Prophesies and Letters

Final Section

Thus far with relation to my Twenty Charges, of which thoſe afore-cited Inſtances amongſt others, I deſign to inſiſt on as Proofs, whenever our depraved Leaders think good to give me a Meeting before impartial Auditors, in a free Conference, according to their ancient Pretenſions; till when, as I ſhall not think it worth my while to take notice of ſuch nibling Impertinences, as they (as their manner is) may perhaps publiſh in Print in their Defence, (whereby they deceive themselves, and delude their Readers, as I ſhall alſo ſhow by a Compariſon of their Books, with thoſe they pretend to anſwer) may I would have all to know, that though I chiefly accuſe George Fox and George Whitehead, with their depraved Collegues of the Second Days Meeting, as the firſt Introducers of our Corruptions, yet as almoſt all the reſt of our Preachers and Hearers guilty thereof in Fact, or by way of Connivance, in refuſing to bring their Authors to an Examination in a Church way, in order to Chriſtian Diſcipline, and their perſecuted Brethrens numerous Solicitations; they are ſo far culpable of our Chief Teachers Enormities, and therefore may juſtly expećt to feel ſo far the Effećts of their Conſequents. In the mean while, as I am ſtill one with them in their profeſs'd Principle of immediate Revelation (tho' they be not only departed from the due Senſe of it, through the preference of their Light within them from their Creation in the place of it,but alſo (by their exaltation of their own Innovations {Page 268} as Chriſt's Divine Institutions, ]have hardened the Chriſtian World againſt all pretences)) what ever Idignity may be judged requiſite to out upon ſuch audacious Impoſters as they have proved themſelves, as a warning to others, ſince they have ſo boldly told the World, They even ſmile at Deſtruction when it cometh, and are prepared for all their Oppreſſions; I am far from deſiring their bodily Perſecution for it, whilſt their Errors break forth into Aćts of Sedition, well knowing, That as it is not God's way to make Converts, ſome of them are ſo prepoſſeſs'd, by their Fox's Exhortations to ſtand Valiant for their Truth, as they call it, as that there is not the worſt of his Dotages, but would die for it, rather then by pecuniary Penalities or corporal Puniſhments be free from it, as hath been found by Experience. Much leſs would I have the truly Innocent think themſelves affećted by thoſe my Reflećtions on the Guilty; for as I well know there is a tender People amongſt them, who (as they ſeek the true Lord of Life, as he is pleaſed to manifeſt himself in their Hearts and Souls) he is not awanting to viſit them with his Divine Preſence at Times, to their true ſatisfaction; I am, and hope ever ſhall be, preſerved in true Union with them, though I thus expoſe their depraved Leaders Corruptions, according to our Friend John Rance's Prophetick Declaration to George Fox, That for his, and his Partakers Errors, Hereſie, Hypocriſy and Tyranny (through which many Conſcientious Souls amongſt us have deeply ſuffered) the Lord would raiſe up Lions, Tigers, &c. amongſt themſelves, to tear them to pieces. In Confirmation whereof, as our ancient Friend John Penyman (upon reading William Gibſon's Book of their Abuſes toward him) had it revealed to him, That the Deſtruction of Babylon amongſt us ſhould not be by or from any Foreign Power without, but even from within our own Bowels: Since I am got into the Great Myſtery of this our Little Whore, (as Francis Bugg rightly calls it) I'll have the t'other ſtroke at Babel; in order whereto, that her Votaries may {Page 269} not wonder to ſee ſo empty an Account , after ſo great a Charge exhibited, as their renowned Pen pretended toward the ſaid John Penymanon another occasion¹

I had once ſome Thoughts of adding to my foregoing Catalogue, an Account of their Folly and Knavery, as Sins they are in like manner guilty of; first was ſufficiently proved under the Head of Error, as the laſt is under that of Hypocriſy and Villany, I in real tenderneſs to ſuch well-meaning Perſons amongſt us, as may think themſelves incluſively affećted, through their implicite Bigotry to their chief Teachers Injunćtions, have thought good to poſtpone my Proofs on thoſe Heads to another opportunity; in hopes, that their detećtion in the reſt may ſave me the labour, by their removal of the Cauſe of them, through their publick Condemnation. In the interim, (as their Heretical Abſurdities are notably expoſex in a certain Treatiſe, entitied, A paralle between the Faith and Doćtrine of the preſent Quakers and that of the chief Hereticks in all Ages) I having upon the perusal of certain Proteſtant Authors ſince the foregoing, occaſionally conſidered, how the Mystery of Iniquity (of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks) wrought in the depraved Church of Rome, till it made its Votaries think, they did God good Service in deſtroying his moſt faithful Servants, as our bleſſed Saviour foretold us, ſhall conclude this my Relation with an Account hos the ſame myſterious Operation of Inquity, through the impoſition of divers Antiſcriptural Inventions for Divine Verities, hath wrought upon thoſe our depraved Quakers, by a compariſon of their Fruits with the Romaniſts, as collećted from the Subſtance of their Sentiments, as ſet forth in *Fox's Aćts and Monuments, * and The Frauds of Romiſh Monks &c. compared with our Quakers, as publiſhed in their Books and Papers, &c. inhopes thqt if the proofs ofmy foregoing Charges may not prevail with the Sincere amongſt us to joyn with me, in bringing the Guilty to an {270} Examination in a free Conference, in order to their publick Defence or Condemnation; the conſideration of their Harmony therein with the Papiſts, (they in Words proteſt againſt) will at leaſt give them cauſe of Jealouſie, That they are not the People who are to reform the World, in the State they now ʃtand, as their Friends Claridge endeavours to perſwade them. In order whereto, Firſt,

As Ethwoldos, the renowned Patron of Popiſh Monkery, was foreſhown (as pretended) in a Viſion of a great Tree, with many Monks Cowls on it, of which the top was a great Maſter Cowl; amongſt other ſuch Popiſh Fancies, to advance the Honour of his Monkiſh Inſtitution.²

So our depraved Quakers inlike manner will have it, that their honoured Patron Fox was prophefied of, Coming out of the North, amongſt other ſuch Dotages, to beget him Reverence, as ſome extraordinary one, the more eaſily to ſubjećt us to his Impertinencies. In purſuance of whicj vain Conceit.³

As Chriſt ordained Peter his Vicar on Earth, whoſe Seat is the Church of Rome, giving and granting the ſame Authority he gave unto St. Peter alſo unto his Succeſſors, which are now called Popes of Rome, in whoſe Power it is to ordain Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Curates and other Eccleſiaſtical Orders, unto whom the Chriſtian People ought Obedence, ʃaith the Papiſt.⁴

So though a general Care be not laid upon every Member, touching the good Order and Government in the Church Affairs, yet the Lord hath laid it more upon ſome, in whom he hath opened Counſel for that end, and particularly in our dear Brother and God's faithful Labourer George Fox; wherefore, though Friends in the beginning were turned to the Light in their own Conſciences, as their Guide to Salvation, yet when there were a great number gathered into the Knowledge of the Truth, then the Heavenly Motion came upon George Fox, as the Lord's anointed and choſen, having the Care of the Churches, as being the great {Page 271} Apoſtle of Jesus Chriſt, and one whom the Lord hath ordained to be in the place amongſt the Children of Light in this our Day, as Moſes was amongſt the Children of Iʃrael in his Day, to ſet forth Methods and Forms of Church Government, and to eſtablish Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Men and Women, who are called the Church, whoſe Counſel, Advice and Judgement is to be ſubmitted unto, by every one who profeſſes himſelf a Member of the Church of Chriſt, ʃays our depraved Quaker.⁵

Wherefore, as I am appointed Chriſt's Vicar on Earth, ſo our Decrees are to be esteemed of equal Authority with the Writings of the Apoſtles, ʃaith the Pope.⁶

And as I am thus choſen as the Lord's Annointed, abd great Apoſtle of Jesus Chriſt, whoſe Book is wrote from the Mouth of the Lord by him who is naked before the Lord, cloathed with Righteouſneſs; riſen up out of the North, which was propheſied of; ſo you may as well condemn the Scriptures to the Fire as our Queries, ſaith Fox.⁷

Thus then appearerh the Greatneſs of my Prieſthood, began in Melchiſedeck, ſolemnzed in Aaron, continued in his Children, is perfećted in Chriſt, repreſented in Peter, in the Univerſal Church, who has power too correćt all Kings with their Subjećts, ſaith the Pope.⁸

And I am elećt before the World began, to whom Languages are no more than Duſt, who was before Languages were, and Name not known {Page 272} in the World, I have not only Authority to direćt Kings, Emperors and Popes, but the Rod of God alſo committed to my Hands, for to correćt the Nations, who knows the Power, and Spirit, and Sword of the Saints, that executes the Judgments, to nind, and chain, and fetter Kings and Nobles, ʃaith Fox.⁹

All the Earth is my Dioceſs, and I the Ordinary of all Men, having the Authority of the King of all Kings upon Subjećts, &c. ʃaith the Pope.¹⁰

And as the Care of all Churches is upon me, who am the Prince of Life, and trample upon Princes like Morter, not caring for a Cart-Load of their Warrants; ſo except you take Counſel of the Juſt, yiu [the Parliament] ſhall not ſit, ʃaith Fox.¹¹

Wherefore, though I can't ſtoop to any Man in way of Reverence, yet in Honour to my Paternity, I expećt my Toe to be kiſſed, ʃaith the Pope.¹²

And though I can't bow myBody to any Man inway of Honour to them, yet as I have pleaded by my Letters to Parliament for ſuch reverential Poſtures towards us, I not only allow my Proſelytes to proſtrate themſelves three Hours together onthe bare Floor before me, but alſo hath put forth my Foot to knſs, in reverence to thqt of God within me, ʃaith Fox.¹³:

{Page 273} In Primacy I am Abel, in Government Noah, in Patriarchdom Abraham, in Order Melchiʃedeck, in Dignity Aaron, in Authority Moʃes, in Judicial Seat Samuel,, in Zeal Helias, in Meekneſs David, in Power Peter, and in Unction Chriʃt, ʃaith the Pope.¹⁴

And as I am beyond the State of the firſt Adam who fell, who am the Son of God, and eternal Judge of the World, who was in the Paradiſe of God, like an Angel in Beverly Church, ſpeaking the wonderful Things of God, having my Leather Breeches on, ſo (as it was ſaid of Chriſt) the thundering Voice at Lancaster Aſſizes ſaid to me, I ahve glorified thee, and will glorifie thee again, with which my Head and Ears were fill'd, ʃaith Fox.¹⁵

I have the power to change Time and Times, alter and abrogate Laws, and diſpence with the Precepts of Jesus Chriſt; as where Chriſt biddeth Peter put up his Sword, admoniſhing his Diſciples, not thereby to revenge themſelves, do not I exhort to draw out the ſame, contrary to the Precepts of Chriſt; fro whence it may ſeem well verified of me, that was ſpoken of Chriſt, ʃaith the Pope.¹⁶

And as I have not only the power to alter the Names of Days, Times, and Months, with what is ſet forth as the Word of God, as well as LLOW transgreſſion of the Laws of a Nation, in the matter of the Militia, Impropriate Tythes and Oaths, &c. but alſo to diſpence with the Commands of the Law of God, in allowing my Converts liberty to take away the Prieſt's Hour-Glaſs, as well as diſpence with the Precepts of Jesus Chriſt, in renouncing the Lord's Supper with Bread and Wine, and commanding to put up the outward Sword inCaſes wherein it ſhould be drawn; it may {Page 274} ſeem well verified of, which was ſaid of Chriſt, That I am the ſame Door that ever was, the ʃame Chriſt to Day, Yeʃterday, and for ever, ſaith Fox.¹⁷

Wherefore, Bleſſed St. Peter, and thou Paul alſo, give ear unto me, the Things that I ſay are true, and this Matter I take in hand for Truths ſake, that my Brethren may more obſequiouſly obey me, ʃaith the Pope.¹⁸

And now all dear Ones, and dear Hearts I ſpeak, Hear the Word of the Lord, this is the Word of the Lord, this is God's word to you, wrote from the Mouth of the Lord, hear the Lord God, the Tings that I ſay are true, and this Matter I take in hand for Truths ſake, that my Friends may adhere to me, who am an Eſtablisher of Righteouſneſs, ʃaith Fox.¹⁹

How far ſoever any may claim under me Infallibility in ſome Things, yet I only claim Infallibilty in every Thing, ʃaith the Pope.²⁰

And as I knew a State of Purity at eleven Years of Age, ſo I am one unto whom Infallibility hath been committed in all Things, ʃaith Fox.²¹

I like not Liberty of Conscience, I will never allow Liberty of Conscience; What, Liberty to the Schiſmatick? No: What, Liberty to the Heretick? No: What, Liberty to the Apoſtate? No: No Liberty out ofthe Church, ʃaith the Pope.²²

{Page 275} Nor do I like the Words Liberty of Conscience. What, Liberty to the Epiſcopals? No: What, Liberty to the Presbyter? No: What Liberty to the Independent? No: What Liberty to the Baptiſt? No: No Liberty out of the Power, ſaith, Fox.²³

AncientHistory-WorksInPublicDomainPublishedBefore1923PartThree

For as Chriſt committed the Power of binding and looſing to Peter, whoſe Succeſſor I am, ſo I can bind and looſe whom I pleaſe, ʃaith the Pope²⁴

And as the Power of binding and looſing belongs to the Saints, which my Friends Cole and Eccles exerciſed on our Oppoſers Muggleton and Story, in binding them in eternal Chains, ſo I do now declare what I have not before told you, that I can bind and looſe whom I pleaſe, ʃaith Fox.²⁵

Wherefore, ſee in your ordinary Viſitations, whether Divine Service at the preſcribed Times, Days and Hours, be duly obſerved, Aſſemblies duly frequented, Preachers Chriſten Children, ſee the Font be comely kept, Holy Water always ready, any Prieſts have Women, teach any Doćtrine contrary to the Catholick Faith and Unity, go decently apparell'd, have their Crowns and Beards shaven, keep Regiſters of Chriſtenings, Burials, Marriages, and Books of Names of ſuch as are reconciled to the Church, ʃaith the Pope.²⁶

And ſee alſo, my Friends, in your Quarter Meetings, that your Monthly, Weekly and Firſt Days Meetings be duly kept at the Times pre-fixed, Aſſemblies well frequented, none cintrary to our Orders, preach contrary to our ancient Teſtimonies, wear Lace, Ribbons, Cuffs, {Page 276} Boot-hoſe-Tops, ſuperfluous Buttons, Skimming-diſh Hats, Slit-peak Waſtcoats, pay Tythes, give Money towards ſetting forth the Militia, ſay You for Thou, keep their Shops ſhut on the World's Holy-Days, paint any Thing on their Signs, but a Bedſtaff, Fire Shovel, Fork, Compaſſes, Plow, Harrow, Andiron, &c. not omit to keep a Book of Record of Condemnations of the Tranſgreſſors of our Orders, ʃaith Fox.²⁷

Beſides thoſe Rules, with the Direćtions I have cquſed to be adminiſtred with relation to the Goods of the Univerſity, I have preſcibed how many Maſſes, Pater-Noʃters and Ave-Maria's every Man ſhold ſay when he enters into the Church, what he ſhould do there, how long he ſhould tarry, hiw many Prayers he ſhould ſay, what and how long he ſhould ſing, when he ſhould curteſie, and how he ſhould meditate, when he hath left off to preach, ʃaith the Pope.²⁸

And beſides the ſerveral Direćtions I have given with relation to the Goods of our Church, I have alſo preſcribed my Friends, when to preach, where to preach, to whom to preach, what to preach, how long to preach, how to preach, how to pray, how to ſing, how to ſound, and how to behave themſelves when they have left off to ſing, ſounf, pray and preach, ʃaith Fox.²⁹

Wherefore, like as a good Houſholder caſteth Wheat into the Ground, well ordered for that purpoſe, thereby to get the more Increaſe; even ſo we Will and Command, that the Preachers of {Page 277} God's Word, preach ac ording to his Matter propoſed, and not otherwiſe, and chiefly concerning the Adoration of the Holy Croſs, worſhipping of Images of Saints, going on Pilgrimage, of the Crucifix, Oblations, and lighting of Candles, &c. ʃaith the Pope.³⁰

And as the Spirits of the Prophets were subjećt to the Prophets, &c. in going forth to preach, when ſent by each other, without ſtaying till they had a Motion in themſelves to preach, ſo I exhort you to preach ſuch and ſuch Doćtrine to the Magiſtrates, ſuch and ſuch to the Heathen Men, ſuch and ſuch to the Blacks and Indians, ſuch and ſuch to the Apoſtate Chriſtians, and ſuch and ſuch to our own Friends, particularly, that they be diſtinćt from all the World in their Language, in their Ways, in their Love, teaching Books, Yea and Nay, Thou and Thee, Singular and Plural, many Things from one Thing, one Thing from two Things, many ways from one Way, many Churches from one Church, many Words from one Word, and many Women from one Woman, &c. ʃaith Fox.³¹

In purſuance of which Godly Care of our Holy Church, I have confirmex a certain Order of Nuns, deviſed by my Prieſt Arbriʃal, wherein, as I have given the Women ſuperiority over the Men, ſo they have, by virtue of their Authority, cauſed the Men, ſometimes moſt juſtly, to ſtrip themſelves ſtark naked, to receive their Diſcipline for their Transgreſſion, ʃaith the Pope.³²

And after I had recieved this Goſpel and preached it, I ws moved to ſet up Womens Meetings, under the Denomination of The joyful Order of the joyful Goſpel, comfortable Order of the comfortable Goʃpel, glorious Order of the glorious Goʃpel, and everlaʃting Order of the everlaʃting Gospel,by virtue ofthe Precedent of Micaiah's Idolatrous Mother, and thoſe good Women that wove Hangings for the Groves inthe Houſes of the Sodomies; togethef with thoſe vertuous Ones, Ely's Son lay with, who aſſembled by Troops; forwhich Cauſe as I have given them ſuperiority {Page 278} over the Mens by enjoyning ſuch as are to bemarried, firſt to propoſe their Intentions before them,under the penalty of their ſevere Diſcipline, ſo whoever ſlights or contemns them, are to be judged and condemned, ʃaith Fox.³³

Whrefore, having nothing to do with thoſe I Excommunicate, neither buy or ſell with with them that tranſgreſs our Inſtitutions, ſaith the Pope³⁴

And you that have given your Teſtimony againſt that Spirit of Oppoſition of our Orders, ſtand in your Teſtimony, till they anſwer by Condemnation, and do not ſtrive or make Bargains with that which is out of the Truth, ʃaith Fox.³⁵

All thoſe that deny the Doćtrine, and preſume to ſtand againſt the Privilege of our Church of Rome, are damn'd Hereticks, ʃaith thd Pope.³⁶

And all that deny the Doćtrine and Diſcipline I have ſet up, or preſume to oppoſe the Orders I have inſtitutec in our Church, are ſeparate, dark, canker'd, apoſtate Spirits, ʃaith Fox.

Notwithſtanding, that ſuch as queſtion the Righteouſneſs of our Inſtituions, may have what ſatisfaction is neceſſary; It is my Will, that Cicilianus, Biſhop of Carthage, witj his Defendants, ſhall repair to me at Rome, where they may be heard and rightly examined, ʃaith the Pope.³⁷

And had John Wilkinſon and John Story with their eighty Subſcribers, been right in their oppoſition of our Orders,k &c. they woulc have come to me to Swarthmore, when I ſent for them, ʃaith Fox.³⁸

{Page 279} For their incouragement wherein, I do bequeath unto my moſt holy and moſt devout Son of G.W. one conſecrated Roſe; to my moſt obſequious Son W.P on holy Nail; to my moſt Catholic Son J.W. one Gang of St. Agnus's Teeth; to my moſt obedient Son J.F. one of our Lady of Loretto's Bricks; to my moſt officious Son R.C. one of St. Mary Magdalen's Jaw-bones; to my moſt dearly beloved Son E.D. two Foot and a half of St. Francis's Cord; and to L.L. my moſt Chriſtian Son, one dainty Wafer God, to pardon all his Sins and his Poſterity after him; all whicj holy Relicks, amongſt many other ſuch, I doubt not, but thst they will reverently adore with that Veneration that is juſtly due to them, ʃaith the Pope.³⁹

And beſides my Bounty of one half given to Sarah Frickenfeild, that ſerviceable young Woman to me, and my Daughter Rachall, I dogive to Sarah Mead my Tortoiſhel Comb-Caſe, to N. Mead my flaming Sword; to Dan Abram my Seal; to J.R. my other two Seals; and to my moſt valuable Son Lowef, my Saddle, my Bridle, my Spurs, my Boots, my inward Leathereths, my Leather-Hood, and my Hammock, with the Thing they give Gliſters with; amongſt many other Nicka=-a-Nacks; allwhicj make noNoiſe of, but do them in the Liff, as now ordered, ʃaith Fox.⁴⁰

{Page 280} Notwithſtanding thoſe my bountiful Benevolences, if you diſobey my Injunćtions, as I muſt Excommunicate you out of our Holy Church, in order to your Spiritual and Temporal Deſtrućtion, ſo if you but believe my Doćtrine of Tran-ſubſtantiation, &c. againſt your Conſcience and Eye-ſight, I will for this time pardon your Obſtinacy, ʃaith the Pope.⁴¹

And as it will be a breach of Unity, if thou John Perrot perſiſt in keeping on thy Hat when we pray, as thou affirms the Lord requires thee, ſo do but thou aćt againſt thy Conſcience, in pulling it off, as I exhort thee, and thou ſhalt have mine andmy Friends Love along with the, ſaith Fox⁴²:

Otherwiſe, by the Authority of God the Father Almighty, and of the bleſſed Virgin Mary, St. Peter and St. Paul, with all the Holy Saints, we Excommunicate, utterly Curſe and Ban, commit and delivef to the Devil of Hell, him or her, whſoever he or ſhe be, that have, in ſpight of all Holy Saints, &c.fixed up with Wax, ſuch curſed and Hereticalo Bills of Blaſphemy, upon the Door of this and other Holy Churches within this City, and particularly thee Thomas Bennit, we give Body and Soul to the Devil and Fiend, to be curſex ſtanding, lying, riſing, walking, running, ſleeping, walking, eating, drinking, and every Thing elſe whatever, ʃaith the Pope.⁴³

And as we have nothing but Woes and Plagues for the Prieſts, &c. ſo thou curſed Serpent,thou Son of Perdition, thou falſe Prophet, poſſeſs'd by the Devil, growing Mad, Plagues and Vengeance is thy Portion, thou Perrot; and Oh thiu filthy Beaſt Camelford, no Prayers can we ſend to thee, {Page 281} but for thy Deſtrućtion, thou Man of Sin anx Enemy of Chriſt, O thou Impudent and Brazen-fac'd, thou Hypocrite and Phariſee, thou art Damned openly, thou art inthe Socery,in the Witchcraft, and in the Adultery, and in the corrupt See, whoſe Bleſſings are curſed, O thou ſlandefous Beast, thou natural brute Beast, I charge thee to be a Witch, thou deaf Adder and Serpent,thou Child of the Devil, Blaſphemer and Enemy of all Righteouſneſs, thou blind Sot, thou dark Sot, the Plagues of God are due tothee,that is thy Portion, and thy Torments are begun, and ſo farewel to thee, ʃaith Fox.⁴⁴

Now if thoſe Things I do, be ſaid to be done, Not of Man, but if God, what can you make of me but God, ʃaith the Pope.⁴⁵

And as he that hath the ſame Spirit that raiſed up Jesus from the Dead is equal with God, (the which as I witneſs) it muſt needs follow (what thou makeſt ſuch a pother about) that I am equal with God, ʃaith Fox.⁴⁶

And to the intent that all may ſee I lack not Witneſſes, if I liſt to bring them forth, you ſhall hear the whole Choir of my divine Clergy brought out, with a full Voice, teſtifying in my behalf, That I, the Vicar if Jesus Chriſt, have power on Things, Celeſtial, Terriſtial, and Infernal, &c. All the Earth being my Dioceſs, and I the Ordinary of all Men, &c. what can be more effećtually ſpoken, to ſet forth the Majeſty of my Juriſdićtion, which I have received immediately of the Lord, of the Lord, I ſay, and of no Man, having the Authority of the King of all Kings upon Subjećts, I am all in all, and above all, ʃaith the Pope.⁴⁷

And as I am one whom Thouſands will ſtand by in a Heavenly Record, That my Life reigns, and is ſpotleſs, the dropping of whoſe tender Words {Page 282} in the Lord's Love(1) was my Children's Nouriſhment,ſo I am made to call upon my Miniſtring Friends, ſaying, Sound, ſound, ſound abroad,ye faithful Servants of the Lord, and Witneſſes in his Name; ſound, ſound, ſoumd, ye Trumpets of the Lord, awake them that be asleep(2) in Death and Hell; ſound, ſound, ſound, that all may hear the Voice of God, the ſecond Adam the Voice of the Light; ſound, ſound, ſound, ye Trumpets, the melodious Sound; ſound abroad, that all the Deaf may hear the Voice of the Bridegroom, the Voice of the Bride, the Voice of the great Prophet, the Voice of the great Shepherd, the Voice of the great Bishop, the Voice of the great King, saith Fox.⁴⁸

In obedience to which Luciferian Impoſitions, the Pope's Popelings with our Fox's Foxlings, in moſt blaſphemous Confort, fall on to ſound thoſe their Gods Eulogies, as follows,

The Pope is that Light that is come into the World; in the Pope is all manner of Power; a certain divine Power in the Pope; the Pope is the [Page 283] chief of Biſhops; the Pope is the Heir of the Apoſtles; out Lord God the Pope, &c.ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁴⁹

Our Fox is the Light of the World; him by whom the World was made; and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World; the Father of many Nations,whoſe Kingdom is eſtabliſhed in Righteouſneſs, and Life reaches through us his Children, who cannor livebut in his Preſence; wherefore, as it ws ſaid of Chriſt, That he was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the World knew him not; ſo it may be ſaid of this true Prophet [Fox] whom John ſaid, He was not. Since though many Sons havedone vertuouſlyinthis our Age, yet,dear George, thou excelleſt themall,who art more than a Thouſand of us; Glory unto thee, Holy One,for ever, thou art the King of Israel, and all Nations ſhall Worſhip thee, who art a Gid, and not a Man, ʃaith the Quaker.⁵⁰

{Page 284} Wherefore, resolved that as our Holy Father the Pope hath forbidden Marriage inKindred, to the seventh Degree, they may not (but for the Publick Good with Kings and Princes) be diſpenc'd with ʃaith the Papiʃt.''⁵¹

And as our Reverend Patron Fox, (who was a careful Overseer of our whole Flock) ſet forth an Order againſt Marriage of Firſt Couſens, which (by the Terms of it) maybe extended to the ſeventeenth Degree, as well as the ſeventh; reſolved that neither Firſt Couſens, or any other Kindred, (that we judge comes within theBounds of its Prohibition) be diſpenc'd with toany amongſt us, ʃaith the Quaker.⁵²

Reſolved, That every Woman, after the Death of her Husband, remain TwelveMinths a Widow, orloſe her Joynture, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁵³

Reſolved, That none amongſt us be allowed to marry within leſs than a Year after the Death of their firſt Husband or Wife, what ever Necessity they pretend for it, ʃaith the Quaker.

{Page 285} Reſolved, That Marriage without Parents Conſent be made void, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁵⁴

Reſolved, That none amongſt us be ſuffered to marry without their Relations and Guardians Conſent, (as well as their Parents) ʃaith the Quaker.⁵⁵

Reſolved, That whatſoever Prieſt or Deacon ſhall marry a Wife, or Proteſtant Infidel, shall be forbid to ſing Maſs, read the Goſpel, execute any Divine Service, or be buried amongſt us, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁵⁶

And Reſolved, that whoever amongſt us marries by a Prieſt, or with anUnbeliever, (as they account all othef Proteſtant Profeſſors beside themſelves) be rejećted, as Perſons become one with Infidels in their Life, and refuſed Burial amongſt us when they are Dead, ʃaith the Quaker.⁵⁷

Through which Antichriſtian Innovations, as the Pope's Fish-Pond became ſtuffed with Thouſands of Baſtard Heads, as a perpetual Warning againſt such ungodly Impoſitions.⁵⁸

So our depraved Quaker Church hath been augmented by a Brood of the ſame ſort, out of Chriſtian Wedlock in like manner, through the ſame Doćtrine of Devils, of their Fox's Promotion.⁵⁹

What doting, fanatick Wretch is this Groʃted of Lincoln, that ſo boldly and raſhly darw judge of our Doings? By sweet St. Peter and Paul, were it not, but that upon our own Clemency and Good Nature we have refrain'd, we woulc hurl him {Page 286} down to ſuch Confuſion, as would make him a Fable, a gazing Stock, an Example and Wonderment to all the World, ʃays the Romiſh Pope.⁶⁰

And was it not, that we are a People whoſe Principles have taught us to paſs by all Injuries, with whatever is ſaid or done to us, without offering to defend or revenge our ſelves by ſuch Carnal Weapons, as Swords, Spears, Goals, &c. we ſhould have this Pickworth laid full low in Iron Chains for his audacious Affront, in publiſhing his Charges agqinſt us at the Royal Exchange in London, ʃays Pen our Country Quaker Pope.⁶¹

In Order whereto, We Thomas, Archbishop,by Assent, Conſent and Authority, do Degrade thee William Sautree; intoken whereof, we take from thee the Book of our Church Legend, and do deprive thee of all and ſingular manner of Dignities of ſuch a Recorder, ʃays the Papiʃt.⁶²

And We Thomas Robinʃon, &c. by an unanimous Agrremeng at this our Quarter Meetinf, do Degrade and Depoſe the Henry Pickworth; and in token thereof, donow take from thee the Record Book of our Tranſaćtion,thereby depriving thee of the Dignity and Privilege of being our Recorder, ʃaith the Quaker.⁶³

For as it is a manifeſt and plain Caſe, that he doth Woring and Injury to our most Reverend Council, who revolteth from the Things therein once diſcuſſ'd and decided, becuaſe Nothing is to be called in Queſtion, that hathbeen defined by General Councils, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁶⁴

So it is as manifſt and plain a Caſe, that he doth Wrong to our Yearly Meeting, who revolteth {Page 287} from thhe Things once agreed therein, ſince as we have given it as our Sense and Judgment, that no ſuch contemptuous Names, (as calling Men Womens Meetings, Courts, Seſſions, Synods, &c.) be ſuffered amongſt us, we can admit nothing to be called in Queſtion,that is given fromthe Light in our Body, to which all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed; the Doćtrine of more Judgment being given to the Church,thanto the indvidual Members of it, being not an Error in the Church of Rome, but their Error is, in accounting theirs (and not ours) the true Church, *ʃaith the Quaker *⁶⁵

Wherefore, Reſolved at this our Council, That if the Proteſtants willnot ſubſcribe to our Opinion inthe Euchariſt, they ought notto have Audience in the reſt, ʃaith the Papiſt⁶⁶

And Reſolved at this our Meeting, &c. That if William Rogers and Henry Pickworth will not condemn themſelves for calling us Apoſtates, they ſhall not be heard by us in a Church way, in what they have to alledge, in order to prove us ſo, ʃaith the Quaker.⁶⁷

For it was determined from the beginning of our Council, and ever ſince obſerved, That nothing may be propoſed therein, but by the Legares of his Holineſs, wherefore we cannot admit any elſe to propoſe Matters to be diſcuſs'd in our ſaid Council, much leſs that the Proteſtants have any part therein, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁶⁸

And as it hath been long ago agreed on in our Yearly Meeting, and ever ſince observed, That nothing be propoſed therein, but what is firſt peruſed and allowed of, by ſuch as we have deputed for thst purpoſe, by our Preſident's Direćtion; ſo we {Page 288} can by no means admit any to offer what is not firſt by them read and approved, much leſs conſent to our Diſſenters Entrance amongſt us, in order to ease their Minds of what lies upon them to offer towards our Rećtification, ʃaith the Quaker.⁶⁹

Wherefore, as it is manifest, That none have a Voice in our Council, by the Right of the Canon, but Bishops and Abbots by Cuſtom, and ſome others by the Pope's Privilege; the others that deſire to be heard, ought to submit themſelves to the det4rmination of thoſe, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁷⁰

And as wemthe Miniſtering Friends, who are called to Labour and Watch for the Good of the Souls of the Auditors, have a true diſcerning of the working of that Spirit, which leads into Diviſion or Exaltation above the Body of gooc and ancient Friends, who never revolted from the Faith once delivered to us; We do unanimouſly, and with the Lord's preſence, teſtifie, That ſuch ought not to have Dominion, Office, Rule or Goſpel Authority in the Church; none being to have a Voice in our Yearly Meeting,by our Rules, but Eld4rs, Correſpondents and Repreſentatives, with ſome few others by our Patron's Intereſt; all others that deſire to be heard, ought to ſubmit to the determination of theſe; it being abominable Pride, when any particular will not submit of the Judgment of the Witneſs of God [i.e. Light] within Friends, ʃaith the Quaker⁷¹

Wherefore, He that doth contemn the Church, which is the Spouſe of Chriſt, and he that gives leſs Credit to the Decreesm of this our Council at Baʃil, than unto the Goſpel, is to be accounted a prophane Ethnick and Publican, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁷²

And if any pretend to be of us, and in Caſes of Controverſy will not ſubmit to the Judgment given by the Spirit of Truth, in the Elders and Members {Page 289} of the ſame, but kick againſt their Judgment as only the Judgment of Man; it being conſiſtent with the Doćtrine of such good and ancient Friends, as are found in the Faith once delivered to us; then we teſtifie in the Name of the Lord, that he or ſhe perſiſting in their Rejećtion, together with thoſe that counterance or encourage them, ought to be rejećted as Perſins joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels, ʃaith the Quaker.⁷³

Pray let things be kept ſecret which are handled in our Congregations, as well to avoid Oppoſition, as becauſe Things are held in greater Reputation and Reverence, when they are not known to all, ʃaith the Papiſt.⁷⁴

And as we have often adviſed, That Things be kept private, which are agreed on in ordef our Yearly Quarter and Monthly Meetings, that Adversaries may not know of them, ſowe have from time to ordered, than there is Quarterly or Monthly Meeting in England, &c. ʃaith the Quakef.⁷⁵

In purſuance of which Antichriſtian Exhortations, as the proud Bishop of Rome, and his Popiʃh Cardinals, would by no means ſuffer the Truth of his and their Doćtrines to be tried in a way of free Conference, in a free Council, or otherwiſe, leſt their Corruptions ſhould be detećted, and aſſumed Authority expoſed, according to their Demerits, as F Fox in his Acts and Monuments hath well notified.⁷⁶

So would not our Fox and Whitehead, with their Accomplićes, by any means allow their Deeds to be brought to the Light, in the ſame way and manner in our Yearly Meetings, for the ſame reaſon, how much ſoever they have by Word or Writing pretended to it, as our ancient Friend William Rogers, as well as myself, hath often obſerved.⁷⁷

Notwithſtanding, as the Pope's Emiſſaries have made no Bones to Excommunicate Perſons out of the Church moſt audaciouſly, (without Hearing of their Cauſe) in their Abſence, as well as without giving the Accuſed a Copy of their Charges, in order to their Defences.⁷⁸

So hath our Fox's Vaſſals been guilty of the ſame Crimes alſo, in all reſpećts, towards John Wilkinſon, John Story and John Whitehouſe, amongſt others, as hath been largely proved, beyond their Abilities to defend themſelves.⁷⁹

Through which corrupt Praćtices, as the Popiʃh Church of Rome laid their Chriſtian Monitors under a neceſſity to publiſh their juſt Charges againſt them, in the moſt publick Places of Converſe in the city of Conʃtance, in order to their Diſcharge for their abuſive Aſperſions.⁸⁰

