A returne to the ministers of London by way of answer to their seasonable exhortations, (so called) directed to their congregations : with sober reproof sent unto them, because of their secret smitings against the despised people called Quakers, whom they have secretly reproached in their said exhortation ... / by E.B.

A returne to the ministers of London by way of answer to their seasonable exhortations, (so called) directed to their congregations : with sober reproof sent unto them, because of their secret smitings against the despised people called Quakers, whom they have secretly reproached in their said exhortation ... / by E.B.

Table of contents

Title page

A Return to the Ministers of London, by way of Answer to their Seasonable Exhortation, (so called) &c.

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A Return to the Ministers of London, by way of Answer to their Seasonable Exhortation, (so called) &c.

1 FOrasmuch as you the Ministers in and about London, have sent forth a Seasonable Exhortation (as you call it) to the people of your Congregations, which I have seen, read, and considered, and do find something therein worthy of Answer; for the end that people may be satisfied concerning things doubtful, which are in controversie this day among many; for it is well known the controversie hath been long, and is grown very high between us and you, concerning Church, Ministry, and Religion: And divers things in your Exhortation are doubtful unto many, and that all doubts may be removed, if possible, therefore I do return what follows as an answer unto you.

Whereas you say, you are not ignorant of the prejudices and prepositions, wherewith the carnal world is leavened, concerning your Calling, Office, and Doctrines, and what clamours, and fiery contentions, abound for them every where, that pleads Christs Cause in the gates, &c.

Answ. As for your Calling, Office, and Doctrine, there is much to be said against them, in and by the Spirit of the Lord, for your Calling and Office, is not according to the example of Scriptures, though the Calling and Office of Ministers of the Gospel hath example in the Scriptures, yet as you are called into your Office, that is not according, but rather contrary to the Scriptures: And as for your Doctrine, it is in some things unsound also. Now as for Seasonable Exhortations of Ministers to people, I do acknowledge that is a duty which ought to be done, but how seasonable and sound your Exhortations are, that remains to betryed; and it is not only the carnal world, [Page] as you speak, that are doubtful concerning your Calling and Office, but it is the best of the people, whose eyes the Lord is opening, to see and behold the false imitations of the Calling and Office of Ministers, as you have stood for many Generations. And it is true, them that pleads Christs Cause, they all cryed out upon, and contended with, but this fully belong not to you, though you apply it to your selves, but it pertains more to others, for the World speaks well of you, as it use to do of false Prophets.

And you say, We the Ministers of the Gospel in the City of London, do with earnestness exhort the people of this City, to awaken, as out of sleep, and to lay to heart, the great dangers that threatens you, which you represent under a threefold consideration.

1 The fear of the return of Popery.

2 The distracted estate of Religion amongst us.

3 Other symptomes of Gods wrath hanging over your heads.

Answ. That you are Ministers of the Gospel, this is doubtful unto many, and many more testimonies might be given to the contrary, than can be given for it. But this is not the present debate, and therefore no more of it.

And what, is the people of your Congregations yet asleep? Have not you awakened them in so many years time? Have you been preaching over them, and taking their money so long, and are they yet to awaken, as out of sleep? Will not the blame of this, and the condemnation of it fall upon you their Watchmen, who hath not yet awakened them? And may not they say that you have dealt unjustly by them, who are left as asleep under all your preaching, and are yet unsensible of the danger that threatens them? Oh friends! will you consider, and your people with you, what you have been preaching, and what they have been hearing for so long a time, seeing you now acknowledge they are yet asleep, and unawakened.

Now as to the first of your considerations, The fear of the return of Popery, for which you lay down divers things to make the people believe it: First, The union of forreign Popish Powers: Secondly, The vast numbers (say you) of Popish Emissaries and Iesuites that swarms amongst you: Thirdly, The vending and printing of so many Popish Books every year, &c.

[Page] Answ. As for Popery, I know it is idolatry, and their Church and Worship, and every part thereof abomination to the Lord, and the spirit that leads them, is not the spirit of Jesus; and as for Popery, it was never yet truly cleanse out of the Nation, but there hath been, and are great remainders yet standing, which may indeed easily prove its former strength: For is not the most part of the worship of the Church of England made up of such things, as was first instituted and practised amongst the Papists, witness, the making Ministers by natural learning, at Schools and Colledges, and their maintenance by tythes, and yearly stipends, and their way of Parochial settlements, are not all these things Papistical? and witness sprinkling infants, calling it the Baptisme into the Visible Church, and witness the singing of Davids Psalms, as now they are sung among you, these things for the most part are of Popish institution, and many other things also pertaining to your Church, Religion, and Ministry, so that Popery was never clean cast out of the Nation, though the Lord hath wounded it, yet there is the remainder of it yet standing in great force, so that while tythes are pleaded for by you, and those things practised by you, it may indeed be feared, the return of Popery, seeing you stick so fast in those practises which were of Popish institution, and the cause of fear lies at your door, and upon your selves principally, and if there be vast numbers of Popish Priests and Iesuites swarming amongst you, if you be Ministers of Christ, why do you not discover Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, and fright then away? Why do you not lift up your Spiritual Weapons, (if you have them) as the Apostles did? whose weapons were powerful and mighty through God, and who shall bear the blame but you, if Wolves in sheeps cloathing tear your Flocks? that is a sign you are lazy idle Shepherds, and that you want the Power and Authority of God, and when the powers of the earth fails you, and your carnal weapons are all broken, then you are like to be overcome with the swarming of Popish Priests and Iesuites, if there be any such among you look you to it, for I know not any, and if you know any by name, and where they are, you ought by your Law to discover them.

Now (you say) they are acting under the disguise of Sectaries, [Page] and subtilly insinuating many of their Doctrines, as teaching Justification by Inherent Righteousness; perfection, unlawfulness in joyning in your Ordinances, and nullity of your Ministry &c.

