in Answer to my Modest Defence where you say p. 7. But sure we are and always ready to make it appear that neither are our Books Blasphemous nor our Principles Pernicious Again p. 11. We are ready to undertake the Proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures this is False in Fact and a Notorious Lie in the Face of the Government First In that you knew I had presented to the Parliament the Reprint of an entire Book of yours stiled Ishmael c. which is both pernicious to the Fundamentals of Christianity and horridly Blasphemous Secondly In refusing to prove any one Doctrine you held at West Dereham Thirdly In refusing to meet Geo. Keith upon any of his Invitations Again p. 10. We sincerely own all that is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ respecting his Conception Birth Life Miracles Doctrines Death Burial Resurrection Ascension Mediation and Future Coming to Judgment when in reality you own not one of those Articles rightly nor as all Orthodox Christians own them as G. Keith's 4th Narrative has from your Books made evidently to appear Again p. 6. ibid. That we assume Rules of Discipline in Church Matters they are for our selves only Powers in Matters of Religion for and among our selves only Nor say they do we see how those Acts could be truly called Acts of Toleration to Dissenters if they did not tolerate each sort of Dissenters to assume Rules of Discipline Power in Matters of Religion and Forms of Church Government for and amongst themselves c. Again p. 11. And if it relate to Religious Performances as it seems to do by the next words i. e. having their Monthly Quarterly and Yearly Meetings c. From whence it is plain that these Monthly Quarterly and Yearly Meetings then when it suit their turn they own to be Religious Meetings and as such tolerated by the Act of Toleration and without allowing them the Act could not be called An Act of Toleration Yet to shew that Liars had need to have good Memories they in Contradiction to themselves when pinched from another Quarter for keeping their Doors Lock'd Barr'd or Guarded to prevent Inspection they in their Just Censure c. p. 26. confess saying These Meetings are not intended for Worship what then What For Government and to assume Rules of Discipline and Forms of Church Government which is more than the Establish'd Church can legally do without His Majesties Licence and therefore worse and more dangerous their Doors being kept Lock'd or Guarded and expresly against the very Act of Toleration in which is this Clause viz. Provided always and 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 and such only the Act tolerates with Doors Lock'd Barr'd or Bolted during any time of such meeting together all and every such Person or Persons that shall come to and be at such Meeting shall not receive any Benefit from this Law but be liable to all the Pains and Penalties of all the aforesaid Laws recited in this Act for such their Meeting notwithstanding his taking the Oaths and his making and subscribing the Declaration And likewise as the Learned in the Law say Such Meetings with Doors Lock'd c. to assume Rules of Discipline and Forms of Church Government are expresly against the Rights of Parliaments the King's Prerogative and Liberty of the Subject and these Statutes following viz. 28 H. 8. c. 19 21. 27 H. 8. c. 15. 37 H. 8. c. 17. 3 Ed. 6. c. 10 11. 1 Eliz. c. 12. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 8 Eliz. c. 1. 1 K. W. Q. M. Magna Charta c. 29. Pet. Right and that such as so meet run themselves into a Premunire But the Quakers being a united Confederacy a Body Politick Incorporated and having a Fund or Common Bank to support and propagate their Principles they are too powerful for any single Person and thereupon the Government is prayed to take it into their Consideration And that these Meetings are not within the Act of Toleration but obnoxious to the Laws and of a dangerous Consequence I have more fully shewn in my Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity c. 2d Edit in Octavo wherein I have more largely set forth their Monthly Quarterly Second-day Six-week and Yearly Meetings shewing they are not only for Government as themselves now confess but a Government Imperium in Imperio But one thing I cannot but observe in these Meek Harmless Quakers viz. in their representing the Justices Grand Juries and Burgesses of Norfolk and Suffolk as a Bloody-minded sort of Tyrants and that to the Right Honourable and Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled in Parliament then no wonder they treat me at that disdainful rate they do and the Reverend Clergy for my sake but as hitherto Thanks be to God the Protestant Magistrates and the Episcopal Clergy have been a Bulwark against Popery so I trust they will against the prevalency of Quakerism and the danger of them which seems to threaten both them and the Nation A just Censure c. p. 12. And consider say they whether it was decent in the Aldermen and Burgesses of Bury c. thus to Impeach the Wisdom and Conduct of the Government P. 13. That all those high Charges in the Petition exhibited against us are grounded but upon their own groundless Jealousies they how mannerly say they let others judge offer the Parliament Hobson 's Choice cut our Throats or knock out our Brains And would they have the Honourable the House of Commons undertake this Inhumane piece of Butchery to defile their Hands in the Innocent Blood of so many Thousands of harmless People to Enact such a Barbarous Tragedy only to remove the groundless Fears of a few Jealous-headed Aldermen Justices Grand Juries c. of Bury c. P. 15. God forbid they should swim into it i. e. a peaceful Life and the Enjoyment of their Religion through a Sea of Innocent Blood c. But why is all this Why 'T is only that they prayed the House of Commons to take these things into their Consideration and that the Principles and Practices of the Quakers might be Examined and their Errors Censured and Suppressed whether by obliging them to Retract their Errors or if not to order their Books to be Burnt by the Common Hangman or any other Method as to their great Wisdom shall appear to deserve c. and for this Noble Act this Generous and Christian Undertaking with that Modesty which highly became them to be thus Censured by the Quakers to Impeach the Wisdom of the Parliament to excite them to a Barbarous Tragedy to cut their Throats that they may swim through a Sea of Blood is not only a False Pernicious and Scandalous Representation of the Petitioners and their Right of Petitioning but it is Imperious in
1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 37 Hen. 8. c. 17. 8 Eliz. c. 1. 1 K. W. Q. M. N. 307. And such Meetings let the Pretence be never so seemingly good are interpreted to be Regnum in Regno viz. not only independent but opposite to the Civil Government and should the Bishops and Clergy so meet with never so real a Purpose to promote real Piety and Christianity of which the Quakers is but a Counterfeit they thereby would as the Learned in the Law say run themselves into a Praemunire Neither do or are any People in England so bold so to Meet in Contempt of the Laws of the Land expresly against the King's Prerogative the Rights of Parliaments and the Liberty and Property of the Subject the Quakers only excepted whose Principles are Extrajudicial and Antimagistratical and of how dangerous a Consequence Time will best demonstrate for hitherto they have not been able to do Hurt as to the Government But see one of their own Books before they got to this Height in Oliver Cromwell's Days intituled The West answering to the North c. by G. Fox and others of them p. 80. viz. Any Party of Men under a Government to make Laws not being Authorized so to do for the Binding of others and thereunto require Obedience is the setting up of themselves above the Law and treading it under their Feet and rendring of them whom they so Bind their Slaves and Vassals and so is TREASON Object IV. As for what is Collected which they call a Fund is not for Stipends for our Teachers we have no Mercenary Teachers nor among us Attendants on both Houses of Parliament c. Answ This is all false in Fact 1. I do affirm and offer to prove it That their Teachers have Stipends and great Sums of Money out of the Money collected if I do not let but my Superiors give me the Opportunity I will engage to forfeit my Life yea as clearly as Daniel proved to the King the Fraud of Bell's Priests And also will shew the private Entrance or Passage which the Quakers Mercenary Teachers go in and out to this Fund or Bank or Common Stock or Collection let it have a Name of the Quakers own giving if that will please them without strewing Ashes If I do not do this let me suffer if I do and that I also shew that the Charges Attending the Parliament come out thereof then let this Fund Stock or Bank together with their Yearly Meeting and all other their Monthly Quarterly Six-Week and Second-Day's Meetings which are not designed for Worship but for Government be supprest and let them be content with their Meetings on Sundays for Publick Worship with their Doors open as other Dissenters have Now if they be but as Confident as Bell's Priests were let them try the Experiment I am ready to engage them when the Government shall call me to it and by no other Methods than is usual oft-times with the Members of the House of Commons to use when they would find out a hidden Secret which they fear tends to subvert the Government Object V. G. Whitehead in Excuse of the Quakers recording their Sufferings as only to have have recourse to and not designed to render the Government odious to Posterity Answ I answer this is such a fallacious Evasion that it serves only to shew their Hypocrisie Read but The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. p. 