THat Thomas Powel should call his Pamphlet, An An­swer to John Vaughton and John Field, their Ficti­ous Pamphlet, as he doth falsly stile it in his Title­page, I might indeed very much admire, but that I do find him grown to a very great height of Confidence or Impudence [that he hath said, That he is satisfied, that neither Christians nor his Aequaintance will give Credit to any thing that the Qua­kers should say of him, pag. 1.] A notorious Untruth indeed; for many, both Christians and his Acquaintance do believe, That what the Quakers have said of him is true, and he himself is made to confess to much of it, as hereafter I shall make ap­pear; and notwithstanding he doth find fault with that Account that I have given of that Discourse that past between T. P. and my self, which Account given by me I shall stand by; and I could have added something more, that at that time passed between us, which might have tended further to the manifest­ing of his Folly, but I did not at that time think it material to the Controversie, that was then and is still between us; but inasmuch as he hath undertaken to give forth a Narrative, and [Page 10]to tell his Reader its a True One (when indeed much of it is false, and its much short of giving an Account of much of our Proceedings, and the Fairness of our Dealings to him is omit­ted) but such is the Practice of many, who would assume to themselves the Name of Gospel. Ministers, and pretend to the People, that Scripture is their Rule, and the only Rule of Eaith and Practice; and when we call to them for plain Scripture, for the proving of their Doctrine (though so fundamental that they confide in it, and upon it lay the whole stress of their Sal­vation) we cannot obtain it; but instead thereof they give us their dark Meanings and feigned (humble Conceivings) and their Hopes (though vain) that its according to it, as this my Adversary hath done, who hath passed over much of the ma­terial Passages of my Book, and hath taken no notice of them, and yet, as I said before, calls his Pamphlet an Answer to it; for Proof whereof I refer my Reader to the 8th page of my Book, which is as followeth; ‘But Thomas Powel having now in print declared, that he meant by Imputation, then we must read his words thus, I Thomas Powell Minister of the Gospel affirms, Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World (by Imputation) Now T. P. with the rest of the Divines of thy Way, give us plain Scripture that saith, Jesus Christ was by Peter, Paul, or any of the Ministers of the Gospel, affirmed to be the Greatest Sinner in the World by Imputati­on; and give us plain Scripture that saith, He took the Guilt of our [...]ins upon him: for though it is said Isa. 53.6. That he laid upon him the Iniquity of us all; or as the Hebrew word hath it, He made the Iniquity of us all to meet on him; or as in the 10th Verse it is said, He was made an Offering for Sin; it doth not say, he was gulity of Sin. Now T. P. give us plain Scripture that saith, Jesus Christ by taking, bearing or suffering for Sinners, that he became guilty of Sin, and that he was the Greatest of Sinners; and give us a plain Scripture that saith, He hath more Sins to answer for then any particular Sinner: For although I have read of the Sins of David, whom I suppose you do believe was an Elect Person, whose Sins were (as in Scripture recorded) Murder and A­dultery, [Page 11]yet I do not find by any Testimony of Scripture, that Jesus Christ was guilty of David's Sins, nor of Paul's Sins, who was a Persecutor of him in his Members; nor of Peter's Sin, who denyed him. And T. P. I query with thee, Whether thou be an Elect Person, or nay? if yea, then tell me, whether Jesus Christ be guilty of thy Lyes, some of which are hereafter mentioned, viz. T.P. affirmed, That he had writ the word Imputation; but the Original being shewed, his Lye appear­ed; and then he said, he had writ the word Imputation, but that John Vaughton Note. After T. P. had writ Jesus Christ was the greatest Sin­ner in the World, and had laid the Paper by, and after several words more had past between us, he said, God made the Devil, and I gave him the same Paper a­gain, and in it he writ, God gave the Devil his Being. And of this I have Witness. snacht his Paper from him; and this also was and is testified to be a Lye.’

So much of my Book, and more that might be mentio­ned, he hath not taken notice of it, and it standeth over his Head.

