so is TREASON c. Thus then is it apparent that what is in others Treason they themselves practice in the Face of the Government For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be made known and come abroad Luke 8.17 CHAP. VIII Shews the Executive Part of the Quakers Laws and Government in their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings I Join the Use and Service of their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings together for Brevity-sake as also because they are much the same in all Respects only the Monthly is inferior to the Quarterly because in one County there may be three or four Monthly Meetings much like Justices Monthly Meetings where the Party offending need not be Concluded but entering his Recognizance to appear at the Quarter-Sessions he may have a more full Hearing so it is with the Quakers he may Appeal from the Monthly to the Quarterly Meeting This I know very well not barely because I was Clerk in these Meetings many Years but also during my Controversie with Sam. Cater I Summon'd him first to the Monthly Meeting and when I found no Justice I Appeal'd from that to the Quarterly and indeed from the Quarterly to the Yearly and so twice or thrice round as I remember For it was the greatest Tryal that ever was amongst them in regard it struck at the Ministry viz. WHETHER THEY OUGHT NOT TO TELL THEIR NAMES AND HABITATIONS AND THEREBY SET THE MSELVES IN A LIKE SUFFERING CAPACITY WITH THE HEARERS †At large in my Book The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt c. And the Postscript stiled Reason against Railing c. c. since they advised us to be valiant and give up all c. But to the Matter When we came together which is commonly 9 or 10 a Clock then we sat awhile together Silent unless we have a Teacher with us and then it may be we may have a short Exhortation to keep to our Antient Testimony * i. e. George Fox's Commandments and some other things which in the next Chapter you 'll hear of so then the Doors being secured they proceed after this manner The Clerk calling over the Meeting I mean the particular Meetings of every Town which possibly may be Forty Towns more or less viz. Clerk Come Friends How is it as to your Town of Littleport A. and B. For there is to be two appear from every Town Things are pretty well with us only D. E. is married with a Priest Meeting Aye How came that to pass Did you not perceive his Relapse from the Truth and the Order of it till he made such a Revolt as to become an Apostate A. B. Truly we found he declin'd and some Friends in our Town spoke to him and warn'd him of the Danger of it but all would not do Meeting Well let some Body be ordered to go to him and admonish him if he Repent and acknowledge his Fault and confess to Truth †i. e. To them for if he confess his Fault to them they Absolve him and all 's well again Clerk How is it at your Town of Milden-Hall A. B. Things are pretty well with us but Francis Bugg still continues his Writing against Friends And he being examined by Samuel Fulbig whether he owns W. Rogers's wicked Book Which admits of Liberty of Conscience to pay Tythes or not to marry with a Publick Minister or not and he owns it And therefore we must take Care about him for he does much hurt to Truth and lays Stumbling-Blocks in the way of others Meeting Course we know not well what Course to take with him he will neither lead * Into blind Conformity nor drive †Into an Implicite Faith Indeed we have suffered him too long Clerk in this Meeting but he may thank R. S. J. A. E. L. and some of you his Friends or else he had been excluded long since for his very owning W. Roger's Book which admits of a voluntary Payment of Tythes which as our dear Brother Ellwood saith is a Mark of Antichrist a Denial of Christ come in the Flesh yea downright Ranterism Antidote p. 78. 139. But notwithstanding thro' such Arguments as W. Rogers use we have by woful Experience seen that some have been convinced Ten some Twenty Years and yet can pay Tythes without any Acknowledgment of Evil therein Christ Quaker disting Part 2. p. 42. And altho' we grant saith our Brother Ellwood in his Antidote p. 109. That our great Apostle G. Fox did say in his Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth Friends to you all this is the Word of the Lord †See Fox's Papers are the Word of the Lord whilst they say 't is Blasphemy to call the Letter i. e. Scripture the Word Take heed of judging one another judge not one another I command you in the Presence of the Lord See his Book entituled The Way to the Kingdom of God pag. 4. and judge not one another behind one another's Backs * Yet they passed Sentence on me behind my Back I not being there that Day i. e. 4th of June 1682. I command you in the Presence of the Lord this is the Word of the Lord unto you Neither lay open one another's Nakedness and Weakness behind one anothers Backs for thou that dost art one of Ham 's Family which is under the Curse c. This indeed continues our Beloved rother is a Warning to Friends not to judge one another †No let their Immoralities be gross do but keep in the Unity of the Corrupt Body But it is not a Warning to Friends not to judge those that oppose Friends being gone out of the Unity of Friends themselves and endeavouring to draw others out also and to divide and rend the Church so that you have mist your Aim and lost your Blow c. Thus Friends you have the Judgment of the Church and Francis Bugg has not only owned that Pernicious Book but has written two Books against Friends as Pernicious as that of W. Rogers Intituled De Christiana Libertate c. and The Painted Harlot both Stript and Whipt c. Nay not only so but hath wrote divers Letters Remonstrances and Queries to particular Friends to the Second-day Meetings And therefore 't is time to take some Course with him c. Meeting Content therefore let us draw up a Paper against him and when we have view'd it let us Record it c. This was done a Copy whereof is as followeth viz. At a Quarterly Meeting in Hadenham 7th Day of the 4th Month 1682. Whereas this Day there was inferred ††Notable Scholars INFERRED into our Meeting several Papers subscribed by Francis Bugg wherein he hath Unrighteously and Ungodlily reflected upon Antient Friends and greatly abused Faithful Ministers of the Gospel * * They can call other Ministers Witches Devils Thieves Robbers Antichrists Jesuits Bloodhounds Sodomites and what not But
in the nature of them and such intolerable Scandals as had they not had more Patience than the Quakers notwithstanding the loud Noise they make of Patience Humility and Meekness c. they would never have lain under such Public Scandals And therefore when in the next Chapter I come to touch their tender Part as Erasmus once said to a Monk I shall see how patient they 'll be when they are paid in their own Coin nay I hope far better at least to a better Purpose CHAP. XIII The Quakers Convocation George Whitehead's Sermon explaining their Ancient Testimony Reader THink not the following Sermon a Romance or Fiction for the Design of it is good and intended for their Conviction Read the Books in the Margin and you 'll find it fully proved to be the Sum and Marrow of their Ancient Testimony which by their Contempt of the Scriptures shews their Antichristian Principles and how their Doctrine carries all Iniquity in the Womb of it and opens the Flood-gates to all Atheism Deism Socinianism Arianism and all other vile Errours And therefore in hopes that this following Illustration of their Principles may be of use to their Hearers I proceed in this unusual Method But with my Lord Bishop of Lincoln in his Advice to his Clergy Second Edit p. 25. I will say ' Not that this can be expected from the Leaders of that Party they have Ends to serve in the Conduct of that deluded People that will engage them notwithstanding Confutation and Conviction too QUAKEâ—… SYNOD A SERMON for George Whitehead to hold forth at their Convocation or Yearly Meeting Friends I Beg your Attention to what shall be spoken this Day upon this Solemn Occasion being met to inspect the Affairs of our Society throughout the VVorld The chief Subject upon which I shall treat is our Ancient Testimony as you will find it written in our Gospel viz. God is the same Truth is the same his People the same and their Principles the same For our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People The Quakers cleared c. p. 7. so we cannot but recommend unto you the holding up the Holy Testimony of Truth which had made us to be a People Prim. Christ continued p. 6. and that in all the Parts of it for Truth is one and changes not amp c. Their Yearly Epistle Printed 1696. Beloved in the opening the VVords of my Text I am to tell you First That as God is the same so are his People the same and according to our Ancient Testimony as unchangeable Secondly That our Principles are now no other than they were in the Beginning in all the parts of our Ancient Testimony whether relating to Monarchy Magistracy the National Ministry and all Points of Doctrine News coming up p. 18 19 20. Thus having opened the VVords of my Text I shall now let you know the Doctrinal Parts I intend to discourse of and then proceed FIRST The Scriptures which the Christians profess to be their Rule shewing their great Mistake therein and the Uncertainty thereof SECONDLY The Authority Certainty and Infallibility of our Friend's Books and Sayings and both Affirmatively THIRDLY and Lastly I shall apply the same by way of Use and for your Consolation Negatively and these in their Order First then As to the Christian's Mistake about the Scriptures look into the Epistle General of our Great Apostle Geo. Fox viz. And therefore all People that are here Christ is not in the Letter nor the Life is not in the Letter nor the Word is not in the Letter This mediate Stuff has reigned long in the Cage of unclean Birds you get the Letter for the Light a Steeple-House for the Church Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel c. To all the People who meet in Steeple-Houses c. p. 4 5. Printed 1657. Thus Beloved you see what great Mistakes are hapned to this People of England who by following the Doctrine of their blind Guides have taken Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel that is Glad-Tidings No no 't is Beastly VVare yea Dust and Serpents Meat and this I can prove by Two Books wrote by our Apostle Geo. Fox the one stiled News coming up c. p. 14. the other Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth c. p. 3 4 44 45 46 viz. So Dust is the Serpents Meat their Original is but Dust which is Death so these Serpents feed upon Dust and their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter c. Thus Friends have I shewed you the great Ignorance of the VVorld's Teachers who first take Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel and now see what they have got for their Rule VVho would think they should hear such a Teacher as hold a Bible in his Hand and tell People it 's the VVord of God and bid them hear it and obey the Doctrine of it at their Peril for it 's the Law say they by which you shall be judged another Day VVhen alas my dearly Beloved as I have more than once in Print affirmed saying That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any meaning our selves is of as great Authority as the Scriptures or Chapters are and greater c. And I still affirm the same and do tell you that it is according to our Ancient Testimony and you know we cannot change nor alter being as unchangeable as our Light within See G. W. Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. Printed 1657. A Ser. Apology p. 49. Moreover the Scriptures are so uncertain that 't is questionable who was the first Pen-man thereof whether Moses or Hermes yea either or neither How then can any Man depend upon them as a Rule to walk by Thus you see how the Christians are mistaken for have not I my self told you as well as my dear Brother Christopher Atkinson That Friends do not call Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel and New Testament as the Ignorant Priests do David 's Enemies discover'd c. p. 7. And is it not written in the Gospel of my said Brother Christ Atkinson That for any to say that Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. What Ground then hath any Body to hold a Trinity of Persons Nay my Brother Penn and I have jointly said in our Apology Dedicated to the King's Lieutenant-General of Ireland That we deny the Terms of three distinct Persons in the Godhead whereby we do positively deny the Creeds called the Apostle's Athanasian and Nicene Creed A Ser. Apol. p. 20. If any Object Why we refuse to acknowledge them in Words not altogether of tho' agreeing with the Scriptures seeing we our selves use many Words not Scriptural as those of calling the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Meat c. those of our calling the Clergy Monsters Bloodbounds Grinning Dogs
c. p. 14. That to say Christ is God and Man in one Person is a Lie The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. But as I said We may sometimes see cause yea and great cause too otherwise to word the Matter yea contrary to our Ancient Testimony and yet mean the same thing c. The Counterfeit Convert c. p. 72. that is to say mean not a word we say And now to the Consequence and for which we prefer the Bible For Friends we no sooner Signed this Confession but we had our Liberty and we no sooner had our Liberty but all our London Preachers spread themselves like Locusts all over England and Wales * * Like Mice uncall'd for and like Flies unsent for and fall upon their Provision some went East some West yea North and South and being generally Tradesmen We not only got our Quarters free our Horses free and well maintain'd in our Travels a Silver Watch here a Beaver there a piece of Hair-Camblet and sometimes other Gifts Moreover by our Liberty obtained by the recited Confession we got into great Trades and by spreading our selves in the Country into great Acquaintance and thereby received Orders of the best of the Country Tradesmen for Parcels whilst the Protestant Tradesmen in London ††Londoners look about you for none like the Quakers but Jews and Jesuites as time will farther shew who had not this Advantage stood still and in their Shops had little to do whilst we fill'd our Coffers Witness Tho. Greene for one Instance whose Wife would scarce suffer him at home she being willing according to the Proverb to make Hay whilst the Sun shines insomuch that in a little time he raised his small Beginning to many Thousands Since I printed this Tho. Greene is dead and died worth as is said Six or Eight Thousand Pounds who was a poor Mason when he set up for a Preaching Quaker All which shew that the Scriptures are accidentally good c. And this leads me to the second Proposition namely The Authority of our Friends Books and Sayings c. First I shall shew you that as 't is Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God To all that would know the Way to the Kingdom c. p. 4. Mene Tekel c. p. 22. so I shall shew you that our Scriptures for as I told you in my Serious Apol. p. 48. Writings signifie Scripture are the Word of God and this you will find written in the Epistle of our Second Moses in these Words Friends to you all this is the Word of the Lord take heed of judging one another this is the Word of the Lord unto you I charge you in the Presence of the Lord God to send this Epistle among all Friends and Brethren every where to be read in all Meetings to you all This is the Word of God Several Papers given forth for spreading Truth c. p. 60 61 62. Again that I may corroborate and strengthen your Faith in the Exercise of our Ancient Testimony * * G. W. keeps to his Text. Read in the Gospel of our Great Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Geo. Fox where you 'll find these Words viz. You may said G. F. to the Priests as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as our Writings for our giving forth Papers and Printed Books it is from the IMMEDIATE ETERNAL SPIRIT of God Truths Defence c. p. 2 102. upon which our Dear Brother Thomas Ellwood saith That none can squirt any Filth on the Epistles of Friends but it will tend to be spatter the Apostles An Antidote against c. p. 1 44 57 125. And in Confidence thereof our Brother Robert Barclay hath these Words That as the true Principles of the Gospel by their i. e. Quakers Testimony are restored so is also the ANCIENT Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ re-established amongst them i. e. Quakers and settled upon its right Basis and Foundation that as thro' our Faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the National Ministry hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their Forced Maintainance and Tythes so that their Kingdom in the Hearts of Thousands begin to Totter and lose its Strength and shall assuredly Fall to the Ground So on the other Hand we do weaken the Strength of their Kingdom who judge for Reward The Nation shall come to be disburdened of that deceitful Tribe of Lawyers as well as Priests * * Let all Lawyers Tradesmen Clergy and Magistrates guard against the Prevalency of Quakerism for they are all highly concerned I never knew any that left us prove steady to those to whom they go I find other Professors make but small Boasts of any Proselytes they get out from us I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us The Anarchy c. p. 1 16 42. Thus Friends you see that upon Confidence of the Truth of our elder Brother Geo. Fox's Ancient Testimony viz. That it was Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God and yet laudable to call his Papers sent up and down to be read in Meetings The Word of God the Word of the Lord God I say you see how stoutly our Brother Ellwood avouched that none could squirt any Filth on the Epistles of Friends but it must inevitably fall upon the Epistles of St. Paul and he was in the right on 't ††G. W. is no Changling he keeps to his Text. and likewise R. Barclay in confidence of the Truth of G Fox's Testimony viz. That to call the Scriptures The Word of God was no less than Blasphemy whilst his own Writings sent up and down to spread Truth and in order to it to be read in Meetings was The Word of the Lord and as such to be read and as such to be receiv'd You may see I say how he built his Hopes of our Restoration and the Downfal both of the Clergy and Lawyers insomuch that he did not once think any should ever go from us to prove Champions for the Principles of others against us And therefore I exhort you this Day to stand Faithful to your Ancient Testimony which is to throw down the Scriptures and exalt our own Books and so will the Work of your Light prosper in your Hands Besides for your Encouragement and that you may see my Sincerity and Seriousness which is the sign of my writing in every of my Epistles look into one of my Gospels and you shall find these VVords That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater c. Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. VVherefore ye dear Lambs be ye encouraged and go on boldly and if any Apostate write against us besure you warn all our Friends in the Country not to
