The Quakers cleared from being apostates, ok [sic], The hammerer defeated and proved an impostor being an answer to a scurrilous pamphlet falsly intituled William Penn and the Quakers either apostates or impostors, subscribed Trepidantium Malleus : with a postscript containing some reflections on a pamphlet intituled The spirit of Quakerism and the danger of their divine revelation, laid open / by B.C. Coole, Benjamin, d. 1717. 1696 Approx. 134 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 49 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A34436 Wing C6047 ESTC R29716 11196429 ocm 11196429 46683 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . 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Winder, Henry. -- Spirit of Quakerism and the danger of their divine revelation. Society of Friends -- Controversial literature. 2006-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-12 John Pas Sampled and proofread 2007-12 John Pas Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE QUAKERS Cleared from being APOSTATES : OK THE Hammerer Defeated , And Proved an Impostor . Being an ANSWER to a Scurrilous Pamphlet , Falsly Intituled , William Penn and the Quakers either Apostates or Impostors ; Subscribed Trepidantium Malleus . With a POSTSCRIPT , Containing some Reflections on a Pamphlet , Intituled , The Spirit of Quakerism , and the Danger of their Divine Revelation , laid open . By B. C. LONDON : Printed and Sold by T. Sowle , in White-Hart-Court in Gracious Street . 1696. TO THE READER . Reader , IF thou art moderate , Reading may do thee good , and inform thy Vnderstanding ; and if thou wilt be just , thou oughtest to Read our Defence as well as Charge , and seriously consider both : But if thou art rigid , perhaps thou may'st do with Replies or Answers to thy Champion's Attempts , as Goliah did by David , Curse it , and Despise it , but never give it an Impartial Perusal ; the Common way our Adversaries have taken with our Answers . The Design of this Preface , is chiefly to let the Reader know what sort of Adversary I have to deal with ; a Person , that is said , by them that know him , to have been Mad through Pride and Conceitedness , for which he hath been under the Doctors Hands : So deeply had Love-Melancholly seized him before his Marriage , that as he said himself , 'T was impossible for him to look upon a Woman , but he must of necessity Lust to be Naught with her ; but how it is with him since , I will not determine . He was one while for exercising the Office of a Curate , in the Parish of Bursletown near Bristol ; but smelling so strong of Presbytery , he could not hold it there long : So that his Residence has been mostly among the Presbyterians since , and how he hath Improved his Gift of Preaching among them , they can tell better than I : But his Demands for Preaching have been so high ( as I am inform'd ) as to make some of them uneasie under him . The Account I have had of his Conversation in general , is such , that I dare say no moderate Presbyterian ( as some such I know there are ) desires to hear more of it . That he has a little Learning , he need not be told of it , for no Ape can be prouder of a Top-knot , than he is of it . A little Rambling Wit he also has , but that , with a Spirit of Pride , has undone him , since it has eat out all Charity , and fill'd up the vacancy with Prejudice and Envy , even to such a degree that is not common . An instance of this thou hast in his Book , Page 71. where he saith thus , Did they ( the Quakers ) know by the Spirit of Discerning all the Priests and Jesuites that came among them , whom they almost Adored ? — . insinuating , That there were amongst the Quakers , both Priests and Jesuites ; which is as false and sly an Insinuation , as if it came directly out of Scotland from the Reformers there , or with the last Ship from Boston . But he goes on , Bedloe told my Brother how often Whitebread and he , as well as other Papists , had been at Quakers Meetings ; that Whitebread Executed was a Speaker . Behold this Impostor in his Colours ! Who that reads this , and knew neither him that saith it , nor the Quakers , but would believe that Whitebread the Papist , Executed for the Popish Plot in Charles the Second's Reign , was a Quaker , and a Preacher among them , which is so great a Lie , that it 's not possible for him to out-do it . But if you ask him , Whether he meant so ? And Charge it upon him , he may have a way ( according to the Cameronian Cant ) to creep out , by saying , I said , that he and other Papists did go to the Quakers Meetings ( which perhaps may be true enough , as well as many Presbyterians ) and that he was a Speaker is true , for so he was , unl●ss Dumb ; but he did not say , that he was a Preacher amongst the Quakers . I must confess when I saw that passage , I thought him too great an Impostor to be Honoured with a Confutation , ( to use his own words ) and had it not been for that his Books is handed about , and sold , and extoll'd by many of that Fraternity in the City of Bristol , I should have left him to Triumph in his Imaginary Victory , as G. K. lately did in his ; for such sort of Cattel are as ungovernable in their Passions , when they dote on their own doings , as they are unsupportable , when they see their own Folly , which rarely happens till all the World sees it first . I have not replied to every particular Paragraph of his Book , since 't is a considerable part of it Tautological as well as Comical , not fit for a Sober Man to take notice of ; and another part is Collections out of the Snake in the Grass , &c. which I have understood is Answering by another Hand , and to that I refer ; using as much brevity as possible . Another part of it is Directions to his own Tribe ; in which , though he has given me just occasion to detect him , for his Vain and Foolish pretences to Divinity ; yet since 't is to them , and not me , I shall take little notice of it , ( let them discover his Foolish Pretences if they please , and detect it too , or else the more will be their shame ) but pass it by in Silence ; nor have I taken notice of all his Allegations against the Quakers , since many of them are both Foolish , False , and Insignificant , and too Apish for any Reply ; but all his Capital Charges I think I have fairly Confuted , and proved him the Impostor , by Clearing the Quakers of his Charge against them . THE QUAKERS Cleared From Being Apostates . &c. AS Madmen are to be known by the places they are committed to for Cure , more than by their Discourse at some times ; since the maddest of Men may have their lucid Intervals , and speak intelligible ; so , had the Author of the Book Intituled , William Penn and the Quakers either Impostors or Apostates , &c. but put his Name to it , there had been little occasion for an Answer , especially in those places where the Author is known . But since he conceals his Name , and instead thereof Subscribes Trepidantium Malleus , and that being such an Herculean Character , as if after this Club , Beetle or Hammer , the Quakers were no more to hold up their Heads , I think my self obliged to Vindicate the Quakers , and their Christian Principles , from the Abuses of this Hammerer , whose Malicious Design seems to be no less than to set the Mob , ( or his Cameronian Brethren ) to tear us ( if it were in his Power ) to pieces . But if any should think , that I am obliged to Answer it Methodically , because an Adversaries Book , I must take the liberty to tell them , that , as it is next to an Impossibility to reduce a Mad-man's Work to method , so it cannot reasonably be expected that I should exactly trace all his wild ranges , or be very Methodical in a Reply to such ; for to attempt it would shew but little Discretion : Yet nevertheless , lest any should object , That a Mad-man may sometimes speak Truth , I shall therefore proceed to examine his Book . To pass by his Humoursome Preface to his Humoursome Brethren , as he calls his Readers , I found a long and tedious Rattle , as full of Noise , Scoffing and Envy , as empty of Truth and common Sence , until I got to page 62. where he expresseth himself thus , Either what I have charged them with , is true or false ; if it be false , let me be accounted the greatest Defamer upon Earth , a Persecutor , or what they please . If it be true , as I call Heaven and Earth to record it is , and can justifie before God and Man , I do say it upon mature Consideration , and with great Composure of Mind , that Penn and the Quakers are Impostors or Apostates . This I took to be the most sensible ( since it was , if you believe him , the result of mature Consideration , and great Composure of Mind , which the rest wanted ) and Rational though Malicious Sentence in all his whole Book , and that led me more seriously to consider , Whether what he had Charged the Quakers with , was or could be proved against them ; since if it could not , he so freely at one Cast Condemned himself for the greatest Defamer upon Earth , a Persecutor , &c. Let us therefore now take a view of his Charges , and see whether they be true or not . Page 6. His first is against Lawrence Steel , for being lifted up with Pride , and falling into the Condemnation of the Devil . A great Charge ! But wherein was his Pride , & c ? The Reason he assigns for it was , his saying , Not that I am perfect , would I were : As if to be sensible of Imperfection , and to wish to be freed from it , were to be lifted up with Pride . But to this I shall say more elsewhere . Page 7. His next is by way of Query , Whether George Bishop of the City of Bristol , a Scholar , was not a most deceitful Writer ? Ans . He was not for any thing that he hath proved against him , but that he himself has cleared him from being so , is most evident , from his acknowledging that G. B. has given a true account out of these Authors , viz. Eusebius , Socrates , &c , and that Jerom , and others , were against taking Oaths , as well as the Quakers ; to prove which , was one of the grand Designs of that Book . And that the Quakers were like them for Suffering , he also grants : But so , says he , were the Protestants in Queen Mary 's Days . Now what is this , but to eclipse , if possible , the Glory of those Martyrs ? But he adds , So were the Papists in Queen Elizabeth 's Days , and the Nonconformists in King Charles the Second's . That the Protestants suffered in Queen Mary's Days , is true ; and that they were Crowned with Martyrdom , is equally true : As also it is , that the Quakers were the Objects of his Brethrens hatred , who when they had the Power in their Hands , exercised so much Cruelty , that it cost many of them their Lives ; as also that they were exposed ( after their Joshua was turned out , and King Charles came in ) to very great and terrible Persecutions , as Imprisonments , &c. But that any of the Nonconformists suffered at that time , was rare ; I will not say none did , but it was very few , for they found the same way for themselves , that the Pope found for the Papists under Queen Elizabeth , which was , that though they did Conform to the Church of England in outward appearance , yet they should keep their Hearts fixed on him , and the Catholick Church , which was the exact practice of our Conforming Nonconformists : Thus Papists , and such Noncons , agree upon one and the same way to dissemble with God Almighty , and to Cheat the World , till the first could furnish themselves with Tools to Blow up the King and Parliament , and the latter to Murder their King ; Remember Rye-house . But that he is so angry with Geo. Bishop , I do not wonder , seeing he has so effectually laid open the Horrid Barbarity and Murther committed by those beloved Brethren in New-England , upon the Persons of many of the People called Quakers . Page 9. He Queries , Whether the Quakers leaving their places of publick Worship , for fear of Confiscation of Goods , Imprisonment , &c. were not either Notorious Impostors or Apostates ? Asserting in their Printed Books , that it was unlawful to leave their publick Worship for any Persecution whatsoever ; adding , page 10. That they lived in the sinful omission of open Duties for many Years . I Answer , Such Books , and the Quakers practice in the late Suffering Times , abundantly proved their Unanimity ; and whoever is Ignorant of it , must have lived farther off than Moorfields * or Box either , unless Infants , Deaf , Dumb , or Idiots : But perhaps he expects that the Quakers , to purge themselves from this Calumny that he has so unreasonably formed against them , should produce a Catalogue of their Sufferings ; but that cannot be done without gratifying him and his Party , by reflecting on the Instruments of that Work , that he may have the Satisfaction to see them upon all Occasions stand Indicted : Against whom , as well as the Quakers , he already hath not omitted to throw some of his envious Darts , but in this he is not like to be gratified , nor is it in any wise needful , seeing their Sufferings are too fresh in the Memories of most staid Persons , to require the Trouble to enumerate them , or any proofs to perswade their Truth : And besides , that to recount but a small proportion of what they underwent for their constant maintaining , and openly owning , in the hottest Rage of Persecution , what they were called to profess , ( far contrary to what he would falsly suggest ) would swell this piece too much beyond its designed Bulk . Or another Reason that might induce him to urge so unjust a Charge against us , might be a desire to alleviate that just one brought against themselves , of being Deserters of their Cause in Times of Danger , by bringing the Quakers ( a People well known to exceed others for stedfastness in such Cases ) upon the level for Cowardice with himself and Brethren , and so render them as fearful , and from thence as guilty as they , whose Principles and avowed Practice has been to shift from Corner to Corner in Woods , remote and obscure Places , or any where , to save their Bacon , supposing themselves not to be called to Suffer , though to Believe ; so that this Charge of omitting open Duties for many Years together , he seems to have aimed at us , but directly hits at the Heads of his own Fraternity , for it touches not the Quakers , notwithstanding his unheard of Impudence in bringing it against them , and that for several Years too , though when and what Years , there 's not one word , nor in what particular place neither , but generally all England over , it seems , which is so very false , that almost every Parish where any Quakers lived , can give him the Lie. And for Bristol , the place he so often with Indignation mentions , it is Notorious , that when the Men and Women that constituted the Meetings , were taken up , and committed to Prison , the very Children , by their constant Attendance at the usual times and place , kept up the Meeting , till they also were sent away with the rest , until the very Floors of the Prison , Tables and Hammocks were so full , that it was scarce possible to croud in any more , unless they should stow them one upon another : At which time there was scarce a Presbyterian to be found , that had Religion enough to think it worth Suffering for : Nay , so far were they from it , that they were frighted out of the very Profession , into a Conformity to that , which they esteemed little better , some time before , than Idolatry ; and in that Converted State they continued till K. James his Toleration awakened them ; for which Favour , by their Addresses to him , they Mortgaged their Lives and Fortunes . Nay , so stedfast were the Quakers to what they profest , that when by the great Heat and Fury that possest some Men , ( who since , I hope , have seen the Evil of such violent practices ) there were Distresses of great Value made on them , and had their Meeting-house rifled and shut up against them , they continued their usual gathering at the Door , and from thence were haled away to Prison , till Bridewell , as well as Newgate , was fill'd with them , and yet even then they desisted not from their accustomed Service for the Worship of God , though by the violence of the Keepers , they often suffered great Abuses for it . Let him therefore prove that , instead of omitting publick Duties for many Years together , there was Omission in any part of England , when their Persons were at liberty from Prison to meet ; and till he does this , he must stand Charged as an Impostor himself , and by his own free Election assumes the Titles of the Greatest Defamer upon Earth , a Persecutor . or what we please . But if he should find two or three , or a few Particular Persons , prof●ssing themselves Quakers , did act such a part of Christian Policy , as his Brethren did both practise and advise to , they therein declined from their Principles , and from the Quakers general Practice : But this neither affects the Quakers in general , nor their Principles at all ; but thanks be to God , there is no one thing they could have more belied us in : For as the Lord by his Grace called us to believe , so also were we enabled to suffer for his Name and the Gospels sake , and of our Faithfulness herein , we have ( by the Goodness of God who hath helped us ) given sufficient demonstration . But the Devil commonly destroys his own Work at last , by some Folly or Lies , he plunges his Vassals into , as is evident in the envious but false Information , this Man gives of Lawrence Steel's deserting the Publick Worship of God , after his Releasment from Prison , which though true in a Sense , yet is notoriously false and wicked in him , for this reason , viz. That though he never frequented Meetings after ; yet it was not either through Fear or Policy , but only because of his great Indisposition and Inability of Body ( through a Complication of Diseases ) that attended him some time before his Releasment out of Prison , and afterwards continued and encreased upon him to the terminating of his Days : So that it was not want of Will , but Ability of Body , that kept him from it . And as for E. S. who he saith , With one more , were the only Persons that held out , is as false as the former , E. S. not being resident in Bristol ( but was several Miles from it ) nor in any wise belonging to it , but rather a Stranger in that respect . And that none but she and D. D. kept to the Principles of the Quakers , is as true as his alledging , that on private Conference with R. V. concerning the deviation of the Quakers from their Principles , R. V. should tell him , That they had now changed their Minds , which R. V. solemnly declares is a great Lie ; for as he had no reason to say so , neither doth he remember he had Discourse with him on that Subject . But if any were so weak and feeble , as not to be able to stand Suffering for the Faith of Christ , it may be partly owing to the Intimacy they had with Neighbours of his Perswasion , whose wheedles went a great way with too many : For when the Fury of the Persecutors was vented upon the Quakers , ( the others being fled ) it was common with them to come creeping , Ah Neighbours , the Lord comfort you , and keep you ; we pray for you that you may stand , but we are not able , we hope we shall all be brought nearer together by these Storms ; we have all but one Head , our Ministers have left us , &c. Thus in Times of Suffering there was great shew of Love and Friendship , as likewise upon Occasion of Elections for Parliaments , for then they use to alledge , we have but one Interest , and therefore ought to join together against the common En●my : But when there is no turn to serve , nor fear of Persecution , but the Sun of Toleration ●hines out , all those creeping Insects that lay lurking in Woods and hollow Trees , got Wings , and became Hornets , if not flying Scorpions , to the Annoyance of such that live near them . Thus was the Land of Vprightness , ( New England as C. M. called it ) Infected with those Vermin , till from Whipping , and cutting off of Ears , they came to Hanging , and yet they are the Lord 's Dear and Precious Ones of the Election of Grace forsooth . But to proceed , page 12. he tells us a Story of Lawrence Steel , that for refusing to Swear , he was committed to Prison , and after that never went to Meeting more ; and why pray ? But because he Died. Is not that a great Argument of his and the Quakers Apostacy ? R. V. he says , did the like ; what like ? Never went more till his Death , or never since , else it could not be like Lawrence Steel ; but that this is notoriously false , is evident , R. V. being still Alive , and since that time hath been at 500 Meetings at least , and frequented them at that time , and suffered Imprisonment for it , being even then under a Persecution on the Statute of the 35th of Queen Elizabeth , for not coming to Church ; and being by Habeas Corpus , and Writ of Error , removed from Newgate in Bristol to London , at the King's Bench-Bar , he was legally Discharged , but three Days after his return Home , his Father dying , and by his Will , the place ( where he Deceased , at Chew in Somersetshire ) falling to R. V. he has ever since had his Residence there , where it is well known , he has no more deserted his Duty in frequenting Meetings , than he did while he lived at Bristol . But all the rest , he says , did the like , except E. S. and D. D. and that they wrote a Book , Damning in the Name of the Lord the rest of the Quakers , for leaving their Testimonies . That this is false in Fact , the Book it self will manifest , to which I refer . But all the rest , save these two , declined meeting , from the time that Lawrence Steel was put out of Prison . If this be true , then the Beetle has not belied them ; but that he has , almost every intelligent Person in the City of Bristol at that time knows , and can give him the Lie : This is the Man that says , If what I have Charged them with be not true , let me be accounted the greatest Defamer upon Earth , &c. which according to his own Imprecation , he has drawn upon his Head. Page 13. He insinuates as if G. W. and W. P. were as guilty of flying in Time of Persecution , as the Presbyterians ; and how they would set some to watch the Informers , that so they might warily get a private Meeting : But this being all of the same stamp with the rest , I return it upon him for a Notorious Scandal , as helping with the rest more deeply to affix his former Titles , Defamer , &c. His alledging the Quakers left Ministers because of their Learning , and yet followed Penn because of his , shews his Ignorance , as well as Baseness , being false in every part of it : For the Quakers never left any Ministers for their Learning , but because they were Unlearned , viz. in the School of Christ : Nor did the Quakers follow W. P. or any else , for their Humane Learning , but have Reason to esteem them for their Integrity and Sincerity both towards God and Man. And as to his saying , that a Friend of his told him that Mead should say , That Penn 's Party were all Factors for Popery , and that he would spend his Blood in the Service of the King. I take this to be like the rest of his Stories ; for in Matters of Fact , he generally takes Care , if he mentions any Author , to mention such as are Dead , or else not Name them , and so are uncapable of detecting his Lies . But he has , I perceive , a great deal of Charity for William Mead , as well as Loyalty for the King ; but I wish the latter a better Subject , as I do the first a better Voucher . By the way , let him know , That as we have no Sect-makers amongst us , so we are not for making of Parties , either for one or the other . Page 15 , and 16. He makes himself very Merry , about William Penn's being little of a Scholar , as Somebody told him ; but yet allows him to have some Learning , Barclay more , and Fisher most of all ; and then adds , And that makes my Question deserve an Answer . But as he , ( though by Malicious Reflections ) seems inclinable enough to assign that as no Reason for our following W. P. so we can easily clear our selves from adhering to either R. Barclay , or S. Fisher , or any other , upon the account of any Acquired Learning ; though when those Additional Helps of Knowledge are sanctified , we never reject them ; but till then , in Religion , we always accounted it useless and vain . His Charge , Page 18. Of the Quakers bowing to Man in their common Practice , after they have so often decried it , is altogether unjust ; for though there may be some professing themselves Quakers , that Humour this Practice too much : Yet as it is neither allow'd of at all , nor practiced in general , 't is unfair in him to bring it against the whole People , seeing those whose Natural and Youthful Vanity incline them too much to imitate those idle Customs , pass not unreprov'd for it , if under our Profession , and known . But his pretending that the Quakers say , Scripture Examples have undone the World , is a most Abominable Slander , and as such I return it upon him . He asks , Page 19. Whether it were not unheard-of Dissimulation , to tell O. C. Thus saith the Lord , I have put the Sword into thy Hand to destroy Idolaters , the Stewarts and Malignants ; and after all to tell King Charles the Second , that all this was Rebellion , and that they gave their Testimony against the Murther of his Father . I observe this is but one of his Questions ; and until he is positive that the Quakers did so say , I think not fit to gratifie him with an Answer ; nor then neither , unless he brings better proof , than either his empty say-so , or borrowed Reflections from the Snake in the Grass ; since it refers to Crisp and Bugg , &c. all which have been Answered , and sufficiently Confuted many times over ; but bray a Fool in a Mortar , he will be never the wiser ; nor will those Apostates study to be quiet , notwithstanding their Folly has so often been Exposed and Corrected , and their Lies and Forgeries returned upon them ; but these are the Tools for our Beetle , and the Snake in the Grass . Yet I must allow the preference where it is due , and therefore fix it upon the Author of the Snake in the Grass , for more Wit ( I will not say more Honesty ) than to avouch as this Hammerer does , p. 62. all he saith against the Quakers , with such an Imprecation ; for as he without doubt knew it to be a Bundle of Lies , &c. so for his Diversion he thought he might make bold to sport himself with the Quakers , as other Comical Blades use to do . But , if it be his hard Fate too , to have his Zipporah , which by Anonymus's telling is too common to Men of his Coat , I am induced to believe he might have another design in it , viz. to get some supplies for his Pocket unknown to her , and out of her reach , to make Merry with among his Companions . Page 21. He tells a Story of a Quaker in Cullompton , that Prophesied from the Lord , that all the Women with Child this Year should Die in Child-birth . Now why this should be a Quaker any more than a Presbyterian , I cannot imagine , unless it was for want of a Black Coat , and little Band ; for the same Creature in his Ramble , was taken up at Bristol , and Examined before the Magistrates , and amongst other things , demanded , Whether he pretended himself a Quaker , or not ? To which he replied negatively , adding , That the Quakers were the worst Enemies he had ; or to that effect . In the same page he says , These Men condemned Humane Literature , and assert Inspiration . Answ . The last is true , but the first is false , for we condemn it not , when rightly used ; but the abuse of it in Matters of Religion , when by that alone the Scriptures must be Expounded , and esteem it absolutely necessary , the Christian Faith must be understood thereby . What he affirms of the Quakers saying , That if a Man speak through a Cane , it is not the Voice of the Cane , though it pass thro●●h it , but the Voice of the Man ; so it is not the Voice of the Quaker , but the Voice of the Spirit , is upon the same Authority with the rest of his Idle Stories , and therefore deserves the less notice . Yet to detect him in his Folly and Falshood , and the better to instruct others , I shall briefly express our Sence therein , which is , That in both Prayer and Thanksgiving , as well as Preaching , they are partly Passive , and partly Active : Passive , in that they submit to the Divine Power and Spirit of God , to impress upon their Spirits a grateful Sense of the Favours received , for which their Hearts are filled with Thankfulness : And Active , in expressing such Thoughts as the Spirit shall suggest to their Understanding , as suitable to the present occasion . Thus for Thanksgiving , and for Prayer , it is the same thing ; for since it is the Spirit that quickens , how can a Man pray with a true Sence without it ? For till that quickens him to it , his Prayer is dead , dry , and formal , which God will not hear ; since 't is his own , and not another Spirit , he will hear . And in Preaching the Gospel , it is the Spirit that opens the Understanding , and makes it fruitful in the Knowledge of God , and incites Men , so qualified , to impress the same Image on others , which cannot be without being Active as well as Passive . A●●●r his Story of the Woman 22 Years since , that pretended to Fast Forty Days , and Forty Nights , with the other , that pretended to fetch the Dead Child to Life , with many more such , as in page 22 , &c. I say , if there were ever any such Persons , that so said , or so did , he ought in Justice to have told us their Names , and where they liv'd , that we might know , as well as he , whether they were Quakers or not ; for where-ever he can find any thing that is Ridiculous , and a flying Story , he is very liberal to bestow it upon them , as he did that of Cullompton . But to do him Justice , he has been kind to us in not pretending himself a Quaker ; for if he had , we should never have been able to have defended him from Folly , Madness and Confusion , any more than we can such as he tells of , if any such there were ; though for my part , I see not the least shew of Truth in it . What he says of Dr. Griffin , and Honest Mr. Blinman , as he calls him , concerning Lawrence Steel , he seems to be safe in ; seeing they are by Death put out of a Capacity to detect him : but that he has Notoriously Abused and Belied L. S. is most