And now I shall proceed to clear my self from the Lyes that he would cast upon me (for they are his and not mine) I shall begin with the first that he charges me with, which is in the 2d. page of his Book; his Words are these, If J. Vaughton had been a Christian he would have done like a Christian, i. e. done me right by acquainting the World, that though Thomas Bye de­nied the Word Imputation, as spoken by me before, yet he denied not but that it was spoken by me just after it was written. Read­er, is not T. P. in a passion thinks thou or void of Understand­ing, first to note me as a Liar, and then to query whether I am a Christian or no, and at another time to conclude me to be none, and to charge me with doing him wrong, because I did not tell the World that he spoke the Word Imputation after he had written, when he had told the World himself, and had brought his Witness to prove it, a thing that I did not in my Book contradict, that which I contradicted him for was his [Page 12]saying, that he mentioned the Word Imputation before he gave me those Words under his Hand, viz. Iesus Christ was the great­est Sinner in the World, I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms; so that his saying, and bringing his Witness to prove that he spoke the Word Imoutation before, was and is a Lye, and for his saying, he can produce the Original under T. B's Hand, but this neither proves the Words true, nor I. Vaugh­ton a Liar, as T. P. would have it, who after all his Busle doth confess, t [...]at his Witness having called to Mind cannot remem­ber that T. P. had the Word Imputation before, but for all this T. P. makes a great Noise, and in page 3. saith, that he doth not say positively he had it not, and counts Iohn Vaug [...]ton as a flagitious Relator; what his Witness now saith is not the mat­ter, but what his witness did then confess and acknowledge, that is it I related in the 8th page of my Bo [...]k, i. e. Thomas Powel did not speak nor mention the Word Imputation before he wrote those Words: Now if this be not a positive Assertion tell me what is one, and then let me know whether thou hast not abus'd me in accounting me a flagitious Relater, and thy Witness also, by getting desiring or procuring him who cannot read writing to subscribe as a Witness to that which he cannot call to mind, will this evidence pass or be taken by any that's con­sciencious? but this is T. P's. Witness still, who indeed hath said, he is not willing to have T. Powel run down, but he will help him what he can, though to little purpose, except it be to ensnare himself: So its evident the Lie is between T. Powel and his witness, and I am clear of it, but T. P. saith, to clear him from the [...]ie (a thing he would not be guilty on for a World) be­lieve him who will, I cannot so long as I can trace him in them, but T. P. said, that T. B. said to clear him (though he could not remember the Word Imputation before, yet he gave him his Hand freely and voluntarily The greater is his wickedness, if it be so, and he must bear his Burden. Another Lie of John Vaugh­ton's, as he falsly terms it is in the 9th page of my Book where in I make use of William Farrinton's Name, telling my Reader that he said, T. P. was a Liar, and that he had told many Lies a­bout it; though Thomas Powel counts this a Lie, and saith [Page 13]William Farrinton denieth it, yet I can prove it by a witness who heard him speak it, and William Farrinton since hath gi­ven it under his Hand that T. P. hath spoken some Ʋntruths a­bout it; I would have this Equivocater to tell me what Differ­ence there is between an Untruth and a Lye; but he saith, that William Farrinton said, If he knew him to be a Liar (which I question not but he doth) yet he would not have told such as the Quakers. What he means by such, I need not much inquire, but that he hath since T. P's Book was written, told the Qua­kers that T. P. had spoken divers Ʋntruths about it, so that I shall still note T. P. for a L— The third thing that he charges upon me as a Lye, is no Lye of mine; the matter is this, That W. F. upon sight of what T. P. had written, said he would not stand by his Words for 10000. Worlds, and that he should not preach in his Meeting-House till he had publickly condemned it; did he publickly condemn it before he preacht? no such matter, then no Lye of mine; but he saith, Note. And W. F. in whose mee­ting house he preacht, did when he had done, stand up and pub­lickly con­demn'd what T. P. brought in Vindica­tion of his Doctrine out of Luther. that I know that he condemned it in a Sermon; He might be ashamed of his Confiidence, if he is not past it; for instead