MANY Strong Reasons CONFOUNDED, Which would hinder any reasonable Man from being A QUAKER; And Offences taken out of the Way. But particularly, four and twenty Arguments Over turned and Confuted; Put forth and sent into the World by Richard Baxter, a professed Minister; but a frequent Contender against the ways of God: And this is an Answer to a sheet of his cried up and down the streets in London as some excellent piece: But is proved to be full of Lies, Slanders and false Reproaches against an innocent People; and this is sent forth in the pursuit thereof, that people may not be deceived with every lying Monster which is brought forth to public view; but first let all things be tried, and only that which is good held fast.  
And this is for the satisfaction of honest people by a friend, E. B.  
London, Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1657.   

MANY STRONG REASONS CONFOUNDED, Which would hinder any reasonable man from being a QUAKER, AND Offences taken out of the way, &c.  
HOW long shall it be ere the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, and the measure of this generations iniquity be fulfilled, who rush into iniquity as a Horse into the battle, and who hastens to fill up the largest measure of iniquity of any generation that ever went before? Is it not plain and manifest to all people that have but an eye to see? How doth the wicked run on greedily, drinking up iniquity as an ox drinks water? How doth the Archers of Babylon shoot at the innocent, and makes the harmless their prey? But this is but for a moment, the end thereof is nigh, and because the devil's time is but short, therefore he is come down in rage, and hath filled the hearts of many people with raving envy and despite against the Lord and his people, whom the Lord is a gathering out of the mouths of all their enemies; and the serpent's seed it bruiseth the heel, but its head is deadly wounded by the seed of God.  
And whereas many hath set themselves in opposition against the Lord, and their work is become a stink and a proverb to be laughed at in generations to come, yet must not the wicked cease their wickedness till their measure be perfectly accomplished. And whereas Richard Baxter, a professed Minister in Worcestershire, known to many by his fruits to be a corrupt Tree which brings not forth good fruit, who sends out of his study lies and false reports, and vain arguments to blind the eyes of people that they may not see the truth, and hath written once and again against the people of God, which he in scorn calls Quakers, some of which writings hath been sufficiently answered, and his shame and folly seen openly by all people; yet he (as a man not weary of wickedness) hath sent forth a Paper, which he calls, A Sheet against the Quakers; wherein what was wanting of wickedness in his former, is now fully brought forth out of his vessel, (a malicious heart) which cannot contain within itself its rage, and fury, and madness against the innocent: but needs must his folly break forth openly, that all men may see it: And in this his foolish paper he hath twenty four reasons, which he saith, Moves him to conceive that no Christian or reasonable man should be a Quaker, or approve of, or excuse their way; now his Reasons we shall try. But first of all I say, It had been more honest for him to have made a sufficient Reply to have defended his former works, and cleared himself of his former lies and slanders truly charged against him, then to have past that slightly, and begin anew to revile; for that Book which he often mentions and boasts of, called, The Quakers Catechism, was sufficiently answered, and his folly laid open, by a friend to the truth, in a Book called, An Answer to the Quakers Catechism, to which Book he never equally replied to this day, which had been more honest to have cleared himself from what is truly charged against him in that answer, then to have begun afresh to reproach and speak wickedness; and this all people may consider of.  
1. His first Reason which he brings forth against the Quakers, is, That they deny and revile the Churches and Ministers of Christ; and yet saith he cannot tell indeed of any Church or Ministry which is to be preferred before those that they do despise.  
Answ. To this I answer, That is utterly false; for we do not deny the Church and Ministers of Christ, nor do revile them, or any others whatsoever, but speaks the truth in nakedness to all people: The Church of Christ we own, and are of it, which are gathered out of the world through the preaching of the Gospel, and separated from the world and all its works and ways, which are evil, and are joined to Christ the Head, in the Spirit, and one to another as members of Christ; and these are born again, and are redeemed out of the world, and are of the kingdom of Christ, and of his Church, and members of his body, and this we own to be a Church, and are of it, who hath no fellowship with darkness, nor no part with the practice of the works of darkness. And the Ministers of Christ we own, who have received the gift of the Ministry by the Holy Ghost, and exerciseth that gift by the Holy Ghost, whose call is from God, and their work of God, and their end alone his glory, such we own to be Ministers of Christ, and doth not revile or deny (as he falsely saith) such a Church, and such Ministers of Christ; but this we do, and without offence to God too, we do deny and bear our witness against such a people who professeth themselves to be a Church, and yet are in the pride, in the wickedness, and in the evil of this world, and not redeemed, cleansed, and separated from the works and iniquities thereof, such we do reprove for their hypocrisy, even all them that owns a title to a Church because they were sprinkled when they were Infants, and hath not another ground; and such who professeth themselves Ministers of Christ, who hath not received their Ministry by the gift of the Holy Ghost, neither are lead by the Spirit of Christ, but are such as Christ and the Apostles declared against, such we cannot own to be Ministers of Jesus Christ, but doth reprove them, and deny them, even such who preacheth for hire, and hath gifts and rewardt for preaching, and set-places for so much a year, these we disown, and yet doth not offend God herein: And this in honesty I do show to all people what that professed Church and professed Ministry is which we do deny, and what that Church and Ministry is which we do set up to be preferred, which is a right Ministry, and a right Church: And thus his reasonless reason is overturned and confounded, and is found to be no sufficient reason wherefore a man should not be a Quaker.  
2. His second reason is, No wise man can be a Quaker (saith he) because their Religion is an uncertain thing, and so is not the Religion that must save us, &c.  
