cryed wo against such Pastors as thou art Jer. 23.1 Priest Thou sayest thou shalt not need to mention the sayings and doing of our Saviour Christ which are frequently recorded in the New Testament and hence it is called the word of Christ and thou brings the Scripture Coloss 3.16 let the word of Christ dwel in you Answ Here again we challenge thee to be a lyar and an adder to the Scripture dost thou make no difference between death and life for Christ saith my words gives life and it was by his word that the dead was raised John 11. now that which Matthew Mark Luke and John wrote of Christ could not give life for that is called a Declaration of those things which was freely delivered among them Luke 1.1 and that thou calls the word which is death and killeth as thou may read 2 Cor. 3. and Paul was a Minister of the New-Testament and not of the Letter which thou calls the New-Testament ver 6. and this word which dwelt in the Saints they did neither call the Bible nor the Letter as thou dost here thou hast manifested thy self to be a blinde guide both ignorant of the Word and the Letter Priest Thou sayest that it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith Answ Thou blasphemous beast dost thou make no difference between the Scripture and God or is the Scripture God * God who is the Word so they do not distinguish the Father from the Son i. e. the Second Person of the Trinity when the Scripture saith God who is the word was in the beginning and by him was all things made and this was before the Scriptures was written John 1.1 which thou would make thy God of and here let all that reads this see thy blasphemie Priest Again thou sayest the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture and thou brings Joshua 1.5 Answ Let all that reads that Scripture Judge and condemn thee to be a Lyar for it speaks not such a word as God speaking in the Scripture Priest Again the same page thou sayest that all the rest that is written in the volume is but a comment or exposition of those ten precepts Answ Thou diviner where dost thou prove such a Scripture as comment was that which the Prophets Christ and his Apostles spoke out a comment or exposition here again we charge thee Priest Townsend to be an inventer and a deviser of lyes P. 9. 4 to which thou hast no Scripture for Priest Again thou sayest that thus it appears that the Scriptures are the word of God because God writ them and caused them to be written Answ That which is written is the Letter which is death and killeth 2 Cor. 3.16 but the word is living Heb. 4.12 there again with the Scipture thou art disaproved to be a lyar Priest Again in another page thou sayest that the Scriptures are called the counsel of God the will of the Lord the mystery of Gods will and thou bring these Scriptures Rom. 3.2 1 Pet. 4.11 Acts 20.27 Psal 33.11 and Pro. 19.21 Ephes 5.17 and to conclude this thou sayest that God himself calls the Scriptures his word and to maintain that thou brings Zach. 1.6 Answ Let all that reads these * Here Mr. Townsend is together with the Holy Scripture judged and condemned behold their Ancient Testimony Scriptures see thee to be a perverter of Scripture and adds thy inventions to them for they that spoke forth these Scriptures knew the Counsell of God and the mystery and the Gospell
them to Charge you And when you shuffled and evaded their Charge it gave them Encouragement for the Petition that they might Examine you an Abstract thereof is as followeth viz. The Humble Address of the House of Commons to the KING May it please Your Majesty WE your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled do with great Joy and Comfort remember the many Testimonies which your Majesty hath given us of your Sincerity and Zeal for the true Reformed Religion as established in this Kingdom and in particular we beg leave to present to your Majesty our most Humble and Thankful Acknowledgments for the late Gracious Declaration your Majesty has made to us from the Throne that you would effectually discourage Prophaneness and Immorality c. We do further in all Humility beseech your Majesty that your Majesty would give such effectual Orders as to your Royal Wisdom shall seem fit for the suppressing all Pernicious Books and Pamphlets which contain in them Impious Doctrine against the Holy Trinity and other Fundamental Articles of our Faith tending to the Subversion of the Christian Religion and that the Authors and Publishers thereof may be Discountenanced and Punished c. And to the end that the Quakers may see the Zeal of our Government against the Errors contained in their Books and not to presume to Discourse as they do as if they and they only were the White Hen's Chickens and the only Favourites as I can give particular Demonstrations both by what I have heard with my Ears from some of their Young Disciples who as the Old Cocks Crow the Young ones Learn as well as I have observed from