A Just Rebuke to the Quakers Insolent Behaviour, in their Two Books, i. e. A Just Censure, &c. the other, A Sober Reply, &c. both presented to some Members of Parliament. Also a Dialogue between a Civilian and a Quaker.
THE first of these Books is Intitled, A Just Censure of Francis Bugg 's Address to the Parliament: This shews their Impudence, or want of good Manners at least; had they Confuted my Arguments, or Convicted me of one False Quotation, thereby to Misrepresent them, they, in Justice to themselves, might have Confuted what was False, either in Fact or Argument: But, not being able so to do, for them, in a Magisterial way, to Censure my Speech to the Parliament, and Address to my Superiors, for which I have (as an Englishman) as good Right as they, and every way equally Priviledged with them, this was in them both Bold and Presumptuous, as well as want of Wisdom, not to stay their Censure until the Parliament had past theirs, whose Right it was, if they had seen Cause, and to whom I ought to have submitted, as in Duty bound; but no Symptoms of that did appear, but Pride (as it is written) goeth before Destruction, and a Haughty Mind before a Fall. And as it is impossible for a Blackamoor to change his Skin, or a Leopard his Spots, so is it impossible for the Quakers to cease their Insulting and Domineering Method; as if they may present their Books and Papers Fifty Years together, and none may Confront them.
They begin with the Man; he has angred them, by discovering their Errors and Blasphemies; they go on with Personal Reflections against him, which affects not the Cause, and which he has long since repeatedly Answer'd in Print; but still the Man, the Man, he is an Ill Man, say they; what! Worse than the Quaker Teachers? No sure; for if he were, believe me, he were an Ill Man indeed; for I think there is not worse than some of them are, and have been, even in Newgate, notwithstanding their high pretence to a Sinless Perfection, and Infallibility of Judgment; many of whom have been highly guilty of Cheating, Couzening, Lying and Defrauding, of Drunkenness, Whoredom, Felony, and Treason, Condemn'd both by the Law of God and Man; and some of them Hang'd for their [...] Merit; some Instances you will find in the Preface to [...] Pilgrim's Progress, &c. p. 266, to p. 284. p. 329. ibid. [...] as I find no Name to the Books, so I find no denial of Matter of Fact to Mod. Def. Nihil dicit is Confessing of Judgment, and I shall wait patiently to see the Execution, and thereupon I shall say the less in Answer to it, since as it plainly appears, that the Quakers does not deny Matter of Fact, because in truth they could not; so will their Silence be taken for a tacit Confession of the Charge.
But say they, p. 40. For as we cannot quit any Point of our own [Books] so we abhor every one of them as given by him, [Fran Bugg]. The English of which is, They cannot quit any one Error, any one Blasphemy, &c. in their own Books, tho' they abhor them in my Books; that is, of my Reciting, of my Transcribing, of my Reprinting; Oh! this they abhor with great detestation: And why? Because I seldom do it without using some Arguments to discover their Hypocrisies; this, yea, this enrages them; for this they are angry: And therefore I would desire the Quakers to Reprint G. Whitehead's Book, Ishmael and his Mother cast out, &c. where in p. 10. is this passage, viz. And here thy Antiquity, and thy Reasons, and the Three Persons which thou Dreams of, which thou [i.e. Mr. Townsend the Minister] would divide out of one like a Conjurer, are ALL denied, and thou SHUT UP with THEM in PERPETUAL DARKNESS for the LAKE and the PIT, &c. This indeed is their Ancient Principles, and they cannot quit them, or retract them in their own Books, but tell us their Principles are now no other than they were then, only they can word the Matter otherwise: I grant they hate, abhor and detest these things of my reciting, &c. But as they lye snug in their own Books, they read them in their own Meetings; they are sweet Morsels of Quaker Consolation; read A Modest Defence, &c. Part II. p. 22. for more of this, where I have Reprinted their whole Book Ishmael, &c. to avoid their Cavils of Curtailing and Splitting Sentences, as well as to shew Quakerism in its Native Complexion.
