Judas and the Jews combined against Christ and his followers being a re-joynder to the late nameless reply, called, Tyranny and hypocrisie detected, made against a book, entituled The spirit of Alexander the Coppersmith rebuked, &c. which was an answer to a pamphlet, called, The spirit of the hat, in which truth is cleared from scandals, and the Church of Christ, in her faith, doctrine, and just power and authority in discipline is clearly and fully vindicated against the malicious endeavours of a confederacy of some envious professors and vagabond, apostate Quakers / by ... William Penn ; to which are added several testimonies of persons concern'd.

Some further Ground of our Satisfaction in Pro∣ceeding against keeping on the Hat in time of pub∣lick Prayer; especially, as we are now concern'd with these sort of Apostate Adversaries: which is not to dispute, but further to declare our Belief, and the Reason of our Practice in the Matter, and so leave all with the Lord.

I. AS Man consists of Soul and Body, and as the Body is a kind of Form to the Soul, so whilst Body and Soul remain unseparated, there will and must be some Form suited to the Body, whereby to express the publick, Spiritual Worship performed by the Soul: such are Places, Words and Gestures; and in the Performance of such Wor∣ship the Body can no more be exempted from some Form or Ex∣pression, then can the Soul in its inward and spiritual Station. To deny this, is to denote a Man void of Sense and Reason; so that though we grant the outward & inward Coming of Christ, to have abrogated such Types and Figures as foreshewed a fur∣ther Glory, yet Tokens and Demonstrations of present inward Reverence a Divine Honour to God in publick Performance of Worship, not only we never denyed, but do affirm them to be as adequate or proper to the Body, as are the Reverence and Honour to the Soul.

II. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, in the solemn and publick performance of Prayer unto the Lord, to pull off our Hats, to express the Unvailing of our Spirits, and that reverent Submission and Supplication, which becomes poor Petitioners to come in, and offer up their Desires with, to the great King of Glory, and God of the Spirits of all Flesh;

and God has made it a Token of inward Homage by the Requi∣rings of his own Truth. And it is fit it should be observed, that these present Opposers not only acknowledg'd the People, call'd Quakers, to be a true Church whilst in this Practice (which I deny any Church to be that continues in the World's Rudi∣ments) and that they have frequently suggested us on this Oc∣casion to be Retainers of; But that they have received heaven∣ly Refreshment by those Prayers, that have been offered up by uncovered Heads: And that God should send forth such a Spi∣ritual Ministry, so richly furnished, and rarely qualified, by the Divine Power and Wisdom of God a few years before, as the Author of the Hat confesseth, and that in, their Performance of Worship to God, they should be worldly, and vainly Ce∣remonious, can be no wayes consistent. And I do here appeal to all sober Persons, if after so large a Terstimony, given to the People, called Quakers, as a true Church, and her Mini∣stry and Worship as powerful and pure, before ever this Imagi∣nation came forth, it could be any thing solid, seasonable or edifying to introduce or trouble the Church with that Prac∣tice, which they acknowledge She was Blest, and Prosperous without.

III. But again, it denotes and signifies the Difference that is between Worship to God, and Ministry to Man; there is not equal Homage, indeed none at all in declaring God's Will to Man, but the other is all matter of pure Homage, and to dis∣cover this Difference by some due and suitable Posture, is so far from being unlawful, that the contrary is very condem∣nable.

IV. It is never to be thought reasonable by People not out of their Senses, at least upon our Adversaries Principles, that a Man should be moved to Pray, and yet in that Motion not mo∣ved to shew it. What! would they have a Man, when he is moved to pray, wait for another Motion to be led to discover it? But above all the rest, how do they that stand with their Hats on, te∣stifie their Unity with him, that prayes (as they confess a Man may by the Spirit of the Lord) with his Hat off? I say, what

greater Token do they give of their Joyning with such Pray∣ers, then the Publican or Pharisee, who by that very Posture testifie their Dislike. But yet further, suppose a Hat-Man be moved to Pray with his Hat off, as they confess he may, what becomes of the rest of that Opinion in the Meeting? If they pull it off meerly as having Unity with his Prayer, then they are gone; for that is our Ground, who say, that Soul and Bo∣dy, Prayer and Gesture must go together. If they say, it is up∣on them not to pull it off, Two things will follow; First, The Spirit of the Lord moveth People in the same Meeting, at the same instant of time, and in one and the same Duty, unto two Contrary things. 2dly, That they may have Unity with the Prayer, and not with the Gesture; with one Motion, and not the other. That they have Unity with the Prayer, and give, and wrap up their Spirits in the present sense that's stirring in the Assembly, with his that is the Mouth, without an extra-ordinary Impulse to pray with him in their own Spirits; yet require such a Motion to Joyn with the Gesture: so that they can pray with the Man moved, but not pull off their Hat with the Man so moved. The Confusion, Contradiction and Ab∣surdity of this Imagination ought forever to Justifie the Qua∣kers Seasonable, Solid and Christian Proceedings against the In∣troducers and Abettors of it; for a Contradiction in Gesture, when Gesture stands upon Motion, is (proportionably) as real a Resistance against the Spirit, and committing of Disorder in Christian Assemblies, as in Matter of Doctrine, or any other es∣sential part of Worship.

V. The generality of the Friends in the Nation renoun∣ced it; where I cannot but take an Opportunity to defend a Passage in a private, Letter writ by me, upon the Entreaty of one of John Perrot's Disciples, in much Kindness, to satisfie and re∣claim him, and cited by the envious Author of Tyranny and Hy∣pocrisie Detected, pag. 25.

W. P. saith that God hath given greater Judgment to his Church, then to the individual Members of it, is a true Positi∣on,* 1.1 and the Church of Rome errs

not in that, but in accounting themselves a True Church: These are not my very words; a Disingenuity, if I am not mistaken this Author wrote once almost a whole Book against; however, I abide by the Passage: For if Christ bid individuals tell the Church, & yet the Church has no more Discerning or Judgements then they had themselves be∣fore such Appeal, & which can't be better'd by it away with Reason: If in the multitude of Coun∣sellors there be safety, respecting Worldly Matters, why not re∣specting Spiritual Matters? supposing, as we ever did, that Gods Power, Spirit & presence preside in any such Church, Body or Assembly. This is more then the Cavil deserves, but I was wil∣ling to express my mind more fully for the Readers Satisfaction.

VI. This Innovation brought with it Division, instead of Unity; Confusion, instead of Order; Heart-burnings, in∣stead of Love, and diverted the minds of some from the more weighty things of God's living and spiritual Law.

VII. Had it been never so Innocent, it cost more then it was worth, and their insisting so much upon it to the Distur∣bance of the Church's Concord, was no small Evidence of the Wrongness of that Spirit, which introduced and maintained it. This shall sufficiently rebuke and judge, both it and them, that it added nothing to Life and Salvātion, nor to the Edifi∣cation of the Body of Christ, which is the End of every true Motion; for it carryed neither interiour nor exteriour Ho∣mage, Service or Benefit in the least, either to Persons in their own Particulars, or to the Church in general.

