the close of the Title page an Abominable Vntruth and that they seem to have no regard to Truth or Honesty If these be not angry words I know none But in all these five pages concerning this Charge where is a particular of any one Scripture not relating to some external part of Worship which they deny Why should you say they deny the Bible which contains all the Books This is but quibbling by which you know I may easily prove that you deny it all by denying Circumcision a part therein contained But in short Sir Be not angry for I must tell you that until all we that own the Scriptures for our Rule come to an Unity in Faith and Practice according to it and it s well known we are now far from it methinks it seems a pitiful contradiction for us to press it upon others as an easie plain intelligible and unalterable general Rule Do you think our Divisions both in Doctrine and Discipline about it do not wonderfully weaken our Commendations of it as the Evangelical appointed Rule yea in so much that Church Discipline Doctrines will hardly keep people awake while they are Preaching up even from Scripture Authority They may well say unto us Physitians heal your selves agree among your selves ye wise and Learned what is the mind and meaning of the Scriptures about which now ye dispute and then we will more willingly conform to what you call Scripture Ordinances and Appointments Lastly Sir you conclude this Charge with a palpable abuse of my words Seeing then said I the great Design of all the Scripture is to bring us to an holy life let 's bear with Opinions which we plainly see do not subvert it especially considering that we read of no punishment denounced against men for their Opinions Now can any fairly and honestly conclude from hence that I allow of wicked Atheistical and Antichristian Principles But I see you are resolved to bring me under some manner of Scandal if you can therefore in your 42d page you say I forget That Corrupt Principles lead to Corrupt Practices No I do not forget it nor do I plead for or go about to extenuate any sinful or corrupt Principle but to oppose that of Pride and Bitterness against others Demonstration is the best proof in this Case Survey the Quakers and put their Lives and Conversations into one Balance of the Sanctuary and the lives of any other sort of Christians into the other and if they be found the lighter I 'le never speak a word more for them as a People How long must we wait to know a corrupt Principle They have been among us about six or seven and twenty years and yet we see no corrupt Practices growing from their Principles Certainly were such evil Fruit as you imagine natural to the Tree we should have seen it before now for you say when a mans Conscience is debaucht we shall quickly see him a man of a debaucht Conversation The Sixth Charge is That the speaking of the Spirit in any is of greater Authority than the Scriptures To this I said and I see no cause to alter my saying that there is no Reason for this Charge to be drawn from G. VVhiteheads words For these words and greater being added to the closing of the Sentence doth plainly signifie to me that it must relate to the Influence For what doth Authority signifie without Influence Of what worth is the Authority of a Magistrate where his Commands are not regarded Now it must be the Spirit opening of our hearts as it did the heart of Lydia to hearken to the Scriptures and suffer them to have any impression upon us or Authority over us wherefore VV. R. saith well That whatever good effect the Preachers Doctrine hath upon the Soul it is wrought by those words not as they are the words of men but as indeed the words of God which effectually work in them that believe So that they must first believe them before there will be any effectual work wrought by them and this they cannot do without the inward operation and Conviction of the Holy Spirit Therefore I see no evil in ascribing the greater to the Spirit so long as they give a great Authority to the Scriptures both which G. VV. doth in his Answer cited by T. H. viz. That which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater I must put in Chapters now for Civilities sake for VV. R. catches at my leaving them out before but truly I know no difference or force depending on Chapters more than Scriptures they were Scriptures before they were in Chapters But the great Reason of this Charge is yet behind and the Apeal directing me to Dial. 1. p. 28. there I find it viz. That because the Script if diligently consulted with would deter persons from believing the Quakers feigned Revelations therefore 't is they so much endeavour to beget in the minds of men an ill Opinion of them This is a hard Censure and how he will get off I know not unless by way of supposed Consequences for I dare say they never told any man that their endeavours were to beget in the minds of men all ill opinion of the Scriptures or that they feared the Scriptures would deter persons from believing them But it being none of my Purpose to give a particular account of their Faith in this or other Points I refer those that are minded to know their Judgment about the Script to the 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Chapters of Quakerism a new nick name for old Christianity and the Defense of it And whereas he saith a man may see how dark my Vnderstanding is that I should acknowledg G. W. ' s words and yet see no