I. FIRST then , J. Peacock , &c.

WHY do you suffer your Teachers , without Rebuke , to charge and scandalize the Author of the Snake in the Grass , &c. to be a Necessitous Priest that writ for Bread ; since your own Teachers themselves , Namely , G. Fox , the Journey-man Shoemaker , Sam . Cater , a poor Carpenter , Geo . Whitehead , who came a poor Boy out of the North on Foot , and many others , both Wrote and Preached for Bread ; being a poor necessitous sort of Men , who lived chiefly at other Men's Tables ; and you , as well as I , know it to be so still ?

II .

Why do you suffer your Teachers to Publish and Print , That the Protestant Clergy are Thieves , Robbers , Anti-Christs , Sodomites , Witches , Devils , Conjurers , Blood-hounds , the Sir Simons of the Age , whose Call and Commission , came from Oxford , and Cambridge , Bablylon's Merchants , selling Beastly Wares , the Letter which is Dust and Death ? &c. Now , the Clergy are resolved not to lye under these your scandalous Detractions ; and therefore in their Name , I demand Satisfaction and Reparation ; otherwise these malicious Epithetes , will affect you , and the Cry will be loud and ascend higher than your selves ; for they are resolved not to lye under your Teachers foul Calumnies . But if you will be mute in this matter , and suffer them to persist in their wonted course , in vilifying and abusing the Reverend Clergy , without your publick reprehension and dislike thereof , then may you be farther called in Question , and Exposed thereupon , for your neglect of Justice , &c , Thus Reader , are the Scales fairly turned , and the Land-shifted , and the Pit the Quakers digged for others , are they themselves justly fallen into . A Brief Discovery , &c. p. 7 , 8 , 9.

III .

WHY do you suffer your Weather-cock to call the Protestant Clergy an Idle Gormandizing Generation , the bane of both Soul and Body of the Universe ? See Pon's Guide Mistaken , &c. p. 18.

IV .

WHY do you suffer your Teachers to Dialogue the Bishops and all Prelaticals , as Monsters of an Adulterate Harlot , brought forth from an Adulterous Womb ? Saying , Behold all ye Arch Bishops , Lord Bishops , Deans , Prebends , Doctors , Vicars , and Curates , and all Prelaticals , here is the Womb of your Conception opened , from whence you drew your Breath : Therefore hear and consider you , Bishops , &c. You must come to the Bar ; your Common-Prayer Book is seen to be conceived in thy Adulterous Womb ; which is now ript up , and to branch forth from the Pope . See Smith's Works , p. 157. And a brief History of Quakerism Drawn to the Life , p. 35. to 50. where this and W. Pen's last Recital is more largely handled .

Come on John Peacock , &c. Are not these Villainous and Scandalous Expressions intolerable ? The Bishops will not lye under these your scandalous Invectives : Therefore on their behalf I demand Satisfaction ; otherwise these malicious and black Attempts will affect you ; and the Cry will be Louder , and ascend higher than your selves . But if you will be mute in this matter , and suffer your mercinary Teachers to persist in their wonted course , in Villifying and Abusing their Lordships , in calling them up and Trying them at their Bar , without your publick Reprehension , then may you be further called in Question , and Exposed thereupon , for your neglect of Justice ,

V.

Again . WHY do you suffer your Teachers to erect a Mock-court of Judicature for the Clergy ; to call them up to your Bar , Examin , Sentence and Condemn them ? As by your Book , Intituled , A Just and Lawful Tryal of the Ministers of this Age ; by a perfect Proceeding against them : And hereby they are Righteously Examined , and Justly Weighed , and Truly Measured and condemned to Disagree , and be contrary to all the Ministers of Christ in former Ages : And to agree and concur with all the false Prophets and Deceivers , in their Call , in their Maintenance , and Doctrin ; and being brought to the Bar of Justice , are truly Charged , and legally proved upon them , and found guilty , &c. See Burroughs's Works , p. 223. As in A Brief History of the rise of Quakerism , &c. p. 23. is more largely handled .

Now , my old Friends , what think you of your Teachers pride and insolent Presumption ? This Burroughs was one of your Prophets ; and Whitehead's Approbation was in the Re-print of this Tryal . What think you of smooth George ? But to proceed ;

VI .

WHY do you suffer your Teachers to Summon the Clergy in their usual way and manner , without your Rebuke ? See W. Smith's Works , p. 161. Viz . A General Summons from the Authority of Truth , to all Ecclesiastical Courts and Officers , &c. See this more at large , in A Brief Hist . of the Rise of Quakerism , &c. p. 32.

