CHAP. I.

I Was Born at Milden-Hall, in the Coun­ty of Suffolk, on the 10th Day of March, Anno 1640. and Baptized into the Church of Christ, the 14th of the same Month; promising then by my Sureties, to Fight manfully under Christ's Banner. My Father's Name was Robert Bugg, second Son [Page 2] of Francis Bugg, (and Margaret his Wife,) who was Chief Constable many Years; my Mother's Name was Joan, the Fourth and Youngest Daughter of Thomas Holman, and Mary his Wife, (who was Baptized the 16th Day of March, 1619.) living at Lakenheath-Hall▪ My Parents were of a good Yeomen-Family, and lived in good Repute, and brought me up in the Profession of the Church of England; and when I came to Years, capable of Instruction, they Taught me the Lords Prayer, the Ten Command­ments, and the Apostles Creed; and very se­vere they were, in Teaching me the Rudi­ments of the Christian Religion. I remem­ber my Mother, who was a very good and pious Woman, and religiously inclined, would not suffer me to Sleep, when I went to Bed, e're I had said my Prayers, and sometimes, part of my Catechism: And on the Lord's Day, she made me to frequent the Church, and at Home on that Day, as well as most other Days, to read some Portion of the Holy Scriptures: They brought me up to School Learning, until I attained to the Age of about Fifteen Years, whereby I was capable to Write, and Read English very well; as also to cast Accompt, few Lads went beyond me: As also the Grammar, wherein I was well instructed in the Rules thereof, insomuch, that I began to make a Piece of Latin; but my Father living in a great Farm at Undley-Hall, in the Parish of [Page 3] Lakenheath, of 200 l. a Year; besides a Fen-Farm in his Hands, of 100 l. per. Ann. more; he had, in the Summer-time, great Occasion for my Assistance, and thereby was preven­ted, of attaining to that Degree they once de­signed: And afterwards being an Appren­tice, and so fell into Business, that I soon lost a great part of that Learning, I once had at­tained.

I must also confess, I was in my Youth inclined to Company, especially to Dancing and Musick; yet I had in my early Years a Love to Religion, and delighted much in Reading the Holy Scriptures, sometimes Eight or Ten Chapters together, I also lov'd much to hear good Preachers. I very well remember, that sometimes I went to Milden-Hall, (where we formerly liv'd,) on the Lord's Day, on purpose to hear Mr. Watson, who was accounted a famous Preacher, be­ing Four Miles from my Dwelling. Thus much briefly touching my early Education.

CHAP. II.

ABout the Year of our Lord 1657, Tho­mas Symonds, of Norwich, came to Lakenheath, and appointed Meetings; and many Quakers came from Thetford, and other Places: And, tho' I went to Church on the Forenoon, yet I had itching Ears to hear the Quakers; and my Mother being dead, and much of my Restraint thereby ta­ken off, I went to their Meetings in the Af­ternoon, and gave great heed to what was spoken; whose chief Subject was, The Light within every Man, and this Light to be Christ: And their great Argument was from Christ's telling the Woman of Samaria her Thoughts, saying, Come, see a Man which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ? &c. John 4.29. Therefore, said the Quakers, this Light within must needs be the Man Christ, and no other Man Christ, do they now own to this Day, if they would speak their Thoughts: However, their Wri­tings prove it; and till they condemn them, all they alledge to the contrary is nothing worth.

Well, however, I and others were catched by these and the like fallacious Arguments, [Page 6] not being well grounded in the Principles of the Christian Religion, nor understanding the Wiles of Satan; and by their smooth and fair Carriage, by their suffering patiently the Affronts they then met with. And I cannot but still remember, how our Minister warn­ed us of the Doctrine of the Quakers, and told us, they were Deceivers and Antichrists; even those Deceivers which Christ foretold us should arise, shewing Signs and Wonders; insomuch, that if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect, Matth. 24.24. Which I now also believe. But by this their pretended Patience in Suf­fering, by their so much insisting on the Di­ctates of our Consciences, which prompts to Good, and checks for some Evils; with o­ther fair Words, and seeming, nay, real Truths, with which they covered over their poysonous Pills of Schism and Heresie, many of us were deceived.

Again, when I saw so much Plainness and seeming Sincerity in the Quakers, and consi­der'd, how our Minister lived, it was ano­ther Motive to induce me to go after the Quakers; for our Minister lived with my Fa­ther, I do think some Years; my Father was the chief Man that got him into the Place: But, both then, and afterwards, he was such, not so exemplary as he ought to have been, and I not being capable to judge of the Do­ctrinal Part, I was carried away in my Af­fections; being more apt to be led by Exam­ple than Precept, which is not always safe: [Page 7] However, I do believe it was the offensive Practice of our Minister, which I beheld in divers Particulars, which was one Cause of my Stumbling, whereby I fell unhappily in­to that Schism. Not that I now judge the Occasion by him given, was or is warranta­ble for a Separation from an Established Church.

CHAP. III.

HAving by this time fallen in with the Quakers; in a few Years, I became ve­ry zealous that way, and to Silent Meetings I went; and sometimes we had a few Words spoken, sometimes none; sometime an Epi­stle of George Whitehead's, George Fox's, Sam. Cater's, or some others, read in our Meet­ings, and sometimes none: But the chief of what we did hear, either from our inspired Infallible Teachers, or from our Friends Epi­stles, in those private Silent Meetings, was, To exhort us to wait in the Light, out of our Selves, out of our Thoughts, out of our Wil­lings and Runnings, in that which is invisi­ble; and then we should receive the hidden Manna, yea, Manna from Heaven, which the World knew not of; and that we should feel Christ to come the second time to Judg­ment; and that Judgment was to begin at the House of God, which House was our Bo­dies: And from hence divers of us fell oft into a Trembling and Shaking. I have seen about five or six together in a Meeting, shake [Page 9] like a Leaf in Winter, namely, Matthew Beesly, Jonas Skrook, William Eyson, and others; yea, they have shaken the Forms they sat on; and this, not once, nor twice, but frequently. I do very well remember, that John Kilborn the Elder, did one Sunday in our Meeting, fold his Arms, and stood up­right, and by and by leaped and jumped a­bout 18 Inches at a time, until he jumped round the Room. I know, that some are a­live still, that know these things are true. But, let it be noted, not a Chapter in the Bible was ever read amongst us, but all ex­horted to adhere to the Light within, to o­bey the Light within, and to follow the Teachings thereof, as a Guide sufficient to lead us to Salvation; yea, above Scripture, above Fathers, above Councils, and above Churches: Fran. Howgill's Works, p. 602, to 627. This I now confess was a Paradox; not Orthodox, but absolutely Heterodox: For let the Scripture command Subjects to be obedient to Magistrates, Children to obey their Parents, Wives to reverence their Hus­bands, and live in Subjection to them, Ser­vants to obey their Masters, Christians to obey their Pastors, all this signified little; the Light within (our Teachers taught us,) was Christ, and Christ the Power of God, the higher Power, to which every Soul was to be subject; yea, all Power in Heaven and in Earth was committed to the Light, Per­verting John 5.23,24. Acts 17, to 31. See [Page 10] Josiah Coal's Works, p. 93. And that no Command in Scripture was any further bind­ing, than as we were convinced of the Law­fulness thereof, by the Light within us. Ed. Burrough's Works, p. 47. So, that all our Obedience to God, and his Commands, were bottomed and founded on our Conviction, by the Light within, that being the only Rule, Judge and Guide, both superior to the Scri­ptures, Fathers and Councils. Quakerism a New Nick-name for Old Christianity, by W. Penn, p. 71. For, said they to us, That what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any, is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are, and greater, Truth de­fending the Quakers, &c. p. 7.

By which, it is self-evident, That these Si­lent Meetings were designed to wean us off from so much as the Remembrance of all Ex­ternal Religion, and also, to prepare us to re­ceive the false Notions of Quakerism; for, had they indeed exhorted us, to have regard to our Light within, and the Dictates of our Consciences, which prompts to Good, and checks for many Evils; in Obedience to the Commands of Holy Scripture, this would have been safe, for I believe we ought so to do, and 'tis the same the Ministers of the Church of England press and exhort us to. Oh! but this would not do our Teachers Bu­siness; they must bring us off from the Scri­pture Commands, as inferior to their Say­ings and Speakings; for the Book last quo­ted, [Page 11] is said to be given forth from the Spi­rit of Truth, in George Whitehead, and George Fox the Younger, See Title Page. And be­ing questioned by a Minister, p. 7. VVhether the Quakers Speaking was of as great Autho­rity as any Chapter in the Bible? George Whitehead reply'd, saying, That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY, is of as GREAT AUTHORITY as the Scri­tures and Chapters are, and GREATER. So that the plain Consequence of this Do­ctrine, is, That the Authority of this little Pamphlet of Whitehead's and Fox's VVriting, is of Greater Authority than the Bible; and not only that, but all their other Pamphlets which they give forth (as they pretend,) from the Spirit of Truth, or Light within. The said Minister proposed another Question to Whitehead, viz. Is the Moral Law, or Ten Commandments, a Rule to the Christian's Life, or is it not? p. 18. To this G. White­head reply'd, saying, Thou might as well ask, If the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ, for the Christian's Life and Rule is Christ; mean­ing, their Light within: From whence it's plain, that the Ten Commandments are not the Quakers Rule: No, no, not unless they be convinced by their Light within, of the Reasonableness of their Obedience, as Mr. Penn teaches, and Edward Burroughs, their great Prophet, Quakerism a New Nick-name, &c. p. 71. Burrough's Works, p. 47. And by these, and the like Arguments, our Teach­ers [Page 12] brought us off, from believing the Scri­ptures to be the VVord of God: And as such, to have Authority over us, and Binding to us, whether convinced, or not convinced; by these Means, they brought us from the Practice of repeating the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles Creed, in our Families: By these cunning Slights, they by degrees brought us off the Ordinan­ces of Christ, as Baptism and the Lord's Supper, asking Forgiveness of Sin, and the like Christian Duties, in which many of us had been Educated, and which the Scriptures command and exhort to. And by reason of this, and the like Doctrine, together with not reading the Holy Scriptures in our Meetings, but their Epistles only, as in my former Books I have at large shewed; we came to forget, and not regard, nor have Faith in the Crucified Jesus, who died for our Sins, and rose again for our Justi­fication; and that in these Fundamental Points following; namely, 1. That Faith in Christ, as he outwardly suffered at Jerusalem, was necessary to our Salvation, provided we hearkened diligently to our Light within. 2. That Justification and Sanctification, is by the Blood of Christ outwardly shed. 3. That there shall be a Resurrection of the Body that di­eth. 4. That Christ shall come without us in his Glorified Body, to Judge the Quick and the Dead, at the last Day; even the same Je­sus, that was Born of the Virgin, Died, Rose, Ascended, and now Sits at the Right Hand of [Page 13] God in Heaven, making Intercession for us: News out of the North, p. 14. As also that there was little need of Preaching the Literal Knowledge of Christ's Death, Miracles, Re­surrection and Ascension, because they are generally believed by all sorts professing Christianity: See Isaac Pennington's Book, The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. p. 29. I say, by our Teachers thus slighting the Scri­ptures, as Death, Dust, and Serpents Food, of which I have largely treated elsewhere; and by their other Doctrine scattered up and down their Books, they brought us off from the Belief and Expectation of these Things, as George Keith by his Third Narrative, has clearly made to appear; and as a Pregnant Instance thereof, with respect to my self, see my First Book I printed, De Chris. Lib. Part 2. which, altho' it treat of the best part of Quakerism, and gave a mortal VVound to the Jurisdiction of their Female Government, yet it set not forth any one of these four Fundamental Points: For, as their Hypo­crisie in pretending to be plain, sincere, sim­ple and innocent, was a means to attract and draw me after them; so, the like Hypocrisie in pretending to gather to the Light, leave People to their Light, as a sufficient Rule, Judge and Guide, Yet a­cting quite contrary, as anon will ap­pear. &c. was one Reason why I left them. I do not look upon it so eminently my Business, to set forth the ad­mirable Advantage and Use of the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Apo­stles [Page 14] Creed, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper; no, every Bookseller's Shop is furnished with plenty of such Books, which are writ by Men of great Learning and Skill; which, should I write after them, it would be next to light a Candle at Noon-day, when the Sun shines in its Brightness. Tho', if I lived in a Coun­try where such Arguments were not, I thank God, I could, through the Study of the Scri­ptures (and the Knowledge I have of the Do­ctrinal part of Christianity thereby,) speak somewhat to the Point, and which might be useful too: No, I take it to be my Business and Office, amongst others, to unmask and discover the Errors and Pernicious Principles of the Quakers; and therefore refer to Bi­shop Andrews upon the Commandments, Bi­shop Pearson upon the Creed, Dr. Cumber upon the Lord's Prayer, and indeed, what else the Church teach.

And to make it yet more evident, if more can be, that the very Design of these Silent Meetings was to bring us off, and wean us from the Articles of the Christian Faith, and the Principles of the Christian Religion; and thereby, to mould us, and square us, as fit Tools for their Turn, to supplant and over­throw it. And this I know, that the more we obeyed the Doctrine of our new Teach­ers, the more we grew dead to all Instituted Religion.

For, as Universities, and other Schools of Learning, as well amongst the Jews as Chri­stians, [Page 15] had a tendency to prepare Men, and thro' God's Assisting Grace, were a means, and a help to such as were to be Consecra­ted, and set apart for the VVork of the Mi­nistry; so I do affirm, and that from an Ex­perimental Knowledge, That these Silent Universities tends only to empty the Mind of all true and solid Notions of the Christi­an Religion, and only to prepare them for the wild Notions of Quakerism, which hath such a sandy Foundation, that to this Day they have not been able to produce their Articles of that Faith they pretend to; but are, as Mr. Baxter said Penitential Confes­sion, p. 63. i. e. The Quakers are amongst us a disgraced broken Sect, &c. notwith­standing their pretence to Unity, Uniformi­ty, and to be of one Mind, referring oft to their Beginning; when, alas! some will pay Tythes, some not; some shut up their Shops on Fast-Days, some not; some for Thee and Thou still, but most of them not, but are like other People; some wet Quakers, some not; some for this, some for that; and some for neither this nor that; as in a Hun­dred Things I could shew.

But, lest any should think me partial in stating the Case, and in shewing the Conse­quences of our Silent Meetings, or Schools of Ignorance, I shall now proceed farther to prove my Reasons, and that from plain Mat­ter of Fact; that so it may appear, as well from our printed Books, as from our known [Page 16] Practice, what a strange Effect these Silent Meetings had upon us; and, how we thereby became not only levened into a Temper, to throw off all Instituted Religion, but to a degree higher, even to throw Contempt both up­on the Scriptures, Ordinances and Ministers, and all things Sacred, crying down all Forms and Constitutions, how ancient and profita­ble soever they were, and all under a Pre­tence of a higher Dispensation, even the Light within, &c.

For saith W. Penn, We [Quakers] being withdrawn from every Form and Constitution, to wait [in Silence] for Life from God, and not from beggarly Elements, and therefore made a Prey to all Parties; against whom every Hand have been lifted up, and forsaken by all Civil Power, &c. The Guide Mista­ken, p. 32.

To this, let me add the Testimony of one of our greatest Prophets; his VVords are these; (i. e.) I dare not daub (saith Solo­mon) with untempered Mortar; for where they (i. e. Professors of Christianity) are, I was, viz. in Performances, in Ordinances, in Family-Duties, in Hearing, in Reading, in Prayers and Fastings, in my own Will; and all this is Will-worship. But when that one thing (the Light) came, which was needful, I then began (waiting in Silence) to learn to be a Fool; insomuch, that I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals that were set be­fore me. A Musick Lecture, p. 25.

Thus it is plain, that our Teachers led us into this Silent way of pretended Worship, which never was known before since the World began. Indeed, Consideration and Meditation are good, and ought often to be the Exercise of Christians; but then they have an Object to Meditate upon; either the Works of Creation and Providence, which affords much Comfort, and Cause to praise God our great Creator; or else, on our Lord Jesus Christ his Death, and Sufferings, and perfect Obedience, and the like. But, I say, to go on purpose to a Meeting, and there sit starving in the Cold three or four Hours together, speaking never a Word, nor as near as we can, think a Thought of our own; this is such a new and non such way of Worship, as neither Prophets, Christ's Apostles, nor any Christian Church to this Day, ever gave Countenance to, or President for; I grant, That John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton, who came forth with George Fox, and their Books bear the like Face, viz. Tho' all visi­ble Worship is now become of no value in the Eyes of the Lord, yet it may be truly said, that Christ is with his Apostles always to the end of the World, in all those that Worship him in Spirit and Truth; I mean, those Sober Silent Saints, whose Language and Practice speaketh forth the Spirit and Power of the Scriptures in them; these Silent Saints I speak of, from an unerring Spirit, — from an infallible Light, which I have re­ceived [Page 18] from the Divine Majesty, &c. Joyful News from Heaven, p. 61, 72.

Reader, I have by me Lodowick Muggle­ton's Journal, or Works, bound up in one Volume, containing eleven distinct Books in Quarto, and above One Thousand Pages; and so like to George Fox's, that I intend they shall stand together in the Library of Christ's Church College in Oxford, with the Works of Burroughs, Bayly, Smith, and o­thers; that so any who are concerned with the Quakers Errors, may be furnished, &c.

Thus, Reader, you see, that Muggleton and Fox stand on the same Bottom; Fox was unerring, so was Muggleton; Fox was for an In­fallible Light, so was Muggleton; Fox was for Silent Saints, so was Muggleton, only Mug­gleton keeps close to his Principles; for as he denies all Ordinances, so he does not Preach, Pray, nor Baptize, nor Administer the Sacrament: But the Quakers, as in the Instance of Solomon Eccles above-quoted, pretend to be against all Ordinances, and yet own Preaching and Praying, and deny Baptism and the Supper, &c. However, since I have no Author, nor never read of a­ny but Lodowick Muggleton, that justifie the Quakers Silent Meetings, I will produce one Passage more, i. e. That the Worship requi­red by him from his Saints, was an Inward Stilness, by which their Souls were made wil­ling to hearken to the Voice or Motion of bis most Holy Spirit, speaking in them. — Thus from an unerring Light, I have remon­strated [Page 19] to the Elect, what is the very true God, and his Spiritual Worship accepted of him; 'tis not Outward Praying, Preaching, Fasting or Thanksgiving, to be seen of Men; but it is an Inward, Spiritual, Silent Pray­ing and Praising, Fasting and Feasting, upon the Glorious Things of Eternity, which is on­ly seen by Divine Eyes, &c. p. 41, 43. Ibid.

Thus I have shewed, that Lodowick Mug­gleton was a better Quaker of the two than Solomon Eccles: But that it may appear, that as the Quakers have testified against the Christians for owning the Authority of the Bible, so let them see they have a Partner, namely Muggleton, who says, p. 49. Ibid. Again, in the next place, I shall demonstrate the Vanity of the Ministry of the Baptists; I need not tell you the Foundation upon which they build their Worship, because it is found­ed on the Letter The Quakers Language to a Tee. of the Scripture, and their own lying Reason, which is the Devil in them: All true Christians are now under the Ministry of the Holy Spirit, and there­fore are no more bound in Conscience to A­postolick Worship; I say again, that above this 1000 Years there hath not been a Man sent to Preach or Prophesy, p. 50. How then canst thou possibly become a Minister of Di­vine Ordinances, by Authority from another Man's Words or Writings, unless without their Letter, thou wert immediately moved to speak by the Holy Spirit, as they were? Moreover, tho' the Scriptures in themselves [Page 20] are true, yet there is nothing but Death in them to a Carnal Spirit: The Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life; and can a dead and killing Letter give the Power, to become a Spiritual Minister of Christ's Ordinances to his Elect People? I trow not, &c.

Thus doth Lodowick profess the same In­fallibility of Judgment, the same way of Si­lent Meetings, the same Perfection and un­erring Light to Guide, moved thereby imme­diately. Again, they join, like Samson's Foxes, against the Scripture, a dead Letter, a killing Letter, a carnal Letter. I think I have said enough at this time, of the Har­mony betwixt Lodowick Muggleton, and the Quaker Teachers, tho' I could bring many of the like Instances.

CHAP. IV.

FOR after we became dead to the Ru­diments of the World, as we accounted those Christian Duties, commanded by Christ [Page 23] and his Apostles, and practised by Christian Churches downwards, as Baptism, Supper, Confession of Sin, &c. and became stedfast and fixed in the Notion of Quakerism; of which I gave only a Hint as I passed thro' my Pilgrimage in that Particular; then our Teachers began to bethink themselves of the Necessity of a Government in our Church, as well as our Neighbours; and if a Govern­ment, then a Governour; and this Govern­ment must be either Inward, or Outward: The Inward we had tried, and found defe­ctive; for the Disciple pretended he was en­lightned, as well as the Apostle; and he thought he had as much Right to follow his Guide, i. e. his Light within, as to follow and obey the Light in his Teacher, or the Light in any Man.

Upon this, the Teachers met in Council at London, in the Month of May, 1666, to set­tle this so necessary, as well as difficult Point; and many Arguments passed between the Clergy and Laity, viz. between the Teach­ers and the Deputies. At last it was decided, That the Body should govern, and the Light in the particular should submit to the Light in the Body. But still this Body being without a Head, seemed like a Monster; so that there was a Necessity to find a Head to clap upon this Body. Well, this Head must either be visible, or invisible; the latter it could not be, for then the least Hearer would plead his Light, his Guide, his Judge, his Leader, as [Page 24] the Teachers told them in the beginning, when they decoyed them over to them. So then it was resolved, it must be George Fox; he being the first, must become our Great Apostle; who, together with the Body, was to Govern from East to West, and from North to South. Since which time, it was in vain for any single Person to plead the Sufficiency of his Light, or the Authority of it, for to the Light in the Body was all Power in Heaven and Earth committed. Jos. Coal's Works, p. 93.