Reason for the Charge Is not the Reason of the Charge what I last mentioned as a hard Censure And indeed he that sees a Reason for that Consequence in G. VV. his words I confess sees more than I do The Seventh Charge is That is no Command from God to me which God hath given by way of Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another Every one obeyed their own Command This in Substance is but the two former Charges drest up in other words For by Commands I suppose T. H. means Scripture Commands and by Saints such as are recorded in Scripture And then 't is no more than what Ben. Furly said before that there is nothing in the Scripture which he is obliged to obey because there Recorded And so say I not only because Recorded in that Book do I obey any Command but because the Spirit of God convinceth me that it is my Duty For if its very being in that book be the ground of Obedience what would become of him who should happen to have one of that false Impression whose Compositor W. R. saith was a Papist and
left out NOT in the 7th Commandment How should he know it was false Printed supposing he could have no other to correct it by Must not the Spirit or Light within be minded in such Cases Yea or the Man 's undone But a little more to this Charge wherein I said there is no great danger because it 's stated so in general that it may admit of good or bad particular Applications And for proof I shewed several particular Commands from God to others which did not concern any man now And several which concerned every man Neither did I ever hear a Quaker say That not any one of the Commands in Scripture concern them though W. R. saith it 's manifest they say so p. 47. If T. H. had told us what particular Commands they deny'd the work had been more easie and plain to reconcile But I observe all the Charges against the Quakers concerning the Scriptures run in a general way I wish it be not to stop the mouths of all others from speaking a word in their behalf I am sure it is not fair Had they been charged with owning Childrens Baptism perhaps some Presbyterian might have put in a word for them Had they been charged with denying Tithes some Baptist might have helped them before now If for denying Laying Hands upon all to be fundamentally necessary to Church Fellowship it 's probable J. I. himself might have assisted them in this or in opposing the Saterday Sabbath or in maintaining their Doctrine of General Redemption But now they being accused for denying Scripture for their Rule all we which profess the Scripture to be our Rule though we are divided into SIX several Churches and all differing so much in Doctrine and Discipline that we do not own one another as true constituted Churches yet we are all stirr'd up by this general Charge of denying Scripture and Gods Commands to fall upon them And if the Quakers were all supprest or banisht whose turn of all the Six would be next I know not but of this I am confident That the same Spirit which thus persues them will not let others be quiet when they are gone Strange that we cannot make better use of our time But W. R. puts some more Queries to me also under this Charge about the Scriptures How they can know swearing to be a sin or how they can try Spirits without them To both which there hath been enough said at least to beget Moderation if not Satisfaction by VV. P. in page 96. of Wisdome Justified c. And in his Rejoynder in defence of Quakerism a new nick Name c. the first part of it being almost all about the Scriptures The Eighth Charge That Justification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us wholly without us is it Doctrine of Devils To moderate this Charge I offered two things to be considered 1. The Greek word which generally in the New Testam serves for Justification and Righteousness which are both Latin words themselves in English habit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving for both I said that to be justified was all one in my understanding as to be made Just or Righteous And this W. R. himself confirms out of Mr. Leighs Critica Sacra for he saith The word must be understood to respect that Integrity Holyness and Innocency of the Souls of Good men by which they live a holy Life and please God which in substance is what I said before and W. P. before both of us viz. to be made Just or Righteous But saith W. R. this cannot be done without their persons be first acquitted of their former Sins by the Justification they receive from Christ through believing which in plainer English is all one as to say This cannot be done before it be done In the next place W. R. falls to distinguishing between a Legal Righteousness an Evangelical Righteousness and thirdly a Righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us in his own Person wholly without us The first he saith is a perfect Obedience to all God requires at all times both in thought word and deed But where this is called a Legal Righteousness I know not I think the Gospel requires as perfect obedience as the Law and more strict as in Mat. 5. But Secondly W. R. 