AN APOLOGY For the PEOPLE called QUAKERS, And An APPEAL to the INHABITANTS OF Norfolk and Suffolk, Or whom else it may Concern. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call Heresy, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets, Acts 24. 14. London, Printed and Sold by T. Sowle, in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street, 1699. TO THE INHABITANTS OF Norfolk and Suffolk, And all to whom these may come. SUffer me to Expostulate with you, on behalf of those abused People in your Counties, that have of late been rendered Blasphemers, and to Apologise a little for them; whom some among you have lately often Assembled and Consulted together, how they might (by Subtlety and Misrepresentation) Incense you (and by you, those in Authority) against this Innocent People, and your peaceable Countrymen and Neighbours, that the Monster of Persecution might be again raised and let loose on them to suppress them. But consider, are there not many things in your Counties, Towns and City, more needful to be suppressed than these Industrious and Well-meaning People, viz. reigning Evils, yea, gross Vices, and abominable Oaths and Execrations, to the Blaspheming the Name of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Swearing by his Blood, and calling upon God to Damn their Souls; against which crying Sins many wholesome Laws are made: Is there not more need that these Oaths, and all ungodly Plays, and Bear-baitings, and Bull-baitings, and things that tends to corrupt the Youth, defile the People, and to provoke God, should be presented, and Application made to the Parliament, and Endeavours used, that they should be suppressed, rather than your Neighbours, those sober and honest People among you, called Quakers, whom you know are not such, but those that fear God, love their Neighbour, and do good to all, and pray for their Enemies; and only for their Religious Dissent from the Established Religion in this Nation, and matter relating to the Worship of their God, have been great Sufferers in this Land, and among you, especially in the City of Norwich, in whose Goals and Dungeons they have lain like Men buried Alive, to the imparing their Healths, and weakening them in Body and Estate, and to the Endangering their Lives, and making their Wife's Widows, and their Children Fatherless? And now the Lord, by his Divine and overruling Providence, Glorious and Eternal Power, in tender Mercy and Compassion to his Suffering and Afflicted People, hath inclined the Heart of the King, and those in Authority, to Indulge them in the free Exercise of their tender Consciences, in their Peaceable and Religious Assemblies; for which they are truly Thankful unto God, and those in Authority. And whatever evil things have or may be suggested against them, by Men of corrupt Minds, and evil Designs, who are of Cain's Nature, in Hammon's Pride, of Ishmael's and Judah's Spirit, and of that Seed of Evil-Doers that shall never be Renowned; and that do not consider what the Lord hath said, and will certainly perform, viz. I will punish the World for their Evil, and the Wicked for Isa. 13. 11. their Iniquity; and I will cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease, and will lay low the Hautiness of the Terrible. And the Destruction of the Transgressor's and Isa. 1. 28. to the end. Sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. But these People, for whom I Apologise and Appeal to you, however they are or may be Rendered and Represented by Men of Evil Designs and Persecuting Spirits, Have, Do, and and by the Lord's Assistance, are Resolved to continue Quiet in the Land, and in their Christian Duty and Practice, of making Supplications, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4. Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of Thanks for all Men, for Kings, and for all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all Men to be saved, and to come unto the Knowledge of the Truth. Notwithstanding some called Clergymen in your Counties have (as the Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders in days past did our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) accounted his Followers, your Neighbours called Quakers, to be Blasphemers and Deceivers, and have made them the Objects of their Wrath, and what they cannot do, would incite you, and stir up others too, and as Herod and Pontius Acts 4. 