And to support this Glorious Cause, Will. Penn wrote a Book, wherein he affirmed, That it is a Dangerous Principle, and Per­nicious to True Religion; and which is worse, it is the Root of Ranterism, to assert, That nothing is a Duly incumbent upon thee, but what thou art perswaded, [or convinced] is thy Duty, &c. A Brief Examination and State, p. 3. This was Printed in 1681, and and written by the same W. Penn, who in the Year 1673. wrote his Book, stiled, Quake­rism a New Nick name for Old Christianity; where he then Judged it so far from Rante­rism, to act as they were perswaded, that, Page 71. he saith, No Command in the SCRIPTURE is any farther OBLIGING upon ANY Man, than as he finds a CON­VICTION upon his Conscience; otherwise, Men (said Mr. Penn) should be engaged without, if not against Conviction; a thing unreasonable in a Man, &c. Thus then it's plain, That with respect to the Commands [Page 25] of God recorded in the Holy Scriptures, Men are to be at Liberty; they are to obey, if they be convinced or perswaded it's their Duty so to do; if not, they may, by Mr. Penn's Doctrine, be at Liberty. And so saith E. Burroughs; for, (says he) That is no Com­mand from God to me, what he commands to another; neither did any of the Saints, that we read of in Scripture, act by the Command which was to another, not having the Com­mand to themselves, &c. Burrough's Works, p. 47. And if we read on in the same Page, we may find, that these Commands of God, thus rejected by the Quakers, unless they have them anew, as the inspired Apostles and Prophets had, were Baptism, and other Ordinances.

And now let me return, to see what things Will. Penn would have done and obey'd, Conviction, or no Conviction; and this will give us some Light into their Mystery of Ini­quity; thus to reject the Commands of God, recorded in Scriptures, and teach, that none need to obey them, unless convinced of the Usefulness of them, as they have done these 40 Years. GO TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING, &c. DO THIS IN REMEM­BRANCE OF ME, &c. When you Pray, say, FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE, &c. Matth. 28.19,20. Luke. 22.19,20. Chap. 11.4. See also, The Picture of Quakerism, drawn to the Life, Part 1. Page 60, to 70.

Well, I say, let us hear what the Com­mands of the Quakers are, That whoever a­mongst them pleads for their Liberty, whe­ther to obey, or not to obey, are Ranters, Re­bels, and what not. See his Brief Examina­tion, &c. Page 11. And this I affirm, from the Understanding I have received of God, not only that the Enemy is at work to scatter the Minds of Friends by that loose Plea; What hast thou to do with me? Leave me to my Freedom, and to the Grace of God in my self, and the like. But this Proposition and Expression, as now understood and alledged, is a Deviation from, and a Perversion of the Antient Principle of Truth. For this is the plain Consequence of this Plea: If any one shall say, I see no Evil in paying Tythes to Hireling Priests, in that they are not claim­ed by Divine Right, but by the Civil Laws of the Land. I see no Evil (saith another) in marrying by the Priest, for he is but a Witness. I see no Evil (saith a third) in declining a Publick Testimony in Suffering-Times, for I have Christ's and Paul's Exam­ple. I see no Evil (saith a fourth) in re­specting the Persons of Men; for whatever others do, I intend a sincere Notice, that I take of those I know. I see no Evil (faith a fifth) in keeping my Shop shut, upon the World's Holy-Days, [Fast-Days,] for I would not willingly give Offence to my Neigh­bours, &c.

Reader, I have been the larger on this Quo­tation, because it may evidently appear, be­yond all their Glossing, that like the Phari­sees, their Forefathers, they make void the Commands of God, by exalting their own Traditions above them, saying, None are any further obliged to obey the Commands of God in the Holy Scripture, than they are convinced or perswaded by their Light to o­bey; but their own Commands, such as not paying Tythes, not marrying with a Priest, not putting off the Hat, not shutting up their Shop-Windows on Holy-Days, and Fast-Days, this is highly Criminal; to plead their Liberty in these Things, is Ranterism and Rebellion.

To confirm this, George Whitehead said, in Answer to a Minister's Question, i. e. Is the Moral Law, or Ten Commandments, a Rule to the Christian's Life, or is it not? Truth defending the Quakers, &c. p. 18.

I answer, (says G. W.) thou might as well ask, If the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ? For the Christian's Life and Rule is Christ, &c. meaning the Light within: Quest. to Profes­sors, &c. p. 27. And this is much like Is. Pennington, who said, That the Name JE­SUS and CHRIST belong to every Member, as WELL as to the Head; and if so, White­head is in the right on't; they might as well indeed, carry the Ten Commandments to Christ, as to the Quakers: For, on their own Hypothesis, there is as much Reason for the [Page 28] Quakers Love to be equal with Christ, if not above him. See p. 10. What is attribu­ted to that Body, [meaning the Son of Ma­ry] we acknowledge, and give to that Body in its Place, according as the Scripture attri­buteth it, which is THROUHG and BE­CAUSE of THAT which dwelt and acted IN IT; but that which sanctify'd and kept the Body pure, Mark kept Christ's Bo­dy pure. and made all acceptable in him, was the Life, Holiness, and Righteous­ness of the Spirit; and the same THING which kept his Vessel pure, it is the same THING that cleanseth us; the Value which the Natural Flesh and Blood [of Christ] had, was from THAT, in its coming from THAT, in its acting in THAT, in its suffering thro' THAT, p. 33. Now the Scriptures doth ex­presly distinguish between CHRIST and the GARMENT which he wore; between HIM that came, and the BODY in which he came; between the SUBSTANCE which was VAILED, and the VAIL which VAILED it; there is plainly HE, and the BODY in which HE came; there was the OUTWARD VES­SEL, and the INWARD LIFE; This we certainly know, and can never call the BO­DILY GARMENT CHRIST, Viz. They can never call the Son of Mary Christ. but THAT which appeared and dwelt IN the BO­DY. Now if ye indeed know the CHRIST of God, tell us plainly what THAT is which appeared in the Body, whether THAT was not the Christ before IT took up the Body, af­ter IT took up the Body, and for ever?

I am the larger on this Head, to shew, first, George Whitehead's Pride, in saying, That the Commandments of God might as well be carried to Christ as the Quakers; next, that the Christ which the Quakers own only, is the Light or Spirit which was in Christ, and is in them; lastly, that they can never call him that was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christ, but a Vail or Garment, an Outward Vessel, and the like: Com­pare the last Quota­tion to G. W.'s Ser­mon. And for more of this Tendency, I refer to George Whitehead's Sermon hereafter expres­sed, &c. Having by this time shewed, That the Quakers have rejected the Govern­ment and Guidance of the Light in the Par­ticular to be sufficient, but that the Light in the Particular must vail to the Light in the Body, or Church; I am now come to set forth their Authority for it, which was the Sentence and Judgment of their Synod, held at London, May 1666.

Having by this time shewed, First, How our Teachers, in order to bring us over to them, and to decoy us, told us, the Light within was a sufficient Guide, Teacher and Leader, even sufficient to lead to Salvation; yea, above Scriptures, above Fathers, above Councils, and above Churches; I have in the last Instance shewed the Fallacy of their so early and smooth Pretences; and that from [Page 32] the beginning they have been a false, perfidi­ous, and treacherous Tribe of Deceivers, as e­ver the World produced. Well, now they appear plainly to be a Body, and I having found who is the Head of this Body, name­ly, George Fox, it will not be amiss to recite the Quakers Creed, and his Commandments; which, whatever Quaker do not submit to, convinced or not convinced of the Reasona­bleness of their Obedience, it's now plainly seen what will befall them. I need not Com­ment upon the recited Canon, Creed, Fox's Commandments, nor their Zeal to maintain them as their Ancient Principles, altho' God's Commandments by Moses, the Apostles Creed, and all the Scripture, the Quakers slight and reject, as not to be read in their Meetings, not to be taught their Children; nay, so proud is G. Whitehead, that he tells you, as above, The Jews might as well have carried them to Christ in the Days of his Flesh, Viz. the Ten Commandments for him to learn, observe, and obey them, as for the Christians to carry them to the Quakers to learn, observe, and obey them: Truth defending the Quakers, &c. p. 18. For saith he, What is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any, is of as great Authority as the Bible and Chapters are, and greater: Burroughs Works, p. 47. This is the Tenure and Pur­port of his Doctrine; and I do affirm, it's right Quakerism: For Edw. Burroughs said, That was no Command from God to me, what he [Page 33] Commands to another: And W. Penn con­firms the whole, saying, No Command in Scri­ptures is any further obliging upon ANY Man, than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience, otherwise Men should be engaged without, if not against Conviction; a thing unreasonable in Man, &c. Quakerism a New Nick-name for old, &c. p. 71.

But for their poor infatuated Disciples to plead, whether to conform or not, whether to obey or not, the Commands of G. Fox, i. e. not paying Tythes, not to be Married with a Priest, not to put off the Hat, not to open their Shops on Feasts or Fast-Days; I say, to plead to be left to their Freedom herein, and the Grace of God in their Hearts; Oh! no: Says W. Penn, This is a dangerous Principle, this is a pernicious Plea, this is perfect Ranterism. VVhat! to have Liber­ty, whether to obey the Commands of the Body given out by the Head thereof? This is wicked indeed, as by their Yearly Epistle above-recited is plain: However, I shall re­cite both the Quakers Creed, and the Com­mands of G. Fox, Viz.

Books of the Quakers, which prove these to be their Tenets, and a Hundred times as much, are these;

Geo. Fox Jun.'s, VVorks, Edw. Burrough's VVorks; Saul's Errand; G. Fox's Journal; Truth defending the Quakers, &c. A La­mentation by one of England's Prophets, &c. Judgment fixed, &c. Jos. Coal's Works; The Quakers Refuge, &c. W. Smith's Primmer, &c. A Discovery of Man's Return, by W. D. Ishmael and his Mother cast out, by G. White­head, and three other chief Speakers; A Brief Discovery of a threefold Estate of Anti­christ, &c. News coming up out of the North; Ste. Crisp's Primer, printed 1682. [Page 37] The Apostate Incendiary; W. Penn's serious Apology; The Quakers Challenge; A Que­stion to Professors, by Is. Pennington; A La­mentation, by one of England's Prophets, &c. printed at York, 1653. A Dispute at Chester­feild, 1655. See the Fifth Chapter follow­ing; upon which I conclude thus.

G. Fox's Tryal at Lancaster Assizes, p. 21. The thundering Voice answered, I have glo­rified thee, and will glorifie thee again; and I was so filled full of Glory, that my Head and Ears was filled full of it, that when the Trum­pets sounded, and the Judges came up again, they all appeared as dead Men under me.

I think it now necessary to insert two Pas­sages out of two of the Quakers most learned Teachers Books; the one, to deter their Hearers from adhering to the Commands of Moses; the other, to confirm them in the Belief of G. Fox's, viz.

Whether the first Pen-man of the Scri­ptures was Moses or Hermes? Or, Whether both these, or not one? Or, Whether there are not many Words contained in the Scri­ptures, which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Whether some Words were not spoken by the Grand Imposture; some by wicked Men, some by wise Men, ill apply'd; some by good Men, ill expressed; some by false Prophets, and yet true; some by true Prophets, and yet false? The Qua­kers Refuge fixed, &c. p. 17. This being suggested by Robert Ruckhill, an Eminent and Learned Man; I cannot blame his Hear­ers, who believe that he wrote by the Eter­nal Spirit; nor that they lay aside the Com­mands of God by Moses, and receive the Commands of G. Fox; at least not so much as I blame their Teachers. For if I did que­stion whether Moses or Hermes were the first Pen-man of the Holy Scriptures; or whether both of them had a Hand in it, or neither of both was concerned in the wri­ting thereof; if I question'd the Truth of what the true Prophets of the Lord said, and believ'd, that what the false Prophet said, were true; if I thought, that what good Men said was ill expressed, and so insignifi­cant, as hereby is suggested, truly I should give as little heed to them as the Quakers do, and be ready with George Fox himself, to call them Death, Dust, and Serpents Meat. See News coming up out of the North, [Page 40] p. 14. But I thank God I have been better taught, even from my Childhood: For, tho' by the Dissimulation of these Seducers, I was carried away into great Errors, yet the Love of the Scriptures ever remained with me.

The next Passage shall be from their Learned Barclay: It is no ways inconsistent with this sound and unerring Principle, to affirm, That the Judgment of a certain Per­son or Persons, in certain Cases, is INFAL­LIBLE; or for a certain Person, or Per­sons, to give a positive Judgment, and pro­nounce it as Obligatory upon others, because the Foundations and Ground thereof IS; NOT because they are infallible, but because in these things, and at that time, they were led by the Infallible Spirit. The Anarchy of the Ranters, &c. p. 67.For more of this Qua­ker-Pope­ry, see The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life, &c. p. 8, to 16.

By which 'tis plain, that as Ruckhill in the forecited Passage, render the Scriptures Un­certain, Fallible, and of no Authority, so does Barclay render Quakerism Infallible, Certain, and their Commands and Injuncti­ons Obligatory upon others: And why for­sooth? Why, because at such times as the Quakers thus Pronounce, thus Write, thus give out their Mandates, Commandments and Precepts, they (says Barclay) are led thereunto by the Infallible Spirit.

CHAP. V.

TO come to a right Understanding of this, I shall first insert an Objection raised by W. Rogers, The Christian Quaker distinguished, &c. Part I. p. 9. [and by him taken out of a Manuscript, with Names to it,] next George Fox's Answer; and then proceed to other particular Reasons and Demonstra­tions.

Object. 'Tis true, Friends in the begin­ning were turned to the Light in their own Consciences, as their Guide; but when it pleased the Lord, to gather so great a Num­ber into the Knowledge and Belief of the Truth, then the Heavenly Motion came upon George Fox, as the Lord's Anointed and Chosen, having the Care of the Churches, as being the great Apostle of Christ Jesus; and as one, whom the Lord had ordained to be in that place, amongst the Children of Light in this our Day, as Moses was amongst the Children of Israel in his Day, to set forth Methods and Forms of Church-Government, and to establish Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Men, [Page 43] and Women distinct from the Men; and these Meetings since are called the Church, whose Counsel, Advice and Judgment, is to be sub­mitted unto by every one, who profess himself a Member of Christ's Church; and that we ought to believe as the Church believes, as G. VVhitehead teacheth, viz. I affirm, That the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God, and we must believe thus as the true Church believes, or else it were but both a Fol­ly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Mem­bers thereof. G. VVhitehead's Book, the Apostate Incendiary, &c. p. 16.

This Objection W. Rogers made from the Strength of divers Arguments he found in the Manuscript, from the VVords and VVritings of divers Persons, whose Names he did for­bear to mention; but for the clearing up this Point, VVhether G. Fox looked upon himself the Second Moses, the great Prophet and A­postle, see his Answer to W. Rogers. The Christian Quaker distinguished from the A­postate and Innovator, in Five Parts. See Part 4. p. 83.

Reader, The Text and Context being du­ly consider'd, I mean W. Roger's Objection, touching the common Jealousies which was amongst us at that Day, besides the Letters in the said Manuscript, &c. I say, that duly consider'd on the one Hand, and G. Fox's Answer on the other Hand, which was so far from denying himself to be that Prophet which Moses prophesied of, Deut. 18.15. and St. Stephen testified of, Acts 7.37. and St. Peter, Acts 3.23. and St. John the Evan­gelist, John. 1.45. These, and many o­thers, gave witness to the fulfilling of the [Page 45] Prophesie of Moses, in sending the promised Messiah; I say, G. Fox's Answer was so far from denying himself to be that Prophet which Moses prophesied of, that it confirm­ed us in that Day; and since much more, that he did not deny, but rather owned the Charge.

But to strengthen my Argument, I shall give some small Hints, (and but name them, having been heretofore more large,) first, What he said of himself; next, What his Followers said of him.

First, Written from the Mouth of the Lord, from one who is naked, and stands na­ked before the Lord, cloathed with Righte­ousness, whose NAME is NOT known in the World, risen up out of the North; News coming up, p. 1. which was Prophesied ofThis is News in­deed; what Pro­phet pro­phesied of Fox's Rising in the North?.

Secondly, My Name is covered from the World, and the World knows not ME, nor MY NAME; Several Petitions Answered, p. 30.

Thirdly, HE that HATH the same Spi­rit that raised Jesus from the Dead, is E­QUAL with God; Saul's Errand to Damas­cus, p. 8.

Fourthly, All Languages are to me no more than Dust, who was before Languages were; The Battledoor, &c. Introd.

Fifthly, And the Thundering Voice An­swered, I have Glorified thee, and will Glo­rifie thee again; and I was filled so full of Glory, that my Head and Ears were filled full of it, &c. G. Fox's Tryal at Lancaster, p. 21.

Reader, Here was Fulness of Glory, if his Head and Ears was so filled, &c. However, 'tis plain it alludes to John 12.18, 16.14. and 17.1. For nothing would please him, but to be equal, if not above Christ, as One Hundred Instances might be given.

Next, I may just name some few of those High Titles and Divine Attributes, which his Disciples and Followers (Men of greatest Note amongst them,) gave him, which are only due to Christ, who was the Prophet Moses Prophesied of, and not the subtle Fox, the doting Quakers so much admire and idolize.

First, George Fox, the Father of many Nations; whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest, in which thou Rules and Governs in Righteousness, and thy Kingdom is Established in Peace, and the In­crease thereof is without end. Judas and the Jews, p. 44.

Secondly, Dear and Precious one, in whom my Life is bound up, and my Strength in thee [Page 47] stand; by thy Breathings I am nourished, by thee my Strength is renewed; I cannot Reign but in thy Presence and Power; Glo­ry unto thee Holy One Holy George. for ever. John Audland's Letter to George Fox.

Thirdly, George Fox (said John Blaikling) is blessed with Honour above many Brethren, and Thousands will stand by him in a Hea­venly Record; that his Life Reigns, and is Spotless; whose Eternal Honour and Bles­sed Renown shall remain; yea, his Presence; and the Dropping of his tender Words in the Lord's Love, was my Soul's Nourish­ment. The Christian disting. Part 5. p. 77.

Fourthly, George Fox, a Prophet indeed; it was said of Christ, that he was in the World, and the VVorld was made by him, and the VVorld knew him not. SO it may be said of this Prophet G. Fox. The Quak. Challenge, p. 6.

Fifthly, To confirm all this, William Mead now living, when he gave William Harris one of George Fox's Journals, he said to him, Here W. Harris, I will give thee one of Geo. Fox's Journals, it is a very good Book, yea, better than the Bible.

Object. 1. But some may say, this is only W. Mead's Judgment; surely, the Quakers do not hold, that either their Books, or Fox's [Page 48] Journal, is better, or of greater Authority, than the Bible; for the Fathers and Councils all submitted to the Test of Holy Scripture, as the VVord of God.

Answ. To this I answer, That W. Mead is a knowing Man, I will not say a wise Man, unless in that one Action of his, whereby he vigo­rously opposed W. Penn, and endeavoured to exclude him out of their Ministry, when he was proclaimed a Traytor to his Country, for being charged to be in the Plot with the Lord Preston, and others, and was therefore forced to hide many Years; [and for which, his Preface to Fox's Journal was not admitted to be bound up with the Journal, but waited upon it like a poor Lacquey with its Blue Livery;] I say, this Action of his excepted, I will not say he was a wise Man; yet, as I said, he is a knowing Man, and spake the Heart of Quakerism, in saving, George Fox's Journal is better than the Bible.

First, As you have heard, 'tis question'd by the Quakers, VVhether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of the Scripture; in­deed, VVhether either or neither of them. The Quakers Refuge fixed, &c. p. 17.

But as for what G. Fox and Friends write, it is from and by the Motion of God's Eter­nal Spirit, and avouched so to be by a Gene­ral Council of the Yearly MeetingHeld at London May 1695.: And what any of our Friends speak from the Spi­rit of Truth, is of greater Authority than the Bible and Chapters are. Truth defend­ing [Page 49] the Quakers, &c. p. 7. Now who can blame W. Mead on the Quakers Principles? Is not a Certainty better than an Uncer­tainty?

Secondly, The Scriptures lay many Obli­gations upon us; it teacheth us the Observati­on of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Pray­er, the Apostles Creed, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, which the Journal does not at all teach, nor inforce the Belief of; only to listen, ad­here, and hearken to the Light within, and to obey its Dictates: Therefore, as the Journal is most certain, so it is most easie, and therefore the best Book, and of most Authority, and on the Quakers Hypothesis, confirm all those Particulars above quoted.

Thirdly, The Scripture teacheth to obey Magistrates as the higher Power, and that we should submit our selves to every Ordi­nance of Man for the Lord's sake, Matth. 22.21. Titus 3.1. Rom. 13.1,2,3. 1 Pet. 2.13,14,17. See also Tindal's VVorks, Obedience to a Christian Man, &c. p. 111.

But the Journal, p. 40, to 400. (and our Friends Books) teach both by Precept and Example, That the Light in every Man is the higher Power, to whom all must submit and obey; for to it, all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed, Jos. Coale's VVork, p. 93. and that this Light is one, in the Male, and in the Female; but to a proud, heady, high-minded Man, there is no Honour due, tho' he be in a place to Rule, Smith's Primer, [Page 50] p. 43. And if so, who can say, that W. Mead spake unadvisedly, in saying, The Journal of Fox is better than the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles? I think him a right Quaker, a knowing Man, and one that loves a Certainty better than an Uncertainty.

Fourthly, The Scriptures teach, That VVo­men should obey their Husbands; yea, that they Reverence them, and live in Subjection to them as their Head, Gen. 3.16. Numb. 30, to the end. 1 Cor. 11.8. 1 Pet. 3.1. Tit. 2.5. Colos. 3.18. Ephes. 5.22. quoting Sa­rah as an Example.

But the Journal teaches, That the Light is the higher Power, that it is one in the Male, and in the Female, and 'tis the Light in each that is to be obeyed; for to that, all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed, Smith's Pri­mer, p. 13. The Journal, p. 50, to 450. and that there is to be no respect of Persons; and if the VVife conceive her Husband to be gone from the Light, and the Guidance of it, and she be moved to rebel against her Hus­band, betray his Secrets to his Adversaries, yea, to give publick Testimony against him, she does well, and shall have Praise of the same, The Content. Apostate, &c. p. 5. And for this Reason, the Quakers do not put in, or make the VVoman promise by their Marri­age Certificate, to obey their Husbands; which, as it is contrary to the Tenure of the whole Book of God, both the Old and New Testament, so 'tis agreeable to G. Fox's Jour­nal, [Page 51] and their Antient Testimony. See their Marriage Certificate.

Fifthly, In a word, the Scriptures teach, That Children should obey their Parents, and honour their Father and Mother; that Ser­vants should obey their Masters; that Sub­jects should submit to their Governours, and obey Magistrates; that Christians should o­bey their Pastors, who are over them in the Lord, who watch for their Souls, as those that must give an Account.

