knowledge of God and some true fear and reverence of him and also to some true knowledge and sense of their sinful state and condition and that they are liable to the Wrath and Displeasure of God for their Sins all which are in good order previous or prior to the true Christian Faith which is a Faith in Christ crucified and therefore may be Preached before that Faith But that the Christian Faith it self may be received by Preaching that Faith is one of the first things that is to be preached as being one of the first Principles of the Christian Religion as is clear from these Scriptures Acts 20 21. where Repentance towards God and Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ are joined together as first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ compared with Heb. 6. 1 2. And these Ignorant Men so deeply Prejudicod against the Preaching of Christ Crucified to wit G. W. and J. P. as being one of the first things needful to be Preached and Faith in him in Order to make Men true Christians might by the same Silly Sophistry and Quibling accuse Paul and John contradicting each other and inconsistent yea the Holy Ghost himself who did inspire them both in what they wrot For whenas Paul told the Corinthians when he Preached the Gospel unto them 1 Cor. 15. 3. that he delivered unto them First of All Note these Words first of all that which he also received how that Christ dyed for our Sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day c. And yet John Preached not that the first thing but began with Preaching the Word that was in the beginning and how in that Word was Life and the Life was the Light of Men and that Light was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1. 1. to 9. But in this there is no Contradiction nor Inconsistency betwixt Paul and John for John begins with that Principle of Doctrine that is necessary to General Religion and to the Knowledge of God as Creator Paul begins with the Preaching CHRIST Crucified as one of the first things necessary to Christian Religion and the knowledge thereof And such Order is necessary in teaching Practical Arts and Sciences as in order to teach Astronomy some first Principles of Arithmetick and Geometry are necessary to be taught in the first place as to add and substract in Arithmetic c. And to make a Perpendicular Line or draw a Paralel to bisect an Angle c. Yet none of these are properly Principles of Astronomy as it is a peculiar Science But the first Principles of Astronomy are not to be taught before Arithmetick and Geometry but after them And so the first Principles of Medicine are to be taught after the first Principles of the Physicks and thus the first Principles of Christian Theology are to be taught after the first Principles of Ethicks or Ethology which was the Gentile Religion and which did teach many true and excellent things of God as is to be seen in Aristotle's Ethicks who wrote of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. something Divine in Man by which he could live virtuously and yet who but he that is no true Christian himself will say that Aristotle's Ethicks or Socrate's and Platoe's Morals are enough to teach the Christian Theology Thus I hope I have made it appear that as my Adversaries have not proved me inconsistent with my self so they have proved themselves inconsistent with true Christianity and no true Christians in their Principles but Heathens and falling short of Heathen Morals in Falsly accusing the Innocent a Vice contrary to true Morality The second part of their Charge in pag. 10. is That I did formerly hold that Christ's Inward coming saves where the Outwardis unknown But here they are guilty of gross Forgery and Perversion first of Forgery seeing they cite no passage in any of my Books where I express these Words where the Outward is unknown and seeing by their Words where the Outward is unknown they mean Christ's coming without us I say they are guilty of grosly perverting my Words and Sense as if I did hold that Christ's inward coming saves with Eternal Salvation without all knowledge of Christ's outward coming and in contradiction to themselves they grant I have distinguished betwixt the express or explicit Knowledge and Faith of Christ's Death and Sufferings in order to Eternal Salvation and the implicit Knowledge and Faith of it asserting this last but not the first as universa'ly and indispensibly necessary They object against this distinction idlely and falsly that it is said by me pag. 14. ' That the distinction betwixt explicit and implicit is a late distinction But the place of my Book cited by them saith no such thing But I mention how in divers of my late Books I have distinguished betwixt the express and implicit Knowledge and Faith but this proves it not to be a late distinction for it is an antient distinction and sufficiently implied and understood in my oldest Books when I treat on that subject for whereas they confess that I have used the Word express in my oldest Books that proveth that I did then make that distinction though I did not express the other term of implicit which though not expressed yet was really understood by me as in many cases it is enough to express the one Term or Member of a distinction as when we call a Man a rational Creature though we express not the Word Irrational yet we sufficiently distinguish betwixt a Man and a Bruit that Man is rational and a Bruit is irrational and when I say some or many things commanded us are jure divine this sufficiently implyeth and intimateth to any of common sense that some things may be commanded us that are not jure divino but jure humano yea all things done and practised by the People called Quakers are not jure divine as themselves confess therefore as jure divino implieth the other term of the distinction when not expressed viz. jure humano so the term express implieth the other term implicit though not expressed And though my ignorant Adversaries would make their ignorant Followers think this is only a new and odd distinction of mine yet all true and Orthodox Christians do hold it as well as I and have used it as they do at present and hath its Foundation in Scripture for when Paul said Ephes 3. 