of condemning it, he told the People, he hoped he had proved that E­vangelical Doctrine, which was, that Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, as he affir­med; the People at that time being desired to turn to their proof to see whether he had done it, many answered No, nor never could; but T. P. tells me, he doth now condemn it, as I in my Ig­norance take it, page 4. viz. That he was a Sinner Actually. Why Ignorance? It's Blasphemy to affirm that Christ Jesus was a Sinner by Action or Imputation; for though wicked men did say Christ was a Sinner, yet they could not convince him of Sin; and God doth not impute Christ a Sinner, that ne­ver committed Sin, and Christ cannot justly be imputed a Sin­ner except he had committed Sin; for he only is a Sinner that committeth Sin, which Christ never did, therefore no Sinner by Action nor Imputation in God's account; for it is evident, [Page 14]that Sinners are out of a converted estate, and are in Error, as in James 5.20. Let him know that he that converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Way, shall save a Soul from Death, &c. but Christ Jesus was never in Error, & therefore no Sinner; for God is holy and pure forever, and Christ Jesus is the Bright­ness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Father's Sub­stance, &c. Heb. 1.3. It is said Mat. 9.14. Christ came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance; if Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World, as T. P. hath affirmed, then the greatest Sinner calls the lesser to Repentance, which is ab­surd. Again, Rom. 5.8. God commended his Love to us in that whilest we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us. If Christ Jesus was the greatest Sinner in the World, as T. P. hath affirmed, then the greatest Sinner died for the lesser, which is contrary to the Apostle Peter's Testimony, as it's recorded in 1 Pet. 3.18. Christ also hath suffered for Sin, the Just for the Ʋnjust, that he might bring many to God. Again, James 4.8. Cleanse your Hands ye Sinners, and purifie your Hearts ye double minded: So that by this Scripture it doth also appear, that SINNERS are in an unclean Estate, and have need of cleansing, and if the lesser Sinners have Need, much more the greatest, for so T.P. hath affirmed Christ Jesus was: And though he calls himself a Minster of the Gospel, yet is he an Enemy to God and Christ, also a Contradicter of plain Scripture Testimony; and such is his Wickedness against us, that when we have given our Belief of Christ Jesus, and have confessed unto him in all his Manifesta­tion, both within and without, in plain Words, such as our Adversary confesses in themselves good, yet unsavourily, sayes he, smells a Quakers Rat in them, and he doth also avouch, That all we say concerning Christ without is but a meer Equivo­cation, vide page 10. of T. P's Book; and yet our Adversaries do confess, though to the Contradiction of themselves, that it is but a reasonable Thing for Persons to give their own Mean­ings to their own Words; but this reasonable Thing we have not yet obtained from them. The fourth Lye he charges John Vaughton with is, his denying the Quakers to be no Christians: The Quakers are Christians, and Christ is the hope of their Glo­ry, [Page 15]and J. V. no Lyar in denying the contrary; and T. P. saith, the Quakers have been proved no Christians, that I deny, except such Quakers as have been of the Forger's making: And for his terming Thomas Hicks an ingenuous Man for undertaking to prove the Quakers Hetrodox, both in Principle and Pra­ctice, is a vain Florish and an empty Boast; for in undertaking that Work he has procured himself a Name that will certainly render him odious to Posterity; and for his Pains and Labour therein, he shall certainly have his Reward with the Lyars and Maker of Lyes in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone, except he repent: But why doth T. P. say we are DUMB is it not because he is in Consusion; for he tells his Reader, that we drowned him with our Voice, and T. H. may give him the Lye herein, for doth he not know that the Quakers Voice hath been loud enough to prove him a Perver­ter, a Lyar and a Forger. The fifth Lye he charges me with is, my denying that to be our Principle, which (he saith) we have so often declared, viz. Christ dyed only as an Example; I deny that it is our Principle, or that we have often declared that Christ died only as an Example; for we do own (and ever did) that Jesus Christ was an Offering or a Sacrifice for Sin, And he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but for the Sins of the whole World, 1 John 2.2.