Answ. Now these that you call Sectaries, may truly plead against you, against your Church, Worship, Ministry and practises, upon good grounds; and as for Iustification by Inherent Righteousness, it is a Doctrine of the Church of Christ, that the Saints witnessed Christ, and his Righteousness within them, and that none are justified by any righteousness without them, but who witness Christ revealed in them, for all are reprobates that do not witness Christ in them, 2 Cor. 13. 5. And as for perfection, that is the doctrine of the Gospel, and of Christ, for the Apostles spake wisdome to them that were perfect, 1 Cor. 2 6. and Christ commanded them to be perfect, Mat. 5. who never commanded impossibilities. You might better have charged these doctrines upon the Apostles, than upon the Papists; and as for joyning to your Ordinances, there is many that fears God, who are not Papists, that for good conscience sake cannot joyn to your Ordinances, nor own your Ministry, neither in its Call, Practise, nor Maintenance; and if these things were in dispute, I should shew you, according to Scripture, that it is not lawful for the Saints of God, to joyn themselves to your Ordinances, nor own your Ministry; but it is lawful for them both to deny your Ordinances and Ministry in their present standing; and as for printing and vending so many Popish books as you say, oh it had been your wisdome to have mentioned, the books by name, that all might have known which were Popish books; but because your Charge is general, I cannot answer particularly, either to clear or to condemn, except you had mentioned in particular, which you ought to have done, rather then to have slandered in the dark.

Your fourth reason, whereby you would make your people believe, that there is fear of the return of Popery, is, That the whole body almost of Popery is published by Sectaries, especially Quakers; and you say you cannot but observe a ready co-incidency with Papists in their Opinions, &c.

Answ. As for the Quakers, which you have long opposed by Prisons, Goals, and Persecutions, and your carnal weapons, [Page] and now also charge great things upon them, to make them odious to the people. Alas, do you not know that they are blessed of the Lord? Is there never a man among you sixty one Priests, so wise as Balaam was, he saw there was no Inchantment against Israel, nor durst he curse whom God had blessed; but however, they have borne with patience (and they do therein continue) all that you have caused to be acted, and all that you have spoken against them, and your words and works against them shall be your own burthen in the day of the Lord, and shall sink you into misery, who hath made the innocent people the people of your malice and fury, but God is with them, I need say nothing: and why have you not particularly instanced what particular part of Popery they do publish? Why will you charge in secret, and prove nothing in particular? therefore I do charge you to mention, what particular things they do publish which is Popery, and not the truths of the Gospel, and then you shall have a further answer.

Your fifth reason is, Jesuitical designs, and you mention the Protestant Universities, and the impoverishing; and disgracing, and overthrowing a godly learned Ministry, &c.

Answ. As for the Vniversities, thousands are satisfied concerning them, that they are of Popish institution, and are not the Fountains of Divinity, as they have been falsly called, for its possible I could give large testimonies of the wickedness of the educations which is these in those places, and how little good they learn, and how much evil; But you have stated the cause wrong, for the plucking down the Vniversities would rather seem to be the removing part of Popery, than to be the way to let in Popery: and as for a godly Ministry, that is truly godly; and truly learned, alas there is no fear of impoverishing, disgracing, and overthrowing of that, for that is alwayes poor and low, and contemptible to the world, and so it must be; and it is Antichrists Ministers that feares to be made poor, and that their tythes and stipends should be made less, and it is they that fear to be overthrown, and not the Ministers of Christ, for the Ministers of Christ are out of all such fears, because their standing and falling depends not upon earthly powers, but are builded upon the Rock of Ages, and cannot be overthrown.

[Page] Your sixth ground is, Toleration for Popery is publikely pleaded for in print, &c.

Answ. That Popery is idolatry, and the Church of Rome 2 false Church, that I have said, and I hope shall never renounce it, but shall alwayes give testimony, until death, against the Church of Rome; but I must tell you plainly, it is not my judgement that the Papists ought to be burned for their Religion, or if a Iesuite be taken in England, I would have him so tolerated, that he should not have his life taken away by inhumano cruelty, not for Religions sake, except something can be charged upon him, besides, matters of his Religion, or Conscience: This is my judgement, that both the Papists and you are Antichristian, (in this) in that you kill each other, when they take one of your Ministers, and you theirs, to destroy each other: this is not of God, but of the Dragons power in both, and there ought to be more toleration in both, that lives may be spared; and you ought to conquer with Spiritual Weapons, if that you have them, and not to kill and murther persons, but to judge spirits; That is contrary to Scripture, and the Apostles example, to destroy mens lives for Religion sake: And why may not the Papists have toleration, in matters concerning God, as well as others: So those that plead for their toleration upon this account, that they may be converted from sin, and not destroyed in their sin; this is no error, that their lives may be spared, but to plead for their toleration, as the right Religion, this is sin. And thus your sixth ground, wherefore you fear the return of Popery, is answered.

Now I come to the second consideration, which is, The present distracted estate of Religion, which you say is evidenced in divers particulars: First, your division in civil and spiritual things, so that the wonted love and communion in holy duties, is interrupted, strangenesse and distances fomented, censures and hard opinions of each others entertained, &c.

Answ. Here is your error, for true Religion is not distracted nor divided in it self, but it is one in unity and peace, and so are all they that are in it, their hearts being united by the Spirit of the Lord, in their Faith Practise, and Worship, and in all things pertaining to their Religion: Its true, there is distraction [Page] amongst all the false Sects and Churches upon the earth, and it must be so, Babilon is divided, and confounded in its self, and one part of it against another, so the distractions is among your selves, among Papists, Prelates, Presbyters, and the rest, tearing and rending one another about Church-worship, and Religion, all like Wolves in sheeps cloathing, biting one another, being divided in civil and spiritual things, one crying for this, and another for the other way of Government in Church and State, and you are out of the true love, and true communion in holy duties, and interrupts one another, and what one saith is right, another saith is wrong; and all this is in Babilon, among your selves, and none of it among them that are in the true Religion, and in true Church-Vnion, who are gathered by the Spirit of the Lord.

Your second Evidence of the distracted estate of Religion (as you say) is the many horrid and hideous errors, which for some years past have abounded amongst us, against the Authority of Scriptures, the Diety of Christ, the Holy Ghost, Trinity of Persons, Immortality of Souls, Doctrines of Repentance, Humiliation, Sanctification, Resurrection from the Dead, the eternal recompence of Heaven and Hell, yea, divers Sects encreasing every day in numbers, power, and malice, and under the names of Quakers, Ranters, Seekers, &c. oppugning the received Doctrine, and unquestionable interest of Christ Iesus amongst us.