6. That the Mystery how that the Gentiles should be fellow Heirs and of the same Body and partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of Men as it is now revealed unto his Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit he plainly implieth this distinction for in other Ages yea in all Ages it was at least obscurely and implicitly made known but not expresly as in Paul's Age and the Ages succeeding and that Great Mystery of
Christ is said by Paul to have been kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 25 26. Now what is made manifest but expres And what is kept secret but implicit So that this very distinction which my ignorant Adversaries blame in me as new and odd is the very distinction of Paul in equivalent terms And seeing they will not allow that distinction as applied to the Knowledge of Christ without us of express and implicit it is plain they hold that not any Knowledge not the least grain of the knowledge of Christ without men is universally necessary to Salvation neither express nor implicit which how Antichristian and Unscriptural it is I leave to all true Christians to judge But why will they not allow it as well with respect to the knowledge of Christ without us as of Christ within us Will they say that Men may be saved without all knowledge of Christ within either express or implicit If yea then we shall see what ignorant Persons they allow shall be saved and what a prodigious Ignorance they establish If nay then they must answer me with the same distinction in the same terms or in terms equilvalent and if they use that or any other the like distinction it shall be found new enough to them at least as new or rather much more new as that I have used in this case nor needs G. Whitehead blame me for using new Distinctions seeing both himself and William Penn have used them in several Cases to serve a turn a phrase they apply to me pag. 19. as in excusing Geo. Fox his saying Christ is not distinct from the Saints the Soul is a part of God And when they excuse Is Pennington's saying ' Can outward Blood cleanse And George Whitehead his excusing his former Sayings in divers of his old Books ' that Christ is not in all Men. He comes off with this distinction of late saying ' He is not in all Men unitedly or by union Which distinction I used not only in my Book of Universal Grace which was written in the Year 1669. though not printed till the Year 1671. but also in my Answer to the Thirty Queries sent by the Bishop of Aberden expresly mentioned in the Preface to Robert Barclay's Answer to VVilliam Mitchel in his Preface to it called Truth cleared of Calumnies The which Answer of mine to the said Thirty Queries was given in the Year 1666. before R. B. printed any thing or before he was a Quaker And I the rather mention this my Answer to these Thirty Queries because in these chief things which my Adversaries charge me to be changed in my Faith is the same now as it is there declared as well as in my other Printed Books which Answer I have in Manuscript writ 30 Years ago Copies of which are in several Hands and which I shall be ready to show to any sober Enquirers And what pittiful unsound and odd as well as new Distinctions hath G. Whitehead used to excuse G. Fox his saying Your Gospel Matthew Mark Luke and John are Dust and the Serpents Meat He saying It was to be meant of the Ink and Paper which would turn to Dust. But who did ever call the Ink and Paper the Gospel or who did ever think that the Serpent which is the Devil doth eat Ink and Paper Oh for shame let these Men cease to blame me for new Distinctions when they have made so many False and Nonsensical new Distinctions more Foolish than ever were heard of And his excusing Solomon Eccles Blasphemy in saying The Blood that came out of Christ's Side was no more than the Blood of another Saint Behold his most Unlearned and Foolish Distinction inconsistent with and contradictory to that known great Principle of the People called Quakers That Christ dyed for all Men and shed his Blood for all His meaning was said G. Whitehead as to Papists and you viz. Baptists whose Minds are Carnol But another idle impertinent Cavil they make against the distinction of express Knowledge of Christ's Death c. and implicit is ' That I use that Word express as a word of Course and of no ' Force as when I said That many of Adam's Posterity suffer disadvantage by his ' Disobedience who never knew it expresly But that ever any perished by Adam's Sin who never knew it either expresly or implicitly as they alledge seeing they bring no proof of it I reject as false and fictitious It is evident from the Heathen Philosophers Writings and particularly from Plato that they knew at least implicitiy the Fall