The contentious apostate and his blow refelled [sic] in a brief narrative of the unchristian deportment, opposition, and disturbance made by Francis Bugg, backslider, Isaac Archer, priest or vicar, Samuel Knowles, late curate, at a publick meeting of the people called Quakers held at Milden-Hall in Suffolk the 30th day of the 2d month commonly called April 1691, and in a short answer to F.B. his defaming pamphlet falsely stiled One blow more at new Rome / by G.W.

THE Contentious Apostate, AND HIS BLOW REFELLED.

SInce Francis Bugg to Excuse the shameful Disturbance and Malicious Interruption he and his Abettors made at our Publick Meeting at Milden-hall in Suffolk, the day and year aforesaid, intended by our Friends for the Worship and Service of Almighty God, the said F. B. his pretence is this, viz. That they might not thrust me out of the Meeting (as their Practice at London has often been) I got a Justice's Warrant, resolving that if they would not let me stay, I would silence G. W. for that day, which after he perceived, he sat down quietly.

Whence pray observe: 1st. F. B. got the Warrant. It seems 'twas upon his Information to the Justice, and what the Information was the Warrant shews. 2dly, For what end could he therein turn Informer to obtain the Warrant? was it only to secure himself from being thrust out of our Meeting? No, for no sober person need fear that: Or was it to disturb the Meeting, and for him∣self to Domineer and Insult, and Magisterially Command the Con∣stable to take away Geo. Whitehead, and Execute his Warrant, as (Persecuter-like) he divers times did? The Constable not Submit∣ting to F. B. therein: Constable (quoth he) do your Office, or I'll Complain of you. The Warrant it self, and F. Bugg's Insolent and Turbulent Behaviour at that Meeting will easily Evince his Infor∣mation and Excuse before cited, to be unjust and groundless, as is

his Instance of one sober Woman whom they commonly thrust out, and sometimes keep Prisoner, &c. p. 2. Whereas this his sober Woman is known to be a Turbulent, Wilful (and partly Discomposed) Person, a Rayler, a Scold, a Striker, a Fighter, who also hath torn and pulled a Friend (or Friends) by the Head, Hair; ask Joseph North, Dennis Dodman, and some other Friends about Spittle-Fields, &c. of her Behaviour. And F. B's Alledging the Tryal of Peers is very Improper in this case; for it is all one as to tell us that Mad or Ma∣licious folks may not be Restrained from doing Mischief and mak∣ing Disturbance without the Tryal of a Jury: No sober Man would have thus Impertinently Argued.

The Copy of the said Warrant follows.

To the Constables of Milden-hall, and to every of them.

Suff ss.

HAving received Information that there is a Meeting intended to be Holden within the Precincts of your Town (either upon the Morrow, or within some short time after) under pretence of a Reli∣gious Worship, in different Form from the Religion Establish't, in a place not Licensed, and by persons not qualified to hold the same, and who are under a great Suspicion of being disaffected to the Government.

These are in their Majesties Names to Authorise and Require you, and every or any of you, to cause the said Persons and every of them to ap∣pear forthwith before me or some other Justice of the Peace of this County to Answer to the said Information, and to be dealt with therein according to the Law, and for your so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant. Given un∣der my Hand and Seal at Downham in the said County the 29th day of April, in the 3d Year of their said Majesties Reigns, Anno. Dom. 1691.

The Name of the Justice who granted the Warrant, is here Omitted, because we esteem him wronged by Misinformarion; and also that when he understands the Envy and Abuse of F. B. Grati∣fied by the Warrant, and what Impious and Wicked use he made thereof by Maliciously Interrupting and Disturbing a Religious Meeting; we hope the Justice (on more mature Consideration) will be so Ingenuous and Tender as to wish he had not Granted F. B. any such Warrant against an Innocent Peaceable People, and that he may rather Reprehend F. B. for being too Busie and Turbulent to his quiet Neighbours: For he must needs understand that if there was a failure or omission (on our Friends part at Milden-hall) in not

Entrring their Meeting-House upon Record (as the Law Directs) yet that the Intent of the Government and Law is, that we should Enjoy our Religious Meetings for the Worship of Almighty God without any such Disturbance or Molestation as F. B. &c. made.

Here followeth a brief Narrative of Francis Bugg's Deportment, and the substance of what past between him and his Teacher Js. Archer on the one part, and G. Whitehead, &c. on the other, the 30th day of the 2d Month called April, 1691, at the Publick Meet∣ing-House of the People called Quakers, at Milden-hall in Suffolk.

