Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

An Answer to the Pamphlet Entitled "The Conduct of the Paxton Men" - 18

tions to cite whereby he might be able to vilifie that good Man, but this Sentence is to condemn the Quakers; whereas, a little before he justifies them, where he says, it can be proved that those People have taken up Arms, and fought well too. However, this I am sure that he hath prodigiously short of his proof; for there is not once Circumstance produced by him, that no one of them took up Arms and fought for neither King or Parliament; p. 9,11. That userpation Friend has such an Interst, that by the Act of Parliament, bearing date June 28 1659, for setting the Militia? The Quakers were made Commissioners to form Troops, and Regiments, to buy Horses, &c. This Paragraph contains both Nonsense and Contradiction; but Friends will deny all these Things, (observe) and if you turn over to the very Expressions, they will sneere at your Ignorance; for taking them in a literal Sense, and tell you with a very grave Phyz, that they are all to be taken spiritually. What strange Logick is this? in the first Place, the deny that Charge, and in the second Place, and at the same Instant allows that Charge; and in the third Place he confirms it, when he sayeth they tell you that the Battle with the Pirates, the Petition to Cromwel, the choping off Charles Stuarts Head, the forming of Regiments, and the buying of Horses, are all to be taken spiritually. Now I shall answer agreeable to, and in his own words; i.e. If any Man has a mind to be imposed upon by such Quibbles, I have no objection: Let him believe that no more is mentioned here, that Malice in disguise, Hypocrisy under a Cloak, Venum as from under the

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