Answ. That many horrid errors have abounded amongst you, that's very true, as in many particulars might be instanced: But why do you maliciously charge the Quakers with opposing the interest of Christ Jesus? The Lord shall judge you in his day, when he makes it appear to all the world, that those whom you charge with the contrary, are the very friends of Christs interest, and have been patient sufferers for his Name sake, under the wickedness of your Generation; and as for the Ranters, Seekers, and others, whom you have reckoned up together with the Quakers, it is well known that we are in opposition in spirit unto all these, and have given large testimony in the fear of God against them, though it is certain, that there is many as upright and sincere men towards God amongst these Sects you have mentioned, as any of your [Page]Congregations; and though in some things they are condemnable, yet in some things they are as justifiable as you are, before the Lord: And what the Seekers, Ranters, Familists, and the rest mentioned by you do hold, as in these things you have charged them with, Ile leave that, for I am not now pleading their cause, but the Cause of God and his People, whom you in scorn call Quakers; and though you have joyned them in accusation with others, yet I must separate them from others in my Answer, and must tell you in the fear of the Lord, that you have belied them, and falsly accused them out of your malicious hearts, for they do not deny the Authority of the Scriptures, but gives that authority to them, which the Spirit of God that gave them forth have formerly given, neither do they deny the Deity of Christ, but do say, in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead; neither do they deny the Holy Spirit, nor the Father, Son, and Spirit, but say there are three, and these three are one; but as for your Trinity of persons, that is language besides the Scriptures; and we do affirm the Soul is immortal, and as for the Doctrines of Repentance, Humiliation, Sanctification, Resurrection from the dead, the eternal recompence of Heaven and Hell, these Doctrines are publickly held forth by them in words, and also in practise, more than by your selves; therefore with what face you could charge them with the denial of these things, it is almost wonderful; and there are thousands of your Congregations that are and have been sometimes hearing in your City, that shall bear witness against your accusations, and give evidence that they have heard them, whom you call Quakers, give faithful witness of, and for all these things which you charge them with denial of: Do you think that your Congregations are all so blind as to receive for truth what you herein have spoken, nay, I must tell you, some of them are offended with you because hereof.

First, in that you have reckoned the Quakers with Ranters, and others, between whom there is absolute opposition, and not agreement, neither in doctrine nor practise.

Secondly, That you should charge the Quak with such things as they are altogether clear of, and known to be so by many; [Page] but this is, that your folly and weakness might appear, and as you speak of encreasing every day in number, power, and malice, some part of this is true, for the Lord doth encrease his people daily in number, and power, by his spirit, but not in malice, and that is your torment, the encrease of the Quakers, which as they have begun to encrease, so the Lord will continue them, and you nor mortal men shall not be able to hinder, neither the Magistrates persecution, nor the Ministers instigation thereunto, though you have joyned hand in hand against them, for the Lord is with his people, and his authority and power is their defence, and they are not in empty formes (as you say) but in the power of Godliness; and as for your Ordinances and Ministry, of which you speak, something I have said to it already, and more I shall say hereafter.

Your third Evidence is, the odious scandalls of those that profess themselves to be the people of God, as their self seeking, their unparaellel'd breach of all civil and sacred oaths, whereby the mouth of iniquity is opened, and the reverence of religion abated, so that to us (say you) there appeares no visible way of repairing the credit of strict profession, but by a severe punishment of Professors, &c.

Answ. It is true, many that do professe themselves the people of God, but are not, but by their lives and practises gives odious scandalls, and are self-seeking, as you say; but upon whom the guilt of this may truly be charged, that remains to be sought out, doubtlesse it lies as neer your doors as any others, for is not your pride and oppression by taking tithes, and suing people at law for wages, and casting them in prison, because for good conscience sake they cannot pay you, your seeking for your gain from your quarter, and your taking great sums of money, and preaching for hire, taking so much yearly, are not these odious scandalls, and very self-seeking practices which you are guilty of, while you pretend publique good? as for breaches of oaths and covenants, I wish you to search your own hearts, for that iniquity doth lye as near your generation as any others, witnesse that you and your brethren have from time to time engaged to such and such things: as first, did not you engage for the government to be without King, and House of Lords? And did not you then cry up the [Page] Protector, contrary to your engagements, and now cry up another: and thus it is very evident, that the guilt of breach of Oaths & Covenants, lies neer unto your selves, which indeed opens the mouth of iniquity; for the very Cavaliers and Prelates say, you were once strict in your way, but now you have struck hands with them, and are now your selves doing that which you cryed out against in them▪ And thousands in this Nation is abated in their affections from your Church and Ministry, as knowing them to be upon a false Foundation, and to be of Babylon, and not of the Heavenly Ierusalem: And what do you mean by severe punishment of professors? do you mean to set up Ecclesiastical lawes again, and that all must be forced to your Church way and Religion? is it in your hearts to drive the Nation by force, and if they will not, to punish them with fire, and faggot, and prisons? If this be your meaning, as may justly be supposed it is, the Lord deliver the Nation from you, this is not the way to gain the credit of Religion, but the further you go on in this way, as you have formerly walked in, the more will your Profession and Religion stink in the nostrils of all good men.

Your fourth Evidence is, Immensity, & boundless liberty permitted, assumed, & freely practised by many, to write, print and publish all manner of blasphemies and opinions, &c. the sad and woful effects thereof appears in many, some being in Apostacy, others in luke-warmnesse, and much decay in the power of godlinesse, &c.

Answ. As I have acknowledged there are without doubt many errors, blasphemies, and false oppinions extant in this Nation, both written, published, and maintained, but upon whom, and what sort of men this can truly be charged, this is very doubtful to many; and your charge being onely general, no particular answer can well be given, only it appears, you would have none to write, print, and publish, but your selves, or by your consent; and you would tye the Nation up in the bondage of your own spirits; and you would be the only Judges of blasphemies and errors; but that we allow not, for enemies must not be Judges, and it is very possible that such is your darknesse, that you may call truth error, and error truth in some particulars, but if you shall instance any particular [Page] Doctrines, Blasphemies, Errors, and Opinions, published and maintained, in my next I shall freely give my witness against them, if they be really so, and against the people that holds them, as well as your selves, & more particularly I cannot now say; and there is indeed woeful and sad effects of errors brought forth in this Nation, and many are in the Apostacy from the truth, and in the luke-warmness also, and the power of Godliness is decayed, and they have the Forme, and holds that without the Power: your selves may do well, and your Congregations also, to search your own hearts, by the spirit of the Lord in this case, that the guilty may see, and turn unto the Lord, that his wrath come not upon them.

Your fift Evidence is, Sabbath Prophanation, both in Opinion and Practice, grown to a greater height than ever formerly; the Iewes Sabbath cryed up, instead of the Christian: Shops opened upon the Lords day, yea, some working the works of their ordinary callings, in knitting, and sowing of garments in our Assemblies, even in the Pulpits, in the time of Gods publike worship, &c.