Now , Let us Expostulate the Matter ; What think you ? May the Quakers Summon , Arraign , Try , Judge and Condemn at their Bar , all the Bishops and Clergy , their Courts and Officers , and the whole Church and State , and Print and Reprint the same ; Commend and Re-commend the same ; send it thus Printed to all their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings , in England , Holland , Scotland , Ireland , and Parts beyond the Sea ? And , may not I , by Letter , Summon Twelve of you , to examin the Deceit and Hypocrisie of Geo . Whitehead ? But ,

VII .

WHY do you suffer your Teachers to contemn and set at nought the Scriptures ? As in their Book-News coming up out of the North , &c. p. 14. Viz . Your Original is carnal Hebrew , Greek and Latin : And your Word is Carnal : The Leter and the Light is Carnal : The Leter and your Baptism is Carnal ; and their Baptism is Carnal , a little Bread and Wine : So dust is the Serpent's Meat . Their Original is but Dust , which is but the Leter ; which is Death . So the Serpent feeds upon Dust , and their Gospel is Dust ; Matthew , Mark , Luke and John ; which is but the Leter .

VIII .

WHY do you suffer your Teachers to deny and reject the Ordinances of Jesus Christ ; as Baptism and the Lord's-Supper , and neglect and refuse to make Confession of their Sins to God , and ask Pardon for Christ's sake , and not rebuke their Hypocrisie , who tell the World in their Sheet , Intituled , The Quakers Vindication , &c. deliver'd to the Parliament in 1693. That they own them scripturally considered ; which is as much as any body does ; unless he meant , As they own the Scriptures , Viz . To be Death , Dust , and Serpents Food ; and thereupon reject them , and practice neither for forty Years together ? For a full discovery of their Deceit herein , see The Picture of Quakerism , &c. p. 60 , to 80 , &c.

☞ When William Mead gave William Harris one of G. Fox's Journals , he told him , It was a very good Book : Yea , ( said he ) better than the Bible .

IX .

WHY do you suffer your Teachers to exalt their own Sufferings , as greater than the Sufferings of Christ , his Apostles and Martyrs , and holy Confessors ; in the Ten Persecutions , the Irish Massacree , and days of Queen Mary ? As in Burroughs's Works , Re-printed by Whitehead's Approbation ; in 1672. See p. 273. as at large Quoted in The Picture of Quakerism , from p. 81. to 90.

X.

AND , When G. W. was no longer able to Gloss over their Blasphemous Doctrin ; but said in his Antidote , p. 254. Viz . The Comparison made [ by E. Burroughs ] of the Quakers Sufferings , As greater and more unjust than in the days of Christ , and of his Apostles , or any time since , is a mistake ; And , whether it was so first verbally Stated by Edw Burroughs , or sometime since , I will not determin , unless I see the Original Copy , &c.

Come on , John Peacock , &c. and tell me at this rate , how it is possible to confute Quakerism , to their Conviction ; when such Starting-holes are admitted . You see here is plain Blasphemy laid down for Doctrin , by Burroughs , in order to exalt their own Sufferings , and to undervalue the Death and Sufferings of Christ . You see also , That after much Struggling , that 't is confess'd by Whitehead , so far at least , As that he will not stand by it , not deny it , unless he could see the Original Copy . Behold and wonder ! Will you the Hearers suffer this ? Are you Ear-bored to Whitehead ? What! a Book given forth by the Quakers infallible Spirit , in 1657. And so pass among you as the Word of the Lord ; Commended and Re-commended as the Oracle of God Twenty two Years ; and then Re-printed by the order and Approbation of Geo . Whitehead , and the rest of their Peers , and now to call for the Original Copy ! it is such a thing as none but G. W. whose Brow is Brass , and his Forehead Case-hardned Steel , would ever have attempted it .

XI .

WHY do your Teachers say , That it is as lawful to Tolerate Popery as Episcopacy , and yet seek to to the Episcopalians for Liberty ? Is not this Hypocrisie ? Why do you not Rebuke them , and tell them when they go creeping and fawning to the Parliament , that it is great Hypocrisie ; and that they ought first to retract such Doctrin , and condemn such Books , before they crave Liberty of such to whom they would give none , were it in their power ? See Rich . Huberthorn's Works , p. 227. Or , ask them , if they by such Doctrin , had not a design in case Popery had come in ( for it would have been doubtless a good Plea ) to have obtain'd the Order of St. George .

XII .