102 to 106. and The Pilgrim's Progress c. first Edition p. 167. where five Quotations are at large taken out of their Prints written by W. Penn R. Barkley and others of Note amongst the Quakers and they afford a Demonstration and Proof sufficient and which they never yet gainsaid by Answer thereunto Object VI. G. W. pag. 69. of his Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. says Let their Books and ours be compared to clear our Innocency from their Adversaries gross Calumnies Perversions Misrepresentations c. Answ Content with all their Hearts But tho' I am no Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet yet I dare venture to say that Geo. will not be so willing to put their Cause upon this Issue as the Priests of Bell and the Dragon were to put their Fraud to the Test No theirs was a sufficient Example to their Followers in Deceit and Falshood And I marvel G. W. should have the Face to propose a Thing which they have these Fifteen Years to my knowledge always refused and when any one proposes it they fly off and cry out Persecution Persecution For he knew both many of his own Books as well as Fox's Burrough's and their Chieftains are well fraught with Errors Blasphemy Seditious and Bloody Treasonable Principles And that they stood in as much need of an Act of Oblivion as any People upon English Ground and with which all their Crimes might for all me have been buried had they not revived them and told us over and over That their Principles are now no other than what they were in the Beginning Thus having answer'd these Objections I shall add no more on this Head only referr to my former Book intituled The Picture of Quakerism Part 2. pag. 121 to 128. for more of this Nature which probably may be of good Use if the Poor Man's Counsel be taken Eccles 9.14,15,16 Read the Ninth Chapter of Joshua at your leisure And now to conclude with a Word of Encouragement to such who are concern'd in the Discovery of Quakerism Do you not remember the Day I am sure I do how the Quaker-Teachers went into Churches and disturb'd the Established Ministers But now none must disturb them if they do the Officer is call'd for and the Offender prosecuted Witness Geo. Keith did but desire to go into the Quakers Meeting at Bristol this present August and they refused his going in tho' he promised not to disturb them but threatned him with executing the Law against him as in his printed Relation appears more at large This is a certain Sign of what they would do in other Cases had they Power I say do you not remember how they challenged the Publick Ministers to dispute to answer their Queries c. It would make a Volume to handle this Matter throughly But behold here is a Change with them you may challenge them long enough but cannot get them out of their Holes they see and know they are discover'd this makes them Timorous and as the Scriptures say Fearfulness surprize the Hypocrites They see this that and the other Book come out against them which they cannot answer nor are they able to defend themselves and now they call out for a Cessation of Arms and are for an Amicable Conversation yea for Peace and Quietness and 't is Seditious to challenge them and remind them of their Errors this is against Magna Charta say they Geo. Keith hath three times called them out and challenged them but they dare not appear but like self-condemn'd Apostates lye mute
about your Cottage you that can forge Certificates and set Mens Names to it without their Privity Knowledge or Consent as you did that from Huntington in your Book Judgment fixed as Anne Docwra in her Letter to Mr. Crisp March 25. 1684. says you did what credit is to be given to it And besides those three Certifiers conclude thus On credible Information we verily Believe Here then is but their belief on Information and I am credibly informed of what I wrote so the Reader is left to believe as he is perswaded The like may be said of Will. Mead touching his saying to William Harris that Fox's Journal is a better Book than the Bible this Will. Mead does not deny under his Hand I have only Geor. Whitehead's word for it and he that can forge Certificates is not to be believed Again p. 38. What Earnings didst thou F. B. make in the late Discourse before the Bishop of Norwich and the four Members of Parliament where I discovered thy repeated Falshoods Forgery Deceit and Wickedness in divers Matters And how thou wert counfounded when Matters were closely urg'd against thee c. Now George thou knowest in thy own Conscience that this is a Lie spoken in Hypocrisie on purpose to mislead thy Disciples for thou didst not prove one false Quotation Matter or Thing against me But I proved thee guilty of contempt of the Scriptures in exalting your sayings above them as of greater Authority and for the truth of this I submit my self to those Five Persons present one of them having often shewed his Approbation of my management of that Affair These things George do not redound to thy Credit and I can truly say I am sorry for thee George we both grow Ancient let us write for the good of others not for Victory for my part I do upon the word of a Christian design it and if I saw my self in an Error I should willingly submit Again P. 46. Beside the false Printing and bad English as Fr. B. has exposed my Book Ishmael there is another defect after the words The Lake is thy Portion which is the Portion of Liars the words except thou speedily repent are omitted there and in some other places To which I Answer let any body compare your Book Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. in the Original Impression in Quarto and the Reprint in my Modest Desence c. Part 2. and they shall find it for English Comma's and Points and Words the same For in the Quarto Impression p. 3. l. 15. there is we for wo as in Mod. Def. p. 7. l. 13. there is also we for wo and so in all other places where it was bad English and false Spelled and false Pointed so it is Reprinted And as for the words except thou speedily repent being left out I do positively say 't is a most horrid Lie there is not a word in the whole Book left out so careful was I. And how then canst thou pretend to be a Consciencious Writer when in the face of the Sun thou canst thus Prevaricate Dissemble and Lie and that knowingly What is become George of thy seriousness sincerity and plainness thou so often boasts of Again P. 34. He F. B. assumes the boldness to promote in Print an Abstract of two Letters of two Clergymen I pray God open the Eyes of our Governours and cause them to take into Consideration this too much and too deplorable unlimited and unbounded Tolleration especially as the Quakers both claim and use it c. as in Pil. Prog. p. 175. was not this says George a piece of insolent confidence to expose this in Print and thus openly to oppose the Liberty Granted and legally Confirmed by King and Parliament and thus to render our Governours blinds c. Now as I think this was a good Prayer so do I think it no boldness to expose it in Print For George it was not the Liberty Granted and by Law Confirmed which these Clergymen either called unlimited or unbounded for the liberty granted is both limited and bounded as from divers branches of the Laws appear and particularly by the very Act of Tolleration see p. 86 88 101 189 339. No the unbounded Liberty which the Quakers take claim and use is what the Clergy is against and which they Pray the Government would take into their Consideration and I am sure it is a base bold and insolent thing George in you to expose in Print that the Clergy would represent the King and Parliament blind But I have not herein room to set forth your baseness in calling all Kings Spiritual Egyptians all that own any King since the days of Christ Apostates that Parliaments chosen by most Voices are not like to Act for God or the Good of his People that Parliaments are the Beast that carry the Whore Nay in your Book The West Answering to the North c. you justifie the Murther of King Charles I. saying The cutting off his Head was a remarkable Record of the Righteous Judgment of God and for a true sight of these your Antimonarchical as well as Antimagistratical Principles see p. 157. to p. 175. hereafter And George you tell us in Print that your Principles are now no other than they were in the beginning And what they were in the beginning I in this Book the Pilg. Prog. c. have set forth And I think it is both bold and insolent Confidence in you to revive all these your horrid Principles destructive to Government and Humane Society by telling us you are the same in Principles still and I am afraid we may in this believe you In the next place I shall shew even thee George what Liberty the Quakers both use and claim which not only those two Clergymen but many Ten Thousands both of Laity and Clergy are against First Your sending into the Churches Challenges as your Friends did at West-Dereham Secondly Your going from House to House like the Popish Priests to seduce the People inviting them to your Meetings giving them Books which say the Quakers are the one only Church of Christ and that out of your Church there is no Salvation Thirdly That your Monthly Quarterly Six Week Second Day and Yearly Meetings where you revive your old Treasonable Principles which Meetings are expresly against the very Act of Tolleration these and the like as in the ensuing Discourse are the Meetings and the Practices both used and claim'd by you Namely to hold Convocations which the Established Church without Licence from His Majesty cannot legally do These and the like Practices of yours all good Christians and the Laws of the Land are against and I still pray God to give the Nation a sight and sence of it before it be too late In Answer to your 48th Page I query thus Whether it be not as proper for me to Address His Majesty on the behalf of the Church of England and other sound Protestants who hold the
