A just censure of Francis Bugg's address to the Parliament against the Quakers published by and in behalf of the said people. Penn, William, 1644-1718. 1699 Approx. 61 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 25 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A54156 Wing P1308 ESTC R38193 17203762 ocm 17203762 106223 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A54156) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 106223) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1621:20) A just censure of Francis Bugg's address to the Parliament against the Quakers published by and in behalf of the said people. Penn, William, 1644-1718. [5], 43 p. Printed and sold by T. Sowle ..., [London] : 1699. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Bugg, Francis, 1640-1724? Society of Friends -- Apologetic works. 2005-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-09 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2005-09 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Just Censure OF Francis Bugg 's ADDRESS TO THE Parliament Against the QUAKERS . Published by , and in behalf of the said People . By evil Report and good Report : as Deceivers , and yet True , 2 Cor. 6. 8. LONDON , Printed and Sold by T. Sowle , in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street , 1699. TO THE READER . IT is certainly very unreasonable that any should be denied the liberty of Wording their own Belief , since there is nothing more Just than that Peoples Faith should be taken at their own hands ; for how else can it be theirs ? And yet it is the Disadvantage we lie under , that our Enemies will not let us believe what we do believe , lest they fail of their Ends , which is to make us in the Wrong , whether we are or no. All other Perswasions have the Happiness of being taken upon their own Confessions ; but we , alas , at our Adversaries Perversions : Tho' where Premises are not agreed , Conclusions can never be just . The first Question between Us and our Opposers , is not about what is Sound , but what we Believe ; and that it seems , must not be of our own giving , but of our Adversaries straining : The most Intolerable of Impositions , that any one should answer for the Faith that is not theirs . Yet so it is where one Man's Comments is to go for another Man's Belief , which makes it plain to the Judicious Inquirer , some People will not allow that any Good can come out of our Nazareth , and are much more fearful we should be in the Right than in the Wrong . And as they treat our Principles , so they do our Practices ; for if we collect Money to relieve the Exigencies of our Poor , it shall be rendered a Fund for Rebellion : And our Monthly , Quarterly and Yearly Meetings , constituted for the Promotion of Peace , Piety and Charity , must be interpreted an Imperium in Imperio , a Design no less than to supersede the Laws and Sovereignty of the Kingdom . One while we ought to be suppress'd , as a Confused and Immethodical People ; another time , because we have Meetings of Church Order and Authority . In short , rather than fail , our very Virtues must be made our Vices , by the same Figure that our blessed Saviour was said by the envious Jews , to cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils . And indeed any Candid and Judicious Person , who has read the Books lately published against us , must see so much of this Spirit prevail , as to think we might have saved our selves the pains of this , and our other Answers : But lest our Silence should be mistaken for our Guilt , and F. Bug's assurance , in his Address , pass for Truth ; we have perswaded our selves once more to bestow an Answer upon him , which we recommend , Reader , to thy Impartial Perusal . A Just Censure , &c. THE single Consideration that could induce us to take any notice of so Scurrilous as well as injurious a Paper , as that which was presented to the Lords and Commons against us ( the People called Quakers ) by F. Bugg , is , lest the Confidence and Solemnity of the Address , should give it any Weight with those that know neither him nor us ; for to others this Defence would be wholly unnecessary ; this troublesome Man being neither honest to his own Conscience , nor just to Us and our Profession , in his Attempts against us . To know this Satisfactorily , it is only needful to consider the Man , and the Merit of his Paper , equally Confident and Abusive , and then our Reader will be able to determine , if we are that pernicious People to Religion and Civil Society , he would represent us , and He that Convert , Patriot and Reformer , he vainly sets up for , in his busie Work against us . But we must premise , lest we should be misunderstood , that we would not be thought to Excuse our selves from ill things , if guilty , because He and his Abettors are Ill Men ; for that will not Excuse us , though it ought to rebate their Credit , where a Point depends upon their Veracity . For we will allow , that what an Ill Man alledges , when it is upon good Authority , is Valid , though he be not ; yet where a Witness is found false , there is Reason to suspect , if not disbelieve him in all the rest . However , let every thing have its due Weight , and we will abide the Consequence of so fair an Inquiry ; Knowing that we are abused where we are made Criminal . First , Then we say , that this Man acts not upon Principle , but Prejudice ; not of Conscience , but Envy and Interest : And if this appear , to be sure it must weigh much against him with all Candid Spirits . Now , that this is the Case , let it be considered , that after a long and sober Profession of the same Judgment with us , he Revolted from us , as he confesseth , not for any Dissatisfaction with us about our Principles , relating either to Faith or Worship ( the usual reason for changing of Communions ) on the contrary , he seem'd to Cool towards us , because we did not , in his opinion , adhere to them as strictly as in former times ; faulting us for quiting ( as he alledg'd ) in Practice our Characteristick Principle , of directing all Men to the Spirit of Christ in themselves , as a sufficient Guide in Religion , because we , as an orderly People , recommended and press'd Good Order and Discipline as requisite to the preservation of Society . And because we could not gratifie him in all points upon a meer personal Difference , with one of our Communion , and that about a Money-matter too , He flings off his wonted Respect and Regards , grows Murmuring , Complaining and Troublesome ; finding Faults , his better Mind and Temper never let him see before , and takes part with those that would not be under any Rules of Society , for Common