I answer, This again is utterly false, and no man that hath God's wisdom would speak it; for our Religion which we profess is a certain thing, and we have openly declared it once and again, and this is it, To believe in Christ, and to receive Christ, and to be led by the spirit of Christ, and caught in all things to love God with all the heart, and a man's neighbour as himself, and through the power of Christ dwelling in man, to do all good, and to be kept from all evil: This in very short is our Religion, and it is a very certain and established Religion, and this Religion we all agree in: And this in short is the substance of our faith, Even Christ in us, believed on, and received by us: This is the truth, and his lies is judged; and if he say this is an uncertain Religion, let him give it under his hand, and subscribe to it, and he shall have a further Reply.  
3. His third Reason is, No man of reason ●hould be a Quaker, considering that amongst those scraps of their Religion which is made known, there is so much notorious falsehood and ungodliness, saith he.  
Ans. Let all Christian people mark this his Reason, they are even lies heaped one upon another: What secret slanders are these behind our backs, who never would clear himself of what is truly charged against him in answer to his Catechism? his words are turned by as utter lies: for that which we profess and practice for Religion, which we have made known by word and writing, is, uprightness, godliness, sincerity and truth, and neither notorious falsehood, nor ungodliness, as he wickedly saith: And why did not he make it appear what this notorious falsehood and ungodliness had been? that had been more honest then to cast his charges and prove nothing. And whereas he saith, The very person of Christ Jesus many of them doth blaspheme, &c. this is utterly false, for Jesus Christ have we owned and believed in only, and for his sake we do, and suffer hard things.  
4. His fourth Reason is, saith he, Because their false pernicious Doctrines, their practical Religion doth much consist in most notorious wicked injujustice and uncharitableness, &c.  
Ans. Here is lie upon lie uttered, and wickedness joined to wickedness, and drunk up as an ox drinks up water, and no conscience made thereof by Richard Baxter; it had been just to have mentioned these pernicious Doctrines, their practical Religion, injustice, and uncharitableness, and not to have slandered in the dark: but we are delivered by the Lord from all pernicious Doctrines and notorious wickedness whatsoever, and we find this false Reproacher guilty himself and his people, of what he accuseth the innocent: And so his words are 〈◊〉 unto himself, and upon his own head I turn them.  
●▪ His fifth Reason is, The worst of all, saith he, is, That they behave themselves like malignant enemies to the very Church, and Gospel, and Servants of Jesus Christ, &c.  
Ans. This man speaks as if he had sold himself wholly to lie: but my answer to his first Reason is sufficient to answer this also, and doth say, That the Cause, and the Church, and the Gospel and Servants of Jesus Christ we do fully and freely own, and are daily exercised therein as the very Servants of Jesus, and are friends thereof in our hearts, and doth not behave ourselves in any way as enemies thereunto: God will judge every lying tongue, and shall condemn our false Accusers guilty of that which they charge the guiltless, to reprove and bear witness against the wild, wicked, and rude conversations, and against such as have gotten the Saints words, and by art frame an hours discourse thereupon for so much a Sermon, or so much a year, to deny such to be a Church of Christ, and Ministers of Christ, this we do, and doth not behave ourselves like enemies to the Church, or Gospel, or Ministers and servants of Christ, as our Adversary wickedly saith.  
6. His sixth Reason, saith he, That part of the Quakers peculiar Religion which consists not in error and malignant impudence, is made up very much of it of childish and unreasonable foppery, &c.  
Ans. As I have said, No part of our Religion consists in error and malignant impudence, and as for that which he calls childish and unreasonable foppery, we stand not to man's judgement, for it is a small thing with us for to be judged of any man; for we do acknowledge that we are become fools for Christ's sake, and herein we have cause to glory, though he upbraid us with it; and it was such as he who called Paul a babbler, and that his Doctrine was madness, as he saith ours in foppery; and let him know, that which is foolishness with man, is wisdom with God; and we know God will confound the wisest of men by that which they may judge to be foolish, & unreasonable, & foppery; for to such who are lost our Gospel is hid, where the god of this world hath blinded their eye, as it is plain he hath done this our Adversaries, and that is the reason wherefore he hath sent forth such lying Scribbles from his study of wicked inventions; and let him make the best use of his wisdom he can, he can but serve the Devil with it, while his wisdom is sensual and divillish: And let him leave us to our childishness and folly, and let the issue prove whether is the safer guide.  
7. His seventh Reason is, saith he, Their malignancy doth blind them to make that the principal cause of their rage and reviling the Ministry which is plainly agreeable to the will of God, and necessary to the Churches good.  
Ans. This is false also; we are not blinded, but doth see Richard Baxter, and all such, to be out of the way of truth and peace: And as for rage, and reviling against the Ministers, that is false also, though indeed we do openly reprove deceivers; and we know it is not agreeable to the will of God, and necessary to the Churches good, though he saith it is, for Ministers of Christ to take tithes, or to have a 〈◊〉 ●●intenance; for never none of the Ministers of Christ that we read of in Scripture, either took tithes to maintain them, or had a set-maintenance; but all that Christ allows to his Ministers, is to eat such things as were set before them. And in that he saith, We liken them to covetous Priests among the Jews, that is true; to whom should we liken them but to them that practised the same things as they do? And I am sure there never was priests in any generation that were more covetous than these of England are, as in many particulars might be showed▪ for as the false prophets in Israel did, so do these in many things; and what the Ministers of Christ did, these do not: And whereas he pleads for tithes, never Minister of Christ did in the Gospel-administration claim the tenth of people's labours, nor none of the Ministers of Christ were maintained by tithes, but lived of the Gospel which they preached, which livelihood was not great sums of money, and compelling some of it too from the people by a Law; but the Churches ministered to the Apostles necessities, whom the Apostles had begotten to the faith, and planted them as a vineyard, and kept them as a Flock: But the maintenance of the Priests of England is another case, they must have so much a year, and people is bound to pay them, and sometimes so much a Sermon; and they maintain themselves in idleness, and fullness, and pride, and spend the Creation more than upon their necessities: But he saith concerning tithes, That tithes are the Churches, and not the peoples, and by the Law of the Land too. What the Law of the Land requires, which is just, we do own, and do not resist it, but obey it; but what the Law of the Land commands, which is contrary to the Law of God, as the Law is which commands to pay tithes; we cannot be obedient to it; for we read in the Hebrews, that Law which commanded to pay tithes, & take tithes in the old Covenant, is put to an end, and Christ the second Priesthood established, and the priesthood being changed, there was a necessity of change of the Law also which upheld the priesthood: Then whence is that Law of the Land which commands tithes of God, or ootherwise? judge ye, seeing the Scripture saith, The Commandment going before (viz. that gave tithes) is disannulled.  
