AN ANSWER TO Francis Bugg's Presumptuous Impeachment, Pretended on Behalf of the Commons of England, against the QUAKERS Yearly-Meeting.  
PAssing by a great number of this Apostates Lies, Raileries, and Foul Calumnies in his said Pamphlet, let's a little observe his Pretended Impeachment against our said Yearly Meeting in 1693. viz. That they did Contrive, Make, and Promulgate several Constitutions, and Canons Ecclesiastical, containing in them divers Matters and Things, contrary to the Fundamental Laws and Statutes of the Realm, against the King's Prerogative, against the Rights of Parliaments, against the Property and Liberty of the Subject, and Matters tending to Sedition, and of Dangerous Consequence. Thus far F. Bugg, etc.  
We'll Postpone the Question of his Authority for such Impeachment until some other Opportunity, and come to the Matter.  
Alas poor Man! Whither will not Pride, Malice, and Conceit, hurry Men who have turned their Backs of Truth? But we sincerely deny his Impeachment as very Abusive, as well as deadly Malicious; for they were Two Epistles he thus accuseth, the one in 1693. in 1692, and by himself so Termed and Granted to be i e. Epistles, and consequently not contrived Constitutions and Canons, but Epistles, wherein several Matters of Christian Advice are recommended (and not Imposed) as in the same Epistles is plainly declared, among which our Christian Testimony Born, and Greatly Suffered for, against the Oppression of Tithes, etc. is recommended to our Friends Due or Christian Care for the maintaining thereof; (but with no such Threat, as fail not at their Peril, as is most falsely observed; page 3.) This, together with our Friends deeming the Oppression of Tithes, now in the Gospel Day, Antichristian, our Adversary renders sufficient proof of his Charge ; but his Inveterate Envy has blinded him therein: For, as it has been always our Principle, since we were a People, for Conscience sake to Christ, to refuse the payment of Tithes, as well as Oaths and Swearing, thereby not designing any Injury either to King or Government, but only to keep our Consciences clear in the sight of God, desiring that none among us may wrong their Consciences therein: So we are not Convinced, that it can be against the Fundamental Laws of the Land, either to deny Tithes now in this Gospel Day, or to deem them Antichristian, as they were Imposed by Popes, and Popish Laws, which are not the Fundamental Laws of this Realm, as falsely Charged; and our Testimony herein does rather affect a Popish Clergy, than a Protestant Civil Government. Tho' it be a great Crime with our Adversary, to count the Payment of Tithes to Priests, either Antichristian, or a denial of Christ come in the Flesh; altho' many of the first Reformed Protestants and Martyrs were of the same Judgement with us. And in some other Protestant Countries, they are not imposed nor paid to this day; nor is there any Persecution for them.  
Both John Wickcliff, William Swinderby, Walter Brute, William Thorp, the Bohemians, with others, mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, and others, did bear Testimony against the Corruption of the Popish Clergy, and against Tithes, and Compelled Maintenance, by the Civil Authority, (and were not these Martyrs Christians?) this of their opposing Tithes, was made a principal Article against them by the Papists, as more largely appears in the First Volume of Martyrs, in the Reigns of Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, and Henry the Fifth.  
What a plain Testimony did John Wickcliff give against the Imposition of Tithes and Temporalities, counting them pure Alms; and that the Disciples of Christ have no power to exact by Civil Authority, Temporalities, or Temporal Things, by their Censures, which he vindicates, by Christ's forbidding his Apostles Civilly to Reign, or bear any Lordship, as he saith from Luke 23. See Vol. I. Mart. Fol. 564, 566, 569.  
And among other Articles gathered out of his Books by his Adversaries, the Papists, there are these, viz.  
1. All such as be Hired for Temporal Living, to Pray for other, Offend, and Sin of Simony.  
2. To Enrich the Clergy is against the Rule of Christ.  
3. The Pope with all his Clergy, having those Great Possessions as they have, be Heretics in so having; and the Secular Powers in so Suffering them, do not well.  
