Some Seasonable REFLECTIONS UPON THE Quakers SOLEMN PROTESTATION Against George Keith's Proceedings at TURNER'S-HALL, 29. Apr. 1697.  
Which was by them Printed, and sent thither, as the Reasons of their not Appearing to Defend Themselves. Herein annexed Verbatim.  
By an Impartial Hand.  
London, Printed for Charles broom, at the Gun at the west end of St. Pauls, 1697.   

A Solemn PROTESTATION against George Keith's Advertisement, Arbitrary Summons and Proceedings against Certain Persons, and a Meeting of the People called Quakers.  
WHereas the said G. K. a Scotchman, has assumed to himself a Power and Authority to Erect several Meetings of the Nature of some strange and new Court of Judicature at Turner's-Hall, London, one on the Eleventh of the Month called June, 1696. and another on the 29th. of this present Month called April, 1697.( under pretence of having the Permission of the Civil Authority, that he is further to Detect the Vile and Gross Errors and Heresies of certain Persons by Name, and a Meeting of the People called Quakers) unto which he hath Cited or Summoned them, to hear themselves Re-charged, and proved Guilty thereof, as being Repugnant to the Great Fundamentals of the Christian Religion( which Charges of his, as perversely Stated by him, are expressly denied by us) for Proof thereof, Referring to his own Printed Advertisement and Narrative, which have been largely Answered in Print, he having begun the controversy with us, by Printing divers bitter Invectives against us, expressly Contrary to his own former Testimonies in Print; and divers of our Friends Books, in Answer to him, still lye heavy upon him, unreply'd to. And seeing he cannot Effect his Invidious Designs in Print, to make his Odious Character of heresy, Spreading gangrene, and Contagion, &c. take Effect against us, he has presumed to Erect such an Arbitrary Course of Judicature, in a Confused Meeting at Turners-Hall, and thereunto, in his own Name and Authority, to Summon the Persons and Meeting, as aforesaid, without their Privity, Concurrence, Consent or Agreement thereunto; either as to the Time, Place, Terms or Propositions, but he is the Sole Imposer.  
We therefore, who are concerned in behalf of the Peaceable People called Quakers, both as Free-Born English-Men and Christians, do deny, and Solemnly testify against the Usurpation, Arbitrary and Irregular Proceedings of the said G. K. and against his new Jurisdiction( assumed by him) for the same Reasons, which were Exhibited in Print the last Year, Why the People called Quakers Refused their Appearance at his Peremptory Summons( and therefore he had no Reason to Expect their Appearance this Year, the more Insincere he, in his new Summons) and more particularly,  
1. Because he has no Legal Power to Erect any such new Court of Judicature, and therein set himself up as Judge, and publicly to Stage, Brand, and Condemn Peaceable Protestant Subjects, and that in their Absence too,( who are also Free-Born English-Men) as heretics, &c. and thereby to Endeavour to Expose them to the Scorn, Contempt and Rage of a mixed Multitude, who are unmeet to Judge of Religious and Spiritual Matters, or Controversies.  
2. We do not believe the Civil Authority, or any Concerned therein, on Due Consideration; or Just Information, will Countenance or Permit such an usurped Authority, or Pernicious President, as the said G. K. has assumed and Attempted in this Case; tending, not only to Discord, Divisions, Heats, Animosities and Tumults, but to Invade the just Liberties of Free-Born English-Men( who are Peaceable Protestant Subjects,) and to gratify and Strengthen the Popish Interest, that they may Glory in such Divisions and Disorders, made by Turbulent Incendiaries.  
We are not Unsensible, that some Officious and Envious Agents are in the bottom of this Turbulent Attempt; who, altho' they may pretend to be Reformed Protestants, yet savour too much of a Popish Persecuting Spirit,( Justly complained of by Protestants) and whose Work tends to bring an Odium upon the Protestant Religion.  
3. We presume the said G. K. can Produce no Legal Commission from the Civil Authority, either by Act of Parliament, or under the Great Seal of England, Annually to Erect and hold his said Court of Judicature, to Summon, Convict and Condemn Quakers( so called) or any other Free-Born English-Men, or Protestant Subjects for heresy or heretics, who are contrariwise Legally recognised.  
4. His feigned and false Pretence of Justly Desiring the Persons and Meeting aforesaid to be present( i.e. to hear themselves Recharged, Convicted and condemned of Vil● and Gross Heresies, &c.) appears, not only a peremptory Summons, but his Noise of Vile and Gross Errors, and Heresies, spreading gangrene and Contagion,, Infecting many Thousands in these Three Nations, &c. does much Resemble the Popish Clamours and Calumnies against Protestant Martyrs, and then away with them, cut them off; and Fire and Faggot followed, when the Writ de Haeretico Comburendo, and the Six Bloody Articles were in Force, 31. H. 8. Ch. 14. both which are justly and happily repealed.  
