A vindication of the Friendly conference, between a minister and a parishioner of his inclining unto Quakerism, &c. from the exceptions of Thomas Ellwood, in his pretended answer to the said conference / by the same author.

The Conclusion.

Par.

IN the conclusion of T. E's Book, ha∣ving first falsly told His Reader, that He had given a particular Answer to the most material passages in yours: He gives you a warning from writing any more against the Quakers, for if you do, you may expect him on your Bones again; For He saith, that He no way doubts, but that the Lord will ena∣ble him, or some of his Servants to vindicate his truth, p. 363.

Min.

God no doubt will take care of his truth, but if He enable T. E. to write, we may be confident that it will be a Recantation of what he hath already writ. However let not him think that his idle Threats will discourage me in duty of doing good.

Par.

His main Business here, is to present His Reader with a collection of some of your Phrases, which He calls Virulent Expressions, and which He saith your Academical Education hath bestowed upon you. p. 364.

Min.

Whether my Expressions were Viru∣lent or no: This I am sure, here's a foul and impudent Slander, in charging my Academi∣cal Education therewith: but wherein do's this Virulency appear?

Par.

His first Instance is this, the Spirit of Quakerism and the Delusions of it. ibid.

Min.

This mind's me of an old Woman who corrected Her Maid for swearing, because

She call'd a Hen a Jade: Is not the Quaker think you, sadly put to't, when (for want of matter) He falls upon such innocent ex∣pressions as these? I must confess I could not forbear smiling, when I found not only a Fanatical Iesuit, for a woful bitter ex∣pression, but the whim in the pate put into his Catologue: Pray do you remember upon what account it was spoken?

Par.

Yes: For to vindicate Scripture from the idle fancies of some: You supposed a Man troubled with a Vertigo in his Head, should say he was confident the Earth turned round, you askt, whether it was the Earth or the Distem∣per in the Brain that occasioned that misap∣prehension; so (said you) every Fanatick will tell you that he has the Scripture on his side, in behalf of his opinions, where is the fault? in the Scripture? or in the Whim in his Pate?

Min.

You see then, how that expression concern'd all Fanaticks in general: and is it not very pleasant, that (to prove me viru∣lent) He should take [Fanatick] to himself and Party?

Par.

You said the Quakers were Cheats and Impastors, ibid.

Min.

Its true I said it, but not before I first plainly proved it. You know the Qua∣kers pretend to immediate Teaching, and that they speak and write by the infallible dictates of the Spirit of God: if so, then must all their works be as authentick, and of equal Authority with the Scriptures them∣selves.

Now having discovered their gross ignorance in the interpretation and applica∣cation of that saying of Ieremiah, The Priests hear rule by their means, How could I be true to the Souls of Men in saying less? Had T. E. clear'd his Brethren from the imposture, He had effectually convicted me of virulency: But he is so farr from clearing them in this point (though their credit lay at stake) that he sneaks off without taking any notice of it, as was observed before.

Should I forwarn a Traveller from coming in such place, and tell him that the Peo∣ple there are Thieves and Robbers, if they were honest Men, or I know nothing to the contrary, my fault would be very heinous; But if I knew them to be such, it would be a breach of Justice and Charity to hide it from the Traveller. Alas, what I said of the Quakers were not bitter expressions, but so many sad and serious truths, and spoken out of a Principle of the truest charity and kind∣ness, to prevent their running headlong into eternal ruine and destruction.

But if no such expressions can proceed but from a malevolent, crusty, waspish, and viru∣lent Principle, then let me ask my Friend Ellwood, whether there is not such a People in the World, who use to call Ministers Dumb dogs, Hirelings, Serpents, Baals Priests, and what not? If he will be pleased to consult the works of His weighty Friend Hubberthorn, He may there collect a large. Catalogue in∣deed of expressions, truly virulent and bitter:

Or let me tell him of another, whose memory (I suppose) is much dearer to him, I mean Ed. Burroughs, who in his Works hath these expressions, Reprobate, Child of darkness, a Stranger to the Life, in the Sorcery and Witch∣craft, Dragon, Diviner, and many more such like.

He that had seen no more of T. E's Book than the Conclusion, would (at the first blush) take him for such a gentle, sweet, and humble Quaker, that one would imagine that the Royal Society had been trying some Experi∣ment upon him, and that they had taken out the very Splene out of his Side: If this be so in truth, Those Gentlemen must excuse me, if I tell them in plain terms, that they have proved themselves no good Artists, in that they have left the main matter behind: There∣fore I shall give you some of his expressions, and do you judge whether they be Virulent, or no: The Author of that book, partly through Ignorance, but principally through Envy: in the first page of his Preface. Ay but might the Parishioner have said, He told me that I must not be covetous, yet of all my acquaintance I know none more Covetous than He: He told me I must not be drunk, yet have I seen him so often: He told me I must live chastly, yet He himself was incontinent, and so he goes on, p. 23. The whole Book shews him big with envie, p. 25. Bishop Gauden was as hold, and no less blind than himself, p, 171. His envie and evil nature p. 210. My greedy Adversary, p. 286. This Priest like a saucy and unthankful Son, p. 279.

And when the merciless Priest comes, p. 347. To omit divers others, in this very conclusion, This Mans malevolent Tongue. So that I shall not imitate him in concluding with a saying of Cornelius Tacitus's, but with a much better Author, namely, St. Paul in Rom. 2. 2. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thy self, for thou that judgest dost the same things.

FINIS.

Notes

• Conf. p. 95, 96.
• p. 29. 32.