instrumental a furtherance and help to Believers in the work of the Lord but then we say 't is through Faith which is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And thus they furnished the Man of God 2 Tim. 3. 17. for so he was to be that received those benefits by them and we are so far from excluding the holy Scriptures from being helpful and beneficial to us that we exclude not other outward and instrumental means as Preaching c. But still we say it is by the Gift of the holy Spirit by the illumination of which and as the foundation all outward means become beneficial and serviceable to us and thus Acts 16. 14. Lydia Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul Here 't was the Lord opened the heart of Lydia by which means as the efficient cause Paul's preaching became effectual to her thus much briefly as to the holy Scriptures Now to the Bp's words before Cited wherein he has asserted that People are now made holy by the use of outward means and from the Scriptures learnt the mind of the Spirit Whereas we say the principal agent and by which People are made holy is the Grace and Spirit of God which we now come to prove by Scripture Thus 1 John 2. 27. But the anointing ye have received abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things Rom. 1. 19. But that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Again 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Rom. 8. 9. And wicked Men also hath this Gift and means in themselves tho' they will not make use of it nor regard it Thus the Slothful Servant Matt. 25. 18. had a Talent tho' he made no use of it and the Pharisees the worst of Christs enemies Luk. 17. 21. had the Kingdom of Heaven within them Thus having shewn by a few of the many Texts we could produce the means to be inward we now come to prove People are made holy by this inward means viz. the Gift of the holy Spirit Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live but if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Neither Fornicators Idolators Adulterors Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners and such were some of you but ye are washed Sanctified Justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Eph. 4. 7. Unto every one is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Titus 2. 11. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Eph. 5. 9 10. The fruit of the Spirit is all Goodness Righteousness and Truth Again John 16. 13. the Spirit was to guide into all truth then the Children of God were to be led by his Spirit and none were his but such as was guided thereby Rom. 8. 9 14. In short 't is needless to bring more of the numerous Scripture Testimonies which might be cited to prove this point but these may suffice to shew that People are made holy by the Grace and Spirit of God within Men and not by outward means as the Bp. hath asserted and the same way they are made holy they are likewise made Spiritual it being impossible to be a holy Man without being Spiritual see Rom. 8. 6. To be Spiritually minded is life and peace And the way whereby Men become Spiritual is by the Spirit of God according to 1 Cor. 2. 10. to 15. But contrary hereunto the Bp tells us There are those who by Analogy and Proportion may be still termed Spiritual that is there are persons who by study and industry attain to speak with tongues c. We ask then whether wicked Men who have attained to speak with tongues are not of the number of the B'ps Spiritual Men and whether his definition of Spiritual Men is not such as natural Men may attain unto As to the Bp's telling us of the power of the Spirit and again the conduct of the holy Ghost leading them by Scripture into all Truth as well as holiness He must not be displeased if we tell him that we know no such language in holy Scripture as leading by Scripture into all Truth On the contrary the Scriptures themselves do ascribe Holiness and Truth to the Spirit directly as we have shewn to which purpose we 'l add one Text here John 16. 13. when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth but upon what ground or with what reason can the Bp. speak of the Spirit and the holy Ghost when he first told us People are now made holy by the use of outward means And from the Scriptures have learnt the mind of the Spirit whereas the work of the Spirit is within as we have already proved If he shall retract and tell us as the holy Scripture doth that People are led into all Truth and Holiness by the Spirit we shall then agree in that point Ibid. 23. The Bp. goes on telling us the several effects producible in his way of Spirituality and Holiness and p. 24. says thus Let such Persons as these be allowed to be Spiritual and if so the Bp. says he doubts not but there will be found more such who are no Quakers then who really are and particularly the Bp. claims to be such an one himself and challenges Mr. P. to prove the Contrary Answ We will not differ with him about the numbers of his sort of Spiritually made Men and that they do exceed the Quakers believing it true But we have already proved the Bp's outward way and the Scriptures inward way to Holiness and Spirituallity do widely differ and as they so do the effects in reallity must do the same and therefore we shall be very brief with the Bp. as to his challenge and tell him tho' we allow him also to be a Spiritual Man according to his outward way of making them yet W. P. nor we need not goe about to prove that he is no Spiritual Man according to Scripture Definition since he has so effectually done it himself Thus much as to Spirituality and Holiness Ibid 24. The Bp. proceeds as to emptiness the Bp. craves pardon if he be at a loss what Mr. P. means thereby Answ Why the Bp. at a loss since W. P. spoke so very plain as to the emptiness of the Clergy while in p. 107 108. he tells him 't is preaching without the Spirit in a lifeless and humane ministry and such as were made Ministers by humane Learning and Authority whereas the Ministers of Christ became such by
