AN Antichristian Conspiracy DETECTED AND Satans Champion DEFEATED Being a Reply to an Envious Scurrilous Libel without any Name to it CALLED WORK for a COOPER Being also a Vindication of my Book entituled The Antiquity of the Quakers From the Base Insinuations False Doctrine and False Charge therein contain'd against me my Book and against God's People called QUAKERS in general By me Thomas Wynne Printed in the Year 1679. Isa 51.22 23. Thus saith the Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the Cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thy hand the Cup of Trembling even the Dregs of the Cup of my Fury thou shalt no more drink it again But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee which have said to thy Soul Bow down that we may go over and thou hast laid thy Body as the Ground and as the Street to them that went over Micah 3.5 Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People to Err that bite with their Teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their Mouthes they even prepare War against him Matth. 10.25 It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold 1 Cor. 1.27 But God hath chosen the Foolish Things of this World to confound the Wise and God hath chosen the Weak Things of the World to confound the Things that are Mighty TO THE READER Courteous Reader SInce it hath fallen to my Lot for my love to be requited with Hatred it s my satisfaction that I gave no Cause but that in Obedience to divine Requirings I put my Candle on a Candlestick and my Talent although but small to the Bank but what Reception into the World it hath had hath been such as was fore-told by my dear Lord and Master Jesus Christ who said to his Disciples They shall speak all manner of Evil against you falsly for my Names sake and it s so now truly come to pass in our day as in this particular may plainly appear in my following Reply wherein I have considered what I conceived to have any seeming weight against my Book and in general have vindicated my Book my Friends and the glorious Truth which we profess from my Adversary's false Charge who hath dealt with me as the Spanish Inquisitors did by the Protestants they clothed them in their Sambenitoes viz. Garments upon which are painted the shapes of Devils that the Dogs might the sooner fasten on them and worry them even so hath he as may be seen by the Picture he hath put to front his Libel if he excuse himself that he crown'd it with a Windmil which might stave them off yet that he was not altogether without a Patern is very evident for if we look back but until the time of our Master Christ Jesus his Appearance in the Flesh we may find how they mocked him John 19.2 you may see how they plated a Crown of Thorns and put it upon his Head and Pilate as a fit President for the Libeller said Behold the Man thus all who are moderate may see how his Tribe used our dear Lord himself therefore I may conclude he hath dealt with me but in imitation of them and hath only shewed that he hath not degenerated from the Nature of his Predecessors for in imitation of his Patrons he blazens it with a Whip and Whipping Post in it as thou mayest see in the second page of his Libel which were enough of it self to manifest him to all men to be neither a Christian nor true Protestant for Christ would not have Fire come down from Heaven to destroy Enemies much less treat his Friends with such Cruelty who in pure Love visited the Children of Men to turn them from their Evil Wayes My Adversary in this his ungodly Work doth not resemble CHRIST and his FOLLOWERS but is BONNER and GARDNER like which had he been in their time could hardly have wanted an Office And certain it is that this was not the Method of the true Protestant Reformers he might then well conceal his Name when he would concern himself in so detestable a piece of Absurdity since that most of his Matter was Lyes made at home and his Book a Bell to Ring them abroad and it will neither in this World nor that to come turn to his Credit neither to the Priests nor his other Benefactors who gathered him Money to Print it for at the great Tribunal Christ Jesus will not fear to tell them It was WORK of INIQUITY for said he Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me And whereas there is a great deal of Dirt in his Book which he chargeth on Friends as Matter of Fact which I have not in particular Replyed to they being Abominable Lyes and Slanders as in page 6. he sayes They can like the Blasphemous Muggleton fix Woes or Joyes a Blessing or a Curse Everlastingly to all Eternity And in page twelve among a great many horrid Lyes he telleth of some did endeavour to obtrude that they could foretell to a Minute the Last and Dreadful Day of Judgment and could heal more Diseases than All the World could possibly need Help for with very many more Wicked Lyes up and down his Book which neither he nor the Most Envious of our Adversaries can ever prove against any TRUE QUAKER And as for his calling my Friends Vile Wretches and Coxcombs and many more ill Names and me Charon and Ferryman of Hell and much more Ill Language I pass by knowing that God will rebuke him and plead the Cause of the Innocent therefore I have kept close to what was Matter of Doctrine in it hoping that to the meanest Capacity who will be single that I have cleared my Self my Book God's Truth and People and manifested his to be grounded on a Foundation that is Sandy and will not stand when our God shall make a full Examine of the Matter contained in it Thomas Wynne An Antichristian Conspiracy Detected and Satans Champion Defeated CHAP. I. The Introduction of Quaking and Trembling THE blessed Truth of God together with the true Love I bore to my Native Country North Wales induced me to Salute them with the Book Intituled The Antiquity of the Quakers And after its Publication for a whole Year I was often told sometimes of one Priest Answering it and sometimes of another but at last comes out one not subscribed by any called Work for a Cooper which by Gods assistance I now take in hand and w ll discover to the moderate Reader of what quality soever he be that this Man hath not done like a Man of God at all which certainly had becom'd him to do especially being he seems to make himself to personate so great a Society of People
