THE SEAT OF THE SCORNER Thrown Down: OR, Richard Hobbs his Folly, Envy and Lies in his late Reply to my Book, called, A Looking-Glass, etc. Manifested and Rebuked.  
Whereunto is annexed my Call from the BAPTISTS, to walk in the True LIGHT.  
And a True Testimony to the Light and Power of Christ in the Heart.  
With a few QUERIES to the said R. Hobbs.  
By Luke Howard.  
To which is added, a further Answer by T. R.  
He that is first in his own Cause, seemeth Just; but his Neighbour cometh after, and searcheth him out,  Prov. 18.17. 
The Lip of Truth shall be established forever; but a Lying Tongue is but for a Moment,  Prov. 12.19. 
Printed in the Year, 1673.   

TO THE READER.  
Reader,  
INto whose hands this may come, for your sakes who are so much troubled, that there should be so much contending, and as you say, striving betwixt People professing Religion; this know, that we called Quakers are forced thereunto, and that for Righteousness sake; for the Lord knows it is so, because the Baptists began first with us: as soon as the King gave Liberty, they fell on us, as David said, laying to our Charge things we knew not, of Lying Stories of seven Years old out of Lincolnshire of one Richard Anderson of Panton, which never was at a Quakers Meeting in his Life, but at many Baptists Meetings as appears by their own Writing, and so in Hypocrisy would  him with a Quaker by Name, who was rather a Baptist, and only because he at some times (after his own manner) would speak of the Light Within (against them) which Light these Men so hate, that for a little spoken from a Man which was never one of us, neither in Reality, nor yet in Formality, they should make so much a do, and such a Cry of to the World, as they have done, and would have the World judge of the Light of Christ, which we say every Man is lighted with, by the Carriage of him who was so near themselves.  
And now mark, because our Friends gave an Answer in plain Truth to their false Charge, Richard Hobbs Pastor of the Baptists in Dover, as he calls himself, in Envy undertook to write a Relation of one Charles Bayly, of his Miscarriages Ten or Eleven Years old; and because a deal of his Mad Actions were true (for which he must bear his own Burden) therefore they thought that that should crown their Lies in their former Story from Lincolnshire, and so they Printed them together: but his spirit, to wit, C. B. and his Work, we did and do deny, as by the Looking-Glass for Baptists doth at large appear, unto which I refer the Reader. So that I am thus constrained for Righteousness sake to appear in Print once more, by way of Reply unto this Scoffer's Night-Labour, a Work which he hath been Sixteen Years exercising in; and of late he hath begun in Print to show the Fruit of his Labour against the Light Within, and snarling at the Heels of those who believe in it: and although he reads in the Scriptures, which he calls his Rule, That many are Called, and few Chosen; yet is his Eye so watching for Evil, that the Fall of one Called and not Chosen is to him a rich Feast, as appears by his first and second Printing of the Miscarriages of one Charles Bayly; and if his last had not been redoubling of his Evil in Envy in his first by Lying, Scoffing and Mocking, I might have rested at this time in Silence; knowing right well, that my first Answer to his Envious Charge against the Light of Christ Jesus, is clear enough (without Rubbing, as he scoffingly calls it) to his first, and might have served for this second also to all Impartial Minds.  
Luke Howard.   

THE Seat of the Scorner Thrown Down, etc.  