Order and Decency in that Relation , or in things that purely regard Conversation , as Justice , Peace , Charity , &c. and a sincere walking according to their Profession . Here he interested himself as a busie Advocate for those , as mistaking our usual Plea of every Man 's being left to the Light of Christ in the Conscience , as to Matters that concern Salvation , would weakly leave every Man in Society to his Freedom , about the External Rules and Orders of that Society , whether he would act in Concurrence or Independently , or act at all : Which naturally dissolves Society , and brings every Member to an Independency one towards another . Having made this step himself towards Dis-Unity , he halts here a while , and sets up for a strict Walker , according to the Quakers first Doctrine , and a fervent Advocate for it ; charging several of the Elders with too much Indifferency about it , if not Declension from their old Fundamental ; as if they that had formerly preach'd others from Man , to an inward Principle , were now preaching them to Man again ; and who had before decry'd Imposition , were now become Imposers themseves . And what was all this for , but because we distinguished upon the Extent of our Testimony , limiting it to things that concerned Faith and Worship ? But as to what related meerly to the Order and Decency or Society , the Concurrence of the Generality should suffice ; of which I have already spoken , to wit , Charity , Justice and Concord , against which Conscience never can be warrantably pleaded . Here he became an Advocate for them , ( in the Name of Christian-Liberty ) that having since seen the Mischief of making that Plea in the wrong Place , would sooner perish than become One for him in his abusive ( and Self-condemning ) Practices against us . He then had no Scruple concerning our Belief of the Trinity , that it was not full or Express enough , nor about our owning or disowning either the Divine or Humane Nature of Christ , nor the Vertue and Benefit of his Death and Sufferings to Justification , nor what we hold of the Res●●●ection of the Dead , or about the Use of the Sacraments ; nor lastly of our Judgment about Ministry and Worship : Not one word of these things , as the Pretence or Reason of his Dislike of us , or Separation from us , did he ever object . And he knows very well , it is not one way to define these things in our Ministry or Writings , otherwise , than as they are left in the Scriptures of Truth , that so we may avoid the Dangerous Evil of Curiosity , and Supersining upon the Text , which does not only set the Head at Work instead of the Heart unto Regeneration ( the great Requisite in Religion ) but hardly ever fails to occasion Controversie and Division , if not Hatred at Last , even to Persecution it self ; as all time witnesseth against that Practice . Nor was our dissatisfaction about these things ( as he well knows ) the Ground of our Separation from the National or other Churches , but the Work of God's Grace and Spirit in our Hearts , which alone can make the Living and right Christian and Christian Churches . And such as we are sensible , have their Eyes opened , and their Hearts touched and affected with this holy Spirit , we receive and have fellowship with ; as we dissent from those , that make not the Work of God's Spirit the Ground of their Ministry , Worship and Communion ; according to that known and weighty saying of the Apostle , 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a Form of Godliness , but denying ( in Practice ) the Power thereof , from such turn away . So that notwithstanding the Bustle he now makes against us , in reference to the aforementioned Doctrines , they were Unconcerned in the Reason of his Separation . For it is not Credible as well as Reasonable , that he should then palliate his Dissatisfaction with us ( if any he had ) in reference to them , since he shews himself so ready now to Create Occasions against us . As it is very Probable , that had he been Conscienciously doubtful about any point of Faith , he would often have earnestly endeavoured our better Information , or his own , by Consciencious Conferences with us to that Purpose ; which we can boldly say , he never did . What a Sort of a Convert then must this Man be , and what a kind of Conscience has he Carried to the Church he now embraces ? However he carried Prejudice against us , and has found Indigency ; and some of them have Imploy'd the one , and Supply'd the other ; and Doubtless while they pay him well , they shall have him a ready and Confident Tool against their Peaceable Neighbours . Nevertheless we find it has fared with him as with Gamesters , sometimes get , and sometimes lose ; for his hand has been out a great while , and waste Paper will not pay for Printing . Which we have reason to believe is his Case ; since his London-Factors have sadly complained of the Dulness of the Market . For tho his Cargo was large , they could get but 50 Shillings for him . And to give them their Due , they desired him to stop his hand , for they had more already , than they knew what to do with . This ( doubtless ) put his wits to work for a fresh supply ; and we see , with the help of the Bp. of N's Contribution , the effect of it : And yet when his new Cloths , Horse and Pocket-Mony for the Expedition are discounted , with the many Books and Papers that were given away at the Lobbies of both Houses , his Harvest must fall short of his Expectation ; as ( Thanks be to Almighty God ) did the Design some had against us by those endeavours . So that it may be truly said of him , he hath sold himself to do wickedly , if the most malicious and abusive Treatment may be called so . He is indeed in some Respects our Excercise ; but it is our greatest Trouble that in the End he will bring upon himself Destruction if he repent not . We are sorry too , that some Men of note in the Church , ( doubtless not altogether of their Own Inclination ) should turn Brokers for the Books of so Unconsciencious a Convert , in Order to supply him in his ill Practices against a Body of Sober People , and that are by Law indulged . But that the B. of N. should give himself the Trouble of mis-leading People with an Apocriphal Story , of this Man 's having been Instrumental to turn several Quakers from their Errors , as appears by his Recommendatory Alms-Letter to the Clergy of his Diocess , &c. in Favour of this Deserter , seems to us in no wise to become his Better Character . For besides that the Fact is not True , it cannot be Charity , to support and encourage a Spirit of Envy and Persecution . He that can reconcile F. Bugg's Work with Charity , must read the Gospel Backwards , and turn Turk in order to be a Christian . And this sort of busie and vexatious Work in such Church-men , at this time a-day , but too plainly shews they are grown weary of Liberty of Conscience , how much soever they boasted themselves to us of allowing it , at its being settled by Law , to lessen the Kindness and Security of the Liberty we enjoyed before . For they that are as troublesome as the Law will permit them to be , want only more Power to be more troublesome . And we hope we shall take the Aim by it , the thing gives us ; since of some Men it may be said , Can a Black-a-moor change his Skin , or a Leopard his Spots ? There must be a Miracle in the Case , or it can never be done . But how any Person of that Coat can heartily be Friends to the Present Government , and Spit in the Face of the Liberty that is ( as it were ) an Article of its Original Contract , is another Dilemma , I will not say Premunire , that some of them have of late ( at best unadvisedly ) run themselves into . We are very far from Concluding and Condemning all that wear it ( as too many treat us ) by their Unkindness and plain Violation of our Lawful Quiet , who too palpably encourage some Renegades to roar out their Anger at us , while we are quiet in the Land ; and least of all to suspect the Inclinations of the Government , that has with so much Humanity , as well as Regard to Natural Right , added Law to Liberty . But at the same time we would willingly believe , these active Incendiaries , that are thus flinging their Bombs among us ( which is indeed a plain Disturbance of the Liberty , and at least the Seeds of Persecution ) are neither many , nor out of the Observation of our Superiours : We would hope a much better Temper affects the Generality . Yet these Actions are but too lively an Instance of the Warm Work such violent Spirits would renew in these poor Kingdoms , if their Power did but equal their Will , which ( we pray ) God prevent and defend us from ; for that Day can never happen to England , and a severe Judgment of God not follow it . It were greatly to be wished , that these Zealots would turn their Spleen against Sin , and make Practice more their business than Opinion in Religion , especially where Opinion does not hinder Practice . It is a Scandal to the very Profession of it to observe , what fair Quarter all sorts of Enormities meet with from some of them , where a Vertuous Dissent can find little . And truly it is only want of a due Consideration in the People , that supports the Credit of such angry Men so much above their Merit : For 't is plain , and but too common too , that they are upheld by their Character , rather than their Virtue , and are much less lov'd , than fear'd . Lastly , we pray our Candid Reader to observe , that this troublesome Man , that has thus set his Conscience to Hackney , hath not obliged the World with any thing new and material . For what he alledges , and his three Seconds , hath been said long before them , and by much abler Pens than his or theirs , as T. Tombs , T. Danson , J. Faldo , Steph. Scanderet , Tho. Hicks , Tho. Jenner , &c. In which Controversies large Books have been exchanged between them and some of our Friends , about the very Points wherein we have been lately misrepresented , by these angry People , and which remain in our Vindication Unconfuted to this Day . Unless any thing be too good for us , and that we are Uncapable of being Injur'd in whatever is said against us ; and that the best Answer is none from our Hands ; and finally that Accusation , is Evidence ; Slander , Proof ; and Perversions , Principles for which We must be Accountable . To conclude , we ask no Favour , but Justice , and shall take that for a great One , if we may have it . We hope for it , and are willing to believe we shall not be frustrated of our Reasonable Expectation in our Reader . Thus much of the Man , and his true Motives to Separation from us , and of his and his Abettors Persecution of us . Next , the Paper : The Title is , An Address to the Parliament . Of which , whether he was the Author , or Hawker only , it matters little ; to be sure it cost a Contribution : For it cannot be unreasonable to suppose , that they that do nothing without Money , should have Money for what they do . We shall consider it in the Method of its Paragraphs . I. His first is a Plea of Priviledges , as an English-Man , to discover to the Government , what may be Dangerous to Church or State ; and this he says , he has done many Years . But while he was an honest Quaker , and followed his Family-Affairs ( which seemed better fitted to his Capacity , as well his Duty ) both his Family and Dealers had Reason to entertain a much better Opinion of him . Well , but what said the publick to this mighty Zeal for their Safety ? Why , nothing : A sad Disappointment certainly . From whence we must needs suppose the Government Care-less of their Safety , or that his Work was not worth their Notice . However , it seems he has got Money from some or other for many Years , which was his business , or without doubt he would have Waved his Priviledge long ago . A notable Priviledge indeed ! to impose upon the Government malicious Untruths , instead of discovering dangerous Practices , and exposing us to their severe Displeasure , whom a publick Good would oblige to protect . Certainly , no Man ever read a Word of such Priviledges in Magna Charta , or the Petition of Right ; and to be sure , not in the greatest Charter of all , the Bible II. His second Reason for thus treating us , is this ; viz. Because , as in the Quakers ancient Books , so in their late ; they seem to allow of an Excommunication , saying , Blame not before Examination ; first understand , and then rebuke . Answer , But this none can think we would have done , if we were as Tardy as he represents us . What can be fairer than this ? Where is the Snake in the Grass now ? Is this hiding or disguising our Principles from Peoples understandings ? Or is it the Equivocating Art and Affected Obscurities we are charged with , since it seems we challenge a fair Enquiry , by his own Confession . III. His third Reason is , Because he does not find the three Norfolk - Ministers intend our Persecution , or any Alteration of the Act of Toleration . Answer , A Tender-hearted Man ! What! for no Persecution , nor Alteration of the Indulgence ? And yet pray to have our Principles and Practices suppressed ? A new sort of Moderation : For nothing less is the very Title and End of his Paper , and their Books . Fourthly , But if he may be believed , he says , It 's morally Impossible to know what the Quakers Principles are . Answer , If so , how can they be