So our depraved Quaker Church, by ſuch ungodly Aćtions, hath in like manner laid me, and others of their true Friends, under the like neceſſity to expoſe them to all the World, by a publication of our juſt Charges in City and Country againſt them; which they have been ſo far from making a right uſe of, through their true Repentance of their great Wickedneſs, as that they have hardened themſelves and Collegues therein, by Railing againſt us, as Tellers of their Weakneſſes in Gath, and publishing them in Askalon, contrary to Scripture Exhortations; through which provoking Inſolence.⁸¹

When the ancient Proteſtants were concern'd to ſtand up in the Popiſh Aſſemblies, to clear themſelves Viva Voce of their Adverſaries Abuſes, by ſhowing the Chriſtian Courſes they had previouſly taken to prevent it; they uſed to cauſe them to be pull'd out by Violence, in order to their bodily Puniſhment by Civil Magiſtrates, as Diſturbers of their Church, for want of Ability to answer them.⁸²

{Page 291} So hath it been the Practice of thoſe our depraved Quakers, to thruſt, pull, pinch, fight and haul out of their Publick and Private Meetings for the ſame end, as Troublers of their Israel, in like manner, ſuch amongſt us as have been concerned to teſtifie againſt their Corruptions.⁸³

Noteithſtanding, we deliver thoſe that tranſgreſs our Holy Eccleſiaſtical Laws to the Secular Power, to be bound by them, yet it is our Chriſtian Method, to beſeech them earneſtly in the Bowels of Jesus Chriſt, that ſuch ſevere Punishment, as in this behalf is to be done to them maybe ſo moderated, as that no Rigour may be uſed towards them, ʃays the Papiʃt.⁸⁴

And though we were for having the Prieſts baniſhed and ſlain in Oliver's Time, under the Notion of Baal's Prieſts, and were the cauſers of Stubbs and Fowler's Heart-breaking, Penyman and Pearſon's Impriſonmenrt, Perrot and Rich's forſaking the Kingdom, and Boyse and Larrence's, &c. barbarous Bruiſes and Bloodshed, by hauling them out of our Meetings and Galleries, &c. into the open Street, in order to their further Punishment by the Civil Magiſtrate, for their Oppoſition to our Inſtuitions, &c. yet 'tis well known , how tenderly we have dealt with them, and with what great earneſtneſs we have ſought their Welfare, ʃays our depraved Quaker.⁸⁵

Wherefore, ſuffer none to preach, teach or defend any Errors, or read Hereticks Books, neither admit John Wickcliff, Nicholas H4rford, Philip Repindon &c. (who are vehemently ſuſpećted of Heresy) unto the Office of Preaching, whilſt they clear their Innocency before us, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁸⁶

{Page 292} And ſuffer no Diviſions or Schiſms amongſt us, nor read Adverſaries Books, neither admit Richard Ranʃom, nor any Woman Friend or Friends from London or Eſſex, to Travel with him to preach, but admonſh him and them to return home, and be firſt reconciled (as we have done here in London) by condemninf himſelf, for his diſorderly breaking out againſt our Miniſtering Brethren, &c. ſince our depraved Miniſters ought (whatever hath been their Gifts) to leave off Miniſtring till they be reconciled to the Church, ʃaith the Quakers.⁸⁷

Alſo ſee, that no manner of Perſon from henceforth Print, or preſume to bring, ſell, recieve or detain, any written or printed Book, Propoſition, Poſition, Sentence, Word, Syllable, or Letter, which is, or ſhall hereafter be made againſt the Faith Catholic, or againſt the Decrees, Laws, and Orcinances of the Holy Church, ʃaith the Papiʃt.⁸⁸

And as it hath for a long time been our Praćtice, to overſee ſuch Books as are to be printed, to ſee that all our Monthly and Quarter Meetingw reſpećtively take notice of all Friends Books, that are or may be ſent to them for that end; and if any out of Unity of the Body of Friends, print publish, or offer to ſale, anythat is not of Service for the Turth, or approved by Friends, we do Warn and Charge all Friends to beware, and take heed of having any Hand in printing, publiſhing, or ſpreading ſuch Books or Writings, ʃaith the Quaker.⁸⁹

In purſuance of which Antichriſrian Injunćtions, as the Pope and his Popelings have not ſruck to falſify ancient Counsils and Writings, by purging out ſuch Parts of them, as diſcovered his Antichriſtian Uſurpation and Cruelty.⁹⁰

{Page 293} So hath our Fox and his Foxlings in like manner, made no Bones to race out ſuch Partd of our ancient Friends Books and Papers, as detećted their Error, Apoſtacy and Tyranny. In Conſequence of whicj Wickedneſs.⁹¹

As thoſe pretendedly Holy Romiſh Prieſtſ judg'd it far better to ſuppreſs all publication of the laſcivious Intrihues of their Monks, Friers andNuns, than to expoſe thek to the World, to the jusg Ignominy of thoſe idle Profeſſions, leſt the Hereticks (as they call them) ſhould make their Advantage of it.⁹²

So hath it been the praćtice of our pretendedly ſanćtify'd, Innocent and Harmeleſs Quakers, to uſe all the deceitful Arts their Lighr within could furniſh them with, to conceal the bodily Debaucheries (as well as Religious Corruptions) of their chief Teachefs, by diſcouraging all Attempts of their Diſcovery, inorder to their Repentance, leſt their Oppoſers ſhould deećt their pretences to Infallibility by such Instances of thie Imperfećtion; notwithſtanding⁹³

The Lord who hath thus advanced us to the Office of the See Apoſtolick, is our Witneſs, how we both Day and Night, revolvin in our Mind, do cogitate nothing more, than how to ſatiſfie the Partd of a good Paſtor, inſomuch as there is no one particular Sheep therein, ſo infećted, ſo ſick, and ſo far gone aſtray, who our deſire is not to recover, ſeek and reduce into the Lord'd Fold again, hiw much ſoevef we have ſuffered by their Reproaches, ʃaith the Romiſh Pope.⁹⁴

{Page 294} And as I make my Appeal and Supplication againſt this jealous, dividing, rending Spirit, that hath appeared in Strife, &c. againſt thy Servants; ſo thou knowest, O Lord, that as thou haſt endowed me with a Chriſtian Spirit, and with Faith, Parience, and Rejoycing under all my ſufferinfs, thou haſt endowed me alſo with the Spirit of Righteous Judgment, Understanding and Zeal, in defence of thy Gospel, Amen, Amen, ʃaith the Soul of George Whitehead, our preʃent City Quaker Pope.⁹⁵

Wherefore, ſince this Martin Luther contemptuously continues to expose our Holineſs, by his Heretical Books, we Will and Command, under the Virute of Holy Obedience, that you straitly burn, or cauſe tobe burned, his Errors, in the ſight of the Clergy, under the penalty of our high Displeaſure, ʃays the Romish Pope.⁹⁵

And as we have Time after Time commanded Henry Pickworth to make away his reflećtious Book againſt our Holy Order, which he still contempuouſly refuses; ſo we exhort thee Thomas Robinſon to burn, or ſee Henry Pickworthburn (or ſome otherways make away) the ſame, as he expećts to get on with his Marriage amongſt us, ʃays George Whitehead, our City Quaker Pope.⁹⁶

In purſuance of which Antichriſtian Exhortations, as the Popiʃh Bigots are ſo stićt in the Observation of their Popiʃh Rules, as that they will have Ashes on Aʃh-Wedneʃday, though they aćt never ſo much Wickedneſs at Night; refuſe to eat Fleſh on Fridays for Conscience-ſake, though they ſcruple not to Swear, Drink and Dice all the Night.⁹⁷

So have I known if our Starch'd Quakers, who, though they would not trangreſs their Fox's and Whitehead's Rules, in buying Tythe-Corn of a Prieſt; call First-Day, Sunday; a Steeple-Houſe, a Church. ſay You for Thou; Thank ye, for Father your received; wear a needleſs Button; or take {Page 295} an Oath to end Strife between Man and Man for Conscience-ſake, whatevef any ſuffered for want of it: Will not only ſtick to buy ſtollen Corn, &c. of Mens Sons and Servants, but alſo cheat you in Bargains and Bills of Account moſt unmercifully, if not well look'd to, wherein they as certainly come off ſcot-free, as they are ſurely ſeverely cenſured for the leaſt Omiſſion of thoſe their Apoſtles Impertinences.⁹⁸

Thus as Ignorance in the Church of Rome paſſeth for Simplicity,in favour whereof they attribute, Blessed are the PoorinSpirit, &c. to perſwade their Votaries to lay by the uſe of their Reaſon, the better to chouſe the into a Subjećtion to their Innovations,and pick their Pockets for their Indulgences.⁹⁹

So nothing is more cry'd out on by our Quaker Bigots, than the Exerciſe of our Rational Faculties, in our detećtion of their Impertinencies, to enſlave us the more easily, through our Stupidity; in favour whereof, as they call loudly upon us to exclude the Reason, the Wiſdom, and the Jealouſy, and have our Eye to the Brethren, that if we don't ſee, we may follow them that do; undernpretence, that as we muſt be Fools for Chriſt's ſake, Wiſdom will undo us, for which cauſe we muſt not only keep down the Wiſe part, but alſo come to deſpiſe it. In order whereto¹⁰⁰

Conſider, That as without the Church there can be no Salvation, ſo let not Vain-Glory have the upper Hand: Nor do thou Hugh Latimor be wiſe in your own Conceit, but humiliate you ſelf, captivate your Underſtanding, and ſubmit your self to the Church's Determination, that we may not be forced to do all we may do againſt you, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹⁰¹

{Page 296} And as we own, there is no Salvation out of the true Church, (which we know ours to be) ſo let not vain Conceit puff thee up, nor abound in thy own Senſe Henry Pickworth, but take Shame to thy ſelf, and depend not on thy own Wisdom, but meekly submit thy ſelf to our Elders Determination; it being abominable Pride in any particular, not to admit the Church's Judgment to take place againſt their private one, &c. that we may not be forced to exerciſe our Authority in thy Excluſion out oc our Holy Unity, ʃaith the Quaker¹⁰²

Thus after the Pope's Catholick Religion, as a Christian Man is defined to be one that is baptized in the Latin Tongue comes to Church, Keeps Faſting-Days, comes under Benedicite, does Penance, hears Maſs, ſets up Candles, creeps to the Croſs, takes Holy Bread, goes on Proceſſion and Pilgrimage, carries Pal,s, takes Aſhes, Faſts Ember-Weeks, Rogatiom-Days and Vigils, buy Pardons live a ſtrait Life, wears broen and sad coloured Cloaths, according to his ſadneſs, receives the Pope for his ſupream Head, and obeys his Laws without wavering, none of which he repeal to honour a King.¹⁰³

So in like manner is one a true Chriſtian, according to our depraved Quaker Catholick Sect, who refuſes to pay Tythes, denies to give Money towards ſetting forth the Militia, renounces the uſe of defensive Arms, refrains to wear Skimming-diſh Hats, Slit-peak Waſtcoats, Head Coif Lace, Boot-hoſe Tops, needleſs Buttons, denies lawful Oaths, refuſes to uncover his Head, or bow his Body to his Superiors, ſtrictly keeps to his Thee and Thou, renounces the Lord's Supper with Bread and Wine as Unchriſtian, keeps a cloſe Diſcipline, owns G. Fox to be ordained in the place of Moʃes as the Lord Anointed, to inſtitute WomensmMeetings, and obey his Orders without wavering, {Page 297} none of which as they cauſe to retraćt, they cannot diſpence with the breach of any of them, though we loſe our Lives by our ſubjećtion to them, being well ſatisfied, that their Friends Meanings were ſound. ¹⁰⁴

Thus as Superſtition is ſaid to creep in by Popʃh Monks, through their Ignorance of our free Juſtification by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt; being yoked and tied in all their Doings to certain prescript Rules and formal Obſervations of the Pope's Invention, in Watching, in Sleeping, in Eating, in Riſing, in Praying, in Walking, in Talking, in Looking, in Taſting, in Touching, in Handling, in their Geſtures and Veſtures, &c. whereby inſtead of perſevering in the true Faith above-mentioned, they came to ſwim in Superſtitution and Phariſaical Hypocriſy, till they had loſt both Religion and Sense.¹⁰⁵

So as thoſe Noncons among us, of Fox's Order, are in like manner yoak'd and tied in all their Preachments and Praćtices, by preſcript Rules and formal Impertinencies of his deviſing, under pretence of the Spirit; 'tis no great wonder, that in =ſtead of a growth of the Article of our free Juſtification byFaith in Chriſt acrucify'd &c. they ſhould only grow, in the firſt, ſecond, third and fourth Day, Thou and Thee, Yea and Nay, with their other ſuch Singularities, wherein they (with their Monkiſh Predeceſſors) pride themſelves, ſtill they have ſo far loſt Chriſt's Religion, as that they have alſo with them in great Meaſure, loſt both Chriſtianity and their Wits. In further proof whereof¹⁰⁶

We affirm, That as good Works are the meritorious Cauſe of our Juſtificarion, (i.e. ſuch as the Church hath enjoyn'd) ſo we expećt Salvation by performing them, and not by Chriſt alone without them, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹⁰⁷

And as good Works are the meritorious Cauſe of our Juſtificarion, ſo we expećt to be saved by ſuch, as Chriſt (meaning the Light within) works in us, and not by what he hath done and ſuffered in his own Perſon without us, ʃaith the Quaker¹⁰⁸

'Tis a Toy that you have found out of your own Head, as though a Man not believing as the Church believes were of the Church, ʃaith the Papiʃt.

And 'tis in vain for any to pretend to be a Member of the Church, who doth not believe as the true Church believes. (For which Cauſe we can't ſign a Certificate in thy Favour Henry Pickworth, ſince thou neither believes in our Order againſt First Couſen Marriage, nor hath condemned thy ſelf for thy disbelief therein) ʃaith the Quaker.¹⁰⁹

Wherefore, pray obſerve the evil Luck of ſuch as favoured not our Religion; and again, the good Hap and Proſperity of the Queen's Highway (i.e. Queen Mary) because ſhe does, ʃays the Papiʃt.¹¹⁰

And pray obſerve the evil Luck of Rogers, Bugg, Perrot, Wilkinſon and Penyman, &c. who oppoſed our Goſpel Orders, &c. and again, the good Hap of Pen, Atkinſon, Antrobus, Warrin, Willowby, Ruſt, Pinder, Leacock, Thurſton, Langhorne, Smith, Cater, Plumʃtead and Sandiland, &c. who wrote and preac'd powerfully in behalf of them; for which Cauſe we prophesſy, That thou Henry Pickworth will alſo come to Nought in this World, and be Damn'd in the next, ʃaith the Quaker.¹¹¹

For which cauſe, they are Madmen, Fools, and Brainleſs, &c. that oppoſe our Church, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹¹²

And they are Mad or Craiz'd in their Intellećts who oppoſe ours, ʃaith the Quaker¹¹³

The Reaſon why our Church of Rome is the true Church, is its Viſibility and Infallibility, and Power of working Miracles, out of which is no Salvation, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹¹⁴

And as our Church is both Viſible and Infalible, in which many ſuch Miracles havebeen wrought (though we din't glory in them) ſo ours is the only true Church, out of which none can be ſaved, ʃaith the Quaker.¹¹⁵

The Proteſtant Miniſters are Intruders, Thieves, Robbers, Hypocrites, ravenous Wolves, Murtherers, Son of Belial, falſe Prophets, and Prieſts of Baal, &c. ʃays the Papiʃt.¹¹⁶

{Page 300} The Epiſcopal Ministers, &c. who oppoſe our Doćtrines, are not only Theives, Robbers, Hypocrites, ravenous Wolves, Bears, Murtherers, Sons of Belial, falſe Prophets, &c. but alſo a parcel of venomous, obnoxious, creeping, skulking Vermin, ʃaith the Quaker.¹¹⁷

Your Bible is a brazen-fac'd Book, an unjuſt and perverſe Bible, and not the Word of the Lord, or any certain Rule, as you repreſent it, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹¹⁸

The Bible is a Lesbian Rule, Noſe of Wax, rotten Foundation, and in no Senſe the Word of God, but dangerous for ignorant People to read, ʃaith the Quaker¹¹⁹

But as for our Books, we have juſtly entitled them, Evangelium Eternum, Evangelium Spiritus Sancti, the everlaſting Gospel, the Goſpel of the Holy Ghoſt, &c. ſaith the Papiſt.¹²⁰

And we have alſo as uuſtly entitled ours, The Everlaſting Goſpel, True and Everlaſting Rule, Truth and Innocency, Truth Prevalant, Truth Triumphant, Banner of Love, The Word of the Lord, and the Word of the Lord to Zion, &c. ſaith the Quaker.

When we kneel or pray to Images, we never Worſhip the dead Images, but the Things they repreſent, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹²¹

And when we kneeled or proſtrated our ſelves before our great Apoſtle Fox, we never ador'd the Perſon of George Fox, but the Life of Chriſt within him. Wherefore, why might not Micaiah's Mother be a Vertuous Woman, as George Fox ſaid, {Page 301} though ſhe worſhipped Images, ſince ſhe dedicated the Silver to the Lord, what ſhe did, ſhe did to the Lord, ʃaith the Quaker.¹²²

Whereas you ſay, Chriſtians eat Chriſt's Body Spiritually, in their receiving the Lord's Supper, &c. that is but a blind ſhift or deſcant, for we in the Sacrament really, carnallyand ſubſtantially eat it, ʃaith the Papiʃt.¹²³

Are whereas you ſay, You eat Chriſt's Body by Faith inthe ſame, as it is circumſcrin'd or limited inthat Heaven which is above, and out of every Man on Earth. We do on the contrary affert, Thqt as his Body isnot ſo circumſcrib'd, we really and ʃubʃtantially eat it, as we fel it within us, ſaith the Quaker.¹²⁴

In purſuance of which Impertinence, as the Romaniʃts ſeldom take any place of Scripture inthe Literal Senſe, beſides their Sacramental Words, Hoc eʃt Corpus Meum, This is my Body; where they keep to the Literal Senſe moſt obſtinaterly.¹²⁵

So how averſe ſoever our depraved Quakers are from taking Chriſt's Command, Do this in remembrance ofme, &c. according to their true Literal Senſe; Know ye not thqt Chriʃt is in you, &c. they will ſtick to and underſtand in their Literal groſs Senſe moſt tenaciouſly. Infavour of which Abſurdity,¹²⁶

As the Papiſts in ſetting forth their fine Pulpit Thoughts, ſeek to back them by ſome Texts of Scripture that ſeems to favour them, to which for the moſt part as they give forc'd Turn, or moſt groſely pervert it, they commonly quote nothing but ends and Scraps of Verſes, without telling {Page 302} what goes before, follows after, or where to find what they quote.¹²⁷

So our Foxonian Preachers, in ſetting forth their fine Quaker Thoughts in honour if their Impertinences, in like mannernattempt to prove them by ſome Text of Scripture, to which for the moſt part they not only give forc'd Turn, but alſo often pervert the Text, as well as put us off with an End or Scrap of a Verse, without telling us what goes before, follows after, or where to find what they quote.¹²⁸

And when thoſe Popiʃh Miſſioners have furniſhed themſelves with a good Stock of Sermons upon different Subjećts, they forthwith ſend to Rome, and demand a Miſſion of the Pope, to go and preach them in ſuch Towns and Provinces as they deſign for.¹²⁹

So do our Quaker Preachers (after they have gotten a good Stock of ſuch Subjećts from their Light within, as they have mind to preach) in like manner repair to London, to requeſt George Whitehead, our preſent City Quaker Pope's Allowance, to preach them in ſuch Towns and Countries as they are diſpoſed for.¹³⁰

In defence of which Abſurdities, as it is obſerved to be the Papiſt Method, 1. To falſly gather, 2. Perverſly recite. 3. Craftily handle 4. Maliciouſly mangle, 5. Unrighteouſly add or diminſh, and 6. Moſt wickedly wreſt to a wrong meaning, the Books of ſuch Proteſtants as they pretend to Anſwer.¹³¹

{Page 303} So have our depraved Quakers in like manner to my knowledge, been juſtly charged with avoiding all ſolid Anſwers, by ſome petty Cavil, in 1. Confeſſing what they deny with an idle Diſtinćtion. 2. Acknowledge their Opponents Charges, by ſaying nothing, or what's nought to the purpoſe. 3. Uſe ſome Deceit in their Terms of Denial, which every Reader cannot diſcover. Or 4. Take occaſion from ſome Circumſtance, perhaps not rightly placed, to deny the whole Matter; amongſt other ſuch evaſive Devices to conceal their Corruptions. In a deep Senſe whereof, I conclude, That as there is no way to work them out of their lurking Holes, than Authoritatively ſummoning them to a fair Hearing in ſuch Verbal Conferences as they appear moſt afraid of, notwithſtanding their antient Demands of them; ſo inorder thereto I muſt tell them,¹³²

That as the depraved Church of Rome loſt the Power and Wiſdom of God (the ancient Chriſtians witneſſed)by ſuch deceitful Devices, when they fell to Wrangling and Jangling about the Obſervation of Eaſter, Number of Fasting-Days, Re-baptiſm of Hereticks, &c. till they not only envied and derided one another, in calling each other Hereticks, Apoſtates, Atheiſts, &c. but alſo finally excommunicated and perſecuted one another, according to Francis Howgil's Relatiion.¹³³

They by forſaking their Primitive Principle of the Spirit of God, through their Advancement of their Fox's erring Dićtates inthe place of it, not only in like manner fell on to Quarrel one with another, about their pretended holy, decent and comely Orders, Womens Meetings, and formal Affirmations, &c. but alſo proceeded to far in their Enmity againſt each other, as firſt, To call one another Dark, Separate, Canker'd, Apoſtate Spirits, Devil driven, Dungy Gods, betraying Judas's; and then to Excommunicate, Perſecute and Abuse one {Page 304} another, as afore-notified; notwithſtanding all which, both aſſume the Confidence to claim Chriſt, his Apoſtles and Foloowers in all Ages, as their Patrons againſt their Oppoſers, In purſuance whereof

Come ʄorth St. Auſtin, come ʄorth St. Ambroſe, Hierom, Gregory and Chryſostome, &c. Now Dance Peter, now Dance Paul, Auſtin, Ambroſe and Hierom, &c. againʃt thoʃe Hereticks, ſays the Papiſt, till the Preacher and his Pulpit hath come tumbling headlong together.¹³⁴

So as Chriſt, his Apoſtates, Martyrs and Confeſſors in all Ages are manifeſtlyours; Come ye Epiʃopalians, come ye Presbyterians, come ye Independents, comeye Baptiſts, come out of y9ur Holes, come out of your Dens, and let's hear how you do Sing. Come forth Matthew Coffin, come Jeremiah Ives, come William Barnit, come Thomas Vincent, Lamb, Porter, and Muggleton the Sorcerer, with you Jeſuits, Prieʃts Monks, Friers, Star-Gazers, and all the Devil's Conjurers. Hiwl ye Papiʃts, howl, howl, howl ye Baptiʃts; Woes, Judgments, Plagues and Torments will aſſuredly come upon you, ſays the Quaker; tillthey have (with their afore-menrioned Predeceſſors) inlike manner foil'd themſelves to Death by theif Babblements. Yet (will they pretend, that as the leaſt Member of their Church hath Powef to judge of Hearts, Ears, and Lips of Apoſtles, Miniſters and Meſſengers, &c.) we muſt be impoſed on to believe, Thqt there is no othef Society of profeſs'd Christians in the whole Univerſe, so remore from the Papiſts as theirs is, though none in the World are in Doćtrine, Diſcipline and Praćtice become ſo exaćtly like them, througj the Enemies Transformations, for want of ſubjećting thoſe thwt were the occaſion {Page 305} of it, to a timely Examination in a free Confer3nce, according to their ancient Pretenſions and true Friends Solicitations.¹³⁵

Wherefore as God hath a Time to judge the Great Whore, according to Revelations xvii. when the Time of his Judgments comes upon the Earth, he begins with his own Houſe firſt, and ſo with that which hath taken upon it to ſeparate from Babilon to ſee what he can find of Babilon therein , and he will judge that, before he fall upon the Great Body of the Myſtery of Iniquity, accordinf to 1 Pet. iv. 17. Heb. x. 30, &c. if their long mournful Friend Isaac Penington may be credited.¹³⁶

Inaſmuch as we have found a great deal of Babilonin thoſe our pretendedly moſt refined Proteſtant Quakers, we have from thoſe their own alledged Texts, (compared with the Ezek. ix.) great Cauſe to fear, he will begin with them in the firſt place, according to the Chriſtian Propheſies of many others of their true Friends, beſides this Isaac Penington: Which, ſince they liked not my Collećtion, with Relation to others, I ſhall preſent them with a ſhort Catalogue of concerning themſelves, to ſee if they can meet with any better Treatment from their Hands, (as they are more than I am obliged to, with relation to the Proof of my Twenty Charges) one would think they ſhould, they look ſo like one of their beloved Popiſh Works of Supererrogation; in order whereto Firſt,

To paſs by thoſe ſevefal Nameleſs ones in the Several Tracts,and Account of the Life of John Penyman, (all whicj ſhall be moſt ſurely fulfilled in their Season) that of our Friend John Perrot,as ſet forth ina Prophetic Treatiſe of his, printed in 1682, alittle before his Expiration, (concerning the Empires of Greece and Germany, together with the Kingdoms of France, Spain, and England) as he {Page 306} was the firſt that was preſerved in his Chriſtian Teſtimony againſt their Depravity, through the utmoſt Effećts of their Church Tyranny,he ſhall have the firſt place in this my Collection, who in a Senſe of their Falſhood, Idolatry, Pride, Hypocriſy, Apoſtacy and Cruelty, was made to pronounce the Lord's juſt Judgment agqinſt thoſe who had once been his Sanćtuary, as follows,

Wo, wo, unto the Sanćtuary of the Lord, for it is polluted; Wo to the Mountain of the Lord, for it is at eaſe; the Habitation where the God of Jacob ſhoiod dwell, is become the Habitation of Devils; the Day is cominf that it ſhall be plowed like a Field, and the Families of the Mountain ſhall Worſhip apart, yea, every one apart, and their Wives apart: Behold, a Deſolation is coming from the four Winds, which ſhall ſcatter the Inhabitants of the Mountain, becauſe they truſted in themſelves, and not in the Lord; they thought that their Mountain ſhould be their Safety inthe Day of Trouble, but lying Vanities ſhall not deliver in that Day; neither ſhall taking the Lord's Name in vain be a Refuge; for they have gone aſtry from the Ways of the Lord; every one walks in and loves his own Way, and is gone a Whoring after other Gods; their Covetouſneſs is their Delight; they walk not in the Truth, neither do they love it, but Deceit is their covering all the Day long; they profeſs and draw near to the Holy One in Words, but their Hearts are fqr from him; they walk craftily with their Neighbour, and deal deceitfully with their Friend, and make the Profeſſion of the Lord's Holineſs their covering; they fill their Mouths with vain Words, and condemn the Tings which they do, and yet hate him that reproves in the Gate; ſhall not the Lord viſit for theſe for Things; ſhall not the Holy One take Vengeance ſuddenly; for the Pride of their Hearts, their Fooliſh Imaginations, and their Spiritual Idolatry in High Places; which would conſtrain the Lord to their Mountain, and the Holy One to their Habitations; {Page 307} is he not the God of the whole Earth? Shall Men limit his Spirit, or teach him to underſtand, who is the Fountain of Wiſdom? Surely no: The Time was when thou waſt a ſmall People, and little in thine own Eyes; thou didſt walk in Simplicity; Innocency was thy Coverinv, and Lowlineſs of Mind became thy Habitation; Truth in the inward Parts was thy Delight, and the Lord rejoyced to do his Plant good, and to bleſs it, and increase it, that it might flouriſh, and bring forth good Fruit; but when the Time came that he expećted Fruit, behold nothing but Barrenneſs, and Deakneſs, and wild Grapes; what ſhall the Lord do to this his Plant? He will prune it and dreſs it, and cut off all the dead and barren¹³⁷ Branches, and thoſe that bring ʄorth wild Grapes, and graʄt other Braches in; a Day of Vengeance from the Lord is coming, which ſhall try all fleſh, and it ſhall begin at the Lord's Sanćtuary firſt: Wo, wo, unto thoſe that have known the Way of Truth, and have not walked anſwerable to it, but have made Deceit their Covering, and have walked like careleſs Daughters, at eaſe in the Fleſh; the Lord will viſit with Wrath; he will overturn, overturn the deceitful Mourners of the Sanćtuary; the weeping and ſighing Women ſhall not prevail in that Day, which make a Noiſe for Vanity, and hang down their Heads for an Hour, like a Bulriſh, in Deceit; thoſe Things are an Abomination to the Lord, and his Soul hates them; he will ſurely be aveng'd on ſuch a People as this, the Prophaners of his holy Name; with much more to this purpoſe; all which as he often declared his belief of in his Life, ſo he died in Faith of the Truth of it.

The next is our truly worthy Friend, (and honeſt John Perrot's Supporter) Robert Rich, a conſiderable Merchant, and one of the emineneſt Quakers {Page 308} in London, who as he ſtood by the ſaid John Perrot, and deeply ſuffered with him in all his Diſtreſſes, he alſo worthily reigns with him over their Perſecutors, by his Prophetick Teſtimony of their Downfall; wherein, after he had ſorrowfully complained of the Spirit of Antichriſt in George Fox, as what would needs wreſt from him what he was not willing to part withal [to wit, his Conscience] under no leſs penalty than Excommunication, he tells us,¹³⁸

I have long ſeen the Abomination that maketh deſolate, ſtanding amongſt the Quakers; wherefore hear the Work of the Lord, ye Rulers of Sodom, and People of Gomorrah, 'tis that Spirit of Anichrſt that hath encompaſſed your Jeruʃalem about, as with Armies, by which we know, the Deſtrućtion thereof draweth nigh; finally, 'tis that Spirit of Wickedneſs, in the Form of Righteouſneſs, that hath already torn your ſcrown from off your Heads, and diſcovered your Secret Parts, ʃo that the Scab of Contention and Striʄe is ʃeen, that will never leave or ceaʃe to divide you, till the Name of a Quaker become a Hiʃs an a Scorn amongʃt the Nations¹³⁹; and you that for your vaſt Number of your Tribes, have ſeem'd to magnifie your ſelves in your increaſe of Children; Wo be to you that now give Suck, and take ſo much pains to add to your Sećt; for behold, in one Day, Loſs of Children and Widowhood ſhall come upon you: For of this I am moſt certain, That a bitter lying and perʃecuting proud Spirit inhabits your Tents; which Babiloniſh Garment hath long been ʃeen to lie hid amongʃt that Tribe call'd the Miniʃtry and Leaders of the Quakers. Even ſuch Spiritual Wickedneſs, which if praćtis'd amongſt the Presbyterians or Independents, &c. (who ye diſown, {Page 309} and can ſee nothing that is Good in) they would abhor themſelves therein; which you, as with a Whore's Forehead, boldly maintain and defend; you are in truth thoſe that juſtifie your ſelves before Men, but God knoweth your Hearts, and the Day is at hand, even at the Door, which will diʃcover, reveal and preach, as upon the Houʃe Tops, many and great Abominations which yet lie hid amongʃt you, that ʃo you may be judged according to your Deeds.

I am conſtrain'd, contrary to my Nature, to plead like a Man of Contention, againſt this proud, phariſaical and perverſe Generation; this Leviathan and crooked Serpent, in whoſe Noſtrils (unleſs a Hook be put) would ſwallow not only the Rivers, but alſo the very Sea into himself, viz. receive all, though never ſo Unclean in Heart and Spirit, if outwardly they will but own him, receive his Mark and walk in outward Obſervation and Shew conformable to them, whomwhilentheynprofeſsnthemſelves free from Sin, and being the only Children of God, are notwithſtanding ʃound bitter Perſecutors of the Truth, and Enemies of the Inćtion, the anointed One, in whomʃoever he doth appear, thereby rendring themſelves guilty of all the innocent Blood which hath been ſpilt, from the Blood of righteous Abel even to this Day; all which Blood cries aloud for Vengeance upon the well-favour'd Harlot, Mystery, Babilon, who in the Golden Cups of goodly ſhew of an outward Profeſſion, hath inwardly (with a bitter, ravening and devouring Spirit) made her ſelf Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyers of Jeſus, accounting not their own Reputation, Name, or Fame, in compariſon of their Unity to God, and his People, {Page 310} Ranters Atheiſts, Blaʃphemers, Devils, &c. ſo they may wound the Truth, and ſlay the innocent Defenders thereof; whoſe harmleſs Souls I ſee lying under the Alter of Truth, ſorely oppreſſed for their Teſtimony thereunto, and crying out, How long, Lord God, Holy snd True, will it be e'er thou doʃt judge and revenge our Blood; for whoʃe Elećt ʃake the God of my Salvation will ariʃe, and behold Enmity, Lies, Fqlʃhood, &c. even that Spirit of Wickedneſs, will ʃurely fly, hide it ʃelf and ʃink again into the Bottomleʃs Pit from whence it came; with more to this purpoſe, After which he further tells them,¹⁴⁰

That as their bitter Spirit, like Baalam's of Old, hath led them to Curſe whom God will Bleſs, and bring over them, they muſt fall, and with Haman, Saul and Herod, be enſnard and taken, even in the ſame Pit of cruel Deceit which they have digged for their innocent Brethren. So thus far, ʃays he, I am clear from the Blood of all Men, in that I have not ceas'd, both by Words and Writing, to forewarn of the coming of this Antichriſt among the Quakers, whom(tho for their Shew and Numbers have been as the Stars of Heaven) are formtheirmPridenand Enmity to be caſt down, whoſe Fall is the Riches of the World.

The which, as they had done well, ʃay I, to have timely weigh'd and conſidered, in order to their true Repentance, to avert thoſe threatened {Page 311} Judgments, ſo I muſt remind them of others of their approved Friends Prophetick Teſtimonies to the ſame purpoſe. Inpurſuance whereof, That of our Friend Thomas Upʃher, in a certain Manuſcript of his lately brought to my Hand, direćted To Friends in Ireland and elʃewhere, under the Title of A mornful Word to the merry hearted in Zion, dated Dublin, the 15th of the 3d Month 1699, ſhall have the next place in this my Collection. Wherein, after he hath in reference to Luke vi. 25. amongſt other Scripture Texts, ſeverly reprehended our depraved Brethren, for the fooliſh Talking, Laughing and Jeſting that is amongſt them, he truly tells them,

That as they have taken up their Reſt too ſoon, the Lord is about to diſturb them, and rouze them up out of their falſe Security; for I proclaim, ʃays he in the Lord's Power, that the Time haſtens and draws on apace, that Judgment ſhall eminently and ſearchingly begin at the Houſe of God, in his Sanćtuary, amongſt his People, that are peculiarly call'd by his Name; and the Unfaithful, the Hypocrite and Rotten-hearted ſhall Tremble, with the ſhaking Horror of his ſearching Judgments, inſomuch as the very Pillars of their Houſe ſhall Tremble.¹⁴¹

In a deep Senſe whereof he further tells them,

They ſhall Weep and Mourn in ſolitary Places, and ſtrew their Tears in ſecret Corners, if that they are not willing to come out to Judgment, at the Sound and Alarm of the Trumpet of his Eternal Word; and take warning, be humbled, and cry mightily Day and Night before the Lord, that he may take Vengeance ſpeedily upon that idle Spirit that is amongſt them: {Page 312} With much more to this purpoſe. In Confirmation whereof,

He further declares, That he was under a neceſſity to remind them , of the late Prophecy of the Ancient, Eminent, and Faithful Meſſenger and Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, William Edmundʃon in Dublin at this Half-Years Meetinf, That a dreadful Day of Diʃtreʃs was haʃtening on apace, and should ſurely come to paʃs, in which the Lord would Dung the Ground in this and other Nations, with the Carcaſſes of Men, as well as ʃhake the ʃair and lofty Buildings of many, with the pleaʃant Things they delighted in, as ʃurely as ever it was ʃpoken.becauſe whereof he cried, Prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael! under a mourful Senſe, That ʃome amongʃt us would have their own Way, notwithʃtanding let the Servants of the Lord ʃay what they will, for whoʃe ʃake, ſays he, I am grieved and diʃtressed in Soul, and my Bowels pain'd within me.