prevent the prejudices that the attempts of a course and scurrilous Pen at Dublin just before might provoke in some against us As to the points touched upon in the Gospel Truths Thus W. P. Now Reader we do not blame the Bp. barely for taking no notice of this part but we think it became him either to have disproved what W. P. here said or not continued his Reflections now in his Reply for the brevity of that Paper while he had not only the above notice but had also Robert Barclay's Apology and the Rise and Progress of the People called Quakers which fully and clearly vindicates at large some of those Tenets he now again censures as short exprest in that Paper as we shall shew in their places But the Bp. proceeds thus Ibid. 2 The first charge in his Book against the Bp. is that he did not prove such a Reader as he profest himself Mr. P. would have had him such a Reader that had rather they should be in the right then in the wrong the Bp. never profest himself such Answ How will the Bp. be able to Reconcile this to the Words in his Testimony where he says in the begining of it Friends I am such a Reader as in your Paper you desire This in Answer to Gospel Truths which desired a Sober Reader in these Words If thou hadst rather we should be in the right then in the wrong c. Manifest Contradiction But the Bp. to bring himself off goes on thus Ibid. 2 Mr. P. desires a strange partial Reader who should have more inclination and affection to the Quakers that is his Adversaries Opinion then his own or who would rather be in an Error himself then that his Adversaries should be in any Answ Is there no difference betwen desiring a People were in the Right then in the Wrong and between chusing rather that Himself were in the Wrong then his Adversaries should be so certainly a great deal and it looks as if the Bp. were hard put to it when he thus argueth Did W. P. intend or desire such a Reader as the Bp. stateth No but such an one that had rather we were in the Right then in the Wrong and explains it thus One that thought it but reasonable we should be Heard before Condemned and that our Belief ought to be taken from our own Mouths and not at theirs that hath prejudged our Cause In short 't is very plain he only desired an Impartial Reader such as the Bp. only pretended to be Ibid. 2 The Bp. tells us He neither had nor has any personal quarrel with W. P. But says the Bp. all he impleads him of meaning W. P. is his Doctrine by spreading and defending such Principles which tend to the Subverting Christianity at which no Bp. ought to connive Answ As this is only a general as well as a false charge so needs no other Answer here but a positive denial until we come to particulars where we shall see how well the Bp. will prove his Charge As to his not conniving to be sure he 's at his liberty to implead but if he should do so again we must desire him to approve himself a fairer Adversary then he hath yet appeared either in his Testimony or now in his Reply P. 2 Says the Bp. To omit things less material P. 24 He would insinuate the Bp. Guilty of Insincerity in saying it was the first time he ever heard the Quakers own the Necessity of Christ as a Propitiation in order to Remission of Sins and justifying them as Sinners from the guilt and tells the Bp. where possibly he might have read it The Bp. makes Answer thus Possibly the Bp. may have Read more then either he did or now does actually remember he never had so much as many of the Quakers Books much less has he them in his memory Answ Here is first an Instance of the brevity of the Bp's Reply while he takes a large stride from P. 20 to 24 where W. P. Enumerates and Charges the Bp. with unfair dealing by us which the Bp. passeth over without notice with saying to omit things less Material next as W. P. said so say we that 't is next to impossible it should be the first time he so heard of the Quakers since he had read R. Barclays Apology which largely treats of this head But the Bp. Confesseth he possibly may have Read more then he Remembers which seems a tacit granting the matter But suppose he did not actually remember this point can it be possible he should forget that he had Read any of the Quakers Books since he told W. P. so very lately he had Read Robert Barclay and his Book called the Rise and Progress of the Quakers the former largely and the latter as fully as now in Gospel Truths owning the Doctrine of Justification Whence it follows if the Bp. had been