5. For the same Reasons, which the Parliament gave in the 16th. Year of K. Charles I. against the Court of Star-Chamber, and High-Commission-Court( Ch. 9. 10.) and for taking away, and dissolving the same( tho' these had more Face of Authority, than this of G. Keith's) we Oppose, Deny and Protest against these his Irregular and Arbitrary Proceedings and his new Court of Judicature, and Usurped Power and Authority therein, as( not only tending to Discord, Disorder, and Persecution, and Endangering the public Peace, but also) Repugnant to the Great Charter, Fundamental Laws( and Liberties of England) Providing that no Free-Man shall be Condemned, or any way Destroyed without due Order of Law; as well as expressly contrary to the Intent and Tenor of the late Act of Parliament, made in the first Year of the Reign of K. William and Q. Mary, entitled, An Act for Exempting their Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the Church of England, &c. made for the Ease of Scrupulous Consciences in the Exercise of Religion, as an Effectual Means to Unite their Majesties Protestant Subjects in Interest and Affection. And the Meeting-Places thereby Permitted or allowed and Recorded, being for RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, as in the said Act is Expressed, Consequently, not for Division, Discord or Stages of Contention; and therefore we are not free, either as Men or Christians, to Subject ourselves to any such Irregular Summons, or Arbitrary Power and Usurpation, as aforesaid.  
6. heresy having been made an High Crime in Law[ Mirror, Justices, p. 16.] and highly Punishable, G. K.'s publicly Staging and Branding us as heretics, appears both an High Defamation, and tending to Destroy us in our Reputations and Liberties also, both contrary to Law and Gospel, and to Introduce a new and severe Persecution to Gratify his Envy. For his Turbulent, Persecuting Spirit and apostasy, from Christian Charity, Meekness and Moderation, and from that Faith that Works by Love, sufficiently appear; also by his Earnest Expostulation with the most Pious and Learned of the Church of England( as Flatteringly he Terms them) to Incense both the Clergy and Civil Authority against us, in his Printed Postscript to his Antichrists and Sadducees, and therein Commending the Popish Watch-Men of Rome, and Popish Countries, above most among the Protestants, for their Zeal against such Antichristian Errors and Heresies, as he there would make the World believe, Quakers hold much worse than the worst of Popery( p. 40, 41.) and his Summoning and Condemning us as heretics, appears so much Resembling the practise of some of his Country-Men of the Presbytery, to Incense the Rabble or Mob against our Friends in Scotland, as they have of late shamefully done, both in Glasgow and edinburgh, to the Great and Barbarous Abuse of our poor harmless Friends in those Parts, by their bitter Clamours and Aspersions against them, as heretics, &c. That we humbly hope, the Civil Protestant Government of England will never Countenance or Permit such unwarrantable Usurpation, which is not to use only Spiritual Weapons( as he pretends) but is of a contrary Nature and Tendence. We having treated the said G.K. at many Select and Solemn Meetings, we have had with him, in all Christian Patience and Tenderness on our parts; which were Slighted and Rejected by him. Thus we have answered his Advertisement and Summons, ad hominem, as Peaceable, Free-Born English-Men, whose present Liberty ought not to be Invaded or Disquieted, either by any Arbitrary Usurpation, or Contentious Irreligious Meetings, whose End is to Asperse and Abuse others: Nor may such, with safety, be Imitated, Allowed or Abetted by any of different persuasions.  
Now, let it be observed, whatever may happen to be the Effects or Consequence of the said G. K.'s Disorderly and Unwarrantable Proceedings, or Meeting aforesaid, we have given out this Solemn Protestation against the same, to Manifest our own Innocency and Clearness therefrom.  
Written, in Behalf of the People 
 called Quakers, by some of 
 them Concerned. London, the 26th. Day of 
 the 2●… Month, 1697   

Some Reflections upon the foregoing Protestation.  
IT has been the common custom of the Quakers, since their first appearing in the World, to provoke others to Disputes, and to Answer all Challenges sent to them for that purpose, as desiring nothing more than the occasion of Vindicating and Propagating their Principles in the Face of the World. They readily embraced the Invitation of the Baptists to a public Disputation at Barbican; and after gave them the Challenge, and had their trial of skill at their Meeting-place in Wheeler-street; and after printed their Conferences. They had frequent Disputes with Mr. Baxter, and several others. But these two years past, they have altered their Method; they are grown more sedate and modest, or they find their Cause not so Tenable as formerly they thought it; and rail at G. Keith for bringing them now to the like Test.  
They patiently endured his printed Challenge to them last year, to meet him at Turners-Hall, and justify their Doctrines. Some of their number went thither, and made some opposition, but without any Deputation, as they said, from the Body of the Quakers.  
This year they have received another Challenge from him, to the same purpose, to which the foregoing Protestation is all the Answer they return'd; and suffered him to produce his Charges of gross Heresies against them, before the Auditory there Assembled, without any other opposition.  