Answ. This remains doutful to many, what the true Sabbath is, and whether the Lord doth require of this generation the observing one day above another, and if so, what day it is that he requires the observing of; as for the 7th day of the week, we know that the Lord commanded the Iewes to keep as a Sabbath, and to rest, But that was never commanded to the Gentiles; and as for the first day of the week, which is called the Christians Sabbath, that is doubtful to many, whether God commands and requires the observation of that day by the gentile believers, yea, or nay; seeing that there is neither command nor binding example for it, through out the Scriptures▪ if there be any I do desire that you would shew it in your next, and by what authority, whether from men, or from Heaven, the first day of the week is now kept by you, as your Sabbath; for really many are doubtful in this case, and you would do very well, if you have a command from God, or example from his servants in former ages, to discover so much unto the people; And as for your calling it the Lords day, it is certaine every day is his, and not one day more then another; and [Page] as for shops opening, and such things as you mention, though every one that do such things, may not be justified in the doing of it, yet such a thing in it self may be justified, if the spirit of the Lord moves unto it, and who shall limit the Lord? And why may not others labour in their ordinary callings that day, as well as you in your ordinary callings? I mean, your ordinary calling of preaching; that it is an ordinary calling, it is certaine, because you deny any extrordinary calling in these dayes, and so I only query this, why others may not follow their ordinary callings as well as you? for it hath been affirmed very lately by some, that preaching was a trade, and a function for men to get a living by, and we do not question but there are many now in this Nation, called Ministers, that do preach for that end, and would cease to preach, if money and tithes were ceased to be given them: I speak this of some, not of all, which doth demonstrate, that the way of your preaching, is an ordinary calling; which you labour in, on your Sabbath day.

Your sixth Evidence, is the powring out by many of all sects with a full mouth, all manner of obloquy and contempt upon Ministry, and Ministers of the Gospel, openly interrupting them in the excercise of their duty, whereby they are discouraged in their work, while they are represented under the notion of Baals Priests, Gehazaes, pulpited divines, distributers of Sundaies Doses, Simonions, Decimating Clergy, common Incendiaries, &c.

Answ. It is certain, that the true Ministry, and Ministers of the Gospel were in all ages and now are contemned and despised, and all manner of evill spoken against them for the name of Christ: But whether you are those true Ministers of the Gospel, and your Ministry the true Ministry sent of Christ, this is doubtful to many; and by many particulars which might be instanced, the contrary doth appear: The Ministers of Christ in the daies of the Apostles, they never complained of being interrupted; for they were haled before Rulers, and commanded to preach no more in that name, and yet they were not discouraged thereby in their work, nor when they were called movers of sedition, and deceivers, and such reproachful [Page] names, they regarded not these things, but as for you, you seem to be troubled that any should speak to you, or ask you a question, or exhort you to repent, if any out of good conscience query with you, concerning your practise and Doctrine, and if any exhort to good, and cry against evil amongst you, this you call interrupting of you, in your Ministerial duty, and to prison, houses of Correction, and to Whips and Stocks, must such go, which was never the Apostles practise, never was any sent to prison for opposing of them; and what if the Ministers of England be called Hirelings, and false Prophets, and greedy dumb dogs, the practise of some of them doth prove it that they are so; these things you must bear, as coming deservedly, and not unjustly upon you, for the servants of the Lord in all Ages ever cried against deceivers, and false Prophets, and called them deceivers, and greedy dumb dogs, and Serpents, and vipers, and evil beasts, and slow bellies; these names and terms did Christ, the Apostles, and Prophets, use unto such as are some of the Ministery of this Nation, and not with revilings and reproachings, but with the Spirit of Authority from God, that reproves the wickedness of Prophets, Teachers, and people; and tell me, have not some of you sued men at the Law, and cast them into prison in this City, because they would not give you money, and tythes, and hire, though such as have not heard you, nor received you as Ministers, not received any thing from you, and such as you did never any work for, have you sought wages from, and caused them to be imprisoned that would not give you? And tell me in good earnest, can any less be said of such who thus walk, but that they are insatiable hirelings, and as bad as Baals Priests, and even cheaters, and greedy dumb dogs, let the Witness in your own consciences answer, and you shall have a reply.

Now I come to your third particular, which is other causes and symptomes of Gods wrath hanging over your heads, the frequent disappointment from time to time, of all hopes of coming to any settlement in Government in the Nation, occasioned by strange confusions, which is a clear evidence that God hath in displeasure darkened our eyes, and bid counsel from us (say you.)

Answ. It is very true, that from time to time of late daies [Page] the Lord hath disappointed the purposes of men, even concerning settling of Government, and there hath been almost strange confusions in changes, but to what can this be attributed? Have not your fins been as great a cause of it as any others? And have not you and your Generation been the Councellors in all these matters? Was not some of you or your Brethren in Olivers daies, and in Richards daies, and in the Armies daies, and in the Parliaments daies, and are not you and your Brethren busie at this day in ordering a settlement of Government in this Nation? But the Lord hath hitherto disappointed you and them, that you have counselled; and broken you into confusion and distraction, and turned backwards even the proceedings of Rulers, and Teachers, and the spirit of deep sleep and of slumber is powred upon you all, and the vision of these things is as a sealed book unto you, even because of Gods displeasure against you; and in that you say, your eyes are darkned, and counsel is hid from you, in that you say true, though to your own shame: And what trust can be put in such Watchmen? What confidence can be placed by your people in you? when as you acknowledge that your eyes are darkned, and counsel is hid from you; the Scriptures mentioned by you doth prove there was darkness upon the Land, but Isaiah doth not say, nor David, that counsel was hid from them, or that their eyes were darkned, neither did ever the Apostles say so, but witnessed that the Lord was their light, and in him their eyes were opened, and counsel was revealed to them.

Secondly, You say, This sadly presages of unchurching the Nation, or the departing of the glory of God from you.

Answ. By unchurching the Nation, I suppose you mean making the Church no Church, which if this can be done, then the Gates of hell may prevail against the Church, contrary to the words of Christ, who said, the Gates of Hell should not prevail; but I must tell you, the Nation of England, as to the general part of it, hath been long, and yet is unchurched, that is, ungathered by the Eternal Spirit, into the true fellowship in the Body of Christ; for the night of Apostacy and Darkness hath been over the world, since the Apostles daies, and over this Nation in particular, and your Churches hath been no true [Page] Churches, nor the people under your Ministry truly joyned and united in true Church Order, and under true Church Government, though I do not say but that there are thousands of sincere people that loves the Lord, yet remaining among you, and the day of the Lord is appearing, which will confound the Whore, the false Church, which hath been set up in this Nation, and through the world, and Assemblies which hath had the name of the Churches of Christ, will be found to be otherwise in the judgement of the Lord, and all the false Ordinances, Practises, and Ministers, must be thrown down, that the glory of the Lord may again appear.

