1. This Certificate is very unfair, partial, and unjust in both, as I could produce many more Witnesses to the Contrary, if I should go or send about to get hands; for that I did publickly own the said Book, Judgment Fixed, and the other also that very day and place (the Errors of the Press excepted) some time before the Meeting was ended, as many can Witness: That at first I refused for some time to Answer F. B. but refused not to own my said Books, or to answer his Charge at a more convenient time, which I did before parting, but would not presently be forced nor frighted thereunto by his peremptory demands and threats (with Constable and Warrant) his imperiously imposing upon me, I did not think my self bound immediately to Answer at his demand, and in his time, but took my own time and method to give Answer. This is the very truth of the Case.

2. That I did not only Answer his said Charge by way of Denial, but all the rest of his abusive and proofless Accusations and Clamours in general.

And my Negation was sufficient, whilst his Affirmations were unproved, and yet in many things he was answered by such demonstrations as he was not able to refute. I had no cause to be Timerous or Cowardly from a Guilty Conscience, nor ashamed of S. Cripe (in his being concerned with me) as F. B. most falsly insinuates, p. 2, 3. And at length, against his abusive Clamours, That G. W. was disaffected to the Government; Jesuitically siding with the Papists against Protestants, &c. This proposition was fairly made and urged by me the person abused, viz.

That seeing F. B. hath thus publickly and highly reproached me touching the Government, as disaffected to the same, Popish, Jesuitical, &c. I do sincerely offer, that if F. B. or any that take his part (his Minister or any other) hath any thing to charge me with, relating to the Civil Government, or any Complaint, Suggestion, or Jealousy against me touching the same, according to his said Reproaches, if he or they will let me have a Lawful Summons (after I am at London) to appear before the Secretary of State, or any of the Lords of the King and Queen's Council, I shall (God willing) meet him or any of them face to face, and Vindicate my own Innocency against his Malicious Charge. But to this F. B. and his Party gave no answer; only S. Knowles said they would consider of it. And indeed Isaac Archer and he might have been more Ingenuous than to sign such an unjust Certificate as they have done, upon F. B's Instigation; it will no way redound to their Reputation or Credit.

Again F. B. proceeds with his Clamours, charging us with being Deluders with Abominable Lyes, Manifest Forgeries and Gross Perversions; one instance whereof he may Recite, as he saith, out of our Book, Innocency against Envy, in Answer to his Quakers Detected, p. 3. Where he saith, We have grosly abused his Intention, and by leaving out five words, (viz. in the beginning they taught) have made him speak what is for our turn, saying, that he confesses to our Doctrin, viz. That all men are enlighted by Christ, according to John 1. 9. And to the Sufficiency of this Light of Christ to lead to Salvation, without the help of Mens outward Prescriptions, Forms, &c. p. 3. That he did plainly confess to our Doctrin herein, is true still; and our leaving out those five words, doth not lessen his Confession, nor will his now saying, We have grosly abused his Intention, be any just excuse; but both idle and evasive, as if his intention were not to confess that Doctrin or our Ministry (which we still hold) as in the beginning we taught, whereas he hath contrariwise granted, that he was still the more confirmed that it was a Dispensation of the Love of God sent as a Visitation to Mankind; and being thus perswaded, he was resolved to bear the Cross, and did utterly dispise the Shame that attended us and our Message, &c.