certain . Page 16 , 17 , 18. He gives us undeniable Proofs of his Abhorrence of Perfection , ( unless it be of perfect Nonsence ) for he saith , p. 16. I wrote W. P. I would not trouble him with one Question more . At first I thought 〈◊〉 an Errour of the Press , considering what follows , but finding no Errata , I shall leave him to Correct in his next . But in Page 17 , 18. He tells how he sent W. P. another Letter , and that he had more Questions to propose to him ; Ay , and to a publick Disputation too : See the Confusion of the Man ; Are not his Questions like Hydra's . Poor Conceited Man ! that he should think W. P. had so little Sence , as to imploy his Time and Parts to Dispute him , or Regard his Nonsensical Clamours . Almost every Page affords such a Rhapsody of Nonsence and Folly , that to follow him would require a great deal more Pains than his work deserves . Page 23 , 24 , 25 , 26. is taken up about William Penn , his Letter to him , and W. P's Answer , with his Reflection upon it , That Penn was a Roman Catholick ; That he was not able to Answer him ; That he Saluted King James , commended his Integrity ; how he writ a Book , in which he said , There was not Papists enough in London to make Coal-fires . But to what purpose is all this , unless to render W. P. odious to the People ? If he did Salute King James , did not his Brethren do the same ? And Address to him too , in such terms as I will not mention now ? Far differing from what W. P. did . But that W. P. endeavoured , with the Intere●●●e had , what he could , to prevent K. James from taking such Methods as would undo him , and the Nation too , is better understood by many Persons of Quality , than by this Hammerer . As to his Story of C. Niccolet's , the Licenser , being turned out by W. P 's means , for Licensing a Book against Popery ; if this had come directly from C. N. there might have been some more shew of Truth in it , but when 't is only Anonymus's Friend that will give it upon Oath , that C. N. told him so , it is justly to be suspected ; for you may know the Man by his Company ; and I shall only ask him this , Whether it was at Box or Bedlam his Friend told him this Story ? For W. P. affirms it is a great untruth in every part of it . Page 27. Hequeries , What the Quakers are ? And then Answers himself , They are the Sink of all Heresies ; some are Socinians , and some are Sabellians , and what next , but to revive the Writ , De Comburendo Haeretico ? And then would not Old England grow New , and Religion flourish , and the Elect rejoice ? Perhaps he has not forgot who it was , that Writ from New-England to justifie their Hanging the Quakers there , as being according to the Laws of God , as well as Men : And also who that Zealous Person was , that , because by one Vote another Quaker was saved from Hanging , Preached against the Man , whose Charitable Suffrage had turned the Ballance , in these Terms , Because thou hast let 〈◊〉 the Accursed Man , thy Life shall go for 〈◊〉 But the Sink of Herèsie , I find to be in this , their denying the Divinity of Christ and the Trinity , &c. to which I shall reply in its place , and detect his Falshoods therein . Upon all Occasions he is bringing in his Ridiculing Stories and Reflections , in Derision of the Quakers , most of which are either false or foolish ; and among the rest he brings this , page 30. What saith the Scripture , said one to me , Every Tub must stand upon his own bottom : Now whether this is true or not , I will not Dispute ; for 't is possible such a mistake might be committed , by taking a common Maxim for Scripture , but what is this to Religion ? I can tell him of as great a mistake in one of his Fraternity , ( whom I could name if I pleased ) that told me , That Christ foretold Deceivers should come in the last Days ; and that he said , By this shall they be known , they shall come fore , in Gray Clothing , [ but ] your Friends the Quakers come in Gray Clothing , and therefore , &c. Is not this altogether as gross as the former , or worse ? And yet for such lapses as these in particular Persons , to Condemn a Religion in general , would argue but too little Christian Charity . From p. 28 , to 48. there is little , besides a Collection of such Idle Stories is these , that he has pickt up here and there to asperse others with ▪ 〈◊〉 well as the Quakers : Nay , what shall one say of him that will foul his own Nest ? ( for which see page 36 , 37. ) But that he should go about to Ape and Ridicule the Church-men and Quakers way of Preaching ; and know that there is such a Book as the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence in the World , shews his Impudence , and is Astonishing , if the Man were not known . However , I would advise him to spend some time on that Book , and then let him tell me , Whether it would not be more becoming him , to endeavour to clear his own Fraternity from what they stand there charged with ; and if he cannot , to endeavour their Reformation , before he goes about to Ridicule others , with what his Imagination suggests to him they are guilty of , though upon enquiry nothing more false . What he says of J. M. is true , for he did Apostatize , and yielded to the Temptation of the Devil ; but I hope that he will not say much of such a Sin as that , nor throw many Stones at him about it , for his own sake , as well as for his Brothers , who ( when the King's Guards came to apprehend him ) was safe in Bed , ( with I need not say who ) the Story is well known , and he may not be ignorant of it , I suppose . He saith , p. 42. Mr. Speed and Mr. Vickris , that are Men of Parts , never speak among them . Supposing it true , is every Man of Parts to be a Preacher ? To use his own Phrase , What a Dunce is he ? Or what Dunces doth he make of his Hearers ( if he hath any ) to infer so ? The next thing I take notice of , is , his Recommendation of the Snake in the Grass , and Faldo's Quakerism no Christianity , who , he saith , hath done his work like a Workman ; such a Work , such a Judge , and both rare in their own Eyes , the Book it self , with the Answer to it by W. P. sufficiently shews the Excellency of the Workman , to which I refer , and go on to take notice of the Whimsical Imaginations , the Man by his Envy hath run himself into , till he thinks the Quakers are the giddiest Generation that ever was upon Earth ; like Children , that fancy Trees and Hedges run round , when they have made themselves giddy by doing so . After he hath sported himself with his Welsh Letter , which he would perswade the World is a pattern of the Quakers way of talking , ( than which I affi●m nothing can be more false ) and is recovered out of his Apish and Comical Fits , ( by which he shews the Design of his Book to be rather that of Farce , to occasion Laughter , by all the Ridiculous Nonsence that his wild Head could gather up , or Malice invent , than to impress any Notions of Religion on the Minds of his Readers ) he at length begins to be more in earnest , though very sowr with it ; pray hear him : I am not more sure of any one thing in Religion than this , saith he , that no Perfectionist , ( scoffingly calling the Quakers so ) can be saved ; which is of the same piece with page 40. where he saith , I am not more assured that Turkism is not of God , than that Quakerism is not , or than that I have proved it in this Book . Answ . That he hath no Charity for the Quakers I do not doubt ; and if it were in his Power to exclude them from Salvation hereafter , and treat them as Turks here , there 's no question to be made but he would do it : But since his Knowledge of our Exclusion is upon the same foot , with his Certainty in Religion , there is little reason to be in much Pain about it , since I am very well assured , that he is certain but of very few Points in Religion , if any , ( for he will not pretend to Infallibility I hope ) and how he has proved it in his Book , That Quakerism is no more of God than Turkism , I suppose every Reader of his Book is able to judge , and there I leave it . Page 42. He saith , That G. F. would call Preachers Conjurers , which might be true enough of some of them , and if he had called them Witches too , he might not have wronged them , if C. Mather be to be believed . But that G. F. used that as a common term for their Preachers , he will not easily prove . But , saith he , to do him right , he was none : I am glad of that , but 't is more than he dare venture to say of all them that pretend to the Election of Grace ; since 't is so apparent that they have Impeach'd and Prosecuted one another , and Executed some for such Crimes , or at least for being suspected , though many think the greatest Witches are still behind ; others , that it is a Judgment for their former unrepented Murtherous Practice , upon those Innocent Servants of Christ , whom they have not stickt to asperse with the Infamous Character of Witches . But he adds , G. Whitehead that hath writ so much , is a Notorious Dunce , as proved before . I do not wonder at his inserting his Welsh Letter ; for if he had not writ much after that Copy , how could he have been guilty of so many Absurdities , Inconerences and Lies ? He ought to have fixt it in the Front of his Book for a Sign , and Specimen in gross of his whole Work ( if it may be call'd so ) and to have told his Readers in plain terms , This is the part that I am acting ; if you expect any solid Sense or Reason , or any thing else , but much such as this ; pray be pleased to enquire elsewhere , for I am not furnished ; it 's true , I have a little in page 62. For if this were not the Poor Man's Case , can any one think he would have here said , G. W. is a Notorious Dunce , as before proved , when but in two places he mentions his Name , and then at the Head of Two Lies ; the first is page 13. where he insinuates , That G. W. fled in time of Persecution , notwithstanding his Mocking of others . Now what shall one say to such a one , who whilst he is Ridiculing the poor Welshmen ( many of which would not be guilty of such Nonsence and Folly as he abounds with ) runs into the same Practice , as one of them did , when he said Creen and Crey is all one ? If a Man in his Senses affirm that Green and Gray are two distinct Colours , this bawling unintelligible Obstinate will never be perswaded to it , but must have his word for it , like another ipse dixit , pass for Gospel Verity ; for to pursue urging it , may bring him into a Condition that will require half a Dozen Men to rule him : So though flying and standing may not be all one with our Hammerer , yet standing is flying ; or else G. W. can never be proved guilty of flying . This is too Notorious in the City of London , as well as other places , to be denied : And for W. Penn's part , if I should say any thing to clear him , it would be as useless , as his Charge is false , and will fail of Credit , seeing all that know there is such a place as the Tower of London , and a Newgate , and concerned themselves at that time with the enquiry into such Matters , may sufficiently know what a share he had ( though unjustly ) in both ▪ for no other Cause than for being a Quaker ; so that this is a Lie in Fact , that he will never be able to prove , no more than he hath done it here . The next place where he mentions G. W. ( and if any where it must be here ) is in page 20. where he says , he heard G. W. Expound Prov. 9. 1 , 4. which is , Wisdom hath built her a house — she crieth , Whoso is simple , let him turn in hither , and for him that is void of understanding . Thus a simple thing , said he , is a thing unmixt , pure , so he that is holy , hath no Sin. Now to know who is the Dunce , and Liar too , it will be sit to enquire whether or no G. W. did thus Expound the Text , which seems to me to be this Hammerers part to prove , as well as say , for G. W. denies it as a gross Perversion ; and they that know G. W. far better than this envious Scribler , knows he understands the Scriptures better than thus to abuse them ; and for my part , seeing that in none of his Writings , any such incongruity is to be found , nor in all his Preaching that ever I heard , which I have often done both in Bristol , and London , and elsewhere , never was there any such incoherent Expression used by him : And for his Knowledge of Scriptures , and Soundness of Doctrine , he is too far out of the reach of any Impeachment , by such a vain trifling Adversary , to be wounded by his Malice . — And now , after so many Falshoods and Forgeries detected in him , with what Face can he think of his 62 page ? I need but quote it , 't is his Doom . Oh horrid hardness and presumption , for a Man to call Heaven and Earth to Record to the Truth of what he knows to be apparently False ! In his next Page he saith , Know , Reader , says he , I have made no use of Books , nor Men , to help me in this Work , and yet from p. 64 , to 73. is little else but Quotations out of the Snake in the Grass , and Pennyman's Papers , according to his own Confession : And from page 63. backwards , no less than between 50 and 60 times has he told his Reader , what such an one told him , or what he hath heard or read concerning the Quakers , and yet after all this , hath the Impudence to tell his Reader , That he hath made no use of Books nor Men in this Work. What can be said of so grand an Impostor ? Oh heighth of Impudence and Falshood ! This is the Man that undertakes to prove W. P. and the Quakers either Impostors or Apostates ; and if he do not do it , desires that he may be accounted the greatest Defamer upon Earth , a Persecutor , or what we please ; which now , according to his Imprecation , is fastned upon him . And though Apostacy I am apt to think he was never guilty of , because 't is reasonable to believe he was scarcely ever good for any thing ; yet Impostor is his Character , and that in the highest degree , and with that I would leave him , were it not for a few passages more , that I will proceed to take notice of . Page 73. He queries thus , Are not the Quakers more Sober than once they were ? He Answers himself in the Affirmative : Well , since we are amending , 't is to be hoped we shall be mended at last ; I am glad we are growing better and better : But for his part , if he be sure of any one thing in Religion , notwithstanding our mending , we shall never be saved , no , not one of us : Such Charity is suitable to his Principles . He queries again , Are they not temperate above others ? To this he Answers , Let every Man speak as they find ; but a Quakers Wife next Door to him at Bristol , confess'd to him , that her Husband was a Notorious Secret Drunkard . I will not descant on his Notorious Secrecy , since he pretends to be a Scholar ; but when he is in his Tantarums , I suppose , publick and private , open and secret are all one with him . But since he allows every Man to speak as he finds ; and seeing that is the easiest way to make up the Accompt , will e'en leave it there : But then he should not speak contrary to what he had found , which I dare say he did , not only in this , but in the Case of the Strong-water-sellers ; or else to be sure his Charity would not conceal their Names , if publishing them