Roberts his Son who Married this Fortune also broke and run away and left his Family like a Wilderness 3. Sam. Newton a great Preacher and Merchant having got into considerable Debts and cheated many fled beyond Sea and paid his Creditors nothing yet still continued a Preacher at Virginia and Maryland 4. Will. Gosnel another Preacher broke and fled beyond Sea and cheated many 5. Benjamin Antrobus another of their Infallible Preachers about Twenty Years together He broke against whom a Statute of Bankrupt was awarded imprison'd in Ludgate paid 5 s. in the Pound but whether his Journeyman Joseph Wyeth got what he lost I will not determine however he is now set up and serves to be the Cat 's Foot for the Quakers 6. Likewise Rebecca Traverse another of their Shee-Preachers and an Entertainer as well as a great Adorer of G. Fox yet the Fox was too many for her he grew Rich and she a Poor Zealot and could not pay her Debts 7. Tho. Burr another of their Infallible Guides and Chief Speakers broke and cheated many 8. Edw. Billing another of their great Writers and Infallible Doctors broke and cheated many 9. George Archer another of their great Preachers cast into Prison for Debt who was guilty of several Crimes also 10. I shall end their Teachers with Christopher Tayler of whose cheating some are still alive Joseph Clark is by himself and must go into the Cage for a Sodomite Now as to their Hearers 1. Brasy a Goldsmith broke for many Thousands against whom a Statute was awarded 2. As also against James Boswell by whom a Brother-in-law of mine lost 100 l. and a Kinsman of mine with his share in the Charge of the Statute 500 l. 3. One French 4. Northcott the Quakers great Bookseller 5. One Olive 6. Robert Goodwin 7. Henry Stone who never yet paid his Composition Money at 5 s. in the Pound 8. Tho. Plumstead 9. Cade of Norwich 10. And Edw. Firth of Mildenhall a great stickler for Quakerism who in his Life-time cheated many by borrowing Money and buying Goods and died not worth any thing so that many of his Creditors and that for great Sums too had not a Penny of their Debts These were all Followers of their Darkness within which they call Light And the Question being put can any Sin that follow this Light It may says J. Wyeth be safely Answered No by which they seem to say that these and the like practices are not Sinful If they shall answer me no these are Sins I then ask why they do not then ask forgiveness for their Sins George Whitehead's Fallacy Reproved In his ANSWER to My Pilgrim's Progress c. GEORGE I Have seen thy Book A Rambling Pilgrim c. said to be an Answer to two Books of mine i. e. The Pilgrim's Progress c. A Modest Defence c. which is so far from being an Answer that it doth not touch at the Tenth part of the Books and that little you spoke to have to them who will compare the Books rather confirms what I charge you withal than otherwise But that I may shew for your Peoples sake how you wilfully mistake me and the state of the Charge and then mislead your People c. I find the first part of your Book is chiefly to insinuate that I said the Sermon was Geo. Whitehead's of his Forming of his Preaching and that in so many Words and thereupon you call it Forgery Now George this is all Fallacy For thou knowest George in thy Conscience that I never intended to have it believed that you at your Yearly Meeting Preached that very Sermon in so many Words but that I did it to expose your Errors contain'd in your Books out of which that Sermon was by me form'd and in p. 108. and p. 222. of the Second Edition it is expresly said A Sermon for George Whitehead to hold Forth c. And the Chapter before gives several Reasons why I proceeded in that unusual method So that your way to have done your Cause good and your People good had been to have confuted me first Touching your Doctrine which I alledged out of your Books Secondly That your Practice is otherwise than by me represented This had been your way to have confuted my Arguments and to have established your People But for you thus to act against Light and Knowledge is such a self-condemn'd Practice that as for your own sake as well as your People whom you mislead I could be glad to see you leave it now in your Old Age. Take one instance A Rambling Pilgrim c. p. 5. Francis Bugg makes Geor. Whitehead thus speak Friends I am now come to the last thing propos'd to speak to on this Solemn Occasion first Respecting Confession of Sin shewing your Exaltation above the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles c. as at large in p. 221. of this Book so that I need not repeat it Now what Answer George dost thou make to this Dost thou say 't is your Friends Practice to make Confession of Sin to God in your Prayers Not a word of it Dost thou prove in any one page of those 5555555 I there mention that you ever recommended the practice of making Confession of Sin to God and begging his Pardon for Christ's sake Not a word of it Dost thou prove out of any of those Books wrote by thy self Fox Burroughs c. that ever you recommended the Practice of the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer the Apostles Creed either to be read in your Families or in your Religious Meetings practiced or the reading the Scripture in your Meetings Not a word of it No here is no denial of Matter of Fact out of your Books nor the natural Consequences deduceable therefrom or your practice agreeable to the same And that it may appear so take your Answer in your own words viz. Thus Fran. Bugg represents me Preaching such stuff as I never preached in my Life nor ever own'd any such flattery or deceit as to exalt any Auditory above the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles c. or to disswade any from making Confession of Sin or asking Pardon for Christ's sake who have need of both or who have not received forgiveness of their Sin First It 's not what you did not disswade from that we are examining but what you perswade to We want not Negatives but Affirmatives here you leave your Reader in the Dark Can you prove that in all those Books and Pages recited that you ever made Confession of Sin that you ever asked Pardon for Christ's sake that you in your Religious Meetings or in your Families practiced the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed that you ever read the Holy Scriptures in your Meetings or further that you ever in all or any one of your Books recommended the practice thereof If not the Charge lyes still against you and your Negative Answers rather confirm what is said than otherwise As to your Certificate p. 28.
Spirit of Truth in George Whitehead and George Fox the Younger See Title Page And being questioned by a Minister p. 7. VVhether the Quakers Speaking was of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible George Whitehead reply'd saying That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY is of as GREAT AUTHORITY as the Scritures and Chapters are and GREATER So that the plain Consequence of this Doctrine is That the Authority of this little Pamphlet of Whitehead's and Fox's VVriting is of Greater Authority than the Bible and not only that but all their other Pamphlets which they give forth as they pretend from the Spirit of Truth or Light within The said Minister proposed another Question to Whitehead viz. Is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments a Rule to the Christian's Life or is it not p. 18. To this G. Whitehead reply'd saying Thou might as well ask If the Moral Law be a Rule to Christ for the Christian's Life and Rule is Christ meaning their Light within From whence it 's plain that the Ten Commandments are not the Quakers Rule No no not unless they be convinced by their Light within of the Reasonableness of their Obedience as Mr. Penn teaches and Edward Burroughs their great Prophet Quakerism a New Nick-name c. p. 71. Burrough's Works p. 47. And by these and the like Arguments our Teachers brought us off from believing the Scriptures to be the VVord of God And as such to have Authority over us and Binding to us whether convinced or not convinced by these Means they brought us from the Practice of repeating the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments and the Apostles Creed in our Families By these cunning Slights they by degrees brought us off the Ordinances of Christ as Baptism and the Lord's Supper asking Forgiveness of Sin and the like Christian Duties in which many of us had been Educated and which the Scriptures command and exhort to And by reason of this and the like Doctrine together with not reading the Holy Scriptures in our Meetings but their Epistles only as in my former Books I have at large shewed we came to forget and not regard nor have Faith in the Crucified Jesus who died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and that in these Fundamental Points following namely 1. That Faith in Christ as he outwardly suffered at Jerusalem was necessary to our Salvation provided we hearkened diligently to our Light within 2. That Justification and Sanctification is by the Blood of Christ outwardly shed 3. That there shall be a Resurrection of the Body that dieth 4. That Christ shall come without us in his Glorified Body to Judge the Quick and the Dead at the last Day even the same Jesus that was Born of the Virgin Died Rose Ascended and now Sits at the Right Hand of God in Heaven making Intercession for us News out of the North p. 14. As also that there was little need of Preaching the Literal Knowledge of Christ's Death Miracles Resurrection and Ascension because they are generally believed by all sorts professing Christianity See Isaac Pennington's Book The Flesh and Blood of Christ c. p. 29. I say by our Teachers thus slighting the Scriptures as Death Dust and Serpents Food of which I have largely treated elsewhere and by their other Doctrine scattered up and down their Books they brought us off from the Belief and Expectation of these Things as George Keith by his Third Narrative has clearly made to appear and as a Pregnant Instance thereof with respect to my self see my First Book I printed De Chris Lib. Part 2. which altho' it treat of the best part of Quakerism and gave a mortal VVound to the Jurisdiction of their Female Government yet it set not forth any one of these four Fundamental Points For as their Hypocrisie in pretending to be plain sincere simple and innocent was a means to attract and draw me after them so the like Hypocrisie in pretending to gather to the Light leave People to their Light as a sufficient Rule Judge and Guide (c) Yet acting quite contrary as anon will appear c. was one Reason why I left them I do not look upon it so eminently my Business to set forth the admirable Advantage and Use of the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed Baptism and the Lord's Supper no every Bookseller's Shop is furnished with plenty of such Books which are writ by Men of great Learning and Skill which should I write after them it would be next to light a Candle at Noon-day when the Sun shines in its Brightness Tho' if I lived in a Country where such Arguments were not I thank God I could through the Study of the Scriptures and the Knowledge I have of the Doctrinal part of Christianity thereby speak somewhat to the Point and which might be useful too No I take it to be my Business and Office amongst others to unmask and discover the Errors and Pernicious Principles of the Quakers and therefore refer to Bishop Andrews upon the Commandments Bishop Pearson upon the Creed Dr. Cumber upon the Lord's Prayer and indeed what else the Church teach And to make it yet more evident if more can be that the very Design of these Silent Meetings was to bring us off and wean us from the Articles of the Christian Faith and the Principles of the Christian Religion and thereby to mould us and square us as fit Tools for their Turn to supplant and overthrow it And this I know that the more we obeyed the Doctrine of our new Teachers the more we grew dead to all Instituted Religion For as Universities and other Schools of Learning as well amongst the Jews as Christians had a tendency to prepare Men and thro' God's Assisting Grace were a means and a help to such as were to be Consecrated and set apart for the VVork of the Ministry so I do affirm and that from an Experimental Knowledge That these Silent Universities tends only to empty the Mind of all true and solid Notions of the Christian Religion and only to prepare them for the wild Notions of Quakerism which hath such a sandy Foundation that to this Day they have not been able to produce their Articles of that Faith they pretend to but are as Mr. Baxter said Penitential Confession p. 63. i. e. The Quakers are amongst us a disgraced broken Sect c. notwithstanding their pretence to Unity Uniformity and to be of one Mind referring oft to their Beginning when alas some will pay Tythes some not some shut up their Shops on Fast-Days some not some for Thee and Thou still but most of them not but are like other People some wet Quakers some not some for this some for that and some for neither this nor that as in a Hundred Things I could shew But lest any should think me partial in stating the Case and in shewing the Consequences of our Silent Meetings or Schools
in the Church or amongst them that profess to be Members thereof WE do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ HAVE POWER WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF SUCH WHO DISSENT FROM THEIR DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE TO HEAR AND DETERMINE THE SAME All Property is now lost unless there be Conformity and Submission like the Star-Chamber and High Court of Justice c. And if any pretend to be of us and in Case of Controversie will not admit to be TRIED by the Church i. e. the Body nor SUBMIT to the JUDGMENT given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their Judgment as only the Judgment of Man WE testifie in the Name of the Lord That if any Judgment so given be risen against and denied by the Party condemned then He or She ought to be rejected as having erred from the Truth and persisting therein presumptuously are joined in ONE with Heathens and Infidels George Whitehead Josiah Coale Stephen Crisp John Moone Thomas Loe Thomas Greene John Whitehead Thomas Briggs James Parke Alexander Parker Rich. Farnsworth c. Having by this time shewed First How our Teachers in order to bring us over to them and to decoy us told us the Light within was a sufficient Guide Teacher and Leader even sufficient to lead to Salvation yea above Scriptures above Fathers above Councils and above Churches I have in the last Instance shewed the Fallacy of their so early and smooth Pretences and that from the beginning they have been a false perfidious and treacherous Tribe of Deceivers as ever the World produced Well now they appear plainly to be a Body and I having found who is the Head of this Body namely George Fox it will not be amiss to recite the Quakers Creed and his Commandments which whatever Quaker do not submit to convinced or not convinced of the Reasonableness of their Obedience it 's now plainly seen what will befall them I need not Comment upon the recited Canon Creed Fox's Commandments nor their Zeal to maintain them as their Ancient Principles altho' God's Commandments by Moses the Apostles Creed and all the Scripture the Quakers slight and reject as not to be read in their Meetings not to be taught their Children nay so proud is G. Whitehead that he tells you as above The Jews might as well have carried them to Christ in the Days of his Flesh Viz. the Ten Commandments for him to learn observe and obey them as for the Christians to carry them to the Quakers to learn observe and obey them Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 18. For saith he What is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Bible and Chapters are and greater Burroughs Works p. 47. This is the Tenure and Purport of his Doctrine and I do affirm it 's right Quakerism For Edw. Burroughs said That was no Command from God to me what he Commands to another And W. Penn confirms the whole saying No Command in Scriptures is any further obliging upon ANY Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in Man c. Quakerism a New Nick-name for old c. p. 71. But for their poor infatuated Disciples