In their Sober Reply, &c. p. 11, 14, 15. in Answer to the Norfolk and Suffolk Petition, &c. they say, To the first we say, It is strange you should fear the Christian Religion should be polluted by the Quakers, who, of all that go under the Protestant Name, are generally acknowledged to be furthest removed from, and most averse to Popish Superstition — so we always offer our Doctrines and Principles to be examined by the Scriptures. To the second we say, — They desire they may Enjoy their wisht-for Happiness of a peaceful Life; we envy it them not; but God forbid they should swim into it through a Sea of Innocent Blood, &c.
1. In Answer to the first, That the Quakers are furthest removed from Popish Superstition than any that go under the Name Protestant, this I deny in their Name, and have made it appear from their Doctrine in their Books, as in the Preface to my Pilgrim's Progress, 2d Edit. &c. and that from these following Instances, in which they do not hold Negative Doctrines from the Romish Church; they only differ which of them twain is the true Church, to which these Qualifications are duly attributed, &c.
- I. That the Quakers are the One Only Church of Christ.
- II. They agree in the Doctrine of Infallibility.
- III. And that none can be Saved out of the True Church.
- IV. They both agree in the Doctrine of Miracles.
- V. Also about the Judge of all Controversies in Matters of Faith.
- VI. They agree in their Contempt of the Protestant Ministers.
- VII. They agree in their Contempt of the Holy Scriptures.
- VIII. They agree in the Authority of their Unwritten Traditions.
- IX. Also in the Pope of Rome, and Pope Fox.
- X. They agree in their Idolatry to each Pope.
2. That they always desired their Doctrine and Principles might be examined by the Scriptures; this is false in Fact, when they did in the Face of the World deny it to the Norfolk Clergy at West-Dereham, to George Keith at Turners-Hall, being thereunto Invited Four Years one after another; to my Self at Milden-Hall. See New Rome Unmasked, &c. p. 1, to p. 9. as also at several other times, notwithstanding their false and bold denial. A Just Censure, &c. p. 7.
3. They desire they may Enjoy their wisht for Happiness of a Peaceful Life. We envy it them not, (say the Quakers) but God forbid they should swim into it through a Sea of Innocent Blood.
If it be to swim through a Sea of Blood, only to desire that the Quakers Errors and Blasphemous Principles, (which contemn the Scriptures, deny that Jesus of Nazareth who suffered on the Cross to be the Son of God, and damn to the Pit of Hell the Ever-blessed Trinity) should lye Censured and Condemned, and their Books, that so teach, Burnt by the Common Hangman, then indeed they are guilty: But if this be not Persecution, but agreeable to the Law of the Land, the Votes of Parliament, His Majesties Royal Will and Pleasure declared in his Proclamation, then they are not guilty of Persecution, nor of running through a Sea of Innocent Blood in the Defence of Christianity, as the Quakers would impose upon their Readers, to avoid the dint of an Examination, notwithstanding their pretence. A Reply, &c. p. 11. We are ready to undertake the Proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures.
I have read in St. Jude's Epistle, that as in ver. 3. he exhorts us to contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints, so, ver. 9. That Michael the Archangel when contending with the Devil, he disputed about the Body of Moses, durst not bring against him a Railing Accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. And now I am Disputing with the Quakers, his chiefest Emissaries, and immediate Servants, I hope I shall not bring a Railing Accusation: But as it is Natural for a Worm when trodden upon to turn again, and for an Englishman to set the Saddle on the right Horse, so I hope I shall as long as Life last, especially when St. Jude has so rightly described the Men, as ver. 8. saying, Likewise also these filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh, despise Dominions, and speak evil of Dignities, as I have shewed in my Modest Defence, &c. Part I. p. 10, 13, 14, 15.
But say they, A just Censure, &c. p 1, 2. The Man — he and his Abetters are ill Men. P. 11. It were greatly to be wished, that these Zealots would turn their Spleen against Sin — what fair Quarter all sorts of Enormities meet with from some of them.
