reader judge who gives the trueft honour to the fcripture, the bishop, or the people called Quakers? They, that fay, the fcriptures have a double record, that is, the evidence of the spirit of truth in the hearts of believers, as well as their own or the bishop, who, by his way of treating us, and our principle, will allow us no other evidence of their truth, but themselves? For to fay, the evidence of the fpirit of God, with that of the fcripture, make a double and agreeing teftimony, is, with him, to undervalue the fcripture,' and the ground, in his apprehenfion, of our strong delufions.' It must be my turn to pity the bishop, and truly I do it with all my heart, to fee him strain fo found, as well as inoffenfive an expreffion, as that which he makes the reafon of our delufion, that he might have an occafion to leffen our credit with the profeffors of Chriftianity, and especially Proteftants. Can it dishonour the fcripture, to affert the evidence of the principal and author of the fcripture, to back the authority of the fcripture? Or doth not be, rather, leffen the authority of fcripture, that will not allow us another evidence of the truth of fcripture than its own, for fear of co-ordinancy, which was not fo much as once intended to be infinuated by us, nor do the words import any fuch thing; yet it had been no strong, nor any, delufion at all, to give the Holy Ghoft the preference. But I fhall keep to the terms of the paper, whatever the bishop is pleafed to do; knowing that whoever concludes an argument in terms not in the question, nor plainly deducible from the premises, is not a fair dealer in controversy: in which the bishop, if he pleafes, may reasonably enough think himself more than once concerned. Bleffed be God, we have known the power and efficacy of this holy light and fpirit of Chrift in ourfelves; and being in good measure witneffes thereof, we do not only speak by report, but by experience. We had the fcriptures, in the days of our ignorance, and worldly-mindednefs; but difregarding the reproofs and inftruction of the light of Jefus in our hearts, we we never could come to know the power of those truths the fcripture declares of. But when it pleased God, in the riches of his love, to cause his blessed light, that had shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, to fhine out of darkness, and give us the knowledge of himself in the face (or through the manifeftation) of his Son Jefus Chrift, we faw and bewailed ourselves, and, by an unfeigned forrow and repentance, returned, as penitent prodigals, towards our father's houfe, and in this turn, we were brought to die daily to that love and fatisfaction we once had in the glory, pleasures, honours, friendships and diversions of the world, which now became burdenfome, more than ever they were pleafing to us. Hence it was, and from no finifter ends or felf-righteous conceits, that we became an altered and a diftinguished people, in our behaviour, garb and converfation; more retired, watchful, filent, and plain, than formerly; equally avoiding luxury and avarice. I fay, it was the work of God's spirit upon our hearts, who, by his light, gave us to fee the juft difference of things, and to diftinguish between that which pleased him, and that which pleased him not. And this holy pattern he gave us in the light of his beloved Son, which we design to follow, as did the holy ancients; and is a full answer to the bishop's unfriendly queries upon our distinguishing behaviour, in his 14th and 15th paragraphs, as if it were not out of fear towards God, or upon a confcientious bottom, but to serve a worldly turn? For he afks us,Is it not your main aim, end, and study, by pretended mortifications, to 'make yourselves a party confiderable?' Again, Are not to this purpose your different garb, fpeech, looks and gestures, and to make yourselves remarkable, rather than out of a sense of duty, or confcience of obligation? Which, as it is the worst conftruction that the most irreligious and prophane could make upon our behaviour, fo I befeech God to forgive the bishop, and make him fenfible how little fuch treatment of itrict and fober living advances the common caufe of reader judge who gives the ture, the bishop, or that fay, the fcri the evidence lievers, his v us no For to that of mony, is and the gr fore, des Bleffed be God, we have known the efficacy of this holy light and fpirit of Chri felves; and being in good measure witnesses we do not only speak by report, but by exper. We had the fcriptures, in the days of our ignoral and worldly-mindednefs; but difregarding the reproofs and instruction of the light of Jefus in our hearts, we before upon this fubject: and where the bis leave of the text, he muft excufe me if I to keep company with it. We did not enaper All Gospel-Truths," but "Gospelwhich extended fo far as we were taxed bout those truths: and yet he must have harity that will not allow a believer and hofe truths to be a Chriftian. Nor, inbishop given us the articles of faith he or fupprefs, or told us his own, or that he would have us receive, as I have dy. But that the bishop should foris to lay claim to the name of Chrif ill practise what he calls the feals or ty, (which divers churches in Chriftfes) is very uncharitable and dogles what I have faid at large in nce in that matter, he produces calls them either feals or badges. things that are fo reprefented nd his apostles, which he takes xvi. 24. where, they that difciples muft take up his Chrift's cross is a Christian's ip. Again, John xiii. 35. By this fhall all men know if ye love one another." 36. The diftinguishing t water-baptifm and the Penlition of the and pre-emine been already very He grows for he fays, In will answer al Chrift's tribunal, & • the entire Chripis of ed fhewn you to be and compaffion; bowels Chriftian feals or afraid of owning in their afflictions, viz. me meat: I was thirsty, per; or a ftranger, and ye retenfions, in all 'thed me: I was fick, ther I do not ea prifon, and ye came badge that will be t at the laft day : all which he is fo far of religion, and how much it indulges thofe, that know no reins or check to their exceffes, in his own church. But to go no farther than the bishop and his clergy, pray who diftinguish themfelves more by their garb from other people than they? Though I cannot fay as much of their behaviour. So, indeed, did the Chemarims, or Black-coats, of old, and thofe that wore long robes in our Saviour's time; but, as I take it, they went not without his cenfure, while I think the bishop will find none in fcripture against our plainness. But the bishop's pontifical robes, do, in my opinion, look much more like fingularity and a fight than ours; for our garb is like other mens, only freed of their fuperfluity. In fhort, I wish him a better understanding of the true grounds of our ftricter conduct, and where and who they are that make a trade of religion; that if he has any shot left against mercenary religionists, he may not miss the mark next time, but may make it his main aim, end, and study, to expofe hirelings and hypocrites in their proper colours: and fome are of opinion he need not go far to find too many of them. It is ftrange the bishop fhould be fo infenfible of the advantage he gives me by his queries, and what a wide door he opens to a fevere retaliation; but I defire to be modeft; and to be filent upon fuch advantages, is, I think, to be abundantly fo. Howbeit, I must take notice of one expreffion, for it may too feriously affect us not to be obferved to him. When he asks, If it be not our main end and study, by pretended mortifications, to make ourselves a party confiderable?' He adds, And fuch to which, for reafons of ftate, peculiar privileges must be indulged.' If this were not more than mockery, I fhould wave my notice; but calling the meaning of the government in queftion about the liberty of conscience we enjoy, he must forgive me if I beftow a few remarks upon that expreffion. It seems, then, our liberty flows not from the inclination of the government to liberty, lefs from compaffion, and leaft of all from |