saith If these Priests have not yet planted Vineyards that will yield them Fruit and if their Flock will not yield them Milk freely why should you unjustly impose upon Peoples Consciences and compel Tythes and Mony from them for the Maintenance of these Men Ye ought not to do it For while ye Compel and Force People by Violence contrary to good Consciences to maintain and uphold this Ministry and Church and Worship then follows you do but cause People to Drink the Whore's Cup c. And after the words Plain Dealing to tell you the Truth there follows in E. B's Ibid. viz. whether ye will reject it or receive it Wherefore cast them off and let them not lurk under your Wings for one day they will Rebel against you and another day Flatter with you and for a season they will shew forth much Love and Kindness in Hypocrisie even while they are hatching Mischief against you c. And they will cry out Heresie and Error of others that themselves may seem Clear while as the same lodgeth in their own Hearts Thus E. B. in 1659. By all which 't is evident he struck at Persecution and Persecutors and Hypocrites and those who then upheld the Priests in those days by Persecution and forced Maintenance it was those who turn'd out the Episcopal Priests and what need any of these now Priests be offended thereat if they were Clear 'T is strange these Men should now quote Prophesies as matters against us the said People which have been manifestly fulfilled and openly brought to pass in a great measure in the Eyes of this and other Nations As again they quote News coming out of the North which was Printed in the Year 1655. p. 18. The passage which they quote is under that Head which is directed To the Heads of this Nation and all the Dominions of the Earth and to all who are under the Dominion of the Earthly Powers Nations and Kingdoms every where in all the World To all you Kings Princes Dukes Rulers Judges Justices c. Now observe the general extent of this Direction and what these Men partially quote and pick out and patch together to render us Seditious and Obnoxious The Words quoted against us are these viz. Dreadful is the Lord and Powerful who is coming in his Power to execute true Judgment upon all you Judges and to change all your Laws ye Kings and all you Rulers must down and cease And all you Vnderling-Officers which have been as the Arms of this great Tree which the Fowls have lodged under all your Branches must be cut down for you have been all the Fruitless Branches grown on the Fruitless Tree Page 20. Sing all ye Saints and Rejoice clap your Hands and be glad for the Lord Jehovah will Reign and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers Judges and Justices Lawyers and Constables all this Tree must be cut down and Jesus Christ in us added will rule alone with more words quoted backward and forward p. 19. Now observe these though many illustrating Passages be left out being writ in the Year 1655. we may appeal to the whole Nation whether that TREE of the then Government in England with the Branches thereof hath not been cut down and removed and whether God's over-ruling Power and Providence was not concerned therein and in the various Revolutions since And the rest that concerns other Dominions Earthly Powers Nations and Kingdoms with the Kings and Princes thereof who dare determine that such Prophesies as concern them may not come to pass and be further fulfilled And also what these Men have left out in their said Quotation after the Words To change all your Laws ye Kings The Lord alone he will place the Law in People's Hearts who is the Everlasting Law-giver and Justice the Lord will set in People's Hearts And after the words Jesus Christ will rule alone follow these Glory and Honour for ever be unto him Be warned all betimes and awake and repent and turn to the Lord betimes that ye may find Mercy by putting off the evil Deeds and Works of Darkness that you may be received into the Kingdom of Glory and lay aside all Filthiness Pride and Covetousness and spedily repent Uncleanness and cursed Speaking Lying Slandering and Swearing c. Which is according to Psal 2.10 11 12. and also 2 Cor. 7.1 Eph. 5.4 5. and ch 4.31 and James 1.21 They further Charge Edw. Burroughs p. 501. for saying We stand Witnesses against Parliaments Councils Judges Justices who make or execute Laws in their own Will over the Consciences of Men or punish for Conscience sake and to such we cannot yield our Obedience And here they corruptly add an c. printed in 1659. Obs here Where is the Offence in these words Would these Men have the Consciences of Christians subject to obey all Laws made in the Wills of Superiors and that over Conscience too We though they had allowed this approved Exception i. e. Vnless Laws are made contrary to the Law of God They should have been so just as to have taken notice of what E. B. saith in his next following Paragraph p. 501. with respect to Christ and to Magistracy viz. That as we Preach Christ Jesus alone in the things of God to be