But that none allow fairer Quarter to Vice and Immorality than the Quakers, and Leaders of the Quaker Church, is plain. See Pilgrim's Progress, &c. p. 244, to p 284 And one Reason I take to be is their own Guilt, which would make their Reproofs sound like the Kettle calling the Pot Black. A—; and therefore 'tis the Inconsideration of their Hearers that supports the Credit of such Vicious Hypocrites, who are upheld by their Character rather than their Vertue, and are become much less loved than feared; for I demand an Instance of any one Book wrote against their Vicious Teachers and Hearers, provided they keep Fox's Commandments about the Hat, Thee, Thou, not Marrying or Burying with us, and the like unwritten Traditions; but I can give you an Account of Hundreds of Books wrote against such as dissent from them, and conform themselves to the Church of England, calling them Apostates, Betraying Judasses, Malicious Informers, Renegadoes, Beasts, Dogs, Wolves, Children of the Devil, Enemies of all Righteousness, Devils Incarnate, and a Hundred other Names. And they call the Publick Ministry, for endeavouring their Conversion, Witches, Devils, Thieves, Robbers, Antichrists, the Bane of Soul and Body, threatning them with all direful Vengeance; and this, if rightly considered, is not the least part of their Insolent Behaviour to the Government.
Now whether your Just Censure, &c. was in Answer to my former Sheet, with a Scheme of your Yearly Meeting; or to my Modest Reply, &c. or both, since 'tis said to be a Just Censure of my Address to the Parliament, and I presented none under that Title, I will not determine, since it seems to the first, tho' given in since my last; yet I cannot but admire at your Impudence in your Reply, &c. in Answer to my Modest Defence, where you say, p. 7. But sure we are, and always ready to make it appear, that neither are our Books Blasphemous, nor our Principles Pernicious. Again, p. 11. We are ready to undertake the Proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures; this is False in Fact, and a Notorious Lie in the Face of the Government. First, In that you knew I had presented to the Parliament the Reprint of an entire Book of yours, stiled, Ishmael, &c. which is both pernicious to the Fundamentals of Christianity, and horridly Blasphemous. Secondly, In refusing to prove any one Doctrine you held at West Dereham. Thirdly, In refusing to meet Geo. Keith upon any of his Invitations.
Again, p. 10. We sincerely own all that is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ, respecting his Conception, Birth, Life, Miracles, Doctrines, Death, Burial, Resurrection, Ascension, Mediation, and Future Coming to Judgment, when in reality you own not one of those Articles rightly, nor as all Orthodox Christians own them, as G. Keith's 4th Narrative, has from your Books made evidently to appear.
Again, p. 6. ibid. That we assume Rules of Discipline in Church Matters, they are for our selves only, Powers in Matters of Religion, for and among our selves only. Nor (say they) do we see how those Acts could be truly called Acts of Toleration to Dissenters, if they did not tolerate each sort of Dissenters, to assume Rules of Discipline, Power in Matters of Religion, and Forms of Church Government for and amongst themselves, &c. Again, p. 11. And if it relate to Religious Performances, as it seems to do by the next words, i. e. having their Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings, &c. From whence it is plain, that these Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings, then when it suit their turn they own to be Religious Meetings, and as such tolerated by the Act of Toleration; and without allowing them, the Act could not be called An Act of Toleration: Yet to shew that Liars had need to have good Memories, they, in Contradiction to themselves, when pinched from another Quarter for keeping their Doors Lock'd, Barr'd, or Guarded, to prevent Inspection, they in their Just Censure, &c. p. 26. confess, saying, These Meetings are not intended for Worship; what then? What? For Government, and to assume Rules of Discipline, and Forms of Church Government, which is more than the Establish'd Church can legally do without His Majesties Licence, and therefore worse and more dangerous, their Doors being kept Lock'd or Guarded; and expresly against the very Act of Toleration, in which is this Clause, viz.