And whereas they frequently have accused the Body of our Friends, which still remains, as they once confest, the Body of

Christ, of being guilty of Popish Customs, in not being guil∣ty of their Irreverence and that the Minds of People, were not yet inwardly and spiritually exercised in Worship, it is evident, that their new-fangled Practice, Dissent about it, and continual Defence of it, did more draw out the Minds of some people, and exercise and perplex them about Postures and Gestures, then ever they were before: so that what they falsly charge upon the Church is their own proper Character. Our Friends prudent Stop to this troublesome and endless sort of Innovation, deserves none of those Hard Names these scurrilous Libels give both them and their Proceedings.

But they object something G. F. and my self have writ a∣gainst Hat-Honour, as that we should repute it an Earthly, vain, and mean thing,* 1.2 minded only of Men in the Fall; that if pulling off the Hat were true Honouring or Respecting, Vile Persons would be the most Civil; Real Respect is a more substantial Thing, mani∣fested by Obedience. This our Adversary quotes out of G. F's Book, called, True Honour among the Jews; and mine, intituled, No Cross, no Crown; But they forgot to be so ingenuous, or on purpose would not be so just, as to tell People, that we writ a∣gainst the fallen Honour of the Hat to Men. Because we deny it to Men, must we therefore deny it to God? No; but we therefore deny it to Men, because we give it only to God, as one of those Gestures, which outwardly distinguishes Worship to God from Ministry to Man. But this is their Drift & Ground of their citing those Passages, that if it be so Mean and Earthly a thing, to pull off the Hat to Man, how, comes it so Eminent a Gesture in Worship, and why not esteemed as earthly and empty a thing in respect to Worship as Civil Honour? I think I give the Force of their Objection, and shall as easily answer it.

That which gives Weight to any Gesture, is the Reason inducing to it, and both the End and Frame of the Mind in using of it. God's Spirit has required this before ever J. Perrot was born into so much as the Profession of our Living Way, as a Testi∣mony against the Ranting Spirit, that was then very rise in

this * 1.3 Nation, and hath continued it a∣mongst us as a Gospel, Decent, and Reve∣rent Expression, or Token of the Ʋnvailing of our Spirits to God in Prayer; Now strip this Gesture, or rather empty it of this solid Reason inducing, and both take away that End, and remove that Frame of Spirit, in which that Gesture is used; and truly we may then very well repute it a mean and beggarly thing for the Sons of Men to bluster about. To have it in the Sence it is given to God, they can not. To have it without that Sence, is to have an empty, insignificant Ge∣sture; And should we allow of it, what Distinction could be found to save us from performing that to Man which we do to God? since the Gesture denotes none, neither can (and our Adversary denyes a Way to judge the Meanings of an In∣ward Spirit by) Besides Man's requiring it upon an earnest Thirst after Honour, that Posture which we only give to God in his own pure Worship, makes the Doing of it Sinful, if there were nothing else in it; and therefore we deny it to Men, at what time in the Reverence and deep Humility of our Spi∣rits, we give it to God; out of which Sence it is nothing, but in it, acceptable and requisite. We also ••now that Men in the Fall can give but Fallen Honour; an•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gestures are invented or practised by a Fallen and Earthly Spirit, the Respect they set upon them is not the true Honour and Respect, but Fallen and Earthly; In this Sence it is we call it Fallen, Earth∣ly and Vain. More Substantial things may be so reputed, as Prayer, &c. when not proceeding from a right Ground▪ much more a Gesture relating to it. Our Adversaries do ill▪ to conclude so general; They should have weighed, that as we can give it to God only in the Restoration out of the fal∣len Wayes and Worships of Men, so the Use of it in that Estate, must needs render it a Fallen, Mean, Earthly and Emp∣ty Thing, as indeed are all their Worships, who stand not in the Power and Spirit of God; much more, when any the like Practice is used to Mortal Man. But they further object a

Passage in a Letter to Je Perrot from R. Hubberthorn.

Then no such Reasonings had we had, if so be, the Free Spirit of the Lord had been minded.* 1.4 which is not to be limited, neither to the keeping on the Hat, nor off the Hat in time of Prayer.

But what adds this to their Cause, in Defence of which they brought it? Who go about to limit the Spirit, and not we, as R. H. also sayes; for our Bu∣siness is to be limited by the Spirit, and not to limit it, or, to out-run it. I hope, none will infer from thence, that Men ought to keep their Hats on; Or, that the same Spirit would lead to those contrary Gestures, as say some of J. Perrot's Followers: For R. H. meant nothing less; but he was sure, if they had kept to that free Spirit (that had already limited to, and con∣firmed the pulling it off) there would not have been such Reasonings about keeping of it on, or off; and why? because they would have felt a Pre-conclusion, which would have setled them out of the Reach of the Bondage that Spirit of Delusion had brought them into: For the Liberty of the Spirit stands not in being moved to contrary things, that is Ranterism; but in being freed from every high Thought, and exalted Imagination, to abide in the Order of the Gospel. But our Adversary, who can at times, and for his own Ends engage for any Cause, tells us J. Perrot's Defence, that he did not enjoyn the Practice; for he left all to the Free, Ʋniversal Spirit, pag. 24. But after this, our Adversary, if he would have defended J. P. to Pur∣pose, he should not have told us, pag. 32, 33. that J. Perrot had received Command against it from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth in his Captivity at Rome, to testify against the Custom and Tradition of Taking off the Hat by Men, when they go to pray to God: And the Truth is, he did at other times call it a Romish Tradition. But what follows from these two Passages that so greatly justle at one another? Does not the first imply, that a Man may Lawfully pull off the Hat in Prayer; and the latter expresly judge it as a Tradition of Men? Either his Com∣mand was False, or he was Deceitful in his Answer to our Friends; For that a Man may be left to his Liberty, whether he should practise the Traditions of Men in the Worship of God (upon J. Perrot's Pretences to Divine Motions altogether