ANd now Reader, because I am accused in pag. 9 of this Night-Watch-man's Labour, of my leaving the Ordinances of God, as he calls them. I shall here give a brief Account of my leaving the People called Anabaptists in their carnal Water-dipping and elementary Worship, where I with many more were, as now many are looking for the Living among the Dead; and in our meeting in those days, and performing our Work and Duty as we then thought, in that which we called Gospel-Faith, even than would God's Witness the Light arise, and show me, that we were not in the Gospel-Faith, which we so much professed; and that we were not Baptised by the One Spirit into the One Body: Here the Lord in the Light put me to a stand, and set me spiritually to commune with my own Heart in a weighty Sense of my own Condition, and then in the Light I saw, That we were all ignorant of the One Baptism and One Faith, as well as of the One Lord and one Body, into which that Baptism gives an entrance. It is true, we were dipped in Water in Hope of Life and Peace, and called Brothers and Sisters by Water-dipping; but that Formality satisfied not the Cry of my Soul, which was still in me after spiritual Knowledge and Acquaintance with the Lord, which by the Light shining in my Heart I saw was not to be had in carnal Water, notwithstanding Men do so much quote Mat. 28. for Water-dipping, unto which in the Baptists Looking-Glass I have spoken fully in pag. 12, 13. unto which I refer the Reader. But to return, Then I became very much dissatisfied, and constrained to for sake those things & People in their Observations, and that for good Conscience sake, which I once practised, while the Veil was over my Heart, in a Day of great Reproach; & here I was willing to forget those that things were behind in the Death, and press forward after Life, which they in their days were Shadows of, and that is all they ever were; but now there is but one Lord, one Faith and one Baptism. At that time one of the Preachers asked me (when separated) Why I would not walk with them? My Answer was, Because neither they nor I was in the Gospel. Faith; and that if ever I should know it, that it would be as plain to me as I saw the Door with my Natural Eye. And now hath the Lord sealed that Faith unto me in the Light, by which I then saw myself out of it, everlasting Praises be unto his Name forever: Then my Life became as it were alone, and like a Wanderer seeking Rest; for the Cry continued, and the Witness attended, but I knew it not to be the Gift of God's Grace, and that the Reproof of Instruction given by it was the Way to Life, and so took little Warning by it more than to live a kind of a desolate Life for want of Peace of Conscience with the Lord; and in this State would I Weep and Cry in secret for want of true Bread to give Life to my Soul, which lay in Death; yet would I not return again to those empty Shadows, though importuned thereunto; but the Father's House I sought, where there was Bread enough, without which I should have perished forever; yet for all this the Spirit of the World prevailed, carrying me captive to the Law of Sin and Death, but never into Lewd Ranting, as falsely accused by this Night-Watch-man; in which Day of Distress and great Loss came in the Year 1655▪ two of the Servants of the Lord, preaching the Everlasting Gospel, which was as Lightning arising out of the East, and shining unto the West, even through all in me, to the very Thought in the Heart, by the Word, which is the Searcher and Discerner of them, to the reaching unto the Seed of the Kingdom, and declaring of a Body of Death standing, notwithstanding Men's Profession of Religion, unto which the Witness answered; so that now I knew, He that believeth the Gospel hath the Witness in himself, and out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Waters; this spoke he of the Spirit, as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth, which are to be read, believed and fulfilled.  
Reader, this is precious to read in the Eternal Light and Life, and though this was in my Mouth sweet, yet afterwards it became very bitter in the Daily Cross to my own Will, and a Day of Sorrow and weeping I knew over him whom I had pierced; so when it was Day I wished for Night, and when it was Night I wished for Day; this indeed was a Day of great Distress, in which I saw the Abomination which made desolate, stand where it ought not; Then was I to understand what it meant, & what God's Will was in it, in making of it manifest by his Grace the Light, whose Will in the Light and Grace I saw was my Sanctification throughout in Soul, Body and Spirit; and here we leave the World that lies in Wickedness, and the Professors of the Saints Words, with all that have a Form of Godliness without the Power, behind us, in and amongst the many Opinions and Voices of Lo here, and Lo there is Christ, and so we come to know the Voice of the true Shepherd: whose Voice we heard inwardly, and abiding with him, do forever hear in the Light the Word of Faith in the Heart, that we may do it: So that now, I say, By the Grace of God and Light within, I am