of Man and the degeneration of Mankind in general for Plato not only mentions the Fall of Man but Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an imbred Evil in Men that is born with them And how can any Impartial Reader that reads my Books when I so oft caution restrict and limit the Words on that subject with the term Express and at other times with the Words clear Distinct Knowledge and at other times with the Words Historical Outward Knowledge all which and the like Words R. Barelay hath used in several Places of his Apology after my Method and divers Years after I used that Method of Expression and I well know we were of One Mind in that thing and I published his Latin Theses in Holland first of all and carried them over with me out of Scotland at his desire whereof I can bring sufficient Witness and we used to Discourse together frequently on that Subject and both of us on purpose used these Cautions and Restricted Words as express clear distinct historical outward and in the outward viz. in the outward History or Letter to signifie that we did not intend that any were saved with Eternal Salvation without all Knowledge or Faith of Christ without though without the express they might and still may where it is not revealed And they are as Nonsensical and Ignorant in seeking to marr my Distinction by falsly alledging I have marred it by their dictator-like saying There is no Medium between knowing very darkly in Vails and Figures implicitly in a very obscure Degree and not knowing at all pag. 15. But to confute their Ignorance let any Man of common Sense answer me Is there no Medium between knowing very Darkly and not knowing at all Is the Particle or little Word very Superlative in the highest Degree or is it not rather Comparative Is there no medium betwixt a Mans being very ignorant and knowing nothing at all If there be none then by George Whitehead's Logick who hath either writ this Book that I answer or approved it because he is very Ignorant as I have sufficiently proved he knoweth nothing at all But surely the most ignorant may and do know some things therefore G. W. is as ignorant in true
concerning Peter Bosse his retaking the Sloop without Force of Arms John Homes a Baptist Teacher and either then or some time not long after a Justice of Peace whose Name and Christian Behaviour is mentioned in the said printed Tryal in refusing to give Judgment against G. K. whithout hearing did write some English Verses which are these following One Quaker Master of a Boat With our small Fleet along did Float And tho he us'd not Sword nor Gun Yet with his Oars and with his Tongue He plaid his part exceeding well As these who were with him can tell P. 22. Whereas he makes me to say in one Book The express knowledg of Christ's Death and Sufferings as Man in the outward is not universally necessary to Salvation And in another That the express Knowledg of Christ's Death is universally necessary Answ In this he useth after his manner gross deceit and greatly abuseth his Reader and me also for tho he citeth a passage in one of my Books to prove the first viz. Presh and Indep Vis p. 133. Yet he cites no passage in any of my Books for the second that I can find tho I have narrowly searched but the only proof I can find he brings is that he saith p. 15. I furiously quarrel with Friends about it and confess it to be a main matter of Controversy with Friends there This is false I never had any Controversy with any whether the express Knowledg and Faith of Christ's Death and Sufferings be universally necessary to Man's Salvation so as necessary to be had by all and every one before Death But the true state of the Question betwixt them and me was and is Whether the express Knowledg and Faith of Christ's Death and Sufferings c. be not necessary to Salvation to all Professing Christianity and who have the opportunity and help of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament whereby to receive it the Holy Spirit inwardly co-operating to produce the Faith of it in them that hear or read that Doctrine as delivered in the Holy Scriptures and whether the Doctrine of Christ should not be Preached as he Died for our Sins and rose again c. as a main Doctrine of the Christian Religion in order to Salvation For I have always distinguished betwixt simple Heathens or Gentiles who have not the occasion to have the Faith outwardly Preached and those in Christendom under a Christian Profession who have the occasion to hear it Preached to the former I have said the express Knowledg and Faith of that Doctrine is not necessary tho the implicit in some degree is but how much or what measure or degree of it is universally necessary I have never affirmed And that this is the true state of the question betwixt my Adversaries and me I need go no further for a Proof than from my present Adversary who makes it a great Error in me to say the Light within is not sufficient to Salvation without something else for if that be false the contradictory is true viz. The Light within is sufficient to Salvation without any thing else but the Death and Sufferings of Christ and his Blood outwardly shed and his Intercession for us in Heaven without us are all something else and if the Light within be sufficient without all these then there is no need to believe or Preach any of them but only and alone the Light within P. 24. He spends his Pages from 24. to 28. in some base insinuations against me about the 12 Revolutions