8. His eighth Reason, The Quakers way is too cruel and uncharitable to be the way of God, they damn (saith he) the most humble, holy, faithful servants of God, to whom God hath promised life, &c.  
Answ. This is not the least of his lies, our way is Christ, and is neither cruel nor uncharitable, but pure, and holy, and zealous against all sin, and cannot bear and suffer iniquity, but reproves it; neither do we damn any, but warns all to repent, to be humble and lowly, that they may have the promise of life; and we sharply reprove sin, and deceivers, and deceit, and this makes the men of this generation mad, and calls it cruel and uncharitable, whenas we do but warn them of their sins▪ showing them if they live in sin they perish, and if they repent and turn to God, they shall be saved; and God hath given us the spirit of discerning, and by their fruits we do know a child of God from a child of the devil, and herein do establish the Gospel, and not repeal it, though he falsely saith so; neither do we condemn any who fear the Lord, in any thing they do, or speak in his fear, but with such we have unity, who walks in uprightness in the midst of a malicious world, and perverse generation, as this is.  
9 His ninth Reason, saith he, After all their sins they most impudently 〈◊〉 a sinless perfection, &c.  
Ans. What such as are in darkness doth conceive of us, and so utters, it matters not; but many of us do witness that Christ hath done away our sins, and in him we are complete through faith, in which we are perfect without sin, and it is not of ourselves; and that perfection we exhort all to press after, that they may be perfect in Christ Jesus without sin▪ And he saith, They themselves desire a sinless perfection, and 〈◊〉 it is their command and duty, and yet saith it is an impudent 〈◊〉 in us to profess that which himself confesseth they desire, and is their command and duty; and this is great confusion, and comes out of Babylon's store: And though he would falsely suppose that the Quakers suppose to have no need of Christ, and saith he, They dare (it seems) say they will not be beholding to God, or to the blood of Christ for the pardon of sin; but these are his foolish imaginations, for we are beholding to Christ, and to his blood only, which hath cleansed us from all sin, and by it our sins and trespasses are blotted out, and forgiven: And we do not think highly of ourselves, though he impudently chargeth it upon us, and hath bent his tongue for lies, and made them his refuge and strong Reasons.  
10. His tenth Reason, That we do in many Doctrines so openly comply with the Papist, that people may see plainly that the Jesuits and friars are our Leaders; and he saith, this hath been proved by many Confessions, &c.  
Answ. The Papist we utterly deny, their Doctrines, their ways, and whatsoever savours of popery, and are not lead by any other but by Jesus Christ, as our lives and Doctrines doth make appear to all that have an eye to see; it's true we may be falsely slandered and accused by Richard Baxter, and by the Priests and the wicked people of the world, for it is enough for us to be as our Master Christ, who was called a Devil; and as was he, so are we slandered and accused in this and many other things: But that ever it was proved that we are led by Jesuits and friars, this is one of our Adversaries slanders he hath once and again accused us, but he never proved it, though now he saith, The Papists make the Scriptures a dead Letter, and no Rule of faith, and so do we: The Papist cries down our Church and Ministers, (saith he) The Jesuites cries up freewill and sufficient grace to all, and a common sufficient light to all, and so do we (saith he:) The Papist extenuate imputed righteousness in setting up inherent righteousness: and the Papist place most in external abstenances and observances, and so do we, saith he, &c. To all this I answer, What is truth we hold and maintain in the power of God, and may not deny it, though the Papists may hold the same in words, which seldom they do; for we hold the truth for the truth's sake, and dare not deny the truth, though the devil confess it in words; but he hath falsely compared us with the Papists and Jesuits, for we do not hold freewill in the creature, neither do we extenuate imputed righteousness, neither do we place most in external abstenances and observances, herein Richard Baxter hath belied us: But what if I should measure him by his own rule, and should say that the Jesuits and friars are his Leaders? Why, because the papists say Christ was born of Mary, and did many miracles, & died, being crucified of the Jews, & was buried, and rose again, and so doth Richard Baxter say, and all the Presbyterians in England, and therefore may we conjecture, they do but prepare people to be papists, or open Infidels, as he saith concerning us. But further, the papists say that sprinkling Infants is baptising into the faith of Christ, and they say none must be free from sin while they are upon earth, and they cry against heresy and error, and thus doth Richard Baxter and his company, and therefore by his own Arguments he may be judged that the Jesuits and friars are his Leaders, and that he prepares people to be papists; but I will not be so uncharitable to judge him 〈◊〉 by this rule, as he hath falsely done us, though I do know in the sight of God there is a greater concurrence in Doctrine, and practice, and conversation, between many of our Accusers and the Papists, than there is between the Papists and us, and the light of Christ in all consciences shall answer me in the day of God's righteous judgements, and the papists and him we do deny, and see them to be of one spirit, though differing in appearances; and what we are it is by grace, and not of ourselves; and what we do it is through Christ, and not by ourselves, and to God we appeal for judgement, and tramples upon all men's vain conceivings, false judgements, lies and slanders, and turns them back to them again where they were hatched.  
