THE QUAKERS Looking-Glass Look'd upon And turned towards Himself IN A SOBER REPLY TO AN Uncivll Pamplet Published by Luke Howard a Quaker Against A NARRATIVE formerly Published Setting forth the Folly and Presumption of Charles Baily a Quaker sometimes a Prisoner in Dover In which REPLY The Truth of the said Narrative is further Evidenced and Vindicated against the Cavilling Quakers There are many Devices in a Mans heart Nevertheless the Councel of the Lord shall stand Prov. 19.21 To the Law and to the Testimonies If they speak not according to this Word It is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 â—ONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil And also at the same Sign the first Shop without Temple-Barre 1673. To the Reader FRiendly Reader I do here Present thee with a small Tract Containing a Brief Reply to a Book put forth lately by Luke Howard a Quaker Entituled A Looking-Glass for the Baptists The Contents of which Book and the Intents of the Author is to obscure the Truth of the Narrative which is hereunto annexed which Narrative is a Relation of some Remarkable Passages Concerning one Charles Baily an Eminent Quaker and sometimes a Prisoner in Dover upon the Quaking account during which time of his said Imprisonment those Extravigancies were committed by him and also to reproach and defame the Publisher of the said Narrative But how little he hath accomplish'd his End in the first in opposing himself against so manifest a Truth and how much he hath discovered his folly and envy in the latter doth in some measure appear in this following Discourse I also hereby further certifie thee That the aforesaid Narrative was not Published to blemish the Persons of the Quakers nor yet from a spirit of Envie as the Quaker would insinuate but to shew what enormities the pretended light to which they make the Scriptures give way and bow leads them And that those that are in danger of being beguiled by heeding a Light within themselves above the light of the Holy Scriptures may not be deceived by them to follow the uncertain motions of their own Heads but may rather follow the Councel of the Apostle 2 Pet. 19.20 We have a more sure word of the Prophets saith he meaning the Scriptures to which ye do well that ye take heed mark as unto a light that shineth in a dark Place c. And finally he that knows the hearts knows that this is my end in Publishing both the Narrative and this and he will one day decide all Controversies depending between them and us and then shall every man receive according to his Works In the mean time read and consider what follow And so I leave thee to the Guidance and Blessing of the Lord And remain Thine in the Hope of Eternal Life by Jesus Christ Richard Hobbs THIS Quakers Looking-Glasse is false it presents two Faces one as if they did another as if they did 〈…〉 Charles Baily for an eminent Quaker And that this is so see what he saith page 10. viz. some new Converted Friends saith he did own Charles Baily but the Men Friends meaning himself and three or four more Prisoners in the Castle did not own him so much But this we did not acquaint the Baptists with saith he Hence note Luke Howard appears in his Looking-Glass with two Faces First one toward the Baptist as if he did own Charles Baily as an eminent Quaker but now as with another Face he pretends it was not so much as we did think And here his Glass is true if turned towards himself but false to the Baptists because we know not as himself confesseth but that he owned Baily as much as the rest did Secondly from hence we may also note by the way what little Cause the Man hath to make such an Out-cry against the Baptists as if they forged and published falshoods when we say no more then himself confesseth That to our knowledge they did own Baily a that time for an eminent Quaker The which I shall make further appear by these three following Particulars 1. That the said Baily did prophecie see false Visions and pretend to work Miracles as appears by the Narrative hereunto annexed 2. That he was then in fellowship with the Quakers and owned by them 3. That Baily was led by the Quakers spirit into these delusions 4. Examine the Quakers evasions by which he endeavors to shift off the Truth of our Narrative 5. Pluck up by the roots the Authors prodigious root of the Baptists in Kent and discover the Authors Apostacy from the Truth 6. By some sober reflexions upon his false accusations as they are scattered through his book First that the Quakers did own Baily for an eminent Quaker amongst them before and after his pretended Vision Prophecie and Miracles mentioned in the Narrative appears by their then affirming and justifying him to be led by the true Light as they did by their hearing him preach and devoutly joyning with him in Prayer But this is a poor Proof saith our Looking-Glass-Maker pag. 9. To which answer That if this be not a sufficient proof they owned him I know not what is or can be sufficient nor do I know any Rule the Quakers have by which I shall know when they own one another But to shift this off the Quaker says they were only new convinced friends that owned Baily Himself and three or