I. His Representing the Quakers as worse than Papists.

G. K. — ‘Vile Errours as are boldly and a­vowedly promoted among a Sort and Gang of the People called Quakers, not only as bad as any Popery, but much worse than the worst of Po­pery, in divers respects.’

This is a gross Abuse indeed, What! Do we promote Errours worse than Worshipping a piece of Bread as God? What! Worse than Adoring Images; quite opposite to Worshipping God in Spirit and Truth? What! Worse than praying to Saints and Angels, and making them our Media­tors and Intercessors between God and us, and thereby Robbing the Man Christ Jesus of his Media­torship? What! Worse than placing Merit in Works of Man's own Righteousness, and thereby overthrowing the Benefit accruing by that one Of­fering upon the Cross? What! Worse than Purga­tory which disannuls Sanctification by the Spirit of God? Certainly a very strange and malicious Cha­racter of us! But (God be thanked) he hath hi­therto [Page 8] fallen short in proof of any such thing a­gainst us. And likewise herein he shews his Folly too, in that less than 33 Years ago, viz. on the 16th of October, 1674. in a Dispute between some of our Friends, and some Baptists, who endea­voured to render us no Christians, held at our pub­lick Meeting-house near Wheeler-street, G. K. pub­lickly declared on our behalf, as it is related in A Brief Narrative of the Second Meeting, &c. p. 69. thus, viz. ‘See People, how the whole Protestant Cause lieth at stake; in the Defence whereof, we with all true Protestants, are concerned against the Jesuits and Baptists, to their own overthrow, who take up the Papists Arguments against them­selves.’ Is this Man consistent with himself, I pray? He would make you believe he is the same Man now, as he was then, and he owns we are the same People still: For he finds fault with our former as well as latter Books, as containing vile Errours, as you may see in this Postscript, and yet in 1674. the WHOLE Protestant Cause it seems was concerned in the Defence of our Principles a­gainst the Baptists: But in 1696. he saith, We promote vile Errours worse than the worst of Popery. Behold this is the Champion which some inconsi­derate Men among you abet. This is he that calls you in to his Assistance. Men of Sence I take many of you to be, such I cannot but conclude will be ashamed of him. For it must needs be a sorry Religion that stands in need of such a Defender. Then his Malice is yet more Conspicuous, in that he knows the Government think not fit to per­mit the free Exercise of their Religion to the Pa­pists, therefore if he could perswade the Legisla­tors, [Page 9] that Quakerism is worse than Popery, he might no doubt soon prevail so far, as to have a Law Enacted for depriving us of the Liberty, which we, by the Favour of the Government, enjoy; of which more anon.

II. His Reflections upon the Protestant Clergy as more lukewarm, if they oppose not the Quakers here, than the Popish Clergy at Rome would be in such a Case.

G. K. ‘And I am confident if such Antichri­stian Errours and Heresies were but the tenth part so avowedly Broached in the City of Rome, or any where else, in Popish Countries, these E­steemed Watchmen amongst them, would be more Alarmed to oppose them by Word or Wri­ting, than most amongst the Protestants do, which would seem to cast a Reflection on the Protestant Churches, if some able Men, and of good Esteem among them, both for Piety and sound Know­ledge, be not awakened to bestow some of their Time and Labour by their Writings, to oppose such vile Errours.’

This is doubly Malicious, both to us and you. We are accused by him of Errour and Heresie, our Answers to his Slanders are publick, they pinch him, shew his great noise to be void of Substance, at this he's angry, and cries out much in the Lan­guage of the Jews against Paul, Acts 21.28. Men of Israel help. If you are prevailed upon by his Expostulation, his End is answered, in raising up some fresh Antagonists against us, to take up the Quarrel which himself seems well nigh weary of; [Page 10] and thus he spits his Venom at us, and would thrust your Fingers into the Fire to spare his own. But if you have more Discretion than to be insti­gated by so Envious a Make-bate, to Espouse his Baffled Cause, then his Impotent Malice falls soul upon you, the Papists will then out-do you in Zeal for the Christian Faith. But in such Zeal as G. K's and the Papists, it will be your Honour and Ad­vantage never to emulate (or imitate) them: For as the Papists proceed by Inquisition, Racks, Fire and Faggot, so he has clapt on the Sanbenitto, blows the Coals, turns Informer, and if we lived at Rome, or in any other Popish Country, would (I doubt not) assist in the Consummation of the Tragedy. And therefore, how well it becomes a Protestant Nati­on to beware of such bare-fac'd Incendiaries, judge ye.