to plead whether to conform or not whether to obey or not the Commands of G. Fox i. e. not paying Tythes not to be Married with a Priest not to put off the Hat not to open their Shops on Feasts or Fast-Days I say to plead to be left to their Freedom herein and the Grace of God in their Hearts Oh! no Says W. Penn This is a dangerous Principle this is a pernicious Plea this is perfect Ranterism VVhat to have Liberty whether to obey the Commands of the Body given out by the Head thereof This is wicked indeed as by their Yearly Epistle above-recited is plain However I shall recite both the Quakers Creed and the Commands of G. Fox Viz. 1. The Quakers Creed WE believe that the Light within us is the True and Eternal God which Created all things and that by me the Light all things are upheld and that there is not another besides me that can save and thereupon we believe we are endued with the Almighty Power of God and thereby have wrought Miracles and conclude we are equal to God and that our Speaking is of greater Authority than the Bible VVe believe our Light within is Jesus Christ the Son of God the Man Christ Jesus to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed tho' we cannot believe that this our Light within to whom we direct our Disciples to expect Salvation by was ever crucified by Nailing to a Cross nor that he Died or was Buried nor that he was Buffered Spitted upon Smote with the Palms of the Hands of the Jews for he never was seen with Carnal Eyes nor that he Rose from the Dead the Third Day nor that he Ascended in the Sight of the Galileans into Heaven and there Sit at the Right Hand of God but that all Apostate Christians that so teach are false Ministers nor do we believe that our Light within shall come at the last Day to judge both Quick and Dead For the Light within us is the Judge and the Book is opened within the Sentence of Death and Judgment is pronounced within from the Mouth of our Light within against every idle VVord and all the Deeds of the Body within and Judgment is executed within and the flaming Sword within which proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lamb i. e. our Light within which will cast thee into Hell within where is weeping and wailing within sealed down under the Wrath of God's Eternal Judgment within We believe the Light within us is the Holy Ghost and that these three are one and not distinguishable and that such as talk of three Persons in the Godhead like Conjurers are to be shut up with their three Persons they dream of which they would divide out of one in perpetual Darkness in the Lake and the Pit That the Scripture which the Apostate Christians build their Faith upon for this their Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is a rotten Foundation yea Dust Death and Serpents Meat and therefore their Ministers that tell their People the Scriptures are the Word of God are Deceivers For the Father Son and Spirit the World and their Teachers call three Persons but they speak they know not what therefore believe them not We believe our selves the only Catholick Church and Elect People of God and that none are in the Truth but we our selves We never did in any of our printed Books or printed Prayers from 1560 to 1690 make any Confession of Sin nor ask Pardon of God for Jesus Christ's sake who was Born of the Virgin and why We testifie that the outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem was
in the Power of the Highest in which thou Rules and Governs in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Increase thereof is without end Judas and the Jews p. 44. Secondly Dear and Precious one in whom my Life is bound up and my Strength in thee stand by thy Breathings I am nourished by thee my Strength is renewed I cannot Reign but in thy Presence and Power Glory unto thee Holy One (p) Holy George for ever John Audland's Letter to George Fox Thirdly George Fox said John Blaikling is blessed with Honour above many Brethren and Thousands will stand by him in a Heavenly Record that his Life Reigns and is Spotless whose Eternal Honour and Blessed Renown shall remain yea his Presence and the Dropping of his tender Words in the Lord's Love was my Soul's Nourishment The Christian disting Part 5. p. 77. Fourthly George Fox a Prophet indeed it was said of Christ that he was in the World and the VVorld was made by him and the VVorld knew him not SO it may be said of this Prophet G. Fox The Quak. Challenge p. 6. Fifthly To confirm all this William Mead now living when he gave William Harris one of George Fox's Journals he said to him Here W. Harris I will give thee one of Geo. Fox's Journals it is a very good Book yea better than the Bible Object 1. But some may say this is only W. Mead's Judgment surely the Quakers do not hold that either their Books or Fox's Journal is better or of greater Authority than the Bible for the Fathers and Councils all submitted to the Test of Holy Scripture as the VVord of God Answ To this I answer That W. Mead is a knowing Man I will not say a wise Man unless in that one Action of his whereby he vigorously opposed W. Penn and endeavoured to exclude him out of their Ministry when he was proclaimed a Traytor to his Country for being charged to be in the Plot with the Lord Preston and others and was therefore forced to hide many Years and for which his Preface to Fox's Journal was not admitted to be bound up with the Journal but waited upon it like a poor Lacquey with its Blue Livery I say this Action of his excepted I will not say he was a wise Man yet as I said he is a knowing Man and spake the Heart of Quakerism in saving George Fox's Journal is better than the Bible First As you have heard 't is question'd by the Quakers VVhether Moses or Hermes was the first Pen-man of the Scripture indeed VVhether either or neither of them The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. But as for what G. Fox and Friends write it is from and by the Motion of God's Eternal Spirit and avouched so to be by a General Council of the Yearly Meeting (q) Held at London May 1695. And what any of our Friends speak from the Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority than the Bible and Chapters are Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. Now who can blame W. Mead on the Quakers Principles Is not a Certainty better than an Uncertainty Secondly The Scriptures lay many Obligations upon us it teacheth us the Observation of the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer the Apostles Creed Baptism and the Lord's Supper which the Journal does not at all teach nor inforce the Belief of only to listen adhere and hearken to the Light within and to obey its Dictates Therefore as the Journal is most certain so it is most easie and therefore the best Book and of most Authority and on the Quakers Hypothesis confirm all those Particulars above quoted Thirdly The Scripture teacheth to obey Magistrates as the higher Power and that we should submit our selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake Matth. 22.21 Titus 3.1 Rom. 13.1,2,3 1 Pet. 2.13,14,17 See also Tindal's VVorks Obedience to a Christian Man c. p. 111. But the Journal p. 40 to 400. and our Friends Books teach both by Precept and Example That the Light in every Man is the higher Power to whom all must submit and obey for to it all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed Jos Coale's VVork p. 93. and that this Light is one in the Male and in the Female but to a proud heady high-minded Man there is no Honour due tho' he be in a place to Rule Smith's Primer p. 43. And if so who can say that W. Mead spake unadvisedly in saying The Journal of Fox is better than the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles I think him a right Quaker a knowing Man and one that loves a Certainty better than an Uncertainty Fourthly The Scriptures teach That VVomen should obey their Husbands yea that they Reverence them and live in Subjection to them as their Head Gen. 3.16 Numb 30 to the end 1 Cor. 11.8 1 Pet. 3.1 Tit. 2.5 Colos 3.18 Ephes 5.22 quoting Sarah as an Example But the Journal teaches That the Light is the higher Power that it is one in the Male and in the Female and 't is the Light in each that is to be obeyed for to that all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed Smith's Primer p. 13. The Journal p. 50 to 450. and that there is to be no respect of Persons and if the VVife conceive her Husband to be gone from the Light and the Guidance of it and she be moved to rebel against her Husband betray his Secrets to his Adversaries yea to give publick Testimony against him she does well and shall have Praise of the same The Content Apostate c. p. 5. And for this Reason the Quakers do not put in or make the VVoman promise by their Marriage Certificate to obey their Husbands which as it is contrary to the Tenure of the whole Book of God both the Old and New Testament so 't is agreeable to G. Fox's Journal and their Antient Testimony See their Marriage Certificate Fifthly In a word the Scriptures teach That Children should obey their Parents and honour their Father and Mother that Servants should obey their Masters that Subjects should submit to their Governours and obey Magistrates that Christians should obey their Pastors who are over them in the Lord who watch for their Souls as those that must give an Account But the Journal p. 20 to 320. teaches the contrary both by Precept upon Precept as also by the Practice of their great Apostle G. Fox who not only broke the Laws in disturbing the Ministers in their Churches but taught so to do not only refused to pay Tythes but taught so to do not only slighted the Magistrates Command who oftentimes commanded a strict Fast to be kept but taught his Followers so to do Nay lately one Thomas Mash an Antient Quaker living at Newberry in Berkshire was moved by his Light within to open his Shop-VVindows on the Lord's-Day as on Market Days and set out his Goods to Sale this the Journal justifies p. 200 to the
Sodomites Witches Devils c. those of calling Christ A Garment A Vessel The Sandy Foundation shaken p. 5 to 65. I Answer The reason why we call them so and Translate the Words of Christ John 5.22,27 from the Son of Man to the Light within us * * The Quakers Reason for denying the Blessed Trinity Is because we believe there is no other Son of Man than the Light within us which was in the Jews Gentiles c. before his Incarnation according to my Gospel and the Gospel of my Brother Jeffrey Bullock where we say Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before He came in the Body or Flesh Judgment fixed c. p. 316 356. For to be plain with you according to our Ancient Testimony we own no other Trinity nor God than is within us for the Light is God the Light is the Son of Man the Light is the Holy Ghost and we having obtained the Repute to be a well-meaning People and tell the Priests in Answer to their Demand Do you own the Trinity Do you own the Sacraments c. We tell them we deny their Unscriptural Terms Where is the Words Trinity and Sacrament in the Scriptures Tho' we are not such Fools but we know the Word Trinity came from the Latin Word Trinitas and Sacrament from Sacra or Sacramentum a Holy Institution or Sacrament yet to hide our selves from the Dint of their Arguments we tell them They are not Scripture Terms Nay even this Sessions of Parliament when the House of Commons were preparing a Bill against such as denied the Trinity we soon perceived what might follow and we gave in a Paper intituled Some Considerations upon the Bill for the more effectual Suppressing of Blasphemy and Prophaneness Humbly offer'd saying Whereas the Bill enacts That if any Person or Persons c. shall deny any of the Persons in the Holy Trinity to be God and make it punishable by the same Bill were it not more safe and plain to put it in Scripture Terms as instead of Deny any one of the Persons to be God to insert If any one shall deny any of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or the Holy Ghost to be God 1 Joh. 5.7 Now if we can keep the Parliament to these Words we shall hide our selves and retain our Ancient Testimony unshaken Again If any of you should yet Object that notwithstanding we according to our Ancient Testimony call the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Meat c. News coming up out of the North c. p. 14. A Brief Discovery of a three-fold State c. p. 9. and say That whoever Preach out of them are Conjurers c. Saul's Errand to Damascus c. p. 7. Yet notwithstanding all this we profess to prefer the Holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the World The Counterfeit Convert c. p. 26 27. To this I Answer That you must observe the Context as well as the Text and then you shall see we do not interfere for in the same Book p. 72. viz. I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same Besides Beloved I would have none mistake me for tho' I am the Man that did say we prefer the Scriptures above all other Books extant in the World which in one Sense is true yet not in another The Count. Conv. c. p. 26. First I hope you do not understand it of its Intrinsick Value of its Real Authority so as to be a Rule of Faith and Practice and that the Commands therein are Obligatory upon Us if you do you are greatly mistaken and that for these Reasons following And First That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures or Chapters are and greater Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. Secondly That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another Neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scriptures act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves c. Burrough's Works p. 47. Thirdly No Command in the Scriptures is any further obliging upon any Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in a Man Quakerism a New Nick-name c. p. 71. Fourthly To this triple treble Cord which I think is not easily broken let me add our constant Practice ever since we have been a People and it will not only confirm these Proofs but shew our Sincerity to our Ancient Testimony I say as a Proof that we do not prefer the Scriptures above our own Books let it suffice That this Forty-eight Years never an Apostate that ever went from us can prove nay not once say if they 'll do us justice * * George what you say is true I am a Witness to thy Sincerity herein that ever we read any one Chapter in the Bible or any one Epistle of the Apostles in our Meetings whilst it hath been our frequent Practice to read our own Epistles And surely if we deemed the Scriptures best most certain and more edifying for us respecting our Ancient Testimony you may depend on 't that we would read the Scriptures in our Meetings nay we challenge all our Adversaries to shew us one Book of our Friends in the Unity that ever so much as recommended the reading any one Chapter or any one Epistle of the Apostles in our Meetings Thus much in Answer to one part of the Objection with respect to the Truth Certainty Value and Worth of the Scriptures But still I say they are occasionally good and in one Sense I do prefer the Scriptures above our own Books and then you may lay your Lives on 't above all Books in the World for sometimes the Scriptures as the Case may stand are like the Philosopher's Stone what they touch they turn into Gold And in that Sense our Confession to the Parliament with the Consequences are a Demonstration viz. I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth the Sacred ††Sacred an unscriptural Word yet it now will down with these new Saints to serve a turn c. Scriptures to be Divine left us by Men inspired of God as an exact Rule of our Faith and Behaviour and I profess to believe in One Only God who is the Father and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son very God and very Man and in the Holy Spirit one and the same God with the Father and Son Blessed for evermore The Gen. Hist of the Quakers p. 112. Now my Friends tho' this Confession be as contrary to our Ancient Testimony as Light is contrary to Darkness as by our Books quoted you may see yet we kept our Meaning to our selves we mean'd at the same time The Scriptures to be Dust Death and Serpents Meat News coming up