might Reproach the Quakers ; for 't is apparent he neither sticks at Persons nor Things , that he thinks will discredit the Quakers : Nay , if he cannot find matter to asperse them with here , he will fetch it from the other side of the Globe , but he 'll have it : Besides , any Man shall straight have the Title of a Quaker thrown on him , that acts Ridiculously , if from thence there may any Scandal arise , or it can yield any thing to Reproach the Quakers , as witness the Cullompton Prophet mentioned before . But wet and dry Quakers are a distinction , says he , in other places besides Bristol . And what of all that ? Suppose there were such , that use his , or his Brethrens , or others Company , till they demerit the Name of a Wet Quaker , because they frequent the Quakers Meetings : Doth that Intitle the Quakers to their Misbehaviour ? Let him at this Day , or Days past , prove , that any Person so Chargeable , was not dealt with , and followed by the Quakers , till they had disowned him : Nay , though it were such an one , as after many Years , like the Sow turn'd to the Mire again . This is too Notorious in Bristol to be denied , and it would be well for his Brethren , if they did as the Quakers do in such Cases , the Reproaches that are cast on Religion , would in a great degree be taken off . But besides , I admire he should bring this as a Charge against the Quakers ; for certainly in my Judgment , it makes more for their Credit than the contrary ; for that none of them can deviate from the strictness of the Rules they profess , but they shall have presently upon it , a distinguishing Character fixt on them , is a great Argument of the Peoples Temperance and Regularity in general , above other Professors , among whom no such thing is to be found ; though the worst of these Quakers are seldom so Bad as Thousands of others of most Professions , that nevertheless are suffered to pass in the throng . But he queries again , Are they not very humble Persons ? His Answer is Negatively first , and then Positively , That they are more Proud of their Plainness than others of their Bravery . All to me is , how Anonymous came to know this , since Inspiration with him is Heresie ? And to be sure , the Quakers never told him so : But this is like the rest , a Birth of his own Fancy ; and as such , I return it to him . He queries once more , and that is , Whether the Quakers are not more just in their Dealings than others , and careful not to tell a Lie ? To this he assents , though very unwillingly ; but to make it as bad as he can , ( for this you know is but dry Morality : he yoaks us up with the Turks in it : While he that is of the Election of Grace , is pleading for Lying as no unlawful thing . — But to prove G. B. a Liar , he quotes New-England Judged , for saying , The Persecutors of the Quakers there , whipt them so , that the Flesh came off with the Whips . All his Argument to prove this a Lie , was because Blinman profest he never heard of it ; which whether he did or not , is no ways material , since it is so Notoriously known to be true ; and therefore he , and not G. B. is the Liar . Yet I wonder how he came to add , That some of them were put to Death too . But that his Brethren , that thought Hanging , and cutting off Ears , too good for the Quakers , should pretend Ignorance of their being so Whipt , when one had his Flesh beaten to a Jelly , and many others Whipt for Miles together at the Carts-tail , for no other Reason , but because they were Quakers , is a strange degree of Impudence . But before I go farther , I must step back to page 51. where he saith these words , And now William Penn , I once more declare to thee , and all the World , that I am ready to meet with thee at an open Disputation , when thou wilt , to Debate the Question before us , or the main Question , which is , Whether your flying in time of Persecution , doth not prove you either Notorious Impostors or Apostates ? I have been the more large in this Quotation , that his Shapes may be seen the better ; for how great a Fool was he to pawn his Soul with such an Imprecation , as in page 62. for the Truth of what he Charges the Quakers with ; and yet in page 51. of the same Book , which he Intitles , William Penn and the Quakers proved Impostors or Apostates ; I say , in page 51. of his Book , Challengeth W. P. to an open Disputation to Debate the Question ? Which implies 't is not yet Debated . And then how Monstrous is his Folly to pretend he hath proved it , and afterwards Challenge him to Debate it ? But he may soon Debate and Determine too , according to the New Fashion G. K. lately shew'd him , ( viz. by himself ) of whose Recovery with J. Pennyman's , he seems not a little Proud : But by that time they have proved both , or either , as long as the Quakers have done , they will find another Character for them , than Honest and Ingenious . Where he says , That some are for countenancing a Lie now and then for Friends , 't is still of a piece with the rest ; and what he is so far from being able to prove , that I believe he scarce ever thought of it : But 't is so much out of Fashion now with him , to give us any thing of Truth in his Charges , that it is scarce reasonable to expect it , or any sort of Proof for what he says : For , more than wild Rambles and Forgeries , he is resolved we shall have but little . But in that Address of his to William King of Pensylvania , page 83. where he begins , May it please your Majesty , &c. he appears so very much himself , that he leaves little room for wonder at any thing he has writ besides . Nor is it any more strange , that a Man possest with what he hath been too deeply Tinctured with , should Create Kings and Princes of other Men at pleasure ; than it is for them to fancy themselves so , and enjoy all the Imaginary Bliss too , that such a state can afford , as he seems to do , of his fancy'd Victory over the Quakers , something of which he expresses in his next words ; where , Now Friends , says he , how will you Answer me ? I am sure no Sober nor Rational Answer can be given . 'T is pity there shou'd , for sure it would be lost , if he means to such Harangues as this , where his wild Fancy can start up Kings at such a rate . What thanks he may have from Authority for this , I will not conclude , but this is our Man of mature Consideration , and great Composure of Mind . But one thing in his past Harangue , we must take notice of , which is , his advising King William to keep his Subjects from Drunkenness , Whoredom , &c. lest the Prophecy of Jo. Owen should be verified against Friends . Strange Contradictions ! Revelation and Divine Inspiration is ceased , yet Jo. Owen is a Prophet , but then 't is against the Quakers , and there it is Orthodox , though in a Quaker rank Heresie . But now he is for laying down his Hammer a while , and sets up for Doctor , to give Directions for the Cure of Souls infected with the Spirit or Quakerism , though I confess , I doubt his Skill in this , and his hammering are much alike ; for whatever his Doctrine be , his Confusion is the same throughout : But there we will leave him , till he hath wearied out himself , or his Patient , with his Directions , only taking notice of the Squint Blows he aims at us as he goes along . The first is p. 97 , 98. of our not only despising , but formerly rejecting the Scriptures : In Answer to which , I must tell him , 'T is like the rest , absolutely false , for we neither now think , nor ever thought them other than Admirable Writings , given by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost , and look upon it as a great and wonderful Providence of God , that it was his Divine Pleasure to have them preserved to this Day , for the Comfort and Instruction of his true Worshippers , and to bear Witness to the Truth of what we profess , to the Glory and Honour of his Immortal Name . Again , p. 109. He saith , Paul preached 〈◊〉 Crucified Christ ; but when do any Quakers hear any thing of this in their Christless Assemblies ? What a Malicious Question is here ? We own Christ , the Crucified Christ ; we own the Scriptures that bear Witness of this Christ ; we Preach him as that Precious Sacrifice for the Sins of the World , who opened the Way to our Eternal Salvation . With what Face then , seeing he pretends to have frequented our Meetings , can he ask a Question so full of Malice , and empty of Reason ? But there are many others , as well as Quakers , that sufficiently know the Falshood of what he would here suggest , as well as of that in his preceeding Leaf , concerning Adam , Paradise , the Fall , &c. To prove the Lawfulness of playing at Bowls and Ninepins , ( I will not say Cards and Dice ) he quotes Zach. 8. 5. and 2 Tim. 1. 5. When I call to mind the unfeigned Faith , which first dwelt in thy Grandmother Lois , and thy Mother Eunice ; and I am perswaded in thee also . Behold our Expounder of Scripture , who is so ready to find fault with others ; is not this as excellently well done , as another of his Fraternity did , who said , The best of God's Saints have a little Tincture of Atheism , for which see Psal . 14. 1. The Fool hath said in his Heart , & c ? Page 119. He saith , The Quakers ( some practically , and some in word ) say , they have no Sins to confess , nor beg pardon for ; they need no Scripture , nor Ordinance , nor Outward Christ to save them . All which is too Notorious an Abuse in the whole , and in every part , to deserve to be taken asunder , and answered distinctly ; and though I shall not do it to gratifie his Lying Spirit , yet I shall have occasion to speak to it more fully before I end , and there I leave it . But to the end of this Charge he adds , We may write over their Doors , as over the Doors of them that have the Plague , Lord have Mercy on them . But what then ! This is but one of his Complements upon us , for he is sure we cannot be saved , why then should he pray God to have Mercy on us ? Is not this to pray not only against Faith , but certain Knowledge too ; besides taking the Name of God in vain , which he so often exclaims against ? But what can we expect different from this , from a Man that seems to be made up of Malice , Forgeries and Lies , as he appears to be through his Book . But as for his Account of Hugh's of Plimouth , I wonder his Friends would suffer him to over-hale it in Print , unless the reviving of that Story would take off the Imputation , which can never be , unless there were better Vouchers for it than this Hammerer ; no , nor then neither , but with such as knew not the Man. But being at length fully recovered from his Doctrinal Part , he falls in p. 123. into an angry Humour with Ministers Wives for giving some Quakers an account of the ill Conditions of their Husbands : I take this to be the Story ; and if so , I say , it was not well done of the Women , to expose their Husbands Infirmities , unless it were a Case of Conscience : Though many a Poor Woman pays dear enough at Home , for being led abroad once a Week in her Topknot ; but what their Lot is , they must submit to , and wade through it , as they can . Yet if the Women will Gossip , and tell of the Cheats of their Husbands , why should not they be believed , as well as the Quaker's Wife he told of in p. 74. When it becomes his own Case , he is not for hearing any Womens Complaints against their Husbands ; but then , he not only ( if you will believe him ) heard it , but hath also printed it ; though never the truer for that . He says he knew a Famous Minister , whose Wife broke his Heart ; he advises Ministers to keep their Ground ; for if they do not rule , their Wives will : He quotes many Presidents for being Henpeckt , which would make one suspect , that he himself was too deeply affected that way : But on enquiry , I find his Wife hath the hardest side of it by far ; and so according to the Proverb , The worst Spoak cracks first . But to come to an end ( for 't is time nor had I been here , but to clear the Truth , and its Professors , and expose his Folly ; that , if possible , he may be ashamed of it , and of himself for its sake ) with a Parcel of Verses , ( though none of his ) very well adapted to a Chiding Woman , and a few Scoffs and Jeers upon She Friends , as he calls them , together with another Ramble of unheard of Lies , which he pretends to deliver as the Sence of the Quakers , he ends his Work , and lays down his Hammer , but not without a false stroke to the very last , ( lest it should any where fail of being all of a Thread ) which is thus ; This Barclay , says he , tells us , if Infallibility be not in his Enthusiasms , 't is not lodged in the Scripture , but we must go for it to the Chair of Rome . Here I cannot find a softer Expression than this , The Lake is for the Liar , and the Liar for the Lake , and that 's the Portion of all such , unless they Repent ; for R. B. no where in his Printed Books , says so , though this Lying Adversary of ours has the Impudence to assert it ; but the best of it is , 't is with the same Credit with the rest . But he goes on thus , Every thing , Poor Robin , to its Centre ; thy Doctrine came from Rome , tends to Rome ; and many that knew thee , believe that thou were 't not to be reckoned in the number of Protestants . But why thus , Poor Robin ? And once before , away Poor Robin , what should induce him to call over his Name at this rate ? I will not determine , whether it was from his great Intimacy with Poor Robin's Almanacks , as part of his Study , or with a design to lessen the Reputation of R. B. if it was the first , he has shewn himself an apt Scholar , by his Freaks , and Comical Raileries . But if it be the latter , I pity him that he should be carried away with such Whims , as to think that he was able to Impeach R. B. who was well known by most Ranks and Degrees of Men , to be raised far enough above the Envy of such a Whiffling , Petulant Adversary , as this Hammerer hath all along appeared to be . And now , Reader , having done , ( for the present ) with Trepidantium Malleus , I shall Address my self to thee . IT is not because I Love Controversie , or affect popularity , that I have undertook to write the foregoing Reply , but because I would take off those Bear-skins , this lurking Adversary has endeavoured to wrap us in ; nor indeed had I undertook it , if many , or most of our Friends that are qualified for such Services , had not declined it as a Scurrilous Libel , not worth their notice , partly from the Matter it self , as being False , Idle , Comical and Vain , and partly from the Knowledge they had of the Author , since he is so well known to be out of his right Mind : But because he may not be generally known to be so where his Book may come ; and understanding that the Book is handed about from one to another of the Brotherhood , and entertained with great Applause , as an unanswerable Piece , I found my self concerned to Vindicate the Truth , against his Malicious Slanders . I observe it 's not his Case only , but many more of that Complection for many Years past , especially in peaceable Times , to be throwing their Squibs at the Quakers , although in Times of Persecution they generally are more quiet . If they