27. Pilate, and the People gathered together against the holy Child Jesus, so one or two Presbyterian Preachers now joined with the rest, and thereupon owned in Print, Ministers of the Gospel, and notwithstanding the Difference that hath been between them, they are so far become Friends now, as to unite against this poor People. The Lord behold their threatenings, and grant unto his Servants, that with all boldness they may speak his Word. But Charity obligeth me to hope, it is but some, whose Interest and Enmity are against these Christian and Dissenting Protestants, and who are so officiously concerned, and have espoused the Cause of one who hath broke the Bond of Charity, and let in secret Enmity, which, as a Canker, hath eat out what was Good; so that he hath Apostatised, and left those, I am persuaded, he once enjoyed the presence of God amongst, and whose Power he hath acknowledged was with them, and by the Ministry of some of them was reached: But now like a Flood, hath he poured forth Lies against them; and by Forgeries, and gross Misrepresentations, hath and doth seek to bespatter them, and to kindle Strife; which, as Solomon said, is As Coals are to burning Coals, and Wood to Fire; so is a Contentious Man to kindle Strife. Prov. 26. 21. And those few Clergymen, in those Counties, that have espoused him, May well be compared to him that passeth by, and meddleth with Strife belonging not to him: Who is like one that taketh a Dog by the Ears, and as a Madman who casleth Fine-brands, Arrows and Death; Prov. 26. 17. 18. so is that Man that deceiveth his Neighbour, and saith, Am not I in Sport? Be not therefore, in Love, I entreat you, of this Number, let not the lying Stories, base Suggestions, or wicked Insinuations of any, or their false Pretences, be they what it will, prevail with you to join with such, or to become of that Number, That speak evil of their Neighbours without Cause, or that lay to their Psal. 35. 11. Charge things that they know not of. But rather observe the Conversation, and Examine the Doctrines of those your Neighbours, called Quakers, against whom this great Rage and Combination is; and take not things upon Trust nor Report: Remember the Excellent Advice of Wisdom, follow her Direction, take her Council, for she is worthy, who said, Blame not before thou hast examined the Matter, first understand, and then Rebake. Inspect their Conversations, and see if you can find that they are such, that either Curse, Swear, Revile, Blaspheme or speak Evil of God, or Jesus Christ, or if any of them Contemn Magistracy, as they are falsely charged: It's hoped their Patient Suffering and Peaceable Deportment, under all the various Revolutions of Government, will sufficiently Evince the contrary; and their Passive and Patient Suffering, wherein for Conscience sake they could not Actively obey, may well demonstrate their Regard to Magistracy. And altho' in some things they have seemed to differ from those of other Persuasions, yet who can Convict them of Error in any Fundamental Doctrine of the Christian Religion; or of their not holding that which is truly Essential to Salvation, and agreeable to the holy Scriptures? Which holy Records (how ever they have been Misrepresented, or falsely Accused, as Slighters and Contemners of them) I do declare on their behalf, they have always had, and still have, a high Esteem of, and true Value for them, above all other Writings, or Books; and their frequent use of them, and pressing their Children and Servants to the reading therein, may sufficiently Demonstrate to those that know them, the Innocency of this abused People. Be you therefore like the Noble Bereans, search the holy Scriptures, and you may see their Writings and Doctrines are not contrary thereto, but may be plainly proved thereby: For they desire not any farther to be Credited, or to have what they Write or Preach received by any, but as its consonant thereto, and answers that Holy Principle, and Divine Oracle, that the Great and Alwise Creator of all things, hath placed in every Man's Heart and Conscience. Suspend therefore your Censure, and forbear your Complaints, till the Contrary of these things are cleared to you, by sound Reason, and plain Scripture, without any corrupt Meanings, false Glosses, or Interpretations. And if they were a People mistaken in any Point, or were Clouded in their Understandings; would it not (I beseech you consider) much more become those that esteem themselves Learned Ministers of the Gospel, in Meekness to Instruct, and by sound Doctrine to Convince them; rather than to call them, and Charge every one of them to be Blasphemers, and make no Proof thereof. It's true the Quakers complied to meet them at West-Dereham, the 8th of December, 1698. altho' there was not a Mutual Consent, of the things proposed, in the Letters that passed between them, relating to the Conference, as those that peruse the Letters may find, yet so Eager were these Men, and