of you may think that these Doctrines of ours point to or aim only at extraordinary Commands as Moses going to Pharoah with some other Temporary Commands my very Doctrine shew it to be the Ten Commandments First By telling the Priest they might as well carry the Ten Commandments to Christ the Consequence of which is that Christ had as much need to learn them as we have Secondly in that we never Recommended the Ten Commandments to our Hearers that they should teach them to their Children and so from Age to Age one Generation after another as the Churches do and ever did both Jewish and Christian Thirdly Because we never read them in our Meetings nor in any one of our Books Recommend them to be so read This therefore may confirm you in our Ancient Testimony which have been to lay them by as a dead Letter Dust Death Serpents Food and Beastly Ware c. and I exhort you to be Bold and Valiant to maintain our Ancient Testimonies and this leads me to the third and last Inference namely Touching Baptism and the Lord's Supper Dear Friends I am now come to give you the Arguments of the Christians for Baptism and the Supper which is founded upon the Letter which our Apostle G. Fox said was Dust and Death viz. Their Sacrament is Carnal their Communion is Carnal a little Bread and Wine so Dust is the Serpent's Meat Their Original is but Dust which is but the Letter which is Death and their Gospel is Dust Matthew Mark Luke and John which is the Letter Again p. 35. A Word to all you Deceivers who deceive the People and Blasphemers who utter forth your Blasphemy and Hypocrisie That tell the People of a Sacrament and tell that it is the Ordinance of God Blush blush and tremble before the Lord God Almighty for dreadful is he that will pour forth his Vengeance upon you You who live in the Witchery and bewitch the People c. News coming up out of the North c. p. 14 35. Dear Lambs I first told you that the Authority the Christians make use of for these Two Ordinances is bottomed upon the Letter I have now shewed you a greater Authority for the disannulling them namely what is said by the Spirit of Truth through our Second Moses And to prove it read the Gospel wrote by me 1659. viz. * * Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any then to be sure in Geo. Fox is of as Great Authority as the Scriptures or Chapters are and Greater Thus Friends I first told you what Authority the Christians pleaded for these two Institutions of Baptism and the Supper namely the Scriptures I have likewise told you by what Authority we have laid them aside but lest all of you should not remember the Words the Christians quote not being much used to Scripture they are these Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Matth. 28.19,20 Again And he Christ took Bread and gave Thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Luke 22.19,20 Again Matthew hath it And as they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body And he took the Cup and gave Thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New-Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Matth. 26.26,27,28 Again Paul hath it For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you That the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread And when he had given Thanks he broke it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood THIS DO YE as oft as ye drink it IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME 1 Cor. 11.23,24,25 Beloved I cannot but allow that if the Letter viz. the Scriptures were of greater Authority than our Sayings or that the Words of Matthew Luke and Paul were of greater Authority than our Sayings I should be of the Christians side for nothing in the World is plainer said nor more possitively commanded But Friends in the beginning we were convinced by G. Fox that Matthew Mark Luke and John were Death Dust and Serpents Meat that the Scriptures were Beastly Ware that all that preached out of them were Conjurers that the Letter of the Scripture is Carnal Death and Killeth that such as once told the People of a Sacrament were Witches News coming up c. p. 14 35. Printed 1655. A brief Discovery of a Threefold State c. p. 9. Printed 1653. Saul 's Errand to Damascus c. p. 7. Printed 1654. And that therefore they ought not only to blush but tremble that such as preached Christ without and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven above were false Ministers Witches Devils c. Smith's Primer p. 8. That it was Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God Fox's Great Mystery p. 240. Printed 1659. That Circumcision is as much of Force as Water Baptism and the Paschal-Lamb as Bread and Wine for says my dear Brother W. Penn the Continuance of those Two Ordinances as the Lord's Supper and Baptism would have been a Judaizing of the Evangelical Worship and to assert their Continuance would be as much as in us lies to pluck up the Gospel by the Roots Hence says our dear Brother that Appellation Ordinances of Christ I do renounce as Unscriptural and Unevangelical and can testifie from the same Spirit by which Paul Renounced Circumcision that they to wit Water-Baptism and the Supper are to be rejected as not now required c. W. Penn's Reason against Railing c. p. 108 109. And therefore I warn you all to take heed of Apostatizing from our Ancient Testimony as you have it in my Text for what we were convinced of by our Light in the beginning to be Evil to be Death Dust Serpents Meat 't is so still to be Beastly Ware and Conjuration 't is so still and therefore keep up to your Ancient Testimony my dear Lambs in all the Parts of it Ha ha ha hme hme hme silent After a little Silence Will. Bingley c. Friends Friends I am filled I am filled as with new Wine I am ready to burst at the joyful News I have heard to Day respecting our Ancient Testimony And oh
magnified be our Light within which hath thus exalted us above the Prophets above the Apostles above the Martyrs and above all Christians as our dear Brother G. W. hath most excellently made it out First In opening his Text and also in the two Branches proceeding from it but more especially in the Use and Application where he hath confirmed me in not making Confession of Sin nor regarding the Ten Commandments nor those two Ordinances of Baptism and Supper all which is ratified and confirmed by G. Fox's Journal laying there on the Table But yet I have a short Testimony to bring in touching the Priests which I think our Friend G. W. left out unawares for I take it to be as necessary an Ancient Testimony to be kept up as any other only a little more Privately and Prudently for they are as great Enemies to our Design of Supplanting Christianity as any the World afford But however though we are the same we were and are not changed yet besure you do not admit that we are the first Challengers or that we begin with the Priests But to shew you in private that we were always the Beginners of all Controversies and what Cause we had for it I therefore bring in my Testimony and my Proof for the Antiquity of my Testimony shall be out of Edw. Burrough's Epistle to G. F.'s Great Mystery Printed 1658. viz. And the Word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare and caused the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see and the Dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and Terror took hold on our Enemies And first of all our Mouths were Opened * * Then the Quakers began and our Spirits Filled with Indignation against the Priests and Teachers ††True every Word and with them and against them we first began to War as being the Causers of the People to err and the Blind Leaders that carried the Blind into the Ditch and against them as the Fountain of all Wickedness abounding in the Nations and as being the Issue of Prophaneness and against them we cried shewing unto all these People that they were not Lawful Ministers of Christ but Deceivers and Antichrists and we spared not Publickly * * Then why should you be spared and at all Seasons to utter forth the Judgments of the Lord against them and their Ways and their Churches and Worships and Practices and this was our first Work ††So it was my first Work to thresh down the Quaker Deceivers we entered upon to Thresh down the Deceivers and lay them open that all People may see their Shame and come and turn from them neither can we pray for the Priests but for their Destruction c. And this Testimony lay upon me to bear which is in all Parts according to our Ancient Testimony Truth 's Defence c. by G. Fox and Rich. Hubberthorn p. 15. Printed 1653. For my Dear Friends and Brethren read our great Apostle G. Fox's Primer W. Smith's Primer in which there is not a Verse of Scripture quoted by which you may be sure it is agreeable to our Ancient Testimony Again read Saul's Errand to Damascus and A Three-fold Estate of Antichrist The Quakers Challenge And from all these Books you may gather that by the false Ministry we mean such as Preach out of the Scripture such as Preach a Christ without and bid People believe on him as he is in Heaven above And you 'll see first by Reprinting Edw. Burrough's Epistle 1672. and by W. Smith's Works which render the Bishops Monsters and the Clergy Witches Devils Sorcerers Jesuits Blasphemers Bloodhounds Antichrists Sodomites and an Hundred such Names This Beloved is according to our Ancient Testimony only let us word the Matter so now as to make them believe we mean not the present Clergy but those in former Days Benjamin Bealing Clerk Let us sing an Hymn of Praise and Self-Exaltation and to the Confusion of our Adversaries as you will find it written in the Epistle General of that Son of Thunder Edw. Burrough prefixed to our Apostle George Fox's Great Mystery Printed 1658. The Waters have I seen dry'd up the Seat of that great Whore Who hath made all Nations drunk with her inticing Power And caused the whole Earth She hath Her Fornication Cup to take Whereby Nations have long time err'd on whom She long hath sate But now her Miseries are seen Her Witchcrafts are discover'd And She no more shall Men deceive for Day-Light is appear'd And the Bed woful I have seen of Torments great prepar'd Whereon She must be cast and Plagues must not be spared But Woe to Her the Cup of Wrath is fill'd Her to receive And as to others she hath done the same She shall now have And Drink She must of that full Cup of God's fierce Indignation And then shall all Her Lovers mourn and make great Lamentation For Fire in Her is kindled which must Her all consume Behold Her Smoak ascendeth Day and Night up to Heaven The Antichrists who hath put on and cover'd with Sheeps cloathing And long-rul'd King on Nations Inwardly Ravening Who hath devour'd God's Heritage and had a Kingdom great I have seen Him made War against and Truth give Him Defeat Behold the Whore Her Flesh is burnt Her Beauty doth now fall She that is all Harlots great Mother whose Daughters are Whores all The Close of the Meeting by George Whitehead Friends I have still one Word of Exhortation as you will find it in the Prophecy of our deceased Brother Samuel Fisher touching Magistracy and Government which being according to our Ancient Testimony I could not well omit viz. * * * Sam. Fisher's Works p. 19 20. observ'd by Mr. Boothhouse I will hold my Peace no longer saith the Lord as concerning this Evil which they so prophanely commit and do daily against my Chosen but will utterly subvert and overturn them and bring the Kingdoms and Dominions and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven into the Hands of the Holy Ones †††Meaning the Quakers of the most High and give unto my Son and his Saints to reign over all the Earth And take ALL the RULE and AUTHORITY and POWER that shall stand up against my Son in his Saints and put it down among all the rest as one of his greatest Enemies under his Feet saith the Lord. For tho' the World take no Delight in them yet I take Pleasure in my People saith the Lord And I will beautifie my Meek Ones * * * Meek Quakers with Salvation and I will put my high Praise into their Mouths and a Two-edged Sword into their Hands †††Mark this is your Ancient Testimony as well as Prophecy writ 1656. and they shall execute Vengeance upon the Heathen and Punishments upon the People and shall bind their Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron and execute upon them
it not amount to a just Provocation to any Child to see such foul Aspersions and horrible Slanders cast upon his Mother from whose Breasts of Consolation he hath received great Consolation and Comfort both to vindicate her and to set forth what manner of Men they are that thus scandalize his Mother-Church not only privately in their Chimney Corners but in their Meetings yea in Print in all Cities Towns and Villages c. G. Whitehead said That God laid a Necessity upon him to write his Book Judgment fixed c. where he called me and others Apostate Informers Treacherous Hypocrites False Brethren Deceitful Workers Betraying Judas 's Devils Incarnate Dogs Wolves Raging Waves c. And his God laying such a Necessity upon him thus to Write and Rail in Vindication of Quakerism he adds And in the discharging my Duty I neither consult Events nor fear Effects Now in Answer I cannot pretend to such an immediate Motion as the Quakers do but I do really think my self in point of Duty and Conscience to bear these Testimonies against the foul Aspersions of these railing Rabsheka's and have both consulted and considered the Events that may ensue and hope well of the Effects that may follow even the Confutation of their Teachers and Conviction of their Hearers and I hope the Conversion of the Sincere amongst them And now to the Men and what manner of Men they are that thus undermine the Christian Religion Ministry and Worship And thus much by way of Introduction to the Cage of Unclean Birds POSTSCRIPT Note Reader That George Fox the first Bird in the Cage did cause John Fretwell Christ Gilhorn Ja. Nayler and others to go down upon their Knees before him publickly before Friends which is Idolatry and then and there upon their Knees to make their Confession and own Judgment upon what he charged them with before he would own them or receive them into the Unity amongst Friends c. To all People professing the Eternal Truth c. p. 6. per John Harwood one of G. W. 's Fellow-Preachers Babylon is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the Hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every Unclean and Hateful Bird. For her Sins have reached unto Heaven and God bath remembered her Iniquity Rev. 18.2,5 Reward Her even as She hath Rewarded you and double unto Her double according to Her Works In the Cup which She hath filled fill to Her double Rejoyce over Her thou Heaven and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on Her Ver. 6 20. A Cage of Vnclean Birds GEORGE FOX John Harwood George Smith Edw. Burrough Samuel Fisher Stephen Crisp Will. Warwick Jos Helling Samuel Cater Thomas Leacock Allelujah Fisher Solomon Eccles John Audland Jofiah Coale T. Thurston George Whitehead Thomas Ell Rich. Hubberthorn William Gosnell Thomas Biddle William Gibson John Whitehead Sam. Newton Christ Atkinson Daniel Wills Immanuel D Jo. Swinton Sen. Tho. Rudiard John Blaikling John Ty Ezekiel Wooley John Moon Francis Howgill Isaac Pennington Reader I am now about opening the Cage and shall take out Twelve of the Birds and open their Wings and spread their Feathers to the Intent thou maist view them and note their Features and observe their Natures and Dispositions and George Fox the Cage-Keeper shall be over and above with some little Observations upon him and the rather because G. Whitehead has denied That the Quakers call him their Branch their Star their Son of Righteousness c. in his Sober Expost c. p. 55 58. I remember that about the Year 1662. Geo. Fox came into the Isle of Ely and at his Meetings great part of his Discourse was about the Cage of Unclean Birds saying The Church of England as in his Epistle to be read in Churches and the Professors were a Cage of Unclean Birds and the Note he made them sing was thus Come ye Episcopals How do you sing in the Cage Answ No Perfection here no Perfection here Well come you Presbyterians Independants and Baptists what say you How do you sing Let us hear your Note Answ No Perfection here no Perfection here Then said George Come out of the Cage in a very comical Manner Thus did he deride the Professors of Christianity exalting themselves a Figure of which you have in Geo. Whitehead's Sermon in the Thirteenth Chapter And now you shall hear how his Birds chirrup and what Note they sing to his Lute But to understand this rightly I think it necessary to give you a brief Description of Geo. Fox that so when you hear Six of the Birds of one sort sing to his Tune and dance after his Pipe you may the better understand whether they do not call him their Branch c. First He G. Fox a great Liar like Mahomet a great Seducer like Symon Magus a vain Boaster like Ignatius Loyold saying That neither he nor his Name was known in the World Several Petitions Answered c. p. 60. when there was not Ten Men in the whole Nation more universally known Secondly In that he taught That he that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ is equal with God that he was before Languages were and that he was come to the end of Languages Saul's Errand c. p. 8. His Battledoor the Introduction c. Thirdly In that he taught That he was come to such a Fulness of Glory as that his Head and Ears was filled full of Glory yea that a Thundering Voice answered him saying I have glorified thee and will glorifie thee again alluding to John 12.28,29 The Examination and Tryal of G. Fox at Lancaster Assize c. p. 21. Fourthly In that he said David's Sepulcher was with the Quakers and that they had seen it Truth 's Defence c. p. 56. An abominable Lie like that of Mahomet's Journey up to Heaven upon an Ass Fifthly In saying That if every People own the Prophets and Apostles Writings they will own the Writings of the Quakers and that they may as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as their Papers and Queries c. Several Petitions Answered c. p. 38. Truth 's Defence p. 2 104. Sixthly In that he taught That he wrought Miracles Fox 's Journal the Third Index and yet never wrought a Miracle in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth all his Days only some Lying Wonders forged out of his Luciferian Brain without any Attestation like Symon Magus Seventhly In that he taught That the Breach of the Eighth Commandment Thou shalt not steal was no Sin if moved thereto by the Spirit of the Lord. G. Fox 's Great Mystery c. p. 77. In this Fox if not a Ranter yet joined with them and so are all that own his Doctrine Eighthly In that he taught That to call the Scriptures the Word of God was Blasphemy whilst that he yea even he called his own Writings the Word of God and frequently the Word of the Lord. Way to