But the Journal, p. 20, to 320. teaches the contrary, both by Precept upon Precept, as also by the Practice of their great Apostle G. Fox; who not only broke the Laws, in disturbing the Ministers in their Churches, but taught so to do; not only refused to pay Tythes, but taught so to do; not only slighted the Magistrates Command, (who oftentimes commanded a strict Fast to be kept,) but taught his Followers so to do: Nay, lately one Thomas Mash, an Antient Quaker, living at Newberry in Berkshire, was moved by his Light within, to open his Shop-VVindows on the Lord's-Day, as on Market Days, and set out his Goods to Sale; this the Journal justifies, p. 200, to the end; this Whitehead justifies, Truth defending the Qua­kers, p. 18. Fox's Great Mystery, &c. p. 77. Nay, Theft by Fox is likewise justified, who said, And as for any being moved of the Lord, [meaning their Light within] to take away your Hour-Glass from you, BY THE [Page 52] ETERNAL POWER IT IS OWNED, &c. Nay, their idolized Apostle not only disre­garded the Magistrates and their Laws, but declared in plain and significant VVords, That he neither heeded nor valued a Cart­load of their VVarrants, &c. Journal, p. 278.

Object. 2. But some Men will say, How then shall we reconcile the Doctrine of W. Mead and G. Whitehead? Mr. Mead saith, That G. Fox's Journal is a better Book than the Bible; and G. Whitehead saith, VVe pre­fer the Holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the VVorld. The Country Convert, &c. p. 26.

To which I answer, Very well; for p. 72. G. Whitehead thus saith, viz. I MAY SEE CAUSE OTHERWISE TO WORD THE MATTER, AND YET OUR INTENTI­ONS BE THE SAME, &c. p. 72. ibid. Very well; now to make it appear, that G. Whitehead means one and the same thing that William Mead meaned, read his little Book, i. e. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY, is of as great AU­THORITY as the SCRIPTURES and CHAP­TERS are, and GREATER. Truth defend­ing the Quakers, &c. p. 7. And on the Ti­tle Page thus, viz. WRITTEN FROM THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, in G. Whitehead, and G. Fox the Younger. Now, if this little Pamphlet in Octavo of 70 Pages, be of grea­ter Authority than the Scriptures and Chap­ters [Page 53] are, how much more G. Fox's Journal in Folio of near 700 Pages? For that which is best is of most Authority, generally-speak­ing; and that which is of most Authority, is the best. Thus then is the Journal of Fox's better, in the Quakers Esteem, than the Bible; and thus does Whitehead mean, even as Mr. Mead spoke.

Object. 3. But some will say, How then shall we know a Quaker, if not by the Im­port of his VVords?

I Answer, 'tis impossible to know them rightly, as it ever was for the Protestants to know the Jesuits; and therefore you ought to do as the Protestants did, TO DISTRUST EVERY THING THEY SAY: See the Book Entituled, The Missionary's Arts, p. 32. printed 1688. For as the Quakers stand on the same Bottom, and are found in the same Steps, with the same Equivocations, Re­serves and Double-meanings, and the same Pretences to Miracles, Visions, Revelations, Perfection and Infallibility; they ought to have the same Answer, viz. To distrust them in all they say, until they Retract, Sentence, and Condemn one sort of their Books; and this is highly reasonable on their part, if they would be taken to be at all se­rious, sincere and honest: For many of their Hearers, of the honest sort, begin to think G. Whitehead little better than a Jesuit alrea­dy, he hath been so false in Fact; such a Glosser and Defender of every Error the Qua­kers [Page 54] hold. Anne Docwra of Cambridge her Letter, dated 26th 12th Mon. 1682. I have a Letter by me, which my Cousin Anne Docwra, Widow of Cam­bridge, sent me, dated 26th of 12th Month, 1682. viz.

Thus it appears, how long the honest sort of Quakers have take G. W. to be little bet­ter than a Jesuit; and my Cousin Docwra was of the same Mind too, else she would not have given me her honest Friend's Judg­ment; only indeed, she is thus far of my Mind, That Book was not solid enough; the Jesuits are more cunning than G. White­head then was, but he is come on finely fince; for of late he is grown so expert, as he can Vindicate or Excuse any Blasphemy, Ido­latry, Contempt of the Scriptures, Contempt of the Magistrates, Contempt of the Mini­stry, Contempt on the Person and Suffer­ings of Christ; yea, and Undervalue his Pre­cious Blood too: And how contrary soever their Sayings are to each other, yet they mean all one thing, referring to their Beginning. I have in my former Books shewed, how their Books are of two sorts, their Meet­ings of two sorts, their Doctrine of two [Page 55] sorts, carrying two Faces in all they do or say; and yet Whitehead can tell you, they mean all one thing. One Example more I may give, and so shall conclude this Chapter.

I find a Recital of a Letter, writ by Solo­mon Eccles to Robert Porter, in a Book of William Burnet's, entituled, The Capital Principles of the Quakers, p. 41. printed 1668. viz. Robert Porter, take heed of Be­lying the Innocent; for I hear thou hast re­ported to a Friend of mine, that I should say, That the Blood of Christ is no more than the Blood of another Man; I never spoke it, but do very highly esteem of the Blood of Christ to be more Excellent, Living, Holy, and Preci­ous, than is able to be uttered by the Tongues of Men and Angels; I MEAN, the Blood which was offered up in Per­version; its offered up, thro' the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9.14. the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9.41. But the Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead, who before that, bowed his Head to the Father, and gave up the Ghost; but thou say'st, that was the Blood of the New Cove­nant, which was shed after he was dead, which I DO DENY. Yet I did say, That was NO more THAN the BLOOD of ano­ther SAINT: These are my Words which thou art wresting to thy own Destruction. I did [also] say, That the Baptists, Indepen­dants, Presbyterians and Pope, are all of one Ground; and none of you understand the Blood of Jesus Christ no more than a brute Beast: Therefore repent, for God will soon over­throw [Page 56] your Faith, and your Imputative Righte­ousness too, for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which he did at Jerusalem, and without the Gates, the Pope, the Epis­copal, the Presbyterian, Independants and Baptists, shall fare all alike, and shall sit down in Sorrow, short of the Eternal Rest: But the true Imputative Righteousness of Christ we own, but it is hid from you all, till the Lord open an Eye WITHIN YOU, &c.

Now comes G. Whitehead with his usual Paint, to cover, palliate, and excuse his Brother Eccles, saying, Now whereas Sol. Eccles, in p. 41. is accused of little less than Blasphemy, about a Letter chiefly, of a Pas­sage concerning the Blood, in these Words, viz. The Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead, who before that bowed his Head to the Father, and gave up the Ghost; I did say, THAT WAS NO MORE THAN THE BLOOD OF ANO­THER SAINT. Now to these Words, NO MORE THAN THE BLOOD OF ANO­THER SAINT, his INTENT George, Jesuit-like, is excel­lent at di­recting the Intention. WAS, as to Papists, and you whose Minds are Car­nal, who oppose the Light within, and AL­SO, SIMPLY as to the ESSENCE of the BLOOD, &c. See his Book, i. e. the Light and Life of Christ within, &c. Printed 1668.

Thus much by way of G. Whitehead's In­terpretation of Solomon's Words and Mean­ing, which I take to be a fair Confession of the Charge of Blasphemy, exhibited by Mr. Bur­net: [Page 57] But to confirm the Reader, that the Quakers are defective in the Faith of the Christians in general, I will shew another Pas­sage of the same Kind; thereby shewing the Quakers Harmony about the Body of Christ, from another of their eminent Authors, viz. So, now this Christ was before the World be­gan, and was a Seed i. e. A Principle within. before any Name was given to it, who in Process of time was Born of a Virgin; but none knows him born, or ever shall, but of a Virgin; (he that hath Ears, let him hear,) be thou [Man] but the Virgin, the Power of the most High shall overshadow thee; and that HOLY THING which shall be Born of Thee, shall be called the Son of God? and saith Christ, a [Body] hast [thou] prepared for [me;] mark the Distinction [thou] [me] and [a Body,] this me that spake in the Body, was the Christ. They [his Disciples] loved his Person for the sake of the Frame and Quality of the Spirit that dwelt in Him; or else, what was his Person to them, more than another Person? But for that that dwelt in him, they loved him; let none mistake, I do not slight it, nor the Person of any of his Brethren or Chil­dren, as they are prepared to do the Will of their Father, As the Blood of Christ, so the Body of Christ hath by their Doctrine no Prefe­rence a­bove the Body and Blood of another Saint. &c. W. Bayly's Works, p. 291.

And hereupon, they do not only deny Christ, even the Lord that bought them, as in my Book, Quakerism Withering, and [Page 58] Christianity Reviving, &c. I have shewed beyond all their Glossing; but also, how they thereby take occasion to magnifie THEMSELVES, their OWN Blood, their OWN Sufferings, as I shall yet briefly shew: For saith Isaac Pennington, The Name Jesus and Christ belong to the whole Body, and every Member in the Body, as well as to the Head, A Question to Professors, &c. p. 20, 27. Again, saith Josiah Coale, His (Edward Burroughs's) Blood will be upon you as the Blood of a Thousand Men, Jos. Coale's Epi­stle to E. Burroughs's Works, &c. Again, saith Thomas Speed, Do not rashly draw your Swords against those harmless ones, [i. e. Quakers] whom your bloody Teachers cloath and represent to you in the ugly Garb of Blasphemers; remember, that the Son of God, who suffered at Jerusalem, was not Crucified by the strict Religious, as an innocent or just Man, but as a Blasphemer; be not [therefore] prevailed with to release Ba­rabbas, For the Name Je­sus belong­ed to the Believing Quakers, as well as to Christ the Head; and so the whole Pa­ralle holds good. and give over Jesus to be Cruci­fied, to gratifie the Murtherous Appetite either of the Priests or the Multitude, con­sidering that tho' you may with Pilate, wash your Hands, (and to those Eyes that are da­zled with Fury against innocent Jesus;) [i. e. the Quakers] appear clear from his Blood; yet, before the pure Eyes of the Lord, will the condemning Stain thereof be found upon YOU so fresh, THAT YOU WILL BY NO MEANS BE THENCE [Page 59] CLEANSED, BUT BY THE SAME BLOOD WHICH YOU SO CRUELLY SHED. See The Guilty covered Clergy-Man, &c. p. 16, 17. Again, see Burroughs's Works, p. 273. The Suffering of the People of God [call'd Quakers,] in this Age, is a GREATER Suffering, and MORE unjust than in the Days of CHRIST, or of the APOSTLES, or in ANY time SINCE; what was done to CHRIST and the APO­STLES, was CHIEFLY done by a LAW, and in a GREAT Part by the DUE EXE­CUTION of a Law, &c.

Now to close up this Head, let us hear what Father Penn says; for none of them all express themselves more full to the Point in Hand, viz. See The Christian Quaker, and his Divine Testimony, &c. p. 107.

To conclude, We, tho' this general Victory was obtained, and Holy Priviledges there­with, and that the Holy Body was not instru­mentally without a Share thereof; yet, that the efficient and chiefest Cause was, the Light and Life, Within. p. 102. so that the Invisible Life was the Root and Fountain of all, which is sometimes ascribed in the Scriptures to the Body, by that common Figure or Way of speak­ing amongst Men, the thing containing, which is the Body, for the thing contained, which is the Life, p. 209. Nevertheless, not to the Body, but to that Holy Light and Life therein, As in the Qua­ker's Body. &c. is chiefly ascribed the Sal­vation; and to the Body however excellent, [Page 60] but instrumentally, p. 97, 98. The Serpent is a Spirit; now nothing can bruise the Head of the Serpent, but something that is Spiri­tual; but if that BODY of CHRIST were the SEED, Mark here, Christ the promised Seed, Gen. 3.14. the Son of Da­vid, of Mary, is plainly de­nied to be the Christ of God. then could he not Bruise the Serpent's Head in all, because the BODY of CHRIST is not so much as in any one; Yes, by Faith. Read Acts 4.10,12. Luke 2.11. and consequently, the Seed of the Promise is an Holy Principle of Light and Life, that being received into the HEART, bruiseth the Serpent's Head; AND BECAUSE THE SEED WHICH CANNOT BE THAT BO­DY, IS CHRIST; as testifie the Scripture: The Seed is one, and that Seed is Christ. They are false Ministers that Preach Christ without, and bid People believe in him, as he is in Heaven above: Smith's Primer, p. 8. But they that are Christ's Ministers, Preach Christ within. Your imagined God beyond the Stars; and your Carnal Christ is utterly de­nied; that this Christ is God and Man in one Person, is a Lie, &c. The Sword of the Lord drawn, p. 5.

Reader, I have taken in enough, to shew the Marrow of the Quaker's Divinity, and the Harmony of their Antient Testimonies: And they tell you, in a late Print, That God is the same, Truth is the same, his People the same, their Principles are the same, &c. The People call'd Quakers cleared, &c. p. 7. And in another, Our Principles are now no other than what they were, when we were first a People. Primitive Christianity, &c. p. 53. [Page 61] Printed 1698. So that there needs no Com­ment; only for further Satisfaction, I refer to my former Books, New Rome Unmask'd, and her Foundation Shaken, &c. New Rome Ar­raign'd, and out of her own Mouth Condemned, &c. Quakerism Withering, and Christianity Reviving, &c. The Snake in the Grass, &c. Satan Disrobed, &c. Primitive Heresie, &c. and George Keith's Three Narratives, and Mr. Crisp's Animadversions, &c. to avoid Repetition: Yet, least those Books may not come into some Hands which this may, I thought it needful to give these brief Hints, for Information.

Object. 4. But still some may urge, What! Hath W. Mead no other Reason for his say­ing, Fox's Journal was better than the Bible?

Answ. I do not grant, that he hath any good Reason, that's far from me, neither do I know of any better; I know of some other, which with him may go far, which in brief are,

First, George Fox's Miracles, which he writ in his own Name, like those of Simon Magus, Acts 8.9,10. cap. 19.13. and cer­tain Vagabond Jews, Exorcists; but these ly­ing Wonders came too late; some 20, some 30 Years after they were said to be done; no Body knows where, nor when, nor who were cured, nor no Witness to attest the Truth thereof. Read Fox's Journal, p. 167, 170, 171, 103, 27, 28, 407, 258, 70, 370, 371, 373, 503.

2dly, Because Fox pretended, that God sent a Trooper to him whilst Prisoner in the House of Correction, as he sent Saul to An­nanias, Journal, p. 45.

3dly, Because he (Fox) pretended he had Visions, as had Ezekiel, p. 69.

4thly, For that Fox pretended, that the Keeper of the House of Correction came Trembling to him, as the Goaler did to Paul and Silas, p. 37.

5thly, That he saw the Heavens open, as St. Stephen did, p. 47.

6thly, That he spake like an Angel in Be­verly Church, the wonderful Things of God, p. 55.

7thly, That he was a Prophet like Isaiah, spake the Word, and it came to pass, p. 67, 78.

8thly, That he saw a Pool of Blood, and and a Channel of Blood, in the Town of Lich­field, p. 53. when there was not a drop of Blood, much less a Channel or a Pool of Blood, &c. However, by these and the like lying Wonders, As more large in the Picture of Quake­rism, Part 2d. the Quakers, like the delu­ded Samaritans of old, are made to believe with W. Mead, That the Journal of Fox is a better Book than the Bible; and, that George Fox, as well as Simon Magus, was some great Man, even the Power of God; (see Journal, Third Index, under the Letter M.) and there­upon gave him Divine Attributes, due only to Christ, which Whitehead their Drudge, to help them at a dead lift, was forc'd to bring in his Innuendo's, to set forth the Intents of [Page 63] Coale, Eccles, &c. Innocency against Envy, &c. p. 18.

CHAP. VI.

I Am now upon a fresh, yet a necessary Subject; for as the Quaker-Teachers have cry'd down all Protestant Ministers, as Covetous, Lovers of filthy Lucre, and there­by raised their own Fame, as the Prophets of the Lord, called forth from their own Country, and from their Father's Houses; from both Riches, Honours and Preferments, to come with their Lives in their Hands, for the Good of Souls; this Noise I must confess went a great way with me in my young Years, and I know it doth with many: And therefore I think it needful to discover their Deceit in this particular, as well as to shew how far they maintain their own Poor; and, what they mean by those Words, THEIR OWN POOR; for as their Hypo­crisie is Misterium Maximum, so it requires [Page 64] some Time and Skill to unfold it; in order to which, I shall thus proceed:

Object. 1. But say some, G. Whitehead printed F. Bugg a conceited Fool, one that can­not write true English, Judgment Fixed, &c. p. 233, 243. and also of little Credit: Like­wise, that the Author of The Snake in the Grass is a Necessitous, Malicious, Expulsed Priest, one who writes for his Bread, a Villain, a Venemous, Obnoxious, Sculking Vermin, &c. with abundance more of the like nature; A Sober Expostulation, &c. p. 2. Primitive Christianity continued, &c. and G. W.'s Letter to G. Keith, May 3. 1698.

Answ. First, As to my self, tho' I had not that Learning, which I am satisfied my Pa­rents once designed, yet I thank God and my Parents, for affording me both a Competen­cy of Learning and Judgment to deal with the Quakers, who are not over-learned; no, not G. W. when he came first amongst us; wit­ness his Book, Jacob found in a Desart Land, &c. printed 1656. which I am sure is so foreign from true School-Learning, that there is not in the whole Book one Page good Grammar-English, as well as some part meer Non­sence: Yet I will not call him Fool, nor yet nothing of a Scholar; for perhaps he might be then entered in his Accidence: And I will also grant, that since that, (having leisure enough, and lived with his Feet un­der other Men's Tables, whilst I was occupied in Trade and Worldly Business,) he has ac­quired [Page 65] a greater degree of Learning; yet not so much neither, as always to write true En­glish, as in his Letter to Mr. Archer is ma­nifest; so that he might have pass'd by my want of Learning, &c.

2dly, As to his Reflection on my Credit, when I came first amongst the Quakers, I had sufficient to live upon, and to maintain my self in the rank I was brought up in; yea, to give, and not receive: At 16 Years old I had by my Grandfather an Annuity gi­ven me of 6 l. per Annum, until I was 21 Years old, and then Thirty Pounds per An­num, besides what my Father gave me; and tho' I have met with many Losses, and that in divers Kinds, yet I thank God, who hath hitherto enabled me to maintain my Post, and to defend my Faith and Christian Reputation against the Malicious Attempts of G. White­head, and his Confederates; besides, G. White­head might have forborn, since most of my Losses have been by the Quakers, having had Eight or Nine break in my Debt, some pay­ing nothing, some paying 5 s. in the Pound, some 2 s. 6 d. in the Pound. Viz. Enoch Bar­wick about Two Years since, for 18 l. I had but 45 s. I will men­tion one more, namely, Tho. Plumstead, [Bro­ther to Francis Plumstead, at the Cross-Saws in the Minories, London,] and still an Emi­nent Quaker, living in Ireland, but no Con­science he makes of paying me; and that it may appear true, I will recite the Note I have still under his Hand, viz.

However, he never had the Honesty nor Conscience to pay one Penny of it, which is now, Interest and Principle, between 30 and 40 l. and greater Sums than this, and of as Eminent Quakers, I can mention, if need be: But I understand the World so well, as not to make these things the Subject of my Dis­course; nor did I ever mention any such thing in Print, only G. W. gives now Occasion for it.

3dly, As to the Author of the Snake in the Grass, &c. I am sensible G. W. does as much abuse him, (and indeed, what Oppo­nent ever had G. W. that he did not abuse?) However, he has been, and still is, a Gentle­man, a Man of great Learning and Piety, and cloathed with Zeal as with a Garment, for the Christian Religion, and well accom­plished every way to display the Errours of the Quakers; and is preparing an Answer to [Page 67] G. Whitehead, wherein he (I believe) will trace him step by step, in all his crooked and by paths.

But G. Whitehead, I have not done with you yet; you tell us, in the History of your Call to the Ministry, saying, The Lord hath called me from my Native Country, and from my Father's House, and from outward Riches, and the Honour of the World, &c. Jacob found in a Desart Land, &c. p. 8. I do well re­member, that when I came first amongst you, this was a great part of your Cant; as if you had been some Lords Sons, yea, Men of Breeding, Riches and Honour, and left all for the sake of Souls; when alas! upon a strict Enquiry, (of which I have not been wanting,) I find you in this, as well as in al­most every thing else, horrible Deceivers; for you left your poor Country for a Richer, and like Yorkshire Hostlers, are observed sel­dom or never to return thither again. You came from Penury to Plenty, from Labour and Toil to Ease and Pleasure; you came from your Father's poor Cottage, which I have been told by them that saw it, that it is not worth 50 s. to Houses worth 500 l. (a good Exchange, believe me;) and you were so far from being possess'd with outward Riches, that you came a poor Boy on Foot, and liv'd upon Alms amongst us, sometimes a Month here, Six Weeks there, more or less, as you could find Entertainment; the mean time, improving that little Learning [Page 68] you had, as well as to instruct the Children in the Family. But George, thou left thy Honour too, how came that to pass? What Worldly Honour wert thou endued with? Was it to carry a Letter to a great Person sometimes for a piece of Victuals? Very well, I think that is as much as ever [du­ring thy Dwelling in thy own Country,] thou didst arrive to; and for this, in time, thou hadst the Honour to send thy Servant, and ride thy self on Horseback, with a London Linnen-Draper riding before thee; Benjamin Antrobus. and John Kent, worth some Thousands, (for ought I know,) riding behind thee, carrying thy Portmantle, and thy self, George, in the middle, like some Peer. Thus, George, in­stead of leaving thy Riches, thy Honour, &c. thou left thy Penury and Contempt; and by Deceit, like thy Brother Sam. Cater, who pretended he suffered 20 l. when he suffered not a Groat, but by that Pretence got 10 l. clear into Pocket: Picture of Quakerism drawn, &c. p. 106, to 111. at large. But HARK, George, I find you so deceitful, that I fear thou hast laid a Foundation, in this thy Jacob found in a Desart Land, (and with De­sign too,) to have thy Friends after thy De­cease, when they collect thy Works, to mag­nifie thy Call to thy Ministry, out of thy Fa­ther's Country, for the sake of Souls; when alas! it was for filthy Lucre-sake, in leaving thy outward Riches; when alas! it was to get Riches and Honour.

Object. 2. But may some say, What, will the Quakers give such notorious Accounts of their Call to their Ministry? And are they generally of such a mean Abstract, and yet so advanced? Where is the Self-Denial they so often boast of? And why do they debase the Clergy, as a Tribe of Covetous Worldly Teachers? Since, if others be like White­head, none exceed the Quaker Teachers in Worldly-mindedness.

Answ. First, Well; to Answer this Obje­ction, take G. W. for one Instance.

2dly, Sam. Cater, who was a poor Jour­neyman Carpenter, and when he led James Naylor's Horse into Bristol, crying, Hosannah to the Son of David, and put in Prison, he was well acquainted with Vermin, Rags and Penury; however, 'tis believed he is worth now, besides Portioning out his Children, some Hundreds.

