THE true Quaker, is loving, kind and respectful to all his Fellow Mortals, the false ones, or them that would be call'd Quakers and are not so: Are proud and high minded, greedy after Gain, fond of Places of Profit and Honour; —and when they are got therein, they are very apt to begin to Lord it over their Fellow Creatures: Nay! and to blame them without a just Cause and be­lie them also I think.

THE true Quaker cannot have Unity with such and likewise findeth a Necessity to reprove them, or shew his Dislike to them; nay! let it be in what Society of People it may be in the World.

FOR let it be in what Society of People it may, the true hearted honest People cannot have Uni­ty with them.

I have often considered the End and Tendency of Talebearing, Wispering and Backbiting, and have observed the evil Fruits and Effects thereof among Friends Neighbours and Relations.

IT is not possible for Neighbours, Friends and Relations, nor for any Society of People to live together in Unity, Friendship and good Neigh­bourhood, while there goeth up and down a Tale­bearer among them, a Wisperer among them; they are Numbered by St. Paul in his Epistle, Romans chap. the first verse the 29, 30. With the worst of Sinners, and Slomons Testimony is: [Page 3] That the false Witness that speaketh Lies, and him that soweth Discord among Brethren, is one of the Six Things that God hates; and is an Abomina­tion to him, Proverbs the 6, 19. So they are Authors of much Mischief, and are in inconsistant with Peace, and where these Sort of Evildoers are en­tertained, their Words make Wounds not easily cured or made up.

No Man living hath it in his Power to say, that he can preserve his Reputation, while there are so many evil Tongues in the World ready to blast the fairest Character, and so many Ears open ready to receive the Report.

As Peter Harvey said my Countinance showeth that I was no Friend:

The Twenty-eight of the Fifth Month 1764.

Friends if to print the Truth is a Crime or Breach in our Discipline, it is more then ever I know of, for if Men of deep or large Understanding be hin­dered by Men that may not have so large, seemeth to me not to be reasonable; and Men of less Un­derstanding, may cast their Mite into the Trea­sury without being hindered,

BUT if any Print, that which is wrong or false, I think the Law, Reason, and Decipline is or ought to be open against them.

But my Cause is something wide from that, for I saw no way to clear myself of those Falshoods and Lyes, but by printing; for after I had sent so many Letters to some of them, to come and clear Matters that they had charged, or accused me wrongfully, they would not.

I will bow before the most high GOD, whom I have fallen short to, and not to Man, that I have given no just Cause of any Offence to the best of my Understanding.

Some short Account of one of the Boys Behaviour towards me, that my Cows Milk help to breed up one Summer; For after he grew up, I gave him several Favours and Kindnesses; But at last he be­gan to take Things, or encroach on me, and signi­fied he would have them, and if hindred him, he would clap a Writ on my Back: But whether he applied for a Writ I know not: But he made his Complaints to some others that thought they had Authority, but had not.

Our great LORD and Law-Giver, said to his Followers: In the world you shall have Trouble, but in me Peace.

BUT my Case or Complaint is of false Brethren, them that Charged or accuse me falsely, and in­stead of endeavouring to put a Stop or hinder them, that hath encroached on my Rights and Privileges, they have encouraged them therein.

HE that wrote the History of the Devil, said the Devil is got into Men very much now adays;—I think so too—otherwise I should not have been accused falsely, so often as I have been.

As our valuable Friend Thomas Choakly preach­ed that the Devils Kingdom was a tottering King­dom, though it had a many Props; so I intend to give some blows at that great Prop;—lying,—That which I take to be one of the biggest of them.

I think my Kinsman Peter Harvey, is very much to blame, for looking through the wrong end of [Page 7] the Magnifying-Glass so often, to wit. When he looketh at other People's faults.—And Edward Catril was as much to blame for looking through it;—when Peter handed it to him to look at my Faults.—For by that and Prejudice in his Mind was the Reason that he Thought that he saw a great Fault, when there was none.

I am one whom prosperous Lot extoles not high,

Nor much discompos'd by cross Adversity.