had any reasonable or just Cause to Reproach us for holding any Erroneous or Hurtful Principles , it were something : But when we are Condemned for Hereticks , it is by their Forgeries , Lies and Perversions , which they would insinuate was our Belief : One while we are Papists and Jesuites , although we Challenge any of them to go as far as they dare , in any of the Negative Doctrines of the Reformation . Another while we deny the Humanity of Christ , by and by his Divinity . One while we cannot Pray without the Spirit , by and by we expect to Merit Salvation by our own Works . One while we are for turning the whole Scripture into Allegories , by and by Persecuted , because we keep to Scripture words . Their great News about our not Confessing our Sins , is as false as the rest , though perhaps grounded upon our not doing it in the same Customary way and manner that our Adversaries use : But what then , doth it therefore follow , as he wickedly insinuates , ( page first ) That we think our selves too good , and too perfect , to ask a Holy God forgiveness for any imperfection , in Thought , Word or Astion , by no means ? Nay , see how Contradictory he is ; he chargeth L. S. for Pride , and falling into the Condemnation of the Devil , because he wisht for being in a perfect Estate , but acknowledged he was not so . But in another place ( if you will believe him ) he tells you , We don't think of any Imperfection in us , or desire of Forgiveness , or to that effect : But now L. S. don't pretend to it , but wisht he was so : Who will Credit such a Sayer and Unsayer ? But as we are exhorted to Confess our Faults one to another , and not to hide our Sins , for then we shall not prosper , but confess and forsake , and we shall find Mercy ; so the Quakers believe , and also practice : And if he is Ignorant hereof , it 's his Fault , and not ours . In short , Confession we own , and know it to be our Indispensible Duty , To God , for every Sin against him , either in Thought , Word or Action : To Man , wherein we have Trespassed against him : To the Church , wherein we have offended her . And when the Lord is pleased by his Spirit , to draw forth any of his Servants and Ministers , into either an Acknowledgment of Sins past , or Desire of Forgiveness , or both , in the exercise of their Gifts amongst the People they represent , and on whose Behalf their Petitions are put up ; we are so far from disapproving hereof , or thinking our selves above it , that it is exceeding Comfortable and Edifying to us . But this we shall never deny , that those inward Pangs of a Penitent Soul , those Sighs and Groans , as well as Words , that arise from a wounded Spirit , are more acceptable to God , than such a Customary , Formal crying out , Lord , the best of our Performances are Sin , yea , our Holy Duties are Sin ; but do thou be merciful to us , miserable Sinners ; and so go , and so come , from Year to Year as if after such a Confession , God Almighty was obliged to forgive ; not considering , that 't is those only that Confess and Forsake , that shall find Mercy . Then again , How often are we scofft and mockt at , and compared to the Pope , because we assert , That Men ought to be Infallibly assured of their Duty to God , and that the Spirit of God , a measure of which is given to every Man to profit withal , is Infallible , and if minded , will so Infallibly assure them , that they shall be beyond doubt , which is a tossed ( but not Comfortable ) Estate ? From this , 't is common with our Adversaries to say , That the Quakers pretend to Infallibility , and when once turn'd Quakers , are Infallible . Now that we pretend to Infallibility is true , but 't is as before expressed ; not placing it in Persons or Opinion , but the Spirit of God , which they themselves can't deny to be Infallible : And as Man is governed by that Spirit , he will Infallibly be led out of all that which is Fallible and Erroneous , both in Faith and Life : Yea , they themselves will ( I hope ) allow the Scripture to be an Infallible Rule , and if so , the Spirit of God must be yet much more so , since from it the Scripture came , For Holy Men of Old , spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost . But for my part , I would not give a Rush for that Religion , that is only Certain in Vncertainty , which is the state of all that hath not an Infallible Rule to walk by . Again , about the Holy Scriptures , how abominably have our Adversaries abused us , particularly this Hammerer , saying , 'T is no Rule to us ; and that we have Cursed more than a Thousand times , those that call the Scriptures the Word of God. This needs no Confutation from me , since every Body that know the Quakers , know also that they use Cursing no more than Swearing ; yet this is the Man , that if he don't speak Truth of us , Desires to be Esteemed a Persecutor , or the greatest Defamer on Earth , &c. Now although we do not commonly call the Scriptures the Word of God , because we distinguish between them and Jesus Christ , who is called in Scripture the Word of God ; yet it is not in the least to derogate from the Honour and Dignity that is due thereto , but because it is an Attribute peculiar to Jesus Christ the Word , although as they declare the Mind of God , with respect to us , and are his Commands to us , they may in that respect be called the Word or Command of God ; and so the Quakers Own and Esteem them , and Rejoice in them , since they afford such a Comfortable History of the Dealings of the Lord with his People through many Generations , and of the Coming of his Son , our Lord Jesus Christ , his Birth , Works , Doctrine , Miracles , Sufferings , Death , Resurrection , Ascention , Glorification , and present Mediation , and of his Coming at the End of the World to Judge both Quick and Dead , of the Resurrection of the Just and Unjust , with many more Precious and Comfortable Doctrines , all which are contained in the Holy Scripture , and Writ for our Learning , that by Faith in Christ , the Man of God , through them , may be thoroughly furnisht to every good Word and Work. And to that end we may have the true and right use of them , it is requisite Men apply themselves to the Spirit of God in the reading thereof , which never Contradicts its own Testimony in the Scripture , but Corroborates it , and makes it much more Effectual for Edification and Comfort ; as said the Prophet , a I will put my Spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my Statutes , and keep my judgments , &c. and to this end we have direc 〈…〉 People to the Spirit of God within them : For without the Assistance thereof , the Reader hath not the true Comfort of them ; and therefore it 's false in Fact , that the Quakers deny the Holy Scriptures , and esteem them but Dirt , Serpents Meat , Death , and Dead Letter , as this Hammerer , the Snake in the Grass , Crisp , Bugg , &c. saith : For we sincerely believe the Scripture in it self is very good and profitable for Doctrine , for Reproof , for Correction , for Instruction in Righteousness : That the Man of God may be perfect , throughly furnished unto all good Works . b But the Best Instruments in the World put into the Hands of a Fool , or one of no Capacity , is no more to him than those which are worse , unless to do Mischief with ; but in the Hand of an Artist , the Work is excellently done . c Even so the Capacity for the right use of the Scripture , is the Qualification of the Spirit , without which the Scripture is not of that advantage , though otherways very excellent in it self . Now as some part of the Scripture is Allegorically to be understood , as well as some other Literally , and some both , as our Adversaries confess , so to turn that to an Allegory , which is to be understood Literally , is equally Foolish with taking that Literally , that is to be understood Allegorically : For the right understanding hereof , can there be any better Method proposed , than for Men to have recourse to that Spirit from whence it did at first flow ? And in that Gift of the Spirit , to wait with patience until the Matter is clearly opened to them , and not be hasty to conclude , either with or against the Resolves of Councils and Synods , &c. but being truly exercised in the Gift of the Spirit , in Waiting , and Attention on it , as well as Prayer and Supplication , it 's most certain the Matter will be cleared up , and the Doubts resolved , as it shall conduce to their Spiritual Advantage . In short , it 's not so much about plain Scripture Authority we differ , but about the Authority of those Councils , Synods , and Assemblies of Divines ( so called ) that have undertaken to Expound Scriptures , and Decree Articles of Faith. For all our Confessions of Faith , and Acknowledgment to the Truth of Christianity , in plain Scripture Terms , is little with them , but Cant , unless it be in the Terms of the several Councils , or Westminster Divines , &c. and yet they are the People that cry up the Scripture for their Rule , though they make it a meer Nose of Wax to turn to every thing , that either Humour or Interest trumps up : Thus one Council hath Contradicted what the other hath Determined . And another thing , in which 't is common for these People to Abuse and Belie us in , is about our Lord Jesus Christ , which this Adversary saith , ( page 80. ) That he was the Anointings of God , and when Dead , his Body turned to Dust , and that afterwards the same Anointings were in others . But who or when any Quaker said so , he mentions not a word ; and in Answer to it , I say , he would have as truly represented the Presbyterians , as he hath done tho Quakers : If he said of them that they held Universal Grace , and that there was never any such thing in the World as the Solemn League and Covenant , and no such Man as the Bishop of St. Andrews Murthered , or that King Charles the First cut off his own Head , or that they never Hanged Men only for being Quakers , or that their Brethren in Scotland were for Universal Liberty , notwithstanding their Barbarity to the Episcopal Clergy , and their Design to Excommunicate , the last Year , all Persons that should Buy or Sell with , or Entertain a Quaker , which had took effect , had not the Clemency of the King interposed to break their Mischievous Designs . I say , as the Matters and Things abovementioned lye , are as true the one as the other , so I Charge him for a Notorious Impostor , thus to abuse and deceive his Reader ; and under the specious pretences of speaking Truth , to vent such apparent Fals-hoods . Now although I positively deny what Anonymus affirms , and put him upon the proof , which I am sure he can never do ; yet for the sakes of others that may be deceived by this Lying Spirit , I shall freely express our Faith herein , since that is the part which affords me the greatest Satisfaction in this Undertaking : But if I should not do it in the Terms of the Schools , though in never so plain Scripture Terms , perhaps it will find but little Credit with our Adversaries , notwithstanding the great Talk and Boast they make about the Authority of the Scripture . But however , let them do as they please , I hope we shall not receed from the Testimony of Holy Scripture . As to the Heresies of the Socinians and Sabelleans , which he endeavours to fix on the Quakers , since so much has been said already in Confutation thereof , so to reassume the Argument , and give it a fresh Confutation , would swell this beyond my Intentions ; but besides , many others that has done it , I shall refer to one , that in this Author's Esteem is both Honest and Ingenuous , whose word I hope then he will not question , and that is G. K. in his Way Cast up ; which was Written in Defence of us , and our Principles , to which I refer the Reader ; for though G. K. hath changed his Mind since that time , the Quakers have not , and therefore his Arguments in Defence of our Principles , are as much in force against our Adversaries as ever , since we did then , and do now approve of them , whate'er we may do by the Man ; for many a Man has declared the Truth , and turned from it afterwards ; but Truth is not to be denied , because of that . In short , besides G. K. and the many Quakers that has Writ on that Subject , the Quakers believe the Substance of the Nicene Creed , as truly as any of their Adversaries , which cuts up all this Hammerers Allegations at the Roots , as it is reported by Socrates Scholasticus in his first Book of the Ecclesiastical History , Chap. 5. Page 222. which I shall insert the Substance of ( save also the Curse at the latter end of it , upon them that held contrary Opinions ) . WE Believe in One God , the Father Almighty , Maker of all things visible and Invisible , and in One Lord Jesus Christ , the Son of God , the Only Begotten Son of the Father , that is , of the Substance of the Father , by whom all things were made , both the things in Heaven , and the things in Earth : Who for us Men , and for our Salvation , came down , and was Incarnate . He was made Man ; He Suffered , and Rose the third Day ; He ascended into the Heavens ; He shall come to Judge both the Quick and the Dead : And we Believe in the Holy Ghost . Now though we chuse rather to express our Faith in plain Scripture Terms , than in the Terms of any Council whatever ; yet where Matters of Faith are laid down in plain Scripture Terms by them , we never were so cross-grained to refuse an Assent , because it was the Determination of a Council . But though the above abundantly clears us from his false and wicked Charges of denying the Divinity and Humanity of Christ , and the Trinity , yet we have more to say for the sakes of those whose Innocency has been destroyed by such Impostors as this Adversary . Know then , that as the Holy Scripture declared the Divinity of Christ , so we as Faithfully believe it , according to Micah , But thou Bethlehem Ephratah , though thou be little amongst the Thousands of Judah , yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me , that is to be Ruler in Israel : Whose going forth have been from of old , from Everlasting ; or the Days of Eternity . d Again , In the Beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the Word was God. The same was in the Beginning with God. All things were made by him , and without him was not any thing made that was made . e Again , Who is the Image of the Invisible God , the First-born of every Creature — f Again , for by him were all things Created , &c. g Who was the Root and Off-spring of David ; the Bright and Morning-Star ; h The Heir of all things ; the Brightness of ( God's ) Glory ; and the Express Image of his Substance ; who upholds all things by the Word of his Power . i And by whom also all things were Created . k And for his Humanity , according to the Hebrews , Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood ; he also himself likewise took part of the same , that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death , that is , the Devil . For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels : but he took on him the Seed of Abraham . Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren , that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest , in things pertaining to God , to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People . l Again , For we have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities : but was in all points tempted like as we are , yet without sin . m And as to his Suffering both in Body and Soul , and thereby becoming a most compleat Sacrifice for the Remission of the Sins of the whole World , according to Isaiah , Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him , he hath put him to grief : when thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin , he shall see his Seed , he shall prolong his Days , and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand . He shall see of the travel of his Soul , and be satisfied : by his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many : for he shall bear their Iniquities . n Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves : but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place , having obtained Eternal Redemption for us . How much more shall the Blood of Christ , who through the Eternal Spirit , offered himself without spot to God , purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God. o Again , Who gave himself for us , that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity , and purifie unto himself a peculiar People , zealous of good Works . p Again , For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins , the just for the unjust : ( that he might bring us to God ) being put to Death in the Flesh , but quickened by the Spirit . q Again , And walk in love , as Christ also hath loved us , and hath given himself for us , an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour . r That I may know him , and the Power of his Resurrection , and the Fellowship of his Sufferings , being made conformable unto his Death . ſ With many more ; all which we as truly and as faithfully Believe , as any Protestants whatever ; and he must have a Face of Brass that will say , the Quakers either deny or undervalue any part of it . And for the Trinity , ( as he calls it ) we as much believe it , as the Scripture declares it , viz. For there are Three that bare Record in Heaven , the Father , the Word , and the Holy Ghost : and these Three are One. And there are Three that bare witness in Earth , the Spirit , and the Water , and the Blood : and these Three agree in One. t And as for the Body of Christ turning to Dust , is so great an untruth , that he must set up for the Trade of Lying , that attempts a greater ; for the Quakers Believe according to the Acts of the Apostles , which saith , Ye Men of Galilee , why stand ye gazing up into Heaven ? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven , shall so come , in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven . u Again , He seeing this before , spake of the Resurrection of Christ , that his Soul was not left in Hell , neither his Flesh did see Corruption . This Jesus hath God raised up , whereof we all are Witnesses . Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted , and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost , he hath shed forth this , which ye now see and hear . For David is not ascended into the Heavens , but he saith himself , The Lord said unto my Lord , Sit thou on my Right Hand , until I make thy Foes thy Footstool . Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly , that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have Crucified , both Lord and Christ . x Again , Whom the Heaven must receive , until the times of restitution of all things , which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets , since the World began . y So that as his Flesh saw no Corruption ; he Ascended far above all Heavens , and sits at the Right Hand of the Majesty in the Heavens , &c. Now of the things which we have spoken , this is the sum : We have such an High-priest , who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens . z And though Christ was Anointed with the Oyl of Joy and Gladness above his Fellow , ( referring to his Manhood ) which the Quakers readily confess , yet never called it Anointings , as he says , for what reason I know not , unless to abuse the Quakers . And that all Christians have a degree or measure of the same , the fulness of which was in him is sound Doctrine , and to be believed and lookt for , since he that has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his , and since the Hammerer don't expect it , no marvel he is so great a Slave to Sathan as he is . His Scoffs at Perfection , and Freedom from Sin , I shall next take notice of , and answer as follows : That by Perfection , the Quakers never pretended to any other than a being freed from Sinning , and of a growth from one degree of Grace to another , to the perfecting of Holiness ; a but a Perfection of the fulness of Knowledge , or of Glory , is what is not to be expected in this World , nor did we ever pretend to it ; but if a being delivered from sinning , is not attainable , the Quakers are indeed Fools to pretend to it , and our Adversaries are in the right to reflect on us for it ; but if it be , who is Fool then ? And that it is , is most clear from Mat. 5. 48. Luke 6. 40. 2 Cor. 13. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 17. Eph. 4. 11 , 12 , 13. Heb. 6. 1. or else we must Charge an Absurdity on the Holy Ghost , for injoining what was impossible to be attained to ; and where will that Centre ? And whereas he often reflects and abuseth the Quakers for denying Prayer , and particularly , Page 78. They must wait for the Spirit 's Call to Prayer , saith he , then asks how they and the Spirit came to be such Strangers , that it calls not to them all the Day , Week , Month , or Year long , to pray alone , or in their Families : This also is like the rest , and what that is , is plainly made appear ; for 't is a hard matter for him to speak Truth in any one thing , unless it be where he can strike us in the Teeth with a Demas or Judas , an Alexander or Hymeneus , or Philetu , or a Nicholas , &c. which that we should be without , is more than can be expected , since the first Planters of Christianity were not ; yet that neither rendred the Christians Impostors or Apostates , nor their Religion the Sink of Heresie , though our Hammerers Elder Brethren thought it and them so , and prosecuted them accordingly , as their Rabbies did their Lord and Master . Now as to Prayer in Families , and alone , as well as in publick Meetings , this is the known practice of the People called Quakers ; but because they have not set hours for it any more than some of his Brethren has set forms , he infers , though very unjustly , that the Quakers decline it . We do say , if Men pray , they ought to pray with the Spirit , and with an Understanding also , and therefore we say , all are to attend the Spirits time , in order to help them in the production of what it hath conceived ; and 't is certain , that they who are intent hereon , shall not find themselves at a loss for want of the Spirit to enable them , when the Circumstance of Time and Place calls for it ; yet at all times Men are to have their Hearts set on God , and to meditate on his Law ; but they are not always obliged to a Vocal Prayer , nor doth God expect it , though sometimes he do , that they may sanctifie his Name by a Vocal Prayer , as well in a private Family as a publick Meeting , and this the Quakers own and practice , therefore he is a Defamer , Persecutor , and Impostor for insinuating the contrary . In Page 51. Our Adversary is very Abusive , touching our belief of a Christ within ( which he falsly puts ) in opposition to a Christ without , saying , This Word outward is in great Contempt with them ; but how this word Outward is so contemptible with them , he has not assigned : That we are Contemners of the outward Scripture , is false from what is said before : That we are Contemners of Christ , viz. he that was Crucified , is as false ; for we are well assured , that by the Offering up of himself upon the Cross , he became a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World , and by vertue of his Blood comes Remission of Sins ; and yet this Remission is no otherwise to be Experienced than by Mens Repentance , and Belief of the Truth , and a Faithful walking in Holiness of Life , with which , as an Ingenious Author said , we may , but without which , we never shall be saved , notwithstanding Christ Died for us : The Design of whose Death was not to make a good Life unnecessary , but to render it efficacious and available ; not to procure a Priviledge of being Saved without it ( as some fancy ) but that we might be Saved with it , &c. After he has told his Reader , That Baptism and the Lord's Supper were Outward Ordinances with them , he queries , But why does not these Men contemn outward Meats , and Drinks , and Outward Cloathing too ? If they did , the Controversie would soon be at an end : But for all his Scoffs he is mistaken , though by ending the Controversie , he means we should be out of his way ; I must confess , I believe , it would be a joyful Day to him , and such as he . But pray let me Expostulate with these People a little ; Are not you for an inward Vertue from Christ the Fountain , to Revive your Spirits , and Comfort your Souls under any Affliction , as well as to Encourage you to Perseverance ? Are not you for the Marrow of the Scripture , as well as the Words and Sentences therein contained ? Are not you for sitting down in an Heavenly Place in Christ ? Are not you desirous of receiving the Substance of what Baptism and the Supper is , but the Sign of ? If you say Yea , may not I , if I would act the part of this Hammerer , return it upon you , that you are ( since you cry up the outward ) all for the outward , but not at all for the inward ? Which I can with as much Justice and Truth do , as he has Charg'd the Quakers for contemning all the outward , &c. But what a poor Flurt was it to bring in outward Meats , and Drinks , and Cloaths too , and then the Controversie , he saith , will soon be ended ? But that 's not true , for we are against outward Meats , and Drinks , and Cloathing too , and yet the Controversie is not ended ; and if he had not been blinded with Folly , as well as Envy , he might have escaped such a Blunder : For where Meats and Drinks are offered , either Superstitiously or Profanely , the Quakers are against it , and refuse it : But what a comparison he has made ! Here is Christ without , the Scriptures without , Heaven without , Baptism without , the Lord's Supper without , with outward Meats , outward Drings , and outward Cloating ; and what weight there is in that , pray read Col. 2. 17. and then let him tell me , according to his own Comparison , what real ground there is for him , or any else , to blame the Quakers for disusing the Two Great Ordinances , as they call them , since according to his Comparison , they are but a shadow ; and if People have seen , and enjoy the Substance , and will follow it rather than the Shadow , are they to be blamed for it , or called Hereticks ? But till the Substance is known , those Shadows may have their Service , and we are not for pressing any to decline it , till their own Convictions do : For I agree with the Apostles , who said , Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind : There has been many Books writ upon this Subject of Baptism , I shall therefore say the less ; the greatest Argument I have ever heard brought for the Continuation of Water-Baptism , was from Acts 10. 48. which stands thus , Can any Man forbid Water that those should not be Baptized , which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ; from which they argue , that if Baptism was not a standing Ordinance since these had received the Holy Ghost , why was it here practiced ? I Answer , first of all , there was no mention of Water in the Commission , Mat. 28. 19 , 20. yet to teach Baptizing was ; secondly , since John's Baptism was distinguisht from Christ's by Water , as that was from John's by the Holy Ghost , nothing can be more plain , than that Christ intended his , and not John's Baptism . And if the Apostle Paul was not behind ( as he saith he was not ) any of the Apostles , yet 't is evident he did not understand Mat. 28. 19 , 20. in the sence our Adversaries do ; for if Baptizing with Water was a part of the Commission there mentioned , he never understood his Commission , if he had , he would not have thanked God that he Baptized so few as he did , and positively declared , that he was not sent to Baptize , but to Preach the Gospel ; but that he did some , and Peter more , is true ; but this neither proves it a standing Ordinance , nor yet that it was by Command from God to be a standing Ordinance ; but as in the Case of Circumcision , Anointing the Sick , and divers other things practiced by the Jews , whose Religion was greatly Ceremonious , as the Gentiles was Idolatrous ; the Disciples of Jesus condescended , as in the case of Circumcision , , that by becoming all to all , they might gain some ; for to take them off all at once , was not likely to be received by them , since by a long Custom they had used themselves to such outward things . But besides , John himself had before declared , that he must decrease , and that Christ must increase , which plainly implied the decrease of his Ministry and Baptism , not all at once , but gradually , as it did the increase of Christ's Ministry and Baptism ; for as the one decreased , the other increased , as the Sun 's light swallows up the Moon 's ; for as the Moon has its time of service , in which Mankind is much benefited by its Light , although it be a borrowed one from the Sun. even so was John's Baptism of great Benefit when he preach'd Repentance to the People , and Baptized them in Jordan , as they confess'd their Sins , being the Preparer of the Way of Christ ; for though he was a burning and shining Light in his Ministry , yet he was but a Witness to bear witness of the Light , that all Men through him might believe , who was the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World , John 1. 7 , 8 , 9. This is the Son of Righteousness , this is the Lamb of God , this is the Baptizer with Holy Ghost and Fire , who when he comes ( the Lesser , the Witness , the Forerunner ) the Baptizer with Water must give place too . As when the Sun appears in our Horizon , the Moon 's light is so overcome , that we have no Advantage by it , by reason of the more transcending Light of the Sun ; so that it 's very evident , John and Christ's Ministry and Baptisms were as much two distinct Ministrations , as John the Son of Zacharias , and Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Mary , were two distinct Persons , or the Sun and Moon are two great , yet distinct Lights ; for the Moon is not the same Light that the Sun is , though she has her Light from the Sun ; nor is John the Baptist's Ministration the same with Christ's , though he came from God , and had obtained such Credit amongst the People for his time , that it was said , All Men mused in their Hearts of John , whether he were the Christ or no , Mat. 3. 