Examined , or rightly Censured ? Is not that morally Impossible too ? Parliaments certainly have other Work to do than to hunt after Impossibilities : Yet that seems to be the Task he has impos'd upon them . But though his Wits have gone a Wooll-gathering by his own Confession , we hope other Men find better Imployment for theirs . The Reason he gives for this moral Impossibility of understanding our Principles is , Because our Books carry two Faces , and are fitted for the compass of all Occasions ; which he proves thus , That some of our Books are directed only to our Friends ; others more at large , both to Teachers and People of other Persuasions : And that in one sort we seem to own Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God , and that in the other sort we deny him to be such . Answer , But if it be as he says , it cannot be morally Impossible to understand our Writings , while he cites such plain Contradictions from them . And as we think it no Crime to entitule or direct our Papers according to the Subject Matter of them ; so we cannot but think it a great Contradiction in him to make us to carry Two Faces , in reference to our Principles ; since what he represents in the worst Terms is out of Books , chiefly directed to those that are not of our Communion , which is to be bare-fac'd and candid in the account of our Doctrines , as the very Passages he cites ( tho' very Partially ) evidently prove : So that the Insincerity he would insinuate against us flees in his Face ; since , if we were blameable for what we have writ , we can never be blamed for concealing it , which yet is the drift of this 4th Paragraph ; the particular Citations injuriously made crouded by him together , are considered at large by G. W. in his Answer to two Books lately delivered to the Parliment , by the three Norfolk-Clergy-Men and F. B. abhorred by us , as by them and him perverted and applied , yet owned by us , the true Scope of the Context , and Intention of the Author considered . V. His fith Reason for the Suppression of our Principles and Practices , is , That W. Penn , in his Defence against the Bishop of Cork , p. 38. and 79. means by these words , That where the Quakers seem to differ least from the Church of England , they differ most , viz. touching the English Government ; thereby representing us Enemies , and consequently exposing us to it : Whereas it is very plain , that not only the Drift , but the very Words of W. Penn shew quite another thing ; for as he had explained himself , as to what he meant , where he said , As to what we are thought to differ most , we differ least , viz. about the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity . So when he says , Where we are thought to differ least , we most of all differ . He plainly expresses his meaning in those words , to wit , about the Nature and Quality of a true Gospel Ministry and Worship . Civil Government of any sort or kind , not so much as being express'd or meant by him upon that Subject . An Abuse not only gross , but aggravated by his Impudence ; and which is such a measure of the Man , that no Person with whom Honesty or Charity have any Reputation , can Patronize his Work. VI. His sixth and last Reason he makes to be an Inconsistency in our Books about Government , that in 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 other of our Books , that we tell People , That Kings and Emperors sprang up in the Night , and among Apostate Christians ; and that we are against the English Government , &c. Answer , But he gives us here neither Book nor Author , and unless he can prove , it is our Principle to excite People against the Civil Government we live under , of what Form , or in what Country soever it be , he says nothing to the purpose ; for that only can render us unfit for Protection , which makes Governments unsafe from our Principles ; and such we have ever denied ; but these things are fully answered by G. W. in his Truth and Innocency vindicated ; and Jos . Wyeth , in his Anguis Flagellatus : Or , A Switch for the Snake in the Grass ; and we think , with submission to better Judgments , that it no way becomes the present Profession of this Man , and those that countenance him , to reflect upon us , as Temporizing about Principles of Civil Government . Thus much as to his Reasons for his procedure against us . The Title of the remaining part of his Sheet , proposed to the Parliament , for our Suppression , is this , Touching the Quakers Government within the Government , and opposite to it , as can be proved from Matters of Fact and Practice . And the truth of it is , were he as ready at proving , as at calling Names , he would not only deserve the Consideration , but the Reward of the Government ; but his performance will prove very short of the encouragement he gives ; because he founds it upon his Forgery just now detected ; his words are these , Having obtained the Key to open the Mystery of W. P 's Mysterium Magnum ; that where we are believed to differ least , we most of all differ ; I am of W. P 's mind , that where they are believed to differ least , there they differ most of all ; namely , touching Government . Answer , His Key must be very Fantastical , as is his Mystery ; for it is plain there is none in the Pages he quotes of W. Penn's , and his abuse of his Words can be no Mystery , since the Perversion is so plain . But he that has violated the Ties of Conscience for Revenge , can make no scruple of lesser points . Our Destruction is the Mark he aims at ; and though our Practice for above Forty Years proves not only our Consistency with , but Usefulness to Civil Government : Yet as if he were in Earnest , and Religious too , he breaks forth in this Expression , If God be not Merciful to us , and Inspire our Governours with a Godly Zeal , to stop the growth of the Quakers Government , it may prove like that of Mahomet , who stuck at nothing till he had over-run the Eastern Churches . Answer , Yet he would be thought no Persecutor ; but 't is well he is not to be believed : For in one place of his Paper , he urges our Suppression , because of the Inconsistency of our unsighting Principles , with the Preservation of the Civil Government ; and here , as well as in other Paragraphs , he presses it from a supposition , That we , like Mahomet , and his followers , should overthrow the Government by force . So that 't is plain to such as will give themselves the trouble of observing the Method this Man takes , to render us both odious and dangerous , that he dare give himself the latitude of saying any thing against us , tho it carry the grossest as well as most absurd Contradiction to it self . For the Import of what