Therefore this their Protestation and whole Defence ought seriously to be considered, which I will do without Passion or Ill-words, other than when I am forced to repeat some of theirs. For,  
The design of the following Reflections is only to bring the Quakers to a thorough Conviction of their Errors; and to such an acknowledgement and Confession of them, as is indispensible to a true Conviction. There is nothing more desired of them than to Retract and Disown what is proved to be faulty in their Writings; and such Faults as are either destructive to the Faith, or Scandalous( and so sinful) to the Reputations of their Neighbours, in giving false and uncharitable Representations of them. And this they are obliged to do by all the Rules of Christianity, it being the smallest Satisfaction that they can make, to repair( so far at least) the Injuries thereby done to the Christian Doctrine; and to the good Name of those whom they have wrongfully Traduced.  
But this Protestation shows how unwillingly they are brought to either. By their shifting and strained Excuses for not appearing in their own Defence. As in the first line, that G. Keith is a Scotch-man. Again, p. 2. That his design is to gratify the Popish Interest; and that there are under-hand Officious and Envious Agents, whose work tends to bring an Odium upon the Protestant Religion.  
But these deserve no Answer, being but Clamours; and as groundless as his, who called his Resty Horse Popishly affencted. For the Detection of the Quakers by Protestants, is so far from bringing any Odium upon the Protestant Religion, that it is the only Method to preserve the Protestant Religion from the Scandal that must unavoidably fall upon it, if the Quakers are allowed to come under that Denomination. For then must we own them as Protestants, who have thrown off the Sacraments, and all outward Priesthood and Ordinances; nay, who deny the Holy Trinity; the Divinity of that Man, Jesus our Lord, or Redemption by his Blood outwardly  shed; the Resurrection of the Body; or a Final and outward judgement at the end of the World. Then, are they good Protestants who esteem the Bishops, and Church of England to be Baal's Priests, Conjurers, nay very Devils. Can they and we both be Protestants? What a Notion will this beget of Protestancy! How involved and Self-contradictious; How Contemptible and Odious will this render the Name of Protestant to all the World! Will not this Latitude bring Socinians and Deists; even Mahomet and the very Heathen within the Pale of the Protestant Communion!  
Therefore it is absolutely necessary, either that we should renounce the Name of Protestants, or no longer Comprise the Quakers within that Pale: That is, unless they can fully and clearly justify their Ancient Testimonies as to these things objected against them, or otherwise, now at last, freely Disown and Condemn them.  
Till they shall be brought to do one of these, 'tis in our own Defence that we Dispute against them; and they cannot brand this with the Ignominious Names either of Severity or Persecution.  
They are the Aggressors. They have attacked our Religion in all the Parts of it; our Bishops and Clergy, and our whole Constitution.  
And we require no greater amends, for all that they have done against us, than to say, That they are sorry for it, and have done us wrong; and that they will no longer stand by those who have sought and endeavoured our Ruin.  
And tho' they should refuse us even this Justice, and Reasonable Security for the future; yet we press for no Persecution against them; for no Fines or Imprisonments: But only, that we should not be obliged to aclowledge them as true Protestants, and that we may have Liberty to justify ourselves, and our Religion against the grievous Calumnies with which they have loaded both.  
And if this be refused to us, the Cry of Persecution will run on our side. For, what greater or more unjust Persecution can there be, than to compel Men to lie still under the severest Reproaches, and debar them from the Privilege due to the greatest Offenders, to make any Defence, or so much as a Complaint of their Sufferings, however undeserved!  
Is it no Persecution of the Tongue for the Quakers to represent our Clergy as the Vilest and most Odious of Mankind; as an Abominable Tribe, the Bane of Soul and Body, &c. And do they call it a Persecution in us so much as to Remember or Repeat the Epithets, which they have given us, and which they still refuse to Retract; for( as said at first) that is all which is desired of them. But now let us consider their Protestation.  
page. 1. It refers to their Answers in print, particularly to G. Keith's Narrative, and says, that they are yet unreply'd to, whereas that Answer to the Narrative has been replied to in Satan disrobed, which is yet unreply'd to, except in G. Whitehead's carping at some Passages in it, in his pretended Answer to The Snake in the Grass. ibid. He says they were summoned without their Privity; that is false, for they had notice in print about a Month before. But it was without their Consent or Agreement, that's true, for they would never Consent to have their Errors exposed. This is the Plea( if it would be admitted) of all Guilty Persons, who do not Consent, or Agree, to be brought to Justice, or to have their Crimes Detected. But, if they were Innocent, they would desire to clear themselves.  
As to their Reasons held forth in their Protestation.  