Credible Information I shall recite His Majesties most Gracious Answer to the foregoing Address which is as followeth viz. Gentlemen I Cannot but be very well pleased with an Address of this Nature and I will give immediate Directions in the several Particulars you desire But I could wish some more Effectual Provision were made for the suppressing those Pernicious Books and Pamphlets which your Address takes notice of By this time the Quakers thought themselves concerned being Conscious to themselves as well they might that no People in the King's Dominion no not the Muggletonians were so obnoxious to the Censure of the King and Parliament as themselves Upon which they bestirred themselves like the Magicians in Moses's time to bring forth a likeness And therefore when there was a Bill Preparing they Printed a Paper and presented it to the House of Commons by way of Instructions in which there were these Words viz. WHereas the Bill enacts That if any Person or Persons c. shall deny any of the Persons in the Holy Trinity to be God and make it punishable by the same Bill were it not more safe and plain to put it in Scripture Terms as instead of Deny any one of the Persons to be God to insert If any one shall deny any of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or the Holy Ghost to be God 1 John 5.7 Now if the Quakers can but bend the Parliament to their Bow then they 'll agree but as for them they cannot condescend a Hair's Breadth as one of their Teachers Patrick Livingston formerly Taught For say they The Father is Light the Son is Light and the Holy Ghost is Light Nay if they desire three or four Persons more added as that the Door is Light the Elect Stone is Light the Vine is Light the Blood is Light the Water is Light they 'll allow all and all these are One no one of which was before or after the other nor one greater or lesser than another and yet all this while they mean not a Word according to the Scriptures and the common belief of all Sound Christians but Reduce all to their Light within But still fearing what might happen and to guard their Errors they soon presented His Majesty with a Paper and this put me upon undergoing the Charge of Reprinting one of their Books intirely that so I may set them in their True Light to be seen and read of all Men And as it is my Duty so by my Reasonable Service to God and my Country though by some my Words may be despised Eccles 9.16 A Copy of the Quakers Paper is as followeth viz. To King William III. over England c. The Grateful Acknowledgment of the People Commonly called Quakers Humbly Presented May it please the King SEeing the most High God who rules in the Kingdoms of Men * * Dan. 5.21 and appointeth over it whomsoever he will hath by his over-ruling Power and Providence placed thee in Dominion and Dignity over these Realms and by his Divine Favour has signally preserved and delivered thee from many Great and Eminent Dangers and Graciously turned the Calamity of War into the desired Mercy of Peace we heartily wish that we and all others concerned may be truly Sensible and humbly Thankful to Almighty God for the same that the Peace may be lasting and a perpetual Blessing And now O King the God of Peace having returned thee in Safety it is Cause of Joy to all them that fear him to hear thy good and seasonable Resolution effectually to discourage Prophaneness and Immorality Righteousness being that which exalteth a Nation And as the King has been Tenderly Inclined to give Ease and Liberty of Conscience to his Subjects of different Perswasions of whose Favour we have largely partaken so we esteem it our Duty Gratefully to Commemorate and Acknowledge the same earnestly beseeching Almighty God to assist the King to prosecute and effect these his just and good Inclinations that his Days may be Happy and Peaceable and hereafter he may partake of a lasting Kingdom that will never fade away London the 7th of the 11th Month 1697. Signed in Behalf of the said People by us George Whitehead Peter Bowen Will. Mead Gilbert Layty John Edge Daniel Quane Tim. Emmerson Thomas Hawes Samuel Jobson Theod. Eccleston Nicholas Gates Will. Ingram Will. Onkingate Thomas Lower John Paine John Butcher Will. Macket Rich. Needham John Vaughton John Hound Michael Russel Jof Wilkinson Joseph Wyeth John Hall Josiah Ellis Now by this fair and smooth Paper who would think but the Quakers would have Signed the Association pursuant to the Act of Parliament Intituled An Act for the better Security of His Majesties Royal Person and Government c. Oh! no by no means For they tell you in their Paper Intituled The Ancient Testimony and Principle of the People called Quakers Renewed with respect to the King and Government and touching the present Association Dated the 23d of March 1695 6 viz. And whereas we the said People are required to sign the said Association we sincerely declare That our refusing so to do is not out of any dissatisfaction to the King and Government nor in Opposition to his being declared Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms but purely because
