Quakerism Withering, AND Christianity Reviving OR, A BRIEF REPLY TO THE Quakers Pretended Vindication. In Answer to a Printed Sheet deliver'd to the PARLIAMENT. WHEREIN Their Errors, both in Fundamentals and Circumstantials, are further detected, and G. Whitehead further unmask'd. By an Earnest Contender for the Christian Faith, Francis Bugg.
Licens'd,
March 3. 1693/4.
LONDON: Printed for the Author, and sold by J. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry, and J. Guillam Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street, 1694.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND EDWARD, Lord Bishop of Gloucester.
SINCE by Divine Providence, after my many Years Conversation with the Quakers, I heard the first Sermon by a Publick Minister in your Church, whereby my Understanding was in great part cleared from those cloudy Mists which fell from the confused Notions and uncertain Doctrines of the Quakers; I think my self bound in Duty to return Publick Thanks to God for that his Providence and Token of his Especial Favour; as also to his Servants, who labour in the Word and Doctrine, and for the same (however despised by the Ignorant) are worthy of Double Honour. And having been concerned in Conscience to unveil the Teachers of the Quakers, who bring in Damnable Heresies, even denying the [Page] Lord that bought them; I presumed to present your Lordship with the ensuing Discourse, who, as you know how to rebuke with all Authority such as wilfully maintain Errors, so you also know how to bear with, and forbear, such as through Infirmity may unwillingly err. I therefore do most humbly offer what I have wrote to your Lordships Perusal, and shall most willingly submit to your Censure the Matters therein contained: And if, for want of Judgment in the Matters controverted, I have wronged the Quakers, I shall most willingly Retract, and make them publick Reparation; believing on the other hand, that if they be found guilty of the Errors charg'd, that your Lordship will think it requisite, that they, under their Hands, make an ingenuous Retractation, according to their Pretences in their printed Works. I am,
THE PREFACE.
PRovidence hath so attended me, as that a Judicious Person (beholding the Injustice of G. W. to me, and especially his Pervertions of the Truths asserted by me) have answered his Book falsely stiled Innocency triumphant, &c. by his Book stiled Some Animadversions, &c. so that I need say nothing in answer to it. As for his large Quotation out of my Book De Christianae Libertate, it was some years before I left the Quakers, and which G. W. need not boast of, for it was levelled at the Usurpation of their Womens Meetings; and it gave Them a sore Wound as well as G. W. who wrote in favour of them: And indeed the Matter suited the Subject, and the Book so Methodised, the Time considered, as I am glad it was no worse; though I am grieved to behold so much wrote by me without any mention of the Death and Sufferings of Christ, his Resurrection, Ascension, and the Benefits accrewing thereby to Mankind; and the more to consider how many there are led Captive, as I once was, to the Antichristian Doctrine of the Quakers, for whose sake I have been concerned, and had not G. W. withstood our words, I do think there might have been a better Understanding than there has. For my part, I declare solemnly, no Man can pursue an Accommodation with more Sincerity than I have done: How have I wrote! how have I woo'd and entreated, [Page] that we might have a meeting to sentence what was wrong, and to press after Truth! And when I came to London, November last, before I printed the Sheet to the Parliament, I wrote to G. W. that we might have a meeting, that so he and I might engage a Retractation if need were. And as this was pursuant to their own Proposal mentioned p. 2. so it might have had a good effect, viz.
This I wrote before I printed the Sheet deliver'd to the Parliament, but he was so far from consenting to what I proposed, that he gave me no answer to my Letter; and when I saw that, I knowing what they had done against me, I thought it prudence, for my own preservation as well as for a general Good, to keep up the Test against Quakerism, I mean the Oath; for tho' they say, W. Smith's Catechism, p. 79. Quest. ‘And are you so disposed toward your Enemies, as that you cannot seek Revenge, &c? Ans. Yes, that is the disposition of our Nature, not to seek Revenge, though we do [Page] suffer Wrong, for the Revenging Nature is in the Fall; but it is not so with us, whom God has redeemed, &c.’ I say, notwithstanding this pretended Innocency, I found the Quakers so fallen, and so much unredeemed, that I should rather fall into the Hands of Papists, if they had power, for had they power, they would be as often in the Fall as out of the Fall, as often in old Adam as in their new, as often in the Unredeemed as the Redeemed State; so the best way is to keep them out of Places of Trust and Government, and then they can only bark, and shew their Teeth; —Canes timidi vehementius latrant.
But since such as revenge themselves are in the Fall, then they are not in their Star, their Branch, G. Fox; for he said, He was (when living) in a state beyond the First Adam that fell, and in the state of the Second Adam that never fell; That his very Marriage was above the state of the First Adam in his Innocency, in the state of the Second Adam that never fell; and that he never fell nor changed; that he had power to bind and loose whom he pleased, &c. See The Quakers unmask'd, p. 27. Surely then W. C. and G. W's other Creatures was all in the Fall, and unredeemed; out of G. Fox, that never fell nor changed; out of their Star; out of their Branch notwithstanding their idolizing his Motions, his Travels, his Sufferings, and meritorious Labours, and Books printed and reprinted, sent abroad and dispersed: but lest G. W. leave out the History of his Glorified State in the Reprint, I may Recite it; see The Examination and Tryal of G. Fox, at Lancaster Assize, &c. p. 21. [Page] ‘And before I came to the Bar, I was moved to pray, that the Lord would confound their Envy; and the thundering Voice answer'd, 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: And that when the Trumpet sounded, and the Judges came up again, they all appear'd as dead Men under me, &c.’ G. Fox. Alluding to John 12.28. & 16.14. & 17.1.
Now you that are Disciples to G. W. pray measure the Truth of the printed History of G. Fox his Travels; if you find his Glorified State fairly related, as it is in his Book above recited, you may be assured there is some Truth in it; if not, you may without breach of Charity conclude the said History a Romance, a partial Story, some true, some false, some put in, some left out, pieced and patched, mended and painted.
BOOKS written by Fra. Bugg.
- 1. DE Christianae Libertate.
- 2. The painted Harlot both stript and whipt, &c.
- 3. Reason against Railing, &c.
- 4. Innocency Vindicated, &c.
- 5. The Quakers detected, &c.
- 6. Battering Rams against New Rome, &c.
- 7. One Blow more at New Rome, &c.
- 8. New Rome unmask'd, &c.
- 9. New Rome arraign'd, &c.
- 10. Quakerism Withering, &c. Besides a Letter to the Quakers; and a Sheet to the Parliament, &c.
ERRATA.
PAge 3. lin. 12. dele thing; p. 40. l. 9. for never read seldom; p. 43. l. 27. for recommended r. mentioned; p. 52. l. 23. for 2 s. r. 20. p. 58. l. 27. for Hen. r. John; p. 71. l. 20. for less r. weaker; p. 60. l. 14. for they out r. they cut. p. 68. for Rose, r. Rofe.
Quakerism Withering, BUT Christianity Reviving.
The Introduction.
THE main thing I intend is a Defence of my Sheet to the Parliament, from the False Glosses of George Whitehead in the Quakers pretended Vindication; and to shew wherein I have offer'd to meet George Whitehead, to debate matters, wherein he says I have wronged the Quakers, which I am not conscious of: And this I did, first, in answer to his Challenge p. 4. viz. To make it appear before any six, ten, or twelve competent Witnesses, which cannot be rationally thought to be Quakers, in regard they are Parties concerned. So likewise did I offer to debate the matter, when I allowed him to have Quakers, upon condition that what they could not Justifie he should Retract; which [Page 2] is according to their Offer in like Cases; as in the Epistle in the front of Edw. Burroughs's Works, &c. viz. ‘And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World, —That we may freely and cheerfully, four, ten, twenty, more or fewer of us, give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for Dispute at any place, and for what time; and let such, whether them or us, that cannot prove our selves to be of the True Church, —but found in Error, &c. renounce all their Religion, and confess to all the World under their Hands, that they have been deceived. —And upon these, or any equal Terms, would we willingly engage all, or any one, of these Sects, &c.’ As in New-Rome, unmask'd, p. 2. the said Challenge is by me then accepted, and by G. W. in his Essay, &c. p. 7. rejected; which also is W. Penn's method. Again in my printed Sheet to the Parliament, p. 2. I offer'd before ten or twelve impartial Men, to produce every Book and Page which I therein quoted: This I did then offer with the Sheet in my Hand, and many Quakers present, but none of them put me upon proof; but G. W. in his pretended Vindication, p. 4. said, ‘I G. W. freely offer to make it appear, before any six, ten, or twelve competent Witnesses, who are moderate Men of Sence and Reason, that F. B. has grosly abused and perverted Truth, and wronged the People call'd Quakers, both in Charge, Citation and [Page 3] Observation in his said Sheet, &c.’ Thus far then we agreed as to Matter of Debate: I in my Sheet offer'd to produce every Book and Page quoted, before ten or twelve impartial Men: And G. W. offered to make it appear, before any six, ten, or twelve moderate Men, that I had wronged them: So that nothing remained now but my coming to London to joyn Issue with G. W. and pursuant the 27th of January 1693. I did, and sent him the Charge following; which had he kept to his word [any thing] we had debated the matter; but nothing would do with him but Quakers on his side, which tho' I was loth, yet upon condition of a retractation of what I proved against them, and which they could not justifie, I at last consented, and to that I held them, seeing it is, as above observed, their own method, proposed by Edw. Burroughs and W. Penn, to the Papists. And whether I have not herein acquitted myself, I leave the World to judge.
Francis Bugg's Charge against the Quakers.
1. THEY deny Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be Christ, and the efficient cause of Man's Salvation, &c.