PRAY observe Geo . Whitehead's Sober Expostulation , &c. p. 72 , 73. where he recites Numerically , nine or ten Particulars , wherein I charged the Quakers to be Erroneous . Eight of them he passes by silently , without one word of Reply . A quick way of Answering Books ; at that rate , one Sheet may well serve to answer Twenty . Who then would concern themselves with them , were it not to stop others from running into the same Snare . The Particulars are ,

1. You Quakers can neither make Confession of Sin to God , nor beg Pardon for Christ's sake . 2. You do not Pray after that manner , viz. Forgive us our Sins , as we forgive them that Trespass against us . 3. You do not Pray in the Name of Christ , to God the Father , as the Mediator and Intercessor between God and Man . 4. You lay aside the use of the Scripture , as Useless ( with respect to reading them in your Meetings , or once recommending them to be so read ) by your Books , &c. 5. You deny the Ordinances of Jesus Christ ; as Baptism and the Lord's-Supper , which the Scriptures teach ; saying , Go teach all Nations , Baptizing , &c. Do this in remembrance of me , &c. 6. You lay aside the use of the Lord's Prayer [ in Families , and never recommend the Practice thereof in any one of your Books . ] 7. You lay aside the use of the Ten Commandments ( given by Moses ) in your Families and in your Meetings , and never so much as recommend the Practice thereof in any one of your Books . 8. You lay aside the use of the Apostles Creed , and never Practice it in your Families or Meetings ; nor recommend the Practice thereof in any one of your Books .

These Eight Particulars , G. W. spake nothing to ; and the reason is very plain , he could not : And yet this goes for an Answer , with the poor deluded Quakers , notwithstanding . They are and contain such fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith , as that whoever lives out of the Faith and Practice of them , I do affirm , they are not Christians . And therefore Rebuke your Teachers , and put them upon Clearing themselves , not only of their Ignorance and Unbelief of those Eight Particulars , but of the Twenty four Particulars in this Expostulation against your mercenary Teachers . Now hear the 9th .

9. You rob Christ of his Divine Attributes , and put them upon your Glorified Geo . Fox ; calling him , The Branch , the Star , the Son of Righteousness , &c. Which if this Paper were designed for an Answer , I should speak to .

But , I have plainly proved it by my Books , New Rome Unmasked , and New Rome Arraigned ; and The Quakers set in their true Light : Which are not by me at the writing hereof ; so refer to my former Books , bottomed upon Matter of Fact from the Quakers Books ; as is frequent with G. W. to do , to avoid Repetition .

XIII .

WHY do you not reprove your Teachers for their Hypocrisie , in forcing their Apprentices to stand Bare-headed before them , who deny to give the like Respect to their Superiors ?

XIV .

WHY do you not publickly Condemn Sam . Cater's Book , and your Book of Records at Hadenham , wherein I once Recorded it ; wherein he pretended to suffer 20 l. for Preaching at Phakenham Meeting in Norfolk ; when indeed , he was so far from suffering twenty Pence , that he had Ten Pounds profit for being at that Meeting ; as at large I have elsewhere made it appear ? Why will you suffer such Hypocrites among you ? See The Picture of Quakerism , &c. p. 106 , to 110.

XV .

WHY do you suffer your She-Prelates , i.e. Ann Dockwra , to tell solemn Lies to the Magistrates to serve a Turn ? Who being by the Magistrates asked , whether the Quakers had a Common Purse or Bank ; she answered No. Which said she ( in her Letter to me ) gave them great Satisfaction . Yet in the same Letter , she confess'd to me , that you have a Bank , or Common Fund , and that it would never be well whilst the Quakers put away their Dagon . As at large , in her Letter to me , Printed in The Picture of Quakerism , p. 148 , to 150. Moreover , she therein told me , That the Magstrates looked upon Common Banks or Fonds , to be as bad as Arms and Amunition : And to prevent that , she thus deceived them . As indeed 't is their very way so to do ; I find them stick at nothing that is for the advance of their New Catholick Cause ; like that of G. W. &c. who to serve a Turn , could own the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority ; yea , given by Divine Inspiration ; and in their Books pretended to give it the Preference to all other Books Extant ; whilst their Books in the mean time teach . That the Scriptures are Death , Dust , Serpents Meat , Beastly Ware , &c. And that they read their own Books in their Meetings , and never read one Chapter of the Bible in their Meetings this Forty Years . Nay further , in that very Book Intituled , Several Papers given forth , for the spreading of Truth ; by Geo . Fox , Minister of the Eternal Word of God ; as he Subscribes himself : And in which Book he gives a special Charge , to have it read in their Meetings ; yet in this very Book as well as in that stiled , News coming up , &c. He there calls the Scripture , even Matthew , Mark , Luke and John , Dust , and Serpents Food . Oh , the Hypocrisie of your Leaders ! who also own the Blessed Trinity in the like manner : And therefore rouze up your selves , and Condemn their Books , Reprove their twofac'd Practices , and that Publickly .