an Impartial Reader as he pretended and one that was unwilling to represent us wrong or render us defective in our Belief he would certainly have first searched those two Books before he had made this point a new discovery so to the Impartial Reader we refer the Bp's sincerity or kindness to the Quakers herein and Proceed Ibid. 3 The Bp. tells us That he has a Book now before him Intitled The second Part of the serious Apology for the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers by W. P. Printed 1671. In which P. 148. are these Words This namely Justification by the Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us in the Words before We deny and boldly affirm it to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World Then the Bp. adds This the Bp. does not understand to be owning Justification by Christ he therefore now was glad to find Mr. P. more Orthodox in 1698. Then he was in 1671. Answ We would have been also glad to have found the Bp. more fair and ingenious not to say worse which it will bear then to leave out the Explanatory Part of W. P's Words which is as far Remote from a fair Adversary as an Impartial Reader Whereas had he been so just as to leave them in tho' they would not have suited the Bp's purpose yet together with W. P's plain Sense in several following Arguments would have made W. P. as Orthodox to the Impartial Reader in 1671. As the Bp. allows him to be 1698. For next to the Words i e His own Person for us follow these Words wholy without us which Words the Bp. hath wholly left out and instead of them hath substituted these Words in the Words before and the Bp. hath not only thus done but hath as we believe wilfuly overlooked since the place was before him W. P' s. plain sense and meaning in his foregoing Words in the same Page which are these For in him namely in Christ We have Life and by Faith
Atonement in his Blood And the like he hath done in what followed in the Apology which we shall presently shew But. first we shall set down the intire Words as they lye in that Apology which the Bp. pretends to cite and by which the Reader will see the Bp's great unfairness which were at first the Words of an Adversary one Jenner and cited by W. P. with other Articles thus Pag. 148. 5th That we deny Justification by the Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us wholly without us and therefore deny the Lord that Bought us To which W. P. gives his Adversary an Answer thus And indeed this we deny and boldly affirm it in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Coruption which does now deluge the whole World Upon this W. P. proceeds to vindicate his Negation first saying that his Friend and Partner G. W. in writing that Apology had already irrefutably considered the Doctrine of Justification and therefore he will not insist so much upon this Point as he had upon others and only adds some short Arguments by which he proves that Wicked and Ungodly Men while so are not in a state of Justification and Acceptance with God by the imputed Righetousness of Christ and confirms the same by several Scripture Arguments and then on the other hand shews that such only are truly justified who are obedient unto the Spirit of God by which they become the Children of God and bring forth fruits of Holiness and in confirmation hereof gives us these Scripture Texts Gal. 6. Ro. 8. Reve. 22. And after having shewn who are not and who are in a state of Justification and Acceptance with God he is so far from denying Justification by Christ that he owns ascribes and asserts the same alone to him which for the Readers satisfaction we shall cite his Words as they lie in that Apology following the above Arguments p. 149. thus We do believe in one holy God Almighty who is an Eternal Spirit the Creator of all things and in one Lord Jesus Christ his only Son and express Image of his substance who took upon him Flesh and was in the World and in Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurection Ascention Mediation perfectly did and does continue to do the will of God to whose holy Life Power Mediation and Blood we only ascribe our Sanctification Justification Redemption and perfect Salvation Now Impartial Reader judg between the Bp. and W. P. whether W. P. did deny Justification by Christ as the Bp. would insinuate and whether the Bp. was led by a Christian Spirit while he dealt so very unfairly what if we say unjustly by W. P. in misrepresenting his Sense to make him so intend as we have before noted Now as to the Doctrine of Justification we shall not be large thereon in regard many of our Friends have treated upon that head and particularly besides W. P. in several Tracts of his our deceased friend R. Barclay in his Apology hath writ excellently and fully thereof As also that the Bp. hath allowed W. P. to be Orthodox in what is written in Gospel Truths upon that Point for these Reasons we shall be brief yet as W. P. said in 1671. so say we now that we cannot believe it other then a Sin-pleasing Notion and a Doctrine of Divels since all Men as the Scriptures tell us are to be rewarded according to their deeds to assert That Wicked and Ungodly Men while they continue so are in a state of Acceptance and Justification with God by the righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own person wholly without them which wholy excludes the Work of Sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ which was the Notion W. P. did briefly and Geo. Whitehead more largely dispute against in that serious Apology see p. the 37 to 40 and p. 148 and agreeable to the Quakers sense and belief in this point are these following Scriptures Mat. 7. 