's Evangelical Righteousness is only a sincere endeavour of the Soul to do all that God requires although by reason of the pravity of his Nature he cannot uttain it Is not this plainly to say that God requires us now under the Gospel to do that which he knows we cannot do This made the Slothful Servant say Mat. 25. that he was an hard Master But Thirdly he has distinguished out another Righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us which it seems cannot properly be called Legal or Evangelical But what he means by all this I know not unless he would bring us to expect to be justified by such a Faith as is without works and that I hope he will disown and if so all these Distinctions will vanish of themselves and that I believe they do as fast as they are Preached being so intricate and hard to be understood that I know not how any man can tell how to regulate his Faith or Life according to them The Second thing I propounded to moderate this Charge was these words wholly without us which I said might very well satisfie us that the Quakers levelled not at Scripture Justification but at our conceits of it of which I see W. R. takes no notice And no doubt he saw cause for it For wholly without us must either in this point of Justification signifie wholly without our Faith or wholly without our works or wholly without both And where the Scriptures account any one a justified Person wholly without both or either of these I know not But for as much as W. P. hath already treated so largely upon the Doctrine of Justification in his 8th Chapter of the said Rejoynder I do hereby desire William Russel to go thither to satifie himself about their Faith in that matter As I told him at first I intend not a Dispute much less a Quarrel about words if any thing I have said will but put the least stop to Carears of that Nature I have all the Reward I look for The Ninth Charge is That Justification is by Works This I said is almost yea I might have said altogether of the same nature as the former And it 's a great deal of pity to Heathenize men for Preaching up good works especially in an Age when they are so scarce To which W. R. _____ replies Rarely well guest Is T. H. finding fault for Preaching up good works But W. R. might not I have said the same to T. H. his 4th Charge That Christ Redeemed himself Rarely well guest was that ever the Question did the Quakers ever say so in terminis much less in T. H. his sence but I like none of this upbraiding braving Language Certain it
QUAKERISM NO PAGANISM OR A FRIENDLY REPLY To W. R. his UNFRIENDLY DISCOURSE INTITULED Quakerism is Paganism SHEWING The Insufficiency of what he hath Written to Unchristian the Quakers and to render them as Heathens and Pagans to the People By W. L. a Lover of Peace more than of Parties Let not them that are mine Enemies wrongfully Rejoyce over me For they speak not Peace but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the Land Psal 35.19.20 Nihil quidquam tam probe aut provide dicâ— potest quod non vellicare malignitas possâ—â— Just Lip de uâ—â Relig. London Printed in the Year 1674. To all called Non-Conformists who are Lovers of Holyness and Followers of Peace with all Men. BELOVED BRETHREN MAny have been my Perils at Sea and Perils at Land and now for your sakes I am brought to tast of those Perils which the unkindness of some and malice of other False Brethren have cast upon me The occasion they have taken is this No sooner was a breathing space of Liberty granted us to Worship God according to our Consciences but presently the Spirit of Strife and Debate entred into the Sons of Diotrophes and filled Pulpits and Presses with Disputations and Controversies against an Innofensive People about matters in no moderate mans Judgment Fundamentally necessary to Salvation and yet furiously prest upon that account by those who otherwise could have no pretence for their impertinent Zeal When I saw this Imprudence could not contain it self within the bonds of our respective Meeting places nor quietly be lodged in Booksellers shops for those only to read and buy that took delight in matters of Controversie but that Books of that kind full of bitter and disgracing Language were sent to be cryed about the Streets and in the Gates of our Exchange to publish our Simplicity and make us a Disgrace and a By word to the Merchants of all the Nations about us who certainly could not but withal Pity us though some do not pity themselves while we stabbed and wounded with such envious Tongues and Pens I say the sight and report of these things so pressed my Spirit that I could not forbear to write a few Lines only that I might signifie what a desire I had and many more to quench those flames of Zeal which under pretences of Truth are burning up all Christian Love and Charity among us I have good reason to say many for I cannot meet with one sober Christian of any Church whatsoever that is not grieved at heart for these unprofitable Assaults The Title I gave that small Treatise is the Twelve Pagan Principles This I foresaw would make a fearful sound But I sent it up with that name that you in the City might know what Language some taught us in the Country by their mincing Negatives for we know but one word in opposition to Christianity and that is Heathenism or Paganism though I confess this word Pagan is not so common as Heathen yet we know both signifie one thing So that when you tell us the Quaker is no Christian what says every Plough man then he must be a Heathen Again Sometimes an odious and shameful Name brings a thing into contempt undeservedly much more when it is deservedly and properly given My Design was to make Disputations of this kind contemptible and therefore I did hope the Name might make them nauseous to the