Innovation

Innovation

If it be an Innovation to set up or bring in other Precepts, Constitutions, Orders, or Practices, &c. contrary to those which were held forth in the Primitive Times in the Holy Scriptures, as the Quakers have confessed, then those our depraved Ines if the Second Days Meeting, &c. having set forth several such Precepts, Constitutions and Practices (under the Notion of Righteous Order, Holy Order, Decent Order, Comely Order, &c.) as are so far from being according tot hose held forth in the Scriptures if Truth, as that they directly contradict them, those our depraved Quakers are guilty of Innovations; in proof whereof1

1st. There Order set from the Yearly Meeting in Anno. 1675 against Marriage of first Cousens, &c. being so far from agreeing with Holy Scripture Precepts and Precedents, in those several Texts, Gen. xxiv. 7, 48, 50. ch. xxix, &c. Numb. xxxvi. 10, 11. Jos. xv. 17. 2Chron. xi. 20, &c., as that nothing can be devised more directly contrary to them, (as I have largely proved in a distinct Treatise on this Subject, entitled, A Rejoynder to G.W.'s Allegation in behalf of their said Order, beyond his or his depraved Collegues Attempts to confuse me) they are therein guilty if Innovation,

{Page 87} 2dly. Their several Precepts, Constitutions and Orders set forth by their Yearly Meeting in Anno 1691, &c. against our Marriage with any other Protestant Professors besides their own Sect; under pretence, of such Marriages being a joyning with Infidels; being not only inconsistent with those several Scripture Precepts and Precedents mentioned in those Texts, Mat xix. 6. 1 Cor. vii. 39. but also true Christian Experience, is also an Innovation2

3dly. Their Order against our Marriage with any of our own Friends, within less than a while Year after our Former Wife's Decease; under pretence of limiting the hasty Mind, as they call it; being in the like manner directly contrary to the Holy Ancient Precepts and Precedents on those occasions, mentioned in these Texts, 1 Sam. xxv. 38, 39, &c. 1 Cor. vii. 9, 39. is also an Innovation.3

4thly. Their Order in Anno. 1707, grounded on p. 282. of their Fox's Select Epistles against our Marriage without our Guardian's Consent, &c. (without the least Allowance by way of Permission, on account of the Corruption of the Motives of their Dissent) being inconsistent with the Sense of those Scripture Texts, Judg. xiv. 3. with ch. xxi. 22. is also an Innovation.

5thly. Their Order, that none shall be allowed to propose their Intentions of Marriage in their Meetings of Discipline in London, &c. the first time, without bringing a Certificate of their Clearness, &c. from the Nation or Country they belong to, according to their Patron Fox's Rule; being contrary to Truth, Reason and the Scriptures afore-quoted, as well as the Practice of most of the Counties in England, &c. is also an Innovation.4

6thly. Their several Precepts, Constitutions and Orders in behalf of Women's Meetings distinct and apart from the Mens, (with our Obligation to lay our Intentions of Marriage first before them) as a part of our Chruch Government, being inconsistent with that of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, &c. according to the effect of William Pen's Explanation in p. 100, 101. of his Spirit of Truth vindicated, &c. is also an Innovation.5

7thly. Not to enlarge on their repeated Orders against our paying or recieiving impropriate Tythes, together with their several Prohibitions of Oaths of all sorts, which as they have been justly cryed out against by other of their Friends, have by them been often contradicted in Practice.

Their several Orders against our carrying Guns in our Ships. &c. for our own or others Defence against Pyrates, &c. being directly contrary to the effect of our Lord's Christian Doctrine in Luke xii. 39. and xiv. 31. and xxii. 52. and their own ancient Precepts; are also Innovations.

8thly. Their Order against our Ministers going forth to deliver the Word of God in way of publick Testimony, &c. without a Certificate of the Meetings Allowance they belong to; being contrary to the Ancients righteous Practice, and their own Christian Precepts and Precedents before their Depravity; with many other of their Fox's unscriptural Impertinences, about Skimming-dish Hats, Slit Peaks, Wastcoat Slits, unnecessary Buttons, short Sleeves, short black Aprons, painted Bedstaves, Fir-Shovels, Scrues, Forks, Compasses, {Page 89} Plows, Harrows, Andirons, You for thou, &c. stiled by him The joyful Order if the joyful Gospel, comfortable Order of the comfortable Gospel, glorious Order of the glorious Gospel, and everlasting Order of the everlasting Gospel &c. are no better than Innovations.6