21 22 23. so 1 John 3. 8 10. Rom. 6. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 10. James 1. 15. Heb. 10. 35. In short altho' we firmly believe and which W. P. and G. W. hath asserted that only Jesus Christ is our Justifier yet we do not believe any are truly justified in the sight of God but such who yield obedience to the Spirit of Christ in themselves by which they come to do the will of God and thereby come to obtain the benefit of what Christ fulfilled in his own person without us in concurrance whereunto we have these Scriptures 1 Cor. 6. 11. Titus 3. 5. Rom. 8. 1 2 11 13 14. Heb. 5. 9. and 12. 14. Gal. 6. 7. 8. Now to draw toward a conclusion upon this head Having proved from that serious Apology in 1671. That W. P. did ascribe our Justification only to Christ and our Reconciliation with God to faith in his blood But grants the benefit of it only to such who obey the Spirit of God in themselves Let us now see whether he be not of the same mind and hath aserted the same Doctrine in 1698. which the Bp. commends as Orthodox Thus Gospel Truth IV. That as we are only justified from the guilt of Sin by Christ the Propitiation and not by works of Righteousness that we have done so there is an absolute necessity that we receive and obey to unfeigned repentance and amendment of Life the holy Light and Spirit of Jesus Christ in order to obtain that Remission and Justification from Sin since no Man can be justified by Christ who walks not after the Spirit but after the flesh for whom he sanctifies them he also justifies and if we walk in the Light as he is Light his precious Blood cleanseth us from all Sin as well from the pollution as guilt of Sin Rom. 3. 22. to 26. Chap. 8. 1 2 3 4. 1 John 1. 7. We will not spend farther time to comment upon the matter to shew how agreeable W. P's Belief was in 1671. to what it was in 1698. being so very plain that it would be but time lost so to do and therefore we leave it with the Impartial Reader Again the Bp But says W. P. if the Bp. commends their believing in Christ as a propitiation for Sin he ought not to have censured them as short in any fundamental Article of Christian Religion for that all the rest follow from or are comprehended in this p. 25. 26. truly says the Bp. he ought Answ Here again we must charge the Bp. with unfairness in laying down words directly as W. P's in a Different Character the better to make them appear to be his and foisting in several that are none of his the Bp. Cites p. 25. 26. First Impression for these words and therefore we will lay down W. P's words in these two pages from whence the Bp. pretends to take them and then let the Reader judg in the matter Thus W. P. p. 28.
replied that they Preached no New Gospel but the same which was confirmed before by Miracles and therefore needed no new ones to confirm it and also that John the Baptist with many of the Prophets tho' immediately and extraordinarily called yet did no Miracles that we read of and the same answer may serve for us while we have always been ready to confirm our Doctrine by holy Scripture but altho' such extraordinary Gifts of Tongues c. are ceased yet it doth not therefore follow we ought to neglect the inward teachings and dictates of the holy Spirit of God which is given to Christians as a standing perpetual rule and more immediate guide under the New Covenant to walk by and without which they cannot rightly perform their duty to God as we have shewn before p. 54. As to that Text 1 Cor. 13. 8. brought by the Bp. 'T is plain those Gifts there mentioned were to cease by giving way to what was more excellent more perfect see p. 10. 11 12. following vers and not by being succeeded by what is more carnal and destitute of the Spirit but leaving this at present we shall attend the Bp's Objection which relates to the Ministry viz. that none can now Preach in the Demonstration of the Spirit and power To which we answer If that were so then none can preach as the Oracles of God nor in preaching be beneficial to the People since the holy Scripture tells us that the Spirit is a necessary and essential qualification to constitute a Minister of Christ which we shall prove 1st from Jesus Christ himself when he gave the Apostles that commission Matt. 28. 19. to Preach he tells them thus Vers 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even to the end of the World We hope none will be so trifling as to say this Command extended only to the Apostles if any so weak to think so then the foregoing Vers 19. about Baptizing which they suppose Water must likewise extend no farther but supposing none so weak thus to object yet some mâ—y Query how was Christ to be with his Ministers to the end of the world Was it not by the holy Scripture the outward means now left to Christians To this we answer 't was by his Spirit which we prove from Christs â—wn words John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever Vers 17. Even the Spirit of truth he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Ver. 26. The comforter the holy Ghost he shall teach you all things saith Christ John 15. 5. Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing from these with more Texts of Scripture 't is plain that Christ by his Spirit was to be with his truly constituted Ministers to the end of the World by whom they were taught all things and without whom they could do nothing and pursuant to that commission and promise of Christ the Apostles were called commissionated and did Preach by the Spirit according to 2 Cor. 3. 6. Gall. 1. 11 12. 1 Cor. 2. 4. and we do not find the Apostles did confine the Spirit to themselves only but did recommend the same Gift of the Spirit as the necessary qualification to the constituting a Minister of the Gospel thus 1 Peter 4. 10 11. As every Man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God If any Man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be Glorified Which we take to be as much as if he had said none ought to speak or minister about the things of God but by the Gift of his holy Spirit and who ever doth not so speak or minister cannot in so doing do it to the Glory of God We could cite more Scriptures to the same purpose which for brevity sake we omit these may suffice to shew that whoever pretends to be a Minister of Christ cannot be truly such without the Qualification of and being Commissionated by the holy Ghost And as to the Bp's saying that W. P. nor none can now Preach in demonstration of the Spirit and Power 't is but his bare assertion and more then he can prove But as to the Bp's part we may be sure he cannot so Preach since he denies it to all and while he thus asserts he will do well to consider how he came by his Ministry since Christ promised to be with his Ministers to the end of the World and that his Spirit was to continue with and in them for ever from which Gift of his Spirit they were to speak according to the Apostle as the Oracles of God which to be sure cannot be but in demonstration of the Spirit and Power Having thus Proved the Spirit to be a necessary Qualification to the constituting a Minister of Christ we now come to consider the Bp's outward way to Holyness and Spirituallity in which we shall find him as much out of the way as in the last The Bp. Proceeds P. 23. People are now made holy by the use of outward means and grow up in Grace by degrees yet in both cases as to Gifts as well as Holiness there are those who by Analogy and Proportion may still be termed Spiritual that is there are persons who by study and industry attain to speak with tongues c. Others who having from the holy Scriptures which were indited by the Spirit of God learnt the mind of the Spirit and being in their hearts perswaded of the Truths and Duties they have thence learnt and felt their Soul strongly moved by the Power of the Spirit under the Ministry of the Word to the performance of such Duties have yielded themselves and submitted to the Conduct of the holy Ghost leading them by Scripture into all truth as well as Holiness Thus Reader we have given thee this long Citation of the Bp's that his own words may fully speak his mind Answ The Bp. hath here asserted upon his own authority and without proof that People are now made holy by the use of outward means and that there are those who by Study and industry attain to speak with tongues may be termed Spiritual But contrary hereunto the holy Scriptures do abundantly prove viz. That People are made holy and Spiritual by inward means as we shall plainly shew only before we proceed we will here again give the holy Scriptures their due place and allow them to be whatsoever they say of themselves according to these or any other Texts Rom. 15 4. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. believing them to be the best Writings extant in the World and we love honour and esteem them beyond all others and are so far from laying them aside as useless that we say they are
are of opinion he need not go far to find too many of them Again p. 130. I cannot pretend to tell the Bp. what tribe of Men in Christendom it is that have long made gain their godliness and the pretence thereof their worldly inheritance since he has been so much more sensibly instructed in this affair then my self Pray Reader compare these Citations with what the Bp. has laid down as W. P's and see if they do not differ but since the Bp. by falsifying W. P's words p. 122. and by so doing apply'd them directly to himself which is plain W. P. did not unless the Bp. be included in the number too many and since 't is very plain as W. P. hath told him p. 130. he is more sensibly instructed in getting worldly inheritance for a Spiritual consideration then W. P. is We say since the case is thus it will lie upon the Bp. to rectifie and give satisfaction for his unfairness in this as well as other Citations c. as well as to clear himself of W. P's last assertion by way of comparison in getting c. As to making Gain Godliness they were in return to the Bp's suggesting the Quakers such a People in his