Truth prevailing and detecting error, or, An answer to a book mis-called, A friendly conference between a minister and a parishioner of his, inclining to Quakerism, &c. by Thomas Ellwood.

THE PREFACE.

Reader,

THere came lately to my Hand a lit∣tle Book, bearing the Title of, A Friendly Conference, &c. which ha∣ving turned over, I found the Drift and Design of it was to infame the People called Quakers, by representing their Principles absurd and heterodox, mis∣stating some, and with sophistical Argu∣ments perverting and opposing others. This, when I had observed, I held my self concerned to vindicate those Truths which we believe and make Profession of, from the Absurdities and Errors which the Author of that Book partly through Ig∣norance, but principally through Envy, hath endeavoured to fasten on them. This

is the Occasion and Subject of the follow∣ing Discourse, which I recommend to thy serious and impartial Perusal.

Who the Author of the Conference was I did not know, when I wr•••• the An∣swer to it, he not having so much Ingenu∣ity 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to say 〈…〉〈…〉 as to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Name to his Book. But after the Answer had a good part passed the Press, I received In∣formation concerning the concealed Au∣thor, both Who and What he is, his Name, Place. &c. which I forbear at pre••ent to publish, in Expectation that he himself should do it in his next. If he persist a lurking Adversary, let him n••t think much, if (after so fair a Warning) I give the World his Name with such an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as his unmanly Dealing with us deserves. He writes himself, A Lover of the Truth. But seeing Truth seeks no Cor∣ners, what should induce him to conceal his Name! If he indeed believed that to be Truth, which he undertook to main∣tain, he needed not to have been either

afraid or ashamed to have openly avou∣ched it. Although I do not think men strictly tyed, in all Cases, to affix their Names to whatsoever they write: yet in Matters of Controversie, especially wherein one man shall accuse or charge another Man or People, I conceive the Op∣ponent, in point of Honesty, obliged to give h•••• Name, as a Caution or Security for making good h•••• Charge, or giving Satis∣faction to the Party injured, in case he fail in his Proof. Certainly this way of striking in the dark, th••s skulking way of writing Controvers••es is very disingenu∣o••••, unfair and unmanly; fitter for F••ux with h••s Dark-Lanthorn, then for one that pretends to be a Minister of the Gospel. But leaving the Author for this time, to hug himself in the dark, and de∣light in his own Obscurity, I shall offer two or three short hints, relating to the Book it self.

1. Some of the more minute and less material Passages in the Conference, I have purposely omitted, that I might have

more scope (without swelling this Book into too great a Bulk) more largely to insist on, and freely handle those things which are indeed of greater Weight and Moment.

2. In those Cases wherein I have had occasion to use the Testimonies of Ancient Authors, I have been necessitated, for want of some of the Books themselves (which in the Country I knew not how to procure) to take some few Quotations up∣on trust from others; yet not without great Caution in the Choice of those Quotations: for I assure thee, Reader, I would rather choose to lay them all wholely aside, then knowingly to obtrude one wrong one upon thee.

3. The first Chapter may peradventure seem not so much defensive as offensive, relating more particularly to that Mini∣stry, whereof my Opponent professes him∣self a Member. But let it be considered, that the Su••ject w••s not of my choosing, but his proposing, whose Method and Matter I am in some sort obliged, as a Respondent, to observe.