in Worship) is the height of all Contradiction; yet this is the Doctrine of J. Perrot, as we have it delivered to us by his Apologizer: To give Liberty to pull it off, or put it on, as it was with People to do, and yet that he was commanded of God to testifie against it positively and generally, as a Tradi∣tion of Man; As if People might use, nay, be moved of God, to perform in his Worship any of the Traditions of Men, which God himself had given express Sentence against. It is not short of Blasphemy it self. And for Our Friends, that is, G. F. G. W. and others, which this Man sayes, owned J. Perrot's Motion for Rome, and counted him a good Friend, p. 32. They do aver that they denyed that Motion, and never so re∣puted him. However it be, this Apologist, vowed to our Disgrace, bestirs him self not a little in Defence of J. Perrot and his Fol∣lowers, as if first he loved the Hat on in Time of Prayer, which he denyes in it self; Secondly, as if he believed and allowed of Motions, which he both denyes and scorns; Thirdly, as if he liked a true Quaker, and was not so much displeased at the Light, as at Peoples Leaving or Confining it in its Leadings and Requirings; Who by his great Envy to our Persons, shows his Hate to True Quakers; and by his base Conclusion from the Pretences of both Parties to have been led to a Contrary thing by the Light within, That the Light is a kind of Mise∣rable, Uncertain Thing; and waiting to be ordered by it, a very Dubious piece of Business, to the Disgrace of Christ's Light; Reviling then, as well the one Sort as the other, and bringing his Blow well nigh as hard upon the Hat-Men as upon us, see pag. 23, 24, 25, 71, and ult. In which the Drift of his Business is to drive People off from the Leadings of the Light, instead of Pleading on the behalf of these Apostates being led into that Practice by it, as he vainly doth, p. 32, 33. Let Disingenuous W. Mucklow, and Furious J. Pennyman see to what pass they have brought their Affairs, who under the Pretence of proving the Quakers Apostacy from the Teachings of the Light, have furnisht a Man with Complaints against us, who could so little dissemble his Dis-like against the Principle it self, as to conclude Ʋncertainty, Confusion and Blasphemy to at∣tend that very Assertion about the Light's Teaching, which

the People, called Quakers, in the beginning made, and is by this Adversary in other places, on these Apostates account seem∣ingly pleaded for. Let them glory in this Man's Endeavours, if they will; Their wicked Hypocrisy and great Trachery are herein manifest beyond what may at this time be said by us: They loved the Motions of the Principle at an odd rate that set a Man to defend them that is an Enemy to them. His Conclusions prove what I said in mine Introductoction, that it was against the True Quakers and their ancient confest Princi∣ple he chiefly levelled his Scoffs, Nick-Names, Reflections and gross Perversions, and not meerly against us as False Quakers, or Persons gone from our first Principle.

To prove this, behold how, and why he triumphs! That our Principle admits of no Means whereby to discern one immediate Teaching from another. Perrot sayes one thing, and Fox another; Who is in the right? or to that Purpose.

It would have done well if W. M. and J. P. had answered this Objection, before they furnisht him to plead their Cause and defend them to be in the Right, from those Motions their own Apologist denyes any Certainty to; and I may now take Occasion to ask him, why he is so peremptory in his Cen∣sures of us to be in the Wrong, who denyes any Certainty of Judgment of either side? How comes he so Certain in Condem∣ning and Justifying? Partial Man! But no greater Evidence can well be given of the Wrongness of J. Perrot's Spirit, then has been already related; viz. The Disturbance of the Church; The Ʋnprofitableness of the Thing; The Scandalous Laps and Apo∣stasy of himself and several of his Followers, and the Judgment others Zealously past against themselves whose Simplicity had been betrayed. The Fruits testifie what Spirit it was, though, upon our Adver∣sary's saying That there is no inward Test or Tryal of Spirits, at least implying so much, he contradicts Scripture, and un∣dervalues the Gift of God; For he had as good to say, That a Wrong Spirit, covered with fair and undeniable Pretences, is not discernable by the Light and Spirit of God within; A Man may be Wrong within, and Right without, have the exact Form, but not the Power of Godliness. What can try Spirits, but the Spirit? No Writing can tell me a Wrong from a Right Spirit in the

ground▪ though it may describe good and bad Fruits, and from such Actions Men may by a Writing describe the Right from the Wrong; But what gives to relish, tast or savour a Wrong Spirit in Sheeps Cloathing beside the Heavenly Instinct of the Divine Nature? As People are turned to that they can dis∣cern, as saith the Apostle, The Spiritual Man judgeth all things, (that is, of right he may) and is judged of no Man (that is, not discerningly of the meer Natural Men) And as the Spiri∣tual Man's Discerning is from the Spirit that searcheth out the deep things of God; so is God the Judge and Law giver to his People under this Dispensation. If the Gospel-Fellow∣ship be in Spirit, True Christians must have an Inward Tast and Sense of one anothers Spirits; and what gives to savour aright at the same time gives to relish a Wrong Spirit. The same Objection he makes against the Light may be made against the Spirit, (which is but another Name for the same Principle) and I hope, he will not dare to say that any Confusion can follow upon holding that Men under the Gospel ought to be led by it: Yet, this granted, suppose Men pretending to be led by the Spirit, to be gone from the Spirit; or that two equally pretending to be guided by it, differ, as Paul and Barnabas and Peter, what should determine? No Writings of the Old Testament could, at least without Meanings; and the same Difficulty lyes about the Meanings of Scripture as about being led by the Spirit. In this Case what shall be done? Surely the Spirit must not be upbraided nor branded: Neither will it follow, That there is no Judge; for Christ is the great Judge, appointed of God. the Spiritual great Prophet that speaks from Heaven, and in his own time will give Judgment to the View of all Men. In the mean while he satisfies the Minds of those who are truly led by his Spirit; and Withering, Decay, Murmuring, Com∣plaining, and finally Apostasy will follow upon the Pretenders as is fulfilled in the present Judasses. This hath been largely argued elsewhere, yet I was not willing to let this Passage of our Enemies pass unconsidered, which indeed is the Strength of his Book, and what the ablest of our Adversaries can say against us an this account.

I have proceeded thus far more particularly in Defence of

the Church, against the Apostate Adversaries and their Apologist, about the Argument by them made about the Hat, and those Discords that issued; In which I hope, I have not exceeded the Bounds of Truth and Moderation.

For the latter Objection, which is directed not so much against the Body of our Friends, as a select Number of Ministers and Elders devoted, as he falsly and scoffingly suggests, to the Promotion of G. F's Authority and Interest, I can with all Clearness and Sin∣cerity, and that in the Name of many Brethren, give this fol∣lowing Testimony.

G. F. I would have all to know, seeks not Himself, but Christ, and as becomes a true Apostle, and Servant of his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, Early and Late, in Season and out of Sea∣son, with incessant Pains and Care (not being Burthensom unto any) endeavours to promote the Work of God in the Earth; and is so far from Lording it over any, that he daily serves all for the Truth's sake, thinking no Labour too great, nor Condescension too mean, whereby he may be Serviceable to any, in what concerns their Eternal Well-fare; and this some of these Apostates must needs know. He has approved himself, and still doth among us, to be a Man of God, and a True Prophet of the Lord; and as such, we do Va∣lue him, and the Rage of Men shall not Dis-settle us from our Sense and Regard of him, who seeks not himself, nor his own things, but the Things of God, that Christ, and his Power alone may be exalted in the Hearts of all People, and all Flesh humbled; and for this alone are all publick Labourers of Value with, our Friends, and no otherwise Respected or Regarded then in the Lord, which is not Tyranny, but Duty: Wherefore those Terms, of Foxonian, King George Fox, Fox∣onian Leaven, G. Fox and his Party or Adherents, are with ma∣ny more, Words of Scorn and Abuse; he has no such intended Lordship, nor are we of his Party, bu•• God's Free-Men, and True Christians, being with him Baptized by One Spirit into One Body; the Unity of which these smiting Apostates and their abusive Libeller can never break.