Testimony Ibid. 26. The Bp. proceeds thus he i. e. the Bp. is further bold to tell the World that both he and diverse of his brethren with him in a certain City laboured in the Ministry both day and night when they had neither Lands nor Tythes nor other Revenues to support them And did feed their Flock That the very persons or others of their party who now call that spoiling which is but making some of their party pay a small pittance of Legal Dues were at that time in power at Court or otherwise and instead of Preaching were Directors of publick Councils for no good or much mischief Answ If the Bp. could have boldly told us that he and his brethren fed their Flock freely and at such a time when they could have compelled People to pay Tythes and other maintainance but would not do it because 't was no Gospel maintainance we say if he could have thus told us it would indeed have been not only bold but well told too but to tell the world he fed his Flock without Tythes c. in a time of War when 't was not in his power to get them we think by such his boldness he will merit no great Commendations and as to staying with his Flock in a time of danger 't was but his reasonable duty so to do if it were only for his being largely pay'd by them before We will not say he would have left them if he could but he knows that unless he had gon off in the beginning of the troubles 't was almost next to impossible to get away afterwards and certain it is many who did stay would gladly have gon afterwards if they could whether he was one of that number he best knows Next as to our not paying a small pittance of Legal Dues as he calls them We answer 't is for conscience sake we deny such payments as not believing Tythes c. due to a Gospel Ministry and as to the Legality of them we dispute not the point but say since he demands and takes them for a Spiritual consideration he ought to prove his right to Tythes c. by a divine Sanction as well as insist upon the Legality of them Now to the last part of his charge where he insinuates that some Preachers amongst us were great at Court or otherwise and instead of Preaching were Directors of publick Councils for no good or much mischief Answ This charge as a parting blow to speak in the Bp's words as it is untrue so it is equally unfair not only in his being silent as to the person or persons that were such no good or much mischief Directors if he knew them but also in not telling the World what that no good or much mischief was such did that hereby the matter being known the World might judg whether it was criminal or not and if particular Persons were guilty they might bear their own blame and the Innocent be cleared but neither of these the Bp. has done for a good reason no doubt because he could not do it But the Bp. perhaps thought this general and hidden way best to serve his end which we cannot believe was any other then thereby to calumniate the Quakers in general all the pretence that we can suppose for this charge is that some few perhaps not above a dozen at most in all the Nation if so many of our Friends were very much against their minds nominated Common Counsel-men and some of them Aldermen in particular incorporale Towns as likewise at the same time were far greater numbers of other Protestants which tho' a crime in us yet none in them with the Bp. And as to preachers we do not believe there was at most above two or three in the Nation of that number it self nay we know but of one But that either preachers or hearers were great at Court at all or Directors of publick Councils as the Bp. saith we utterly deny unless he will call W. B. one who yet was no Preacher nor indeed was he in unity with us On the contrary we are bold to tell the World as the Bp. did we think with less reason and which we should not have done but that it is extorted from us on this occasion that the Quakers in most parts of the Nation did contribute large Summs to the relief of distressed Protestants and never failed to do them good on all occasions as it lay in their power But why 's the Bp. so loud and hiddenly smiting the Quakers we think he might have been silent in such a charge above many others since no Quaker in Ireland was so high a Director to give his own words as a Parliament Man which the Bp. was in those times which we do not reflect upon him for yet he that was such he that writ the Specimen of Loyalty and so largely asserted the Right of that Goverment to be undoubted and he that publickly reprehended or silenced a Clergy Man in Cork for a Certain shortness in his Office the better to express his great Loyalty might have forborn this undue as well as untrue charge against the Quakers We do not aggravate the matter otherwise we could be more particular as to the two last nor indeed had we mentioned any of them but that we were led to it by his hidden reflection Ibid. 26. He i. e. the Bp. never persecuted Quakers c. to which we answer as we are plain where he injures us so we will not be unjust where he deserves praise we do confess we never heard he did and tho' persecution be disagreable to the very nature of Christianity yet the contrary is commendable in the Bp. since some while in their power have been greatly guilty of persecution