Israel 1 Sam. 17. as the Quakers do the Church of England her Bishops and Clergy And as a fresh Motive to this my Chace I saw Two Letters from Two worthy Clergymen to their Acquaintance in the City which complain'd of the Quakers Insolency An Abstract thereof is as followeth viz. I supply the Cure of I have with the Blessing of God upon my Pains preserved the People in our Communion except some few till now But at this time thro' the extraordinary Devices Craft and Subtilty of the Quakers that Parish and two or three more thereabouts are in great Danger of falling from the Church to Quakerism several of their New Converts go about to Houses importuning Men and Women to go to hear their Speakers They are so troublesome in this Nature as that I am perswaded some have turned and others must turn for a quiet Life I have observed them to be much more hot and eager in making Proselytes since the Peace than ever they were in the time of the War They challenge us to meet them and Dispute with them but if we should accept their Challenge without our Bishop's Leave I do not know how he would resent it besides I am not hasty lest the best Cause in the World should suffer thro' my Weakness And the Advantage they would bring to their Cause hereby is to have it universally believ'd that their Religion is so good and so much favour'd by the Government as that it neither can nor dare be oppos'd by us I believe the Intent of the King and Parliament in granting them an Indulgence was not that they should disturb the Professors of the Establish'd Religion by Law but rather that these Legal Professors should not be capable of disturbing or molesting them I pray God open the Eyes of our Governours and cause them to take into Consideration this too much and too deplorable unlimited and unbounded Toleration especially as the Quakers both claim and use it which notwithstanding all the Care and indefatigable Labour and Pains of the Watchmen of Israel will certainly if not timely prevented be the Overthrow of our Church and Christianity it self c. And to my own Knowledge they boast of having the Royal Ear and such Friends at Court as give them great Boldness especially in Country Towns and Villages where they ride Lord and Master and begin to think themselves interested in the Comprehension discoursed of But if so without first a general Retractation of the Errours by them broached and of their scandalous Defamations of our Kings our Parliaments Bishops Clergy and Protestants in general it will be no other than breeding a Viper in the Bowels of the Christian Churches which God of his Mercy divert Thus begging my Reader 's Pardon for this long Digression I shall now take Leave to renew my Chace in Hunting the Fox not so much to single out a single Person for that God knows of every Society there has been some Particulars under mistaken Notions pursuing wrong Designs as to shew that the Governing Party of the Quakers who sit at their Helm have been utterly against this present Government For as I told them Publickly in my Printed Letter to the Quakers Printed 1690. p. 2. i. e. This Government and the Protestant Interest are so linked together that those which are not true to the one cannot be true to the other whatever they may pretend c. I say not so much to single out of their Herd one particular Person as to shew that the Quakers in general who think themselves thus highly honoured as the Merit of their Innocency have all along been averse to the Government that so when they like the Peacock behold their dark Parts they may let fall their Plumes and be humbled and brought to a Confession both of their Sins of Omission and Commission against God and Man For I having observed the Discourse of the Quakers touching the late Happy Revolution found how their Pulse beat and in the general perceived a great Lukewarmness in them to the present Government I also went sometimes to their Meetings as I did to other Dissenters to observe whether they all pray'd for Their Majesties and to do the Dissenters Right both Presbyterians Independants and Baptists pray'd heartily for Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary but not a Word of such a Prayer amongst the Quakers By which I soon perceived that their Peoples Averseness to the Government proceeded from the Doctrine and Example of their Teachers upon which I Printed against this their Omission in a Letter to the Quakers 1690. p. 2. saying Why do you not Pray for and Address your selves to King William and Queen Mary as publickly and as heartily as you did to and for the late King James II. viz. as a brave King God and Cesar said Penn are both of a Mind pray God bless the King and his Royal Family These and many more were published thro' the Nations and from your Yearly Meetings too but no Salutation no Message no Prayer for nor Address to King William and Queen Mary as if you were struck mute at the Loss of your brave Popish King I do not charge this as an Evil in it self whilst our King but to shew the Quakers Zeal to that and Coldness to his present Majesty whom God preserve What can you say for your selves Are you like those 1 Sam. 10.27 viz. The Children of Beliel who said How shall this Man save us And they despis'd him and brought him no Presents no Prayers no Addresses but the King held his Peace O ye unworthy and ungrateful Persons Hath not King William granted you the Liberty of your Consciences What! Have you nothing to say for King William Nay you are so far from that that you have acted quite contrary for when King William appointed a Fast for the Prosperity of his Arms then you not only Preached against the Fast but also to weaken the Hearts and Hands of his Friends you vehemently cry'd down all Wars and Fighting * Mark this with the Juncture of Time and Occasion and the like Is you Zeal for the Protestant Cause quite gone or is it gone to Rome c. This Letter I grant put them into a Fume and Fret but they soon found a Salvo viz. Where said G. Whitehead are all required by Christ or his Apostles to pray for them i. e. Kings and all that are in Authority by Name c. The Content Apostate c. p. 17. as before observed But I soon Printed a Reply to G. Whitehead's Evasive Answer intituled New Rome Unmask'd p. 26 to 30. where I gave Instances of their Prayers and Addresses to the late King James II. as in the following Addresses is manifest but not one Anniversary Address to King William III. to August 1699. viz. The Humble Address of the People called Quakers to K. James II. June 1687. We cannot but with grateful Hearts both admire and acknowledge the Providence of
free-willing Heart that thou may'st rock Nations as a Cradle ††This is their Ancient Testimony and keep thou in the Fear of the Lord and all thy Soldiers and them that are under thee This is a Charge to thee in the Presence of the Lord God I am a Lover of thy Soul and Eternal Good an Establisher of Righteousness G. FOX * * The Righteousness of Gâ—d c. p. 11. To thee O Oliver Cromwell thus saith the Lord I had chosen thee among the Thousands in the Nations to execute my Wrath upon my Enemies and gave them to thy Sword with which I Fought for the Zeal of my own Name and gave thee the Enemies of my own Seed to be a Curse and a Reproach for ever and made thee an Instrument against them And many have I cut down by my Sword in thy Hand that my Wrath might be executed on them to the utmost G. Roffe These I affirm were your Ancient Testimonies in Print which deserves to be burnt on Tower-Hill Secondly I must acknowledge it is according to your Old Testimony with Respect to your Hypocrisie viz. in pretending to pay your Acknowledgment to the King for his Kindness and yet never mention by Name what King you mean'd when two Kings laid Claim to the Crown and for which your Paper was justly rejected as a Fruit of your Hypocrisie of which your Second-Day Meeting is full Thirdly It was according to your Ancient Deceit in not owning King William to be your Rightful and Lawful King and yet to tell the House of Lords that your refusing to Sign the Association was not in Opposition to his being declared Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms which piece of Hypocrisie the Lords soon perceived and sent you packing with your Paper Fourthly It was also according to your Ancient Testimony in wheeling about and worshipping the Rising-Sun to bring in your April Testimony with the King's Name three times over and to own him your Rightful and Lawful King and YET to leave your Promise of Signing the Association Fifthly It was according to your Old Testimony of Deceit and Hypocrisie to pretend in your said April Testimony That you owned King William III. to be Rightful and Lawful King and yet in your March Testimony to pretend your Conscience would not allow you Liberty to Sign the Association according to the Act of Parliament in that Case made and provided as above-recited in regard you could not avenge your selves But being told by my Paper which I presented to the Lord's House which was in Reply to yours That you told R. Cromwell You would be a Strength to him and stand by him in the Day of his Trouble and Defend him and his just Government c. Then in your next Paper to wit your April Ancient Testimony you left out your refusing to Sign the Association as well as the Cause why you could not Sign it * O deep Deceit 'T is well for you that the Lords did not perceive this namely because you pretended you cannot take Revenge For alas in that my said Paper I had shew'd the Lords That you had prosecuted a Man for killing a Quaker gave 50 l. for the Discovery of him got him and procur'd him to be hang'd in Chains and yet could not avenge the Blood of your Prince †Tâ—ey can revenge the Blood of a privaâ—… 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 reâ—…ge the Bâ—…d of their Prince Hâ—peful Subjects They deserve Protection apace O tender Consciences Thus you make Conscience your Stalking Horse in all your Villanies besides your Indicting my self and others are Demonstrations that you can seek Revenge for Personal Wrongs and Injuries and 〈◊〉 you cannot for Conscience-sake stand by and defend King William as you promised you would Richard Cromwell in his JUST GOVERNMENT c. Some Inferences from the Eleventh Chapter IS it so then that this Second Days Meetings is as the Helm to the Ship the Wheel within the Wheel which set all going and that they can leave out of their Reprints such Prophesies as suit not with the Times This shews them arrant Impostors Is it so that neither Second-Days Meetings nor Yearly Meetings have ever yet given out one Publick Address to King William III. nor one Congratulatory Paper to acknowledge Him their Right and Lawful * For their Ancient Testimony April 3. 