our Law-giver so we do own him to be our King and own Magistracy in Civil Things not resisting any but following his Example who was made perfect through Suffering c. As to what they Charge G. F. To the Parliament of the Common Wealth of England p. 5. reflecting on their Coif-men and several sorts of Lawyers about their Fees c. If any Lawyers now be offended thereat we leave them to plead their own Cause if they can and Lords of Mannors to be kind to their Tenants and Charitable and Generous to the Poor as all Rich Men especially ought to be And let none of the Lawyers when warned against Covetousness reflect as one of the Lawyers did against Christ Master thus saying thou Reproachest us also Luke 11.45 but read Christ's answer vers 46. It may be observed by all serious Readers how apt these our Adversaries are to pervert and make an ill use of matters well intended and innocently designed according to our Christian Principle as Upon a Declaration from the People of God called Quakers against all Plotters and Fighters c. presented to K. Charles II. 1660. they have made this perverse note against us in their Margent p. 20. viz. Which Government that they might not support they declare against the use of the Carnal Weapon in 1660. Which is a false Construction and Perversion of the said Declaration for it was not written with any such intent witness our Contributing our Proportions and full Shares towards the support of the Civil Government both in Taxes and Customs So much of the Declaration as they have quoted follows viz. All Bloody Principles and Practices we as to our own Particulars do utterly
Words but his Adversary's what a Falacious Course do these our Adversaries take to prove us Criminal F. H's Words are He that hath the Spirit of God is in that which is Equal The Matter is Answered in the First Part and so is that Quoted out of Saul's Errand p. 8. 38. The Righteousness which God effects in us is not Finite but Infinite G. W. Voice of Wisdom p. 36. This was Inferr'd from the Priests owning That the Righteousness whereof Christ is the Subject and that whereof he is the Efficient are of one Species or Kind And from Galat. 4.19 Christ being formed in us And 2 Pet. 1.4 The Saints being made Partakers of the Divine Nature And Heb. 2.11 Eccles 3.14 I concluded Then God's Righteousness in us is not Finite but Infinite Voice of Wisd p. 36 37. Now I suppose they place the Mistake or Error supposed between the Words Effects and Infinite as if nothing could be said to be Infinite that had a beginning or that is effected which is to suppose whatsoever is Infinite has no Beginning as well as no End but Infinite is not always taken in that Sense for 't is sometimes apply'd to things that had a Beginning as in Nah. 2.9 chap. 3.9 But my meaning simply of the Word Infinite was That God's Righteousness which he effects in us is Everlasting and without End Psal 119 142. And Christ is said to be of God made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 I hope none will deny him to be Infinite or his Work of Righteousness and the Effect thereof to be Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa 32.17 VII Of Christ's Coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead P. 9. 39. But Three Comings of Christ not only that in the Flesh at Jerusalem and that in the Spirit but also another coming in the Flesh yet to be expected we do not yet read of Against G. W's Light and Life page 41. But is this to deny or oppose Christ's coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead 'T was never so intended And Questioning some Men's Carnal Expectations of a Fleshly coming of Christ to be seen with their Carnal Eyes was this to deny his coming in the Glory of his Father with his Angels to Reward every Man according to his works Mat. 16.27 Luke 9.26 No sure for that 's confessed and undeniable Likewise to question some Men's Notion of a Fleshly coming of Christ Personally to Reign a Thousand Years on Earth is this to oppose his Kingdom or that Prophecy of his Reign a Thousand Years mentioned Rev. 20.2 4 5 6 7 No sure Let our Adversaries produce plain Scripture-Proof in Terminis for Christ's Coming and Reign in that manner and the Question is Resolv'd To their other Citation out of Nature of Christianity p. 29 30. Thou may'st look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an appearance of him meaning with his carnal Eyes This is true in Fact for those very Eyes decay and perish and Christ's last coming in Power and great Glory in his glorious Body accompanied with All his mighty Angels at the Resurrection must be seen with stronger clearer and more celestial Eyes than perishing Eyes of Flesh And though we have believed Christ's Second Appearance or Coming without Sin unto Salvation mentioned Heb. 9.28 that is to save Men from their Sins to be a Spiritual Appearance and Work yet this is not to deny Christ to be the Judge both of the Quick and the Dead or his coming to judge the Quick and the Dead in the great and last Day 