Further you seem, to charge your selves with leaving your first love, and former zeal, for the truth and worship of God, but the present coldness and indifferency in the things of God, together with your barrenness and unanswerable walking to the Gospel of Christ, &c. (say you.)

Answ. Though to your own shame, yet I do believe this is truly acknowledged, that you have lost your first love and zeal, which once was in you, in the daies when you were persecuted under the Bishops, you were full of love and zeal for the truth, and worship of God, according as it was made manifest, and then you were sufferers your selves, but now you are causers of others to suffer, and there is indeed much coldness, and dryness, and barrenness, amongst you and your people; I do truly desire you may repent you thereof, that if so be the Lord may heal you; and your walking indeed is unanswerable to the Gospel of Christ, (to wit) your taking of tythes, and so much by the year for preaching; and suing people at the Law that will not give you wages, though you do no work for them; these, with many other things which you practise, is an unanswerable walking to the Gospel of Christ, and seeing you have confessed your sius in some measure, repent and sin no more, that your iniquities may be blotted out.

Again, you complain of the prevalency of Atheisme, and doting upon error, endless separations, common ignorance, unbelief, prophaneness, the prejudice against wholesome doctrine, and all order of discipline in the Church, and many other confusions are upon us, (say you.)

[Page] Answ. Alas! So it is, but where is the blame? Oh you Watchmen! Should not you have better preserved your flocks? Should not you have fed them with living food? Should not you have been examples of righteousness and truth unto them? And should not you have nourished them with knowledge and understanding? But because the Shepherds have been lazy and idle, and fed themselves, and not their flocks; but the Shepherds have ruled over their flocks with force and cruelty, and their Ministry and Preaching hath been a very burden and oppression upon the people, and therefore it is that their flocks are divided into many Sects, and separations, and great confusions is in your Assemblies, and among you, even the sin of the people in some measure, will be charged upon you their Teachers, whole flocks are run into errors, and Atheisme, and despise wholesome doctrine, and are out of true order, and Church-discipline, even in the traditions of men: Therefore oh that you Ministers would consider! and that you would learn more wisdome, and that your people would come to receive the Spirit of the Lord into their hearts, whereby they may be led into all truth, and into the Covenant of God, where there is no unbelief, ignorance, prophanenesse, no confusion; but peace, love, and unity altogether, and if you and they did come into this, you might be happy, and the judgments of the Lord would be removed.

Now I come to some particulars which you do promise for your selves: First, That you will use all holy endeavours to keep God and his Truth among you. Secondly, That you will be more diligent in watching over your flocks. Thirdly, That you shall endeavour the establishment of your Congregations against Popish delusions.

To all which I answer: You must first make clean your own hearts, and you must first repent of your own iniquities, before you can heal others; and you must first learn obedience to God in your own hearts, before you can truly instruct others therein: And indeed there is need enough for you to mourn before the Lord, and to fast, and to confess your sins, (as you say) for the Lord has been long departed from you, and his presence from your Assemblies, and that is the cause of deadnesse,[Page]and drinesse, and barrennesse among the people, because Gods presence is wanting among you; and you had indeed need to be more diligent in watching over your flocks, for you have been negligent therein, and have fed your selves, and not them, and you have sought theirs, and not them, its partly evident, and it is time for you now to amend, and to put away the evil of your doings; but first, before you dispence the word to others, you must feel the word in your own hearts, to be as a fire and as a hammer in you, and you must know another Foundation for Ministers than you have long stood upon, even the Lord Iesus Christ must be your Foundation, and you must cease to preach for hire, and to divine for money, and then should it be better with you, and your flocks would have comfort in you, if you had received freely from the Lord, and ministred freely to them; but while you do it for ends to your selves, they can have no good hopes nor confidence in you.

And whereas you exhort your Congregations in divers particulars: First, to take heed of false teachers, trying their spirits, and holding fast that which is good, especially to beware of Popish insinuations, (say you, &c.)

Answ. Your Exhortation is good in it self, but you should have demonstrated more plainly how false teachers should be known, conparing their fruits now, with what they were in the daies of old, when the Scriptures were written, and that had been a good way to have discovered false teachers; that sixteenth of Matthew, mentioned by you, bids them beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and Christ said, they were such as was called of men Master, stood praying in the Synagogues, loved uppermost rooms at feasts, went in long robes, and of such Christ bids beware, and of such now the people in London are to beware, where ever they are, for such as do these things, are in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees, which Christ cried Woe against, and the true Prophets cried against such in their daies as preached for hire, and that sought for their gain from their quarter, and such you ought to cry against now, as seek for their gain from their quarter, except the guilt of these things in your selves stops your mouths from crying against them in others; and the Apostles cried against such as went for gifts, and rewards, such as taught [Page] for filthy lucre, and such as made merchandize of people for gain for themselves, such the Apostles and Christ declared against, and such you ought to declare against; but the people of your Congregations may say, who are such now? and where are they? that I leave to their consciences to judge who it is, and where they are now, and whether there be any of them in this City now, and in the Nation, that are called of men Master, and love uppermost rooms at feasts, and that preacheth for hire, and money, for gifts, and rewards, seeks for their gain from their quarter, teacheth for filthy lucre, and gain; who are found in these things now, such are false teachers, who ought to be taken heed of: I shall not now say it is any of you, but I shall leave it to you, and to your peoples consciences, to whom your Exhortation is; and as I have said before, let all Popish inventions and Popery be first cast out of this Nation, and then if you joyn with us against it, through the Spirit of the Lord we will endeavour the keeping of it out, and that it shall no more enter in amongst us into this Nation.

And you say, that your knowledge here, and all other graces here, are imperfect; to which I say, then you are imperfect Saints, imperfect Ministers. But what do you mean by here? I suppose that you mean upon earth, now there are none of the Graces of God that are imperfect, but the Grace of God is perfect in it self, and the Spirit of God is perfect, and every gift of God is perfect; as saith the Scriptures. Now that you should say the Graces of God are imperfect, this is error, even abominable error, and you shew unsoundnesse in Judgement, even in the things of God, and hath belied the Graces and Gifts of God, which in their least measure are perfect. And thus I have looked over your Exhortation, and thus I have returned to you again, not but that I know it is the duty of Christs Ministers to exhort their flocks, and that exhortation in it self is good, but when I find where lies and false accusations are against the Quakers, whom I dearly love and own, upon that account, and not otherwise have I engaged with you, and what I have done, it is not rendering evil for evil, but rather to reprove your evil, and to undeceive your Congregations, who might otherwise take all for true that you have said, if it were not reproved.

