Airy Mind abuses them comparing them to the Papists great Idol viz. the Roob of Grace to Graceless as well as Lifeless Image see p. 8. and 47. will not only descry Womens Preaching as some of them have done already but also at last would overturn our Mens Meetings and so would bring all things topsiturvey These are indeed the Babel Builders upside down into a meer Chaos Disorder and Confusion again and here would be which the Devil would be at and mainly seeks an open door for Libertinism Ranterism Atheism Profanity and all maner of Debauchery But God Almighty will overthrow all these devilish Designs and hellish Imaginations and Truth and Righteousness hath he decreed to establish in the Earth everlastingly magnified be his holy Name for ever for he is worthy over all to be feared served and obeyed by all the Sons and Daughters of Men. CHAP. III. NOw I come to the first Chapter of F. Bugg's Book p. 24. in the which he pretends to treat of Principles of Truth received and believed in the beginning c. wherein there is but little of weight to be noticed being but a slender imperfect Relation thereof and that too with a crafty subttle Design to strike against Friends of Truth maliciously thereby insinuating to the World How it was so and so with them in the beginning and now otherwise This living Testimony I have to bear to the contrary that blessed be the name of the Lord the same foundation principle and corner stone that was laid in the beginning for the building of Gods Spiritual House is as precious to us now as ever and is of as great esteem and we do preach the same and no other even the saving sufficient Divine Light of Christ Iesus and the Spiritual appearance thereof and it is our work and labour to direct and turn the minds of people to be inward and retired thereunto as unto the more sure word of Prophecy and that there is sufficiency in it being obeyed to lead to salvation and as we are come to the experience of the holy Unction and feel and taste of the sweetness excellency and vertue thereof in our own particulars so we declare thereof unto others that they might be stirred up to wait upon the Lord with us in his heavenly Gift and have the same sense and experience in themselves and so see and taste for themselves and blessed be God our love one to another doth abound and our zeal for his â—oly name doth encrease and a heavenly harmony of life sounds in our Assemblies as in the beginning in which stands our Unity Fellowship and there are many who are living witnesses by how much the more we are spiritually minded and seriously exercised in the inward Testimony or Law of the Spirit of Life and the more we take delight to meditate therein Night and Day by so much the more the Lord is pleased to maifest his Love unto us and to reveal his pure Power amongst us and is our Hedge and Wall to this Day and gives us favour in the sight of the People glorified be his pure name for ever And we do testifie in a holy fresh zeal against all such Formalities Will worships Church-Authorities Ceremonies Orders Institutions as are neither useful decent nor comely in the sight of God and our Testimony lives remains as in the beginning everlasting praise to the Almighty against all that Trash and Trumpery of the Whore of Babylon brought in and set up in the dark Night of Apostacy and we do testifie That Christ his Kingdom is to be known within not in any Observation or Profession that is Visible without the possession and inward enjoyment of him and he even the second Adam the Lord from Heaven is head of and Lawgiver to our Church on whose shoulders the Government and Authority thereof is laid And we know that though in the World there are Faiths many and Lords many yet unto us there is but one Faith and one Lord Jesus Christ who is the Author of that Faith And we have an honourable esteem of the Scriptures of Truth and they are very good and useful in their place and they are by us believed and a great comfort and blessing to us but still the spirit of God is the first Principle the Pale and only Head of the true Church and Sanctified people of God and is likewise the Rule of our Life and Practice and always hath the preheminence in our Testimony as ever from the beginning this we have declared and do declare on all occasions to all People Professor and Prophane c. and such as are faithful to the Lord will not question the truth of this as it is at present witnessed Everlasting praises to the Lord over all And these need not go for proof thereof as thou saist pag. 28. to such and such Testimonies of those good faithful Servants of the Lord who did bear a Noble Testimony against all Apostates and Back-sliders as the Reader may see in a Book of our worthy Friend Isaac Penington whom F.B. mentions concerning Church Government For we have a certain evidence and many clear tokens of the powerful divine and refreshing presence of the Almighty God attending us in our holy Services and Christian Practises both in our Men and Womens Meetings which shall stand and in Glory remain when thou and all such clashing jarring jangling and perverse prating spirits shall vanish and be no more seen in this World And indeed I know for certain and many times it hath livingly and with unspeakable comfort opened in mé when I have had occasion to be under any sad Exercise by any of this Opposite Party that their wild and hasty furious Contentions and malicious Endeavours against the Gospel Order in the Church of Christ is