1696. and their late Paper presented to the King Feb. 7. 1697. were both drawn up of a Friday King and that they refused to Sign the Association with the rest of His Majesty's Subjects What reason then have they either grounded upon Reason or Merit to expect such singular Favours from the Government as they would seem to insinuate they have And why boast they so much upon their Right of Priviledges when they 'll comply with nothing but what suits with their Interest and Design And where they are call'd to any Publick Test either for their Fidelity to the Government or to stand by and defend the King they then at every turn plead their Conscience in Excuse from their Duty What! Hath no Body any Conscience but they Is it so that their Ancient Testimony is so utterly against Monarchy against Parliaments and Magistrates as to say We stand Witnesses against Parliaments Councils Judges Justices who make or execute Laws in their Wills over the Consciences of Men or punish for Conscience-sake and to such Laws Customs Courts or Arbitrary Usurped Dominion we cannot yield Obedience that the Parliament is the Beast and the Church of England the Whore of Babylon that no King is to Rule but Jesus c. See Burrough's Works p. 203 501 524. I have instanced three several Acts they 'll not obey And thereupon they 'll obey no Act of Parliament which cross their Design What reason is there for their so boasting at every turn of their being Recognized as Protestants when their Principles are not only repugnant to all Christians but their Practice to all Protestants the World over and till they repent thereof and retract their Errours they are a Scandal to Christianity and a Reproach to the Name of Protestant I have by me the Address of the Honourable House of Commons made in February 1697. and His Majesty's Gracious Answer thereto I have also His Majesty's Gracious Proclamation which consists chiefly of Two Parts the one against Vice Immorality and Prophaneness the other Part against Writing Printing or Publishing Pernicious Books and Pamphlets containing impious Doctrines against the Holy Trinity and other Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith c. I have also by me a Copy of the Quakers Paper presented to His Majesty dated the 7th of February 1697. wherein they own him King as the Jewish Captives did Belshazzar Dan. 5.21 and thereby themselves Captives wherein they take some notice of the first Particular but not a Word of the latter But this Chapter is extended beyond what at first I intended so shall not at
Gulielmi Mariae Regis Reginae Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae primo May 24. 1698. this Act passed the Royal Assent N o 308. Provided always that nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt any of the Persons aforesaid from paying of Tythes or other Parochial Duties or any other Duties to the Church or Minister nor from any Prosecution in any Ecclesiastical Court or elsewhere for the same Well after much struggling between the Foxonian Quakers that hold it Antichristian to pay Tythes tho' voluntarily paid yea a compleat Denial of Christ to be come in the Flesh quoting 1 John 4.3 yea downright Ranterism on the one Hand and the Storian Quakers who held it lawful to pay if the Supream Power gave it them nay not only the Tenth Part but even the Fifth Part if the Party thinks his Minister want it I say great Strugglings and Writings and Disputings were on both Parts about this so nice a Point and so necessary to be decided Wherefore at a Yearly Meeting held at London June 1693. and by the Authority of the same it was thus amongst other things Enacted And therefore that all due and godly Care be taken against the grand Oppression and Antichristian Yoke of Tythes that our Christian Testimony born (r) Soft Words and hard Names mixt and greatly suffered for be faithfully maintained against them in all Respects and against Steeple-House-rates That Friends at all their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings be reminded to call for the Record of the Sufferings of Friends to see that they be duly gathered truly entered and kept and accordingly sent up to London as hath been often advised both of what Tythes c. are pretended to be due and for how long a time and the time when taken and by and for whom and what Goods are taken and the Value thereof as well those not exceeding as those exceeding the Sums or Quantities demanded it being a Suffering for both for Truth-sake they being in these Particulars found defective and imperfect in divers Counties which is an Obstruction to the general Record of Friend's Suffering And THEREFORE the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are advised to take more Care for the future that all Friends Safferings for Truth-sake may be brought up to London as FULL and COMPLEAT in ALL Respects as POSSIBLE may be Thus Reader you see That this Act of Parliament being brought to the Quakers Light the Higher Power it is condemned as a GRAND Oppression and an ANTICHRISTIAN YOKE of Bondage suitable to the Doctrine of Fox Journal p. 400 to 478. R. Pye The Antient Test p. 2. T. Ellwood and Barclay The Anarchy of the Ranters c. p. 42. Ellwood 's Antidote p. 78 139. But still there is another Clause in the said Act of Parliament above-recited which they take as little Notice of as that of Tythes viz. Provided always and 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 lock'd barr'd or bolted during any time of such Meeting together all and every such Person or Persons that shall come to and be at such Meeting shall not receive any Benefit from this Law but be liable to all the Pains and Penalties of all the aforesaid Laws recited in this Act for such their Meeting notwithstanding his taking the Oaths and his making and subscribing the Declaration aforesaid Another Instance I may recite to shew the Presumption of the Quakers in their Yearly Convocations viz. In the xxii of K. Charles II. there was an Act of Parliament made Entituled An Act to prevent and suppress Seditious Conventicles In which it was said Be it Enacted c. That if any Person of the Age of Sixteen Years and upward being a Subject of this Realm at any time after the Tenth Day of May next shall be present at any Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under Colour and Pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England c. at which there shall be Five Persons or more Assembled together over and besides those of the same Family c. shall suffer those and those respective Fines c. Now tho' it be well known that the Exercise of the Quakers Religion is not only otherwise than according to the Liturgy but directly contrary to it yet all must be Persecution that limit them As first the Liturgy teach the Practice of the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer and Apostles Creed which the Quakers have not the least Shadow of either in their Meetings or in their Families the Church Liturgy teach the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Prayer together with Confession of Sin which the Quakers reject as Idolatrous and Superstitious See the Picture of Quakerism p. 94 to 100. Well no sooner did this Act take place and some did forbear meeting in this Riotous manner but their Preachers came thro' the Nation and gave out their Epistles or Mandates commanding rather than exhorting the People to meet in great Numbers in spite of Law and Law-makers I receiv'd many Letters to that Purpose one whereof I may recite to shew how presumptuous they were in Summoning the King's Subjects to meet and transgress this Law which allow'd a moderate Tolleration considering how Retrograde their Religion runs to all Instituted Religion For there might Four meet besides those of the same Family and 't is probable that many Families have 12 or 15 in a Family Here then might have been Satisfaction to such as only mean to meet for their more private Edifying eitheir by Reading or Expounding some Portion of the Holy Scriptures and which is practised by the users of the Church Liturgy but alas this was too mean too low and contemptible for these proud Boasters to submit to The Letter is as followeth viz. This for Joshua Bangs ††Poor Joshua felt the weight of their Entertainment as well as Ben. Antrobus and many others Dear Friend BY this thou may'st know that God willing Jonathan Johnson and I do intend to be at Milden-Hall Meeting the next First-Day and shall be glad Friends GENERALLY may know thereof that we may have a good LARGE MEETING I mean Friends that are afar off in the Country R. S. The like I had from John Hubbard and others to appoint Meetings for Geo. Whitehead and others tho' often therein precaution'd not to mention the Names of the Speakers no they must go like diâ—guiz'd Ahabs and the poor silly Sheep must suffer for them and their own Transgressions too insomuch as that in the Loss of 13500 l. by Fines and Distresses our Teachers never lost 50 l. where they were Strangers and they had more Wit than to Preach at home where they were known Well but as these Letters as well as their common Practice was bottom'd upon an Edict made at a Yearly Meeting