III. He Chargeable, while a Quaker, with what he Re­flects upon the Quakers for, in relation to Disputes.

G. K. ‘And whereas many of the Chiefest Teachers and Leaders among the People called Quakers, have with great Boldness, provoked such as differed from them to publick Disputes—’

This though he proposeth as his Ground of putting you upon the like Method, yet he will get nothing by the Bargain, for the Stone he throws upwards falls down again upon himself. He is the Man that hath thus provoked such as differed from him, witness his Carriage in New-England in 1688. where he made it his Business to Chal­lenge both Presbyterian and Independant Preachers there to Dispute, (see his Book called Presb. and [Page 11] Ind. Ch. p. 200.) and managed it in such a Spi­rit and Temper as gave dissatisfaction, even to his then Friends. State of the Case, p. 13.

That the Quakers have with great Boldness provo­ked to publick Disputes, he says indeed, but doth not prove it. That they were in those Times frequent­ly Misrepresented, both as to Principle and Pra­ctice by the then publick Preachers, by bitter In­vectives uttered against them from the Pulpit, so that many of them ran the Hazard of their Lives, through the Fury of the Populace, stirred up by those Railing Accusations; that to clear them­selves, and detect the Abuses put upon them, they have sought to manifest their own Innocency in the very Presence, and before the Faces of their Opponents, I will not deny. The which was so far from tending to destroy the Civil Peace at that time, that it rather seemed a probable way to Calm the Incensed Mob, by whom they were in danger, and to still their inraged Minds, which o­therwise might have endangered the publick Peace. But the Case is not so between G. K. and us, who hath been the Aggressor, brought the Controversie into Print, where in a more peace­able way 'twas carried on, than it can possibly be in the Method into which he would divert it, thereby to ease himself of a heavy Load, which lies weightily upon his Back, and which he would fain shift off from his own Shoulders upon yours. If you like it, take it, but I think ye had better take Solomon's Caution, Prov. 26.17. and leave the Quarrel to be ended by him who began it. This leads me to the Fourth Head, viz.

IV. His Itch to have you Dance after his Pipe, viz. Challenge Disputes with the Quakers.

G. K. ‘Would it not therefore be a most equal, reasonable, and commendable Practice, for any Persons of true Piety, and solid Learning, moved with the Zeal of God's Glory, and Love of Truth, and with a holy Indignation against those vile Errours that are publickly avouched by some leading Men amongst the Quakers, as appeareth both by their former and latter Printed Books —openly and publickly to call them forth to a publick Hearing.’

Here instead of an ignorant, scandalous Ministry, (whi [...]h he once would have fastned on some of you, as instanced already) or of open and declared Enemies to the Holy Spirit, &c. which he Chargeth generally, he changeth his Terms to true Piety and solid Learning. But to what end I pray, but to ex­cite you, to be as turbulent as himself, as if he thought much that he should be the only turbulent Man. Turners: Hall is his Stage of Contention, there he began this Method. He pleads want of Time and Ability to Write and Print. But in promoting his Work, he would have you find both, Time in Writing and Disputing, and Abili­ty in Printing; Place indeed he doth not impose upon you, but if you please, 'tis like he'l spare you his own Cock-pit. You shall not want Flatte­ry to provoke you to Dispute, any more than you did Taunts to provoke you to Print; yet perhaps if you come not forth at his Whistle, you may be paid off with your former Epithets, and pass [Page 13] with him for neither truly Pious, nor solidly Learned, that if his restlesness can but bring you out, his disturbed Mind may get some case by ha­ving Company: But how much such Actions will tend to the promoting the Civil Peace, or rather how much they may tend to raise Discord and Heart-burnings amongst the King's Subjects, time only would determine, though Judicious Men may foresee.