40. And as for that 1 Thes 4.15 concerning the Coming of the Lord from Heaven which these Men would blindly put a-far off Q. against Brief Discovery p. 9. in Answer to John Horn c. Anno 1659. Here they leave out As to a coming of Christ with Flesh and Bones meaning without any Blood in it for such a Body they then held and The Apostle saith We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep These are left out also in their Citation In the Ancient Bible of Q. Elizabeth the words are We which live and are remaining in the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which sleep From my inferring the Saints knowledge of Christ's Spiritual Coming who is Lord from Heaven I would have none suppose that we at all doubt of the Coming of the Son of Man the Lord Jesus and shewing himself from Heaven at the great Day and all his Holy Angels with him as testified in Holy Scripture by himself and Servants On Phil. 20.21 after the words Their Conversations was in Heaven They add To wit a Heaven within them Thus the Quotation is wronged in this and divers other words 41. There is none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them Gr. Myst p. 214. Here they leave out what follows viz. Which was before Man had a Being The words should be Transposed viz. There 's none have a Glory and a Heaven within them but which was before Man had a Being For what true and heavenly Glory or Joy any have within them 't was before Man had a Being this appears to be the intent of the Author the word But being misplaced and yet what the Saints have and injoy in this Life is much short in degree of that more full Attainment and exceeding Weight of Glory in that which is to come VIII Concerning Government P. 10. 42. The Quakers hold none Lawful but in their own Hands for that they have only a Right to Rule over the whole Earth and that it is Lawful for them to Fight and subdue the World under them and that they expect it These we utterly deny and testifie against as gross Calumnies cast upon us contrary to our Peaceable Christian Principle and Practice both as to Rule and Fighting We seek no Worldly Kingdom or Dominion to our selves but the Promotion of Christ's Peaceable Kingdom in Men wherein we desire ever to approve our Selves his Innocent Subjects whose Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual being Crucified with him to the Ground and Cause or War and Fighting And therefore in his Power testifie against this Malicious Persecuting Spirit which hath thus fouly misrepresented us as a People against all Civil Government and as holding it lawful for us to Fight and Subdue the World under us and that we expect it too O for Shame for Shame you Malicious Persecutors Cease Cease such your horrid Falshoods and Malicious Attempts to incense the Government thereby These Adversaries quote a piece of a Declaration of the Quakers as they call it beginning thus viz. We have chosen the Son of God to be our King and he hath chosen us to be his People c. p. 10. Out of which Declaration they have here left out several material Passages to clear our Innocency from Fighting as charged upon us as His Kingdom i. e.
Truth and Innocency VINDICATED And the PEOPLE called QVAKERS DEFENDED IN Principle and Practice Against Invidious Attempts and Calumnies BEING A Just EXAMINATION of Two Books against the said People ENTITULED I. A Brief Discovery c. By Three Norfolk-Priests II. Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies c. Being a Scandalous Libel Containing also many of the Repeated Abuses in John Meriton's Antidote and Francis Bugg's Pilgrim's Progress Examined by G. Whitehead a Servant of Christ Psalm 37.12 The Wicked plotteth against the Just Plalm 35.20 They devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the Land LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-street 1699. TO THE Ingenuous Reader WE knowing the Foundation of God which standeth sure the Tried Stone Elect and Precious and that the goodness of the Lord endures for ever to all who truly love and fear him and that he will prosper his own Work in the Earth that the Kingdom of Christ may be Promoted and Renowned to the Subduing and Overthrow of the Kingdom of Satan and Antichrist which God will accomplish fully by his own Power in his own Day and Time We are not dismayed nor discouraged at Satan's Rage nor at the Fury or Envious Attempts of any of his Agent 's strenuous Endeavours or Designs for renewed Persecution against the Innocent But through the Lord's Power and Goodness his Faithful People and Children are the more strengthned and confirmed in their most holy Faith and Confidence in Christ Jesus and his Divine Power that as thereby the Kingdom of Satan and Anti-Christ is already greatly shaken so therefore Satan's Rage is the more increased and heightned because of the shortness of his Time And because the Lord our God is secretly at work by his Invisible Power in many hearts seriously inclining them towards himself his blessed Truth and People that they may