3dly, John Kilborn, another Journeyman Carpenter, as poor as either Whitehead or Ca­ter, when they first set up for Speakers, now a Wealthy Man.

4thly, William Bingley, a poor Taylor, wrought for 4 d. or 6 d. a Day in the North, with Tho. Denison, or others, now a Rich Man.

4thly, Samuel Wallingfeild, a Glazier for­merly, but since a vast Rich Draper in London.

6thly, Tho. Green, a Mason, or Bricklay­er, now a Man worth many Thousands.

7thly, George Fox, a poor Journeyman Shoemaker, died worth Abundance, and liv'd in as much Plenty as most Knights in England.

8thly, Stephen Crisp, formerly a poor Weaver, but died very Rich.

I have known most of these Eight Persons near 30 Years, some longer; and setting the Glazier and Mason aside, which possibly might make up jointly 100 l. if need were; but the other Six, I do verily believe, was not all worth 100 l. unless they had sold their Axes, Saws, Thimble and Needles, Beds, Stools, Shuttle and Awl: But such is the Art of their Preaching, how much soever they decry Gifts and Rewards in others; that put what Geo. Fox and Steph. Crisp died worth, to what the other Six living [for ought I know,] together, and by the most modest Account that I can get, together with my own Estimation, their Estates thus got by Preaching, is not so little as Twenty Thou­sand Pounds, but some think nearer Thirty Thousand Pounds. Now then I dare engage to produce 500 Clergymen, whose Fathers were Men of Estates, who brought them up at Schools and Colledges with great Expence and Charge; and that since they came into the World, have been frugal Men, and liv'd as many Years in their Office of Preaching, and yet have not advanc'd their Fortunes to this degree: And yet to behold how their Books are fill'd with reproachful Language, [Page 71] as well as their Sermons, against the Clergy, as a Tribe of Mercenary Hirelings, Lovers of filthy Lucre, Followers of Balaam for Re­ward; seeking their Gain from their Quar­ters, Greedy Dogs, Babylon's Merchants, Co­vetous Devils, Thieves, Robbers: A Brief Discovery of a threefold State, &c. p. 5, 7, 8, 9, 10. Yea, says W. Penn, And whilst the Idle Gormondizing Priests of England, run away with above 150000 l. a Year, under Pretence of being God's Ministers; and that no sort of People have been so universally thro' 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 is reserved, to act their Eternal Tragedy upon, &c. The Guide mistaken, p. 18. And in the same Page he tells us, that the false Christians (meaning the Church-Peo­ple) are more intolerable than Heathens, Turks, and Jews; saying, The equal Con­versation of those Infidels should make both Priest and People blush.And why not Quakers too?

But Mr. Clapham the Minister, against whom W. Penn writ that Book, says, It's a foolish thing to flatter the Papists, Socini­ans and Quakers, with the Hopes of Salvation, p. 31, 32, ib. Upon which, Mr. Penn in his wonted career, first condemns the Clergy, then vindicates the Soeinians; his Words are these, If [Pap. Socin. Quak.] be defective, they owe it to the Idle, Lying, Covetous, Igno­rant, and Murdering Spirit and Practice of [Page 72] the Priests, whose Interest it has ever been to enslave and obscure the People's Under­standing; — it's not my Business to Apologize for Papists: As for the Socinian, I know him to have Wit and Learning enough; — his E­xemplary Life, and Grave Deportment, I must acknowledge to be very singular; and if his Cause receive no greater Foil than this Person's bare Reproaches, the discreet World will sooner acquiesce in the stronger Argu­ments of Socinus, and his quaint Adhe­rents, W. P. Vindicate the Socini­ans..

Object. But may some object, If the Quaker Teachers be such thirfty Men, are they also charitable Men? We have heard, the Qua­kers maintain their own Poor.

Answ. I do not know many of their Teachers now, having been so long from them; but such of them as I do now know, and formerly have known, they were a sort of mercenary poor Men at their first Rise, (some few excepted) but very uncharitable in their Language; the World never pro­duced the like since Noah's Flood; and I know not, nor never did, that the Ministers of that People were ever given to Hospita­lity; but what they got, commonly they held fast, and beside, ungrateful to their Benefa­ctors. I remember, I met one of them in London, John Kilborn. sometime since, and he was so Proud, being now grown Rich, that he would not speak to me, altho' I have enter­tain'd him and his Horse, yea, and Compa­nion [Page 73] too, at my House divers times, some­times a Week together; yea, when he has been thin and thread-bare, I have taken him into my Shop, and at my own Charge have cloathed him: I will not say what I have done to others, both in Money and Cloath­ing; but thus much I will say, that 'tis the chargeablest Ministry this Day in England to some Particulars: For, as Mr. Croese well observes, they range all the Nation round, and come like Mice uncall'd for, and like Flies unsent for; and both for their Horses, Themselves, and their Companions, fall upon their Provision, Oats, Hay, &c. insomuch that I can say, the Ministry of the Quakers has cost me as much in Three Months time, nay, much more, than the Publick Ministry have cost me this Fifteen Years.

But as to their Hospitality and Charity, I never met with any of it: I remember, about Twenty Years since, my Wife had a mind to see London, and I went with her to visit Tho. Green, who as well as many others of them, made my House his Home when in our Country, yet he never invited me and my Wife to a Meal; Brothers and Sisters. nay, his own Kindred that have come to Visit him out of Northamptonshire, have scarce eat and drank at his House; but which is still worse, for I can now spare none, where a Discovery may be made of this false Ministry and de­luding Teachers; I say worse, for his own [Page 74] Brother William Green, who once was a chief Speaker amongst them; but, poor Man! he was a wet Quaker, and they put him by Preaching; the Man married, grew Poor, and notwithstanding his Brother Tho­mas Green was vastly Rich, 'Tis now judged he is worth 8000 l. and Applicati­on made to him time after time, yet he held a deaf Ear so long, until his Wife was forced to go to St. Gregory's Parish for Relief for him, or else he might have starved, I have been told, that he'll not allow his Horse Litter, but lets him lye on the bare Flint-Stones. for all his own Brother is worth many Thousands.

I shall give but one Instance more of this kind, and then tell you who are their own Poor, and who they think themselves obli­ged to maintain, &c.

The Instance is, touching S. Cater, whose Fa­ther was a poor Man, went about to sell Wings three for Two Pence, from Door to Door; but as you have heard, he by being a Preach­ing Quaker is grown Rich: Well, he has a Kinsman that lives at our Town, and takes Collection, a Sweep-Chimney; this poor Man, sometimes in the Summer-time, will go to Littleport, Where S. Cater dwells. i. e. about Eight or Ten Miles, to visit his Rich Cousin, his Father's Brother's Son; but when he comes there, I have heard him say, that they will not so much as let him come in; I will not say, but sometimes he may have gotten some­thing, but very little; no, they have very little Charity to God's Poor, but their own Poor, and such as they so esteem; and thereupon look upon themselves obliged to [Page 75] maintain such as Merit their Charity, by Obeying their Doctrine, in Transgressing the known Laws of the Land, viz. such as are Sued and Imprisoned for Tythes, such as met in Defiance of the Statute, made 22 of K. C. II. S. Cater's Instance for one. Yea, if such could but make the Feoffees to the Fund at London, believe they did suffer, whether true or false, such were supplied: But if any one of their People hap­pen to wear a 4 d. Lace on their Pinner, or pull off their Hat to a Magistrate, or break and violate the Quakers Laws, such are turn­ed to the Parish: I know but one poor Qua­ker in our Town; Milden-Hall. it may be she is not so starch'd a Quaker as the rest; it may be she may say You instead of Thee and Thou, or some such small Defect: Well, tho' she be a poor Widow, with several small Children, and very Necessitous, yet she must starve, if our Parish did not sometimes relieve her; and for this Seven Years, I believe, she hath lived in a little House of mine, and the Town pays me her Rent: No, they only take notice of their own Poor, viz. such as are made poor through their Obedience to the Quakers unlawful Laws, or Laws against the Laws of the Realm.

I do not question but I have made the Friends angry; yet if they take the Bold­ness to stigmatize the Bishops, Magistrates and Clergy, and to reproach them with what is not true, why may not I tell them of their Faults? G. Whitehead wrote lately to G. [Page 76] Keith, i. e. G. W.'s Letter to G. Keith, May, 98. I could further expose thee to thy Terror and Shame, They'll tell you, they can­not seek Revenge. than ever I have done; for I have been very sparing towards thee, in comparison of thy many Abuses, Scorns and Injuries against me, &c. But, Canes timidi vehementius latrant. An Account of the Children of Light, &c. p. 16.

I shall conclude this Head in the Words of W. Penn to the Clergy; and I shall only turn the Scales, and apply it to the Quakers Teach­ers, and hope it may be useful to their Hear­ers, as well as shew Geo. Whitehead thereby, how Injurious, Scornful, and Abusive, the Quakers have been to the Clergy, who never yet exposed them to Terror; but I thank God, England is not Pensilvania, where the Quakers, tho' they cannot Fine, Whip, Im­prison, and Fight as Quakers, yet they tell you they can as Magistrates. The Words are these, The Guide mistaken, &c. p. 43. viz.

Tho' manifold are the Stratagems of Satan, that old Serpent, by which he does surprize the Immortal Souls of Men, with most deplo­rable Woes, yet there is none that proves so generally effectual as HYPOCRISIE; it's his Misterium Maximum, a Study and Employ­ment fit for none below the Form of his Arch-Angels; such make his archest Emissaries, and most subtle Meanders, sublime Devils, masqu'd with a Vizard of Sincerity, pallia­ting themselves from what they really are, by seeming what as really they are not; outside­wash'd Platters, Wolves in Sheep's Cloathing, [Page 77] inside rotten, but outside whited Sepulchres; in short, the muddy Sensualist T. G. and others knew Crisp to be a great Sen­sualist, if not an Atheist. refin'd to a counterfeit Fidelity; and Imitation of the Form of Godliness, the more unquestionable to Deceive; and securely to insinuate candid Ap­prehensions of his Purpose, who is the most impudent Despiser of his God, Destroyer of Souls, Contemner of Laws, Perverter of Truth, and Treacherous to the end; against whom the Sharpest Woes are denounced, and Punishments reserved to Eternity. Now how the Quakers W. P. apply it to the Clergy. have rendred them­selves obnoxious to the Corrector of a Hypo­crite, has been my Business in this Chapter, and will be in the ensuing Discourse, farther to manifest, &c.

And thus have I, by answering these three Objections, shewed the Quaker Teachers their Specialis regula triplex, by which they are governed, viz. Pride, Hypocrisie and Covetousness, in which they all agree, in Case, Gender, and Number. I do grant, I have the Consent of some worthy Gentlemen in this my Undertaking; I also grant, I have met with Discouragement from some others of equal Worth and Merit, who are not so Apprehensive of the Danger of their Errors, both respecting the Church and State; but no Man hath been privy to, or viewed what I have wrote; and so I take it wholly upon my self, as what I think my self called to. And if G. Whitehead, or his Associates, should threa­ten me with Terrour, as they do G. Keith, [Page 78] for his Christian Testimony against their Vile Errours, I first let them know, they cannot bring me much lower than they have alrea­dy done; next, that I am as willing to suffer Three Years and Four Months Imprison­ment under their Rage and Fury, if God and the Government permit them to execute their Fury so far, as ever I was to suffer the like Term when amongst them, in Ely and Wisbech Goal; and whatever I thought then, and what Satisfaction I then had in my Suf­ferings, I have reason to believe, I have far more solid Reason for the Cause I am now upon; and therefore I shall not spare this painted Reason, but lay her bare to the View of her Lovers, let her Fret and Fume, Rail and Rage never so much; for as she have dealt by others, Viz. the Magi­strates, Mi­nisters, and People. by false Accusations without Mercy, so shall I, by a true and faith­ful Testimony from Matter of Fact, deal by her, without all Pity or Compassion: For why should Jezebel be suffered to Seduce the Nation undiscovered? Why should she Dia­logue the Bishops, Contemn the Magistrates, Revile the Ministers of the Gospel, at their own ungodly Rate, without Contradiction? No, let Gog and Magog join together, yet shall there be War proclaim'd against them for ever, as long as the Sun and Moon en­dures.

CHAP. VII.

CHAP. VIII.

I Join the Use and Service of their Month­ly and Quarterly Meetings together, for Brevity-sake; as also, because they are much the same in all Respects, only the Monthly is inferior to the Quarterly; because in one County there may be three or four Monthly Meetings, much like Justices Monthly Meet­ings, where the Party offending need not be Concluded, but entering his Recognizance to appear at the Quarter-Sessions, he may have a more full Hearing; so it is with the Qua­kers, he may Appeal from the Monthly to the Quarterly Meeting: This I know very well, not barely because I was Clerk in these Meetings many Years, but also during my Controversie with Sam. Cater, I Summon'd him first to the Monthly Meeting; and when I found no Justice, I Appeal'd from that to the Quarterly, and indeed from the Quarterly to the Yearly; and so twice or thrice round, as I remember: For it was the great­est Tryal that ever was amongst them, in regard it struck at the Ministry, viz. WHE­THER THEY OUGHT NOT TO TELL THEIR NAMES AND HABITATIONS, [Page 103] AND THEREBY SET THE MSELVES IN A LIKE SUFFERING CAPACITY WITH THE HEARERS, At large in my Book, The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt, &c. And the Postscript, stiled, Rea­son against Railing, &c. &c. since they advised us to be va­liant, and give up all? &c.

But to the Matter:

When we came together, which is commonly 9 or 10 a Clock, then we sat awhile together Silent, unless we have a Teacher with us, and then it may be we may have a short Exhortation to keep to our Antient Testimony; i. e. George Fox's Com­mandments, and some o­ther things, which in the next Chapter you'll hear of. so then the Doors being secured, they proceed after this manner: The Clerk calling over the Meeting, I mean the particular Meetings of every Town, which possibly may be Forty Towns, more or less, viz.

Come Friends, How is it as to your Town of Littleport?

Things are pretty well with us, only D. E. is married with a Priest.

Aye, How came that to pass? Did you not perceive his Relapse from the Truth, and the Order of it, till he made such a Revolt as to become an Apostate?

Truly we found he declin'd; and some Friends in our Town spoke to him, and warn'd him of the Danger of it, but all would not do.

Well, let some Body be ordered to go to him, and admonish him; if he Re­pent, and acknowledge his Fault, and confess to Truth,i. e. To them; for if he con­fess his Fault to them, they Absolve him, and all's well again..

How is it at your Town of Mil­den-Hall?

Things are pretty well with us; but Francis Bugg still continues his Writing against Friends: And he being examined by Samuel Fulbig, whether he owns W. Rogers's wicked Book? (Which admits of Liberty of Conscience to pay Tythes, or not; to marry with a Publick Minister, or not;) and he owns it: And therefore we must take Care about him, for he does much hurt to Truth, and lays Stumbling-Blocks in the way of others.

Course; we know not well what Course to take with him; he will neither leadInto blind Con­formity. nor driveInto an Implicite Faith.: Indeed we have suffer­ed him too long Clerk in this Meeting; but he may thank R. S. J. A. E. L. and some of you his Friends, or else he had been ex­cluded long since, for his very owning W. Roger's Book, which admits of a voluntary Payment of Tythes; which, as our dear Bro­ther Ellwood saith, is a Mark of Antichrist, a Denial of Christ come in the Flesh, yea, downright Ranterism, Antidote, p. 78. 139. But notwithstanding, thro' such Arguments as W. Rogers use, we have by woful Experi­ence seen, that some have been convinced Ten, some Twenty Years, and yet can pay [Page 105] Tythes without any Acknowledgment of Evil therein, Christ. Quaker disting. Part 2. p. 42. And altho' we grant, saith our Brother Ell­wood, in his Antidote, p. 109. That our great Apostle G. Fox did say, in his Several Papers, given forth for spreading Truth: Friends, to you all this is the Word of the Lord; See, Fox's Papers are the Word of the Lord, whilst they say, 'tis Blas­phemy to call the Letter, i. e. Scripture, the Word. Take heed of judging one another; judge not one another, I command you, in the Presence of the Lord; See his Book, entituled, The Way to the Kingdom of God, pag. 4. and judge not one ano­ther behind one another's Backs, Yet they passed Sen­tence on me behind my Back, I not being there that Day, i. e. 4th of June, 1682. I command you in the Presence of the Lord; this is the Word of the Lord unto you: Neither lay open one another's Nakedness and Weakness behind one ano­thers Backs, for thou that dost, art one of Ham's Family, which is under the Curse, &c. This indeed (continues our Beloved rother) is a Warning to Friends, not to judge one another: No, let their Immora­lities be gross, do but keep in the Unity of the Corrupt Body. But it is not a Warning to Friends, not to judge those that oppose Friends, being gone out of the Unity of Friends themselves, and endea­vouring to draw others out also, and to di­vide and rend the Church; so that you have mist your Aim, and lost your Blow, &c. Thus, Friends, you have the Judgment of the Church; and Francis Bugg has not only own­ed [Page 106] that Pernicious Book, but has written two Books against Friends, as Pernicious as that of W. Rogers, Intituled, De Christiana Li­bertate, &c. and The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt, &c. Nay, not only so, but hath wrote divers Letters, Remonstrances and Queries, to particular Friends, to the Second-day Meetings. And therefore 'tis time to take some Course with him, &c.

Content; therefore let us draw up a Paper against him, and when we have view'd it, let us Record it, &c.

This was done, a Copy whereof is as followeth, viz.

OBSERVE, First, I was judged and con­demned behind my Back, without a Hear­ing: Secondly, The Papers subscribed by Twelve Persons, they only supposed to be of my promoting. Now if John Lilborn's Judges had been thus implicite in their Faith, at his Tryal at Guild Hall, in October 1649. he must have been Hang'd for writing The Naked Truth in Oliver Cromwell's time, &c.

The next Instance I shall recite, and which I think is to the Purpose, is, to shew the Qua­kers implacable Malice, against not only W. Rogers, but his Book too; and no Passage in his whole Book came under the like sad Sen­tence, as that of his admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes, if the Supream Powers bestowed it on a National Ministry, &c. His Words are, We are so far from condemning all those who freely pay them, [i. e. Tythes,] and not by Constraint, that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity, to contribute towards the outward Maintai­nance of such, whom they usually hear, and account to be true Ministers of Christ, in case they have need: And if the Charity of any should be such, as to bestow upon them one Fifth Part, instead of a Tenth, far be it from us to condemn it, &c. The Christian Qua­ker distinguished, &c. Part 2. p. 43. But this was such a horrible Tenet, and so much [Page 108] of Liberty of Conscience in it, that as you have heard, First, It was an Errour of Judg­ment. 2dly, It came from an unsound Mind. 3dly, That Truth, [i. e. the Quakers Light,] allows no Payment of Tythes at all, under the New Covenant. 4thly, They who do pay Tythes, tho' Voluntarily, do therein uphold a legal Ceremony abrogated by Christ. 5thly, And thereby deny Christ to be come in the Flesh, quoting 1 John 4.3. which speaks not one Syllable of Tythes. 6thly, That it is downright Ranterism, &c. Ell­wood's Antidote, p. 78. 139.

Well, but W. Rogers was so modest, as not to put this Book into the Bookseller's Hands to Sell, lest thereby he might widen the Dif­ference, which both he, and my self, at that time, thought might have been composed, For I did not then un­derstand their Fundamental Errours; but Thanks be to God, that as their fair and smooth Pretences proved a Snare to catch me, so their gross Dissimulations proved a Means to see them. that he put it into the Hands of John Barnard, a Merchant, (being one of the separate Quakers) for him to dispose of, and to disperse as he in Wisdom should see meet; and some Hundreds of them he did disperse. Well, he was Summoned time after time, to the Monthly Meeting in Devonshire-House, Lon­don, to Answer for his Fault; and, I think, he as often appeared: But being of too Mas­culine a Temper to submit to their Arbitrary Authority, and Usurped Dominion, he still continued selling and disposing of this so sad [Page 109] and so lamentable a Book; of which you have heard the greatest Crime, namely, for admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes, &c. And to say true so it was; for there is nothing upon Earth that the Quakers thirst more after, than the utter Ruin of the Priest­hood, and the Abolishing the Maintainance thereof: This is the Vein that runs fluently thro' all their Books and Sermons; nay, ra­ther than the Priests should have it, and that it might be a Means to starve them, they are willing to pay Tythes to Secular Use: For (saith G. Whitehead) if the King and Great Council of the Na­tion were pleased The Case of the Qua­kers concerning Oaths de­fended, &c. p. 50. per G. Whitehead. to repeal those Old Laws, inforcing the Payment of Tythes, and to convert them into some ne­cessary civil Use, as for the Poor, [Oh Judas!] or some National Service and Bene­fit, Oh smooth George! Here is the Face of a Lamb, but the rough Paw of a Bear, and the Claws of a Leopard. it would appear, whether we should not pay our Parts; and whether the Royal Exchequer would not be conveniently supplied without the Tenths from the Priests, &c. Thus they could pay Tythes into the Exchequer, to maintain a War, which they equally Disclaim: Oh but do what you will with the Tythes, so the Priests do but starve, and their Ministry fall, and their Religion overturned; then HEY BOYS UP GO WE: But (blessed be God) the Fear of that is past.

Well, but let us hear what became of this honest John Barnard: Why, in short, he was Excommunicated ipso facto. A Copy of it here followeth Verbatim.

Reader, What Person living, who is a Stranger to the Quakers deep-dyed Hypo­crisie, but that would think this John Bar­nard had committed some more than ordina­ry Immorality; nay, some almost unpardon­able Crime? Here is such Endeavours said to be used, such Gospel-Order exercised, such Stiff-neckedness on his Part wilfully persisted in; but behold, all Centre in a most profound Piece of Hypocrisie, as I shall shew, and that from divers Reasons: And,

FIRST, In that Benjamin Clark their Book­seller, a great Quaker in their UnityI should have said Confede­racy., sold at the same time Play-Books, Popish-Books, Gypsie-Books, yea, Baudy-Books, such as I never saw before; and yet never Reproved, never Admonished, according to Gospel-Or­der; never Sentenced and Condemned, neither he nor his Spirit: By which it may appear, how zealous they are for preserving their own good Name and Esteem amongst their Proselytes, and their own Law and Com­mandments, from being brought into Disre­pute; and yet all these their Proceedings they father upon the Lord, who hates Iniqui­ty, and whose Laws condemn such wicked Books, as their own beloved Brother sold and vended every Day. Thus do they, Pharisee-like, make void the Law of God by their Traditions.