Altar that Ten of the Quakers Teachers have received more Gifts than Fifty of our Episcopal Divines Rectors of Parishes in the Counties of Suffolk and Norfolk only by strewing a few Ashes on the Floor or something Equivolent But as the Priests of Bell were too powerful for Daniel without Assistance from the Government even so are the Quakers for me I can only discover the Riddle and propose a Method to try them by but cannot bring the Matter about to bring proof thereof without Assistance from the Government But as Daniel by his threefold Medicine Pitch Fat Hair boil'd together by God's Blessing burst in sunder the Babylonians Dragon their other Idol-God even so have I been Instrument l with the help of Pen and Ink Paper well prest together and applied Warm with God's Blessing Burst in sunder the Quakers great Idol their Darkness within which they call Light So that their Infallibility is flown one way and their Sinless Perfection another their Spiritual Discerning they pretend to so as to know who are Saints and who are Devils and who are Apostates without speaking a Word this way and their Miracles that way And if to bring this to pass I have sometimes taken the freedom of the Prophet Elijah 1 King 18. who speaking to the Prophets of Baal in a Holy Derision of them and their Idol Gods said Ver. 27. And it came to pass at Noon that Elijah mocked them and said Cry aloud for he is a God either he is Talking or he is Pursuing or he is in a Journey or peradventure he Sleepeth and must be Awaked c. if then I have taken such freedom with the false Quaker Prophets and their Dumb Idols which can neither See Hear nor Understand much less discern who are Saints who are Devils or who are Apostates without speak-ever a Word or if I have with the Woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. by way of Metaphor brought about a Form of Speech with design to get the Quakers examined whether what have been Objected against them be true or not I hope it is Pardonable since in all Ages in the World the same Cause leads to the same thing For I do Believe and not without Ground That as there never was a People since Simon the Sorcerer pretended to such High Prophetical Attainments so likewise there never was a Sect of Falser Prophets since the time of Elijah nor that ever held such Blasphemous Principles as their Books set forth And they say they are the same still their Principles the same and not changed Be not deceived I beseech you by the Quakers who appear like the Pharisees Fair and Beautiful even like Painted Sepulchers Remember the Subtilty of the Gibionites Josh 9. how they by their Dissimulation deceived good Joshua and all the Princes of the Congregation of Israel The Quakers tell you they own the Scriptures to be given by Divine Inspiration but mean not one word of it like other Christians for so they own their own Books They tell you they own a Scripture Trinity but mean not a word of it This is a Matter Right Honourable of great weight and your Honours will find it as difficult a thing to gain the true meaning of the Quakers touching the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures and their Belief of a Scripture Trinity as Constantius the Emperour found it in the Examination of Arius the Heretick to get his true meaning touching the Faith of one Substance For the Quakers as did Arius mean as they have written but how Namely in their own Books I mean of that sort they read in their Meetings and keep close among themselves one of which I have herein Reprinted In these sorts of Books they deny the Scriptures to be the Written Word of God For it is say they a Rotten Foundation Dust Death and Serpents Meat In like manner they dissemble the Doctrine of the Trinity when they pretend to own it whilst in their Books they Damn it to the Pit and Lake All this and much more I offer to make appear who am with all Submission Right Honourable Your Honours most Humble and most Obedient Servant Fran. Bugg A PREFACE By Way of PARABLE THere was an Island very Populous and well Scituated the Air good and the People generally of a sound Constitution and governed by wholesom Laws and professed the most Reformed Religion of any Nation round about them But so it fell out that in the North Part of this Island Anno 1650. there arose a great Sea-Monster †Viz. Geo. â—â—x alias 〈◊〉 Magus of a Luciferian Pride who pretended that he and all that received embraced and had the same Spirit that moved him were equal to God That he was the Eternal Judge of the World and knew who were Saints who were Devils and who were Apostates without speaking ever a Word and he having betrothed himself to a young Harlot * i. e. The â—â—nters she conceived and brought forth her Young to whom she drew out her Breasts and gave them