have been ruin'd for Non payment of Tythes and the like the Feostees for Anno 1693. were W. Crouch J. Staploe W. Macket W. Chandler W. Beech and Nath. Marks 10 thly They give their Deputies fresh Orders to bring or send up the Sum-Total of each County's Collection for the Relief of their Suffering-Friends viz. such as have suffered against Tythes c. that such as Preach up G. Fox's Commandments Orders and Precepts may not lose their Reward 11 thly George Fox had a Saying in their Yearly Meeting worth noting Pensilvania had Experience of it and when they get Power England may also viz. I do not like said Fox the Words LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE for there is no Liberty out of the Power What! Liberty to the Episcopals no. What! Liberty to the Presbyter no. What! Liberty to the Independant no. What! Liberty to the Baptist no. No Liberty out of the Truth Spirit of the Hat p. 12. And for further Evidence that they are against Liberty of Conscience R. Hubberthorn and Ed. Burroughs Men of Note amongst them in an Answer to the Baptist's Declaration wherein they did declare themselves against an Universal Toleration of all Miscarriages whether in things Civil or Religious nor are we for tolerating Popery nor such as speak contemptuously of our Lord Jesus Christ nor any that deny the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet we are not against tolerating Episcopacy Presbytery or any stinted Form c. Now hear these two Eminent Doctors of the Quakers Answer What Confusion is here you will not tolerate Popery nor any that worship a false God nor that speak Contemptuously and Reproachfully of our Lord Jesus Christ nor that deny the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God and yet you are not against tolerating Episcopacy Presbytery or any other stinted Form Why will you not tolerate Popery as well as Episcopacy And why will you tolerate the Book of Common-Prayer amongst the Episcopals and not the Mass Book amongst the Papists seeing 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. R. Hubberthorn 's Works p. 228. Edw. Burrough 's Works p. 615. Thus then does it appear what Friends the Quakers are to Liberty of Conscience and how kind they were to Episcopacy in 1659. and they are the same still they tell you they are not chang'd and you may believe them since they have given such a plain Demonstration thereof in Pensilvania where they have both Fined Whipp'd or Imprison'd George Keith and others for holding the same Faith and Preaching the same Faith that the Episcopalians hold and teach 12 thly and lastly And what I have heard with my Ears That George Fox hath exhorted this Meeting that when they return to their respective Habitations that such in each County as had most Interest and thereby the most Influence on the Members of the House of Commons should resort to them and work upon them c. And when at the House they still by all the Interest they have make fresh Suits they have their Emissaries wait continually to see what comes out they are quick at their Answers and a Fund or Common Bank to maintain all none like them but the Jesuits And I do say that the whole twelve Instances I have named are not more Political than this one for ten to one if some Quaker be not himself or some of his Kindred some way related either to the Members of Parliament to serve for that County or Burrough or to some of his Friends or ten to one if some Quakers do not deal with him or some near him or is Tenant to him or some of his Friends if then some one or any of these or all concur then there is Application made to him time after time and most English Gentlemen are apt to be kind and they not knowing the Craft and Subtilty besides the Design of this People are apt to tell them Well if I can do you any Good consistent with a National Good I shall not be against it And if they meet one that is resolute and from a Knowledge of their Erroneous Principles and how that they are Enemies and implacable ones too to all Instituted Religion then they will fawn upon him and flatter him as they did Coll. Goldwell and desire him to stand Neuter c. but thanks be to God the Parliament and whole Nation begin to see them and grow every Day more sensible of the Tendency of their Pernicious Principles Some Inferences from the Seventh Chapter IS it so that the Quakers hold their Anniversary Synods and General Councils thus Publickly in the View of the Nation without the King's Letters of License or Inspection or Patent which is more than the Bishops of the Establish'd Church have Power to do How then does it concern the Legislative Power to take notice of it that in time they may prevent the Danger of it Is it so that their Light is the Higher Power to which every Soul is to be subject and all Laws vail Rom. 13.1,2,3 1 Pet. 2.13 Tit. 3.1 Let us then begin to remember how zealous our Kings and Parliaments have been ever since the Reformation against such as adhered to a Power superior to the King Lords and Commons which our Protestant Divines have held to be the Higher Powers and which we are commanded by the Apostles to submit our selves Now any People that adhere to a Foreign Power to be Supream in England besides and above that of KING LORDS and COMMONS who under God are the Higher Powers are to be suspected to undermine the Government whether they mean the POPE of ROME or the QUAKER LIGHT in their BODY Assembled in COUNCIL the latter being the most dangerous because not so obvious and thereupon ought to be prevented from holding such Councils with Doors lock'd barr'd or by a Guard of Men secured that none can go in to observe their Transactions Again is it so that the Quakers are against Liberty of Conscience and that they would as freely tolerate Popery as Episcopacy †Yea see their Antient Testimony in R. Hubberthorn's Works p. 229. Anno 1659. c. What Reason is there then for the Quakers to expect much less to presume to take the Liberty under an Episcopal Government to hold these Convocations without License which no other Dissenters either ask desire or pretend to nay what the Bishops themselves of themselves without the King's License can do Yet to the Quakers own Confutation see their Book The West answering to the North c. p. 80. viz. Any Party of Men under a Government to make Laws not being lawfully Authorized so to do for the binding of others and thereunto to require Obedience is a setting up of themselves above the Law and treading it under their Feet and rendering them whom they so bind Slaves and Vassals and
none must touch the Hem of their Garment O Proud Hypocrites and also amongst the said Papers was one subscribed by twelve Persons directed to the Second-Day Meeting in London wherein Friends are misrepresented and greatly abused which said Paper we believe the said Francis Bugg promoted Now we being greatly grieved in our Spirits and truly sensible of his herein going from Truth do testifie We have no Unity with him nor can have whilst he is thus Acted OBSERVE First I was judged and condemned behind my Back without a Hearing Secondly The Papers subscribed by Twelve Persons they only supposed to be of my promoting Now if John Lilborn's Judges had been thus implicite in their Faith at his Tryal at Guild Hall in October 1649. he must have been Hang'd for writing The Naked Truth in Oliver Cromwell's time c. The next Instance I shall recite and which I think is to the Purpose is to shew the Quakers implacable Malice against not only W. Rogers but his Book too and no Passage in his whole Book came under the like sad Sentence as that of his admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes if the Supream Powers bestowed it on a National Ministry c. His Words are We are so far from condemning all those who freely pay them i. e. Tythes and not by Constraint that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintainance of such whom they usually hear and account to be true Ministers of Christ in case they have need And if the Charity of any should be such as to bestow upon them one Fifth Part instead of a Tenth far be it from us to condemn it c. The Christian Quaker distinguished c. Part 2. p. 43. But this was such a horrible Tenet and so much of Liberty of Conscience in it that as you have heard First It was an Errour of Judgment 2 dly It came from an unsound Mind 3 dly That Truth i. e. the Quakers Light allows no Payment of Tythes at all under the New Covenant 4 thly They who do pay Tythes tho' Voluntarily do therein uphold a legal Ceremony abrogated by Christ 5 thly And thereby deny Christ to be come in the Flesh quoting 1 John 4.3 which speaks not one Syllable of Tythes 6 thly That it is downright Ranterism c. Ellwood's Antidote p. 78. 