2. Their Books are Blasphemous, and their Practices Idolatrous.
3. They deny the Scriptures, by speaking contemptuously of them, calling them Death, Dust, and Serpents-meat; and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration.
4. They despise the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, as Baptism and the Lord's Supper, saying, They arose from the Pope, and are no part of God's Worship; to which their practice of laying them aside as useless say Amen.
5. They undervalue the Death and Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6. They exalt their own Writings above the Scriptures, and their own Sufferings above the Sufferings of Christ.
Observe, that I do not charge these Errors upon all that go under the Name of Quakers, as George Keith, and divers others that are separate from the Foxonian Party, who also charge them with Damnable Heresies and Doctrins of Devils, and such Errors as no Protestant Society would tolerate, &c. as at large in their Book extant, &c. and as in New-Rome unmask'd, &c. I have more largely explained my self, p. 68. to 71.
Francis Bugg's particular Charge against George Whitehead.
1. HE is a publick Defamer. 2. A wicked Forger. 3. A wilful Lyer. 4. A gross Perverter. 5. A false Glosser. 6. A [Page 5] deceiver of the People. This I offer to prove, and when done, before the same Men to answer any Charge which G. W. shall exhibit against me,
Here follows the substance of the Letter I sent him as Cover to the Charge.
In answer to your faint Challenge in your pretended Vindic. p. 4. to meet me in any place in London, I am come to prove both the general and particular recited Charge before eight moderate Ministers, each of us to chuse four, excepting against Quakers, Ranters, and Muggletonians, but give you your choice, whether to chuse the whole number out of the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Independants, or Baptists; or whether each of us one out of each: This I leave to you. And since you are of late for distinguishing the Moderate from the more Rigid, if your Case be good, I hope you cannot but think there is four Moderate Men amongst them all, who have both Reason and Sence to judge of Matter of Fact.
This he refused, which shewed he either doubted his Case, or that he had such Incharity, as not to think there were four moderate, wise, and just Men in all the four Societies; if the last, what signifie his pretended distinguishing? If the first, why does he so bitterly complain, that I wrong them in [Page 6] Charge, Citation, and Observation? But his word [any] gave me my choice; so when he refused the Terms abovesaid, I made him a second Proposal, viz.
to prove my Charge exhibited, also my Sheet to the Parliament, and if I have asserted any thing falsely, to retract it under my Hand, before six Members of Parliament, each of us to chuse three, upon condition that you will do the same.
This he also refused, either judging we could not find each of us three moderate Men in the House of Commons, or else he went from his words, to leave it to any six, ten, or twelve moderate Men of Common Sence and Honesty: Nay, that is not all, but he still refuses to abide by Burrough's Proposition above recited: But that he might not have a starting-hole, I sent him a third Offer, viz.
G. W. I was minded to except against Quakers, as in my first and second Proposal I did, because I know they cannot be impartial between us; but because I perceive you cannot otherwise be prevailed withal, I will renew my Offer, viz. do you chuse three Men where you please in the King's Dominion, and I will chuse three; and I offer to prove my Charge on condition, that [Page 7] you will engage under your Hand, that what the Quakers hold you will either justifie by Scripture, or retract under your Hand, as also what your self have wrote: And I do hereby engage the like, &c.
This he also refused to abide by, upon the account of a retractation; tho' Ed. B. in the name of the Quakers, offered not only to retract, but also to renounce all their Religion, and to confess to all the World under his Hands, that they have been deceived, &c. as at large in his Epistle above-mentioned: But still I pursued him, and sent him a fourth Offer, viz.
G. W. yours receiv'd, and return you the Terms upon which I offered to debate the Controversie, according to Agreement in other Circumstances; I ask no more than I give, which is equal: I am not conscious to my self of being guilty of what you either have or now do charge me with, and that encourages me to engage a retractation, if need be: If you think yourself clear of my Charge, and that the Quakers hold no such Errors as I lay to their charge, what make you so timerous of engaging under your Hands to retract, if proved upon you? If you think a retractation will marr the beauty of your pretence to write and speak by [Page 8] and from an Infallible Spirit, remember that Hungate the Jesuite, who professed Infallibility almost equal with the Quakers, did not refuse to subscribe when he disputed with Bishop Bramhal. Read the Life of the said Bishop. Beside, you see E. B. allowed the point: Nay, moreover it was W. Penn's way with the Papists; see his Seasonable Caveat, &c. p. 35. To conclude, (says W. P.) if we would not receive a Thief until he has repented, let the Papists first recant of their voluminous Errors, not known in Scripture, nor ever heard of for Three hundred years together after Christ, &c. Yet if you will leave the Matter to disinterested persons, according to the latitude of your Offer in your printed Sheet, viz. to any Moderate Men of Sence and Common Honesty, &c. I will require no retractation, but leave it to them, whether I have wronged you in Charge, Citation, or Observation. And as to the twelve Witnesses, for whom you make such a complaint, if upon examination I do not prove them guilty of Perjury on your own Propositions to Authority, I will retract my Proceedings against them; but if I do prove it, then you shall engage, that they shall retract under their Hands, always excepting against the said twelve False-witnesses, being present at the Debate unless it be when the four particulars in their Certificate be under examination; or when any Matter depending thereon no under consideration.
But all would not do; I could not get Sheba, the Son of Bichri, that Man of Belial, 2 Sam. 20. to come out on equal Terms: Neither will their People, like the wise Women in Abel, bring him out; and thereupon I shall leave it to the World, whether I have not performed what I promised in my Sheet; and whether G. W. have not shuffled and evaded a fair Debate, 1st, in refusing to leave the Matter to any moderate Men, as he promised in print; 2. And when debated before his Friends, who are Parties in the Errors, and cannot give it against him, refuse to subscribe a Retractation, according to the Offer of their great Prophet Edw. Burroughs, and W. P. But before I proceed to prove my Charge, I would premise some few things, viz.
First, ‘The Quakers Vind. &c. p. 1. It's not unknown unto you (the Parliament) that we are Dissenters from the Church of England, and as such we enjoy our Liberty under you; and consequently we ought not to be reputed Criminal for being such, &c.’
I grant, that barely for being such, you ought not to be reputed criminal: But if under that notion you take Liberty not only to maintain and defend such Errors, as tend to overthrow the Christian Faith but also print, expose and spread your erronious Books all over England and Wales, and beyond the Seas, unlicens'd to the Scandal of Religion; and not content therewith neither, but to indict me for printing and exposing unlicens'd: [Page 10] This seems criminal, at least very bold: For if you would not be reputed Criminal, because your Opinion is for the present indulg'd, forgetting perhaps that you stand but upon your good Behaviour, why should you repute such as see your Errors, and forsake you, (and conform themselves to the Establish'd Religion, as that which is more true and orthodox) Criminal, calling me a Self-condemn'd Apostate? Is not this throwing Dirt in the Face of the Government, rendering their Religion so false and erroneous, as that whoever forsake, and conform to the Establish'd Religion, must therefore be Self-condemn'd Apostates? Do you think this may not affect your Superiors, so as to consider of your bold Adventures, &c.
Again, ‘That Fra. Bugg himself did not account us Criminal for our Principles two years after he left us, and joyned himself to the Church of England, &c.’ For which he quotes my Book, The Quakers detected, and their Errors confuted.
To which I answer, The very Title shews the contrary: And in the Book I charge them with False Doctrin, Erroneous Principles; their Teachers Cruel Taskmasters, Persecutors, and Tyrants; and that part of their Doctrin, which was true, (as I still believe some little of what they teach is true) served only as a Decoy to catch simple Souls by; charging their Ministers with Lyes, gross Forgery, and scandalous Defamations, Babel's Builders, Pharasaical Hypocrites: See p. 4, 5, 18, 21. And now let the [Page 11] Wise in Heart judge, whether I did not account the Quakers criminal in 1686. With what face then can this gross Perverter G. W. say I did not account them criminal in 1686. unless to be guilty of the forementioned be not criminal? As by the Quakers persisting therein, they should not account it: However I did then, and do now, account them great Criminals, both in Doctrin and Practice, and for leaving them am not condemned; but bless the Day that ever I forsook such an Heresie as I deem them to hold, defend, and I fear wilfully maintain.
The Matters in that Book treated on I methodiz'd under these three general Heads, viz. The first point under Consideration was, How I came to be a Member of their Society: The second, How I came to see their Errors and leave them: The third, How I came perswaded and satisfied in going to the Publick. In the first I did set forth what I thought of them in 58, and 60. and what they preached, and how innocent they appeared: G. W. in Norwich-Castle seemed as demure as the best; yet in that Book I set forth, as I then believed that all was but a Decoy or Cheat, to draw Disciples after them; and if I was cheated and mistaken in them, so was Hugh Latimore, that learned Prelate, in the smooth Carriage of the Papists, and their Infallible Delusions, who said, ‘I am ignorant of things which I trust hereafter to know, &c.’ Read Fox's Acts and Monuments, &c. p. 410, 467, 468, 1325, 1488. [Page 12] where Bishop Latimer, Bishop Cranmer, M. Luther, Dr. Barns, and other pious sincere Christians, have not been too good nor too holy to acknowledge themselves mistaken, upon conviction, though by your Doctrin render d Apostates, in that they once thought the Popish Doctrine true, &c. Nay, your Incharity renders many of your own People Apostates, who before they were deluded by your black Art of calling the Scripture Death, Dust, and Serpents-meat, the Ordinances an Institution of the Whore of Rome, the publick Ministers Witches, Devils, Gormandizing Priests, &c. thought the Doctrine of the Church of England sound and orthodox: But since they are turn'd to the Heresie of Quakerism, G. W. accounts them Saints, Lambs, Prophets, and what not? But as these Weights are counterfeit, so I purpose to try them by the Touchstone of the Scripture, which cannot lye. And I refer to my Book, New-Rome unmask'd, &c. containing more than 100 Pages in Quarto, divided into twelve Chapters, which shew at large, that forsaking the Quakers is no Apostacy from the Articles of the Christian Faith, &c. sold by Mr. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry, and Mr. Guillam Bookseller in Bishopsgate-street. Concluding my Introduction with St. Augustine, Errare possum haereticus esse non possum.