Thus far honeſt Thomas Upʃher, together with our Ancient and truly Worthy Friend William Edmundʃon, to whoſe Prophetick Warnings I ſhall annex the Subſtance of their much admired Friend Thomas Wilʃon's, at Grace-Church-Street Meeting-Houſe, the 14th Month 1707, as the ſame was put in Writing, at the Requeſt of ſome Friends, by Thomas Tomʃon, and ſent by him ſubſcrib'd For Sarah Collier of Brigg (another of their Preachers) in Lincolnſhire; wherein he tells us,

That the ſaid Thomas Wilʃon was there cauſed to declare, How that in this Time of outward Liberty, Eaſe, Pride, and other Evils prevailed upon Friends in that City, inſomuch as they grew more when the Rod of Perſecution was upon them, wherefore he feared, That the Lord would viſit this Nation with his Rod. Though he knew they in the City loved not Prophecy, however, he hoped they would allow a Liberty for a Jealouſy, he having a God jealouſy upon him, That the Lord would viſit this Narion with his Rod, and ſend the Beſom of Mortality among the People, ſhewing by the Inſtance of Samuel's {Page 313} Eliah to be the Lord's Anointed, how Wiſe Men may be miſtaken by the glorioua outſide of Things, &c. when they ſee not with the Eyes of God's enlightening. By which, as he was underſtood to mean thoſe Innovations, &c. Our depraved Elders have inſtituted by their Human Wiſdom, as the immediate Dićtates of God's divine Word of Life amongſt us; ſo he, in his very next Words, intimated his Fairh of their and their Author's being laid by, as Objećts of God's Diſpleaſure, in declaring, How God would lay his Hand upon Man, and pour down his Spirit upon the Youth of that City; and ʃend them ʄorth to preach the Goʃpel in other Countries, where they ʃhould Fiʃh in the Creeks, andbring many to the Rock oʄ Salvation Though he again affirm'd , He knew they loved not Propheſy, many of them being againſt it. In a deep Senſe whereof, he ſpoke againſt a ſour Spirit which ſome were got into, comparing it to four Leaven, or the Leaven of the Phariſees, which God would raiſe up others to cry againſt, and Fire thoſe that were got into it out of their Holes and luring Places. Direct ing his Diſcourſe to Miniſtring Friends, ſpeaking ſomewhat of the Altar of Incenſe, but ſaid, He was afraid to ſpeak what was in his Mind touching that Matter, in a mix'd Multitude.¹⁴²

(So greatly it ſeems did he dread the perſecuting ſour Spirit of Antichriſt, thoſe our depraved Leaders ſo inceſſantly purſued our Friend Richard Ranʃam of late, as well as others heretofore with, for their Chriſtian plainneſs towards them). Yet ſo much dropp'd from him as did amount to this, viz. That Miniſtring Friends ʃhould be very careful, not to appear in publick Teſtimony without a right Commiſſion from the Lord, that he might be glorified, and his People comforted; with much more to this purpoſe. Whereby though he and his Scribe Tomſon (like Baalam of Old, concerning the depraved Canaanites) ſeem'd to have a Senſe of our chief Leaders Apoſtacy, as a Warning to themſelves, &c. of their Corruptions.

Yet have we cauſe to ſuſpećt, they are as deep in the Dirt as the other is in the Mire, from the Prophetick Teſtimonies of three others of their profeſs'd Friends, by way of Voice and Signs, at our Midʃummer Quarter Meeting in Anno 1711. whoſe Names are Samuel Shaw, Timothy Burgis and Mary Parks, all of this Town of Sleeſʄord, wherein, as the firſt plainly heard a Voice which cried aloud within him, with relation to this Thomas Wilſon, A Wo is me for him, a Wo is me for him, a Wo is me for him, three Times Suceſſively, to his no ſmall ſurpriſal, conſidering the peculiar Reverence he heretofore bore him; ſo the ſecond was made to roar out after a moſt diſmal rate againſt his depraved Collegue; and the laſt forcibly carried off her Seat Time afteR Time towards the Gallery, with hef Fiſt doubled and Arm ſhaking moſt aſtoniſhingly towards them and the reſt of their Fellow-Preachers, as they ſeverally roſe up to exerciſe their Gifts, as an evidence of God's threatened Vengeance againſt them, to their great Amazement; all which was further confirmed to us by the powerful Operation of the Spirit upon T.B. a few Mornings after, when he was bemoaning their deplorable State, in forcibly cauſing him to put forth his Hand out of Bed, and take hold of a Bible in his reach, and read the firſt Chapter that opened, which proved to be the Ninth of Ezekial, as an Additional Inſtance, that the Cintents thereof will (for the Error, Hereſy, Apoſtacy, Hypociſy, &c. without true Repentance) moſt ſorrowfully affećt them, how much ſoever ſome of them mayhave hardened themſelves againſt all feafs of it, on account of the unhappy ſailure two of the {Page 315} ſaid Parties have been ſince expoſed to, for want of true Watchfulneſs in a State of Humility, as ws ineffećt foretold them.

The next I ſhall remind them of, are certain Prophetick Warnings delivered in the Audience of our depraved Brethren in Lincoln Meeting, by one of their approved Friends, whoſe Name was then Rebecca Cod, now Killingay; the which as I am ſatisſied, from the Events that followed, proceeded from the immediate Word of God's forcible Operations, in order to their Repentance of their numerous Provocations, how much ſoever ſlighted and contemn'd by the Parties concern'd, through the Meaneſs of the Inſtrument that delivered it, ſhall recite the ſame as ſhe in ſubſtance related them in my Audience ſhortly after, as follows,

I being in the Year 1702 made deeply ſenſible of the growing Depravity of our Friends call'd Quakers, was irreſiſtably made to cry out in Publick Teſtimony againſt them, in our Religious Meeting at Lincoln, &c.

Repent ye wicked and ungodly Ones, who have hafdened your Hearts, and ʃtiʄned your Necks againʃt my Divine Requirings, ſaith the Lord; Ye that live in Pride, Idleneſs and Fulneß of Bread, who hath brought Deʃpite unto my Holy Name, there being no worʃe Enemies to me than thoʃe of my own Houʃe, ſaith the Lord, amonʃt whom I have ʃeen the Talons of the Lorx wrapp'd in a White Napkin, and thruʃt under an edge of the Earth.¹⁴³

They preach with polluted Lips in their Meetings, as if they preached for me in a ʃervent Zeal, when as they preach for the Devil at Home in their Lives and Converʃations.

Wherefore, a mean and contemptible Inſtrument the Lord hath raiſed, in his Dread and Fear, to warn you of Repentance and Amendment of Life: It was ʃaid of ʃome of Old, That if one was raiſed from the Dead they would not believe, here you may ʃe one as raiʃed from the Dead, and yet you will not believe the Word of the Lord declared by me.

{Page 316} >At another Time.

Here is a People amongſt us the Lord hath made known his Truth unto, but now they are turn'd a backſilding and rebellious People, and, ſaith the Lord, will ʃooner bring my Judgments upon the Nation, than any other People upon the Earth; wherefore he hath taken up his Complaint againʃt ʃome in this Day, as hedid againʃt thoʃe of Old, that ʃaid They were of Abraham's Seed, when they were of their Father the Devil. Here is a People thqt ʃays, They are the Lord's People, who are doing the Works if the Devil, calling themſelves Friends, whilʃt they are Enemies to the Truth as it is in Jeſus; whereʄore he who ʃaid, He could of theʃe Stones raiſe up Seed unto Abraham, ʃays the ʃame now; Scribes, Phariʃees, &c. cleanʃing the outʃide of the Cup and Plattef, whilʃt they ʄaʃhion themʃelves aʄter the vain Faʃhions of the Word, whoʃe Faʃhions I loath, ʃaith the Lord.

Upon which one of the moſt guilty in the Meeting (where my Mouth was focibly opened as with a Iron Bar, to declare thoſe Truths) riſing up, and ſaying in way Oppoſition, That I knew not what I ſaid, and therefore ought not to name the Name of the Lord, who was a God of Order and not of Conʄuʃion. I was made to make anſwer, That as I very well knew what I ʃaid, ʃo I was not unʃenʃible, That as God was a God of Order, he had outof his ownMouth condemned himʃelf for his diʃorderly walking before him; wherefore,ſaiththe Lord, here is a Profeʃʃor worʃe than the Prophane, as his End ſhortly after manifested accordingly.

Some Time after this, one Morning a mighty ill Savour coming into my Noſtrils, to ſuch a degree as I thought would have strangled me, which I taking to be an Emblem of the Sins of the Nation to the Almighty, the Lord inſtantly made it known to me by his Holy Spirit, That it was as the Stink of the Sins of ſome Profeſſors of Truth amongſt us unto him.

The ſubſtance of all which Teſtimonies, amongſt others of the ſame Nature, as I was conſtrained {Page 317} to deliver in our publick Meetings, the Enemy ever raged in Oppoſition; but when I had finiſhed the ſame, I felt immediate eaſe to my poor bowed down Soul, though I had none Night or Day before I gave up his Divine Requirings therein. Inpurſuance whereof, the Lord hath livingly made known to me, That though he will bring great and ſore Judgments upon this and other Nations, for their numerous Provocationſ, yet he will inthe firſt place bring the ſame upon a Generation of Vipers amongſt his own People, unleſs prevented bytheir ſpeedy Repentance, without which none ſhall be ſaved; ſince as the Rich Man gloried inhis Riches, ſaying, Soul, take thine Eaʃe, thou haʃt Goods laid up for manyYears; when the Lord ſaid unto him, Thou Fool, this Night ʃhall thy Soul be required of thee, then whoʃe ʃhall theʃe Things be? The like, ſaith the Lord, is true of many in this Day, to whom as I have long called and they would not anʃwer, ʃo now they ʃhall call in the Day of Calamity that is coming upon them,and I will not hear them.

Moreover, the Lord hath ſhown me, That he is grieved with ſuch of our Controverſial Books as are written in Man's Wit and Wiſdom; wherein, ſaith the Lord, Man ʃerves himʃelf without God, but cannot ʃerve God without God, ʃince the Lord will vindicate his ownHonour byhis own Spirit, and bring them cloʃe to the Teachings of his own Word, tobeʃpotleʃs People, out of their own Wiʃdom to a State of Nothingneʃs. And cauſed me publickly to declare, That though he would bring a Wo upon thoʃe thqt did his Work negligently, his pure Truth ʃhould yet ʄlouriʃh, in ʃpight of the Devil and his Angels.

Thus far our Lincolnſhire Propheteſs; to whoſe Chriſtian Forewarnings I ſhall annex ſome of our Modern Prophets, lately delivered in our ſeveral Meetings at London, Dublin, Briſtol and Worceſter, to the ſame purpoſe, which how much ſoever ſlighted in like manner by this Phariſaical Generation of lofty Pretenders (on account of thoſe providential {Page 318} Clouds &c. they are from their vulturous Eyes at preſent ſhaded with) ſhall as ſurely be fulfill'd on them as ever they were ſpoken, unleſs prevented by their unexpećted Repenrance. In order whereto

The firſt I think good to notifie, is that attempted to be delivered by Mary Turner, at our Yearly Meering in London, May 23, 1705. where ſhe being hindred by their preſumptuous Interruptions as ſhe began to ſpeak, ſo as ſhe could not deliver her Meſſage, had an Inſpiration at her Home afterward concerning them, with the Spirit's Order to print it (with another to England) and ſend them ſeveral Papers thereof the Day after, as ſhe did accordingly; which ſo far as immediately relates to them, is as follows,

As nothing that is the leaſt defiled or polluted can agree with the Holy and Righteous Being, ſo nothing that the Almighty can behold here on Earth that is not defiled, that is not polluted; hiw do you think that the Almighty ſhould behold his Spouſe ſpotleſs? Are ye not all over Leproſy, from the Crown of the Head to the Soal of the Foot, and who could find out a way for the cleanſing of this, for the Cure thereof, but your Lord alone? What though many pretend to waſh themſelves, yet their Labour is but in vain, their Medicine they go about to ſeek for, and their Phyſitian are all alike, and of no value. How it it then, I ſay, That your Lord beholds his Church ſpotleſs before him? What is it, think you, they are to be waſhed with? What Medicine is it they muſt make uſe of? Although I have declared this plainly, yet the blind World are ignorant of it, and are willing to remain ſo. Have I not declared, That a Fountain ſhall be ſet open for Sin and for Uncleanneſs? And what is that Fountain but my Son's Blood? Was not this performed when a Soldier camd and pierced him, and from thence Water and Blood proceedex; and by this alone my People are justified; this is the Fountain they muſt waſh in; {Page 319} here is ſufficient to cleanſe them from all their Filthineſs; this is that Balm that muſt cure the wounded Soul; this is that Medicine by which the Leprous Soul muſt be cured, or all others will prove fallible; it is, my Children, through this Fountain, this clear Fountain of my Son's Blood, thqt I behold my Church ſpotless; but many are niw running to Phyſitians of no Value, many are running to their broken Ciſterns, and forſake this Fountain, by and in which they muſt be waſhed, or I can never behold them but with Abhorrence; for know, I am of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, I cannot behold Sin with the leaſt Approbation; but how con I behold them, but in my immaculate Lamb, in whom I am alone well pleaſed, but out of him a conſuming Fire: This is not a light Thing my Children, no , it is the main Thing that concerns your Salvation, therefore ſee ye to it, that not one Soul of ye may be found out of him: This is that that I would not have mine ignorant of, but even moſt that profeſs the Name of Jeſus, are ignorant of what Work he hath accompliſhed for them, but more eſpecially thoſe that pretend to have my Spirit in a wonderful meaſure; of thoſe ſome of you had a view this Day; for were they the People they pretend to be, they would excel all others; but this is not the Caſe with them now, for they being ignorant of my Righteouſneſs, go about to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of their own, but have submitted themſelves to the Righteouſneſs, which is by Faith in my Son: They pretend to the greateſt Humility, but, know ye my Children, this doth not conſiſt in their Form; for true Humility conſiſeth in this, That they behold themſelves ſimple, fooliſh Nothings, ignorqnt Creatures, laying themſelves low at the Feet of their Lord, and ſubmit to his Teachings; but this they pretend to, is what they wilſully and obſtinately rejećt: They are a proud, ſelf-conceited, a Phariſaical People, but this they cannot bear to hear, {Page 320} for they are a People Wiſe in their own Eyes, and ſay in their Hearts to others, Stand by, I am Holier than thou; they are as a Smoak in my Noſtrils, and as a Fire that burneth all the Day. This, this is the Abomination my Soul hateth, but WO, Wo, Wo, to the Rejećtors of the Meſſage of my Spirit, which I have promiſed ſhall guide them in all Truth; but this they think they are guided into already, and think they need no higher Teaching; but Alas, Alas, what ſhall I ſay to theſe Things? Shall their Righteouſneſs plead for them? No; for this is not a ſufficient Plea for them. Remember, I ſay, they are eſtabliſhing one of their own; for ſhould ye ask many of them, what is the Ground of their Faith? What it is they hope to be ſaved by? They would come ſhort of a ſufficient Anſwer, they are ready to plead their Righteouſneſs, their Obedience, their Humility, but this is not ſufficient, for only Bleſſed is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Sin, likewiſe, Bleſſed is that Man in whoʃe Heart there is no Guile; but where ſhall be found ſuch a Man? Only the Man Chriſt Jeſus, for it was him alone that was the true Iſraelite in whom there was no Guile found, and in no other; but theſe their Babiloniʃh Ways ſhall be brought down in a little time; for thoſe who are the greateſt Condemners of Babilon, they, I ſay are in the midſt, yet they are blind and cannot ſee, nay, many of them are even as bad as thoſe that go to the Pope for Pardon, for whilſt they look at their own Qualifications, as I may ſay, many, many of them do, qs pleading of their own Righteouſneſs to be meritorious, they under value my Son and his Righteouſneſs, never conſidering what Perfećtion they muſt ſtand in; for as I ſaid already, 'tis in him who is without Guile, for inhim I behold ye perfećt, and wherein there is the leaſt Imperfećtion, I cannot behold ſuch ſpotleſs; but this is my Son alone, for their own Righteouſneſs is of no value: O my Children, This is not Caſe {Page 321} alone, but many, many beſides them; ſearchmdiligently and ſee, whethernye are notmignorantnof this alſo; caſt your Eyes inward: Can ye ſay, I know wherein my Perfećtion lies; ſee that ye are empty ofnevery Thing that is in Oppoſitionmto this, for Thouſands of Oppoſitions and Ten Thouſands riſe up in your Souls, for this is that which oppoſes my Son, and undervalues him: What think ye of him, who trod the Wine-Preſs alone, and of the People there was none with him, did he not perfećt the Work? Did he not cry out, It was ʄiniʃhed? Let none therefore plead any Thing of their own Works, for this is an Abomination to me, therefore abhor it in your ſelves: Did he not bear the Wrath due to you? And had He not done it, you had all been miſerable: For nothing can ye do, no Righteouſneſs of y0urs is ſufficient to prevail with me for the leaſt Sin of yours, how much leſs then for the greateſt? O! conſider therefore, and give Glory to him, to whom it is due, let him have all the Glory, who is the Beginning and Ending of your Salvation, who is now at the Right-Hand of the Father pleading for you, who will appear in his glorious Majeſty, and will give to every one his Reward, even according to the9r Righteouſneſs: But, conſider my Children =, what is ſaid of him, He is the Lord your Righteouſneſs; therefore in this Righteousneſs ye ſhall be found , but the Wicked according to their Doings: Therefore admire that Righteouſneſs in the Lamb, in which all his Church muſt be ſpotleſs, and in which Rayment ſhe ſhall be adorned, ſo as the Bridegroom may rejoyce over his Spouſe; this is the Wedding Garment ye muſt ſtand in, therefore ſee none of you come ſhort of this.¹³⁵

Thus far the Holy Spirit through M. Turner in detećtion of their Infidelity, the Cauſe of all their Miſfortunes in this World, and Danger of Eternal Damnation in the other, if they come not to a timely Senſe of it, in order to their true Repentance of the Cauſe that leads to it; for which end {Page 322} I muſt nexr remind them of what the ſame Holy Spirit ſpoke, through his faithful Servsnt and their once well approved Friend Guy Nutt, on the 12th of November 1710, to an Aſſembly of their People in Meath-Street in Dublin, as ſet forth in a printed Treatiſe, entitled, A Warning of the Holy and Eternal Spirit to the People called Quakers, &c. wherein we are told as follows,

That as he the ſaid Guy Nutt was ſent to the ſaid Meeting by the expreſe Commandments of the Holy Spirit, ſeveral times repeated through himſelf and others, whilſt three of their Preachers were ſpeaking, he was for the moſt part of the Time under the Operation of the Holy Spirit, which was viſibly ſeen by the movings of his Body; at laſt he ſtood up in the Power and Spirit of the Lord, ſhaking his Right-Arm, and often turning himſelf about, with his Eyes open, as a Sign of the Diſpleaſure of God againſt them: After the third Preacher had ſpoken, he ſpeaking in Concluſion of the Light, the Spirit through Guy Nutt ſaid,

But you have departed from the Life.

The great I AM hath ʃent me unto you, the God of Iſrael hath commanded me to come unto your Aſſembly; Thus ʃaith the Lord, you have ʄorʃaken the Lord, and I will not ʃmell your ʃolemn Aʃʃemblies, until you return again unto me, the Lord.

The Preachers hurrying the People out of the Meeting, the Spirit continued on Guy Nutt, and he with a loud Voice, ſaid,

Whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, the Mouth of the Lord hath ʃpoken, I have delivered and declared the Meʃʃage of the Lord ʄaithfully; You judge not the Fatherleʃs, neither doth the Cauʃe of the Widow come near you; your Pride and your Coverouʃneʃs doth teʃtifie unto your Faces; your Silver and your Gold will not deliver you in that great {Page 323} and terrible Day of the Lord that will break ʄorth, who will come in flaming Fire, rendring Vengeance on all that know not God, nor obey his graciouſ Goſpel: You oppreſs on another, your Prayers is an Abomination; your covering the Alter of the Lord with Tears, your outſide ʃhew cannot deceive the Lord, though you deceive the People; you make mention of the Lord, and call your ſelves by the Name of the God of Iſrael, but not in Truth, nor in Righteouſneſs: Conʃider theʃe Things, and turn unto the Lord your God; you ʃtay your ʃelves upon the God of Iſrael, you ʃay he is your Gid, and ye are his People; you have loʃt the Innocency of the Dove: you appear before Men to be Righteous, although your Righteouſneſs is as ʄilthy Rags; the Lors hath now ʃent ʄorth this Voice, to warn the People; you came ʄorth in the Power of God, but you have ʃinned it away, ʃpeaking Lies, and uttering Words of Flaʃhood; the Searcher of all Hearts is come; what you do in Secret, the Lord will cauʃe it to be proclaim'd on the Houʃe Top.

He being commanded by the Spirit to viſit their Meetinf again on the 14th inſtant, being the Day call'd Tueʃday, andcoming into their Aſſemby when no Perſon was ſpeaking, he, under the Opeeration of the ſame Holy Spirit, spoke as follows,

You came out in the Power of the Lord, but you have departed from this Power, and that Power is departed from you, you ʃpeak the Imaginations of your own Heart.

Then they oppoſed him, on which he ſaid,

The Power and Spirir of the Lord is upon me, who ſhall hinder? Fear you and tremble, conʃider your Ways and be Wiʃe: Have you forgot ʃince the Lord did ʃhake the Bodies of the People called Quakers? The Lord's Controverʃie is with you.

Then they laid Hands on him, pulling and forcing him out of their Aſſembly, he being all the while under the Operation of the Spirit ſaid,

You were turn'd out of the Synagogues your ʃelves, and now you turn others out.

{Page 324} Then they turn'd him out of their Yard into the Street, the Spirit being ſtill upon him, he turn'd to them and ſaid thus,

You ʃhall be made a Deriʃion unto all People.

On which he and his Friends returned to their Lodging, where ſoon after the Spirit came on him again, and ſaid,

You ʃhall return again.

Which Ordernof the Spirit was obey'd, and they remaining till the Meeting was near done, hebeing under the Opeeration of the Holy Spirit almoſt all the Time, turning himſelf often round, ſhaking his Arm, which was lifted up, as a Sign of God's Diſpleaſure againſt them, was by them drove out again into their Yard, calling him Falʃe Prophet; he being ſtill under the Operation of the Spirit, ſpoke ſaying,

You ʃhall now hear the Voice of the True Prophet, that is come to Teach his People himʃelʄ.

Thus far Gut Nutt concerning the Voice of the Lord to out depraved Quakers, whoſs Coming I have cauſe to fear will be to their ſoreow, from what was further ſpoke to them by two others of his inſpired Servants and Meſſengers (whoſe Names are Mary Keimer and Mary Beer) at their Meeting at Briʃtol, the 26th of the ſame Month of November, Anno 1710, where divers of them amongſt others being aſſembled, the Spirit through Mary Keimer declared as follows.

The Lord hath ſent forth a Voice, and it is the Duty of every Soul to hearken to that Voice, for behold, the great and terrible Day of the Lord is at Hand, and he that will not make haſte and get himſelf ready, ſhall be for ever excluded that Kingdom which is going to be eſtabliſhed; therefore let every Soul flee unto the Lord; for quickly, and Wo upon Wo ſhall come upon the Inhabitants of this City, fir the Lord hath beheld your Iniquity, and his Wrath is kindled, becauſe of your Tranſgreſſion and Sins, he will no longer bear with your Pride and Inſolence, therefore bewarned, for the Lord {Page 325} has ſpoke, andhe will ſurely bring to paſs what he hath ſaid, therefore let every Soul Fear and Tremble; for he who is will quickly make his Power known.

When Mary Keimer began to ſpeak, one of the Quaker Women that has been preaching before, cried out, A Spirit of Divination, A Spirit of Divination, &c. another ſaid, God was a God of Order and not of a Confuſion; upon which another cried, Pull them down, pull them down, bidding the People depart, depart, but the greateſt part ſtaying, to the no ſmall Mortification of the reſt, ine of them adviſ'd the People to be ſettled and fixed, and not mind the Lo here's and Lo there's; nut be ſtable, with more to this purpoſe; aftermwhich (and that Mary Keimer had done) one Paul Mooncried out, How durʃt thou pretend to ʃpeak here in the Name of God with ʃuch a vain Head-Dreſs on? Whereupon the Spirit falling upon Mary Beer, ſhe ſpoke as follows,¹⁴⁴

Who is it that riſeth up againſt God? Have you ſet your ſelves in the Temple and Seat of God, judging as Gods, and ſhall nit his y9ur Wiſdom be confounded? Who is it ye profeſs to wait for, that ye thus refeuſe a Voice coming forth in the Name of God? Are ye Rich and Full, and need nothing more? If ſo, ye kniw the Sentence already paſt upon ſuch; therefore can ye nit plead Ignorance in that Day,wherein the Judgments of Gid will deſcend,not only upon the prophane Blaſphemers of his Name,but all thoſe thwt call themſelves his People, and ſerve him not: Why isit ye are thus ſtupid and {Page 326} blind? Whst is it thus lulls you aſleep, ſo as thqt ye wil not be awakened, though the Lord himſelf ſpeak unto you? It is not a Thing lightly to be eſteem'd, neither to be trifled with, for he that is Holy, will have every Heart ſo that approacheth unto him: Are ye all cloathed with the Robe of Righteous=ſneſs, which will give you admittance into his Kingdom? Are ye ready to enter in when the Bridegroom cometh? Are ye ſuch wiſe Virgins as have prepared your Lamps with Oil, ſtanding with your Loins girt, and your Lighrs burning? If ſo, then I ſay, rejoyce andbe glad, for behold the Bridegroom of your Souls cometh, to receive his Church ſpotleſs unto himſelf; but let all that are not ſo prepared, get ready, Mourn, Weep, and Lament, for the Day of Deſolation is at Hand, and the Time of avenging himſelf upon his Enemies is even now come; be ye therefore ready that ye may ſtand before him.

The next is a Warning of the Holy Spirit, delivered to the ſame People called Quakers, at a publick Meeting of theirs in Worceſter Wharton, as follows,

By what Rule do ye judge? Who is he that darkens Counſel by a multitude of Words? Salvarion is eſtablished uponaneverlaſting Covenant: Be it known unto you, O People, wheth4r ye will hear or no, ye muſt truſt, the Righteous God will diſcover your Hypocriſy; known unto him is the Secrets of all Hearts; the Day of the Lord is at Hand, wherein he will ſever the Precious from the Vile; the Almighty hath ſent his Voice this Day; they that do refuſe it, refuſe him that ſpeaketh from Heaven; every Man's Work muſt be tried in this Day, the Pollution of Men's Works muſt be purged in and by the Blood of Jeſus, elſe will he remain filthy; O ye deſpiſers of the Righteouſneſs and Blood of Jeſus,know ye,God will judge ye.

Thus far the Warnings of our Modern inſpired Friends, concurrent to our Quakers Propjets aforementioned, concerning God's flaming Diſpleaſure againſt them (asmwellmas others) for their numerous Provocations therein ſpecified; with which, as the ſincere amongſt them hath true Union, their Ancient and ever Honourable Friend James Jackſon hath particularly signsliſ'd himself, in ſettingmforth ſomewhat of the Effećts of their Apoſtacy, by the following Lines in Verſe, well worth their Obſervation.

Ye Citizens who the Name of Quaker bear,
From your ʄirʃt Love degeneated are,
Which is the Mark whereby Chriʃts Flock is known,
Where this is loʃt, the Lord will ʃuch diʃown;
Tis mere Dekuʃion, to ʃuppoʃe we can
Religion without Charity maintain;
Ye, once belov'd of God, are now become
Acceldema, Spiritual Sodom,
In whom all Chriſtian Tenderneſs is loſt,
And this Worlds Spirit hath their Hearts engroſt.
Where Chriſt in his Divinity is crucify'd,
And inʃpir'd Meʃʃengers abuʃ'd and villify'd;
Where they that wait on th' Spirit's Miniʃtration
Muʃt be cut oʄʄ by Excommunication
Where Chriʃt's ʃpeaking in Man, and the Eʄʄuʃion
Of th' Holy Ghoʃt, are condemn'd for Deluʃion;
Where Hypocrites ʃo impudent are grown,
That he that's moʃt Guilty caʃts the firʃt Stone,
And he that hath a Beam in his own Eye,
The ʃmalleʃt Mote in's Brother's doth eʃpy
And he that may with Phariſees be parallel,
Strain at the ʃmalleʃt Gnat, and ʃwallow a Camel:
Here they own immediate Revelation,
Scorn and contemn th' Almighty's Inſpiration.
The ʄormal Quaker thus, till Teeth meet, bites,
Such ʃeeming Saints prove real Hypocrites;
And as for Blaʃphemy, that's over all
Their Sin aʃcendent, Epidemical.
What ʃhall we ʃay to common Sinners now,
When City Friends the worʃt oʄ Crimes allow?¹⁴⁵

{Page 328} But ʃince ye thus the Holy Ghoʃt deʄie,
Tis a clear Sign that your Deʃtruction's nigh;
Can you be ʃaʄe at Home, or bleʃt abroad,
Who thus wage War againʃt the Living God?
Your Judgment-Seat, Pulpits and Mobb unite
Againʃt the Truth, to judge, to preach, to ʄight:
Nay, then there's Cauʃe, tho' once your great Ally
Heaven ʃhould turn on you its whole Artillery.
Won't ye ʄrom Enmity agaiʃt Chriʃt reʄrain,
Till Flames of burning Brimʃtone on you rain,
Oh then you'll gnaʃh your Teeth and gnaw your Tongues for pain.
The Mobbs Club-Law ʃplits Caʃe of Conʃcience, they
Throw Stones by Sentence, and Anathema;
Here you are arm'd with ʃhort-horn'd Aruguments,
Others with Tipʃtaves, Fines, Impriʃonments,
Cavears, ʃalse Accuʃations, Pillcries,
With Brick-bats, Dirt, Squibs, Dung, with Taunts and Lies,
Tjus ʃturdy Giants proudly ʃtorm the Skies.
Heaven's Arms are Thunders, Lightnings, Tempeʃts dire
Sword, Famine, Peʃtilence, Earthquake, Water, Fire.
Stand oʄʄ Spectators, clear the Stage, give way,
See whether Chriʃt or th' Dragon win the Day.

Thus far our ancient and truly worthy (though their greatly oppreſſed) Friend James Jackson; to whoſe Prophetick Teſtimony I hadmſome Thoughts of adding a late one of their Friend Eleanor Haddok, to the ſame purpoſe, but ss the ſame is publiſhed in Print, where it may be read by all that deſire it; (inaſmuchmas their much admired Friend Charles Marʃhal,) was (at their Publick Mix'd Meeting at Harſlydown in Anno 1683) made to declare in their Audience, That their Glory was departed, and Crown taken from them, and given to another People, as the Widow had in effećt alſo foretold them) I ſhall conclude this my Collećtion of Prophecies with what has been made known, by way of Viſion, &c. to our Friend Ann Steed of London, in confirmation of them, as ſhe in Anno 1710, gave {Page 329} me an Account thereof in Writing, by the Lord's expreſſ Direction; which as it contains an ample Relation of their Apoſtacy and Spiritual Tyranny heretofore ſo juſtly complain'd of, I ſhall tranſcribe at large, in order to their better Inſtrućtion, as follows,¹⁴⁶

I being in the Year 1694 one Mourning in Viſion, ſaw my ſelf coming from Deptford, near a place called the Halʄ-way Houʃe, where was a ſhort Lane enclos'd with Hedges newly prun'd, and the cut Thorns, Briars and Nettles laid croſs over the Path whereon I was to paſs; at the entrance of which Lane was a Bridge, by one end of the Rail whereof ſtood the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in a Veſture, and turn'd himſelf to me and ſpoke theſe Words,

I am thy Captain, I go before thee, obʃerve well my Footʃteps, ʄollow thou me.

Then he went on before me over thoſe rending Thorns, Briars and Nettles that lay over the Path in the Lane; and I in great concern of Mind, took diligent heed to ſet my Feet exaćtly inhis Footſteps throughout the ſame; in which though the Thorns, &c. hurt me much, yet as he trod down all the worſt of them, I carefully followed him through andover them all, till I came at the end of the Lane, when my Lord diſappear'd, snd the Viſion clos'd. By which I was foreſhown the Suffering I have ſince met with for my Chriſtian Teſtimony againſt the Depraved amongſt our People called Quakers upon the following Occaſions; in order whereto

A few Months after this, the Lord laid a living Concern upon me, one Morning about the fifth Hour, to go then to my dear Friend Charles Marʃhal, to ask him two Queſtions, to hear his Anſwer to them.

Accordingly I went to his Houſe, though in ſome meaſure croſs to my own Will, on ac ount of the earlineſs of the Morning; where when I came, notwithſtanding I found him up, and ws readily let in to him, his Servant being drawing {Page 330} on his Boots, in order to his going a Journey with ſpeed; and as ſoon as he heard me in a Room, before I came at him, he called me to come in and ſit down, ſaying, I ʃhall be with thee immediately.

Accordingly he came to me as ſoon as his Boots were on, and took me by the Hand, and looked earneſtly in my Face, and ſaid,

Thou Servant of the moʃt High God, I knew thy Buʃineʃs, and what thou art come about; I ʃaw thee this Morning in a Viʃion of the Lord: The Anʃwer to thy Queʃtions I have left by my Wiʄe, neceʃʃity calling me to be gone in three Minutes, Friends waiting for me At an Inn where my Horʃe is; wherefore let me ʃee thee at my Return, if the Lord will, thqt we may have ʃome Communication together. And then pointed me to the Roomm where his Wife was, of whom he told me, I ʃhould have his Anʃwers to my Queʃtions.

Accordingly I wentnto her full of Heavenly Joy, and after a very loving Salutqtion, ſhe ſaid to me, I ʃuppoʃe thou art the Friend my Huʃband ʃaw in a AViʃion this Morning, ʃit thee down, and drink a Diʃh of Chocolate, and I will give thee his Anʃwer to thy Queʃtions, in order whereto let me hear them.

Question 1. Ought Men to quench the Spirit?
Anſwer, No
Queſtion 2. Ought they to deʃpiʃe Propheʃying?
Anſwer. No

Upon which I took my Leave of her, and returned to my outward Habitation again, with infinite ſatisfaction to my poor bowed down Soul.

Then as nigh as I can remember, about a Week after, I had the like Impulſe to f=go to Francis Stamper on a prefixed Day, about Eight in the Morning, when finding him in his Shop doing ſomewhat at a Watch, he ſpying me thro the ſame Window I ſaw him, went round towards the Door on the inſide, as I did on the outſide to meet him, and ſaid when I came to him,

{Page 331} Thou Servant of the moʃt High God, thou art greatly beloved, I know thy Buʃineʃs, and what thou art come about. Knoweʃt thou, ſaid I (in a ſolemn Amazement) what I am come about? He anſwered, I saw thee this Morning in a Viſion of the Almighty, wilt thou pleʃe to walk up the Stairs with me? I anſwered, Yes, very willingly.

When we csme in the Chamber, he ſat him down on a Couch, and ſaid Sit thee down here, which I had no ſooner done, but the glorious Power and Presence of the Lord ſo over-ſhadowed for about half an Hour, as thqt we were both diſſolved into Tears of Joy inexpreſſible, in which we were made free in Communication to each other of what had been ſhown as in the Viſions of the Almighty, confirmed by their Conſiſtency and harmonious Agreement one eith snother, to my grest Conſolation and Incouragement in my future Service.