sought for a proper place of Scripture and when he had read he then in a friendly manner gave the Minister his Book again and did not fall upon him and call him Conjurer Beast Dog Witch Devil Bloodhound c †As the Quakers does our Ministers but preached out of what he read and expounded it to the People insomuch that the Eyes of all the Assembly were fastned on him when they heard his Gracious Sayings Luke 14.14,16,17,18,19,20,21 and at another time suitable to his own Example he bade the Jews search the Scriptures for they are them which testifie of me John 5.39 And after he was risen from the Dead how did he appear to his Disciples and reasoned out of the Scriptures Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself saying unto them These are the Words which I spake unto you whilst I was with you that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me John 24.27,44 Thus did he confirm the Scriptures by his Holy Example both before and after his Crucifixion he did not question whether Moses or Hermes were the first Pen-man thereof or whether either or neither as the Quakers do in order to invalidate it and to overthrow the Divine Authority of it The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. no no he confirm'd them saying The Scripture cannot be broken John 10.35 Think not said he that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets No no it is said he easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than for one tittle of the Law to fail till all be fulfilled Matth. 5.17,18 Joh. 16.7 And St. Paul said The Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 And it was his manner to go into the Jews Synagogue to Reason with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have Suffer'd and Risen from the Dead proving out of the Scriptures that the same Jesus which he Preached who was Prophesied of and in due time was Born of the Virgin Mary was the Christ Read Acts 17. Micah 5.2 Psal 2.2.22.18 Isa 61.1.9,7 Deut. 18.15 Jer. 23.5 Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12.21.9 Read New Rome Arraigned c. pag. 55 to 58. c. Here we may see that neither the Ministers of the Church of the Jews nor Christ nor his Apostles call'd the Scriptures Death Dust Beastly Wares the Husk Carnal Serpent's Food c. as the Prophane Quakers Blasphemously do as appears from the Books of their Prophets of greatest Note Fox Whitehead c. See the Quakers Plainness c. p. And if you will look into the Apology of Justin Martyr and the Writings of the Fathers as St. Cyprian St. Augustin Origen Chrysostom Isidorus Tertullian c. and into the Practice of our present Church of England you will find the same But for your further Instruction in these Matters I rather refer you to our Reverend Bishops and Clergy who can better inform you Thus having kept nothing back from you which I think may make a Discovery of the Quakers Faith Doctrine and Practice to be contrary to the Faith Doctrine and Practice of the Jewish as well as the Christian Church to that of the Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs in all Ages I shall conclude this Chapter begging of God to bless my Labours to those Ends by me designed which are best known to him and my own Conscience which whether you believe it or not is That you may thereby be helped to understand your Errors that thereby you may be prevailed upon to beg God's Assistance to help you out of them and receive the Benefit of it Amen Fran. Bugg July 30. 1698. To write no more I long since did intend But now I hope that Work is near an end For abler Men do daily now come in To finish what I think I did begin * Respecting some particular Discoveries not but there were earlier Pens at work against Quakerism AN APPENDIX DISCOVERING A most Damnable PLOT by a Vnited Confederacy carried on by the chief Emissaries of New-Rome against the Christian Religion and Christian Reputation of the Professors thereof with a Remedy against it both Easie and Safe READER HAving gone thro' many things tho' briefly I do now say that it was not of my seeking nor my Choice I could have been glad to have seen the Quakers to have Retracted their Gross Errors and thereby remove the Cause but they have slighted all due Methods that are consistent with a Reformation Observe what Proposals I and others have made in our Books For when G. Whitehead gave forth a Sheet Entituled The Quakers Vindication c. saying Col. 2. P. 3 4. I G. W. freely offer and am willing to make it plainly appear before ANY Six Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses who are moderate Men of common Sense and Reason That Francis Bugg has grosly wronged the Quakers both in Charge Citation and Observation c. I then did meet him and we agreed upon the Preliminaries upon which we were to debate but when I came to name Persons he flew off Now by the Contents of his Offer I had my Liberty to chuse any yea all the Men provided they were moderate Men of common Sense and Reason But to avoid his Charge of Partiality I admitted that he should have his equal Choice of one part of the Men And that he might see I would take no Advantage at his Word any whereby I was left free where to make my Choice as well as who I offer'd to chuse out of the Ministers of the Episcopalians Presbyterians Independants or Baptists I mention this here because 't is Rumour'd in Town that he offered to meet me with the Baptists a horrible Lie but none would down with him but Quakers Nay to chuse our Men out of any or of all those Four Christian Societies which had he been sincere he could not have denied since it was his own voluntary Offer Nay when he refused to close on this Bottom as if he feared he could not chuse Six moderate Men of common Sense in all those Societies I then offer'd him to chuse each of us Three Members of the Honourable House of Commons and to them we would leave our Matter in contest Viz. Whether I had wronged them in Charge Quotation or Citation c. Febr. 1693. But this he refused also and there being some Gentlemen present they advised me to send him a Letter to that end and they would subscribe it which I did their Names are as followeth viz. Samuel Grove Samuel Plaice Henry Symons John Fenn and also Danil Hassel But this Offer G. W. also rejected which the Gentlemen above-named as well as to my self and indeed to all that have since understood it was and is a Sign of great Guilt and Insincerity in him which indeed is manifest in most of his Answers to
whereby it 's manifest their Innocency so much boasted of is not Triumphant as G. W. says in his Book Innocency Triumphant c. And therefore the way to deal with these cunning Sophisters G. W. c. is still to pursue them with Challenges to call them into the Field and thereupon I will pitch my Standard here on Behalf of the Christian Religion and Protestant Profession against Quakerism Head and Tail and once more challenge G. Whitehead to appear on his own Proposition to the Parliament viz. For each of us to chuse four or six moderate Men of common Sense and Reason out of the Professors I call it his because he did voluntarily offer to meet me before any Six Ten or Twelve moderate Men c. of the Christian Faith and let us dispute it out fairly and above-board And thereupon I shall renew my Challenge and let it stand here as a Monument of the Quakers Cowardice and Self-Condemnation if they 'd rather lye under this heavy Charge following than to come out and make their Defence viz. First That they deny Jesus of Nazareth who was Born of the Blessed Virgin Mary who suffer'd without the Gates of Jerusalem to be Christ the Son of the Living God Secondly That they deny the Scriptures by their speaking contemptuously of them calling them Carnal Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpent's Meat c. and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration Thirdly That they exalt their own Sayings and Writings above the Scriptures as being of greater Authority and more Certainty not only in Words but in Practice Fourthly That they undervalued the Death and Sufferings of Christ Jesus by granting they were inflicted by or for the Transgression of a Law and executed in a great Measure at least by the due Execution of a Law Fifthly That they exalt their own Sufferings as greater and more unjust than the Sufferings of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs yea even than all the Persecutions from the Days of Christ to the Year of their Rise namely 1650. Sixthly And that for these and the like Reasons the Quakers Books which thus teach are Blasphemous and their Practices in their Adorations are Idolatrous This is my Charge which I have often laid down and which I now renew and offer to make good upon them if he will chuse his Men and meet me according to his own voluntary Offer and my Acceptation thereof or otherwise because I will give him his Choice of two Methods viz. or on Condition At Oxford I offer'd Sylas Norton to prove the same Charge against the Quakers and their Doctrine that he George Whitehead will engage under his Hand to Retract their Errors if proved upon them out of the Quakers Books wrote by their approved Authors and condemn the Books which teach this Horrible Doctrine promising my self also to Engage under my Hand to Retract what he shall prove Erroneous in my Books or False in Fact relating to my Charging the Quakers thereby making them publick Satisfaction and to Burn my Books if found Guilty as a Testimony of my Injustice A Sign of my not being Conscious of Guilt herein And to this I subscribe my my Name Aug. 3. 1698. Francis Bugg This then is my Flag of Defiance which I hold out to G. Whitehead c. this is my Standard which I have pitched ON Behalf of my Saviour JESUS CHRIST which the Quakers have Contemned Disown'd and Denied to be the SON of GOD ON the Behalf of the Scriptures which the Quakers say are Dust Death Beastly Ware Serpents Meat c. ON the Behalf of the Holy Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which Christ Instituted ON the Behalf of the Church of ENGLAND both Magistrates and Ministers which the Quakers have most wickedly Traduced and Abused as Intolerable to bear and Seditious in its own Nature Let them come forth out of their Dens and Holes and acquit themselves like Men if they think I wrong them or else be content to lye under my Charge as self-condemned Persons and let them also know that my Book New Rome Arraigned c. stands unshaken and that George Whitehead is not Triumphant but forced by the Guilt of his Conscience to submit to the Charge above exhibited which is Ignoble and Base on his Part and will lower his Topsail to his great Abasement Shame and Confusion of Face in the Eyes of all sorts of Intelligent Persons Thus having stated the Contest between G. W. and me and advised my Friends and Fellow-Labourers not so much to Answer the Quakers Books as to Charge and Recharge them again and again till they at last being confounded with Shame Horror and Confusion be forced to come out But I shall shew Whitehead's Fallacy in his way of answering Books only by one Instance for I having in my Book New Rome Arraign'd c. pag. 47. by way of Retaliation upon the Quakers who call the Publick Ministers Antichrists and Deceivers and the World's Teachers given Fifteen Instances why the Quakers are the World's Teachers and Deceivers the second of which was this The Quakers who teach that the Name JESUS and CHRIST belongs to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well and as amply as to Christ the Head are of the World and Deceivers New Rome Arraigned c. pag. 47. Now this was no Quotation but a Charge which rests for me to prove I grant the Word amply is by me added by way of Illustration but the Words as well that G. W. neither mentions nor disowns Isaac Pennington's Words are Doth not the Name Jesus and Christ belong to the whole Body and every Member in the Body as well as to the Head So that the Name is not given to the Vessel but to the Nature in the Vessel A Question to Professors by Isaac Pennington c. p. 27. P. 33. The Scripture does expresly distinguish between Christ and the Garment which he wore between Him that came and the Body in which he came between the Substance which was vailed and the Vail which vailed it Lo I come a Body hast thou prepared me there is plainly He and the Body in which He came there was the Outward Vessel and the Inward Life this we certainly know says Isaac and can never call the Bodily Garment Christ c. And whoever read the Scriptures may clearly see that the Quakers are False Teachers in that they first teach that the Name JESUS and CHRIST belongs to every Believer as well as to CHRIST the Head since they can first call him as you have heard A Garment a Vessel a Vail a Body but in express Words they say they cannot call Him Christ but whoever read the Scriptures by me quoted in the Sixteenth Chapter I hope they will be convinced And St. John says Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him Then came Jesus forth wearing a Crown of Thorns Then the Soldiers when they had crucified Jesus they took his Garments but one of
Treatise p. 40. shewed they own themselves Infallible and from pag. 222 to 248. that they pretend they do not Sin and upon that Pretence do not ask Forgiveness of Sin But then from p. 248 to p. 284 I have shewed that even John Moone one of their Preachers and Judges mentioned p. 31. compared with p. 270. did Sin Nay G. Smith for whose walking in and following his Light G. Whitehead and S. Cater Avouch yet he Sinned as in p. 274 to p. 282. Insomuch that I have thereby razed their Foundation and their whole Building begins to totter and will assuredly fall to the ground IV. Their Negatives to Popery The Author of the Snake in the Grass c. having charged the Quakers in these Words * See the Snake c. Edit 3. p. 189. That of all the Dissenters now in England the Quakers have come nearest the Church of Rome they only have taken up the Popish Pretence of Infallibility unless they will bring in Lodowick Muggleton * See their Anguis c. p. 286. c. To which the Quakers reply in these Words Neither any of the Dissenters nor the Church of England do hold more Negatives in Doctrine to Rome than do the Quakers For we say the Quakers do not only hold all the Negatives which any of them do hold but also more c. Now by way of Addition to the Arguments of the Reverend Author of the Snake c. and in Confutation of the Quakers Defence I shall offer these Instances following to prove that the Quakers come nearest in Doctrine to the Romish Church and that they do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church in these Ten following Instances viz. 1. In the Doctrine of Infallibility 2. No Salvation out of their Church 3. The Quakers pretence to Miracles 4. About the sole Judge of Controversies 5. In their Contempt of the Ministers 6. In their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures 7. About their Vnwritten Traditions 8. Touching Idolatry 9. The Pope of Rome and Pope Fox 10. About the Quakers Church being the one only Church of Christ Reader this being the last of the Four Pillars upon which the whole Fabrick of Quakerism stands tho' there are some other Crutches which stand as Shores to prop it up I shall be the longer upon it in order to raze the very Foundation of Quakerism shewing the Oneness of the Doctrine of New Rome with her Elder Sister For when A. S. a Roman Catholick wrote his Book The Reconciler of Religions c. J. Coale an Eminent Quaker-Teacher wrote a Reply to it Intituled The Whore Vnvailed c. by which as with a Key we may unlock their Mystery and see how near Quakerism is to Popery And I. In the Doctrine of Infallibility The Whore unvailed c. p. 4. says Jos Coale A. S. his first Argument to prove the Church of Rome to be the True Church are as followeth viz. Visible Infallible Inerrible in which is the Power of Miracles out of which none can be Saved c. Now to begin with the first and principal Pillar of both Romish and Quaker Church namely Infallibility Jos Coale in his Whore Vnvailed c. p. 12. thus The Infallibility of the True Church of which Christ as the Head I do not go about to deny but that the Church of Rome is Infallible that I do deny This then is a plain Confession that they both agree in the Doctrine of Infallibility only they differ which of the twain is this True Church in which this Infallibility is * See p. 40. in this Book II. None are Saved out of the True Church A. S. having laid it down as a Positive Doctrine That none can be Saved out of the True Church which Church says he is the Roman Church To which Jos Coale in his Whore c. pag. 18. thus replies That thing I do not at all deny * And that is the true Reason why they will neither Marry nor Bury with us nor join with us in giving Thanks to God for Food c. but that none can be saved out of the Roman Church that I do deny for the Church of Rome is not the true Church but the Whore c. Herein it is also confessed that they both agree in this Point of Doctrine so that the Quaker-Church doth not hold herein a Negative Doctrine to that of Rome which both the Church of England and the Protestant Dissenters do III. Of Miracles in the True Church A. S. having affirmed p. 4. That in the True Church there is Power of working Miracles to which J. Coale replies in the Whore c. p. 16. saving And as concerning Miracles in the True Church I do confess and bear Witness that there are Miracles wrought in her daily c. Here then is a Third Point wherein the Quaker-Church doth not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Church of Rome which both the Church of England Protestant Dissenters do both agreeing that the Papists Legend and Fox's Journal are Fabulous and meer Shams IV. The Judge of all Controversies A. S. in Chap. 4. affirms The Church is Judge in Matters of Faith to which J. Coale replies in the Whore c. p. 28. saying That the Judgment of the true Church of which Christ i. e. the Light within them is Head I do not deny * See p. 30. Which shews the Harmony between the Popish and Quaker Church for the Judgment thereof must of necessity be true and ought to be submitted to But the Church of Rome not being the true Church she is not Judge of Controversies in Matters of Faith This then is the Fourth Point in which the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church the Difference only is which of them twain is the True Church which of right ought to be Judge in all Matters of Controversie and the one gives as good Reason as the other V. Contempt of Ministers A. S. in Chap. 14. calls our Protestant Ministers Intruders Thieves Robbers Hypocrites Ravenous Wolves Murderers Sons of Belial False Prophets and Priests of Baal c. Now to shew that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine herein read p. 173 174 248 to 251. VI. Contempt of the Holy Scriptures A. S. in Chap. 14. calls our Bible A Brazen-fac'd Book an unjust corrupt and perverse Bible Now that the Quakers do not hold a Negative Doctrine to the Romish Church herein is plain First because they call the Scriptures Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation and the like contemptuous Names which are frequently quoted in the ensuing Discourse and others of my Books but also in that they Reprinted this fourteenth Chapter of A. S.'s without any Rebuke for their Contempt of the Scriptures as above noted and in plain Words tell us in p. 40. saying I find the rest of his i. e. A. S.'s Book to consist of divers Arguments in which he controverts with
