Minifters taken by Force, within thefe fifty Years, 1713. from fuch as for Confcience Sake, could not put it into their own Mouths; and then War has been proclaimed against thofe poor Sheep. Well, let the Righteous judge, not the Self-Righteous (I do not mean them) but those which are cloathed upon with the Righteousness of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as he wrought it outwardly for them, and alfo as he works it by his Holy Spirit, in their Hearts.

Next to his 3dly, Touching Government and Magiftrates, which the People called Quakers eyer owned and honoured in their Way, though they could not cringe, fcrape and bow, after the common Mode of the finful Times, nor give Titles to them in Flattery: But we reckon that thofe Magiftrates that are a Terror to Hypocrites and Evil-doers, ought to have a hearty inward Refpect and Honour shown them generously in Action and courteous Expreffion, and not in a Parcel of Idle Complimemts. Such Magi

ftrates as the above, were never a Terror unto us, but we have bleffed God on their Behalf in our Solemn Affemblies publickly, and also often in the Secret of our Souls privately; and many times prayed for our Perfecutors alfo. I wifh this Prieft be not too much inclining to fuch. May his Eyes be open'd!

He goes on, and endeavours to animate and ftir up the Magiftrates to Perfecution, by infinuating, that those who for Confcience Sake cannot give any Thing to the Prieft, are evil, unjuft and wicked Perfons; who, notwithstanding, take them in a general Way, and their Converfations are as juft as the brightest of their Church Members, as divers of themselves are forced to acknowledge.

If for this Testimony to our Innocency, any should imagine we boaft, it is he, and fuch as he, that are the Occafion of this confident Boasting, and we have our great Apoftle, even Paul, for our Example,

Now

1713.

Now I hope the Magiftrates will take Care not to perfecute the Juft, but to turn the Edge of their Swords against the Evil-doers; and then doubtless they will not bear their Swords in vain, and let the Edge of it be as fharp and keen as it will, we fear it not: For against true Men there is no Law (which is upon a just Bafis or Foundation) that will harm them.

I tenderly and lovingly, as a Minister of Jefus Chrift, and true Lover of good Government, exhort and warn all Magiftrates to be careful to keep within their own Province For Confcience is none of theirs; it is the peculiar Province of Jefus Chrift; the great Territory of the King of Kings, and Judge of the Quick and Dead; and he will render unto every Man a Recompence.

I once

Now if Confcience were only a Cloak for Covetoufnefs, it ought to be ftript off, but it is plain that cannot be our Cafe: For we lofe much more by our Denial (and fometimes a great deal more, than as much more) by our not paying freely, as is above-faid. But we may (I hope) prefume that the Magiftrates know their Duty, without being taught it from the Pulpit; I would have no free-fpirited Magiftrate to let Priests ride them For if they do, it is to be doubted they will ride them to Death: For perfecuting Men of their Cloth, seem to have but little Mercy. heard a Prieft fay to a Couple of Juftices (a Church of England Preacher for Money, but as himself said to fome of his Neighbours, a Prefbyterian in his Heart) Do your Office, which was upon my poor Self, who had been preaching against Sin and Evil, according to the best of my Understanding (why what's the matter?) He has been preaching, fays the Prieft, in the Place not Licenc'd, and has broke the Law. Well, fays another Juftice befide the aforefaid two, Then you have broke the Law first, for you preached there before him; and tho' it was our Meeting by Appointment, yet we quietly

quietly heard him read his Sermon, and I dare fay, he 1713. never had quieter Hearers in all his Days than we were.

And indeed Reading is the general Practice of fome modern Teachers, far from the Practice of Chrift, the Apoftles, and primitive Chriftians, when Chriftianity fhone in its primitive Beauty and Glory, and when Christians depended more upon the Gift of the Holy Ghoft (or Spirit) and lefs upon natural Parts and human Inventions, which is worthy of the folid Confideration of all true Chriftians.

I have alfo obferved that those Magiftrates which have joined with perfecuting Priefts, in perfecuting Men of fober Lives and Converfations for their religious Diffent and Perfwafion, that they have not profpered; and many fober People, not of our Society, have taken notice of the fame. This is offered to the ferious Confideration of Men of high Degree (in Reverence and great Humility.)