but another smoak though one of the blackest and thickest that is come up or may be may hereaftercome up from the Bottomless Pit And the breath of the Lord God Almighty is scattering of it and will blow it quite away so that it as we have seen other smoaks shall utterly disappear And the wise prudent Reader may observe that many of the Epistles of Advice and Counsels to Friends from their Meetings nothing now more than in the beginning implies any imposition or force thereunto and they are so worded as that Christian liberty is preserved and the people not imposed upon beyond their freedom and that it is so I shall prove in the next Chapter And so we plainly see that the Devil and his Agents have but befooled themselves by falsely insinuating to any as this F.B. doth in page 31. That we exercise Dominion Gentile-like and with Lording over Gods Heritage for the same Christian Confession discension and true moderation appears amongst us as in the beginning CHAP. IV. IN page 32. F. B. says I am now to manifest the alteration and the cause of Divisions amongst us about Matters of Faith and the
Advertisement THere is now in the PRESS a Book Entituled The Liberty of an Apostate Conscience being a plain Narrative of the Controversie long depending Between Francis Bugg on the one part and Samuel Cater and George Smith on the other part whereby F. Bugg's Liberty of Conscience is proved not only Unchristian but Immoral and Injurious Righteous Judgment Placed upon the Heads of Malicious OPPOSERS AND Persecuting Apostates In some brief Animadversions upon Francis Buggs Book entituled De Christiana Libertate In which his great Weakness and gross Wickedness is Detected his foul Defamations and uncivil Reflections are Reprehended With a seasonable Warning to him and the rest of his Abettors in their Mischievous Work of Opposition to and Separation from the Lord and his People By a Lover of Peace Robert Sandilands Together with an Ingredient by another hand Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16.17 For there are many Vnruly and Vain Talkers whose Mouthes must be stopped T it 1.10 11. I will remember his Deeds Prating against us with Malicious Words 3 John London Printed by John Bringharst at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-street 1683. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER ALthough this with divers other Testimonies may prove as Water spilt on the ground and seem altogether as ineffectual so as to produce any real conviction upon the Spirits of some of our Opposers who are become many of them so obstinate stout and hard-hearted that the most clear demonstration that may be produced to convince them of their folly appears partly impossible to prevail so as to perswade or bring them to a true sense of their unchristian proceedings and malicious endeavours Yet I am not without hope but the sober unbyassed persons whose minds are not pre-possessed neither with partial selfish designs of Interest on the one hand nor with private Affection on the other hand may reap of the profit and gain a right understanding by their serious perusal and deliberate examination of this and other Testimonies And therefore is it mainly for such we are incouraged to open and give a true naked relation of matters as plainly before the All-seeing Heart-searching Divine Majesty Who will bring all the hidden things of dishonesty to Light and indeed had it not been upon this Account I do reckon that the confused rambling impertinent stuff made up with most notorious lyes and malicious Insinuations grievous Slanders and Reflections were not worth while to take notice of for I mind well the saying of a Wise Man Contra verbosos noli contendere verbis We are not to contest by words against windy Men or Men of words and he gives a good Reason Sermo datur cunctis animi sapientia paucis Many have the Gift of Speech but few comparatively attain to Wisdom and therefore we are advised in the Holy Scriptures Answer not a Fool in his Folly lest thou become like unto him But lest advantage should be catched the simple ensnared and the true Enquirers misinformed we are not willing to be quite silent The Reader may also take notice what dreadful hardness of Heart some of these contrary opposite Spirits are fallen under that they have had the daring boldness most insolently to deny the very power of God in its Operations and Effects when it hath wrought upon his people true tenderness and brokenness of Heart and if they have thus impudently slighted the same no wonder then that they so basely abuse us at such a rate as W. R. T. C. and this F. B. and others have done Now Reader if so be that through he good hand of God thou art not one tinctured with this dirty foul prophane flouting and I may say in some respect Blasphemous and Atheistical Spirit O! praise it highly I beseech thee as thy great mercy as I do and I pray God keep thee with my self and all Gods faithful honest-hearted people from the Snares of this murdering Spirit that hath destroyed in such in whom it hath prevailed the inward tender sense of the precious life of Jesus that they have as openly denied and violently opposed the same as any of our former or present publick Enemies among the Professors ever did or can do Obs Crying out Away with our inward sense away with our discerning of Spirit which I have heard some of them to say And if Reader thou be one of a mild sober retired mind and desires not to be much concerned with these