strengthen the same even like William Smith's Primmer and Catechism which contain more than a 100 pages yet in all the Treatise there is not one verse of Scripture quoted nor that I remember one exhortation to read the Scriptures in their Family and in his Works in Folio do I find very few Scripures quoted if any and them that are quoted much perverted and abused but to the matter Of Womens Meetings see an abstract of a Letter from G. F. who was the first mover and setter of them up viz. Dear Friends To whom is my Love It would be well and be of service to have a Womans Meeting that you may assist and inform the Men of necessities in what you cannot do your selves and so it would do well for the Women to have a distinct Meeting by themselves once a Month in the County Town meeting together about the Tenth hour of the day and keep a little Stock amongst themselves George Fox This Letter was wrot about 1670. pursuant to his motion for the Establishment of a Womans distinct Meetings but yet in many places they came on slowly and they made but small progress in this Administration of their Female Church Government for it met very early with opposition from amongst themselves and especially when the observation of it came to be imposed as a thing necessary which many looked upon a thing indifferent and therefore the Anniversary Synod confirmed it in all Points by one of their Acts Anno 1675. A Copy thereof followeth viz. London th 3d. Month 1675. To all Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and elsewhere c. touching Womens Meetings It is our Judgment and Testimony in the word of God's Wisdom that the Rise and Practice setting up and establishing Mens and Womens distinct Meetings in the Church of Christ in this our Day and Generation is according to the Mind and Counsel of God and done in the ordering and leading of his Eternal Spirit and that it is the duty of all Friends and Brethren in all places to be diligent therein and to encourage and further each other in that blessed Work and particularly that Friends and Brethren in their respective Counties encourage their faithful Women in the settlement of the said Meetings and if any professing Truth i.e. Quakerism shall either directly or indirectly discountenance or weaken the Hands of either Men or Women in the Work and Service of the Lord let such be admonished according to the order of the Gospel and if they receive it not but reject it resist Counsel and persist in the work of Division We cannot but look upon them not in the unity of the Church of Christ and order of the Gospel Therefore let Friends go on in the power of God and in that work for him his Truth and People and not be swayed or hindered by them or their opsitions Signed by William Penn Stephen Crispe John Burnyet George Whitehead Thomas Salthouse Alex. Parker c. This new order of George Fox's for Womens distinct Meetings being ratify'd and in all Points confirm'd and special orders from above given for the strict observation of them There was then but few that in plain words did care to oppose them notwitstanding their was not a word of Scripture neither by Fox nor their yearly Meeting offer'd to prove their proceedings Apostolical nor to warrant their Precept nor to shew a President since the days of Christ or before that Women should hold a Court or Synod distinct by themselves have a Clark a Book a Purse and the management of Church Government once a Month to meet in the County Town about the tenth hour c. according to the Order and Institution of George Fox And notwithstanding there was no Scripture President nor Divine Authority to confirm this Order of George Fox Yet you see by this Anniversary Synod it was ordained enacted and decreed by and with the Assent of the Delegates and Representatives that whoever discountenanced them directly or indirectly was ipso facto to be declared excommunicate out of the unity of their Church I might enlarge and shew the Decree which went forth from their Anniversary Synod 1677. Signed with 66 Names of the Foxonian Quakers condemning John Story and John Wilkinson and their Party for refusing subjection to the Decree above mentioned as likewise another Letter from the Storian Quakers out of the North signed by 67 Quakers disdaining and utterly condemning the Foxonian Quakers and their Pride and Arrogancy who look upon them not only to make Laws unscriptural but when done to condemn such as did not obey them and over whom they had no power but I rather refer to a Book stiled a Testimony against the 66 Judges c. and W. Rogers stiled The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator c. and my Book aforecited where both the said Letters are at large and the controversy thereabouts more largely handled I shall only add a Prophesy delivered in the Name of the Lord in a Letter to John Story one of the opposers of the Womens Meetings before several Witnesses the first of the first Month 1677. viz. Oh John Story what hast thou done against the Lord and thy own Soul Thou hast divided the Heritage of the Lord and the good Ordinances which Christ Jesus hath set up in his Church hast thou contemned especially Womens Preaching and Womens Meetings therefore the Lord will throw contempt upon thee and if thou dost not repent speedily miserable will be thy end Oh how hast thou lost thy Place and Dignity which thou had'st among the Saints in Light and now to be numbered amongst the Rebellious If ever thou findest Mercy with the Lord go home to the North with speed and break up the divided Meetings which thou and John Wilkinson has been Instrumental to divide from the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ The Anger of the Lord is chiefly against thee and thou art bound with two bonds for the Church and Brethren have bound thee on Earth and thou art surely bound in Heaven and this is the Testimony of Jesus to thee neither shalt thou be able to get from under these bonds till thou art reconciled to the Brethren i. e. submit to G. F. c. Oh hast to the Work abovesaid least the wrath of the Lord overtake thee before it be done and be reconciled to George Fox who is God's Friend and the Servant of the living God and great Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ hast away into the North for thy time is short and go quickly thou and thy brother if possible you may bring again to the Body of Jesus Christ those ye have scattered least their blood be required at your hands Arise quickly and be going for this is the word of the Lord to thee viz. That this year shalt thou John Story dye because thou hast taught Rebellion against the living God Solomon Eccles. I have recited the more of this Letter of Solomon Eccles for
People may be heartily thankful yet it plainly appears that your Leaders and Teachers and Anniversary Synods are of another mind for had you been as hearty and zealous for the present Government as in point of gratitude you should and ought to have been your People had not been so divided and so confused touching the Protestant interest as now they are the sad and evil Effects of which must and will be laid at your doors Consider what is said repent and amend your ways for this Government and the Protestant Interest are so link'd together that those who are not true to the one cannot be true to the other whatever their pretences are or may be This I wrot and caused it to be printed and dispersed as a Testimony against their lukewarmness to the present Government and their Zeal to and for the late Reign as this Section and Sections 5 6 do make plainly appear Obj. But possibly some may object that these are private Addresses by some few particulars and be ready to demand whether they ever made a publick Anniversary Address that thereby they might in all Kingdoms shew their Loyalty to the late King c. Ans Yea that they did and that it may more evidently appear that William Penn's Books mention'd in Section V. VI. run in the same channel I will write part of their said Anniversary Address Anno 1688. viz. The humble Address of the People call'd Quakers from their yearly Meeting the 6th of the Month called June 1688. viz. We the Kings peaceable Subjects from divers parts of his Dominions being met together in this City after our usual manner to inspect the affairs of our Christian Society throughout the World think it our Duty humbly to represent to him the blessed Effects the Liberty he has graciously granted his People to worship God according to their Consciences hath had both on our Persons and Estates for whereas we formerly had long and sorrowful Lists brought to us from almost all parts of his Territories of Prisoners and the spoil of Goods by violent and ill Men upon account of Conscence We bless God and thank the King the Goals are every where clear except in cases of Tythes and the repairs of Parish Churches and some few about Oaths and we do in all Humility lay it before the King to consider the hardships our Friends are yet under for Conscience sake in those respects being in the one chiesly expos'd to the present Anger of the offended Clergy who have therefore imprisoned some of them till death and in the other they are rendered very unprofitable to the publick and themselves for both in reference to Freedoms in Corporations Probats of Wills and Testaments and Administrations Answers in Chancery and Exchequer Tryals of our just Titles and Debts proceeding in our Trades in the Custome house serving the Office of Constables c. They are disabled and great advantages taken against them unless the King's Favour do interpose and as we humbly hope he may relieve us so we confidently assure our selves he will ease us what he can Now since it hath pleased thee O King to renew to all thy Subjects by thy last Declaration thy gracious Assurances to pursue the Establishment of this Liberty and Property upon an unalterable Foundation and in order to it to hold a Parliament in Nov. next