what I am, and therefore is my Testimony amongst many Brethren, to the Grace and Light within, through a living Experience of the good Effects of it, and against all these Baptist Watchmen of the Night, who plead for Sin term of Life, and are Backbiters, Slanderers, and Persecutors of the Innocent; and there will he have his Ministers conclude their doctrine, and his Servants their Work, who must all be paid off with his own Reward of Torment with him and his Angels forever, which will be also the State and Condition of all Hypocrites and Rebellers against the Light, if they repent not: And this my Testimony agrees with the Testimony of the Servants of the Lord in Ages past. But to return to that which was to me bitter, when the Lord had lighted my Candle, and with it searched my innermost Parts, than the Body of Death (out of which ariseth all Unrighteousness) appeared indeed like a Mountain of Blackness and Darkness. So that I saw no Way how to get over it, and was ready to faint in my Mind; but the Lord, whose Love is great, and also hath Respect to the bruised Reed and smoking Flax, and will it neither break nor quench, until he bring forth Judgement unto Victory, supported me by the more sure Word of Prophecy, unto the which I did well to take heed as to a Light which shined in my dark Heart, until the Day dawned, and the day Star did arise therein; and then sprung a secret Hope in God, and the Word of his Grace, whose promise rise in my Heart, That he would cleave the Rocks and the Mountains, that the Redeemed of the Lord might come to Zion: and now Glory be unto his Name, his Promise is fulfilled in a good Measure, and all along unto this Day, and still is it a support unto me in the midst of all my Troubles and Trials in my Travels from Death to Life, in which my Temptations have been many, yea, very many, both within and without, in the Daily Cross; but still was and is the Lord in the Light a God at Hand, making good his Promises unto his own Seed, in whom they are all yea and amen, saith my Soul in a living Experience, in which I have a Testimony to bear for the Lord, to the Grace, Spirit, Light, and Life of Christ Jesus; and that it is sufficient for me and all Men in this Age, as it was for Paul in that Age and Time of his deepest Exercises; for every true Believer hath the Witness in himself, by a living Experience; and he who hath not, hath no just Claim to the Promise of God in Christ Jesus, declared of in the holy Scriptures; for the Scriptures were given forth in the Light, by the Motion of Life in the holy Men of God, as in them it moved, for after Ages to read and believe, and in the Light to wait for the fulfilling of them; and not for Men to make a Trade and a Gain of, nor yet for Men to live in the Profession of, & take up a Rest short of the fulfilling of them, as all the Night-Watch-men and Children of the Night do, who plead against the Light, and for Sin term of Life; and so can be no true Witnesses for God in their Generation, though their Profession may be large of the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles words, with varieties of Voices and Opinions, crying, Lo here, and Lo there is Christ; but he said, Believe them not: for as the Lightning ariseth in the East, and shineth unto the West (through all) even so shall be, and so is the Coming of the Son of Man, the Second Adam, the Quickening Spirit, the Lord from Heaven, who according to the Flesh is declared to be the Son of David; but according to the Spirit the Son of God, by the Resurrection from the Dead, which we called Quakers believe, and live in the Hope of, witness against all the Night-Watch-men and False Accusers, which say we deny it; and herein according to the Spirit, must all come to know him, yea, and him worship, serve, fear and obey, that ever receive Peace by him. And this is a true and Faithful Testimony against the Watchmen of the Night, and the Opposers of the Light of Jesus Christ within, born through a living Experience to the Light of Jesus, which we make mention of, and no other, in whom is Life, and his Life is the Light of Men, to lead all into Salvation that follow it, and to condemn all the Disobedient unto it; for this is the Condemnation, that Light is come, and Men love Darkness rather than Light, because their Deeds are Evil: and he that loves the Light, brings his Deeds unto it, that he may know they are wrought in God; but he that hates the Light, brings not his Deads' unto it, lest it should reprove them. And this is my Testimony, with my many Brethren, and the Saints of old, born to the Eternal and True Light of Christ within the Hope of Glory, and to my Call out of Darkness into Light, and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God; in which I stand a Witness for God, and against all the Worshippers of the Beast, who have received his Mark in their Foreheads or Right hands, and therefore plead for his kingdom of Darkness, and against the Light Within. These must needs be blind Watchmen of the Night, saith Luke Howard, who forsook the People called Anabaptists and their Water-dipping upon this Account.   