Provided always, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Assembly of Persons, Dissenting from the Church of England, shall be had in any place for Religious Worship, [and such only the Act tolerates] with Doors Lock'd, Barr'd, or Bolted, during any time of such meeting together, all and every such Person or Persons, that shall come to, and be at, such Meeting, shall not receive any Benefit from this Law, but be liable to all the Pains and Penalties of all the aforesaid Laws receited in this Act, for such their Meeting, notwithstanding his taking the Oaths, and his making and subscribing the Declaration.
And likewise, as the Learned in the Law say, Such Meetings with Doors Lock'd, &c. to assume Rules of Discipline, and Forms of Church Government, are expresly against the Rights of Parliaments, the King's Prerogative, and Liberty of the Subject, and these Statutes following, viz. 28 H. 8. c. 19.21. 27 H. 8. c. 15. 37 H. 8. c. 17. 3 Ed. 6. c. 10, 11. 1 Eliz. c. 12. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 8 Eliz. c. 1. 1 K. W. & Q. M. Magna Charta c. 29. Pet. Right. and that such as so meet, run themselves into a Premunire: But the Quakers being a united Confederacy, a Body Politick Incorporated, and having a Fund or Common Bank to support and propagate their Principles, they are too powerful for any single Person; and thereupon the Government is prayed to take it into their Consideration: And that these Meetings are not within the Act of Toleration, but obnoxious to the Laws, and of a dangerous Consequence, I have more fully shewn in my Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity, &c. 2d Edit. in Octavo, wherein I have more largely set forth their Monthly, Quarterly, Second-day, Six week and Yearly Meetings, shewing they are not only for Government, as themselves now confess, but a Government Imperium in Imperio.
But one thing I cannot but observe in these Meek, Harmless Quakers, viz. in their representing the Justices, Grand Juries, and Burgesses of Norfolk and Suffolk, as a Bloody-minded sort of Tyrants, and that to the Right Honourable and Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons Assembled in Parliament, then no wonder they treat me at that disdainful rate they do, and the Reverend Clergy for my sake; but as hitherto, Thanks be to God, the Protestant Magistrates, and the Episcopal Clergy, have been a Bulwark against Popery, so I trust they will against the prevalency of Quakerism, and the danger of them, which seems to threaten both them and the Nation. A Just Censure, &c. p. 12. And consider, (say they) whether it was decent in the Aldermen and Burgesses of Bury, &c. thus to Impeach the Wisdom and Conduct of the Government. P. 13. That all those high Charges in the Petition exhibited against us, are grounded but upon their own groundless Jealousies; they (how mannerly (say they) let others judge) offer the Parliament Hobson 's Choice, — cut our Throats, or knock out our Brains. And would they have the Honourable the House of Commons undertake this Inhumane piece of Butchery, [...] their Hands in the Innocent Blood of so many Thousands of harmless People, to Enact such a Barbarous Tragedy only to remove the groundless Fears of a few Jealous-headed Aldermen, Justices, [Grand Juries, &c.] of Bury, &c. P. 15. God forbid they should swim into it [i. e. a peaceful Life, and the Enjoyment of their Religion] through a Sea of Innocent Blood, &c.
But why is all this? Why? 'Tis only that they prayed the House of Commons to take these things into their Consideration; and that the Principles and Practices of the Quakers might be Examined, and their Errors Censured and Suppressed, [whether by obliging them to Retract their Errors, or if not, to order their Books to be Burnt by the Common Hangman, or any other Method] as to their great Wisdom shall appear to deserve, &c. and for this Noble Act, this Generous and Christian Undertaking, with that Modesty which highly became them, to be thus Censured by the Quakers, to Impeach the Wisdom of the Parliament, to excite them to a Barbarous Tragedy, to cut their Throats, that they may swim through a Sea of Blood, is not only a False, Pernicious, and Scandalous Representation of the Petitioners, and their Right of Petitioning; but it is Imperious in the Superlative degree, and will give them further ground to believe, that when the Government have leisure to examine them, and that they are willing to wait, it will let the Quakers see they have nothing to do with Queen Elizabeth's Motto;
and that they'll be forc'd to sing another Song, and to change their Motto; viz.