The FIRST CHARGE Against the Quakers. That they Deny Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to be Christ, and the Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation.
The ARGUMENT.
THE Method proposed to prove the recited Charge, is, 1st. A brief Citation of Scriptures proving, that Jesus is the Christ of God, and Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation, from the Testimony of GOD, Angels, and Men. 2dly. A Recital out of the Quakers Books, wrote by their most approved Authors, alledging the contrary, shewing them thereby to be of a different Faith from the Prophets, Apostles, Saints, and Blessed Martyrs, and all true Christians to this day. 3dly. That Geo. Fox, the first Founder of Quakerism, Anno 1650. have since assumed to himself those divine Attributes due only to Christ, and thereby hath overthrown the [Page 14] Faith of some. 4thly. That his Disciples and Followers, and such of greatest note amongst them, hath said Amen to his Blasphemies, by their frequent Adorations of him, as the Star, the Branch, the Son of Righteousness, &c.
1st. Scripture Texts proving Jesus to be Christ.
John 1.14. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us: (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. Luke 1.26. And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Gallilee, named Nazareth: and the Angel said unto her, Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favour with God: and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 2.10, 11. And the Angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring unto you good tydings of great joy, which shall be unto all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, Christ the Lord. Mark 9.7. Matt. 17.5. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him. Matt. 26.67. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palms of their hands. 27.38. Then there, were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, another on the left. Ver. 50. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 28.6. He [Page 15] is not here, for he is risen, as he said, Come see the place where the Lord lay. Acts 1.9, 10, 11. While they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven, as he went up, behold two men standing by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Gallilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven [then not in them, in the Quakers sence; for as he said with reference to his Person, Matt. 26.11. Me ye have not always] shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven. Acts 5.30, 31. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on a Tree, him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Acts 2.36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Heb. 5.9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. 12.2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Rom. 8.34. It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Acts 7.35. But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into Heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Ver. 56. And said, Behold, [Page 16] I see the Heavens opened, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God. Acts 10.38. to 44. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good — And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree, him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, Not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testifie, that it is he which was ordained of God to be judge of the quiok and dead. To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins. Read 1 Cor. 15.15.
2dly. The Quakers teach the contrary.
Observe how flatly they contradict the holy Scripture Testimony, and how they would divide the Humanity from the Godhead; which is, in plain terms, a plain denyal of Christ; for if they can never call him that was born of the Virgin Mary Christ, whom the Jews spit upon, smote with the palms of their Hands, nailed to the Cross, hanged on a Tree, and at last crucified him; I say, if they can never call him Christ, but a Veil, a Garment, a Figure, &c. they can never own him to be Christ, and consequently deny him to be Christ; and not only so, but acquit the Jews, and their drudge Judas of the Sin of murthering the Lord of Life and Glory; for when they laid hold of him, smote him, buffeted him, crowned him with Thorns, scourged him, nailed his tender Hands and Feet to the Cross, pierced his Side, out of which came Water and Blood; they all this while, by the Quaker's Doctrine, did not lay hold upon nor touch Christ, and consequently ought not to be charged with crucifying the Lord of Life and Glory; only, it's true, they took hold of a Garment, a Veil, &c. which they can never call Christ. Thus have they made the Apostles False Witnesses, acquitted Judas, and clear'd the hard hearted unbelieving Jews of all their Barbarities inhumanly inflicted on the Blessed Jesus.
Observe how Matt. 24.24. is fulfilled by their Doctrine; every believing Quaker may be called Christ as well as he that suffered Death upon the Cross: Oh, dreadful Blasphemy! And to confirm it, he tells you about ten lines after, viz. That the Name is not given to the Vessel, &c. O Impudence itself! did not the Angel say, That unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord? Luke 2.11. & v. 28. Simon took him in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, &c. So that to say the Name Christ belongs to every Believer, as well as to him, is Blasphemy; for the Apostle to the Colossians gives the Name not only to the Godhead in him, but to him in whom it dwelt, which they contemptuously term the Garment, Col. 2.9.
Observe how far the Quaker's Approach to the Christians amount to: The Christians believe, that he who was born of the Virgin Mary, who was spit upon, buffeted, smote with the palms of their Hands, dyed, rose again, and ascended into Heaven, in the sight of the Gallileans, and now sits at the right hand of God, according to the recited Scriptures; I say, they believe the same Jesus to be the Christ of God; and that he is both the efficient and chief cause of Man's Salvation: Acts 4.10, 12. By the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye have crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name given under Heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, &c. So that the Professor's Faith and Hopes of Salvation are in the crucified Jesus, which you call the Holy Body. Indeed, you do approach to them a little, in calling his Body Holy, and allowing him to have some share in the Salvation of Mankind instrumentally; but the chief and efficient cause is in the light which you have in your selves, and which was in the Jews and Gentiles before the Incarnation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour; which if that had been sufficient, what need was there for Christ's coming, since he is but instrumentally a Saviour? For so you allow good Men to be, as I shall shew anon: So that your Approach to the Christians is very small, even but a few steps; for [Page 20] the unbelieving Jews thought him to be a good Man, viz. Elias, Jeremias, or one of the old Prophets; but instead of pressing on, the Author turns himself round to his old Friends the Quakers, and tell them his Meaning by this sudden and unusual Approach.
Observe, I always understood, that when we call a House that is made of Lime and Stone a Church, that it was a figurative way of speaking the thing containing for the thing contained; but I never knew this distinction touching our Blessed Saviour made by any others than the Quakers; and their chief Reason is, That they having the same Light, Life and Spirit in their Bodies, as was in his Body, they would have every Man a Saviour, every Man a Christ: For, as above, they say, The Name of Christ belongs to every Member of the Body, as well as the Head: And where ever they make an Approach to the true Professors of Christianity, 'tis only for a Decoy: For as above observed, they can never call the Bodily Garment Christ, meaning him that was born of the Virgin, but a Garment, a Veil, a Figure, an instrumental Cause of Salvation, but not the efficient; the thing containing for [Page 21] another, viz. for the thing contained: For to call him that was born of the Virgin, who suffered Death on the Cross, Died, Rose again, and ascended; this is but a metaphorical Speech, the thing containing for the thing contained. Thus have they robbed the Blessed Jesus of one of his emanent Attributes, viz. of being the efficient Cause of Man's Salvation. Thus do they dance the Rounds, sometimes approaching to the Christian Professors; as if they were in good earnest: but by and by, with a sudden turn they glide to their Brethren, and insinuate by consequence, That him that was born of the Virgin, he is no otherwise a Saviour [let the Episcopalians, Presbiterians, Independents and Baptists say what they will to the contrary] than other good Men are, &c.
Observe, the best Approach I take notice of, is, That they do seemingly allow him to have the Spirit without measure; but I cannot call it otherwise than seeming, since 'tis but about eight Lines after, where speaking of [Page 22] Salvation, he says, And to the Holy Manhood not any otherwise than Instrumentally; which in the Paragraph above recited, he there allows to good and holy Men, and that as a meritorious Reward too, viz. Because of the Contribution of their Trials, Travels, and Labours towards the Salvation of Mankind. So that by the Quakers Doctrine, good Men are Instrumentally Saviours: And Christ himself is no more but Instrumentally a Saviour. The First I grant, as they are Servants to Christ, and by his hand of Providence made use of towards the Conversion of others. The Last I deny, as an Heretical Doctrine, which tends to rob Christ of one of his chiefest Jewels; as the next Passage will demonstrate.
Observe, how with one Shoulder they bear down the Blessed Jesus, as only a Body, instrumentally serviceable, contrary to the Testimony of St. Luke, and the inspired Apostles and Holy Prophets, who foretold of the coming of the Just one. And since 'tis a great and precious Priviledge, that we have the Holy Scriptures in a known Tongue, that thereby we may have recourse thereunto, to rectifie our Mistakes, and help our Judgments, and prove the Articles of our Christian Faith: So am I willing to prove my [Page 23] Charge against the Quakers from plain matter of Fact, out of their own Books, writ by the most Learned amongst them; and by the Coherence of their Doctrine, confuted by Scripture, Reason, and Authority, shall this Controversie be decided. For if the good Deed of the Woman, Matth. 26.13. done to Christ against his Burials shall be told of her so long as the Gospel is preached, surely so long as the Gospel is preached shall there be War made against such false Teachers, as shall thus bring in damnable Heresies, denying the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Compleat Saviour, &c. But once more pray hear him.
And thus have I traced him in his divers Turnings and manifold Approaches; sometimes to the Professors, and back again to the Quakers, until at last you see he denies [Page 24] the Body which was born of the Virgin, to be Christ: And the reason he gives, is, Because he is not personally in every Man, and so no way capable to conquer the Serpent in them; and therefore not the Christ: But if they were humble, and would forsake their Errours, and by Faith lay hold of Christ, who is the Seed of the Promise, Gen. 3.14. confessing their Sins, and begging Pardon for Christ's sake, let them not doubt but the Head of the Serpent in them shall be bruised. But if they thus contemn the Blessed Jesus, who was born of the Virgin, &c. one calling him a Garment, which they can never call Christ; another, because he is not personally in every Man, he cannot be Christ; and by and by the Name Christ belongs to every Member, as well as to the Head; for that they have Light, Life and Spirit in them, as Christ had: another, that Christ is not a Compleat Saviour, otherwise than instrumentally; nor no otherwise to be called Christ, than metaphorically, or by that common Figure or way of speaking, viz. the thing containing for the thing contained: I say, so long as they continue in their Unbelief, its no marvel they complain so much of the Serpent's having Dominion in them.