For as soon as this Excommunication came to my Hand, I (as a Country Man) went to the said Ben. Clark's, and asked for some pretty Play-Books for Children, and he produced me a Parcel of all sorts, ut supra! of which I bought Eighteen Pennyworth, and noticed it in my next Book, Intituled, De Chr. Lib. Part 2. p. 207, which they never did deny, nor did they ever sentence him as above.

SECONDLY, In all the Records of Con­demnation, that ever I made, or ever saw made, during the 16 or 18 Years I was their Clerk, I never knew of, or saw any Record of Condemnation against any Quaker, for [Page 113] the Breach of any Scripture Commands; but either for writing against their Teachers, As my self. or for paying Tythes, or for dispersing and selling such Books, as allowed of the Payment of Tythes, As W. Rogers. or for not Marrying according to their Orders, or for the Breach of some one or more of G. Fox's Command­ments. An Instance of the last followeth.

THIRDLY, I never knew any Book wrote against any of their Teachers in the Unity, tho' guilty of notorious Immoralities; As in the opening of the Cage, I shall shew. no, here was no Conscientious Concern manifest­ed, no Gospel Order exercised, no Publick Condemnation sent out against them, but against my self, George Keith, Tho. Crisp, and others, for discovering their Errours: Here they pretend a great Case of Consci­ence; and having shewed who they account Scandalous Walkers, and who they frequent­ly Record out of the Unity, and who they write their Books against, I shall conclude [Page 114] this Chapter with one of their Yearly Canons; and if any desire to see more of them, I re­fer to my former Books, De Chris. Lib. &c. Part 2. p. 40, to 52. the Fifth and Seventh Chapter of this Treatise.

Thus, Reader, you see, First, Who are the Scandalous Walkers they Record out of their Unity. 2dly, You see here is an Order [Page 115] from the Yearly Meeting, to get a Book di­stinct for that Use. 3dly, You see also, that here is a Door open, that if any repent of Writing against them, of Paying Tythes, of Marrying contrary to their Infallible Order, they may be restor'd to their former Dignity; for they have Power to bind, and to loose, Yea, whom they please. See Judas and the Jews, p. 85. Jos. Coale's Works, p. 243. to condemn, and to acquit; and that it may evidently appear so, I shall recite one of their final Sentences, pass'd upon one of their Adversaries Irrevocably, viz.

CHAP. IX.

I Have considered, that as Blood is to the Veins, which by a frequent Circu­lation thro' the Body of Man, both refresh the Heart, and support the Head; and that, as the Sinews to the Joints both unite the Members, and strengthen the Body, so doth the Quakers Exchequer strengthen and sup­port them in the carrying on their whole Design: For as Money is said to be the Si­news of War, so it may be called the Nerves of Heresie; for Money answers all things. And to shew it to be so, with respect to the Quakers, I shall briefly shew, first, Their Way and Manner of raising their Bank; next, Their Way of Distribution: In both which it cannot be expected that I should be exact in their very Words, having forgot great part of their Cant; nor the Particulars to whom they dispose of their Money; that's a Secret kept under Lock and Key: It suf­ficeth then, that I give some sure Marks of both, and which, I hope, I shall so infallibly do, as never an Infallible Quaker shall be able to deny.

FIRST THEN, I remember, when I was Quaker, we now and then had an Epistle sent [Page 118] to our Quarterly Meetings in the Country, from the Second-Day Meeting in London, for a General Collection for the Service of Truth: This Epistle thus sent, I have copied out, and have read it in our Meeting at Milden-Hall; I have both given to it, and took what our Meeting contributed, and have carried it to the Quarterly Meeting, where I have ta­ken all the Collections gathered quite thro' the Isle of Ely, if not the County of Cambridge, Which I do think, I also had to return to London. to return to London for the Publick Use: All this I know, and, if need were, would de­pose it. I do not say, but the Yearly Meet­ing, as in Chap. 7. sometimes do the like; as also examine the Accompts, constitute and appoint Feoffees, and the like; and to which, the Second-Day Meeting is accountable: But, during the Intervals of their Yearly Convocation, the Second-Day Meeting hath both Power to receive and to dispose, as I shall shew hereafter.

Now whereas for many Years together, the Quaker Teachers banter'd all other Mini­sters for taking Money for their Subsistence; the National, for the Tythes, and other Dues; the Dissenters, for taking the voluntary Gift of their Hearers; whilst the Quakers pre­tended to Teach freely, yea, to Write free­ly, and to do the Lord's Business freely; when alas! this was all a Cheat, as in the Story of Bell and the Dragon: For they had not only their Charges for themselves and Horses free, Cloaths, Hats, Linnen and [Page 119] Woollen oft-times free, but now and then a good Watch free also; besides, out of the Bank they had their frequent Sallaries and Stipends, 10, Witness S. Cater and John Song­hurst, of whom I have a pretty Story. When W. Mead was Purser, i. e. Songhurst pretending want of Money, G. Fox sent him to W. M. W. Mead deposited 12 l. and enter'd it in his Book. This did not please Songhurst; he goes to G. Fox, and acquaints him with it. Fox told him, that was W. Mead's way. Well, Songhurst did not like to stand on Record a Ta­ker of Money, who had so many Years pretended to Preach freely; away goes he to W. M. with his Mo­ney in his Sack's Mouth; W. Mead takes it, and enters it on the contra­ry Page, Receiv'd of Songhurst 12 l. This made it worse; for, now he had not the Money, yet still stands Recorded, &c. 20, and 30 l. at a time; yea, I have been told, That T. G. had once 100 l. at a time; and J. Parke 20 l. per An. Yet, when told of this Hypocrisie, they have answer'd, They did not Preach for Money, tho' their Teachers did take Money: And might not all other Ministers say so too, That Money was not the end for which they Preached, but the Good of Souls; only what they had, was to maintain them in that Station to which they were call'd and set apart?

But W. Rogers wrote a Scourge for Geo. Whitehead, Anno 1685. where he hath these Words.

Thus, Reader, I have given you W. Ro­ger's Sence, first, That Rome's Sister got a Wound, yea, almost a deadly Wound; that the Quakers Church are the most like Rome; and this is true in Fact: Next, Their Preachers take Money for Preaching, and for Preferment turn deceitful Teachers; a cer­tain Truth. Next, That they have a Fund, which is most dangerous: Next, That their Papers and Epistles for Money did fly amongst us like so many Briefs, craving Money, Mo­ney for the Ministry; Money, Money to assist us in our Confederacy, or we are not able to supplant Christianity. I will next give you a Recital of a Letter sent me, written about John Clemence, &c. bearing Date 26th of the Eleventh Month, 1684. from Anne Docwra, An antient Quaker, who then testified against the Quakers Fund or Bank, as well as their Preachers meddling with Marriages like the Jesuits, viz.

Thus, Reader, I have shewed by a Recital of Mrs. Docwra's Letter, what Sence she had of their Common Fund, i. e. that it was as bad as Hoarding up Arms and Ammunition; and she is so far in the right on't. You see also, what Testimonies hath been given out, both Publick and Private, against these pri­vate Purse-mongers, and their raising Com­mon Banks, as that which is so pernicious to the Civil Government, that it is as bad as Arms and Ammunition; for Money asnwers all things: For, having this private Fund, they can pay their Ministers, and enable them to range the World over, pretending to Teach freely, to forsake their Father's Coun­try, Riches and Honours, (as you have heard) and all to come and spend themselves, their Strength and Years, for the Good of Souls; and all this freely, without Money, and without Price: And you see, your Teachers, they must have their Tythes, their Gleabe-Lands, their Easter-Reckonings, and their Midsummer-Dues; by which you may see, they are Followers of Balaam, the Son of Bozer, who loved the Wages of Unrighte­ousness: Now by our Fruit, and the Fruit of the World's Teachers, you may try us, and prove us. Thus poor Hearts, the very same People that give to these Collections, I mean innocent middle sort, who are not ad­mitted in­to the Know­ledge of these things. know nothing of their Teachers taking Mo­ney; nay, many of them will dispute strenu­ously against you, on their Teachers Behalf, That they take no Money, that they Teach [Page 124] freely, as above told. And thus are these silly Sheep carried away with the Wiles of their Teachers, and follow them as the Is­raelites did Rebellious Absalom, in the Sim­plicity of their Hearts, 2 Sam. 15.11.

But, Reader, this Scourge did so torment this well-favour'd Harlot, it did so sting and nettle her, that poor Whitehead's dull Pen was not able to bear up: Then came in Tho. Ellwood; and tho' he wrote as much to the Point as his Craft could invent, yet W. Ro­gers's Stroaks entered so deep, and made such a Wound, as that he, i. e. Ellwood, was forc'd, poor Man, (full ill against his Will) to confess their Ministers did take Money, and their Clerks were paid out of their Fund; which they had not only for Forty Years pre­tended to the contrary, but by Ten Thou­sand Sermons solemnly declared, that they neither take Silver, Gold nor Apparel, but freely they had received, and freely deliver­ed to the People. O the horrible Deceit of this People! However, let it suffice, that W. Rogers have whipt them into a better Tem­per, who now confess the Fact, and plead the Apostles. But I deny, that ever the Apostles Practice pretended to take neither Silver, Gold nor Apparel; and yet, contrary to his Pretension, took all he could lay his Hands on: No; this is the Practice only of the Quakers; no Man questioning the lawfulness of the Ministers Maintainance, save the Quakers on­ly, who yet take with both Hands; their [Page 125] Fruit hath made them manifest. Well, let's hear T. Ellwood, viz.

Observe, Reader, the Charge is confest: First, That they have a Stock, by which they [Page 126] supply the Wants of their Teachers, i. e. pay them; yea, and well too: Witness their In­crease of Wealth. 2dly, That their Clerks take Money for writing, and that they are Hirelings; this I and others knew well enough, but Whitehead had so denied the same, that there was Thousands of Quakers would not believe a word of it: But now W. Rogers's Scourge hath so lash'd this painted Harlot, that she by her dear Son Ellwood, hath confess'd it, and spake more Truth in this matter, than Whitehead, and Twenty more of their Apo­state Scribes have been ever made to do; and I am willing to do him Right herein; for according to the Proverb, I am willing to give the Devil his due. I need not quote Book and Page, to prove their Preachers Pretences to Preach freely, without Money, &c. their Books are full of Proof, and their Sermons from Dan to Beersheba: But I have said, they pretended to write freely; and this I ought to prove; which I shall do from their Great Apostle and Second Moses, namely, G. Fox; see their Book, stiled, Concerning Marriages, &c. p. 4, 5, 6. printed 1659. G. Fox, viz.

Now let me subjoin a Second Testimony of George Fox's, against taking of Money, &c.

Friends, you are to do the Nations Business freely, and that is the way to get into the Hearts of People, &c. Several Papers given forth per G. Fox, An. 1659.

I remember there is in one of the Quakers Declarations a Reserve left for Fighting after­wards: ‘We Yet, (say they) cannot believe he will make use of the Sword by us, but for [Page 128] the Present, we are given to Bear and Suf­fer, &c.’ So had G. Fox said, that as Yet let nothing be Recorded for Money, but for the Present, i. e. till you a fair Opportunity, do things freely, &c. then there had been a fair Plea As there is now for Whipping, Fining, Im­prisoning, and Fight­ing, &c. then As Yet, might by George Whitehead, have been rendered Adhuc, and not Tamen; for 'tis manifest, that their ear­ly pretence to Teach, Preach, write Certifi­cates, &c. freely, was but to get into the Af­fections of the People, until a more fair Op­portunity; and then Experientia docet, they can take 50 l. per Annum for writing Certi­ficates, &c. 30 l. for writing Five or Six Sheets called a Primmer, to teach Children; 10 l. at a time for Preaching, &c. See New Rome Ʋn­mask'd, &c. p. 58, to 63. where I have en­larged hereon from the Quakers Books. But G. W. by his Book, stiled, The Contentious Apostate, &c. p. 22. he seems to deny G. Fox's Order for Marriage, where it's said, nothing is to be Recorded for Money, &c. as above cited: But G. W. I have it, and you may soon see it in the Library of Christ's Church College in Oxford, where that and many others of your Books, which you would be glad were extinct, will remain for Ages to see, and be able there­by to detect your Falacies. And now follows part of the recited Declaration, viz.

We have chosen the Son of God to be our King, and he hath chosen us to be his People; and he might command Thousands, and Ten Thousands of his Servants at this Day, to Fight in his Cause; he might lead them forth, and bring them in, and give them Victory over [Page 129] all their Enemies, and turn his Hand upon their Persecutors; but yet his Kingdom is not of this World, neither is his Warfare of Carnal Weapons, neither hath he chosen us for that end, neither can we Yet believe No, stay a little longer. that he will make use of us in that way, tho' it be his only Right to Rule in Nations, and our Heirship to Possess the utmost Parts of the Earth; but for the Present Ay, be patient a little lon­ger. we are given to bear and suffer all things for his Names­sake, &c. To the present distracted Nation of England, &c. Printed 1659. p. 8.

But, Reader, if you look back to Fox's Order for Marriage, you may observe, that he points to have the Matter laid before their Ministers; and thereupon I shall shew you a brief Testimony of one of their Female Preachers, a Woman of Note amongst them, in a Letter I have by me; part of that against their Hoarding up Money, which is as bad as Hoarding up of Arms and Ammuniti­on, viz.

Reader, The main thing I recite part of this Letter, is, to shew the Sense some still amongst them have of their own Teacher's Jesuitical Practice, either in making or break­ing of Matches, according as they are pleas­ed or displeased: I could write a Book by it self, only to shew the Baseness of their Teachers Practice, not only in making Matches, but in making Mischief in Families, in setting Men and their Wives at Variance.

And more particularly, G. W. my old An­tagonist, as may be seen in the Book quoted, viz. The Conten. Apostate, p. 5. The Apost. Incend. p. 8. Judgment fixed, &c. p. 289. both relating to my self, W. Muclow, Tho. Crisp, &c. setting aside John Feild, and o­thers of his Stamp, that I believe the very boldest of the Jesuits never exceeded them. But having in my Book, New Rome Unmask'd, &c. p. 57, to 64. shewed the evil Tendency of this their Doctrine and Practice, I refer to that; but since that G. W. in his Sober Expo­stulation, p. 108. is driving on the same Trade: Of which possibly more hereafter.

But come Thomas, the chiefest Business in this Chapter is to prove, That the Quakers have a Common Purse; that they have a Common Fund or Bank; that your Teachers are supply'd thereout; that you Clerks (as Hirelings) are paid their Yearly Salaries and Stipends, &c. This and more you have con­fess'd, which Hundreds of your Teachers have deny'd, and sometimes gained the Good­will of Magistrates, and their own Quiet thereby. Witness Anne Doc­wra, who telling the Magi­strates they had none, they were quiet after, &c. But I would not have the World so mistaken of thee neither, as to call thee TOM TELL-TROTH; no, this I presume was done in a Passion, even whilst the Smart and Anguish of W. Rogers's Scourge was upon thee; for I dare to say, TOM TELL-TROTH would be a nick-name for any Quaker-Teach­er; and when I view thy Poem, p. 26, to 29. I hope thou may'st find in this Book an Answer to it, where thou callest upon W. Rogers to name the Men, I have done it, if that will please thee; where thou pretendest to forbear John Story, (yet like Joab, smite at his Name, which when living, was precious to many, and now dead, is not forgotten;) I am well satisfied, that he was a Man of a tender Spi­rit, and had more Christianity and Charity than all the Mercenary Sixty-six Judges. I remember, that at the Bull and Mouth Meeting, Anno 1677. W. Penn came past Eight or Ten Persons, sitting on the same Bench with me, to ask me to set my Hand to their Epistle of Condemnation. But glad am [Page 132] I, that I was made sensible of their evil In­tent; for, Thomas, there was thy self, John Moone, Ezekiel VVolley, Sam. Cater, and many of you concerned in that Paper, as wicked a Generation of Men, as void of Cha­rity, or any thing that is truly Christian, as the Newgate-Birds. And what a sad thing is it, that such dissembling Hypocrites, and wicked Impostors, should claim to themselves the Name of the one only true Church of Christ? And so I shall adjourn this Head, until I come to the Chapter where the Cage is, where I shall make good my Charge, and name Particulars, as thou hast desired; only as a Word of Use and Application, I shall recite a few Verses, wrote by Anne Doc­wra, Anno 1684. which, as I printed at the end of VV. Rogers's Scourge, the Original Manuscript is still by me, except a Word or two, which in the Correcting the Press for her I might alter to make her Verses run smooth, viz.

These Verses she wrote concerning G. Fox; and tho' she (being but a Woman) is turned to her old Vomit, i. e. Foxonian Quakers, yet I hope, when W. Rogers, John Raunce, and others, who had a Hand in W. Rogers's Poem, do see, and behold the base Abuse of Tho. Ellwood, &c. in his Rogero Ma­stix, &c. will see Cause to keep at an equal distance from such a deceitful Tribe, who were as cruel to that meek Man, John Story, as Doeg the Edomite was to the Priests of the Lord, of whom David said, Psal. 140.2,3. Which imagine Mischiefs in their Heart; continually are they gathered together for War; they have sharpned their Tongues like a Serpent; Adders Poyson is under their Lips.

CHAP. X.

First, THIS Six-Week Meeting of theirs is chiefly to consult about, and defend their own Members throughout the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, from the Penalties of certain Laws, which they fore-know that they shall Trans­gress, or that hereafter they may Transgress, thro' their being faithful to the Laws and Commands of G. Fox, and the Government of the Quaker-Church.

Secondly, This Meeting of theirs is one of their most Ancient Meetings for Government, and is made up of chosen Men amongst them, expert in the Laws and Customs of the Na­tion, well skill'd in the Courts of London and Westminster, and other His Majesty's Courts of Record, and such as understand the way and manner of Soliciting the Parlia­ment; and to support them in all these things, they have the Common Bank to assist them; which, as I have observed, is like Blood to their Veins, and Sinews to their Bones.

Thirdly, That I may not seem to impose my single Judgment, that there is such a Meeting; that the Quakers thereto belong­ing, [Page 136] are thus Exercised, as well as Authori­zed, see their Anniversary Epistle.

This Meeting being acquainted, that En­deavours have been used for Relief of Friends, in relation to Oaths, pursuant to the last Yearly Meeting's Advice in that Case; and being sensible of the great Care of the [Six Week] Meeting for Sufferings, still leave it to the said Meeting for Sufferings, to continue their Care and Endeavours in that Case, &c. And also it is agreed, That each Quarterly-Meeting take Care to advise the Correspondents for the Counties; and any o­thers concerned, to write only to your Corre­spondents in London, about their Sufferings, and not to other Persons, lest their Suffering-Case be delay'd, &c. The Epistle to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Friends in England and Wales, p. 3. Printed 1693.

From whence it is plain, First, That they are a Meeting constituted to take Care of the Quakers Sufferings: And 2dly, That this Meeting hold Correspondency with all the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of the Qua­kers in England and Wales. 3dly, That the Soliciting the Parliament on the Quakers Behalf is their Business. 4thly, And that they have a Fund for the Service of their Truth, is undeniable from Matter of Fact in the last Chapter, as well as from the recited Epistle, which say, Friends appointed to view Accounts, report, That they find they are truly stated, and rightly kept, &c. Epist. Ib. p. 3.

Fourthly, And therefore to point at the Quakers Practical Part herein, it is thus: If a Country Quaker be Sued at the Exchequer, or other Courts, for the Nonpayment of Tythes, or for any other Act of Obedience to the Quakers Commandments, laid down by their Second Moses, if he can but obtain a Certificate from the Quarterly Meeting to which he belong; he then sends up the said Certificate, with his Suffering Case, to the Correspondents belonging to that Quarterly Meeting, and his Business is effectually taken Care of to all Intents and Purposes; and this Six-Week Meeting so manage the Mat­ter, as either to baffle the Plaintiff, be he Priest or Impropriator; [as I still remem­ber — Smith, Brother to Robert Smith of Whitle-seacoats, did Counsellor Holeman of Chaterice in the Isle of Ely, i. e. the Impro­priator] or else to preserve their Friends, (they having a Salve for ever Sore) as that he shall be a better Man when he ends his Contest than when he began.

To which let me add a second Instance out of VV. Mathers his Manuscript sent to be printed, viz. They (says W. M.) have condemned many Quakers, as of Anti­christ, that do pay Tythes as others do: And Joseph Clark, a Preacher, professed to me, That God moved him to refuse to deliver his Tythes to the Priest; the Priest Sued him, he answered the Priest by Advice of John Feild, who had promised the said Joseph to secure [Page 138] his Goods from the Priest; which he (John Feild) failing to do, Joseph the Day before the Asize at Bedford got a Person to agree with the Priest for him; and since that hath said to me, that he could now pay his Tythes as well as other Taxes, &c.

For by the Management of this Confederacy, by such undue Methods, to prevent the Exe­cution of the Law, as it carries off the Trans­gressor with flying Colours, so it tends to en­courage every Litigious Quaker to stand it out with his Lawful Minister, and bid him do his worst, &c. So also has it been of ve­ry evil Consequence to the Ministers, who many of them have great Charges to main­tain, and small Livings; and great part of that wrongfully detain'd, by means of the said Confederacy: I say, this has been, and in other Cases will be, very Pernicious to the Publick Peace, and Possession of Liberty and Property, if it be not prevented.

Fifthly, The like may be said touching the Statute of 22 of C. II. For if in the Exe­cution of that Act of Parliament, [or any other] the Justices or Constables made a wrong Step, if any Quaker got a Certificate from their Quarterly Meeting, signifying his Faithfulness to their Church Canon, in that Case made and provided, viz. That he nei­ther have FORSAKEN, DECLINED, or REMOV'D his Meeting, like the Worldly, Fearful, and Politick Professors, he shall ei­ther have his Cause so managed, as to ride [Page 139] Triumphant, or with Sam. Cater, be plenti­fully Rewarded; who pretending he suffer'd 20 l. for Preaching at Phakenham, in Nor­folk, had 10 l. sent him out of the Common Bank, or London Fund, by John Peacock, late of St. Ives, Woollen-Draper: Tho' af­ter all, when Cater's Business came to be exa­min'd, he did not suffer a Groat: Yet such is the Freeness of this London Fountain, that Sam. did but pretend he suffer'd 20 l. and he had 10 l. sent him, as an Encouragement to go on.