Suck and they multiplied exceedingly and many of them became fiery flying Serpents †Such of 〈◊〉 Proâ—â—â—ts as â—â—â—re him â—â—â—h Diâ—â—â—e Attriâ—â—â—es and spread themselves like Locusts all over the Island some entering the Churches where they stung both Men Women and Children others entered into the Market-places Barns Orchards and private Chambers like the Frogs in Egypt poysoning the Air and infecting much People Upon this the Physicians both Conformists and Nonconformists were extreamly allarmed not well knowing what to do or what Course to take to stop the Gangrene of this Pestilential Disease and to heal the People who were bitten by these Serpents but as wise Physicians they took their Christian Dispensatory * i. e. The Holy Scriptures and turn'd over to this Chapter and that Verse and made excellent Receipts which were sold at reasonable Rates at every Booksellers Shop and prepared many Antidotes against the Venom of this dangerous Infection But these wounded People being intoxicated by the Venom of these Scorpions they refused all these Christian Offers but the Physicians as in Duty bound resolved to apply their Medicines to the grieved part of this wounded and bewitched People who like the Samaritans of old said That this Monster was the Power of God †G. Fox's Journal 3d Index under the Letter M. that he wrought Miracles that he had Power to bind and loose whom he pleased and cried out who is able to make War with the Beast But notwithstanding the Power and Prevalency of this Dragon they applied as aforesaid their Medicines very warm and withal giving them some Physick to purge away the Dregs of their Distemper which as soon as they had done and before they could finish their Prayers for a Blessing upon their Endeavours these diseased People grew into a raging Fit and raved at the Physicians like mad Men saying We are perfect and free from Sin sound and have no need of any
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
which to thee is hid whom the God of this world hath blinded thy eyes and out of the mystery and Gospel and rule and foundation thou art with that which thou calls the only rule and word and foundation art thou judged and with light seen and condemned to be an inventer of lies and a deceiver of the blind but no further canst thou proceed for thy folly shall be made manifest to all men Priest In a second reason of thine thou sayest the antiquity of the Scriptures do clearly prove them to be of God for man could never write of things done before he had a being but the works of the five first dayes Creation are mentioned in Scripture but man was not made till the sixt day therefore they must needs be the word of God Answ Here thou blind Beast who art ignorant of God who makes antiquity as thou calls it the perfect knowledge of God and sayes that man could not declare of things before ever he had a being and so would make people believe that the Scripture reveal God thou blind Beast whether was man or the Scriptures first and whether did God make himself manifest unto and thou that sayest that the Scripture reveal God thou art a lyar for God revealed himself to Moses before the Scripture was written and Moses was the first pen-man of the Scripture was 14 Generations after the fall and yet he wrote of things before the fall was and thy father Cain was before Moses was and yet he knew no Scripture and thou that would make the Letter the light and way of knowing God are not so much as a Minister of the Letter and here thou art made manifest to be in the fall in the death which past over all men before Moses was and are not come to fee the first Days VVork to see light divided from darkness and here let all the Prophets and holy men of God judge thee with the Light from which thou art erred for they wrote of Christ and saw his day many Generations before he came in the flesh 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 for thou hast no Scripture that mentions such things * This is their Ancient Testimony to damn the Blessed Trinity to the Pit of Hell P. 11. 4 to Piest And where thou art telling that the Scripture converts the Soul and works Grace and the opening thereof make hearts to tremble and says that Scripture discovers mens thoughts and makes Laws for them Answ Here thou hast made thy self manifest where did ever any of the holy men of God say that the Scriptures converts the Soul or make Laws for mens thoughts and what is that which opens the Scripture or where is it if the bare Letter convert the Soul here thou Priest of Baal for that is thy name thy lyes are made manifest and deceits laid open to the children of the Light and art seen with the light from which the Scripture was spoken Priest Again thou sayest the Scripture speaks to all men alike but thus do not the word of man therefore thou sayest they are the word of God Ans But thou thy self and thy generation are perverters of the Scripture