I shall touch upon their Aggravations about not Marrying, Burying, &c. before I come to those other Reflections made against G.F. our Ministry, and My self, and all before I end my Share in this Re-joynder.

First, He is pleased to say, That we deny them Trading, Mar∣rying, Burying, and all Ecclesiastical & Civil Priviledges to those that dissent from us. p. 7. These were the Aggravations I before promised to observe.

But alas! What shall we say to a Man thus Hardy, and re∣solved to be Wicked, that he may render us so? Did we even forbid Men Trading, or endeavour to take People off from Trading with them? J. Pennyman can say no such thing with∣out Lying; for several have lovingly frequented his Shop, since he Enviously visited and disturbed our Meetings: And how many do we daily trade with, that are not of us, in Love and full Assurance of their Honesty.

For Marrying, I referred the Author of the Spirit of the Hat to the Apostle's Dehortation, Be ye not Ʋnequally Yoaked together. It seems, if we cannot own Persons to be of us, that are not of us, we must be abused. This made the present Apologizer (if I am not out of my Guess) Angry and Enraged with us at first. 'Tis not meer Talking of Christ, and hammering out a few Notions in the meer Strength of Man's Will and Wisdom, that makes a True Christian; therefore we could not receive him for our Sect-Master, that angers him. And for Marriage, we cannot have Unity with any in that solemn Performance of Marrying, who are acted by a Wrong Spirit, and so gone out of the Union of the Body of Friends: We do not deny them that are so Married, to be Married at all, as this Enemy would con∣clude, though to be Married in the Unity we can never own them.

As to our denying of Burial unto such Apostates, my words in the Book, called, The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked, carry no such unnatural Sense. Two things I deny∣ed (1.) That we therefore denyed them a Burial, because we should

alwayes refuse it as of us, whilst they continued in that Dissenting Spirit from us. (2.) That we Ʋsurped their Property. To the first, sayes our Adversary, The (Quakers) would not suffer such to stink above Ground, but he should be buried, not among the Catholicks; but as Hereticks in Spaine or Italy, p. 19.

Behold the Candor of this Interpreter! What a strange Im∣provement has he made of my Saying? much more resem∣bling the Carriage of that sort of Catholicks (he likens us to) against such pretended Hereticks, as the poor Waldenses then, we do in the Case of Burial.

I say again, That as our Friends intended upon their first Pur∣chase of a Burying Place, that their Dead Bodies should ••ie together from the People of distinct Wayes, which is warran∣ted from Abraham's Practice in Genesis; so do they not desire, that such as have been of them, and have afterwards run out, should lie among them, unless it be the Desire of the Decea∣sing Parties, or that they declare their Unity with Friends: yet we would not by any means be thought to deny any Per∣son whatever a Buring-Place, though we could never allow it to them as one of us, since that were most unnatural. I would fain know, if this Adversary would observe no Di∣stinction in this Case? or what Injury there is done, in ma∣king that Difference, when Dead, which was observed by the deceast Party himself, when alive? For the Property that he sayes some of them have, 'tis true, and was never denyed; but that we usurpt it, we did and do reject as a Slander: They ne∣ver desired their part of the Collection that bought it, nor did we ever refuse to repay it, but are ready to be quit with them when they will; a Perverse Apostatized Generation! For Ecclesiastical Priviledges, I know not what he means; and those Scoffs ill become a Man that pretends to Religion: Such Priviledges, as are the peculiar Right of every true Member of Christ's Church, it must be confest, that such Starters aside from the Primitive Fellowship of it, do deprive themselves of Church-Priviledges; we don't. But this, sayes he, is more then any beside the Papist dare pretend to; the Protestant, or Church of England challenges no such Power, p. 5. But he that has ventu∣red to tell so many False Things of us, may dare to bestow

one upon her, especially when it is considered, that he is a Concealed Person, and may be False and Base with Security. Does not the Church of England, both Excommunicate, and stir up the Civil Magistrate against such as dissent from her in meer Circumstances? Does not the long Difference between her and the ancient Puritans, Presbyterians and Independents, Baptists, and Us more particularly, sufficiently Disprove that Bold, Asser∣tion? But we pretend not to Imitate any; but really act ac∣cording to that Understanding and Sense which God given us in these things, and in which we commend our selves to him, being herein willing to abide his Judgment.

To the Rest of those Cruelties he makes us guilty of, he doth, with the Author of the Spirit of the Hat, charge us with Pulling down,* 1.5 Haling out of our Meetings and consequently wanted only Power to punish them; adding, That my Appeal to God's Witness in all Consciences, for our Vindication, shows me greatly to be lamented, as either Blind or Impudent; That we have also Pusht, Pincht, Kickt and Trod upon Feet and Toes, sending us to Francis Chadwell for Proof thereof.

But, to say nothing of his Ill-Language, my Appeal stands as it did; and as before, so now I will put it between Im∣partial and Moderate Men, if ever we so used any Consci∣entious Inquirer, or Opposer? No, nor any else after that manner represented by our Adversary; and God will plead our Innocency against him, in the Hour of his Rigteous Judg∣ments, he shall not go Uncondemned down to his Grave.

For Francis Chadwell, he is a Man of no Conscience, nor Cre∣dit, in what relates to us; I my self have known him grosly guilty both of Lying and Tipling: No frothy Stager is less to be regarded in Religion, then this Man's Witness, a Light, Scof∣fing, Taunting, Tumultuous Person; who after an Hundred So∣lid Confutations, One of which had been enough to strike an Ingenuous Man to the Heart, has continued to Bawl and Disquiet our Meetings, time after time: His Aim hath been to raise up an Envious and Scoffing Spirit in People against us, Jeering, Laughing, Houting, with such Unseemly Carria∣ges, as wholely unbefit him for a Witness against us; He had

as good as confest, that he has been Hired by some Professors to Disturb us, and told me, If I would give him Five Hundred Pounds he would be a Quaker too; yet, this is our Socinian Ad∣versary's Serious, Conscientious Inquirer, or Opposer.

He also brings in one William King, whom he sayes, We Ha∣led out of our Gallery in Grace-Church Street, with such Violence, that he hath scarce felt the Stairs, but that he hath often felt our Cruel Hands, witness G. Whitehead's Pinching him in the Arm, at Jer. Clark 's House; and that We would not suffer him a Prisoner among us, though for the same Cause, and all this for some Disagree∣ment in Judgment.

I confess, I have no great Acquaintance with the Man; but first, deny that ever he was Haled out of Grace-Church Street, or any where else; but it may so happen, that he offering to keep the Meeting when ended by our Friends, the People pressing out, and he speaking, might bear him away with a Croud, which, hath fallen out to many that have been Speakers, and not Opposers: perhaps some disturbed and hindred of Hearing, may on their own Account have shoven him, or put him by; what's that to us?