11. His eleventh Reason: He saith, Our Doctrines are self-contradictory, and therefore they cannot be of God, &c.  
Ans. To this I answer, This is false, our Doctrines do agree in one, and are not self-contradictory, though falsely he may judge of this, as he may judge of other things; if he had been in Christ's time, likely he would have judged his words self-contradictory, who said, Except you eat my flesh, and drink my blood, you have no life in you; and yet at the same instant of time said, The flesh profiteth nothing; with many other such instances as might be brought. Why, but Richard Baxter tells you, We say all men have a sufficient light within them, and goes up and down, preaching it with great zeal. This is no more than the Apostle John did, who told the Saints they needed no man to teach them, but as the Anointing in them, and yet preached unto them, and wrote Epistles to them, but did John contradict himself? let wise men judge. And John said Christ lighteth every man that comes into the world with the true light; and no more than he did, do we contradict ourselves herein, for we follow the same example, & we say the Saints have the anointing in them, and needs no man to teach them, and yet we do exhort them as the Apostle John did. And he asks, what do we preach, If darkness, who would have such Teachers? if light, what needless labour is this, when all men have sufficient light already, &c. To all this I answer, We preach light that all should believe in it, and thereby should be led out of darkness, and the light is sufficient, being believed in by the creature, but all are not lead by it sufficiently, neither doth receive Christ: And we may ask him now, and say, If he preach darkness (as it is likely he doth, rather than the light, because he smites at preaching the light that hath lighted every man that cometh into the world, and so in effect denies the Lord that bought him) than who would have such a Preacher? but if he preach the light, and not that light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, which is Christ, and is sufficient, (as it seems by his own words he doth not, because he condemns us for it) then is he a Minister of Antichrist, according to his own confession. But whatever he judge, we are sent to turn people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to the power of God; and herein we do as the Ministers of Christ did; but that we revile the Ministers of Christ as blind guides, as saith he, this is false again, but such we bear witness against who preacheth for hire, and oppresseth the commonwealth, and are in the steps of the proud Pharisees, and all people that follows them are in darkness as the Pharisees were, and in the way of damnation, because they are not in the truth who follows not Christ, and yet such people are lightened with the light of Christ, and that is their condemnation because they believe not in it, and it is sufficient to the condemnation of all such.  
12. His twelfth Reason: Saith he, Consider also how suitable their Doctrine is to the interest and pleasure both of the Papist and the Devil, why, saith he, they damn all the Ministers and Churches of CHRIST, &c.  
To this I answer, A lying tongue is but for a moment; though he makes lies his refuge, yet shall they be swept away. Of the Ministers and Churches of Christ are we, and such as are so, they we own, and are one with them, though this man saith otherwise; and it doth little appear that our Doctrine is suitable to the interest and pleasure of the papists, for we find them our enemies, and God's enemies, and bears our witness against them, as against the devil, and do say that they are his offspring, and that the Priests of England are their offspring, such as are open liars especially: But if we should reckon, we should find their Doctrine more agreeable to the papists in many things, than ours are, as I have instanced concerning sprinkling of Infants, and other things; but doth it follow that the papists and we agree because the papists declare against them out of cruelty and wickedness, and out of a murderous mind to divert people into idolatry and wicked superstition; and we declare against them out of love to people's souls, that they should not always be deceived, and always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and hath no other end to ourselves, God is our witness, but that people may be converted to the knowledge of God; & as I said before, though the papists may hold some truth in words, and cry against some sort of people out of a wicked end, yet may not we therefore deny the truth as it is in Jesus, neither must be silent in declaring against sin and wickedness; and let him say what he will concerning any advantage the Devil reaps by us, it will but be the overthrow of his very kingdom: Why, but saith he, If we do but unchurch all the reformed Churches, the Papists will give us a fee: I say, it is a hard thing to unchurch them that never were truly churched; and that we seek to unchurch such as are the Churches of Christ, this is utterly false, and the papists fee and his reproach, we trample upon them both together; and let him take the papists fee, as he pleads for it, for it was they first that took tithes for a see, and it is he now that strongly pleads for them, to be maintained in his Ministry by them.  
13. His thirteenth Reason: Saith he, The Doctrine and practice of the Quakers is contrary to the experience and holy nature of the Saints; why, saith he, they have found a renewed light and life by the Scriptures and Ministry which the Quakers make so light of, &c.  
To this I answer, This is as false as the rest, for with all the Saints that ever was upon earth, both in doctrine and practice we agree with them; and as for the people's sakes of England, I wish his words were true, and that they had indeed found a renewing light and life by this Ministry; but though he may boast of it now, in the day of God's righteous judgements it shall be found otherwise, when it shall be tried, that the renewing hath been but in form and appearance, from one likeness to another, and not a renewing from death to life; and though there hath been something of God sometime appearing, a zeal and a desire after him in the Ministry of England in times past, yet from this day hath the Lord forsaken them, and such as were sober and sincere in what was made manifest, are now become revilers and reproachers, slanderers and persecutors of the people of God, and from henceforth shall they not boast of many being converted by them from sin unto the way of righteousness. But further he saith, We tell the people that their Ministry doth the people no good, and none are the better for it: If we do, we tell them true: And though he saith, The experiences of many thousands doth confute this, yet say I, the experiences of ten thousand times so many more shall confirm it: It is true, there may be thousands like himself which will not stumble to belie their own souls, as he hath done of us; yet betwixt him and I in this matter God shall be our Judge, who hath not sent this Ministry, and yet it hath run, therefore it doth not, nor shall not profit the people at all: He saith, It is quite contrary to the nature of Saints to damn and reproach the Saints, and call them the children of the Devil: This is true; but it is not contrary to the nature of the Saints to reprove Hypocrites, such as profess that which they do not enjoy, and speak that which they have not received from the Lord, but steal from other men's words, such are many of the Teachers of England; and it was the way of Christ and his Apostles soundly to reprove such: And this is our way, and we do not reproach the Saints, nor damn them, and yet to the wicked, which are not Saints, we dare not cry peace, but do say, The wicked, and such who forget God, shall be turned into Hell: And for this, David is our example.  