Controversies then Ladvise thee regard well the prosperity of the work of Truth and feel thy daily experience thereof in thy own particular and Oh! well had it been this day with many That they had looked more at home than abroad Beware I pray thee of a cold luke-warm indifferent Spirit which would appear neutral and it is not but is neerer to that which is wrong than right and this I know lies neer to enter many well-disposed persons who are of a good natural temper and mean well and if it happen thou be at any time exercised concerning the differences of Opinions or in things in themselves indifferent be not stiff in maintaining thy own Judgment of them but rather be of a condescending mind and so let thy humility and meekness appear thereby that thou art rather willing to acquiesce in thy Sentiments to the understanding and sense of others when especially there is a reason and a cause requires the same then seem to be of such who are heady high and self-conceited in their own imaginations there is a notable expression of a certain Devout Person wort by of observation It s true saith he that every one willingly inclines to follow those who are of the same Opinion with him Sedsi Deus est intra nos â—ecesse est ut relinquamus etiam quandoque nostrum sentire propter bonum pacis i. e. But if God be amongst us there is a necessity that we sometimes also for the good of Peace forsake or leave our own Opinion for who is he that is so Wise that can fully know all things And if so be thou art one that hath suffered thy Affections to corrupt thy Judgment and cloud thy Vnderstanding that thou cannot discerne nor judge of things clearly as they are on neither sides and yet some true tenderness and good-will to both and a reverend regard to the Testimony of Truth remaining in thy heart Well Reader I would counsel thee in the first place be still patient and quiet in thy mind and then draw in the Affections of thy Soul from all visible presentations and so singly wait upon God to feel him reveal that to thee which thou sees not and in the interim have a special care that hardness of heart insensibly come not over thee and steal in upon thee as too many have been thus sadly betrayed especially after once that their Affections have been catched with
exercise of it Church Discipline and Conformity to it Poor Man Thou look'st far abroad to seek the Cause of Division and little minds to look at home in thine own House and for all thy vain insolent Braggs and proud Boastings in bringing thy proof That there is Violence Tyranny and what not done to our first Principles of Union citeing W. P's Saying in his Address to Proâ—â— pag. 149. That Perswasion and Conviction began all true Christian Societies and whether his violence upon this part Tyranny and not Order is introduced c. I say it is a Lie in thee to insinuate the contrary as to us and Reader to evince the same consider but the weakness of his Proof for which he inserts G. F's New Order as he in his flouring mind terms it wrote about the year 71. for Womens Meetings to be held Distinct from Mens Meetings and was confirm'd afterwards as he says by a General Council or Yearly Meeting c. viz Dear Friends To whom is my love in that which changes not it would do well and be of service for you to have a Womens Meeting as they have in other parts c. I refer thee to the perusal of the rest of G. F.'s Epistle which I believe he wrote from a sense of the holy Power and see if thou canst find any thing therein like unto imposition violence or alteration done to our first Principles of Union In page 38. he scoffingly and impertinently says At the Yearly Meeting or General Council held at London in the year 75. The said Grant or Order was strengthneed and confirmed in all points and with as much Policy as ever the Learned Bishops or Grave Senates used to establish their Monarchical Governments c. The understanding Reader may perceive his weakness and folly herein And in page 40. he greatly braggs to give both proof and president of what he insinuated and so transcribes something concerning propounding of Marriages which he calls the confirmation of the Foundation of the Womens Meetings namely G. F. his Order above recited by a General Council held at London Anno 1675. London 27. 3 Mo. 75. IT is our Judgment That for better satisfaction to all parties that there may be due time for Enquiry of Clearness of the persons concerned it is convenient that Marriages be twice propounded to the Meetings that are to take care therein both to the Mens and Womens Meetings where both are established before they are accomplished and when things are cleared that the Marriage be accomplished in a Grave and Publick Assembly of Friends or Relations I have set this down verbatim as I found it in F. B's Book wherein thou maist observe First It 's said It is our Judgment that for better satisfaction to all parties c. not for Imposition upon any Secondly It is convenient here 's a good cause and reason And Thirdly Where both are established c. For my part he must see further than I can that draws such an Unnatural Conclusion from the premises of Imposition Violence or Tyranny done to the first Principles of our Union But to prove yet the same it seems he is somewhat pinched for he strains and snatches greedily every thing he can to make out his matter In pag. 42. he saith I am necessitated to transcribe more of the transactions of this Notable if not Vniversal Council than I am willing Alas