F. Bugg and his Company being got to the Meeting before G. W. and into the Gallery where our Ministring Friends used to be; after G. W. came and was waiting upon the Lord in Silence, F. Bugg having present a Constable and Warrant (and first pre∣mising his Property as a Feoffee in trust for the Meeting-House, charged G. W. with being,

First, A Deceiver of the People.

2dly, A false Accuser of the Blessed Martyrs, &c.

3dly, A Favourer of such Principles as Border upon Blasphemy. And offering a Paper of his Charge, which G. W. refused, desiring to enjoy our Meeting peaceably, and answer F. B. afterwards.

F. B.

refused, and then asked if he would own certain Books which he had?

G. W.

still prest for a Peaceable Meeting, and told him he Inter∣rupted and Imposed on us unwarrantably on that occasion.

F. B.

still refused to suffer us to enjoy our Meeting Peaceably, saying, I will Impose upon you.

G. W.

began to speak a few words unto the People by way of Exhortation, &c.

F. Bugg furiously interrupted, calling out, Constable do your Office, take G. Whitehead and S. Cater away.

G. W.

said, we come in the Love of God, thou comest as a Persecutor; but I fear not thy Persecution, nor what thou canst do, thou'st but Discover thine own Envy, &c.

Priest Archer, said, We know your Meeting is unlawful.

G. W.

How provest thou that?

Priest Archer, Your Meeting-House is not Recorded as the Law directs.

G. W.

I knew not that, however our Meeting is for the Worship and Service of Almighty God, and both the Government and the Law intend our Liberty; I was no cause of that Omission of Re∣cording the Meeting-House.

Priest, You should have been better Informed aforehand.

G. W.

It is not Lawful for you thus to Disturb our Meeting, and Interrupt our Religious Exercise; we see by this what you would be at, you would be at even the old work of Persecution again, if there were not some Restraint upon you by Law, seeing you take this Ad∣vantage of an Omission of a Circumstance in Law thus to Disturb us and put a force upon us; pray be so Civil as to let our Meeting be quiet till we have ended.

Priest, Mr. Bugg I would have us with-draw and let them enjoy their Meeting peaceably; let us not take the Advantage of the Law against them.

F. B.

I will not suffer them, G. VV. shall not Preach here, he is a Deceiver; now I have him here I will have him answer whether he owns these Books, and he shall take the Test too, he is Disaffected to the Government.

G. W.

See what a Convert thou hast got of F. B. that thus con∣tradicts his Teacher; we are not come hither for Contention, nor am I willing now to answer thee (F. B.) nor to detain the Meeting about thy Brauling or Clamorous Reviling, &c. I am willing to meet thee and answer thee at any convenient place when our Meet∣ing is over, and before any Judicious persons; pray let us enjoy our Meeting quietly.

F. B.

Thou art for evading, and going into Holes and Corners, but I am glad I have got thee here, dost thou own this Book? and this Book, &c.? (holding them in his Hands.)

G. W.

I am not willing to answer thee at this present, I have something to say to the People (and began to Declare, but inter∣rupted still.)

F. B.

I will not suffer you to Preach here; Constable, Con∣stable, where is your Warrant? do your Office, take G. VV. away, or I'll Complain of you.

Constable, Pray look upon this Warrant. [But the Constable ap∣peared wiser than F. B. and not so busie.]

G. W.

Pray let us enjoy our Meeting quietly, and then we will Answer you.

F. B.

Constable do your Office, take him away, he will not own his Books [which was a Lye, he only suspended giving answer at that present.]

G. W.

being thus frequently and forcably interrupted when he would have Declared the Truth; for a little space sat down in Si∣lence,

breathing unto the Lord in Spirit, and then after a short space, was moved to fall down upon his Knees in Prayer for some time: Whereupon the Priest thus made interruption to the People, viz.

Priest, All you that are in Communion with me, with-draw, do not joyn with him in Prayer, for he doth not Pray in the Name of Christ, [which was not true, and very unbecoming one that would be esteemed a Reverend Clergy-man, and many did not Obey him.] Prayer ended, F. Bugg began Disturbance again, say∣ing, do you own these Books, this, and this?

G. W.

What are their Titles?

F. B.

The one is Judgment Fired, and the other Innocency against Envy.

G. W.

I know no such Book as Judgment Fired.

F. B.

It is Judgment Fixed.

G. W.

Is not my Name to it? F. B. Yes.