your own good too in hopes that our Government will find a time to Examin these things and prevent your walking in Masquerade as well as your deep Design to supplant Christianity 11. And I am willing further to observe that as the Proceedings of Francis Bugg has been a Check upon you so has he been useful in keeping on foot the Petition till a Convenient Season as also in Answering your Books by which you Banter the Grand Juries the Corporations and the Justices of Peace which will be no small Motive to the Prosecution now in hand 12. Not that I believe or desire Persecution will ensue no. I am not for punishing the Swearers and Damners of the Age with Cutting their Throats or a Sea of Blood but that as God permits them to Live so the Nation suffers them tho' not tolerated by an Act of Indulgence no more 't is hoped will you in your Blasphemous Errors and Pernicious Principles unless you do heartily and sincerely retract them and thereby make some Atonement for the great Scandal you have been to the Reformed Religion and so Adieu ERRATA PReface p. 1. line 4. for 1689 read 1698. p. 9. l. 18. f. as r. is p. 37. l. 13. f. have to r. to have Page 28. line 2. Smith's Works and Penington's Question p. 35. l. 15. f. 1560. r. 1650. p. 52. l. 14. f. Country r. Counterfeit p. 61. l. 24. f. writ r. wrought p. 78. l. 15. f. Reason r. Harlot p. 128. l. 4. r. till you have p. 172. l. 27. f. why r. what p. 250. l. 14. f. Reason r. Religion l. 17. r. Boyling Vengeance p. 227. f. every r. ever p. 303. l. 3. f. is r. in p. 305. l. 6. r. which to p. 154. l. 8. r. the Lord. THE Pilgrim's Progress FROM QUAKERISM TO Christianity c. CHAP. I. Giving an Account of my Education in the Profession of the Christian Faith and how I came to Apostatize from it and fall in with the Schism of Quakerism I Was Born at Milden-Hall in the County of Suffolk on the 10th Day of March Anno 1640. and Baptized into the Church of Christ the 14th of the same Month promising then by my Sureties to Fight manfully under Christ's Banner My Father's Name was Robert Bugg second Son of Francis Bugg and Margaret his Wife who was Chief Constable many Years my Mother's Name was Joan the Fourth and Youngest Daughter of Thomas Holman and Mary his Wife who was Baptized the 16th Day of March 1619. living at Lakenheath-Hall My Parents were of a good Yeomen-Family and lived in good Repute and brought me up in the Profession of the Church of England and when I came to Years capable of Instruction they Taught me the Lords Prayer the Ten Commandments and the Apostles Creed and very severe they were in Teaching me the Rudiments of the Christian Religion I remember my Mother who was a very good and pious Woman and religiously inclined would not suffer me to Sleep when I went to Bed e're I had said my Prayers and sometimes part of my Catechism And on the Lord's Day she made me to frequent the Church and at Home on that Day as well as most other Days to read some Portion of the Holy Scriptures They brought me up to School Learning until I attained to the Age of about Fifteen Years whereby I was capable to Write and Read English very well as also to cast Accompt few Lads went beyond me As also the Grammar wherein I was well instructed in the Rules thereof insomuch that I began to make a Piece of Latin but my Father living in a great Farm at Undley-Hall in the Parish of Lakenheath of 200 l. a Year besides a Fen-Farm in his Hands of 100 l. per. Ann. more he had in the Summer-time great Occasion for my Assistance and thereby was prevented of attaining to that Degree they once designed And afterwards being an Apprentice and so fell into Business that I soon lost a great part of that Learning I once had attained I must also confess I was in my Youth inclined to Company especially to Dancing and Musick yet I had in my early Years a Love to Religion and delighted much in Reading the Holy Scriptures sometimes Eight or Ten Chapters together I also lov'd much to hear good Preachers I very well remember that sometimes I went to Milden-Hall where we formerly liv'd on the Lord's Day on purpose to hear Mr. Watson who was accounted a famous Preacher being Four Miles from my Dwelling Thus much briefly touching my early Education Observations on the First Chapter REader I am the more particular in these Remarks for that the Quakers how much soever I was in esteem whilst with them since I left them have traduced me and laid all the Reproaches on me which Malice can invent (a) Non patitur Ludum fama Fides Oculus i. e. A Man 's Good Name his Faith his Eye will not be dally'd with said Luther in his Comment upon Gal. p. 51. as shall be shewed hereafter as well as to shew how excellent a thing it is for Parents to bring up their Children in the Nurture and Fear of the Lord to instruct them in the Principles of Christianity teach them the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed and the Church Catechism These Things together with Reading and Hearing the Scriptures Expounded being instiled into them in their young Years they will scarcely forget it when they are Old But if they should yet at one time or other the Remembrance of them may so far be brought to mind that they may thereby be brought to a Sense of their Condition And I speak what I know by Experience for the first Sermon I heard which was Preached by Mr. Smithies of Cripplegate London after I was about 25 Years amongst the Quakers and the very hearing of the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed and Confession of Sin did so strike me and bring things to my Memory that it shak'd all my Self-Confidence and brought me to the Consideration of Times past CHAP. II. An Account of my Apostacy and how I came to be carried away by the Quakers Dissimulation ABout the Year of our Lord 1657 Thomas Symonds of Norwich came to Lakenheath and appointed Meetings and many Quakers came from Thetford and other Places And tho' I went to Church on the Forenoon yet I had itching Ears to hear the Quakers and my Mother being dead and much of my Restraint thereby taken off I went to their Meetings in the Afternoon and gave great heed to what was spoken whose chief Subject was The Light within every Man and this Light to be Christ And their great Argument was from Christ's telling the Woman of Samaria her Thoughts saying Come see a Man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ c. John 4.29 Therefore said the Quakers this Light within must needs be the Man Christ and no other
of Ignorance I shall now proceed farther to prove my Reasons and that from plain Matter of Fact that so it may appear as well from our printed Books as from our known Practice what a strange Effect these Silent Meetings had upon us and how we thereby became not only levened into a Temper to throw off all Instituted Religion but to a degree higher even to throw Contempt both upon the Scriptures Ordinances and Ministers and all things Sacred crying down all Forms and Constitutions how ancient and profitable soever they were and all under a Pretence of a higher Dispensation even the Light within c. For saith W. Penn We Quakers being withdrawn from every Form and Constitution to wait in Silence for Life from God and not from beggarly Elements and therefore made a Prey to all Parties against whom every Hand have been lifted up and forsaken by all Civil Power c. The Guide Mistaken p. 32. To this let me add the Testimony of one of our greatest Prophets his VVords are these i. e. I dare not daub saith Solomon with untempered Mortar for where they i. e. Professors of Christianity are I was viz. in Performances in Ordinances in Family-Duties in Hearing in Reading in Prayers and Fastings in my own Will and all this is Will-worship But when that one thing the Light came which was needful I then began waiting in Silence to learn to be a Fool insomuch that I durst not give God thanks for the Victuals that were set before me A Musick Lecture p. 25. Thus it is plain that our Teachers led us into this Silent way of pretended Worship which never was known before since the World began Indeed Consideration and Meditation are good and ought often to be the Exercise of Christians but then they have an Object to Meditate upon either the Works of Creation and Providence which affords much Comfort and Cause to praise God our great Creator or else on our Lord Jesus Christ his Death and Sufferings and perfect Obedience and the like But I say to go on purpose to a Meeting and there sit starving in the Cold three or four Hours together speaking never a Word nor as near as we can think a Thought of our own this is such a new and non such way of Worship as neither Prophets Christ's Apostles nor any Christian Church to this Day ever gave Countenance to or President for I grant That John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton who came forth with George Fox and their Books bear the like Face viz. Tho' all visible Worship is now become of no value in the Eyes of the Lord yet it may be truly said that Christ is with his Apostles always to the end of the World in all those that Worship him in Spirit and Truth I mean those Sober Silent Saints whose Language and Practice speaketh forth the Spirit and Power of the Scriptures in them these Silent Saints I speak of from an unerring Spirit from an infallible Light which I have received from the Divine Majesty c. Joyful News from Heaven p. 61 72. Reader I have by me Lodowick Muggleton's Journal or Works bound up in one Volume containing eleven distinct Books in Quarto and above One Thousand Pages and so like to George Fox's that I intend they shall stand together in the Library of Christ's Church College in Oxford with the Works of Burroughs Bayly Smith and others that so any who are concerned with the Quakers Errors may be furnished c. Thus Reader you see that Muggleton and Fox stand on the same Bottom Fox was unerring so was Muggleton Fox was for an Infallible Light so was Muggleton Fox was for Silent Saints so was Muggleton only Muggleton keeps close to his Principles for as he denies all Ordinances so he does not Preach Pray nor Baptize nor Administer the Sacrament But the Quakers as in the Instance of Solomon Eccles above-quoted pretend to be against all Ordinances and yet own Preaching and Praying and deny Baptism and the Supper c. However since I have no Author nor never read of any but Lodowick Muggleton that justifie the Quakers Silent Meetings I will produce one Passage more i. e. That the Worship required by him from his Saints was an Inward Stilness by which their Souls were made willing to hearken to the Voice or Motion of bis most Holy Spirit speaking in them Thus from an unerring Light I have remonstrated to the Elect what is the very true God and his Spiritual Worship accepted of him 't is not Outward Praying Preaching Fasting or Thanksgiving to be seen of Men but it is an Inward Spiritual Silent Praying and Praising Fasting and Feasting upon the Glorious Things of Eternity which is only seen by Divine Eyes c. p. 41 43. Ibid. Thus I have shewed that Lodowick Muggleton was a better Quaker of the two than Solomon Eccles But that it may appear that as the Quakers have testified against the Christians for owning the Authority of the Bible so let them see they have a Partner namely Muggleton who says p. 49. Ibid. Again in the next place I shall demonstrate the Vanity of the Ministry of the Baptists I need not tell you the Foundation upon which they build their Worship because it is founded on the Letter (d) The Quakers Language to a Tee of the Scripture and their own lying Reason which is the Devil in them All true Christians are now under the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and therefore are no more bound in Conscience to Apostolick Worship I say again that above this 1000 Years there hath not been a Man sent to Preach or Prophesy p. 50. How then canst thou possibly become a Minister of Divine Ordinances by Authority from another Man's Words or Writings unless without their Letter thou wert immediately moved to speak by the Holy Spirit as they were Moreover tho' the Scriptures in themselves are true yet there is nothing but Death in them to a Carnal Spirit The Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and can a dead and killing Letter give the Power to become a Spiritual Minister of Christ's Ordinances to his Elect People I trow not c. Thus doth Lodowick profess the same Infallibility of Judgment the same way of Silent Meetings the same Perfection and unerring Light to Guide moved thereby immediately Again they join like Samson's Foxes against the Scripture a dead Letter a killing Letter a carnal Letter I think I have said enough at this time of the Harmony betwixt Lodowick Muggleton and the Quaker Teachers tho' I could bring many of the like Instances Some Inferences from the Third Chapter IS it so that whereas it is written John 5.23,27 For the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man Confirmed by the Apostle Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the
World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath Ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead I say Is it so And have the Quakers perverted these Texts in St. John and put on a new Translation saying All Power in Heaven and Earth is committed to their Light Quoting John 5.23 Josiah Coal's Works p. 93. This is a bold Attempt this is most Horrible if not Blasphemy thus to subvert the Gospel to serve their Corrupt Ends. How wary then had People need be of receiving the Quaker's Doctrine Is it so that People being thus caught in a Snare and brought over to their Silent Meetings and thereby weaned and drawn off from the Principles and Practices of the Christian Churches in all Ages as Baptism the Lord's Supper the Lord's Prayer Ten Commandments the Apostles Creed Confession of Sin and reading the Scriptures in their Meetings in the Worship of God Oh! what Care ought to be taken that these People should be shunned and these false Worshippers be rejected as a contagious Disease Is it so that the Quakers hold that what is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of greater Authority than the Holy Scriptures which was ever since the Days of Christ and his Apostles brought as a Proof to cast the Ballance in all Controversies And do they indeed hold as their Books teach That that is no Command of God to me what he commanded to another and that no Command in the Scripture is any further obliging upon any Man than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience as W. Penn and their Prophet Burroughs teach Burrough's Works p. 47. Quakerism a new Nick-name c. p. 71. This surely is the Womb of all Iniquity in the World this opens the Flood-Gates to all Errour Atheism Deism Socinianism Arianism and what not This therefore ought to precaution all People to beware how they receive the dangerous Pill of Quakerism how excellently soever it is covered with some plausible Pretensions and fair Arguments Is it so that the Quakers have not nor ever had since the Days of Symon Magus none like them amongst the Christian Churches who denied the Ordinances of Baptism Supper and Confession of Sin but John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton How then does it behove their Followers to examine the Doctrine and Practice of their Teachers and to turn from them and flee as for their Lives CHAP. IV. Shews that this Anarchy did not last long but a Government was set up Sometimes a Single Person as Pope over us and sometimes the Light in the Body of Friends claimed a Power over the Light in the Particular FOR after we became dead to the Rudiments of the World as we accounted those Christian Duties commanded by Christ and his Apostles and practised by Christian Churches downwards as Baptism Supper Confession of Sin c. and became stedfast and fixed in the Notion of Quakerism of which I gave only a Hint as I passed thro' my Pilgrimage in that Particular then our Teachers began to bethink themselves of the Necessity of a Government in our Church as well as our Neighbours and if a Government then a Governour and this Government must be either Inward or Outward The Inward we had tried and found defective for the Disciple pretended he was enlightned as well as the Apostle and he thought he had as much Right to follow his Guide i. e. his Light within as to follow and obey the Light in his Teacher or the Light in any Man Upon this