Resolute, that in their last Letter to the Quakers, they tell them, Their Measures are Fixed, and they may choose whether they will Meet them, upon the Terms resolved upon or No: Yet the Quakers went, and in the presence of the People, requested to have the Author's Names, Titles of Books, and Pages, they pretended to prove their Charges out of; but instead of that, were Hallowed and Hissed at by some of those Clergymen, as such of you, as were present, may well Remember. And if these People must be accounted Blasphemers, if they disown not those Books, or their Friends that Writ them, without seeing the Books, or what's in them; how can they be either just to their Friends, or true to themselves; for aught any Man to condemn another, without full Hearing and due Examination, or would those Clergymen account it just, that any should charge them as the highest of Criminals, and Condemn and Sentence them as such, for what some of their Brethren have Writ in Books, which they never saw nor read, nor knew the Contents of; or would they be so unjust to themselves, and false to their Brethren, as to acknowledge them Guilty in such sort, and condemn them for Writing that they themselves neither knew or never saw: If not, Why should the Quakers, without seeing the Books and examining the Contents, be obliged to condemn their Friends for Publishers of Blasphemy, or be esteemed Blasphemers. Consider this I beseech you, and examine whether it agrees with Christ's Doctrine, All things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets: Or whether there is any ground to conclude, that the Chargers would ever have refused to have given the Account desired by the Quakers, if they had been well assured, that by the Express words of these Books, out of which they pretend to prove their Charge, it would be clearly and evidently proved. Let these things be duly considered, Oh ye Inhabitants of the Counties aforesaid, or to whom this may come, and let Christian Moderation be exercised towards your Peaceable Neighbours and Countrymen. Remember the Anthem the Angels sounded when they published the Gospel, was, Glory to God on High, on Earth Peace, and Good Will to Men. And if we all endeavour to be found in the Practice of this, it will render us more like to him that we all Profess, who said, By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one to another: John 13. 35. It's those that dwell therein that wear his Badge. For whoso hateth his Brother, is a Murderer; and ye know that no Murderer, hath Eternal Life abiding in 1 John 3. 15. him, for Envy slayeth the silly One, and Hatred is the Badge of a Persecutor, and renders People too like Job 5. 2. him, that first Envied and was Wrathful, and then Murdered his Brother, because the Lord had regard to his Sacrifice: Yet the Lord said to Cain, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou Gen. 4. 7. dost not well, Sin lies at the Door. And while Sin lies there, it's a Bar to keep Man from Acceptance with God, altho' he may Sacrifice and Offer, he'll fall short of his Duty whilst that's loved and lived in. But he that Envies not, but Loves his Neighbour Mat. 22. 38. 39 Leu. 19 18. Rom. 13. 9 Gal. 5. 14. James 2. 8. as himself, keeps the great Commandment of him that in all things we ought to hear; and it's those that abide in his Love that knows of his Doctrine. Therefore, Oh ye Inhabitants aforesaid, and all People of what Degree, Rank or Quality foever, let a serious Consideration, which is an Effect of true Wisdom, and a due Examination, which all Wise Men ought to use, be had and made by you, before you Exclaim against a People ye know no Evil by; be not hurried into a Misapprehension of this People's Doctrines by Men filled with prejudice, and whose Interest prompts them in General to Lurk, in which lies Deceit, and therein under pretence of Mischief, Threatening Danger, Venomous Doctrines, Blasphemous Books, and Pernicious Principles, tending to subvert the Fundamentals of Christianity, do but endeavour to draw you into the like Enmity with them: Let your Experience now, which you have had of this People, under the various Revolutions of Government in this Nation, for above Forty Years, speak for them, whether they have not been of those that are quiet in the Land; but these things which are false and slanderous Stories suggested without Ground or Proof, are like Demetrius' Exclamations against Paul, saying, Moreover ye See and Hear that Acts 19 not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much People: But Demetrius was so Ingenuous then, as to confess it was That Craft by which he and his Brethren got their Wealth, that was in Danger, and plainly intimated