And for T. P's saying, That the Quakers are conscious to themselves, that they are no Christians, is surely a Lye of his own coyning.

Now having cleared my self from his Lyes, which he would have made mine, I shall take a little notice of his Passage, wherein he tells his Reader, He shall make him Smile, by which those that are serious may see what Spirit this Man is of, who scoffs at Revelation, and makes ado about my going (as he saith) into the Country when he was at London, and there was neither Preacher nor People. Now I declare, and that in Truth, That at that time I went into the Country to a Meet­ing of our Friends, and I being told that it was T. P's Day to be there, according to his usunl manner, and having Time e­nough before our Meeting to go to his Meeting, I did go, not [Page 16]upon Revelation after that manner as he would insinnate, but upon the Information, as I had before; and when I came to his Meeting, I was told that he altered his Day on that day I was there before, whether it was to prevent my meeting with him or not, I shall leave: & I do say, that we do not place our going to enquire for a Place or Person upon Immediate Revelation. And I shall refer my Reader to that Passage of his to his Reader, that saith, They made us who were a great People, to desert our Place, whether we met with him and his People or no: So that I have good Cause still to trust in the Revelation of God's Power, which did not only confound and drive him away from disturbing Note. T. P. came into his Meeting when I was speak­ing to the People in the Fear of God, and the People were ge­nerally still; and af­ter he came in, he endeavoured to stir up the Bad, but the Lord's Power was with us, and T. P. went away, and took the roughest of the People with him, & then we had a Peaceable and a Quiet Meeting for about Three Hours, and though he tells his Reader, That we were so rude, that one would have thought that we came out of a Bear-Garden. Yet I say, this is a great Ʋntruth, for such Be­haviour was not on our Parts, who were sober, and kept in God's Fear, and to Scriptural Expressions, but on thine, whose saying to one of us, when at thy Meeting, was, Sirrah, come down; which I am sure savours more of a Bear Garden Ex­pression, then of a Minister's of Christ Jesus. And thou further saidst at that time, and in thy Book since avouchest, That we deserve to be whiped, scourged, and put in the Stocks; by which people may see, was thy Power as great as thy Will, that Whipping, Scourging, and putting us in the Stocks should be the Weapons or Arguments that thou wouldst use instead of the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and true Ministers Weapons) So that its manifest, that a Measure of the old perse­cuting spirit, that ever was a Mark of the false Church and her Ministers, hath entred thee; but thy Horn is too short. We were sober, and kept in God's Fear, and the Rudeness was with him, and those that followed him, of whom I do say, Except they come to Repent, and turn from the Evil of their Doings, they cannot lay down their Heads in Peace: For it is not every one that cryes Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. of us, and hindring the Te­stimony which God had put into our Hearts that day, but also setled the minds of the greatest number of the peo­ple, and the Hearts of many were ten­dered; and I hope the Sense that a Rem­nant had of God's immediate Power, will be as an Engagement for them to wait daily for to feel the same, that so their Hearts may be engaged unto the Lord, and that his Fear may be ever pla­ced in their Hearts, that they may know him to be to them as a Fountain of Life, to keep them from the Snares of Death.

And for Thomas Powell's Railing against me, and calling me False Prophet, and pronouncing me accursed, and such like Expressions, comes from the Heat of his Spirit, and so may justly be reckoned amongst his Bed-ridden Performances, and his Fly-blown Duties, as he calls them, which Phrases (he sayes) Christians understand very well. I would have T. P. to tell me, Whether the Spirit of God leads to such Performan­ces and Duties, or the spirit of Satan? And mayst not thou be ashamed to take Money of People for such Duties and Per­formances? Well, God's Hand is against thee and thy Pra­ctice; and it had been better for thee to have stood still, as I have formerly told thee, and to have known God's Salvation, and his Power to have kept thee from venting forth such Bed-ridden and Fly blown Stuff; and if thy best Performan­ces be such, what is the worst?