he says is plainly this , Suppress the Quakers lest they beat us and take the Government from us . Secondly , Suppress them because they will not Fight at all . We bless the Name of God , the Experience of those to whom he had addressed his Books and Papers , is on our side , and consequently gives the Lie to his unworthy Insinuations against us , and 't is because Time and our Conversation have worn out the froward and false Impressions , some angry and interested People have made upon them , and that we are less bug-bears to the Vulgar , and more acceptable with the better sort that he and other Persons are set at work by some private Incendiaries against us . As for his first proof , That we are a Government within the Government , and therefore against the Government , which is begging the Question , it is not matter of Fact , but matter of Prophecy , viz. That God will overturn , overturn , King , Princes and States of this World , for Sin and Ungodliness , till Righteousness take Place , and prevail with them by the Ruling of Jesus Christ in their Hearts . This he applies to us in respect of our disowning of the English Government , whereas it relates to no particular Constitution or Form of Government , which in all Countries to be sure aims at Justice and Virtue in the General , but intends the Evil administration of all sorts of Governours and Magistrates every where . This is so far from being a fault , that it is the Promise of God , and the Expectation of all good Men ; and was writ by way of Caution to the then ruling Authority . His Second , Third , Fourth , and so to the end of his Twelfth Instance , which he gives for proof of our being Enemies to the Government , are his Remarks upon our proceeding in our Yearly-Meeting , which he performs with as ill a Mind , and just as much Truth , as he makes W. P. to mean Civil Government in p. 97. of his Defence against the Bishop of Cork , his Key by which he opens that great Mystery of W. P's in saying , Where we are thought to differ least , there we most of all differ . He says we have a Yearly-Meeting , that this Yearly-Meeting is made up of other Inferiour Meetings , as Monthly and Quarterly ; That the Authority of it is the Light within , which is the Higher Power , by which they make and constitute certain Laws and Canons Ecclesiastical , contrary to the King's Prerogative , Rights of Parliament , and Fundamental Laws of the Land ; And that we virtually repeal such parts and branches of the Laws as do not quadrate with our Light within ; and thereby Absolve the King's Subjects from their active Obedience , causing them to adhere to a Superiour Power than that of Kings , Lords and Commons . Ans . Here is the Charge , but where to find the proof we cannot tell , for we think his Authority is too Apocryphal to pass for such . That we have a Yearly-Meeting is certain ; and that it is made up of Persons sent from the Quarterly-Meetings in the respective Counties is also true ; but this only relates to our own Society , and refers but to such things as are the common Duty , and fall under the Consideration of any Christian Communion : Nor indeed has it more Authority , though it may have a greater Influence ; the business thereof being comprised under these Four Heads , 1st , That we are at Peace among our selves , both in respect to our selves , and in respect to our Persuasion and Commerce ; a Justice not only due to every Society , but the Duty of It for its own Preservation . 2dly , Charity , that where there is the greatest need and least ability to answer it , Care be taken to proportion Relief : Thus the Poverty of Ireland after the War , the great Dearth now in Scotland , and the Spoils made on our Friends in some parts of Germany for Conscience sake ; as also the Supply and Redemption of Captives , have and do oblige us to recommend Charity to our Friends , that none among us may suffer want . 3dly , Compassion to our Friends in Suffering , whose cases are there considered in order to consider of suitable Remedies , which perhaps cannot be so well done in the respective places where the Grievance arises : But this alas extends no farther than an humble Application to our Superiours upon the Cognizance we receive of the Fact , for a seasonable and effectual Redress : We pretend not to compel , but intreat , not to make Laws as is suggested , but Supplicate Relief , be it in Relation to any hardship by Law , or a partial Administration of it . Lastly , That all be careful to walk up to their Profession , as the Apostle exhorted the Primitive Christians . And this being the Business of our Yearly Meeting , we take leave to hope , we shall not be mis-interpreted by the King and Parliament , as if we were erecting an Imperium in Imperio ; since these things ought to be so far from rendring us dangerous and odious to Government , that they must rather recommend us to it ; for our Obligations being Voluntary to each other , founded on Love and Choice , where is the Scandal that we are supposed to the Magistrate that we are thus employ'd ? Since by these Christian Methods he will naturally find his care and work sit the lighter upon his hands ? Nor does this justle with the Laws of the Land , since by Law we are allowed our Liberty , as Protestant Dissenters , unless , we must be notwithstanding esteemed Enemies to Government using it ; or having Charity enough to relieve our Friends from Want or Suffering , or maintain and encourage Peace and Piety . It seems our very Virtues are our Crimes with this ill Man , and our Christian care must be matter of Danger to the English Government . 'T is true indeed , so far as any Man dissents from Law , be it upon the most religious ground that can be , he may be said to contradict the Law ; and according to this Man's way of reading it , his persuading others to be of the same Sentiment , or be true to that he has , is seducing the King's Subjects , and so far , Contradicting or Repealing the Kings Laws : Which , as it is a most unworthy Construction of our practice to expose us to the displeasure of Authority , so it comprehends every Consciencious Person or Party of Men , in this or any other Nation ; and consequently all Societies of Dissenters every where must be Rebels to the Government they live under . But he says , We keep our Doors lock'd , barr'd or bolted , or a Guard of Men to prevent Inspection , whereby we have forfeited the benefit of the Act of Toleration . Answ . This we very well know is what he would be at , but as it happens these are not Meetings intended for Worship , which are Open ; nor are these barr'd , lock'd or bolted , or guarded , as he is pleased to phrase it , especially out of