people And I have the Apostle for an Example who when he went about to wean the Ceremonious Galatians from Elements calls them weak and beggarly Soon after I had published my Observations upon these Twelve Opinions collected by T. H. out of his Dialogues I was in hope to hear of more able and powerful Instruments as little Pearcers make way for great ones appearing in so seasonable and honourable a work as Pacification whose Wisdome and Prudence might allay the noise of that Passion which so much hinders the sound of Truth and produce such charitable thoughts and friendly Correspondency that the Government under which we live might be encouraged to continue our Liberty a peaceable Neighbour being a good sign of a peaceable Subject But behold O Friends contrary to my expectation another Goliah starting forth and in Hebrew Greek and Latin bidding in effect Defiance to Peace deriding and abusing my moderate considerations tendered only to incline the minds of both Parties to forbear farther Contentions about these Opininions And although he tells us in the first line of his Book That he designs not to traduce the Person of any man or wrong him in his Sentiments of Religion yet he has closed up with an Epistle which does both and that in such a Malicious and Contradictious manner as in probability may bring a blast upon his whole Design as I shall shew in the Conclusion It 's true I cannot lay the Epistle it self at W. R. his door but this is plain that if he had no design nor desire to traduce he might have sent me a Copy of that Letter before he published it and if I could not have satisfied him he had been blameless but now I may say qui non vetat peccare cum possit jubet But moreover though he traduces not my Person yet you may perceive a Spirit very unlike to a Lover of Christianity creeping along the Book slighting jeering endeavouring to sow Discord and create Trouble groundlessly charging me with Shifts and Equivocations and what this may be called I know not nor do I much care being confident that he who hath enabled me by his Grace to pass through good Report will also assist me to bear the contrary which all things considered is a burden more easie and less dangerous As touching the Book it self I shall not meddle with those matters in it which have already been sufficiently controverted but only such of those particulars which relate to my Constructions put upon those Twelve Opinions which were the occasion of my first Writing W. R. is much mistaken if he think to draw me to dance after his Disputing Pipe especially at such a time and in such a Cause as this is which one grain of Christian Charity would easily Reconcile In a word If the Controversie had not been serued up so high as to exclude the Quakers from the number of Christians and to render them as Heathens Pagans and Infidels to their Neighbours Friends and Relations W. R. perhaps had never heard of such a Title as Pagan Principles but hinc illae Lachrimae Having thus given you the true occasion of that Book and the Reasons of its Title I shall first take some notice of W. R. his Preface and then to the particular Charges as before mentioned 1. He begins with a Complemental Perswasion to Mr. Penn to own the Man Christ Jesus This is very strange that when he and others he especially hath so owned him in us plain words as can be desired to the satisfaction of so many that W. R.
should say he seems yet to deny him Could I perswade him he should not write a Line more upon this Subject for I know the Spirit of Curiosity and Jelousie will never be satisfied but call whatever he says Masks of evasive Pretences Clouds of Impertinences c. Nay in all probability if he should write much more about it he would soon have others as loudly calling upon him to own the Divinity as now W. R. and many more do to own the Humanity for so it happened after his writing the Sandy Foundation c. 2. The next thing remarkable are the Reasons why he presents his Book to Mr. Penn. In the first he insinuates such an intimacy betwixt us as if he had a hand in Composing the Pagan Principles which in a word is false In his Second and Third Reasons see how plainly he contradicts himself in saying I have espoused W. P. his Quarrel and yet have layed nothing to Mr. Hicks his Charge when as Mr. Penns Charge is the only Quarrel as W. R. calls it and I never heard of any other betwixt them Neither have I espoused this any farther than in a moderating way betwixt them in Love to both which I believe is a Duty more incumbent upon many others for neglect whereof I desire they may not be accountable at the Great Day W. R. might plainly perceive that my design was not to Charge for in p. 4. I said My Intent is only to shew how small a quantity of Christian Charitable Construction might make these Charges passable among us all Again what a strange Inference doth VV. R. draw from my calling T. H. my Friend that therefore W. P. ought not to call him Forger may not one of my Friends wrong another of them and no necessity lie upon me to fall out with either or to interpose unless for the Reason aforenamed T. Hicks his Conversation has been reputed honest for many years and being willing to hope that in general it is so still I call'd him Friend and desire not to carry it otherwise towards him though I am no Friend to his Dialogues And if in them he has wronged VV. P. or others either by adding to or substracting any thing