4. There is no greater Heretic or Antichrist, than that Clerk which teacheth, That it is Lawful for Priests and Levites of the Law of Grace, to be endued with Temporal Possessions. Vol. I. Fol. 587, 588.  
This is that Famous John Wickcliff, as F. B. most highly commends him, p. 7. and yet most shamefully quarrels with the Quakers for renewing and asserting his, and other Famous Protestants and Martyrs Testimonies against the Corruption of Priests, and Popish Imposition and Oppression of Tithes.  
Also Walter Brute, another Famous Protestant Witness, declared against the Payment of Tithes to Christ's Ministers, and against their Priests having the Property of Tithes, Vol. I. Fol. 633. deeming their Claiming the same, to be a starting back from Fervant Charity, a departing backward, etc. Fol. Ibid.  
But more particularly to our present purpose, see the Ample Testimony given by William Thorp, who is Recorded to be a good Man, and Blessed Servant of God, and supposed to have died, either by being secretly made away, or else by Sickness through his Close Confinement in Prison; 
† Vol. I, of Mart. Fol. 700, 708. in K. Hen. IU. his Reign.  in his Examination before the Popish Archbishop, viz. St. Paul saith, That Tithes were given in the Old Law to Levites, and to Priests, that came of the Lineage of Levi; but our Priests he saith came not of the Lineage of Levi, but of the Lineage of Judah, to which Judah no Tithes were promised to be given; and therefore Paul saith, Since the Priesthood is changed from the Generation of Levi, to the Generation of Judah, 
† Heb. 7.  it is necessary, that changing also be made of the Law, so that Priests live now without Tithes, etc. at which the Archbishop was offended, and said, God's Cause have thou, and mine for this Teaching, etc. Thou sayest it is not Lawful to take Tithes, thus thou givest to Levites of Old Law, more freedom than to Priests of the New Law. To which W. Thorp answers; and I said, Sir, I marvel that you understand this plain Text of Paul thus, Ye wots well that the Levites and Priests of the Old Law, that took Tithes, were not so free, nor so perfect, as Christ and his Apostles that took no Tithes: And Sir, there is a Doctor, (I think that is St. Jerom) that saith thus, The Priests that Challenge now in the New Law Tithes, say in effect, That Christ is not become Man, nor that he hath yet suffered Death for Man's Love; wherefore this Doctor saith this Sentence, Since Tithes were the Heirs and Wages limited to Levites, and to Priests of the Old Law, for bearing about of the Tabernacle, and for slaying of Beasts, and burning of Sacrifices, etc. Those Priests that will challenge or take Tithes, 
☞  deny that Christ is come in the Flesh, and do the Priest's Office of the Old Law, for whom Tithes were granted; for else, as this Doctor saith, Priests take now Tithes wrongfully. The Archbishop said to his Clerks, Herd you ever Lozel speak thus, & c? Deeming what he said, an Expunging the Freedom of Holy Church; to which William Thorp answers; and I said, Sir, Why call ye the taking of Tithes, and of such other Duties that Priests Challenge now wrongfully, the freedom of Holy Church, since neither Christ, nor his Apostles challenged, nor took such Duties, therefore these take of Priests now, are not called justly the freedom of Holy Church? But all such giving and taking, aught to be called and holden the slanderous Covetousness of Men of the Holy Church. And the Archbishop said unto me, Why Lozel, wilt not thou, and other that are Confederate with thee, seek out of Holy Scripture, and of the Sense of Doctors, all sharp Authorities against Lords, Knights, and Esquires; and against other Secular Men, as thou dost against Priests? To which W. Thorp answers; and I said, Sir, Whatsoever Men or Women, Lords or Ladies, or any other that are present in our Preaching specially, or in our Communing, after our Cunning, we tell out to them their Office, and their Charges: But Sir, since Chrysostom saith, That Priests are the Stomach of the People, it is needful in Preaching, and also in Communing, to be most busy about this Priesthood; since by the Viciousness of Priests, both Lords and Commons are most sinfully infected, 
☞  and led into the Worst: And because that the Covetousness of Priests, and Pride, and the boast that they have and make of their Dignity and Power; destroyeth not only the Virtues of Priesthood in Priests themselves, but also over this, it stirreth God to take Great Vengeance, both upon the Lords, and upon the Commons, which suffer these Priests Charitably. Thus far W. Thorp, as in the Book of Martyrs. Vol. I. p. 700, 708, Printed 1641.  