For I having been ſome time preparing, by the ſerveral Exerciſes of the Spirit of the Lord brought upon me, to go forth in way of Teſtimony in our publick Meetings againſt the great Depravity of many of our moſt noted Leaders in this City of London; I, in a Senſe of my own Wealneſs, was a few Months after this grestly bowed down in my Spirit, under a Senſe of the Weight of my Service amonſt them, which ſome Friends perceiving by ſome Words I delivered, Elizabeth Collet, Hannah Haynes and Margaret Drayton were ſent to me, to enquire into the Ocaaſion of my great Exerciſe, as well as with relation to the Sufferings I met with from my Husband, who all dealth very tenderly eith me; but others perceiving my Concern to be chiefly on a Spirtual Account, they, for fear I ſhould go forth in a Spirit of Prophecy againſt ſome amongſt us, endeavoured to diſſwade me, saying, They would upon my deſiſting wundertake to anſwer to God for me, or Words to that purpoſe. Whereunto I retunred, That is the Concern I am engag'd in, ai do believe is the Lord's; it is not you, {Page 332} but I, that muʃt anʃwer for my Diʃobedience, iʄ Guilty.

However, upon Account of their great uneaſineſs with any thing of the nature from me, I, in a Senſe of my own Weakneſs to break through that hard-heartedneſs I found amongſt our chief Leaders, earneſtly entreated the Lord for three Weeks together, to ſuffer me to lay down the Commiſſion at his Feet again he had given me, if it might conſiſt with his Divine Pleaſure, wherein he was at length graciously pleaſed to grsnt my humble Requeſt for about eleven Years ſpace; after which it was renewed again with more Authority then beforek ſo as that after ſeventeen Week great aeserciſe of Soul in order to my Preparationi was finally, with no ſmall relućtancy, cauſ'd to go forth to moſt of our Firends Meetings in and near Town, to deliver what the alord had laid upon me to declare therein.

The firſt Meeting I went to was Long-Acre Meeting, and the firſt Words that forcibly opened my Mouth therein, under a terrible trembling of my Perſon, were as follows,

The Glory of God is departed from Iſrael, and the Ark of God is taken.

Which laſt Words was ſhown me to have Relation to ſuch amongſt us as had dealt falſly with the Covenant; in the delivery whereof, the Teeth of ſome werenobſerved by one Elizabeth Clark to check in their Mouths, as ſhe afterwards told me.

The Week after this, I was conſtrained by the Power of the Lord, to go to Weʃtminiʃter Meeting, to declare the near approach of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord; wherein the firſt Wordw I ſpoke =, by the powerful Force of the HilySpirit irreſiſtibly operating on my Soul and Body, were as follows,

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dy'd Garments from Bozra, travelling in the Grestneſs of his Strength? It is the Lord, mighty to ʃave: Why {Page 333} art thou Red in thine Apparel, as one that treads in the Wine Fat? I have trod the Wine-Preſs alone, and oʄ the People there was none with me; I will tread them down in my Anger, and trsmple them in my Fury; I will ʃtain all my Raiment; for the Day of Vegeance is my Heart, and the Year of my Redeemed is come.

All which Words being delivered under a great Trembling of my Perſon, I was made in the Paſture to put forth my Hand towards Richard Needham in the Gallery before me, and ſay, Take thou thoʃe Words home with thee.

After which I removed, and ſate down in an obſure Place in the Meeting, under a living Senſe of the ſurther aConcern I had yet to go thorough; when feeling great Pain in my Body, as a woman in ſtrong Travail, through the Anguish whereof, as I was ſinking down to the Ground, I cried mightily to the Lord to pr3ſerve me from falling, whereupon my Pain ws inſtantaniouſly removed, and I got Strnegth to recover my ſelf, ſo as to keep my Seat.

After this I was conſteained to go to Grace-Church-Street Meeting, and there, in greater Power than ever, declared as follows,

God has called a ravenous Bird from the Eaʃt, the Man ʃhall execute my Judgments from a far Country; I have ʃpoken it, and it ʃhall ʃtsnd; and I ʃaw an Angel ʃtand in the Sun, and he cried with a loud Voice, ʃaying to all the Fowls flying in the midʃt of Heaven, Come and gather your ʃelves together unto the Supper of the great God, that you mayeat the Fleʃh of Kings, and the Fleʃh of Captains, and the Fleʃh of Mighty Men, and the Fleʃh of Horʃes, and the Fleʃh of them that ʃit thereon, and the Fleʃh of all Men, both Bond and Free, both Small and Great.¹⁴⁷

{Page 344} Whilſt I was declaring this Prophetick Warning under the powerful operarion of the Lord's Holy Spirit, with my Eyes ſhut towards the Gallery, where George Whitehead ſate amongſt others ot our Preachers, the ſaid George Whitehead, as I was afterwards inform'd, beckon'd to Samuel Waldenſeild to kneelndown to Prayer, to end the Meeting, in order to ſtop me, as he did accordingly; upon which, after he had done, ſome publick acountry Friends, that had a Divine Senſe of the greatneſs of my Concern, came to me amongſt others, and gave me their Hands in much ſweetneſs, to my great Comfort, one of which, more couragious than the reſt, bidding me Go upʃtairs to the Miniʃtring Friends in the Chamber, and ask them what I had ʃpoken thqt gave them Oʄʄence againʃt me? Which putting Courage into my poor drooping Soul, I went up accordingly, and found George Whitehead with his Back towards me, reflećting hardly upon me (to a Friend that ſate with his Face towards him) as a Woman poſſeſt with ſtrange Notions Friends could not have union with; which the Friend he ſpoke to perceiving me hear, by Signs gave him Notice of my being by him; upon which he ſuddenly turning himſelf, and catching hold of me Hand as one in amaze, I, in a ſorrowful Senſe of his cauſeleſs Hardneſs, towards me, thus ſaid unto him,

George, what have I done, that thou thou ʃhouldest thus poue Contemot on me like Water? Wh3reto he anſwered, Thou preached ʄalʃe Doćtrine. I asked him, Wherein? Didʃt thou nto ſay, A Ram from the Eaʃt? I anſwered, No a Ravenous Bird ʃrom the Eaʃt. Then ſaid he, I miʃtook thy Words. Upon which, O George, ſaid I, is it a ground for thee to pour Contempt upon a poor Creature, through a Miʃtake of her Words?

{Page 335} Whereupon ſome Friends queſtioning, whether there were any ſuch Words in the Scripture as I mentioned, one inſtantly urned to a Bible and found them; upon which George Whitehead being greatly confounded, got off his Seat, and walked about the Room in much uneasineſs; when Samuel Waldenfeild coming up, I was made to meet him, and take hold of his Hand and ſay, O Samuel, how comes it to paſs, that thou ʃhouldeʃt aćt ʃuch a Thing as thou haʃt done this Day towards me? Whereupon he, in Spirit of Love embraced me, and acknowledg'd he was ſorry for what he had done in that Matter.

After this, the ſame day, I was moved of the Lord to viſit our worthy Friend John Butcher, who though not at the Meeting, had heard of my Exerciſe and Sufferings therein; ſoon after I came he sate down to Supper, and bad me ſit down with him; immediately after which, he handed me a particular Diſh prepared for his own Eating, and wiſh'd me to take it, and would not be denied by my Emtreaties.

After Supper, we fell into Diſcourſe of the Affairs of the Day, concerning which he expreſſed his great diſſatisfaction with Friends Behaviour towards md, ſaying, He wiʃhed he had been there to prevent it.

That Night I, at his and his Wife's Requeſt, Lodging at his Houſe, he found himſelf obliged the next Morning to inform me, how his dear Wife was ord3red in a Dream, to warn him not to appear againſt me in Judgment, ſaying, as I remember, Have Thou nothinv to do againſt that Juʃt Woman; upon which he carried himſelf very tenderly towards me.

However, I being uneasie in my Mind notwithſtanding, upon account of other Friends Hardneſs towards me, (who whilſt they in Worda ſometimes ſeemed to own me, by their Aćtions at others ſhew the contrary) thus ſaid unto him,

{Page 336} John, I beseech thee let me know the worſt, whether I be owned or diʃowned by you? Whether it be the one or the other, it ʃhall be equal to me. Upon which, How Ann, ſays he with a ſolemn Look, how doſt thou mean Equal? I mean ſaid I, juſt as I ſay. Why wouldʃt thou, ſays he, willingly be cut oʄʄ ʄrom the Living in Iſrael? I ansſwered with a Weight unexpreſſibke, All the Art of the Devils and Men will never be able to cut me oʄʄ from the Living God of Iſrael? Upon which, Well, come Ann ſays he, comʄort thy ʃelʄ, for this Day I design to make thy Trouble my Trouble, and thy Grief my Grieʄ; which bringing great eaſe to my diſconſolate Soul, I reſolved to wait the Iſſue by his Anſwer at his Return; in order whereto, he forthwith went to divers Friends of my Acquantance, to enquire concerning my Converſation, who giving him a high Character of my Innocency and Honeſty, as I was afterwards inform'd, he from them went ro others, where meeting with contrary Intimations, as I had ground to believe, he refuſed to ſee me at his Rerurn (inſtead of givinf me the Anſwer I waited for) to the great encreaſe of my Burthen.

After which, ſome Friends thinking to divert my Concern of this Nature ſo much to their diſsatisyfaction, made uſe of this John Butcher, amongſt others, to make Reconcilation between me and my Husband, from whom I was neceſſarily ſeparqted through the means of his great Wickedneſs towards me, (concerning which they were no Strangers) thinking our dwelling together might be ameans to preſerve me from my Notions, asthey called them; to which I aſſenting to humour them, much againſt my own Inclinations, under a Senſe of the Danger I ſhould be expoſed to through his barbarous Diſpoſure, (for which the Lord might juſtly hold them accoiuntable, as I told them) immediately found my Fears verified, byhis ſevreal Attempts of my Deſtruction; in order whereto, as he ſet a Skreen on Fire at the bottom of the Stairs to the Chamber {Page 337} where I lay, to burn me in my Bed whilſt asleep, (from which the Lord miraculouſly preſerved me, by commanding me in a Viſion of the Night, To ariʃe and haʃte down Stairs without Cloaths, when I found it in Flames near the Stairs Foot) whereupon miſſing the end of his cruel Deſign therein, he all of a ſudden ſeem'd more than ordinary kind to me, ſo as that he would not be denied going along withme to one of our Aſſemblies, where he thought I might be concern'd in way of Teſtimony; which I through the perſwasſion of ſome Friends conſented to, upon the promiſe of one Francis Davis, that he would take care to prevent my Oppoſition, to his Diſcouragement; but as the aEnmity of the Depraved was to invererate to be bounded by his Influeance, one William Robinſon (a moſt pefverſe Emiſſary of their) being abetted by William Bingley who ſate next him, as I began to ſpeak, cried out alond to me, Woman ſit thee down and be ſtill; whereby as my Life was Inſtantly wounded, and Chriſtian Teſtimony ſtopp'd for preſent, ſo my poor Huſband was ſtruck as pale as Death, to the laying an irremoveable Reſolution in him of my Ruin (under pretence, that he had long ſuſpected I was led byvain Notions, their Oppoſition had therein confirmed him) which he thereupon again ſoon after attempted as follows.

Ibeing to go through a certain narrow Paſſage towards ine of our Meetings, of which he being adviſed, went another way to meet me, in order to knock out my Brains therein, which the Lord being graciouſly pleaſed to make known to me as I went, by bidding me Run for my Life, I thereby got through the ſame, juſt as I ſaw him croſs ovef to meet me for his barbarous end above-mentioned; which he ſtill hoping to accompliſh, at anothef obſcure Place a little further on, his bloody Deſign being made known to me bythe ſame powerful Command, to Runfor my Life, I thefe alſo ſaw my wonderful {Page 338} Preſervarion, by his not reaching the Place whilst I was got out of Dangef; in a deep Senſe of the Lord's Goodneſs wherein, I a few Days aftef ask'd him ſaying, Dear Husband, what have I done, that thou ʃhouldʃt thus ʃeek this poor Blood of mine, by the Murther of me ʃuch a Day in ʃuch a Lane? Concerning which, though he heſitqted a while, he at length confeſſed, It was trueby his Gid, though he wondered how I knew his Deſign, which none but himſelf was acquainted with.

Now as the unrighteous Dealing of thoſe our depraved Friends towards me, in ſtopping my Chriſtian Teſtimony by their abuſive Iterruptions, was attended with thoſe dreadful Cinſequences, for which they ſhould have anſwered had they taken effećt, as I told them; ſo though theSenſe of theif Injuſtice there cauſed one William Armʃtrong to cry out inthe afore-mentioned Meeting, What a diʃmal Thing isthis, that the Word of the Lord muʃt not be allowed to be preached withour controul; whereby though William Bingley by his Paleneſs appeared inwardly ſmote, yet as he and his Collegues are ſo far from repenting of their Wickedneſs of this Nature towards me, as that they moſt audaciouſly perſiſt therein towards others of the Lord's faithful Messengers,concerned to teſtifie againſt the Corruptions. I have good ground to believe, thqt their Glory is departec and Crowntaken from them, and given to anothef People not uniform, (as our truly worthy Friend Charles Marſhalinmy Audience longſince foretold them) by thefollowing Viſion the Lord hath been pleaſed to give me, about the third Hour one Morning inthe ſixth Month Anno 1709, concerning them, when I was awake, and in a moſt Senſibke Condition.

I beheld the Lord Jeʃus Chruʃtat my Left-Hand, in a personal Appearance, ina large Room, where were a great many of the chief Leaders {Page 339} of the People called Quakers, ſome of which had Crowns upon theif Heads, amongſt whom were Thomas Egleʃton, George Whitehead, Williſm Bingley, John Field, William Warren, George Owner, William Pen, John Butcher and Samuel Waldenʃield, all ſitting.

Francis Moult coming in, went direćtly to Theodore Egleʃton, laid both his Hands upon his Crown, and went away with it; notwithſtanding I ſaw a Chair ſet for him in Chriſt's glorious Kingdom upon Earth now near approaching, but if there, he mighr content himſelf without a Crown.¹⁴⁸

Then John Potter being under a moſt powerful Operation of the Lord's Holy Spirir, after the ſame manner I ſaw him go before the Believers (in this glorious Diſpenſation of God's Holy Spirit largely broke forth) in Enfield Chace, came, and with great Authorty laid both his Hands in like manner upon the Crown George Whitehead had uponhis Head, (which was more magnificent thanthe reſt) and ſaid, Did I not charge thee to hold faſt what thou didſt receive? Hadʃt thou obeyed, nine would have been able to have taken thy Crown from thee; and then with an angry ſnatch took it off, and went away with it, under the powerful Operarion above-mentioned.

Then William Bingley's Crown next fell from his Head, with such a mighty force as if it would have been broken all to pieces; upon which he in a dreadful Concern and great Amazement cried out, Our Crownsnaee fallen from oʃʃ our Heads; Wo unto us we have ʃinned!

The next, John Field's fell alſo from off his Head with a mighty force, though not ſo great as William Bingley's. After which, William Warren's totter'd exceedingly, as if alſo it was a going to fall, but I did not ſee it fall.

{Page 340} Then I beheld one different from the reſt on the Head of George Owner, at which I greatly marvelled; whereupon the glorious Perſon that all the while ſtood by my Left-Hand, ſaid, Why admireʃt thou at the Diʄʄerence betwixt that and the reſt? He is not in the Kingly Power amongʃt this People, but in the Dukedom, whereʃore that thou ʃeeʃt upon his Head is a Coronet; Which alſo tottered as William Warren's.¹⁴⁹

Then I beheld William Penn, John Butcher, and Samuel Wakdenʃeild with their Crowns on their Heads; upon the beholding of whom, I under a great bowedneſs in ſupplication to the Lord, and ſaid, O Lord God, I beʃeech thee, hear a poor Creature, ʃuʄʄer not thoʃe Crowns to be taken ʄrom them, neither do thou, but humble them, that they may take them oʄʄ themʃelves, and lay them down at thy Feet, who is only worthy of all Honour, Praiʃe, Might, Majeʃry and Dominion; which I have reaſon to believe he in his own due time will incline them to, from another Viſion he in his Divine Goodneſs was pleaſed to give me concerning them and others, which wasmas follows.

I being often livingly concerned before the Lord for this People, who notwithſtanding contemptuouſly rejećted me and my Chriſtian Travels {Page 341} for their Welfare, a few Months before the above-mentioned Viſion, being ſate at Work by my Bed-ſide with my Child on Morning, at my Lodging at the Dwelling Houſe of our ancient and truly worthy Friend James Jackʃon, fell into deep Viſion, wh3rein I ſaw the Dead Corps of the People called Quakers, heaps upon heaps, amongſt whom was preſented William Penn, John Butcher and Samuel Waldenfeild; upon the ſighr of whom I was bowed in deep Supplication before the Lord, and ſaid, O Lord God, for thy dear Son's ſake, who now oies proʃtrate at thy Feetb, begging for theſe my dear Friends, and not for any worthineſs of kine, ʃave them, ʃave thy People; upon which my Life went from me, ſo as that I fainted; then I ſaw the Father take up his beloved Son with both his Hands, and thereupon looked ſmiling uponme, which was a ground of Hope to my mournful Soul, that my ſincere Petitions were anſwered for them.

In the time of this Viſion one Sarah Wiltſhire, who was diſtant from me in another Room in Bed, and neither heard or ſaw me, had an immediate Senſe givenher of my great Exerciſe, through which ſhe was made to riſe out of her Bed, and put on a Petticoat and Gown looſe, and come into my Room, where finding me inthis my concerned Condition, ſhe ſaid,

Dear Mrs. Steed, what isyour Aʄʄlićtion? I have an inviʃible Senʃe of it; your great Concern is thus for your People; but be of good cheer, although the Elders may diſregard your Prayers and Tears, the young Generation willl be bettered by them; upon which Words I immediately found my Strength return, and aroſe from where I was fallen, and ſaid, Has my God ʃent thee to comfort in this my diʃconʃolate Condition? Yes, ſays ſhe, for I was made ʃenʃible ofit, and could not lie longer without coming unto thee, iʄ I might have had a Thouʃand Pound.

And though this our greatly diſtreſſed Friend declares, ſhe has lately had another Viſion, wherein ſhe ſaw the Eagles of the Heavens deſcend upon the Flesh of many called Quakers, and tead them to pieces with marvelloua, vehemence; yet for the Comfort of the young Generation, who hath not wittingly ſubjećted to their Elders Corruptions, I shall recite another the Lord hath been poeaſed in Anno 1707 alſo to give her c9ncerning them, which ſhe relates as follows.

I being in the Year above-mentioned awake in my Bed ſeveral Hours weeping, under a ſorrowful Senſe of our Leaders depravity, in exalting themſelves in the place of God as Gods, by their unchriſtian Impoſitions of their own Innovations and formal Harangues for the Spirit's Dictates, fell into a deep Viſion, wherein I ſaw myſelf going up a Hill, made known to me to be the Hill of Zion; on my Right-Hand as I paſſed, I ſaw a Plantqtion with many pleaſant Plants, growing freſh, fragrant and green; but amongſt the reſt, that which moſt delighted me was Roſemary, abundance of with I alſo ſaw from end to end of the Plantation, but all withered Branches, at which I was ſorrowfully concerned, and thereupon bemoaning it, I ſtooped down and handled it, and underneath each long Leaf, between the Leaf and the Stalk, I perceived the appearance of green Ones ſpringing forth, by reaſon of Life in the Root, at which my very Heart rejoyced with Joy unexpreſſible, and I cried out in ſ heavenly Rapture, Here's Life in this pretty Thing that I ſo entirely love; upon which I awoke, and an inſpeaking Voice thus ſaid to me, This Roſemary thou haſt ſeen is thy People.

At another time, latelg in the Day-time I was in Viſion, wherein I ſaw my ſelf going to Horſlydowns Meetinf, where looking up at the Windiws, Doves ſate thick at the ſame; at the Cloſure whereof it was opened to me, that this People ſhould again return to the Lord, as Doves to {Page 343} the Windows, according to the ſignification of my former Viſion concerning them, to my great ſconſolation, after my ſorrowful Soul had ben ſo long oppreſſed under a Senſe of their general Depravity, occaſioned through our Leaders Apoſtacy and Spiritual Tyranny, by which many have been long driven away from Chriſt's true Fold or Reſt, under pretence of bringing them into the ſame, according to out deceaſed Friend Ed. Burrows Viſion of the Flock concerning them, moſt unworthily expung'd amongſt others of his publick Collećtion by their depraved Compilers; for which the Time is near when they ſhall anſwer to their Sorrow, if not prevented by their ſpeedy Repentance.

Since the foregoing Relation, I the Tranſcriber havinv occaſion to be at London about ſome Concerns of my own, as well as others, inAnno. 1711, went to viſit this our Friend Ann Steed, who thenfoundher ſelf concerned to give me a further Account of our depraved Pretenders unchriſtian Dealing towards her, to ſtop hef Chriſtian Teſtimony againſt their Corruptions, which ſhe relates as follows.

About four Years ſince, ſome Friends being very uneaſy with my publick Appearance in their Meetings for Worſhip, upon account of what I had delivered in way of Prophecy, as well as otherways agqinſt them, under pretence of my failure in Predićtion, about the appearance of Chriſt in this Nation, they not only dealth with me after a ſevere mannee in their Meetings of Diſcipline, but alſo openly oppoſed any Teſtimony in our Aſſemblies for Worſhip, as aforenoted,inorder to ſilence me; which not having the effećt they deſired, Thomas Egleʃton adviſed me to frequent the Meeting appointed at Sarah Sawyer's chiefly for that purpoſe, rather then thus diſturb them in their more numerous Aſſemblies; wherein the Lord being pleaſed to give me liberty to anſwer his Request, my Mouth ſtill continued to be opened there as elſewhere,in way of Teſtimony {Page 344} againſt Friends Depravity; through a deep Senſe whereof, I had ſome time before been appoint a ſolemn Faſt, inorder to their prepartion to mourn apart, and their Wives apart, in the deepest Humiliation, that the Lord's threatned Judgments for their Apoſtacy and Spiritual Cruelty, if poſſible, might be averted; which adding to their former uneaſineſs, inſtead of movinf them to anſwer my Chriſtian Exhortation, they ſent one of the Emiſſaries after another, to ſilence me theſe alſo, as the Lord was pleaſed to ſhow me, as each came in for that purpoſe; who having not power to execute their Commiſſion, through the Lord's reſtraininv Hand, Thomas Busby and Thomas Ryalton at oength were direćted to ſupply their Deficiency, who falling ſhort of Courage in like manner to effećt their Order in Meeting, Thomas Busby attempted it as ſoon as it was over, by ſignifying how uneaſie Friends were my preaching amongſt them; but doing it after a timorous manner, as one conſcious of the deficiency of his Commiſſion, Thomas Ryalton made up what was wanting, by aſſuming Confidence to reprehend me as follows, ſaying,

Ann, why deeſt thou continue thus to impoſe Words upon Friends, knowing how uneaʃy we have been with thee ʃince thy appearance in publick, on account of thy failure in Prediction?

But as I well know the Prophecy he aim'd at was ſubſtantially fufilled by Criſt's glorious appearance in and upon the French Prophets who then landed in England I anſwered as follows,

Friend Thomas, as I am livingly ʃenʃible, that I deliverec the Prophecy thou ʃpeakeʃt of by the Lord's immediate adirećtion, let his end be what it will in it, ʃo hou greatly wrongeʃt me, in ʃuggeʃting, I have impoʃed Words oʄ my own upon Friends on that or other occaʃions; wherefore as I can appeal to God, the alone ʃeacher of Hearts, in behalf of my Innocency, I not only Query, who made thee a jufge in this Spiritual Matter, but alʃo greatly wonder, how thou or {Page 345} any other Dare thus aʃʃume the Judgment Seat of Chriʃf, till the Wing of the great Cherub ovef-shadow you? At which being inwardly ſmote, he gave his Hand, and ſo left me.

Whereupon Theodore Egleʃton perceivinf the endeavours of their Meʃʃengers unable to ʃilence me, comes next Firſt Day himself to the Meeting for that purpose; where when I had eaſed my Mind by a ſhort Teſtimony, he ſtood up, and after a round about in other Matters, as an Introdućtion to his deſigned Stroke at me, (of which the Lord had given me foreſight) he proceeds to ſignifiie his great Concern of Soul, That one who had ʃo oʄten beheld the goodly Tents of Jacob and beautiful Tabernacles of Iſrael amongʃt them, ʃhould, by givinf way to ʄalʃe Notions, &c. go about like Balaam of old, to deface their glorious and beauteous State, by her ʄalʃe Propheʃies and preʃumptuous Intruʃions, withmore to this purpoſe; wherebymy Life being ſo wounded as to cauſe me to faint away as I sate onmy Seat, when it returned again, I plainly heard a Voice which ſaid to me, Thou ʃhalt for a while withdraw thy ʃelʄ from thy People, and when I ʃend thee again, ʃee that thou readily obey me.

Thus far our sincede hearted Friend and their Christian Monitor, by whoſe cauſeleſs Sufferings, all may see ſomewhar of that Spiritual Tyranny which reigns inour Lordly Teachers of the Second Days Meeting, through the venomous Influence whereof they often ſtung our bowed down Souls to Death, under pretence of preſerving them, as they divers times ſerved hef; in further proof of my Charge of their Worſe than Turkiſh Tyranny, originally occaſioned through the Enemies Transformations, whereby they are deluded themſelves, andwith eaſe delude others; of which this Theodore Egleʃton is a ſorrowful Inſtance, who, as the Lord ſhewed this our Friend Ann Steed, was led by a Spirit of Magick in his above-mentioned Reflections, the ſame Magically diverted the Affećtions of all Friends there aſſembled from her {Page 346} in an inſtant, ſo as thqt nit one of them would give her their Hand after the Meeting was ended, as thy were wont to do at all others moſt affećtionately; through whoſe cauſeleſs Cruelty, though ſhe, amongſt many other ſincere Souls amongſt us have been great Sufferers, yet let the Cauſers therreof assure themſelves, that though God's terrible Judgments will be manifest inall the World, for their provoking Enormities, in order to make way for Chriſt's peaceable Government, as Holy Scripture as well as our Modern Prophets hath foretold us, they ſhall they their Cup in the firſt place, in the terrible Daynear approaching, according to Holy Writ, concurrent to anothrr Prophetick Viſion the Lord hath lately ſhewn her concerning them, unleſs prevented by their ſpeedy Repentance; in order to which righteous end, I ſhall alſo recite the ſame as ſhe related it, as follows.¹⁵⁰

I being the firſt Day after that called Whiʃon-Week, Anno 1711. early in the Morning, awake in my Bed, the Lord was pleaſed to ſignifie to my Spirir, that he would make ſomething known to me before I aroſe; about an hour after which I fell into deep Viſion, wherein I ſaw the Wives of ſome called Quakers raviſhed before their Huſbands Faces, their delicate Sons and Daughters ſlain with the Edge of the Sword, and themſelves led into dreadful Captivity. After which, going along the Streets of London, I ſaw three Women, with whom another being talking, ſaid, This is a dreadful Calamity that his City is viſited with, for there isnor Bread to bebought for Money. Then I looked forward, and I ſaw one Woman drop down dead with Hunger, upon which I giving a great ſhrug as I lay, preſently ſaw another drop in like manner, which cauſed me to ſhrug as before; then ſeeming to my ſelf to be going in Company with ſome othres to a Meeting of the Inſpired, I left them a while to walk by the side of a Hedge, where I ſaw a Brier-Bush loaded with Berries, whereto putting forth my Hand, I gathered half a Handful at once, {Page 347} without being prick'd on my Fingers, which I immediately eat, and they being very ſweet to my Taſte, I put forth my Hand again, and gathered a whole Handful at once, and inlike manner eat them all as before with great delight, nothing being ſo pleaſant to me in all my Life before; upon which beinv tanſported with Joy, it was ſaid to me, The Briers on which theſe grow is thy People, and the ſweet Berries the pleaſant Fruit they shall bear, after they are prun'd of their Pricks, with which thou, amongʃt others of my ʄaithful Sefvants, hath been ʃo ʃorely wounded without Cauſe.

Thus far of their Chriſtian Monitors Prophetick Teſtimonies of God's threatned Vengeance againſt them, for their Error, Hereſy, Hypocriſy, Blaſphemy and Tyranny, &c. conſonant to thoſe of the aholh Proohers of Old, concerning their Romiſh Predeceſſors, to those Aćtions theirs appear ſo exaćtly parallel; in the diſcovery whereof as ai have been remarkably aſſiſted by ſuch Books and Papers as their Brethren in their Unity have been madd to furniſh me with, I durſt not but thus make uſe of them in their Detećtion, that others may avoid thoſe Rocks for the future that hath ſo fatally ſplit them; in order whereto, That none may think I have thus expoſed them in Print, through ſome p3rſonal Prejudice I bear for the Wrongs they have done me, befire I had (according to Gospel Order) uſed all private means to reclaim them, I muſt (beſides a Senſe of my own Innocency) in the next place convinced thee World, how much I have have struggled with them Year after Year, byWord and Writing, to prevent it. In order whereto, as their Order againſt Marriage of Firſt Couſens, &c. was the firſt thing I ſaw amiſs amongſt them; ſo as George Whitehead, upon notice of my coming up to their Yearly Meetinf inAnno 1696, to propoſe my Reaſons againſt it, (without our Quarter Meetings Repreſentation of the end, according to his preſcribed Rule) inanunuſual Fury declared, He'd warrant he would ʃilence me; I, in conſideration of his Diſingenuiry therein, {Page 348} found my ſelf concerned to ſignifie my Diſſatisfaćtion concerninf the ſaid Ordef the Yeaf after, bya few Lines direćted to the ſaid Meeting, as Follows.

Dear and worthy Friends aʃʃembled at this Yearly Meeting, to ʃerve the Lord, his Truth and People.

Whereas great diſſatisſaction hath for ſome Years reſted upon my Spirit, with relation to a certqin Teſtimony heretofore ſet forth at a Yearly Meeting, againſt Marriage of Firſt Couſens, which is alſo extended to ſome other Degrees of Kindred, that are both Righteous, Lawful and Expedient to Marry in, as I offered to make appear by divers Scriptural Arguments the laſt Yearly Meetinf; all which was refuſed a Hearing therein, becauſe I had not fiſt laid them before the Quarterly Meeting I belong to. Whereas, my dear Friends, I neither know of any ſuch Order of Truth that enjoyns us to follow that Method, nor with ſubmiſſion believe there is any ſuch to be ſound amingſt us, ſince as the ſaid Teſtimony (or Ordef as tis commonly called) was ſet forth at a Yearly Meeting; none inferiour thereto can, in mY Opinion, proerly take cogniſance of the Contents of it: Howevef, as it is not in Obsrinacy notwithſtanding, thAt I din't not follow the amethod, but becauſe my Manuſcript (wherein my Argumants are contain'd) was derained out of my Hand by ſome Friends in London, whilſt our laſt Quarterly Meeting was ovf, I hope you will nor any longef delay to take my ſaid Arguments into your ſerious Conſideration on that accaſion, ſince as you can at moſt gain but another Years time of me by that Diverſion, ſo I muſt aſſure you, that I durſt not for a World let fall my Chriſtian Teſtimony againſt thoſe apparent Errors whereof the Order is compoſed, (together with thoſe evil Effećts I have found to attend it) till convinced of the conrrary by good Evidence {Page 349} not doubting but you will find much more weight in my Arguments againsg it, thanmany amongſt you may at preſent think of, as ſome about us have done before you. In hopes of your Conſideration whereof, I commit you to Gid for Direćton and Counſel in this and all other Concenrs thqt maycome before you; being fully perſwaded, that ſuch a weighty Aſſembly will neithef ſlight or condemn me before I be fully heard, in faviur of any cincrned therein, ſince Truth admits of no reſpećt of P3eſons in Judgment, who am your evef truem though greatly traduced Friend

Henry Pickworth

From my Lodging at the Bricklayers Arms in Warwick-Lane, London, the 25th of the 3d Month, 1697.

Now though this procured me not the Audience I hoped for in the ſaid Meeting, for the Reaſons above-mentioned, yet ſome few Friends, for Curiousſity ſake, (rather then with Friends, for Curioſity ſake, (rather than with deſign to rectifie the erros I objećted) was pleaſed (at John Whitehead's Requeſt) to allow me a private Hearing of part of my Allegations againſt the ſaid Order, at a ſelect Aſſembly of their own Appointment; the Iſſue whereof incouraging me to come up to our next Yearly Meeting, though I there again met with the ſame Repulſe as before; yet as I then obtained another private Hearing of the reſt of my Arguments before a few Perſons in another private Meeting, through William Pen's Influence, ſo the Iſſue thereof incouraged me to come up to our next Yearly Meeting, in hopes of a publick one therein of the whole, that the Matteer might be finally ended by the Orders Defence or Condemnation; in order wheeto, that nothing might be wanting on my part, I had taken care to propoſe my ſaid Arguments to both our Monthly and Quarterly {Page 340} Meeting alſo, according the the Rule they preſcribed me, as may be found by my Account of thoſe Friends Tranſaćtions that last gave me Audience; I communicated to our Quarter Meeting the ſame Year, in a few Lines direćted and compoſed as follows.

Dear Friends aʃʃembled at this our Quarter Meeting at Lincoln, and all others whom it may concern.

Whereas it is not unknown to ſome amongſt you, that for divers Years a Diſſatisfaction hath reſted on my Spirit, with relation to a certain Teſtimony heretofore ſet forth at a General Meeting in London, againſt Marriage of Lawful Knidred; the which Teſtimony as I proved to be grounded on Error, and attended with very hurtful Effećts, in my Allegations againſt it, in reply to George Whitehead's Arguments in its behalf (which has lain above a Year at his Door unrefuted) I was perswaded to propoſe the Conſideration thereof to our laſt Monthly Meeting, and I being occaſionally there this laſt Year, I found it my place to propoſe it to the Members thereof; in favour whereof (though I could not obtain Audience therein, for want of your Deputation for that end, yet) our worthy Friend William Pen, amongſt others, was pleaſed to give me a private Hearing of the whole, in a ſelect Aſſembly of their procuring: as a Concluſion whereof they came to theſe unanimous Reſolves, which to prevent Miſinformation of this occaſion, I am obliged to acquaint you with.

1st. That they ʄound much heat in my management of the Controverʃie, they deʃired to know whether I could content my ʃelf to ceaʃe all ʄurther Proʃecution of my Arguments againſt the ſaid Order, and paʃs by ʃuch Occaʃions as I conceived my ʃelf to have {Page 351} received from George Whitehead and others in our Parts upon its Account.

To which I returned,

That as I never intended to publiʃh my Reply to George Whitehead, iʄ he would do me and the Church Juʃtice without it, in condemning what he could not deʄrnd, ʃo I could be content to paʃs by all ʃuch Occaʃion as I had received from him, or our Monthly Meeting, upon his Retraćrion of his Errors in the Orders behalf, and their obliteratinf ſuch Records out of our Monthly Book as declared the Diʃunity with me in my Oppoʃition to it; yet as there was nothing in the Matter of my Mmanuʃcript but what I would (through the Lord's Aʃʃiʃtance) undertake to deʄend, ʃo I durʃt not for the World renounce my Arguments againʃt his Allegations, or let fall my Chriʃtian Teʃtimony againʃt the Order he advocates, till it was diſowned, ʃince I did not find they would undertake to deʄend either.