Of the unchristian Effects whereof, though they have often by their own best Friends been forewarned in those Books and Pages instanced in the Margin, amongst many others that might be mentioned, to prevent, if possible, their Imposition upon us against the Rules of Truth and Witness of God in our Consciences; yet have they been so far from regarding their Christian Monitors conscientious Outcries against those their unchristian Intrusions, as that their renowned Brotherhood of the Society of Taylors have taken it upon them to enforce those Nick-Nacks upon us, as true Christian Discipline, from which we must expect no Dispensation, as appears by their Epistle to their Brethren, entitled, The Salutation if Gilbert Larye, with Eleven other of his Brother Taylor Apostles.7

Wherein, after they have commended the Light that shine in their Taylor-Hearts, as the Standard to try all by, and the Ballance to weigh all in, if what sort soever, they declare, That they being met together to discourse of Trades and Callings, and particularly of their own, having some time discoursed of Superfluity of Laces, Ribbons, needless Buttons, with {Page 90} the Worlds way of making Cloaths, they conclude, That the Light doth not justifie any therein. From whence they and their bigotted Adherents have not only refused to stitch on more Buttons than they thought convenient, or make full-bottomed Coats, wear or weave scraw'd or flower'd Stuffs, allow painted Callicoes in their Houses, or Pictures of living Creatures on their Signs, &c. but also besides many other ridiculous Impertinences they have thereby involved themselves, some of them have run on so far in this their Pharisaical Extream, as to burn their Cloaths, Houshold-Stuff and Working-Tools, &c. to the ruin of themselves and Families; as others have gone Distracted, and others Hang'd themselves, &c. to the Destruction of their Bodies and Souls; of which their Friend Ruth Buck of Blyeth in Yorkshire; ------ ------- of Norwich; William Rustof Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely, amongst many others, are sorrowful Instances: Yet are they so far from seeing their Ignorance and Folly in those that these their depraved Leaders afore-mention'd,never stopp'd or stay'd until they had manifested their Foxonian Union with those their Taylor Friends, by their general Injunction if their Apostles Absurdities; which brings me to my next Charge of the Imposition, as a Crime they (with their Popish Predecessors) have also to answer for. before God and his People.8

  1. See Howgil's Works as cited p. 89. of F.B's De Chriſt. Libert. compared with Burrow's Viſion of the Flock. Line of Truth, p. 9, &c. ‌Hidden Things, p. 11, &c. Whitehead's ‌Mon.  ↩︎

  2. Compared with their Devonshire House Order, as cited p. 25, 49. of Seasonable Caution, and their Friend Moſes Weſt's Book of Marriage, in defence of them.  ↩︎

  3. See the ʃame as ʃet ʄorth at York Yearly Meeting, Compared with their Truth exalted, and oth3r Books in behalf of it.  ↩︎

  4. Selećt Epiʃt. p. 283.  ↩︎

  5. See the ʃaid Orders, as cited p. 33, 41, 42, 45. oʄ F.B.s  ↩︎

  6. Yearly private Minutes of An. 1698, 1699, 1701. Fox's Selećt Epiʃt. p. 292. As appears Numb. 11. 26, &c. Iſai. 6, 5, 9. Mat. 10. 10. Luke 22, 35. 2 Cor. 3.1. Compared with their David's Enemies diʃcovered, p. 140. Howgil's Works, p. 57, 355. Clark's Rod, p. 28, 29. Tyranny and Hypocriʃy detećted, p. 71. Fox's ʃeveral Papers, p. 41. Journal, p. 322. Collećtion, p. 148, 149. Exam. Grounds and Cauʃes, p. 30, 31.  ↩︎

  7. Rich's Hidden Things. Roger's Chriʃtian Quaker. Tranny And Hypocriʃy detećted. Beven's one Sheet; AND An Account of the Life of John Penyman, p. 107, 205. wherein as the Author ʃhews them ʃomewhat of the Eʄʄećts oʄ thoʃe their Babyloniſh *Innovationſ: ʃo he, by way oʄ Prophecy, truly ʄortolx them, That thoʃe their proud ʃelʄ-conceited Modes, Prescriptions, Laws and comely Orders, as they in their ʄall'n Wiʃdim called them, might all be thrown down, laid waʃte, and become as a By-Word or Proverb of Reproach to the Heathen, as is niw near to be ʄulʄilled, ʃay I, to the eternal Shame and Conʄuʃion of the ʄirʃt Inventors.*  ↩︎

  8. Of which their zealois Foxonian Brothers Letter to John Church at the Sign of the Cardinal's Cap in Friday-Street, London, is a worthy Inʃtance, whoʃe Light within him, as guided by the Reverend Fox, not allowing him freedom to uʃe any of thoʃe vain worldly Terms, he ʃuperʃcribed it To John Steeple-Houʃe at thd Sign of the Superſtitious Thing in Sixth-Day-Street; whereby, though he ʃaved himʃelf Fox ‌whole, he suʄʄiciently conʄounded the Poʃt-Maʃters in their delivery of it.  ↩︎

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