For G. Whitehead's Pinching him, it is like the rest, full of Slander; He is known to be a Man of more Temperance and Command of himself, if he had been provoked. 'Tis true, He took him by the Sleeve to turn him to a Looking-Glass, that he might behold his Envious and Passionate Countenance, as G. W. avers, and others present: But had it been true, how one Pinch can prove that he had OFTEN felt our Cruel Hands, Unbyassed Readers may best judge.

That he was a Prisoner is confessed; that we Refused him to be among us, is denyed: But that we were not in Unity with him, we are not afraid to own. I know not that I ever spoak to him but once, and that was in New-Gate, being a Prisoner my self; and if he will speak Truth, he can say nothing hard of me. For G. Whitehead's Charging Henry ••awson not to enter∣tain him, is false; For what is it but to suggest, that we would Refuse him common Hospitality? 'Tis true, that G. W. as in Conscience-bound, warned them of him, as one of the Ancient

Creepers into Houses, Disaffected to the Brethren, and Prone to Discords (as by his frequent Disturbances in our Meetings is evident) therefore not to entertain him as one in Unity with us; but if he, or any of them want (supposing first their Lawful Endeavours to procure sufficient Maintenance) I know not one among us, who would not readily Administer to their Nceessities.

But we gave out a Paper against John Pennyman when he was in Prison,* 1.6 and would not spare that grave, ancient Gentle-Woman Ann Mud, who being MOVED to speak a few Words, T. Matthews pulled her away by Violence, and that we were the People in former Dayes that vexed, and disquieted all Sorts of Religious Assemblies, and clamoured against those as Persecutors, that obtained their Peace by Thrusting and Carrying us out.

But I will tell him first, that our Paper against John Pennyman was as necessary to clear us from that Instigation of the Devil that led him to give up to burn the Scriptures of Truth, and the Writings of Friends (which were some of those Papers) this Apologizer (fitted for all turns of Deceitful Evasion) calleth Wast, pag. 37. under the Pretence of the Motion of God's Spirit, as for an Innocent Man, in Sight of a Murder, to clear himself from being guilty of so heinous a Fact, We delighted not at his Imprisonment, for we were wounded by the Cause of it; and had great Reason to deny that Action, which brought a Reproach upon our Principle and Practice that never belon∣ged to either. God's Spirit hath hitherto lead us to Read, Be∣lieve, Obey and Witness the Scriptures, and not to tare them, as did our Adversaryes Orthodox Elizabeth B••rens (p. 52.) in the height of Rage before mine Eyes; and offer to burn them, as did his so much Commended and Defended John Pennynman. I perceive, this Socinian Author denyes our Testimony by his Dislike of it, and consequently owns that Wicked Position, that the Spirit of God may lead a Man to burn the Scriptures of God; against which our Testimony was mainly directed.

For his ancient, grave Gentle-Woman (as he calls her) she hath been so Unhappy as through her Excess of Affection to J. Penny∣man, to be a Sharer with him in his perverse Out-Cryes against

us; yet I can scarcely think that she will attest any such thing: But if it were true, as I believe it to be false, it can be no Va∣lid Argument against the Faith, Worship or Actions of the Body of the Quakers. But, why MOVED? me-thinks, here and in J. P's Case, he hath learned to pronounce Moved, as if he believed the Spirit in these Dayes used any such thing. Is he angry with us for resisting Ann Mud's MOTION, who himself, p. 32, 33, 71. denyes the Certainty of any such thing? but Envy blinds Men. We shall also grant that we are the Men whom the Eternal God from time to time raised to testifie against the Hireling Teachers that took Money for that which was not Bread, but were like Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing, devoured the Flock, and made a Prey of the People; and God hath blessed us in that Service, for before a Gathering, there was to be a Scattering: And God made us Instrumental to turn People from Darkness to Light, from the Power of Sa∣tan unto God, by directing their Minds to the Gift of his Holy Light and Spirit, which discovers the Deeds of Darkness, convin∣ceth the World of Sin, revealeth the Mind and Will of God, and gives Power to the Creature that believes in it, to obey and do it.

For this Testimony in the ••irelings Synagogues, did the False Jew or Christian Hale, Tere, Beat, Bruise, Knock down, Stock, Whip, Imprison, with many such like Horrid and Inhuman Actions▪ which became not our Adversaries Interest (though an Impartial Historian) to mention: But, have we been no o∣therwise disturbed? or have we so used our Disturbers? Our Faithful Chronicles of the Bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation will tell future Ages other things. O the Parti∣ality of this Socinian Apologizer for our Disturbers! But to close this. Either our Adversary condemns our former Testi∣monies against the Priests in their Steeple-Houses, or he does not; if he does, he cannot justifie the Senseless Bawlings of Proud and Envious J. Pennyman, Francis Chadwel and the like Disturbers of our Assemblies, upon his own Comparison. If he justifies their Disturbances of us, especially those given by his Prime and Singular Witness F. Chadwel, with what Face can he censure our Serious & Solemn Admonitions, or Reproofs in

the National Synagogues. Let it be as it will with him, we ex∣pect an higher Judgment, and to that shall we gladly yield.

And for those two or three Stories of the Wantonness & Un∣cleanness of some particutar Persons among us, though it is spoken to in some following Testimonies, yet I have thus much to say; J. W's. Name is Basely and Falsly used by the Libeller, though he could not have mentioned it but upon Information from some of these Defaming Apostates, whom God will judge, for endeavouring to Murder the Reputation of an Ancient, Solid, Faithful Labourer in God's Work. Shall Ifs and may be's conclude Men Guilty? It is not the first Mistake W. M. if he be their Informer, hath committed, whose Jealous Sur∣mising Soul can scarce do any thing else in Cases relating unto us, as I have experienced: His Worth is lighter to the Man, his Name is brought int to slander, then the Chaff to the Wheat.

For the Two Young Women, concerning whom M. Y's. Informa∣tion is cited, they were examined; Childish, Toy∣ish,* 1.7 and Unseemly Carriages were with much Con∣trition confest: but for any such gross Wickedness, as was and is suggested by these Men, they said it was false, if there was a God in Heaven. For M. Y. we shall say no more till we have a more express Account of his Concernment in that Libel, or Information mentioned therein: We see no Name to it, and might as well suspect that with other things; however, our Friends behaved themselves in that Matter as became God's People to do.

For T. M One Story is cleared by the Woman's Testimo∣ny, and W. M's. Malice discovered. For his common Un∣cleanness under Pretence of Physick, &c. We know not how to allow it for several Years since dealt withal by our Friends, and in particular by a Physician about it; and what there was

any just Ground to Condemn him for, he was judged,* 1.8 his other Unwatchful Carriages denyed, and his Conversation turned form by our Friends.