at farthest we think our selves deeply engaged to renew our assurances of Fidelity and Affection and with God's help intend to do our part for the effecting so blessed and glorious a Work that so it may be out of the power of any one party to hurt another upon the account of Conscience And as we firmly believe that God will never desert this righteous cause of Liberty nor the King in maintaining of it so we hope by God's Grace to let the World see we can honestly and heartily appear for Liberty of Conscience and be inviolably true to our own Religion whatever the Folly or Madness of some Men on that account may suggest to the contrary These are the sayings of their Anniversary Synod Here you see is nothing wanting but bended knees here is in all Humility in all Fidelity with all Affection yea all all all all Prayers for him for long Life for a prosperous Reign Laud and Praise in the highest for his Deliverance for the defeating his Enemies the excluders yea it would be too long to enumerate them Besides Book after Book in favour of the Government and Letter after Letter printed and dispersed a first a second and a third for the repealing the Penal Laws and Tests that so the Papists might sit in Parliament to Establish them a new Order even St. George's Order as compleatly as their Grandfather Ignatius Loyola had his Order confirmed by the Popes Bulls October 3d. Anno 1540 as at large set forth in a Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome c. p. 281. But God in his righteous Judgment deserted their King their Cause and will in time more fully discover their Order to be of the same tendency and carried on by the same Holy cheats that Ignatius Loyola's Order of the Jesuits was And so much briefly to shew how Quakerism grew and after what manner it made its progress and how they bent their strength against the Protestant Interest Church of England and all Orthodox Religion But Reader did you ever hear of an Anniversary Address to King William No such matter Did you ever see a Book put forth in favour of the present Government No such matter no no 't is as in my printed Letter 1690. above recited No Salutation no Message no Prayer for nor no Address to King William III from this their yearly Synod nor a Book wrot in favour of the Government no in all Humility no in all Affection no publick Prayers for his long and prosperous Reign no Laud and Praise that his Enemies are defeated here is no no no no. Come George Whitehead and foreman of your Anniversary Synod what can you say for your selves Why are you mute Why have you not brought forth one publick Anniversary Synodical Address this seven years nor publick Prayers or are you still like those we read on 1 Sam. 10. 27. But the children of Beliel said how shall this man save us and they despised him and brought him no presents no Prayers no Addresses but the King held his peace But that I may not leave out one cluster of the Quakers Vine by which Quakerism has been nourished I shall now mention a notable passage to discover the Quakers aversion to the present Government viz. The Widow Whitrow formerly a Quaker wrot a Book in favour of the Government about four years since but it did so cross the Quakers current that they made an Order for the calling it in and suppressing the same the which I have together with their not addressing His present Majesty more largely handled in my Book New Rome unmask'd p. 26.
this heigth it is now arrived at But when I came to view it and seriously to consider the Contents of it as I find it in many things very well done with respect to the former particulars and thereby will spare me some pains and cost so with respect to the latter viz. to set forth their pernicious Doctrines their horrible Blasphemies their dissembling Cheats and religious Frauds by which they have not only deceived Thousands but almost perswaded many well meaning and worthy Gentlemen to have a better esteem of them and their Tenets than they deserve I found it very deficient viz. In shewing the methods by which they have risen and their Hypocrisie and wretched ways by which they have spread their blasphemous Errors and pernicious Principles and how they have unchurched all but themselves and thereupon it seemed to me that the said History rather tends to strengthen them in their Errors then to help them out of them for it bends too much to the left hand and reflects on our English Magistrates as Persecutors and on our Church as not well disciplired which I charitably presume was occationed by that Learned Authors giving too much credit to the Books and Manuscripts and his conversation with some of them for saith he p. 5. Since therefore I have had the fortune of a long time to be familiarly acquainted and much conversant with these men call'd Quakers and that in many places and besides many of their Writings and Manuscripts of which some are in print some not having fallen into my hands I thought it would be an acceptable Enterprise to write upon this Subject leaving it for every Man to judge as he thinks fit of their Actions Tenets c. And since I find the said History as above observ'd to be deficient in the main Part at least in many main Points I shall write something by way of Correction which I hope neither he nor any other indifferent Person will take amiss since I pretend to have as much experience and knowledge of the Quakers as he can pretend too having the misfortune to be many Years conversant with them and their Teachers as also the good fortune to know their Methods to have of their Writings and Manuscripts by me some in print some not whereby I have been able to derect them and to confute their Errors and so I shall leave it to every Man as he saith to judge as he pleaseth of their Actions Tenets Customs way of Church-Government and principles of Religion and Doctrine which I shall produce from Book and Page of their most Authentick Authors First then that it may appear I have reason to know the Quakers as well as this Learned Author and thereupon as warrantable a Motive to write on this Subject In the Year 1657. I went first amongst the Quakers and in 1659. became one of their Society and continued amongst them about 25 years and since that time I have been a narrow observer of them and much acquainted with many of them I have near 300 of their Books by me besides Manuscripts and old Records and besides all this I was Clark to their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Isle of Ely and County of Cambridge at Haddenham Sutton and Chatterise for about 16 years and more in all which Service I served gratis without Sallery as others had My House was a place of Entertainment for their Teachers for many years together I suffered Imprisonment at Ely and Nislech for their cause in which I was then Embark'd 3 Years and about 4 Months I suffered the loss of more than a hundred Pounds for Meeting contrary to an Act of Parliament made the 22 King Charles II. besides many other affairs in which I was concern'd whil'st with them Sometimes chosen to go to London-Meetings sometimes chosen to end some differences which happen'd amongst us sometimes to assist in Marriages about settlements of Estates in that case as in the Instance of William Read Widower and the Widow Brewster of Brund and divers others as Stephen Clackson and the Widow Young I say put all together and I think I may venture upon my own experience to say as much as the Author of the said Hist and yet notwithstanding I shall not impose upon my Reader but in the main of what I shall write I shall prove from matter of Fact and then as he says shall leave every one to judge as he thinks fit being at all times ready to appear and maintain what I write according to G. W.'s own proposition in his printed Sheet stiled The Quakers Vindication c. And when I meet Mr. Croese I shall go along with him in this History as far as he goes my way and when he turns aside to the right Hand or to the left I shall part friendly with him and deal kindly by him as we us'd to do to strangers But since his Book came over the Water and reflects upon the Government Implicitly charging the Magistrates with the crime of Persecution a thing they are much averse to I shall therefore endeavor to Rectifie it and shew him 't is not persecution but prosecution and to shew that I am not alone in this matter I received a Letter wrot by a dignifyed Clergy-man of the Church of England to a Neighbouring Minister An Abstract thereof is as followeth viz Worthy Sir Since I had the happiness of your good Company here I read over the general History of the Quakers which came from Holland I find it wrote so much to the advantage of that pestilent Sect and so much to the disadvantage both of the Government and Church of England that I think it necessary to be again done by some other hand whom we may confide in for a better performance of it and I know none better sitted for it respecting matter of fact than your Neighbour Mr. Bugg and I doubt not but with your Assistance he may be able to give the World satisfaction in this matter I earnestly desire you would perswade him to it and in Truth the daily growth of that Sect makes it necessary to have it thorowly laid open that Men may thereby be warned the more to beware of it This will be a Service to God and the Church Your humble Servant And so I enter upon my Work SECTION I. The Reason of their Name GEorge Fox was born Anno 1624. in a Village call'd Draton in Leicestershire his Father's Name was Christopher Fox his Mothers Name Mary who gained their Living by Weaving This George afterwards learned the Trade of a Shoomaker and wrought Journy work with George Gee of Manchester who having gained so much Learning as that he could read print pretty well but writing he could read but little of neither could write except very rudely And this was the only piece of Learning he attained too all his Life long For neither then nor any time after did he apply himself to any Liberal Study So that he not