[Page] Again, you exhort your Congregations, that they manifest sincerity, not only by hatred of error, but by a love of the truth, &c.

Answ. Sincerity of heart is indeed precious, especially where the Spirit of the Lord is the rule of Judgement, and doth mannage that sincerity; but where a false spirit rules in the judgement, the sincerity is often betrayed into a zeal against the truth, and against the wayes of the Lord, rather than otherwise; and thus it was with the Iewes, whose sincerity (through their error of judgement) was turned into zeal and bitternesse against Christ: And thus it is to be feared it is with many in your Congregations, who may have a zeal without knowledge, and be short of true discerning between what is truth, and what is error, I speak not this of all, but of some, for its no small thing to discern between truth and error, especially in this day, wherein there are so many wayes and professions of Church-Ministry, and Worship, and yet all professing the Scriptures are their Rule of Faith, worship, and practise; and seeing that all Sects do professe proof from Scripture for what they hold forth, what ground have the people to believe you more than others, or others more than you? for where people receives Doctrine or Religion by report from others, without the evidence of the Spirit of God in their own hearts, this is not receiving of the truth unto eternal life; wherefore I exhort your Congregations, that every one amongst them may wait upon the Lord, to have a feeling and discerning in their own hearts, and that each one may be led and taught of the Spirit of God which leads into all truth, that they may deny all false Ministers, and false worships, and may worship God in Spirit and Truth, through the ministration of his own Spirit in their hearts and consciences, and thereby will they discern between truth and error, and will love the one, and hate the other.

Thirdly, You exhort, That they keep themselves unspotted from the prevailing corruptions of these back-sliding times, &c.

Answ. Concerning the times, many are ignorant; but this is certain at the present time wherein we are, is the Lord disquieting of men, and its the latter daies of Antichrists Reign [Page] and Government, that hath been in full power and authority for many generations, and Babylon that great City, her ruine is threatned, because of her abominations, that have been many and great, for the whole earth hath been corrupted (as its written) and now the Call of the Lord is, that every man come out of Babylon, and deliver himself, that he may not partake of their plagues; and happy are they that are made clean and unspotted from her sins, that they may not be found covered with her garments, for the day of the Lord is come, and coming upon Babilon, and all back-sliders from God and his wayes. Now Babilon is that great City, which hath ruled over the Kings of the earth, and in her hath the blood of Souls, and of all just men been found.

Fourthly, You exhort to endeavour a healing of those sad breaches and divisions which have been amongst you, &c.

Answ. Now the sad breaches and divisions which is indeed at present in this Nation, cannot be healed, but as the cause and ground thereof be removed, which is the sins of Rulers, Teachers, and People; and this is the cause wherefore the Lord hath brought distraction amongst them: Oh what ambition and self-seeking hath been among the Rulers! What judging for gifts and rewards? what neglect of Mercy and Judgement amongst them? And oh how have they oppressed the poor, and trodden down the needy! and because hereof is the righteous God vexed? And oh what covetousness and greediness of gaine are the teachers guilty of! How do they preach for hire, and divine for money? How have they unreasonably caused men to be imprisoned, and their goods to be spoiled for wages, and tythes, and hire? Oh how hath covetousnesse, and idolatry, and superstition abounded amongst the Teachers in this Nation? Oh abominable hath been their sins, their oppressions, and self-seekings! and because of these things hath the Lord brought distractions amongst people, and the sins of Rulers and People cries for vengeance from the Lord, and till these iniquities be removed by repentance and forsaken the fruit and effect thereof shall never cease, but breach upon breach will the Lord make, till the Rulers and Priests repent them of their iniquities, Gods hand will be upon them both in Judgement; [Page] and for their sakes that divine for money, and preach for hire, and judge for rewards: Will the Lord make the Nation as heaps, and as a ploughed field? Therefore let all people repent of their iniquities, and return to the light of Christ in their own consciences, and become followers of the Lamb, and this is the perfect way of healing of all breaches inwardly and outwardly.

Fifthly, You exhort to be diligent in the spiritual and conscientious performances of family duties, &c.

Answ. Men must first be awakened and enlivened unto God, before they can act for God in holy duties; and as for duties performed in pretence unto God traditionally, and without the teachings of the the Spirit of God, is but idolatry, and the Nation is weary of such a Religion which they have received, and held traditionally, for thereby the Soul immortal cannot be nourished unto eternal life, and while you teach duties towards God, by that rule, while you teach praying, singing, repeating, catechising, by tradition and imitation, without the leadings of the Spirit of Christ in them, you do but teach idolatry; as long hath been taught in the Christian Nations, the doing and performing such and such things, as Christian duties and practises, and the forcing and compelling of doing such things upon people in the unregenerate state, and unconverted nature, this Religion and such performances of duties, have been of Babilon, and of Antichrist, and a cheat upon peoples Souls, whereby many have been murdered and slain in that great City, and the form of Godlinesse without the Power hath been practised, while duties have been performed unto God, without the teachings of the Spirit of God, and such their consciences are blinded, and the Lord abhors their Sacrifices; and people must first come to feel the Word of God in their hearts to regenerate them, before they can perform any acceptable thing to God; and therefore do not teach people to be hypocrites, do not teach them such and such performances, in the corrupt nature, without the teachings of the Spirit of God in their own particulars, for if you do, you make them but two fold more the children of the devil, and such duties [Page] performed in that nature, shall not cover nor hide from the Wrath of the Lord which is comming upon all hypocrites.

Sixthly, You exhort that they would cause their children and servants to submit to Catechisings, and train them up in there verence of godly Ministry, &c.

Answ. It may be enquired into, what you mean by cause them to submit; how cause them? by force and imposition upon their consciences, by outward external personal punishment or threats? Is this your meaning? Will you set up Religion by violence? And must children and servants be compelled by resraint and force? This is not the right way to promote Religion and the Worship of God, nor to make children and servants truly religious; it was the Beast that received power from the Dragon, that caused all to worship, both small and great, children and servants; and this causing to worship was in the time of the Apostacy, when the true Church was fled into the Wildernesse, and all the time ever since, hath Nations been caused and compelled to such and such performances, and practises of Religion and Worship, and such causing, I am jealous, your meaning is, whereby you would force and compell such manner of worship and practises upon people: And what do you mean by godly Ministry? Will you admit of just tryal according to the Scriptures, whether yours be that godly Ministry or no? for all sorts of Christians, Papists, and Protestants, and all others, they will say that they are in the right way, and their Ministry is the godly Ministry, but the fruits of many proves the contrary, and we cannot believe that yours is the godly Ministry, except you will prove it to us, by, and according to the Scriptures.