ANd now by way of Reply in Righteousness to this Night Watchman's Scoffing, Mocking and Lying Work; who gins in his Title Page, saying, It is a Sober Reply. But a sober Man, so made by the Grace of God which teaches Sobriety, will not so call a Pamphlet made up of Scoffing and Lying; for in his Preface he gins to scoff in these word, Charles Bayly, sometimes a Prisoner upon the Quaking account in Dover: As if Quaking were now become a Scorn and Byword, if it be so, it is but to the Fools in Heart, who are ignorant of the Life of Moses, Isaiah, Job, Ezekiel, Daniel, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Joel and Amos, who were Prophets of the Lord, and all owned Quaking and Trembling in their Day: And in the same Preface saith he, But to show, what Enormities the pretended Light leads them to, etc.  
My Answer is, We are Real in our Testimony to Christ Jesus the true Light, which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World: and this, to wit, the Light, Life and Spirit, which moved in the Holy Men of God to give forth the Scriptures, which the Scriptures bear witness unto, which is the old time came not by the Will of Man, but Holy Man of God spoke as they were Moved by the Holy Spirit; but the Scripture is not that Spirit, nor Life, but testifies thereof, nor yet this Night Watch-man's imagination of them, who gives his corrupt Meaning to Peter's word▪ and so Perverts them, saying, He meant the Scriptures, when he spoke of the more sure word of Prophecy, unto the which we do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the Day Dawns and the Day Star arise in our Hearts, these last words (to wit) the Daystar arise in our Hearts, he leaves out, for against that (to wit) Light in the Heart, are all his Arrows shot, this he calls Erroneous, a dark Light of the Quakers, or any thing what his dark Mind is pleased to call it; and therefore he may think, he hath cause enough to wrest the words, and to clip some off: for if he testifieth against the Quakers Light, as he scoffingly calls it, than he must testify against Peter, Paul, and John, and the rest of the Prophets and Apostles, for their Testimony and ours are one, as may be seen more at Large in the Testimony following, unto which I Refer the Reader.  
Then in his first Page he gins with three or four Lies: first, he saith, that I said, Some new converted Friends aid own C. B. when there are no such words in all my Book. Then again he saith, But the Men-Friends in the Castle did not own him so much: These are his own words (not mine) to make his foul Work seem fair, to make them serve his own End, and this he calls, My appearing with two faces. So here is a Brat of his own begetting in his own Image spit out of his own Mouth, speaking his own heart of Lies in Hypocrisy; for I never so said nor meant, for my words were these, Beside there were some at Liberty, which did not own C. B. so much as Rich. Hobbs Reported of, as may be seen in the Looking-Glass herein Annexed; this his Charging of me with words which I never writ, altars the Matter, and makes it another thing, as any may read that is not Blind.  
Then again he saith, I Confessed I owned C. B. as much as the Rest. There is no such word in all my Book (as may be seen) and although these things may seem small as here related; yet as they stand in his Corrupt Relation in Print, they are Great, because they so alter the matter, and makes his Relation have a Face of Fairness like Truth: but read my words as they stand in my own Book, and his words would be found a Lie, and that a Lie is in his Right-hand, and a deceived Heart hath turned him aside. And for these and such like causes to clear the Truth is my former added to this.  
Again, in pag. 2. he hath this Lie over again, that I, and three or four in Prison with me did not own C. B. so much as Friends at Liberty: And their he makes Lies his Refuge, and under Falsehood he hides himself; and when he hath frameth up a Lie, he sets it up as a Bulwark to batter against, with Replies, as if his Lies were mine: and this Course this Night-watch-Man takes to make a foul thing seem fair; and a Lie, which is of the Devil, seem true. Several more Lies I could gather out of his Lying Pamphlet in several places, where he saith I said, Many of his Flock were of his Mind; my words were these, As many of his Flock, as were of his Mind: which altars the matter, and makes it quite another thing; for to my knowledge, Several of his Flock were not of his Mind. Then again he saith, that I know my wife reported, C. B. had cured her Eyes; when I know no such thing, but the contrary; and this I can prove by several Witnesses.  