I. First, They operate in every Article as strongly against their public Disputations with the Baptists at Barbican, Wheelers street, &c. Their coming into Churches in time of Divine Service, and provoking the Priests to Dispute with them; against the whole method of their own first setting up, and all their manner of Proceeding since. 2dly, The Meeting appointed at Turners-Hall, 11 June last, and this 29 April was no Court of Judicature, nor any Court at all, only for the Information of who pleased to be present, and to have given the Quakers an opportunity to vindicate themselves, if they thought themselves misrepresented; and which it's not to be doubted but they would have done, if they thought they could have done it. For, why would they, who have sought, and even forced, all opportunities to recommend their Doctrine, refuse such an occasion that was offered to them? and to have done it with so great Advantage, in the face of the Nation? not only to Establish their own Doctrine, but to overthrow their Opponents? and that with so much the more Advantage, that it was at the Instance of their Adversaries, and by their provocation? But their Pleading that they are Free-born English Men to excuse it, is Pleading Guilty in a very foolish and shameful manner. And their objecting that G. K. had no Legal Power for what he did, was Condemning of G. Fox and all the Quakers, who never so much as pretended to any Legal Power for all their Oppositions and Disputations, which were in direct contradiction to the Legal Powers, and by an Authority( as they pretended) far superior to all Legal Powers upon Earth; and by which they took upon them to declare the Laws null and of none effect, as in case of tithes, of maintaining an outward Priest-hood, &c. But more especially as to their Discipline of the Second days Meeting, of their Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings, which are direct Courts, and of Judicature too; for therein they grant Orders, inflict Censures, as of Excommunication against G. Keith, &c. Have Deputies and Representatives from all the Counties of England, and from other parts of the World.  
But they have herein started a very material Question, which ought to be asked of them in their own words, viz. What Legal Power they have to Erect any such new Courts of Judicature, and therein set up themselves as Judges( which G. K. did not at Turners Hall, but left it to the Auditors to Judge for themselves) and publicly stage, brand, and condemn peaceable Protestant Subjects( i.e. both the Church of England, and Dissenters) and that in their absence too( who are also Free born English Men) as heretics;( nay more, as Devils Incarnate, Baal's Priests, Dogs, Wolves, Conjurers, &c.) And thereby to endeavour to expose them to the scorn contempt and rage of a mixed multitude, who are unmeet to Judge of Religious and Spiritual Matters or Controversies? And this cannot come within the Act of Toleration, which is only for Religious Worship; and itis expressly cautioned, that it shall be with their Doors open, that all may have liberty to come in and hear; otherwise they forfeit all the privileges of that Act. Now at the Meetings before mentioned, they have their Doors shut, and Door-keepers at them, to keep out all them they think fit not to admit; and their Business is Government and Discipline, which is no ways within the Act, and comes under the penalty of all those Laws which prohibit all Convocations, Meetings, Consultations, &c. without the King's Licence; much more to Enact, Promulgate, or Decree any Orders or Constitutions whatsoever. Now, if the Bishops and Clergy of England, tho' recognized and established by the Law, would incur a praemunire so much as to meet, consult, or debate, tho' concerning only their own Order and Spiritual Jurisdiction, without the King's Licence; How then have the Quakers this Authority; and freely, and yearly, nay Weekly exercise it without control! Further, if when the Clergy do meet in Council, Convocation, or Synod, the King may have his Commissioner present, to inspect, and even to regulate their Proceedings, that nothing may be there Transacted prejudicial to the Government: How much more reasonable is it, that tho' the Quakers Convocations or Synods were tolerated by Law, yet that the King should have his Commissioners there to inspect their Proceedings, and give an account of their Debates? If Christian Emperors and Kings have had their Ambassadors and Ministers present in the General Councils: If the Hugonots in France have submitted, nay desired and requested to have the King's Commissioners present in those Synods, which by His Majesties Grace and Favour, they have been suffered to hold, that the Government might not only be secured from any Attempts of theirs, but all Fears, or so much as Jealousies taken away. If the Presbyterians in Scotland, tho' now established as the National Religion, have the like Commissioner present in their General Assemblies, why should not the Quakers be obliged to receive a Commissioner from the Government into the Second-days, Monthly, Quarterly, at least into their Yearly Meetings? If at their beginning they were too inconsiderable for the notice of the Government, they are now become a Numerous, a Wealthy, and a Potent People; and in all respects worthy not to be neglected.  
II. They give us a considerable hint, in saying that they are Legally recognised by the Parliament; and thence would infer, that it's a Crime against the Government to accuse them of heresy, which is highly punishable by the Law.  
1. But, is not Turners-Hall as much recognised and Tolerated as Grace-church-street? And is not apostasy as grievous a Charge as heresy? And do not the Grace-church-street Quakers accuse those of Turners Hall for Apostates? Let them acquit themselves of this, and at the same time they have cleared G. K. and those of Turners-Hall from this Charge.  
2. But are not other Dissenters as much within the Act of toleration as the Quakers? And how do the Quakers treat them? See their Book entitled Quakerism a new neck Name, &c. p. 165. Where they call them An ill-bred pedantic Crew; the bane of Religion, and pest of the World, the old Incendiaries to mischief, and best to be spared of mankind; against whom the boiling Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be poured out. And are such Men as these fit to be Tolerated! Are such Men as these fit to be recognized by the Parliament, as Protestants! What an Odium must this bring upon the very Name of Protestant, not only amongst the Papists, but with all that call themselves Christians, even to the very Heathen, and all mankind, who will believe this Representation of our Dissenters, which is given by the Quakers! And what sort of Reflection does this imply upon the Parliament, which does recognise these Men as Protestants, and make a Law on purpose to grant you toleration! This is referred to the Committee of privileges to consider.  