Wicklffiians Bohemians and Waldences the first reformed Protestants gave their positive Testimony against Tythes as may be found in the Marginal Histories An Estate in Tythes was as truly and justly the Right and Property of every Incombant Canonically ordained instituted and inducted Libeller p. 26. as any thing an Honest Man can call his all which the holy Apostle justifies in 1 Cor. 6.11 12 14. Have not we says he power to forbear working And if we have sown to you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your Carnal things Rep. What the Apostle sayes here agrees well with what Christ said when he sent forth his Disciples to Preach the Gospel Match 10. where he bid them make no Provision for their Journey freely ye have received freely give the work-man is worthy of his Meat Luke 10.7 8. Eat such things as are set before you In all this Commission here 's not one word of taking the Peoples Tythes but to eat what was set before them to this doth well agree what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4. Have we not power to Eat He did not say he had Power to take Tythe nor justifie it as the Libeller saith he did and it s no wonder that he will belye me when he dare be so bold with the Apostle The Apostle only there informs the Corinthians what Power they had That they that plant a Vineyard may eat of the Fruit thereof or gathers a Flock may eat of the Milk of it he doth not say they had Power to eat of a Vineyard they had not Planted nor eat the Milk of a Flock they had not gathered much less take away the Tenth of their Labours nor did he say they had as much Right and Property to them as any honest man hath in any thing he hath Nay the Apostle yet further acquits himself of the Libellers charge for in the 12th and 15th Verses he saith If others be partakers of this Power are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this Power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ Again But I have used none of these things neither have I written these things that it should be done unto me for it were better for me to dye than any Man should make my glorying void Again the 18th Verse What is my reward then verily that I Preach the Gospel I make the Gospel of Christ without Charge By this any honest Man may see that my Adversary chose a wrong Pattern to take his measure by Pope Innocent the Third did far better suit his purpose for Paul did not lay any claim to Tythes neither doth he say he had any Right to them but on the contrary Heb. 7. he said The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law To conclude this Chapter I have this to add that I have been a Sufferer in this matter of Tythes in Olivers dayes and all along ever since I have had them carried away Yearly and though he sayes all my Artillary is against them whom he sayes serves at Gods Altar and all my grumbling is against Tythes yet all this while I have not nor ever shall use any Artillary against them but my down-right Testimony that to give Tythes or take them is an Antichristian practice yet I with several Thousands of my dear Friends in England and Wales do patiently suffer when they are forceably taken away from us and it s my Faith in God and not mine only but the Faith of Thousands that God will in his due time remove this great Oppression and will daily more and more send forth faithful Labourers into his Work those who will be content with such Maintenance as Jesus Christ hath appointed for them whose glorying in him shall be that they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge CHAP. III. Of SCOLLARSHIP ABout which he vapours with such vehemency that he may be compared to Goliah of Gath who had a Helmet of Brass upon his Head and Coat of Male Sword and Spear with which he disdained the Shepherd's Boy with his Sling and Stone however since with his Latin and Greek he hath disdained me and defied the Host of the living God this day I will in the Name of the living God withstand him with my disdained Sling and smooth Stone which I have found in the Brook of God Libeller I do verily believe he knows not the meaning of Beatus qui protelabitur adding a Phrase in Greek adding more That neither I nor any Quaker living can tell the true meaning thereof Rep. Behold Reader how he vapours Goliah-like with his Latin and Greek saying No Quaker living can tell the true intent and meaning thereof Doth he not in this seek to limit the great God of Heaven and Earth Psalm 25.14 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Mark this man of God makes no Respect of Persons nor doth he limit God either to Mens Wisdom or Schollarship Luke 8.10 Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of God's Kingdom but to others in Parables Mark the Mysteries of God's Kingdom were revealed to these poor Mechanick Men but were hid from Herod and Pilate and the Chief Priest with all their Hebrew Greek and Latin 1 Cor. 1.21 The World by Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Mark people how Christ and the holy men of God tell you that its the Spirit of God that must make you knowing in the things of God 1 Cor. 1.27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of this World to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought the things that are that no flesh should glory in his Presence If so why was this man so vain in his Imagination that neither I nor no Quaker living could tell the meaning of those Scripture words he mentions however if he remain in the same belief all his dayes that neither I nor no Quaker living can tell the meanâ—ng thereof I can tell him also that neither he nor any of the wisest men in the World with all their Wisdom and Schollarship can tell the meaning of them for they are the things of God and none can know them but by the Spirit of God I will subjoyn some few Testimonies for confirmation of my Judgement in this Point the first is that of Pharaoh's Dreams Gen. 41. all his Magicians Wise Men and Schollars failed and poor Mechanick Joseph by the Spirit of God made it known Dan. 4.7 You may read there how the King made a large Tryal of all the Schollars and Wise Mâ—â— of Babylon but there it failed