Now it is certain, that the Ministry of the Apostles was the true godly Ministry, and if yours agree with theirs, then we will confesse that yours is the true godly Ministry. Therefore tel us plainly, Do you agree with them in your Call, and in your Maintenance, and in your Practises, and in your Fruits and Effects, in your Lives and Conversations, and in your Doctrines? Are you justly according to? and do [Page] you agree with the Apostles in all these things? Shall we lay you to the line, that you may be judged? This is but as a hint at things whereby you might justly be tryed, for if you agree not with the Apostles in these case mentioned, then it is evident that your Ministry is not the true godly Ministry; but hereafter we may have a better occasion to try you: And thus the principal parts of your Exhortation is answered, and if you can, receive it in love.

TO all you sixty one Teachers in London, under whose hands your Exhortation passeth: This I say to you, in the fear of the Lord God: Oh ye men consider! and let it enter into your hearts, the day of the Lord is at hand upon you, and account of your Stewardship must you give, and his reward must you have whom you have served, and you must reap the fruit of what you have sown: Oh look upon your flocks, and see what a condition they are in! Oh what pride and vain-glory is abounding amongst them! Oh how doth wickedness spring forth from them! Are they like unto sheep of Christs Fold? Or are not they appearing outwardly Christians, when as the evil nature is uncut down in them? Oh what wickednesse abounds in this City! What double-dealing and dissimulation? What lying, and swearing, and drunkennesse? Oh high are all the fruits of the flesh grown amongst your Flocks! Your Vineyards are not dressed as they ought to be, there is abundance of corrupt trees, and fruitlesse branches which cumbers the ground: Oh it makes the heart of the righteous sad to walk in the streets, and to view the abominations that are daily brought forth, by a people professing Scriptures, Church, Ministry, and Christ: Oh! it burdens the just, and grieves the righteous soul to consider [Page] how high iniquity is grown among the sheep of your Pastures, whom ye should have fed with knowledge, and converted unto the fear of the Lord, had you been messengers sent of God; the very Iewes and Heathens they blaspheme against Christ, through the abominations brought forth among Christians, that have the name to live, but are dead: Oh let it enter into your hearts, and smite you, that your many years Ministry should have so little effect, for your vineyard is like untilled ground, unploughed, and unbroken up: Oh there is much hard-heartednesse amongst your people, and their hearts goes after covetousnesse, even while they professe God with their lips; Oh the righteous mourns in secret to see the prophanenesse, the scornings, and reproaches that are brought forth in your City: And oh the idolatry that abounds! let it repent you, that you have been so slothful, and never more seek the fleece, but seek the flock thats gone astray from the Lord, who is the true Shepherd, whose voice hath not been obeyed, and many Pastors have destroyed the Vineyard, and many Shepherds have fed themselves, and not the Flock: Oh consider the day of the Lord is at hand, and he will visit with his rod: You and your Flocks prepare to meet the Lord, for his Kingdome is nigh to come, which will be a terrible day to all workers of iniquity.

And as for this your Exhortation, I say, as for Exhortation in it self, Ministers ought to exhort their Flocks; so such a thing in it self I do commend, and not oppose; but when I had read and seriously considered the aim and intent of your spirits in your Exhortation, I found it secretly, and in a measure openly opposing, and striking at, and secretly smiting the people of the Lord, whom you have reproached by the name of Quakers, who are dear to the Lord, and he careth for them, though you see no beauty in them, but accounteth them altogether vile, and in as much as you lifted up your hands against them, upon that account was it upon my spirit to return something in answer, for the information of many, that they might be undeceived, and not in envy towards any, [Page] but in love to all, to both you and your people, and you have occasioned this upon your selves, though you are reproved; and not as a man of strife or contention have I proceeded, but as one that desires the further manifestation of truth, and that no false accusastion may rest upon it, which you have secretly brought forth, with which the Lord is not well pleased, that you should set your selves in opposition against his people; and if any of you shall receive a just reproof and repent, it may prove to you an advantage of much good, and be not so proud as to say in your hearts, What art thou, weak man, that reproves us? or wherefore art thou so bold thus to deal with us? but rather fall under just reproof, for in uprightnesse of heart have I proceeded towards you, and not in mine own, but in the will of the Father: And oh that your Flocks would also consider, among whom there are many that are zealous in their way! Oh that their Zeal and Iudgements were guided by the Spirit of the Lord, then should it be well with them! Oh that they would be meek and humble, and learn the fear of the Lord! Oh that every one of them would consider, and turn from their iniquities, and become followers of Iesus Christ, then should the glory of the Lord be revealed unto them, and peace, and truth, and righteousnesse should be unto them, and their Families, and their City, if they would come into Covenant with God, and he taught of him, and be exercised by his Law in their hearts, then should the countenance of the Lord be upon them, and then should they discern between truth and error, between the Ministers of Christ, and Deceivers. Oh! there is a pity for many poor people, which are zealous in their way of Religion, without knowledge, and they think they do God good service, while yet their consciences are not exercised by the Spirit of the Lord, but a false spirit that rules and leads, and many holds the truth in unrighteousnesse, and they know not but they do well: Oh that such would consider, and not be hasty in any thing to performe or professe Religion in their degenerate estate, but that they [Page] would come to know the Regeneration, and the renewing of their minds by the Holy Spirit, and that the Immortal Birth might be born in them, even the Birth of the Spirit which is Heir of God: Oh that that might live and rule in them, then should they be Heirs of God; and Citizens of the New Ierusalem! And oh ye people of London! lay it to heart, you must be born again, or else you can never enter into Gods Kingdome, you must be changed in nature, and must be crucified to this world, that you may live unto God; this must you come unto, or else you have no part nor portion in eternal life; all your duties and performances in your forms of Religion they cannot save you, nor justifie you, all your preaching, praying, singing, and all your duties whatsoever, they are all nothing, till you come to know changing and renewing inwardly, and do witness the Seed of God raised up in you, and the head of the Serpent bruised in you by the Seed of the Woman, this must you come to witnesse, that your souls may live: Oh that you would consider! be not so zealous against that which you may call Heresie and Schism, for while you erre in judgement, you may soon speak evil of truth, and persecute it under the name of error; many have wofully fallen into that snare, and brought sorrow upon themselves thereby: The wise Iewes, even the chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, they were confident in their way, as you can be, and yet they erred in judgement, and would not receive Christ, but persecuted him, under the very name of a Deceiver; and thus it is possible for many to do in this age: What though you have Christs words, and the Apostles words; yet if you have not the Spirit of Christ, that was in the Apostles, you know nothing rightly of the Scriptures, neither can you understand them, nor have Salvation by them, for you must know Christ in you, your hope of glory, else you are reprobates, and shut out of the Kingdome of God: And search the Scriptures, and see, if they do not witnesse this: Do not they say, Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates? and do not they say, The Law of God is written in the heart, and the Spirit of God is put in the inward part? And do not they say, That Christ hath lightened every man that comes into the world with the true light? And do not they say that the Apostle [Page] exhorts people to hearken to the Word of God in their hearts, and to be followers of the Spirit of God that was in their hearts? And do not the Scriptures say, That it was the light that shined in the heart, that gave the knowledge of God unto the Saints? Search the Scriptures, and see whether these things be so; and must not men be born again of the immortal seed? Oh consider and let not these doctrines seem new unto you, neither reject them, though they come unto you in weak appearance, not with words of mens wisdome, but in simplicity, and in sincerity, and in the Power of God: And search the Scriptures whether these things be so; were not they false Prophets that preached for hire, and divined for money, and sought for their gain from their quarter? Were not such deceivers in the true Prophets time, and them that preached for filthy lucre, and for money, and for gifts and rewards? were not such false Brethren, and false Apostles? Search the Scriptures, whether these things be so, for the day of tryal is now come, wherein all must be searched, and that Religion, and Worship, and Ministry, which is not according to the Scriptures, which was given forth by the Spirit of God, let that Religion, Worship, Church, and Ministry be utterly condemned of the Lord, and all his people; and let such Ministers as cannot prove their call, their maintenance, and practises, to be according to the Scriptures, let such Ministers be confounded, and silenced for ever, and come to try this matter when you will. For whereas you cry out against us, as if we were deniers of Scriptures, as if we were enemies to Church, and godly Ministry, and Religion, and as if we were Deceivers, Hereticks, Papists, &c.