the Teachers met in Council at London in the Month of May 1666 to settle this so necessary as well as difficult Point and many Arguments passed between the Clergy and Laity viz. between the Teachers and the Deputies At last it was decided That the Body should govern and the Light in the particular should submit to the Light in the Body But still this Body being without a Head seemed like a Monster so that there was a Necessity to find a Head to clap upon this Body Well this Head must either be visible or invisible the latter it could not be for then the least Hearer would plead his Light his Guide his Judge his Leader as the Teachers told them in the beginning when they decoyed them over to them So then it was resolved it must be George Fox he being the first must become our Great Apostle who together with the Body was to Govern from East to West and from North to South Since which time it was in vain for any single Person to plead the Sufficiency of his Light or the Authority of it for to the Light in the Body was all Power in Heaven and Earth committed Jos Coal's Works p. 93. And to support this Glorious Cause Will. Penn wrote a Book wherein he affirmed That it is a Dangerous Principle and Pernicious to True Religion and which is worse it is the Root of Ranterism to assert That nothing is a Duly incumbent upon thee but what thou art perswaded or convinced is thy Duty c. A Brief Examination and State p. 3. This was Printed in 1681 and and written by the same W. Penn who in the Year 1673. wrote his Book stiled Quakerism a New Nick name for Old Christianity where he then Judged it so far from Ranterism to act as they were perswaded that Page 71. he saith No Command in the SCRIPTURE is any farther OBLIGING upon ANY Man than as he finds a CONVICTION upon his Conscience otherwise Men said Mr. Penn should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in a Man c. Thus then it 's plain That with respect to the Commands of God recorded in the Holy Scriptures Men are to be at Liberty they are to obey if they be convinced or perswaded it 's their Duty so to do if not they may by Mr. Penn's Doctrine be at Liberty And so saith E. Burroughs for says he That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another neither did any of the Saints that we read of in Scripture act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves c. Burrough's Works p. 47. And if we read on in the same Page we may find that these Commands of God thus rejected by the Quakers unless they have them anew as the inspired Apostles and Prophets had were Baptism and other Ordinances And now let me return to see what things Will. Penn would have done and obey'd Conviction or no Conviction and this will give us some Light into their Mystery of Iniquity thus to reject the Commands of God recorded in Scriptures and teach that none need to obey them unless convinced of the Usefulness of them as they have done these 40 Years GO TEACH ALL NATIONS BAPTIZING c. DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME c. When you Pray say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE c. Matth. 28.19,20 Luke 22.19,20
not the Son of God only a Vail a Garment or a Vessel in which the Son did inhabit which now inhabit in us Believers and for which Reason the Names JESUS and CHRIST belong to us as well as to him that suffer'd For saith George Fox our great Apostle and High Priest of our Profession the Jews had a Law that if any one said he was the Son of God he was to die and so the Law in the Will doth persecute THE SON OF GOD NOW where HE is MADE MANIFEST as the NORTH PART of this Nation doth witness who hath fulfilled that Law in Persecuting and Imprisoning THE SON OF GOD where HE is MADE MANIFEST i e. within us those who quaked at the Word of the Lord was ever hated and scorned and in such THE SON OF MAN is manifest We believe an Inward Resurrection with the Light within but deny the Resurrection of the Body laid in the Grave Books of the Quakers which prove these to be their Tenets and a Hundred times as much are these Geo. Fox Jun.'s VVorks Edw. Burrough's VVorks Saul's Errand G. Fox's Journal Truth defending the Quakers c. A Lamentation by one of England's Prophets c. Judgment fixed c. Jos Coal's Works The Quakers Refuge c. W. Smith's Primmer c. A Discovery of Man's Return by W. D. Ishmael and his Mother cast out by G. Whitehead and three other chief Speakers A Brief Discovery of a threefold Estate of Antichrist c. News coming up out of the North Ste. Crisp's Primer printed 1682. The Apostate Incendiary W. Penn's serious Apology The Quakers Challenge A Question to Professors by Is Pennington A Lamentation by one of England's Prophets c. printed at York 1653. A Dispute at Chesterfeild 1655. See the Fifth Chapter following upon which I conclude thus If as they write they do indeed believe Then I affirm this their very Creed If not who can with Safety them believe Who Write and Print the Simple to deceive 2. The Commandments of G. Fox the Quakers second Moses somewhat Abbreviated and taken out of several of his Books I. Thou shalt not pay Tythes to the covetous Priests nor to the Antichristian Improprietors II. Thou shalt not Marry by or with a Priest III. Thou shalt not put off thy Hat in Respect to thy Superiors IV. Thou shalt not shut up thy Shop on the VVorld's Holy-Days Fast-Days c. at the Command of the VVorldly Magistrates V. Thou shalt not pay towards the Repair of Parish Churches VI. Thou shalt not pay towards the Trained Bands nor carry Guns in thy Ship VII Thou shalt not wear Lace nor Ribbons nor Skimming-dish Hats nor short Aprons nor Slits on your VVastecoats nor long Scarfs like flying Colours nor unnecessary Buttons VIII You shall have a VVoman's Meeting distinct from the Men once a Month at at the County-Town about Ten a Clock to get a little Stock IX Thou shalt call the Days of the VVeek First Second Third and Fourth Day c. and the Months First Second and Third Month c. X. I charge you all in the Presence of the Lord God That you judge not one another i. e. those that be in the Unity of the Ministry and Elders in the Church lest you fall into the Condemnation of the Monthly Quarterly Six VVeeks Second Day or Yearly Meeting Amen G. Fox 's Tryal at Lancaster Assizes p. 21. The thundering Voice answered I have glorified thee and will glorifie thee again and I was so filled full of Glory that my Head and Ears was filled full of it that when the Trumpets sounded and the Judges came up again they all appeared as dead Men under me I think it now necessary to insert two Passages out of two of the Quakers most learned Teachers Books the one to deter their Hearers from adhering to the Commands of Moses the other to confirm them in the Belief of G. Fox's viz. Whether the first Pen-man of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes Or Whether both these or not one Or Whether there are not many Words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Whether some Words were not spoken by the Grand Imposture some by wicked Men some by wise Men ill apply'd some by good Men ill expressed some by false Prophets and yet true some by true Prophets and yet false The Quakers Refuge fixed c. p. 17. This being suggested by Robert Ruckhill an Eminent and Learned Man I cannot blame his Hearers who believe that he wrote by the Eternal Spirit nor that they lay aside the Commands of God by Moses and receive the Commands of G. Fox at least not so much as I blame their Teachers For if I did question whether Moses or Hermes were the first Pen-man of the Holy Scriptures or whether both of them had a Hand in it or neither of both was concerned in the writing thereof if I question'd the Truth of what the true Prophets of the Lord said and believ'd that what the false Prophet said were true if I thought that what good Men said was ill expressed and so insignificant as hereby is suggested truly I should give as little heed to them as the Quakers do and be ready with George Fox himself to call them Death Dust and Serpents Meat See News coming up out of the North p. 14. But I thank God I have been better taught even from my Childhood For tho' by the Dissimulation of these Seducers I was carried away into great Errors yet the Love of the Scriptures ever remained with me The next Passage shall be from their Learned Barclay It is no ways inconsistent with this sound and unerring Principle to affirm That the Judgment of a certain Person or Persons in certain Cases is INFALLIBLE or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as Obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof IS NOT because they are infallible but because in these things and at that time they were led by the Infallible Spirit The Anarchy of the Ranters c. p. 67. For more of this Quaker-Popery see The Picture of Quakerism drawn to the Life c. p. 8 to 16. By which 't is plain that as Ruckhill in the forecited Passage render the Scriptures Uncertain Fallible and of no Authority so does Barclay render Quakerism Infallible Certain and their Commands and Injunctions Obligatory upon others And why forsooth Why because at such times as the Quakers thus Pronounce thus Write thus give out their Mandates Commandments and Precepts they says Barclay are led thereunto by the Infallible Spirit Some Inferences from the Fourth Chapter IS it so then that the Tendency of the Quakers Doctrine is to undervalue the Holy Scriptures to rob them of their Divine Authority and thereby to exalt their own Horn Let this then be a Caution to their Hearers to examine the Quotations which I bring to prove my Assertions and
end this Whitehead justifies Truth defending the Quakers p. 18. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 77. Nay Theft by Fox is likewise justified who said And as for any being moved of the Lord meaning their Light within to take away your Hour-Glass from you BY THE ETERNAL POWER IT IS OWNED c. Nay their idolized Apostle not only disregarded the Magistrates and their Laws but declared in plain and significant VVords That he neither heeded nor valued a Cart-load of their VVarrants c. Journal p. 278. Object 2. But some Men will say How then shall we reconcile the Doctrine of W. Mead and G. Whitehead Mr. Mead saith That G. Fox's Journal is a better Book than the Bible and G. Whitehead saith VVe prefer the Holy Scriptures above all other Books extant in the VVorld The Country Convert c. p. 26. To which I answer Very well for p. 72. G. Whitehead thus saith viz. I MAY SEE CAUSE OTHERWISE TO WORD THE MATTER AND YET OUR INTENTIONS BE THE SAME c. p. 72. ibid. Very well now to make it appear that G. Whitehead means one and the same thing that William Mead meaned read his little Book i. e. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in ANY is of as great AUTHORITY as the SCRIPTURES and CHAPTERS are and GREATER Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. And on the Title Page thus viz. WRITTEN FROM THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH in G. Whitehead and G. Fox the Younger Now if this little Pamphlet in Octavo of 70 Pages be of greater Authority than the Scriptures and Chapters are how much more G. Fox's Journal in Folio of near 700 Pages For that which is best is of most Authority generally-speaking and that which is of most Authority is the best Thus then is the Journal of Fox's better in the Quakers Esteem than the Bible and thus does Whitehead mean even as Mr. Mead spoke Object 3. But some will say How then shall we know a Quaker if not by the Import of his VVords I Answer 't is impossible to know them rightly as it ever was for the Protestants to know the Jesuits and therefore you ought to do as the Protestants did TO DISTRUST EVERY THING THEY SAY See the Book Entituled The Missionary's Arts p. 32. printed 1688. For as the Quakers stand on the same Bottom and are found in the same Steps with the same Equivocations Reserves and Double-meanings and the same Pretences to Miracles Visions Revelations Perfection and Infallibility they ought to have the same Answer viz. To distrust them in all they say until they Retract Sentence and Condemn one sort of their Books and this is highly reasonable on their part if they would be taken to be at all serious sincere and honest For many of their Hearers of the honest sort begin to think G. Whitehead little better than a Jesuit already he hath been so false in Fact such a Glosser and Defender of every Error the Quakers hold (r) Anne Docwra of Cambridge her Letter dated 26th 12th Mon. 1682. I have a Letter by me which my Cousin Anne Docwra Widow of Cambridge sent me dated 26th of 12th Month 1682. viz. G. Whitehead have sent one of his Books for me to read and there is the old Money Story in it with I know not what besides I was asked by an honest Friend if he was not a Jesuit I answered nay it is not solid enough for them to own especially when they write to a solid People there is pretty much airy conceited Stuff in it ANNE DOCWRA Thus it appears how long the honest sort of Quakers have take G. W. to be little better than a Jesuit and my Cousin Docwra was of the same Mind too else she would not have given me her honest Friend's Judgment only indeed she is thus far of my Mind That Book was not solid enough the Jesuits are more cunning than G. Whitehead then was but he is come on finely fince for of late he is grown so expert as he can Vindicate or Excuse any Blasphemy Idolatry Contempt of the Scriptures Contempt of the Magistrates Contempt of the Ministry Contempt on the Person and Sufferings of Christ yea and Undervalue his Precious Blood too And how contrary soever their Sayings are to each other yet they mean all one thing referring to their Beginning I have in my former Books shewed how their Books are of two sorts their Meetings of two sorts their Doctrine of two sorts carrying two Faces in all they do or say and yet Whitehead can tell you they mean all one thing One Example more I may give and so shall conclude this Chapter I find a Recital of a Letter writ by Solomon Eccles to Robert Porter in a Book of William Burnet's entituled The Capital Principles of the Quakers p. 41. printed 1668. viz. Robert Porter take heed of Belying the Innocent for I hear thou hast reported to a Friend of mine that I should say That the Blood of Christ is no more than the Blood of another Man I never spoke it but do very highly esteem of the Blood of Christ to be more Excellent Living Holy and Precious than is able to be uttered by the Tongues of Men and Angels I MEAN the Blood which was offered up in (Å¿) Perversion it s offered up thro' the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.41 But the Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his Head to the Father and gave up the Ghost but thou say'st that was the Blood of the New Covenant which was shed after he was dead which I DO DENY Yet I did say That was NO more THAN the BLOOD of another SAINT These are my Words which thou art wresting to thy own Destruction I did also say That the Baptists Independants Presbyterians and Pope are all of one Ground and none of you understand the Blood of Jesus Christ no more than a brute Beast Therefore repent for God will soon overthrow your Faith and your Imputative Righteousness too for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which he did at Jerusalem and without the Gates the Pope the Episcopal the Presbyterian Independants and Baptists shall fare all alike and shall sit down in Sorrow short of the Eternal Rest But the true Imputative Righteousness of Christ we own but it is hid from you all till the Lord open an Eye WITHIN YOU c. Now comes G. Whitehead with his usual Paint to cover palliate and excuse his Brother Eccles saying Now whereas Sol. Eccles in p. 41. is accused of little less than Blasphemy about a Letter chiefly of a Passage concerning the Blood in these Words viz. The Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his Head to the Father and gave up the Ghost I did say THAT WAS NO MORE THAN THE BLOOD OF ANOTHER SAINT Now to these Words NO MORE THAN THE
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