3. But let us go a little further. The Church of England is not only recognized and Tolerated, but Established by Law. And if regard to Laws ought to be observed, she might expect some more decent Treatment( upon that account) at the hand of the Quakers, who now pled the Laws in their Defence. And the common Epithet which the Clergy of the Church of England receives from the Quakers, is that of Baal●s Priests, as frequently in G. Fox's Journal, and the rest of their Books. And this makes them not only heretics, but downright idolaters, as bad as the very Heathen. Nay, the Quakers call them Devils, Conjurers, Thieves, Dogs, Wolves, &c. In their Guide Mistaken, &c. p. 18. you have this Elegant Description of them, viz. The Idle Gormandizing Priests of England, run away with 150000 l. a Year, under pretence of God's Ministers— And no sort of People have been so universally through Ages, the very Bane of Soul and Body of the Universe, as that Abominable Tribe, for whom the Theatre of God's most dreadful Vengeance is Reserved, to Act their Eternal Tragedy upon, &c. And in Excuse for these sort of Expressions, they say again in their Serious Apolo●y p. 156. That had they been ten thousand times more significant, earnest and sharp against that cursed bitter Stock of Hirelings, they had been but enough; and I wou●d then say not enough, but that the Reverence I bear to the Holy Spirit( i.e. in the Quakers) would oblige me to aquiesce in whatever he should utter through any Prophet, or Servant of the Lord, i.e. the Quakers Prophets, who vented these soft Expressions against the Clergy of the Church of England; which it seems needed an Apology for the Quakers Aquiescing in such, and not inventing more sharp, which I suppose all the Furies in Hell could not help them to. But being so stinted to Mildness, the aforesaid Author goes on, ( ibid.) against the Cler●y thus. And we have nothing for them but Woes and Plagues, who have made Drunk the Nations, and laid them to sleep on Downy Beds of soft Sin, pleasing Principles, whilst they have cut their Purses, and picked their Pockets; Tophets prepared for them to Act their Eternal Tragedy upon, whose Scenes will be renewed Direful, Anguishing Woes of an Eternal irreconcilable Justice.  
And they make an Excuse, for not saying ten thousand times more significant, earnest and sharp Invectives against the Church of England; and say, that if they could, all would be too little for them. We are much obliged to them for their Love! But where is their Reverence for Laws, with which they so much Press G. Keith, for Invading( as they pretend) the Act of Toleration, in Accusing them of heresy? While they make no Ceremony of Ramming all the Church of England into Hell, and are sorry they cannot find a Place ten thousand times worse for them; and take no Account at all of their being established by Law; or of their being Free-born English-men, which they pled as their Security, to hid and cover them from G. Keith, &c.  
4. But tho' they Appeal to the Laws, when they seem to Favour them, yet, if in any thing they go Counter to the least of their Principles, they Damn both Laws, and Law makers, and all who dare own or obey any such Laws. Thus when Laws were made for the Payment of tithes to the Clergy, the Quakers boldly declared such Laws to be Null, and voided, damned the Law makers for Devils, and all such as should Obey them. And this appears under the Hands of above seven Thousand of them, Printed, 1659. under this Title. These several Papers were sent to the Parliament, the 20th. day of the 5th. Month, 1659. being above seven Thousand of the Names of the Hand maids, and Daughters of the Lord, and such as feel the Oppression of tithes, &c. And the like was subscribed by many more Thousands of the Men Quakers; and all approved and Directed by their Great Apostle G. Fox. In the abovesaid Book, p. 3. they say, The Commands of Men must be Annulled, that take tithes, and not to be obeyed by them that live in the Covenant of God, and p. 21. Therefore we with our Names and Hands, bear our Testimony against tithes, the giver of them, the setter of them up, and the taker of them, and p. 63. We Declare with our Hands, and with our Lives and Estates, against the Ministry that takes tithes,— and the Law that upholds them. and p. 71. Are not all these set up by the Dragon's Power, and held up by the Dragon's Power, the Devourer, the Destroyer? Is not this the Power of the Devil? &c.  
Here the Parliament are the Dragon and the Dev●l! and they Engage their Lives and Estates, in a Solemn League and Covenant against them, and their Laws; which Laws they now hold up as a Buckler to Shild them from the Force of G. Keith.  
