George Fox Digged Out of His Burrows, Account of dispute 1 · Floating text – Letter 1
TO G. Fox or any other of my Countrey-men at New-Port who say they are the Apostles and Messengers of Christ Jesus, My Offer of Disp. on 14 Propositions.In humble Confidence of the help of the Most High, I offer to maintain in Publick, against all Comers, these 14 Propositions following, to wit, the first seven at New-Port, and the other seven at Providence: For the time When, I refer it to G. Fox and his Friends at New-port.
Only I desire
1 To have three dayes Notice, before the day you fix on.
2 That without Interruption (or many speaking at once) the Conference may continue from Nine in the morning till [3] about four in the afternoon. and
3 That if either of the seven Propositions be not finished in one day, the Conference may continue and goe on some few hours the next day.
4 That either of us Disputing shall have free uninterrupted liberty to speak (in Answers and Replyes) as much and as long as wee please, and then give the Opposite the same Liberty.
That the whole may be managed with that Ingenuity and Humanity, as such an Exercise, by such Persons in such Conditions, at such a Time, ought to be managed and performed, the Propositions are these that follow.
First That the People called Quakers are not true Quakers according to the holy Scriptures.
2 That the Christ they profess is not the True Lord Jesus Christ.
3 That the Spirit by which they are acted is not the Spirit os God.
4 That they doe not own the holy Scriptures.
5 Their Principles and Professions, are full of Contradictions and Hypocrisies.
6 That their Religion is not only an Heresy in the matters of Worship, but also in the Doctrines of Repentance Faith. &c
7 Their Religion is but a confused mixture of Popery, Armineanisme, Socineanisme, Judaisme &c.
8 The People called Quakers (in effect) hold no God, no Christ, no Spirit, no Angel, no Devil, no Resurrection, no Judgment, no Heaven, no Hell, but what is in man.
9 All that their Religion requires (externall and internall) to make Converts and Proselites, amounts to no more than what a Reprobate may easily attain unto, and perform.
10 That the Popes of Rome doe not swell with, and exercise a greater Pride, then the Quakers Spirit hath exprest, and doth aspire unto, although many truly humble Soules may be captivated amongst them, as may be in other Religions.
11 The Quakers Religion is more obstructive, and destructive to the Conversion and Salvation of the Souls of People, then most of the Religions this day extant in the world.
12 The Sufferings of the Quakers are no true evidence of the Truth of their Religion.
13 That their many Books and writings are extremely Poor, Lame, Naked, and sweld up only with high Titles and words of Boasting and Vapour.
[4] 14. That the Spirit of their Religion tends mainly,
1 To reduce Persons from Civility to Barbarisme.
3 To an Arbetratry Goverment, and the Dictates and Decrees of that sudden Spirit that acts them,
3 To a sudden cutting off of People, yea of Kings and Princes opposing them.
4 To as fiery Persecutions for matters of Religion and Conscience, as hath been or can be practised by any Hunters or Persecutors in the world.
Under these forementioned Heads (if the Spirit of the Quakers dare civilly to Argue) will be opened many of the Popish, Protestant, Jewish and Quakers Positions, which cannot here be mentioned, in the Dispute (if God please) they must be alleadged, and the Examination left to every persons Conscience, as they will answer to God, (at their own Perills) in the great day approaching.
Roger Williams.