Now Reader, from all this precedent Discourse observe, That Tithes have been long since deemed an Antichristian Yoke, and not so Ordained and Enacted by any Convocation of the Quakers, as F. B. falsely accuseth them, p. 4. Neither do they hold a Government against the Government, nor summons their Elders so to do, as he also falsely chargeth them, p. 4.  
Also 'tis a False, Cruel and Unnatural Consequence, That they Absolve the King's Subjects from their Active Obedience, p. 4. Also it is a Gross and False Accusation, That they hold a Convention Annually, by way of Convocation, to make Laws and Ordinances, contrary and repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, which tend to Subvert the Government, and that may be of dangerous Consequence; all which bespeaks an Envious, Persecuting Spirit, as well as Notorious Falsehood, contrary to the Intent and End of any of our Meetings, and to the Christian Advice given in several of our Yearly Epistles, for a Peaceable, Quiet and Inoffensive Conversation under the Civil Government.  
And farther Observe, That the Imposition of Tithes in the Gospel Times, by the Pope, and by Popish Laws, Penalties and Persecution, should be deemed Antichristian, is no new thing, 'tis no Law, Cannon nor Edict, Contrived at either of our Yearly Meetings, Charged by this Presumptuous Impeacher, as is evident, being so adjudged both by those former Famous Protestants and Martyrs, as also by our Friends ever since we were a People.  
He argues Unchristianly, and but like the Popish Bishops, Priests, and Persecutors against the Martyrs, in his Construing, That our Judgement is against the King, Parliament, Laws or Government, because he supposes them also Zealous for Tithes, which is no Christian, but a Popish Persecutors Argument, and no proof of the Truth of what he would promote.  
He may see that William Thorp reflects on both great Men, Lords and Commons, for upholding the Priests in their Covetousness by Tithes, etc. yet F. Bugg by his Mischievously, Malicious Consequence against us, would make us Obnoxious, to Incense the Government unto a New Persecution against us, although such Imposition and Persecution for Tithes as we have Testified against, does not so Effect the present Government as he would insinuate, but the contrary, seeing we are not under a Persecuting Government now, neither did the present Government make any of those Old severe Laws for Tithes, which were made in Popish Times, as in King Henry VIII. Days, and others; but even in sundry Sessions of Parliament, within this Three or Four Years, endeavours have been used to mitigate the Penalty, and to prevent Imprisonment on Excommunication, etc. by several Bills prepared in Each House of Parliament, for the more Easy Recovery of Small Tithes.  
His Hideous Railing Aspersions and Calumnies cast upon our Friend G. W. we have no Cause to Credit, he's better known to us to be a Man of an Honest and Peaceable Conversation, as well as of Good Fame and Reputation among Men, and therefore look on F. Bugg's Railing and Calumnies against him, as proceeding from mere Malice and Revenge, chief because G. W. has frequently Anticipated his Wicked Designs, by Unmasking him, and Confuting his Malicious Aspersions and Calumnies in his Lying Pamphlets.  
Our Persecuting Adversary boasts of his proffering to meet G. W. and of his coming up to London, and accepting G. W's offer in his Vindication, etc. which offer was, to make it plainly appear before any Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses, 
☞  That Fran. Bugg has Grossly and Wickedly Abused and Perverted Truth, and wronged the People called Quakers, both in Charge, Citation and Observation, p. 5. which was in Relation to F. B's Malicious Sheet Pamphlet, which he delivered to the Members of Parliament, to whom also G. W's Answer in plain Confutation thereof was after delivered. But F. B. here leaves out part of G. W's Charge therein exhibited against him, viz.  
