Truth tryumphing in a suffering time over deceit and falsehood, or, William Prynn's book of Quakers unmasked clearly detected and the innocency of the people vindicated from the grosse abuses and injuries done them by him ... / by G.W.

Answer.

But he intended this against us called Quakers, and we do not own him to be any Competent witnesse or Judge against us, (••hough he hath assumed both,) neither is his Evidence true, but altogether false against us; and he a slanderer and forger of meer Falsehoods, and hath also shewed a very malicious and inve••erate spirit, in going a∣bout to cause men to be persecuted, or compel••ed by pe∣nal Laws for matter of Conscience or Judgement; for that way of Compulsion is neither the way to suppresse Er∣rours or Heresies, nor to convince the Judgments either of such as are Papists or others, but the way to make them Hypocrites like himself: (And its more meet to endeavour to convince an•• reclaim Jesuits, and such as be in Errour to bring them to Repentance, then to destroy them, for thats the way to bring them sooner to Hell, if they be de∣stroyed,

and perish in their Errour) and how is their Chur∣ches cause secured by this way of Compulsion or prosecuti∣on of penal Laws against men that di••sent in matters of Conscience or Worship (though such as are crimin••l Offen∣ders, as Plotters and Conspirators the ••ivil Law reaches) when he confesseth the English Church is distracted, page 21. And that Ignatius his Disciples (or the Jesuits) have made most Christian Kingdoms Churches (especially our own of late years saith he) both to quake, and tremble, and shake them in pieces, as in his 22. pag. Now mark here also what a sad Church this is which he would have men forced to; a Church thats made (by those he himself counts de∣ceivers both to quake and tremble (this is he that hath so much Reviled for quaking and trembling as being derived from Rome, and the Popish Priests and Jesuits because there∣of) and such ••hurches as are shaken in pieces in thi•• manner are not built upon the Rock, nor such as against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail: And such Churches as these that cannot stand without carnal force a••d Compulsion, we have no cause to Conform to; for it appears plainly that their Weapons, and Arms and Defence are no•• of God but of man, not Spiritual as the Saints and true Churches were, but Carnal. And how is it in the Magistrates Coercive power to suppresse Errours and Heresies, and to secure the Churches cause, when they do not pretend to Infallibility of judgment in spiritual matters; And was there not great persecution under the Presbyterian Government, how did that secure their Church? And did not we greatly suffer by them? And how hath our opposer contradicted himself in this matter, where he in the same 16. p. gives 4 Cautions recorded in the Gospel (as he saith) as the best preservatives against se∣ducers quoting Rom. 16.17, ••8 2 ••••m. 3.13, 14. Eph. 4.14. 2 Ioh. 10.11 2 ••hes. 2.9 Now mark, if these Scriptures must be the best preservative against seducers, which do not tell of the Ma∣gistrates Coercive power in Religious matters, nor of their suppressing Errours and Heresies. (See also pag 32) How 〈…〉〈…〉own himse••f, as also conside∣ring

what this W. P•• saith pag. 27. of Gregorius Baderus•• provin∣cial of the Jesuits, &c. and their Counsels, and seconded with their practises in Ejecting, Imprisoning, Banishing, Suppressing and Persecuting all the Protestant Ministers in Bohemia, in the years 1602, 1607, 1621, and 1652. So it appears the Papists used this manner of proceeding, and would not W. ••. do the same, as Imprison, Banish, &c. This might convince him what Spirit and Church it is that is guil∣ty of persecution, & is maintainted by it, and by such manner of proceeding as Imprisoning and Banishing men for thei•• Consciences; that 'tis not the true Church nor Spirit, as also all that professe to be Protestants may take notice of these proceedings, and what a blemish and disaragement it brings upon both their Church and State, to follow such harsh and cruel proceedings against men for their Consci∣ences.

And moreover both the Government and people of this Nation of England may farther take notice how W. P. doth reflect upon them, and consider whether or no his matter tends to the peace and good of the Church and State thereof. Mark in his 4. & 5. pag he tells us of Multitu••es of Rom••sh Emissaries and Vermin, Franciscan Fryers and Iesuits, &c. That they have their several m••ssions and directions into all parts from their Generals and Superiours, residing commonly in London, where they have a Consistory and Cou••sel sitting that rules all the affairs of the things of England, besides fixed officers in every Dic∣cese, &c.