Lastly, Suppose these Enemies of God, and his Work, and People, could Say and Prove Ten Times as much; shall those Miscarriages bring many Thousands of People out of Request, and go for an utter Blast upon their Faith, or Way? Vain Men! Should we tell the Stories of the Abominable Practices of both such Apostates, and some Envious Professors; what of Sin could we not find several that have profest their Way guilty of? But we will make no Musick for the Atheist. Has not every Miscarriage, as Known, been Reproved? Yes; Every Unfruit∣ful Work of Darkness, as by the Light within, when known on∣ly to the Party Offending, so by the Light in our Friends, as a Church, when known to them. Is not this Gospel-Order? Or must some raw Slips of Unwatchful Persons Antichrist our whole Society?

Reader, These Things and Persons objected, have been seve∣ral Years since examined; who were Innocent, Acquitted; and who were Guilty, Condemned, according to the Righteous Law of God: And upon this old Condemned Stuff, it is our Enemies feed, with this they Arm themselves against us, and upon this Quagmire, as their best Foundation, they stand. In short, They have been False to God, Abusive to his People, Hurtful to the Moderate, and basely Treacherous to their Ancient Friends. If being Base to God and Men can ren∣der Men Christian, then they deserve to be so accounted of: But till Religion cometh to be read Backwards, let them go for Enemies to Christianity, and Murderers of Natural Af∣fection,

To conclude, OUr Ministry is of God; it stands in the Power of the Living Spiritual Gift of God, to testifie against all Ungodliness: And if any Particular has ever slipt, and brought Dishonour to the Truth, such hath been Reproved in Righteousness, and only Received upon Unfeigned Repen∣tance; which is God's Way. But to Publish, Proclaim and Aggravate Miscarriages of Any to the World, who profess

Religion, committed many years ago, Examin'd, Judg'd, and they Forgiven, upon Repentance, by the Lord, and therefore Re∣ceived again by us; and all this done with Design to Blast our Credit, Disgrace the Way we profess (though they were no way concerned to meddle or interpose) To do all this, I say, is not to be acted by the Spirit of God, but That, of an Accursed Ham, and Treacherous Judas; and the Lord will avenge our Cause, we doubt not, in due time.

But an Hainous Blasphemy is laid to the Memory of Josiah Coale,* 1.9 by this Angry Agent, in behalf of these Apo∣states; and that is, a Passage in a Letter writ ancient∣ly by him, in his Life-time to G. Fox, viz.

That G. F. was the Father of many Nations.

But what Blasphemy is in this? Is it any more then to say, That by him, as an Instrument in the Hand of God, People of many Nations have been by him begotten to God? Was not Paul a Father of many Nations, who begot the Corinthians, that were Greeks, and the Romans, that were Latins? But further.

Whose Life hath reached through us thy Children, even to the Isles afar off, to the begetting of many again unto a lively Hope, for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed.

Very well; And what Blasphemy lodges in these Words! Is not that which is the Life of one Good Man the Life of another? Were not the Christians of old by One Spirit baptized into One Body? What Life G. F. had was from Christ Jesus, and it was no other Life J. Coale writ of: And I hope, The Life of Christ is one in All; and who can limit it? And Josiah Coals, with o∣thers, were Children in the Sense afore-mentioned; and that Life through those Children, by him (instrumentally be∣gotten, did reach to those Isles afar off, unto which he and o∣thers went to preach the Everlasting Gospel. Paul reached to the Churches, though afar off, 2 Cor. 13 10. He was Pre∣sent in Spirit, though Absent in Body; for, I verily, as Absent in Body, BUT PRESENT IN SPIRIT, have judged already, as though I were present — In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered, and MY SPIRIT in the Power of the Lord Je∣sus Christ, cast forth (and taken in too upon Repentance, without

going to the Lord Major and Aldermen) 1 Cor. 5.3, 4. His Life and Hope was through Timothy, Titus, and others, exten∣ded unto many. And why shall not Generations to come call an Apostle Blessed; and bless the Name of the Lord for him, respecting the Benefit any such one might be in God's Power to a People? Is not the Memory of the Just Blessed? Prov. 10.7. And did not the Lord by his Prophet say of Israel his Peo∣ple, I will make thee an Eternal Excellency, and the Joy of many Generations? Isa 60.57. What if J. Coale had so spoak of G. F. and God's Israel now? Would it have been Blasphemy? But these Err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, like the Jews of old.

But yet again, whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest.

And so is the Being and Habitation of every Child of God, or else he is in the Power of the Lowest, the God of the World, whose Habitation is in Darkness. Are we not to turn away from such as stand not in the Power of Godliness? And did not the Apostle go, to turn People from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God, which is the Power of the Highest? And is it notwithstanding Blasphemy to stand in it, or testifie of one that doth stand in it, that he doth so stand? Oh the Idle Opposition! but great Envy of our Enemies! They seek no∣thing less then the Blood of this Upright Man, as the next Words, and their Aggravation of them prove.

In which Thou Rulest & Governest in Righteousness, and thy King∣dom is establisht in Peace, and the Increase thereof is without End.

Upon this our Adversary takes frequent Occasion scoffingly to call him, King George; suggesting him to be so vile an Im∣postor, as to assume unto himself the Compleat and Peculiar Dig∣nity, Dominion and Authority due to Christ. See Pag. 53 54, 55. Which Blasphemy, I am of the Mind, our Adversary thinks de∣servedly Punishable after the Severest Sort of Death. But he un∣worthily traduceth that Good Man, and layes the Harmless Scripture-Expressions of a departed Servant of the Lord, upon the Tenters or Rack, that he may stretch them to his own Vile and Bloody Purposes. Hath this Man forgot that there were ever such Passages writ, as these? The Good Seed are the Children

of the KINGDOM, Mat. 13.28. The KINGDOM of God is within, Luke 17.20. The Saints shall JUDGE the World, 1 Cor. 6.2 3. But ye are a ROYAL Priesthood, 1 Pet. 9.2. And thou (the Lamb) hast made us unto our God KINGS and PRIESTS, and we shall RAIGN on the Earth, Rev. 5.10. And I appoint unto you a KINGDOM, as my Father hath appoin∣ted unto me, that ye may Eat and Drink at my Table in the Kingdom, and JUDGE on Thrones the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Luke 22.29, 30. It is the Father's good Pleasure to give you a KINGDOM, Luke 12.23. who hath translated us into the KINGDOM of his dear Son, 1 Col. 13. [the Untranslated therefore Rage] Where∣fore we have received a KINGDOM that cannot be shaken, Hebr. 12.28. [they then had it] I beheld, and the same Horn made War with the Saints, and prevailed against them, untill the Ancient of Dayes came, and JUDGMENT was given to the SAINTS of the Most High; and Time came that the SAINTS POSSESSED THE KINGDOM, WHOSE KINGDOM IS AN E∣VERLASTING KINGDOM, Dan. 7.21, 22, 27. By all which it is manifest, that it is the Priviledge of every Saint and Child of God to be a King, a Royal Priest, to bave a Kingdom, and to Rule, Govern and Raign in Righteousness and Peace without End. So that Josiah Coale, and every Heir and Co heir with Christ, Rom. 8.17. doth as well Raign in an Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness as G. F. doth, or shall do; for we have One Faith, One Baptism, One Power, One Lord, One Kingdom. Where let it be noted, that by all these Titles and Priviledges, we only mean and understand, Domini∣on over, Not Bodies nor Souls, Not Flesh nor Blood; but in the Sense of the Apostle, Ephes. 6.12. Principalities and Powers, the Ru∣lers of the Darkness of this World, and Spiritual Wickednesses in High Places, which center in the Invisible, Dark Power of the God of the World, that since the Beginning hath drawn and acted Man, out of God's Counsel and Power in which the King∣dom stands: For though we walk in the Flesh or Body, we do not War after the Flesh; for the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal, but Mighty through God, to the pulling down Strong Holds, casting down Imaginations, and every high Thing, that exalts it self against the Knowledge of God, 1 Cor. 10.4, 5. And as our War and

Weapons, so our Kingdom is not Carnal, but Spiritual; not of this World, but that which is without End; and of this we are not ashamed.