I have much more to say against the dangerous Errors in that Book, which came lately to my hand; but I spare the Author. However, by what is said, 'tis plain that they account him that was born of the Virgin but a Man, a Finite Creature, a Vail, a Garment, a Saviour instrumentally like other good Men, and which they cannot call Christ. Nay further, they say he is not Christ, not being personally in every Man: And the Consequence is both natural and plain, that they deny Jesus of Nazareth.
How may I know when Christ is truly Preached?
Answ. They that are false (Ministers) preach Christ without, and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above; but they that are Christ's Ministers, preach Christ within.
And is that which is within you the only Foundation upon which you stand, and the Principle of your Religion?
Answ. That of God within us is so, for we know it is Christ; and being Christ, it must needs be only and principal; for that which is only, admits not of another; and that which is principal, is greatest in being: And thus we know Christ in us to be unto us the only and principal, &c.
By which, without enlarging, 'tis very plain, That as they do not own Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the Virgin, Suffered, Died, Rose, and Ascended, and now sits at the Right Hand of God in Heaven above; so all that preach the same Christ, and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above, are, by the Quakers Doctrine, False Ministers: But they that preach the Light within, as the only Foundation which admits of no other, and as the principal Corner-stone of their Building. These, and these only are (say they) true Ministers. And this, if nothing had been said before, had been sufficient to prove my first Charge; namely, That the Quakers deny Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the Blessed Virgin, to be Christ, and the Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation: And I pray God to give them a Heart to repent them of their Unbelief.
1. By Geo. Fox's assuming Divine Attributes to himself.
The Second Charge against the Quakers. Their Books are blasphemous, and their Practice Idolatrous, &c. which is proved in the foregoing and following, to the confutation of G. W. and his false Witnesses, who deny these Appellations, &c.
This is only to go amongst Friends.
THou, O North of England! who art counted as desolate and barren, and reckoned the least of the Nations, yet out of thee did the Branch spring and Star arise, which gives light to all the Regions round about; in thee the Son of Righteousness [Page 29] appeared with Wounding and with Healing, &c.
Jos. Coale's Letter to G. Fox, out of the Barbadoes, thus in brief:
DEar G. Fox, who art the Father of many Nations, whose Life has reached thro' us thy Children, even to the Isles afar off, to the begetting many again to a lively hope, for which Generations to come shall call thee blessed, whose Being and Habitation [Page 30] is in the power of the Highest, in which thou rules and governs in Righteousness, and thy Kingdom is established in Peace, and the Encrease thereof is without end.
Another from John Audland to G. F. out of the West of England.
DEar and precious one, in whom my Life is bound up, and my Strength in thee stands; by thy Breathings I am nourished; by thee my Strength is renewed; Blessed art thou for evermore, and blessed are all that enjoy thee: Life and Strength comes from thee holy one; — daily do I find thy presence with me, which doth exceedingly preserve me, for I cannot reign, but in thy presence and power; pray for me, that I may stand in thy Dread for evermore. — I am thine begotten, and nourished by thee; and in thy Power am I preserved: Glory unto thee, Holy One, for ever.
The Third Charge against the Quakers. That they deny the Scriptures, by speaking contemptuously of them: calling them, Death, Dust, Serpent's Meat, &c. and that to Preach out of them is Conjuration.
The ARGUMENT.
THis is one of their Errors I charged on the Quakers in my Book, New Rome unmask d, &c. Epist. Cr. 6. and p. 78. This G.W. procured Twelve Witnesses, to testifie in the Holy Fear of God, and on the behalf of [Page 33] the Quakers, That they never so believed, so said, nor so affirmed: Which was such a notorious Lye; and calling God to Record, I took it to amount to an Oath on their own Proposals to Authority: And not knowing a better way to manifest them, I erected a Mock-Pillory, and Tried them, and found them guilty on their own Premises. But the main matter now before me is, To prove the Truth in that particular, both in the cited Book New Rome, &c. and the Sheet delivered to the Parliament: And in order to it I shall first recite their contemptuous Expressions of the Holy Scripture; and then confute their Arguments, which they bring to salve their Errour. And lastly shew, That they extol their own Writings above the Scriptures, viz.
Their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures.
Observations thereupon.
1st, Observe, that they call the Holy Scripture Death, Dust, and Serpents-meat: If they object, they mean the Letter abstractly from [Page 36] the Spirit, that's but one of G. W's Juggles; see their Paper against J. P. Aug. 10. 1670. viz. ‘Whereas J. P. did bring to the Exchange several Books and Writings, and amongst others the Holy Scriptures, &c.’ Surely he could not burn the Holy Spirit that gave them forth, as they most wickedly suggested he would have burnt the Bible. It seems they can call the Bible the Holy Scriptures when for a wicked design, and Dust, and Death, and Serpents Meat, when they speak their Judgment clearly. 2dly, That they are Conjurers that preach out of them: Surely when they preach out of them, they do not preach the Letter abstractly from the Holy Doctrine and Blessed Precepts therein contained, but some part of those holy Truths therein contained; and yet this preaching is by their Doctrine Conjuration and Witchcraft, &c. 3dly, You may perceive that G. W. and the Quakers do not call the four Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, either the New Testament of Jesus Christ, or the Gospel; and why? His Brother Fox says 'tis Dust, Death, and Serpents-Meat: Yet to serve another turn, Ellwood writing against W. R. in his Antidote, p. 81, 82. calls the Writings of the Evangelists, The New Testament, Scriptures of Truth, &c. Oh the Deceit and Self-contradiction of these Babel-Builders. 4thly, You may see they bring their own Nonsence in competition with the holy Scripture and New Testament: Nay, I shall [Page 37] prove by their Practice, that they prefer their own Pamphlets before the Scripture, and that beyond all their Glosses to the contrary. 5thly, That such as obey the Scriptures are bewitched from the Truth: And therefore, say they, That is no Command from God to me, what he commanded the Saints of old, recorded in Scripture; for, alas! what is the Scripture but a little Dust, Death, carnal Letter, Husk, Beastly Ware; and they that preach out of it Conjurers, notable Conjurers, Babylon's Merchants, yea, Witches, Devils, Gormandizing Priests, &c? 6thly, They insinuate by way of Query, That 'tis doubtful whether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of Holy Writ; or whether either or neither; and so confound the Scriptures, as to overthrow its Divine Authority, suggesting that what is true the False-Prophets wrote, and what is false the True-Prophets wrote, and what is ill expressed and ill applied Wise and Good Men wrote, and by a Natural Invertion all the rest by Wicked Men, and the Grand Impostor. And I think they, by this time, have made room for the Atheists and Papists. This, I must confess, is such a cunning Stratagem of Satan and his Instruments, as the boldest Jesuit that ever I read of never attempted the like. And for more of it, I refer to New Rome unmask'd, &c. p. 23. And by this time I hope G. W's Witnesses are convicted sufficiently, and for time to come will not say, the Quakers never [Page 38] said, affirmed, or believed, that the holy Scriptures are Death, Dust, and Serpents-Meat, &c.
But notwithstanding all this, and much more that might be quoted of this nature, yet G. W. boldly imposes upon the World, that though they call the Scripture Dust, Death, and Serpents-meat, yet they do not call the holy Scripture so; see their pretended Vindication, &c. p. 2. Essay, &c. p. 5, 8. but say, The holy Precepts and Doctrines they own: And from thence they'r called, says G.W. holy Scriptures I grant it is for that very reason that the Christians call them Holy Scriptures. But on the other hand I do positively affirm, That it is for that very Reason that the Quakers call them Dust, Death, Serpents-meat, Beastly Ware, &c. And this I will prove by the Practice of each sort, viz. by both the Practice of the Christians, and the Practice of the Quakers. And first, the Christians they read them in their Churches, practice them in their Families, particularly the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed, think themselves, as Disciples of Christ, obliged to follow the Examples of the Primitive Christians and Holy Martyrs, in frequenting the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, as Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, and divers other Commands, &c. They believe the Scripture is given by divine Inspiration, and infallibly true, being by Wise and Good Men well expressed and rightly applied, and that [Page 39] the true Prophets speak truly; so that there is a sweet harmony in the Scriptures. They believe also that Moses was the first Pen-man, and divinely inspir'd, and his Writings quoted by Christ and his Apostles; see Mark 12.16. Luke 24.27. Luke 16.19. & 24.27. 26, 27, 44. Acts. 2. And for these and the like Reasons they call it Holy Scripture.
But then, Secondly, if we must judge the Tree by the Fruit, as Christ directed, then the Quakers do not believe the Doctrin and Precepts recorded in Scripture, to be either blessed or holy, and therefore call them Dust, Death, Husk, Serpents-meat, Beastly Ware, &c. which I thus prove:
First, By the very reproachful Language and contemptuous Expression you cast upon them, as Dust, Death, Serpents-meat, &c.
Secondly, In that you do not read them in your Meetings for Worship, nor recommend them to be read in your Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, as you frequently do your own Epistles.
Thirdly, Because you say, That to preach out of them is Conjuration, which you would not, if you believed the Doctrines therein to be holy and blessed.
Fourthly, By reason you lay aside as useless the Use of the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and the Apostle's Creed, which are some of those holy Precepts contained in the Scriptures.
