THE Lybeller Carracterizd OR A Hue and Cry Sent after Him Some of his Works made Publick with Observations thereupon WHereas some envious Person or Persons in or about London as is supposed have of late abused several honest Men in several Countries by sending great Packets by the POST and thereby not only putting them to considerable Charges but also abusing several with scurrilous Language and Falshood which have been born with until it became frequent and then several have refused to receive them so they have been returned upon the Post-Master again The Hand-Writing being compared seems much alike and the Seal sometimes the Anchor and sometimes the Ship c. and Printed Books writ upon between the Lines and wrapt up in a blank piece of Paper charged 14 and 18 d. for Postage and some less And inasmuch as such Practice is very unjust and a Work of Unrighteousness it is the duty of all honest men fearing God not only to disown but publickly to testifie against such a Practice It was and is at this day a certain Truth That he that doth Evil hates the Light neither will he bring his Deeds to it least it should reprove him And doubtless the Nameless Author of those Packets loved Darkness rather than the Light because he was afraid to put his Name to what he hath writ but his Work discovers him to be a Night Wanderer and though he would seem it may be to be Religious yet how vain is it for him so to do that hath not a Bridle to his Tongue but will accuse and not prove and ask Questions to no purpose except to slander and abuse men and is yet to learn that Lesson which our Saviour taught his Followers Viz. Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you that do unto them This Nameless Author of the Packets seems as if he had authority or at least assumes it to judge of Men's Properties and question the printing of Books that are not Licensed by such nameless Persons as himself and in particular he quarrels and seems to be offended with a small Book written concerning that Honourable Woman Loveday Hambly deceased and several other Books that have been wrote by Persons of good Repute Men fearing God and abhorring such idle Practices as the Author of the Lybel is found in In short the Author of those Packets makes it his Business to abuse honest men and endeavours as much as in him lyes to take away their good Name by bespattering them with bad Names and in particular hath bent his Arrows of Envy and Hatred against that Servant of God J. S. deceased and J. W. and others but seeing he is such a Night-Wanderer and will not tell his Name what he writes is the less taken notice of or credited amongst men of Understanding Now if this Lybeller will come forth and own his Work he shall have a fair Hearing and if he be found guilty let him repent and do so no more but if he doth persist in this wicked Work to abuse and cheat men as before mentioned which is little less than picking their Pockets This is to give notice that whosoever can give certain intelligence of his Name and place of his Residence or Habitation shall have reasonable Satisfacton for their pains Written by a Lover of Truth and Honesty but a Witness against the Contrary Reading the 5 th of 1 st Mo. 1683 4. Benj. Coales And have no Fellowship with the Vnfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Eph. 5. 11 12. HEre is the work of a formal Apostate manifested and some Observations and Queries made publick that was long since delivered to some of the Formal Preachers in Reading but no Answer given to them or an Hue and Cry after a nameless Author that hath made it his business to send great Packets by Post from London to Reading and to many other Places in the Nation whereby honest men have been put to great Charge and much abused by one that would seem to be Religious and very Zealous for the setting up of Outward Things as may be seen by his own words as they were sent to two Persons in Reading set down verbatim also a short Postscript First Query Was not Peoples going from the Light and Spirit in their own Particulars many Ages since the Cause why so many Forms of Prayers were made to be said by the Church of England 2 dly And did not their compelling and using Violence to those that were otherwise minded proceed from the Spirit that made the Form 3 dly Did not the Presbyterians with their Church-Faith and Directory that they had made do like the Church of England when they had power Excommunicate and cast into Prison such as could not bow to their Image which they had set up 4 thly ' Did not the Baptists with their Form which they did cry up do like the former And hath not all the Lo heres and the Lo there 's arisen when the People in every Generation have gone from the Spirit 's Teaching 5 thly ' And hath it not been so with all other Sects when they have erred from the Spirit which was given to be for a Leader and have run into the setting up of Outward Things which hath proved a Snare in all Ages read and see how it was with Israel of old when they forsook the Lord how did their Enemies prevail over them Let it be a warning to all in our days 6 thly And now it is come to the Formal Quakers turn and are not they with all their strength and might they can get in most places a setting up the Form that they have made and giving it higher Names than any that hath gone before and some hath had the Confidence to say and preach openly that what they had set up was to keep things sweet and clean notwithstanding many things have happened amongst them in many Places which is a stink and a shame to mention yet calling them Holy Orders and such like Nâ—mâ—s as they in their imaginary Minds could think on too much like the Golden Image that was set up in the days of Daniel which the Lord did and will Confound 7 thly And doth not many of the Formal Preachers sit with their Hats on when many of the Lord's Servants are moved to pray 8 thly And doth not many others imitate them in that ungodly Practice so that it may be said as it was in times past like Priest like People which is a trouble to many and a stumbling Block to the Weak that beholds it and may it not be said now as in Times past The Teachers of the people have caused them to err 9 thly And do not some of you Formal Preachers send great Packets by the Post directed to honest men in the Countrey without any Name to them on purpose to put them to Charge witness