I am in some hopes my Kinsman Harvey, and Catril, White and Wollman, hath done throwing their Squibs at me; for they are as still as my School Boys.

Touching my Reputation.

THOUGH I have loved my Reputation and have been vigilant, not to lose or impair it by my own default or neglect; yet I have looked upon it as a pritty Thing, a Thing that the Devil aims to hit in a special Manner.—A Thing that is much in the Power of a false Report, a mistake.—Notwith­standing all my Care I am at the Mercy of others, without GOD'S wonderful Overruling Providence. And as my Reputation is the Esteem that others have of me; so that Esteem may be blemished without my default.—I have therefore always taken this Care, not to set my heart upon my Reputati­on. I will use all Fidelity and honesty and take care it shall not be lost by my Default. And if notwithstanding all this my Repution be soiled by evil or envious Men or Angels; I will patiently bear it and content myself with the Serenity of my own Conscience.

Query. But Buffin is there no Balm in Gilead, [Page 8] Buffins ANSWER, Yes: But my Controversy is with them that is for healing or Skinning a Wound over and not search it to the Bottom; the which I can't no ways consent unto; for I think they are Surge­ons of no Value, so I am forced to contend with them.

I could give you a large Account, how there are some that are going to make Use of that knoty hollow deceitful Tree that I mentioned in my first Book, for all Pillar in a great House or Church. But I think, they that choose that have no better Judgement then I had formerly, when I saw but one Side of it, or it is a Sign that good Stuff is scarce.

It seemeth to me by KING SALOMON sayings, there are two Sorts of Fools. I think them, that are proud lorded over their Fellow Creatures and belie them, are one Sort

And as some in our Soceity hath gone wide from that humble meek Spirit, that our former Friends were in the Practice off. I find it my Duty to reprove such; and I hope it will be of some Service or Benefit to them, that are unborn, as well as to some now adays. And as the great Man from Town, said to me, that I was of an en­vious and malicious Spirit; and Peter Harvey sent me Word, that if I was in a Strait for Money to go on with printing, he would help me to some. So both of them was Encouragement for me to go on with Printing; as for my being of a malicious Spirit, I say so far as I know myself I, am not

BUT find myself deeply engaged to reprove [Page 9] them, that hath encroached on my Land, done their utmost endeavour to defame my Reputation, and belie me also.

EXPLANATION of my being a Surgeon; is that some hath been very urgent in perswading of me to burn all my Writings and Printings, the which is a Thing I cannot anyways consent unto: untill some that hath blamed me without a Cause, and charged me falsely; are brought to own their Fault, or make out their Charge against me to be true; that which I compare to healing a Wound over, and not search, or cleanse it at the bottom.

As for William Jones and his Children, they not saying what Part of my Book they could not understand; so I cannot Explain it to them: But I am able to Explain all to Men of Understanding.

My Friends I here think proper to mention some few Verses out of the History of the Devil:—And are as followeth:

To wit, for several Years past I have been very Conversent with him, and thought he was my real Friend. But alas! He was so much inclin'd to hold with the strongest Side, (as he thought) or rather with the Multitude:—Though the Truth is always the strongest.

I will praise and extole the most High, who hath fed me with food convenient; and preserved me out of many Dangers: Who hath favoured me with a good Understanding, down to this very Day.

I desire to leave something as a Caution to the next Age, that they may be careful how they Lord it over their Fellow Creatures: Least they should be as badly off as they that hath strove to degrade my Reputation.

It is a Comfort now in old Age, that I have not been fond, or proud of Places of Honour, or Profit; though I have been in several Offices, both in Church and State,—or Town duties: And so far as I know myself I have not been lifted up in my Mind,—when I had them, but zealously concern'd that I might be faithful therein. I remember when the Meeting requested of my Brother in-Law John Harvey to take the Office of Overseer of our little [Page 11] Meeting, that he was very loath, and said that he was not a quarter fit or it.—I think his Son is not half a quarter fit for that weighty Affair.—I soon spoke from his proud hectering and false Expressi­ons to me, and concerning me soon after that he was put in the Office of Overseer.