and telling some Stories most of which are absolutely false and that little that 's true in any of them is not fairly nor duly related and which he brought no proof for but his own forfeited Credit or the report of such as are of as ill Credit as himself and known to have been prejudiced Persons against me P. 29. What he saith of my Praising the Quaker`s Doctrine to Cotton Mather in New-England was before that Party rose up aginst me in Pensilvania to oppose the same Doctrine I delivered in my Printed Books in answer to Cotton Mather which Doctrine they seemed to own and all my former Books were Approved of by most of the Ministers of best note in Pensilvania that were writ in Answer to Cotton Mather and his Brethren in New England before they were Printed so that it was a most astonishing thing to me to find how suddenly they who professed to own the Doctrine contained in these Books turned against the very same Doctrine after W. Stockdale had accused me of Preaching two Christs because I Preached Faith in Christ without and in Christ within therefore this sudden Alteration began in them and until I came to England and found the greatest part of their Teachers here in England and particularly G. Whitehead and W. Penn to favour and support those in Pensilvania whom I have sufficiently detected guilty of vile Errors I had but too good an Esteem for them wherein I confess I was mistaken and this put me on a further search into their Books which formerly I did not much Read and many of them not at all and what I did Read I did not so well consider and upon my further search I found sufficient cause to change my Judgment concerning these Men. But none can charge it on me that either by word or writing I ever agreed with them in those vile Errors which since I have discovered and reprehended in them so that this is no change or contradiction in any Doctrine or Principle of Faith and what change of Judgment I have of these Men they have the like of me and will readily confess they have been as greatly mistaken in me as I have been in them and therefore they can have no advantage against me in that respect And whereas he Insinuateth pag. 24. 25 26. That I have dropt here and there some passages in my late Books from which they cannot but conclude That either I did intend to conform Friends to some Doctrine of which by what follows the Doctrine of the 12 Revolutions may be supposed to be not the least in his Eye or else to separate from them Some of which expressions he mentions out of my late Books Printed in Pensilvania all which were generally approved by Friends of the Ministry out of which he hath gathered them and if he thinks these Expressions will prove the Doctrine of the 12 Revolutions he should have proved it by positive Arguments and not give simple Queries for Arguments all which I could easily Answer without the Doctrine of the 12 Revolutions but that I have no mind to answer his curiosity or gratify such a prejudiced Adversary and he might much rather query whether G. F. did not hold the Doctrine of the Revolutions that hath said in some of his Printed Books before Languages were he was and his Charging the Blood of many that were slain above a thousand Years ago upon the People living in
of this visible Earth What that part was unless they will say it was that Mountain in Yorkshire he mentions where he had his Vision but surely that could not be Paradise for the Barrenness of it A third Evidence for me and against these Men that have given out this Book is William Shewen a great Man among them lately deceased who to perswade us of his Infallibility hath told us Treatise of Thoughts pag. 14. That he cannot write contrary to Scripture being in unity with them And pag. 19 20. plainly tells us That the Man was not deceived with the Beauty of an Apple or some other outward Fruit nor by the Talk or Perswasion of any Creature like our English Snakes as vain Man in his carnal Mind imagins So we see his Censure of G. Whitehead and J. Pennington that they are vain who have so imagined in their Carnal Minds How G. Whitehead will clear himself of this and many other gross Self-contradictions I leave to the Tryal Pag. 36. Their Abuse and Perverson is manifest in seeking to fix a Contradiction on me for affirming in my Book Help in time of Need That the Scriptures are not that Word to wit that living essential Word more than a Map or Description of Rome or London is Rome or London or the Image of Caesar is Caesar or Bread and Wine is the Body and Blood of Christ And for Querying Truth Advanced Que. 5. Whether it may not be said there is one Baptism as that there is one Land ca led America though the Map or Figure of it is also called America even as there is but one Spiritual Baptism with the Holy Ghost though the outward Baptism with Water is also called Baptism Now beside that this last is only a Query but let it pass for a Position let the Intelligent judge what Contradiction is here or least Inconsistency Contradictories can never be true but both these are true 1. The Scriptures are not that Living and Essential Word which is Christ this is a Truth that all called Christians acknowledge But that they may be called the Word as a Map of America is called America I never denyed but have oft said and which is agreeable to many Protestant Writers who have used such a phrase a Map or Scheme of the Gospel Nor is the Bread and Wine the Body and Blood of Christ though it be so called Now if these Men deny this to be a Truth they must hold with Papists that the Bread and Wine is really the Body and Blood of Christ 2. That though there is but one Spiritual Baptism yet that the outward Baptism with Water is also called Baptism is also true for John's Baptism with Water is called in Scripture the Baptism of John And after they have thus shown their own Folly and Ignorance in a scoffing Spirit they call me Rabby though its the known way of the Quakers not to call a Man Master that is in Hebrew Rabbi Matth. 