A brief account of the most material passages between those called Quakers and Baptists at the Barbican-meeting, London, the 9th of the 8th moneth, 1674 / published for information by W. Mead ... [et.al.] citizens there present, from the best collection they could make by writing and memory ; also a copy of the charges against Thomas Hicks ; with a letter from a sober Baptist-preacher to Jeremy Ives upon the account of that meeting.

Brother IVES,

I Was sorry to see Thee appear in the Pulpit (I will not say Cock-pit) as an Assistant to one that would prove the Quaker No Christian We saw him foyl'd in his first Attempt, to prove his Way of Writing; For, as Mr. Penn truly said, There is a vast Diffe∣rence betwixt a Dialogue composed for Information, and one for Dispu∣tation; In the first I only write my own Judgment, in the other an Ad∣versary's. But moreover, I wonder thou wouldst put that Ensnaring Que∣stion to them (which was best answe∣red with Silence) viz. Whether the Humanity was a part of Christ: For what if they had turn'd another upon thee to the same Purpose, thus, Whether that which was crucified, and satisfied for Sin, was a Part of Christ, or whole Christ? Would not the same or more Absur∣dities

have fallen upon thee, if thou hadst directly answered? Brother, let us leave dividing of Christ; and put not such Queries, which bring Incon∣veniencies upon both Parties. A∣gain, Thy Way to prove them will as easily prove us all No Christians; for I suppose thou wast running to this, That he that denies a Part of Christ de∣nyes the Whole; but the Quakers deny a part, Ergo. Then why may not another reason thus? He that loves not Christ, denys him; he that keeps not his Commands, loves him not, and so forward to this, That Non∣conformity to every Command of Christ is a Denying of Christ, then must the Presbyter. and Independents be No Christians for denying Baptism; and some Baptized Churches must be Antichristian for denying Laying on of Hands on all, and others for not keeping Saturday-Sabbath; But God forbid that we should thus proceed to Heat henize one another for Diversities

of Apprehensions concerning the Na∣ture, Offices or Ordinances of Christ. T H. has Dialogued so long, till he has fill'd the Quakers Meetings in these Parts: And for ought I see, the more We Strive, the more They Thrive. Its strange we cannot ob∣serve the Counsel of our own Bible, to let them alone; for if they be not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, they shall not stand. Let us con∣tend against all Faith that leads to•• an Unholy Life, which doubtless the Apostle intended, when he bids us Contend for Gospel-Faith, and not Doubtful Disputation.

One Thing more I noted, which was not fair, viz to set Women at the Door of the Disputation, to sell a Pamphlet to exasperate the People against the Quakers; verely, he that did it, acted too much like a Poch••r, which if he can, will wound the Hare before he courses her: I was so trou∣bled at it, that I desired the Woman to remove, or forbear shewing till the

Dispute was past; but she was so Zea∣••ous in her Business, that I fear, she was hired: Whatever the Design was I know not; but truly the Substance of the Pamphlet was very Weak; for by the very same Argument he may prove all our Pedigree from the Pope, as well as the Quakers; but the Sheet it self smelt of the Spirit of Persecu∣tion, which is the very worst Part of Popery: But no more at present, on∣ly this, If thou hear of a Disputation again, do thy Endeavour to have it out of the City; three or four Miles Distance had freed you from that Rab∣ble, which I perceive will alwayes disturb and make utterly unprofitable all Meetings of that Nature. From

Octob. 12. 74.

Thy Loving Friend and Brother W. L.