And that in this manner (he saith) we went on for many years, and Loved one another with Love unfained, and doubtless God blessed our Meetings with the comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence; and as every man was perswaded by the Lord, so he was frequently exhorted to walk. See his Quakers Detected, p. 3. before cited more at large; from all which, pray observe how plainly he hath confessed, since he was Conformed to the Church of England, in the year, 1686. both to the Truth of the Quakers Doctrin, Ministry, Society, Blessed Meeting, and Immediate Teaching of the Lord, which he saith was in the beginning, as if now they were Declined; however it was since they were a People Religious and Christian Society, and he one among them (according to his own confession) and both these People called Quakers, while in such Purity and Blessedness, yea, and Ancient Splendor also, (as he saith p 14. of his One Blow, &c.) were all Dissenters from the Church of England, and bore Testimony against the Clergy, and Priests, and Tythes, their Covetousness, Oppression and Persecution; but now F. B. (and not the People called Quakers) is turned back to the Priests whom he testified against, when he owned the said People to be the People of God, and both sound in Doctrin and Practice (who still persevere in their Testimony.) But F. B. is Fallen, Back-sliden and Apostatized from his Testimony which he bore among the said People, therefore he is the Apostate and not we; and yet as a self-condemned person even since his Conformity is made to confess to the Truth of our Doctrin, Conversation and Sotiety, as it was in the beginning, and for many years together, when he owned us: But now he walks quite contrary in his Conformity and Temporizing, so that he cannot be Right now, if he was ever Right among us. But if he saith he is now of another Judgment, as his Minister J. Archer would have him, instancing Paul's saying, He thought he might do many things against the Name of Jesus, but was of another Judgment when Converted; then this is to condemn F. B's own Testimony to the Truth of our Doctrin and Conversation, which he hath given since he turned to the Clergy and Church of England; and I could not find that either F. B. or his Minister could clear him of this Dilemma, if ever he was in the Truth while he was among the People called Quakers, or in Society with them, he must be in Error now in his turning back to the Priests and Church of England; but if he and his Teacher will conclude that he was always in Error while among the People called Quakers, but now Converted and in the Truth; This is to Condemn his own Testimony aforesaid, Printed in the Year, 1686. Quakers Detected, p. 3. where since a Member of the Church of England, he hath confessed to the Doctrin, Ministry, Christian-Conversation, Love and Society of the People called Quakers, and their blessed Meetings in the beginning, and for many Years; so that take it which way he or his now Minister will, he is under a manifest Snare, he is self-Condemned, and his slight evasion will stand him in no stead, viz. That he is far enough from confessing to our present Doctrin and Conversation; and saying, that though he did set forth what we held in the beginning, yet that we teach the contrary now; and what though Rome was once a glorious Church So the Quakers were once a glorious Church, by this comparison, and both then and now clearly Dissenters from the Church of England. endued with sound Doctrin, and many other excellent Ornaments; yet by Innovatians and Mischievous Impositions, she is utterly Deserted. And his saying, There is great difference between my saying in the beginning, that they taught sound Doctrin, &c. and saying the same now. p. 4. These Evasions and Shifts will not cover nor excuse him, nor warrant his Temporising, and turning to the Priests and Church of England, contrary to that Doctrin and Testimony which he saith we Taught in the beginning, but still he appears a self-condemned Person, guilty of deep Hypocrisy therein, acting contrary to manifest conviction in his own Conscience; for wherein he falsly suggests we now Teach and Act contrary to what we did in the beginning; he should rather have endeavoured to find out some other People whose Doctrin and Conversations are both sound and agreeable, as he confesseth the Quakers were in the beginning; or to consist better with himself, he should see if he could find out some other glorious Church endued with sound Doctrin and excellent Ornaments, (but then it must be without either Canons, Rules or Discipline) that is neither the People called Quakers, nor the Church of England, which he Testified against when he was in Society with the Quakers in their Ancient Splendour, according to his own confession, otherwise he is still in the Mire, and yet to seek, being in Egypt, sold thither. As he saith, Quakers Detected, p. 8. and therefore no real Convert of the Church of England, while he would make the People believe that he is for the Quakers in their Doctrin and Practice, when most Glorious and Splendid, and yet continues a pretended Member of the Church of England, contrary to both.

But dare F. B. in Conscience now say that he is more Just, more Pure, more Clean in his Life, than when he walked among the People called Quakers, and owned them as the People of God, a Glorious Church, &c.?

Now he proceeds to prove that we do not teach now as in the beginning, and that our Practice, Deportment and Conversation, is not now as in the beginning, nor attended with that Simplicity and Plainness, &c. For which he hath framed six Articles.

They sometimes Taught that Reflecting upon Persons, was a mark of a false Prophet, and never the way to beget to God, quoting G. F's. great Mystery, &c. p. 237. and that to call Names for Religion, were no Christians of Christ's making.

He has dealt unfairly by G. F. in his Citation, leaving out his first words, viz. The work of the Ministers of the Gospel was not to reflect upon Persons or Creatures, but struck at the Power which Captivated the Creatures, which intends not to strike at the Creature distinct from that Power that Captivates it; and to prove that we Practise contrary, he quotes a Book, Truth's Defense, calling a Minister, i. e. Camelford, filthy Beast, Impudent, Enemy of God, &c. And E. B. for calling Bennet, Reprobate, Child of Darkness, Blasphemer, &c. And another Book Entituled A threefold Estate of Antichrist, for calling the Priests of the World Theeves and Robers, Antichrist's Liers, Viperous Generation, Babylon's Merchants, Ravening Wolves, Greedy Dumb Dogs, &c. To all which I thus briefly Answer.