Whereupon, after divers fruitleſs perſwaſions of me to take up the Matter on other Terms than Truth would allow me, William Pen at length in the Name of the reſt was pleaſed to declare, That as I ought not to be condemned before my Arguments were confuted, (which he then ʄound none to attempt) I might have liberty nit only to adviʃe Friends to be more condeʃcending to ʃuch Marriages for the future than the Order allowed, but alʃo to publiʃh my Proteʃtation againʃt the Order it ʃelf amongʃt them, if I could not be eaʃie without it. Which liberty I hereby make uſe of, in entring this my Chriſtian Proteſtation againſt it accordingly, as a moʃt pernicious Innovation, compoſed of as many Lies as Lines, as more fully appears by my Manuſcript againſt it; ſince

1st. The ſaid Order pretends to be grounded on a living Senſe of the Truth of God: When as I have in my Manuſcript proved it To be compoſed of a moʃt groʃs Miʃcontruction of the Dead Letter, ſince

2dly. It aſſerts, THAT marriage of near Kindred was under the alaw expreʃʃly forbidden: When as I {Page 352} have proved, That Marriage of near Kindred is not therein ʃo much as once expreʃs'd.

3dly. It in like manner as unrighteouſly tells us, That they were in the time of the Law allowed by way of Condeſcenſion: When as I have plainly proved by the Law it ſelf, That they were thereby expreſly commanded as Duty.

4thly. It untruly aſſigns The upholding of Tribes as an extraordinary occaʃion for an allowance of ʃuch Marriages: When as I have proved That was no occaſion at all, ʃince as the leaʃt Tribe of the Israelites had more than Twenty Thouʃand Males upwards of Twenty Years old therein, they might as well uphold them by marrying with any other of their Tribe, who might be far enough from near of Kin to them.

5thly. It poſitively sffirms, That the nearer their Marriages were, the more unholy they were accounted: When as I have proved by the Inſtance of Boas, &c. That the nearer they were, the more Holy they were accounted.

6thly. It particularly oppoſes Marriage of the Firʃt Couʃens as unrighteous, &c. When as I have proved Holy Scripture paericularly preʄers them as Duty to be praćtiʃed before others. And

7thly, As it moſt ridiculouſly pretends to a Redemption from thoʃe Jewiſh Kindreds and Tribes, which I have proved we never was under; ſo

8thly. It unrighteouſneſs insinuates Such Marriages to be the produćt of irregular Aʄʄećtions: When as I have proved, They were generally moʃt ʃanctiʄied that practiʃed them.

9thly. It in the like manner affirms, Others to be more Natural and of better Report, which Holy Scripture on the contrary reports to be worʃt.

10thly. It untruly ſuggeſts Such Marriages to be the produćt of Weakneſs: As I have proved The Holy Ancients were led into the praćtice of by the Lord's Aʃʃiʃtance.

11thly. It without diſtiction diſallows Such Marriages (as it repreʃents unlawful) to be broken, to the plain Contrdićtion of the Law it ſelf, in {Page 353} which it pretends to be frounded, that declares, All that are really ʃo was to be diʃʃolved.

Laʃtly. It in the likemanner diſowns any ʃuch Praćtices being our Precedents or Examples to imitate: When as I have plainly proved, The Holy Scripture for that end prefer them.

From all which I conclude, That if nothinf ought to be believed or owned for true Doćtrine or Teſtimony, but whar is according to the Scriptures of Truth, as atteſted in the Late Vindication of our Chriſtian Principles preſented to Parliament, then this Order oughr to be diſowned to all ends and purpoſes, as an unchriſtian Innovation of moſt pernicious Consquence, ſince nithing can possibly be deviſed more contrary to Scripture than I have proved it.

For which Cauſe, my dear Friends, as I hereby protſr againſt the ſame as an Unrighteous, Unlawful and Unchriſrian Preſcription, of the Nature of thoſe the Apoſtle ſpeaks of 1 Tim. iv. 1,3. I hereby alſo deſire, that ye enter this my Preteſtation in your Record, as my ſtanding Teſtimony agqinſt it, in order to its more general Publication, till its Effećts be avoided by a Removal of the Cauſe, as you hope to eſcape God's juſt Diſpleaſure for your Omiſſion, who am your ever well-wiſhing Friend

Henry Pickworth.

Sleeford, 22d of the 4th Month, 1698.

Now notwithſtandinf the above-menrioned Extract of the Order's Corruptions, as the Ground of this my Proteſtation agqinſt it was carefully by me pr3ſented to our Monthly Meeting, the 7th of the 1st Month, Anno 1698-9, and to our Quartr Meeting on the 13th of rhe ſame, for the Ends therein ſpecified, yet were the Members of both ſo far from Enreing it in their Record, accordinf to my Requeſt therein, as that (having received George Whitehead's Adviceto the contrary) they proceeded to give Judgment agqinſt me for requeſting {Page 354} it; the Conſideration whereof laid a Neceſſity upon me to draw up a Second Edition of my ſais Manuſcript in Anſwed to George Whitehead, and preſent it to our next Yearly Meeting; inſerted as Preface, I communicated the ſame to their ſerious Conſiderarion as follows.

To all thoſe my dear Friends and Brethren, who ʃeek the Honour of God and Proʃperity oʄ thiʃ Truth and People as thiſ Yearly Meeting, are theʃe my enʃuing Lines humbly direćted.

Dear Friends,
As it is not unknown to divers amongſt you, that a great Diſſatisfaction hath for divers Years remained on my Mind, with relation to a certain Teſtimony ſaid to be ſet forth at a ſolemn General Meeting of many faithful Friends in Anno 1675, againſt Marriage of Firſt Couſens, &c. The which as I know to be grounded on Error, and attended with very unhappy Effećts, ſo the ſame was ſome Years ſince with vigour oppoſed as an abſolute Bar to my Proceedings with a Friend in that degree accordingly; notwithſtanding, as I found nothing in the Laws of God or Man to obſtrućt me, I aſteemed itmy Duty to Anſwer in Writing ſome Objections of a parricular Member of our own Monthly Meeting againſt my Deſign; with the Diſquiſition whereof, he not thinking convenient to truſt his own Judgments, immediately poſts up my Letter, for a Reply, to George Whitehead of London; inſtead of which, he preſents their Order with a few Lines of his own in its behalf; by all which notwithſtanding, I was ſofar from being convinc'd of any Unrighteouſneſs in ſuch Proceedings as the Order oppoſes, as thqt I ſhortly after returned him an Anſwer thereto, uno which as he was pleaſed toReply, I again refuted the ſame in my enſuing Rejoynder;,ſince which as he hath nit thought fit to attempt any {Page 355} further Defence, I went up to propoſe the Contents of the ſame to our next Yearly Meeting in London, as a perpetual Obſtrućtion to the Order's further Effećts of this Nature amongſt us; where, under pretence of my not having firſt regularly propſed my ſaid Rejornder in our amonthly Meeting, &c. I was denied a Hearing therein; but as I never knew any ſuch Goſpel Order on Record, that ſo enjoyned me, ſo (as no Inferiour Aſſembly can properly take cognizance of what a Superior canonly redreſt) I firmly believed that there was none; for which Cauſe, my dear Friends, as ai eſteemed this ignoble Diverſion only an Inſtance of the Author's known Gultimeſs, ſo according to the Goſpel Precedent of St. Paul qnd Barnabus, (who laid their own and others Diſſatisfaction about Circumciſion, &c. before the Council of the Apoſtles and Elders at Jeruʃalemdirećtly) I made bold to propoſe the ſame again at another Yearly Meeting, wherein I was alſo as afore repulſed. Upon which our ancient Friend John Whitehead, in a deep Senſe of the Right of my Cauſe, procured me a private Hearing of that part of my Rejoynder that moſt immediately related to the Order it ſelf, in a particular Meeting of his owm procuring; the Concluſion whereof centring in its tacit acondemnation in Matter and Form, gave me good hopes of its final Abrogarion at our next Yearly Meeting; in order whereto, I again there propoſed my ſaid Rejoynder, in hopes of their Concluſion of this Controverſie amongſt us, by the Order's publick Retraćtion.

But though I was therein again alſo diſappointed under the former pretence, yet our worthy Friend William Pen, to his Praiſe be it ſpoken who conſidering how nearly the Matter affećted himſelf, (upon account of the Hand he had in it amongſt others, byhis own Confeſſion) ſhewed more Nobility than the reſt, in procuring me another private Hearing of that part of my Manuſcript, that muſt immediately related to George Whitehead's {Page 356} Allegations, before a few Friends, chiefly of his own chuſing; the effećt of whoſe Judgment tacticly centring in George Whitehead's Condemnation, (together with our Monthly Meetings, &c. injurious Tranſaćtions towards meon his occaſion) in favour of the publication of my deſigned Proteſtation againſt the Order amongſt Friends, as in the enſuing Edition of my afore-mentioned Manuſcript is largely proved, I, in a Senſe of my own Inability in a Matter of that Nature, was in hopes that the next Yearly Meeting would ſave me that Trouble, by removing the Cauſe through the Order's Abrogation; ſo in reverence to thoſe immediately concerned in it, (as well as to avoid all Reflecrion of my eager pursuit of it, being the produćt of my presumptuous Officiouſneſs) I deferr'd to further preſs them to it, till that now Two is expired , and nothing done to that purpoſe.

Wherefore as I indeed have had more than ordinary occaſion to ſee into the Errors and ill Effećts of this Order, (togethern with ſome Human Limitations of the ſame Nature) I durſt not any longer keep ſilence in a Matter that ſo nearly affećts the Honour of God and Proſperity of his Church and People, whatever Calumnies I may be expoſed to in my Proceedings about it, ſince as I made ſenſible, That all true Marriages are only of God's Promotion, no Man can chuſe another a ſuitable Wife, no more than they can make amends for ſuch a Diſappointment. Wherefore, my dear Friends, that nothing may for the future on my part be wanting towards our Redemption from this Impoſition, as well as to leave all thoſe without Excuſe who were chiefly concerned in it, I have Been content to propoſe my ſaid Proteſtation on the 7th of the 1st Month of this preſent Anno 1698-9. to our Monthly Meeting, and the 13th to our Quarterly one, to their reference thereof to y9u at this Yearly Meeting to be finally heard and ended according {Page 357} to the Disſciple you have propoſed as moſt Chriſtian; but as Works of Darkneſs always shun the Light, as our Lord foretold us, ſo notwithſtanding the Order's Advocates ſpacious Declarations of their willingneſs to allow me a Hearing in our Yearly Meeting againſt them, after I hae ſubjećted to this theri propoſed Method in order to it; they deſignednnothing leſs, as appeared by George Whitehead's treacherous Advice in a few Lines to Thomas Robinſon, to wiſh the Members of our ſaid Meetings to take no notice of my Allegations againſt him or the Order, that he might coveer h9smdeſigned Oppoſition to my Appearance amongſt you at this Yearly Meeting, with my wantnof their reference of the Matter thereof to your Conſideration, as I have ground to conclude from thoſe his Trasnsaćtions.

Wherefore, my dear Friends, as Holy Peter and all the Seven Churches of Aſia, together with divers General Councils, as well as private and publick Aſſemblies of profeſſ'd Christians, both have and ſtill may err, according to our Friend Robert Barclay's Confeſſion; ſince we are not to entertain Hereſies, though intoduced as a Croſs to the Flesh, through a voluntary Humility in the Meekneſs of Angels, accordig to the Doćtrine of the Apoſtle Paul in Coloſ. ii. 18,23, &c. it concerns you not to be over-confidenr, that our Yearly Meeting hath not erred in the Matter of this Order, how much ſoever its Promoters already have, or may hereafter pretend to God's Power and Preſence in its Inſtitution, ſince I not only certainly know, but alſonhave in mynenſuing Manuſcript proved it to be all Error from End to End, beyond its Inventors Attempts to confute me; in the due Conſideration whereof, as I doubt not but that you will find George Whitehead's Allegations ſo too, if you please to examine thoſe Reasons I have urged againſt them, as I hereby once more moſt humbly request you, who am your evef well-wiſhing Friend

Henry Pickworth.

Dated 3d Month, 1699.

{Page 358} This, no more than the Manuſcript it prefac'd, being permitted to be read in that Yearly Meeting for want of our Quarter Meetings repreſentation thereof for that purpoſe, (which I not being then able to obtain, through George Whitehead's wicked Inſtigations againſt it) and being uneaſie to let Truth be (?) by ſuch indirect Methods, I found my ſelf concerned to go up to our next Yearly Meeting again, in my private Capacity, to ſee if more Juſtice might be obtained from it; where expećting to be oppoſed at Entrance, as their manner is, to Perſons undeputed, I ſent in the following Lines by one of their Members, to provoke them, if poſſible, to anſwer the Contents of them.

Dear Friends aſſemblednat this Yearly Meeting, to ʃerve the Lord, his Truth and People

Though it be well known, that I have ſeveral times propoſed my real Diſſatisfaction unto y0u heretofore, againſt an Order or Teſtimony ſaid to be ſet forth at a General Meeting in London againſt Marriage of Firſt Couſens, &c. the which I not only affirm, but alſo (in a certain Treatiſe ready to be preſented to you) have proved to be grounded on Antiſcriptural Concluſions, and attended with very hurtful Effećts amongſt us, beyond the Contradiction of thoſe chiefly concerned in its Inſtitution, which can only be avoided by removing the Cauſe; yet inſtead of having the Occaſion condemn'd or defended by you (who only have Power for that end and purpoſe) I have not only hitherto been denied a Hearing amongſt you, but alſo ſome Friends of London, in the Name of the Second Days Meeting, have lately taken it upon them to oppoſe me that Chriſtian Priviledge in our Meetings of Diſcipline themſelves have theretofore propoſed as moſt Chriſtian; for which Cauſe my dear Friends, as thoſe Transaćtions {Page 359} towarxs me are ſo far from being a likely means to convince me of Error, if Gulity, as that I eſteem them of a moſt dangerous Tendency, to the evil Example of others; ſo ſince our Friend Thomas Eldwood hath declared, That whoever impeaches or undertakes to prove any Order or Teſtimony now uſed amongſt us to be Antiʃcriptural, it ʃhall not long e're they be convićted of Falʃhood and Slander therein; not knowing whether I may be admitted to come in amongſt you, (having been heretofore obſtrućted) I hereby demand as my Right, a fair Hearing by you, (or a ſelećt Aſſembly of you Appointment) on this and ſome other Occaſions of the ſame Nature, in ordeer to be ſo convićted, if poſſible, in this my Charge againſt you, or otherways to have the Matters I oppoſe condemn'd as puboickly by your Yearly Papers as they have thereby be produced amongſt us, that you may not adminiſter me juſt occaſion to expoſe your great Weakneſsnin thoſe Caſes to the Lord's People in genral, through the further Neglećt of your Duty towards me and your ſelves in this Mattef, as you tender the Honour of God and your Reputation, concerning which I hereby tenderly requeſt your final Reſolve by the Bearer, or otherwiſe as the Lord may in his Wisdom direćt you; in hopes whereof (with my real Love to you all in the Truth that is unchangeable) I conclude and reſt your ever true, though greatly traduced Friend.¹⁵¹

Henry Pickworth.

From the Lodging at the Bricklayers Arms in Warwick-Lane, London, the 20th of the 3d Month, 1700.

Thus far with relation to my Proceedings chiefly againſt the Order above-mentioned; all which as its Author contemptuouſly ſlighted, in refuſing to admit me a Hearing in a Church way amongſt them, or ſo much as return my Anſwer to my {Page 360} Letters to their Meeting, which I had ſome cauſe to think would in the end break forth in ſome unacceptable Effećts to them; yet as I then ſaw no more of their Courruptions in Doćtrine, Diſcipline or Practice, I (in Revernece to their Yearly Exhortations to keep a cloſe Diſcipline, as they call it) continued a ſtrićt Promoter of the reſt of their Innovations, &c. as neceſſary Rules of our Duty, as may be found by my ſevreal Cintroverſial Writing and Diſcourses with Francis Bugg and others, together with the ſeveral Papers of Excluſion I have drawn up by our Meetis Order againſt their Tranſgreſſors, in hopes that this (with another or two of the ſame Nature) were alo the Errors that was amongſt them in their Church Capacity; but as the depraved Romaniʃts refuſal to condemn thoſe Antichriſtian Indulgences Martin Luther oppoſeed, as the only Error he then ſaw amongſt them, gave him anopportunity to diſcover many others in his Conſcientious apursuit of them, (in a deep Senſe whereof he could have no reſt till he had left never a aHoof of Popery unoppoſed, as he tells us) fo I being faithful in my oppoſition of this Order, the Lord not only graciouſly ſhewed me, but alſo laid a neceſſity upon me in like manner, in ſome meaſure to oppoſe others I at first was unſenſible of, as may be found in thoſe fourteen Particulars I in Anno 1708 drew up in Writing againſt the Depraved amongſt us; the which I having offered a private Hearing of in their Second Days Meeting, onthw 27th of the 10th Month of the Year above-mentioned, in order to their Defence or Condemnation before I further expoſed them, which they preſumptuouſly refuſing, I found my ſelf concerned to bring my Manuſcript, wherein thoſe Particulars were contained, along with me to our next Yearly Meetinf, to be there conſidered amongſt them; for whicj end I, in Complaiſance to their deviſed Method, firſt preſented the Conſideration thereof to our own Monthly Meeting, in order to its Direćtion from thence to our next Quarterly one, as it was accordinf; in which, {Page 361} though I could not obtain the ſavour to gain it a Hearing amongſt them, through the prevalency of their Depravity, yet the Members thereof thought good to Elect me one of their Repreſentatives for the Service of their next Yearly Meetinf, in ordef to its Examination therein, as appeared by the Minute they ſent up for their ſatisfaction; which yet was ſo far from effećting it end, as thqt notwithſtanding William Penn and Robert Barclay's lofty Pretentions, That any of our Church Members may coke there and ʃpeak their Minds ʄreely about any Matter in Conteʃt, it could bynomeans prevail with the ſaid Meeting to grant me Admittance into their Aſſembly, as appeared by the abuſive Reſiſtance I met with from their Agents when I attempted it on the 13th of the 4th Month Anno 1709, being the firſt of their Meetinf; in defence of whichmthey alledged, That as they ʄound Six nominated ʄor our County's Service, contrary to an Order of theirs, which allows but of Four, I ought to take patiently my Excluʃion as the Effećt of their order, an not any Diʃpleasure they bore me upon any other occaʃion. The which Cavil though I refuted, by telling, That as our Quarter Meetings nomination of Six was only for them to agree amongʃt themʃelves, betwixt that and the Yearly Meeting, which Four could with moʃt conveniency go (according to our uʃual Practice, and their own Precedent in other reʃpećts) leʃt iʄ ʄewer were nominated, there might happen nit to go enough, and not to contradićt their Order of Four; ʃo inʃtead of Four, as there was only one come beſʃides my ʃelʄ, inʃtead oʄ objećting againʃt me, as one ʃent too many, they ought rather to blame our Quarter Meeting ʄor ʃending no more.¹⁵²

However, being prepoſſeſs'd againſt me upon Account of the Matters I came about, (notwithſtanding their contrary Pretenſions) by a Reflećtious Letter privately ſent them by three buſie Novices in our Parts, who diſliked of my Nomination, as I was informed, contrary to the Hypocritical Pretenſions of the laſt of its Subſcribers in my Audience the ſame Evening, That he was glad I was appointed to go; all I could ſay for my Admiſſion could only prevail with them to permit me a Hearing before ſuch of their Brotherhood, as had freedom to meer me at the Printer's Chamber of their own Accord that Evening; the which though I was no ways obliged to accept, as I told them, ſince my Charges concerned the Yearly Meeting in General, yet as I was willing to receive Information from any Particular amongſt them or others, if it was found I had wronged them, ſo in hopes that ſuch as might then appear, would not only Hear, but alſo Examine the Truth of my Charges by Evidence, in order to their Defence or Condemnation in the Yearly Meeting then aſſembled, according to the Diſcipline of the Truth they profeſſed, I ſhould then condeſcend to read the ſame amongſt them at the time appointed for that righteous purpoſe; which though they poſitively promiſed when met, they moſt groſsly failed in peformance, as will appear by what follows.¹⁵³

For no ſoonef had I read my Charges, but that inſtead of examining the Truth of them, (by the Evidence I referr'd to in proof of them) according to their Pretentſions; they, after ſome frivolous Quibbles to maſcure the Auditors from a Senſe of their Corruptions, (like ſome bad Biſhops I have read of, who after they had broach'd ſome Hereſies, and thereby ſet the Church together by the Ears, inſtead of manfully ſtaying to defend the ſame, when called upon for the end) all prepared to be gone, under pretence of the Night's coming on. Upon which I preſſing their promiſe, as a Duty I expećted their faithful performance of, William Pen at length in behalf of the reſt, engaged, That ʃince they were not like to have Time to examine the Truth of the Inʃtances I reʄerr'd to in proof of my Charges, they would make up what was wantinv at that Place ſome Time ʃhortly, to my ʃull ʃatisfaction; which divertive Motion though I was forced to comply with for want of a better, yet as it was more then ever I could obtain before, I thought good to quicken their Performance of it a {Page 363} few Days after, by a Letter to the ſaid William Pen in the Yearly Meeting time, as follows.

Loving Friend William Pen,

Since thou manifeſtex a Spirit of true Nobility above many othefs at our laſt private Meeting, in givinf me ground by thy promiſe to expećt anithef ſhortly, in order to examine by Evidence the Truth of the Matters charged in my Manuſcript, (heretofore offered at the Second Days Meeting) out of which, though I would have none of our Profeſſion excluded, that eſteem themſelves conſcientiouſly concerned to be Auditors, yet as George Whitehead, Tomas Elwood and John Feild, as well as thy ſelf, amongſt others of the moſt noted Members of the ſaid Meeting (with whom I am prevented of the opportunity I expećted, to eaſe my Mind freely, through my unaccountable Excluſion out of this our Yearly Aſſembly) are chiefly concerned therein, I muſt request thee to do me the favour to gi e as many of them as thou canſt Notice bythoſe Lines or otherways at this time, to be there, in order to clear themſelves, bya fair Defence or Condemnation, that they may haveno cauſe to commplain of their being publickly expoſed, before they have had an opportunity offered to diſcharge themſelves by a Verbal Cinference. In ordef whereto, as I wish the ſaid Meeting maybe ſome Day this Week, if poſſible, at a convenient Place, on account of my Obligstion to be at Home the next upon preſſing Occaſions I hope thou wilt be pleaſed to give me ſpeedy Notice, by Word or Writing, when and wherre you appoint it, who as your truly loving though grestly abuſed Friend

Henry Pickworth

London, 16th of theeth Month, 1709.

Now though this was faithfully delivered him in the Yearly Meeting the Day it was dated, yet {Page 364} were he and his Collegues ſo far from giving me Notice when and where they would meet me, according to my Requeſt therein, as that byſome Diſcourse I had with with the next Evening, I plainly perceived they had no mind to meet me at all, how much ſoever they had pretended to it; which cauſed me to ſend another Letter into the ſaid Meeting, on the 18th of the ſame amonth, direćted and compoſed as follows,

Friend William Pen,

I Perceive by the Diſcourſe I had with thee laſr Night, you have a Mind to evade the Meeting you promiſed me at our laſt, to examine the Truth of my Charges by Evidence,under pretence of the multiplicity of Buſineſs you are otherwiſe engag'd in; but as I have ground to eſteem it much rather the effećts of your own known Gultineſs of thoſe ſeveral Errors I charge you with, (which are of a ruinous Tendency to Body and Soul whilſr persisted in) I am the more concerned at your diſengenuous Diverſions, which are ſo far below the Truth ye profeſſ, as that you would eſteem them below you as Men, did not you prefer your own vain Reputation amongſt your miſled Adherents above the Honour of God, and Welfare of his abuſed People; ſuch mean Devices being ſo far remote from the Nature of George Fox and Edward Burrow's &c. ancient Offers, to ſubjećt all our Doćtrines and Praćtices to a fair Examination before out moſt inveterate Oppoſers, as that it direćtlh contradićts Thomas Elwood's Pretences in his Account from Wickham, That iʄ qnynCharge any Orders amongſt us, to be contrary to the Scriptures of Truth, (as I do thoſe I oppſe) they ʃhall therein ʃoon be convićted of Falʃhood and Slander; of which, if eithernhe or you can fairly convict me by Scripture Evidence, &c. I ſhall be as ready to own my Errors, as I eſteem you obliged to Condemn yours as publickly as you have ſpread them, if you cannot defend them, according to the Rules of {Page 356} that Chriſtian Diſciplne you have herein apparently ſwerved from; by which ſort of Practices as you have alſo heretofore abuſed many ſincere Souls amongſt us, who have departed this World with a Chriſtian Teſtimony againſt your Apoſtacy and Tyranny, ſo though you may poſſibly think to avoid being publickly expoſed to the Members of our Profeſſion, according to your Demerits, by abridging me of the Advantage you have to publiſh your evaſive Defences to mascure them in their Ingnorance, accordinf to the Precedent of another depraved Church towards Martin Luther, &c. you have heretofore juſtly complained of; yet I am well ſatisfied, that the Great God will find you out with a Vengeance, for your Wickedneſs in thoſe reſpećts, as hath often been ſoretold you, if not prevented by your ſpeedy Repentance and Amendment, bringing your Deeds to the Light, by a fair Examination before impartial Auditors. In order whereto, as I expect a publick Meeting with you this Afternoon, or the next Second Day at furthereſt, at a convenient Place, to decide the Matter by Evid4nce, according to the effećt of thy Promiſe amongſt others towards me at the reading of my Pap3rs (upon account whereof, as I have ſraid in Town beyond my Convenience or Intentions in Complaiſance to thy Deſires) inaſmuch as I eſteem thee of a more generous Diſpoſure than many others amongſt us, I am concerned to lay it peculiarly upon thee as a Duty , to give publick Notice of it, by reading theſe Lines or otherways at this Aſſembly; of which I expećtman Account to be ſent me to our Friends Joʃeph Tovey's in Lombard-Street, with all poſſible Expedition, as thou wilt anſwer the effećts of the contrary before God and his People; who am, as I ever hope to remain (notwithſtanding you Unkindneſs in my unaccountable Ecluſion out of this your Yearly Meetinf, for the Service whereof I was rightly deputed) your ſincer3-hearted and truly well-wiſhing Friend¹⁵⁴

Henry Pickworth
London, 18th of the 4th Month, 1709.

{Page 366} This being alſo delivered the ſaid William Pen as direćted, in the Time of their Yearly Aſſembly, how little ſoever my otherm affećted tyem, did n9t a little nettle him, as appeared by the Flames he came ro me in about an Hour aft4r, when their Meeting was near t3rminating; whom he accuſed with no leſs than preſumptuous Inſolence, in offering t9 ſuggeſt therein, As if Friends would not meet me according to their Promiſe for the Ends above-mentioned; whereas he aſſured me, I might depend they would moſt surely do about the Second Hour, at their Printer's Chamber on the Third Day following, being the 21ſt inſtant; in order whereto, as he had given them Notice according to my Deſire, ſo he would lay aſide thoſe many weighty Services that did attend him, for to attend it; with more to this purpoſe. The Conſideration whereof made me not a little reflećt on my Severity towards Perſons of ſuch unexpećted Magnanimity; all which was cauſeleſs, they proved ſo long winded, as will appear by the Sequel.

For propoſing no ſmall Satisfaction to my ſelf and others , upon this glorious proſpect of a fair Audience; inſtead of Two of the Clock, I took care to be at the Place appointed by Twelve, where inſtead of meeting with any of the Meeters, I only met with a ſhort Note of William Pen's, ſtuck in the Printer's Shop, ſtuffed with lofty Nothings, as the Reader will find by the following Contents of it.

Henry Pickworth, I ʃtaid ʄor thee above an Hour, and came into the City on purpoʃe from Jame's, that have weighty aʄʄairs on my Hands that call for every Moment of me, to prepare for a Hearinf Fiʄth Day beʄore the Queen's Councio, of great Moment to me and Friends in, Amrica, ʃo wiʃh thee well, being thy real Friend.

William Pen.

This (beſides the Confuſion he appeared to be by its confuſed contents) being ſuch a deceitful {Page 367} Diverſion as I little expećted from a Mon of his Charaćter, after his many magnificent Pretences to IMPARTIALITY< candour, &c. (verified the Truth of William Roger's Declarqtion a few Days before in my Audience, That I ſhould find they would not brought to an Examination of their Errors in an Aſſembly rightly conſtituted for that purpoʃe, how much ʃoever they pretend to it) ſincw as his pretended C9ncern on the Fifth Day could not affećt my Hearing at a publick Meeting of our Friends on the Third, (which migh have been with9ut (as well as with) him, had not h8s Partners known Guilt prevented) I was reſolved to find him out, if poſſible, to ſee how he would defend it. In order whereto, being told, That the Houʃe of Henry Goldney was the moʃt likely place, I immediately went thither; where being given to und3rſtand he was ſat down to Dinner, I th9ught good to wait whilſt he had done; after which he with ſome uneaſineſs came down, ane wiſh'd me to follow him into the Printer's Chamber in the Court, where inſtead of giving me the Satisfaction I deſired, by ſending for his Competitors to examine by Evidence the Truth of my Charges in Sheers I lenr him at his requeaſt, in order to their better preparation for it; he firſt lets me know, he had left my Manuſcript behind him, (that I might be ſenſible what Care he had taken to ſecure them from the Effećts of its Examination, if they had met) and then plainly told me, George WhiteHead would not meet me at all, in a Senʃe of my uncompliant Diʃpoʃure, whicj was the reaʃon that deterred the reʃt. Thus inſtead of grqnting me the Audience in their Yearly Meeting I had moſt juſtly demanded, all their glorious Boaſts of my Allowanfe of it in a private one came to nought.¹⁵⁵

However, as the ſaid WilLiam Pen had told us, That ſuch as ʃaw any Errors creeping into the Church, ought to cry out as earneʃtly againʃt them, as iʄ they believed all beʃides themʃelves were aʃleep; I could not for all this be eaſie, to let thoſe I ſaw in our paſs unexamined {Page 368} in order to their Amendment, what Repulſes ſoever I met with in pursuit of them. Wherefore, being called up to London about ſome private Concerns of my own, in the 10th Month Anno 1710, (where meeting with our Second Days Meeting's Hypocritical Thanks to the Queen, for her promiſe of Maintainance of the Indulgence inviolable, &c, as if they knew themſelves guilty of Crimes that wanted one, ſo contrary to thei ancient Pretenſions) I took that opportunity to acquaint them once more of my Diſſatisfaction, with thoſe their concealed Corruptions, &c. by a few Lines, as followss.

Friends,

Though your great Provocations in refuſing to Hear (and much more to Examine) in a regularly conſtituted Meeting, ſich Evidence as I have heretofore offered in proof of ſuch Charges as I have offered in proof of ſuch Charges as I have been conſcientiouſly concerned to exhibit againſt a depraved Party amongſt you, has given me juſt Cauſe t0 detećt you in Print long before this, according to your Demerits; yet as I amloath to expoſe you to ſuch Sufferings as you might poſſibly meet with, through the publication of Matters of this Nature, until you have utterly fruſtrated me of all hopes of your Amendment without it, I hereby let you know, that (though my Concerns brought me to Town upon other Occaſions) I am willing to take this opportunity once more to offer you a Hearing of the ſame in Manuſcript for that righteous purpoſe, at his your Aſſembly, that you may avoid the effećts of its further Publication, by removing the Cauſe if upon Examination you cannot defend it. In order whereto, as I am now waiting at my Friend Joʃeph Tovey's in Lombard-Street, exoećting your Anſwer per Bearer, or otherways, ſo nothing but your ſuſpećted Guilt, I am perswaded, can make you refuſe it, who am your true, though greatly abuſed Friend

Henry Pickworth

{Page 369} This being carefully delivered them by one Mary Waller in the time of their Meeting, at their Chamber in White-Hart Court, Grace-Church-Street, in the Month above -mentioned; they, inſtead of ſending their deſired Anſwer by her, ſent Word, Thay they would convey their Mind to me by a Meſſenger of their own, as they did ſome Hours after accordingly, by whom they let me know, That as they had adjourned their ſaid Meeting till the 4th Hour in the Afternoon upon my Account, I might then appear before them, iʄ I thought convenient, when they would be ready to hear ʃuch Charges as I pretended to alledge againʃt them, or Words to that purpoſe. In anſwer wherreto I returned,

That as I purpoſed t0 wait upon them at the Time they prefixed, ʃo I deʃired, that they might not only Hear, but alʃo take Time to Examine the Truth of my Charges, by ſuch Inſtances as I had ready to aʃʃign in proof of them, of which I wiſh'd their Meſſenger to give them Notice accordingly.

But though we met at the Time appointed, yet were they ſo far from offering to Examine the Truth of the Inſtance I referr'd to in proof of my Charges, as thqt George Whitehead and john Field, with the greateſt part of the rest, (according to their former Method) got away before I had throughly read them, contrary to their Pretenſions when I began them, in a deep Senſe of their Guiltineſs I doubt not in the ſeveral Matters I mentioned; upon which on fell to Curſe me, another to Preach to me, another to Pray me, and another to Threaten me with terrible Things if I expoſed them more publickly. All whoſe falſe Fire, as I told them, ſhould not (without their Repentance and Amendment) divert me, ſince as I had ground t0 believe, That it was nothing but their known Gultineſs that made them make thoſe bluſtering Noiſes, to prevent their miſled Auditors from a true Senſe of it, ſo nothing but their publick Defence or Condemnation ſhould ever deter me; upon which Doćtor Heathcoat deſired , He might have Liberty allowed him to aʃk me one ʃerious Queʃtion {Page 370} for his own Satisfaction; which he wiʃh'd they had never given occaſion for.

Yet the Question he wanted me to reſolfe him was, Whether I was guided in my Charge to my own Human Reaſon, or the Principle of Divine Revelation they pretended to be led by?

To which when I roſe up to make Anſwer, he (according to the Precedenr of the reſt of his Fellows) inſtantly turned his Back, and hurried in haſte down the Stairs like one Thunder-ſtruck, crying out as he ran, I propoʃed not my Queʃtion to create Debate, but for my own Satisfaćtion, as appears by my Words, whereforw won't be prevail'd on to ſtay to hear oughr of rhe Tendency by all thy Perʃwaʃions. Wherein, inſtead of aćting like a noble Enquirer, according to the Precedent of thoſe Bereans of Old the Apoſtle commended, he rather imitates that of a certain cowardlyTaylor I have heard of, who (when he had fallen for Fear under a Man of Straw, he had unexpećtedly fell'd in his Cups, by a ſtroke of his Wand) cried lamentably hard for his merciful Diſcharge, under pretence, that he came there only to ſhow his Valour,by ſmiting at one he hoped would nor hurt, and not with the leaſt intention to venture the hazard of being ſmote by him.

Thus far with relation to the fourteen Particulars afore-mentioned, of their Apoſtacy from the Truth, and our ancient Chriſtian Principles inſerted in my ſaid Manuſcript; whereat being more than ever concerned, on Account of the fatal Conſequents that naturally attend ſuch ignominous Diverſions as they exerciſed me with, as the Lord was pleaſed to give me a further Senſe of their other great Corruptions ſpecified in thoſe Papers, as ſorrowful Additions to my foregoing Diſcoveries; whicj our QuarteR Meeting again allowing me to propoſe to our enſuing Yearly one to be {Page 371} there defendednor condemned as became them, I once more found my ſelf concerned to take another tedious Journey thither, to offernthe ſamento their Conſideration for that righteous purpoſe; where meeting with the like repulſe as before notwithſtanding at Entrance, by their more than uſual Guardmthere placed for that end. I again adreſſed my ſelf to the afore-mentioned William Pen, in hopes of obtaining Audience amongſt them through his Influence, which hd promiſing me to uſe his utmoſt to accompliſh, but not being able to effećt, through the Averſion of others, I thought good to ſignifie my Mind to the Members of the ſaid Meetinf in General, by a few Lines in way of Anſwer to ſuch Reaſons as they had aſſign'd by their Agents, as the ground of my Expulſion from amongſt them, as follows.

25th of the 3d Month, 1711.