flock to his House and Family as Doves to the Window Therefore Avaricious Self-interested Persons whose Gain is their Godliness and Lucre their Religion and their Ministry Mercenary are the more uneasie and offended at our Religious Freedom and Liberty which through God's Goodness Over-ruling Power and Providence influencing the King and Government we do enjoy as we have of late years done For which we are humbly thankful to Almighty God and Gratefully acknowledge the same to the King and all our Superiors who are made Instrumental therein And to be branded and persecuted with Calumnies Reproaches and virulent Invectives as Blasphemous Hereticks movers of Sedition Treasonable and what not of the like import is no new thing or surprizal to us to have these black Characters put upon us they being included in the All manner of Evil spoken of against the true Followers of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ according as he himself hath expresly foretold his Disciples pronouncing thereupon a Blessing unto them for their Incouragement against their Revilers and Persecutors Malicious Men's Plotting against the Righteous and the Wicked's devising Mischief against the Innocent and the Quiet in the Land we doubt not but as their Mischievous Designs have taken Air and come to Light and thereby become weakned so the just and holy God will frustrate and make them void in the end to their perpetual Shame and Confusion who are therein concern'd 'T is a great sign that our present busie Adversaries are at a Low Ebb and they are very feeble and independent upon God and their Cause without Divine Support seeing that they are fain to make use of such perfidious Agents as invidious Apostates and Angry Restless Backsliders as F. Bugg c. whose mercenary and perverse work of implacable Envy and Reproach Forgeries and Contempt against us to defame and scandalize us both as to our Christian Profession Religious and Civil Reputations will no ways redound to their Honour or good Fame who gratifie and encourage him in such his injurious work against the innocent and quiet in the Land but it will turn to their great shame and disgrace who abet him and reward him with higher sums of Mony than ever Judas had of the Chief Priests for betraying Christ into the hands of his Persecutors That the World may know what Famous Learned Men these are who are join'd with F. Bugg in the present Quarrel and high defaming Charge against us they have afforded us their Names and Titles in the Title-page of their Brief Discovery set down in this Order viz. Edward Beckham D. D. and Rector of Gayten-Thorp NORFOLK Henry Meriton Rector of Oxborow NORFOLK Lancaster Topcliff L. B. sometimes Sen. Fell. of Gon. and Cajus Coll. Cambr. NORFOLK And now Reader that thou mayst understand what Eminent Doctors and Victorious Champions these Persons would make themselves in their Reply to our Friends in Norfolk dated Nov. 16. 1698. They insultingly tell them thus viz. Nay did not you reject F. Bugg for this Reason because he had been answered as you pretend over and over again and was unreasonable as if we had nothing to do but Actum Agere And may we not say the same of your Hackney-Disputants they have drudged so long in that Road and have been spurr'd and gaul'd by us enough already and therefore in reason we ought to turn them off a while and give them Rest till another occasion as in their Relation unduly stil'd The Quakers Challenge p. 21. See here the Boasting Scorn and Insulting of these Men and what Language they give us whilst they are very Teachy if but a little Toucht with Plain Dealing But pray how agrees this their Insulting Derision against our Disputants with their Confession in thesâ— words viz. We Ingenuously told them that we never had so right an Vnderstanding of their Principles as of late p. 6. How have they then spurr'd and gaul'd our Hackney-Disputants as they call them enough already How could they spur and gaul us by dispute when they did not rightly understand our Principles if they had not a right understanding thereof till of late We have for many years refused to be Priest-ridden especially to be made Hackneys of by them in the Dark where they do not see their way But their pretended Conference with the Quakers in Norfolk is turn'd into Petitioning and Soliciting the Parliament of late against us for more Knocking Arguments than their Disputes will afford How came they of late to understand our Principles How long hath F. Bugg and G. Keith been their Tutors furnish'd them with Quotations or their Authority been of value with them Who tho' they have strenuously laboured to bring us under Contempt and Reproach 't will be to their own Shame and Trouble being expresly contrary to their former extant Testimonies in behalf of our Christian Principle and of us as the People of God and True Christians under his Spiritual Dispensation of the New Covenant But it seems these Learned Doctors have been greatly beholding to their Tutor F.