5. But they proceed further than all this. They not only Condemn Laws, when they are against them; but they Declare against all Magistracy, except in their own Hands; but especially against that of Kings. The Lord is Risen( says Edward burrow, in his Standard, &c p. 9.) To overturn, overturn Kings and Princes, and Governments, and Laws; and he will change Times, and Laws, and Governments. There shall be no King, but Iesus, nor no Government of Force, but the Government of the Lamb. i. e. of the Quakers, who think themselves only to be in his Power. G. Fox in his A Word from the Lord. p. 15. says, There is that Nature that would have an Earthly King to Reign, in which Nature lodgeth the murderer. And in a Book of his, which bears this Title, Several Papers given forth by George Fox. Printed, 1660. He says, p 8. All Kings and Emperors have sprung up in the Night, since the days of the Apostles among the Antichrists. and p. 12. So the Christians go out from Christ, and set up Kings, like the Heathen. p. 16. We know that the Kings are the Spiritual egyptians, got up since the days of the Apostles.— p. 9. and 18. You never red of any( King) among the Christians, but among the Apostates, since the days of the Apostles.— p. 8. Many cry for an Earthly King, and will have Caesar, and is not this the same nature the Jews was in? And do not they in this crucify Jesus?— p. 9. Are not all these Christians, that will d●te so much of an Earthly King, Traytors against Christ? And will these that are true Christians, have any more Kings among them, but Christ?— I say that is the False Church that doth not live— upon the Heads of the Kings, &c, i.e. e. in their Cant, to trample them under their Feet. The Lord will clear the Land of you( Rulers, Priests, &c.) and not any that Rejects Christ, shall Rule in England. Say they, in Discovery of Enmity, &c. p. 29. Now whether they do not think that all Church of England-men do Reject Christ; they have shown in the above Epithets, which they have given of them: and that they think the same of all others, but themselves, see The Snake Grass. 2d. Edi. Sect. 16. p. 189.  
Thus much for Kings. And now for the Remainder of the Constitution of our Government, the next, is the House of Lords. Towards whom G. Fox shows h●s Respect in a Paper, which he directs To the Council of Officers of the Army, &c, Printed, 1659. Where Exulting in the Victories of the Saints against the King, among other Marks of their Holiness, and to Guard against Returning to the Old Constitution of King, Lords, &c. Which then begain to Threaten the Usurpers, and towards which he feared some of them did too much incline; he minds them of their former Glorious Rebellion, and says, p. 7. Oh what a Sincerity was once in the Nation! What a Dirty Nasty thing it would have been, to have heard of a House of Lords among them! Thus Civilly does he make his Court to their Lordships.  
Now for the whole Parliament, the Quakers make as Bold with them, and Preach up the Lawfulness of the Peoples( whom they call their Masters) taking Arms against them, and turning them out of Doors. Thus says Francis Howgil in his Information, and also Advice to the Army, &c. p. 5. Many( says he) are so doting on the Name of a Parliament, as tho' it were Essential, and cries up privilege of Parliament. But if they will not harken to the Voice of their Masters the People, but may be call them Rebels and Traytors, if the should be turned out, &c.  
How luckily now have the Quakers brought in the Laws of the Land, in their Aid against G. Keith, as if themselves were wholly Innocent in this Matter! But they have thereby given occasion for very Necessary and Important Considerations to be had upon this Head. But I proceed.  
III. They Accuse G. Keith of a Design to Invade their Property, in Charging them with such a Penal Crime as heresy; and to raise a Persecution against them.  
This is a Pitiful and a Guilty Plea; And the proper Defence had been to have appeared and Justified themselves. But to hid themselves under Acts of Parliament, being Free-born English-men, and securing of their Property's, is flying out of the Pit, and calling for Help from the By-standers, which is yielding up the Cause to all Intents and Purposes; and leaving their Conquerors to Triumph, without any Opposition.  
But it serves for other Ends, which they little dreamed of, even to call their own Sins to Remembrance. For they accused G. Keith of this same Crime of heresy, for Preaching of an outward Christ, besides their Light within, which they called Preaching of two Christ's. And they Prosecuted him for this, and Proceeded even to an Accusation against his Life. As you may see in the Printed trials of him, and others in Pensilvania; and in a Book entitled, The heresy and Hatred, which was falsely charged upon the Innocent, Justly Return'd upon the Guilty, &c. Printed at Philadelphia, 1693.  
But with what Face could these Men Accuse G. Keith for Invading of Property, whose Avowed Principles are to the Destruction of the Property's of others? As in the Case of tithes, which are as much the Property of the Clergy, confirmed by Acts of Parliament, as any Man's Estate in England.  
And not only in tithes, wherein they pretend some Scruple of Conscience; for their Conscience extends likewise to other Mens Houses and Lands. G. Fox, in his fifty nine Particulars, which he sent to the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, Printed, 1659. p. 8. the 32. Particular is in these Words. Let all those Fines that belong to Lords of manors, be given to the poor People, for Lords have enough. And Particular 29. Let all those abbey lands, Gleab lands that is given to the Priests, be given to the Poor of the Nation; and let all the great Houses, Abby's, Steeple houses( this is the Name they give, in scorn, to our Churches) and White-hall be for Alms-houses, for the Blind and Lame to be th●re, &c. Here White hall must go too, as well as the Fines of Lords of manors. And in the forementioned Address to the same Parliament, 1659. subscribed by above seven Thousand of the Quakers, p. 59. 63. and 65. they Require that the late King( as these Rebels styled him) his Rents, Parks, and Houses should be Sold, and all the colleges, and their Lands. And the very Bells out of the Churches, except one in a Town, to give notice of Fire, &c.  
