Judgment fixed upon the accuser of our brethren and the real Christian-Quaker vindicated from the persecuting outrage of apostate informers chiefly from W. Rogers, F. Bugg, T. Crisp, John Pennyman and Jeffery Bullock ... / by that contemned servant of Christ George Whitehead.

ADVERTISEMENT.

FIrst, Note, That where in pag. 158. of this Treatise, mention is made That G. F's intention and sence is by another hand spoken to. That and much more is yet reserved in Manuscript against W. R's abusive Books.

Secondly, That whereas in pag. 205. it is said, It being now above six Weeks since the Let∣ter was left at Ely, &c. and yet no Answer.— It is now above three Moneths since, and yet no Answer received from F. B. being now (at the Printing hereof) towards the latter end of the 11th Moneth, 1682.

Thirdly, That this Treatise has been long in the Printer's hands, and not hasten∣ed in the Press, because of these Additions in the three last Chapters, to Francis Bugg, Thomas Crisp, John Pennyman and Jeffery Bullock; for the Answer to William Rogers's 7th part of his Christian-Quaker, was writ in a short time after it was out.

Fourthly, It is some question whether two or three of the Names in pag. 250. be right, i. e. Averset, Snazdale and Tysoeth, by reason of their Names being badly writ in the Certificate sent up.

Fifthly, Note, That where in the Post∣script, after the Letter to Francis Bugg, pag. 253, 4. and in his Book also, p. 52. he gives account of a Minister thus, viz. That in the Quarterly-Meeting Book at Hadenham, they shall find a Record, wherein he is recorded out of the Vnity, for not taking his Wife accor∣ding to the Order of Friends, i. e. not publishing his Intention before the Womens Meetings. Which Account is excepted against upon Friends positively giving a contrary one to me.

Let it be farther remarked, that Francis Bugg's pretended Proof appears not from Evidence of the Fact, but is his consequence drawn from the Records. But first, his Consequence appears not only fallacious, but false in Fact, in his restraining the Order of Friends only to the Womens Meetings, which is not consequent to the Record of the Quarterly Meeting, dated, the first of the 10th Moneth, 1675. and cited by F. B. (p. 61.) for Proof; for the extent of

that Record is, For the consent of Friends at two Mens Meetings and two Womens Meetings, &c.

2dly, Neither can his Account be true, if there was not then a Womans Meeting established in that part of the County, but that the complaint of the Monethly Meeting was, That the Person concerned did not publish his Intention above once to the Mens Meeting, and refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all, before the time of their Marriage.

3dly, Since the said Exception was writ, I have met with a Certificate under the Hands of several Persons of Credit, i. e. Phillip Taylor, William Brasier, John Prime, and Jacob Baker, who do confirm the matter excepted against Francis Fugg's said Ac∣count; whereby they declare it to be his false Insinuation,

and a manifest misrepre∣senting of Friends in those parts, and a malicious Falshood. For they affirm, That there was no Womens Meetings established in that part of the County where it fell in course for the said Person to publish his Intention of Marriage; and that because he refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all (to manifest her consent and intention of Marriage with him) And his proposing it but once to the Mens Meeting,

and that in her absence, before he took her to Wife.

This they looked on as an irre∣gular Proceedure and Innovation, and no safe President or Example. For which cause, together with his refusal to give the Monethly Meeting satisfaction for the Irre∣gularity (as desired) on complaint thereof to the Quarterly Meeting, a Record was made, according to their Consciences and Care, That they had not Vnity with him in this his SO doing (as 'tis cited by Fr. Bugg himself.

Sixthly, Let it be noted, That Francis Bugg is guilty of notorious Falshood and malicious Slander, where he pretends to discover That hypocritical and two-faced Practice of pleading to the Magistrates for Li∣berty of Conscience, and at the same time using and exercising all Force, Rule and Dominion they are capable to inflict upon their dissenting Brethren, who cannot fall down and cry Hosanna to every Likeness, &c. And the Reason he suggests is, Lest the Ruling Party should be encouraged to introduce a numberless Number of needless Ceremonies, till at length Rome may, if possible, be outdone, pag. 115, 116. 2d part. Thus like a false informing Judas he has belched out his Lying Insinua∣tions,

tending to incense the Magistrate against us. For,

1st, In the first part I take his Charge [Hypocritical] to intend our Applications to the Magistrates for Liberty from Perse∣cution: and then 'tis malicious, false and scandalous, and therein he has acted the part of a base Informer against us, for which God (who knows our sincerity and con∣sistency in our pleading to the Magistrate on this account) will certainly rebuke his lying malicious Spirit.

In the second part, I take his Charge [Of using all Force, Rule and Dominion, &c. upon dissenting Brethren for not falling down to every Likeness] to intend that Church-Go∣vernment, Discipline and Order, and those Ministers concerned therein which he opposeth among the People called Quakers: And then he hath herein most wickedly and falsly informed the Magistrates, 1st, To render our Applications for Liberty of Conscience of no credit with them, but Hypocritical: 2dly, To render us guilty of that which we are pleading against, i. e. Exercising Force upon our Brethrens Consci∣ences, and that for not falling down to every Likeness. Oh, horrid Abuse and Slander! And what lamentable Blindness and gross

Absurdity is this Adversary fallen into! like as if he should thus argue, viz. You plead to the Magistrate for Liberty of Conscience in the free exercise of Religion, from Per∣secution, Corporal and Pecuniary Punish∣ments on that score. Therefore you are Hypocritical, Two-faced and Inconsistent in your Practice, whilst you exercise a Church Authority, by giving true Spiritual Judgment, Admonition or Censures upon any that dissent or divide from you, or cause Divisions or Offences: Such are the Consequences of his before-cited Charge, considering that he has not proved our Judg∣ment VNJVST, or Advice and Admo∣nition ERRONEOVS or VNCHRISTIAN in any of those things opposed by him; or our Paper, which he makes his great Proof against us, and Scornfully calls, A Grant and Confirmation by a general Council held at London, Anno 1675. pag. 41. For which he falsly accuseth us of INNOVA∣TIONS, IMPOSITIONS, APOSTACIES, NEW-STAMPED GOVERNMENT, ARBITRARY RVLE, &c. comparing us to the POPES COVNCIL. (pag. 42, 46, &c.) And then he might as well say, 'Tis a great infringement of Liberty of Conscience for a Christian Society to Reprove, Judge or Censure disorderly

Walkers under the same Profession. And by the same absurd way of Arguing and shallow Opposition he may as well assume a Power to stop the Mouthes of all Gospel Ministers for exercising their Consciences in that divine Authority that Christ hath given them, To renounce the hidden things of Dishonesty, and to Exhort, Re∣buke, Reprove, Admonish, Command, &c. according to their Commission, both in the primitive Times and our Day.

Thus we may justly conclude, that a cor∣rupt, defiled, immoral Conscience would have its unchristian Liberty.

Seventhly, Some Errors have escaped the Press, in this Treatise, both in Points, Letters and Words, the most material whereof are here noted, which I desire the ingenuous Reader accordingly to Correct; (the sense will shew the rest) wherein I do as I would be done to; for I examine the Errata's, even of my Adversaries Books, as they are noted, before I answer the Matter.