and are respectors of persons for you are called of men Master stands praying in the Synagogues has the chiefest places in the assemblies and the greeting in the Markets and are pleading for cap and knee and says we do not reverence Magistrates because we do not put off our hats and bend our knees as thou and the rest of thy generation of Hypocrits do who have mens persons in admiration because of advantage Iude 16. and this which you calls the word speaks not to all men alike for wo is pronounced in it to such as thou art who art found in the steps of the false Prophets and Scribes and Pharisees and goes in the way of Cain to envie and after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards which wo was never pronounced to the righteous and wo unto thee thou lyar who art a wrester of Scripture to thy own destruction and art found with so many Lyes as thou hast here uttered Priest In another place thou sayest no Creature Angels men or Devils if all were put together in one could ever declare before-hand what particular person should be born and what should be their names in so many thousands yeers before their birth Ans Here thou art taken with another lye with which thou hast stuffed up this thy confused Book for both by Angels and Men was Iesus Christ the Son of God prophesied of Moses who was many years before Christ came in the flesh prophesied of Christ and said like unto me will God raise up a Prophet him shall the People hear Mat. 1.17 see if thou can number the year of all these generations which prophesied of Christ and when Christ came he saith before Abraham was I am thus art thou known and comprehended with the truth which all thy fathers and generations past persecuted so be ashamed and stop thy mouth for ever Priest In that thou calls thy two propositions 1. thou sayest the Scriptures are the means by which faith is wrought and to prove that ly thou brings Rom. 10.17 Ans Shame cover thy face thou full of rottenness and filthy dreams Scriptures not a means to work Faith This is their Ancient Testimony where did thou ever read in Scripture that it is the means whereby faith is * P. 12. 4 to wrought when that Scripture saith faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word here thou art deaf and never heard the word and thy faith and word is without but the word of faith which we preach is nigh in the heart and mouth Rom. 10.8 therefore search thou the Scripture with the Saduces who knew not Christ for in them thou and thy generation thinks to have eternal life but ye will not come unto Christ that ye may have life Iohn 5.38 39 40. Priest Again thou sayest that the Scripture which thou calls the word is an everlasting rule so long as we live on earth The Scripture which Mr. Townsend calls the Foundation of Faith in the Mire and Dirt. Ans Thou blind sot see thy confusion can that Letter be everlasting while we live upon earth here thou hast shewed thy reason where it is that they that are not stark blind may see thee thy reason and thy foundation to be in the mire and dirt and may see thee to be a senceless natural bruit Beast who with thy lyes art made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.13 Priest And again thou sayest the most eminent believer sin in many things Ans Here is the end of thy teaching here is thy rule and here is thy foundation and here is
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
are not in me I 'll break you in pieces I the Light in you will consume it all I 'll Burn Heaven and Earth I 'll burn within and without I the Light will overturn Kingdoms and Nations and Rulers of all sorts and Armies and gathered Churches which will not own me the Light in them to Guide and Lead them And I will be your Dread and ye shall be the Dread of Nations And ye shall Reign over all the World I will give you Dominion over all your Enemies within and without and I will make them all bow before you and even as I am i. e. God so shall ye be also Reader from hence we may gather what Harangues they have in their Yearly Meeting when their Doors are close and secure where they revive and re-assert their Ancient Testimonies but their Trumpet gives such an uncertain sound as none know but themselves how to prepare to the Battel you hear now that their Light within is God the Eternal God by whom all things were made and created and besides their Light within there is no God that can save and yet sometimes they Speak to their Light and Teach their Light even their Eternal God For this see their Book The Vials of the Wrath of God c. by G. Fox Printed 1655 p. 6. Therefore to the Light in your Consciences do I speak c. Sometimes their Light is Honest that is they have an Honest God For this see their Book The Trumpet of the Lord Blown c. by James Parnel p. 2. To the Light in all your Consciences I speak which is Honest of God Sometimes their God is Blind or Dim-sighted for this see G. Fox's News coming up