Yet seeing he has Invited you to this Work, and that upon the score of its being most equal and reasonable; it may be worth your while to consi­der, whether it would not be most equal and rea­sonable for you, in the first place to begin with him, by calling him forth to a publick Hearing, upon those former Books of his, in which he maintained and defended those Doctrines, which he now calls gross and vile Errours in ours; and see if ye can bring him to either defend his former Tenents, or openly and particularly retract them.

V. His pretended tender Compassion to the Souls of People, highly insincere.

G. K. — ‘And with a tender Compassion to the Souls of so many Thousands in this Nation, that are in danger to perish by the Infection of these Errours—’

Can you think this Man sincere in his Pretensi­ons? What tender Compassion had he of the Souls of these many Thousands, when he could promote (if ever the Quakers did so) these very Errours he now pretends us guilty of, recom­mend many of these Books as Orthodox former­ly, [Page 14] which he now represents as Erroneous? He tells us in the Advertisement of his Meeting at Tur­ners-Hall thus, ‘What change of Opinion I have had of them, is occasioned by themselves, in their late cloaking and excusing vile Errours, which at last, by a more diligent search into their Books (than formerly I made) I found them guilty of.’ Now I appeal to you who are studi­ous: Can you think that G. K. who was all a­long a studious Man, would be concerned in a Controversie jointly with G. Whitehead and W. Penn, and not make a diligent search into the Books appertaining to that Controversie? Was he not concerned in the Controversie between T. Hicks and the Quakers, and were not the Books stiled, The Christian Quaker, and Reason against Railing, part of them? Would G. K. think you vindicate W. Penn in his Controversie with J. Fal­do, as he hath done in his Serious Appeal Printed but in 1692. and never make a diligent search into Quakerism a new Nick-name for old Christianity, or The Rejoinder to John Faldo? Lastly, Would G. K. write a Postscript to G. Whitehead's Nature of Chri­stianity in Answer to R. Gordon, and yet not duly consider the Matter therein contained, but rest satisfied with an overly Reading it? As he pre­tends in the Marginal Note of The Exact Narra­tive, p. 17. Yet these are some of the Books he lately found fault with at Turners-Hall. And yet this Man will not own he is changed, no, not in any one Principle of the Christian Faith these 33 Years. I would only query, Whether these things are Credible, or any ways reconcileable? How then can he be s [...] in his pretended tender [Page 15] Compassion to the so many Thousands of Souls in this Nation? Since it plainly appears, 'tis Prejudice against us, and not real Conviction, that formerly both he and we (for there we must be joined to­gether, let him say what he will now) held such vile Errours, as of late he hath invidiously Charg­ed upon us, is the Moving Cause of his thus be­stirring himself against us.

VI. The Irregularity of his Proposal of Disturbing our Meetings, contrary to Law.

G. K. ‘Or if they continue to justifie them, to refute them openly in the Face of their own Meetings, and in the presence of them that do so much admire and follow them. And thus to serve them, as they have served others, and with what Measure they have met to others, the same to meet to them again.’

If the Name of an Incendiary do not belong to this Man, I must confess I am to seek whom to ap­ply it to. The Government have been favourably pleased to pity our former Sufferings, to deliver us from those Caterpillars, the Informers, by put­ting a stop to those severe Laws which set them to work, and not only so, but farther have prohibited the offering us any disturbance in the Exercise of our Religion, under the Penalty of Twenty Pounds Forfeiture by the Delinquent. Yet G. K. would fain have you not only disturb our peaceable Meet­ings, but also incur the Penalties of the Statute in that Case made and provided. Is he not much your Friend in the mean time, I beseech you? And would not you be well set on work, I pray, to o­bey his Directions?