My Friends,—I here acquaint you of some few of Peter Harvey's quibbling Answers to some of my 13—Queries that I requested him to Answer, being mostly Subjects that he had blam'd me.—The Re­mainder of them, I omit now for Brevity, they may be seen at my House in Writing. After a considerable deal of Pains taken by me, to bring him, he came, and said he came, because he had said that he would meet me, and not on any other Account.

My first Query, why I may not ask a reasonable Price for my Bricks without being blam'd by thee, and at the same Time blam'd me for not telling of a Lye.

His Answer to the first Query was, if evil or wicked Men ask an unreasonable price of a Neigh­bour for a Thing that he wanteth? he would leave it to any but Knaves or Fools to be Judge whether it was right or no, twice said over.

Second Query, why I may not leave a Smith that I look on no better then a Thief without being blam'd by thee?

His Answer. As the Smith was a poor Man, I ought not to leave him, my Custom might be of Service or Benefit to him, and my leaving of him, might be a Hurt to his Reputation.

Query the 5th. What Reason can thou give, for [Page 12] Charging me of being hard hearted one First Day, just after we came out of Meeting, in the Hearing of other People?

Answer the 5th. It might be as well if he had not said it: His Reason Was he saw, I looked angry.

7th. Query, What Reason can thou give for com­paring me to a dum Devil, and say at the same Time, that you had been too slack or you had turn'd me off before now.

The seventh Answer. His Reason, that I would not speak to him once, with an Account of Tho­mas Middleton and his Son in Laws differing.

Query the 8th. What Reason can thou give for saying another Time that I was no better then a dum Devil.

His Reason, that I was of a dark, dark, dark Spirit; no other Reason.

The Tenth Ouery, I desire to know whether thou hath done thy endeavour to bring Edward Catril, to make out his false Charge against me.

Answer, He had asked him to come, but he refused.

The Twelfth Query, Please to make appear wherein I have ever wronged Man, Woman or Child in my Life, if thou can.

He and his Friend said, they did not Charge me of wronging any Body.

The foregoing, are some of Peter Harveys E­quivocating quibbling Answers to some of my Queries on the 30th. of the 10th. Month, 1762.

How glad could I have been, to live in Peace and Love with all my Fellow Mortals. But I could not, by being blam'd so often without a Cause, and denounced also.

It is said in the History, that the Devil doth not know what is to come, (I think so too) or at least he did not let Edward Catril know, that I would print his and others Falsehoods, though some of his Servants makes great Pretence thereunto, as Fortunetelling, &c. &c. And I think he deceived Peter Harvey, when he caused him to say, that I was of a dark, dark, dark Spirit, and that he saw by my Countenance that I was no Friend, &c. &c.

I have seen Edward Catril loitering about the Street several Times, it is said, if the Devil findeth a Man idle, he will set him on Work: I think he set Catril at Work, when he said that which was false of me; Tattler, why don't thou tell Peter Harvey of it: Buffin he heard him say it, and did nor blame him for it.

A short discourse between S—S. and P—H—S said Buffin had advertised for printing the third Time P.—If he doth print he must he disowned spedily. S—that wont do, for he hath charged one in your Meeting with Lying, let them be brought Face to Face first; and clear up that first, before you complain to the Meeting against him again.

It was enough formerly in New-England, if one said thee to on Person, to send him to Prison and whip him also: It was enough in old England formerly, if one would not pull off his Hat nor take the Oath, to send him to Prison and punish them also: And now in Degree, it is allmost as bad a­mong [Page 14] some of us, or I should not have been blam'd for asking a reasonable Price for what I had to tell, nor for Leaving a Smith I misliked nor complaint made against me to the Meeting, for hindering one for Encroaching on my Land, nor have been compared to a dum Devil, nor have been threatned to be dackt of my Portion if it was in his Power so to do, nor be judged by my Countenance that I was no Friend.