And T. P. in his 5th Page saith, He shall first consider the Title of my Book, which is this, A Vindication of Jesus Christ, the Immaculate Lamb of God. Note, He leaves out what I vindicate him from, which was from the Foul and Blasphe­mous Imputation of one Thomas Powell, a Preacher among the Independ [...]nts, who affirmed, Note, It was not a Position, as he would insinuate; but it was an Affirmation. That Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World; he takes no notice of it, as though it concerned [Page 18]him not, and yet he calls his Book an Answer to mine; furely he still persists in Lying, notwithstanding I warned him to the contrary.

But he goes on, and sayes, He admires at my Confidence, to stile my Book A Vindication of Christ Jesus; if I had not been a Quaker (he sayes) it had been something. What! is it nothing now? or, is it become a Crime for a Quaker to vindicate Christ Jesus from such foul and blasphemous Expressions, as he hath uttered? and is his admiring at it, and his saying, He cannot believe it, and calling my Title but a Pretence, and a Bait to catch poor Souls, a sufficient thing to prove it so? But it is no Wonder why the Man is grown to such a Degree of In­credulity as to believe after this rate, seeing he excludes ha­ving any Dependency on Christ within, as the Quakers own him; and how do the Quakers own him as to his inward Ap­pearance? To be the True Light that Lighteth every man that cometh into the World.

And T. P. sayes, We say we own every Principle of the Christi­an-Religion. Is that become a Crime in this pretended Minister's Account? Its very probable it is so; for he tells his Reader, That our owning Christ, or any other Principle of Religion, to be a meer Mystical Romance; and that we own such a Christ as Ʋn­christ's Christ; such kind of Stuff and Matter as its like he has learned from Thomas Hicks the Forger (and the rest of his Bre­thren) he communicates to his Reader, instead of bringing plain Scripture to clear himself from his soul and blasphemous Charge of Sin to Christ. I need not much enlarge to prove we own Christ Jesus, or our selves Christians, seeing it never entred into the Hearts, nor was ever the Doctrine of any of the Leading-Quakers, as he terms them, to Deny Christ Jesus in any of his Appearances or Manifestations, whether within or without; and though Men in their prejudiced Spirits do judge us as Denyers of Christ Jesus: Yet be it known unto all, That we expect Salvation and Redemption by no other Thing or Means whatsoever, then by that Christ Jesus declared of and born witness unto in the Holy Scriptures: But if our Adver­saries, and men of corrupt Minds, who are satisfied in their [Page 19]Bed-ridden Performances, and their Duties Fly-blown with Sin cannot believe us, be it known unto them, That we never did go about to impose a Belief upon any without inward Conviction; but we still did and do commit our Testimony to the Witness of God in the Consciences of all men, knowing that it is God only that can perswade the Hearts of men and Women to love the Truth, and to walk in Subjection thereunto.

The next thing I shall take notice of is in the 6th page of my Adversary's Book, his words are these; They acknowledge such a Christ as Ʋnchrists Christ; for his Proof he hath these words, They deny him to be God Man in one Person, they deny him to be a Distinct Person from the Person of the Father, and they deny him also to be a Distinct Person from any of his Mem­bers.

We own God, the man Christ Jesus, by whom God will judge the Secrets of all Hearts, and the true Unity and Fellowship, as they owned them that writ the Scriptures, howbeit we con­fess, both that Christ after the Flesh was born of the Virgin Mary, yet is God over all blessed forever, that the Father is greater then the Son, and yet one; and that Christ is Head and Lord of his People, yet one with his People; but for T. P's School-Distinctions, and School-Gibberish we shall not trou­ble our selves therewith; for his Words are not according to the Form of sound Words laid down in the Scripture, yet he pretends the Scripture to be his Rule.

If any desire further Satisfaction concerning us in the mat­ter above hinted at, they may peruse these Books entituled, The Divinity of Christ asserted; The Christian-Quaker; and Quakerism a new Nick Name for old Christianity.