four more then in prison with him did not own him so much Reply If by so much you mean ye did not joyn with him in his devotion I grant it for your restraint from him hindered you in that but at the same time ye justified him as highly as the rest in your Discourse concerning him and his actions and condemned the Baptists for opposing him in his foolish attempts though now ye would have the World believe ye did not own him so much as friends at liberty did As if all the Quakers in Dover and Folkstone and thereabouts that had fellowship with Baily and were daily privy to his words and actions were so Moon-blind that they could not see Baily was led by a false light so well as our Looking-Glass-Maker could through the stone-walls of Dover-Castle see how this man lifts up himself above his brethren But Luke to heal up this tells us That friends abroad were afraid to judge Baily but when they came to the Quakers in the Castle they would speak the thing as it was and that Baily erred But this we did not think fit to acquaint the Baptists with saith he Reply Behold here is the Quakers Method That although they know a thing to be true and justly charged upon them yet it is their prudence to deny or not acknowledge it That they may preserve the reputation of their erroneous light and those poor silly souls that are led aside thereby and contrary to their knowledge and conscience will justifie the evil
scoffingly words it do wrong the Quakers at all in saying that Baily was a Quaker and led by their spirit at the time of his Projects mentioned in their Narrative But to wipe away all this Luke tells us that Baily is departed from them and therefore they are not to be charged with his Actions no more then the Christians of old with those that departed from them and seems to be much offended pag. 13. What now Baptist-Pastor saith he wouldest thou have judged all the disciples because Peter denied his Master and for Judas's sake have said they were all alike and led by one and the same spirit c. And then as if the Man thought himself an Artist at Looking-Glass-making he says See thy face thou blinde Pastor thy Jewish spirit would have accused all the Brethren for their sakes that went out from them and have said they were all alike c. Reply The case in hand between Luke and I is not equivolent to that he alludes to for neither Peter nor Judas did pretend in denying their Master to advance their Ministry and the Gospel as Charles Baily did the Quakers doctrine in what he did in his Prophecie Revelation and prodigious Miracles And therefore it would have been as impertinent for any to have charged all the Apostles with their sin who never owned them in it as the Quakers did Baily in what he did as 't is proper for me to say That Baily was led by the Quakers spirit And the case of them which went out of the Church John 2.19 to which Luke Howard alludes makes as little to his purpose for they departed from the Apostles doctrine Act. 2.43 as Luke himself has done and their case is more applicable to himself then to Charles Baily who so highly owned the quakers doctrine at that time that he preached it up suffered for it Pronounced Judgment against the opposers of it and pretended to work miracles to confirm it and therefore his being rather an act of persevereing in then a departing from your Spirit and doctrine quite alters the Case and all Lukes Cavilling comparisons fall to the ground But Luke goes further and to Assure his reader that Baily was no sober quaker when he acted as in the narrative expressed he terms them mad Actions page 8. Reply Luke in this is very uncharitable methinks to his old Friend though then he and the rest of the Quakers befriended him in that they Judge Baily now according to thr event of his actions and not according to the intent of his mind which was to advance that which Luke calls truth and as disingenious to himself seeing he is led by the same spirit by which Baily then acted nor is Luke less Injurous to his two female Friends who were as madd in that madd action about Woollet as Baily was but those he wholly screens from the world in his glass and lettâ— them not be seen therein at all though he know in his conscience they are co-workers with Baily in that undertaking but this argues that Bailys leaving them since that time is his greatest crime and therefore the Burthen is by Luke laid and left upon Bailys back and the two female friends are Befriended But lastly Luke to cleer the case at once tells his Reader in the same page That they are as cleer from Charles Baily in the sight of God as they are from us Reply That Luke Howard is cleer from us I graunt For he long since left the Baptists and turned a lewd Ranter scoffing at and opposing the ordinances of Christ then at he doth now But he was no more cleer from Baily when he acted as in the Narrative then Judah was from his sin with Thamar when she had his Bracelets Signet and Staff for then Baily had their spirit held their principles and Preached their Doctrine and here is an end of his shifts to evade the truth or Narratve concerning Baily and his fellow Females In the next place I shall according to what I have