Sixthly, Those Quakers which solicite the Parliament are Members of this Meetings, who derive their Authority and Licence so to do from the Yearly Meeting, as above ob­serv'd; who when the Clergymen are at home, minding their Cure, thinking them­selves safe in their Callings, being by Law e­stablish'd, then are the Quakers working like Moles under Ground; and soliciting sometimes against Tythes, sometimes against Colledges; yea, against the very Bells, as I shall shew from their Ancient Testimony, to which they oft refer, and exhort others to keep up to it in all its Parts; I say, that I may shew a Branch of their Ancient Testimony, I shall recite part of the Quakers Petition against the Clergy, and their Maintainance, subscrib'd by above 7000 Persons, and deliver'd to the Parliament of England the 20th of July, 1659. intituled, Several Papers sent to the Par­liament, &c. Printed 1695. and all their Pe­titions [Page 140] since to this Day, have some Tincture of the Leaven of this Petition, viz.

Answ. ‘Sell all the Glebe-Lands, and the Bells, except one in a Town, or two in a Ci­ty, to give Notice of a Fire: And all the late King's Parks, and his Rents, that had Tenths, and sold the Tythes; so let them, i. e. the King's Parks and Rents be sold, and the Colledges sold, and all the Tythes that belong to them thrown down. P. 65. You who are the Parliament of this Nation, you should have thrown down Tythes, which Abundance of the sober People of the Nati­on hath petition'd you What Impudence is this! Pretend to petition and beg, yet teach the Parlia­ment, and tell them what they should do. to have taken them away; which you voting them up, hath voted your selves out of the sober People's Affection of the Nation, among the Brutes; you should have sold all the Glebe-Lands, and sold all the Bells, saving one in a Town; and Colledges, and their Lands, and given them all to the Poor of the Nation. P. 68. And the Priests cry to you Magistrates for Tythes, the Pope's Alms, and lye begging with their Petitions at your Doors: It was highly ne­cessary then, as well as [...]s now, fo [...] some to oppose Quakeri [...]. And we would have you maintain these begging Priests some other way, than by the Pope's Alms. P. 69. AND EXCEPT YOU TAKE COUNSEL OF THE JUST, YOU SHALL NOT SIT☞.’

Reader, I have recited enough of the Qua­kers Petition against the Clergy, to shew the [Page 142] Nature of their Ancient Testimony, and pointed with a Finger ☞ to two Sayings, which, with the rest, are full of Impudence: And when against the Clergy, I think I may take their Word; their whole Carriage and Deportment, both by Word and Writing, do confirm it: But when for themselves they have any Favour to obtain, DISTRUST THEM IN ALL THEY SAY, for they II stick at no Promise; as in the Case of their Indulgence; witness their Acknowledging the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testa­ment to be given forth by Divine Inspiration. That it is the Rules of Faith and Practice, &c. whilst they believe not one Word of what they themselves say; and as a Demonstration thereof, I shall recite one of their Epistles, sent to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, shewing their Care of their own Books: Nay, them very Books which teach, that the Scriptures are Death, Dust, Beastly Ware, Serpents Food, &c. Therefore,

CHAP. XI.

I Am now come to their Second-Day Meet­ing, even to that Meeting where Satan dwells, and where he employs his Archest E­missaries; I shall not wrong them, as believ­ing I must one Day give an Account for my Actions, before the Man Christ Jesus, who shall Judge both the Quick and Dead at the Great Day, where (I hope) I shall not be [Page 150] afraid to meet G. Whitehead with this Testi­mony in my Hand; so on the other Hand, I shall not spare them, hide nor cover them, who have by their Wiles, by their Books of two sorts, deceived the Nations, deceived many of the Magistrates, many of the Cler­gy, nay, my self; for I could not have wrote thus Fifteen Years agoNo, if I had not seen their deceitful Practices, and mea­sur'd them by the Scriptures, I could not have known them rightly.: I took them then, at least some Years before, to be Prophets, at least sincere, and to meet there for the approving of what was Right, Sound and Orthodox, and for condemning the contrary: But behold I have found the contrary, and that by sad Experience; yea, I have found that their whole Business is to deceive, and carry on a Design; yea, a Confederacy, under the fine Notion of Unity and Concord: I have laboured many Years under great Difficul­ties, I have spent my Estate, I have spent my Strength, I grow into Years, I have a Con­science to Discharge, I think I cannot do it, unless I compleat that Discovery which I have began: Tho' I find it prejudicial to my Health, and other Business, I find my self conscientiously concerned in this weighty Af­fair: I do know, that the Reverend Author of the Book, entituled, The Snake in the Grass, To whose Works I refer the Reader. &c. have done exceeding well; he hath done beyond what I am able to do; 'tis a Learned Piece, and becomes a Learn­ed Reader: But I am directing the great­est part of what I say to the more un­learned;i. e. The common People, who are not so well School-Learn'd.; [Page 151] to such (whether Quakers or o­thers) as sometimes must spell as they read, and read over and over, before they can under­stand; this makes me sometimes write over and over the same thing, to inculcate (if pos­sible) the Matter I am upon into their Heads, that at last they may understand, as well as to lay a Foundation for abler Pens. This then I thought fit to premise by way of Introdu­ction, &c.

This Meeting of the Quakers is held eve­ry Second Day of the Week (which we call Monday) throughout the Year in London; the Members of it are the Teachers of the Quakers, residing in and about London; where of G. Fox For he seldom lived with his Wife, but kept at London. (in his Life-time) was the Principal, and G. Whitehead now, as I am given to understand. The Meeting formerly was kept in Ellis Hook's Chamber in Lom­bard-street, now I presume in Grace-Church-Street. This Meeting doth much resemble His Majesty's Privy-Council: For the King, by and with the Advice of His Privy Coun­cil, can do many things; he can by Procla­mation put the Laws in Execution; I think, he can proclaim War, and make Peace: So can this Meeting; they can quicken the com­ing in of Money, granted by the Yearly Meet­ing; they can issue out their Proclamation for a War against the Ministers of any So­ciety; they can alter and change any Message, stop any Prophesie, stifle any Revelation, si­lence the Voice uttered by the Spirit of the [Page 152] Lord, thro' their most eminent Prophets, in what respect they please, and make it speak louder, and more shrill, where they think there is most Service, or may be more con­ducive to their Design; they are like the Helm to the Ship, which turn it which way the Pilate please; they are the Wheel with­in the Wheel, which move all the whole Work, yet so invisibly, as few shall know how, and fewer know who; for they are Persons uncertain and accidental, and cannot be chargeable (by Name) for any Errour, tho' guilty of every Errour in their Books, so far as Consent, Approbation and Recommen­dation can make them: For all Books Prin­ted and Reprinted, pass thro' the fiery Tryal of their Infallible Examination; they Govern, they Rule, they Steer the Vessel, but all Invi­sibly; they pay their Ministers, but their own People (many of them) that give to their Collections and Contributions, do not know it; nor, if you tell them of it, will they be­lieve it: For none can tell, who pays, nor who receives, but now and then by chance, what some or other, as Ellwood blabb'd it out at unawares: But their Principal Work is, to Approve and License their Books, Printed for the Service of the Truth, as they phrase it: But the last being their most principal Verb, I shall the more infist upon it, to shew their most horrible Deceit and Hypocrisie: And I bless God, and am thankful to his Ser­vants, who have enabled me not only to Print, [Page 153] but to Reprint this Book, to which they nei­ther have returned an Answer, nor can they. But to proceed, suppose one of their People pretend he is moved of the Lord, by his E­ternal Spirit, to write a Message or Warning to the Inhabitants of Bristol, with this Title; This is the Word of the Lord to thee, O Bristol! Well, this Book is sent up to their Second-Day Meeting, and there they take it into Consideration; then they will Alter and Change Words and Sentences; put in, and leave out, what they conceive suit best with the Times; and yet let it go as The Word of the Lord. Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat, and like the Old Pro­phet, deceive; not only the Nations, but the poor young Prophet, that thought he had wrote from the Infallible Motion; when alas! 'tis now so alter'd, so added to, and diminish'd from what it was, that it's meer­ly Calculated to the Design of the Cabal, and yet shall go with the same Title, i. e. This is the Word of the Lord to thee, O Bristol! Of this most horrible Deceit I could give a Hundred Instances, and find Matter enough for to write a Book by it self, but I must consult Brevity, lest my Pen outrun my Penny; and therefore shall single out one Instance, which I hope will give some Satis­faction; it shall be out of a Book, wrote by Edward Burrough, entituled, A Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion, sounding forth the Controversie of the Lord of Hosts, &c. Printed in Quarto, 1656.

But before I go to the chief Matter intend­ed, I shall recite the pretended Commission of this bold Prophet, and then it will ap­pear, whether the Second-Day Meeting did well, in altering his Prophesie, by adding to, and taking from the same; for either they did believe him to be a Prophet, that the Word of the did come to him as expresly as to Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the rest of the Prophets, or they did not; if they did, how then dare they add, and diminish, and leave out, in the Reprint of his Works, what had gone for the Word of the Lord, from 1656 to 1672? If they did not believe him to be a Prophet divinely inspir'd, but an Impostor, why did they suffer the said Book to go as The Word of the Lord, from 1656 to 1672? So take it which way they will, and it will appear, that G. Whitehead, (whose Epistle of Recommendation is pre­fix'd, and Printed to Edw. Burrough's Works) and others of this Second-Day Meeting, are most horrible Cheats, and grand Deceivers: And therefore, now to the Commission which Edw. Burroughs received; which, to G. W. and others, that believed it, was both Au­thentick and Substantial, viz.

Thus, Reader, you see the Commission which Edw. Burrough receiv'd; (whether counter­feit or not, is not my present Business) which was forthwith Printed in Quarto, and sent up and down the Nation, as The Word of the Lord, and as such receiv'd by Thousands of us, and to be sure, approv'd of by the Second-Day Meeting; yet when the Times chang'd, and the Second-Day Meeting came to Reprint the several Prophecies and Reve­lations [Page 156] of this remarkable Prophet Ed. Bur­rough, amongst the rest you will find this Book, you stiled, The Trumpet of the Lord sounded, &c. Reprinted in the Works of Ed. Burrough, p. 97. And,

First, To thee Oliver Cromwell, and his Council.

2dly, To all Judges and Lawyers, and their Train.

3dly, To all Astrologers, Magicians, &c.

4thly, To all Generals, Collonels, Com­manders, &c.

To all these four sorts, the Reprint has it with some little Variation; indeed enough to spoil the Predictions; which, had they been true, ought not to have been added to, or taken from. And the Second-Day Meet­ing in 1672. pretended to believe them to be true, by their Title in the Index, viz. A Trumpet of the Lord sounded forth of Sion, which containeth a Testimony from the Word of the Lord. But behold, and be astonished at the Deceit of these Jugglers, i. e. the Se­cond-Day Meeters; for the Fifth Prophesie directed thus, To all you who are, and have been always Enemies to the very Appearance of Righteousness, who are called Delinquents and Cavaliers; I say, this whole Fifth Prophesie is left out in the Reprint, tho' as positively Avowed to be the Word of the Lord as the other, as certainly Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God as the other, and every way Authorized by as ample a Commission from [Page 157] the Spirit of the Living God, yea, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, as the other; and yet all left out in the Reprint. And to make it appear so beyond all their Glos­sing, I shall recite it Verbatim, as it follows the preceding Title and Direction.

Note, That all this whole Chapter con­cerning K. C. II. and his Friends, and Roy­al Family, is left out in the Reprint of his Works, Anno 1672.

From whence it is evident, That tho' this Prophesie was said to be as true as any Chap­ter in the Bible; yea, that the Word of the [Page 159] Lord came to Burrough the 31st. of Decem­ber, 1655, at the Fourth Hour in the Morn­ing, and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God; yet this Second-Day Meeting hath, or claim to have a Power superiour, and by Virtue thereof, can silence the Prophet, sti­fle his Prophesie, cancel his Revelation, and null and make void his Commission; for, as I said, they either believ'd his Commission to be Real, or Counterfeit; It must be Real or Counter­feit. if Real, as so they always pretended, then is it not great Wickedness that it should be thus smothered up, and stifled, and left out of his Works, since tho' the Delinquents and Cavaliers were very wicked, yet upon Repentance there seems to be some Hopes, which now this Pro­phesie cannot be instrumental in, since the Second-Day Meeting hath buried it in Obli­vion, in that they did not Reprint it with the rest of the same Book, in his Works in Folio, Printed 1672? If Counterfeit, What wicked Wretches were these Members of the Second-Day Meeting in 1656. to Print it in Quarto as the Word of the Lord, and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God, and there­upon, and as such, sent it up and down to us, to deceive us, by recommending a Counter­feit Commission for a Real? Thus let them take it which way they will, and it is wicked in the Superlative Degree.

But this is not all; it shew'd their Cowar­dize and Temporizing; for this was wrote in O. Cromwell's time, designed, I perceive, [Page 160] to curry Favour with him, and to shew that himself, and his Brethren the Quakers, were Enemies to Monarchy: But when it was Re­printed, it was done in K. Charles the Se­cond's time, and then they wheel'd about, and complain'd of O. Cromwell, and flatter'd the King, Cavaliers, and Court-Party; and then this Prophesie, Sealed never so strong, Revealed never so clear, the very Day, Month and Year specified, nay, the very Hour in the Morning, yet (as I have said) it not suiting with the Design on foot, name­ly, To root out Christianity, and introduce Quakerism, it must be suspended, stifled and buried. Thus then it appears, how wicked­ly deceitful are these Second-Day Meeters, who can thus prevaricate and dissemble with God and Man; of which, I could give many Instances, but rather refer to The Snake in the Grass, &c. which doth most amply set forth their turning with the Times, and their facing about with every Wind that might seem to blow a prosperous Gale for the Ad­vance of Quakerism, &c.

But to conclude, or rather confirm this Head, and to shew what Temporizers these Quakers have been, as well as knowingly Wicked, these Second-Day Meeters ever (from first to last) were, let me add one Citation more, as it lies dispersed in a Book of Ed. Burrough's, Printed in Quarto 1659. containing several Letters written, and said to be delivered to O. Cromwell, Anno 1657. [Page 161] and some Letters said to be delivered to R. Cromwell, Anno 1658. then Protector: But I distrust all they say So can­not believe they did deliver them as Printed, since after Printed can thus alter them.; for having compa­red this Quarto Book, I find many places which mentions the King, or the Kingly Go­vernment, left out in his Works in Folio; which Words so left out you will find them in Capital Letters; which, as it shews their Temporizing, so it discovers their Wicked­ness to stifle Prophesies, if they believ'd them such to be; if not, still as wicked to let this Burrough in his Works still go for a Prophet, and by Whitehead, Coale, Howgill and Fox, &c. recommended as such; I do say, it is such a Depth of Hypocrisie, that I want Words to set it forth sufficiently.

P. 15. And these things are not right in the Sight of the Lord, that such who have been for many Years faithful in the Service, and in their Trust, and hazarded Life and Liber­ty for Conscience-sake, which they cannot now possess, because of thee, [Dear Oliver,] but are cast out for the Exercise of their pure Conscience; consider of it, for this makes the Nation more unhappy, and less blessed, when such who delight in true Justice and Judg­ment, are cast out of their Places Oh! how the Quakers did flatter O. Crom­well, to get into Offi­ces, yea, Justices forsooth., and so deprived of giving their Judgment amongst Men; and absolutely this will make thy Ar­my less prosperous, when such who fear the Lord, against whom thou canst not justly charge no Evil, are cast out, and despis'd, and this in time thou may'st see to thy Sor­row; [Page 162] and as thy Friend, I lay this before thee, and do in Plainness tell thee, If thou thus utterly deny the People of God in the Day of thy Prosperity, and thou thus wholly cast them out of thy Service, they cannot stand by thee, nor own thee in the Day of thy Trou­ble Oliver did not much va­lue his new Saints, i. e. Qua­kers.; P. 16. When as such who feareth the Lord, are cast out of Judicatories in thy Go­vernment, and out of Defence in thy Armies: What! Is this the end of that long Travel in Wars, and of so many Promises of Liberty of Conscience, that just Men should thus be dealt withal, as one without Bowels of Com­passion, unto such who have truly served with thee in a faithful Service for the Common­wealth, who many of them now are grievous Sufferers under thee? P. 17. Many Enemies thou hast, which watch over thee, (O. C.) for Evil, and not for Good: — First, There is a People scattered thro' all these Nations, who is full of Wrath towards thee, EVEN OF THOSE KNOWN BY NAME MALIG­NANTSOh! how care­ful the Quakers were of their dear Friend O. C., in whose Hearts, to this Day, there is continual Hatred against thee, and all thy Off-spring; — Daily Advantage they seek against thee, by secret Plottings of Ma­liciousness in their EVIL Hearts, seeking by all Means, if it be possible, how to be aveng­ed, and to revenge themselves, and THE CAUSE OF THEIR KING, with no better Purpose, than to destroy thee; — Such is the Cruelty and Desperateness of some of them, their own Lives are not dear unto them, to [Page 163] take away thine; I have felt the Strength of their Rage against thee, which carries them a­bove Sense or Fear, to undergo any Danger, that they may see their desired End of thee; their Malice towards thee is so seated in their wrathful Hearts, that it cannot easily be quenched: I know the Lord hath CURSED them and their Endeavours to this Day, and thou hast had Dominion and Power given thee of God, to break them in Pieces; AND WHAT THOU HAST DONE TO THEIR KING SHOULD NOT BE RECKONED AGAINST THEE BY THE LORD, Murder acquitted, if O. C. would but stand by the Qua­kers. IF NOW THOU ART FAITHFUL TO WHAT HE REQUIRES OF THEE. P. 20. Tho' we the People of God doth not envy thy Person nor Government, — yet, Friend, the Want of our Prayers to God for thee is worse to thee than the secret Plotting of all wicked Men: And how can we mention thee in our Prayers to God for thee, except it be to be deliver'd from thee? Good Counsel and Ad­vice rejected, Printed in Quarto 1656. Re­printed in Folio 1672.

To this agrees that Saying of G. Fox to Mr. Camelfeild, a Minister, in his Book, i. e. Truth's Defence, &c. p. 15. No Prayers can we send to thee, but for thy Destruction, thou Man of Sin, and Enemy of Christ, &c. No, neither to Oliver their Governour, nor to the Priests; no, they cannot pray for their Ene­mies, unless they do Kindness for them, i. e. make them Justices or Commanders; no, [Page 164] no Penny, (or what's Equivolent) no Pater Noster from the Quakers. See the MarginIs that the Rea­son they'll not pray for King William III?.

‘P. 21. And this I have written to thee, out of perfect Love in the Fear of God: — And if thou could'st own them, (i. e. Qua­kers) they would own thee in the Face of all thy Enemies.’

‘P. 35. To Richard. AS CONCERNING THY WAR, AND ARMIES ABROAD IN SPAIN, SOMETHING THERE IS IN Some­thing; yea, who knows not that, this is like a Gypsie-Prophesie. IT KNOWN TO THE LORD: — MAKE NO COVENANT WITH IDOLA­TERS, BUT TREAD DOWN THEIR I­DOL GODS, WHICH THEY HAVE SET UP, AND HEW DOWN THEIR MOUN­TAINS, IN WHICH THEIR CONFI­DENCE STAND, AND PLOW UP THEIR GROUND, THAT THE SEED MAY BE SOWN AFTER THEE; IT'S HONOUR ENOUGH TO BE THE LORD'S PLOWMAN. P. 44. And if thou walk with the Lord, and preserve his People, (i. e. Quakers) that fear him, then shalt thou prosper, and thy Name shall be greater than was thy Father's, and the num­berless Number of this now distressed People will be unto thee a Strength, and stand by thee in thy Day of Trouble, and defend thee and thy Just GovernmentThen R. Cromwell's Govern­ment was Just in the Quakers Account., and their Hearts shall cleave unto thee, and thou shalt pro­sper for their sakes, and none of thy Ene­mies shall have Power over thee. P. 53. And as for thy Father, the late Protector, [Page 165] great things did the Lord do for him, in raising him up, and casting out his Enemies before him, and giving him Victory, Re­nown and Power O brave Oliver! the Quakers Champion. thro' Nations; and we know the Lord shewed Favour to him, and gave him Strength, Wisdom and Va­lour, and a right Spirit; and he was called of God into that great Work, to subdue the grievous Tyrannies, once ruling over tender Consciences, and to break down the great Oppressions which had caused the Just to Groan; and the Lord was with him in Victo­ry, and preserved him from great Dangers.’

CHAP. XII.

REader, let none marvel why I proceed thus with these Men; for they say of themselves, Burrough's Works, p. 507. ‘They are Raised of the Lord, and Established by HIM, even contrary to all Men; and they have given their Power only to God, and they cannot give their Power to any Mortal Man, to stand or fall by any outward Authority, and to that they cannot SEEKA grand Lie: Who seeks more?, &c.’ Now as they confess they were raised up, contrary to all Men; so have their Practice, Manners and Deportment, been contrary to all Men; and therefore shall they be dealt with contrary to all Men. Bishop Jewel, and other Reformers, wrote smartly against the Papists, and for the Peoples sake display'd their Errours, unmask'd their Leaders, and discover'd their Pious Frauds; yet protested they were in Charity, and desir­ed nothing more, than that they would have hearkened to them, and forsake their Errours: [Page 211] And I do solemnly say, I know of no one thing which this World affords would please me better, than to see this People con­demn what is Erroneous amongst them, and persevere in the Truth, and the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, true God, and per­fect Man: But whilst they'll excuse, justi­fie, commend, and recommend such vile Er­rours, as no Protestant Society can endure, I shall proceed; and if I be blamed, better Men than I am, (as Luther for one) was; who, when John Eccius, Jacob Hochstrat, wrote to him, he quickly reply'd, saying, ‘By how much the more they rage, so much the more I go on; I leave former things, that they may bark at them, and go on to further things, that they may have some things more to bawl at.’ The Hist. of the Reform. &c. p. 34. Also consider the Pro­phet Elijah, a Man both Sober, Serious, and Religious; yet when he beheld the Idolatry of the Priests of Baal, which did not much exceed the Quakers, if at all, he could not but mock at them, and have them in a Ho­ly Derision, in order to the more compleat Discovery of them to the View of the Spe­ctators: For it is written, 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. 1 King. 18.27.