But in this work of bundling up of Lies I have no delight; but as constrained thereunto, to place a few of them upon the Liars Head, as a Testimony against the Father of them, who i● the Devil; for my Time is precious, and in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses is every word established.  
And then he goes on in like manner of scoffing Language in his page 13. That I beguile the Reader into Fool's Paradise, in my saying in the Baptists Looking Glass, That the Quakers worship God in Spirit and in Truth, which the Devil, and all that do his Works of Envy are out of: And now if to worship God in Spirit and in Truth be Fool's Paradise, than what is the wise Man's Paradise, seeing the Lord seeketh such to worship him, as we do this Day witness.  
Again in Page 10. he saith, here is a great Cry, and a little Wool: A scoffer indeed. And in Page 7 he saith: I give my Glass a Rub, and that to the Purpose too, as I think (saith he) and thus scoffingly he writes these, and many more like them not worth answering, which I do Return upon his own head, who sits in the seat of the Scorner, for it is plain, he writes one thing, and means another, which shows a Tongue without a Bridle, and his work to be with two Faces; and by the Scriptures which he calls his Rule, is he found in the vain Religion. My last Testimony it needed no Rubbing; for I here testify again, it is clear Truth, and clear enough to manifest the Deceit of him, and those concerned with him in it; and it is here offered again for him, with other hypocrites, to see their Faces in, and also to the  mind, and to answer both his pieces of Envy, Lies, Scoffs and Mocks; and were I not constrained for the Light and Truth's sake, I should rather choose Silence, then to Answer either of his pieces of dirt, which at best is but Food for the Serpent, and his Seed to feed upon.  
Again in Page 9 he accuses me, with being a lewd Ranter in Days past. Now behold his Envy? for I have believed in the Light of Christ, and have been called a Quaker about Seventeen or Eighteen Years, and known to my Neighbours from my Childhood, which is above Fifty Years, and therefore the less Answer may serve this Man's Envy, who is a fierce Accuser, and a worse Judge; and my answer is by Way of Challenge to him and all his Abettors in Envy, To prove in Days past any thing against me more than the foolish Course of the World, which the Men thereof (through Profession) take a Liberty in, yet short of bodily Uncleanness, Murder, and such like gross Enormities: but if I had been as bad as he renders me, and worse also, to wit, If seven Devils, Marry Magdalene's State, had been my Condition, why should his Eye or any Man's be evil, because the Lords is good? She loveth much, because much was forgiven her. And now from sensible Experience to our own Souls, we can testify for God, That his tender Mercies is over all his Works, and reaches to the end of the Earth, & follows Man calling to him in his vile Estate, yea, in the highways and Hedges, when the proud Pharisaical Professor refuseth the Wedding-Dinner, though bidden and invited, as this Night's Watchman with many more, have been, and have done.  
Then he goes on in his former Manner in battering against his own raised up Bulwark, saying, I contradicted myself in the Relation of Nicholas Woodman, in Page 9 because I said, Many were baptised by William Kiffin. This is not Contradiction at all to my saying, Nicholas Woodman was the first Baptist- Preacher raised up in the County of Kent, and so I say again, for they are my Words in my Book, to which I refer the Reader; and then Judge, who is the Twofaced Man, and a Perverter of Words, and compare my Testimony to his, and then judge, whether he hath answered singlely, or may not be justly called, a Watchman of the Night, by his vailing of himself with his Night-Garments, under a Hood with two Faces, and then Harlot like wipe his Mouth, as if all were well, and lays his Lies to my Charge, of which I could make a large Bundle; and of slanderous Aspersions and scoffing Language, which his untimely Birth is filled with, I have been short, considering the large Advantage I might and could have taken, as for Lies I can prove at least Six or Seven more, than I have answered unto.  