from their writings or by putting down any Answers for theirs which are not theirs which is to be feared he would do very well to follow that Counsel W. R. gives W. P. viz. retract and count it no dishonour to him It 's a difficult thing to turn Religious Controversies into a Dialogue without consent of both Parties for if he change but a letter he is liable to a lash unless he has been so careful to preserve the sence of his Antagonist that he cannot object against it and then no man can be angry You nay see by what I have done that the Quakers are not so curious of their words but that they will give us leave to put in such as may help us to a right understanding of their Principles when their own expressions seem dark unto us The remainder of what W. R. hath writ worth noting before he comes to the Charges contains a bad Comparison and a far-fetcht Conclusion First He compares me to him that intending to kill his Enemy with a stab let out the Imposthume But let him remember the Proverb mala mens malus animus The Imposthume indeed is somewhat proh dolor to the purpose For it 's greatly to be feared that there are too many inward Swellings of Pride Covetousness Evil Surmizings and Malice among many sorts of Professors this day And O how happy would those Pens be that by the blessing of the Almighty Physitian should be made Spiritual Love Lances to let them out But as for the other Part of the Similitude which represents me as an Enemy to the Baptists he does thereby eminently signifie his Ignorance and adds that which his last seven years Certificate will not countenance Secondly W. R. draws such a Conclusion from my Title Page as I think Zoilus himself would not have done Because I say these are Twelve Opinions for which T. H. has published the Quakers to be no Christians that therefore I confess they hold them If this be not a Quibble I never heard one And the root of it is this Particle for But is it not a common and plain form of Speech among us to say Such a man was posted for a Coward or accused for a Jesuite and does it follow then that he was so I doubt W. R. minds the Idioms of Greek and Hebrew so much that he forgets the Propriety of his Mother Tongue But what need all this when in p. 4. I say to prevent mistakes Think not I plead for them as if I my self or they owned them for both in their Books and Conferences they deny at least ten of them as they are layed down and construed by T. H. Alas poor Quakers Now I pity you more than ever no marvel if you complain so sadly of wrong Constructions Forgeries and Lyes when such plain words as these will not free me from a Confession I never thought of Poor Flock of Slaughter Zac. 11.4 I see your own Country men must not speak a word for you unless they resolve to be your Companions in Tribulation All words that can be bended against you shall and those that cannot shall be rejected as Whimsies and Impertinencies However I shall proceed to make some brief Reply But here I am in a streight for I see my brevity is liable to be filleâ— up with Words to make it speak Absurdities or contrary Sences And if I usâ— many words then I shall be counted 〈◊〉 man of words wanting Wisdome oâ— good Argument Well do as the Lord directs O my Soul and leave the issuâ— to himself 1. The first Charge against the Quakers is That the light in every Man is God Now because this Charge as it lies seem to fix many foolish and improbable Absurdities upon them as that when they pray they only pray to a God within them and that they make as many Gods as there are men in the world therefore said I to moderate the Charge prevent mistakes and render it more intelligable to every man put in but of and all is well And this W. P. himself doâ—s in p. 8 of R. against R. Where we have him thus answering T. H. about this very Charge and saying That the Light within present with us every where is to us the great proof of Gods omnipresence and therefore of God And in page 7 he blames T. H. for insinuating from G. W. his words that every Illumination is whole God And as much he said to John Faldo page 10th of Quakerism a new nick name Far be it from us to assert every such illumination to be the only Lord and Saviour and very God and more to the same purpose in that page And indeed in these places W. R. should have looked for W. P. his sence and not have
like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ The text you bring makes against you I grant the end of the Resurrection is That we might receive a reward according to the deeds none in the Body 2 Cor. 5. But it doth or say we shall receive the reward in the same Body wherein the deeds were done No the Apostle tell us in the same Chapter that this House or Tabernacle meaning his Body was but a groaning Burthensome thing and desired to be cloathed with that House which is from Heaven suppose a poor Tenant in a thackt Cottage should do his Landlord such faithful Service that at length he should take him out of that Cottage and Seat him in one of his best Buildings and therein reward him for his former Service do you think this will not be allowed or is this to deny rewards But you say you cannot possibly understand that the Quakers intend the same Resurrection the Apostle doth in 1 Cor. 15. I believe you For there is a veil over your Understanding which all your Wisdome cannot remove the Lord remove it And the Quakers may say the like to me for they believe some five things