that ever thou should'st have been so willing to serve the Devil at such a rate as thou does too too willing Francis to make use of all thy strength to hatch out of Hell and plod in the dark if thou canst thereby but abuse an innocent people lest G. W. should again call for a Proof or Catalogue of their new stamped Government And to this end he inserts another paper which Friends wrote concerning Men and Womens Meetings It is our Judgment and Testimony in the Word of Gods Wisdom that the rise and practice setting up and establishment of Mens and Womens Meetings in the Church of Christ in this our day and generation is according to the mind and counsel of God and done in the endearing of his eternal Spirit and that it is the duty of all Friends and Brethren in the power of God in all places to be diligent therein and to encourage and further each other in that blessed work c. I refer the Reader to consider the rest of this and compare it and the former with a Letter of advice and counsel for the help and information of the weak and lately convinced pag. 28. wherein in he says It was so worded as that Christian Liberty was preserved and the People not imposed upon beyond their freedom And see if there be such a vast difference as he would insinuate in pag. 45. Behold says he the difference between this Decree and the n = * Yet in that I do not find Chap. nor verse of Matthew Mark Luke or John which he calls for so much Letter of Advice and Counsel inn the first Chapter c. That was not proposed otherwise then Advise and Counsel and not as a Form or Rule to walk by c. CHAP. V. ANd Reader That thou maist see whether this Author either looks like to be a sober discreet prudent Man or like a true Christian Quaker as he and W. R. and some few of their party would be reckoning themselves as only such I will here insert something of his flouting Mockery and idle Drollery in his Observations upon the fore-going paper and indeed the greatest part of his Book I mean this Second part and what properly may be termed his is stuffed up with such impertinent Stories and uncivil Reflections In pag. 46. But says he to make good provision against any that shall yet dare to slight this new Model or new found Method of Church Government or call in question their power and authority see what a strict and severe Admonition is uttered forth even as if it had come from the Popes Council of Jesuits and Crafty Friars c. In pag. 47. and speaking of Womens Meetings I say if it be so why should not the Episcopalians Presbiterians Independants Baptists c. know of them and why not as many of them do of which we are not ashamed if all the World knew it and by the sober part of them are commended therefore but if it be a meer Imagination of their own brain I think strange Francis thou hast now so much discretion as but to suppose it and say If to it it seems it sticks a little in thy throat and thou wouldst fain come out with a positive Assertion if it were not an absolute down-right Lie of which it may be thou art conscious thy self to the contrary and therefore couldst not determine that it is meer Imagination c. and an Idol of their own erecting why should it not publickly be brought to Light and made as manifest as the Lord Crumwel made the Papists
that hath called them c. and that that is not a necessary occasion And furthermore observe we have mens monthly meetings and must they not meet at the time appointed if no business should present And if they meet not pray how should they know whether they have business or not And if they may meet why not the women likewise If neither except as before why is any time appointed This looks as if they would have Friends only meet when they can tell of outward business to be proposed so if any but say he knows no business he is excused Oh what a disorder and confusion would they lead into Well may they be termed Babell's-builders and compared to the foolish woman c. 3 ly Moreover Reader I desire thee to consider that notwithstanding F. B. so much abuses that Epistle of G. F's concerning Womens meetings which he transcribes in p. 33. and brings in as a proof of an alteration and violence done to our first Principles of union whereof I have already taken notice See Chap. IV. p. 50. Yet this very same paper was approved of by John Wilkinson and others of his party and for thy further satisfaction and to shew thee both how much they have contradicted this foolish conceited man F. B. and likewise thou mayst clearly see how much they are degenerated and Apostatized from what they once owned I shall present a paper writ from the Quarterly meeting at Kendall the 6th of 8th month 1671. where the foresaid Epistle of G. F's was read and joyned with and with an unanimous Consent to be Practised as appears by what follows It is further agreed upon that this paper be read in every particular Meeting that the WOMEN-friends who are faithful may be stirred up to a serious consideration in the light of the Lord to examin themselves and feel his requirings and so to answer the Lord with diligence and willingness of mind that so every one that profess the living truth of God may be serviceable Instruments in his hand to Extol his Name and to perfect his praise in our day and time And in the womens assembling together to see and consider that all women young and old who profess the Truth do walk therein in good order in modesty and moderation in Charity out of the Customs fashions of the World and that