Tythes that belong to them thrown down P. 65. You who are the Parliament of this Nation you should have thrown down Tythes which Abundance of the sober People of the Nation hath petition'd you †What Impudence is this Pretend to petition and beg yet teach the Parliament and tell them what they should do to have taken them away which you voting them up hath voted your selves out of the sober People's Affection of the Nation among the Brutes you should have sold all the Glebe-Lands and sold all the Bells saving one in a Town and Colledges and their Lands and given them all to the Poor of the Nation P. 68. And the Priests cry to you Magistrates for Tythes the Pope's Alms and lye begging with their Petitions at your Doors * It was highly necessary then as well as â—…s now foâ— some to oppose Quakeriâ—… And we would have you maintain these begging Priests some other way than by the Pope's Alms. P. 69. AND EXCEPT YOU TAKE COUNSEL OF THE JUST YOU SHALL NOT SIT †☞ Reader I have recited enough of the Quakers Petition against the Clergy to shew the Nature of their Ancient Testimony and pointed with a Finger ☞ to two Sayings which with the rest are full of Impudence And when against the Clergy I think I may take their Word their whole Carriage and Deportment both by Word and Writing do confirm it But when for themselves they have any Favour to obtain DISTRUST THEM IN ALL THEY SAY for they II stick at no Promise as in the Case of their Indulgence witness their Acknowledging the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given forth by Divine Inspiration That it is the Rules of Faith and Practice c. whilst they believe not one Word of what they themselves say and as a Demonstration thereof I shall recite one of their Epistles sent to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings shewing their Care of their own Books Nay them very Books which teach that the Scriptures are Death Dust Beastly Ware Serpents Food c. Therefore From the Meeting of Sufferings in London ††Renewed Advice to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England and Wales for preserving and spâ—eading Fâ—iend's Boâ—ks for Trâ—th's Serâ—ice Priâ—ted 16â—9 Dear Friends With our dear Love in the Truth unto you all these are to let you understand that our Friends have at several YEARLY MEETINGS had under their serious Consideration how all those Books that are printed for the Service of Truth and in the Unity of Friends might MOST EFFECTUALLY be SPREAD for a general Service to Truth and at the last YEARLY MEETING it was left unto this Meeting who accordingly have taken Care and Pains therein and settled as followeth That those that print Friends Books shall the first Opportunity after printed within one Month at most send to one of the Correspondents in the Counties viz. For your County two Books of a sort for each Monthly Meeting in your County if under Six Pence and but one of a sort if above Six Pence per Book for these Reasons 1 st For Friends to have general Notice what Book is printed 2 dly That they may send for what other Quantities they see a Service for And 3 dly That the Printer may be encouraged in Printing for Friends 4 thly For a Quaker Library That one Book at least of a sort that shall be printed may be kept in each Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Service of Truth and Friends as there shall be occasion for the future And as 't was agreed at the last YEARLY MEETING 1692. in the Printed Epistle 5 thly It is agreed that for Encouragement the Printer will allow 2 d. in the Shilling for all such Books 6 thly It 's agreed that some here shall be appointed that two or three Weeks before each Quarter Day to examine the Printer to see that they send no Books but what are approved by Friends and no more than two of a sort as aforesaid except the Friends in the Country shall write for more which it 's hoped they will not fail in ††I have heard that they begin to fail and send but slowly as they see a Service for them 7 thly It 's agreed or advised that the Printer's Accompts be fully cleared once a Year at least by those Friends the Country shall send up to the Yearly Meeting 8 thly It 's agreed that the Name of the Printer imploy'd by Friends should be sent with Directions how to write to him And Dear Friends and Brethren It 's Tenderly and in Brotherly Love advised and recommended unto you that ye be careful and diligent in the Spreading of All such Books that are printed for the Service of Truth and are either written in Defence of it or Christian Doctrine or Holy Profession or by way of Epistle Warning Caution Exhortation or Prophesie Not a Word of the Bible that so we may not be any way or in any wise Remiss or Negligent in promoting that Holy and Eternal Truth it hath pleased Almighty God to bless us with the Knowledge of and hath raised us up to stand Witnesses for in our Age and Generation nor nothing may be wanting on our parts to promote it and the spreading of it Signed on the Behalf of the Meeting for Sufferings in London 18. 6. Mo. 1693. By Benj. Bealing Postscript And this Agreement and Account herein sent we think it needful you should record it in your Quarterly Book and sometimes read it for Remembrance and general Notice Observations from hence Reader From what hath been said you may observe First That there is such a Meeting as I have set forth both from their Yearly and the recited Six-Week Meeting in case the Quakers deny it Secondly That their Business principally is to take Care of the Sufferings of their own Friends and that how plentifully they reward such as are faithful to their Church-Canons as in the Instance of Sam. Cater who for pretending to suffer 20 l. tho' he suffered not a Groat yet had 10 l. sent him as a Reward for meeting boldly contrary to the Law in that Case made and provided Thirdly That they have a Fund or Common Bank and that the Accompts are examined by a Committee chosen out of the Yearly Meeting for that Purpose Fourthly That such as suffer for Non-payment of Tythes are to send to the Quarterly Meetings Correspondents left their Sufferings be delayed Fifthly You may also perceive what a Confederacy is held by the Quakers and how they are enabled by their Exchequer to hold Suit with both Priest and Impropriator †As in the Instance of Mr. Holeman who was a Justice of the Peace a Counsellor at Law yet tired Sixthly You also may see how the Quakers solicite the Parliament for Favours as also how they Petition against the Clergy the Churches the Colledges and Bells too Yea this is according to their Ancient
Testimony and they are not chang'd they tell you so as I have herein before observed Seventhly And as a Pregnant Instance of the dangerous Consequence of this their Six-Week Meeting and their common Stock or Fund observe that of Joseph Clark one of their Preachers before noticed who tho' he pretended he was moved of God their usual Pretence for their Villanies yet when J. Field and their Fund failed him he presently pays his Tythes professing also that he then could pay them as well as other Taxes which is a clear Demonstration that such as stand it out and will rather spend 20 l. then pay 13 s. is because they are supported by this Illegal Fund c. And Lastly You may by this recited Epistle observe the Confederacy of their Yearly-Meeting and Six-Week Meeting to spread their venemous Books to infect both Youth and Aged Male and Female Old and Young and all under the fine Notion of the Service of Truth meaning Quakerism For if they meant the Truth of the Christian Doctrine they would at one time or other read a Chapter in their Meetings at one time or other recommend to their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings the reading of some Portion of the Holy Scriptures But not a Word of this in their Epistles not a Chapter read in their Meetings for Forty Years together but their own Epistles their own Prophesies their own printed Exhortations These they not only read in their private Meetings in their Families but they must Record you see this recited Epistle in their Quarterly-Book and sometimes read it Oh! 't is a precious Epistle And now Christian Reader I cannot but think my self unable to give a full and compleat Caution against the spreading of the Gangrene of Quakerism and therefore give me leave in the Words of Mr. Ralph Farmer a Minister formerly of Bristol to rehearse part of his Exhortation in his Book i. e. The Myst of Ungodliness c. viz. Now beloved if thou beest a Christian what say'st thou Is not here a Mystery of Ungodliness to the Purpose Where was it hatch'd think'st thou Could any less than all the Devils in Hell keep a Conventicle to Contrive and Plot this Black and Hellish Treason against the Majesty of God Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures Oh! ye Christian Magistrates who rule for Christ and to whom you shall one Day give an Account of your Government how you have ruled for him and how tender you have been of his Honour what is become of your Zeal for Christ and his Glory Good Sirs if these wretched Souls have such Liberty of Conscience to think thus contemptuously of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Gospel let them not upon Pretence of Liberty of Conscience be so audaciously Blasphemous to write and speak thus And O ye Servants of the Lord my Fathers and Brethren in the Ministry of our Dear and Ever-blessed Jesus you that are the Pastors of the Lord's Flock and the Watchmen for the Sheep of his Pasture lift up your Voices and spare not cry aloud to all your Congregations and forewarn them that they be not a Prey to Satan's Devices let the Wolves know that you are not Dumb Dogs and cannot bark and Idol Shepherds that can neither hear nor see nor understand any thing and that at a time of Need can say nothing certainly certainly such as these may ill look for their Gain from their Quarters they deserve it not who so they may be fed care not nor care to discover what devouring Beast comes to destroy the Flock of Christ But you my dear Brethren who are set over the Lord's Folds and who watch for their Souls as those that must give an Account and that have a Desire to do it with Joy and for the Profit of your People read and practise what St. Paul gives in charge to the Pastors of the Church at Ephesus Acts 20.28,29,30,31 and let me give it thee here in his own Words what he gave forth to his Son Timothy I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and Kingdom preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long suffering and Doctrine for the time will come and it is now when they shall not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears and they shall turn away their Ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables but watch thou in all things endure Afflictions do the Work of an Evangelist or Gospel Preacher make full Proof of thy Ministry c. CHAP. XI Shews the Quakers Second-Day Meetings and Hypocrisie thereof with its ill Consequences in order to Deceive Reader I Am now come to their Second-Day Meeting even to that Meeting where Satan dwells and where he employs his Archest Emissaries I shall not wrong them as believing I must one Day give an Account for my Actions before the Man Christ Jesus who shall Judge both the Quick and Dead at the Great Day where I hope I shall not be afraid to meet G. Whitehead with this Testimony in my Hand so on the other Hand I shall not spare them hide nor cover them who have by their Wiles by their Books of two sorts deceived the Nations deceived many of the Magistrates many of the Clergy nay my self for I could not have wrote thus Fifteen Years ago †No if I had not seen their deceitful Practices and measur'd them by the Scriptures I could not have known them rightly I took them then at least some Years before to be Prophets at least sincere and to meet there for the approving of what was Right Sound and Orthodox and for condemning the contrary But behold I have found the contrary and that by sad Experience yea I have found that their whole Business is to deceive and carry on a Design yea a Confederacy under the fine Notion of Unity and Concord I have laboured many Years under great Difficulties I have spent my Estate I have spent my Strength I grow into Years I have a Conscience to Discharge I think I cannot do it unless I compleat that Discovery which I have began Tho' I find it prejudicial to my Health and other Business I find my self conscientiously concerned in this weighty Affair I do know that the Reverend Author of the Book entituled The Snake in the Grass * To whose Works I refer the Reader c. have done exceeding well he hath done beyond what I am able to do 't is a Learned Piece and becomes a Learned Reader But I am directing the greatest part of what I say to the more unlearned †i. e. The common People who are not so well School-Learn'd to such whether Quakers or others as sometimes must spell as they read and read over and over before they can understand this makes me sometimes write over and over
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
2.36 Heb. 5.9 cap. 12.2 Rom. 8.34 1 Cor. 15.15 Acts 7.35,36 cap. 10.38 to 44. cap. 17.3,31 cap. 18.5 John 20.31 which I have taken Pains to collect and he will then certainly find that I have on my Side the Testimony of the Glorious Angels Holy Apostles Blessed Martyrs yea the whole Tenor of the Scriptures and beside all this a Cloud of Witnesses viz. the Concurrent Testimony of the Ancient Fathers and all the present Christian Churches to this Day and that G. Whitehead will have none of his Side but W. Penn and a few of his Brethren and the Writings of Isaac Pennington W. Bayly W. Smith Edw. Burrough Geo. Fox Ja. Nayler Christ Atkinson c. But I knowing that so soon as your Teachers once espy your looking towards Christianity they will not only hinder you from reading such Books that are or shall be wrote against Quakerism but refuse you the Sight of such Books of theirs as we quote for so long as they can keep you in Ignorance so long they may keep you Quakers I shall therefore give you the same Quotations out of some of their Books which I shall in this Book let you know where to have the most of them viz. William Penn's Serious Apology c. p. 146. W. Smith's Catechism c. p. 57. W. Smith's Primer c. p. 8. W. Shewen's Treatise of Thoughts c. p. 35. Jos Coale's Works c. p. 93. News coming up c. p. 33. The Teachers of the World Unvail'd c. p. 35. The Sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. Edw. Burrough's Works p. 149 273. Geo. Fox's Great Mystery p. 206 207 210 211 250 254. The Quakers Challenge p. 6. Saul's Errand to Damascus p. 7 8. Some Principles of the Elect People of God call'd Quakers p. 126. A Question to Professors c. by Isaac Pennington p. 25 27 33. The Capital Principles of the People call'd Quakers Sol. Eccles's Testimony p. 24 25 41. Will. Penn's Part in The Christian Quaker c. p. 97 98 W. Penn's Sandy Foundation c. p. 10 to 30. I shall now add something out of a Book intituled News of a Trumpet sounding in the Wilderness c. Wrote by Dan. Leeds who has been a Quaker about 22 Years which is come lately out of Pensilvania Printed 1697. and for the Usefulness of it I could be glad that it was reprinted with this Title A Trumpet sounding from Pensilvania giving an Alarum to the Magistrates and People of England to beware of Quakerism That so not only the Justices of the Peace but even our Honourable Patriots might have one put into their Hands But all things in their Season Quakerism had a time to advance and it must have a time to fall But as no Heresie since the Days of Christ ever rose so fast prevailed so much nor carried on with so much Craft and curious Paint so none ever fell so fast as I am perswaded this of Quakerism will do insomuch as that in a few Years it will be a Shame for any Man of Sense to appear in the Streets who owns the Principles and Practice of the Quakers according to their Ancient Testimony And now a Hint out of the Pensilvanian Book aforesaid intituled News of a Trumpet sounding c. p. 21. viz. Tho' they i. e. Quakers clash between their Old and New Testimonies yet we see says D. Leeds that they have in their late Books dropt here and there some Christian Expressions more than formerly And what may we think they intend thereby Why Geo. Whitehead in his Counterfeit Convert p. 72. says I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same Now is it not admirable that a Man of Geo. Whitehead 's Pretences * To Seriousness to Sincerity to Reality to Fidelity to Constancy to Infallibility to Perfection to Plainness c. Ib. 42. should be grown so bold in Crafty and Deceivable Glosses to deceive his Readers Is this like the Ancient Simplicity of the Quakers to say I may see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet intend the same Pray who knows then when such a Man is sincere or bow to believe him in what he says that thus hides his Meanings says one thing and means another c. And now I cannot but expect says Daniel p. 42. that there will be great Devising Pulling and Drawing Painting and Glossing rather than make Confession of their Errors Confusion and Contradictions herein Manifested and Charged as also in other Books by Geo. Keith Tho. Crisp Fr. Bugg and others because they have so much accused their Opponents for the same things themselves are now justly charged with surely some curious Wire-drawing Mincing Mangling otherwise Wording and Equivocating †G. W. You must now call your Brother Ellwood and your whole Society of Jesuitical Scribes for the Alarum is sounded in your Pope's Borders we must expect but they having caught themselves in this Net the more they flutter the more they 'll fetter insnare and entangle themselves for they cannot thus dance in a Net but some Body will see them For they are now as easily seen thorough God be thanked as they pretend to see through others yea this will certainly be the Consequence till they use the only Christian Means to get out of this Net which is by Humbly Confessing and Condemning their Errors in their Books as Geo. Keith has done c. To all which I cannot but joyn and wish for their own sakes it may be so adding that if ever it so come to pass then I shall see a great Truth in what Tho. Ellwood wrote in his Epistle to Friends p. 72. viz. The way to recover the Deceived is to discover and lay open the Deceivers In the mean time taking it to be a sound Truth I have adventured to put his Doctrine in Practice and so I conclude this Passage out of that Useful and Compendious Book from Pensilvania which had that People receiv'd my Advice in my Postscript to my Book intituled De Christianae Libertate c. Printed 1682. p. 214. viz. To frequent the Holy Scriptures and read them diligently c. this might have been prevented And now to conclude my Advice lest any should prevent you taking the Advice I gave the Pensilvanians 18 Years ago as above I shall according to my further Experience in this Pilgrimage tell you that it was the Practice both of the Church of the Jews and the Christians which for Substance are one to read and expound the Scriptures in their Assemblies which the Quakers call Conjuration from Morning to Mid-day and to give the Meaning thereof to the People out of the Law of God given forth by Moses 1 Chron. 34.18,19,35 Nehem. 8.1,2 Ezra 1.10,11 and Christ himself went into their Synagogue as his Custom was where he stood up for to read And when the Book of Isaiah the Prophet was given to him he found which argues he