[Page 16] Yet before we part, let me put you in mind of another Text (that brought by him, of meeting to others, as they meet to them, being left with God to whom Vengeance belongs, Rom. 12.19.) viz. Mat. 7.12. And consider, O ye several sorts of Professors of the Protestant Religion, whether Pre­latical, Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist, &c. As ye are distinguished by several Denominations, differing Doctrinally from one another, and each reputing the other Erroneous, in those things wherein they differ (otherwise surely they would not have divided) would ye that Men should do so to yo? For is there not the same ground in E­quity and Reason for me to oppose an Errour in you, as for you in me? And that the like liberty of openly impugning and refuting those supposed Errours held by the other, and that in their open Meetings too, every Party might justly expect and use? Would this please you, to have your Religi­ous Assemblies made Stages of Debate and Conten­tion? Consider it Man by Man, Society by Socie­ty. Or would it not disturb the Peace of every Christian Society, as well as hazard the Civil Peace of the Nation? It would almost tempt one to con­clude, if the Doctrine of Revolutions were as pro­bable an Hypothesis, as G. K. hath represented it to be, that the Soul of Erostratus were come again in this Incendiary.

VII. His Endeavours to excite the Civil Authority against us.

G. K. ‘And it would be a commendable and praise-worthy thing, for the Civil Authority to [Page 17] Encourage such a Practice throughout the Na­tion—’

Now lest you should want Encouragement, he would fain instruct the Civil Authority what their Duty is in this Case. Which if he by that Term mean the King and Parliament; I query, Is he so fond to think, they will disannul a Law of so good a tendency to humour his Spleen? But if by the Civil Authority, he means the Magistrates Consti­tuted by the King for the due Administration of the Laws; can he imagine that they will, to please him, give Direction or Encouragement for the Breach of an Established Act of Parliament, and thereby lay themselves open to the Lash of the Law, who are appointed for, and set in place to see to the due Execution of the Law? What a Child doth this Man make of himself, by talking after so foolish a manner?

VIII. His high Opinion of himself, in setting up for Directer both of Church and State, in Methods to be used for the Preservation of the True Protestant Religion.

G. K. ‘Surely such a Practice as this, as it is no ways inconsistent with the Civil Peace, and Li­berty of Conscience granted to Dissenting Prote­stants— would be more Effectual to preserve the True Protestant Religion in these Three Nations, than all the severe ways in former Times used against them, of Fines, Imprisonments, &c.’

This shews him very Opinionative of himself, and (as I have already observed) is directly Con­tradictory to the Liberty given, as any Rational [Page 18] Man, whose Eyes are not blinded by Prejudice, (as are G. K's) may easily see, let him say what he will. But as Conceited as he is of his own Abi­lities, our Wise Senate exceed him I hope; and as they by Experience had found that Fines and Imprisonments were no proper Methods for the Preservation of the True Protestant Religion, so have dissented from him in their Judgments about Disturbing of Meetings by publick Opposition, else why did they impose the aforementioned Pe­nalty upon the Disturbers of them? For I believe Experience hath already in part, and will daily still more and more demonstrate, that it is not only a more effectual Means for Preserving the True Pro­testant Religion in these Three Nations, but also for Uniting the Hearts of the King's Subjects in Love and Peace, than any other rougher Methods. But in the mean time, what a Presumptuous Man is this, thus to oppose his own single Fancy, to the Mature Judgment of the whole Body of our Le­gislators, as well as Idle in proposing the setting Protestants together by the Ears, and Baiting one another in their publick Meetings, yea, and there­in to be encouraged by the Civil Authority, as an effectual way to preserve the True Protestant Reli­gien? The likeliest way (one would think) to make many turn either Papists or Atheists: And as such, I cannot but take notice of it, and truly I think 'tis worthy of yours also.