Bugg of late for Instruction to a right understanding of our Principles as they think what Dignity is he then promoted unto of late How is he advanced to be a Doctor of Doctors But the Truth of it is we have Cause to have the less esteem of their Learning whilst instructed by such a Tutor who has spent much time in scribling one Scurrilous Romancing Book and Pamphlet after another against us heaping and repeating Forgeries and Defamations so hardned in Mischief and so Fool-hardy as to Counterfeit a Court of Judicature of Oyer and Terminer therein to forge a Trial to ridicule defame scandalize and arraign for Perjury divers Citizens of London of our Friends by Name men of good Repute forging Answers acting both Accuser Judge and Executioner also condemning them to the Pillory as Perjur'd Persons with a Figure or Form of a Pillory and twelve Pictures in it with the first Letters of their Names and the Title of PERJURY over their Heads And under all this Defamation and Scandal to represent the Persons so highly Defamed by him as this gross and abominable Defamation and Forgery may be seen at large in F. Bugg's New Rome Arraign'd Printed 1693. As also his Figure of a Cage with many Names set cross-wise in it to represent a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird p. 50. This busie Agent has also presum'd to Print an-Impeachment against us in Behalf of the Commons of England without being Legally Authorized thereby or shewing any Legal Authority for the same And moreover in his late great Book his supposed Master-Piece Printed 1698. Stiled the Pilgrims Progress he takes upon him to contrive frame and forge a Ridiculous Romance calling it a Sermon for G. Whitehead to hold forth at their Convocation or Yearly Meeting which also he expresly calls George Whitehead's Sermon and in it he has a Figure containing many Pictures some with Names of our Friends over them and others with Deputies over their Heads And this Figure he makes to represent the Quakers Synod and in it has Inserted divers notorious Lies as G. Whitehead asking Are the Doors shut And W. Bingley Answers Yea the Doors are lock'd with divers more abominable Lies And this same Sermon which he calls George Whitehead's Sermon from page 108 to page 127. contains two Sheets of Paper to which pretended Sermon he also adds a Lying Romance and Invented Speech in W. Bingley's Name in Testimony thereto which Romance I do in good Conscience Testifie against as a horrid Piece of Forgery containing in it many gross Lies Absurdities and perverted Quotations also representing me as calling the Scriptures Beastly Ware c. and as Exhorting to throw down the Scriptures and to make no Confession of Sins c. with many more gross Lies and Absurdities And also his representing W. Bingley as Preaching That our design is the supplanting Christianity c. with divers more Falshoods and Absurdities in W. Bingley's Name and many more in my Name in his said Insolent Romance wherein he presumptuously uses and repeats the Sacred Name of God Christ the Lord c. What horrid Presumption abominable Prophaneness and Immorality is this Agent arriv'd to who dare thus audaciously take the Name of the Holy God in vain thus Prophanely to make use of the Sacred Name of God and of his Dear Son Christ the Lord in such his idle Forgery and scurrilous Stuff Oh horrid Prophanation Oh abominable Presumption Is this your Convert O ye Clergy-men who abet countenance and gratifie such an Impious Presumptuous Person who dare make so bold with the Sacred Name of God and Christ as thus Atheist-like to Prophane the same The Righteous Lord and Judge of all beholds such great Impiety and Wickedness and a Day of Reckoning and Account will come Ingenuous Reader these are but short Hints of the gross Abuses we have suffered from this prophane wicked apostate Spirit we patiently commit our Innocent Cause to Him that judgeth Righteously and thee to his Divine Grace and Light for a clear Understanding of and Conduct in the Way of Truth and Peace to thy Everlasting Felicity which is the Sincere Desire of Thy Friend in Christ G. W. A Table of the Heads of this Examination about which the People called Quakers are unjustly charged PART I. OF our Adversaries Title Page 1. Of the Light Christ c. p. 2. to p. 7. Of the Soul p. 7. to p. 9. Of Perfection and Infallibility p. 9. to p. 16. Of the Bible Holy Scriptures c. p. 16 17. Of Immediate Revelation p. 18 19. Of the Letter and Holy Scriptures p. 19. to p. 23. Of the Churches Power to determine differences p. 23 24. Of Christ in the Flesh and extent of the Word Type Figure and of Christ crucified p. 24 25. Of Baptism Carnal Ordinances Liberty Spiritual p. 26 27. Of Government Earthly Kings Princes Parliaments c. p. 28 to 36 Of Samuel Fisher's Message to Oliver Cromwell in 1656. p. 37 38 Of our Assemblies Contributions and the Innocency thereof p. 39 to 44 Of the Sufferings of the People of God p. 44 45 46 Of the same Intentions differently worded p. 47 Of Bugg's Postscript Old Lies and Calumnies p. 47 48 PART II. OF