To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
The Gross Lyes Tho. Hicks tells in the Name of, or fastens upon the Quakers. Such proceeding, full of Envy, Folly, and Un∣godliness.
NExt, he has as well made us to Belye Our selves, and Principles, as to appear Impertinent; a thing so fouly Uncharitable, indeed very wicked, as me-thinks, every Sober and impartial Mind may have just occasion to be scandaliz'd at his whole Enterprise. What! not only make us to answer in his own Language, but Lye
in it, and that against our very Principles and Consciences too; This is an Aggravation, at once, of his own Enmity, and the Imbecillity of his Cause.
For can any believe, that knows us well, that when we are ask'd, as he fictiously doth in his Dialogue, Do you be∣lieve the Scriptures to be true sayings of God? We should answer* 1.1 him thus; So far as they agree to the Light in me. For, though it be thus far true, viz. that the true Light with∣in is the same in kind with that which shined in the Hearts of the Holy Pen-Men, and therefore may rightly be said, to agree both in it self, and in the several Testimonies of Divers Ages; and consequently it may truly be allow'd to judge of what are the sayings of God, from what are those of Wicked Men, &c. Yet has he disingenuously ob∣truded those Words by Way of Answer upon us, which he cannot find so laid down by any of us, much less all the Quakers.
Again, in another place of his abusive Catechism, he thus Queries.
Q. Then may I not conclude, that the Reason why you so free∣ly* 1.2 Rail against, and Reproach your Opposers, is only to Secure your Credit with your own Proselytes? which he thus makes the Quaker to answer.
A. I cannot deny, but that there may be something of that in it. O Impudent Forgery! Whether this Invention be∣comes a Man that has the least honest pretence to Christ's Pure Religion, or one who would be thought as Serious as an Anabaptist-Preacher ought to be, judge all you that read us? I cannot believe, but Many who go under that Name, have more Tenderness and Conscience, then to abet this kind of Proceed against us. In short, It was an unchari∣table Spirit ask'd the Question, and from that became a Lying one to answer it. Our Witness is with God, as to our Innocency in this very matter. But he proceeds.
Q Will you be so Liberal of your Revilings, whether your Adver∣sary* 1.3 gives occasion or not? he answers for us.
A. It concerns us to render them as Ridiculous as we can, and to make our Friends believe they do nothing but contradict them∣selves.
Again to the same Unrighteous Purpose,
Q. But doth not this signifie a very Dishonest and Malicious Mind in you? He makes us return.
A. We care not what you think, provided our Friends think not so.
And to conclude his Slanders of this kind, hear him once more.
Q. Doth not W. P. in his Book against the Author of the Spirit of the Quakers tryed, manifest great Displeasure against the Man for concealing his Name; Suggesting, that if he knew it, then probably they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have something, to detect him? &c.
I shall omit in this place making mine own Defence; but be pleas'd Curteous Reader, to observe the Man's Answer, which he would have the World to believe was ours.
A. Whatsoever thou or others may think of our Writings, we will give it out, that we have both answer'd and consuted our Adver∣saries, and our Friends will believe what we say in this matter, which is enough to us. O Lyes, Madness, and Folly.
Certainly Reader, By this time thou canst not but with me believe, I had Reason enough to make this General Exception against the Dialogue, as neither becoming what I am so tender as to think, our bitter Adversary upon more serious Consi∣derations might esteem a Right Christian; nor yet that Character of a Quaker, which the more Sober Sort of Men, carry in their Minds concerning us: and in the fear of Almighty God, we do appeal to the Consciences of all People, that shall ever read us, whether we have been treated by this Man in his Dialogue and Catechism with that Spirit of Meekness, Righ∣teousness and Truth, which is, or ought to be the Rule and Guide of Christian-Men in their undertakings, more espe∣cially in and about the very weighty matters of Religion. Indeed, we need no other Apology in this case, then the Folly of his Answers; For all the World will think, we had least need of seeking the Good-Will of our Friends which we had already, and rather conclude it our interest, to care after, and not to slight what others say or believe concerning us. 'Tis true, I perceive our Adversary is a great Slighter of Conscience, and that Light of Truth which should be the Instructer thereof, and therefore no wonder if we find so little of it in his Dialogue: but however, he sets lit∣tle by it, preferring his most defective Head-Conceits before the holy certain DICTATES of the Heavenly Light in the Con∣sciences of Men, as his Unconscionable Dealing with us sufficiently testifies; yet is it our Desire to act suitably to
that in our selves, and to seek the Approbation of it alone in others, rather then by a disingenuous way of Writing, obtrude our own Fictions for Christian-Faith, much less meer Im∣pertinencies and very Lyes, for the only and best Answers of our Adversaries.
Pag. 66.
Pag. 72.
Pag. 73.