XVI .

WHY do you suffer G. Whitehead , Gilbert Layt , &c. so to expose their Hypocrisie , as to go to the Bishops and Clergy with their Books against me , until they first Condemn their Books wherein they Dialogue the Bishops , Arraign , Try , Judge , Sentence and Condemn the whole Clergy ; Summoning them them to their Bar , and then Sentence them as Thieves , Robbers , Witches , Devils ? &c. Pray take care to convert them to Sincerity ; which will be a Miracle beyond what your Fox ever wrought , or else it may Affect you ; for , I understand , they will not lye under their Reproaches .

XVII .

WHY do you not stir up your Teachers to make a publick Anniversary Address to His Majesty K. William III . as they did to the Late King James II ?

XVIII .

And , WHY do you not put put them upon Writing one Book in favour of the present Government ; as that they yet never did ? As well as they Wrote and Printed many in favour of the Late Reign ; and particularly , 1st . A Letter from a Gentleman in the Country . Printed March , 1687 A 2d . Letter , &c. Printed April , 1687. A 3d . Letter , &c. May , 1687. 4. A Reply to the Man of no Name &c. 5. The Great and popular Objection against the repeal of the Penal Laws and Test , Answered , 1687. 6. Good Advice to the Church of England , Roman-Catholick and Protestant Dissenters , to Abrogate the Penal Laws and Test . 7. A Defence of the Duke of Buckngham's Book . 8. Animadversions on the Apology of the Clamorous Squire . 9. A Perswasive to Moderation , submitted to the King . 10. Reasons for the Repeal of the Penal Laws and Test , &c.

Now , suppose but 1000 to each Impression , then there were ten Thousand Books Printed and and dispersed about the Nation , by a modest Computation , in favour of the Late Reign : to which add the several Addresses , which your Teachers Presented to the Late K. J. II . which were about Eight in all : And when you have thus done ; then do but consider , that your Teachers have not Printed one Book in favour of this Government , nor made one publick Anniversary Address to His present Majesty . And it will be easie for you to guess from what Fountain the Stream then did run , and what Centre it pointed to , from the several and frequent Cabals had in Queen-street by the Lord Castlemain , Father Petre , and the Head Quaker , who was able to Inspire the Body ; for according to an old Maxim , Birds of a Feather , flock together : And where the Careass is , thither will the Eagles resort .

Now , old Friends , if you will put the great Man of Words in mind of past Times , and bid him a little Reflect upon himself , possibly he may cause his Pupil , Doeg the Edomite , to let fall some of his Malice against the Reverend Author of the Book , Intituled , The Snake in the Grass , &c. Who never yet was in a Proclamation , nor so much as a Warrant against him , nor had no hand in the Late King's De — tions , that I ever could learn or hear of .

And , although I am I confess , no favourer of Jacobitism , yet of those so termed , I have observed two sorts ; one very Wicked , whose Endeavours have not only been to Subvert the Government , but also to Assassinate his Sacred Majesty , whom God preserve . The other having taken an Oath to the Late King , are under some Scruples ; forsake their Preferment , and desire to live Peaceably on what they have : And though I could be heartily glad , that even those could satisfie themselves from those and the like Arguments and Scripture Proofs I have made in my Book , Intituled , A Brief History of the Rise , Growth , and Progress of Quakerism , p. 105 , to 110. Yet if they cannot satisfie their Consciences , if the Government , which has been always Merciful , will still wait upon them , and be favourable ; why should I , or any private Person , reflect with that Malice the Quakers do , and who , I fear , have least cause , if not least Sincerity ? For , notwithstanding their manifest averseness to the G — , yet I never knew any one of them that refused to Subscribe , even whilst they neither speak nor act too zealously for it .

XIX .

AGAIN , As most of you Twelve , I think , all but Two of you , have been at my House , and eat and drank with me , and I at your Houses have done the like , and therefore I will now be free with you , and advise you to ask the reason . Why your Teachers did call in the Widow Whit●ow's Books ( she being formerly a Quaker ) which she wrote in favour of the Government ; and , Why W. J. and his Partner , submitted to that Order of Council , viz. The Second day's Meeting . I have not the Letter by me here , but if I find a Service in it , I may afterwards Print it ; for it is but fit that the King should know his Friends ; for I take Popery and Quakerism to be like Hippocrates's Twins , who Eat and Drank , Laugh'd and Cry'd , and Liv'd and Dy'd together : For , never since the Late King Abdicated the Throne , did either Quaker or Papist write in favour of the Government ; except G. Keith , whom some still call a Quaker , but is indeed a Christian , for he holds the fundamentals of Christianity .