THis Paper above-said I sent inclosed in a Letter to my kind friend Capt. Cranston Deputy Governour of the Colony, that being such a publick person, he might timely be informed of such a publick Assembly, and as also might vouchsafe (as afterwards he carefully did) to afford his Countenance and Assistance to such Peaceable and Pious Exercises. But before the Boat went down with the Letter aforesaid from Providence to Newport, I sent a Copy of my Positions to a Neighbour I T. whom I heard was inclining to them.The sirst usage to the Author & his Proposals. He takes a Copy of them and reads them in their Meeting, before Iohn Crosman Master of the Boat (one of them also) who presently the same hour, called me Blind Sot in the open Street, upbraiding me, how I durst send my 14 Lyes to such a man as G. Fox (one of them called him) the eternall Son of God; so that before my Letter went to Newport (which Crosman carried) by Letters, & Crosman his and other Relations,The deceit fulness of Fox & Foxians. all was known, even long before my Letters were opened, or delivered to the Deputy Governour: For in the Iunto of the Foxians at Newport it was concluded for Infallible Reasons, that His Holiness G. Fox should withdraw, seeing there was such a Knot of the Apostles of Christ Jesus now at Newport together, (especially Iohn Stubs, a man knowing the Greek and Hebrew) Therefore that it might appear that such a Nehemiah as he would not fly, it was [5] agreed that my Letters should not be delivered to the Deputy Governour, untill G. Fox was gone; so that it might be truly said, that he never saw the Paper which I sent unto him. I had a touch of this Leger de main trick in our Dispute at Newport, one of the subtil Tricks of this subtil Fox viz. to steal handsomly from the Dispute & yet not to seem at all to run for it.and the Deputy Governour did publickly testifie that my Letters to him were dated the 13 of Iuly (which he said he wondered at) but were not brought to him untill the 26th of the said MonethMonth, and untill G. Fox was some hours departed. Iohn Burniat profest that that he knew nothing of the detaining of the Letters, only he knew that G. Fox never saw my Paper. G. F. supposed I would be forced to be as plain in my Proofs as I was in my Positions. He knew that I was furnished with Artillery out of his own Writings. He saw what Consequences would roll down the mountaines upon him from his proud and Insolent, yet poor and bald Writings; and how far some of his present practices were fallen out with his Writings, and therefore this old Fox thought it best to run for it, and leave the work to his Iourney-men and Chaplains to perform in his absence for him.
Before I come to Transactions between those three left behind him [Iohn Stubs, Iohn Burnet, William Edmundson, and my self] I think fit to tell the Reader what a preparatory Conflict the most holy and only Wise Lord, A great private Conflict before my publick.was pleased to exercise me with, before I came to the Publick.
My former antient Neighbour and friend I. T. being bit by such infectious Teeth himself, fell on me, as a man would fall upon a Toad or Serpent, and sent me this following Letter, notwithstanding he was but newly bitten by them; and for forty yeares pretended no small love and respect to God and me.
He first gave fire upon me in this following Letter.
Providence. 18. 5. 72.
Roger Williams
THy Scurrilous Paper in thy Propositions to G. Fox. I T. his Letter to me upon the sight of my Propositions to G. Fox.and others (who in scorn are called Quakers) I advise thee to refrain any further publishing thereof, and as it is written keep thee far from an evill matter, thy paper being full fraught with impudent Lyes and Slanders, with high flown airy imaginations, which if thou shouldst live the dayes of Methuselah, thou couldst not perform. In Love to thy Person and Name, [6] which ought to be precious, I advise thee not upon a sudden motion (as thou termest us to act by) but from the spirit of Truth and tender love unto thy soul, which Spirit by thy writing appears thou art a stranger to. Consider thy latter end, least with Cardinal Mazarin, A Note of Card Mazarinthou cry out in a dying hour Oh my poor Soul, what will become of thee? whither art thou a going? And said if he should longer have lived, he would leave the Court, and be a Capuchin. Time is precious, Repent, Repent, and mind the manifestation of the Spirit, which is given to every one to profit withall., and knocks at the door of thy Heart, for entrance, which being rejected will be thy Condemation. If thou rejectest this my faithfull witness for the Lord, I then say with John in the Revelation, let him that is filthy be be filthy still, and so remaines.
thy friend and Neighbour I. T.
Having read this Letter, and knowing this my Neighbour of late to have declined much from his former profession of Godli, ness, and many wayes by his Loosness had grieved my Soul, I wondered not much at his Lines, (though now much unexpected of him) as knowing the Quakers spirit, to be a ready Ditch or Gulfe, that readily sucks and draws into it Soules afrighted easily to skin over their Sores; Proud and Self-conceited ones, who gladly close with the Spirit of,Fuel for the Quakers Fire of Hell. and Children of Pride, and Loose fading Professors, of which sort the Quakers Meetings do much consist, as not being able to walk close with God, not daring to turn wholy Profane, or Atheists, and so daube up the breach with untempered Morter (the wild and foolish notions of the Devils Whisperings, under the cloak of the immediate Inspirations of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit) Many thoughts I had to pass by his Affronts, and Insultations: But considering that it was not my Name (not worth the while) but the most High, Eternall Majesty; and his most holy Spirit thus fouly pierced and debased, I return'd this Answer following.