But I say unto you, these things have you never yet justly proved against us, but rather accused us behind our backs, to make us odious among people; and though for divers years together we have been publike, yet when did ever any of you Ministers seek by lawful means to convert us, or shew us our errors, if we were as you say of us, oh it had been your time to have sought our conversion! and not to have persecuted, to have sent to prisons, houses of correction, and by such weapons of an outward force and cruelty have you dealt with us, and not in meeknesse, and by the Spirit of the Lord, as Ministers of Christ ought to do; but hath cried to the Magistrates to defend you and [Page] your Church, and worship, being unable, as it were, by the Authority of Gods Spirit to defend your selves: Therefore I say unto you now, lay down your carnal weapons, and come out in in the spirit of meeknesse, and come out in the Authority of Gods Spirit, if you have it, convince us thereby, if we be in an evil way, as you say, let us hear your soundest arguments by the Spirit of God, and according to the Scriptures, to prove those things which you say of us; prove it by evident arguments, that we deny Scriptures, and that we are Hereticks, and that we are Papists. I challenge you all in the Name of the Lord, even all your Ministers of London, let us hear your sound reasons openly in the spirit of meeknesse, and do not back-bite nor slander in the dark, neither let us be bawled against by your rude members, as often we have been, even in the spirit of wickednesse; but come out you Ministers, we are willing to be tryed according to the Scriptures, and by the Spirit of God in our Religion, and in every part of it; and if you be the same, then come forth in the spirit of meeknesse, like Ministers of Christ, and lay down your carnal weapons, and let us have fair dealing openly, that truth may be manifested publikely, and errour may be discovered; and let us not envy one anothers persons, & seek to destroy one anothers lives, but let us seek to destroy the evil in one another, that men might be saved, and this would be a Christian-like way, we would hear what you have to charge against our Religion, by sound arguments in meeknesse, that we may answer, it, and then we will charge something upon your Ministry, Church, Religion, and Worship, and we will prove what we say against you, according to the Scriptures; and we will not impose our Religion upon you, by the force of outward Powers, and outward Lawes; neither would we have you force your Religion, Ministry, and Church upon us, by such means, but we will leave the effect of all things to the Spirit of God; and come out when you will in such a way as this, and this would satisfie thousands, and let meeknesse and the fear of God be amongst you, and this is the way to exalt Religion; and we would think it a happinesse, more then otherwise, to be joyned in sober debate and dispute against you, that you and we, in your Religion, Church, and Ministry, and in ours also, might be tryed according to the [Page] Scriptures, that all may be satisfied who are doubtful, and may hear your principles, and our principles discussed, in the presence of the people, who may judge by the light and witnesse in their own consciences, for to that in all we do appeal; and in such a proceeding, come forth when you will; lay down your carnal weapons, and take the weapons of the Spirit, and come to the tryal, for the day of the Lord is approaching upon all the world.

THE END.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

A RETURNE TO THE Ministers OF LONDON; By way of Answer to their SEASONABLE EXHORTATIONS, (so called) directed to their Congregations.

With sober reproof sent unto them, because of their secret Smitings against the despised People called QUAKERS, whom they have secretly reproached in their said EXHORTATION.

And this is written for the better information of them and their particular Congregations, and that truth may be exalted, and deceipt and iniquity may bow and tremble.

By E. B.

LONDON, Printed for Robert Wilson, at the Black-Spread-Eagle and Windmill in Martins, near Aldersgate, 1660.

Information about this book

Title statement

A returne to the ministers of London by way of answer to their seasonable exhortations, (so called) directed to their congregations : with sober reproof sent unto them, because of their secret smitings against the despised people called Quakers, whom they have secretly reproached in their said exhortation ... / by E.B.

Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.

Edition statement

1660

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A30538

ID [STC]

Wing B6021

ID [STC]

ESTC R22000

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12261151

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12261151

ID [VID]

57906

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30538)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 57906)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 861:19)

Source

— A returne to the ministers of London by way of answer to their seasonable exhortations, (so called) directed to their congregations : with sober reproof sent unto them, because of their secret smitings against the despised people called Quakers, whom they have secretly reproached in their said exhortation ... / by E.B., Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662..

Extent

[2], 29 p.

Printed for Robert Wilson ...,. London :: 1660.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.) (Attributed to Edward Burrough by BM.)

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EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.