IX. His Malice against our Books.

G. K. ‘And though it is far from me to desire the least Sufferings to come on these Mens Per­sons [Page 19] or Estates, yet if such a Zeal were raised in them bearing Authority in this Nation, to give Order, that all such Books of them called Qua­kers, as can readily be found (as great store of such there are) that contain such vile and abo­minable Errours, to the Dishonour of the wor­thy Name of Christ, and the Christian Religion, and the great danger of many Souls, be diligent­ly searched and examined by the most Pious and Judicious Persons in the Nation, and after due search and examination, be found guilty; that by publick Authority all such Books may be suppressed and witnessed against.’

We are not at all beholden to G. K. for his fa­vourable pretences, of not desiring to bring Suf­ferings on our Persons or Estates, for both he and we know 'tis a thing beyond his Power, and there­fore 'tis prudence not to shew his Teeth unless he could bite: But were it in his power, I should be loth to trust him, for all what he says above, since he who hath so great a Spleen against our Books, cannot be supposed to have an over-great tender­ness for our Persons and Estates. The Papists be­ginning with Wickliff's Books, proceeded at length to Burn his Bones, though Forty Years after.

Besides, if he would have Authority believe our Books are Blasphemous and Heretical, as he repre­sents them, he is either grosly insincere in pretend­ing it is far from him to desire the least Sufferings to come upon our Persons or Estates, or else very igno­rant of the Law in such Cases, which deeply af­fects both Persons and Estates, by Imprisonments, Fines and Pillory, besides the Common Hangman's Execution of the Books: Which is much like as [Page 20] if he should Charge us before Authority with be­ing Thieves, Robbers, or Traytors, and yet at the same time fawningly tell us the same Story al­ready mentioned, viz. It is far from me to desire the least Sufferings to come on these Mens Persons or Estates, though the natural Consequence thereof, if judicially proved, would be an incurring the Penalties of both Life and Estate. Surely he would not be so dealt with for any of his former Books, which the Learned of the Church of Eng­land and Dissenters too, may deem as obnoxious as any of ours, and have never yet been retracted by him.

But perhaps one reason why he is so earnest to have our Books suppressed, may be, because then those wrote against him would be effectually an­swered, and save him that pains, besides an Expe­ctation of never hearing any more from us in Print, which hath been already so much to his Mortification: Supposing ('tis like) that if our Books be suppressed, we shall likewise be hindred from publishing any more, and then he may Scrib­ble without Controul, as he did in Pennsilvania.

Now to you who are the most Pious and Judici­ous Persons, on whom G. K. would impose this Task, I say with him, search and examine our Books with a good will, for to that end they were published: We conceal them not, they are expo­sed to open sale. We fear not such as you read­ing them, for we know you can never put on G. K's Spectacles, while you remain Pious and Judi­cious, and therefore from you we mistrust not any Damage likely to accrue to us, or our Books, by the perusal of them: Nor do we fear the partial [Page 21] and inconsiderate; for if they should shake Hands with G. K. wrest and pervert as much as Partia­lity and blind Zeal can instigate them to, yet that God whom we serve is able, and I question not but will raise up some in true Zeal to detect their Abuses. Yet let them withal consider, such kind of Work hath been done long since, with small Credit to the Persons concerned therein, or Da­mage either to the Persons misrepresented, but much Benefit to our Profession, in having thereby an opportunity put into our Hands, of vindica­ting our Holy Religion from the unworthy Re­flections cast upon it. Therefore as I am satisfied no Pious or Judicious Persons will concern them­selves, in taking part with this Contentious Man, so I shall not endeavour to disswade others; if they like their Captain, let them obey his Word of Command. But since he proposes to have this done by Order from Authority, I would wish all Protestants to weigh well the tendency of such a President, by considering how far such a Project might have reached in the last Reign (had it been as industriously instilled into them, and they stood long enough to have been strong enough) towards the suppressing of all Protestant Books.