14. His fourteenth Reason: He saith, The Quakers are unlikely to be better than other men seeing they are so notoriously proud; and thus this pride doth appear: Saith he, It is the supposed spirit as God, and the extraordinary holiness, and inspiration, and abilities, that they are proud of, and saith he, They proclaim themselves perfect without sin. And this is the pride he chargeth us with, &c.  
To which I answer, We say that in Christ we are complete, as the Apostles said to the Churches, and do not boast of it, neither are proud of it more than the Churches were, but in the Lord we will golry, and in him rejoice again and again; and it is that which we press after, and exhort all to press after, to be perfect in him who takes away our sins, and gives power over the temptations of the Devil. And he saith, We pretend to know men's hearts: Yea, we do know that the heart of man is desparately wicked and deceitful above all things; and by men's words and works, we do know their hearts to be evil that acts and speaks wickedness, For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: And if we should say we do not know men's hearts that acts and speaks wickedness, we should be liars: but as I said, What we are it is by grace in Christ, and we boast not of it in the flesh, but our glorying is only in the Lord in spirit, that our names are written in the Book of life. And as for our crying against deceivers, which he so much stumbles at, it is but the practice of Christ and his Apostles, as may be read thorough the Scriptures, and yet we do it not, no more than they did in self-exaltation, though he would charge us with it.  
15. His fifteenth Reason: Saith he, They plainly discover a persecuting spirit: Why (saith he) what man can in reason think but that they run up and down the world to bring Ministry into hatred, &c.  
To this I answer, Little of this doth appear that our spirits are persecuting spirits, for we pray for our enemies, and doth forgive them that doth evil entreat us, and renders to no man evil for evil; for if we had sought vengeance, or prosecuted the good Laws of England against those that had wronged and robbed us, and unjustly caused us to be put in prison, many might have deeply suffered by true Justice before this day, if we had not forgiven our enemies, and blessed them that hated us: Such hath been the cruelty acted upon us, that many might have been arraigned for felony if we had sought the prosecution of the good Laws and not forgiven our enemies.  
Why, but the main thing is, because we are moved to go up and down the world and declare against the false Ministers, and holding forth that Ministry, and truly applying it to many of the Teachers of England: But let all the world know, this is not from a persecuting spirit, no more than Isaiah did it, and Micha, and the rest of the Prophets and Apostles, who did zealously give their testimony against such as went for gifts and rewards, as the Teachers of England do; but this is that which he is offended at, and calls it a persecuting spirit, which is not so, but in love to people's souls, that they may deny the evil, and follow the good: And that our Ancestors have persecuted to death, as he saith, This is also a lie, and of the Devil, for our Ancestors were the Saints, who were called of God, and were not of the world, even as we are not of the world, and we are persecuted, but seeks not to persecute any, and gives our witness faithfully against this generation, and against the sins both of Teachers and people; and this I suppose is it, even our zeal for the Name of the Lord against unrighteousness, which he falsely calls a persecuting spirit.  
16. His sixteenth Reason is, Some Interrogatories, (saith he) What reasonable man should turn Quaker that sees the common fruit of their Doctrine? what good do they do wherever they come, but (saith he) hate both godly. Teachers and people, &c.  
Ans. To this I answer, The fruit of our Doctrine is begetting people to the knowledge of God, and a converting them from sin and death, and from the ways and works of unrighteousness, to be the servants of the Lord; and every spiritual man doth see this to be the fruit of our doctrine: It doth condemn unrighteousness, and bring war and a sword upon earth, as Christ's Doctrine did. And this is the good where we come, Many are changed from wickedness, rudeness, and ungodliness, to live soberly, righteously, and purely in this present world, without offence towards God and men. For to say, We make people both to hate godly Teachers and people, this is utterly false, for we endeavour to bring people to the true Teacher, Christ Jesus, and to have fellowship with the Saints: It's true, in the world our Doctrine doth make division, and doth set a man at variance, and doth set Father against Son, and Son against Father, even as Christ did, and his Doctrine, so he saith we do. But again he belies us, in saying, We bring people into confusion and abominable error, or that we cast people into a malicious mood, or tincture of bitterness, this is also false, and this is my Answer, He that doth the will of our Father, knows of our Doctrine, whether we be of God, or of ourselves, and to all the world besides we are unknown, and desires to be manifest to every man's conscience in the sight of God, and not to that wisdom which is of this world: And though he scorn at such who are made to cast off their Points and Lace, yet is not this more than any fruit that his Doctrine hath brought forth? for as we do, so did the Apostle exhort against all superfluity of naughtiness, as Points and Laces are; and it seems that such as depart from iniquity become a prey to such wicked men's slandering and scornful tongues, and a manner to make books of, to send into the world.  
17. His seventeenth Reason: Saith he, It is no great encouragement to us to turn Quakers, when we consider who are their followers, very few experienced sober Christians turn to them, (saith he) but such who are ignorant, and ungrounded, and raw professors, &c.  
Ans. To this I answer, Let no man take encouragement from without, to turn Quaker, or to own the way of God's salvation, but let every one feel a measure of God in his own heart, converting him from sin unto righteousness, and drawing his mind from the vanity and hypocrisy of this world, to the truth and singleness of heart: And he appears to be of the spirit of the Pharisees, who said, None but a company of poor people which were accursed, followed Christ; and so saith he, in effect, None but such as are ignorant, and such like: But what if there were not any other but such who owned the way of the Lord? this is a confirmation of it, rather than a cause of objecting against it, when such who are ignorant are brought to the knowledge of God: But yet his words are false, for it is known, that very many honest, humble, sober men and people, who have all their days been sincere towards God in what they have known of him, have and do own us; and indeed, all that ever owns God and Salvation, shall own us, for we are of God, and he that is of God heareth us, and the whole world lies in wickedness: And such as are self-conceited, and in pride, and wise in their own eyes, and in the wickedness of the world, such are his followers, and not ours, though he falsely say it; for such as follow Christ have we fellowship with, and not with such as walk in darkness.  