Friends,

Underſtanding by ſome Diſcourſe I had this Afternoon with William Pen, amongſt others, that you are not willing to grant our Quarter Meeting's Requeſt, in admitting me a Hearing in this our Yearly Aſſembly, of ſuch Things as Ii eſteem my ſelf conſcientiouſly concerned to lay before you, as Errors in the Church that ought to be redreſs'd; under pretence, that I have diſjoyned my ſelf from your Society, by joyning with the Prophets, and repreſenting Friends Apoſtates: ſince as I have not disjoyned my ſelf from the Sincere of our Profeſſion by joyning with the Prophets, as you unruly pretend, ſo I do not call all Friends Apoſtates, as you indefinitely charge me without proof; wherefore I have ground to believe, (that inſtead of the Reaſons you alledge for my Rejećtion) tis the known Guilt of the Parties who introduc'd thoſe Errors I have to acquaint you of, that makes them thus refuſe to bring their Deeds to the Light, leſt they ſhould juſtly be reproved, when {Page 372} they come to be impartially examined; ſo as the parallel of your Aćtions towards me is no where to be found ſo compleat, as in Rome's Proceeding towards the Ancient Proteſtant Reformers at the Ciuncil of Trent, I hereby muſt tell you, that as I juſtly claim my Liberty of Entrance into this your Aſſembly, upon account of the Station I am plac'd in, as Overſeer of that part of the Church to which I belong, according to the Diſcipline of Truth ye profeſs, you have hitherto as illegally as unrighteouſly debarred me, ſo I alſo require your Audience of ſuch Matters as I have to propoſe amongſt you, according to our Quarter Meeting's Requeſt, as you will anſwer per Bearer or otherways, who am with due Reſpećt, yours

Henry Pickworth.

This ſtill (together with our Quater Meeting's ſeveral Repreſentations and Requeſts ſent them in Writing, &c.) not being able to move them To admit me Entrance into their ſaid Meeting, any more than my former, and their Corruptions being in divers reſpects of a moſt damnable Tendency, I durſt not but go up again to their next Yearly Meeting, in order to lay thoſe ſeveral Matters before them, I had Evidence ready to offer in proof of; where meeting with the ſame Repulſe as before at Entrance, I drew up the Heads of my ſeveral Charges, with a deſign to publiſh them in Print, as follows

London, the 10th Day of the 4th Month called June, 1712.

Theſe are to Certifie all whom it may concern, That whereas I have for ſeveral Years been made ſenſible (amongſt ſeveral others of our Friends called Quakers) of the growing Depravity of many of our moſt noted Leaders, {Page 373} in Matters of Doćtrine, Diſcipline and Praćtice, through which the generality of their Adherents have been corrupted, to the danger of their eternal Damnation, if not timely prevented; I, in diſcharge of my Duty, as Overſeer and Elder of their own Elećtion, have not been wanting to ſignifie the ſame to them, from Time to Time in a friendly way, by Word and Writing, in order to their Repentance and Amendment, to prevent if poſſible, their being more publickly expoſed for their preſumoutous perſiſtance therein; but ſince they have been ſo far from anſwering the righteous End of my Chriſtian Travels for their Welfare, as thqt they have heretofore as well as now again at this our Yearly Meeting, refuſed me the Audience I deſired among them, in order to their better Information, by illegally barring up their publick Doors, and keeping me out by Force at their private one; I find myſelf conſcientiouſly concerned to ſignifie hereby to all the World, That I not only Charge, but alſo heretofore have in ſome Meaſure, and now again offer to prove, before impartial Perſons equally elećted between us, or otherways, in a publick Aſſembly, that the ſaid Leaders are guilty of 1. Error, 2. Hereſy, 3. Uncharitableneſs, 4. Falʃhood, 5. Evaſion, 6. Inconʃiʃtency, 7. Inoovation, 8. Impoʃition, 9. Infidelity, 10. Hypocriſy, 11. Pride, 12. Railery, 13. Apoʃtacy, 14. Perjury, 15. Idolatry, 16. Villany, 17. Blaʃphemy, 18. Abomination, 19. Conʄuʃion, and 20. Worʃe than Turkiſh Tyranny, in their Church Capacity; in Evidence, that the Abomination of Deſolation foretold by our Saviour to be ſet up in the Holy Place, (i.e. People profeſſing Infallibilty and Perfećtion, &c.) as previous to the terribly Day of the Lord, preceding the peaceable and univerſal Reign of Chriſt, of which the Holy Scripture ſpeaks, is now ſet up amongſt them.

Wherefore, inaſmuch as Mens refuſal to bring their Deeds to the Light, by a fair Examination before imparrial Auditors in verbal Conferences {Page 374} has been the occaſion of thoſe unhappy Sciſms wherewith the Chriſtian Church in all Ages hath been afflićted, according to our Friends approved Sentiments; I hope, that (ſince thoſe depraved Teachers have taken care to ſecure their pernicious Errors from publick Diſcocery by Books, in forbidding Zuch to be printed or publiſhed among us, as are not wrote in Union of their Body, as they call it) our Superiors will for once be pleaſed to oblige them, by Chriſtian means, if poſſible, to ſubmit to the Examination deſired in a free Conference, for rheir own and our Poſterities future Security from the fatal Consequents of their deſtrućtive Corruptions according to their ancient Petitions in other reſpećts, ſince I find my Chriſtian Entreaties (amongſt others of our Friends) unable to perſwade them to it without it, who am a heqrty Well-wiſhers to all Zion's true Travellers in every Chriſtian Society, without reſpećt to Sećts and Parties one above another, any further then they exceed each other in true Faith and Holineſs, which thoſe our depreaved Pretenders are become Strangers to, as I ſhall, through God Almighty's Aſſiſtance,evince by good Evidence, by their ownapproved Writings in their Cuſtody, amongſt othres, when-ever they have the Courage to meet me in a publick Aſſembly, rightly conſtituted for that righteous purpoſe. Witneſs my Hand¹⁵⁶

Henry Pickworth
Sleeʄord in Lincolnʃhire

Being, after I had tranſcribed the foregoing for the Preſs, notwithſtanding loath to Print it, before I had uſed all the Chriſtian means I could poſſibly think of to prevenr it, for fear of ſome unforeſeen Conſequences attent=ding it, I thoughr good to ſend {Page 375} them a Copy thereof, in a few Lines of my purpoſe the ſame in Print, ifnot preventing by their Allowances of the Hearing I deſired amongſt them, that they were in Duty obliged; the Contents whereof is as follows.

Friends,

Your diſingenuous Dealing towards me, in refuſing meEntrance into this our Yearly Meeting, in order to lay your ſeveral Corruptions before you, having laid a neceſſicity upon me to Print the incloſ'd, infurther diſcharge of my Duty to God and his abuſed People, I have, in tender Compaſſion to the ſincere amongſt you, prevailed on my ſelf to let you have a ſight of it before it be publiſhed, to ſee if the Dangers that may from thence ariſe, may cauſe you to prevenr it, bygivingme Notice, by a few Lines or otherways, this Evening (direćted to my Lodging at the Red-Lyon without Biʃhopʃgate) that you will allow me free Audience amongſt you very ſhortly for the afore-mentioned purpoſe; who am yours in the Truth.

Henry Pickworth
9th of the 4th Month, 1712.

The foregoing, with the incloſed therein,being direćted to William Pen, for the Service of the ſaid Meeting, was communicated by him to George Whitehead [that Arch Emiſſary of Satan] to have his Advice in the Matter, who upon refuſing the ſame, were ſo far from communicaring it Contents to the reſt of Friends there aſſembled, in order to have their Approbation therein, as that he took upon him not only to conceal the whole as much as he could from the knowledge of the Meeting, but alſo declared to ſuch as accidentally heard of it, That he could not conʃent to my Audience amongʃt them; under pretence, That as I had diſjoyned my ſelf from their Body in eʄʄećt, by joyning with the Prophets, I was not to be taken notice oʄ in what I had to alledge aginʃt {Page 376} them, having been long a Troubler of their Iſrael; with more to this purpoſe, as I was informed.

Which evaſive Reflection as I had ſufficiently refuted in the Letter I ſent them the Year before, I forthwith got the incloſed printed, in order to affix at the Royal Exchange, and other publick Places of Reciurſe up and down the City, &c. according to my firſt Determination.

Notwithſtanding, after I had about a Hundred ready in my Hand for that purpoſe, being ſtill loath to expoſe them, whilſt all hopes utterly jailed me of obtaining Juſtice without their publication, I thought good to ſend them two or three of the ſaid printed Papers into their Meeting on the 11th Inſtant, to ſee if their Conſideration might move them to prevent the publication of the reſt, by allowing me the Hearing I deſired amongſt them; which not effećting my end, how much ſoever ſome of their Members thereupon in Words pretended to it, I waited till the next Day, when not hearing any thing from them to that purpoſe, I ordered a Friend of kine to paſt up three of them in the Court before the Meeting Doors, to ſee if they might prevail on them to prevent the publication of the reſt, by doing me and themſelves, &c. the Juſtice I aimed at; which they yet not being able to effećt, I the next Day deſign'd to publich the reſt; to the further delay whereof, the Lord was pleaſed to lay a neceſſity upon our ancient and truly worthy (though greatly abuſed) Friend Thomas Kent, to come up to the City thqt Morning, thirteen Miles on Foot, througj a Divine Senſe he gave him, thwt he had ſomething to do in it for his Church and People, though he knew not what it was till he came there, where finding me in the Street, with the ſaid Papers in my Hand in order to publish, it was inſtantly made known to him, as his Service, That he might go to the Meeting, to endeavour to perſwade them to prevent their Conſequence, by admitting me to the Hearing I deſired amongſt them, according to their own ancient Diſcipline and known Rules {377} of Truth; which yet he being not able to prevail on them to allow me, through the Strength of their Stupidity, our Friend William Parr of Nottingham was, with Tears in his Eyes, concerned to go to William Pen on the ſame Account the ſame Day, to whom though the ſaid William Pen declared his willingneſs to granr my Request, for the eaſing my Conſcience, yet he declared it out of his powef, on account of George Whitehead's Averſion; which being no ſmall Affliction to others of our Well-wiſhers, in a Senſe of the Righteouſneſs of my Requeſt, our Friend Joʃeph Tovey ſtill deſired me to delay, till he had tried if he could obtain any better Succeſs in his Attempts for that ebd; inſtead of which, though he found them like the Seditious at Jeruʃalem before their Deſtrućtion, buſie in quarrelling one with another, in calling each other Dar, Canker'd, Separate, Apoſtate Spirits, &c. (in the Printer's Shop at the Entrance of their Meeting) about their Affirmation, &c. as Evidence of their Depravity within, whoilſt they were thus beſieged without, yet all agreed notwithſanding in refuſing this my righteous Requeſt to them; upon which he, with our afore-mentioned Friends (ſeeing their dreadful Infatuation) came away with great eaſe in the publication of my Papers, in a ſorrowful Senſe of God's flaming Diſpleaſure againſt them for their repeated Provocations; upon which I ſpread them accordingly, to their no ſmall Diſconſolation; all which hath not yet prevailed on them to ſee if the Houſe they have built be laid with tried Stones, there being many that would be Builders, who love not to be tried, of which Number they have proved themſelves, as one of their ancient Friends not long ſince foretold them.¹⁵⁷

Thus far proceeding without my deſired Succeſs, my next Work was to lay their Contagious Corruptions before our Superiors in Parliament, accordinf to the Contents of my Paper, to have them convened, if poſſible, to a piclick Hearing by their Authority, for the future Security of {Page 378} themſelves and Poſterity frok their infećtious Conſequents, according to their ancient Petitions afore-menrioned; yet as that Courſe appeared as to me both difficult and dangerous, not withſtanding the Cauſe they had given me to take it, by the damnable Nature of their Corruptions, and abuſive Devices they uſed to conceal them, I ſtill waited another Year, when not being able to obtain the Conſent to our Quarter Meeting to offer my Allegations againſt them at their Yearly Aſſembly as heretofore, through the Prevalency of the depraved Parties Inſtigations to the contrary, I was conſtrainednin my Spirit to go up thither again for thqt end without their Repreſentation, where, upon their refuſal to let me in as heretofore, leſt one should miſcarry, I ſent in three Copies of the enſuing Lines, to the Hands of Benjamin Bangs, Eward Dykes and John Whiting, for the Meeting's Service, direćted and compoſed as follows.

Dear Friends and Brethren aſſembled at thix our Yearly Meeting, to ʃerve the Lord, his Truth and People,

Whereas it is not unknown to ſeveral in your Aſſembly, that I was conſcientiouſly concerned the laſt Year, to publiſh a Charge of divers groſs Errors in Doćtrine, Diſcipline and Praćtice, againſt a depraved Party amongſt you, upon account of your Refuſal to Examine the Validity of ſuch Inſtances as I then had (by our Quarter Meeting's Allowance, and now again have) ready to offer in proofnof it; ſo as I have ground to eſteem yiur Oppoſition againſt my Appearance among you for that end, (by illegally barring up your Meeting-Houſe publick Doors, and keeping me out by force at the private one) to be the effećt of that Parties well-grounded ſuſpicion of their own Guiltineſs in the ſeveral Matters I charged them, whereby the generality of their Adherents have been corrupted; I doubt nit, but that thoſe their Errors will, upon Examination, be found to be the Babilonish {Page 379} Garments and moſt accurſed Things, you was the laſt Firſt Day in this your Meeting-Houſe admoniſhed to purge from amonſt you; in purſuance of which Chriſtian Duty, I hope you won't any longer delay to oblige thqt Party, to bring their Deeds to the Light by a fair Examinaion in a free Conference, before a ſelect Number of the ſeveral Quarter Meetings Repreſentatives, regularly elećted by you in a Church way (not excluſive of others) at this your Aſſembly, hiw much ſoever the Guilty may endeavour to diſſwade you from it, by aſperſing of me, as a contentious Pretender and Breaker of their Peace, &c. ſince as I can appeal to God, the only Searcher of all Hearts, in behalf of the Sincerrity of my Intentions in thoſe my Proceedings towards them, (for which Cauſe I hereby engage to Condemn my ſelf as publickly as I have accuſed them, if it appear I have wrong'd them) ſo as in a Senſe of the improbability of rećtifying Matters amiſs by the Preſs, for want of the Privilege to Print snd Publiſh ſuch Books amongſt Friends, they have for their ſoever the Great Man of your Houſe may endeavour to diſſwade you from the Examination deſired, in order to keep you unſenſible of the Rubbiſh he hath brought into it, (through which you are in ſome meaſure already, and hereafter will be much more involv'd in Confuſion) you will not any longer joyn with him and his deprav'd Collegues of the Second Days Meeting, in concealing their Corruptions, by ſhrouding them from juſt Judgment, in refuſing me Audience in thoſe ſeveral Matters I have to lay before you, in proof of my Charges againſt them, as you expećt to eſcape the high Diſpleaſure of an incenſed God, and just Indignation of his abuſed People; since as it is the Duty of every one amongſt us, how obſcure ſoever, to cry out as earneſtly in the Church upon his Diſcovery of it, as iʄ he believed all beʃides himʃelʄ were aʃleep, according {Page 380} according to your own approved Sentiments, I hope you won't blame me, if upon your refuſel to Examine the Truth of my Charges now in this your Aſſembly, I find my ſelf, amongſt others, obliged to ſolicite our Superiors in Parliament to bring you to it, accordinf to the effećt of your ancient Petitions, by a way perhapsmmore ungrateful, to ſecure ourſelves and Poſterity from the fatal Conſequents of your Corruptions, in order to avoid the effećts of whoſe Reſentmenr. As I ſhall expećt your Anſwer', heretunto the Evening, if poſſible, at my Lodging at our Friend Joʃeph Tovey's in Lombard-Street, ſo if I hear nothing of it, as it will give me good Cauſe to conclude, the Parties I ſuſcribe it to for the Depraved, concealed the Contents of it from the general knowledge of the Members, as others heretofore ſerved me, with relation to mylaſt before I publiſhed it; ſo as ſuch like Dealings in the Pope's Agents at the Trent Council,made that Church juſtly odious to all Proteſtant Nations; your following their Precedent herein, to ſecure your Leaders evil Deeds from being brought to the Light, by a fait Examination in the Conference deſired, for fear they ſhould be juſtly reproved, will be ſo far from healing the Wound they have given you, as that by attempting to do it by ſuch deceitful means, whilſt their Corruptions remain, you will not only expoſe your ſelves to the Ignominy of the depraved Brethren above-mentioned, in rhe Ages preceding, but alſo finally render the Name of a Quaker, for their ſakes, a Hiſſing, a By-word, Contempt and Scorn to all ſucceeding Gen3rations, as hath been, by your own beſt Friends, longſince foretold you; which I hope the ſincere among you will duly conſider, in anſwering my Chriſtian Requeſt herein, in order to your own and Poſterities preſervation from thoſe dreadful Conſequents, that otherways you will find will attend your unchristian Connivance, who am, as {Page 381} I ever hope to remain, whatever any may ſuggeſt to the contrary, your well-wiſhing Friend¹⁵⁸

Henry Pickworth.
London, 27th of the 3d Month, 1713.

Now though the foregoing was carefully delivered to the Parties ſuperſcribed it to, in the Time of their ſaid Meeting, receiving Information, thqt all the three Copies of it were moſt wickedly concealed from the Members thereof, notwithſtanding my Precautions, as I ſuſpećted, I found my ſelſ concerned to give them general knowledge if it two Days after, by a Hundred of the enſuing Lines in Print, communicated by my own Hands, thqt they might not plead Ignorance of my Chriſtian Requeſt therein, direćted and compoſed as follows.

Dear Friends and Brethren, aʃʃembled at this our Yearly Meeting, ʃerve the Lord, his Truth and People,

Whereas the laſt Fourth Day I direćted three Letters to three ſeveral Members of this your Aſſembly, whoſe Names are Benjamin Bangs, Edward Dykes, and John Whiting, to let you underſtand, that if you ſtill refuſe to admit me a Hearing of ſuch Inſtances in a Church way, as I have ready to offer inproof of the ſeveral Charges I was the laſt Year concerned to publiſh in Print, againſt a depraved Party amongſt you, through your illegal prevention of my Appearance in your Affembyfor that righteous purpoſe, (by barring your puclick Doors, and keeping me out by force at your private one) I ſhall, with the aſiſtance of ſome othres of our oppreſſed Friends, be obliged to ſolicite our Superiors in Parliament to bring you to it, for the future Security of our ſelves and Poſterity,from the fatal Conſequences of their deſtrućtive Corrupti0ns, (according to your ancient Petitions in other reſpećts); the Contents of which Letters being abuſively concealed from your knowledge by the Parties {Page 382} above-named, I could not be eaſie to take thoſe ſevere Courſes, until I had given you this general Notice of my Requeſt therein, to pr3vent our Superiors juſt Indignation, if poſſible, againſt your concealed Abominations,by your removing the Cauſe of them, in bringing thoſe your Teachers Deeds to the Light, in way of free Conference in this your Aſſembly, in order to their Defence or Condemnation, according to the Diſcipline of the Truth ye profeſs, and my earneſt Entreaties, before ye be forced to it by a way more ungrateful, which otherways cannot be avoided; ſince as your Aćtions towardw me herein, are exaćtly parallel to thoſe of the Pope's Legates towards the ancient Proteſtant Profeſſors at the Trent Council, to hinder that Reformation deſired by many amongſt them, your ſhrouding your Leaders Corruptions byſuch ignominious Devices, will, in instead of concealing them, finally center in the Authors high Infamy,and your eternal Confuſion in their publick Diſcovery; as hath by our own beſt Friends been long ſince foretold you: Witneſs my Hand

Henry Pickworth
From my Lodging at Joſeph Tovey's in Lombard-Street, May 29, 1713

Now, though about a Hundred of the foregoing were delivered the Members of the ſaid Meeting by my own Hands the Day it was dated,yet as they otherways (like the old World to Noah) look'd upon me as one thqt mock'd, being much too wiſe intheir own aconceit to be called to Account by me, ſo it (with what elſe I ſaid or wrote) was far from perſwading them to allow me the Hearing I requeſted in a Church way amongſt them, though it had the effećt to cauſe ſeveral of their Preachers and Hearers to loudly pretend to it, amongſt whom one Andrew Pitt, a Linnen-Draper in Cornhill', moſt eminently ſignaliſ'd himſelf, in telling me, That as he knew no Cauſe their Leaders had, to fear bringing {Page 383} their Deeds to the Light in the Conference deʃired, ʃo I had certainly obtained a Hearinf of my pretended Prooʄs of my Charges againʃt them, according to my Requeʃt, had I direćted my Letters to the Meeting in general, without mentioning the Names of any Perʃons in their Superʃcription for its Service; wherefore if I would take his Advice, in ʃending one without Names, he would not inly take the Charge of the Delivery of it, but be aʃʃtant alſo in procuring me the Audience I requeʃted iit; with more to this purpoſe; wherein though I, in a deep Senſe of the many unaccountable Diverſions I had met with from his Superiors, had ground to queſtion his Performance, noteithſtanding his Confidence, yet that nothing might on my part be wanting towards the Redemption of our enſlaved Brethren, from their Errors, Hereſies and Tyrannical Impoſitions, &c. (whereby they have long kept usin worſe than Egyptian Bondage) I condeſcended for once more to anſwer his Deſire in ſending another, according to his preſcribed Rule direćted and compoſed as follows.

Friends,

Notwithſtanding I have by divers Lettres in Writing and otherways, direćted to the Hands of ſome of your Members, for the Service of this your Aſſembly, given your repeated Notices of my deſire to be heard by you in a Church way, what I hav to alledge, in proof of the ſeveral Charges I (after divers private Dealings) was conſcientiouſly concerned to publiſh the last Year, againſt a depraved Party amongſt you, by whoſe Errors in Doćtrine, Diſcipline and Praćtice, the generality of our Friends have in ſome meaſure been corrupted, to the Danger of their own and Poſterities Spiritual and Temporal Ruin, if not ſpeedily prevented by your obliging the Parties, who have the aſcendency among you, to ſuffer their Deeds to be brought to the Light in a free Conference, according to the Diſcipline of Truth, and our Quarter Meeting's Requeſt, in order to their Defence {Page 384} or Condemnation; as I am told by one of your Members this Morning, That the Reaʃon I am not heard byyou, is, becauʃe I did nir direćt my ſaid Letters to the Meeting in General, without mentioning the Names of any Perʃons in their Superſcription for that end; under pretence, that had it not been for my Miʃtake herein, I had moſt certainly been allowed a fair Hearing amongſr you, which he will make way for, if I think good to remedy it, by direćting a ʄew Lines more to you, accordinf to his Inʃtrućtions; that nothing may on my part be wanting towards your Delivefance from the many Miſchiefs, thoſe your Leaders have by their Errors, &c. involv'd you in, I have direćted this according to his preſcribed Method, to ſee if it may have the effećt propoſed, without bringing you to it by ways more forcible, which in a Senſe of the many unrighteous Diverſions I have heretofore met with from your ahands, upon this Occaſion and others, I am almoſt out of hopes of, who am, notwithſtanding thoſe your unaccountaboe tranſaćtions towards me, your ever well-wiſhing Friend

Henry Pickworth.
From my Lodging at Joſeph Tovery's in Lombard-Street, the 1ʃt of the 4th Month, 1713.
Theʃe for the Service ofthis Yearly Meeting, preʃent, with Care I deʃire.

Now though theafore-mentioned was not only direćted, but alſo delivered to the Hands of this Andrew Pitt, in their Meeting time, according to his Inſtrućtions, in hopes of its having the Effećt propoſed, through his Aſſiſtance; yet inſtead of any ſuch Thing, he preſently comes out, and tells me, I was quite wrong ſtill, through a Miſtake of his Words, ʃince I ʃhould not have direćted it to the Meeting without Name, but Charles Harford (their Clerk, for its Service) by Name; which through I looked uponto be only a Quibble of his, to get ſhut of the Task he had undertook, through the difficulty {Page 385} he found to perform it; yet being reſolved to leave no Stone unturn'd towards getting them to the Hearing deſired, if poſſible, I told him, That ʃhould be no Obʃtacle at all to his Work, ʃince I would add the Name of their ſaid Clerk to its Superſcription; which though I did, I was ſtill never the forwarder, as I found when I addreſs'd my ſelf to him the next Day for an Anſwer, when inſtead of the Staisfaction deſired, he told me, He could do nought inthe Matter, ʃince I had ʃtill done wrong, in mentioning any Name at all, contrary to his ʄirʃt Direćtion; which when I attmpted to alter again, by razing out the ſame thAt I might right, if poſſible, at laſt he haſtily ran away from me like a Man in amaze , in ſ Senſe of the impoſſibility of the performance of his Undertaking, through the Avreſion he found in his Leaders to any ſuchThing, ina deep Senſe of their Guiltineſs in the Matters I charged them; wherein as they appeared reſolved to oerſiſt, without the leaſt ſign of Repentance, my next Work was to ſolicite our Superiors in Parliament to Summons them to it, as afore-memtioned, which I did accordingly the Year after, inthe Terms following.

To the Right Honourable and Honourable, the Lord's Spiritual and Temporal, and Comments in Parliament aʃʃembled,

The humble Petition of Henry Peckworth of New Sleeford, in the County of Lincoln, in behalf of him ʃelf, and many other of his long miʃled Friends called Quakers, over whom he hath been elećted Overſeer and Elder, according to the Diʃciplne praćticed among them,

Humbly ʃheweth,

That whereas I have for ſeveral Years not only been made ſenſible of divers groſs Errors in Doćtrine, Diſciplne andPraćtice, that have been induſtriouſly maintained and fomented by a leading Party of depraved Teachers amongſt us, to the danger of ruining our ʃelves and Poʃterity, Temporally and Spiritually, if not timely prevented.

{Page 386} But alſo have by Word and Writing, privately and publickly, ſeveral Times offered to prove the ſame, byplain Matter of Faćt in their Audience, inour Yearly Meeting held in London, that they might be amended, to avoid thoſe unhappy Conſequents that have have been found to attend them; yet have I been ſo far from obtaining my righteous end therein, as that I have (through the prevalency of thoſe depraved Teachers) been illegally kept out of the ſaid Meeting, bytheir barring their publick, and guarding their private Doors againſt my Entrance, Time aftef Time, contrary to their own ancient Diſciple, and late repeated Pretenſions.

Wherefore, as it hath been found by woful Experience impoſſible to rećtifie Matter of this Nature byPrint through their having the Command of all our Printing-Preſſes, (from which they allow no Books to be approved of) and whereas they have heretofore ſeveral Times deſired in Print, That they might be conven'd by Authority to a Hearing with their Opponents in a publick Conference, on other occaſions, as the only Method to rećtifie Religious Differences, according toKing Charles I's Sentiments; I humbly hope your Honours will for once be pleaſed to oblige them ſo far, in convening them to One againſt me, in order to their Defences from the Charge of Error, Hereſy, Incharity, Falʃhood, Evaʃion, Inconʃiʃtency, Innovatiom, Impoʃition, Infidelity, Hypooſriʃy, Pride, Railery, Apoʃtacy, Perjury, Idolatry, Villany, Blaʃphemy, Admonation, Conʄuʃion, and Worʃe than Turkiſh Tyranny, in their Church Capacity, as inAnno 1712, I, by a printed Half-Sheet, publickly offered,and now again am ready to prove them guilty of, before ſuch impartial Perſons as your Honours ſhall be pleaſed to depute, as Judges for Deciſion, ina publick Aſſembly or otherways, without ſuffering your ſelves to be any longef diverted, by their Hypocritical Outcries againſt me, as a Fomenter of their Perſecution they have heretofore made againſt others, in order to {Page 387} amuſe our Superiors, and keep usunder their illegal Subjećtion; since whatever Indignity may be judged requiſite to put upon the buſie Promoters of their Hereſies, as a Warning to others, their Perſecution is as far from my Deſire, as it would be from anſwering my end in it, many of them being ſo prepoſſeſ'd bytheir Apoſtle Fox's Exhortations, to ſtand Valiant for the Truth, as they call it, as that there is not the worſt of his Dotages but they will die for, rather thanby pecuniary Penalties or corporal Puniſhments be forced from any of them, as hath been found by Experience.

Wherefore, as their Outcries of this Nature (againſt the endeavours of the Clergy of Norfolk, and Suffolk, to bring them to a fair Hearing in Parliament) were only to prevail with out Legiſlators, to let their Corruption lie uncenſur'd, thro' Senſible Iabilites to defend their Principles in verbal Conferences befire impartial Auditors, has been ack owledged of late by divers of the moſt Judicious amongſt them in my hearing.

I hope, that ſince it is no other than themſelves have ſolicited for, (before they found their Effećts at Weʃtdearam, &c. to contradtićt their Expećtations) your Honours will be pleaſed to oblige me (amongſt many others of our abuſed Friends) in ſummoning George Whitehead, William Pen and John Whiting, with the reſt of their depraved Collegues of the Second Days Meeting, to a Conference with md, in order to their reſtoration from their moſt deplorable Depravity, as you deſire to avoid Divine Diſpleasure for ſuch Omiſſion of ſo grest a Duty towards a deceived Paople, ſince I can appeal to God, that it is only for his Honour, and our miſled Friends Souls-ſake, thqt I thus ſolicite you.

I ſhall as freely Condemn my ſelf, if in any thing I have wronged them, as I hope you will by Chriſtian means, if poſſible the deſtrućtive Errors ai charge them with, if they appear guilty on a faif Examination, according to their Dutyand repeated Pretenſions.

{Page 388} In order whereto, As I hope your Honours will enable me to ſend for ſuch personal or written Evidence as I can't obtain without your Authority, I doubt not of your allowance of ſuch Aſſiſtance inthe management of my Charges, as maybe ſound requiſite for the better Diſcovery of theif Soul-daming Corruptions, in order to their Repentance, and others future Securith from their contagious ainfluence.

Who am your obliged inall Chriſtian Services, andtheir truly well-wiſhing, though greatly abuſ'd Friend

Henry Pickworth.
From my Lodging at the Golden Key in Newgate Market, London, April 9. 1714.

The above not obtaining the effećt deſired, chieflh for want of the Convocations joyning in the Contents of it, as I was informed, I was adviſed to encloſe them one of the ſaid printed Petitions in anothef to them in Writing, as I did three Days after for that end, direćted and compoſ'd as follows.

To the Right Reverend and Reverend, the Biſhops and Clergy in Convocation aſſembled,

The humble Petition of Henry Pickworth, in behalf oʄ himʃelʄ, and many other oʄ his long meʃled Friends called Quakers,

Humbly ʃheweth,a

Errors, Hereſies, and Blaſphemies, amongſt a many other great Abominations our Chief Teachers have unhappily involv'd us in, for want of ſibjećting themſelves to a timely Examination in our Yearly Meetings, in order to their detećtion, according to the repeated ſolicitations of my ſelf, amongſt many others of our true Friends, have been conſcientiouſly concdrned to preſenr ſeveral of the encloſed Petitions to our Superiors in Parliament, to oblige them to a fair Hearing before others, according to theif own Requeſts on other occaſions.

The endifwhich Petition, the worthy Members {Page 389} there aſſembled being willing to Anſwer uponyour Requeſt, (from whom it can only be regularly preſented, as I am credibly inform'd) I humbly hope, that as my proof of the ſeveral Charges therein will not only obviate our ſaid Teachers unworthy Repreſentation of ſuch of the Clergy as have heretofore detećted many of their Corruotions, for Baal's Prieſts, treacherous Incendiaries, malicious Informefs, &c. but alſo be inſtrumental in all likelihood to bring many of their miſled Adherents to the true Catholick Chruch of Chriſt, from whence they have been long led aſtray by their ſaid Teachers Delusions.

Your Reveerences willbe ſo much your own, and our miſled Brethrens Friends, as to joyn with me in requeſting our Superiors to ſummon the Cauſers of it to a publick Conference, before impartial Perſons bythem elećted as Judges for the Deciſion, according to the Contents of my encloſed Petition, as you tender the Honour of God and our eternal Wel-being; ſince as you can hardly ever hope for ſuch another opportunity, to have that Chriſtian Work, (many of you have been engag'd in againſt our Errors) done to you Hands, without your further Appearance in it, I cannot perſwade my ſelf, but that what weighty Concerns ſoevef you may be ingag'd infir the Chruch's Welfare, as this reſpećts the eternal Wel-being of ſuch a greaf Body of People, you will iwth me conclude, that if above all others merits your moſt ſerious and expeditious Conſideration; who am yours ſo far as I am convinc'd you are one with the Truth as it is in Jeſuſ, whilſt

Henry Pickworth
From my Lodging at the Golden Key, in Newgate_Market, London, April 12. 1714.

The foregoing Petition coming to the ſight of our old Friend Francis Bugg, he thought himſelf oblig'd to ſignifie his approbation if it, by a few Lines of his own annex'd to it, in favour of the Contents of it, direćted and compoſed ineffećt as follows.

{Page 390} Moſt Reverend and Reverend, &c.