Reading where four were sent to two Persons in eight days time and charged 3 s. 8 d. to be paid by them they were sent to and many more have come to this Town since besides what have been sent to other Places 10 thly And are these the Fruits of a Christian Spirit or from them that are Apostatized from it Let any that have any understanding of the Things of God Judge 11 thly And have not you according to your Power been like them before mentioned considering your standing in giving bad Names both in your Prayers and also Preaching calling such dark Spirits that couâ—d not joyn with you about your Forms and that they were gone in the way of Cain and many such like Expressions and have you not endeavoured to make the People believe it when you know in your Consciences that many that you so brand are blameless both in Life Conversation and Doctrine 12 thly And was it not the Elders of Israel in days that are past that gave unrighteous Judgment and did condemn the Innocent And hath it not been so in our days Witness the Paper that was signed by 66 against their innocent Brethren in the North And may not the same Cry be sounded in this our day as was then in the Ears of many Return return to the place of Judgment Even to that Principle that was first preached which was the first and will be the last 13 thly When David kept to the Spirits teaching did not he say O Lord thou hast made me wiser than all my Teachers and thy Word is a Light to my Feet and Lanthorn to my Paths And this teach't him to order his Conversation aright and it is the same at this day and will remain for ever 14thly And is not the Lord God who hath an All-seeing Eye appeared and made known himself in this our day for this very end according to his Promise to gather a People to himself from all the Lo-heres and the Lo-theres as hath appeared and is bringing them to wait upon him who is feeding all that do truly hunger after him with that Bread that doth truly satisfie their longing Souls and all such as they abide under his Teaching need go no more forth blessed and praised be his everlasting Name for ever 26 th 11 th Mo. 1683. L. K. Here follows the words of the Nameless Author written in the Title Page of the Relation of Loveday Hambly deceased and sent to B. C. Viz. Ben. Coale Here is a Paper of thine where thou applauds with many frothy Expressions L. H. and saith Her Table was plentifully spread It is like so makes thee so to applaud her hath she not given thee some great Legacy for thy Funeral Sermon Hadst thou or you Authority to Print M. D. F. S's Letters Ye tell of her good Works and Charity and is that the Cause that ye do so so applaud her the Papists will do the same But are you in the Spirit of Good Works and Charity or Evil Hast thou not cryed Peace to such as put in thy mouth and oppose such as stand against thy wilful peevish Spirit for want of Charity but thou wouldst appear to be somebody and to make a noise in Print with thy tinckling Cymbals and sounding Brass as thou dost in Meetings Why did not you Print how you shut the Women's Quarterly-Meeting out of their Meeting House and shut the Quarterly Men's-Meeting out of the house at Blewberry and they were fain to meet at an Inn and A. Estmead nailed up their Meeting-House Door at Calne and they were fain to meet in the Street and the Women fain to meet in a Malt-House Is this your Liberty of Conscience and Works of Charity to keep People out of their Property or the Persecuting Spirit of the World cloakt with Liberty Hath J. S. and J. W. taught you this Doctrine Is this as it was in the Beginning He that sitteth in Heaven will break your Bands in sunder and laugh you to scorn whose Babel and Folly is manifest to all men that know you and will be rewarded according to your Works Isai 48. 8. I knew thee that thou wouldst deal treacherously Observe B. C. gave a short Testimony with some others in Print relating to the Life and Death of his old Mistriss L H. and spake something of her Praise whom he knew to be worthy thereof living a Servant with her some years as appears more at large in that Paper given forth on her behalf which the Reader may do well to see and then may better take notice of the Envy and Mallice that hath appeared by the Nameless Author of the Packets he saith Here is a Payer of thine where thou applandest with many frothy Expressions L. H. Which is wrong in this Formal Apostate so to say and for B. C's saying Her Table was plentifully spread he said no more than he knew see the Paper and Judge and if she had given him a Legacy as he scoffingly saith he had better deserved it than some others that used to be frequent at her Table and they can do no less but say if they speak true as B. C. hath done although what he hath said could not be for any great Legacy or for her Funeral Sermon as the Nameless Author scoffingly saith for he wrote nothing as I know of till she was dead aâ—â— if she gave him any thing it could not be for that for she knew not 〈◊〉 Observe This Lybeller seems to be offended and saith Hadst 〈◊〉 or you Authority to Print M. D's and T. S's Letters Answer There is no Question to be made of that but the Reader may observe thâ—â— what was Printed was not stamped by the Second-days Meeting and some may be so foolish as to say It was out of the Vnity and did not this make him to compare it with the Papists But I think many of them will hardly do as he hath done in sending great Packets by Pâ—st to put honest men to Charge and conceal their Names as he hath done his and must needs be talking of Charity and tells of Tinkling Cymbals and Sounding Brass but what this Formal Apostate hath done makes but a bad Sound And why did you not print saith he how you shut the Women's Meeting out of their Meeting-House and shut the Quarterly Mens-Meeting out of the House at Blewberry and they were 〈◊〉 to meet at an Inn. Answer If it were so the Friends at Blewberry can give the best account why it was so It is a sign they were a 〈◊〉 of such Company that use to frequent such Meetings of late days which made it their Business to brawl and contend against honest Men 〈◊〉 had been and are serviceable in their day too much of this I have seen and do not speak by Hear-say This Nameless Author saith 〈◊〉 Estmead nailed up their Meeting-House Doors at Calre but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so or no I shall have it it being without the Compass of