cryed out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord God of Heaven and Earth now Risen to overturn overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the poor have groaned and he will change Times and Laws and Government There shall be no King Ruling but Jesus nor no Government of force but the Government of the Lamb nor no Law of Effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder The Kingdom of the most High shall Rule amongst Men and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed c. Sam. Fisher's Works p. 99. I will hold my peace no longer saith the Lord as concerning this Evil which they so prophanely commit and do daily against my Chosen but will utterly subvert and overturn them and bring the Kingdoms and Dominions and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven into the Hands of the Holy Ones of the most High and give unto my Son and his Saints to Raign over all the Earth and take all the Rule and Authority that shall stand up against my Son in his Saints and put it down among all the rest as one of his greatest Enemies under his Feet saith the Lord p. 102. And so saith Fisher the Quakers are the truest Catholick Church in the World Reader compare these two last Citations with G. Fox's Quotation in this 4th Section and you may perceive what principles they were off about 1655. c. SECTION V. The World's wonder and the Historian's mistake in W. Penn who Wrote first in favour of the Protestants made and framed Tests against the Papists call'd to the Parliament for penalties of the violators thereof But when the late K. J. II. came to the Crown a fierce despiser of the Protestants and an Abbetter of the Papist a great stickler for the abolishing and taking away of Tests and Penal Laws c. GEN. Hist p. 43. Now as to what was the Wit and Spirit of W. Penn from his Youth what promptness and dexterity in discoursing attended the acuteness of his Wit what knowledge of Tongues and of things what temper and conversation of Life he was I had rather the Quakers should give you an account than I for I know well how difficult and troublesome it is to interpose his Judgment of a matter in which the Judgment of other Men is so various But certainly tho' my Pen were silent of him his own Writings will speak him forth to be the most eminent Member among all that Society c. I will and must acknowledge great part of this discourse of W. Penn's Wit promptness of Speeeh and readiness c. yet since Mr. Croese has appealed to his Writings to his Writings let him go and then let the World see how steady he has been even like the Weather-cock fast and loose at every turn and changing as the Moon vigorous for the Protestant Interest at least seemingly yea in K. C. II. time so hot for Protestants that he had the applause of many but in the late K. J. II. time he shewed the World what he was and what many thought him to be all along even a bitter Enemy to the Church of England and consequently to Protestantism But since an appeal is made to his Writings I shall cite an abstract of three which he wrot in K. C. II. time vigorous for the Protestant Interest He gave direction for the choice of Members principled against Popery cautioned all against Popery wrot a Test against Popery and what not but when K. J. came on he soon tack'd about as by others of his Books wrot in favour of the late K. J. I shall make it appear so that all that would know W. Penn rightly must go to his Writings of which I have 3 times 3 of each sort by me but these may suffice to shew how he looked one way and rowed another A seasonable Caveat against Popery c. by W. Penn p. 3. We hope it may not be too late to militate for Truth against the dark Suggestions of Papal Superstition to vindicate that of Reformation from the quaintest Stratagems and most unwearied endeavors of Romish Emissaries to put both it and us into their Inquisition We know they have so far mastered their Ancient fierceness and masked their Sanguine Looks with those more modest and familiar that though we need not more Reason than before yet we need more Skill and Caution or else we may too fatally experience the force of that vulgar Proverb Laugh in thy Face and cut thy Throat They are grown so complaisant that none seem more exasperated at Persecution than themselves whil'st the very Fathers of it decrying the fierceness of it in some Countries whose Incendiaries they were and still are and imputing all the Blood of poor Protestants to some unwarrantable civil Score Thereby abusing the Magistrates with their own Conspiracies nay for all their venerable Esteem for the Popes Infallibility they have not stuck to censure his roaring Bulls tho' procured by their own means And all that might express their new tenderness that many unacquainted with their practices are ready to believe them what they say themselves to be whose moral is to have two strings to their Bow to be ambo dexters and furnish'd with meanings to sute the compass of all occasions p. 14. I stand amazed how any Man of Sense can be a Papist when the only demonstration of his Religion must be his not understanding it p. 30. 31. In those frequent Bulls for Massacres which can no more be denyed than light at Noon day by which People have been stirred up upon the promise of forgivness of Sins redemption from Purgatory and Eternal Salvation or Dreadful Denunciation of Eternal Damnation to enterprise that Work of Murthering so many Hundred Thousands of Men Women and Children without any Legal Presentment Tryal or Conviction But the consideration of these things are out of fashion in England that many embrace them upon their present disguises and not in their true sanguinary Appearances p. 35. To conclude If we would not receive a Thief until he has Repented let the Papist first recant his voluminous Errors but above all let us have good Testimony of his hearty Sorrow for that Sea of Blood shed in England France Holland Ireland Spain Italy Savoy Switzerland and Germany of many Hundred Thousands of poor Protestants that for pure Conscience could not conform to their most exorbitant Practices as well as new Doctrine imposed upon them such inhumane and Barbarous Inventions and Cruelties as no Age could ever parallel and are the only demonstrations of their wicked Wit that lived in that Age and that not only upon the Parties themselves but their poor innocent Babes For that English Protestants should so far neglect these weighty considerations as to be gull'd and cheated out of their Religion purchas'd them by their Martyrs Ancestors
and be perswaded to embrace that old bloody Apostatiz'd Church again with all her Slavish as well as Ridiculous Superstitions is a crime so offensive to God and intollerable to Men as the time hastens that the very Stones of the Street will rise up in Judgment against them p. 38. Question whether in case they could not be conformed unto they would allow a tolleration were they powerful whether in case they should say yes we ought to believe them since it is one of their most Sacred maxims not to keep Faith with Hereticks as was seen in the case of those in the Alpine Valleys J. Hush c. and in that they have in all Ages brought so great a deluge of Blood upon the Europian World Question whether it be the Interest of the English Nation to Subject her self to a Popish Yoke considering the incomparable Bloody Massacres of that sort of Men in several Reigns Thus have I undertook tho' with much brevity an enervation of the Romans Faith at least a detection of their Craft their horrid Couzenage and present way of Insinuation among the People Next see his Book stiled Engl. great Int. in the Choice of this new Parliam c. p 4. by W. P. Pray see that you chuse sincere Protestants Men that don't play the Protestant in design and are indeed disguis'd Papists ready to pull off their Mask when time serves you will know such by their laughing at the Plot disgracing the Evidence admiring the Traytors constancy The contrary are Men that thank God for this discovery and in their conversation zealously direct themselves in an opposition to the Papal Interest which indeed is a Combination against good Sense Reason and Conscience and to introduce a blind obedience without if not against Conviction and that principle which introduces implicit Faith and blind Obedience in Religion will also introduce implicit Faith and blind Obedience in Government so that it is no more the Law in the one than the other but the Will and Power of the Superior that shall be the Rule and Bound of our Subjection This is that fatal mischief Popery brings with it to civil Society and for which such Societies ought to be aware of it One Project for the Good of England c. by W. Penn p. 10. The New Test I. A. B. do solemnly and in good Conscience in the sight of God and Men declare that King Charles the 2d is Lawful King of this Realm and all the Dominions thereun to belonging and that neither the Pope nor the See of Rome nor any else by their Authority have Right in any Case to depose the King or dispose of his Kingdom or upon any score whatever to absolve his Subjects of their Obedience or to give leave to any of them to Plot or Conspire the hurt of the King's Person his State or People and that all such Pretences and Power are False Pernicious and Damnable And I do further sincerely profess and in good Conscience declare that I do not believe that the Pope is Christ's Vicar or Peter's Lawful Successor or that he or the See of Rome joyntly or severally are the Rule of Faith or Judge of Controversies or that they can Absolve Sins nor do I believe there is a Purgatory after Death or that Saints should be Prayed too or Images in any sense to be Worshiped Nor do I believe that there is any Transubstantiation in the Lord's Supper or Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof by any Person whatsoever But I do firmly believe that the present Communion of the Roman-Catholick-Church is both Superstitious and Idolatrous And all this I do Acknowledge Intend Profess and Declare without any Equivocation or reservation or other sense than the plain and usual signification of these Words according to the real intention of the Law maker and the common Acception of all true Protestants c. This is the Test I offer large in Matter because comprehensive of Oaths and Test too yet brief in Words The Abuse of this Discrimination should be very Penal for 't is a great Lye upon a Man 's own Conscience and a Cheat put upon the Government Your Wisdoms i. e. Parliament can best proportion and direct the Punishment but it can scarcely be too severe as our Case stands Reader There is a Proverb that a treble Cord is not soon broken but W. Penn break all these and as many more on the same Subject and yet that is not the worst on 't but led many thousands into the same Snare peculiarly the Quakers as anon will appear And thereby notwithstanding his Wit and Parts became an ill Instrument and the greatest Enemy the Church of England then had But in regard his Writing Pro and Con say so much and give such a Demonstration I shall say the less not being willing to stay too long on this Head Good Advice to the Church of England Roman Catholick and Protestant Dissenters to Abolish the Penal Laws and Tests c. p. 39. 