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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65893	Truth and innocency vindicated and the people called Quakers defended in principle and practice, against invidious attempts and calumnies, being a just examination of two books against the said people, entituled, I. examined by G. Whitehead ...	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1699 (1699)	Wing W1969; ESTC R20356	65,800	86

These our Accusers appear most invidious against them as if influenced by some treacherous Judases or envious Apostates They begin to quote Mr. Bugg and Mr. Kieth as they stile them their Authority against us And what says their Mr. Bugg They tell us Mr. Bugg's Pilgrims Progress Chapters 7 8 9 10 11. give an account of their several Meetings and of their Fund Exchequer or Common-Bank And what says there Mr. Kieth to it seeing he is join'd with F. Bugg for a witness against us Mr. Keith say they who has been a Quaker above thirty Years more shame for him now to vilifie them in his Second Narrative p. 5. says I am not able to Print Books as they Quakers can they are many and have a Common-Stock I am but one To which we Answer we deny their Terms of Fund Exchequer or Common-Bank we know no Common-Stock we have that can properly be called a Fund or an Exchequer for improvement of a Stock or advancing and increasing Mony upon as a Fund Foundation or setled Bottom c. What Fund for Improvement can a Collection for poor be that is soon distributed and spent Tho' we have free and voluntary Collections in our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Charitable Supply and Relief of the Poor and Indigent among us that they may not be Chargeable or Burdensome to our Neighbours of other Persuasions nor to the Parishes wherein they dwell Thus we relieve our own Poor and also pay our share or Proportions severally to other Poor of the respective Parishes and Places where our Friends inhabit And now as we are a People we must needs have divers Charges upon us as Our Poors Rents and charge of Meeting-Houses Rents and Reparations in many Places As also for the necessary Supply and Relief of our Friends when impoverished or disabled under or by extream Suffering and Distress in this or other Countries as in Ireland when they had greatly suffered by reason of the late War and of late in Scotland where in divers parts they have wanted Bread and Subsistence through the late Years great Failing of their Harvests And also for the Relief of our Friends who have been for many Years Captives in Algiers Macqueness and Sally under sore and miserable Hardships and Extremities whereby many have lost their Lives Upon these and other Occasions and Necessities relating to our suffering Friends and Brethren our Friends in this Nation who are capable have been free and willing without any Compulsion to contribute their Christian Assistance Charitable and Necessary Supplies and accordingly Distributions have been made thereof pursuant to these good and necessary Ends So that we have no Fund of Improvement nor any Tax imposed by any of our Meetings but the necessary Occasions tenderly recommended in the Love of God in these Matters and accordingly left to every ones free Liberty as God shall incline their Hearts to consider the Poor and Needy and Distressed c. And if these our Accusers who seek to Jealous and Criminate us in these matters were charitably disposed as Christians they would not render us Criminal Dangerous or Seditious for such Religious Acts of Charity and Christianity But would better consider the Primitive Christians Practice in such Cases than to misrepresent our Meetings wherein such Christian Care is taken as opposite to the Government This Savours rank of an Uncharitable Persecuting Spirit as their long Marginal-Note on p. 22 23. doth beginning with these words They have a Government within the Government independant from it and opposite to it This is like Judas and the Priests and the False Witnesses against Christ to make him an Enemy to Caesar thus they would make us the People of God called Quakers greatly obnoxious as if we promoted Regnum in Regno not only Independent but Opposite to the Civil Government which none of our Meetings are being all Peaceable and Innocent both for the Worship of Almighty God and Service of one another in true Christian Love in order to promote the real Practice of Piety Christianity and true Religion among us as a People and to prevent the contrary as much as in us lies by Warning and due Admonition against all disorderly loose Conversation Immorality and Profaneness tending to the Scandal of our Holy Profession And for such good Ends there were Helps in Government in the true Church 1 Cor. 12.28 and all in Subjection to Christ's Government who is Head and Law-giver to His Church and upon whose Shoulders the Government is laid And this is not opposite to the Civil Government in the Nation neither hath the King the Government or the Nation ever sustained any Hurt or Prejudice by these our Meetings or by the Christian Care or Service thereof and