any design of Undutifulness to Government , or Prejudice to any Person upon Earth . But as the subject matter of this Meeting , only concerns the help and Comfort of our particular Society , in things Honest and Laudable , so it often happens there are many more present than those immediately concerned : And if our Numbers are less , and Meeting more private , than what is common , it is not for fear or shame , but to do and dispatch such business as hath been already observed . Well! but he will have this a general Rendevouz from almost all parts of the World. Answ . Where is the harm of it , if it were so ? Tho 't is very rare that any are present from other Countries , except Inland , and that of Choice ; but they are always welcome when they come , for our Establishment is not of Compulsion but Voluntary : Nor do we make Laws either for Faith or Worship , as he suggests in this his 6th Instance ; though we are careful that the Churches every where should walk correspondent to their Profession , to which commonly they receive from this Meeting a general Christian Exhortation : In all which we cannot see the least disrespect or insecurity to the Civil Government . His 7th Instance is , That we have a Fund , or Common Stock , which this Meeting orders to be raised without the Authority of Parliament , in order to support our Government , and propagate our Principles . Answ . 'T is easily seen what this foolish Man would be at , but it will not do . This Meeting orders no such thing : But as it is informed of the State of the whole Society , so it recommends the Wants of it to the Free and Christian Contribution of the respective Members thereof ; which perhaps in others would be a Mark of a True Church , though in us , of what pleases this Renegado , and his malicious Imployers ; we wish them Repentance and Remission . However , he neither has , nor can tell us what other Government we have , than that which hath been already express'd and owned by us . And we are sure he can never prove , that we uphold it by Money ; since our Services are free , who are the Members of that Assembly , or any other amongst us . We are not of those who have made a Trade of Religion , nor that get by Church Government . He himself is better instructed : And but that he has thrown off all Consideration of Conscience or Shame , he could inform the World much better of the Reason and Motive of our Proceedings . But in his 8th Instance he would have it believed , That when the Nation was actually ingaged in a War with France , even then we took care that our Friends should not be assistant ; nay , not so much as to carry Guns in their Ships . Answ . The Insinuation is plain , as if it were only then our Principle , to serve a Present Turn of Disaffection , and not our former and constant Practice . But all that have known us from the beginning , must vindicate us from his Insinuation . And for this Story of Pennsilvania , as if our Friends there were of another Mind or Practice , 't is an effect of Prejudice , as hath been already made appear . In his 9th and 10th Heads he suggests , Intelligence Foreign and Domestick , to be one part of the business of this Meeting . Answ . He might as well except against the Martyrs upon the Reformation , who corresponded with the Protestants of France , Switzerland and Germany ; and no doubt of it but he would have done it then , as well as Doctor Story , and for the same Motives . Our Correspondence is of Church , and not of State Matters ; and though foreign sometimes , yet not Foreign from our Obedience to the Civil Magistrate ; intermeddling with nothing , relating to temporal business . We are glad to hear of our Friends Wellfare , and usually do at these Meetings : But unless it be Scotland , the Low-Countries and Germany , we know no Occasion of Correspondence that is not within this Kingdom and the Dominions thereunto belonging . We would conclude these Instances here but for this extraordinary passage of his , which we will barely repeat , because it doth so exactly shew the Man , both in his Temper , Understanding and Design , viz. I say , when this united Confederacy ( viz. out of Maryland , Virginia , Barbadoes , Jamaica , East and West-Jersie , Pensilvania , New-England , North-Carolina , Road-Island , Long-Island , Antegoa , Mevis , Ireland , Scotland , Holland , Port-Royal , Dantzick , Hamburgh , Brandenburgh , Saxony , Germany , &c. ) I say , says he , when this united Confederacy are moved , either by their Light within , or by a motion of their inspired Prophets to call to their Assistance Two or Three Regiments from each of those places , what will become of poor England ? Then , tho too late , we may experience the Truth of W. Penn's words , viz. Where we believed the Quakers differed from us least , there they most of all differed . This , Reader , is such a Demonstration of the Author , that there seems left no room for us to say any thing upon it . He concludes by way of Apology for his Undertaking , That tho the Quakers have the Confidence to dictate , in the Name of God , to Kings and Parliaments what they are to do , he hopes he shall not follow their Example ; but when he has discharged his Conscience as an English-man and a Christian , he shall submit all to the Wisdom of his Superiours , not doubting but to make proof of what he has said , either out of our Books , or by his own Experience . Answ . We are glad to hear he will submit to any thing , but especially to the Wisdom of his Superiours , and thence hope he will be quiet , provided he remembers what he says ; for their Great Wisdom having neglected to take any notice of his Attempts , he is obliged to acquiesce in their Silence . All things do not deserve an express Sentence , and to such silence is ever one : And if he has any respect for that Example , he would do well to follow it . However , we can have no Apprehension of the Consequence of what Evidence he can produce from our Writings , that have so much to shew of his abusing of them . But for his Experience , he must excuse us , if we except against it , since ours has taught us that he is a corrupt one , by clipping our Writings , and Coining other Sense , a Forgery as Obvious as Gross , and most reprovable with Men of Truth . For his accepting of G. Whitehead 's Offer , to meet him with Six , Ten or Twelve competent Witnesses , to prove that he hath grosly and wickedly abused and perverted our Writings , and wronged us in Charge , Citation and Observation . We doubt not , if it proceed to a Conference , our Friend G. W. who hath so often detected him of gross Perversions , both by Writing , and Conference in the presence of several Eminent Persons , will not be wanting to make good his Charge , but not for the sake of this virulent Deserter , but those who are or may be imposed on by him . We are come now to his Postscript , which begins with a great deal of Rant , at a Pamphlet against him and his Partners , written by a Member of the Church of England , while he hath reason to believe ( he says ) the Author was a Real Quaker . Answ . If so , 't was more than we knew , as it is , that F. B. had any reason to think so ; for he hath taken care to give us none , and perhaps it is because he had none to give , unless it should be this , That no Member of the Church of England would shew so much dislike to any of the same Communion for challenging and exposing the Quakers , be it with never so much Heat or Injustice . Tho we hope , and upon very good grounds too , that the generality of the Sober and Discreat of them have better thoughts of us , and that upon Experience too . But he tells us , Our Teachers are Men of design , and have Ends to serve , being , generally speaking , Men of no Fortunes , as Journey-men Carpenters , Taylors , Shoemakers , Combers , Weavers , &c. Answ . We would think that such People , of all others , should be the most likely to be free from Design , or having Ends to serve . But if that be a good Reason which he alledges , both Jews and Heathens must have been much in the right , in objecting Meanness against Christ and his Followers ; as also the Roman Doctors , who threw Textores and Sutores in the face of many of the first Reformers ; who were just such Mechanicks , as those he intitles us to for our Ministry . And he knows in his Conscience that such Poor Men amongst us , whom God hath qualified by his Spirit , to speak and press their Knowledge and Experience for the Conviction and Edification of others , are conscienciously concerned in the Exercise of those Gifts , and that they labour hard to maintain themselves and Families , after the Example of Primitive Teachers , that they might not be burthensome to the Church . Nothing short of the worst of minds one would think , can make this our fault , and it must be one of the weakest that can reconcile the Talents and Education of these Mechanicks with the Jesuitical Crafts and Ends he supposes against them . But he says this Pamphlet suggests that F. Bugg is Judas , The Church of England the Jews , and consequently that the Quakers are Jesus . Answ . We will not believe him , for those that abuse Mens words , may very easily abuse their meanings . However , there is no necessity that the Quakers should be understood to be Jesus , because Judas and the Jews may joyn against them , for that they did formerly against his Followers as well as himself , if by Judas we may understand Apostates from the Christian Churches . But what if that Book supposes F. B. to be a Judas ? Has he not been so to the Profession he did once , Conscienciously and Zealously adhere to , and that with the greatest Aggravations ? Let his Actions speak , and he knows very well it is a word usually borrowed to character any Person that has been false to the People or Profession he once was of , and as such , he may not perhaps much mistake the Author of the Pamphlet , in applying that Epithet to himself . But this he will needs have for a Proof , that the Author is a Real Quaker ; to Credit which , he observes to us a Story that he lately heard , of a project proposed and carried on to acquit W. P. of the then general suspicion of being a J — te , tho' he thinks it rather increased it ; for , says he , W. P. and P. E. both juggled together , and P. E. was to be the Gentleman , and as such , to write a Letter thus superscribed , To the Honourable William Penn Esq Proprietor and Governour of Pensilvania , and W. P. to answer it . Well! an answer to it was written , and both Printed 1688. No matter whether each wrote their part , or one wrote both , they were then both Quakers , and it was for a Design ; and to serve a Turn they can turn their Dialect into any Shape . In like manner I take this subscription of the Obscure pretended Member of the Church of England ( by his scandalous Reflections ) to be a Real Quaker . Answ . But why so ? Suppose his Story were true , is it impossible for a Church of England Man to dislike a Renegado , disabhor his Treachery and Malice , and discountenance those that encourage him , tho' they were of his own Communion ? Say no , and We believe there are many thousands of that Communion of that same Mind . For at this rate the Author of The Contempt of the Clergy must be a Quaker , and every one that writes against any Clergy-man of her Communion . But the Rudeness and Falshood of the Story he alludes to about W. P. doth very much highten his reckoning . His insinuation is , that the Letter to him , is fictitious , and that W. P. writ both , or if he did not , they were both Quakers , and therefore the same thing . His consequence is , the Quakers will turn their Dialect into any Shape , to serve a Turn . Now if the Story be false , the Consequence must fall to the Ground ; and that it is so , not only W. P. denies that he is the Author of the Letter , but , the Person that writ it , hath owned himself the Author of it to divers Persons , and is well known to have never been of our Profession , but for several Years hath been , and still is , in a publick and eminent Employment under the present Government . And if this ill Man will not believe us , any Man between us shall have that Satisfaction , if what we say be scrupled . Now for as much as this Paper doth in two or three places of it , maliciously reflect upon our Friend W. P. as if he were Popishly affected , though we are satisfied that F. B. believes in his Conscience quite other things of him ; our Reader is desired to peruse those very Letters that passed at that time of day ( 88 ) and he will not think his time lost , or the worse of W. P. We may add that in 86 , and in the same Reign , no less Man than the Arch-Bishop Tillotson did beg our Friend's pardon for so much as giving Occasion to any to doubt of his being a Protestant , from some cold words dropt upon that subject , which Letter is extant , and written with his own hand , with a singular Respect as well as Vindication of him from such Reflections . Upon this subject we shall only add , That he that takes pains to mistake and abuse People , and that at any rate , cannot deserve the Countenance of honest Men , whatever he may of their Frowns . And we should think it Labour very ill bestowed to attempt their Conviction , that can credit him in his Endeavours against us , since they are attended with such horrid Instances of Corruption and Prejudice . It is