Now follows a short Discourse by way of Dialogue, between Jacob the Wet Quaker, and a Civilian, for diversion-sake, after a piece of hard Drudgery; viz.
Oh! Friend Jacob, how dost thou do? Come, let us have a Bottle of Red, and half an Hours Chat.
With all my Heart; pray what's the News?
News? I know but little; I meddle not with State Affairs: But to be free with you, I was astonisht at your Deportment the other Day at the Commons Lobby towards Fra. Bugg, when he gave away his Book to the Members of Parliament, and how Imperiously you Menaced him, whose grey Hairs might have commanded your better Respect, and perhaps may be as good a Man as your self, if your Debts were paid; bidding him put off his Hat to the Members, which with great respect he did, and needed not your Doctrine, which had been fitter for your self to have observ'd, and the morose Clowns your Brethren, who neither respect your Superiors, nor regard your Betters: Besides, you cannot but know how many of your Teachers are, and have been, guilty of gross Immoralities, as Gerard Roberts, and his Son Thomas, together with Newton, Gosnell, Billing, Antrobus, Archer, Burr, Travers, Murford, Taylor, Clark, &c. besides your Hearers, as, Bracy, Boswell, Plumstead, Northcott, French, Stone, Firth, Olive, Goodwin, Cadey, &c. besides what he has put in the Cage of Unclean Birds, in his Pilgrim's Progress, 2d Edit. p. 294.
Hold, Friend, thee seem'st to be in a Passion; thou saw as soon as I perceiv'd how the Members took his Books, and the People shew'd their dislike, I came away.
I am not angry; but since in your Reply to his Modest Defence, &c. p. 8. you seem to allow the liberty of Printing, why are you so angry with him, since you have not power, as in Pensilvania, where you both Fined, Imprisoned, and took [Page] [...] [Page]away the Printer's Tools for so much as Printing an Appeal, since he does no more than you practice, and seem now to allow?
Be not mistaken, we are an Innocent People, and vindicate Truth and Innocency.
Again, p. 7. ibid. you say, You are ready to make it appear that your Books are not Blasphemous. Again, p. 11. We are ready to undertake the proof of every Doctrine we hold by and from the Scriptures.
We are ready, and dare undertake it.
To the first I answer, 'tis impossible; for in his Book to the Parliament he has Reprinted one of your Books, in which is horrible Blasphemy, writ by G. Whitehead, &c. to the second, I say Fra. Bugg has Challenged your Teachers Fifty times, and G. Keith as many; yet you are not ready to vindicate either your Doctrine, or the Books which contain them, and since that, Whitehead seldom appear'd at Parliament.
I grant that Book has put a sad damp on our Friends; but you must know, that giving us G. Whitehead's Method in his Truth and Innocency, &c. viz. of leaving out words, and adding words to, and transposing words, we dare meet them. As for instance, in the last Recital adding two words, Never and Any, and putting out Every, and it should run thus, We are Never ready to undertake the proof of any Doctrine we hold.
This is brave Work indeed; any thing may do at this rate; pray what say you to p. 11. ibid. where you grant, that were it not for the Act of Toleration, your Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings were illegal; but yet they relating to Religion, are allowed by the Act, whilst in another Book, where being charged with the Doors of their Meeting being Lock'd, Barr'd, or Bolted, A Just Censure, &c. p. 26. there you say these Meetings are not designed for Worship; and 'tis plain none besides Religious Meetings are tolerated by the Act; what say you to this?
I perceive thou dost not know us, nor our way, which is to carry two Faces under one Religious Hood; you must not measure us by our words, but by our meaning, and that of our own giving too; and if thee wilt but be a Friend to us, I will give thee as good a Hamper of Wine as ever thee didst tip over Tongue.
