The serviceable man. A discourse made unto the General Court of the Massachusetts colony,…

While these Enemies are seeking to involve our Civil Concerns in Confusion, there are Sectaries and Seducers that are using their Battering Rams upon our Sacred Ones. And among those, the Quakers are certainly the most Malicious, as well as the most Pernicious Enemies. They were once in a ready way to have broken up all the Good Order whether Civil or Sacred, in the Infancy of this Plantation; which occasioned the Authority whom they would have undermined, then to turn a Sharp upon them, by Laws not so severe as those in the Realm of England against (their Fathers) the Jesuits, on the same Account: yet those Troublesome Heretics, who had no ⟨p. 35⟩Business here at all, but the overthrowing of our whole Government, would push themselves on the Swords point; and tho' Repeated Banishments with merciful Entreaties to be gone, were first used unto them, nevertheless, two or three of them would rather Die, than leave the Plantation undisturbed. It is possible a Bedlam had been fitter for those Frantic people, than what was inflicted on them; and for my own part, I must profess with regard unto such Heretics, Ad Judicium sanguinis Tardus sum; nor have I the least inclinations to Hereticide as a fit way to suppress their Errors; yea, since the Government has been too safe, and strong, for those Foxes to throw down our wall; we have now for many years indulged them an Entire Liberty of Conscience, nor is there (nor do I bespeak) the ••ast prospect or intent of giving them interruption in it; but still by Writing, Railing, and the Arts peculiar to themselves, they are Labouring to Unchurch all the Lords people here; they would fain have us give up our whole Christianity, for their New Digested and scarce Refined Paganism, and have prevailed with some obscure and Remote Nooks of the Country, so to do. Especially every Shepherd is an Abomination to those Egyptians: ⟨p. 36⟩and one of some Figure among them, an Ignorant and Malignant Apostate, who has this Mark of the Unpardonable Sin upon him, that he calls those Prayers of ours, with which the Holy Spirit of God, has helped us to vanquish the very Devils themselves […] so many Conjurings, and Charms, & Spells; this man has vomited more venomous Pamphlets against these Churches, and all the Ordinances therein observed, than any that have gone before him;

While these Enemies are seeking to involve our Civil Concerns in Confusion, there are Sectaries and Seducers that are using their Batt'ring Rams upon our Sacred Ones. And among those, the Quakers are certainly the most Malicious, as well as the most Pernicious Enemies. They were once in a ready way to have broken up all the Good Order whether Civil or Sacred, in the Infancy of this Plantation; which occasioned the Authorlty whom they would have undermined, then to turn a Sharp upon them, by Laws not so severe as those in the Realm of England against (their Fathers) the Jesuites, on the same Account: yet those Troublesome Hereticks, who had no