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A95840
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An answer to Francis Bugg's presumptuous impeachment, pretended on behalf of the Commons of England, against the Quakers yearly-meeting.
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Vaughton, John, 1644-1712.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing V157; ESTC R224275
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5,759
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8
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AN ANSWER TO Francis Bugg's Presumptuous Impeachment Pretended on Behalf of the Commons of England against the QUAKERS Yearly-Meeting PAssing by a great number of this Apostates Lies Raileries and Foul Calumnies in his said Pamphlet let 's a little observe his Pretended Impeachment against our said Yearly Meeting in 1693. viz. That they did Contrive Make and Promulgate several Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical containing in them divers Matters and Things contrary to the Fundamental Laws and Statutes of the Realm against the King's Prerogative against the Rights of Parliaments against the Property and Liberty of the Subject and Matters tending to Sedition and of Dangerous Consequence Thus far F. Bugg c. We 'll Postpone the Question of his Authority for such Impeachment until some other Opportunity and come to the Matter Alas poor Man Whither will not Pride Malice and Conceit hurry Men who have turn'd their Backs of Truth But we sincerely deny his Impeachment as very Abusive as well as deadly Malicious for they were Two Epistles he thus accuseth the one in 1693. in 1692 and by himself so Term'd and Granted to be i. e. Epistles and consequently not contrived Constitutions and Canons but Epistles wherein several Matters of Christian Advice are recommended and not Imposed as in the same Epistles is plainly declared among which our Christian Testimony Born and Greatly Suffered for against the Oppression of Tythes c. is recommended to our Friends Due or Christian Care for the maintaining thereof but with no such Threat as fail not at their Peril as is most falsly observed page 3. This together with our Friends deeming the Oppression of Tythes now in the Gospel Day Antichristian our Adversary renders sufficient proof of his Charge afore-cited but his Inveterate Envy has blinded him therein For as it has been always our Principle since we were a People for Conscience sake to Christ to refuse the payment of Tythes as well as Oaths and Swearing thereby not designing any Injury either to King or Government but only to keep our Consciences clear in the sight of God desiring that none among us may wrong their Consciences therein So we are not Convinced that it can be against the Fundamental Laws of the Land either to deny Tythes now in this Gospel Day or to deem them Antichristian as they were Imposed by Popes and Popish Laws which are not the Fundamental Laws of this Realm as falsly Charged and our Testimony herein does rather affect a Popish Clergy than a Protestant Civil Government Tho' it be a great Crime with our Adversary to count the Payment of Tythes to Priests either Antichristian or a denial of Christ come in the Flesh altho' many of the first Reform'd Protestants and Martyrs were of the same Judgment with us And in some other Protestant Countreys they are not imposed nor payed to this day nor is there any Persecution for them Both John Wickcliff William Swinderby Walter Brute William Thorp the Bohemians with others mentioned in the Book of Martyrs and others did bear Testimony against the Corruption of the Popish Clergy and against Tythes and Compelled Maintenance by the Civil Authority and were not these Martyrs Christians this of their opposing Tythes was made a principal Article against them by the Papists as more largely appears in the First Volume of Martyrs in the Reigns of Richard the Second Henry the Fourth and Henry the Fifth What a plain Testimony did John Wickcliff give against the Imposition of Tythes and Temporalities counting them pure Alms and that the Disciples of Christ have no power to exact by Civil Authority Temporalities or Temporal Things by their Censures which he vindicates by Christ's forbidding his Apostles Civilly to Reign or bear any Lordship as he saith from Luke 23. See Vol. I. Mart. Fol. 564 566 569. And among other Articles gathered out of his Books by his Adversaries the Papists there are these viz. 1. All such as be Hired for Temporal Living to Pray for other Offend and Sin of Simony 2. To Enrich the Clergy is against the Rule of Christ 3. The Pope with all his Clergy having those Great Possessions as they have be Hereticks in so having and the Secular Powers in so Suffering them do not well 4. There is no greater Heretick or Antichrist than that Clerk which teacheth That it is Lawful for Priests and Levites of the Law of Grace to be endued with Temporal Possessions Vol. I. Fol. 587 588. This is that Famous John Wickcliff as F. B. most highly commends him p. 7. and yet most shamefully quarrels with the Quakers for renewing and asserting his and other Famous Protestants and Martyrs Testimonies against the Corruption of Priests and Popish Imposition and Oppression of Tythes Also Walter Brute another Famous Protestant Witness declared against the Payment of Tythes to Christ's Ministers and against their Priests having the Property of Tythes Vol. I. Fol. 633. deeming their Claiming the same to be a starting back from Fervant Charity a departing backward c. Fol. Ibid. But more particularly to our present purpose see the Ample Testimony given by William