139. Well but W. Rogers was so modest as not to put this Book into the Bookseller's Hands to Sell lest thereby he might widen the Difference which both he and my self at that time thought might have been composed †For I did not then understand their Fundamental Errours but Thanks be to God that as their fair and smooth Pretences proved a Snare to catch me so their gross Dissimulations proved a Means to see them that he put it into the Hands of John Barnard a Merchant being one of the separate Quakers for him to dispose of and to disperse as he in Wisdom should see meet and some Hundreds of them he did disperse Well he was Summoned time after time to the Monthly Meeting in Devonshire-House London to Answer for his Fault and I think he as often appeared But being of too Masculine a Temper to submit to their Arbitrary Authority and Usurped Dominion he still continued selling and disposing of this so sad and so lamentable a Book of which you have heard the greatest Crime namely for admitting a Voluntary Payment of Tythes c. And to say true so it was for there is nothing upon Earth that the Quakers thirst more after than the utter Ruin of the Priesthood and the Abolishing the Maintainance thereof This is the Vein that runs fluently thro' all their Books and Sermons nay rather than the Priests should have it and that it might be a Means to starve them they are willing to pay Tythes to Secular Use For saith G. Whitehead if the King and Great Council of the Nation were pleased †The Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths defended c. p. 50. per G. Whitehead to repeal those Old Laws inforcing the Payment of Tythes and to convert them into some necessary civil Use as for the Poor Oh Judas or some National Service and Benefit Oh smooth George Here is the Face of a Lamb but the rough Paw of a Bear and the Claws of a Leopard it would appear whether we should not pay our Parts and whether the Royal Exchequer would not be conveniently supplied without the Tenths from the Priests c. Thus they could pay Tythes into the Exchequer to maintain a War which they equally Disclaim Oh but do what you will with the Tythes so the Priests do but starve and their Ministry fall and their Religion overturned then HEY BOYS UP GO WE But blessed be God the Fear of that is past Well but let us hear what became of this honest John Barnard Why in short he was Excommunicated ipso facto A Copy of it here followeth Verbatim From the Monthly Meeting at Devonshire-House the Fourth of the Eleventh Month 1681. Whereas there hath been some unruly Spirits gone out from Truth and the Unity of the blessed Power of God which hath gathered us to be a People Writing Printing and Publishing Things Hurtful and Prejudicial to Truth by corrupting of People's Minds tending also to draw them into Disesteem of many of the Lord's Servants ††A Preservative for their Teachers decaying Reputation whose Faithfulness hath manifestly appeared amongst us with whom our Unity stands to our mutual Satisfaction and Refreshment Upon Consideration of these Things we find our selves conscientiously concerned * * Oh! Deep Hypocrisie to take notice of something of this Kind befaln John Barnard Merchant formerly a Member of this Meeting who having dispersed into several Parts of this Nation divers of those Pernicious Books wrote by William Rogers called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator in Five Parts c. which hath manifestly been proved in many material Passages Erroneous and False both in the Historical and Doctrinal Part of it was privately and publickly reproved for that unrighteous Action by several Friends at divers times according to Gospel-Order as they found it on their Spirits from the Lord ††Never was God's Name more prophaned by a People professing Religion as also admonished against it yet after all the Labour and Travel Friends have had on his Behalf being desirous if possible to reclaim him out of the Enemies Snare into which he is fallen he hath from time to time resisted their Advice and Counsel so that now we being wholly clear having used our utmost Endeavours in the good Will of God to reclaim him as aforesaid do not only testifie against that Spirit which hath led him into that disorderly Practice but also against him whilst join'd thereunto * * Both the Man and his Spirit condemned nor can we have Spiritual Communion or
the same thing to inculcate if possible the Matter I am upon into their Heads that at last they may understand as well as to lay a Foundation for abler Pens This then I thought fit to premise by way of Introduction c. This Meeting of the Quakers is held every Second Day of the Week which we call Monday throughout the Year in London the Members of it are the Teachers of the Quakers residing in and about London where of G. Fox * For he seldom lived with his Wife but kept at London in his Life-time was the Principal and G. Whitehead now as I am given to understand The Meeting formerly was kept in Ellis Hook's Chamber in Lombard-street now I presume in Grace-Church-Street This Meeting doth much resemble His Majesty's Privy-Council For the King by and with the Advice of His Privy Council can do many things he can by Proclamation put the Laws in Execution I think he can proclaim War and make Peace So can this Meeting they can quicken the coming in of Money granted by the Yearly Meeting they can issue out their Proclamation for a War against the Ministers of any Society they can alter and change any Message stop any Prophesie stifle any Revelation silence the Voice uttered by the Spirit of the Lord thro' their most eminent Prophets in what respect they please and make it speak louder and more shrill where they think there is most Service or may be more conducive to their Design they are like the Helm to the Ship which turn it which way the Pilate please they are the Wheel within the Wheel which move all the whole Work yet so invisibly as few shall know how and fewer know who for they are Persons uncertain and accidental and cannot be chargeable by Name for any Errour tho' guilty of every Errour in their Books so far as Consent Approbation and Recommendation can make them For all Books Printed and Reprinted pass thro' the fiery Tryal of their Infallible Examination they Govern they Rule they Steer the Vessel but all Invisibly they pay their Ministers but their own People many of them that give to their Collections and Contributions do not know it nor if you tell them of it will they believe it For none can tell who pays nor who receives but now and then by chance what some or other as Ellwood blabb'd it out at unawares But their Principal Work is to Approve and License their Books Printed for the Service of the Truth as they phrase it But the last being their most principal Verb I shall the more infist upon it to shew their most horrible Deceit and Hypocrisie And I bless God and am thankful to his Servants who have enabled me not only to Print but to Reprint this Book to which they neither have returned an Answer nor can they But to proceed suppose one of their People pretend he is moved of the Lord by his Eternal Spirit to write a Message or Warning to the Inhabitants of Bristol with this Title This is the Word of the Lord to thee O Bristol Well this Book is sent up to their Second-Day Meeting and there they take it into Consideration then they will Alter and Change Words and Sentences put in and leave out what they conceive suit best with the Times and yet let it go as The Word of the Lord. Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat and like the Old Prophet deceive not only the Nations but the poor young Prophet that thought he had wrote from the Infallible Motion when alas 't is now so alter'd so added to and diminish'd from what it was that it 's meerly Calculated to the Design of the Cabal and yet shall go with the same Title i. e. This is the Word of the Lord to thee O Bristol Of this most horrible Deceit I could give a Hundred Instances and find Matter enough for to write a Book by it self but I must consult Brevity lest my Pen outrun my Penny and therefore shall single out one Instance which I hope will give some Satisfaction it shall be out of a Book wrote by Edward Burrough entituled A Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion sounding forth the Controversie of the Lord of Hosts c. Printed in Quarto 1656. But before I go to the chief Matter intended I shall recite the pretended Commission of this bold Prophet and then it will appear whether the Second-Day Meeting did well in altering his Prophesie by adding to and taking from the same for either they did believe him to be a Prophet that the Word of the did come to him as expresly as to Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel and the rest of the Prophets or they did not if they did how then dare they add and diminish and leave out in the Reprint of his Works what had gone for the Word of the Lord from 1656 to 1672 If they did not believe him to be a Prophet divinely inspir'd but an Impostor why did they suffer the said Book to go as The Word of the Lord from 1656 to 1672 So take it which way they will and it will appear that G. Whitehead whose Epistle of Recommendation is prefix'd and Printed to Edw. Burrough's Works and others of this Second-Day Meeting are most horrible Cheats and grand Deceivers And therefore now to the Commission which Edw. Burroughs received which to G. W. and others that believed it was both Authentick and Substantial viz. By Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God King of Kings and Lord of Lords the 31st Day of the Tenth Month 1655. about the 4th Hour in the Morning when my Meditations was of my God upon my Bed in Kilkenny City in the Nation of Ireland at that time The Word of the Lord came unto me saying Write my Controversie with all the Inhabitants of the Earth unto all sorts of People as I will shew thee by this same Authority and Commission declared This I send unto you the Tribes of the Earth and this upon your Heads shall stand for ever to be witnessed by the Light of Christ Jesus â—n all your Consciences in the dreadful Day of Vengeance which upon you O Inhabitants of the Earth is coming Prepare prepare to meet the Lord. O Nations Tongues and People unto you all hereby a Warning is come and a Visitation from the Presence of the Living God which you are straitly required to put in Practice as at the terrible Day of dreadful Vengeance you will answer the contrary Given under my Hand and Sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God who lives for ever thro' a Servant of the Lord Edw. Burrough Thus Reader you see the Commission which Edw. Burrough receiv'd whether counterfeit or not is not my present Business which was forthwith Printed in Quarto and sent up and down the Nation as The Word of the Lord and as such receiv'd by Thousands of us and to be sure approv'd of by the Second-Day Meeting yet