Though the above-mentioned Perſon is not yet ſo far one with our Church in all Things as I could wiſh him, yet as the moſt amazing Inſtances he hath read in my Audience, ſince he came to Town, in proof of h9s Charges againſt the chief Quaker Teachers, hath given me good hopes of his further Conformity, (as well as miſled Brethrens Conviction of their Errors in order to it) I hope you will not diſcourage him in his preſent purſuit of them, through your refuſal to joyn with him, in ſoliciting our Superiors to ſummons them to the Hearing deſired, accordinf to his Petition; ſince as the righteous end of it is what many of our Rev3rent Clergy (as well as my ſelf) have long foreſeen to be the only Method to wound their Quakeriʃm at the Heart, for which Cauſe their Teachers have uſed all the deceirful Arts of late they can deviſe to avoid it, as appears by their abuſive Anſwers to the Clergy of Norfolkand Suʄʄolk's Petitions, compared with the Appendix to my Pilgrims Progeſs, &c. So though this Petitioner, as well as my ſelf, is againſt their Proſecution by pecuniary Penalties or corporal Puniſhments, till their Errors break forth into Aćts of Sedition; yet as they were originally occaſioned by their implicite Bigotry to their idolatrouſly exalted Fox's Impertinencies, he, as well as my ſelf, (upon their refuſal toCondemn the ſame publickly, when proved upon them in the Conference deſired) ſhould be pleaſed to ſee their great Patron Whitehead, with the reſt ofhis depraved Collegues, oblig'd to follow a Paper-crown'd Fox on the Back of Aſſes, with one ſinging their ſaid Apoſtle's undeſerved Eulogies, inthe Wordw of their Coleand Audland, from Westminʃter to their Grace-Church-Street Meeting-Houſe,in their next Yearly Meeting time, to ſhame them, if poſſible, out of thoſe his Foxonian Fopperies; pecuniary Penalties or corporal Puniſhments could never reclaim them, which I hope you will not be wanting to make way for, {391} by ſoliciting our Superiors to grant the effećt of his Petition; leſt your omiſſion of ſuch an Advantage for the Honour of our Chruch, &c. ſhould give the Petitioner ſome cauſe to conclude, your Zeal for Religion and the Good of Souls, isnot ſo ardent as he may think becomes you in your preſent Station, onthis extraordinary occaſion; who am your moſt humble and moſt obedient Servant

April 12. 1714
Francis Bugg

Notwithſtanding thoſe our Chriſtian Dealings to perſwade our Superiors to anſwer the end ofmy Petition, as the Convocation was thentoo buſily broil'd about their Thanks for the Safe and Honourable Peace we had obtain'd for our Bodies, to take any care of our Souls in this Matter, the Parliament finally refuſed to Convene our Teachers to the Hearing deſired, for want of their joyning therein; under pretence of its being out of their power, for want of a previous Aćt for that purpoſe, as I was informed, which many beſides my ſelf greatly admired at, ſince a former Parliament had convened our Friend Naylor to a Hearing before them without any ſuch Aćt, for only one of thoſe many Enormities I now juſtlh charge them. Through which adiſappointment, as our City Quaker Preachers were not a little elevated in their conceited Victory, over meand the Truth I mentioned, ſo after the Men had purſued me a while with their Flams and Jeers, as a Perſon much too contemptible to be taken notice of in Parliament, their women at length thought good to ſignalize themſelves alſo, by pouring their Quaker Judgments upon me without Mercy, for my preſumptious Affront of their Eminencies; amongſt whom one Eliſabeth Honor, a Chandler;d Wife in Hockley in the Hole, firſt entred the Lifts, in a threatning Letter ſhe ſent me by her Maid-Servant before I left London, full of terrible Things that were r3vealed unto her, fir to befal me, if I did not Repent and Cindemn my ſelf for the Truths I had told of them in my Petition; whicj, conſidering they had ſo often pretended, that (as the Holy Scriptures {Page 392} had been miracualously preſerved from the Hands of ſuch as would have conſumed them in Flames) nothing but what would abide the Fire ʃhould ʃtand, I reſolved to try the Experiment on this her threatning Letter before her Servant's departure; which proving to be Matter combuſtible, I wiſh'd her to aquaint her Miſtreſs of the end of it accordingly, that ſhe might be ſenſible, it was not God's Word but the Devil's, by their own Maxim; notwithſtanding that her Patrin's mightnot be wanting in their Parts to amke good the effećts of it upon me, they inſtigated by their Agents, our Quarter Meeting of the 9thof the 4th Month enſuing, to exclude me out of their Church Communion, in order to my delivery to Satan once more for the pretended Wrongs I had done them, &c. the better to ſave them the Trouble of waſhing a Brick white, in their Attempts of Defence from my Charges, by perſwading the World, All I have ſaid is only the effećt of my Prejudice and Malice, (as their manner is) becauʃe they have diʃowned me;in order whereto, the Inſtrument of my Excluſion being carefully drawn up by the ſaid Meeting, and (ina Senſe of their former abortive ones) adviſed to be kept from my knowledge ſome Weeks, that nothing of the Nature might be publiſhed againſt me, but what they (upon mature deliberation) could infallibly ſtand by, (as well as the more to ſuprize me, by its unexpećted Delivery, as I have ſome ground to conclude, though I heard of the Secret by one little leſs than an Atheiſt, the Day after it was written) was finally brought to mh Hand the 6th of September following, by Richard Snaiʃdalland John Burt,two of their Members, that Imight have an opportunity to pr3vent its further publication, by my Repentance and Condemnation of my ſelf for the Wrong I had done them, as pretended; which favour I was ſo far from thankfully accepting of, according to their vain Expećtations, as that upon reading the ſame in their Audience, I plainly told them,

That though I expećted to ʄind it ʃtuʄʄed with ʃuch Impertinencies as moʃt ʃuited their Cauʃe, yet as it exceeded {Page 393} my utmoʃt Conceptions inits abuʃive Inʃinuations, and moʃt notorious Untruths, in every Line of it, unleʃs their Principals then obliterated it, and tacitly condemn'd their Error therein, (by ʃupplying their former deʄiciency, in making way for the Hearing of my Charges againʃt their depraved Leaders at our next Yearly meeting, according to my ʃormer Demands, and their own proʃeʃʃed Diʃcipline) I ʃhould publiʃh it my ʃelʄ through City and Country, to the eternal Inʄamy of ʃuch ignorant Pretenders, as they had thereby proved themʃelves; in order whereto, that I might not be behind them in kindneſs, I was at the pains to tranſcribe their ſaid Paper, and perſonally preſent it back to their Hands, at our next Quarter Meeting on the 22d of the Month afore-mentioned, with my detećtion thereof in diſtinćt Paragraphs, in my Defence, as follows.

Excom. Whereas Henry Pickworth of Sleeford in the County of Lincoln, hath for ſevreal Years gone under the Denomination, as one of our Chriʃtian Society, the People called Quakers.

Anʃw. By this as they inſinuate, as if I was never really of their Society in the Eſteem, contrary to their exprſs Declarations intheir ſeveral Certificates of Union with me, they ſent Frirnds of London to facilitate my Marriage Procedings, together with thoſe they publiſhed in Print, with relation to my ſeveral Conferences with Francis Buggin their ſavour; ſo the Reader may have juſt cauſe to ſuſpećt, the reſt of their Paper is not grounded on the Truth, whilſt they thus begin it with an Inſinuation, that they themſelves have been at noſmall pains to ptove moſt notoriouſlh falſe.

Excom. But for ʃome time paʃt hath ʄorʃaken our Religious Aʃʃemblies, (except upon particular occaʃions) rather to give us Diʃturbance than otherwiʃe; having long been of a contentious Mind, and a Cauʃer of Diviʃions amonʃt us, like thoʃe ʃpoken oʄ by the Apoʃtle Rom. xvi. & xvii. which we are exhorted to avoid.

{Page 394} Anſw. That I have for ſome time forſaken Religious Aſſemblies, is as true as their other Aſſertion, that I occaſionly frequent them to give them Diſturbance; both which are as falſe as as falſe can be invented, ſince beſides thoſe I conſtantly frequent with theif profeſs'd Friends at Sleeford,as I have beenat ſeveral of their ſaid Aſſemblies at London of late, as divefs can teſtifie, contrary to this their extenſive Aſſertion, (though my other Services in their behalf have prevented my ſo frequent Attention of theirs at Lincoln, as might poſſibly by them be expećted) ſo I have been ſo far from ever Aſſembling withthem to give them Diſturbance, through a contentious Mind, on thoſe Occaſions they speak of, as that the great God doth know, (as they themſelves might alſo know, it they would once be ſo juſt to God or themſelves, as to examine Things) that my chief end hath been to make them truly ſeſible of the Cauſes of thoſe Diſturbances which is every where amongſt them, that the ſame might be removed, by their juſt Condemnation of rhe original Authors of them; wherefore, inſtead of my being one of thoſe Cauſers or Diviſions the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, that ought to be avoided, (as they without proof would perſwade the World) they have hereby given me juſt Cauſe to fear, they themſelves will prove of thoſe ſtrongly deluded ones, the Apoſtle direćts us to let alone in their Ignirance, that they might be Damned for not believing the Truth when it is told them; ſince they have thus unrighteouſly required me for my Chriſtian Endeavours, to make them truly ſenſible of the ſame, inorder to their deliverance from thoſe fatal Snares they are entangled in, through their implicite Bigotry to their depraved Leaders groſs Errors and Antichriſtian Innovations; though they, like their perſecuting Predeceſſors, our Lord forewarned us of, are become ſo blind perhaps as to think, that by this their abuſive Paper againſt me, they do God great Service, wherein they in the end will find themſelves moſt groſsly miſtaken.

Excom. And as he hath publickly joyned himʃelʄ in {Page 395} *Community with thoʃe called *French Prophets, ʃome of whom hath (with him) declared us to be Apoʃtates, &c.

Anſw. This Paragraph, inſtead of mending the Matter,only ſerves for an Additional Evidence of its Authors Falſhood and Folly, ſiince as it is impoſſible I ſhould joyn my ſelf in Community with thoſe call French Prophets, according to the Native Senſe of the Word, (which ſignifies, an enjoying of all Things in Common) ſince there is no ſuch Community praćticed amongſt them; ſo inſtead of their having (with me) charged them wrongfully with being Apoſtates, as they would hereby perſwade the World, there could not well be a more pertinent Inſtance, than their above-mentioned Falſhood, aſſigned bythem inproof of the Truth otit; whicj I would havethem well conſider of, inorder to their Repentance and future Amendment, as a Duty that far bettef becomes them, than ſpending their Time in Excommunicating the Faithful.

Excom. As aloʃo may further appear ʄrom his temporizing reflectious Papers in Print, in which he aʃʃumes (through the Vanity of his Mind) the Title of an Elder and Overʃeer over us, &c. which but the more diʃcovers his own Folly (iʄ not Spiritual Pride alʃo) and ill Deʃerts of thoſe high Epithets he hath ʃo often dignified himʃelʄ withal.

Anʃw. Not to inſiſt on their Terms Temporizing, reflectious &c. as if the Government was as culpable in deſiring to have their depraved Teachers brought to a publick Hearing, as I was, in order to their Errors Detećtion; which as the effećt ſhows to be a falſe Inſinuation, the ſame only ſerves to manifeſt their Irreverence to be as great towards their Superiors in Parliament, as their Enmity is towards me out of it.

I cannot but admire at their audacious Aſſertion, That I aſſume, through the Vanity of my Mind, the Title of an Elder and Overʃeer over them, &c. when as (to paſs by their ridiculous Inſinuation by their Et cætera, as if I aſſumed the ſame oveer others as well as the Quakers) the chief of them cannot but remember, that I was ſo far from aſſuming thoſe Titles, {Page 396} when they ſome Years ſince conferred them upon me, at their Monthly Meeting at Waddington,(by the Lord's Direćtion, as they declared, after long waiting for his Inſtrućtion) as that I can prove by good Evidence, when called to it, I ſignified my unfitnenſs for that Station in my own eſteem, more than once to avoid them.

Wheretofore, inſtead of diſcovering my own Folly and Pride, by undeſervedly dignifying my ſelf with thoſe titles, as they would perſwade the World, I am very ſure, they have added to the foregoing diſcoveries of their own Hypocriſy and Falſhood, in this their unrighteous Aſſertion, which I amafraid ſome among them are too much hardened in, through their wilſul Ignorance of their Errors, and cauſeleſs Enmity towards me, to repeat of as they ought, how much ſoever it concerns them.

Excom. Which notwithſtanding it is well known unto divefs of us, how meanly he diʃcharged the oʄʄice he would ʃrill pretend to.

Anſw. This their Reflećtion, like all the reſt, doth not ſo much wound me as it does them that made it, ſince as my unwearied Proceedings at their Monthly, Quarter and Yearly Meetings, &c. Time after Time, to bring their depraved Leaders to an Examination ina Church way, in order to their Repentance of their contagious Corruptions, may evince to all the World, that I have diſcharged the Office they conferred upon me, beyond any perhaps of their Oveerſeers before me; ſo if my Chriſtian Endeavours have not obtained their deſired effećt, not I, but themſelves and their Yearly Repreſentatives, are to be blamed as the occaſion of it, through their mean management of their inſipid Inſtrućtions for that end and purpoſe, the which, as I have ground to believe ſome of them have already, I hope to live to ſee others (of the moſt ſincere amongſt them) repent of.

Excom. Many with us, that have a right knowledge of him, cannot but be ſenſible how unʄit he is to be a Reformer of others, except he were better Reformed himʃelʄ.

{Page 397} Anſw. This ia as invidiouſly exhibited as the reſt of their random Reflećtions, inſtead of affećting me, like their other, only ſerves to wound them, (and thoſe in their Unity, who, by their Lord's Direćtion, declared themſelves engaged to chuſe me to Reform them) ſince I am either ſit for that Service they choſe me, contrary to this their Inſinuation, or the God they ſo ſolemnly ſought to for their Inſtrućtor therein, was none of the true one: But be that as it will; how mean an Opinion ſoever they may have of the Spirit that was their Guide in my Elećtion as their Ovefſeer, ſince I offered to detećt thoſe Corruptions I ſaw amongſy them, (excepting one or two of the wiſeſt of their Aſſemby, that ſhew their diſlike of this their Paper againſt me, through a well-grounded ſuſpicion of the Rruth of my Charges, as well as deep Senſe of their diſorderly Proceedings in order to it) I doubt not but that the Authors of it were ſufficiently confident, that which influenc'd in drawing it, was the Infallible One, let me prove what I will to the contrary, by the Falſhoods it is compoſed of; though if ever they were led bythat Principle in any Thing, I ha e ground to conclude, from the over-ſight I have taken of them ſince my Elećtion, it was when they ſo happily choſe me for that Chriſtian Service, they now uſe all the deceitful means they can deviſe to diveſt me of.

Excom. Wherefore, ʄpr the Cauʃes above-ʃaid, with more that might be added, We ʄind our ʃelves concerned to declare to all to whoʃe Hands this maycome, That we can have no Unity with him, nor own him as one of our Society &c. till by unʄeigned Repentance and Amendment of Liʄe, in true Humility of Heart, and ſcontrition of Spirir by turn unto the Lord, ʃo as thar for all his hard Speeches, and what elʃe of Ill he hath done unto us, he might come to obtain Mercy and Forgiveneſs from Him; which that he may, is the hearty and ʃincere deʃire of his greatly traduced, though Chriʃtian and well-wiʃhing Friends.¹⁵⁹

Signed in behalf of this our Meeting, per me

Joſeph Richarſon.

{Page 398} Anſw. This their concluſive Paragraph being alſo of a piece with the reſt, only ſerves to ſhow our depraved Quakefs odious Method in dealing with their Chriſtian Monitors, in their Chruch way, amongſt themſelves; againſt whom, for want of real Matter of Faćt to ground their abuſive Excluſions on, they (according to their Apoſtle Fox's Rule) ſtick not to ſupply that Deficiency by moſt inviduous Auggeſtions of what they had and could ſay againſt them, or they would nevef thus think to affright me, and amuſe their Readers with a wherefore, for the Cauſes above-ſaid, with more that might be added.

Since as their pretended Cauſes aforeſaid, are only to be found in Terra Incognita, for what their Paper recites of them, I ahve ground to conclude, their threatned more that might be added, will upon Examination on their Publication, inlike manner only prove a Bell without a Clapper, as a proper Counterpart to this their Noiſe about Nothing; through their deep ASenſe whereof, as we find none of their lofty Pretences therein, (to unwearied Travels, great Labour of ſlove, true Chriſtian Dealings, in firſt ſpeaking to him in private, and then before two or three, according to Chriſt's Rule, ſhowing him his Evil, and in much Brotherly Love, how and wherein he hath wronged is, &c.) they uſed to gild their Papers of Excluſion with¹⁶⁰; ſo inſtead of undertaking to defend their Teachers, or uſe their Intereſt to oblige them to defend themſelves from my Charge of Error, Heresy, Incharity, Idolatry, Villany, Blaſphemy and Tyranny, amongſt many other ſuch vile ſenormities, I offer, through the Lord's Aſſiſtance to prive them moſt groſsly guilty of, when-ever they dur3ſt meet me in an Aſſembly of their own profeſſed Friends, rightly conſtituted for that end and purpoſe; {Page 399} they think they ſufficiently ſupply that Omiſſion, by Hypocritically adviſing me to Repentance, Amendment, Humility, Contrition, &c. that I may not only obtain my Union with ſuch Apoſtates as I have proved them, but entitle my ſelf to their Prayers to God alſo, for Mercy and Forgiveneſs for all my hard Speeches, and what elſe of Ill I have done them; though they, poor Men, are ſo far from proving me guilty of any Ill towards them, as that ſome of their Chieftains have ſhown themſelves not a little concerned, that by all their ſeachings, they could find nothing of real Faćt againſt me to out in the Paper of my Excluſion; which coming to the Ears of George Pell of Swineʃhead in our Parts, a certain rich crafty Pretender in their Unity, (who made one of his Sons knock Hemp for his Bread, to keep him from Starving, and abſolutely broke the Heart of the other, through his niggardly Crualty, according to his Neighbours Relation) he declares that he told them, He could eʄʄećtually ʃupply thqr Deʄiciency, to their no ʃmall Conʃolation; in order whereto, as he had ſeen a piece of ill-tanned Leather of mine about 9 Years ago, which he though coſt me fomething, ſo for want of other real Matter to grace their Paper with, he thought that Faćt ſufficient to caſhire me out of the Holy Communion, wherein, notwithſtanding his magnificent Flouriſhes to perſwade them to enter it, as a Matter remarkable, they in their great Charity, it ſeems, thought good to omit it, and give md to the Devil for nothing, in this their ſine Nick-a-Nack, ſign'd by their Order per their Friend Joʃeph Richarʃon; whoſe unwarrantsblE Aćtivity there I am the more concerned at, as he is one whom the Lord hath not only (with me in ſome measure) given a Divine Seſe of our depraved Leaders Corruptions, but alſo hath cauſed him in one manner (as he hath me inanother) to cry but alond againſt them in their publick Aſſemblies in London, &c. in order totheir true Repentance, and timely Amendment , for which I believe he would not have wanted his Reward, had he continued in that Faithfulneſs to the end, I hope God will preſerve me, who am notwithſtanding hia and his depraved Brethrens {Page 400} unchriſtian Dealingd towards me, their rruelh well-wiſhing, though moſt unworthily abuſed Friend

Hanry Pickworth.
Sleeford, Sept. 22. 1714.

Now notwithſtanding the Quarter Meetings afore-mention'd Agents had adviſed me to appear at this their Meeting the Day of the Date hereof, to ſhow Cauſe why their afore-cited Papernſhouod not then be publickly given forth againſt me, according to the Deſign of it, if I then gave them not ſuch ſatisfaćtion as Truth requires; yet did O no ſooner enter the Meeting-Houſe for that purpoſe, but that I was commanded by their Preacher Collier to depart from amongſt them, under pretence, That I was diſowned by them, and had thereʄore nought to do in their Aʃʃembly; in anſwer to which peremptory Command, I as peremptorily returned, That as the Warning I had received by their Agents, to appear there, and ſhow Cauſe why their Paper of Excommunication ʃhould not be given ʄorth againʃt me ʄrom the ʃaidmMeetinvg, ʃufficiently intimated, that I was not yet diʃowned by them, as he ʄalʃly pretended, ʃo iʄ I was, (as I was not) as I had a part in their Meeting-Houʃe, by joyning in the Charge of its Erećtion with the reʃt of them, I ʃhould not depart the ʃame at his or their Command, unleʃs he or they could ʃhow me any Law of God or Man thag obliged me to it; for want of which they at length aſſented to my continuance amongst them, in order to hear what I had to ſay in my Def3nce from the9r Paper, to the further detećtion of their pretended Infallibility, and this their buſie Preachers no ſmall Diſconſolation.

In order to which end, I waited till the reſt of their Buſineſs was concluded, without concerning my ſelf with any of their Debates about their frivolous Impertinencies, until ſ certain Paper of their great Patron Whitehead's was read, againſt their Allowance of ſuch Miniſters to go forth to preach, as had not firſt ſatosfied their Creditors for what Debts they owed them; which Direćtion, as it would have prevented that Holy Prophet of Old, we read of in 2 Kings iv. i. &c. who died Inſolvent, from delivering {Page 401} his Propheſies, had it been praćticed then, or he now living amongſt us, as I told them; ſo as they all pret4nded to be guided by that Eternal Word in their Religious Concernments, the Holy Scriptures direćted to, as they really ought to be in ſuch publick Services, I could not but give my Judgment againſt it, as another of George Whitehead's Antichriſtian Impoſitions, in further proof of the Apoſtacy I charged him with; wherein, though the Meeting ſo little r3garded what I ſaid at firſt, as that they in way of Contempt of me, declared their determination to Record the ſame as their ſtanding Rule in ſuch Caſes, according to his Direćtions; yet upon their Friend Tomʃon's Declaration, That as there was more in my Words than they as preʃent conʃidered, he had no Unity with G. Whitehead's Inſtrućtions, they immediately chang'd their Mind, and reſolved to drop it, as an Admonition unchriſtian; to the further diſcovry of their cauſeleſs prejudice againſt me, as well as more full Detećtion of that Infalliblity they boaſt of.

After this Matter was over, and the Minute of their foree=going Meeting relating to their Paper againſt me being read, they demanded to know, What I had to ʃay for my ʃelf, in order to prevent its deſigned publication? In Anſwer whereto I returned, That as I had ʃeveral Reaʃons there ready drawn up in Writing, to communicate againſt it. I hoped they would give me time to read the ſame in their Audience, before they recorded their Concluʃion to publiʃh it, as a ʃtanding Teʃtimony of the Diʃunity with me, according to the Declaration of their Agents thqt brought it to my Hands for that purpoʃe. That which the majority at length conſenting to, againſt the good liking of the reſt, I proceeded to read my above-mentioned Anſwed accordingly.

Upon the Hearing whereof, the whole Meeting being not a little nettled, to ſee their Hypocriſy and Falſhood ſo juſtly expoſed therein, to their no ſmall Shame and Confuſion, that they wiſhed me to let them have my ſaid Anſwer for about fourteen Days, to ſee if they could refute it; which I freely granting, upon their promiſe to return it me at the Timd limited, {Page 402} Had it then flſly brought back to my Hand again, without the leaſt Syllable in Confutation of it, though upon a Confutqtion about it thqt Evening, ſome of the Chief of them loudly pretended to it. In the interim, as they then declined to attempt it in way of Conference, (as I expećted they would ever continue to do in all Ways whatever, notwithſtanding their Boaſtings) I deſired to know of them, Whether they deſigned to publiſh their ſaid Paper of my Excluſion from this their Meeting, as ʃome pretended, that I might take care to Copy as many oʄ my Anʃwers as they publiʃhed Copies oʄ theirs againſt me? Whereto they making no Reply a good while, (according to their uſual Cauriouſneſs in ſuch dangerous Caſes) one Samuel Hewet being of a more generous Spirit than the reſt of ther Brotherhood, ſtood up, and told them, My Demand was reaʃonable; upon which they at length with one Voice declared, That it ʃhould not be publiʃhed, it ʃhould not be publiʃhed, to their great Collier's detećtion of Falʃhood, and their pretended Infallibilities further Confutation.

Thus, as I ſrill remain a Dear Brother, Father, Elder and Overſeer of their Society, ſafe from thoſe threatened Conſequences of my Excluſion, for what appears to the contrary' ſo this their fine Nick-a-Nack, like all the reſt of theif former ones, came to nought.

However, ſome of them who were loth to have me come off thus eaſily, havingnwhiſpered it to their Preacher Tomʃon and others, That I did not own their Light within them from their Creation to be God or Chriʃt, or ʃufficient to Salvation, according to their Declarqtions; he not only took occaſion to call me to an account for this my pretended falſe Doćtrine, at a private Houſe in Lincoln that Evening, but alſo aledged ſeveral Argumennts in order to prove it what they denominated it; the which I refuting by Scripture Evidence, and its confuſed Effećts upon them who pret3nde to be guided by it, he and a Cambridgeʃhire Woman-Preacher inhis and their Unity deſigned, as it ſeems, to pay me off ʃorely in their publick Preachments; in order whereto, the Woman firſt ſtanding up, and quoting the firſt 3 Verſes of the {Page 403} 1ſt of John the Evangeliʃt, in favour of their Notion, when ſhe came at the 4th, ſhe thought fit t0 tranʃpoʃe the Words, from In him was life, &c. to In him was Light, and that Light was the Life of Men, that ſhe might thereby the better prove her Quaker Doćtrine of Their Light within them being God and Chriʃt, &c. and the more effećtually confute my Oppoſition, to her Auditors greatef Conſolation; which Holy Work her Collegue Tomʃon was ſo highly pleas'd with, as that upon her Ceſſation, he moſt affećtionately fell upon the ſame Subject, which he not only moſt vigorously preſecuted from fthe ſame miſapplied Text, but alſo from the of 2 Pet. i. 19. which ſure Word of Prophecy there ſpoken of, he would have to be this Light within, which we are not onlu to take heed to until, but when the Day is dawned, and Day-Star, the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, is aroſe in our Hearts; direćtly contrary, not only to the purpoſe of his own alledged Text, but alſo the Context, whicj ſhows, ig was the harmonious Propheſies in the Holy Scriptures of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, the Apoſtle accounted a more ſure Word than that audible one in the Mount, and not the Light within every one coming into the World, as our depraved Quakers fancy, though it, with all our other good and gracious Gifts come from God and Chriſt, in order to lead to him, as our only true Light of Life and Object of Salvation.¹⁶¹

However, this Tomʃon being reſolved to have this Text underſtood in his depraved Quaker Senſe, he, in further Confirmation of it, aſſured us, That this Light within was the Gift of God, ſpoken of in Rom. v. 15, &c.whicj inſtead of mending his Matter, further confuted him; ſincenas we are to make a Dinſtinćtion betwixt the Gift and the Giver, if we will be Orthodox, his attributing our Salvarion to the ine which is only due to the other, inſtead of making good his Doćtrine, prived him a moſt groſs Idolater, as I told him after the Meeting was ended; in a Senſe whereof, he ran away like one Thunder-struck, without offering ſo much as the Shadow of an Anſwer to my Confutation, homwever being confidenf of the Truth of his Abſuurdities whilſt he was preaching.¹⁶²

{Page 404} That he might not be wanting in their way of proving it, he fell on to pour his Vials of Quaker Vengeance upon thoſe Apoſtates, as he called us that denied it, as Perʃons deʃerted of G9d, and diʃowned of his peculiar People, as he called his Pertakers; for their Confirmation wherein, he one while pretended to Pray for us, another while declared us, Caʃt out oʄ their Unity; one while, deʃired our Repentance, Amendment and Forgiveneʃs for all our hard Speeches; preſently after, prophecying a blaſting and withering Mildew from the Lord to attenc us; one while, the Lord was Witneſs, h9w he and his Friends ʃought our Godd, and deʃired our Siuls Welfare; anither while pronounced us Wandring Stars, for whom the Blackneſs of Darkneſs was reʃerved for ever.

Thus as hr tried me (at whom he chiefly ſtruck) with Fire and Watef, to make me Condemn my ſelf for ſpeaking the atruth of them, beyond their Courage to attempt to defend themſelves, ſo that his deluded Admirers might beſure he was divinely commiſſionated in thoſe his Inconſiſtencies, he further told them, That though the Weapons he exerciʃed upon us were not Carnel, they were Mighty and Spiritually Cutting to wound the Tranʃgressor. Under the Terror whereof, when I was ſo far from falling down, as one ſmote at the Heart, as that I boldly fac'd him as one contemning his Menaces, in a Senſe of my Innocency and theid notorious Guiltineſs in the Matters I charged them, he told his Auditors, That though ʃuch Apoʃtate Spirits might (through the preʃumption oʄtheir deceived Hearts) out-brave a while the Lord's threatn'd Judgments in the Mouths of his Servants, yet they kight aʃʃure themʃelves, he would in the end meef with them with his Fiery Indignation, in Foames of Vengenace,beyond all Redemption, unleſs prevented by theif ſpeedy Repentance; under the belief whereof, they, like thoſe Popiſh Bigots the Acts and Monuments ſpeak of, (that were ſadly confounded upon a Cry of Fire in the Church, at poor Bennet's Degradatiom, whilſt the oppreſs'd Confeſſor with his Wax Taper, only ſtooc unconcern'd) appeared moſt ſorrowfully caſf down intheir Spirits, through his Diſmal proſpećt of my future Torment, wholſt {Page 405} I, as conſcious of my own Innocency, only ſat void of all Fears of it upon thoſe occaſions, as I hope my God inwhom I truſt, will for the furtufe preſerve mein all othefs, notwithſtanding all their Prognoſtications.

Thus, inſtead of obtaining the Audience I ſtruggled for, having got nought but ſuch unmerciful Batts as th9ſe inmy Proceedinfs in ordef to it,and being deeply ſinſible that their Corruptions were of the moſt damnable Tendency, though our Superiors (as well as our Quaker Teachers) refuſed to take Notice of my Chriſtian Complaints of them; I could nog ſufficiently diſcharge my ſelf of their Consequents in my own eſteek, withour givong this Publick Notice of the ſame in Print, according to the Quakers declared Wiſhes, thqt the World might not only know, but for the future alſo beware of them; in order whereto, as I had divers Advantages providentially brought to my Hands, both by the Quakers and other, ſo (having learned their Maxim, Not to conſult Events or fear Effećts in the performance of my Duty) I durſt not any longer delay the printing theſe Sheets againſt them, notwithſtanding the ſmall hopes I ahve of obtaining my Chriſtian End thereink through a Senſe of my unqualifiedneſs for ſuch Services; h9wever, as I hope the Judicious will not ſlight the Matter contained in them, thro' the Courſenſs of m Meth9d, whi h is the beſt my Education hath furniſhed mewith, I have ventured on this Undertaking, without deſiring ſuch Aſſiſtance as ſome may judge requiſite on ſuch occaſions.

In Anſer whereto, though I doubt not but G. Whitehead, (or ſome other of his hardened Emiſſaries) will come forth with an O Henry! we pity thee; not believinf thou thinkeʃt our Friends meant as thou haʃt repreſented them, having otherways explained themʃelves; How proveʃt thee this? Where ʄoundeʃt thou that? Who told thee t'other? The Lord knows our Innocency; this and that is uncharitably ʃaid; ʃuch and ʃuch are nof our very Words; them andthe other are not juʃt ʃo expreſs'd by us; thou haʃt not taken all our whole Paragraphs, nor regarded our Explanations; ʃeriouʃly, we are wronged by thee; in good Conʃcience we {Page 406} deny this Charge, and can't own the t'other; for Shame, for Shame; belye not the Innocent by thy hard Speeches, tending to out Perʃecution; the Lord rebuke the ʄoul Spirir; with perhapx a Foxonian Curſe by the way, and a whining Prayer at the end of it to the Clerhy, &c. to put a ſtop to me, according to George Whitehead's Precedent towards Fr. Bugg &c. with abundance more ſuch deceitful Goby's and hypocritical Exclamations as their Defenſive Books are ſtuffed with, for want of Ability to defend themſelves from the Subſtance of their Opponents Charges againſt them; by which deceitful Tricks, as many Reverand Biſhops, and Hourable Stateſmen, have ſuffered themſelves to be led into a far bettef Opinion to their Sincerity than they hafe deſerved, (to the unhappy Diverſion of that Chriſtian Examination of their Corruptions, divers of their own Church Members ( as well as my ſelf, &c.) have often ſolicited for) ſo it will be their endeavours ſtill to delude them, and divert it by their perſiſtance therein, I doubt not, though they ſink in Hell for it, if they think good to make any Repkication; inorder whereto, (as I have not Time to review al the ſeveral Volumes out of whichI have taken my Quatations, to ſee they be ſo exactly tranacribed and paged as might be requiſite on this occasſion) they will no doubt inſiſt moſt ſtrenuouſly on ſuch Inſtances as are deficiently worded, or moſt difficult to be proved by me, to divert our Superiors Examination of thoſe unexceptionable Ones I refer to in Evidence of my Charges, as their manner is, if theu will but therreby be prevailed on to let them reſt untaken notice of in their Blaſphemous Abſurdities and Tyrannical Impoſitions; which as I hope the Lord our God will, for the furture, incline them to be aware of, as they expećt to avoid his juſt Diſpleaſure for their Omiſſion of ſo great a Duty, I hereby once more humbly requeſt their performance of, as I hope all other will that read me; ſince as I am utterly out of hopes of their being brought to the Examination deſired, by their Detećtion in Print, through the unſuceceſulneſs I and others have founf of that Method, for the Reaſons heretofore mentioned; {Page 407} ſo I ſhall not at all think it worth my while, to ſpend my Time and Sunſtance in refuting ſuch nibbling Impertinencies, as I expećt they will ſtuff their printed Anſwer with, (if they think good to publiſh one) whilſt they ſcandallouſly continue to decline to attempt their Defence in a publick Conference, from thoſe unexceptionable inſtances I have alledg'd, in proof of my ſeveral Charges againſt them, how much ſoever they may pleaſe themſelves, and delude their Proſelytes, by the repreſentation of their vain Scribbles againſt me as unanſwerable upon this occaſion, who am their truly well-wiſhing, though abuſed Friend Friend¹⁶³

Henry Pickworth

{Page 408} Now go write it before them in a Table, and note it in an Book, that it may be for the Time to come, for ever and ever.¹⁶⁴

That this is a rebellious People, Lying Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord, which ʃay to the Seers ʃee not, and to the Prophets propheʃie not unto us right Things, ʃpeak unto us ʃmooth Things; Propheʃie Deceits, cauſe the Holy one of Iſrael to ceaſe from before us.

*Wherefore thus ſaith the Holy One of * Iſrael, becauſe ye deʃpiʃe this Word, and truʃt in Oppreʃʃion and Perverʃeneʃs, and ʃtay thereon; this Iniquity ʃhall be unto you as a Breach ready to fall, ʃwelling out in a high Wall, whoſe breaking cometh ʃuddenly at an inʃtant.

And he ʃhall break it as the breaking of the Potter's Veʃʃel that is broken to pieces, he ʃhall not ʃpare, ʃo that there ſhall not be ʄound in the burʃting of it a Sherd to take Fire ʄrom the Hearth, or to take Water out of the Pit.

For thus ʃaith the LORD god, the Holy One of Israel, in Returning and Reʃt ʃhall ye be ʃaved, in Quietneʃs and in Confidence ʃhall be your Strength, and ye would not; but ye ſaid, No, for ¹⁶⁵ we will flee upon Horfes, therefore ʃhall ye ʄlee; and we will ride upon the ʃwift, therefore ʃhall they that purʃue you be ʃwiʄt.

One thouʃand ʃhall ʄlee at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of ʄive ʃhall ye ʄlee, till ye be leʄt as a Beacon upon the Top of a Mountain, and as an Enſign on a Hill.

FINIS.