18. His eighteenth Reason: Saith he, It is an evident judgement of God upon these people that turn Quakers, and a punishment for their former sins, &c.  
Ans. To this I answer, The Lord God, his Angels, and all his Saints and Servants I call to record against thee, and they all shall witness that it is mercy, and not judgement, upon them that owns the way of the Lord: And them that owned the Quakers in truth and sincerity, have and do witness a remission of their former sins, and forgiveness of them by Jesus Christ, and not a punishment for them: And Richard Baxter may please himself and some others with his reasonless Reasons, as these are, yet they are not worthy of the name of Reason, they be so senseless and utterly false. And though he rails against the Anabaptists as well as against us, yet any man whose eye is open, sees his folly, & turns it upon his own head: And he may conceit himself in these things for a moment, but the day of the Lord will declare it otherwise, and that upon us mercy and peace shall be, and not judgement nor wrath.  
19 His nineteenth Reason: Saith he, They are already in division among themselves, as the contention between Nayler and Fox, and their followers doth show.  
To this I answer, Though an occasion may come and be taken against the truth, yet woe unto him by whom it comes, and to them who doth receive it, for the testimony of truth abides for ever. But as about that division he speaks of, it hath been answered by writings several times, and now I say, It happened but as a trial to the Lord's people, and not to destroy them; though the enemy boasts himself because of it, yet the Lord knows how to preserve his in the midst of temptation: But these things are now at an end, though a temptation presented itself, yet it overcame not, and truth is the same, and the testimony thereof doth never change: and all these refuges which the wicked flies unto shall not cover them when the Lord appears.  
20. His twentieth Reason: And saith he, To make all their delusions more odious wickedness, they father it upon the Holy Ghost, &c.  
Ans. His words are utterly false: yet we say we have received the Holy Ghost, which teacheth us, and leadeth us into all truth, and by it are we lead out of all wickedness and delusion, and all wicked speeches which he brands us withal, and these things are his own, for he is seen to be in delusion, and odious wickedness, and wicked speeches. And saith he, They speak against the DOCTRINE of the SPIRIT, and cries down the love of the Saints, and against the Ordinances of the Ministers of Christ. To this I have answered, In the love & union with all the Saints we are, and Ministers of Christ, but against hypocrisy we declare, such who profess what they are not, and use their tongues, and saith the Lord saith, when the Lord hath not spoken to them; and sprinkle Infants, and saith it is ●n ordinance of Christ; and singing David's Experiences in rhyme and Meeter, with many other things which the Priests hath in their practice, such things we deny to be Ordinances of Christ, and them to be Ministers of Christ which do practice them; and this we do say by the spirit of truth: But that we prenounce damnation against God's Church and holy Servants, this is false again, and is but the fulfilling the number of his lies; and though he charge us secretly with preaching another Gospel then that which Paul preached, is false; and if we duly examine, it will be he that will be sound preaching another Gospel, whose practice is found in many things contrary to them who were Ministers of the true Gospel, and so the curse pronounced by the Apostle will fall upon him, and not upon us in the day of judgement.  
21. His one and twentieth Reason: Saith he, The Quakers themselves renounce in words the Ranters and Papists as a deluded sort.  
Ans. To which I answer and say, Yea, not only in words, but in lives also we utterly abhor the Ranters and Papists both in profession and practice, and do know that Richard Baxter is of the same spirit, though differing in words. But saith he, The Ranters and Drunkards cries out against the same Ministers and same exercise and godly people as the Quakers do. To which I answer, What the Ranters and Drunkards may do in their wickedness and unclean spirits, is one thing, and what we do in the fear of God and tender love to people's souls, is another thing; but how uncharitable is this man in his judgement? Let us try him, as if I should say, The Ranters, and drunkards, and profane, and all ungodly people, they are our enemies, and doth oppose & gain say the way of God, and the people called Quakers, and they beat them, and reproach them, and slander them, and doth much cruelty unto them; and thus doth Richard Baxter of Kedderminster, he reviles them, and reproaches them, and belies them, and therefore he is one with the Ranters, and drunkards, and profane people, and he holds part of the Papists, Ranters, and drunkard's doctrine and practice: And thus he is judged with his own Rule, according as he hath judged us, by the same Rule; and now say I as well as he of us, Let any man judge that hath not for sworn all wit and reason, whether it is likely the Holy Ghost will inspire Richard Baxter and a company of Priests of England, to acquaint them with the same Points, Doctrines, and Practices, which the Papists, Ranters, Drunkards, and all profane people exercise themselves in; for as all they are enemies to the Quakers, so is he and his company. And farther I ask him, Whether the same things be heavenly in Rich. Baxter and his company, which be hellish in the Ranters and Drunkards? And whether Richard Baxter hath not condemned himself and the Priests of England in condemning the Papists, and Ranters, and Drunkards, and profane people, in acting the very same things, to wit, speaking against, reproaching, reviling, and slandering, and backbiting an innocent people of God, called Quakers.  
22. His two and twentieth Reason: And saith he, If I have any reason to be weary of the Christian Catholic reformed Religion, what reason have I to turn Quaker more than to any other Sect? Why (saith he) how do they prove they are more in the right than any other, &c.  