Fifthly, In that you deny the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, and do not practise them according [Page 40] to the Command of Christ, Go teach all Nations, baptising, &c. This do in remembrance of me, &c. For if they were sincere, and did believe the Doctrin and Precepts were holy and blessed, as they pretend, you would at some time or other see a Bible in their Hands, in a Meeting, and make Confession of Sin, and beg Pardon of God for Christ's sake, which they never did.
Sixthly, That from your Practice, Words, and Writings you do prefer your own Books, Papers, and Epistles before the Scriptures, as in New Rome unmask d, &c. New Rome arraign'd, &c. For proof see your Yearly Epistle follows.
IT is our Sence, Advice, Admonition, and Judgment, in the Fear of God, and the Authority of his Power and Spirit, that no such slight and contemptible Names and Expressions, as that faithful Friend's Papers, which we testifie, hath been given out by the Spirit and Power of God, are Mens Edicts or Canons, &c. with such scornful Sayings, be permitted by W. Penn, Alex. Packe, Stephen Crisp. George Whitehead, and others.
Now I am apt to think, as superstitious as you are, that you did not ascribe Holiness to the Paper and Ink of your own Papers and Pamphlets: But yet what Care, what Caution, what Advice and Admonition was sent out from the general Council, not of Trent, but London, that no such scornful Expressions [Page 41] should be put upon your Friend's Papers, as Edicts and Canons, which indeed are not such contemptible Names? And yet how do you charge them, by the Authority of the Power and Spirit of God, that no such contemptible, scornful, and unsavory Expressions be permitted to be cast upon your Papers, which you say are given forth by the Power and Spirit of God? So tender and careful you are of your own nonsensical Papers, Epistles, &c. Here is no calling them Death, Dust, Serpents-meat, Beastly Ware, Carnal Letter, Husk, and the like; no, no, yours were given forth, you say, by the Power and Spirit of God; and consequently the Doctrines contained in them (in your esteem) are blessed and holy; and that is the reason why you are so tender and cautious of suffering any slight and contemptible Names and unsavory Expressions to be put upon them as Mens Edicts. But as for the Scripture, who knows, says you, whether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man; or which part of Scripture was wrote so true, that we may depend on it, since what the Prophets wrote is false, at least great part of it, and thereupon you who are thus doubtful do not believe the Doctrine and Precepts to be holy: And that doubtless is the Reason why you not only permit, but your selves, even the best of note amongst you, call the Scripture by such unsavory Names and contemptible Expressions, as Death, Dust, Serpents-meat, Beastly ware, &c. Again, by the care you take to spread your [Page 42] Books and Papers, and not the Scriptures, is self-evident that you do prefer your own Papers above the Scriptures. See your Epist.
Renewed Advice to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales, for spreading Friends Books for Truths Service, Anno 1693.
HAving at several Yearly Meetings considered how all those Books printed for the Service of Truth might most effectually be spread for a general Service to Truth; —That the Printer send to his Country Correspondents, &c.
1. For Friends to have general notice what Books are printed, &c.
2. That they may send for what quantities they want.
3. That the Printer may be encourag'd in printing for Friends.
4. That one Book of a sort may be kept in each Monthly and Quarterly Meeting.
Dear Friends, It's advised that ye be careful in spreading all such Books writ in defence and for the service of Truth, whether by way of Epistle, Caution, Warning, Exhortation, or Prophecy, that we may not be negligent in promoting Truth. Record this Epistle in your Quarterly Book, and sometimes read it [Page 43] for remembrance and notice.
OBSERVATION.
Pray note, what Care, Caution, and Industry they use to spread their Books; working by Policy like Moles under ground, little taken notice of, until they turn up the Foundation. Here is not a Word of Death, Dust, or Serpents-meat, Beastly Ware, &c. No, no; nor not a word of Scripture-Proof in either of these Epistles. I was minded to put a Sample of their Books and Epistles they write each to the other, to be read in their Meetings, in one Column; and what they write to the World, to decoy, in another Column; shewing their Books to be of two sorts, of two Stamps, and to carry two Faces, as G. W. hath confessed of W. Smith's Primer: One reads as F. B. hath quoted; another reads the contrary; and so is their general way. But I shall exceed what I at first intended.
See what Labour and Pains here is to spread, disperse, and send up and down their Books to all the Counties in England and Wales. In the Yearly Epistle, p. 2. they tell them, That in Germany their Books are dispersed, and Epistles recommended to Barbadoes, Maryland, Pensylvania, Virginia, Scotland, Holland, Ireland; but not a word of recommending the Scripture: No, their Language and Practice sufficiently discover their Disesteem [Page 44] they have for it; and their way, manner, and care to disperse their Erroneous Books, should re-mind all good Christians, and especially Pastours and Teachers, to assist in spreading such Books as are, and have been wrote, to detect their Errors; particularly Mr. Norris's Book, and divers others. I shall conclude this, with shewing the Quakers way of charging their Disciples to read their Epistles, ‘&c. Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth, &c. Viz. I charge you in the Presence of the Lord God, to send this [Epistle] amongst all Friends and Brethren every where, to be read in all Meetings to you all; this is the Word of God. Geo. Fox.’
Thus, like the Pharisees of old, they are making void the Holy Scripture by their Traditional Pamphlets, which they esteem and prefer before Scripture; as appears by undeniable Demonstration, both from their Words and Practices, and which G. W's 12 Witnesses may now perceive fairly proved.
The Fourth Charge against the Quakers.They deny the Ordinance of Jesus Christ, as Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
THat they deny these two Ordinances, their Practices as well as their Doctrine [Page 45] sufficiently declare. Yet in regard G. W. p. 2. says, ‘As for Baptism and the Lord's Supper, Scripturally considered in their several Dispensations, in their Figure and Substance, we confess and own.’ This is false, as their Books declare, viz.
Observe, Here is E. B. G. Fox, Sol. Eccles, all great Prophets, and W. Smith one of their Ministers, who testifie both by Word and Doctrine, as well as the whole People by Practice, that it is no Ordinance of God, but an Institution of the Whore of Rome, no part of God's Worship, but absolute Idolatry; and that such as tell People of a Sacrament, are not only Witches, but Deceivers and Blasphemers, and ought not only to Blush, but Tremble, &c. And that though they had been in the Observation; yet Quakerism hath so alter'd their Judgment, as they confess they have laid them aside. But still for the Quakers thus to charge the Church of England with a Popish Institution, Idolatry, &c. and yet seek to them for Favour, and a kind Acceptation, 'tis preposterous: So that I might well say, How could you have the Face to seek for Relief, till you retract these Errors. As to your Exception against Sprinkling, and seeming thereby to allow of Dipping: This is fallacious, in that you practice neither.
F. B's Fifth and Sixth Charge against the Quakers. That they undervalue the Death and Sufferings of Christ, and exalt their own Sufferings above the Sufferings of Christ, above the Sufferings of the Apostles, above the Sufferings of the Martyrs, or any Christians since the days of Christ, &c.
In my Sheet to the Parliament I put a Query grounded upon this Doctrine, viz. Whether was greatest, the Sufferings of the Quakers, or the Sufferings of Christ, to which G. W. gave no direct Answer, but glossed it over, as his usual way is: For if he had answered, that the Sufferings of the Quakers had been greatest, as their Doctors Teach, [Page 48] the People, would have been ready to stone him for Blasphemy. Again, if he had said, the Sufferings of Christ had been greatest, he had then given the Lie to E. B. their great Prophet: So that he was in a great Strait, like the Pharisees of old their Predecessors: For all the Saints Sufferings are not to be compared with the Sufferings of the ever-blessed Jesus. But in the next place, that they should thus exalt their own Sufferings above the Sufferings of the Apostles, Martyrs, &c. is such a boast, as hath no parallel amongst Protestants. But that is not all; they come in as Advocates for all the Tyrants and bloody Persecutors, who without any Law, and contrary to Law, martyr'd and murther'd many Thousands for Christ's sake, saying about six lines off, And herein it appears the Sufferings to be more unjust, because what the Persecutors of old did to the People of God, they did by a Law, and by the due execution of a Law, &c. So that to confute this grand Error, wicked Lye, and false Plea of the Quakers, first on behalf of the Persecutors, who they say executed their Cruelties upon the Apostles and Martyrs not only by a Law, but by the due execution of a Law: Next on the behalf of themselves; both which I shall consider distinctly, viz. The Sufferings of the Quakers of the one part, and the Sufferings of the Holy Apostles, Blessed Martyrs, and Pious Protestants, since the days of Christ, of the other part. I say, in order to confute this vain-glorious Error, I [Page 49] shall first produce a few Instances of the Sufferings of the Apostles and Martyrs, &c. and next, a Sample or two of the Quaker's Sufferings; and let G. W. in his next shew his Art, and deny my Argument if he can.
First then, to begin with the Primitive Sufferers, Apostles, and Blessed Martyrs, viz. John Baptist, Stephen, James, Bartholomew, Mark, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Philip, Paul, and divers others, some flead alive, some their Brains knock'd out, some crucified, some burned alive; what Law did these Worthies suffer by? Was the Law duly or justly executed upon them? Answer in your next.
Secondly, What say you to the Ten Persecutions under those bloody Tyrants, who, as History saith, suffered as many as amounted to 5000 to a day, for 12 months together, some rack'd, some burned, some drawn to pieces by wild Horses, some fryed, some roasted, some broiled upon Gridirons, some melted Lead poured down their Throats, some put into boiling Coppers of Oyl, some rouled in Barrels of Nails, and a hundred other exquisite Tortures and barbarous Cruelties; was this done by a Law, and the due Executions of that Law? And are your Sufferings greater? Answer these three Queries in your next, or else as E. B. said, acknowledge under your Hands, That you have been deceiv'd, and becomes false Witnesses, and publish your retractation, for thus deceiving the World.