15. Nay , they were by John himself declared to be two distinct Baptisms , as the Text declares he shall , &c. I do , &c. mine with Water , his with the Holy Ghost : See the Text , ( Mat. 3. 11. Mark 1. 8. John 1. 15 , to 34. and make the Application . But how preposterous is it to think , that Christ should send his Disciples in John's Errand or Service , who was but the Forerunner ; for so to do , was to set his Disciples to run counter ; and therefore , though the Disciples for the sake of the Jews , and new Converted Gentiles did do it , it 's plain they did it upon the foot of Discretion , and not by Commandment ; and when these Men of the Circumcision , as well as the Gentiles , had received the Holy Ghost by the Apostles Ministry , since Baptizing with Water was practiced amongst them from John's Example , the Apostle did say , Who can forbid Water , &c. but that this proves the Baptism of the Holy Ghost , and Baptism of Water to be but one Baptism , I deny ; as I do also that this Practice proves it to be of Divine Institution , notwithstanding it was not then forbidden , but they went into the Water , and were Baptized . Again , there is a vast difference between receiving the Gift of the Spirit by the Ministry of the Disciples , and a being Baptized by the same Spirit ; for by the Gift received , they came unto a Convinc'd Estate , which Convincement was wrought by the Holy Ghost , through the Apostles Ministry , and was to them the Glad-tydings of Salvation , if from that state of Convincement they prest on to a thorough Conversion : So that the receiving of the Holy Ghost mentioned in that Text , may be very aptly compared to the Leaven in the Parable , Mat. 13. 33. Luke 13. 20 , 21. which as it is subjected to , leavens the whole Lump , and Plunges or Baptizeth the Soul , with all its Faculties , into its own Nature ; and this is the Baptism we own , it being that of the Holy Ghost . But to winde up the whole matter , if Mat. 28. 19 , 20. was a Commission to the Disciples to Baptize with Water , then they were obliged to perform it in the Terms of that Commission . But they never performed it in the Terms of that Communion ; Therefore , &c. Again , the Terms of that Commission , was to Baptize in the Name of the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost , But the Disciples Baptized none with Water in the Name of the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost ; Therefore , &c. And so I end this part , and shall only add , with respect to breaking Bread and drinking Wine in a Sacramental way , ( as they call it ) that we have disused it , because we do certainly know , that to us the Substance is come , the Heavenly Bread and Wine of the Kingdom , to our great Joy and Refreshment , which are the Principal Memento's to us of the breaking of Christ's Body , and shedding his most Precious Blood for us : And as often as we are made Partakers hereof , we shew forth his Death , and bear in our Bodies the Marks of the Dying of the Lord Jesus ; which Marks are a Death to Sin , and a New Life to Holiness , ( for he was Crucified for our Sins , and Rose again for our Justification ) as well as a perfect Resignation to the Will of God : For though our Adversaries have set times for the Receiving of what they call the Lord's Supper ; and without doubt such set times are to them the most Religious and Sacred part of their Devotion , and we have not yet let it be known . to them , that there are certain Times and Seasons that are more than in the common or ordinary way Sacred to us , but these Times and Seasons are in the Father's Hands , and not ours , and for them we wait in all our Religious Meetings ; and though we do not always Enjoy what we wait for , yet we meet with so much Encouragement , as to continue our Waiting and Attention , until He we wait for , who is the Bread of Life indeed , is pleased to make himself known to us , by a Spiritual breaking of Bread , and therefore what need is there for such to use the Outward and Visible Sign , when the Inward and Spiritual Substance is come ? But for all those that are not come to this Substance , but are Religiously and Devoutly Travelling after it , and hope to get it with the Visible Sign ; we are not for being Censorious upon them , knowing that the Light of a Candle , Moon or Stars , are serviceable , till the Suns light break forth and overcome it all . I have but one Point more to speak to , and then I shall end , and that is about the Light within , which our Adversary saith , page 78. we commonly understand by it Conscience ; now that this Man should so affirm , when in page 79. he pretends to have read R. B. upon it , shews his wilful Blindness , Ignorance and Envy , for he that has read R. B's Apology , and shall yet say , That the Quakers understand by the Light , Conscience , must be Mad , Envious or Foolish , but if he were not all three , think you he would in page 78. say , They understand by the Light , Conscience , and in page 79. say , Some Friends makes it God , but R. B. a Substance , and calls it Vehiculum Dei ; this is the Man that will not Belie or Abuse the Quakers , if he do , let him be accounted the greatest Defamer upon Earth , &c. But that they , the Quakers , do not understand it to be Conscience , he himself has proved , quoting Ro. Barclay , calling it Vehiculum Dei , whose Book is approved by the Quakers , and contains their Faith and Doctrine in the Points Controverted , and thither I refer the Ingenious Reader for a more full and ample satisfaction , but since that Book is large , and this being part of our present Controversie in pursuing this Hammerer , I shall freely declare , first Negatively , That by the Light we never understood it to be Conscience , since Conscience is liable to be corrupted and hardened , as said the Apostle ; but this Principle of Divine Light is not obnoxious to any alteration or change from its own pure and holy Nature , to any degree of Corruption whatsoever ; nor is it natural Reason , for there is an apparent depravity come thereupon . But secondly , I declare Positively , That by the Light , we understand a glorious Beam or Ray proceeding from Christ the Fountain of Light , displaying it self into our Souls for the enlightning of our Understandings , and to put us in a Capacity to distinguish between Object and Object ; for as a Blind Man cannot discern the difference in Colours for want of his sight , so all Men in their natural Estate , are in as great a degree of Spiritual Blindness , until by this Light they are in a degree enlightned ; hence it is that all are called Children of Wrath , and that there is none that doth good , no not one ; nor can it be otherwise , for although Custom and Tradition may influence Men to do what they think they ought to do , and deter them from what they have been taught to avoid , yet till by a degree more or less of this Light , they are enlightned , it 's a Blind Zeal and Will-worship , which is not at all acceptable to God , but is Iniquity , as is the Plowing of the Wicked , though otherwise in it self an inoffensive Exercise ; so that the sight and knowledge of what makes for Man's Everlasting Happiness , depends upon this Divine Light , for without it we have no sight , and consequently no Spiritual Knowledge , since Man's Natural Reason is so depraved , that he can no more search into , and behold the glorious things that relates to the Kingdom of God , and his Immortal State , they being too Sublime for him , than 't is possible for a Man to look into , and search out the Matter and Nature of the Sun with his Bodily Eyes , which if he attempts , is soon Convinced of his Folly , by being blinded by the inaccessible transcending Glory and Light thereof ; so that as the Apostle said , 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what Man knoweth the things of a Man , save the Spirit of a Man that is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no Man , but the Spirit of God. And in Verse 14. But the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God , for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned . I say then , since Man in his Natural Estate is not able to know the things of God , it is most certain , that he must , if ever he know them , come to it by the help , not of a Natural but Divine Light , and such a Divine Light , God , who is in Christ , Reconciling the World to himself ; the Father of Lights has sent his Son , the Light of the World , to bless the World withal , that by believing in him , Men may come out of Darkness , and be turned , every one of them , from the Evil of their Ways . It 's true , he was a glorious Light in his Life , Ministry , Miracles , Sufferings , Death and Resurrection , and as such there is no Dispute , but we are obliged to believe in him , and then we shall not abide in that Darkness and Unbelief the Jews , &c. are now in ; but that it should be restricted to that , we deny , since himself promised to come again , and to be in his , and with his , to the end of the World , to lead them into all Truth , to Comfort as well as Convince them , and in fine , to dwell with them , and in them , according to Jo. 14. 16 , 17 , 18 , 21 , 23. and 15. 26. and 16. 7. with many more in the New Testament ; so that notwithstanding a Belief of Christ's Coming in the Flesh , and Suffering , and therein becoming a most Compleat Sacrifice for Remission of the Sins of the whole World ; Men may live and die in an unreconcileable State , and fall short of that Salvation Jesus Christ has by his Blood purchased for them ; for a bare Belief and Consent to the Truth hereof , doth not Entitle any Man to the Salvation therein offered , unless he lives conform to the Will of God , viz. Repent of his former Life and Vanity ; Believes , viz. has Faith in God and Christ ; and that holy Spirit sent forth to purif●e his Heart , and submits to the Work of it , and leads a Life of Godliness and Honesty for time to come ; these are terms upon which Christ the Saviour is offered to every Man , and they that perform these Conditions , have the Benefit of the Sacrifice of Christ , and for his sake God will look on them as if they had never sinned at all : Now since to come to this Qualification , where the Righteousness of Christ is truly to be imputed , requires a real and effectual Change from Nature to Grace , from Darkness to Light , how is it possible that this Change can be effected without a steady adhering to this Divine Light , which as it is obeyed in all its Manifestations , leads out of all Darkness and Death , into the Marvelous Light of Life ; nor doth this Principle of Light that manifest whatsoever is reprovable , Eph. 5. 13. to that end it may be relinquished , contradict the Light in the Scriptures ; for the Commands of the Holy Ghost in Scripture , are made by this Light much more Effectual and Obligatory upon us ; for we do not place the Authority of Scripture only , from its being esteemed Canonical , but also from the Testimony of the Divine Light in our own Hearts , which would have obliged the Believers therein , to have believed the Holy Scriptures Sacred , and of Divine Authority , if no such Canons had past to put a Sanction on them : How Unjust , Uncharitable and Wicked then are our Adversaries , that stick not to say , We debase the Scripture to set up our own Light. In short , by the Light within we understand not Conscience , nor Natural Reason , but that Light which from the Son of Righteousness Jesus Christ ; the Light of the World , shines into the Hearts of the Sons of Men , to give them the Knowledge of the Glory of God , or that Spirit of Truth , that was promised should Convince the World of Sin , and lead into all Truth , or that Word nigh in the Heart and Mouth , to be heard and obeyed , or that still small Voice , that saith , This is the Way , walk in it , when turning to the Right Hand , or to the Left , or that Grace that brings Salvation , and in order to it , it teaches to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lust , and to live soberly in this present World ; or lastly , We mean by it , that Great Mystery reserved for the Gentiles , which is Christ within , the Hope of Glory , Col. 1 , 26 , 27. yet not in opposition to his being glorified in the Heavens , as he is the Man Christ , or Heavenly Man , or Advocate , Intercessor and Mediator with God for us ; this is what we understand by that Principle of the Light within . And whoever thinks to get Heaven or Happiness another way , I wish them Repentance and Amendment of Life , being assured , that there is not another Name or Power whereby Men can be saved , besides the Name of Jesus , who is the true Light , that enlightens every Man that comes into the World. And though many there be that do not own him , as he is believed in , and confessed to by us , yet nevertheless are by him in some degree enlightned , in whom , if they believe and live up to what they know to be their Duty to God , and their Neighbour , the Lord will , without doubt , accept of their Sincerity , though they are labouring under the Prejudice of Tradition and Education . And now , Reader , if I have not defended the Quakers from this Hammerers Charge , and proved him the Impostor , I must confess I have neither understood him , nor my self neither , as well as I have done my endeavour to remove those Prejudices , many People have entertained against us , which they have received one from another , not knowing us as we are ; nor will they give themselves the opportunity of knowing us from our selves , but without hearing or examining , if Mr. such a one , or such a one , the Minister , say so , or so , we are at once Condemned for Hereticks , and then upon pain of Excommunication , or something else , the People must not so much as Discourse with us ; For is there among any sort of profest Christians ( save the Priests , Friars , &c. ) a greater degree of Dominion and Rule over the Souls and Consciences , as well as Purses of the People , than is now reigning among our Presbyterians ? And yet who but they for exclaiming against the Hierarchy of the Bishops . But to avoid Reflections as much as may be , I shall conclude with true desires for his , and all the rest of our Causless Enemies , their Repentance to Amendment of Life , that the Mercy and Favour of God , to the Remission of their Sins , they may all Witness , through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ . And for this Adversary , I shall desire him , if he thinks fit to write any Reply to this , that he will do it under the Umbrage of some intelligent Person or other , ( if he can get any ) that we may apply our selves to for Satisfaction for his Abuses ; or else let him conclude , that if he be not Reply'd to again , it s not because his Arguments are thought unanswerable , or that we decline it from any Consciousness of the Weakness of our Cause ; but because it s not worth while to detect him , since the Rhetorick of Bedlam , and his Welsh Letter , with a deal more , as from page 43 , to 46. and from 55 , to 57. and from 83 , to 88. are so much alike , that it would be no Honour to any one to Reply to it , nor Benefit for any to Read it , though such as that makes up a great part of his Book : And for his Wickedness therein , as I have not called him , The Devil 's Bloodhound , &c. though he insinuated I would , yet I can in the Knowledge of our own Innocency say , The Lord Rebuke him . THE POSTSCRIPT . SINCE the foregoing Answer was sent to the Press , I observe this Day another Scurrilous Pamphlet is come forth by a Nameless Author , Intituled , The Spirit of Quakerism , and the Danger of their Divine Revelation , laid open , in a Faithful Narrative of their Malicious Prosecution of Henry Windor and his Wife , at Carlile Assizes . By Henry Windor . London , Printed for John Harris , 1696 In p. 17. At the end of the Narrative , is Henry Windor again , July 9. 