Answ. To all this I answer, This is according to his knowledge, who sees no difference between good and evil, between such as serveth God, and such as serves him not; and how can this man be a Teacher of others that is so blind himself? The true Christian Religion he is out of, and in a Sect, whose fruits are as bad as the Papists or Familists, or any others; for I believe not the worst of Sects could have brought forth more lies and slanders, and scoffing words in one sheet of paper, than he hath done in this which now I deal withal. And as for our proof that we are in the right way, to every man that hath an eye to see, & an ear to hear, and an heart to conceive, it's easy to be proved, and such are satisfied; but as for unbelievers and persecutors, such as himself, they must hear, and see, and not perceive and understand.  
23. His three and twentieth Reason: Saith he, The way by which they prevail is not producing any evidence, for they renounce that, and offers all from the Authority of the spirit within them, &c.  
Ans. The way by which we prevail is by the spirit of the Lord which is within us, and that was the way whereby all the Ministers of Christ ever prevailed, by the authority of that. But yet this is false, we do not deny to produce Evidences, but is sufficiently able, and hath done it, to produce Evidences out of the Scriptures, to prove all things which we profess or practice for Religion. But saith he, They must prove their Commission by Divine miracles before any reasonable man can believe it, &c. Many that fear God, and are in the purest Reason, hath believed us already, and doth see the mighty wonders of God brought to pass, and it cannot be believed by Richard Baxter, no more than Christ was believed of the Pharisees, in whom the mighty power of God was made manifest, for though he did miracles, yet that generation could not believe them. And he tells of some that said he was blind; so might they well do, and not lie, his blindness is made manifest at large. And saith he, But can I see the witness in them that saith they have the witness in themselves. Nay, because thou art an unbeliever thou canst not; but if thou wert a believer in Christ, thou wouldst feel the same testimony in the Brethren; but by thee we are not known, and therefore by thee are falsely judged; for no other testimony do we give or hold forth, but the same which the Apostles did, which we have received from Christ as the Apostles did, & not by any Authority of our own, though he falsely say it, but by the Authority of the power of God; & we shall not much seek or beg our adversary's belief, for to God are we known, and one to another in the spirit, and not to the wisdom of the world, which is devilish, and knows not, nor receives not the things which be eternal.  
His last Reason: They teach but such like Doctrines, and takes the like course as many of the heretics did; and saith he, Shall we run ourselves into the fire which hath consumed such heresy through former Ages, &c.  
Ans. To this I answer, The Doctrines of the Gospel we hold forth and teach to all people, and in that way which is called heresy, worship we indeed the God of our fathers; but it is but such as this man with whom I deal, who is a false witness-bearer, and a reproacher, and the company of Hireling-Teachers, and such like, that doth call the way of God heresy. And though he say, presently after the Apostles days such heretics arose and troubled the Church. To which I answer, Nay it is just such like as himself, who appeared in the Apostles days, who taught for filthy lucre, and for gain made merchandise of souls; and it was such lying Prophets which John saw the whole world run after in his days, and they were them that troubled the Church, even such as were heady, and high minded, and proud, and covetous men, and such as are false Accusers, and fierce men; and his shame and folly is made manifest, and so his lies and slanders are turned upon his own head. And in his Conclusion he doth beseech Professors to consider impartially of these 24. Reasons; to which I say, The most of them are so reasonless, that they will rather turn to his own confusion, then to his praise, to any man of understanding: And he bids all bethink themselves, first, What a doleful thing it is that professors should be so loose and unstable, &c.  
Ans. Doleful it is indeed that after so much preaching of the Priests of England, people should be so ignorant, loose, and unstable as indeed they are, and this is a very shame to the Teachers, and shows that they were not sent of God, because that the people are not profited at all, but continues ignorant, loose, and unstable, and wicked, according to their own confession; and indeed, people are to be pitied that are under their Ministry, who by it can never come to the knowledge of God, but must be ever learning fifty or sixty years, and ignorant, loose, and unstable at their very end, and yet these are members of this Church of England, so called, which the very Pastors thereof confesseth to be loose, and unstable, and wicked, and brands us to be deniers of this Church, as indeed we have good reason, to see the members thereof so wicked, loose, and unstable, as is confessed by their own Teachers, therefore we cannot be condemned for denying such a Church. Secondly, He bids consider what a heavy judgement it is to professors themselves, to be self-condemned, and self-divided from the Church, &c.  
To which I answer, A heavy judgement indeed, that such as are of the Church should be self-condemned, and self-divided from it; but yet it is a blessed thing that any that have been deceived with false likeness, now should come to see the error thereof, & be turned to the true Church which is in God, and to be drawn away from all windy Doctrines of England's Teachers, and this many doth witness. Then he exhorts Christians to be serious, and be true to the light which they have received: To which I say, All that are true to the light which they have received from Christ Jesus, will deny this man I now deal withal, and all his lies and slanders. Then he bids stick close to the Word of God; and I say, All that do so will find it as a Fire & a Hammer, and will be gathered from under the dead Doctrines of men in this Age. And he exhorts them to stick close to a faithful Ministry: To which I say, Then must they deny all Hirelings, and such as preacheth for hire, for such are not of the faithful Ministry, but deceivers of people.  
And thus in few words return is sent in the pursuit of a Sheet of lies and Slanders put forth into the world, and all sober-minded people by this may come to a good understanding between Truth and error. And though he hath taken a c●urse to spread his Books as Ballads and Fables, by having them cried up and down the streets, which is not for his advantage altogether, but doth show his Work ridiculous to all wise men. And so hereby it may be seen that all his Strong Reasons are confounded and overturned, that would hinder a man from being a QUAKER.  