3. What think you of the horrid Massacres in France, Piedmont, Ireland, and the Martyrdom of Salter Badly, Thorp Hus, Jerom of Prague, Zuinglius, Calvin, Beza, Bilny, Bradford, Frith, Barns, Tindal, Ridley, Hooper, Father Latimer, Dr. Tayler, Bishop Farrar, and Archbishop Cranmer Which W. P. says, taught the Papists how to deal with the Protestants, by his Practice of Burning Joan of Kent., which in the whole, as from History I can make appear, was more than 50000000, who suffered the like Tortures which the Heathen Tyrants executed; nay, used more or different Stratagems. Come G. W. in your next, answer the last three Queries directly, without your glossing or painting, for your Enchanting Art will not now do: For, 1st, Either these suffered by a Law, or they did not. 2dly, And by the due execution of that Law, or they did not. 3dly, That the Quakers Sufferings have been greater, or they have not. If the first, bring forth your Arguments to prove it, for I deny them jointly and severally: If the last, are you not gross Lyers and grand Impostors, who have the Impudence thus to impose upon the World? Nay, 4thly, Are your Sufferings more cruel than the recited? If not, you are found False-witnesses; and your Verdict for and on the behalf of the due Proceedings and legal Executions of the bloody Tyrants, persecuting Papists, and cruel Irish, will not pass: You must go out again; for [Page 51] we say and deny that they suffered either by Law or the due execution of a Law; or that your Sufferings were either greater or more cruel; all which your Doctrine holds forth, and nothing will salve it, but an ingenuous Retractation, published in condemnation of Burrough's Doctrine, which is both taught, received, and believed by the poor misled Quakers. And now I shall proceed to shew a Sample of the Quakers Suffering, which being compared with the recited, the disproportion will the better appear, viz. For Meeting, for Not Swearing, for wearing the Hat, for Tithes and Church-Dues, &c. from 1650. the day of the Quakers date, to 1658. which was after E. Burrough had wrote the Book above recited, which was in 1657. though I grant it was reprinted in 1672. viz.
- J. Evans imprison'd for speaking to a Priest.
- J. Norris of Swasy, for the same.
- El. Fowler speaking in Steeple-house prison'd.
- J. Green of Bulbrook, for the like.
- John Rogers imprison'd for the like.
- Ann Blackling at Bury, for the like.
- George Harrison, for meeting, was abused till he did spit Blood.
- Bar. Logg fin'd 3 s. 4. d. for his Hat.
- Tho. Bagg, for not putting off his Hat, and for not swearing, was fined 13 s. 4. d.
Reader, here is one Sample of the Quakers Sufferings, which they bring in competition; nay, say they exceed all before them since the days of Christ: But what was it for? namely, for disturbing the exercise of the establish'd Religion. But if any now disturb them, let them look for worse Sufferings, not putting off their Hats, &c. For mark: As they cannot for Conscience sake put off their Hats to their Superiors, no more can they suffer their Inferiors to stand with their Hats on; witness their forcing their Apprentices to stand bare-headed before them: And likewise for meeting together. And for that the Poor Man was so abused, that he did spit blood: Ay, that he did, and 'tis recorded a Suffering too, to help to make up the balance between the Sufferings of the Quakers of the one part, and the Sufferings of Christ, his Apostles and Martyrs on the other part. Pray see the other Sample.
| W. Ground's Tythes 2 s. took a Mare, | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| W. Ground's Wardens, Rate 2 s. 1 d. a Kettle, | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| R. Letchworth, Tythes 20 s. 2 Cows, | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan. Pechy, for Tythes 2 doz. Yarn, | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Rob. Crabb, Tythes 1 s. 1 d. took a Kettle, | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Cl. Crabb, for Dues 7 s. Pot of Butter, | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hen. Place, dues 1 s. 6 d. took Goods | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| W. Johnson, Tythes 9 s. 10d. Pot Butt. | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| R. Crabb 2 Wardens, Rates 1 s. 10 d. took Goods, | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| El. Carecrost, Clerk's Wages 2 d. took Goods, | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Another time, for the Popish Steeple house, | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sam. Cater, dues 10 d. took a Kettle, | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Reader, I have given you a large Sample both of what they suffer'd and what they took beyond what was due, as they say, at their own price, and yet forced to bring in 8 d. and 12 d. Sufferers; and yet it will not balance for the whole sum of their Sufferings in eight years time through England and Wales, in Pots and Kettles, Dripping-pans, Candlesticks, Pans, Barrels, Dishes, Cart-wheels, and other Lumber, comes to but 1568 l. 14 s. 8 d.
Behold the disproportion; and yet they are not ashamed; no, they are not at all ashamed: But if they have any shame in them, I intend to make them ashamed; and in order to it, let me give you Cater, one of their Praters, I should have said Preachers, since he is so upon Record, who formerly was a poor Journeyman Carpenter, with his Budget of Tools at his Back; but since he got the knack of Preaching worth many hundreds, &c. and I presume much of it got this way, viz.
Reader, this is a Copy of the Record of their Quarterly Book, unless they have torn it out for madness since I have discover'd the Cheat, who stands Recorded a Sufferer above 20 l. for preaching, when in truth he did not suffer 20 d. Nay, he was so far from that, that he got 10 l. clear by it. And yet 100 year hence, when all are dead that know the matter, and none able to contradict it, it will look like a noble and valiant Act in S. C. thus to preach, and thus to suffer for preaching. And perceiving by their last yearly Epistle, that they keep to their old way of sending up to London their Sufferings from those Quarterly and Monthly Meetings, I am the willinger to shew the nature of their Sufferings, and the manner of their Proceedings, and particularly about Tythes taken from them, whether the Real Value due by Law, [Page 55] or two or three times the Value: So that when their faithful Chronicles come forth, which they have told us of this 20 years, such as have been moderate, and for ease to the Quakers and themselves, have taken no more than the Real Value, nay, perhaps less, shall be render'd Persecutors in the next Age.
By which 'tis evident that they design to represent to the next Age all Persons who take Tythes, let them be never so moderate in their Demands and taking of Tythes, Persecuters: Which as it is an ill Representation for such a Nation as this, who profess the Name of Jesus, so is it both uncharitable and ungrateful in them, their Indulgence consider'd. [Page 56] And that they do so intend, see their Book, Judas and the Jews, &c. p. 41. ‘Our Faithful Chronicles of the bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation, will tell future Ages other things, &c.’ From which passage three things are observable: 1st, That Professing Generation, meaning the Presbyterians, Independants, and Baptists, for they do account them Professors of Christ, but not Possessors or Enjoyers of what they profess, only empty Professors, meer Notionists, airy. Talkers, &c. 2. But the Episcopalians they account the Prophane, the Publicans, the Vulgar or Common People, but both of the World; and their Teachers false, their Scriptures Death, their Gospel Dust and Serpents-meat, their Ordinances an Institution of the Whore, and rejected by themselves. 3. But themselves the only Possessors and Enjoyers of the Light, Spirit, and Substance, together with a few pious Gentiles, as G. W. calls them in his Book, The Christian Doctrine, &c. p. 9. And W. Penn. bestows about 40 Pages in folio upon Gentile Divinity in his Christ. Quak. &c. Yea, Ellwood, Richardson, and the most Learned amongst them, as they have shewed all the Contempt they can to Jesus of Nazareth, (calling him a Veil, a Garment, which they can never call Christ) to the Scriptures, to the Ordinances and Ministers of Jesus of Naz. with great Incharity: So on the other hand they have taken all the care they can to raise the Fame of the Gentiles, Heathens, Jewish Idolaters, [Page 57] as possibly afterwards may be made appear. Well, but this is a Digression, let us come to Sam. Cater's Sufferings.
First, 'tis true he did preach, was fined, was distrained, as recorded, but all his Goods was returned, and for this Noble Act he had 10 l. sent him out of the Treasury from London, by John Peacock, late of St. Ives, as a Recompence; but his poor Neighbors R. Crabb, T. Paine, and others, was fined and distrained for meeting June 9.1670. and neither had their Goods again, nor a Reward out of London Chest, that I ever heard. A notable way to encourage such Praters to banter all other Dissenters (who are not so vainglorious as themselves, nor so cunning and close as the Quakers, who may compare with Jesuit and Jew) as G. W. in his Christ. Quak. and Dev. did, who charged them to hold Erroneous and Blasphemous Principles, carnal Policy, timerous, creeping, occult, cowardly, base, &c. And as I said, that I may make them ashamed of their deceitful Practices, who thus banter and domineer over all other People, I may recite part of an Edict, (only I must remember not to give their Laws such contemptible Names as Edicts) which enjoined the Hearers to meet constantly, and suffer greatly, insomuch as that in the loss of 13550 l. their Preachers never lost 50 l. And the Reasons thereof are more particularly handled in my Book, The painted Harlot both stripp'd and whipp'd, &c.
An Abstract of their Antimagistratical Edict is as followeth, viz.
IT is our Advice and Judgment, That all Friends keep up those publick Testimonies, and neither decline, forsake, nor remove their publick Assemblies, because of Times of Sufferings, as worldly, fearful, and politick Professors have done, &c.
Yet notwithstanding how did G. Whitehead creep up and down, here and there, with all the caution and timerousness possible? to evince which, see a Letter he order'd to be writ to me, to appoint a Meeting for him, &c.