96. I observe that H. W. owns the Narrative , and for that reason , is made Midwife to this Monster , that shews its Teeth the Day of its Birth . That Account of the Delusion of those s 〈…〉 Women , mentioned in the Narrative , I s●● long since in Manuscript , though never w 〈…〉 those Aggravations , as now it appears with ▪ and though 96. be the Date , thereby to make the deeper Impression on the Ignorant , and 〈◊〉 Amuse the Unwary . Reader , and to En●●●● the Multitude against Thousands of Innocent People , called Quakers , that know no more of it than the Child unborn ; yet 73. was the time this Narrative Commenced ; all which , with what is yet behind , shews the Malice , Envy and Rage of our Adversaries , who cannot think us fit to have a Being in the Land of the Living . What should be the Reason of their Intolerable Rage at this time of Day , when we have for so many Years given such undeniable proofs of our Peaceable and Inoffensive Conversation , I cannot think , unless this , viz. since it hath pleased the Lord to favour us with Ease and Relief , from those Long and Cruel Persecutions and Sufferings , that did attend us for our Consciencious Dissent , by the Particular and Extraordinary Indulgence the Government has extended to us ; for all which , as we are highly sensible of the great Love and Favour of God to us therein , so are we truly and humbly Thankful to the Government for the same , and Hope , Believe and Pray , that in all things we may walk worthy of it , and by no means abuse so great Mercy : But this , without Controversie , has extreamly enraged our Adversaries , who , like Cain , are Angry at our Acceptance : But my desire is , that none of these things may move any of us , no , not so much as to the Desire of Revenge ; yet Justice to our selves as Christians , as well as Men , will not admit of Silence ; I shall therefore examine this present Adversary . Whether the Narrative be true or false , I will not determine , without doubt it may be partly both ; for I have heard of such a Story , that Two Women did pretend they had a Dream or Vision , that this H. W. had Committed such an Act ; but what of all this ? Did he ever hear that the Quakers Embarqued their Cause upon such a bottom ? Or that they owned or espoused the Imaginations of these Women ? Yes , saith he , page 23. Many Friends was Concerned in it , Testified and Vindicated it at Carlile Assizes . Oh heighth of Impudence and Falshood ! What did they Testifie and Vindicate ? Was it that these Women were in the right , and that the Spirit they , viz. the Quakers profest , ( which was the Holy-Spirit ) was the very Spirit that Acted these Women in their Impeaching H. W ? surely no , but they did not immediately disown them and their Spirit too : What then ! Do it therefore follow that they must own them and it ? An Envious as well as Foolish Consequence . But to do him Justice , he has , though Ignorantly , cleared , by his own Acknowledgment , all the Quakers in the World , and that is in page 24. where he saith , I freely declare , if any of you sincerely value Scripture Light and Rule , and do not adhere to the Guidance of this Mad Spirit ; this Story , ( meaning the Narrative ) intends no● Accuse you . Now I say then , that all the Quakers in the World , that are own'd as such , and Members of that Community , are sincere Valuers of Scripture Light and Rule , and as much detest adhering to the Guidance of this Mad Spirit , as the Author , or any People in the World , and therefore we are , by his own Confession , Cleared ; so that the Man has only a Chimera in Charging it against the Quakers , and is Fighting with he knows not what ; but I have just Cause to question his Sincerity in this free Concession , since he is so liberal to bestow more such Stories upon the Quakers ; but before I come to Examine them , I take notice of his saying , The Devil it seems owed them a spight , by managing those Persons to the shame of the Sect : That the Devil is spightful towards us , I believe is very true , though they say he is kind to his own Children , the which , I am apt to think , this Adversary may be qualified to give us an account of in his next ; but of his spightfulness to us , we have had large Demonstrations , not only by seducing some that have pretended to be of us , to follow the Imaginations of their own Whimsical Brains , or Melancholy Fancies , under the Apprehensions of the motion of the Spirit of God , but also by filling such as this Adversary with Malice and Envy against us , to Reproach the Holy Spirit of God , through the Delusions of some few Persons . I shall now take notice of some more of his Stories , and that is in page 26. of one Peregrine Dalston endeavouring to swallow his Bed-sheet , and Choaking himself ; and of another at Durham , that pretended he came to Hobson 's House by Revelation , &c. And page 27. of a Woman that Renounced her Husband , and call'd him Dog , Devil , &c. and that she pretended to be a Mother to a Second Saviour . How unjust is this Libeller to upbraid Sensible Men with Actions of Mad People ? But whether ever there were any such Persons in the World , as these he here mentions , is a question ; and 't is another , if ever any such thing was either done or said ? And another , Whether these People ( if the two first be granted ) were reputed Quakers ? For his saying so , will go but a little way with the Impartial , since Lying and Abusing is his Practice , as I shall shew in its place ; but supposing all this to be true , when or where did he ever hear the Quakers give any Credit , or shew Countenance to such things ? He cannot be Ignorant of the Quakers equally disliking any such practices with any Professors of Christianity whatever : He may well say , page 29. Friends Memories are not always perfect , for they never will , nor his neither , be so perfect as to remember what never was done . But all these confirms what he said before , That the Devil ow'd us a spight , and to shew it , has made use of this Libeller , with many others who hath joined issue with the Devil in Spightfulness , to Reproach , Belie and Abuse an Innocent People , because some that has profest the same Way , has been Whimsical , Melancholy , Imaginary , or Mad. But his Profane , Atheistical , Blasphemous Commentson these Stories , I shall not now undertake to Reply to , for indeed I do not think it worth while , since it looks so much like Tripedantium Malleus , rather than the production of a Composed Brain . He tells Two Stories of Quakers in Bristol , The first going Naked with a Rope about him into the Church , but when turn'd out , another went saying , Thus saith the Lord , Let the Man have his Rope again . If this be not a Lie of his making , yet it is of his venting , for the Quakers of Bristol , who are most like of any to know , deny it , that is , that no Quaker did so . Some Quakers in the City of Bristol , yet Alive , do remember , ( but surely the Infernal Powers are at work in this Scribling Age , to fill this part of the World with Lies , as it did another lately with Witches ) that about Forty Years ago , there was one John Jones , a Reformed ( as the Beetle called such as he ) Quaker , viz. one that like G. K. F. B. T. C. and J. P. had left the Quakers , and set up for himself , which said Jones went Naked , ( save only a Rope about him ) and if this be not the Story , there is nothing of Truth in it ; but if this is the Story , then Judge Reader , what an ungodly Man is he to lay that to the Charge of the Quakers , which they as much disowned as himself . That another should say , Thus saith the Lord , Let the Man have his Rope again , is a further Proof of the baseness of this Adversary ; for tho' there were such Expressions used by a Boy or Portar , yet it was only to Ridicule the Immaginary Naked Man ; and both of them no more Quakers than S. Y. or this Libeller . But who that Great Prophetess is in Summerset-shire , that should say , I 'll tell thee from the Lord , Monmouth is as surely alive , as any of us , I know not , but certain it is , if the Quakers did pretend to such Revelations , as these he have told of , and this , such a great Prophetess , as he would Insinuate , we must needs know her , tho' he takes care we shall not from him , but as an Effect of his lying Spirit , I return it on him . But he comes now to a particular Case , ( viz. ) That in the Year 1694. at Bristol , ( for his Story of 86. I take it to be the Fruit of his Scoffing , Lying Spirit , rather than any appearance of Truth ) he saith , a Prophet pronounced , that in a few Months that City should become a Pool of Water , except it did Repent . This was declared amongst a Croud of you , Publisht in the Streets , owned before the Mayor , whose Courtesie to the silly Wretch others of you Congratulated , Caressed the Man , Honoured his Prophesie above the Bible , Copied and hung it up in your Houses , &c. Now this falling within the Compass of my certain Knowledge , made me the more willing to spend an Hour or two in perusing ( and for his Abuses ) reflecting on this Libeller , for this I know to be a Lie in Fact , as it is laid down by him : Let our Memories be as bad as they will , he will find them too good to let his Lies pass undetected ; but such as he , had need of better than he seems to have ; but something he has got by the end as he thinks will Reproach the Quakers , and out it goes without Fear or Wit , Two Stories jumbled together with great Additions and downright Falshoods ; and were it not for that , I should gratifie him too much , I would relate the Truth of that Matter , that he hath so confused himself about , that in Eight Lines has told so many Lies , but perhaps shortly we may see his Reply to this , ( for if he have any Regard to his Credit , he is obliged to it , since I positively Charge him for a Malicious Publisher of Notorious Falshoods ) and then it will be time enough ; in mean time I observe his Directions , ( like such another Doctor as S. Y. ) a true Representation of the Author , viz. a Rambling Confused Adversary ; see it , page 46. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of Truth . Ah! where wilt thou run when he ceases to lead thee ? This in a Quaker had been rank Herefie enough , to have had him write a Book to lay open the Danger of it , but in him Orthodox . In the next Paragraph , and first Sentence of it , he saith , Dread the Methods whereby others are inveigled , viz. a Pretence to all inward Spirituality in Religion . You may see what a Religion he is for , nothing of Spirit , but all Flesh . But to fix the aforesaid Character upon him , read his next words , A Form of Godliness , without Life and Spirit , God abhors , saith he ; 't was well in one respect , he did not set his Name to his Book , for if he should be known to be a Member of any Society at all , we might , if we would , act like him , Accuse them for Madness or Folly , since this Member has shewed himself so in this Case ; for till he can reconcile the aforesaid Directions , viz. Dread Inward Spirituality in Religion , ( viz. Beware of it ; don't pretend by any means to such a thing ) yet don't grieve the Spirit of God , for a Form , without the Spirit , God abhors ; I say , until he can reconcile these two opposite Directions , I shall not forbear thinking him a Mad-man , or worse ; but this is no more a wonder to me , than his Envying the Quakers , both for the sake of their Religion , as well as for their Temporal Enjoyments , since believing the Saving Grace of God in all Men , is with him an Intoxicating Notion , one would think he was no better acquainted with the Holy Scriptures , than he seems to be with the Principles of the Quakers ; for had he not been intoxicated himself , and a Stranger to both , how could he have belied the one , or contradicted the other , as he hath done ? And until he is better informed of both , I intend to leave him , or at least for the present ; since he is so foul and abusive from End to End , that hardly one Paragraph is to be found free from Lying , Detraction and Perversion . It shall suffice me , that all Men in their Senses , and that are of a good understanding , will agree with me in this ; that this Adversary has most notoriously abused the Quakers , by Intituling them to the Mad and Foolish Freaks that some silly People has run into . For who would think it just , to charge the Church of England for Libertinism , because some Men , Professors of that Communion , has been Convicted for Theft and Murther , & c ? Or that the Presbyterians Doctrine is Damnable , because some of their Members have Hanged or Stabb'd themselves ? Or that the Baptists Religion is Lunacy , because some of their Members has Drowned themselves ? A very unjust and uncharitable Conclusion . So let the sober Reader judge , whether supposing ( but not granting ) many such like Idle and Foolish Stories to be true , concerning here and there one , amongst many Thousands of a regular People , is our Christian Communion and Society answerable for it ? And our Principles Destructive , and we Hereticks because of it ? The Answer , I hope ; is easie . In short , we know there has been much Industry us'd , and what Wit and Malice , as well as Madness could rake up , has been thrown at us , to Reproach our Christian Profession , and render its Professors obnoxious to the Government that our Liberties might be , by a Legal Power , st●eightned : But Blessed be the Merciful God , who hath hitherto helped us by his Grace and good Spirit ; that though our Adversaries hath not forborn , but with open Mouth hath spoken all manner of Evil of us , yet it is falsly ; and we know it to be for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ , in whom we have believed . Psalm 2. 1. Why do the Heathen Rage , and the People imagine a vain Thing . Isaiah 37. 22 , 23. The Virgin Daughter of Zion hath despised thee , &c. London , September the 12th . 1696. FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A34436-e600 * Bedlam , and Box , places for Cure of Mad People . Page 48. Page 48. See C. M. of W — Page 60. Page 71. Page 60. a Ezek. 36. 27. b 2 Tim. 3. 16 , 17. c 2 Pet. 3. 16. d Mic. 5. 2. e John 1. 1 , 2 , 3. f Col. 1. 15. g Ver. 16. h Rev. 22. 16. i Heb. 1. 1. 2 , 3. k Eph. 3. 9. l Heb. 2. 14 , 16 , 17. m Heb. 4. 15. n Isa . 53. 10 , 11. o Heb. 9. 12 , 14. p Tit. 2. 14. q 1 Pet. 3. 18. r Eph. 5. 2. ſ Phil. 3. 10. t 1 John 5. 7 , 8. u Acts 1. 11. x Acts 2. 31 , to 37. y Acts 3. 21. z Heb. 8. 1. a Eph. 4. 13.