the Furious Title of the Libel p. 49 Of the Holy Trinity p. 50 51 52 Of Christ our Blessed Lord p. 52 53 54 55 Of the Blood of Christ p. 55 56 Of Christ and his Body p. 57 Of the Holy Scriptures p. 57 58 Of the Sacraments so called p. 58 Of the Resurrection p. 59 Of Equality with God falsly charged p. 59 60 Of Christ's coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead p. 61 62 Of Government and Christ's Kingdom p. 62 63 Of Kingly Government Parliaments Lords and Commons p. 64 Of Human Laws Authority Associating Governments Tythes c. p. 65 Of Divine Authority Governments Meetings Toleration Persecutors c. p. 66 67 68. Of Treatment of Kings Clergy and other Dissenters p. 68 69 William Penn's Answer to several Charges against him p. 70 71 72 Where any Literal or other Faults have escaped the Press 't is hoped the Ingenuous Reader will excuse the Author and rectifie the same by the Sense and Coherence of the Matter Truth and Innocency VINDICATED c. PART I. 1. IT is observable that the Title of the said Brief Discovery is a general and most severe Charge against some of the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers without exception 2. That the said Brief Discovery consists chiefly of Quotations pretended to be taken out of their most noted and approved Authors unto which these Three Clergy-Men of Norfolk have given the Black and Odious Character Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers on purpose to make the whole People as Offensive and Obnoxious as they could Mischievously Devise 3. That the said Clergy-Men have Humbly as they feign Offered their said pretended Discovery and bitter Charge against the said
And what Prophecies are for Christ's Kingdom or the Government of the Lamb This we must own and that He shall Rule the Nations and He shall Rule in the midst of his Enemies and that the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of God and of His Christ These and such like the Holy Scriptures do expresly warrant and testifie And to G. F's saying That the Quakers are in the Power of God and in the Authority of the Lamb above all Houses and into Houses creep not but are upon the Throne Gr. Myst p. 31. He meant Spiritually no doubt and not Literally for they are not upon an outward Throne They that suffer with Christ shall Reign with Him as Kings and Priests upon Earth though their Kingdom be not of this World And it is testified That HE God with-draweth not his Eyes from the Righteous but with Kings are they on the Throne yea He doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Job 36.7 Again these Adversaries charge G. W. and G. F. Junior out of Truth Defending the Quakers Printed 1659. p. 9 10. with Answering That the Magistrate that is sent of God he receives the Law from the Mouth of God and he is the Prophet whom Moses spoke of Deut. 18.18 We are very wrongfully quoted in this place for our Words are The Magistrate that is sent of God and is his Minister he receives the Law at the Mouth of God and hears the Prophet whom Moses said the People should hear in all things Deut. 18.18 Acts 3.22 And what Sedition are in these Words Pray or Blasphemy either seeing He that Rules over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And Divine Wisdom which is confest to be the Eternal Son of God saith By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice Prov. 8. Must they not then receive Wisdom and Counsel from Him who is the Wisdom and Power of God And if his People must hear him in All things how shall Matters of Just Government be excepted As to what these Men quote against us in their sixteenth Page to prove us the aforesaid People Anti-Monarchical they are very broken in their Quotations with their many senseless Dashes like the Snake in the Grass Second Edition p. 220. but varying in the Citation of the same Passage These Men have the Words Are not all these Elders that will dote so much of an Earthly King But the Snake has it Are not all these Christians that will dote so much c. And both leaving out what may more plainly import the Intent of the Author And yet by what 's so abruptly quoted his meaning may be understood As some then doting so much on an Earthly King to rule over them as Christians he meant no other but such Earthly Kings as were persecuting Kings as he mentions Herod the King who was mad at the Child Jesus such Earthly Kings as would rule over Men's Consciences such as the Gentiles set up and such corrupt and wicked Kings as the Holy Prophets prophesied against as David Isaiah Ezekiel and others did see Psal 2.2 Psal 107.40 Job 12.21 Isa 63.3 6. Jer. 44.9 It 's said in Isaiah 24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high Ones and the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth see also vers 22. and Isai 30.33 Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared c. Yet these Prophets were for Good Kings and Righteous Government and such Kings were foretold of who should be nursing-Fathers and Queens nursing-Mothers Isai 49.23 