23. 7 8. yet to Indulge a Scoffing Humour they will transgress their Rule Here this Rabbi say they hath foiled himself sorely But let the Intelligent judge whether they have not foiled themselves sorely all along their abusive and scandalous Book that excepting these Sound Passages and Testimonies they have collected out of my Books which greatly make for me and show that I am constant in my Principles as to the Faith of Christ contains little else than a heap of Falsities and Perversions But that they say He once boasted in his Serious Appeal pag. 29. That he hath the Gifts both of Sound Knowledge and Expression with manifold other Mercies bestowed on him In this they falsly accuse me for there is nothing in that place that either expresses or implyeth any boast in the least For whereas my Opponent had charged me with marveous Ignorance Falshood and Giddiness I said among other things I doubt not but judicious and impartial Readers who compare his Books and mine will have another judgment concerning me and acknowledge to God's praise the Gifts both of Sound Knowledge and Expression with his manifold other Mercies bestowed on m for which I desire to Praise him forever But to make it look like a Boast they leave out these last Words and also the foregoing Words and its evident I used these Words only Comparatively and not Absolutely for I never judged my self absolutely Infallible nor have been a Self-Praiser as too many of them are and I may now say let their Books who have appeared against me of late as W. Penn G. Whitehead T. Ellwood and others be compared with mine and I doubt not but judicious and impartial Readers will have another judgment concerning me than these my prejudiced Adversaries and acknowledge to God's Praise the Gifts of sound Knowledge and Expression that God hath given me for which I desire forever to Praise him but this I understand only Comparatively for I never had such thoughts of my self nor have but that the Sentiments of my Mind and Expressions of my Mouth and Pen in divers things may admit of Correction though as to the main every true Christian as well as I may say We have a Sound Knowledge and Faith And whereas they pass another Scoff upon me pag. 34. calling my Book Truth Advanced His bulky Book which is but of small bulk in comparison of the bulky Volumns of G. Whitehead W Penn and divers others I am not doubtful to say that Intelligent Readers who compare their great bulky Books with that one small bulky Book of mine will say there is more Sound matter of Doctrine in it and the Contents of it are more for Edification than in their great bulky Books Yet I have been so modest a thing I never found in any of them to acknowledge that in some things I may receive some Correction and better information See my Pref. Truth Adv. pag. 45. Pag 44. They quarrel my expounding Adam and Eve's hiding themselves among the Trees of the Garden to be in a Tree of the Garden and that one Tree may be well understood to be the divine Mercy or Clemency I had said in my Book Truth Adv. the Hebrew doth bear it in a Tree of the Garden pag. 25. But I must excuse their Ignorance in the Hebrew that they will not admit of this true Translation And are they not Carnally Minded to think that Adam thought he could hide himself either among the Trees of an outward Garden or in any one Tree of it so as God might not see him this is to think at least that Adam was an Anthropomorphit or Mugletonian as having such a gross Opinion that God had bodily Eyes as a Man and that an outward Tree could hide him from God And their Argument is as foolish against my saying That Tree might be the Divine Mercy or Clemency They say The Divine Mercy is in Christ Jesus and if they were got there when they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in
were they armed with Truth and Righteousness they needed not have complained of want of due preparation its odd and a new sort of Language for one called a Quaker to tell us of his not being prepared the Scripture saith 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you When I was most falsly and uncharitably accused by John Voughton John Field and Thomas Ellwood at the Yearly Meeting 1694. I sought no Particulars of Quotations and Pages referred unto nor did any intimate to me before-hand the particular Passages in my Books that they justly excepted against I intirely relyed on the Assistance of God to help me what to answer to the many false Accusations and Perversions that my Accusers used against me and I found him a present help to me I had offered in Print before to Tho. Elwood that he would appoint Time and Place and I would stand to his Appointment And I make the same Offer to you again I freely allow you to serve me as I have served you Give out your Advertisement in Print appoint your Time and Place and let me have your Charge without your Proofs until we meet and then bring them forth against me I premise God permitting