and to be the Mouth of their Priests But instead of so doing he hath not come much short of the worst of men that ever writ against us as will appear by his scurrillity Perversion of my Words and of Scripture also his many Lyes and Slanders Detractions and unjust Reflections both upon me and the whole Body of Gods People called Quakers in general First after he hath bestowed on me and my Friends about three or four pages of abusive Reflection and casting of Dirt at us he cul'd out two Testimonies out of about thirty which I brought to prove Quaking and Trembling not to be Novel among Gods People and how he undertakes to confute me in those two you shall hear anon But before I make my Reply I think it convenient to acquaint my Reader how I came to joyn my self to those poor despised and abused People of God called Quakers I was Baptized and brought up a Protestant and having learned the Articles of their Faith and the Prayers of the Church I thought all was well untill I was about fifteen Years old and then soon after it happened that I could not find any such Church as I was baptized into the Wolf was got among them who tore many of them to pieces and the rest fled So that go to what Church I would I could find neither Bishop Doctor Prebend Vicar nor Curat to look after my Soul viz. not one of my Protestant Instructers they were all fled and left me to the mercy of the Wolf that had worried them and for many Years together there were none of them so much as visited me nor sent me so much as an Epistle or Collect nor any comfort or hopes But before I was twenty Years of Age I was amazed and astonished to see what was come to pass and began to reflect upon my self and to think what would become of my poor Soul For those who pretended to be my guides to Heaven were fled I knew not the way And my Brethren the Protestants without any more ado both great small went to hear the Hirelings that were then set up unless it were here there one and most of these men of low degree such as they could get nothing off and when I saw it thus come to pass I went also for company but found their great matter was to Exclaim against the Protestants which hit me upon the Sore but when I came to inquire strictly after them I found they did as the Protestants had done before them as to that part called Interest they had their Peepers into every ones Field lest any should give them a little Sheaf for a great one and were excellently skill'd in Arithmetick for they could make their Parishoners by a Figure they then had and the Priests now have If there were but five or six Geese belonging to a House make them pass for Ten urging as the Libeller doth pag. 26 27. That it was of as much Right to them as the other five were to the Owner They had also the same way for the Piggs and were as well skill'd for Easter-Reckonings and Midsummer-Dues as they call them I thought these did not quadrate well with those nor can it be Gospel in the present ones by this time I began to question whether any were then to be found in the right or not For my Instructers were fled and the others at best were but miserable Comforters for turn to the Right hand or Left I saw Iniquity abound and then I began to recollect my self and consider what my God-Fathers and God-Mothers so called had promised and vowed for me in my Baptism as they called it viz. That I should forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh This indeed was to forsake all Sin but how to perform I could not tell for I had lost my Guides that so taught however I inquired of others whether this might be performed or not No no said they none can ever be freed from Sin in this Life Then might I well say it was unreasonable that any should be bound and so solemnly as with a Vow to do that which neither they nor I nor none in the World could do I asked then Whether any could keep the Christian Faith and keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in them all the dayes of their Lives No no said they I afterwards asked both Protestants and Papists the same but found them all to agree in this point That none could be freed from sin in this life then began my Sorrow to encrease and to be more then I could bear and this was the time dear Country-men that the Almighty God who is no Respecter of Persons did break in upon my Soul by his Everlasting Light and discovered to me the emptiness of all those great Professions who only talked Largely and Eloquently of God and Christ and of Religion as it is at this day which was and is verified in their Practices the many great Pretences to Religion was and is but really a pursuing the Error of Balaam viz. Gifes and Rewards And it was at this time that the Lord raised many Witnesses to proclaim the Controversie that God had both with Professors and with Prophane and the Amazing Terrors of God being upon them for sin made them exceedingly to Tremble and it was not for fear of the then Powers nor for fear of Hell nor of Punishment as the Libeller wickedly insinuates in pag. 11. for the contrary will appear by their boldness in bearing their Testimony against the Hirelings and Powers then in Being whose Sufferings were so great that much of them could could not be recorded which will to all moderate men sufficiently rescue them from the Libellers false Insinuations in p. 8. That their Trembling was or is from a servile Fear But hear his Answer pag. 4. If Fear and Trembling were enough to prove a certainty of being beloved of God The Libeller page 4. then Balaam 's Ass and the Demoniacks among the Tombs Faelix the Hypocrite and Judas that hang'd himself for fear of any more seeing his Innocent and Righteous Master yea the Devils themselves might put in for a share too for St James expresly sayes that they believe and Tremble Reply Where hath this Malicious Perverter read in my Book or in any others of the Quakers Writings That Fear and Trembling is enough to prove a Certainty of being beloved of God Nay Serious Reader if thou wilt be but just to both him and me thou wilt find no such Word in my Book as That Fear and Trembling is enough to prove any's being beloved of God Upon my arguing on about thirty Testimonies of holy Writ of which he hath meddled with Two which indeed were too many to Pervert as he hath done and if thou wilt in Moderation read mine thou wilt find me only inser from them That Quaking and