propounded take off his evasions by which he endeavours to darken the truth of the Narrative and first Luke tells us in page the 10. That his Wife did send a Letter to London about Baily Reply how incongruous is this to reason That she on whom Baily had newly wrought a miracle should write against him and that then the rest of the Quakers here should not know it to disown him with her no nor no body else knew of it unrill now let the judicious reader Judge of this Again in the same page he tells us two friends came and testified against Baily but did not disown him nor does he pretend so for Baily preached amongst them after he came out of Prison which was some Months after his false Vision c. But was this known to the Baptists who say Baily was a deceiver that two friends had testified against him No saith Luke this we did not acquaint the Baptists with and why so why faith Luke because we knew they waited for mischief Reply What silly fenceless shifts are these to evade that which Luke knowes in his own conscience to be true As if the only way to cutt off occasion of reproach from such as wait for it were to own and Justifie the offender and to condemn and censure the innocent and offended And in page the 7. The Quaker to evade that which Justly sticks upon him tells the world that Baily was not establisht amongst them Reply This is strange if true what one that zealously owned and preached up the Light within confirmed the same doctrine by miracles if the reports of Quakers may be credited denounced Judgments against the opposers thereof and indured imprisonment for their doctrines sake and yet not be an established Quakers If these be not the indelible Characters of an established Quaker let them shew me what they are and by what rule if they have any I may know which are and which are not Established Quakers mean time they must needs give us leave to let Baily pass for one having all the forenamed Characters upon him But in the next place the man to make his Glass Cleer hee gives it a Rubb and that as he thinks to purpose two And do ye not know saith he in your consciences that he viz. Baily hath been by us called Quakers denyed for many years Reply But not a word where when or for what he was denyed and so ye make this evasion impertinent your self And though ye do disown him now that is nothing to us in the case in hand wee say in the Narrative that Baily was then owned by you when he plaied those preposterous Pranks and was then led by the same spirit with you and I have made it appear to be true and I further say I do not know whether you have yet denyed him as ye term it for some of ye have of late reported that he has past through the town and no took so
saying Then hath God granted to the Gentiles also Repentance unto life here they changed in their opinion but held their Baptism for no mention is made of re-baptizing any of them Now if this Quaker had lived amongst them and been led by the same spirit he now is he might by the same rule he clamours against us have condemned them for a confused brood of Baptists rooted in Babel and confusion First Baptized into the particular and then changing their opinion into the General and devoutly preach that up as Peter did Acts the 10. and thereby have concluded them blind leaders of the blind as he blindly accused us Now I shall return to page the 8. where he tells us that since Woodmans time there are many filthy unheard of abominations amongst us both in spirit and practice and there might be more said as some of our selves know but that he tells his Reader he is not willing to relate in print except he be provoked to it c. Reply Doth the man think that I should return him thanks for his civility in concealing that which he had not to say or if said could not prove but however he has disclosed his Master-piece he shoots at random for he names no person amongst us and so hitts no person that I know of for I know none amongst the Baptists that are guilty of such unheard of abominations as he talks of and were not my neighbour Howard a Quaker that pretends so much to plain dealing I should take this for very fowl dealing to put forth in print such a charge against a whole Congregation of People to reproach them and mention no person or particular thing amongst us that the accused if guilty might be known or if innocent might defend themselves but this being the measure the Quaker usually meets to him that opposes him I shall place this for some of his plain dealing But to follow him a little further in his own Track â—n page 8 11 and 15 I find him very angry because we bring forth a thing of so long a standing Calling us Wolves in Sheeps cloathing and that the Ravening nature is standing in us which can look 9 or 10. years Back saith he to smite with the fist of wickedness and to Persecure an innocent people and with many more such evil terms he upbraids us and here I may answer him with his own argument Are the Baptists Ravenous c. for looking 10 years back and is not Luke Howard by his own rule and Glasse much more ravenous who Ranges above twenty yea neare thirty years back to rake up matter from his own Companion to reproach us with