G. VV.

What need'st thou question my owning it? I own that I Writ most or the greatest part of that Book, and shall not disown it; and for the other, Innocency against Envy, I also own it, the Errors of the Press excepted; and this Answer I give, that thou mayst not go away with a Lye, and say that I am afraid to own my own Books, nor any think that I am afraid to Answer thee, for I have Discoursed many Greater and Wiser Men than thou art, who have shewn a great deal more Civility than thou hast done.

F. B's

Wife stood up to clear her Conscience, being under a great Burthen and Constraint in Testimony against her Husband's writ∣ing Books against Friends, &c. contrary to Conviction, as having expressed some trouble he was in for the same, and that if it had not been for Jo. Thrift (an abetter of his) he had not done what he did; saying, she should have Burnt all his Papers, &c. with other Words. To which he made little Answer, but gave her the Lye openly; but many present did believe she spoke Truth, and in the fear of God, from a necessity laid upon her at that time.

Priest. Mrs. Bugg, you should not Discover your Husbands Naked∣ness; and Mr. Bugg you should not Reveal your Secrets to the Wife of your Bosom; but you may see the Enemies of a Man are those of his own House, &c.

F. B.

after several Reiterations of his gross Lye, that G. W. was afraid to own his Books, and making a great Clamour and Noise with Reviling Detractions and Personal Reflections, G. W. called to the Priest thus, viz. Thou that art his Teacher or Minister, I

pray thee speak to him, and teach him to keep within the bounds of common Civility, and not to make this Clamour and these scurri∣lous Detractions, and let us come to some matter in Controversy, seeing we may not enjoy the intended end of our Meeting quietly.

Priest, Mr. Bugg pray forbear, &c.

F. B.

I will not hold my Tongue.

G. W.

See what a Convert thou hast gotten of him, he will not be subject to his own Minister: Dost thou not think him somewhat Discomposed?

I desire on passage of his Book, for his Conformity, may be Read (Entituled the Quakers Detected) it is that first page, (how he came to be a Member of our Society) Thou hast the Book F. B. I pray thee lend it me a little (but he refused to part with it out of his Hand) whereupon a Friend present reacht one to us.

G. W.

I desire this one Page may be read in the Meeting, which F. B. was very unwilling to.

Priest. Pray let it be read, which accordingly was done: Which followeth, viz.

F. B.

Q. Detect. The first point under Consideration is, how I came to be a Member of their Society (i. e. of the Quakers.)

In the Beginning they Taught that all Men were Inlightned according to John 1. 9. and that this Light wherewith Christ had Inlightned them was sufficient, if obeyed, to lead to Salvation; and that it was the work of the Ministers of Christ to turn the Peoples minds from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to God: Affirming that this Light was a sufficient Teacher, Leader and Guide to every Believer, without the help of out∣ward Prescriptions, Forms, Orders and Decrees of Men. Up∣on these and the like Notions I became perswaded to make Try∣al of their Doctrine; and when I came to see and observe their Practice, Conversations and Deportments in the begining, and what simplicity and plainness attended their Ministry, I was still more Confirmed that it was a Dispensation of the Love of God sent as a Visitation to Mankind; and being thus perswaded, I was resolved to bear the Cross, and did utterly despise the shame that attended them and their Message, and was not behind any of my Equals, both in Doing and Suffering for the Testimony thereof, as some amongst them can still bear me Witness; and in this manner we went on for many Years, and Loved one

another with Love Vnfeigned; and doubtless God blessed our Meet∣ings with the comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence, and gave us Favour in the sight of men, and not a word of Conformity was heard amongst Us for many Years together, nor no Lording over each others Consciences; but as every man was perswaded by the Lord, so he was frequently Exhorted to walk, &c.

[Thus far Fr. Bugg.]

G. W.

The Question in Controversy between us is, Whether the People called Quakers he Apostate from the Truth, or F. Bugg? Which may be Resolved from his own Book here; since his Confor∣mity he owns the said People to have been once no other than the People of God, sound in Doctrin and Practice in Christian Love and Society, and that God blessed our Meetings with the Comfortable Enjoyment of his Presence: At which time the People called Quakers were Dissenters from the Church and Clergy of England, and F. Bugg then with them, and he writ then against the Priests and their Covetousness and Oppression, &c.

F. B.

I am sorry for that.

Pr.

He is now of another Judgment.