to meet you provided the Meeting be free and open to all Sober Persons A POSTSCRIPT Containing an Earnest Expostulation with the most Pious and Learned whether in the Church of England or among other Protestant Dissenters and a serious Invitation unto them to employ some of their Time and Labour by their Pious and Learned Writings to oppose and refute those vile Errors boldly avowed and publickly broached in the late Printed Books of some Leading Men among a Gang and sort of Quakers IT may seem strange how it comes to pass that while so many Pious and Learned Men are judged to be found in this Nation not only of the Church of England but among the Dissenters and Nonconformists there are found so few among them all that do imploy their Gifts to oppose such Vile Errors as are boldly and avowedly promoted among a sort and Gang of the People called Quakers not only as bad as any Popery but much worse than the worst of Popery in divers respects and I am confident if such Antichristian Errors and Heresies were but the tenth part so avowedly broached in the City of Rome or any where else in Popish Countries these esteemed Watchmen among them would be more alarmed to oppose them by Word and Writing than most among Protestants do which would seem to cast a great Reflexion on the Protestant Churches if some able Men and of good esteem among them both for Piety and Sound Knowledge be not awakened to bestow some of their time and labour by their Writings to oppose such Vile Errors and such a Work would be so far from unbecoming the ablest and most valuable Persons in this Nation for Piety and Learning that it would turn much to their Honour and real Advantage to bestir themselves in this Work It frequently happeneth that Books are more valued and the Contents of them the more regarded and considered and the more universally read and recommended that Persons of publick Note and Fame when Pious and Learned are the Authors of them And whereas many of the chiefest Teachers and Leaders among the People called Quakers have formerly with great boldness provoked such as have differed from them to publick Disputes viva voce and have oft gloried over them who refused to answer them that their Cause was bad and that they had not Truth on their side and in these days there was no such Cry to be heard from them as now That such publick Disputes will offend Authority and break the Civil Peace yea how oft have some of their Teachers assaulted the National Ministers in the Face of their Congregations and provoked them to dispute with them and on their refusal have cryed out against them to be Fugitives and Hirelings when the said National Ministers way of Religion and Worship was approved by Authority and that of the People called Quakers was not Would it not therefore be a most equal reasonable and commendable Practise for any Persons of true Piety and solid Learning moved with the Zeal of God's Glory and love of Truth and with a Holy Indignation against these Vile Errors that are publickly avouched by some Leading Men among the Quakers as appeareth both by their former and later Printed Books and with a tender Compassion to the Souls of so many Thousands in this Nation that are in danger to perish by the Infection of these Errors openly and publickly to call them forth to a publick Hearing and to press them by earnest Perswasions to retract and condemn those vile and damnable Errors contained in their Books or if they continue to justifie them to refute them openly in the Face of their own Meetings and in the presence of them that do so much admire and follow them And thus to serve them at they have served others and with what Measure they have met to others with the sone to mete to them again And it would be a Commendable and Praise-worthy thing for the Civil Authority to encourage such a Practise throughout the Nation that Men of true Piety and solid Learning might be allowed and Countenanced to Refute these Vile and Abominable Errors of these chief Teachers and Leaders anong them called Quakers in their Meeting-Houses at the end of their Meetings or at other fit times Surely such a Practise as this as it is no ways inconsistent with the Civil Peace and Liberty of Conscience granted to Dissenting Protestants notwithstanding of the idle Clamour of such Men who have an Evil Conscience and a lad Cause would be more effectual to Preserve the True Protestant Christian Religion in these three Nations than all the severe ways in former times used against then of Fines Imprisonments c. And though it is far from me to desire the least Suffrings to come on these Mens Persons or Estates yet if such a zeal were raised in them bearing Authority in this Nation to give order that all such Books of them called Quakers as can readily be found as great store of such there are that contan such Vile and Abominable Errors to the dishonour of the worthy Name of Christ and the Christian Religion and the great danger of many Souls be diligently searched and examined by the most Pious and Judicious Persons in the Nation and after due search and Examination be found guilty that by publick Authority all such Books may be suppressed and witnessed against I may freely say these Men should have no just Cause to Complain that their Books should be so dealt with for they have done the like to Books that have opposed their gross Errors witness a Parcel of Books writ by me some Four Years ago that came to London from Pensilvania opposing the