This is all downright Hypocrisie, for at this rate no Man can tell either your Faith or Principles: And as to your Present I will not accept thereof; for a Gift may pervert, and my Religion to me is more than all; nor am I so mean spirited to betray my Conscience for all the Wine in thy Cellar. But, Friend, there is another thing in which I would be satisfied, namely, your answering Books, wherein you falsifie the Text, drop Words, split Sentences, and marr the Sence of your Opponant's Argument; I will give you but one Instance in a Sheet presented to the Parliament by Fra. Bugg, with a Scheme of your Yearly Meeting, &c. Col. 2. Reason 6. In one sort of their Books they pretend to Love, Own, and Honour the King, yea, to Pray for all Men, for Kings, and all that are in Authority; but in their contrary sort of Books they tell you, That all Kings and Emperors sprung up in the Night since the Days of the Apostles, among the Antichrists; that they own no King, but Jesus; nor no Government, but the Government of the Lamb; that they are Traytors against Christ that desire an earthly King: Do you read (say the Quakers) that there were any Kings sence the Days of the Apostles, but among the Apostate Christians? That Kings are the Spiritual Egyptians — Oh what a Sincerity was once in the Nation! What a dirty nasty thing it would have been to have heard talk of a House of Lords among them? — A Parliament chosen by most Voices are not like to act for God, and the good of his People. — It was thorow Ignorance that the People subjected themselves to Hereditary Government, or to the Government standing in a single Person successively; — and our Nation have been under Bondage on this Account. Now all that the Quakers in their Just Censure, &c. p. 18. recite, is as followeth, viz. [...]one sort of our Books we seem to Own, Love, and Honour the King, yea, to Pray for all Men, for Kings, and all that are in Authority; but in the other sort of our Books we tell People, that Kings and Emperors sprung up in the Night, and among Apostate Christians; and that we are against the English Government, &c. Now how short and defective they are herein, is obvious by comparing each.
Friends Intentions are good, they mean well, and can now word their Matter otherwise, and yet mean the same thing; for our Principles are now no other than they were in the beginning: And by Reason thereof, and that we cannot quit our Infallibility, some that went from us, throw in their Bombs amongst us, which doth fearfully annoy us, and have split our Main-mast of Infallibility, and broken the Helm of our Sinless Perfection.
Now, Friend Jacob, it grows late, I cannot stay, I shall only sum up a few Observations from the Premises, and then take my leave of you.
1. As to F. B. whether he has New Cloaths, or not, what he had left when his Horse, and Pocket-money for his Expedition, was discounted, make nothing to the purpose; he has given as great a proof that he has not been Mercenary, in writing 16 or 18 Years together against you without Money, as any Quaker can give.
2. Your Leaders are very Sawcy to meddle with the Bishops Certificate, as in any thing you have attempted: Suppose he had been mistaken in the Man, he did not say he gave it forth from the Eternal Infallible Spirit of God; he only said he had known him some Years, this you do not disprove; That he appeared to him to be an Honest, Sober, Industrious Man, this might be for ought you either say or know; and if he had been mistaken, he does not pretend to know the Heart, nor to discern who are Saints, who are Devils, and who are Apostates, as the Quakers do; and if he had been mistaken, it had been no more than some of your Teachers have been: That he had taken much Pains to Undeceive and Convert the Quakers, by publishing useful Books, and not without Success, this he might safely say, for it was true in Fact; for at that time Mr. Rands, his Wife, and others that had left the Quakers, declared to some, that his Book, The Painted Harlot Stript and Whipt, &c. was instrumental therein; and since that, many others are come off who have acknowledged as much. And that by the Hardness of Times, Charge of Printing, he was reduced, &c. this was true in Fact; wherefore (says he) I apprehend him a Real Object of Charity, and that he does truly deserve the Bounty of well-dispos'd Persons, unto whom I recommend him; what hurt is in all this? And what had your Friends to do with it? May you hold a Yearly Meeting with Doors Lock'd, issue out your Epistles for Money to relieve your Friends, as you say; and may not a Bishop of the Established Church recommend one of their Members to welldisposed Persons of the same Communion, without your Censure? Can you not be content to Censure the Acts of Corporations, Grand Juries, and Justices, but must your Boldness extend to the Exposing and Censuring the Bishops; I think you are a Peg too high.