42. It happens now that God and Cesar are both of a mind which perhaps does not always fall out at least about the Point in hand Edward the 6th succeeded a Prince that promised Vertues that might more than ballance the Excesses of his Father and yet by Archbishop Cranmer was compelled to Sign a Warrant to burn poor Joan of Kent a Famous Woman but counted an Enthusiast thus even Protestants begun with Blood and taught the Romanists in succeeding Times how to deal with them I hope I may conclude that the Penal Laws have been a make-bate in the great Family of the Kingdom setting the Father against the Children and Brethren against Brethren and for this the Church of England has paid a severe Reckoning if she hope by her aversion to a general ease to set up for a Bulwork against Popery One Year will show the trick and mightily deceive her and the Opportunity will be lost and another Bargain driven I dare assure her mightily to her disadvantage Violence and Tyranny are no natural Consequencies of Popery c. 2. A Reply to the Answer of the Man of no Name c. p. 22. 2. And one thing I must say Roman Catholicks have been Loyal in England and Holland so that it is not necessarily true The Gentlemen that tore the Kings Declaration of the Indulgence from him were high Churchmen and they oppos'd his Political Capacity to his Natural on purpose to overthrow that Act of Grace by which Destination the late Civil War was made so that 41 overtook 73 or that returned to 41 and who knows not that they were such as hardly knew how to Pray but out of our Liturgy that attempted to Exclude the Presumptive Heir to the Crown upon the score of Religion A Defence of the Duke of Buckingham 's Book c. p. 12. Now tho' this Man would think it imprudent in me and I that it is none of my business to vindicate
a Miracle as any thing can be found in the Popish Legends for if setting a Man's Neck aright that had gone awry by a fall be a Miracle then many Miracles have been wrought in England and elsewhere for it is very common and yet was never called a Miracle until now that these who published his Journal have so called it and like to this is that one recovered from Sickness after G. Fox had prayed and if this was a Miracle many such Miracles are wrought by Ministers of the Church of England and others SECTION IX Divers particulars contracted out of the General History and branched into six distinct Heads where their Anniversary Synods and their Church Government and private Devotions are Treated of shewing the effects to be disparaging the Scripture withholding Tythes refusing to pay Church Rates neglecting to read the Bible in their Meetings refusing to vindicate it from the aspersions of the Papists throwing of the Sacraments allowing Women to Teach and Vsurp Authority in their distinct Womens Meetings omitting private Duties censuring and reproaching the Church Liturgy Magistrates Ministers such as write against them and for Conscience sake separate from them their gross Hypocrisy in making Legal punishments to be persecutions in saying and recording that they suffer great penalties when they really do not c. GEN. Hist p. 50. to 56. They the Quakers have likewise Meetings like to those we call Classes and Provincial and National Synods or Councils these Conventions are celebrated but so as to allot each Sex both Men and Women their distinct and particular Meetings other Meetings are appointed every Month others every three Months in which they consider their Provincial affairs In these they inspect into and recognize all Books that are to be printed after they have been perused and approved by the Censors appointed for that purpose The Acts of these Meetings are put into Registers they have Anniversary Synods in every considerable Kingdom to whom belong the Care and Administration of all the Affairs of that Kingdom In England their Metropolis they have a fixed Anniversary Synod on the third day of Penticost continuing sittting 4 or 5 days together They have Delegates also come to this Synod from all their Churches in all Counties or Places where the Quakers obtain footing but these must be such as are in the Ministry At this Meeting they make a Catalogue of the Sufferers for their Religion discovering what their Sufferings were and for what causes they were inflicted and by whom when the Synods are dismissed all their Acts and Decisions are enregister'd by the publick Authority of the Synod which are afterwards copyed from the Records in order to be printed and sent to all the Synods of their Associates throughout the World They have no President to their Synod which place say they is supplyed by the Holy Ghost but they have a Clark who marks down every thing moved by the Assembly Moreover it is their custome in their Houses never to express a Religious Duty with an outward voice as Praying to God craving a Blessing e'er they take Meat or go to Bed till they feel the impulsion of the Spirit c. Having contracted the sense of several pages wherein my Author relate the Way Manner and Method of the Quakers Church Government and Family Behaviour now I shall make it my business to shew how Quakerism grows encreases and makes its progress in and by these Ways and Methods and thereby discover not only that Quakerism tends to root up the Foundations of the Christian Religion Instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ who so loved the World that he laid down his precious Life for lost Man but also tends to unhinge the Government both of Church and State and in order to make some further discovery hereof I shall digest the matter into a few Heads and speak briefly and distinctly to each in their place 1. The Quakers in their Synods have no President the Holy Ghost supplying that Office 2. The Quakers at their Synods make a Catalogue of them which suffer for their Religion what they suffer and by whom 3. That the Quakers at their Synods inspect Books to be printed and recognize the same 4. About the Womens distinct Meetings and their way of Government 5. The Quakers custome observed in not Praying to God in their Families nor craving a blessing before they Eat 6. About their Anniversary Synods particularly that at London with some of its Fruits and Effects And lastly with some observations upon a passage in the General History p. 110. The Quakers also could not but Love King William and embrace him as their most effectual Defender c. And so shall conclude these seven particulars 1. The Quakers have no President in their Synod which place they say is supplyed by the Holy Ghost c. This is the great Foundation upon which the Church of Rome build their Faith touching the Doctrine of infallibility and of which they mightily boast over all Protestant Churches For tho' all true Protestants believe that the Holy Ghost is with and will continue with his Church to the end of the World according to Matth. 28. yet that thereby any Synod Councel or Church is infallible in their Precepts and Councels that as such they are to be indispensably obeyed as was the Precepts of the inspired Apostles this they deny and none hold it but the Papists and Quakers And as this vain glorying of infallibility in the Papists has been refuted so it will be in the Quakers also and in order to it let us examine how and in what manner the Holy Ghost is the President of the Quakers Counsels and Synods c. It is written John 5. 23. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son v. 27. and hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man And to this agrees that Apostolical saying Acts 17. 31. Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Now this Text in St. John the Quakers do not like it as translated and therefore to bend the Scripture to serve their design and to quadrate to their principles they have perverted these Scriptures in Josiah Coal's Works p. 93. saying All Judgment being committed to the Light that Lighteth every Man the Light that is in every Man must of necessity be Judge of all controversies c. So that it plainly appears from hence as also in my First Chapter in the First Part. That whereas God Almighty hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath ordained him to be Judge of quick and dead because he is the Son of Man Therefore the Quakers translate this Prerogative from the Son of God Christ Jesus to their Light which by their Logick is the Son of Man which