their being Monthly Quarterly and Yearly is for conveniency of the Times and due Notice and in no wise to Confront the Government no more than our First-Days and Weekly Meetings for our Meetings are Innocently upheld in the Name of the Lord for his Worship and Service and have accordingly been manifest these many Years under the various Revolutions of Government and we hope we shall in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ stand for and innocently Vindicate our Christian and Just Liberty therein against this Persecuting Spirit which unjustly seeks to Influence Authority against us and our Religious Exercise in the Practice of our Christian Religion But blessed be the Lord who by his Power hath better inclin'd the King and Government to Moderation and Gentleness towards all their Peaceable and Serviceable People As we do not assume to our selves a Government or Dominion over our People or their Faith nor place a Supremacy or Headship in Persons or Assemblies but in Jesus Christ our Head and Governour so we know no such Supream Assembly among us as gives Laws and makes Orders for the Government of our People and suppressing Books writ against us as is falsly suggested we know no such Supremacy or Dominion exercised among us though we have Christian Assemblies both general and particular held only in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus Neither have we our Laws and Orders for the Government of our People to make by Assemblies but to see those put in practice which Christ our Head and Law-giver hath taught us and revealed to his Servants and that agreeable to the Holy Scriptures of Truth and no ways injurious to the outward Government But for the promoting of Truth and Righteousness in the Earth and as Fellow-helpers in Christ provoking one another to Love and Good Works And as for Passing Censure upon Offenders so did the Primitive Christians And what have they against Passing Censure upon Offenders Why may we not as a Christian Society Censure Offenders and Disorderly Walkers and such as cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel It is evident the Primitive Christian Churches did both Instruct Exhort Reprove Rebuke and Reject These our Persecutors over and over

People to the Consideration of the King and both Houses of Parliament under such Pretences endeavouring to Incense them against the said People and consequently to deprive them of their Religious Liberty legally Granted them and others by Authority under that invidious as well as false Pretence of their being Blasphemous and Seditious in Principle and Practice 4. That we may justly take for granted that the Opinion of these Three Norfolk Clergy-Men is contrary to what they have quoted as Blasphemous and Seditious in each particular so quoted by them and that they hold Principles and Practices contrary to those so condemned by them as Blasphemous and Seditious There 's two things to be Examin'd in the Sequel 1st Their Quotations whether Partial or Impartial Just or Unjust True or False 2d Where Quotations or Citations are truly given either by them or made appear as they are by us Whether the matter it self be of a Blasphemous Import or their so Charging the same Note That many Words and Things are Partially and Unjustly left out in their Quotations are in this Examen truly Inserted or References had hereto Now let 's proceed to examine some of these Three Clergy-Men's Principal Quotations charg'd upon us as Blasphemous Their First and Principal Quotations so Charged follows I. Of the Light Their first Charge of Blasphemous Principles against the said People viz. George Fox the First Founder and great Apostle of this Sect Great Mystery p. 209. saith against his Opponent thus This Light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World which he calls Conscience Is the Light that doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World These Lines are left out of their Citation that through him they might believe and is not Conscience and he that believes hath the Witness in himself and that all might hear the Son and confess him to the Glory of God and therefore are enlightened c. And in p. 331. he further saith The Light which every one that cometh into the World is enlightned withall is not Conscience for the Light was before any thing was made or Conscience named Here observe that they also leave out of the very next distinguishing words viz. So the Light is that which exerciseth the Conscience towards God and towards Man where it is loved and the Voice heard But where it is hated and the Voice not heard the Conscience is Seared and the Light is their Condemnation whose Consciences is Seared which i. e. Light was before Conscience was Now pray observe where 's the Blasphemous Principle Is it in saying That this Light which doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World John 1.4 9. is not Conscience but was before any thing was made or Conscience named Have not these Clergy-Men herein charged both John's Gospel-Testimony with Blasphemy and Christ's own Testimony also See John 1.1 2 3 4 to