Invasion from France to Subvert our Religion Laws and Liberty We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do heartily sincerely and solemnly profess testifie and declare That His present Majesty King William is Rightful and Lawful ††This was a bitter Pill to the Quakers Second-Day Meeting King of these Realms And we do mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of our Power in the Support and Defence of His Majesty's most Sacred Person and Government against the late King James and all his Adherents * * Oh! this grated on our new Saints And in case His Majesty come to any violent or untimely Death which God forbid We do further freely and unanimously oblige our selves to Vnite Associate and Stand by each other in revenging the same upon his Enemies and their Adherents and in Supporting and Defending the Succession of the Crown c. This Act of Parliament put the Quakers to a great Consternation and what to do they could not tell they having at the same time spent much Money Time and Pains in procuring an Act of Parliament that their Affirmation should be taken instead of an Oath and it had gone thro' the House of Commons and was under Consideration of the House of Lords For think they if we do nothing our Act will not pass Well at their Second-Day Meeting Mar. 23d 1695 6. their Teachers Assembled together and no doubt great Consultings there were and particularly about those Words Lawful and Rightful King * For the French King had not yet owned him King Of Great Britain also whether they should join â—ith the Protestants in their Uniting and Associating to stand by each other in revenging his Blood in case he had come to a violent or untimely Death c. Well these two Points were largely debated and possibly might hold many Hours However it pass'd in the Negative but yet lest their Bill for their Affirmation to be taken in Lieu of an Oath should not pass they agreed thus far namely to get a Paper printed not mentioning what Meeting it was framed at not Signed with any of their Names to it nor the Name of King William once mentioned and if this Paper think they will but pass it will not do us much Hurt in case our Old Friend come again for none of our Names are to the Paper nor at what Meeting it was contrived nay nor so much as the Name of what King we mean and in regard we have obtained the Repute of an innocent well-meaning People it may do well enough So away they went trudging to the House of Lords and presented divers of them A Copy thereof is as followeth viz. The Ancient Testimony and Principle of the People call'd Quakers renewed with Respect to the King and Government and touching the present Association We the said People do solemnly and sincerely declare That it hath been our Judgment and Principle from the first Day We were called to profess the Light of Christ Jesus manifested in our Consciences unto this Day That the setting Up and putting Down Kings and Governments is God's peculiar Prerogative for Causes best known to himself and that it is not our Work or Business to have any Hand or Contrivance therein nor to be Busie bodies in Matters above our Station much less to Plot and Contrive the Ruin or Overturn of any of them but to Pray for the King and for the Safety of our Nation and Good of all Men that we may live a Peaceable and Quiet Life in all Godliness and Honesty under the Government which God is pleased to set over us And according to this Our Ancient and Innocent Principle we often have given forth our Testimony and now do against all Plotting Conspiracies and Contriving Insurrections against the King or the Government and against all Treacherous Barbarous and Murtherous Designs whatsoever as Works of the Devil and Darkness And we sincerely bless God and are heartily thankful to the King and Government for the Liberty and Priviledges we enjoy under them by Law esteeming it our Duty to be True and Faithful to them And whereas we the said People are required to Sign the said Association We sincerely declare That our refusing so to do is not out of any Disaffection to the King or Government nor in Opposition to his being declared Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms but purely because we cannot for Conscience-sake Fight Kill or Revenge either for our selves or any Man else And We believe that the timely Discovery and Prevention of the late Barbarous Design and Mischievous Plot against the King and Government and the sad Effects it might have had is an Eminent Mercy from Almighty God for which we and the whole Nation have great Cause to be humbly thankful to him and to pray for the Continuance of his Mercies to Them and Us. From a Meeting of the said People in London the 23d of the First Month called March 1695 6. Thus endeth their March Ancient Testimony 1696. Thus Reader I have given you a Copy verbatim of the Quakers Paper presented to the House of Peers and I being then in London wrote a Reply thereunto March 27. 1696. and presented it to the Lord's House who immediately rejected the Quakers Paper notwithstanding all its fine and innocent Words telling the Quakers they must be plain and tell them what King they mean Secondly Whether they believed he was both Rightful and Lawful King Thirdly That they must Sign their Paper Now these three things grated sorely on their tender Consciences for they went home sadly angry with Francis Bugg for being instrumental in the Discovery of their deep Hypocrisie for had that Paper pass'd that no Body Signed no King's Name to it if the late King had returned they had been Fish whole still and as Loyal Subjects as ever they were before Thus Reader to prevent their Cavil that I take but a Piece of their Sentences and wrong the Sense I have recited their whole Testimony Verbatim But before I proceed to give you their April Ancient Testimony let me give the Reason at least one probable Reason why it was rejected and would not pass the House of Lords so as to effect their Design as also what Communication I guess they had about it c. For I being at London the 24th of the same Month I went to the House of Lords where I had one of the recited Testimonies given me I went to my Lodging and perceiving their Prevailing thro' their Pretences of seeming Sincerity and Innocency c. I wrote a Paper by way of Reply and the 27th of March I gave away about an Hundred to the Lords who accepted of them and presently one of the Peers came out and call'd Geo. Whitehead and told him That their Paper would not do for they had not so much as mention'd what King they mean'd nor yet declar'd him Rightful and Lawful King of these
Realms nor yet Sign'd their Paper And therefore they must go home and get another more Authentick or their Bill for their Affirmation to pass in lieu of an Oath would be rejected Well away they went very sorrowful and I conceive might have amongst themselves a Discourse of this Nature viz. G. Whitehead Friends our Paper is rejected for yonder was our old Antagonist Francis Bugg and he has deliver'd to the Peers a Paper suggesting that we Prevaricate he has also delivered about an Hundred of his Books to the Lords intituled The Quakers set in their True Light c. and therefore we must get another Ancient Testimony more full to the Matter lest we lose the Advantage of our Bill but let us stay awhile for if we go presently who knows but that Apostate may reply to our next Paper for he is so Eagle-ey'd that if he espy any thing that 's defective he may be instrumental in throwing out our Bill You cannot but remember that we were fair for the same Bill to pass in Anno 1693. but he then Printed a Sheet and deliver'd it to the House of Commons and in Three Hours time our Bill was thrown out of the House Indeed we Printed a Sheet stiled The Quakers Vindication c. but he having printed a Thousand of those Sheets and gave to the House about 500 and sent to all the Coffee-Houses from Westminster to Bishopsgate about 400 more he prevail'd against us Nay this is not all but presently wrote a Book intituled Quakerism Withering and Christianity Reviving c. and deliver'd about Two or Three Hundred of them to the House of Commons We saw our selves so baffled that we thought it not meet to revive our Bill that Sessions of Parliament and therefore let 's be wise let us stay until we think he is out of Town for he has been here Two or Three Weeks already and what with his Charge in Printing the Papers he gave to the Lords and the Charge of giving in so many of The Quakers set c. together with his Charges of staying one way or other it will cost him not so little as 6 or 7 l. and he having no Publick Fund to go to it will make him weary c. I say after this they got another Paper and presented to the House of Lords a Copy thereof is as followeth The Ancient Testimony and Principle of the People called Quakers renewed with Respect to the King and Government presented to King William III. We the said People do solemnly and sincerely declare That it hath been our Judgment and Principle from the first Day we were called to profess the Light of Christ Jesus manifested in our Consciences unto this Day That the setting Up and putting Down Kings and Governments is God's peculiar Prerogative and that it is not our Work or Business to have any Hand or Contrivance therein nor to be Busiebodies above our Station much less to Plot or Contrive the Ruin or Overturn of any of them but to Pray for the King and Safety of the Nation and Good of all Men * * No hold not for the Priests nor Governours unless they please you that we may