1. That personal Reflections and calling Names meerly for Religion, is neither the way to beget to God nor Christian; but Reflections and Names suitable to the ill Qualities, ill Natures and corrupt Practices of Persons. This is not to strike at the Creature distinct from that power that Captivates it, but chiefly at that power of Darkness in its own birth and depraved Generation; And such Reflections or Names are not given for Religion sake; but because of some Persons Depravity and Degeneration. F. B. knows that some in the Scripture are called both Bulls, greedy dumb Dogs, ravening Wolves, generation of Vipers, Serpents, evil Beasts, Antichrists, Reprobates, &c. And I would ask F. Bugg if he did not Believe the covetous Priests of the World were such, when he was in Society with the People called Quakers, and owned them both in Doctrin and Practice in their Antient Splendour and Glory, as he hath since confest they once were? I suppose within that time wherein he walked amongst them for many years, (I suppose above Twenty) and when he himself writ against the said Priests, did not he then think that many of them deserved such Characters as before mentioned, and in Scripture given to the false Prophets, false Shepherds, and covetous Watch-men of Israel? And it is further observable, that those Books mentioned and charged by F. B. as Truths Defence, E. B. against Bennet, Three-fold Estate of Antichrist, and Samuel Fisher's Rusticus, were first printed many years ago, and in such times as F. B. no doubt, owned the People called Quakers to be in their Primitive Purity, Splendor and Soundness, both in Doctrin and Conversation, especially in those many years he walked among them, and owned them; why did he not tell the World what years those said Books were first printed in, which now he has accused? that his Inconsistency and Self-contradiction might more plainly have appeared, in his commending and condemning a People for things Writ by some of them, even when they were so commendably owned, and highly approved of by the self same Judge or Person, even F. B.

He puts a Slight on our Answer to his Pamphlet, B. Rams, as so impertinent and short of an Answer, as not worth Replying to, yet thinks it necessary to make some few Observations on it, p. 10. I am sure that his Observations are both Impertinent, and contain divers Falshoods in a little compass, and far short of a Reply.

As 1st. That G. W. will not own our said Answer to his B. Rams, only a part of it, is a gross Lie divers times Reiterated.

2dly. That G. F. and E. B. Encourage O. C.'s Army to a Practise they believed was not Lawful, i. e. to Fight; how proves he this? And that they did so Encourage them then in the Present Tense, and Future Tense (as he saith) Did not G. F. say to O. C. Arise and come forth? &c. But did he say, Arise and come forth to Fight, Cut and Slash as F. B. confidently inferred, and told the Meeting at Mildenhall aforesaid? But 'tis not needful for me to insist on this point, the Matter being sufficiently spoke to, and answered in our late Book, Entituled, Christ's Lambs Defended from Satan's Rage, against John Pennyman's envious Invective, falsly styled, The Quakers Vnmasked.

3dly. I do not believe that one of our Ministers said to the Court at Barbadoes, That if the Spirit of the Lord God in them, led them to Fight, I had nothing against it, or that we Recorded any such thing in our Book of Foreign Letters, as F. B. saith: I know no such Record, nor do I believe it till I see it; and if I do, we shall disown it, as none of our Doctrin nor Principle.

4thly. F. B. hath another strange Story against S. Fisher, viz. That he said he believed or expected that the People called Quakers would be Instrumental by Force (with others) to turn out or overturn the then Government, and that this he spake to Mr. Osgood (after the Rising of the Fifth-Monarchy Men) and Mr. Pennyman, as I am Informed; pray ask them if they do not remember it, p. 10. Thus far F. Bugg. I have shewed Jo. Osgood this Story, and asked him about it, and his Answer is this, viz. I do not remember that S. Fisher spoke them, or such words, and I do not believe he did; and I am not apt to believe he spoke such Words, for if he had, I should have opposed them. Wherefore we have Reason to think, this was some forged Story against S. F. who was a peaceable harmless Man, and that this Apostate may be ashamed to charge the Dead, and the Memories of the Living, with old defaming Stories.