nothing be lacking and so herein the femals will become very sensible of the necessities of the body and so you will rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and suffer with them that do suffer and mourn with them that do mourn who are not gotten out of the bondage and Captivity of the adversary and so be ready to lend unto such a helping hand and encourage every such good desire and reprove the willful and obstinate And so every one acting in the just Principle of God in our selves justice will be exalted and righteousness established and herein Male and Female is serviceable in our place and calling in this our day generation And so all Women-Friends who feel sincere desires in themselves to be instrumental of good unto others let them meet together as aforesaid n = * viz as is expressed in G. F's paper wherein it s found thus so it would do well for the Women to have a distinct meeting by themselves as it is in other places and to see that nothing be lacking So once a month to have a Womans meeting in the County-Town or other places convenient then the other Neighbouring Women may come go home they meeting together about the 10th hour of the day c. and in this desire certainly the Lord will assist you in his Wisdom and Counsel to act speak that which is convenient and all the faithful women who are inclined and affected herewith may signifie their minds and intents to the Mens meetings and so be encouraged by us whose names are hereafter subscirbed John Wilkinson Henry Story Richard Stephenson Henry Garner c. CHAP. XI THE last part of my present business is in something by way of tender Counsel and Brotherly advice unto all Friends of truth both here and also beyond Seas c. That which will render you in a true Capacity in your several stations to be a good savour in your places before the Lord and Instrumental in his Blessed Hand to be serviceable in advancing this great and glorious Work of the universal Restoration of the Sons and Daughters of men is as you are kept in the continual daily subjection of your Spirits to the Leadings of that holy pure power of Almighty God who hath called you unto a high and Honourable vocation For that hath been as well the ground of our preservation in a right state and good condition as the alone foundation of the infinite loving kindness and continuation of the tender Care of our heavenly Father towards us till this moment of time And because of the want of this holy subjection in the particulars of those who have been convinced of the blessed Truth and publickly have appeared for it but having gone from the life of it in themselves and because that they have not kept in the Constant dependency on the Lord in the dayly self-denyal and in the Cross to their own wills and so have not abode in the lowlike humble meek and quiet peaceable Spirit of Jesus therefore is it that a disorderly treacherous loose libertine reaching high perverse Spirit hath entered into them and hath so far prevailed upon them as to influence them thus to appear in such an abusive heady Cross opposite willful and stubborn mind that they become like those mentioned in Jude likewise also saith the Apostle These filthy dreamers mark well the sayings they are so apposite to illustrate and clearly demonstrate the very Characters of these Apostates defile the flesh despise dominion and speake evil of dignities and of those things which they know not and what they know naturally as bruit Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and perished in the gain-saying of Core these are Spots in your feasts of Charity feeding themselves without fear Clouds without water Carried about with Winds Trees whose fruit withereth twice dead plucked up by the roots raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandering starrs to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever But beloved Remember ye thâ— words which were spoken before by the Apostleâ— of our Lord Jesus Christ How that they told you there should be Mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts and at last very evidently concludes demonstrating what persons these are as a signal mark to know them by These be they that SEPARATE themselves sensual having not the Spirit And Observe further how the Apostle Peter describes them more fully for when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the
flesh through much wantonness While they promise them liberty they themselves are servants of corruption For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they had known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them but 't is happened according to the true Proverb the Dog hath turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. Every one of these passages are so Correspondent with and agreeable to the practices and wayes of this dividing opposite party who have seperated themselves from our blessed unity First as with respect to the good Spirit of God in their own particulars and next which of necessity and so naturally follows as to fellowship concord and Communion with his People and methinks one neer parallel and a more close comparison could not be drawn as to every circumstance betwixt those in the Apostles time and those in ours it is so apparent that people of small understanding may readily observe the same And it s my firm Faith and certain perswasion that as on the one hand they are daily discovering their own shame by their uncivil defamations abominable lyes and