G. W.

When he so writ in the Commendation of the People and Society called Quakers, he was turned from them to the Church of England, whom he (as well as the People called Qua∣kers) had Dissented from; and when Dissenters were in the Truth, according to his own now Confession positive and high Commenda∣tion of them; from whence I infer, That if he himself and the Quakers were once (for many years together) not Apostates, but in the Truth when Dissenters, he must needs now be the Apostate in his Conforming to the Church of England, contrary to their Practice and Testimony when no Apostates, for he cannot be in the Truth now and then too; if right, or in the Truth then, he is not right now; if he saith he is right, or in the Truth now and not then, this is to contradict his own Testimony of the Quakers and himself, as having been a Christian Society, and the People of God, (yea, and that for many years, as he saith); so that if right then, he cannot be right now (as aforesaid) being turned from what he was, and owned then: I would have him Answer and clear himself of this Dilemma if he can.

But instead of Answering, he set to Reading on in his Book; for that was much of his shift to evade and take up time in Reading in his own Books and Pamphlets, instead of giving fair Answer or civilly Reasoning the Case.

G. W.

Seeing F. B. undertakes not to wind himself out of the Dilemma, see if thou that art his Minister can do it for him.

Pr. Mr. Bugg is now of another Judgment than he was, as Paul was when Converted; before he thought he might do many things, even against the Name of Jesus, but he was of another Judgment when Converted.

G. VV.

This instance will not hold parallel with the Case of F. Bugg, his is not a Conversion as Pauls was; Paul did not say he was in the Truth (or a Christian) before Converted; but F. Bugg as good as saith he and the Society of the Quakers were once the People of God, and enjoyed his Comfortable Presence when Dis∣senters from the Church and Clergy of England; but now contrary∣wise he is turned to them (and Conformed) and from the Society called Quakers, I do not see how either he himself or thou canst clear him or bring him from under the Dilemma. Is F. B. of another Judgment concerning the People called Quakers now, than he was when he writ this Book in 1686, wherein he highly Commends of the Society called Quakers?

Pr. He is now of another Judgment.

G. W.

Then he was of two different Judgments since he was Conformed to the Church of England: Come F. Bugg, what sayst thou? Dost thou now disown what thou hast writ in Commenda∣tion of the People called Quakers in 1686?

F. B.

No, I own what I then Writ.

G. W.

Then F. Bugg and his Minister contradict each other; he is of another Judgment, saith the Minister: No, I am not, saith F. B. I own what I writ.

F. B.

The Presence of God may be among other Societies, as Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists.

G. W.

By the same rule his Conformity is so indifferent, that he may as well joyn with any of those other Societies whom he never so highly commended of as he hath of the People called Quakers; his Apostacy is apparent, he cannot clear himself of the Dilemma before Rehearsed upon his own Confession, which is plain an Ar∣gument as to Man, from his own Confession, which no doubt was from inward Conviction.

Pr. He's Apostate from you, but not from the Truth.

G. W.

What saith F. B. to it, could he be in the Truth, both when in Society with the People called Quakers (being Dissenters from the Church of England) and now in his Conformity there∣unto?

Pr. He Argues—Argumentum ad hominem, have a care how you Answer him, there's a Snare in it: You are now of another Judg∣ment.

F. B.

I am of another Judgment.

G. W.

Art thou of another Judgment than thou wast when thou writ this Book in 1686 concerning thy being a Member of the So∣ciety of the Quakers (so call'd)? If so, at the same rate F. B. may alter his Judgment every two or three Years; and thus he may write Books, and contradict them again; then what Credit is to be given unto his Books or Scribling against the Quakers? The cause of his turning from us (as he pretends) is, that there are Canons or Rules among us, required to be observed, and he assigns us only two of those Canons: First, Not to forsake our usual Meet∣ings in times of Persecution. 2dly, Twice Publication of Marri∣ages before our Mens and Womens Distinct Meetings.

F. B.

They have no Foundation in the Scriptures.

G. W.

Yes, but they have: 1st. Not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together, as the manner of some is.

2dly, The intent and end our Womens Meetings, is good and Warrantable by Scripture; it is Religious, and for the Exer∣cise of a Christian Care, with respect to Widows, Fatherless, In∣digent, &c. And our Proposing Marriages twice to both our Mens and Womens Meetings, is, that both may Inspect them, and see that they be clear and free from all Prae-contracts, and have Consent of Parents and Guardians, &c. This is a Just and Righteous end, which I hope you will not deny; our Method herein hath been laid before the Civil Government, and approved of as Laudable and more safe than the Method of those Priests of the Church of Eng∣land who Marry persons Clandestinly without the knowledg and consent of Parents, where Heiresses are Stoln and Marriages Theev∣ish; we have none such among us, but due Publication and strict Examination and Approbation, before Marriages be Solemnized a∣mong us.

Pr. I am glad you have so much Discipline among you.