XX .

ONE thing I am sorry for , which I find in Jos . Wyeth's Prim . Chris . Con . &c. p. 6. For our Principles are now no other than what they were , when we were first a People , &c.

This seems hard ; then I find they are no Changlings : And therefore now we must not expect either Book in favour of the Government , or any Publick Address . And to mend them , I would have you move them out of this sullen Humour . I hope , I have not Angered the Friends ; for I have said nothing but what I am Justified in by your Teachers Book , stiled , A Just Rebuke to Twenty one Divines , &c.

Query to Joseph Wyeth .

SInce you say , The Quakers are the same in Principles , which they were from the beginning ; pray read the several Particulars sent by Geo . Fox , to the Parliament , 1659. Wherein he saith ,

Let all Fines of Lords of Mannors , be given to the Poor . Let all Abby-Lands , Gleab-Lands , that 's given to the Priests , be given to the Poor . Let all the Abbies , Steeple-houses and White-Hall , be for the Blind and Lame to be there , &c. Let the King's Rents , Parks and Houses , be sold , and all College-Lands , and Bells out of Churches , except one in a Town , to give notice of Fire , &c.

Again : Edward Burroughs , in his Word of Advice to the Soldiers , p. Give the Priests Blood to drink , for they are worthy : Slay Baal , turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom . A Threefold Estate , &c. The Church , the Whore ; the Parliament , the Beast . News coming up , &c. Sing all ye Saints and rejoyce ; clap your hands and be glad , for the Lord Jehovah will reign , and the Government shall be taken from you pretended Rulers , Judges and Justices , Lawyers and Constables : All this Tree must be cut down , and Jesus Christ [ in us ] will Rule alone :

I say , Are you still of the same Mind ? Are your Principles the same still ? Are you not at all Changed ? Answer particularly in your Next , to this sober Question .

XXI .

WHY do you not rebuke G. Whitehead , for Swearing in the Lord Mayor of London's Court ? as at large set forth in The Picture of Quakerism , &c. p. 93. As also , for denying so plain a Truth ; which if he will meet me , according to his Proposition to the Parliament , I will prove it upon him by the Attorney for the Plaintiff , who gave it under his Hand : But besides , I do say , their Affirmation is neither less nor more than an Oath . One Instance thereof I will give , of which I was an Eye and Ear-Witness , at last Lent Assize . before my Lord Chief Justice Holt , by Samuel Gridly , one of the Quaker-Teachers , which was thus , Viz .

Clerk of the Assize . I Samuel , said the Clerk ; I Samuel , said Sam . Gridly ; do declare , do declare , in the presence of Almighty God ; In the presence of Almighty God , the Witness of the truth of what I say ; the Witness of the truth of what I say , that the Evidence I shall give ; that the Evidence I shall give , shall be the Truth , the whole Truth , and nothing but the Truth , touching the matter depending ; That the Evidence I shall give , shall be the Truth , the whole Truth , and nothing but the Truth , touching the matter depending , &c.

Thus the Quaker having rehearsed the Form aforesaid after the Clerk , he gave his Evidence I think , fairly ; which , had it been between a Quaker and a Christian , I do think had been almost impossible , such is their Partiality : However , this serves to shew , that this is a very formal Oath , tho in another form , which shews , they only love Singularity ; the Oath being in substance the same with the kissing the Book , &c. if not , let the World judge .

XXII .

WHY do yo not rebuke your Teachers Hypocrisie , who pretend that it is their Principle to obey Magistracy ; as in Wyeth's Christianity ? &c. p. 41. since 't is well known to be otherwise , particularly , in the payment of Tythes , Church-wardens Rates ; paying to the Trained Bands ; bearing Arms in defence of the Nation : Nay , if the Magistracy command a Fast to be kept , they take no more notice of the command of Authority , than of an old Almanack out of date . And a hundred Instances more might be given , and that from their first rise ; and they tell you , they are the same , they are no Changlings .

XXIII .

WHY do you not Condemn Isaac Penington's Book , stiled , A Question to Professors , &c. And Father Pen's stiled , The Sandy Foundation : And another of his , stiled The Christian Quaker , &c. And W. Bayly's Works , &c. which deny Jesus of Nazareth , to be Christ , and the efficient Cause of Man's Salvation ; and which teach , That the Name Jesus and Christ , belongs to every believing Quaker , as well as to the head Christ , who was crucified at Jernsalem : Which teach to deny the Blessed Trinity , and to undervalue the Person of our ever Blessed Jesus , as a Garment or Vessel which they can never call Christ ; and thereby acquit the Jews , and excuse Judas , and make the Apostles false Witnesses , who taught , Acts , 2.36 . Therefore let the House of Israel know assuredly , that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have Crucified , both Lord and Christ ? &c.