And for his saying, that it had been better for me to have en­tituled my Book, No Christ but Conscience; and in this, said he, thou wouldst have been true to thy principle. Here's a notorious Untruth; for we never preacht such a Christ as could be defi­led with sin; but Conscience may be defiled, and may be sear­ed, and if this be his State, Wo and misery will be his Portion, notwithstanding his Imagination of Christ's Righteousness to be his, and his Sin Christ's. And to proceed he saith and avou­ches [Page 20]that the Discourse between us, save a passage or two was feigned, page 6. of his Pamphlet; in which he saith, I relate this as our greeting one another, i. e. you Quakers hold damna­ble and erroneous Doctrines; And to prove him a L — in this I refer my Reader to the 3d page of my Book, and the Title of that part of the Discourse which passed between us; my words are these, Something of a Discourse, &c. not all, nor yet our greeting; for he having formerly given me a Book, wherein he pretends he discoursed the Devil? and that he had almost perswaded him to believe he was the true God; the thing seemed to be fictious; but however, I asked him, whether the thing was real? and whether he had seen the Devil? if he had, after what manner? he said, He was cloathed with black like a Mini­ster; I queried, how he knew that he was the Devil? he said, he asked him whether he created the Heavens and the Earth; and he said, Yea, and you too; by this (said he) I knew him to be the Devil: my answer to him was this, how doth this prove him to be the Devil? for he that did create the Heavens and Earth, and gave man Life, Breath and Being was and is the true God; but T. P. said, He told me also, that him whom I and the greatest part of the World worshipped was not the true God, and by this also I knew him to be the Devil: How doth this prove him to be the Devil? wast not thou at that time in Distraction? he said, he w [...]s, then said I, thou couldst not worship the true God; for a man must first know him before he can worship him; & then he in his Fierceness breaks forth and said, You Quakers hold damna­ble and erroneous Doctrines: And though he saith, the Dis­course is fictious both in its Dependency, and in its Matter; yet I do affirm, that the Discourse that past between us, his Questions and my Answers, and my Questions and his Answers are placed in my Book according as they were spoken; and if I had done otherwise, it had been somewhat like that notable Forger Tho. Hicks, a man so much in his Esteem for his Dexterity in such matters, that he counted him a Divine in the presence of the People at his Meeting in Hartford Shire; but T. H. gives him the Lye, and in plain Words said, I am no Divine; if T. P. thinks that I have placed this passage of T. H. and his upon my [Page 21]Memory only, he will be mistaken; for I have it, and much more of that dayes work in writing from divers Persons who took it in short Hand from their Mouths.

One thing more I shall take notice of, that is, his telling his Reader, He durst not enter into Disputation with us on the Lord's Day, yet notwithstanding he sends me a Challenge to meet him (on that Day he calls the Lords Day) and procures T. Hieks to help him; the Words of his Chalenge I thought meet to insert, to the End that his Brethren might see what Attempts this late upstart Preacher, though in vain, doth make, who threatned, with one more, in one day, to shake our Foundation quite down, which is more then all his Brethren have, could, or ever shall dō. The Words of Thomas Powel's Challenge are, viz.

John Vaughton, I expect thee for to make good what thou hast fathered up on me next Sabbath Day at my Meeting in the Coun­try; I shall be sure to be there, and another with me, where I with him shall shake your Foundation quite down; for it is sandy, and I perceive you are upon your last Legs already; this day I go into the Country, being the 31. of August to prepare my self for expelling that Soul-damning Doctrine which thou hast vented in the poor Country; thy Friend Tho. Powel.

By this People may see the notorious Falsness of this man, who challenges me into the Gountry, & yet would insinuate into his Reader, that we assaulted him, dog'd him, and followed him into all places, when I can truly say, that since this Controversie hath depended between us, that neither I, nor the Friends concern­ed with me, have followed him into no other place but publick Meetings; but the Spirit of Cain having entred him, from whence his Fear comes, which makes him to say, he dare not go alone.