And tho' . M. flatters the Magiftrates, telling them, they bear the vifible Image and Character of Gods, in order to flatter them into a perfecuting Spirit, yet I hope, and belive, that he will not find many Magiftrates nor Minifters of his Mind: For if all the Magiftrates and Ministers in N. E. were as much for Perfecution as he seems to be by his writing, what might ll those expect, who differ from the Prefbyterian Way in N. E. if they had Power? But bleffed be God, I certainly know that there are divers moderate People, who are against Perfecution, even amongst the Prefbyterians in New-England.

In his Page 7th, he fays, In Cafe of People's Defect in this Matter (of paying for Preaching) legal Compulfion is the only Remedy (What no other Remedy?) and must be used, otherwife Religion, which is a People's Life, will feon fall to the • Ground.'.

Anf. Where will his Doctrine land? What, cannot Chrift uphold his Church without the Magistrates?

The

1713. The Religion of Chrift, the Apoftles, and primitive Chriftians, ftood, and ftands yet, without being supported by the civil Magiftrates. What, has he got fome new Religion, which cannot ftand without the outward Power? But it feems fome of the N. E. Ministers reckon that they muft fall, if the Magiftrates do not uphold them. They (i. e. the Magiftrates) are, fays J. M. the Keepers of both Tables.

Anf. But I thought that God had been the Keeper of his People, and Chrift the Shepherd of his Sheep, and the Holy Ghoft the Comforter of them; I thought this Infinite Being had been the great Preferver of Men in Religion.

In his 8th Page, he brings divers Texts of Scripture to prove the Power of the Magiftrates, which we never denied, especially when he exercifes his Power and Anthority to the Terror of Evil-doers and the Praise of them that do well. And at the latter End of the faid Page be fays, From the whole I conclude, with Submiffion to better Judgments, that it is War• rantable from Scripture, and agreeable to the Doctrine and Practice of Chrift and his Apoftles, for the Laws aforefaid to be put in Execution,'

Anf. But alas! this is all befide his Affertion; his Bufinefs was to prove a legal forced Maintenance for Gofpel Minifters, or elfe he doth nothing. What! hath he been travelling through all his Pages, and brought forth nothing but this windy Doctrine at laft? He speaks of Submiffion to better Judgments, and I would have him, if he dare to do it, fubmit to the Judgment of Chrift and his Apoftles, who I think have fairly decided the Question in favour of the poor abufed Quakers, that it is not according, but contrary to the Language of the Holy Ghoft, in the Holy Scripture, that Gofpel Minifters Maintenance fhould be forced by a coercive Power. From what has been faid, let all ingenuous Chriftian Readers judge.

In

In Page the 9th, Nevertheless, Jays he, if any Ar- 1713. guments can be produced from Scripture, or right Reafon, of greater Strength and Weight to prove the Negative, than there may be to maintain the Affirmative; I hope I fhall readily fubfcribe thereto.' Anf. A body would from thofe Expreffions almoft hope for a Recantation from him, efpecially if he feriously confiders the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles, as here noted at large.

But, faith be, till I receive further Light, Confcience commands me to conform to that Measure I have.'

Anf. He had beft to have a Care of the commanding. Power of an Evil Confcience.

He goes on, And while I do confcientiously conform to that Measure of Light within me, walking in Obedience to all its Commands and Directions."

Anf. But fuppofe that Light in him fhould be Darknefs, then, as Chrift faid, How great is that Darkness? As for certain, it is, when he goes about to prove that for Truth which is contrary to Chrift's Doctrine.

As to his faying, Then the Quakers must let fall the grand Article of their Religion.'

Anf. Let him seriously read over the first Chapter of John, as alfo many other Places of the Holy-Soripture on that Subject of the Light, and if he is not one of those which are blinded, perhaps he may be undeceived, and his grofs Miftake rectified. I hope he is careful of Preaching fuch Doctrine in his Pulpit.

A certain Church Member of the Prefbyterian Way in N. E. told me, that their Minifter told them in his Pulpit, That we deny'd the Bible or Holy Scripture. And made the poor Woman really believe it to be true, than which, nothing could be more false; but the honeft Woman thought the would try me. Was you, fays fhe, brought up among Quakers? Was your Father and Mother Quakers? Yes, faid I, they were fo called. And, fays he, would they fuffer you to read in the Bible

when