This was no Invading of Property in them! But for G. Keith, or any other to Detect their Errors, this is Encroaching upon their Property, as English men! And no less than a direct Persecution! And therefore they cry out upon the Brachium seculare, the Temporal Laws to come in to their Rescue. Of which they have so often and loudly complained against others, as a Popish Principle, to Answer by such Inquisitions, instead of Arguments.  
But let us compare this Terrible Persecution of G. Keith, with what the Quakers have preached up, and that in the Name of the Lord, against others. George Bishop, in his Warnings of the Lord, &c. Printed, 1660. p. 19. cries out to the Officers of the Army, Remember Amalek, that is( says he) the Soul murdering, and Conscience-binding Clergy man bl●… out the Remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven— ye shall not forget it. And of the Lawyers he says, Vex the Midianites, for they Vex you with their wil●ss. And G. Fox, in News out of the North. p. 31. Proclaims thus, Slay Baal, Balaam must be Slain, and all the Hirelings must be turned out of the Kingdom. These are their common Epithets for the Clergy.  
And in his Papists Strength, &c. Printed, 1658. p. 19. he says. And this I Declare in the Presence of the Lord God, and all the Magistrates that be in God's Fear, they will break down the Mass houses, Schools, and colleges, which you make Priests and Ministers in. This was to pull down the Nests, that the Rooks might be Banished. But they were not to Escape so well: For oh ( says Edward burrow, in his Word of Advice to the Souldiers, p. 2.) Give the Priests Blood to drink, for they are worthy! This was Comfortable Advice to Souldiers! They are ready Executioners! When thus Holloo'd by Prophets sent from the Lord, as they pretended. Slay Balaam! vex the Midianites! Root out the Remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven! Give the Priests Blood to drink, turn the Hirelings out of the Kingdom! Here was no Design of Persecution, or Hurting of any Man's Property! or of Reviling, and Blemishing the Reputation of Free born English-men; and Exposing them to the Fury of the Mob! To the Scorn, Contempt, and Rage of a mixed Multitude, who are Unmeet to Judge of Religious and Spiritual Matters or Controversies, as the Quakers Urge against G. Keith. But it seems that they thought common Souldiers were good and sufficient Judges of Controversy. G. Fox Addresses his sweet Paper,( before mentioned) not only To the Council of Officers of the Army, and the Heads of the Nation, but for the Inferior Officers and Souldiers to red, as it is Worded in the Direction.  
IV. But perhaps the Quakers have changed their Mind since those Times; and are now become more Sober, and Peaceable in their Dispositions; I hope so of many of them. But then this is against the Will and Direction of their Leaders and Rulers. For since all the late Objections which have been made against them, both as to their Errors in Faith, and their violent Persecuting Principles, they have in their last Yearly Meeting in London, 1696. Re-asserted the whole; that none may think they are changed in the least Tittle. For in the Yearly Epistle, then given forth, and Printed, they Exhort all the Quakers, not to be moved at all the Objections against their Ancient Doctors, or to think them to have been Fallible( for then down must come their whole Foundation) but to stand stiff to their Tackle, or, as they word it, to hold up the Holy Testimony of Truth, which hath made us( says that Decretory Epistle) a People to God, and preserved us so unto this Day; and that in all the Parts of it: For Truth is one, and changes not; and what it Convinced us of to be Evil in the beginning, it Reproves still. i. e. The Church of England, and all our Magistrates, Kings, Lords, and Commons, to be Serpents, Devils, Scarlet-coulored-beasts, &c. And they Maintain their Ancient Testiminy, and that, in all the parts of it. For, Truth is one, and changes not. i. e. The Quakers who are, and always have been in the Truth, have not Changed at all since the Beginning. So that by this, they have made themselves Answerable for all that they have said since their Beginning.  
Add in that Yearly Epistle, mention is made of Deputations sent thither from Barbadoes. Mary-land, West-jersey, Pensilvania, Burmudoes, Antegua, Holland, Ireland, and Scotland, which shows the Extent of their Dominions. And this Yearly Epistle goes through all these; and Engages the whole Body of the Quakers.  
V. Now the Application which it is Rational to make of all this, is, That these Quakers having not fewer than a thousand Meetings in England; which, by computing but a Hundred to a Meeting, one with an other, will amount to one Hundred Thousand in England alone, besides all the Countries above-nam'd. It is therefore very reasonable that so great a Body should not be neglected, especially considering, that they are grown very Wealthy, and are the most compacted in their Government and Discipline of any Community that is amongst us.  
And if they are such irreconcilable Enemies to our Church and Government, as their Ancient Testimonies do hold forth, they must be extremely dangerous.  
But if they are as Heterodox in the Christian Faith, as the Quotations out of their Books( which they do not deny) do testify, then it will be an Horrible Scandal to our Religion to have them recognized as Protestants; and will give the Papists such an handle against us, as we shall not be able to withstand.  