Now you Divines of his way consider, whether Tho. Powel be a Gospel-Minister, or a false Prophet, and (take his own Phrase) run on the Devil's Errand? But for our Foundati­on, it stands sure, notwithstanding his Attempts, and the Skir­misher's too.

I have also taken Notice of a Marginal Note in Page 6. of his Book, his Words are these, Reader, if thou believest that [Page 22]this Discourse passed between J. V. and my self, thou must value his Memory at an high Rate; but I am apt to think that his Me­mory is as fallible as yours and mine, though he had the Confidence to tell me that he was perfect: A Forger indeed, I never told Tho. Powel that I was perfect; he would insinuate into his Rea­der, that the Discourse was feigned, from his Supposition of the Fallibility of my Memory, his Thoughts of the Fallibleness of my Memory is no Proof of the Discourse feigned; and for the Fallibility of his Memory I have an Instance, that he said, I told him I was perfect, which Words he never had from my Mouth; for we preach not our selves, but Christ Jesus; and the Doctrine of Perfection is the Doctrine of Christ, and they that oppose it are Anti-christ, and the State of Sanctification, through the Spirit of God, I do believe is attainable on this Side the Grave; for I do declare that I have no Faith in the Papist Purgatory, though our Adversaries number us amongst them: And in page 7. he notes me for a Lyar, in saying he said, Burn the Bible; hear his Proof. Mr Bye my Witness doth also attest, that as far as he remembers, I said no such Word, but away with the Bible, which was the Words I spoke, I very well remember. Must the fallible Memories of T. P. and his Witness go for a Proof, and I from thence termed a Lyar; no such Matter, for I have a Witness that heard, and can very well remember that T. P. said, Burn the Bible more then once or twice. And in page 10. he avoucheth, That one of the Quakers Principles is, that all except themselves shall be confounded and damned; this he brings for the Vindication of his former Assertion that he had given in the Name of the Quakers, in Answer to a young Man that put this Query, Seeing you are but a People of about 25 Years standing, and you say that your Way is the right Way, what be­came of the People that dyed before you were a People? they (said T. P.) believe they are all damned; This he would not have imputed to his Envy and Malice, but to his Judgment, and that Judgment (he saith) is grounded from an underiable Consequence, that resulteth from several Phrases scattered up and down in their own Books; one that he mentions is this, that their Way is the only Way; Now how doth this prove, that our Saying Christ Our [Page 23]Way is the only Way, to be determined as our Belief, that all that dyed before we were a People are damned? for we do be­lieve the Way of God, which is but one, was in all Generati­ons, and that there was a Remnant that walked in this Way, and found Acceptance with him, and this Way was and is Christ, who is the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and this Light is not Conscience (as he would wickedly insinuate) but it shines in the Hearts and Consciences of all the Sons and Daughters of Men, to discover and make manifest those Things that are Evil; and they that receive it in this its Manifestation, come to know the Power and Sufficien­cy of him who said, I am the Light of the World, he that be­lieves in me shall not abide in Darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.