perhaps which yet I cannot possibly understand What then shall I speak evil of that I know not no let us wait in the Spirit of Love and Meekness and God shall reveal to us whatsoever he sees necessary for us in his own time Thus Beloved Friends I have given you and all that please to read me a faithful account why I writ that little Book called The Twelve Pagan Principles and the Reasons of that Title together with those Considerations which in my understanding ought in some measure to calm the passions of those who at first sight of those Charges thus seperated from all Sayings that might help them have been hasty to condemn the Quakers upon their account And that I intended nothing but to beget at least a moderate Language and Behaviour and to stir up others to the same work methinks the great condiscending and little better than beseeching way of Arguing I us'd might convince even W. R. himself Had I come forth with a Resolution to help the Quakers to a Victory though more than I think them sufficient to their own defense and that their Adversaries have both wanted and fallen into a confederacy I would not have talked at that submissive truckling rate of putting in or taking words out of their Sayings to facilitate their being understood No I would have betook my self to the more laudable Sanctuary of Rhetorick especially at a Pinch as W. R. doth page 37. where Figures honourable among some men lie ready to overturn these Charges with little trouble if better Reason had been wanting But W. R. himself satisfies you that my Pen was indifferent notwithstanding he would have me a Quaker for he says all along my Book that I have cleared T. H. of Forgery then I hope T. H. his Party cannot be angry And on the other side the Quakers making no complaint signifies they are not offended with what I writ And if this be not Indifferency there 's none in the world I have heard as if he commended the endeavours of that Quibbling Author of the Quakers Quibbles and that as an indifferent Pen if so he shews great blindness that faults me of Partiality I am of that mind had W. R. been guided by this Loving Meek and Peaceable Spirit of Christ when he began to write he might have expected a Blessing upon his Labours but let him know assuredly that while he is a Promoter of these unprofitable and dishonoarable Disputes the Lord will not hear his Prayers FINIS NOtwithstanding the manifest Innocency of my Purpose and Innosensiveness of my words yet hath W. R. published an abusive Letter to which he might very pertinently if he knew all have annexed one Line of his Title page saying Is this thy kindness to thy Friend I shall give you an account of the Principal matters in the Letter relating to my self but say nothing of the latter part of it which is all in praise of him to whom it was sent and smells too much of daubing and design Some Animadversions upon a Letter sent from D. R. at Reading to J. I. as London concerning W. L. IN my Account hereof I shall observe this Method 1. I shall tell you the Occasion of it 2. Somthing of him that Subscribed it 3. Of the matter contained in it concerning my self 1. The Occasion was briefly thus I the said W. L. being at the Barbican Meeting Oct. 9. and with grief of heart observing through the unfair carriage of some how unprofitable it was like to be to the People the generality of whom also not shewing that Reverence to the matter treated on though of a Religious nature and regard to the desires and Intreaties of those chiefly concerned that became the weight of the affair I sent a Letter to J. I. bewailing this and some other unchristian Passages at that time In this Letter upon the account of former familiarity yea and Church Society never before but now disowned I called him Brother as we usually did when we met But at this time it happened to be offensive A little while after I writ the Treatise mentioned in the beginning of this In one place of that Discourse I blamed T. H. for leaving out a Sentence of W. P.'s which explained his meaning in the matter of that Charge This thing G. W. taking notice of bids the Baptists consider how I their Friend and Brother had rebuked T. H. Now began ill blood to stir For some Baptists observing the Quakers to lay some weight upon this Brotherhood thought it greatly concern'd them to cancel that Nay W. R. is so troubled at it that in his passion he says I am a Quaker and concludes p. 53. that I avoid the name only that I might be serviceable in propagvting their Cause which is utterly false For though Paul made it a motive among the simple Idolatrous Athenians so perhaps it may be now among some poor weak People to tell them of their own Poets yet I do not believe Examples of this kind are of any force now meerly as such among those that are impartial and but of an ordinary Capacity However because I had endeavoured to procure any Charity for the Quakers it must be published that I am no Baptist to let all know that no real Baptist will offer to speak a word for a Quaker But I hope they are mistaken In order to this some sent down into the Country where I live and had a Certificate that I had not been in Communion with the Baptists here this seven years past And though this was as much as was needful to satisfie the Quakers that they might not call me a Baptist any more yet this did not answer the Design of some This Certificate was too fair clean I must not go off so They wanted