It is said, in addresing a Person hold not thy Mouth so near him as to bedew him with thy Breath: Yet Edward Catril had no more Manners the first Time he came to my House, as to hold his Mouth so near mine, that his Breath was in­tolerable to be boren by me, and several others almost as bad; especially, when that Word dum Devil came out against me.

It can't be reasonably expected that I should have much edifying or doctrinal Work, I being called chiefly to reprove Talebearers, Whisperers, Backbiters and Lyars.

I look on it, that there is a Disscretionary Power to be made use of in Discipline; but I heard a Friend preach, that some would stick to Discipline so close, that they would merely split a Hair: But none hath ever made it appear to me, where­in I hath ever made a Breach in Discipline, though I think myself able to make it appear wherein several hath falsely accused me, or at least I know it to be so.

Conformity is in high account now adays, but let our Zeal for Conformity be never so great; it is he, that ordereth his Conversation a right that shall see the Salvation of GOD, and not to pin our Faith on others Sleeves as compared to.

A short Discourse between a Doctor and a Law­yer. Doctor, I think Peter Harvey and Catril, are got Purs proud, if I had them to physick and purge, I would endeavour to Remedy that. Law­yer, it Buffin would employ me, I would endea­vour to drean them both; especially for calling his Writings Libels, and defaming the Tittle of his Land. Tattler, I think Buffin will have a Writ on Catrils Back if they turn him off as Harvey hath it. And as for Harvey, I think he hath paid him pritty well for his Falshoods, to wit, in his Printing. As Peter said to Buffin that the Phila­delphia Friends thought Catril and Noble were as notable Friends as any we had amongst us. I think if there is no notabler Friends among us, then they are, I think the Lord will not spare us long, if they conduct to others as they have done to Buffin, O! that I could find some faithful up­right zealous honest Men, that would do their ut­most Endeavour to find out the Lying deceitfull Men, and bring them to Justice that keep snarling at me, because I oppose them in their Lying.

Or at least what I find of them, I never yet [Page 16] could find out the Reason of their Defaming my Reputation, the Tittle of my Land and belying me also.

I was a Man formerly that entertained a many notable publick Friends and others at my House, and was willing to spend and be spent: And now I am as willing to spent and be spent, in Reprov­ing some of this new false Generation that hath belyed me.

I have been obraided of having one Foot in the Grave some Years ago; I now acquaint you, he that said so, hath got one Eye in the Grave com­paratively speaking.

I understand that Peter Harvey would have sent to the Monthly Meeting in Writing, that all was well at our small Meeting, only some received John Buffins Books. But some that had a little more Sense would not alow of it.

So my Friends, I knowing Time is short to all of us on this teristical Globe, I am willing to leave some Thing after in my Days are over in this World, that People may be careful and not to lord it over these Fellow Mortals.

My Friends, I had some Seeds of a fine Fruit, as reported, that came from Philadelphia, that was extoled for healing new or old Wounds or Sores; but alas my Friends! I found no more help or benefit by them, then I did by the two extoled Friends that came from thence, though that Fruit did me no Harm, though I think the other hath or would if they could. One asked me whether I did not preach sometimes? and another, why I did not preach? I think I do of [Page 17] late by Books. But my Lot is mostly in the way of Reproof to them in our Society, as hath been the Lot of publick Friends formerly as well as of late.

My Friends, I here acquaint you that I was a married Man 38 Year and Nine Months, I don't remember that my Wife gave me a cross or angry Word in any of that Time; and she was a han­som notable and industrious Woman, and could talk as well as others, though some Women thought she could not by Reason, she did not scold some­times.

As Peter Harvey said to me, that my Coun­tenance showed I was no Friend, I think that there was somebody saw as far into him, or he ought not to have wrote on his Gate; this is the Way to Judas his House, nor to have wrote on the other Side of the Road: This is the Way to Peter Harveys brason GODS.

My Scholars are not come to their Speech again, neither have they turn'd me out of the School as yet. So no more Account of them, until the next.