and to smite us with the fist of falshood if Luke make another Glasse I advise him to look in it and see himself before he send it out to others And now I shall collect a few more of those many accusations with which his book is stuffe pag. the 10 he calls us blasphemers against the light of Jesus which they declare calling it naturall the Quakers dark light with many more blasphemous words as the Jews did of old hereupon he brands us with odious terms of men-slayers and murderers and that the body of death is standing in us where the murderer lives and where the Serpents life is whose wisdom is earthly sensual and Divelish that bites at their heels and accuses us with things of many years standing and then as if he had forgot his own story of 28 years standing he tells us page the 15. that if we had not been drunk with the Whores Cupp of abomination and envious holyness getting words to talk and professing in the ravenous nature we would not fetch such old matter against Quakers of ten years standing and print it c To which upon the whole I answer with that Scripture Rom. 2.3 Thinkest thou this O man that Judgest them and doest the same things that thou shalt escape the judgment thine own mouth condemns thee and not I yea thy wicked own lipps testifie against thee Job 15.6 for if the Baptists be such wickeed persons as Luke pretends for reporting a truth of 10 years dat which Luke in his conscience knows it so Is not Luke then by the same rule much worse in fetching up a far older story and that falls on two as appears by his own glasse Again if Luke had proved by some convincing arguments that the Quakers Light is Christ and then made it appear that the Baptists had blasphemed in denying that men are redeemed and justified by that light within themselves and not rather by faith in the death resurrection and Assention of Christ without us for us which is the chief point in controversie between us and spared his bad language this might have taken some impression upon a judicious Reader But it seems that Luke finds that to Callumnize his opposer is the easiest way of answering and 't is like himself is best furnisht with such Arguments Again to shew the heat of his Anger against the Truth and to render us vile and odious he tells the World That we make those which we dip more foul in heart and twofold more the Child of the Devil then they were before page 4. and 8. And then as if he had given us a mortal wound he exalts himself and his party as high as Heaven in his own conceit telling the world that they viz. the Quakers do worship God in spirit and truth which the devil and all they that do his works of envie are out of pag. 12. And then to shew himself to be no boasting Pharisee he tells me That I do Capernaâ—m-like exalt my self and that for no other cause that I see but my saying that if the Quakers denied that they owned Charles Baily they would render themselves false persons To all this I reply that if Luke Howard were as able to prove as he is apt to accuse he would be an able Quaker But failing in his proofs he appears more like a Scold then a sober Christian whereas now if he had made it appear in some particular person or persons who after Baptism in water according to the Command and Example of Christ had becom twofold more the Childe or Children of Hell then before He had made his Glass a great deal clearer to any Judicious Reader But it may be he supposing himself guided by an un-erring light he counts his Say-so is proof sufficient to condemn all his opposers And then to beguiie his credulous Reader into a Fools Paradise he tells him The Quakers worship God in spirit and truth which the devil and all that do â—is works of Envie are out of Reply These are great swelling words of vanity but when Luke has proved the Quakers are so free from the Devil and his VVorks and do worship God in spirit and truth by comparing the Scriptures and their Practice together it shall then be part of my Creed too to believe they are such but not before Now after all this with many more clamorous accusations as may be seen in his Looking-Glass against the Baptists he concludes his fallacious Narrative with a boast page 11. Our Rock is not like yours our Enemies themselves being Judges saith he And then Oh ye fools so soon as ye have liberty to meet where you were afraid to meet before for fear of a man and ye crept into corners c. Reply The Boaster builds upon the Sand and this his accusation is as sandy as his foundation for I appeal to all the judicious inhabitants in Dover who are VVitnesses in this case who know that whilst the Quakers meet without any interruption we were interrupted for several months together almost every Lords day at our publick Meeting-place and there we continued till our Meeting-House was defaced the doors barrd and lockt up After that we met elsewhere in Town constantly And truly I cannot but admire that the Quaker should have the face to publish such a falshood in Print in which the Magistrates and People of the Town and his own Conscience too if not seared will all bear witness against him and on our part in this matter but this is just like the rest of his Glass FINIS