that it shews 1. That the Quakers believe that Womens Meetings are the Ordinances of Jesus Christ 2. That they pretend to have power to bind and loose 3. That the only way to find Mercy was to submit to George Fox and consequently to obey and observe his Laws 4. That this false Prophesy delivered in the Name of the Lord might be from Age to Age continued upon the Quakers as a brand upon their pretence to Prophesy for when the said Solomon delivered this Message by Letter to John Story the said John was very ill and not like to live yet it pleased God for the honour of his Name and that these false pretenders might be manifest to give him length of days about 4 years after 5. That they accounted George Fox the great Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ from the First Instance 't is no marvel then that the Quakers have thrown off and rejected the Ordinances of Baptisme and the Lord's Supper Instituted by Christ himself since Fox their Apostle have ordained Womens Meetings From the 2d That they are one with the Pope touching the power of the Church From the 3d. That the Merits and Satisfaction of Christ as our Mediator and Intercessor of his Death and bitter Passion are by the Quakers laid aside if the only way to find Mercy with God be to be reconcil'd to the Quaker Church From the 4th That the Quakers are not zealous for God by their cloaking and excusing this false Prophesy of Solomon Eccles as well as divers others of his Idolatrous Practices and by their owning him and his Books to the last and never passing a publick censure upon him and his Books From the 5th That 't is no marvel that they are so much concern'd to vindicate every little Pamphlet of their own with great charge and industry but when the Papists call our Bible a brazen Fac'd corrupt and false Bible this they say in so many words they are not concern'd to vindicate this they leave to the Sectarian and Episcopalians to do for alas they have work enough besides and as to the Bible though the Papists call it a brazen Fac'd Book false and corrupt yet the Quakers are not concern'd to vindicate the Bible and indeed how can they against the Papists for the Papists would soon reply what do the Quakers blame us for calling your Bible a brazen Fac'd Book whil'st you your selves call it Death Dust Beastly Wares Serpents Food How then can you blame us since we are Cousin Jermains and Dear Brethren in the common cause against the Church of England Good God when I consider their deep Hypocrisy in their confession to the Parliament I am astonish'd at their impudence and so I proceed to the next Head 5. Moreover saith the Historian p. 55. it 's also their custome in their Houses never to express a Religious Duty with an outward Voice as praying to God craving his Blessing e'er they take Meat or go to Bed till they feel the impulsion of the Spirit This also is the fruit of Quakerism read one of their Books stiled A Musick Lecture c. p. 25. For where they i. e. Christians are I was in Performances in Ordinances in Family Duties in Hearing in Reading in Prayers in Fastings well but when I came to bend my Mind to that of God in me which is Christ then I begun to learn to be a Fool insomuch that I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals that were set before me c. Reader this their practice is so well known in England as well as in Holland that I need not to enlarge upon it only take up a Lamentation when I consider how many Thousand Families of Quakers there are in England that never prayed to God in their Houses nor gave thanks for Blessings received with outward Voice since they turned Quakers perhaps 20 or 30 years What account then will they be able to give at the great and terrible Day Who have thus bewitched the People from the practice of the Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all Protestant Churches to this day unto the practice of the Heathen that know no God read Jeremiah 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the heathen and upon the families that call not on thy name But possibly they 'll say they think of God when they go to Bed and when they receive the Comforts of this Life to which I answer if that be enough and that words are useless why then do their Teachers speak and pray in their Meetings with an audible Voice and sometimes at your own Houses when People are there Is this their practice only that they may be seen of Men a thing I am jealous of for if they look upon it their Duty why not a Duty incumbent upon the hearers also But they say in Burrow's Works p. 47. That is no command of God to thee which God commanded to others unless they receive it a new as the Inspired Apostles did Thus have they taken away they Key of Knowledge from the People I mean the use of the Holy Scripture which would instruct them better Nay this is not all but where the Spirit of Quakerism is in its full vigor if they happen to be in company with a Man of another Profession whether Episcopalian Presbyterian Independant or Baptist who crave a Blessing upon what they receive ☞ sits the Quaker with his Hat on as a Testimony against that laudible Practice 6. They have Anniversary Synods in every considerable Kingdom to whom belong the Care and Administration of all the Affairs of that Kingdom In England they have a fixed Anniversary Synod on the third day of Penticost Gen. Hist p. 51. This may be true but of how dangerous a consequence both to Church and State I am not able to determine but time will further manifest But the more they encrease and gain upon their People and believe that they are the only true Church and as such cannot err that they have power to bind and loose and that their Precepts and Prescriptions are of equal Authority to that of the Apostles and thereupon ought to be indispensibly obeyed I say as this comes to be received and embraced the danger of these Anniversary Synods will be seen more and more and it may be when 't is too late for they not only already think themselves capable to teach Judges Justices yea and the Parliament too What is their Duty what they may do and what they may not do and the utmost confines of their Jurisdiction particularly in the case of Heresy of which I have recited some Instances and can hundreds more as also by two of their Anniversary Synods they have virtually tho' not verbally repealed great part of two Statute Laws that of the 22 of C. II. and that clause of an Act of Parliament made in the First of K. W. Ill. relating to Tythes by their yearly Epistles enregistred by Authority of their Anniversary Synods I
need not here relate what an Influence their first Epistle had and how little the Law was regarded or observed the whole Nation is witness and as to the last about Tythes and Church-warden Rates which the Parliament took care to preserve in their old Channel in the same Law which indulge the Quakers in the exercise of their perswasion yet this very Law they Anno 1696. Charged implicitly with Antichristianism saying p. 1. That all due care be taken against that grand Oppression and Antichristian Yoke of Tythes that our Christian Testimony born and greatly suffered for be faithfully maintained against them in all respects and against Steeple-house-rates or Lays as also against the burthen and imposition of Oaths c. Here we see Tythes are Antichristian and their Testimony Christian a perfect Map of their whole Doctrine the Parliament Antichristian the Quakers Christian the Parliament great Oppressors the Quakers Oppressed tho' they pay no more than their Neighbours the Parliament lay Antichristian Yokes upon the Quakers the Quakers the only Christian sufferers and persecuted People of God whose sufferings and persecutions are greater and more unjust than the sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs for what was inflicted upon them was duly executed by a Law and to this practice of ours agree that Doctrine of St. Edw. Burrow's as it is written in our Gospel in the Book of our Holy Scriptures which we at all times stand ready to vindicate vulgarly call'd Ed. Burrow's Works p. 501. Witnesses we stand against Parliaments Councels Judges Justices who make and execute Laws in their own wills over the Consciences of Men and to such Laws Customs Courts or Arbitrary Usurped Dominion we cannot yield obedience c. And therefore by this our Anniversary Decree we Ordain and Enact that the Members of all our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and all other our Associates in every Kingdom Nation and County that adhere to us and believe us to be the universal Church of the First born who cannot err but are led by an infallible Spirit that all and every of our Disciples throw off all these Antichristian Yokes of grand Oppression and from henceforth stand faithful Witnesses against Tythes as Antichristian against Church Rates against lawful Oathes against carrying Guns and this as the Historian says is to go through England and Wales yea all the World over and all that suffer for their Stubborness and Antimagistratical Principles by the same Edict is to be taken into Record who it is that suffer for what cause they suffer and on what account I have not time to set forth the dangerous consequences of these Anniversary Synods when they once gain upon the People that they are the only universal Catholick Church and as such cannot err that as G. Whitehead Teaches the People are to believe as she believes I say on this Doctrine of Infallibity hangs a load of dangers the Parliament say one thing the Anniversary Synod at Devonshire-house another they now argue privately but in time may dispute the Point publickly Infallibility sticks at nothing provided it be for the Holy Church in the Papists Dialect or for Truth 's sake in the Quakers They are Terms Synonymous respecting their Authors and W. Penns Books cited declare plainly how vigorous he was for his near Friends and dear kindred in the late Reign and the Quakers addressed from their Anniversary Synods run in the same Channel and flow from the same