Thorp who is Recorded to be a good Man and Blessed Servant of God and supposed to have died either by being secretly made away or else by Sickness through his Close Confinement in Prison †Vol. I of Mart. Fol. 700 708. in K. Hen. IV. his Reign in his Examination before the Popish Archbishop viz. St. Paul saith That Tythes were given in the Old Law to Levites and to Priests that came of the Lineage of Levi but our Priests he saith came not of the Lineage of Levi but of the Lineage of Judah to which Judah no Tythes were promised to be given and therefore Paul saith Since the Priesthood is changed from the Generation of Levi to the Generation of Judah †Heb. 7. it is necessary that changing also be made of the Law so that Priests live now without Tythes c. at which the Archbishop was offended and said God's Cause have thou and mine for this Teaching c. Thou saist it is not Lawful to take Tythes thus thou givest to Levites of Old Law more freedom than to Priests of the New Law To which W. Thorp answers and I said Sir I marvel that you understand this plain Text of Paul thus Ye wot well that the Levites and Priests of the Old Law that took Tythes were not so free nor so perfect as Christ and his Apostles that took no Tythes And Sir there is a Doctor I think that is St. Jerom that saith thus The Priests that Challenge now in the New Law Tythes say in effect That Christ is not become Man nor that he hath yet suffered Death for Man's Love wherefore this Doctor saith this Sentence Since Tythes were the Heirs and Wages limited to Levites and to Priests of the Old Law for bearing about of the Tabernacle and for slaying of Beasts and burning of Sacrifices c. Those Priests that
will challenge or take Tythes ☞ deny that Christ is come in the Flesh and do the Priests Office of the Old Law for whom Tythes were granted for else as this Doctor saith Priests take now Tythes wrongfully The Archbishop said to his Clerks Heard you ever Lozell speak thus c Deeming what he said an Expunging the Freedom of Holy Church to which William Thorp answers and I said Sir Why call ye the taking of Tythes and of such other Duties that Priests Challenge now wrongfully the freedom of Holy Church since neither Christ nor his Apostles challenged nor took such Duties therefore these takings of Priests now are not called justly the freedom of Holy Church But all such giving and taking ought to be called and holden the slanderous Covetousness of Men of the Holy Church And the Archbishop said unto me Why Lozell wilt not thou and other that are Confederate with thee seek out of Holy Scripture and of the Sense of Doctors all sharp Authorities against Lords Knights and Esquires and against other Secular Men as thou dost against Priests To which W. Thorp answers and I said Sir Whatsoever Men or Women Lords or Ladies or any other that are present in our Preaching specially or in our Communing after our Cunning we tell out to them their Office and their Charges But Sir since Chrysostom saith That Priests are the Stomach of the People it is needful in Preaching and also in Communing to be most busie about this Priesthood since by the Viciousness of Priests both Lords and Commons are most sinfully infected ☞ and led into the Worst And because that the Covetousness of Priests and Pride and the boast that they have and make of their Dignity and Power destroyeth not only the Vertues of Priesthood in Priests themselves but also over this it stirreth God to take Great Vengeance both upon the Lords and upon the Commons which suffer these Priests Charitably Thus far W. Thorp as in the Book of Martyrs Vol. I. p. 700 708 Printed 1641. Now Reader from all this precedent Discourse observe That Tythes have been long since deemed an Antichristian Yoak and not so Ordained and Enacted by any Convocation of the Quakers as F. B. falsly accuseth them p. 4. Neither do they hold a Government against the Government nor summons their Elders so to do as he also falsly chargeth them p. 4. Also 't is a False Cruel and Unnatural Consequence That they Absolve the King's Subjects from their Active Obedience p. 4. Also it is a Gross and False Accusation That they hold a Convention Annually by way of Convocation to make Laws and Ordinances contrary and repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm which tend to Subvert the Government and that may be of dangerous Consequence all which bespeaks an Envious Persecuting Spirit as well as Notorious Falshood contrary to the Intent and End of any of our Meetings and to the Christian Advice given in several of our Yearly Epistles for a Peaceable Quiet and Inoffensive Conversation under the Civil Government And farther Observe That the Imposition of Tythes in the Gospel Times by the Pope and by Popish Laws Penalties and Persecution should be deem'd Antichristian is no new thing 't is no Law Cannon nor Edict Contrived at either of our Yearly Meetings Charged by this Presumptuous Impeacher as is evident being so adjudged both by those former Famous Protestants and Martyrs as also by our Friends ever since we were a People He argues Unchristianly and but like the Popish Bishops Priests and Persecutors against the Martyrs in his Construing That our Judgment is against the King Parliament Laws or Government because he supposes them also Zealous for Tythes which is no Christian but a Popish Persecutors Argument and no proof of the Truth of what he would promote He may see that William Thorp reflects on both great Men Lords and Commons for upholding the Priests in their Covetousness by Tythes c. yet F. Bugg by his Mischievously Malicious Consequence against us would make us Obnoxious to Incense the