out of the North c. The God of the World blind your Eye which is the Light Thus have the Quakers like the Gibeonites deceived many Thousands But hark George I have not yet done with your Guilty Excuse In your Innocency and Truth Vindicated c. p. 69. viz. We says George are only Defensive c. How George What only Defensive That I do deny and shall now make it appear That from first to last you have been the Aggressors altho' at present you are so close Attackt that you begin to call for a Cessation of Arms. But George we are now for Reparation or else no Quarter It is not your Excuse That the Clergy in Oliver's time were no Ministers of Christ nor your Flattering the Episcopal Clergy will now do unless you condemn your Erroneous Books See J. Feild's Defence c. If Francis Bugg accounts those Ministers of Christ that turned and kept the Bishops out of their Bishopricks how can he have the Face says Feild to own himself a Member of the Church of England In this J. Field thinks he hits the Mark but with a Reverse for John I do believe that in Oliver's time there was a Christian Ministry of Learned Clergy-men And one Reason among others which make me so believe is because they wrote many sound Orthodox Books against Quakerism and the Quakers as they began so they kept on against them And that you are still as great Enemies to the present Clergy as you were against them I shall shew anon But I have not yet done with your Brother Whitehead who with a mealy Modesty simpers it out That you Quakers are now only Defensive you are for an Amicable and Friendly Conversation and no Lovers of Contention Oh meek Saints But hark George did not the Quakers first Challenge the Norffolk Clergy I say yea and shall prove it from the Words of your Letter viz. If you think you have Matter to charge us Quakers withal let us have your Charge under your own Hands and appoint Time and Place convenient and we or some others of us will meet you as publickly as you please Any of you all Of your Cloth And stand a Publick Tryal c. By which 't is self-evident that the Quakers Challenged the Clergy and if I mistake not very boldly too considering the many gross Errors and horrid Blasphemies you stand charged with and convicted of out of your most Authentick Writers And for you yea I say for such a Tribe of Self-Condemned Schismaticks to prick up your Ears and to Challenge the most Learned Clergy the World have and who are Ministers of the most Reformed Religion and of an Established Church by Law I think this was bold with a witness But come George let us go back to your Beginning and take our Measures from thence for you would not have us take you for Changlings You know Quakerism is the same and the Principles of it even what it always was and will be to the End of the Chapter For one single Instance of which I could give many See your Prophet Burroughs's Epistle prefixed to George Fox's Great Mystery c. viz. Then being prepared of the Lord and having received Power from on high we went forth as commanded of the Lord And the dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and first of all our Mouths were opened and our Spirits filled wih Indignation against the Priests and Teachers and with them and against them First we began to War as being the Causers of the People to err and the Blind Leaders that carried the Blind into the Ditch And against them as the Fountain of all Wickedness abounding in the Nations and as being the Issue of Prophaneness Shewing unto all them and to all their People that they were not Lawful Ministers of Christ sent of him but were Deceivers and Antichrists and such whom the Lord never sent And we spared not publickly and at all Seasons to utter forth the Judgments of the Lord against them and their Ways and their Churches and Worships And this was our first Work which we entred upon to Thresh down the Deceivers and lay them open that all People might come to see their Shame and turn from them c. Thus then it plainly appears that the Quakers began this Contest and have carried it on in the same domineering and insulting manner until of late And nothing makes you pull in your Horns but the Discovery of your Bloody Treasonable Seditious and Blasphemous Principles and Practices And as a Third Instance that you are as Implacable Enemies to the present Establisht Church Ministry Scriptures and Ordinances as you were in your dear Friend Oliver Cromwell's Time as your Apostle Fox Saluted him I shall cite some few of the Reasons you give why you deny the National Ministry even in 1671 as more at large you may see in your Book wrote by George Fox intituled Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers Printed 1671 p. 5. viz. Grounds and Reasons why we deny the Worlds Teachers I. THEY i. e. the Publick Ministry are such Teachers as have told us the Letter was the Word when the Letter says God was the Word therefore we deny them John 1.1 Query Where do