3. Whereas they pretend to undertake the proof of every Doctrine they hold, this appears to be a Lie told in Hypocrisie: Let them Confute the Six Articles above exhibited, and Defend themselves from the Ten Instances wherein they are Charged to be one in Doctrine with the Romish Church: Let them Answer F. B's Seventy Queries, or else it will be taken pro Confesso, and that they are never able to clear themselves from being guilty of Idolatry, Blasphemy, Contempt of God's Word, and an Hundred other gross and vile Errors.
4. In Oliver's time then the Clergy put in Books into the Parliaments Hands, and it was your Business to Answer, and but reasonable you should defend your selves; and that the Government should hear both sides; this Priviledge none deny'd you: But now you put Books into their Hands not only in Sessions time, but send them the Nation round to their Houses in the interval of Parliaments, and F. Bugg Answers them, and presents them in Sessions time; this now you cannot bear, this angers you, and you fall upon the Man; the Man is an Ill Man, the Man is Contentious, the Man is Quarrelsom, the Man is an Apostate, a Renegado; this I tell you is very Bold and Imperious in your Teachers, that such [...] forsake your Heresie, and conform to the Establisht Religion, are by you Censured Apostates and Renegadoes; this highly reflects upon the Government, and by implication Charges the King and Parliaments Religion to be Heathen: For it was always accounted that such as forsook the Heathen Worship, and imbraced the Christian Faith, were Converts; and that such as forsook the Christian Religion, and imbraced Heathen Idolatry, (as some did formerly as well as now) were Apostates and Renegadoes; now by your Quakers Doctrine, the Church of England is Heathen, and you Christian; how then have you the Face to appear to such as humble Suiters, and with such Books too, as tell them, by implication at least, that they are a Heathen Parliament, and that such as forsake the Quakers, and go to Church with the Parliament, are Apostates, Renegadoes? &c.
5. In their Just Censure, p. 40. they tell us, We are satisfied that it is no other Attestation than he has Collected out of our old Adversaries Books, &c. this F. B. denies, he took not a word of it out of their Adversaries Books.
6. Nor does he believe they are able to produce a Letter of the Late Lord Archbishop's, to clear W. Penn from the general belief that he is a J—t; but if they could, 'tis not one Negative Evidence will do it, since some of the very same Order has confirmed that Opinion.
7. If your Teachers be ready, as they boast, to prove every Doctrine they hold, let them appoint Time and Place, and G. Keith and F. Bugg will not only meet them, but prove the recited Charge upon them; if not, I will be one that shall desire they may be set in the Pillory for Examples, on Condition the Quakers will be obliged, if they do, that they'll retract their Errors; this to be sure is no Persecution, tho' the only thing they fear; and all in support of their great Idol Infallibility, and Sinless Perfection.
8. But if they refuse this, it will appear that your Teachers, Friend Jacob, are great Prevaricators, impudent Liars, horrible Deceivers, great Impostors, wicked Blasphemers, and gross Idolaters, Subverters of Laws, Religion, and that their Principles improved, are destructive to all Mankind.
9. And therefore, Friend Jacob, there is not only Bombs sent into your Camp, but there is a whole Broadside given, which will shake your Strong Hold: That is to say, by two books, the one by Fra. Bugg, Intitled, The Pilgrim's Progress, &c. which shews, that your Monthly, Quarterly, Second-day, and Six-week Meetings are not for Worship, as you now confess, but for Government, and that that Government is contrary to all the Laws above recited; the other by Geo. Keith, Intitled, The Fourth Narrative of Proceedings at Turners-Hall, shewing that your Principles are destructive to Christianity, and tend to overthrow the Christian Religion.
10. And I am glad to see you thus pursued, and for 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 'tis 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.
LONDON: Printed for the Author, by Rich. Janeway, Jun. near Doctors-Commons. 1700.