Government unto a New Persecution against us although such Imposition and Persecution for Tythes as we have Testified against does not so Effect the present Government as he would insinuate but the contrary seeing we are not under a Persecuting Government now neither did the present Government make any of those Old severe Laws for Tythes which were made in Popish Times as in King Henry VIII Days and others but even in sundry Sessions of Parliament within this Three or Four Years endeavours have been used to mitigate the Penalty and to prevent Imprisonment on Excommunication c. by several Bills prepared in Each House of Parliament for the more Easie Recovery of Small Tythes His Hideous Railing Aspersions and Calumnies cast upon our Friend G. VV. we have no Cause to Credit he 's better known to us to be a Man of an Honest and Peaceable Conversation as well as of Good Fame and Reputation among Men and therefore look on F. Bugg's Railing and Calumnies against him as proceeding from meer Malice and Revenge chiefly because G. VV. has frequently Anticipated his Wicked Designs by Unmasking him and Confuting his Malicious Aspersions and Calumnies in his Lying Pamphlets Our Persecuting Adversary boasts of his proffering to meet G. W. and of his coming up to London and accepting G. W's offer in his Vindication c. which offer was to make it plainly appear before any Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses ☞ That Fran. Bugg has Grosly and Wickedly Abused and Perverted Truth and wrong'd the People called Quakers both in Charge Citation and Observation p. 5. which was in Relation to F. B's Malicious Sheet Pamphlet which he delivered to the Members of Parliament to whom also G. W's Answer in plain Confutation thereof was after delivered But F. B. here leaves out part of G. VV's Charge therein exhibited against him viz. And that in his late Book New Rome Arraigned he has forged Notorious Lies in other Mens Names to Ridicule Defame and Scandalize divers Citizens of London and Men of good Repute Condemning them also to the Pillory as Perjured Persons in his pretended Trial in a Way of Judicature Unwarrantably Acted by himself assuming the Place of both Judge Accuser Jury Condemner and Executioner with a Form of a Pillory and Effigies in it to represent the Persons so grosly Scandalized by him Quakers Vindication p. 4. But F. B. being Consciencious to himself was willing to evade this Charge by Framing New Articles against G. W. and making his own Terms of leaving Matters to the Judgment and Decision of such as he calls Dis-interested Persons namely any Six Ten or Twelve Persons equally Chosen out of the Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants or Baptists as he now again relates to whose Judgment and Decision G. W. did not think it Reasonable to refer Matters of Religion and Conscience which were part of the Controversie between them nor on such Implicite Terms to give away and betray his own Conscience and Religious Perswasion to those of different Perswasions from him which therefore were not Dis-interested Persons as F. B. calls them Yet nevertheless many are Witnesses that G. W. did pursuant to his Charge send F. Bugg divers Challenges when in the City and appointed and gave him sufficient notice before-hand of divers Meetings for a fair Discourse or Dispute of all the Matters in Charge Interchangeably between them both before Competent Witnesses according as first proposed but F. B. to evade and shift off such a Disquisition still insisted upon leaving Matters to the Judgment and Decision of Episcopalians as he Terms them Presbyterians Independants and Baptists as before p. 5 6. But now see how knowingly Unfair his Proposal herein was after in his Introduction he thus falsly Rails against G. W. and the Quakers Books as none so Bad none so Gross none so Blasphemous but G. Whitehead the Quakers Bellarmine will undertake to Vindicate them who for this Forty Years and upward hath been like Ishmael his Hand against Episcopalians against Presbyterians Independants and Baptists and theirs against him p. 2. Such then are F. Bugg's Dis-interested Persons whose Hand is against G. W. as he confesseth and yet would have him leave the Matters of Fact in Controversie wherein Doctrine was concerned to their Judgment and Decision which G. W. not assenting to F. B. always refused to discourse him as he confesseth p. 5. So that G. W. must either before-hand Engage to submit to the Judgment and Decision of his Adversaries whose Hands are against him as F. B. saith or else no Meeting to Discourse or Dispute F. Bugg Oh Miserable What Man of Sence Religion or Conscience will prostrate both to such his Partial Dictates But G. W's offer to him was more Generous Free and Easie namely to prove his said Charge against him and Dispute Matters before any Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses who were Moderate Men of Common Sense leaving them free to their Judgments as God should perswade them as we all should be left and as F. B. would be loath to be pre-engaged himself to submit to the Judgment and Decision of his Adversaries and Enemies even in Civil Things much less in Religious if he hath any Religion left in him and we doubt not but G. W. is still ready to make good his Offer and Charge against F. B. on the same Free and Equal Terms as first by him proposed in his said Vindication p. 4. London the 4. of the 4th Month 1695. Signed on Behalf of our Friends and Yearly Meeting so peremptorily Impeached by Fran. Bugg by John Vaughton Samuel Watson John Field Thomas Lower William Bingley London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street 1695.