therefore these were not Anti-monarchical without exception And I am persuaded G. F. never intended to reflect upon any good Kings or such as were against Persecution and Oppression but against such as he compares to Herod who was mad at the Child Jesus And we have known him speak well and give good commendation of our present King with respect to his Moderation and Tenderness and the Liberty of Conscience in Religious Worship owned and granted by him When Christ told his Disciples The Princes of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but it shall not be so among you Matt. 20.25 26. was he therefore an Enemy to Caesar as he was accused No sure he did not thereby preach Sedition against Caesar or the Kings of the Gentiles nor dissuade the Christians from their due subjection unto them We may further observe that those Kings of the Earth and those Great and Mighty Men and Chief Captains c. who have incurred the wrath of God and of the Lamb so as to hide themselves in Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and to call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Rev. 6.15 These no doubt were wicked Kings who were concern'd in this Prophesie But there 's another Prophesie which bespeaks a Great Reformation among the Nations And the Kings of the Earth when the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Holy City of God and the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Honour into it Rev. 21.24 26. Therefore all Kings are not condemnable as the wicked are We have been accused to be one while against another while for Kingly Government particularly in a Scandalous Libel stiled A Letter to the Quakers and also in the Snake in the Grass to which the following Answer was given which may now serve for a General Answer to these Adversaries viz. The first part of the Charge is false as 't is charged on us For tho' it 's true that some were rather in their judgments for a Common-wealth duly qualified for the Ease and Liberty of the People than such a Monarchy that might as they supposed be oppressive and persecuting for Conscience yet not against such a Monarchy as is justly qualified for the Good of the People under which they might enjoy their Liberties and Properties as Men and Christians such Monarchy and Common-wealth being not inconsistent as to the good Ends of Government i. e. Salus Populi in true Liberty and Property And it 's evident the Common-wealth or Weal of England is consistent with and allowed by Monarchy But many honest Men were in their judgments rather for such a Common-wealth-Government than an Oppressive Persecuting Monarchy And what then Did they sin against God therein No Did they offend against Man or any Humane Laws thereby They are pardoned by divers Acts of Indemnity which those Libellizing Informers manifestly violate by upbraiding them now in such Matters of State and Government Pray let this be observed And to obviate further Objections of Prejudice in this Case set Case some of our Friends in former days expressed their Respect to a Republick rather than a Monarchy then when they feared it would prove more burthensome and yet as Christians quietly
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
they deem them Erroneous we must take them to be of a contrary Opinion namely that their Baptism to wit Sprinkling Infants is not Carnal but Spiritual and commanded of God and that their Sacrament Communion Bread and Wine is not Carnal but Spiritual But how can that be without Transubstantiation pray A Doctrine wholly disown'd by us which if they prove all this by Scripture and the word Sacrament also then all that hold they are Carnal and not Spiritual ought to retract and confess their Error I 'll not exclude my self on these Terms But I wish these Men would not be too hot and fierce about words I would not have them take the word Carnal as a word of Contempt against any thing that God ever commanded for they may read of Carnal Ordinances spoken of things which God once commanded Heb. 9.9 which stood only in Meats and Drinks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variis Baptismatibus divers Baptisms and Carnal Ordinances impos'd on them until the time of Reformation Again W. Smith's Primer is charged that Baptism Bread and Wine arose from the Pope's Invention c. I having found W. S. in like manner wronged in this heretofore by some called Anabaptists upon search I gave them this Answer from his own Explication viz. That it was not Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper nor Baptism without distinction that he rendred the Pope's Invention but sprinkling Water in a Child's Face signing it with the Sign of the Cross on it's Fore-head God-fathers and Godmothers to undertake for it Bread and Wine so used and received i. e. by a sort of Priests and People as the Body and Blood of Christ which they tell them is broken and shed for them which implies Transubstantiation and did not these thus considered rise from the Pope's Invention trow ye See the