Now , if the Light be their only Christ , as they elsewhere affirm , then are the Apostles found false Witnesses : For the Light in every Man , &c. was not Buffeted ; was not pierced with a Spear ; was not hang'd on a Tree ; and consequently , not Crucified . See Quakerism Withering , and Christianity Reviving , &c. p. 14 , 15. this Point .

XXIV .

Read Whitehead's Expostulation with the Clergy , &c. p. 52. 61. 69. 83. and compare them with my Charges , and you will find G. Whitehead both false and deceitful in stating my Charges . 1st . In that I charged G. Fox with Blasphemy , who in his Examination and Tryal at Lancaster Assizes , &c. p. 21. said , And before I came to the Bar , I was moved to pray , that the Lord would confound their wickedness and envy ; the Thundering Voice answered , I have Glorified thee , and will Glorifie thee again ; and I was so filled with Glory , that my Head and Ears were so filled full of it ; that when the Trumpets sounded , and the Judges came up again , they appeared as dead men under me , &c. Now , these words , That my Head and Ears were so full of it , that when the Trumpets sounded , and the Judges came up again , they appeared as dead men under me , I say , these words G. W. had left out in his Recital . Thus doth it appear , that he was not able to justifie this Passage ; for here was fulness of Glory ; yea , his Head and Ears were filled full of Glory , or else of Imagination . And , I do still say , That Fox's Blasphemy herein , doth allude to what was real in Christ , declared in John 12.28 , 29. And as a further proof of the Quaker's guilt herein , and shame thereof , they have left the whole Passage out of his Journal , p. 290.

Again , I having charged the Quakers , with J. Parnal's Blasphemy , saying , But to the end of all Disputes and Arguments , I am come ; for before they was , I am . And compared his Allusion to John 8.58 . Verily , verily , before Abraham was , I am . Now , Whitehead to deceive his Reader , leaves out the word All , which alters the Case very much ; for he might be then come to the end of several Disputes which he had with the Baptists ; but that he should be come to the end of All Disputes , to the end of Time , this was a most horrid Lie , which would scarce have gone down with many of you the Hearers . But to prevent the discovery thereof , he leaves out the word All ; and yet it would not salve his Blasphemy , in saying he was before all Disputes ; for Abraham and Lot's Herds-men had Disputes before Parnall was born , or a Quaker thought of : But this is like Fox his saying , he was before all Languages . His words in the Bateldoor are thus , viz. All Languages are to me ( says G. Fox ) no more than Dust ; Viz . No more than the Scriptures , or the Books of Matthew , Mark , Luke and John . Who was before Languages were Introduc'd . Again , p. 214. And next follows a few words to the whole matter , by Geo . Fox , who is before Confusion , or many Languages were , &c. Both which , allude to John 8.58 . For nothing would satisfie these Quaker-Prophets , but to Vie it with Christ : As may be seen in many of their Writings .

As for G. W's Impudence , in saying , p. 69. That they profer the Scriptures before any Book in the World , 't is sufficiently Refuted ; 1st . By reading their own Pamphlets in their Meetings , and not the Scriptures . 2dly . Their contemptuous names cast on the Scriptures ; as Beastly Ware , Carnal Letter , the Husk , Death , Dust , and Serpents Food ; whilst they will not suffer their own Books and Papers , to be called Edicts , or Canons : And why ? Because , say they , Our Books and Papers are given forth by the eternal Spirit of God .

And , as for Whitehead's frequent pretence , to be against Writing ; that he is wholly Defensive on his part ; let him but shew me any one Book wrote by either Episcopalian , Presbyterian , Independant , or Baptist , against Geo . Whitehead , before Geo . wrote his Nonsensical Book stiled , Jacob found in a Desart Land , &c. And that wherein he joined with his Brother Atkinson , stiled , David's Enemies Discovered , &c. Printed 1655. and he shall gain that Point : If he says they wrote against the Quakers ; that 's nothing to the Point , his Brother Burroughs in his Epistle to Fox's Great Mist . &c. Which they 'll not put in his Works . bears me Witness , that the Quakers began first to War with the Priests ; and with them and against them they began to War , and with their Mouths full of Indignation too .