my knowledge but do wish he had not as much ground for what he did as they had at Blewberry if it be as is said and what 's all that to B. C. Observe The Nameless Author saith That the Women were 〈◊〉 meet in a Malt-House I confess that was hardly well taken by 〈◊〉 that came from Londong and other Places to help to settle the Govâ—â—â—mâ—nt of the Women's Meetings but he need not be so much offended with the Malt-House for is is no such inferiour Place to sit in at 〈◊〉 And he further saith Is this your Liberty of Conscience Ans Surely the Women in the Malt-house in Reading there met and assembled together might have brought forth as good an Edict as they did that met at Barbados And saith the Nameless Author Hath J. S. J. H. taught you this Doctrine Ans I am sure they never taught any to do as he hath done and then conceal his Name they were men of more Integrity and did abhor such a Practise as he is found in but his Reward will be according to his Work How are the hidden things of Esau searched out The Nameless Author cites Isai 48. 8. I knew thee that thou wouldst deal treacherously Ans Very proper for himself And it may be said of him as once the Prophet of the Lord said concerning Edom The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee thou that dwillest in the Clefts of the Rock whose Habitation is high that saith in his heart who shall bring me down to the ground Tho thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and tho thou set thy Nest among the Stars thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. Here follows the words of the Nameless Author to Tho. Curtis in one of the Packets Viz. You may take your fawning flattering Funeral Sermon home again and spread not such things abroad least they be turned home again with shame had you not nor do you not expect some great Legacy for your Work and is not this crying up one as you did J. S. and crying down others like Carnal men building of Babel whom God will confound and some of her Neighbours reproved the Madness and Folly of such Prophets when they saw those flattering frothy Expressions concerning L. H. which more manifests a puft up Spirit than Humility but no better Fruits can be expected T. C. read it over again and it may happen thou mayst better consider thy Folly if Envy and Passion hath not blinded thee and thou hast made a great Boast what thou hast done in this Book but the Truth hath tryed it and hath a sense of the Work and Spirit to be conceited and Lofty c. There is no peace saith the Lord to the Wicked Their Liberty of Conscience you may read 1 Pet. 2. 16. Isai 48. 22. and in Jude The Reader may take notice that T. C. was one of them that gave a testimony forth concerning his old Friend L. H. with whom he had been conversant and made serviceable in the hand of the Lord as appears more at large by what he hath wrote on her behalf and I know no reason why this Nameless Author should be so much offended at it as he is except it was because it was not sent to be approved of by the Second Days Meeting as if he had power to Bind and Loose he saith the Truth hath tryed it and hath a sence of the Work and Spirit Observe So many as have an Eye to him that are zealous for the Form and oftentimes sit with their hats on in time of Prayer will be ready to say It is out of the Vnity as they used to do by that Innocent Man J. S. Which the Formal Apostate cites he talks of Crying up one and crying down others like Carnal Men building of Babel Who will cry up thee thou treacherous person that art ashamed to put thy Name to thy Work What can be more like Babel than what thou hast done The Lybeller saith That some of her Neighbours reproved the Madness and Folly of such Prophets c. Observe They are as nameless as this Author and I may say to him as the Psalmist once said What shall be done unto thee thou false tongue And doth not this manifest more a puft up Spirit than Humility let his own words answer him but no better Fruits can be expected from one that is ashamed of his Name Obs He saith flatteringly Read it over again it may happen thou mayst better consider thy Folly if Envy Passion hath not blinded thee Ans If Envy Madness and Folly had not blinded this Formal Apostate he would never have done as he hath done to put honest men to such unnecessary Charge as he did in eight days time and concealing his Name Surely none will own his Work nor he unless he give forth a Paper of Condemnation for such things go a great way in our days especially among such as are ready to pin their Faith on other Folks Sleeves Observe He saith There is no peace to the wicked Ans Very true therefore it will concern this Person to look back and repent of this ungodly Work that he hath been found in and not like Lucifer think to make his Nest amongst the Stars for the Lord God in his own day and time will bring him down and all that so do The Nameless Author talkes of Liberty of Conscience and cites 1 Pet. 2. 16. Isai 48. 2. and in Jude So the Reader is desired to search the Scriptures before cited and compare what they say with his Practice It was said by the Prophet The Remnant of Israel shall not do Iniquity nor speak Lyes neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their Mouth POSTSCRIPT Te Nameless Author before mentioned seems to be a Person by his own words as if he had Intelligence from many Places in the Countrey which may make many think he is one that frequents the Second day's Meeting and doubtless doth account himself one of the Faithful would seem to have the Care of the Churches upon him or as if he had been some great Instrument in Setting up the Women's Meetings separate from the Men. So here is a short Discription given of him and it is left to some that have made a great talk of their Inward sense to make a further Discovery of this Nameless Author that so honest Men in the Country may no longer be abused by him Reading 2 d. of the 2 d. Month 1684. Written by a Lover of the Truth Leonard Key