G. W.

But F. B. hath opposed it, and left us on pretence of being burdened in Conscience with Canons, Rules, Laws, &c. among us, as if he were now joyned to a Church that hath no Canons or Rules; but I think you have more than we, though we have Good and Warrantable Canons or Rules and due Methods in Discipline, which we will stand by in the Face of all Opposers;

but if Canons or Rules be the Burden of F. B.'s Conscience, then he should have gone into some Society that hath no Canons, Rules, nor outward Methods; and I know no such Religious Society but they have both Rules and Methods in Discipline, but the Ranters have not; so F. B. might have gone among them, and not have been burthened with Canons, Rules and Methods, wherein he might have been more consistent with himself as to his Reason for his forsaking our Religious Society.

Pr. But I understood Mr. Bugg was dissatisfied with your Wo∣mens Meeting apart from the Men.

G. W.

Sometimes they meet together, and sometimes apart, and they may not be refused that Liberty as an accommodation for good Ends and Services in the Church. Good Women had a Service, and did good Offices in the Primitive Christian Church formerly, as Phaebe and others, Rom. 16. I remember when it was told F. B. there were Deaconesses, or Women Deacons† in the Church of Christ: He Answered (in one Book) that we had this out of some History or Popish Author, which was his ignorant Rashness, for I had it first out of Protestant Authors, though both Protestants and Papists own that there were such Deaconesses. Divers more things passed, too tedious to Relate here at large: Some time was taken up by F. B. to excuse his Compassing his 15. l. Fine from Samuel Cater, wherein when his Cuning and Crafty Deal∣ing was Discovered both by himself, and laid open by Samuel Cater, divers People Laughed at him, and the Priest deemed it Wittily done, but it was by the Wisdom of the Serpent, (said he).

G. W.

Observe here F. B's own Minister confesses it was by the Wisdom of the Serpent that he acted against S. C.

Pr. It is Lawful sometimes to use the Wisdom of the Serpent; our Saviour said, be ye wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doves.

G. W.

Dost thou really believe that F. Bugg was as Innocent as a Dove in his Dealing, as he did by Samuel Cater?

No Answer to this.

Some time was also spent about Joshua Bang's his requiring Satis∣faction of F. B. for manifestly Injuring him in Print, which he could not Deny, but made no Satisfaction for the Injury done.

Lastly, G. W. gave publick Testimony in the Name of the Lord to clear himself and Friends from Popery, and from being Popish∣ly affected; And in opposition to F. B's Malicious and Slanderous

Charge and Reproaches, tending to render him and his Friends Odious and Obnoxious to the Government and People, too large here to insert particularly.

As for Samuel Knowles he said not much, he appeared somewhat Insignificant, but only to help forward the lightness and laughter of some People present, by his own Levity, lifting up his Eyes and Hands as one in Admiration (and credulous of S. B's infamous Charge and Reproaches against the Quakers) who being afterward Reprehended for his Levity and ill Example therein; he Excused it as well as he could, with his smiling Countenance, which he Natural∣ly had, (as he said.)

The foregoing Narrative hath been kept in reserve until F. Bugg appeared first in Print, as it was expected he would.

Now Isaac Archer, thou having thus far appeared an Abettor and Assister of F. Bugg in his Fruitless Quarrel and Contention against Us, and he being one of thy Flock and Church, we may take it for granted, that he hath secret Incouragement from thee to divulge his Malicious defaming Pamphlets and Books against Us, and his Work therein will not only become his own Load and Burthen, but thine also, if thou wilt not please to stop him from his Invective Scrib∣ling and Printing against Us (the People of God called Quakers) or otherwise manifest thy publick dislike thereof, for his Work is therein scandalous to Religion, and he shall be loaden with his own Iniquity; he will never bring Honour to thee, or to thy (or your Church's) Interest. It's apparent that thou and he are not one in Principle, whilst he owns the Doctrin and Practice of the People called Quakers in their Antient Splendour, according to his own Confession.

I may also remind thee of thy Position, the 13th of the 2d Month, 1688. at our publick Meeting at Milden-hall, i. e. That Judas his Transgression by which he fell from his Ministry, was his Hanging him∣self (not betraying his Lord and Master) and that a wicked man may be a Minister of the Gospel, and ought not to be separated from: Against which Doctrin I left a note of these quotations for thee, 1 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4, 7. 1 Pet. 5. 2, 3, 4, Titus 2. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6. 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4, 5. And now J. Archer, I must tell thee, 'tis a dangerous thing to take Judas's (or wicked Mens) part.

Notes

• †

  Rom. 16. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Mas. & Fem.