And my Adversary talks of several Quakers Books, yet he sayes, He hath but one Quakers Book in his Study, i. e. a Ca­techism of G. F. and (he sayes) it's to his Purpose, he quotes it thus, ‘Quest. Father, Are Jews, and Gentiles, and Chri­stians that do not believe in the Light, that which doth enlight­en every Man that cometh into the World, all out of him who is the Life, the Light of Men? Answer, Yea Child:’ From these Words this passionate Man falls a railing, and sayes, It's a Hellish Book, and that the Principles contained in G. F's Catechism are Principles that the Devil in Hell hath hatched; ergo, Soul-damning Principles. Principles that are of the De­vil's making, or hatching, as he phrases it, are Soul damning; but that G. F's Words are of the Devil's hatching, that I deny; for they are in themselves safe and sure; for how can People be in him, i. e. Christ the Light, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and not believe in him? and if not in him, then out of him; and this is no wayes to his Purpose (as he said it was) to prove that we believe that all were damned that were before we were a People, or that our Principles are Soul-damning: And now I come to my Adver­versary perfect Confirmation of his Assertion (as he calls it) which seems to be very fictious; but however hear it, page 8. he saith, For a perfect Confirmation of my Assertion, viz. [Page 24] That the Quakers do hold, that all who dye not in Belief of their Principles shall be damned; see in this ensuing Relation that I shall stand by; Once a Maiden-Acquaintance of mine was courted by a zealous Quaker, who during the Time he was Suitor, had prevailed with her to go with him to hear his Friends, scil. Qua­kers, and that once or twice; at last he demandeth of her how she liked them? she answered worse and worse, which occasioned him to break off from her, and withall to say, that if she heard any other, she would certainly be damned. Would T. P. and his Brethren have their Faith and Principles be concluded and determined Damnable from the Words of one Man? Certainly no, and that such an one as they have not so much as the Know­ledge of his Name; but this is perfect Confirmation (as he calls it) not to mention his imperfect Ones) But I shall at this Time leave it amongst his Fly-blown Stuff. And he tells his Reader, He hath preached almost three Years for only Charges defrayed: But I may take Leave to tell him, that that doth not clear him from preaching for what he could get; but if his Charges were so great every time he went into the Country, as it was that Day he met with the Country-Priest he told me of, and two of his Companions at a Tavern, where after their Friendship, threatned to kill him for preaching against the Pa­pists; and as they were going to have him to the Place of Exe­cution, which was upon a Bed he having about five Pounds in his Pocket, as he himself related, it tumbled out, of which he said, It was as the Ram that appeared for the saving of Isaac, to save him from being executed by them; for after they perceived his Money, they consulted and agreed to save his Life; but it may be supposed, if this Story of his be true, that he had ta­ken so much of the Vintner's sweet Wine that he was not in his Right Senses; for he also said, They put him into a Coach, and set him down at the Stocks Market London, and that he knows not the Persons, Tavern nor Street where this thing was done.

To his Reader I take notice of these Passages, where he saith, viz. The Father accounted Christ a Sinner — and that the Father punished his Son, or inflicted Punishment upon his Son—Sin [Page 25]set the Father against Christ—that Christ's Sufferings are penal—God the Father punishing his Son—and that Christ suffered justly. For these Sayings, I desire thee, or any of thy Di­vines to give me plain Scripture for, seeing you call it your Rule; and give us no more your Corrupt Meanings upon it, neither your Feigned Humble Conceiving, nor Vain Imagination, but let it be plain Scripture it self.

Here follows some of T. P's brief seasonable, soul-affectionate and good Advice, as he calls it, unto the Principal Leaders of the Quakers, &c. O profligate flagitious Wretches! that must imbrue your Hands in the Blood of Souls, that you cannot go to Hell alone, but you must have Company with you—O ye Pro­mulgaters of Errors—Leaders of a great many to Hell, &c. This with much more Stuff that is fly-blown with Sin, as he saith his Holy Duties are, who also sayes, Our Books have Croaking Toads, and Creaking Vipers, that swarms therein, &c. Which Expressions of his savour more of Railing Rab­shekah's spirit, then of the Meek Spirit of Jesus.

Thomas Powell, thou in thy Postscript having desired us to clear our selves from those notorious Lyes and Forgeries that thou hast charged us with; I have done it, and do return them upon thee and thy Witness, with the rest of thy Confederates, to whom they do belong.

And T. P. as to the Promise that Thomas Hicks hath made thee, it will be unsafe for thee to give Credit to it, or to con­side in it; for that which he hath promised thee is a Work too ponderous for him, to wit, to prove the Quakers No Christi­ans, and their Religion a Cheat; for Gog and all his great Army cannot do it. Moreover, Thomas Hicks of all men should cease boasting of what Help he will minister to thee or others, seeing he hath undertaken more Work of his own already, then himself or any other that he has brought for his Assistance could perform; the Task he hath already undertaken lieth still at kis Door.