live a Peaceable and Quiet Life in all Godliness and Honesty under the Government which God is pleased to set over Us And according to Our Ancient and Innocent Principle We often have given forth Our Testimony and now freely and sincerely do the same against all Plotting Conspiracies and Contriving Insurrections and against all Treacherous Barbarous and Murderous Designs whatsoever against the King or the Government as being Works of the Devil and Darkness And We believe that the timely Discovery and Prevention of the late Barbarous Design and Mischievous Plot against King William * * A forc'd put First time and the Government and the sad Effects it might have had is an eminent Mercy from Almighty God for which We and the whole Nation have great Cause to be humbly thankful to Him and to pray for the Continuance of His Mercies to Them and Us And We sincerely bless God and are heartily thankful to King William ††O brave This is the second time and the Government for the Liberty and Priviledges We enjoy under them by Law And further We are really satisfied that God by His Special Providence did bring in and set up King William * * This is News indeed Third time over these Realms and do own Him Rightful and Lawful King ††But George why did you not say so freely without Whip or Spur and are obliged in good Conscience to be True and Faithful to Him and the Government as becomes Obedient Followers of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ At a Meeting of the said People in London the Third of April 1696. Signed by many of Us on Behalf of our selves and the rest of our Friends and presented to the King Apr. 8. 1696. Thus endeth their April Ancient Testimony Reader before I come to make Observations upon these two March and April Ancient Testimonies of the Quakers there is one thing very remarkable and worth your noticing in the whole Conduct of Quakerism and that in two Respects the first is past the second 's still to come and ought to be guarded against and which makes me so long on this Head and so plain with them in this Matter and briefly thus That altho' no one People in England did so flatter Oliver Cromwell Richard his Son the Rump and all the several Changes of Government during the Usurpation as the Quakers did nor more oppose the Restauration of K. Charles II. Nay not only so but justifying Oliver in his Murthering K. Charles I. and in carrying on the War with all Vigour against the Cavaliers and Delinquents But when the Times turned Oh! how they laid all the Blame of both the War and Usurpation upon the Presbyterians Independants and Baptists as if they themselves had all along been as Innocent as New-born Babes This puts me in mind of a pleasant piece of News we had run thro' our whole Camp when I was a Quaker viz. Anno 1674. W. Penn put forth a Book stil'd A Just Rebuke to Twenty-one Divines c. P. 25. Was it not a great Reason of the Wars that divided so many Families shed so much Blood and exhausted so great a Treasure Did it not lay Episcopacy in the Dust and excite the Parliament in these very Terms Elijah opposed Idolatry and Oppression so do ye down with Baal's Altars down with Baal's Priests do not I beseech you consent unto a Toleration of Baal's Worship in this Kingdom which is as much as to say said Penn away with Arch-Bishops Bishops and the whole Ministry and Worship of the Church of England Again The Mouths of your Adversaries are opened against you that so many Delinquents that is to say said W. Penn Royalists are in Prison and yet but few of them brought to Tryal Did
whole Nations and Multitudes in number a Rebellious People that will not come under Our Law †††Meaning Geo. Fox's Ten Commandments which ariseth up against us and will not have our King to Reign * * * See Sam. Fisher's Prophecy but tramples his Honour under Foot and despise his Law and his Statutes and accounteth his Subjects as Slaves and Bond-men stand upon your Feet and appear in your Terror as an Army with Banners and let the Nations know your Power and the Stroke of your Hands cut down on the Right Hand and slay on the Left and let not your Eye pity nor your Hand spare but wound the Lofty and tread down the Honourable of the Earth and give unto the great Whore double and give her no Rest Day nor Night but as she hath done so let it be done unto her and give her double into her Bosom * * * The first Reformers did so and I am giving the little young Whore a double Cup. As she hath loved Blood so give her Blood and dash her Children against the Stones and let none of the Heathen Nations nor their Gods escape out of your Hands nor their Images nor Idols but lay waste Fenced Cities †††Hark! Are not these Fifth Monarchy-men and tread down the High Walls for we have proclaimed open War your Captains are Mighty Men and your Leaders are well skill'd to handle the Sword * * * This cannot be meant within What Leaders and Captains within and they are Riding on before you against the Beast and the false Prophet and Cursed be every one that riseth not up to the Help of the Lord against the Mighty The Beast is Mighty †††i. e. The King and Parliament and the false Prophet is Great * * * i. e. The Clergy and they keep the Nation under their Power But O thou Beast and thou false Prophet You shall be Tormented together thou Beast upon which the false Prophet sits * * * You 'd fain Ride too but I hope she 'll throw you off unless you Retract these Bloody Books and Horrid Principles whom thou upholds by a Law and defends by thy unrighteous Power and into the Pit and Lake shall you be turned to have your Resting Place And thou false Prophet which hath deceived the Natitions the Decree of our God is sealed against thee †††No marvel then they cannot pray for them unless for their Destruction as Fox said See Truth 's Defence c. p. 15. thy Smoke shall ascend for ever and ever and of thy Sin there is No Forgiveness nor of thy Torment No Remission over you do we and shall for ever rejoice and fing and over your God and your King the Dragon that Old Serpent cursed be he and his Memorial for ever Written in Ireland 1655. by Edw. Burrough and Fr. Howgill * * Note This was to go only amongst the Friends and Printed in Quarto with this Title This is only to go amongst Friends Thus Friends have I shewed you our Ancient Testimony in all the Parts of it First Touching the World's Peoples Mistake in the Scriptures for a Rule to Walk by Secondly Of the Certainty of our own Papers and Epistles which are the Word of God and a certain Rule to Walk by Thirdly And in the Application I have shewed how our Light hath exalted you above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Holy Confessors and all Christian Churches to this Day Fourthly Our dear Brother William Bingly hath well remembered our Ancient Testimony against the Hireling Priests for with them and against them we began to War and that with Indignation too Fifthly He hath also shewed you who we account false Ministers and what they are and the very Names by which they are described both in Oliver's time and since Sixthly Ben. Bealing hath found out a very suitable Hymn of Praise even a melodious Song of Triumph setting forth our Exaltation and the Downfal of the Christian Churches under the Notion of the false Church the Mother of Harlots Mystery of Babylon in which my Heart was and still is refreshed as with new Wine Seventhly I have also closed my Discourse with the Prophesie of Sam. Fisher which you need not doubt but will come to pass it may be sooner than you are aware of * * If the Six-Week Meeting mind their Business every Session of Parliament for he gave it forth as it came to him from the Lord and no otherwise the 25th Day of the Seventh Month which the World's People call September Anno 1656. so that it cannot it cannot miss only for the present we must be content to stay and patiently bear for the present for as yet we cannot think we shall be made to handle the Sword but when the time does come I have shewed you the Testimony of two of our Prophets and early Champions what we shall Do how we shall Kill Cut off and Destroy and Bathe our Swords in the Blood of Amaleck * * Viz. The Priests and Rulers as in the large Marginal Note and lay waste Fenced Cities and tread down the Honourable of the Earth and spare neither Old nor Young Ox nor Ass Male nor Female that will not come under our Law and Worship our God And now I shall conclude with a Prayer and that also without any Confession of Sin for all my Sins were pardoned in Oliver's time For the Prince of this World was cast out of me 1652. and Hell was conquer'd and Death and the Grave overcome and the Kingdom that cannot be removed was given ME and this the Lord did do for ME from his Fore-knowledge of ME and the Lord then brought ME into Sion which I then did Witness See his Book Truth defending the Quakers p. 8. Moreover I was then moved to witness against the Priests and Hirelings Diviners and Deceivers and to judge the Whore with her Enchantments and to torment the Beast * * i. e. The Governours and plague the false Prophet whose Judgment torment and Misery was then begun and will never have end which I Witness whom God hath set to root out and pull down Jacob found in a Desart Land c. p. 7 8. And thus much shall suffice at this time to shew you our Ancient Testimony in many Particulars which you are exhorted to Maintain Defend and to Vindicate and not at any time to Retract any one Syllable of it for the Government of our Church even Men and Women's Meettings were Ordained * * The Quakers Ordinances as in Sol. Eccles Prophesie by Christ within Geo. Fox as at large in my Book Judgment fixed c. p. 317 318. is made clearly out and out of which Book p. 354. I shall use this short Form of Prayer because the Day is far spent viz. Let us Pray O God I make my Appeal and Supplication against