Contemned Quaker and his Christian Religion defended p. 23 24. To their Charge against W. Penn's Reason against Railing printed 1673. p. 108 109. his saying I affirm by that one Scripture Heb. 9.10 that Circumcision is as much in force as Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb as Bread and Wine they were both Shadows and both Elementary and Perishable And here they leave out divers explanatory Lines Whereupon I ask these Men First if the Paschal Lamb which was a principal part of the Lord's Supper Luke 22. be in force among Christians Second If Water Baptism Bread and Wine be not Shadows and Elementary and Perishable If it be an Offence to say they are then I would ask these Men if they believe their Bread and Wine are not Perishable Elementary and of a decaying Nature If not how will they clear themselves of the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation But I would charitably think better of them than their Charges in these matters Import Those charged with Cain's Sacrifice in their Ordinances Churches and Teachings for which News coming up is again quoted against us p. 4.14 were such as were in the First Birth and Envious Persecutors and Wicked Persons as were justly reprehended in those days when that was writ in 1654. even as the Prophet Isaiah testified against Israel Isa 1. because of their Iniquities tho' they observ'd Outward Ordinances What they quote about one Quaker writing to another in a bemoaning Letter called The Spirit of the Hat printed 1673. p. 12. complaining of G. Fox not allowing any Liberty c. That 's not true nor the comparison just between G. F. and the Papists for he was always against Persecution and Coertion by Penal Laws for matters purely relating to Conscience or Worship toward God and for all to have their Liberty to Worship him as inwardly persuaded which Popery will not allow And for G. F's saying No Liberty out of the Power and asserting Gospel-Liberty this we knew related to the Church of Christ there being no true Liberty but in the Power and Spirit of the Lord and the Church desires no other than what 's agreable to Truth And W. P's Brief Examination and State of Liberty Spiritual Printed 1681. which is also quoted against us Imports no other than a Liberty in Truth and for Unity Society and good Order therein and against the Spirit of Strife Division and Self-Separation which would cloak it self under Pretence of claiming Liberty of Conscience and being left to the Grace and Spirit of God within when its Design is to be at Liberty both to break good Order and Unity and to lead into Loosness fleshly and corrupt Liberty It follows not that we allow no Liberty to any who differ from us as is falsly noted in their Margent against us for the Liberty God allows to all Mankind in the Creation we would debar none of though we cannot receive them into Society with us who walk not after the Spirit but after the Flesh Of GOVERNMENT 26th Charge p. 15. In the Margent it 's noted They declare themselves against Kingly Government for which they quote Edw. Burrough's Works p. 244. The Lord is risen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws And He will change Times and Laws and Governments c. Now observe That these Prophetical Passages with many other of the like Import were writ in the Year 1657. and have they not been in a great Measure fulfilled by the various Overturnings and Revolutions which since have come to pass Can any deny a Matter so apparent But does this argue that we are against a Kingly Government when God will have it No sure As there was Submission to Him in Prophecying such Truths so there hath been and is on our parts in what He brings to pass concerning Revolutions and Governments and it must be known and acknowledged That the Most High rules in the Kingdoms of Men and giveth them to whomsoever he pleaseth Dan. 4.17 25. 'T is also observable that these our Accusers who render us Seditious have very Partially left out the Reason of the afore recited Prophecies as O what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in Civil Governments O what abominable Superstitions and Idolatries have been in supposed Church-Governments It 's a Vexation to the Spirit of the Lord to consider it and the Righteous Soul hath long cried and mourned under it And because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now risen to overturn overturn c. And after the Words quoted these are left out viz. And he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the Poor have groaned c. Now observe how Universal and Impartial these Prophecies were being directed in general under the Title of a Standard lifted up and an Ensign held forth unto all Nations Now suppose any one should be stirr'd up to Prophecy against any King or Prince in any Nation where great Persecution and Oppression is upheld or maintain'd whether in France or in any other Nation or Popish Countries were it a good Inference to say It were a Declaration against Kingly Government in general No sure