And that in his late Book, New Rome Arraigned, he has forged Notorious Lies in other men's Names, to Ridicule, Defame, and Scandalise divers Citizens of London, and Men of good Repute, Condemning them also to the Pillory as Perjured Persons, in his pretended Trial in a Way of Judicature, Unwarrantably Acted by himself, assuming the Place of both Judge, Accuser, Jury, Condemner and Executioner, with a Form of a Pillory, and Effigies in it, to represent the Persons so grossly Scandalised by him, Quakers Vindication, p. 4.  
But F. B. being Conscientious to himself, was willing to evade this Charge, by Framing New Articles against G. W. and making his own Terms of leaving Matters to the Judgement and Decision of such as he calls Disinterested Persons, namely, any Six, Ten or Twelve Persons equally Chosen out of the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Independants or Baptists, as he now again relates, to whose Judgement and Decision G. W. did not think it Reasonable to refer Matters of Religion and Conscience, which were part of the Controversy between them, nor on such Implicit Terms, to give away and betray his own Conscience and Religious Persuasion, to those of different Persuasions from him, which therefore were not Disinterested Persons, as F. B. calls them: Yet nevertheless many are Witnesses, that G. W. did pursuant to his Charge, send F. Bugg divers Challenges, when in the City, and appointed, and gave him sufficient notice beforehand of divers Meetings, for a fair Discourse or Dispute of all the Matters in Charge Interchangeably between them, both before Competent Witnesses, according as first proposed, but F. B. to evade and shift off such a Disquisition, still insisted upon leaving Matters to the Judgement and Decision of Episcopalians, (as he Terms them) Presbyterians, Independants and Baptists, as before, p. 5, 6.  
But now see how knowingly Unfair his Proposal herein was, after in his Introduction he thus falsely Rails against G. W. and the Quakers Books, as none so Bad, none so Gross, none so Blasphemous, but G. Whitehead, the Quakers Bellarmine, will undertake to Vindicate them, who for this Forty Years, and upward, hath been like Ishmael, his Hand against Episcopalians, against Presbyterians, Independants and Baptists, and theirs against him, p. 2. Such than are F. Bugg's Disinterested Persons, whose Hand is against G. W. as he confesseth, and yet would have him leave the Matters of Fact in Controversy, (wherein Doctrine was concerned) to their Judgement and Decision, which G. W. not assenting to F. B. always refused to discourse him, as he confesseth, p. 5. So that G. W. must either beforehand Engage to submit to the Judgement and Decision of his Adversaries, whose Hands are against him (as F. B. saith) or else no Meeting to Discourse or Dispute F. Bugg. Oh Miserable! What Man of Sense, Religion or Conscience, will prostrate both to such his Partial Dictates? But G. W's offer to him was more Generous, Free and Easie, namely, to prove his said Charge against him, and Dispute Matters before any Ten or Twelve Competent Witnesses, who were Moderate Men of Common Sense) leaving them free to their Judgements, as God should persuade them, as we all should be left, and as F. B. would be loath to be pre-engaged himself to submit to the Judgement and Decision of his Adversaries and Enemies, even in Civil Things, much less in Religious, if he hath any Religion left in him) and we doubt not but G. W. is still ready to make good his Offer and Charge against F. B. on the same Free and Equal Terms, as first by him proposed in his said Vindication, p. 4.  
London, the 4. of the 4th. Month, 1695. Signed on Behalf of our Friends and Yearly Meeting, (so peremptorily Impeached by Fran. Bugg) by 

John Vaughton,  
Samuel Watson,  
John Field,  
Thomas Lower,  
William Bingley.     

London, Printed and Sold by T. Sowle, near the Meetinghouse in White-Hart-Court, in Gracious-Street. 1695.