Besides all this, here is more to be said; for as the Quakers were raised contrary to all Men, as they confess themselves, so have they dealt by others, as never any besides themselves ever did: And therefore give me leave to fill the same Cup to them again, which they so plentifully have filled to o­thers; yea, good Measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over:Luke 6.38. For G. Fox, their great Apostle, and High-Priest of their Profession, who was but a Journey-man Shoemaker, having heard some Body say. That Tu was Latin for Thou, the Second Person of the Singular Number; and Vos was Latin for Ye, the Second Person of the Plural Number; nothing would serve his Ambiti­ous Brain, but he must make for the two English Universities, the Magistrates, Judges, Gentry, and Clergy of the Land, a BAT­TLEDOOR, to teach them the same, and that in Thirty Languages, of which he was not Master of one: And the present Quakers, in order to magnifie their Great Apostle Fox, have printed him the Author of the said BATTLEDOOR, (See the Third Index of Fox's Journal) which is as great a Cheat put upon the present Quakers, as Fox put upon us in the Beginning, who made us believe he had 24 Languages given him by Divine In­spiration in one Night, as my self and others (still living) did believe; for in the Introdu­ction he said, ‘All Languages are to me no more than Dust, who was before Lan­guages [Page 213] were, and am come before Lan­guages were, and am redeem'd out of Lan­guages into the Power, &c.’ For tho' Fox was not the Author, yet his Name is set to it nine or ten times, in order to confirm the Cheat; for John Stubbs and Benjamin Fur­ley had the chief Hand in it. See the Gen. Hist. of the Quakers, &c. p. 165. But in those early Days the Government of the Fund, or Common Bank, was wholly at the Dispose of Fox, who, like Simon Magus, having a Desire to be esteem'd some Great Man in Learning, he hired some Jews to his Assi­stance, as I have been credibly informed by those which heard the Jews say the same; yea, and since have printed it in these Words; Envy and Folly detected, by way of Reply to Robert Bridgman, &c. p. 8. ‘We, for our own parts, went to the Jews, and spake with the Jew that re­ceived Eighty Pounds in Mill'd MoneyO th is Dagon of the Qua­kers! as Anne Doc­wra calls it: What will not Money do?, paid by Gerrard Roberts, besides the Do­zen Bottles of Wine, given by M. F. (Wi­dow to Judge Fell, who afterwards Mar­ry'd Fox) as he did affirm, for doing the chief part of the BATTLEDOOR: And what a Cheat was this to the Ignorant, to make them believe, as if it had been re­vealed to G. Fox, &c.’ And when R. Bridg­man, to cover Fox, said, ‘He (George Fox) had some Knowledge in Hebrew;’ my Au­thor goes on, p. 20. viz. ‘Some Body paid enough for his Understanding in the He­brew: [Page 214] Witness his 80 l. and Dozen Bottles of Wine, &c. Oh monstrous! Oh horrible Cheat!’

Now followeth the Form and Figure of a Penny Horn-Book for Children to learn their A, B, C, as placed in that Book, intituled, A BATTLEDOOR for Teachers and Professors, to learn Singular and Plural, &c. as set at the beginning of most of the Lan­guages in that Book, with a like Inscription, Signed on the Handle of the Horn-Book, as in this, Geo. Fox, which could have no o­ther Tendency, but to discover his great Pre­sumption, to pretend to be Learned in Thirty Languages, who was ignorant of his Mo­ther-Tongue; neither did this Artifice only discover his Presumption, in pretending to be what he was not, i. e. a Learned Person; but it shewed also his Pride and Contempt thereby designed, and Domineering over both Gentry and Clergy, as if they under­stood not the English of Tu and Vos, set in the said BATTLEDOOR, and with this Inscription.

The next thing I have to present the World with, is an Abstract of an Epistle of G. Fox's, sent to be read in Churches: London, Printed for Matth. Simmons, 1657. Thus did the Pride, Arrogance, and Presumption of this People appear; which, as they confess, shew­ed, that they were raised contrary to all Men: As their Practice in a Hundred Things was contrary to all Men, so am I made willing to deal with them, as I would by no other Men: And since they have ordered a Litur­gy for the Churches giving forth an Epistle for them to read, why may not I form a few Words out of their own Books, and so far as I can, make G. Whitehead to hold them forth? And since the Quakers would make the Churches read their Nonsence, why may not I draw some natural Inferences from the Quakers Doctrine, since my End is no­thing else but to display their Errours, and make them appear in their Native Comple­xion, which by their Teachers are more masked and obscured? If any say, That by drawing a Scheme of their Meeting, and forming a Sermon for them to preach, is to do such a thing as no Man ever did: Let them remember again, That no Man ever yet had the Impudence to write a BATTLE­DOOR for the Learned Gentry and Clergy of a Protestant and Learned Nation, as Eng­land is; nor to form a Liturgy to be read in Churches, and especially, by a poor Jour­neyman Shoemaker, and an almost illiterate [Page 217] Man, that could neither write Sense, nor true English, and this may probably ballance the Wonder, especially considering, that it is more than 20 Years since I wrote first a­gainst them; and from first to last could ne­ver prevail with them to retract one Errour, nor to condemn one of their Books, in which their vile and gross Errours are taught. An Abstract of their said Epistle to be read in Churches, is as followeth, viz.

Now, Reader, I will challenge a Parallel to the Impudence of the Quakers. Amongst all the Hereticks that ever rose up since the Days of Christ, in England, Scotland, Ire­land, Holland, or any Protestant Nation under the whole Heavens, to find me a Man unlearned, a poor Mechanick, to put forth a Book, intituled, A BATTLEDOOR for all Teachers, Scholars and School-Masters, to learn them the English of Tu and Vos, with the Form and Figure of a Child's Penny Horn-book, thereby to render them Ridiculous and Contemptible in the Eyes of the People, [Page 219] and with such horrid Cheats attending all the Circumstances, i. e. to pretend to Divine Inspiration, That he (Fox) was before all Languages, and consequently before the Building of Babel, where the Languages were divided; and that he was, whilst living, come to the end of Languages, which remain now he is dead and gone. No, no, G. Fox was not the Author; it was John Stubbs and Ben. Furley did the Learned Part, yet set their Hands only to the Title Page; but G. Fox's Hand is set to the Latin BATTLEDOOR, the Italian BATTLEDOOR, the Greek BATTLEDOOR, the Hebrew BATTLE­DOOR, the Chaldee BATTLEDOOR; the Syriack BATTLEDOOR; (besides, in Three or Four Places more) and yet wholly ignorant in all those Languages, which the Jews For what Ben. Furley and John Stubbs could not do. for Money out of the Common-Bank did for him. O horrid! O monstrous! Next, I make the like Chal­lenge to parallel the Quakers Impudence; not only to go into Churches to disturb the Mini­sters, according to their Ancient Testimony, and which they cannot deny, since 'tis Re­corded plentifully in their Second Moses, their great Exemplar's Journal; but I mean, to send an Epistle to be read in the Churches, calling them at their Will and Pleasure, Stee­ple-Houses, High Places of Idolatry, where the Christians exercise their Witchcraft and Whoredom; yea, a Cage of unclean Birds, Serpents and Dragons, that take the Letter, [Page 220] i. e: the Scripture for the Light, and Mat­thew, Mark, Luke and John for the Gospel. Oh horrible! What Impudence is this! What Luciferian Pride is here, for a Dis­senter, nay, worse, for an Inpostor thus to im­pose his Imposture upon a Christian Nation! Which being compared with what else in other Books I have observed out of the Qua­kers Writings, as that the Bishops and Cler­gy are Witches, Devils, Conjurers, Sodo­mites, Bloodhounds, Antichrists, the Sir. Symons of the Age, Jesuits, &c. yea, Mon­sters, and what not; and then let G. White­head tell me first, What he thinks of the Quakers Meekness and Humility; and next, Whether this Epistle, BATTLEDOOR, and great part of their Writings, be not Seditious, in the nature of them; and such intolerable Scandals, as had they not had more Patience than the Quakers, notwithstanding the loud Noise they make of Patience, Humility and Meekness, &c. they would never have lain un­der such Public Scandals: And therefore when in the next Chapter I come to touch their tender Part, as Erasmus once said to a Monk, I shall see how patient they'll be, when they are paid in their own Coin; nay, I hope far better, at least to a better Purpose.

CHAP. XIII.

THink not the following Sermon a Ro­mance, or Fiction; for the Design of it is good, and intended for their Conviction: Read the Books in the Margin, and you'll find it fully proved to be the Sum and Mar­row of their Ancient Testimony; which, by their Contempt of the Scriptures, shews their Antichristian Principles, and how their Do­ctrine carries all Iniquity in the Womb of it, and opens the Flood-gates to all Atheism, De­ism, Socinianism, Arianism, and all other vile Errours: And therefore in hopes that this following Illustration of their Principles, may be of use to their Hearers, I proceed in this unusual Method. But with my Lord Bishop of Lincoln, in his Advice to his Cler­gy, Second Edit. p. 25. I will say, 'Not that this can be expected from the Leaders of that Party; they have Ends to serve in the Conduct of that deluded People, that will en­gage them, notwithstanding Confutation and Conviction too.

[Page]

CHAP. XIV.

BY the foregoing Chapter, you have a View of the high Value the Quakers set upon themselves, and their Ancient Te­stimony, and how they Debase all Christi­an Churches, as the Whore, the false Church, the Mother of Harlots, even all: First, All that Sprinkle Children, and tell People it is Baptism, and thereby an Ordinance of Christ. G. Fox's Primer, p. 48. Secondly, All that Preach Christ without, as he is in Heaven at God's Right Hand. Smith's Primer, &c. p. 8. Thirdly, All that do Study the Scriptures, and Preach out of them. Saul's Errand, &c. p. 7. Fourthly, All that will not Fast with the Quakers, who are in the Truth, (saith Solo­mon Eccles,) and that none are in the Truth but they. The Quakers Challenge, &c. p. 3, 6. Fifthly, All that pay or receive Tythes. An Antidote, &c. p. 78. Sixthly, All that take Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for the Gos­pel, viz. Glad Tidings, and the Scriptures for their Rule. G. Fox's Epistle, to be read in Steeple-Houses, &c. p. 2, 3, 4, 5.

Nay, W. Penn and Whitehead adds, ‘That a Mountebank is an honest Man to a Par­son; that such Wickedness (as Debauche­ry, Drunkenness and Whoredom,) more suiteth the Spirits of his (i. e. Priests) own Fraternity; the Priests, both Episcopal and Presbyterian, whose known Drunkenness and Whoredoms, &c. would fill Volumes to describe.’ Hear W. Penn again, p. 165. ‘Had James Nayler's Words been Ten Thou­sand times more significant, earnest and sharp, against that cursed bitter Stock of Hirelings, they had been but enough, and I would then say not enough; but that the Reverence I bear to the Holy Spirit would o­blige me to acquiesce in whatever he should utter, thro' any Prophet or Servant of the LordThis Jam. Naylor, W. Penn's Prophet, is the Person that was Hosanna'd into Bristol; and Sam. Cater, now a Preacher amongst them, then leading his Horse.; and we have nothing for them but Woes and Plagues, who have made drunk the Nations, and laid them to Sleep on the Downey Beds of soft sin-pleasing Principles, whilst they have cut their Purses, and pick'd their Pockets; Tophet's prepared for them to act their Eternal Tragedy upon, whose Scenes will be renewed, direful anguishing Woes of an Eternal Irreconcileable Justice, &c.’ Ser. Apol. Dedicated to the King's Lieutenant in Ireland, &c. p. 2, 22, 127, 156.

Again, saith the same W. Penn, in his Book, The Guide Mistaken, &c. p. 18. ‘And whilst the Idle, Gormandizing Priests of England, run away with above Fifteen [Page 250] Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year, under Pretence of being God's Ministers; and that no sort of People have been so univer­sally, thro' 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.’

Well, let us hear W. Penn once more what he saith of the Teachers of the Presbyterians, Independants, Baptists, &c. Quakerism a New Nick-name, &c. p. 165. viz. ‘An Ill­bred, and Pedantick Crew; the Bane of Reason, and Pest of the World; the old Incendiaries to Mischief, and the best to be spared of Mankind; against whom the Boiling of an irritated God is ready to be poured out, to the Destruction of such, if they repent not, &c.’ Quakerism a New Nick-name, &c. p. 165.

Reader, You see here is nothing but Hell and Damnation for the Ministers of all Chri­stian Societies: Pray let us hear their Opini­on of the Church of England in general, and that may give their Sense of all other Church­es, since I see they make little (if any) Difference of their Teachers, viz. ‘And as for the Purity of the Church of England, it's out of our Sight; we can see a great deal of Impurity, Corruption, and Soul­sickness in it: Indeed, they say enough of themselves, to cause all wholsome, sound, understanding People, to shun them, and [Page 251] their Church and Worship, as Men shun a Contagious Disease or Infection, &c.’ The Innocency and Conscientiousness of the Quakers, &c. p. 7. Printed 1664. To which let me add but one Passage more, (tho' I might One Hundred) of Mr. Penn's, who can express himself as well, and as much ac­cording to the Quakers Ancient Testimony, as any Man amongst thern: And briefly thus, viz. ‘Come tell me, ye of the Church of England, whence came your Forms of Prayer and Church-Government? Are they not the Off-spring of that Idolatrous Popish GenerationBy this, who would have thought Mr. Penn had been so near of Kin to them, as his latter Wri­tings set forth. See A Brief Hist. of Quakerism, &c. p. 44, to 58, 103, to 120., which is abominable to the God of Heaven? Are you not at, Have mercy upon us, miserable Sinners? There is no Health in us from Seven to Se­venty.’ Truth Exalted, &c. p. 9.

Reader, W. Penn tells his Reader, in his Ser. Apol. &c. p. 79. That his designed Me­thod in his Answer, is not the common Road of Printing his Adversaries Words at large, on all Occasions; so I tell thee, yet in many Cases I recite the whole: However, by this time, you have not only an Account of the high Value the Quakers set upon themselves, as in the former Chapter, but of their deba­sing the Protestant Ministers and Churches, as a pack of Drunkards, Whoremongers, with an Et-caetera, worse than Mountebanks; a cursed bitter Stock of Hirelings, a Pedantick Crew, the best to be spared of Mankind; against whom the Boiling Vengeance of God [Page 252] is reserved, &c. and who deserve nothing but Plagues and Woes, Hell and Damnation; yea, Pick-pockets, Cut-purses, &c. that the People ought to shun as a Pest-house, with too much of that Nature to be here inserted; especially, adding what in The Picture of Quakerism, &c. is set forthron this Head: And does it not amount to a just Provocation to any Child, to see such foul Aspersions, and horrible Slanders, cast upon his Mother, from whose Breasts of Consolation he hath received great Consolation and Comfort, both to vindicate her, and to set forth what manner of Men they are, that thus scandalize his Mother-Church, not only privately in their Chimney Corners, but in their Meetings; yea, in Print, in all Cities, Towns and Villages? &c. G. Whitehead said, That God laid a Necessity upon him to write his Book, Judg­ment fixed, &c. where he called me and o­thers Apostate Informers, Treacherous Hypo­crites, False Brethren, Deceitful Workers, Betraying. Judas's, Devils Incarnate, Dogs, Wolves, Raging Waves, &c. And his God laying such a Necessity upon him thus to Write and Rail, in Vindication of Quake­rism, he adds, And in the discharging: my Duty, I neither consult Events, nor fear Ef­fects. Now in Answer, I cannot pretend to such an immediate Motion as the Quakers do; but I do really think my self in point of Duty and Conscience, to bear these Testi­monies against the foul Aspersions of these [Page 253] railing Rabsheka's, and have both consulted and considered the Events that may ensue, and hope well of the Effects that may follow, even the Confutation of their Teachers, and Conviction of their Hearers; and I hope the Conversion of the Sincere amongst them. And now to the Men, and what manner of Men they are, that thus undermine the Chri­stian Religion, Ministry and Worship. And thus much by way of Introduction to the Cage of Unclean Birds.

CHAP. XV.

IT is not unknown to many of the Qua­kers still alive, with what Zeal and Care, with what Sufferings, by Fines and Impri­sonments, [Page 285] with what Pains and Charge I was in divers Kinds exercised whilst I was a Qua­ker, and that for the carrying on the Cause of Quakerism; nothing seemed dear to me to part withal, or to spend, for the Advance­ment thereof: But when I came to see them walk contrary to what they pretended, and that their seeming Sincerity was real Hypo­crisie, I then began to look into things, that there might be a Reformation; and the first thing that gave me occasion was, see Inno­cency vindicated, &c. p. 8. That of forcing Apprentices to stand bareheaded in their Houses and Shops, and yet at the same time pretended they could not put off their Hats in respect to Persons. This looked so bad, i. e. to receive, nay, exact Respect from our In­feriors, and not to give it to our Superiors, that I wrote a Letter to the Yearly Meeting, in May 1675. as a Testimony against it, which gave great Offence.

The next which gave Offence to me and others, was our Teachers, who would ex­hort us to be bold, to give up all, telling us, The Fleece would grow again; who themselves at the same time would give up nothing, nay, not set themselves in a like suffering Capa­city with the Hearers, insomuch, as that in the Loss of 13550 l. our Teachers never lost 50 l. but the Hearers suffer'd for them, as al­so for themselves. See Painted Harlot, &c. p. 5. And this I saw, and spake against some Months before it fell to my turn to be Fined [Page 286] for our Preachers: But at last I was sined 15 l. for Sam. Cater, for that he did not declare his Name and Habitation, and thereby put himself in a like Suffering Capacity with us the Hearers, as I shewed at large; see Rea­son against Railing, &c. p. 73, to 80. and how I prosecuted the Restitution of the said Fine of 15 l. and had it again, tho' with great Loss, by Charges, Interest, &c.

The third thing which gave me Offence, was G. Fox's setting up a Female Government, by VVomen's Meeting Monthly, &c. This I opposed vigorously; and to be short, I do think I gave (by my Book) that Image a deadly Blow: De Chris. Lib. &c. Part 2d. But by this time, G. Whitehead, Sam. Cater, R. S. and others, wrote several Books against me, wherein they called me, A Child of the Devil, Enemy of all Righteousness, an Apostate, a Betraying Judas, a Treacherous Hypocrite, a Dog, a Wolf, a Beast, an Infor­mer, 18 or 20 times in one Book, intituled, Judgment fixed, &c. The Lib. of an Apost. Cons. &c. Righteous Judgment placed, &c. with abundance more such Stuff. VVell, upon this I apply'd my self to our Milden-Hall Meeting, for a Certificate against these scandalous Detractions, (which they not on­ly Printed, but sent up and down into all Counties where I dealt, particularly into Lei­cestershire, in order to ruin my ReputationWhich then was a most hateful Name amongst Trades­men..) VVell, Twenty-seven Members of this Meet­ing gave me a Certificate, many of them [Page 287] still alive; and both then and still the chief Men of the Meeting. See New Rome Un­mask'd, &c. Epist. to the Bereans, and Introd. See The Picture of Quakerism, &c. 2d. Part, p. 146. These Books they still sent into every County, which did me much hurt in my Trade. And this Certificate, with the seve­ral Books I wrote, so maul'd them, that Sam. Cater, and his Assistants, gave over: But G. Whitehead he still goes on, he wrote sometimes three Books in less than a Year a­gainst me, calling me, Self-condemned Apo­state, Counterfeit Convert, a Scandal to Chri­stianity, a Fool, and Novice, &c.

And when this would not effect their mani­fest Design, then they sent Letters about a­gainst me, and raised all manner of Lies and Stories; and by Post, sent me not only Books wrote against Francis Spira, but Letters also. A Relish of which is as followeth, viz.

This Letter sent me, without any Name to it, I sent a Copy of it the next Post to Geo. Whitehead, to know if he was the Author of it, but he sent me word he was not, nor did he know who was; whether he said true or false therein I cannot tell. But the 14th of the same Month I receiv'd another Not of the same Hand-wri­ting, but the same Man, which was Ste. Crisp; for I know his Hand, and have shewed it to others that do. from the same Man, tho' of a different Hand; but the last I know to be Stephen Crisp's. And thus he wrote.

Then in Verse thus:

Reader, here is enough to shew the Qua­kers Spirit; and besides, my Knowledge of its being Stephen Crisp's, by his Hand-VVri­ting, it's to be observed, that (as above) he said, I might hear further from him; for about three Months after came out another [Page 298] Book, intituled, Innocency against Envy, Signed by G. W. and St. Crisp; besides his usual Expression, I Prophesie, &c. by which, if Whitehead did not know of his first, yet he knew of his second Letter; and the Mat­ter being the same in Substance, I am satisfi­ed it was his. I am likewise to let you know, that notwithstanding they pretended to the Parliament, that they cannot seek Re­venge for themselves, and thereupon could not Sign the Association, yet they Indicted me for Printing Unlicensed, (whilst it's their own frequent Practice) in the Old-Baily, London, which put me to great Charge; in­somuch as one way or other, by my attend­ing this Controversie, by Writing and Prin­ting; first, by opposing their Errours; next, by vindicating my self from their repeated Abuses, both Publickly and Privately, both as a Man and Christian, I did come by great Loss in my outward Estate; and when Men perceived it, they came so fast upon me, as that I could not bear up. See The Picture of Quakerism, p. 79. I do not in all Cases justifie my self, in the too much neglecting my Business, to attend the Motion of the Quakers, who are a compacted Corporation, and my self a single Person, there was too much odds: But I met with such Provoca­tions, which would fill a Volume to relate; and thereupon I came to see my Fall by the Hand of Saul; for the Sons of Zer­viah were too hard for me: For I had [Page 290] maintained the Contest without the Help of the Clergy from 1675, to the Year 1697. and in all that time, I never receiv'd of any one, or more of them, Ten Shillings, nor Ten Nights Lodgings: And whereas they now call me Mercenary, because I have ac­cepted of the Clergy's Kindness, which has been very Bountiful; let any Quaker of them all shew me that he have waged War at his own Charge and Cost, so long, and at so much Expence, Cost, Labour, Pains, Charge and Trouble, and I will not from henceforth call him Mercenary; but their Tongue is no Slander; and now I shall shew somewhat of the wonderful Providence of God, in my Preservation to this Day. For when I found how the Case stood with me, I waited Two or Three Months under some Heaviness and Concern, hearing from all Quarters how the Quakers glory'd over me; notwithstand­ing they were the chief Cause of my Misfor­tune, not only with respect to the Contro­versie, but by Six or Eight of them breaking in my Debt: Upon which I went to visit Mr. Erasmus Warren, a neighbouring Mini­ster, and told him my Condition; and he spake comfortably to me, and bad me not be discouraged, for God was All-sufficient, and that the Earth was the Lord's, and the Fulness thereof, or to this purpose; and told me, that if I would write a Letter of Request to my Lord Bishop of Norwich, he and some others would sign it. I did so, and it was signed [Page 291] by himself, Mr. Archer, Mr. Davis, &c. So I went to Norwich, and did, with no little Heaviness, presume to go with it to my Lord Bishop, of whom I did rather expect some little chiding, (being sensible of my own Fault) than to be so kindly receiv'd: But when I came to him, he examined me about my Condition, and press'd me to be honest, and to pay as far as I was able. For (said he) our Religion teacheth us to do Right and Justly by all Men; and when you have done, rest upon God's Providence; it is not your Case alone; Times have been hard, and Disappointments many: And then asked me what I would have him do for me; I told him, that if his Lordship would please to give me a Certificate of his Thoughts of me; Iw as minded to make Ap­plication to my Lords, the Bishops of the Church of England, the two Universities, and to some particular Clergy-men. All which I no sooner asked than he granted me; and it pleased God so to open the Hearts of my Lords, the Bishops, and Reve­read Clergy, that I found Help in time of Need; and when it was in my Heart to write this Book, I asked one of my Lords, the Bishops, Leave, to give some Publick Acknowledgment of their Kindness; but he answer'd me, No, go thy ways home, and be thankful, we desire no such thing: But read­ing the Scriptures, and finding in St. Mark's Gospel, Chap. 1. 44, 55. that when [Page 292] Christ healed the Leper, he charged him, saying, See thou say nothing to any Man, &c. But he (the Leper, being cured) went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the Matter; and I never read that Christ blamed the Man for his Gratitude; and I trust, no more will his Ministers and Servants, for this my Presumption: For how can I receive such unexpected and unmeri­ted Favours, and not blaze it abroad? I, that for about Twenty Years Persecuted the Church, and drew Disciples after meI know of no one Man drew more., in­to the Schism of Quakerism, and yet upon my Return met with no upbraiding, but ra­ther, like the returning Prodigal, am met half way, and loaden with Kindnesses. Surely this is of the Lord's doing, (and it is mar­vellous in my Eye) to whom be the Praise of all his Mercies and Providences, now, and for ever. Amen.