Fountain for K. J. II. and against the Church of England there came forth publick Addresses Annually besides Books every Month in favour of the then Government and against the Church But since King William came to the Crown never a publick Anniversary Address to King W. nor one Book wrot in favour of the present Governments as anon will appear And thus Quakerism like the Snake in the Grass creeps on undiscovered or at least little notice taken how she secretly Smites and privately Stings and throws out her Poyson both at Church and State She 'll Arraign Impeach Try Judge Summons Dialogue Condemn both Magistrate and Minister Ruler and People yet if she be but toucht Oh how she winches and giffles up and down crying she 's wrong'd she 's abus'd and all is malice that 's said of her whil'st she takes the liberty to abuse traduce stigmatize and calumniate all other People This is the Temper of this clamorous Woman and tho' I do solemnly profess as in the sight of God Angels and Men I am not for Persecution neither do I desire nor none need to fear that our King and Parliament should follow the French King's example in what is of the nature of Persecution or Cruelty yet on the other hand when they perceive the Ingratitude of this insolent People they probably may take some measures to stop the stream of Heresie which spreads like a Leprosie through the Nation And forasmuch as something that is praise worthy on the French King's part in granting the Ministry of the reformed Churches leave to hold a national Synod and for the exemplariness of the French Protestants zeal for God care of his Church subjection to the Laws according to the Evangelical Doctrine of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs I shall set down a few things worthy observation from the 28 Synod held at Charenton near Paris the 26 day of December 1644. as in the 2 Vol. of John Quick's Hist p. 4. 28. to 437. viz. The Sessions being opened with Prayer the Lord Marquis of Clermont General Deputy presented the Writ given forth by His Majesty's Command for calling the Synod as followeth This day being the 12 of February 1644. the King being then at Paris upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the pretended reformed Religion to permit them the calling and holding a national Synod desiring to gratifie and treat favourably his said Subjects hath permitted and doth permit them the Convocation of a national Synod next to Charenton but with this condition that they treat in it of none other matters but of those which he allowed them and that the Commissioner whom His Majesty shall please to appoint be present in the said Synod as hath been accustomed in witness whereof His Majesty hath commanded me to issue out this Writ which he hath Signed with his own Hand and caused it to be counter-signed by me his Commissioner and Secretary of State and of his Command Signed in the Original Lewis and a litt'e lower Phelipeaux The Lord Commissioner unto the Synod Messieurs AS it is a very great honour to me to be Commissionated to assist in your Synod and to acquaint you with his Will and Pleasure so also have I great deal of joy and satisfaction to behold this illustrious Assembly chosen out of all the Provinces of this Kingdom and that I can tell you by word of Mouth which is to assure you of their Majesties good will unto you and protection of you and of all your Churches and
Reason why For George Keith call'd us forth to clear our selves from those four Fundamental Errors which both he you and I know we can no way clear our selves but by a Retractation And you know we no sooner Retract then let fall our Infallibility And this thee may'st assure thy self G. Whitehead will never do Clark But Secondly why then do he call George Keith's a Usurped Arbitrary and Irregular Proceeding Cannot we be content either to meet him and clear our selves or if we think that impossible as indeed I fear it is then to lie contented under his Charge without Noise besides 't is known well enough by the world's People how we have Summoned all the Clergy from the Bishops to the lowest Order We have Arraigned Tryed and at the Bar of Justice Condemned all the Clergy as contrary to all the Ministers of Christ and to Agree and Concur with all the false Prophets Deceivers and Hereticks in both their Call Maintenance and Doctrine nay moreover we have Impeached the Proceedings of all Courts of Judicatures we have called the Church of England the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her Moreover we have Diologu'd the Prelates and Church and Common Prayer and told them we have discovered their Deceitful Practices and rip'd up her Bowels and Discovered her the Churches Adulterous Womb and all her false Conceptions p. 39. Saying behold the Arch-bishops Lordbishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all Prelaticals Here is the Womb of your Conceptions opened from which you draw your Breath and prolong your Days open your Eyes and behold them for they are Monsters As for your Common Prayer the Pope gives Life to it and from his Loins it draws its Strength Teach My Dear Friend Ben. we must part you ask me such home Questions that I must Answer Affirmatively that it is ten thousand times more tollerable for George Keith to call us out than for us thus to Summons Arraign Try Judge and Condemn all the Protestant Clergy unsent too unheard behind their Backs in this Clandestine Obscure Arbitrary Pernitious and Scandalous Manner fit to raise the Mobb to Invade their Property raise Tumults cause Divisions like Turbulent and Seditious Incendiaries as if we were about to erect the Star-chamber-court and to Enact another Writ de haeretico comburendo And instead of the six bloody Articles six hundred for really Brother I must needs say that if the Church of England her Bishops Pastors and Teachers be according to all the false Prophets in all things and contrary to all the Ministers of Christ 'T is high time to Arraign Try and Judge them and all that Adhere to them Clark Thirdly but good dear Brother Thomas since we are thus closs in Argument and very free one with another what do you think of our Brother Whitehead so often boasting of our being Recognized by Law as that therefore they may not be Convicted of Error nor their pernicious Principles be Condemn'd for though they are Indulg'd in the Exercise of their Perswasion Yet I do not think our Books which hold the Errors Complained of are Recognized If so then we are in a better Station then the Church Established for thee knowest how we Write against both Priests and People we Summon Arraign Try and Condemn them as I said before pray Answer me Cordially do you think this is good Arguing that because the Government have tolerated us that therefore none may Write against us that none may Challenge us I am perswaded that the Episcopolians are much kinder to us then we should be to them had we the Swaying of the Scepter Teach Very true dear Brother for if you look into the 227 page of our deceased Brother Hubberthorn's Works there you shall find in Answer to the Baptists who professed solemnly that if they were in their Hands they would give the Members of the Church of England Liberty of Conscience In Answer to whom here our Brother Hubborthorn an Eminent and early Writer and Preacher viz. It seems then there is not so much difference betwixt them i. e. the Church of England and you the Baptists who will make them Antichristian and you Christian What Confusion is here You will not tolerate Popery nor such as Worship a false God nor any that speak Contemptuously of the Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet you are not against the tolerating Episcopacy Presbytetry or any stinted form Why will you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy Have not the Professors of Episcopacy Murdered and Slain and do Labour to Murder and Slay the People of God as well as the Papists and will you tolerate the Common Prayer among the Episcopacy and not the Mass-book among the Papists seeing that the Mass was the Substance out of which the Common Prayer was Extracted Here is nothing but Partiality to tolerate one Thing and not another of the same kind c. Now Brother you see how we are against Episcopacy even as much as against Popery and should tolerate the one as soon as the other And to be plain I think the Episcopal are kinder to us than we deserve Clark But say G. Whitehead we do not believe the Civil Authority or any concerned therein will Countenance or Permit such an Usurped Authority or Pernitious President as G. Keith has Assumed or Attempted in this Case We presume the said G. Keith can produce no Legal Commission .c Now Friend Thomas how came G. Whitehead to be thus Unbelieving and Presumptuous for I am told the Lord Mayor with the Concurrence of the Bishop of London gave G. Keith leave and sent his Marshal to keep the Peace and that one of the Sheriffs was their also and that the World's People for so we call all but our selves were well satisfied and glad of the Opportunity to hear the gross Errors and vile Heresies of our Brethren laid open and exposed to publick Notice Teach I must again answer on the Affirmative that our Brother Whitehead was first Unbelieving and secondly very Presumptive and thereby Reflected on the Wisdom and Conduct of the Civil Magistrate Arroganely signifying and suggesting that the Magistrates are more ready to Recognize Help and Assist us who have Arraigned Tryed and Condemn'd them all who have Impeached their Proceedings in their Courts of Judicature who have Dialogu'd the Bishops Pastors and Teachers who say the Common Prayer is a Branch Sprung from the Pope that the Pope gives Life and Breath to it and that from the Popes Loins it draws its Strength that the Church of England is the Whore and the Parliament the Beast that carry her That the Bishops and Ministers are Monsters which from the Adulterous Womb of the Church are brought forth that we have rip'd up the Bowels of the Church and discovered her Adulterous Womb. Saying p. 39. And now behold ye Arch-bishops Lord-bishops Deans Prebends Doctors Vicars and Curates and all