a common Proverb , that One Renegado is worse than three Turks , which is true in this Man's case , not for his Abilities , but his Abuses . He is the very Reverse of Christianity , for instead of doing good in season and out of season , he seems incessantly mischievous ; the worst part of which is this , that though others may be as eager , they are not so culpable in their Opposition ; for what may be called Zeal in them , is a Self-condemning Presumption in him : And we believe though God is pleased to suffer him to go on for a time , He will either render his Endeavours ineffectual , or make him in the Conclusion his own Condemnation and Burden ; as hath fared with others less guilty than he hath appeared . We shall say little of his foolish Aggravations and Abuse of a Zealons Passage in a Book of James Parnel's , who observing and blaming the great Pride , Luxury and Forgetfulness of God , among a People of high Profession in their misuse of their Plenty ; This Man would have him say , 't is Sin to enjoy such Plenty , instead of a Sin to abuse it , lest he should want an Occasion to censure us in the careful Enjoyment of what God hath given us . But we cannot be silent under the Injury he commits against the Dead , in robbing that godly Young Man of the Innocency of his Death , and the Reputation of his Martyrdom , by making him to have starved himself : For his Death was occasioned by the barbarity of the Goaler and those that committed him ; as the Leaves F. B. quotes out of the Serious Apology written by G. W. and W. P. declare , and some yet alive in Colchester can witness : Whose last words were , Here I dye Innocently , which he could never have done , had he been Accessary to his own Death . But , says he , some may still object , that they hear nothing against the Quakers from the Presbyterians , Independents and Baptists , save only from the Church of England , &c. to which he answers on the behalf of the Dissenters , that they are one with the Church in this case , and are sorrowfully affected , that they are joyned with them in the Act of Toleration ; and not only so , but that he has a Testimony well Attested of their abhorrence of our blasphemous Tenents . Answ . We cannot think the Church of England ever made this Man her Advocate , or that She and the Dissenters have concurr'd in his Enterprize , we would shew a greater Respect to both , and have a better Opinion of their Moderation . 'T is plain he wants the credit of their Authority , having so little of his own . And we are very well satisfied he prevaricates with his Reader , when he boasts of a Testimony so well Attested , that it is no other than what he has Collected out of some of our old Adversaries Books of those Persuasions , which proves no Concurrence with the Church of England , or either of them with him in his Address to the Parliament , to have our Faith and Practice censur'd and suppress'd , but rather a proof of Forgery , to give his Collection the force of a Commission . His enumeration of our Tenents is the Epitome of his Perversions : For as we cannot quit any point of our own ; so we abhor every one of them as given by him . To Conclude , that he may shew himself all of a piece , he says to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament assembled , Here you have the Unanimous Consent of all Protestants , both Conformists and Non-conformists , for the Examination or Censuring and Suppressing the Errors of the Quakers : And as this , says he , would tend to the stopping of the Gangreen of Quakerism . So 't is hoped , and earnestly prayed , that the same may be taken into your Serious Consideration . Answ . We have made Enquiry of the several Classes of Dissenters , and they purge themselves from giving him any such Credentials ; and least of all that they ever said , as he expresses it in the tail of his former Paragraph , viz. That they are sorrowfully affected , that they are joyned with the Quakers in the Act of Toleration : On the contrary they are sorry many of them , to see a Man pretending to Reform , fill'd with so much Prejudice as seems to them to animate him against us ; as indeed we are that Envy as well as Untruth should so much predominate . For under all his pretences to mean no such thing as Persecution in all he says , he concludes with a fresh breath of severity against us , in an earnest prayer that we may be censured and suppressed in Principles and Practice , that is , in our Religion . But thanks be to God , This Man is none of our Judge , and hath sufficiently forfeited the Reputation of a Witness . We appeal to our Books in impartial Mens hands , and our constant Converse among our Neighbours , if they have heard any such Doctrine from our Mouths , or observed any such Actions in our Lives , as makes up the heap of this Mans Clamour and Calumny against us . And now Sober Reader and Inquirer , that thou may'st better acquaint thy self with our real Principles , be pleased to examine them , as laid down by our selves ( a Justice never to be denied to any People ) which thou wilt find in two little Treatises , one entituled , Truths Principles , by John Crook , first printed in 62 , and divers times since , the other called a Key , &c. by W. Penn , now in the 10th Edition , and for a larger Account , Robert Barclay's Apology , all Sold by Tacy Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street ; which we hope will be Satisfactory , atleast so far as to deliver us from the Frightful and Black Insinuations of our Busie and Angry Adversaries , to whom we wish Repentance , and to them that unwittingly encourage them , a better understanding of us , and our so much misrepresented Principles . Postscript . As for the Government of Pensilvania being guilty of Persecution for Religion as he suggests , 't is just as true as all the rest : For 't is not only a Fundamental Law of their Government , that every Person should enjoy a Liberty of Conscience , but it is so fully practised , that even all other Protestant Persuasions share equally with our selves in the Administration of the Government : The present Lieutenant Governour to W. P. being a Member of the Church of England , and many of the Council and Assembly , the Judges and Justices being of that and other dissenting Protestant Communions . But as we are for Liberty of Conscience every where , so we are no where for having Government affronted and abused , in the name of Conscience , by Gross and Insolent Behaviour . And for our Friends there , they have been so far from a Spirit of Persecution , that it is but too plain they have long suffered under it , from such Insolent and Abusive Pens as this Man has treated us with . FINIS .