that was the Cause of his Wrath; And when they heard those things they were full of Wrath. But Remember the Town-Clerks Advice, when this uproar was, he said, Ye ought to be Quiet, and to do nothing Rashly, for these Men are neither Robbers of Churches, nor Blasphemers of your Goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius, etc. hath matter against any Man, the Law is open. And Oh my Friends! to you I appeal, whether ever ye knew, or did observe, the Demetrius' of our Age present any Man, or prosecute him at Law, or Incense or Stir up the Magistrates, and endeavour by Petition to Incense the Government against him, whilst he lived in Pride, Gluttony, Drunkenness or any Excess of Riot. But this hath often been seen, that when those, or any have turned from their Evil Ways, become Conscientious, and could not pay their Tithes, or comply with some other things that are acknowledged but Outward and Visible Signs, of an Inward and Spiritual Grace. Then, Oh then! how have these been prosecuted, if but for a few Farthings, a few Pence and Shillings; the Justices and Officers troubled, the Courts and Lawyers employed, and Money spent, Revenge vented, and Havoc and Spoil made, Two, Three or Four times more taken then demanded: And yet these Suffering People are exclaimed against as Men of Pernicious Principles, the great Growth and daily Increase of whom, threatens the Nation with Mischiefs and Dangers. And although the Law is open to Punish Romish Emissaries; yet these Petitioners cannot be content to take that way, but would falsely insinuate, there were such among the Teachers of the said People. And yet are not many of these Clergymen in Romish Practices, viz. Bowing to the Altar, and to the East, and having Godfathers and Godmothers, as they call them, and Signing Children with the Sign of the Cross, and their Surplice, and their Absolution, in which the Minister is to say, I absolve thee from all thy Sins; are not these things Romish, see the Mass Book? And also their Prosecuting for Mortuaries and Smoak-Penny, etc. Oh! consider all People, to whom this may come, and know assuredly this, that the Great and Everlasting God, who hath measured the Waters in the hallow of his Hand, and meted out the Heaven with a Span, and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a measure, Isa. 40. 12. and weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Balance? He sees and beholds these things; for the Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him Actions are 1 Sam. 2. 3. weighed; and he marks the ways of the Children of Men, and records their doings, as with a Pen of Iron, and Point of a Diamond, in the Books that shall be opened, when the Dead, both small and great shall stand before God, and him that John see sat on a great Rev. 20. white Throne, from whose Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no more place for them that went on the breadth of the Earth, and compassed the Camp of the Saints about, and the Beloved City; and Fire came down from God out of Heaven, and devoured them: And the Devil that deceived them, was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the Beast and the false Prophet are, and shall be tormented Day and Night for evermore. And therefore let all consider their Ways, and amend their Doings, for Time here is short, and our Moment's uncertain; but sure it is, that God will bring every Work to Judgement, with every secret thing; and there are none can appear before him with boldness, nor give their Account with joy, that take pleasure in Unrighteousness, and die in their Sins, such can never go where Christ is, as he said. John 1. 21. Therefore in Bowels of tender Love, and in goodwill to your never dying Souls, I tenderly beseech you, Turn to the Lord, and from the Evil of your Doings, and put away the Violence that's in your Hearts; and against this Innocent People entertain no Prejudice, neither hearken to the lying Stories, and false Suggestions of Men, whose Fruits and Works declares, they neither follow the Doctrine, and blessed Ensample of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who taught not as the Scribes and Pharisees, but as one having Authority, and who enforced his Doctrine by his Ensample, and said, Learn of me, I am meek and lowly Mat. 11. 29. in Heart; He was full of Love, and was moved with Mark 6. 34. Compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way; and come not to destroy, but to save; and by Luke 9 5, 6. him Grace and Truth is come, and it appears to all, and his Light shines in all, and his Spirit strives with the John 1. 17. Titus 2. 13. John 1. 9 Children of Men; it's he shows Man what is good, and what the Lord requires at your Hands; it's he, that Micah 6. 