Prelaticals Here is the Womb of your Conception opened c. Now Brother Ben. all these things considered what reason had our dear Brother in Iniquity G. Whitehead to presume had not he been Impudent as well as Presumptuous That the Government should so far tolerate us and not Assist G. Keith who hold all the Essential Points of the Christian Faith that the Men of the World hold viz. First That Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as he Suffered and rose again from the Dead is necessary to our Salvation Secondly That Justification and Sanctification is by Faith in the Blood of Christ outwardly shed being applyed by Faith and the Operation of his Holy Spirit in us Thirdly That after Death there will be a Resurrection of the Body that dyeth Fourthly And that Christ will come without us in his Glorified Body at the Day of Judgment to Judge both the Quick and the Dead and whose Principles lead him to submit to Authority witness his keeping the Fast appointed by King William April 28. 1697. When our Brethrens Shops were open in Submission to the Commandment of our great Apostle G. Fox I say all these things considered I cannot but marvel at our Brother Whitehead's Presumption not to say Impudence really Brother Ben. I am perswaded we loose Ground and I fear we are going downwards and that our fall will be speedy unless we sincerely Retract our Scandalous Books and Erroneous Writings and though our Brother Whitehead neither consult Events nor fear Effects I think it will stand us in hand to look about us So that we have little reason to boast of being Recognized Protestants by such as we account Christians and whom we would not tolerate no more then we would Tolera Papists or such as Worship false Gods as this Book of ours Teach Clark Fifthly Well come 't is not very late and since we are entred into Discourse let us talk freely I will warrant thee that John Pennyman George Keith Francis Bugg and Thomas Crisp before they left us have had many an Hours Discourse of this Kind pray then what think you of G. Whitehead is he not very bold to send out the Quakers Protestation against the meeting appointed by G. Keith And therein to be so Presumptuous as to suggest that G. Keith had not License of the Civil Authority as if he knew the Lord Mayors Place and Power better than himself Teach I Answer G. Whitehead was not only Bold but Impudent But what shall I say I have of late seen his Books and considered them and 't is like him every way I remember I saw a Friend that was lately in the North and saw his House where he was born not worth Fifty Shillings I Discoursed another that said he came among us a poor Boy on foot and lived upon Alms yet lately Riding out of Town he had Ben. Antrobus to ride before him and Tho. Kent one of our Ministers worth many Hundreds of Pounds rod behind him carrying his Portmantel and he in State in the mdidle like some Peer which answers the Old Proverb set a Beggar on Horseback and he knows not how to Ride Again for us that account the Church of England the Whore of Babylon and Antichristians Summon the Bishops Dialogue the Clergy Arraign Try and Condemn the Protestants and declare in our Books that t is as Laudable to tolerate Popery as Episcopacy And after all this to presume that the Government thus Condemned will so stand by us Assist us and Defend us as not to have our Errors exposed this is such Presumption and manifest Impudence that I presume hath not a Parallel Clark Well but I have heard that in Scotland as well as in France that the Government do not permit the Presbyterians to hold a Synod unless they have a Commissioner Recide therein but I confess we are above that First we scorn to ask the World's People leave for we once a Year in Whitson-Week hold a Synod keep our Doors Lock'd or else a good Guard to keep out the World's People and when we are met we consider what Laws the Worldly Magistrates have made which sute not with our Light within And if we find any for paying Tythes or Repairing Churches or the like them we give warning to all our Associates through the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed not to pay to them but Testifie against them as a Grand viz. a great Oppression and not only so but which is ten times worse an Antichristian Yoke and thereby Absolve our Disciples from their Obedience to the Laws of the Land And if the King himself give forth a Proclamation to keep a Fast we matter it no more than we do their Law for Tyth's they being both against the Commandment of George Fox our great Apostle see part the first p. 12. Now the Question is whether this be not great Impudence Teach Answer yea and if I do answer I must say yea but 't is like all our Proceedings For First our Books teach that George Fox was Glorified at Lancaster Assize 1664. That none knew him nor his Name that he was before Languages were part the first p. 38. That he see the Heavens opened that he was in the Paradise of God so fill'd with Power having on his Leather Bretches that the World's People did fly before him that in Beverly Church he was like an Angel and spoke the Wonderful things of God The Voice of God came to a Trooper and bid him go to G. Fox for Direction F. Howgill said of him that he spake with Authority and not like the Scribes Jos Cole said his Kingdom was Established in Righteousness and of the Increase thereof there shall be no end Sol. Eccles said of him the World was made by him John Audland said Dear and Precious one in whom my Life is bound up and my Strength in thee stands Then he went through the City of Litchfield baresoot crying wo wo to the Bloody City of Litchfiield I saw in the Street a Pole of Blood c. and a hundred Lyes Stories and Fables and pretended Miracles in his Journal c. And for us to think that the Government will be against the Discovery of these and the like Errors no let us not be mistaken I am truly Brother Ben. afraid that G. Keith Francis Bugg Thomas Crisp and others follow us up so to the Heels as at last we shall be forced either to Retract our Errors or do worse and then we shall go down faster then we got up And so fare thee well till I see the next Volume of G. Fox I must go hence 't is late The Conclusion Christian Reader I think the Friends have spoke more truth in a corner in two or three hours time than all their Leaders have Preached this 20 years But say some if these things be so in very deed how came they to obtain so many and frequent Favours of the Government I Answer
because the Parliament do not know them no more than Constantius knew the Hypocrisy of the Arrians who at length thro' their subtle delusions and fair pretences prevail'd and got the Pulpit and the Orthodox banished and I have heard some fear the like consequence respecting the Quakers But let such be satisfied that Quakerism is at the heighth and begins to tumble and our Governours both of Church and State begin to see them I remember that in 1693. They were very fair to obtain a Bill for their solemn Affirmation to go for an Oath but when I deliver'd in my sheet shewing their Principles in two hours time it was thrown out and as Col. Goldwell told me there was not a Man appeared for them and when I came to London March 1696. some worthy Members of the Commons House chid me for not coming sooner saying they wanted matter of Fact adding that the Quakers frequent and unwearied Sollicitation prevail'd with too many worthy Gentlemen who understand not their undermining Principles However much good may their obtained Bill do 'em since the 10 l. clause is in and they barr'd from any place of Trust so much as of being Constable And whereas their judgment is whatever is more than yea yea and nay nay cometh of evil and is Swearing yet now they must call God to witness c. which is indeed not less nor more than an Oath and this pleases some of them that could Swear before but some it displeases who say the Act do them no good for whatever is more than yea yea nay nay is swearing Well but may some say have not the Quakers Merrited the favour bestowed on them yea by the rule of contraries for the Quakers have Recogniz'd the Parliament Antichrists the Beast that carry the Whore and that it 's as commendable to give Liberty of Conscience to the Papists nay to a People that worship false Gods graven Images c. as to tollerate Episcopacy the false Church whose Bowels they have ripped up adding that the Common Prayer Book is Popery and from the Loyns of the Pope receiv'd its Strength c. And the Parliament have as they pretend and often boast Recogniz'd them Protestant Dissenters give them their Liberty without any restraint but how not knowing them nor their Principles but as Constantius was are mistaken in them whose Books and Carriages are of two sorts I remember the last Whitsuntide in Northcoat's Shop in George-yard Lombard-street W. Mead the great Quaker asked me if I broke Bread with the Church of England I said yea what said he dost thou lick up thy old Vomit I 'll warrant you he said no such word to the Worthy Members of the House of Commons nor to the Bishops of the Church no no as their Books carry two different Faces so do their Carrage and if it be Criminal to conceal Treason against my natural Prince what is it to conceal these Impostors who undervalue the Death and Sufferings of Christ condemn his Laws despise his Ordinances revile his Magistrates and reproach his Ministers which I hope this Book fully sets forth and which I stand ready to prove out of their Books upon G. W.'s Proposition to the Parliament as cited by me in the First Part p. 123. And until they do so meet and if proved upon them then Retract them they are not to be believed tho' in their Meetings they like the Magitians in Moses's time may make the likeness of the same Confession and Profession that G Keith and others do as well as in their late Books yet while their other Books which teach the contrary stand uncondemned the Quakers are Quakers still and their Principles diametrically opposite to all Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages and they ought to be guarded against as Enemies to Church and State May 5. 