DEar Friend F. B. G. W. is now here, and doth purpose to be at your Meeting the 27th Instant, and therefore desireth that Friends may be together by the 11th hour at furthest. Thou need not mention his Name to any particularly, but maist acquaint them of a Friend's Intention to be with them the time aforesaid. So with G. W's dear Love to thee and thy Wife, I rest thy dear Friend,
Thus wary was G. W. and cautious in his Travels, which had been well enough, had [Page 59] he left the People free: But for him to make a Law against the National Law, that they must constantly meet, and neither forsake, remove, nor decline, &c. like worldly, politick and fearful Professors, yea, antiscriptural too; For, said Christ, if they persecute you in one city, flee or remove to the next. And his inspired Disciples oftentimes met privately for fear of the Jews, &c. yet how did G. W. like Ahab go disguised? he must not be known, his Name must not be mentioned.
Well, I knew him and his Name too, and had his Company and dear Love too, and called Dear Friend, yea, all dear to me at that time, though now I have so disturbed this subtile Fox, and so manifested his deceitful Practices in many things, that he cannot afford me my proper Name, only Bugg; Bugg say so? Bugg quote, &c. Bugg's Testimony; yea 34 times he calls me only Bugg in one Sheet; and since I came to London, in a private Letter, in one side of half a sheet, he calls me eleven times only Bugg, such is his proud, disdainful, and insolent Behaviour, besides scurrilous Names and reproachful Terms, far contrary to their pretence in the beginning. See,
But G. W. is grown so great since he came first amongst the Quakers, Anno 1652. (a poor Boy about 15 or 16 years old, travelling on foot) and hath so gathered up his Crumbs, though chiefly at other Mens Tables, that he scorns to call him that hath fed him and his Friends at his Table by his proper Name: Oh, Insolent and Imperious George!
I have been the longer on this Head, because 'tis the most glorious Jewel in their Crown, how counterfeit soever it be within: For, when there was no Persecution, they cut themselves out Work, by disturbing of Churches, for which they sometimes suffer'd the Justice due to such Offenders, and then they cried out of Persecution, and resolved to go on against all Law, Government, and Rule, and all that opposed them: herein was Nebuchadnezzar, Darias, &c. and themselves Daniel, Shadrack, &c. and in a little time came to collect their Sufferings, whether it was 6 d. 8 d. or 1 s. in it went; and having by 1657. in England and Wales, muster'd up 1568 l. 14 s. 8 d. they printed, and taught, That their Sufferings was greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ, his Apostles, and Martyrs, and more unjust in that they suffered by a Law, and that Law duly executed. I do not doubt, but if G. F's Works be printed, there will be such a discovery of Quakerism as the World never saw; but I do declare my [Page 61] Belief is, they will never print them, lest they be laid by Sol. Eccles Fiddles: Possibly they may print some Passages of his Travels, to make Fools admire, and Wise Men laugh.
VI Charges against G. W.
I. A Publick Defamer. ‘See his Book Judgment fixed, &c. p. 263.Francis Bugg is turned Informer:’ To let pass all his other Names, as Canker'd Apostate, Vile Apostate, Self-condemn'd Apostate, Judas Runagate, Beast, Dog, Wolf, Child of the Devil, Enemy of all Righteousness, &c. That very Name Informer, the time 1682. consider'd, is sufficient to term and prove him a publick Defamer, and a malicious Incendiary; for he knew me to be no such manner of Person, but one of the greatest Sufferers by Informers in the whole County. But however T. Bird, J. Mason, J. Ellington, W. Belslam, and above Twenty more Quakers, gave me a Certificate, to certifie the contrary; and did very nobly testifie against such Antichristian Treatment. But it is by such Arts they have raised their Structure, witness their Book entituled, A Battledoor, &c. saying p. 3. Come ye Doctors, Scholars, Teachers, and Magistrates, &c. [Page 62] in which, beside the English, and some other foreign Languages, there was the Latin, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, and Syriack; and before each of these Six Languages, in each Page, at the beginning of each Language, they erected the form and figure of a Child's Penny horning Battledoor, subscribed on the Handle thereof Geo. Fox; and all was about Thee and Thou, singular and plural, as if they had been such Ignoramussés as did not understand tu and vos, without the help of Geo. Fox, who was, before a Quaker, a poor Journeyman Shoemaker. But it was a notable Project to bring both Learning and the Learned into Contempt, to the scandal of the English Nation: Thus defamatory have their Libels been. The next Book this Imperious Fox provided for the Clergy, was entituled, A Primmer for all the Doctors and Scholars in Europe, but especially Oxford and Cambridge, containing 2434 Queries of this import, viz. What is a Verb, a Participle, an Adverb, a Getive Case, &c. what is the word called declined; who was the first Author of it, and by whom it came, &c. And with the greatest Contempt and Reproach, conceivable, as by his lofty Strains, bold Challenges, and daring Interrogations, with which the said Primmer is plentifully stuft, doth appear, saying,
‘These Queries are to call you out into the Field; the little Davids are risen, who have the Baggs, the Slings, and the Stones: Ye that profess your selves wise and learned [Page 63] Men, and are Novices and Fools, answer me; draw out your Weapons if you have any, and answer me these things: Come out of your Holes, and do not skip nor hip from them; answer every Word in particular, for you have Tongue enough sometimes, let us see now if it can wagg, &c. — G. Fox.’ For more of this impertinent Nonsence see my Book, Battering Rams against New Rome. Thus scandalous and defamatory have they been in their contemptuous Libels against both the Gentry and Clergy of the English Nation, on purpose to raise themselves out of their Ruins; [for they had no better way to prove their own Religion true, than by rendring all others false.] But when these Libels and pernicious Books would not do their business fully, then they termed them False Prophets, Deceivers, &c. ‘See their Book A brief Discovery of a threefold Estate, &c. p. 7, 8, 9, 10. viz.The Priests of the World are, 1. Conjurers, raising dead Doctrines out of the Letter which is Death, raising Death out of Death; notable Conjurers. 2. Thieves and Robbers. 3. Antichristians. 4. Witches. 5. Devils. 6. Lyars,—The Commission and Call of Baal's Priests, came from Oxford and Cambridge. 7. A Viperous and Serpentine Generation. 8. Blasphemers. 9. Scarlet-coloured Beasts. 10. Babylon's Merchants, selling Beastly Wares, — the Letter, which is Dust and Death. 11. Whited Walls. 12. Ravening Wolves. 13. Greedy [Page 64] Dogs, — Really they are Bloudhounds still hunting and gasping after their Prey, like the Mouth of Hell: Wo, wo, wo was the Portions of those Pharisees then, and wo, wo, wo is their Portion now; and Wo and Misery is the Portion of the Upholders (i. e. Parliament) of that Treacherous Crew and deceitful Generation, &c.’
Come G. W. answer in your next, whether your dispersing these Defamatory Libels unlicens'd be not seditious, scandalous, and tend to the scandal of the Clergy, Parliament, and People; and yet they forgive you all your Trespasses, pass by your many Affronts: But you, like the wicked Servant, whom his Lord forgave all for a Trifle, fall upon others. But you will say, this was in Oliver's time; Why? Was Oxford and Cambridge a Nursery for Baal's Priest in Oliver's time? And is it otherwise now? No, you are the same you were: ‘See your Book, The Guide mistaken, p. 18. printed 1668. by W. Penn.And whilst the idle Gormondizing Priests of England, run away with above 150000 pounds a year, under pretence of being God's Ministers, — And that no sort of People have been so universally, through Ages, the very bane of Soul and Body of the Universe, as that Abominable Tribe, for whom the Theatre of God's most dreadful Vengeance is reserved, to act their Eternal Tragedy upon.’
Reader, I hope by this time I have not only proved G. W. a Publick Defamer, but also his Brethren the like.
II. A Wicked Forger. The Vind. &c. p. 3. Fra. Bugg affirms in his Book de Chr. Lib. par. 2. p. 83. printed 1682. that Conformity is a Monster, &c. — and about two years after he himself conform'd, &c. In answer, I am not the Author of one word of that Page, but the whole Passage is a Query of John Ainsloes, propounded to S. Cater and others, beginning p. 81. ending p. 87. with his Name to it, and by me quoted as his sence touching that Conformity they requir'd of him, about taking his Wife in subjection to their Law of Womens Meetings, and to whom neither J. Ainsloe nor my self ever conformed: And as it was J. A's, and by me quoted, to shew his sence, and to manifest Quakers against Quakers, so it's an absolute piece of Forgery to say, he affirms he himself conformed, — his own Testimony: When all this while it was none of F. B. but J. H's writing, and both his Name and Date, with a black line drawn to distinguish it from mine. Who then can give credit to this Insincere, pretended serious G. W. this grand Forger.
III. A Wilful Lyar. ‘The Content. Apostate, &c. p. 3. F. Bugg and his Company being got to the Meeting before G. W. and into the Gallery where our Ministring Friends used to be, &c.’ In short 'tis false, and that to G. Whitehead's Knowledge too; [Page 66] for there was not a Man of my Company in the Gallery with me, but S. Cater; and this he wilfully and maliciously sent abroad, to render me a turbulent Disturber; which is fully proved in New Rome unm. &c. p. 50, 51.