It may not be unseasonable to take Notice of that Passage in his Book so often mentioned, eagerly insisted upon,* 1.10 and aggravated to the height of Ananias's Belying the Holy Ghost, viz That G. Fox, this Great Prophet (as he in Abuse calls him) should break open and alter the Contents of John Whitehead's Letter, which (as he said) was writ in the Name of the Lord, and that to a quite contrary Sense; making the Letter to judge those that kept the Hat on, whereas J, W. therein justified both, those that kept it off, or on. Thus, saith our Adversary, doth G. Fox belye both John Whitehead and the Holy Spirit of God, and that knowingly. He proceeds, Oh Prodigious Impudence! He that counterfeits any Man's Name in a Matter of any Concernment deserves to be exposed on the PILLARY, AND TO LOSE HIS EARS; HOW MUCH GREATER * 1.11 PUNISHMENT DOTH HE DE∣SERVE that Counterfeits both the Name of God and Man, in a Matter of Religious Con∣cern. This, sayes he, is the Course that G. F. took to make his In∣junctions to be observed.

But this is the Course more truly to make the Impiety of this Adversary more Notorious. For first, G. Fox never o∣pened his Letter, nor made any Alteration in it at all, that I dare affirm in so many Words; much less that he belyed the Holy Spirit; and least of all, that he did it willingly. I perceive by his Conclusion, he acknowledges that the Holy Ghost as really moved in J. Whitehead as in Peter, contrary to his own Principle. Any thing will they All grant that they may Slander or Injure us in the Minds of the People. How knows he it was a True Motion? Doth he not deny it may be known? If so then, how dare he be so positive in the Censure of G. Fox? Will he make the Motion Uncertain, and yet cer∣tainly judge G. F. for a Forger, who was yet Innocent? I leave it to the Reader, what to call this part of his Tale. Se∣condly, J. Whitehead gave Power by Letter at that time to the

Brethren of London, to supervise and alter it, as they should see con∣venient: and no otherwise was G. F. concerned in it, then as one assenting with other of our Friends, that according to Power given and their best Understanding, did alter it for the better, and herein did J. W. testifie his Unity and Fellowship; for the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets: So that what was done, was no more then what J. Whitehead left Power to do, and which the Scripture justifies. Wherefore Prodigious Impu∣dence belongs not to G. F. but this hardy Adversary; and Prodi∣gious Cruelty, Persecution, if not Murder too, is he guilty of that would have him not only Pillary'd, and lose his Ears, but his Life too, or something very near a kin to it. This is con∣firmed page 33. where he charges us to be Blasphemers, and that such ought to Dye by the Law of God in former times; The Consequence is plainer then his Power to execute it. Oh the Mercies! Oh the Forgiveness of these exceeding Meek, Suffering, Bruised Little Ones! as they would have as think, But, Oh Deceit∣ful and Blood thirsty Generation! who have endeavoured what in you lies, to betray with your Treacherous Kiss of pretended Love to our Souls, our Faith, Reputations and Lives too, into the Hands of some Bloody-minded Jews, who are not of the Circumcision in Spirit, but lust against those that are, that they may be stir∣red up against us; But God will reckon with you and them too, for these things.

This Adversary takes an Occasion to fasten a Lye upon a Paper set forth in the Name of the Quakers; but he sayes,* 1.12 writ chiefly by G. F. and G. W. in saying, That we have paid our Taxes and other Dues more then any People, according to our Abilities. When (sayes our Adversary) their Neighbours know all over England there are (at least) some Taxes or Assessments, which they have peremptorily refused. But why must we be branded for Lyars because of that Saying, or our Adversaries base Aggravation? I do affirm, That we have been oversest more then any; and Paying those Extream Assessments gives good Ground for Saying what we did. But indeed, some Hat-Spirits perhaps could not say so; but why? Because some of them are so leavened into another Spirit, that they almost question the Payment of any, as M. Boreman, now called M. Pennyman, did.

I must not be plainer, least the Cabal further represent me one that exposes Person to the Lash of * 1.13 Government. Wherein we can pay we do, what ever they come for, and in some Cases wherein we cannot, answer their Demands for Christ's Peaceable GOSPEL sake. They commonly Take three times the Value, seldom, if ever Retur¦ning any again; But this our Ad∣versary calls no Paying: Sure I am, it is Loosing more then our Adver∣sary dare adventure; for if I mistake not, he can send out all those things rather then suffer, though perhaps against his Conscience also.

Well, but, if we will believe him, there is such an Arrogant, Imperious and Audacious Paper given forth by R. Farnsworth, A. Parker, G. Whitehead, J. Coale,* 1.14 J. Whitehead, T. Loe, S. Crisp, T. Green, T. Moon, T. Brigs, and J. Parks, as he thinks, was ever given forth by Mortals. A Charge too great, and a Reflection so sharp, that it had need be one of the worst Papers that was ever writ. Now let us hear what it is.

1. They allow not such to have Dominion in the Church, who exalt themselves above the Body of Good and Ancient Friends.

Now, what hateful thing did they deliver in this wholesome Christian Saying? It seems, this Enemy of God, and true Righteousness, would have liked us better, if Bad Friends had been suffered to exercise the Dominion over the Body of Good and An∣cient Friends. But he starts out thus, That by the Body of Good and Ancient Friends is meant G. Fox and his Adherents; which sort of Interpretation well becomes such a Caballistick Writer; for after those Allowances, I will misrender the best Cause, Pretences or Actions in the World. It is an arrant Falshood: He was then far from them; Neither had they him in their Eye in doing it, but God's Honour, and the Churches Peace.

2. That such as are not in Ʋnity with the Ministry and Body, have no Gospel-Authority to be Judges in the Church: And that it is abominable Pride, when any Particular will not yield TO THE WITNESS OF GOD IN FRIENDS.

But what is the Matter with our Adversary? Hath he lost his Wits that he makes this so Criminal? Are any to be Judges in that Church they have no Unity with? and amongst the Ministry they deny, or are at distance from? Strange Contradiction.