malicious suggestions so on the otherhand shall their folly thereby be the more laid open For as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses So do these also resist the Truth but saith he they shall n = * Obs In Gods appointed time all the resiâ—â—ers and Rebellers are stopped in their envy and malice against his People proceed no further why so the reason is clear as followes for their folly shall be made manyfest to whom not only to a few or a little remnant who from that inward sense and true discerning the Lord hath indewed them with do see and have seen when first they began their wicked work of separation and before it was so notorious as it is now but unto all men as theirs was Now to return unto that which was most weighty in my view having made some little digression seeing it hath thus sadly befallen such who have not kept their habitation in the Truth by reason of their woful departure from that due constant subjection of their Spirits thereunto having also the advantage of observing the Rock they have split upon and as this F. B. saies in his word of advice to the Pennsylvanians in his last Chap. such a slender pitiful dry one as it is and indeed I think better could not be well expected from him for as I remember the substance of what he saies that's worth observing much like to the dead professors strain keep the Scripture in esteem amongst you c. But never so much as a syllable of the antient Principle of Truth viz. To mind the light of Christ you may perceive what hath been one Impediment to the increase of love and Charity which Blessed be the Lord God of Eternal Glory plentifully abounds amongst Friends in Scotland Ireland other places where this opposite dividing party hath not gain'd any Interest among them and so in most Counties of this Nation of England where it hath not prevailed there is great amity blessed unity sweet concord Peace Heavenly harmony daily increases amongst them O Blessings and glory and Honour unto the Lord our God for ever for the same Therefore my tender Counsel and brotherly advice in the love of our Lord Jesus unto you all is be very Careful that at all times above all things whatsoever and on all occasions you may be found in that holy Reverend subjection of your Spirits to the blessed Divine power of the living God that hath reached unto you and by which you are Called to be his holy pure People and then in this holy frame I do right well know shall you be kept neer unto and in unity with himself and in concord and fellowship one with another in the unity of his Spirit and in the bond of peace bundled up in the bundle of everlasting Life and so thereby shall you be preserved from that rending tearing and devouring Spirit and the same God of blessings who as he hath graciously attended you here in your various exercises will also favourably accompany and be present with you his faithful honest right-hearted ones in all your several services for the advancement of his glorious work even the Salvation of Souls the promotion of the pure name and the exaltation of the glorious fame of holy Jesus amongst the Heathen and all the World over And our Confidence is that notwithstanding of the great fury and wrath of the Devil the implacable malice and envy of his cursed agents against the Lord his faithful Children yet I am fully perswaded Truth innocency shall over all prevail as John saw and said behold a white horse and he that sate on him had a bow and a Crown was given unto him and he went Conquering and to Conquer So I recommend you all to the saving Word of Gods Grace that by it you may be guided and under the safe conduct thereof preserved to the End of all those various Changes Tryals and troubles here that you may finish your time and testimony and lay down your heads in peace and in the close of all return to your God and my God the Father of Spirits from whence we came with all the Heavenly Host Laud and Extol his holy worthy Name with everlasting Songs of pure thanksgivings and living praises and so receive the product of all your labours and excercises in the Lord even the immortal Crown of eternal Glory and perpetual Renown is the sincere supplication of my Soul for you all as for my self and who earnestly prayes for the establishment preservation of all the Lords people upon the everlasting Rock that unchangeable Foundation against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail The Conclusion AND now Francis Bugg I think I have done with thy book and spent more time then I Judge it either deserved or I designed in answer thereunto and indeed never expected to have been concerned with thee or any upon this Account in publick especially I being altogether a Stranger to unacquainted with thee and therefore assure thy self what I have written or may yet say unto thee and others of thy Adherents is not from any Rancour Heat or Prejudice but really from that good-will true tender love and earnest desire which the Lord hath begot in my soul for the eternal welfare and happiness of all the Sons and Daughters of Men but more singularly for the restoration of such whom God in any measure hath visited with his Glorious Blessed Day and reached unto by his everlasting pure power and thereby has tendered their Spirits and broken their Hearts and given unto them a feeling and sence of that Precious divine life the constant enjoyment of which is above and beyond all what this fading transitory World can afford But what shall I say unto