vers 10. How clear and evident the Evangelist is in this case for us That the Word which was in the beginning which was with God and was God by which all things were made and in which was Life and the Life was the Light of Men even that Word i. e. the Son of God was the true Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World 'T is no Blasphemy to say That God was before Conscience was or Man was made and that this Word this Eternal Son of God was before Conscience was and before any thing was made or Conscience named Seeing All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made So that the Charge of Blasphemy in this case does not only affect us the People called Quakers but John the Evangelist and Christ himself who saith I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8.12 And Believe in the Light that you may be Children of the Light And the whole Soul Mind and Conscience of Man must be Exercised Instructed and Swayed by this Light or else Man's Conscience is not only weak but defiled also and may become Seared But so is not this Divine Light it remains Pure and Incorruptible So that the Light whereby not only we but every Man ought to be guided is the true Eternal God and Christ the Word which so to teach or assert is not Blasphemy as you our Adversaries have Reproach'd us We pity your Ignorance in this principal Point for let 's take your contrary Opinion to what you have here charg'd with Blasphemy and then 't is That Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World John 1.4 9. was not before any thing was made or Conscience named which is to oppose the Deity or Divinity of the Son of God the Word which was with God by which both Man and all things were made 2. Charge of Blasphemy p. 3. viz. And G. F. Junior in his Works Reprinted 1665. p. 50. I the Light will fall upon you and grind you to Powder All who will not own me the Light in you And I will make you know that I the Light am the true Eternal God which Created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can save Observe Though what 's here be very Partially Cited 't is no Blasphemy the Quotation is very unfairly taken by these our Accusers not taking notice either of the Title of this part of G. F. Junior's Book or to whom writ or what he further clearly saith for the Light His Title of what he writes in that part being The Words of the Everlasting and True Light who is the Eternal Living God and the King of Saints which he gave unto me his Servant to declare unto the Inhabitants of the Earth c. He speaks therefore in the Name of God and Christ as the true Light and not in his own name and those to whom he saith I the Light will grind you to Powder are such as Murderers Whoremongers Thieves Cheaters Swearers Lyars c. and all Workers of Iniquity who hate the Light which hath made manifest their Abominations and reproved them for them These with other words previous to what 's quoted are left out As I have been prest with your Iniquities But I the Light will arise upon you and if you will not hear and return speedily I 'll fall upon you and grind you to Powder And is this Blasphemous pray Have you not here so charged the Testimony of Christ himself who is the Light of the World and the Chief Corner-Stone the Foundation-Stone see Mat. 21.42 44. Luke 20.18 Whosoever shall fall on this Stone he shall be broken But on whomsoever it shall fall it shall Grind him to Powder After I 'll make you know that I the Light these are left out which lighteth every Man which cometh into the World that all through me should believe am the true Eternal God

Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is his Warfare with Carnal Weapons c. neither hath he chosen us for that end neither can we yet believe that he will make use of us in that way c. but as for Christ's Right to Rule the Nations he being the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Holy Scriptures are very clear and full And we could heartily wish the Nations and the Princes of the Earth more Subject to Christ's Government than generally they are then there would be more universal Love Charity Tranquility and Amable Correspondence in the Nations and Kingdoms of this World than as yet there is As to S. Fisher's Message in 1656. again recited in part For the Reign of Christ and his Saints 't is cleared in the First Part. As to what they recite out of E. B's Epistle To the Camp of the Lord in England p. 67. containing many Warlike Expressions he was never understood to mean Litterally amongst us or by any of us that ever I could perceive but of a Spiritual Warfare with Spiritual Weapons as when the Lord said I have hewen them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my Mouth Hosea 6.5 and Psal 149.6 7 8 9. Let the High Praises of God be in their Mouth a Two-edged Sword in their hand to execute Vengeance upon the Heathen and Punishments upon the People To bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron To Execute upon them the Judgment written this Honour have all his Saints Though these Doctors are pleased to take these Litterally against us in