IV. A Gross Perverter. ‘The Quakers Vind. &c. p. 3.Note, that the Instances Bugg has to prove the Quaker's Contempt of Governors, being between the years 1654. and 1659. —when 'tis clear (thereby) that the Magistrates and Ministers instanced were those very Persecuters and Usurpers in O. Cromwel's days, whereby F. B. has at once justified those Magistrates or Governors in those days, as Christ's Magistrates, and consequently the Usurpation of that Government testified against by E. B. and others.’ Reader, the main thing intended by this Perverter G. W. is to make the World believe that they were such Enemies to Oliver and his Usurpation, as that E. Burr. and the Quakers only reprehended those Governours and Magistrates as such, when 'tis no such matter; for tho' I grant they were wrote in O.C's time, yet they were reprinted in 1672. and by the Quakers common consent and approbation, and for which they are responsible until they condemn them. Well, but did G. Fox, E. Burrough so severely reprehend that Usurpation? I do think, who ever read The Quakers unmask'd, &c. will be of another mind. P. 21. To all you who are called Delinquents and Cavaliers: ‘Thus saith the Lord, My Controversie [Page 67] is against you, even my Hand of Judgment is upon you already, and you are become cursed in all your hatchings.—And though your Kings, and Princes, and Nobles have been cut off in Wrath, — yet you repent not; nor will you see how you are given up to be a Curse, and a Desolation, and a Prey in Houses, and Lands, and Persons to them whom I raised up (i. e. O. Cromwel) against you, and gave Power over you.— And you and your Kings and Lordly Power shall be enslaved by the Devil in the pit of Darkness, in everlasting Bondage, where he shall reign your Lord and King for evermore, &c. Given under my Hand and sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God, through Edw. Burrough.’ Taken at first out of the Trumpet of the Lord sounded, p. 9. but left out of E. B's Works in the reprint, which argues, that G. W. &c. did not believe E. Burr. was so moved, nor that his Message was so sealed by the Eternal God, as E. B. pretended, for if they did, they dealt very unfaithfully to leave out such a notable Prophecy.
Thus you see E. Burrough was so far from reprehending Oliver or his Usurpation, that he tells what the Delinquents was, and how God's Hand was upon the Royal Party, their Kings, Princes, Nobles, Lands, Houses, &c. in Judgment; and that Oliver was raised of God, &c. Well, let us hear what G. R. another of their Prophets says, viz.
Come G. W. was this reprehending O. C. or his Government? Are you not ashamed to give occasion thus to discover your corrupt Principles by your base Pervertions? Well, hear ‘G. Fox, To the Parliament of the Commonwealth, &c. p. 8.Let all these Abby Lands, Gleab Lands, that's given to the Priests, be given to the Poor of the Nation; and let all the great Houses, Abbies, Steeple-houses, and White-hall, be for Alms-houses.’
Come G. W. what Paint have you in store to salve these your grand Pervertions, horrible Principles, and new Forgeries, and false Glosses? What! did you think your Sheet would never be answer'd? Well George, I have not done, but having retrieved my Head from the Wall, by acquitting my self from justifying O. C's Usurpation, and also pointed to the very Creatures, Flatterers, and Prophets [Page 69] who both justified, abetted, encourag'd, and assented to the said Usurpation. See The Quakers unmask'd, &c. I am now coming to tell you what Usurpation I am against, viz.
The Ʋsurpation of the Quakers. And that in divers respects; first, In that you summons the King's Subjects to meet annually in London, by way of general Council or Convocation, without any legal Warrant, Writ, or other legal Authority: And when sate in Councel in Devonshire-house you make Laws, Edicts, and Canons for the King's Subjects throughout England to observe, contrary and in direct opposition to those very Laws, Rules, &c. which the King and Parliament make at Westminster. This is the Usurpation I am against, if you would needs know of me what I account Usurpation: And that you have done so, see your yearly Epistle, May 1675. where, in opposition to the Law the King and Parliament made, that you should not meet above Four, &c. you in opposition made a Law, That your People should neither forsake, decline, nor remove their Meeting. This was one remarkable Instance of your justling with Authority, and of your setting your usurping Post by the legal Post; and a Hundred Instances more of your arbitrary illegal Proceedings and Usurpations might be brought. But to mention a few fresh Instances, see your last [Page 70] yearly Epistle, entituled, The Epistle to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales, and elsewhere, from our Yearly Meeting held in London the 5, 6, 7, 8. days of the 4th Month, 1693. in which, amongst other things, you p. 3. order.
1. That your Books be spread up and down the Nation as well as in parts beyond the Seas, which being unlicens'd, and tending to defame both the Clergy and Gentry, is a Usurpation I am against.
2. That none should pay Tythes, but refuse payment thereof, as an Antichristian Yoke of Bondage; which shew that you at Devonshire-house interfere with those at Westminster.
3. That none should pay to the Steeple-house Rates or Leys, which put the Country to great trouble, and your Proselytes, who submit their Necks to your Usurpation to great Sufferings, tending to Sedition and very evil Effects.
4. That none should carry Guns in their Ships. This shews that you are not content with your own Ease, but as far as your Usurpation prevail, you weaken the Government, and are not willing to leave your People [your People, did I say? yes, your People; for if you say once what they shall or shall not do, 'tis a Law like that of the Meads, &c.] to their Freedom in this and many other Instances, 1. Whether to publish their Intentions to marry before Womens Meetings or not. 2. To [Page 71] meet precisely at the time, day, and place, whether the Law command the contrary or not. 3. To pay Tythes, or not. 4. To pay to the Church Rates or not. 5. To carry Guns, and serve their King and Country, or not. 6. To buy of your Books, as they are perswaded, concerning the Truth of them or not. I say, Did you leave your People free, and at liberty in these and other things, you would do well: Then if any particular person could not for Conscience sake acquiesce in any of these things, wherein the Law requires their active Obedience; then let such pray the Magistrates and Government to hold them excus'd, and when so done, let them acknowledge the Favour from the Government, who only ought to be Judges in that Case. But your taking upon you this Usurped Dominion, the more you prevail upon the People, the less the Kingdom is, and consequently the more you encrease, the more dangerous. And this Usurpation I testified against in my Book de Chr. libertate, Anno 1682. and in Painted Harlot, &c. 1683. and in several other Books; and now you see I am of the fame Judgment still touching Usurpation, &c.
V. A False Glosser. The Qua. Vind. &c. p 2. F. B. accuses somebody with objecting against paying Tythes under the new Covenant, because abrogated by Christ, observing from thence, that the Quakers condemn the Martyrs, &c. Observe this False Glosser: I did not say they condemn either Martyr or others, who did refuse payment of Tythes; I neither said so, nor will [Page 72] my words carry any such intendment, but by that Doctrine laid down by ‘Tho. Ellwood, in his Antidote, &c. p. 78.Truth allows no payment of Tythes at all under the new Covenant; they who pay Tythes uphold a legal Ceremony abrogated by Christ, and thereby deny Christ come in the Flesh, which is a Mark of Antichrist, &c.’ I say, by this Doctrine they do conclude, That all that pay Tythes, whether voluntary or by force, and all such as receive Tythes, and make Laws that Tythes shall be paid, are Antichristians; nay, not only the present Generation of Men, but all former and future Generations that have been, or shall be, since the days of Christ being personally on Earth to the Worlds end: And 'tis this your Incharity that I oppose, and think it great presumption in you to seek Favour at the hands of such as you condemn as Antichristians, &c.
VI. A Deceiver of the People. ‘See Judgment fix'd, Introd. &c. If the Lord did not lay a Necessity upon me, I should chuse to be mute; —but the Lord has laid the Necessity upon me. — I neither consult Events nor fear Effects, &c.’ If what I have herein said be true, and which I offer to prove before 10 or 12 impartial Men, then he is a great Deceiver of the People; nay, were it needful, where I have mentioned one President, (which in order to prove my Charge I was obliged to do) I could have mention'd ten, both Lyes, Pervertions, Forgeries, False Glosses, and scandalous Desamations, both of my self and others. But this may serve for both Caution and Warning to such as, like the noble Bereans of old, are willing to try all things: Which that they may, is the hearty Desire of him that was once led away by their Dissimulation.
Brief Observations upon the Two last Particulars.
1. G. Fox's assuming Divine Attributes to himself, viz. First, He tells you, he wrote from the Mouth of God himself, stands naked, clothed only with Righteousness; which was prophesied and fulfilled. Secondly, That he [Page 31] is the light of the World, by whom it was made One, with the Truth in every Man. Thirdly, That he was so covered, as that neither himself nor his Name was known in the World, had a new Name, plac'd in his Throne, was Crowned, inherited all things, Christ in him might say, I am the way, the truth, and the life, alluding to John 14.6. And Fourthly, He that had the same Spirit which raised Jesus, was equal with God: Which Spirit he pretended to have.
2. How Fox's Disciples ecchoed back Adorations, which answered as Face answers Face in a Glass; for he could not magnifie himself, but his Proselytes were ready to cry Hosanna: First, Oh thou North of England, desolate the least of the Nations barren, &c. yet out of thee did the Branch spring, the Star arise, the Son of Righteousness appear, &c. Alluding to Micah 5.2. Numb. 24.17. Mal. 4.2. Zech 3.8. And Secondly, That his Life reigned and was spotless, his eternal Honour, and blessed Renown, &c. Thirdly, A Prophet indeed compared to Christ, as not known in the World, though made by him. Fourthly, Precious George, the Father of Nations, whose Kingdom is established in Peace, the Encrease thereof without end: Alluding to Isa. 9.6, 7. And Fifthly, That they received Life and Strength from him, preserved by him, could not reign but in his power, begotten and nourished by him, &c. Upon the whole matter, as there were never greater Blasphemies spake by Man [Page 32] than by Fox, so never greater Adorations given to such a Sect-master. And yet G. W. and W. P. in their Book Judas and the Jews, p. 44. Serious Search, &c. p. 58. Judgment Fixed, &c. p. 19, 26. Innocency against Envy, &c. p. 18. have Justified or Excused every Passage, except John Audland's Letter, which when charged therewith by the Athenian Mercury, June 11.1692. G.W. did deny it to be of J. A's writing. But we have the Original Letter, and able to make it appear. by comparing Hands, to be his: Nor did G. F. deny it in his Life-time, albeit an Abstract thereof was Printed and Reprinted, &c.