A brief relation of the irreligion of the northern Quakers wherein their horrid principles and practices, doctrines and manners ... are plainly exposed to the view of every intelligent reader : together with a (brief reply) to some part of a very scurilous and lying pamphlet called.

Reply.

I Wonder much at the Spirits of these men, and what eyes they see withall. They would make the world beleive, they can espy the Spirit of Saul, while he was unconverted, in the breasts of others, comminations and persecution, blood and slaughter, where they can see nothing but Christian Modesty, and the words of Truth and Sobri∣ety. Surely blood and slaughter are the Objects of their Meditation by day, and their dreams in the night are dreams of cruelty. Other∣wise the humble, innocent, sober Petitions of Christians jealous for the Glory of God, and the welfare of his Church, and studious to prevent the enemy from making such havock of Souls, as he hath done of late in some parts, would not so presently put them in mind of them.

And where he saith in this your Petition, they troubled the Coun∣cell of State with abominable misrepresentations▪ &c. It is it self an abominable untruth; and I do verily beleive that Epistoler Con∣science tels him so. There was indeed such a Petition prepared and intended to be presented to the Councel of State, but as I am cer∣tainly

informed it never was presented to them. Nor did that Petition contain the least tittle of any misrepresentation, but a brief and true re∣lation of some of your Abominations, which are too famously and e∣vidently known to the whole Countrie to be denied. O the impudency of that lying spirit that hath entred into this generation of men.

To all the other false and railing accusations of this man brought a∣gainst (I do verily believe for some of them) the faithfull Ministers and servants of Jesus Christ, I shall onely answer as Michael to the Devil, The Lord rebuke thee.

I could have rather desired that some of these Ministers in Lanca∣shire would have answered this Calumniator, and made him ashamed of his falsities.

Some of them are known to us, and we are confident are as clear from all those charges as the new born child, and such as according to that precept, Isay 51. 7. Fear not the reproach of man, nor are affraid of their revilings.

If the Author of theseEpistles prefixt to Sauls errand, &c. lives in Lan∣cashire, as it is supposed he doth; he cannot but know that there is more real worth, Truth of Godlinesse, Christian simplicity and white Inno∣cency in some of them then in 160. such Foxes as now spoil the vineyards

He might have considered whose work it is to accuse the Brethren, and who hath from thence deserved the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Me thinks he manifests himself to be of that Generation, Prov. 30 14. Whose teeth are swords, and whose jaw teeth are knives to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. While his words are smoother then butter, and softer then oyle to those of his way, war is in his heart against others, and his words are drawn swords, and the breathings of a spirit possest with malice. The Apostle describing the men that shall make the last times perillous, saith among other Chara∣cters of them, they shall be false accusers, fierce dispisers of those that are good. I do not wish my greatest enemy so much hurt as that he should be one of them.

But those in Authoritie know they might not give ear to the Calum∣nies of every Anonymus, Psal. 101. 5 7. Who so privily slandereth his neighbour (saith David) him will I cut off. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in my House. He that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight: And that it was Sauls sin and shame to hearken to the calumnies of Doeg, against those that ministred at the Altar to the Lord.

And we all know it is no new thing for the Ministers of Christ to be the object of the worlds indignation, and accused of all manner of evil.

Our Saviour Christ himself, his Apostles, and the best of the Christians in the Primitive times, did not escape the scourge of the Tongue, the worst of slanders. Well therefore may the false aspersions of this man be born as an easie burthen.

But thou O Lord, deliver my soul from lying lips, and from a deceitfull Tongue. Psal. 120. 2.

Let thy mercies also come unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation accord∣ing to thy Word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me, for my trust is in thy Word. Psal. 119. 41. 42.

The next part of this Pamphlet which I shall give some answer to, consists of a false and scandalous Relation, wherein Nayler, or some friend of his for him foolishly complains of Persecution, and malici∣ously abuses and belies divers Ministers in Westmerland as his persecu∣tors, who I am confident never used any unchristian language to him, and were never guiltie of the least incivilitie in Action towards him, notwithstanding his outcry of persecution by them. Now because I intend to say something by way of reply to this Relation, as also to their fals Narrative of the proceedings of the Justices at Appleby, against Iames Nayler, Jan. 8. 1652. I think it will not be amisse, first to ex∣pose the Quakers own Relations verbatim, to the view of my Reader, as they are contained in Sauls errand to Damascus.