Therefore the least that can be expected from them, is, to appear before such Person or Persons as shall be thereunto appointed by Authority; and there publicly, and under their Hands, to Disown, Renounce, and Condemn, in such Positive and Express Terms as shall be prescrib●d to them, all the above Ignominious and Bloody Quotations out of their Books, and such others as shall be fully proved against them; together with the Authors of them, as not only Fallible, but Erroneous and Wicked Teachers, at least, in all those Points which shall be so proved against them.  
And if they shall refuse to do this, then can they not, with any Justice, complain( tho' complain they would) if the Parliament did recall their including them within the Number of Protestants; it being otherwise Impossible to Retrieve the Reputation of the Name of Protestant; or give any tolerable Security to the Government. And a less Satisfaction cannot be expected, for all the dreadful and odious Characters given of the Bishops and Church of England than a Retractation of them; and acknowledging that the same were not given forth by the Holy Spirit of God, as these Quakers have Blaspemously pretended.  
And their Modern Advocate W. C. under the disguise of a moderate Church Man, cannot desire fairer Terms for them, unless he will throw off his Vizard, and declare himself as great an Enemy to the Church of England as themselves.  
There is no Medium: He that has said vile and scandalous things of another, must either unsay, or stand by it, and justify it. And the lookers on have leave to think the Accusation just against those, who are content to sit with it, and dare not insist upon so small a Satisfaction as a bare Acknowledgement: But when( without this, or any sign of Repentance) they Court those who have abused them, and seek to engage them by new Favours, 'tis not only a servile Truckling; but when others are concerned as well as themselves, their Predecessors, their Successors, their whole Order, and the Cause of Religion and Christianity with them, it is most unjust, and betraying of their Trust; it is letting of their Flocks go to the Wolves, and giving them their Pass. When the Honour of Religion is once Prostituted, its Power and Influence will soon decay.  
VI. But the Quakers have the least reason of any Dissenters to expect the Bishops or Church of England's concurrence in granting them toleration: They having exceeded all others in rancour, not only against the Bishops Persons, but against Episcopacy itself. For when the Baptists had said, they thought it their Duty to preserve them( the Bishops and Clergy) from all violence, &c. The Quakers assaulted them from all Quarters, even for so much tenderness towards the Bishops, as to preserve their Persons from Violence and Injury, much more to think of granting them any toleration, Ed. burrow one of the Principal, and most Primitive Pillars of the Quakers Church, wrote a Tract on purpose against this Declaration of the Anabaptists, and says to them( p. 618. of his Works, printed 1672.) What, are you about to make a League and Covenant with Antichrist?— Do you look upon them to be Ministers of Christ or of Antichrist?— Is not not this a league with Hell and Death? And p. 619. Wha● are you now for tolerating Episcopacy? And if Episcopacy, why may not Popery be tolerated? Seeing they are one and the self-same in Ground and Nature, &c. He was seconded by another of great Name among the Quaker Worthies, Rich. Hubberthorn who attacked this Declaration of the Anabaptists in the same strain( p. 229. of his Works, printed 1663.) Why will you not tolerate Popery( says he) as well as Episcopacy? Have not the Professors of Episcopacy Murdered and Slain, and do labour to Murder and Slay the People of God as well as the Papists? and will you tolerate the Common Prayer among the Episcopacy, and not the Mass Book among the Papist, seeing that the Mass was the Substance out of which the Common Prayer was Extract●… And much more to the same Purpose, in these and others of their Writers.  
And if they will not now Retract these, and own them a false Principles, they must either think that the Church of England does approve of their Doctrines to be truly Christian; or otherwise, that She commits a great Sin in granting toleration to them. None have a Right to expect toleration from others, but They, whose Principle it is to grant toleration to those others, when they are in the Power. For  
Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you, do ye even so unno them.  
But there is an Exception, as to the Quakers, in this Case; for, as  told before, they Declare against all Kings and Governments upon Earth. Why? Because they will have no King but 〈◇〉: Of which they have given public notice in what they style A Declarati 〈…〉 the People called Quakers, to the present D●s●… acted Nation of England, printed 1659. Where in p. 8 and 9. They Proclaim, That they have chosen the Son of God to be their King; and that He hath chosen them to be His People: And thence infer, That as it is His only Right to Rule in Nations( whence they supersede the Commission of all other Kings or Rulers) so is it, say they, Our Heirship to Possess the uttermost Parts of the Earth; and that He may Command them to Fight in this Cause, to Regain His Right and Theirs, which is usurped from them, Therefore, tho' they may expect Toleration from others, yet ought they not to grant it to others; Because all other● are Usurpers of the Power which they Possess: And theirs O●ly is the Heirship to Possess not only England, but the uttermost Parts of the Earth. For which they have declared it their Principle to Fight. Nor will they Retract this Secret of their Government. Let this be the Test.  
May 8. 1697.  
FINIS.