---

1. (1) Humpry Smith's Sounding, p. 7 compared with their Fox's Selećt Epiſtles, p. 196,199,202,208. Journal, p. 237,265. (2) See his more Momento's for them who ſtile themſelves, The People of God called Quakers, printed Anno 1705, in the Month of November. not long before his Expiration.  ↩︎

2. See Fox's Aćts and Monuments, 2d. Edit. p. 153.  ↩︎

3. News out of the North, Title Page, &c. Quakers Challenge.  ↩︎

4. Aćts and Monuments, p. 547,570.  ↩︎

5. Epiſtle from the Yearly Meeting, the 26th of the 3d Month 1673. as cited p. 25. of their exalted Diotrephew. Accuſer of the Brethren caſt down, p. 84. Roger Chriſtian Quaker, Part 1. p. 9. Part 4. p. 83, 84. F.B.'s *Pilgrim's Progreſs, 2d. Edit. p. 42. Turanny and Hypocriſy, &c. Pen's Judas, p. 73,74,75. compared with Wyeth's Evaſion of the Charge in his Anguis, in a Senſe of the Truth of it.*  ↩︎

6. Aćts and Mon. p. 138, 768, 547, 570.  ↩︎

7. See the Letter to William Rogers, as cited p. 83. of the 4th Part of the Chriſtian Quaker, compared with Fox's ſeveral Petitions anſwered, p. 60. News out of the North, Title Page, with p. 51, 41, &c. Truth defended, p. 2,104,152,204, &c.  ↩︎

8. Aćts and Mon. p. 767,768.  ↩︎

9. Several Petitions anſwered, p. 60. News coming up, p. 1,10. Introduction to Battledoor. Great Myſt. p. 86. Journal p. 278. R. Jones's Manuscript. Rogers's Chriſtian Quaker, Part 4. p. 84. Defence of the Snake againſt Whitehead's Antidote, p. 160.  ↩︎

10. Aćts and Monuments, p. 769.  ↩︎

11. Fox's Journal, p. 134, 278, with the Title-Page, and p. 10. *of his ſeveral Paper's in English and Latin, to the Magiſtrates of Militæ, together with his ſeveral Papers to the Parliament, p. 69. ſigned by 7000 of his Handmaids, as confirmed by the ſeveral Teſtimonies in his Doćtrinal Works.*  ↩︎

12. Aćts and Monuments, p. 120.  ↩︎

13. See his Doćtrinal Works on this Subjećt. Compared with his ſeveral Letters to Parliament, at the end of the Account of J. Naylor's Trial, together with p. 37,40, &c. of Rich's Hidden Things, and Fox's Anſwer to it; p. 34,38, with p. 6. of Harwood's To all People, and p. 253. of F.B.'s *Pilgrim's Progreſs. Snakes Defence, 2d Part, p.* 175.  ↩︎

14. Aćts and Monuments, p. 769.  ↩︎

15. Journ 55,60. Scriptu, uncul. Quedam Anglico, p. 5,10, &c. Saul's Errand, p. 6. Preface to Battledoor. Fox's Trial at Lancaſter p. 21. and Spirit of Envy, &c. p. 2. Letter to O. Cromwel, as cited p. 222, 243. of F.B.'s Hidden Things, and p. 46,47, of his Pilgrims Progreſs, with p. 174. Hiſtory of Quakeriſm. Rogers's Quakers divided, p. 12. Compared with their Quakers Challenge, p. 6. Cole and Audland's Letters, and Pen's Defence of them, in his Judas and the Jews combin'd.  ↩︎

16. Aćts and Monuments, p. 768,769.  ↩︎

17. Great Myſt. p. 77. Spirit of Lying, p.2 Several Papers, printed. 1671. p. 47. Saul's Errand, p. 6. News out of thd North, p. 5,15,41. Letter to O. Cromwel, as cited p. 8. of a parallel Spirit of Envy, &c. p.2. Harwood's Letter, as cited p. 80. of the Firſt Part of the Defence of the Snake, againſt Whitehead's Venomous Antidote. Tyranny and Hypociſy, p. 38. Pen's Judas, p. 48, 67, &c. Rogers's Chriſtian Quaker, Part 5. p. 44,45.  ↩︎

18. Aćts and Monuments p. 183.  ↩︎

19. News out of the North, Title-Page, and p. 10,14,15, &c. several Papers printed 1671. p. 24,35,47,60. Doćtrinal Works, p. 29. Good Counſel, p. 27. &c. Compared with the Snake, p. 176.  ↩︎

20. Aćts and Monuments.  ↩︎

21. See his General Epiſt. as cited p. 191. of the Snake, compared eith p. 289 of Ang. Flag. Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 45. Rogrs's Chriſtian Quaker, Part 1 p. 95. Part 4. p. 30. Part 7. p. 38. Preface to Quakers dividec, and p. 5,6. of the Book, with p. 74, 104. of the Account of the Life of John Penyman.  ↩︎

22. See his ſeveral Refuſals in Aćts and Monuments and Hiſtory of the Council of Trent./  ↩︎

23. See his Declaration, recited p. 12. of the Spirit of the Hat, and p. 97. of Pilgrims Progreſs. R. Hubberthorn's Works p. 228. Burrow's Works p. 615. and Fox's Defence in Pen's Alexander, &c.  ↩︎

24. Aćts and Monuments, p. 167,491, 592,767,768.  ↩︎

25. See Eccles's Letter to J.S. as cited p. 57, of F. Bugg's Pićture of Quakeriſm, and Hidden Things p. 220. *Pilgrim's Progreſs, p. 259. Cole's Works, p. 243. Pen's Judas, p. 85. Turanny and Hypocriſy, p. 45. Rogers's Chriſtian Quaker Part 4. p. 30. Jones's Manuſcript,and p. 74. of the Life of John Penyman.  ↩︎

26. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1859, 1913.  ↩︎

27. Fox's Journal, p. 354. Fox's Several Papers, p 60, 62. Selećt Epiſt. p. 148,274,276,302, 359. with their Yearly Papers in Print and Manuſcripts. G.W.'s Rambling Pilgrim, p. 23..* Howgil's Works, p. 235. Turanny and Hypocriſy, p. 72. F.B.'s Seasonable Caveat, p. 44. Quakeriſm drooping, p. 134. all which Foxonian Impertinences are moſt juſtly expoſed in Mrs.* Anna Bourignon's Faithful Warning.  ↩︎

28. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1558.  ↩︎

29. See his Selećt Epiſt. p. 28,275, 285,288,359,368,13,92,254,416,463,329. together with his ſevera'l Manuſcripts, and Letter to W. Rogers. Journal, p. 329. Alexander Parker's To all who are Lovers of the Light, p. 19. with F.B.'s Pićture of Quakeriſm, p. 84, 86.  ↩︎

30. Aćts and Monuments, p. 509.  ↩︎

31. Selećt Epiſt. p. 413,13,254,368,302,426,427,372,380,266,149,369.  ↩︎

32. Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 175,181.  ↩︎

33. Selećt Epiſt. p. 349,350,358,360,368,282,372. and Journal, p. 322,412,446. Incouragement to all Womens Meetings in the Wirld, firſt Impreſſion, p. 23,43, &c. per George Fox, with his Order itſelf, as cited p. 83,84. of F.B.'s Pićture of Quakeriſm. Rogers's Christian Quaker, Part 1. p. 62,64,65. with p. 9. compared with Part 4. p. 91. and Ann Whitehead and Mary Eiſom's Book in behalf ot it.  ↩︎

34. Aćts and Monuments.  ↩︎

35. See Rogers's Chriſtian Quaker, Preface, with p. 36,37. of the 7th Part, compared with G. Whitehead's Accuſer, p. 146, &c.  ↩︎

36. See Journal, p. 616. Selećt Epiſt. p. 175. with his Poſtſcript to J.B.'s Teſtimony.  ↩︎

37. Aćts and Monuments, p. 104.  ↩︎

38. Chriſtian Quaker, Part 4. p. 27,50,60,65,96. with the Preface and Poſtſcript.  ↩︎

39. See Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 90, 161,235,355,364. with the 10th Article of our Parliaments Impeachment of Father Philips, the Queen's Confeſſor. Compared with their ſuperſtitious Donations of this Nature, mentioned in Fox Aćts and Monuments, and other Proteſtant Writings, too numerous to particulars on this occaſion.  ↩︎

40. This Willl of Fox's puts me in mind of that reniwned Virtuoſe Nick Gimcrack, Steel's Tatler tells us of, who having put off a good part of his Eſstate in ſuch natural Curioſities, as Toads, Beetles, Humming-birds, &c. when he died through his over eager purſuit of a painted Butterfly, bountifully beſtowed on his Friends, his Collećtion of dead Butterflies, Drawers of Shells, Crocodile Eggs, Neſts of Graſhoppers, Indian Cabbages, Rattle-Snake Skins, Rats Teſticles, Whales Pizzles, &c. for want of betternMatters to give them; wherein I am apt to thinknour famous Pen and preſant Country Pope muſt imitstenthem alſo, if he bequesth any Thing, he having beſtowed the beſt part of his real Eſtate, in defence of ſuch Principles, as much exceed not his Fox's Gliſter-Pipe, and Gimcrack's Curiouſities, if I ben't much miſtaken.  ↩︎

41. Aćts and Monuments, p. 56,598,599,1691,1916.  ↩︎

42. Hidden Things broight to Light, p. 7,9. Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 5,11,12. Account of the Life of John Penyman, p. 91. compared with Mrs. Anna Bourignon's Relation of their threatned Excommunication of one of their Friends, p. 104. of her Warning.  ↩︎

43. See the 8th Book of the continued History of the Martyrs, p. 211,212. as cited in the Preface to Fr. Bugg's De Chriſt. Libert. compared with this popiſh Excommunication at large, as ſet forth in Fox's Aćts and Monuments.  ↩︎

44. Pen's Quakeriſm a new Nickname, p. 165. Serious Apol. p. 106. Fox's Truths Defenſe, as cited in the Introdućtion to F.B.'s Brief Hiſtory, and p. 56. of his Pićture of Quakeriſm, compared with R. Crane's ſtrićt Account of Babylon's Merchants, &c.  ↩︎

45. Aćts and Monuments, p. 769, 1774.  ↩︎

46. Saul's Errand, p. 8, &c. Journal. Great Myſt. p. 67, 100, 127, 248. Doćtrinal Works, p. 29. Howgil's Works.  ↩︎

47. Aćts and Monuments, p. 768.  ↩︎

48. (1). See Blake's Certificate of this Fox, as cited p. 47. of F. Bugg's Pilgrim Progreſs, compared with J. Audland and Cole's blaſsphemous Letters, and p. 329. *of Fox's Journal with p. 77. of the 5th Part of Chriſtian Quaker, &c. (2). I doubt thoſe that are in the Latter, don't find it a place to ſleep in, whatever he hath done in his Way thither, who, inſtead of deſerving thoſe lofty Eulogies, ſhall have his Name ſtink as the Dung, for his horrid Treachery, Apoſtacy and Tyranny, before this our Age he expired, as our true Friends Robert Rich and John Wilkinſon in effećt foretold him, and that not without reaſon ſufficient, ſince if he that takes upon him, to eſtabliſh Religion, Worſhip, or Diſcipline, &c. as Head of the Church, be an Uſurper on the Prerogative of Chriſt, as the Quakers have confeſſed, in p. 15. of their Good Old Cauſe demonſtrated; then this our exalted Fox having taken it upon him to be ſuch an Eſtablisher, as afore-notified, this our exalted Fox muſt be an Uſurper of Chriſt's Prerogative, by their own Confeſſion; of which, as he and his Supporters were forewarn'd by the Lord himſelf, though his Servant,* Edward Burrow's, in an Epiſtle of his, as cited p. 82. of the firſt part of W.R.'s Chriſtian Quaker, I have no cauſe to queſtion, but that he is ſhortly to appear with his Righteous Judgments upon the Earth, to execute his woes on them for their preſumption, as the ſaid E.B. therein expreſly foretold them.  ↩︎

49. See Preface to the Second Edition of F.B.'s Pilgrims Progreſs, compared with the Biſhop of Otento's Oration as cited p. 4. of the 2d Part of Rogers's Quakers divided.  ↩︎

50. Teachers of the World unveil'd, p. 26, &c. Quakers Challenge, p. 6. News coming up out of the North, p. 15,41, &c. Blakeling's Certificate. Pen's Preface to his Journal. Audland and Cole's Letter. Hidden Things brought to Light, p. 40, &c. Rogers's Chriſtian Quaker, 5th Part, p. 57. and 7th Part, p. 38. Quakefs divided, p. 8, &c. Penyman's Life, 73,74. Snake in the Graſs, p. 117, 118. Bugg's Pilgrim's Progreſs, &c. I know our Fox's depraved Collegues will cry out with open Mouth, I wrong them grievouſly in thoſe my Repreſentations of their Expreſſions, under pretence of their meaning not being thqt he was God and Chriſt, nut the Spirit within him, as they have often explained themſelves; but as this is no more in effećt than the Papiſts will ſay for themſelves in theirs, cincerning the Pope, ſo ſince they in faćt exalted this their Fox *in their Place and Station, by magnifying his Documents from the Light within him from his Creation, as God and Chriſt's divine Rules, immediately proceeding from the uncreated Word of Life; I muſt needs tell them, that as the Jewiſh High-Prieſt (who joined in our Saviour's Crucifixion) was made to deliver a Prophetick Teſtimony, in proof of his being the Chriſt of God, and only true Meſſiah, to the contradićtion of his own Tranſaćtions towards him; it is no ſurprize to me, that they in like manner ſhould be thus cauſed to call their Fox in Terminis, what he had aſſumed in Faćt, againſt their own lamentations, in evidence of their juſt Infatuation in his blaſphemous Exaltation, and in juſtification of thoſe my Repreſentations; the due Conſideration whereof, as it will be found a Key to unlock all the myſterious Iniquity of their own and Patron Fox's Defences againſt their Opponents Charges of this Nature, ſo inſtead of thinking to hide thoſe their Blaſphemies from the fight of the Almighty God and his faithful Servants any longer, by ſuch deceitful Pretences, it highly concerns them to confeſs their Guilt herein to all the World, as ſoon as poſſibly may be, in irder to avoid, if poſſible, the dreadful conſequences of their further perſiſtance in thoſe their Popiſh Enormities.*  ↩︎

51. Aćts and Monuments, p. 654,748.  ↩︎

52. See Fox's own Teſtimony of himſelf, in p. 354. of his journal, with that of Barkſhire Friends, at the Front of his Dictrinal Works, compared with thjis Order of Anno. 1675. G.W.'s Defence, and Criſp, Wood and Part's, &c. Obſtrućtions in Conſequences of it.  ↩︎

53. Aćts and Monuments, p. 165,29. See G.W.'s Letter, together with their Order, as cited intheir Anſwer to John Cox, &c. compared with Fox's Selećt Epiſtles, p. 487. Journal, p. 33, &c. in behalf of it.  ↩︎

54. Aćts and Monuments, p. 669,670,746.  ↩︎

55. See their Order, with G. Fox's Selećt Epiſt. p. 282.  ↩︎

56. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1134,1144. compared with p. 670,785, &c. of the Hiſtory of the Council of Trent.  ↩︎

57. See their Devonſhire Houſe Order of the 15th of the 5th Month, 1690, with Fox's Selećt Epiſtles, p. 147.  ↩︎

58. Aćts and Monuments, p. 29, 137, 138, 139, 201, 833, 1126, 1127, &c.  ↩︎

59. See the ſev4ral Inſtances in my Rejoynder to G.W. together with thiſe mentioned under the Head of Impoſition.  ↩︎

60. Aćts and Monuments, p. 329.  ↩︎

61. A horrible Lie by the way, though atteſted in their Quakers Remonſtrance, and ſeveral Declarations, compared with this our Friend W.F.'s Self-denying Favour towards me.  ↩︎

62. Aćts snd Monumentſ, p. 501.  ↩︎

63. This was firſt transſaćted upon my opposition to their Order againſt Firſt Couſons above 20 Years ago, and at Times continued by Intervals, when they had returned me it, till upon my firther purſuit of their Innovations, they finally took it for altogether.  ↩︎

64. Aćts and Monuments, p. 507,824,830. Hiſtory of the Trent Council, p. 302,305,309,372.  ↩︎

65. Yearly Epiſt. of Anno 1666, and 1675, amongſt others incerted in F.B.'s Seasonable Caveat. G.W.'s Manuſcript in behalf of their Orders. Joſiah Cole's Works, p. 93. F.B.'s Pilgrim's Progreſs, p. 24,29. and W. Pen's Aſſertion, as cited p. 25. of Tyranny and Hypocriſy detećted.  ↩︎

66. Hiſtory of the Council of Trent, p. 453,855.  ↩︎

67. Thus as they ſerved William Rogers, as he told me. So they followed the ſame Methid in their Dealing toward me.  ↩︎

68. Hiſtory of the Trent Council, p. 542, 684, 64, 399.  ↩︎

69. Elwood's Truth defended. Compared with the Oppoſition I and others have met with upon their Orders occaſion.  ↩︎

70. Ciuncil of Trent, p. 61, 64, 399.  ↩︎

71. By G.F. not Chriſt, nor to Saints, but ----- See their Yearly Epiſt. of Anno 1666. Fox's Selećt Epiſtles, p. 290. Together with Pen's Preface to Fox's Journal, compared with their conſtant Excluſion of all others.  ↩︎

72. Aćts and Monuments, p. 634.  ↩︎

73. Meaning their Light, as afore-notified. See Yearly Epiſt. 1666. above-mentioned, as cited and defended by W.P. in his Judas and the Jews combin'd.  ↩︎

74. Hiſtory of the Council of Trent, p. 29,33,478.  ↩︎

75. Selećt Epiſt. p. 290. G.W.'s Manuſcript in behalf of their Order againſt Firſt Couſens Marriage, compared with their repeated verbal Admonitions in their ſaid Yearly Meeting in my Audience.  ↩︎

76. See Aćts and Monuments, p. 286, 288, 653, 820, 844, 911, 1057, 1076, 1344, 1884.  ↩︎

77. See Fox's ſeveral Papers to the Presbyterians &c.. p. 33. &c. Compared with William Rogers's Preface and Poſtſscript to his Chriſtian Quaker.  ↩︎

78. Aćts and Monuments, p. 221, 838, 1206.  ↩︎

79. See Rogers's *Chriſtian Quaker, Preface and Poſtſcript' Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 78. Pilgrims Progreſs, p. 107. Pićture of Quakeriſm, and Account of the Life of J. Penyman p.* 92.  ↩︎

80. Aćts and Monuments, p. 608.  ↩︎

81. As appears by W. Rogers's, Tho. Criſp, and others of our Friends Books and Papers, with Fox and Whitehead's Hypocritical Anſwers to them.  ↩︎

82. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1869.  ↩︎

83. As appears in the Caſe of John Penyman, Robert Larence, Thomas Boyſe and Isaac Perſon, amongſt others afore-mentioned.  ↩︎

84. Aćts and Monuments. p. 998.  ↩︎

85. News out of the North, p. 31. Account of the Life of John Penyman, p. 28, 32, 33, 53. Good Counſel rejećted, p. 35. Tyranny and Hypocriſy p. 15, &c. Pen's Judas, p. 18, 21, 35. Roger's Chriſtian Quaker, in 5 Parts. Boyſe's Quaker Wickedneſs, with Pen's Quaker Charity. Rich's Hidden Things, p. 15, 18. compared with p. 32. of their Nameleſs Anſwer to it.  ↩︎

86. Aćts and Monuments, p. 432, 448, 506, 930, 992, 1633.  ↩︎

87. Yearly Paper of 1666. Chriſtopher Taylor's Epiſtle of Caution, compared with the Second Days Meetings Letter to York Yearly Meeting, concerning Richard Ranſom. *Rogers's Quakers divided, p. 14. and Chriſtian Quaker diſtinguished from the Apoſtate and Innovator.*  ↩︎

88. Aćts and Monuments, p. 168, 992, 1076, 1514.  ↩︎

89. Yearly Paper of 1693. as cited in p. 38, 42, 43, of F.B.'s Seasonable Caveat, consonant to the Six Weeks Meetings Direćtion, the 30th Day of the 10th Month 1690, and Christopher Taylor's Epiſtle of Caution.  ↩︎

90. Aćts and Monuments, p. 11, 304, 1116.  ↩︎

91. See their Abuſe of J. Whitehead's Letter, with their other moſt abominable Expulſions, under that Title, compared with their Paper of the 18th of the 6th Month 1693. Pilgrims Progreſs, p. 251. to 168.  ↩︎

92. Friends of Romiſh Monks, p. 173.  ↩︎

93. Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 47. to p. 52. Compared with Pen's Judas, p. 42, &c. And their Repreſentation of Rebecca -------- as diſtraćted for her publick Acknowlegment (of a Right-Hand-Man's of* G. Whitehead's frequent uſe if her Perſon, before he went to exhortnus in our publick Meetings at Lincoln) after her Repentance.*  ↩︎

94. Aćts and Monuments p. 827.  ↩︎

95. G.W.'s *Judgment fix'd p. 354. as cited p. 247. of F.B.'s Pilgrim's Progreſs.*  ↩︎

96. Conſonant to their Praćtice to F.Bugg, in burning his Papers in his Defence, for want of Hineſty to Examine (as well as Ability to Anſwer) them, of which he in p. 134, 139,. of his Pićture of Quakeriſm, alſo moſt juſtly complaineth.  ↩︎

97. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1933.  ↩︎

98. Witneſs G. Good and their Friends ſcrupulius Super ſcription of his Letter elſewhere mentioned amongſt other ſuch vile Praćtices, with their omiſſion to do Juſtice upon our Complaint to them, for which our Friend John Penyman, in p. 109. of the Account of his Life, moſt juſtly expoſed them.  ↩︎

99. Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 263.  ↩︎

100. Rogers's Preface to his Chriſtian Quaker, comp. with part 4. p. 33. of his Book, together with p. 7. of G.W.'s Accuſer, and p. 139. of Fox's Selećt Epiſtles, and p. 25. of Eccle's Muſick Lećture.  ↩︎

101. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1654, 1657, 1767.  ↩︎

102. See W. Pen's Note, as cited p. 25. of Tyranny and Hypocriſy. Cole's Whore unveil'd p. 18. Yearly Epiſt. of Anno 1666. G.W.'s Manuſcript, with his ſeveral Letters to Tho. Robinſon and my ſelf intheir Orders behalf. Compared with F.B.'s Proofs, inthe Preface to his Pilgrims Progreſs, &c.  ↩︎

103. Aćts and Monuments, p. 29, 137, 151, 421, 149, 196.  ↩︎

104. Fox's Doćtrinal Works. Selećt Epiſt. p. 266. Yearly Paper of Anno 1693. Whitehead's Manuſcript in the Orders behalf. Vindiciæ Verit. p. 2. News from New-Rome p. 52. Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 72. Penyman's Life. Bourignon's Warning p. 62.  ↩︎

105. Aćts and Monuments, p. 155, 776, 813, 1152, 156, 208.  ↩︎

106. See his Doctrinal Works. Compared with his Selećt Epiſtles, p. 13, 148, 274, 277. Together with their Morning Meetings in order to the right diſpoſure of their miniſtring Friends Services, leſt the Spirir ſhould confound them, by not doing it ſo regularly. Compared with their learned Friends Subscription of his Letter to John Steeple-Houſe at the Sign of the Superſtitious Thing in Sixth-Day-Street, through his Foxonian Notion of the Unrighteouſneſs to direćt it To John Church at the Sign of the Cardinal's Cap in Friday Street, *whereby as he had like t9 have crask'd the Poſt-Maſter's Brains to finc out the Perſon be aim'd at, he ſhewed himſelf not over ſtock'd with Senſe.*  ↩︎

107. White's Way.  ↩︎

108. Fiſher's Ruſticus Accademicos, Ep. p. 5. Book p. 8, 20, 50, 51. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1521.  ↩︎

109. See Pen's Apoſtate Incendiary, p. 9, 16, 17. Richardſon's Ingredient's p. 3. &c. Tyranny and Hypocriſy, p. 25, &c. Compared with their Friend Morris's Letter to J.W. mentioned under the Head of their Impoſition.  ↩︎

110. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1481.  ↩︎

111. (1) Maſk taken of, as cited p. 36 of F.B.'s New Rome, compared with J.W.'s Ang Flag. p. 142. and Elwood's Truth defended. (2) *Some of which Holy Ones broke in Debt, others died in Goal for Non-payment, one was hang'd fir Felony, another drown'd, another cut his own Throat, anither hang'd himſelf, another wentndiſtraćted, anithernbroke his Neck, one was fir dabling with his Friend Jobſon's Maid, anothernwas catch'd picking up Whores in the Street; wherefore, as the L0rd my God hath been graciouſly pleaſed to and as manynHundreds of Pounds to my Subſtance in this World, aw therenis Years ſince the Death of King William, when they firſt began to predićt my Downfall, as an imcouragement to me to wiſh they may go on as many more at that rate; ſo I doubtmnit butmthat the ſame Gid will, fir his Son Jeſus's ſake, be graciouſly pleas'd to ſave mynSoul in the next, when they ſhall have their Portion with their Brethren the falſe Prophets, the Divine John foretells of, in the placentheynbequeath me, if not prevented by their timely Repentance.*  ↩︎

112. Aćts and Monuments, p. 1631.  ↩︎

113. Doewray's Apoſt. Conscience, part 1. p. 19. Turanny and Hypocriſy, p. 7. Account of the Life of John Penyman, p. 26, 29, 122, 217, &c. Pilgrims Progreſs p. 301, &c. Boyſe's Quakers Wickedneſs. Forgetting that they are all diſtraćted or worſe, if their Friend Ann Trapnell may be credited in the Relation ſhe givesnof them, as cited p. 146 of G.W.'s Truth Prevalent.  ↩︎

114. See A.S. the Jeſuit's Account, as cited in F.B.'s Preface to his Pilgrims Progreſs.  ↩︎

115. Joſiah Cole's *Whore unveil'd, p. 16, &c. Fox's Journal, p. 376. Eccles's Quakers Challenge.*  ↩︎

116. A.S. the Jesuit, ſee cap. 14. of his Reconciler of Religions.  ↩︎

117. See my Proofs under the Head of their Railery, compared with G.W.'s Letter to G.K. as cited p. 201 of F.B.'s Pilgrims Progreſs, &c.  ↩︎

118. A.S. the Jeſuit, ibid.  ↩︎

119. Fiſher's Works. Way to the Kingdom, p. 4. Bayly's Works, fence, p. 101. Mene Tekel, and Whitehead's Rambling Pilgrim, p. 44. Iſhmael, &c. caſt out, p. 14. &c.  ↩︎

120. Aćts and Monuments, p. 326.  ↩︎

121. Aćts and Monuments, p. 777.  ↩︎

122. Whitehead's Innocency, p. 18. Anſwer to Hidden Things, p. 34. Richardſon's Ingredients. Compared with p. 530. of Barbley's Apology, of the 4th Edition, to their own contradićtion.  ↩︎

123. Aćts and Mon. p. 1845, 1961.  ↩︎

124. Quakers Refuge fix'd. Fox's Several Papers printed 1671, p. 61. Compared with his Great Myſtery, in the pages mentioned under the Head of their Error.  ↩︎

125. Frauds of Romish Monks, p. 285.  ↩︎

126. Fox's Great Mystery, with his Proſelytesſevral Defences of it, heretoforenotified under the Head of their Inconſiſtency, &c.  ↩︎

127. Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 287, 282.  ↩︎

128. See their Perverſion of -------- in their Epiſtle of Anno 1666. with thoſe mentioned in p. 92. of F.B.'s Narrative, compared with W. Pen's Spirit of Truth, in Defence of G.F.'s Pervertions of the Holy Writ.  ↩︎

129. Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 301.  ↩︎

130. Witneſs Joſ. Rogers now or late of Great Markam in Nottinghamſhire, who being big with ſuch Foxonian Notions, as the poor Quaker Miniſters in Holland and Switzerland, &c. now ignorantly ſuffer for, told me, (when I laſt saw him in* London) That as he had much in his Mind to our Friends in thoſe parts, he knew nothing to binder his design'd Viſitation of them, but the want of* G. Whitehead's Allowance, which as he was then juſt going to ſollicite for, he afterwards told me, he had obtained it accordingly, to his no ſmall Consolation.  ↩︎

131. Frauds of Romiſh Monks, p. 301.  ↩︎

132. In proof whereof, ſee Whiting's Anſwers to G. K.'s Narrative, &c. Wherein his chief Strength conſiſts in ſuch deceitful Shiſtes as my ſelf, amongſt others hath well obſerved.  ↩︎

133. See p. 450. to p. 455 of F. Howgil's Collećtion.  ↩︎

134. (1) Aćts and Monuments, p. 1338, 1339. Fraud, &c. p. 27. 4th part. See Pen's No Croſs no Crown. Treatiſe of Oaths. Barcleys Apol. Fox's Primer for all Doćtors and Scholars. Epiſtle to be read in Churches. Quakers Challenge. Bugg's Pilgrims Progreſs, p. 255. Fox's Journal, p. 467. Sober Reply to Norfolk and Suffolk Petitions, p. 14. Innocency with her open Face, p. 30. (2) Witneſs Michael Ruffel, together with their great Patron Fox, the firſt of which as he was ſtruck with Death within, the other met with the ſame Fate as he came out of their Gallery, as I am credibly informed. Thoſe that would ſee more of our Quaker Popery, may peruſe William Rogers's Chriſrian Quaker, in 5 parts, with the other parts ſince published, together with his Quakers divided, firſt and second part, and there find enough in confirmation of theſe my Charges on this occaſion.  ↩︎

135.  ↩︎

136. P. 299. of Iſ. Penington's Collećtion. Compares with p. 42. of G. Biſhop's Warning to O. Cromwel.  ↩︎

137. Such as G.F. and G.W. with their depraved Collegues of the Second Days Meeting, whom the Lord hath already began to provoke to Jealouſy, by a People that are no People, who ſhallntake the Crown from off their Heads, and leave them contemptible, as divers of their true Friends foretold them.  ↩︎

138. See his ſaid Prophetick Teſtimony in his Book of Letters, printed in Anno 1669, and reprinted 1676, as cited in John Penyman's ſeveral Traćts, and F. Bugg's Pilgrims Progreſs, of the 2d Edit.  ↩︎

139. (1) See Charles Marſhal's Prophetick Teſtimony hereafter cited, compared with the Confuſion now amongſt them, in Further proof of the Truth of this our Friends Prophetick Declaration by all with-ſtanding they (like the Old World) will take no Warning, I fear, whilſt the Deluge of Judgments foretold off overtake them. (2) Which Day is now come, ſay I, O! that they could ſee and be ſenſible thereof , and be ſenſible thereof, and humbly bow themſelves under the Hand of God, in true Contrition of Soul, for their great Provocations, that his threatened Vengeance, if poſſible, might be averted , as they have often been adviſed.  ↩︎

140. (1) Thee and Thou, Yea and Nay, Plain Cloths, with other ſuch eſſential points of our depraved Quaker Holineſs; in their Conſtancy whereto they chiefly value themſelves. (2) As it already hath begun to do in their cowardly Declenſion to defend themſelves from my juſt Charges at their Yearly Meeting in Anno 1709, &c. wherein, as I behelx the Sinners in Zion to be afraid, and the Heart of the Hypocrite to tremble, in order to their predićted downfall; ſo the ſamembringx to Mind a Dream of this our ancient Friend Robert Rich, concerning George Fox their Patron in Anno 1655, whom the Lord having previouſly ſhewn him to be a Star fall'n from Heaven: He thought he was a Hunting a Fox with Hounds, till he ran into a great City, where they being at a Loſs to find him, he at length eſpied him in a private Corner, at which he falling a Whooping and Hallowing in his Sleep, a Dog Blood-red, as he thought, ran the Fox quite out if his retiring Place, upon which he awoke, I hope it will not be long e'er the Red Dog he well known, that unkennels the Fox repreſented to him.  ↩︎

141. Sad News for G.W., J.F., and J.W. with the reſt of that deceitful Tribe of the Second Days Meeting, who as they have been prov'd Unfaithful, Hypocritical and Rotten-heartednto purpoſe, may well expećt that ſhacking Horror, &c. herein foretold of, to be their Portion, from what of that Nature has already been obſerved to attend them.  ↩︎

142. Which ſour Spirit it ſeems they do but now begin to diſcover, though Robert Rich both ſaw and forewarn'd them of it about 30 Years ago, as a Spirit by which our true Friend John Perrot had been cauſeleſly afflićted. (2) Which Cowardly Fear hath brought things to the paſs they are come to amongſt us, for want of timely prevention, by couragiouſly bringing thoſe Transgreſſors to Judgment, who were the firſt cauſe of them, as hath been found by sorrowful Experience, now they are almoſt paſt retrieving.  ↩︎

143. i.e. Pretended Innocency and Perfećtion, &c.  ↩︎

144. It ſeems Mary Keimer had not the Quakers Mark on her Forehead, for want of which, as they could not own the Holy Spirit that ſpoke through her, I doubt not but if the Angel, the Divine John ſpeaks of, had now appeared, and ſworn Time ſhould be be no longer, as he did in the Revelation, they would have diſowned him as a Meſſenger of Satan, for therein contradićting the Doćtrin of George Fox their Apoſtle, as well as they did Mary Keimer for Head-Dreſs they speak of.  ↩︎

145. See his Appeal to Country Friends againſt the City Quakers unchriſtian Carriage towards him, p. 12, 13.  ↩︎

146. See her Book of Warnings.  ↩︎

147. Which was made known to her to be thoſe lordly Pretenders amongſt us, and others who had aſſumed the Place of Kings, Captains and Rulers over our Faith and Consciences, conſonant to our Friend George Bishop's Prophetick Teſtimony in p. 17 of his Book of Warning to King Charles II. compared with p. 4, 5. of his Burden of Babylon, and p. 22, 24, 25, 26. of his Illuminations, with his whole Epiſtle of Love, in defence of this our Friend A.S.'s Conſtruction.  ↩︎

148. See Ed. Burrow's Epiſtle of Anno 1656, Only to go amongſt Friends, wherein us the Faithful are ſtiled Kings and Prieſts to the moſt High, according to Revel. I.6. Thoſe our unfaithful Ones ſeem to aſſume from thence the Title and Office of Kings and Princes over our Faith and Consciences; under pretence, That as the Son of Righteouſness is appeared out of the North, ſo out of the North Kings, Prinfes and Proohets did come forth, who uttered their Voices as Thunders, laying their Swords on the Necks of their Enemies, from whom they never returned without Slaughter, according to the Contents of their ſaid Epiſtle. But whatever our ancient Friends might be accounted in a Spiritual Senſe, as thiſe our Apoſtate Crowns are deſervidly taken from them for their Male Adminiſtration of their Office, according to their ſaid Friend Ed. Burrow's Maxim in p. 442. of his General Collećtion, that all Rulers and Governors are to be accountabke to their next Succeſſors for their Miſmanagement, &c. I hope their Powernfo Slaughtering more of us is now taken from them by way of Cinſequence, let them now ſtruggle as much s they will to retain it, under a vain Conceit, that their deſpiſed Government is to rule over all Kingdoms, and to their Laws alo the Nations of the Earth ſubmit, according to Ed. Burrow's Predićtion in p. 111. of his ſaid Collećtion.  ↩︎

149. In which State as ſhe alſo ſaw Thomas Lower amongſtnothers, ſo there were ſome in the Degreenof Lords and Earls, &c. many of whoſe Names ſhe was unacquainted wirh.  ↩︎

150. Ezek. 9.6, &c.  ↩︎

151. Account from Wickham.  ↩︎

152. (1) See thenPreface to his Comment on the Galatians. (2) See W.P.'s Preface to G. Fox's Journal compared with p. 508, of R.B.'s Apology.  ↩︎

153. Whoſe Names are Thomas Robinſon, Peter Naylor and William Jalland.  ↩︎

154. See E.B.'s Preface to Fox's Great Myſt. compared with my foregoing Inſtances under the Head of their Hypocriſy, &c.  ↩︎

155. Compared with p. 7, 10, 22, 24, &c. of his Poſtſcript to the Firſt Part of his Chriſtian Quaker diſtingquiſhed from the Apoſtate and Innovator, concerning his own Experience of the ſame Nature.  ↩︎

156. (1) See their Yearly Paper of Anno 1666 compared with G.W. Advice in p. 53. of the Copies of ſeveral Lett4rs, printed the ſame Year, as cited p. 30. of Ed. Beckham's Brief Diſcovery. (2) See Fox's Several Papers, p. 33. A faithful Teſtimony for God and my Country, p. 12. ContentioUs Apoſtate, p. 15. New-England's Enſign, p.n4, 59, 79. Groundw and Cauſes, p. 67. Catan's Cloud, p. 11, 12. QuakersnPlea, p. 8. Margaret Fox's Letter to King Charles II. p. 3, 4. with Ed. Burrow's Preface to Foxps Great Myſtery of Iniquity.  ↩︎

157. In A viſion concerning the Great City, Myſtery, Babylon, cited p. 293. of the Account of the Life of J. Penyman.  ↩︎

158. Of whom our Friend Mary Mitchel speaks in her Viſion afore-notified.  ↩︎

159. They forget to put in, for Chriſt's sake, according to Chriſtian Principles and the Primitive Chriſtians Precedents;by which, as they manifeſt their Guiltineſs of that Apoſtacy I charge their Leaders with, they alſo ſhow their ill deſerts of the Title of Chriſtian Friends, they here ſo bountifully dignifie themſelves with; ſince as none can be true Chriſtian Friends, who thus inſinuate their Expectations to be ſaved by God, through Repentance, &c. (without regard to Chriſt's Merits by his Death and Sufferings) as they do by their own omiſſion to mention them, ſo inſtead of eſteeming them what they repute themſelves, I account them ſuch mortal Enemies to the true Chriſtian Religion, &c. as ſtands juſtly excluded from that Holy Communion, they thus pretend to exclude others.  ↩︎

160. As may be found by thoſe they gave forth againſt John Anſloe, John Bernard, William Wilkins, and others moſt unjuſtly, as cited in Fr. Bugg's De Chriſt. Libert. and Defencenof the Snake againſt G. Whitehead's Antidote, and others.  ↩︎

161. James i.17.  ↩︎

162. Compared with 1Cor. 12.4.18.31. Eph. 4.8. all which he covertly refer'd to, tho' he did not expreſſly cite them.  ↩︎

163. (1) Witneſs G. W.'s Sober Expoſtulation, Rambling Pilgrim, Antidote againſt Ven. Compared with Wyeth's Ang. Flag. and Whitting's Judas *and the Chief Prieſts combin'd, &c. (2) See G.K.'s ſeveral Challenges, as cited, p. 5, 6. of the Defence of the Snake againſt G.W.'s Venomous Antidote, well worth Obſervation.*  ↩︎

164. Iſaiah 30. 8, 28. compar'd with Matt. 24, 48.  ↩︎

165. Hypocritical Defences.  ↩︎