THe main and chief things I have spoken of, and by what is written in short, men of understanding may understand what his whole matter can be: But in the beginning of his Book he falls a complaining of the lamentable Ignorance and ungodliness of common People; and of the pride, and self-conceitedness of Professors of godliness, and of the weakness, and giddiness, and unstableness of others: To this I Answer; It is true, abundance are ignorant, and abundance are proud and self-conceited▪ and abundance unstable and giddy in their minds; and subtract these from the whole Company of the Hearers of the Teachers of England, and there is but a few left (if any at all) that are truly righteous in the sight of God; and so to the shame of all the Teachers of England, hath he confessed the truth in this particular; and showeth that indeed the People is not profited by them: and this is a strong Argument that they were never sent of God, but hath run and were never sent: But presently after that he cries out of heretics and Deceivers, even like as the Pope doth; but what is he afraid of, That they that are ignorant, and ungodly, and proud▪ and self-conceited, unstable, and giddy, should be deceived, they that are in those iniquities are deceived already, and cannot possibly fall into greater deceit, or delusion. But it appears, That many of the Priests of England cares not how little their Hearers profits by them, so if they can get their wages, their Hire, their great sums of money; for one of them said (I mean a supposed Minister of England) in Cambr●dge-shire, That he mattered not if all his Hearers went to the Devil, so they would but give him his dues; to wit, tithes and Maintenance. So that by this instance, you may judge what stock they are of, and what their endeavours are; and we desire that people may be undeceived of that wherein they are deceived, and that they may turn from such a generation of covetous Teachers, who care so little for their souls. And whereas he saith, The Quakers are but of a few years standing, and that they arose from among the Papists but a few years ago, &c.  
To this I Answer, The People of God received that name but a few years ago, but the Saints were Quakers, I am able to prove, long before; for Abraham, and Isaac, and Moses, and Habakkuk; Daniel, and Paul, and all the rest were Quakers though they were not called so; and though our name is new, yet our Religion is old; for it is the good old way, even the way the Apostles walked in, though it hath been overclouded for many years in the dark night or apostasy, which hath been over the whole world; and the Beast hath reigned and made War against the Saints and killed them, and this hath been for many ages as you may read: Yet there was a Seed which God preserved for himself in the midst of darkness, but now is the way of the Lord made manifest again, and the same power and life of God which was in the Apostles days, and Truth shall spring forth, and Idolatry shall be rooted out by little and little, and Antichrist and his kingdom shall fall, and even Christ the Son of God the same as ever was, for no other we own, but him who was and is, and is to come; he shall rule, and his people shall follow him. And though he saith, The Quakers be an upstart Sect: using such scornful words, not beseeming a Minister of Jesus Christ; but we are willing to bear all his reproaches for Christ's sake. And he speaks most foolishly, and saith as if we knew not the contents of our Religion; yea, we know the contents and foundation of it, which is Christ that good old foundation, and him we are zealous for, and him we Preach and no other. And though he say, The Christians Faith hath been known for sixteen hundred years ago: I say it was so, but the night hath been over all, wherein no man can work, since it hath been first revealed; and Traditions, and Superstitions hath the World been exercised in, and led into; and the true Faith of the Gospel hath been departed from, and many knows it not at this day. And he saith, He abhors any Gospel, or Religion, that was not made sixteen hundred years ago, &c. To this I Answer, Then must he abhor his own Practice; for sprinkling or Infants, telling people it is a baptising into the Faith of Christ, was not so long since, nor singing David's experiences in rhyme and Meeter for a part of God's Worship; and many other things which the Priests of England practice for Religion and Gospel-Ordinances, but are not so; but an invention came in many years since the Faith was revealed to the Apostles; and thus he hath abhorred his own practice, and is condemned out of his own mouth. And whereas he speaks of one that lately spoke to another in these vords, He denied the God that he worshipped. That might be true: for thousands in England Worships the god of this World; and that god the Saints deny: And he counts it a thing very abominable to trust to that which is within the Saints; though it be according to the Scriptures; for Christ is in the Saints, and God dwells in the Saints; and God and Christ is only to be trusted to. There is also another piece put forth by him, called, A Sheet for the Ministry: in which also (according to his usual manner) he Rails and lies against the Quakers in many things; also I might instance in many more things wherein he hath belied us, as a man vithout fear or honesty: and much ado he makes about tithes: And he commends his Reader to the Quakers catechism, for better satisfaction. And I do commend all sober people to the answer of the same, wherein his folly and weakness is laid open, as in them particulars. But he saith, The Tenths are theirs as fully as the rest are ours▪ but this is denied; for the tithes are not paid out of the Lands, but out of men's labours and industrious exercises upon the Land: for if any man let his Land lie untilled, there is no tithes claimed; so that it is manifest it's paid out of men's labours, and not out of the Land: and many other things we have against tithes, and against the unjustness of them, and the oppression growing thereby. And we do know, That never any Minister of Christ was maintained in such a way: nay, they were so far off being maintained by a law, that they would not make use of their power which they had in Christ in those things as of outward maintenance. But much need not be said, for thousands begins to see the grievous burden and unlawfulness of tithes, and that in the Gospel administration, these things are no way commanded by the law of God, but as they came in by tradition, and were established by the Pope, and are now the chief maintenance of England's Teachers. Indeed grievous and sad to be considered it is, how many hundreds in England of honest men are made havoc on in their Persons and Estates in relation to tithes, because for Conscience sake they cannot pay to the upholding of an Antichristian Ministry, which denies Christ come in the flesh, by upholding tithes, which only belonged to the first Priesthood under the law, and was never practised (either paid or received by any) of them that were Witnesses of Christ come, or after his death, who did thereby fulfil that part of the old Covenant, and put an end to that Covenant, and the Priesthood was changed that took tithes, and a necessity there was also of the change of the law as it is written. So this is an answer in part to Richard Baxter's many lies and Reproaches, and his whole Work is turned by as our spoiled prey of Babylon's treasure; and no more to be recokned in the Records of Truth, but shall stand upon an account, among the corrupted and polluted commodity, of the growth of Egypt and Babylon.  
London, the 9 Month, 1657.  
The End.