S. Fisher's Message Thus they shew their Learning and how they are Principled for Fighting against Kings and Nobles if they esteem themselves Saints as we may presume they do which still shews how Ignorant they are of the Voices of God's Prophets To their Marginal Note upon E. B's said Epistle To the Camp of the Lord viz. N. B. It was a Secret of their Government not fit to be divulged What a manifest untruth is that when they see it divulged in his Works quoted by them p. 64. to 67. IX Concerning Kings and Kingly Government What is recited under this Head is answered in the First Part except this Prophetical Passage viz. The Lord will cleanse the Land of you Rulers Priests c. This was prophesied against the Persecutors and Oppressors of God's People in 1655. which in a great Measure is come to pass and may yet further be fulfilled if any should rise up to renew the like work of Persecution against the Lord's Heritage X. Concerning Parliaments Many are so doting on the Name of a Parliament c. against Fra. Howgill's Works p. 5. with more words abruptly cited so that the sense and intent of the Author cannot be understood and I find them not in the place cited XI Of the Lords What a dirty nasty thing it would have been to have heard talk of a House of Lords amongst them To the Council of Officers p. 7. that was among them in O. Cromwell's days which was about 1656. 'T was spoken ad Hominem as their Principle who were against O. C's making Lords or having a House of Lords among them there was once more Sincerity and Humility among them than so to exalt themselves contrary to what they had professed XII Of the Commons The Recitations under this Head are answered in the First Part in which I would not be understood in any wise to oppose the Peoples Legal and Just Rights to Elections or chusing Members of Parliament according to the Just Intent of Parliaments chosen to make Laws for the Safety and good of the People knowing that Salus Populi Suprema Lex est XIII Of the Quakers rejecting all Humane Laws and Authority but their own This is a notorious Calumny and the Contrary publickly testified by us as a People for our owning and obeying Magistracy as God's Ordinance and by our peaceable Conversation and Submission to Authority ever since we were a People And I cannot see what Offence can be in these words It is God's proper Right to give Laws unto Man seeing 't is by his Divine Wisdom that Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice Prov. 8.15 The other Passages recited under this 13th Head are also answered in the First Part. XIV Of the Quakers taking upon them Authority to abrogate the Laws of the Land and Associating for the same with their Hands Lives and Estates What they brokenly recite under this Head in several Passages is chiefly against the payment of Tithes under the New Covenant and against such Preachers as Preach for Tithes and Mony to be testified against in the Lord's Power and Spirit which has been according to our Christian Testimony as we really believe and are persuaded in Conscience ever since we were a People Which is not to take upon our selves Authority to abrogate the Laws of the Land as is wrongfully charged upon us under this Head For we neither take upon us such Authority nor do we pretend to any such Power nor do we Associate our selves for that end 't is an unjust Calumny cast upon us But only as the Lord has persuaded us in our own Consciences by his Light and Grace we are obliged to be Faithful in our Testimony though many have been and are Sufferers for the same We do not resist Authority but rather possitively Submit wherein we cannot actually obey with Safety and Peace of Conscience And further we are persuaded our Adversaries cannot make it appear by plain Scripture that Christ's Ministers who are Ministers of the New Covenant are allowed by him to Preach for Tithes Hire or forced Maintenance or that he requires their Hearers to pay Tithes for this is contrary to his own precept freely ye have received freely give And to his Changing the Priesthood of Levi that took Tithes and disanulling the Law that enjoyned the payment of them Heb. 7. and Mat. 10. Divers of the Martyrs and eminent Reformers as in the first Part noted bore the like Testimony with us against the Payment and Imposing of Tithes under the Gospel But this grates hard against such avaricious Priests whose Interest and Trade is therein concerned And seeing T. Ellwood is quoted against the Payment of Tithes under the New Covenant I refer the Reader to his Treatise in that case entituled The Foundation of Tithes shaken XV. Of the High and Divine Authority which the Quakers arrogate to themselves and that they do intend when able to root up and destroy all other Governments This is still as bitter as false and calumnious as the other to render us Obnoxious and to incense to Persecution against us We arrogate no such Authority to our selves but desire Humbly to Meet in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus whose Presence is in our Assemblies in the midst of us as we humbly Meet in his Name And our giving