X. The Case between our Books, and his Pennsilvania Books, as stated by him, far different.

G. K. ‘I may freely say these Men would have no just Cause to complain, that their Books should be so dealt with, for they have done the like to Books that have opposed their gross Er­rors, witness a parcel of Books writ (by me) [Page 22] some Four Years ago, that came to London from Pennsilvania, opposing the gross Errours of some called Quakers in that Province, which were de­signed to have been sold in single Books, and dis­persed through City and Countrey for a general Service: But the Quakers here at London gave Large Money to the Man that had them, that they might get them all into their Hands, on pur­pose to suppress them—’

And good reason too, for though he had began a difference in Pennsilvania, we were in Peace and Unity here, and he at that time pretended to be in Unity with us, and that his whole Quarrel lay a­gainst those beyond Sea. Therefore lest his quar­relsome Books should infect some with the same Spirit of Discord here, as his quarrelsome Dis­courses and Behaviour had infected some there, I think it was but common Prudence, to hide the Bone of Contention, which he lad prepared to throw in amongst us. And as a Community or So­ciety of People amongst whom he then pretended a Membership, I think we had Right and Title to such an Authority over his said Books, since they were published without the Approbation of those with whom we had Fellowship, with an apparent Deugn to leven a Faction for himself, against the time when he should think fit to Commence Sect­master of a New Society. Whereas we neither in our Do [...]trinal nor Controversial Books, ever pre­tended to be of the same Church with those whose Principles we opposed, thereby to raise Intestine Divisions amongst them, but openly declared our selves Antagonists, and thereby whatever of their Church Members we by our Arguments could [Page 23] prevail with to Embrace our Principles, were brought over to us by a fair plain-dealing Me­thod. Therefore they had not the like pretence of Authority over our Books, as we had over those of his. Besides his Books were fairly bought and paid for, and by what I perceive by his own Concession, a great deal more given for them, than they were really worth, for I conceive the best use they deserve to be put to, is to supply the Tobacconists and Pastry-Cooks Shops (not to say the Bog-houses) with waste Paper. But now he hath actually set up his Standard against us, is turned our open Adversary, and as such disowned by us, let him Print what he please, he need not fear be­ing served so now, for we know better how to employ our Money, than to Buy up whole Impres­sions of his Contentious Books, he being likely to do us less Mischief now he is a declared Enemy, though he should Scribble ten times as much as he does, than he was while a pretended Friend. Yet if he can perswade the Civil Magistrates, or you either, to Buy up our Books (as he alledges we served him by his) let it be done and welcome, and I question not but the Printers will say Wel­come too, but there is not a word of Buying ours in his Proposal, no, he seems to be for a general Sei­zure of them, as if they were Prohibited Goods, by reason of the pretended false Doctrines in them, therefore his Comparison will not hold be­tween our Buying his, and his proposed Seizure of ours. Neither doth be consider surely, that his former Books wrote while amongst us, and in Unity with us, come under the same Predicament with ours, if his Project takes; for if ever ours [Page 24] contained vile Errours and Heresies, so likewise, and much more, have those of his, notwithstand­ing his 33 Years Constancy in the True Faith he pretends to.

Thus have I endeavoured to blow away the Smoke, which this angry Man hath raised to blind your Eyes, who methinks cannot but see 'tis En­mity and not Piety that sets him to Work, him­self having taken Pains to Decipher it in very le­gible Characters, easily distinguishable by such as he applies himself to, viz. Men of Learning, Judgment and Piety: As well as that it is not his deference to you, that makes him fawn upon you now, whom he once gave a far different Chara­cter of, but the low Ebb his bad Cause has brought him to, which makes him crave your help at a dead lift. And so with you I shall leave it, to your perusal and consideration I submit it, hoping you will not account it Presumption in me, who am but a young Man, of mean Parts and meaner Learning, to direct my unpolished Lines to so ma­ny eminently Learned and of great Parts: But ra­ther that ye will Attribute it to the Zeal I bear to the Profession I am under, in which I was edu­cated, and what is more, to which my Judgment and Conscience lead me to adhere, as being per­swaded it comes nearer up to Primitive Christiani­ty, than any other, and which G. K. (after so many Years continuing in it, and so many Books writ in Defence of it) hath notoriously traduced and slandered.