And hereupon , I Expostulate the matter with you against this Sycophant , who like the Camaeleon , can turn himself into any Shape ; can gloss over any Error ; excuse any Blasphemy ; leave Out ; put To ; Add and Diminish any Sentence , to make it look like his own Image : Yea , he tells you in plain words , in his Count . Conv . &c. p. 72. I may see cause otherwise to word the Matter , and yet our Intentions be the same , &c.

The next Books which occur to my Memory , and which I would have you Condemn , are that Intituled , Several Petitions Answered ; where in p. 60. G. Fox said , My Name is Covered from the World , and the World knows not me , nor my Name , &c. [ A great Lye . ]

And that Intituled , The Quakers Refuge fixed , &c. which Questions , p. 17 , Whether the first Penman of the Scripture , was Moses , or Hermes ? Or whether both these , or not one ?

Whether some words were not spoken by the Grand Impostor ; some by Wicked men ; some by Wise men , ill apply'd ; some by Good men , ill express'd ; some by false Prophets , and yet true ; some by true Prophets , and yet false ? &c.

I say , if this be the way to convince any that they own the Scriptures to be given by Divine inspiration , and that they are a Rule for Christians to walk by , then will I allow Contradictions to be Harmonious ; and that Bitter and Sweet proceed from one and the same Fountain ; and thus I finish my Expostulation .

But hark Friends ; John Peacock , &c. Do you see ? Yonder , on the other side of the way , goes the late Tool , the Weather-cock of the Age , and the World's Wonder , Mr. Pen ; also the old Make-bate in Towns and Families , between Parents and Children ; between Husbands and Wives : The Grand Camaeleon , who can change his Shape , alter his Colour , and so word his Matter , as to mean otherwise than the common import of Words ; even G. Whitehead : As also , that little prattling , prating insignificant Preacher , Sam . Cater ; pray call them to you , and repeat the Contents of this Expostulation , and see what they will say .

John Peacock , &c.

Sa ho ; Sa ho , Friends , pray let us speak a few words with you in Private , for we have matter of Moment to impart to you .

Geo . Whitehead , &c.

Friends , Pray , what is the matter , you call so loud after us ? We cannot stay , being in haste , therefore be brief .

John Peacock , &c.

What ; we have enough to say , if all be true we hear ; and George , though thou tellest us , thou neither studyest Events , nor fear'st Effects ; yet it stands us upon to consider what we do ; for Francis Bugg hath been Expostulating with us these two long Hours , and hath laid such things to our Teachers charge , as make our Ears Tingle : We grant , there is a late Book put forth by Wyeth , stiled , Primitive Christianity continued , &c. which brings a succession of Testimonies to prove us Orthodox in our Belief ; but alas ! it wil not do , unless we first disprove our adversaries Quotations ; for at best , ours are but Negative , nay , nor that neither ; for to us , all the Proofs in that Book are more , than if Jos . Wyeth were Indicted for stealing a Horse from A. B. On the 16th day of May , 1697. and being at Bury Assize , before the Judge , he should plead , That he bought a Horse , Anno. 1655 , and paid honestly for it ; another , in 1660 ; another , in 1664 : And so successively 12 Horses in all ; and had the Receipts ready to show , and able to prove both Contract and Payment of every Horse , except that for which he stood Indicted ; what would the Judge say ? would he acquit him of this Felony ? No such matter ; but would not he rather say , Come Friend , this is all but Delatory , we must come to try the Point in Issue , whether you be guilty of stealing this Horse in May , 1697 : As for your buying and honestly paying for those Twelve Horses you speak of , that is nothing to our Purpose ; the errantest Thieves that ever came before me , bought some things and paid for them honestly ; the grandest Heretick that ever breathed , spake some sentences truly : Yea , the Devil himself , sometimes for an ill end , brought good Scripture , to paliate and colour his Wicked Design , &c.

And Friends , to be plain with you , nothing will do now , but either disprove our Adversaries Quotations , or retract our Errors .

Geo . Whitehead , &c.

Hold , Friends , be not too hasty , why do you read Apostates Books ? Have not I told you in my Book , The Apostate Incendiary ; That you must Believe as the Church Believes : And in the same Book , also told you , That we Quakers are the true Church ; and therefore , by all means , prevent our Friends reading our Aversary's Book , &c.

John Peacock , &c.

Prevent them , so we have ; we have told the Bookseller at St. Ives , that if he sells any of Francis Buggs Books , he shall lose his Trade with us : And in all Cities and Market-Towns , we do hinder the selling and spreading such Books , as much as we can : And , yet they are sold , they are dispersed , and here and there a Friend gets one . And lest danger ensue , we now tell you , that we must a little Expostulate with you , So then , the Tables are turned again , and the Hand shifted ; these are expert Gamsters ; this is better than Back-Gammon , or a Game at Loo . for we are concerned as well as you , and ought to make some Inspection , lest we smart for it afterwards .