But why is it so Hainous, to call such Proud or Self-willed, who resist the Witness of God in Friends? Certainly the Expressi∣ons are sound, unless Scripture be defective: He that can see any thing in them, that deserveth such hard Words, as this Billings-Gate Rhetorician bestoweth upon us, has better Eyes then I.

3ly, But they say, That the Church (without Dissenters) has Power to Determine Controversies.

Very well; and is it not true? Are the Dissenters from the Church part of the Church they dissent from? For Shame! Thou Learned, and talk so Idly? Scripture declares, That God has given the Power of Determination to his Church: All the World knows, That Dissenters are not of that Church they dissent from; therefore the Church without Dissenters, has that Power of Determination.

4ly, and 5ly, But they add, That such disapproved Ministers, ought to leave off Ministring till they are Reconciled to the Church: And if approved Ministers degenerate to Division, the Church has Authority to deal with them in the same manner; and that no such Per∣sons Writings should be publisht with Consent, &c.

What of all this? He that can call this Imperious, Audaoi∣ous, &c. can call any thing. To allow, that Dissentious Preachers and Writers are by the Church they dissent from to be approved of in the Course of that Ministry and Writing, is such a Bedlam, Boundless Piece of Stuff, that none but one, who thinks it Dangerous to be of any Party, would be the Au∣thor of such a Wild Expression.

6ly, But they advise, That such whom the Holy Ghost had made

Over-seers should not admit of the Weak to that Trust, nor such as seek not the Good of all: which All this Disingenuous Wrester interprets, The great Body of George Fox and his Party; But Men of Wisdom and Moderation will not, I am confident, so spoil the Text with his Comment.

This is the seventh time in two pages that G. Fox is brought in, as the Explanation of the Word Body, who was then close Prisoner at Scar-brough, where no Letter was suffered to come to him, and who never knew of any Paper till sometime after its being out. O the Implacable Envy of these Men! I have hitherto waited for that Arrogant, Imperious and Audacious Passage, which might have raized up our Adversary's Choller, and whetted him to this Degree of Scolding; but find no worse then what I have transcribed and justified, this last excepted, and I think it justifies it self: such as seek the Good of all are certainly Fit∣test. If he dare tell us his Name, and meet me by Day (as he can post up his Scurrilous Title-Pages on the City Posts, with Flam∣beux or Links, and a Guard by Night) I will any where, and in any sober Auditory maintain the Truth of all these Particu∣lars, and their clear Consistency with Scripture and Reason, on whom he has bestowed so many hard Names.

But 'tis to be lamented of his Cabal, that he should with his Passion and Hate divulge so much Ignorance, as to cry out, That (he thinks) the Pope himself hath never taken such Power as to determine in Matters of this Nature and Manner, but in a general Council. Poor Man! Brand us he would one way or other: Has he never read the Council of Trent, nor considered, among many others, the Life of Paul the 3d? Is he to be informed of that Controversie long on foot between the Jesuits and the Do∣ctors of Sorbon, and the Followers of Jansenius? I thought Coun∣cils had sometimes been as meer Cyphers in-Italy, as Parlia∣ments are in France.

But this Man is as Kind to Elizabeth Barns, one of that Back∣sliding Spirit, as he represents me else where Unjust to M. Boreman that was;* 1.15 For though she has Torn the Bible (calling it in my hearing, the Pope's Idol, the Profes∣sors Idol, and the Quakers Idol (an Incredible Thing with

J. Faldo and T. Hicks) and committed more then a small Hi∣story of shameful Miscarriages since; yet is he pleased to tell us, That she, seeing the Ministers exalted themselves, cryed out, while R. Farnsworth was preaching, You have whored from the Lord. Farnsworth (sayes our Adversary) replyed, Thou art a Whore; but for fear of being too great a Forger, he brings it after∣wards thus in a Parenthesis, or the Whore; This Michael Stan∣clift called Unsavory: For which, sayes this Secretary, he was cast out, as calling the Spirit of Truth Ʋnsavory.

Oh the Wretched Work these People make! Will our Adver∣sary justifie her Interruption of R. F. in Preaching, who con∣demned it in us, who did it after a more seasonable and ju∣stifiable manner a little before? Yes, that he will. But does he think R. F's Reply Unsavory, and not E. Barns Out-cry, who only returned her own Word to herself? Yes, that he will. Strange! But does he take E. Barns word, Whore, in a spiritual Sense, as Degenerating; and will he seem to under∣stand R. F's word, Whore, only in a Common and Proper Accep∣tation, as a Dishonest Woman? Yes, that he will. Well, but was it Ʋnsavory so to reply, and not in E. Barns, so to interrupt and speak? Yes, that it was, implies this present Apologist, both of himself and M. S. O Monstrous! O Partial! But per∣haps M. S. apprehended that R. F. meant by Whore, an Un∣clean or Dishonest Woman in the Sense before-mentioned, and then there might have been some Ground for his Answer; but if M. S. took R. F. in the sense in which he spoak it, to wit, that she was gone out of her Habitation (that is, the Truth) turned Harlot in Spirit, and so was become Clamorous (as speaks the Wise Man) and should notwithstanding call that Ʋnsavory, it was a Sign, that he had more Unity with that Ʋnclean, Ranting, and Envious Spirit in E. B. then the Friends of Truth, that gene∣rally judged her: And truly in that Case it was time for them to tell that Angry Old Man their Mind of him; In which, they did but that, which I dare answer for, before the great and terrible Judge of Heaven and Earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How came this Letter into this Socinian's hand? Doth not this prove a Cabal? and that Quondam Quakers, now A∣postates, are their Spies? was this my Reward for a loving and curteous Letter, which kindly invited him to my House, for further Satisfaction? Trea∣cherous Person! to give it up into proclaimed Enemies Hands (such Baseness is like an Apo∣state) and not to grapple with one part of its Strength, so dis∣ingenuous an Adversary.
• * 1.2

  Tyr. & Hyp. Detect. p. 9, 60, 61, 62.
• * 1.3

  as Dr. Gell. and a certain Person of worldly Quality, said, That had not the Quakers come, the Ranters had over-run the Nation.
• * 1.4

  Ibid. p. 24
• * 1.5

  p. 14, 15.
• * 1.6

  pag. 16.17.
• * 1.7

  pag. 51.
• * 1.8

  pag. 50.
• * 1.9

  pag. 19.
• * 1.10

  p. 19, 20, 21, 29.
• * 1.11

  Blood! Blood! thou seekest. O Envious Man!
• * 1.12

  pag. 29.
• * 1.13

  But is not this to ren∣der us Obnoxious to the Government? I abhor that Practice: But Base & Self-Ended Spirits are to be humbled, and not think themselves fit to cry down other Peoples Religion, that have by Treachery, Persecution and Falseness too much reproacht all Re∣ligion; Let tehm leave Scribling & Snarling with their Writings & Repent.
• * 1.14

  p. 29, 30, 31, 32.
• * 1.15

  p. 52, 53.