And having obtain'd this Favour, together with his Bounty, which was very considera­ble, I took my Leave of him with many Thanks for his Kindness and Liberality.

First, That I might take care not only to do what was just to others, but to take care of my Family also; for he that does not is worse than an Infidel. Secondly, That I might not lye under the Contempts and In­sultings of the Quakers; who, as they have for many Years sought my RuinAs they do all that oppose their Er­rors and Immorali­ties., by all Ways and Methods they could devise, both in Person, Name, and Estate, so they have been observ'd like the Philistines, Judges 16.24,25. to glory in my Misfortunes, as thinking they had accomplished their Ends: But notwithstanding all their Rejoycing, I had a secret Hope, that my Strength would be renewed, and that God would enable me to lay hold of their two main Pillars, Ver. 29. (i. e. Perfection and Infallibility) and putting thereto all my Might, I should yet be able to shake their Building, as at this Day, Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath so wrought my Deliverance, as to bring things thus far to pass. Thirdly, That [Page 294] thereby I might be enabled to grapple with the Quaker's Goliah, that Uncircumcised Phi­listine, Geo. Whitehead by Name; who, to­gether with his Brethren, have defied the Armies of Israel, even all the Professors of the Christian Faith, under every Denomination: And not only so, but Excuse, Justifie, Vin­dicate, and Defend all the Idolatrous Practi­ces, Blasphemous Principles, and Damnable Errors, Said, Wrote, and Printed, Broach­ed, and Spread by the Quaker Teachers, e­nough to Infect the Nations, if God had not put it into the Hearts of some Instruments to discover the same; and thanks be to God, who from the beginning of my Discovery of their Errors, hath given me Strength, Ability and Courage to go on, and not to turn to the Right Hand, nor to the Left, in my Pursuit after Sheba, the Son of Bichri, that Man of Beliel, 2 Sam. 20.21,22. (i. e. Geo. White­head) until I have hemm'd him in on every side, altho' I have been hard beset, and gone thro' many Difficulties and StreightsWhich few know but my self., and have been forced to climb up the Hill upon my Hands and Feet, like Jonathan, 1 Sam. 14.13. yet as he slew Twenty upon the spot, so have I discomfited Twelve of their princi­pal Men, and maul'd Doeg the Edomite, alias Jos. Wyeth; [see my Sober Expostulation with the Hearers of the Quakers against the Mercenary Teachers, &c. p. 1. to the 15.] that Pupil of W. Penn's, who, as I am in­formed, was equally unbelieving with Mr. [Page 295] Penn touching the late happy Peace, with­out a Restau— such Hopes had they of extir­pating the Protestant Interest, &c. for the time is come, that One shall chase a Thou­sand, and Two shall put Ten Thousand of them to flight; and thus doth God bring to pass his Acts, his strange Acts, by weak In­struments; to whom over all be the Glory, together with the Son, and Blessed Spirit, Three Persons, and One God, now, hence­forth, and for evermore. Amen.

And therefore in the Words of David I will praise the Lord, saying, O Lord, with my whole Heart I will shew forth all thy mar­vellous Works: I will be glad, and rejoice in thee. I will sing Praise to thy Name, O thou most High, for thou hast maintained my Right, and my Cause; thou sittest on the Throne, judging Right. The Lord also will be a Refuge for the Oppressed, a Refuge in Times of Trouble; and they that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee? for thou, Lord, bast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing Praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion; declare among the People his Doings. The Heathen i. e. The Quakers, who deni­eth Jesus of Naza­reth. are sunk down in the Pit that they made: in the Net which they hid, is their own Foot taken, &c. Psal. 9.1,2,3,9,11.

But to proceed, having the recited Certi­ficate of my Lord Bishop of Norwich, I pre­sented it to several of my Lords, the Bishops, both the Universities, as well as to divers Particulars of the Clergy of the Church of [Page 296] England; and I humbly thank them, they were very kind to me, notwithstanding all the En­deavours of the Quakers, to represent me unworthy of their Notice; particularly at Cambridge, where they carry'd to the Col­ledges Books against me, which I had an­swer'd and refuted Ten or Fifteen Years since; insomuch that some of the Heads of the Colledges took special Notice of the Qua­kers Malice, and thereupon I do believe were the more kind. Thus doth God bring Good out of Evil; nay, should I relate all the par­ticular Methods the Quakers used in all Pla­ces where I came, to prevent me of their Kindness, and the Aboundings of the Favours I received, it would seem almost incredible, I being but a single Person, and known but to a few; the Quakers numerous, and (like the Followers of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16.2.) Men of Fame in some Cases. But so it was they did not prevail; but God in his Providence made way for my Deliverance, beyond my Expectation, and in him do I trust, who taketh Care of the Sparrows, Matth. 10.29,30,31. and this puts me in Mind of the Widow, recorded in the Holy Scriptures, 2 Kings 4. whose Hus­band died, and left her in Debt, and not Ef­fects to answer, insomuch that the Credi­tor was come to take away her two Sons. This poor Woman was no doubt in Distress enough; but yet she neither exclaimed of her Husband, nor yet murmur'd at the Dis­pensation [Page 297] of Providence which befel; nei­ther did she sit still, and use no Means: But hearing that Elisha the Prophet was come to Town, she resolves to make Application to him; he could but deny her; she knew the worst, and hoped the best; and therefore in Faith, and full Assurance of the Mercy of God to them that trust in him; and not doubting but the Inspired Prophet knew her Inside, even the Sincerity of her Heart; and that notwithstanding this Calamity, she could appeal to him, that her Husband was an honest Man, a Man that feared God, and served him in Uprightness; and there­upon she puts on Courage, and goes to him, saying, Thy Servant, my Husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy Servant did fear the Lord, and the Creditor is come to take unto him my two Sons to be Bondsmen.

This was sorrowful News (no doubt) to the Prophet, to hear that one of the Sons of the Prophets, that professed Faith in the God of Israel should so fail, as not to be able to pay his Debts. Well, the Prophet quickly understood the Widow, and as quickly re­ply'd, saying, What shall I do for thee? tell me: What hast thou in the House? Here is two notable Questions, and so quickly pro­posed, that he did not give the Widow leave to answer to the first, but added, What hast thou in the House? As if he should have said, Why should I ask this humble Petitioner, what she would have me to do? 'Tis plain, [Page 298] she would willingly be enabled to pay her Debts, rescue her two Sons, and have some­thing to live on; she then reply'd, saying, Thine Handmaid hath nothing at home, save a Pitcher of Oyl. Upon which the Prophet (as God would have it) wrought a Mira­cle, saying, Go borrow the Vessels of all thy Neighbours, even empty Vessels; borrow not a few; and when thou art come into thy House, shut the Door upon thee, and upon thy Sons, and pour out into all these Vessels, and set aside that which is full. She did so, and was thereby enabled to pay her Debts, re­deem her Sons, and had left wherewithal to live upon. O the wonderful Works of God! who thus instructs his to depend upon his Providence; for the Scriptures are written for our Learning; and truly, when I consider my own Case, I think it falls not much short of this Miracle; I am sure I have met with a wonderful Providence in my Deliverance, considering I had no such inspired Prophet to appeal to, nor such an Evidence to vouch on my part: I had nothing but Reason and Demonstration to offer, having prayed to God to incline the Hearts of his Servants to a Charitable Consideration of Things past, present, and to come: Nay, my Case seem'd worse than the Widow's; for I do not read that she had any Enemies to Interpose, but I had many. The Quakers no sooner understood that the Clergy took my Case into their Pious Confideration, but they sent their Emissaries [Page 299] with Books after me, both to the Colledges, and particular Persons; wherein I was repre­sented an Enemy of all Righteousness, a Child of the Devil; yea, a Devil Incar­nate, a Wolf, a Dog, a Beast, &c. Judg­ment fixed, &c. by G. W. And when this would not prevail against me, they then made Personal Complaints, that I was a Counterfeit ConvertAs G. W. had Prin­ted me to be. See his Book, A Counter­feit Con­vert, a Scandal to Christiani­ty, &c.; and to make this out, they told some of the Reverend Clergy in Norfolk, that tho' Francis Bugg pretended to be a Member of the Church of England, yet he never receiv'd the Communion with you. See what a Convert you have; what Reason is there then for you to assist and sup­port him so as you do? Upon which this Minister writes to Mr. Archer our Minister, to know the Truth of it; he sends him an Answer by Letter, assuring him, that in Anno 1688. I receiv'd the Sacrament, and (if at home) ever since at the usual times. But when this would not do, they'd try another Project; for John Hubbard, of Stoake An emi­nent Qua­ker in Nor­folk; and one of the twelve mention'd in my So­ber Expo­stulation, p. 1. Prin­ted 1698., told Mr. Meriton, Minister of Ox­borow, near him, that I was drunk the last time was in London, in March 1698. who sent me a Letter thereof, which providenti­ally came into my Son's Hand in my Absence: An Abstract of it is as followeth.

Upon my receiving this Letter I went to Stoake, and asked John Hubbard what Ground [Page 301] he had to raise this false Accusation; (I told him that I did not remember that I spent a Groat at a time all the time I was in Lon­don Which was more than a Month.: He told me he heard so: Pray tell me your Author; at last he told me T. Belch A Qua­ker in Lon­don., at the Ship in Cheapside, Linnen-Draper. When I came to London, I got Mr. Law rence of St. Gregory's Parish, to go with me to him, to whom I said, Sir, do you know me? No, said Tho. Belch: I told him that my Name was Francis Bugg, and that I un­derstood he had raised a Report of me, viz. That I was drunk in London March last: I heard so, said Belch, if that be thy Name: Who is your Author? said I: He is not in Town, said he: I reply'd, What is his Name? and insisted on it a good while, but could not prevail with him to tell me. To the Truth of this Mr. Lawrence subscribed his Name, ‘John Lawrence.’

Reader, When I saw my self thus attack'd from all Quarters, by Books, by Letters, by Reports; sometimes, that I was a Drunkard, as you have heard; sometimes, that I was distracted, and so discomposed, as not able to rest Night nor Day, occasion'd by wri­ting against the Quakers; sometimes, that I left my Wife and Son in their Society, to introduce me again into their Community, and Twenty Lies more, I went to the Qua­kers-Meeting in Milden-Hall, on Sunday [Page 302] the First of May 1687. as the most probable Raisers of these, or some of these Stories, and spake to them after this manner.

Friends, This is the 15th. Year since I came to this Meeting for a Certificate on my Behalf again the Suggestions of S. Cater and Geo. Whitehead, &c. which were, That I was an Informer; which at that time was a hateful Name to a Tradesman, and very Prejudicial to my Reputation, as well as divers other False and Scandalous Detractions in their Books. And this Meeting (at least the Ma­jor part of it, Twenty-seven in number) gave me ONE As in The Picture of Quakerism, Part 2. p. 146. with great Courage and Freedom, which at that time was very use­ful; and I now come to you for a Testi­fication against my self, and ask no Favour at your Hands, touching several Reports raised on me, Ut supra; and upon your signing it with your Names, I promise to print it; and what I cannot justly deny, I will fairly con­fess.

But several answer'd me, (and not oppo­sed by the rest, or any of them) That they never heard any such Report, nor knew any cause why there should be such Reports.

But for the farther clearing the Matter, and removing Stumbling-Blocks out of the way, I shall recite the Substance of several Certificates, which I took FROM my Son, (who, tho' one of them, yet I hope he is sincere; for I have heard him say, and that before some Quakers, Come, what is Wrong [Page 303] is Wrong, whether it be in Geo. Fox, or my Father, and I will no more stand by what is wrong is the one, than I will in the other.) FROM Philip Craniss, who was my Ser­vant near 20 YearsHe came to me in 1676. and has not been from me Three Years., and as familiarly con­cern'd in all my Concerns in Trade, both Buying and Selling; having taken in and de­liver'd out many Thousand Pounds worth of Goods, and is still living, and of known Reputation. FROM William Belsham, who was my Servant 15 or 16 Years, and is a Quaker, and one that handed my Certificate above-mention'd in 1683. a Man of known Reputation. FROM Matthew Belsham, his Brother, both living well, each having some Estate of their own: He was my Servant about 16 Years, tho' none of them at this time; who, if I were such a Person as some would represent me to be, some, if not all of these, must know something of it. Nay, I do believe I could have had a Hundred of my Neighbours to avouch the same, so far as my Actions have come under their Cogni­zance: But these being Persons of Credit, and that have had Experience of my manner of Life, may (I think) ballance those Re­ports, whose Authors cannot be found out: And indeed, were it not for the sake of my Testimony, which the Quakers would wound thro' my Sides, I should not have said so much on this Subject, but rather have taken David's Patience for my Example; who, when Shimei cursed and reproached him in [Page 304] the Day of his Affliction, yet he bore all patiently, 2 Sam. 16.6,7,8. And tho' its true, I am now made to Unmask this Pain­ted Harlot, (which will still more enrage her) thereby endeavouring, if possible, that she may see her self, and repent in Dust and Ashes, and be humbled before the Lord; that so she may be Converted and Healed; at least, that hereby others may be caution'd not to embrace her Pernicious Errors, yet in all this 20 Years time Tho' a­bout Four Years thereof I was in their Com­munity, la­bouring for a Re­formation, not then under­standing their gros­sest Errors. of my Controversing with the Heads of this Sect, I never render'd Railing for Railing, (nor do I now) neither have I taken Advantage at their Miscarri­ages, (a small Sample whereof I have now set forth in the former Chapter) as my Books do manifest, but have handled those Errors which they taught in their Books, which indeed open the Flood-Gates to all their Viciousness, [see a Paper from Pensil­vania, intituled, A Brief Admonition to the Elders and Ministers of the People call'd Quakers.] and with which they are so tain­ted, as put all Christian Societies together, (their Number consider'd) there is not so much Viciousness in any one Society. Tho' if Christ had one amongst twelve, it can­not but be suppos'd there is in every Society too many that do not, in Life and Conversati­on, answer their Holy Profession; neither do I bring these Testimonies to excuse my self from my own Infirmities; I am not without Sinful Imperfections I do acknowledge.

Here follows the Contents of the several Certificates above-mention'd, Viz.

Reader, As I could not pass by such Pub­lick Mercies and Benefits as I have received, without some Publick Acknowledgment, with­out great Ingratitude both to God and Man, so would I not be too particular, lest there­by I do offend; yet with St. Paul I can say, That as Sufferings and hard Usage formy Te­stimony-sake abound, so do not only Inward Consolation, but Outward Benefits abound also, 2 Cor. 1.5. and as a Proof thereof, I shall add but one Instance more, which is, That since I came to London, an Ancient Friend of mine, to whom I did owe a cer­tain Debt upon Bond, who considering the hard Usages I have received from the Qua­kers, (in which he himself has had a deep share) and finding me still conscientiously concern'd, without my asking, or once thinking of, or expecting, brought me the Bond, and forgave me the Debt resting due to him upon it, without any Covenant or Promise on my part. Thus hath God open­ed the Hearts of his Servants, and moved them to Compassion; Blessed be his Holy Name for ever, and Humble Thanks to all, unto whom I have been oblig'd.

CHAP. XVI.

HAving given you a Brief Account of my Travel in this Pilgrimage, and shew­ed you the many Turnings and Windings which I have gone through, and the many Quicksands and Quagmires that I have passed without sinking, tho' oft-times in great Danger; what by Enemies within, and Ene­mies without, as also in some Places pointed to Israel's Rock, the Man Christ Jesus, I am now come to remove one Stumbling-block, which Solomon Eccles has laid in your way, namely, That there is as great a Gulf fixed between you and the Christians, as there was between Dives and Abraham, insomuch, that if you would come from them, i. e. Quakers, you cannot; his Words are these, Viz.

I testifie in the Spirit of Truth Viz. By Authority greater than the Scripture. Truth de­fending the Quakers, &c. p. 7. by G. W., that there is as great a Gulf between the Baptists (and consequently other Christians) that are NOT in Christ; (that is, NOT in the [Page 308] Quakers Light) and those (Quakers) that are in the Truth, as there was between Abra­ham and Dives. See his Music Lecture, &c. p. 23.

Again, as an Explanation of this Doctrine, he saith, Come Protestants, Presbyterians, Independants and Baptists, the Quakers deny you all: — The Quakers are in the Truth, and none but they, &c. The Quakers Chal­lenge, &c. p. 2, 3.

And from this, and the like Doctrine, spring that Aversion in you, that it is im­possible to prevail with many of you, ei­ther to hear a Sermon, preach'd by the Pub­lick Ministers, or to read their Sermons: So that when the Quakers once catch any in their Cobweb, it is very hard and diffi­cult to get you out, unless here and there one, that is resolv'd to observe the Apostle's Advice, who said, Prove all things, holdfast that which is good, 1 Thess. 5.21. And I am not doubtful, but that as there has been a Remnant that has taken this Advice, and has forsaken the Quakers Errors, so will there many more follow their Example: For this Doctrine of theirs, which alludes to Christ's Parable, is falsly applied; for that Parable relates to the Final Estate of the Blessed, and the Damned, after this Life, as you may read at large, Luke 16. And as for the Quakers denying all the Pro­fessors of Christianity, affirming themselves to be in the Truth Only, or the Only [Page 309] Church of Christ, as in my former Wri­tings, viz. The Picture of Quakerism, &c. Part first. I have made to appear from their Books, this is all Pride, yea, Spiritu­al Pride, and Self-Conceit, and ought not to be any Hindrance to you in your Exa­mination and Tryal of your selves; but ra­ther, as a Spur to your Zeal, lest you should be in the Wrong: And if you come once sincerely so to do, I no way doubt but you will soon forsake Quakerism. I well remember, that when I first heard it Ru­mour'd, that G. Fox was looked upon as a second Moses, to give forth Laws and Or­ders for us to walk by, and Methods and Forms of Church-Government, I presently wrote Six Queries touching Church-Go­vernment, in the Year 167822 Years since.. which went in Manuscript far and near, as Printed in my Book, intituled, De Chris. Lib. Part 2. Page 72, 80. the Tenor of which was.

Query 1. Whether Jesus Christ be Head of the Church, or George Fox?

Query 2. If you say Christ; then whether he be not Lawgiver to his Church?

Query 3. If you say, that Christ is both Head and Lawgiver to his Church; then whether we ought not to Follow and Obey the Commands and Precepts of Christ, which are laid down in the Scripture by the four Evangelists, and his Apostles, rather than the Commands and Precepts of G. Fox?

Query 4. If you say, that the Commands and Precepts of Christ ought rather to be obey'd, than those of Geo. Fox; then I fur­ther Query, whether Christ, or any of his Apostles, ever commanded the Observation of Womens Meetings, apart and distinct from the Men?

Query 5. If you say, that neither Christ nor his Apostles commanded nor left any Example or President for Womens Distinct Meetings, to be set up Monthly, any way to intermeddle with the Government of the Church; then I further Query, where have George Fox or you your Power and Autho­rity, to Institute and Ordain such a way of Government? And in whose Name do you compel to a Conformity, and thus to impose your Ceremonies? &c.

Query 6. Whether were not the Bereans accounted noble, in that they searched the Scriptures, to see whether what St. Paul taught did accord therewith? And will it not become us to do the like, to see whe­ther what George Fox imposes on us, accord with the Scripture? If not, whether we are obliged to observe his Dictates and Prescri­ptions, Yea or Nay? &c. To which Queries I never received any Answer.

And thus it pleased God of his Infinite Mercy, to give me Courage and Boldness 22 Years since, (for it was some Years beforeYea, it was May 17. 1675. See Inno­cency Vindi­cated, &c. p. 8., that I wrote to their Yearly Meeting, about their forcing their Apprentices to stand [Page 311] bareheaded before them, whilst they refuse that Respect to their Superiors) to appear against what I saw to be wrong in them, even whilst amongst them; equally (accor­ding to my Understanding) to what I have done since; and methinks I desire no more in the Quakers than to be sincere, and that for their own Good too: I mean, to put on Courage, and say, What do you tell me of G. Fox, or G. Whitehead, or any other Man? I will stand by no Man, nor no Principle, nor no People Such a Man I have not found amongst their Teachers. Tho. Ʋpshot came near­est; but when I came to ask him, whether he would justifie their Books? He flew off, saying, No, he would not med­dle., farther than they are right; at least, in my Apprehension, no farther than they agree with the Holy Scriptures: No, I am not yet Ear-bored to this nor the other Man, Form or Society, for Self-Ends, for Advantage in Trade, for a Name among Men; no, I am for Truth and Righteous­ness, so far as I know it. I thank God thus it was with me, when I was as Famous amongst them, as since they have endea­voured to render me Infamous; and I de­sire no more of the Quakers than this, let their Errors be never so great, and their Understanding never so clouded, if they be Sincere, and willing to be informed, I could heartily imbrace them, and for which I have great Reason; for I was as erroneous in many things as the most of them: But when I find that G. Whitehead teach them, first, That the Quakers are the true Church; next, That they are to believe as this true Church believes; [See his Apost. Incend. &c. p. 3, 16.] [Page 312] and that the People love to have it so, i. e. like Teacher, like People, the Blind to lead the Blind, till both fall into the Ditch of Error and Heresie together; this is sad.