8. by his Spirit Convinces of Sin, and reproves for it in John 16. 8. the secret of men's Hearts; it's he that is the great Wisdom of God, that calls to the Simple Ones, saying, How long ye Simple Ones will ye love Simplicity, and ye Prov. 1. 22. Scorners delight in their Scorning, and Fools hate Knowledge? Turn ye at my Reproof: Behold I will pour out of my Spirit unto you, and make known my Words unto you: Oh! It's this, and the Grace that Comes by him, that appears to all, and would teach all, if they would come to him, believe in him, and learn of him, to deny all that which is the cause of God's Wrath, and would teach them to live Soberly, and Righteously, and Godly. Titus 2. 13. Therefore, while ye have Time, prise your Time, and the Day of your tender Visitation, which God, through Christ, is affording to you, that the things that belong to your Peace you may come to know, before they are hid from your Eyes; these things will be of profit to you, and your so doing will bespeak you Christians indeed; for if you bear that Name, and are not guided and led by Christ's Spirit, Rom. 8. 9 14. you will be found none of his, nor Sons of God, profess what you will, if you remain Workers of Iniquity Christ will profess, he knows ye not, and will bid you depart from him into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil Mat. 7. 23. Mat. 25. 41. and his Angels. And therefore, if you would be of that Number which he will say unto, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from Mat. 25. 34. the Foundation of the World; than you must be Righteous, and that you cannot be, unless ye do Righteousness; for, said the Apostle, He that doth Righteousness, is Righteous, even as he is Righteous: He that 1 John 3. 7, 8. committeth Sin is of the Devil. And none can do Righteousness but those that learn of his Grace, that teached to deny all Unrighteousness, and are guided by his Spirit, which he promised should guide into all John 16. 13. Truth. And walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, 1 John 1. 7. where the Blood of Jesus Christ is known to cleanse from all Sin. And this is the Doctrine the Holy Scriptures, and this People teach, against whom this great Rage is. And if you would come to that Spirit the holy Pen men were moved to write the holy Scriptures by, and in and by that Compare the Doctrines of these People, and their Practice, and the Practice of those Men that preach against this People, and their Doctrines, and that charge them with Error, Blasphemy, and Pernicious Principles, you would quickly find whose Quodrat most with them, and are most agreeable to the true Prophets and Ministers of Jesus Christ. Therefore remember the Excellent Counsel of the wise and learned Apostle Paul, Prove all things, and 1 Thes. 5. 21. hold fast that which is good; you may remember it was said of the Christians, that they were a Sect every Acts 28. 22. where spoken against: And yet the true Ministers in all things approved themselves as the Ministers of God, 2 Cor. 6. 4 to 9 in much Patience, in Afflictions, in Necessities, in Stripes, in Imprisonments, in Tumults, in Labour, in Watchings, in Fast, by Pureness, by Knowledge, by Long-Suffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by Love unfeigned, by the Word of Truth, and by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteousness on the right Hand and on the left, by Honour and Dishonour, by evil Report and good Report, as deceivers, yet true. Observe, they were not impatient, they did not Afflict, they had not great Revenues, nor large Benefices, or forced Maintenance, they did not Stripe and Imprison, nor cause Tumults, by incensing the People against their Peaceable Neighbours; they were not idle, nor exercised in Feast, received not the Honour nor high Title, did not Lord it over God's Heritage, but by Pureness, Knowledge, Long-Suffering, Kindness, and the Holy Ghost, Love unfeigned, and by the Word of Truth, etc. approved themselves the Ministers of Christ; they were not defiled, ignorant, hasty, angry or hateful: Consider these things seriously, and let all endeavour to amend what's amiss in themselves, and rather mend faults where they are, than suggest faults where they are not; let every Man be fully persuaded in his own Mind, and so let him act; and hate nothing but the Devil and Sin, but love God, and one another. So having in Love and Plainness discharged my Spirit of what, as a concern, remained upon me, in the Love of him that hath loved and died for us all, I Conclude and Remain Your sincere Friend, and hearty Wellwisher to the People called Quakers, and all Men. J. F. FINIS.