97. F. E. A Short Map of Quakerism Reader HAving since the foregoing was Printed off seen a Book Entituled Some Seasonable Reflections upon the Quakers Protestation against the Proceedings at Turners-hall April 29. 1697. c. Wrote by an Ingenious Hand Wherein the said Author marvels as well he may that the Quakers should Accuse G. Keith for Invading of Property who themselves hold it no Sin to Invade the Properties of others as in the Case of Tyth's which are as much the Property 's of the Clergy Confirmed by Act of Parliament as any Man's Estate in England nay not only so but as the Author well observes in other things from several Particulars which G. Fox c. sent to the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England Printed 1659. p. 8. 32. Particular viz. Let all those Fines that belong to Lords of Mannors be given to the Poor for Lords have enough Particular 29. Let all those Abby-lands Gleab-lands that is given to the Priests be given to the Poor of the Nation let all the Abby's Steeple-houses and Whitehall be for Alms-houses for the Blind and the Lame to be there And in the fore mentioned Address to the Parliament 1659. Subscribed by above 7000 Quakers p. 59. 63 and 65. They require that the Late King as these Rebels Stil'd him his Rents Parks and Houses should be Sold and all the Colledges and Lands and the very Bells out of the Churches except one in a Town to give notice of Fire c. This was no Invading of Property in them but for G. Keith or any others to Detect their Errors this is Incroaching upon their Properties as English-men yea forsooth Persecution But say's Edward Burrough in his Word of Advice to the Souldiers p. 2. Give the Priests Blood to drink for they are worthy Slay Baal turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom c. Here was no design of Persecution or hurting any Man's Property or of Reviling and Blemishing the Reputation of Free-born English-men and exposing them to the Fury of the Mob to the Scorn Contempt and Rage of the mixt Multitude who are Unmeet to Judge of Religious Controversies as these Meek Lambs the Quakers urge against G. Keith in their Protestation c. And that they are not chang'd see their last Yearly Epistle 1696. Wherein they Exhort their Disciples not to be mov'd at the Objections against their Doctors But to hold up the Holy Testimony of Truth which hath made us say they a People to God and Preserved us unto this Day And that in all the parts of it for Truth is one and changes not and what it convinc'd us of to be Evil in the beginning it Reproves still c. i. e. The Church of England and all the Magistrates Kings Lords and Commons to be Serpents Devils and Scarlet-coloured Beasts c. For Truth is one say they and changes not i. e. Quak. who are and always have been in the Truth have not chang'd at all since the beginning So that 't is plain that as they are the same still so have they made themselves answerable for all that have been said by them since their
you and set you up Is not this the Whore that Rode upon the Beast and that the Beast meaning the Parliament carry her Again to the Parliament viz. You do but cause People to drink of the Whores Cup and you are but them that do carry the Whore viz. the False Church And this is plain Dealing to tell you the Truth for proof see Burrough's Works p. 50. 53 501 522 507. 521. 12. Such as Teach that the publick Ministry are Witches Devils Wolves Antichrists Sodomites c. The very bane of Soul and Body of the Universe That the Dissenting Ministers are an Ill-bred Pedantick Crew the bane of Religion and pest of the World the old Incendiaries to Mischief and best to be spared of Mankind against whom the boyling Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be poured out that they should give them i. e. the Clergy Blood to drink for they are worthy Turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom that 't is as warrantable to tolerate Popery as Episcopacy that tolerating Episcopacy is making a League with Hell That all Kings and Emperors have sprung up in the Night of Apostacy that the Kings are Spiritual Aegyptians that such as dote on an Earthly King are Traytors that 't is a nasty and dirty thing to mention a House of Lords that all those Fines which belongs to Lords of Mannors should be given to the Poor that all Abby-lands Gleab-lands that is given to the Priests be given to the Poor of the Nation Judas was kind to the Poor that all the great Houses Abbies Steeple-houses the Kings Rents Parks and Houses should be Sold and all Colledg-lands and Bells out of the Churches except one in a Town to give notice of Fire That to take away the Priests Hour glass if you be moved to it is owned by the Eternal Power For proof of this Doctrine and five hundred times as much of the same Nature Read these Quotations for this is but a short Map of Quakerisme viz. G. Fox 's Great Mist p. 5. 30. to 40. A Serious Apol. c. p. 156. A Brief Discovery c. p. 7. 8. Several Papers given forth by G. Fox c. p. 8. 9 12 16 18. G. Fox's 59 Particulars sent to the Parliament Printed 1659. p. 8. 59 63 65. Burrough's Advice to the Souldiers p. 2. The Guide Mistaken by W. Penn c. p. 18. Reader I have in this little Map given thee a hint of the Doctrines of the Quaker Church I think they are so abominable Erronious Blasphemous and Uncharitable that they need no Comment and as to the Quaker Church their Bride and their Lambs Wife if you still ask me for a Discription of her I tell you they are a broken divided Sect who adhear to the Teachers of this Doctrine tho' in their Meetings before the World's People they sometimes talk a little otherwise but search their Books especially their old ones and they are not changed and this is the perfect Figure nay plain Words of their Doctrine But if any one or more will Condemn their Recited Errors publickly under their Hands they thenceforth are not of their Church but ought to be taken in as Protestants even as G. Keith and his Friends have done whom I neither Interrogate nor Accuse And now if after all their deluded Disciples will not be so noble as to search and after searching to to Renounce them and their Errors but will still remain willingly Ignorant it is a great sign that God has given them up to strong Delusion Reader the design of the Recited Book Intituled Some Reflections upon the Quakers Protestation c. And all that 's Wrote against them is only to bring them to a thorow Conviction of their Errors and to such an Acknowledgment and Confession of them as is Indispensible to a true Conviction there is nothing more desired of them than to Retract and disown what is proved to be Faulty in their Writings and such Faults too as are either Destructive to the Faith or Scandalous and so Sinful to the Reputation of their Neighbours in giving False and Uncharitable Representations of them And this they are obliged to do by all the Rulers of Christianity it being the smallest Satisfaction they can make to repair so far at least the Injuries that are thereby done to the Christian Doctrine and the Good Name of those they have Wrongfully Traduced they are the Aggressors they have Attack'd our Religion in all the Parts of it our Bishops and Clergy and our whole Constitution and we require no greater Amends for all that they have done against us then to say that they are sorry for it and though they should refuse us even this Justice and reasonable Security for the future yet we press for no Persecution against them for no Fines or Imprisonment but only that we should not be obliged to acknowledge them as true Protestants and that we may have Liberty to Justifie our Selves and Reliligion against the Calumnies with which they have loaded both And if this be refused us the Cry of Persecution will run on our side Is it no Persecution of the Tongue for the Quakers to Represent our Bishops and Clergy as the most odious of Mankind We grant their is a Toleration but 't is only for Religious Worship but with all caution that the Doors be open so as any may go in and see what they do but not to hold General Councels with their Doors Lock'd up or a Guard of three or four Stout Men to keep all out but whom they 'll admit and their Business is Government that 's plain which is no way within the Act of Parliament for there is a Clause in the Act p 307. Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Assembly of Persons Dissenting from the Church of England shall be had in any Place for Religious Worship †with the Doors lockt bard Mark tho' they do not always Bolt and Barr yet have they 3 or 4 lusty Fellows to keep Guard during their Convocation or bolted during any time of such Méeting together they shall not receive any benefit from this Law but be lyable to all the Pains and Penalties of all the aforesaid Laws c. which Prohibit all Convocations c. without the King's License much more to Enact Promulgate or Decree any Orders or Constitutions whatsoever Now if the Bishops and Clergy of England tho' Recogniz'd and Establish'd by Law wou'd incur a Premunire so much as to meet consult and debate tho' concerning only their own Order and Spiritual Jurisdiction without the King's Licence How then have the Quakers this Authority to hold their yearly Convocation without controle and with their Doors either lock'd and bar'd or a Guard at them and when there not only to make Laws for their People to observe but to Repeal if not Verbally yet Vertually the Laws of the Land And further If when the Clergy do meet in Council Convocation or