5thly. After he hath pretended his Concern for many called Quakers both of his near Relations, and many of the Hearers being honest People (as he Confesses) but have their Eye too much to such Teachers and Leaders as G. W. and his Brethren, &c. p. 11. He insinuates a want of Vnion, in affection to the present Government; and saith, not one Epistle, not one publick Prayer, &c. i. e. for King William and Queen Mary, which is more than he knows or can demonstrate. His envious and unjust Insinuations therein, have been already answered in our half Sheet in Print, Entituled, The Quakers Answer to a Scandalous Libel, styled, A Letter to the Quakers, which he hath since owned by offering to prove what we deny in it, B. Rams. p. 19. And also in our late Answer to his B. Rams, he doth but reiterate the same thing over and over against us; and then to colour over his envious and injurious Insinuations against us, touching the Government, he tells us thus, viz. But I will not insist too much upon this point, lest you say I expose you, and would set the King against you, which is not my desire, as well as below the dignity of his Person and Station.

Thus when he hath endeavoured to expose us to all the Reproach and Infamy he can, and to render us Disaffected and Obnoxious to the Government, he can thus Hypocritically pretend, 'tis not his desire to set the King against us. O false hearted Man! What better Tendency is thy envious work of! 'Tis well 'tis below the Dignity of the King's Person and Place, to be influenced by the Malice of such Apostates as thy self, or by such false and infamous Characters, unjustly cast upon us, as Disaffected to the Government, New Rome Painted Harlots, Deluders, Deceivers, Jesuitical deep Hypocrisie, &c. And yet thou wouldst be glad we would publickly Address the King and Queen, and pray for them publickly and heartily, and therein be Example to our Hearers, who are honest People. p. 11, 12. Wherein thy Hypocrisie and Inconsistency against us (being set together) Runs thus, viz. Thou Painted Harlot, thou New Rome, thou Antichrist, Deep Hypocrite, Deluder and Deceiver, disaffected to the Government, &c.—Pray Publickly and Heartily for King WILLIAM and Queen MARY. And is this thy Affection and Friendship to the King and Queen? These may evince thy Folly, Confusion and Madness against an Innocent People, whom thou hast causelesly Deserted and unjustly Defamed. We grant 'tis our Christian Duty to Pray for all Men, for Kings, &c. But where are all required by Christ or his Apostles, to pray for them by Name? Or charged as Offenders, for not Naming Persons in our Prayers? May not we pray acceptably, unless we tell God the Name of those we pray for? Surely we need not a False Hearted Apostate to dictate our Prayers to us. Thy Hypocrisy and self-Contradiction also appears, in one while seeming to be against Personal Reflections and calling Names, &c. And another while calling the People called Quakers, Painted Harlot, New Rome, Rome's Sister, &c. which to excuse, among other false Allegations and Defamations, thou givest this for one Reason, viz. By their valuing their own Traditions above the Scriptures, p. 12. which is a notorious Lye, and utterly denyed by us as the rest of thy Lyes and filthy abuses are, with thy Lying conceited Rimes against us, being not worth Reciting.

I leave thee and thy Works of Darkness and Envy, to the Righteous Judgments of the Heart-searching God; and thy Judgment lingereth not, and thou shalt be Rewarded according to thy Evil Deeds; it is high time for thee to seek Repentance, before thou be cut off, for thy Day hasteneth; if thou wilt not be Humbled nor Repent, Remember thou hast been, and art Admonished and Warned: And with what Face or Conscience canst thou finally appeal to God, as knowing thou hast no Malitious intent, nor nothing of Revenge; or to pretend to be, or Write without Prejudice or Malice? And art not thou Joyned to such as say Prophecying and immediate Revelation are Ceased? How then comest thou to take upon thee to Prophecy, That our Mountain shall be laid wast, and that we shall become like a wast howling Wilderness, Dead, Dry and Barren? Which is thy own Condition, thou art Dead, Dry and Barren, and yet presumest to be a Judge or a Prophet, against others more Righteous than thy self; our Mountain is the Mountain of the Lord, it is Mount Sion, that shall never be removed, nor laid wast, and it is Exalted above the Top of Esau's Mountain, and in vain dost thou strive against the Lord's Mountain; thou art not only Fighting and Striving against Man or Men, but against the Lord, his Truth and Power, which is and will be too strong for thee; thy great Iniquities are before him, and thy Secret Sins are set in his sight, even in the Light of his Countenance, and both thy Secret and Open Wickedness is seen and Judged by the Lord; look at home, examin and consider thy own corrupt, perverse and crooked Ways, and seek Repentance, if a place may yet be found for thee, which I sincerely wish, if it may yet stand with the good Pleasure of All-mighty God to Grant it: And consider if thou hast not cause to fear thy day hastening.