And therefore , 1st . How came it to pass , that you scandalize the Clergy by those Black Names and Characters , as Thieves , Robbers , Witches , Devils , Sodomites , & c ? And the Author of the Book stiled , The Snake , &c. as a Necessitous Priest , who writ for his Bread ? Surely this is not good Manners in us , especially since to most of our Knowledge , many of our Teachers , both Write and Teach for Bread , and come like Mice , uncall'd for , and like Flyes , un-sent for , and fasten upon our Provision . For Instance , Thy self , G. W. who was a poor Boy , who came on Foot among us , and Sam . Cater the like , besides many others , too many here to enumerate .

2dly . Again , we cannot but admire at the Impudence of our Friends , to Summons , Arraign , Try , Judge , and Sentence and Condemn the Bishops , &c. And rip up their Bowels , call them Monsters ; and as much at thy Ignorance , George , if not Hypocrisie , to Expostulate , with the Clergy , for their Approbation of Francis Bugg ; when you could not but know that we have treated the Clergy and the Church of England , a Thousand times worse than ever he treated us .

3dly . And why do you contemn the Scriptures , in calling them , Death , Dust , and Serpents Meat ? These things you cannot but know to be so : And that we cannot be Heterodox in them , and Orthodox in the Truths therein declared of : And when , Confuted , to call for Original Copies : And when you Answer Books , leave Eight particular Charges Un-reply'd to together : And when you recite your Adversaries Charges , to leave out the principal and most significant Words ; This we are Ashamed of ; this you are Guilty of . These things render you a Scandal to Christianity , which you sometimes pretend to .

4thly . Besides for to pretend to suffer Twenty Pounds , when you got Ten Pounds clear into Pocket . These things stink and are of an ill savor : To pretend you cannot Swear , and yet do it . And these things F. Bugg , offers to prove against you .

G. Whitehead ,

Hold , soft a little ; I proffered him to meet him at Benjamin Antrobus's , or at the Bull and Mouth , to clear our selves ; but he refused so to do .

John Peacock , &c.

Nay , hold , George , as for meeting you at Benjamin Antrobus's , he did prudently in that , you have met there too oft already ; pay him first for your Horse's Keeping , and for the good Cheer which you and we all know , our Teachers are of late free enough in receiving . And , as to the Bull and Mouth , possibly he may not think himself safe with you . But Geo . you have offered to meet him before any Six , Ten , or Twelve Persons of Sense and common Reason , which he accepts of , provided you will admit of an equal Choice among the Christians , viz. Episcopalians , Presbyterians , Independants , or Baptists . And to be plain , you should either never have given him that Challenge , or else stand to it ; for we as well as others , begin to think , that you have so behoved your selves , as that you dare not venture your Case with any Impartial Men ; or that your Cause is so bad , that you are conscious to your selves thereof . Indeed J. Wyeth has brought Twelve Instances to prove us Orthodox . But Francis Bugg you see has brought Twenty four Instances to prove us Heterodox : And , whereas you bespatter Francis Bugg , we think , that not the way ; he is known so well , that in the Presence of some of us , his Neighbours gave him a Certificate io clear him from what many of us laid to his Charge , tho indeed at that time , we who were present and saw the Certificate handing , were fit to Swoon ; for we turned as pale as Ashes . An Abstract thereof , is as followeth , Viz .

WHEREAS , there is a Book put forth by Sam . Cater and others , wherein Francis Bugg is called Informer . And whereas , 't is therein said , That Francis Bugg is not fit to treat of Christian Liberty : We have looked upon him a Man as fitly Qualified to Treat with any Magistrate on that Point , as any Man in the Meeting ; and to this day , tho much is said , yet we cannot see any thing proved to the contrary . And this we say , not to promote Controversie .

Subscribed by us , Tho . Bird , Sarah Bird , Jos . Ellington , Rachel Ellington , Will . Belsham , Margaret Belsham , Rob. Suckerman , Frances Suckerman , John Thrift , Elizabeth Thrift , Will Rolfe , Eliz . Rolfe , Will . Hawkins , John Kitson , John Harvy , John Poel , Will . Taylor , Ann Hibble , Margaret Huttly , Kath . Handslip , Sarah Holten , Frances Folks , Dorcas Abbott , Sarah Bird , Jun. Joseph Mason , Jane Mason , Joseph Tetsal , Eliz . Roote .