And then his slanderous Words of Woodman's being my Brother, and plucking out mine own Bowels to besmier them: as for Wood● an, I de●i●d him in Time past, before I lest the Carnal Baptists, and their Carnal Worship, and beggarly Elements, which he continued in long after, preaching up and down: so no Brother of mine, but theirs, Root and Branch. And as for the plucking out of my Bowels (an Inhuman or Unchristian like Word) to besmeer them, in saying, That he was the first Baptist Preacher raised up in the County of Kent; for they were my Words, which I still affirm for Truth, though by this Night-watch-Man Perverted into another Sense; now wherein are they besmeered by me, by calling him their Root, more than they have fouled themselves by continuing in his footsteps? only in this they differ, he was for the Particular Election, and they for the General, as more at large may be seen in my Looking-Glass. And as for my being a lewd Ranter as he slanderously and maliciously accuses me, if it were true, as it's notoriously false, that would not now help his bad cause; for what saith the Apostle? such were some of you, but now ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, and you who were sometimes Darkness, are now Light in the Lord, etc. Yet this blind Watchman thinks in his dark Heart, that his accusing me for Time past, for want of present matter to accuse me now of, or ever since I have been called a Quaker, will help his bad and dark Cause and Pharisaical Profession, or crying out, I thank thee O Father, that I am not as this Publican is, or once was, &c— Tedious would it be to answer all at large; but this day is this Scripture, Isa. 28.21, 22. fulfilled upon this Mocker, God is a doing of his Work, his strange Work, and bringing to pass his Act, yea his strange Act; now therefore be ye not Mockers, lest your Bands be made strong. And all whose Eyes are in their Head, may clearly see this Man's Bands of Darkness made strong indeed, that dares so Presumptuously Preach and Print against the Life and Light of Christ Jesus, and this is all he hath to cover himself with, and Hole this Fox hath to creep into (to wit) in calling it the Quakers Erroneous Light, and the Dark Light of the Quakers; but that Cover is too narrow to hid him under, and that Bed is too short to stretch himself on, and will be so found in the Day of the Lord, when his Blasphemy shall be charged upon his own Head.  
But now I shall return to his three Particulars in pag. 1. to prove C. B. in Fellowship with the Quakers, and led by their Spirit; saith he, First, Bayly Prophesied, saw false Visions, and pretended to Miracles: 2dly, He was then in Fellowship with the Quakers: 3dly, He was led by their Spirit. Now if his last be false, as it is, on which his whole Building depends, and by the Truth being removed, then must all his Work and Labour fall, as dirt cast into a Dunghill: And that his last is false, take this Answer as followeth, Christ Jesus prophesied, That false Prophets should arise, and deceive many; who transform themselves into many things like the true Prophets, to deceive (as their Father the Devil did) those whose Minds are outward, yea, and if possible the very Elect, whose Minds are inward: yet who dare charge the true Apostles to be led by the same Spirit the false were? except Cain and Ishmael's Off spring, and the false Prophets under the Law, that stole their words from their Neighbours, and they ran and prophesied, when the Lord never sent them, and therefore they profitted not the People: yet we do not read of any but Blasphemers against God so perverse as this Night-Watch-man is, to charge the true Prophet's Spirit with the false Prophet's Presumption, and Wickedness, as he doth the Light of Christ, our Principle, with C. B's Presumption and Wickedness. And then again, Antichrist the Man of Sin he sits in the Temple of God, and saith, that he is God; and under the Name of Christ doth work in the Mystery of Iniquity, and so doth great Evils under the Name of Christianity, as this day we see Christendom full of Abomination, by which it is become as a Wilderness for Beasts of Prey to live in; now is it kind Dealing with the Christians, to charge them to be led by the spirit of Antichrist, because he pretends to the same spirit which the true Christians are led by? Nay, would not this Watch man think himself wronged to be so charged? yea surely; but if he were, yet were he not so much wronged as we are by his charging our Principle with C. B's spirit, and the Effects thereof; for if our Fellowship stood only in outward and bodily Exercise, as the Fellowship of Water-dipping, and Christendom's Fellowship by Sprinkling doth, than might our Principle be the easier charged with his spirit; but because our Principle, the Light, the Grace, the Word of the invisible God is that, in which our Fellowship stands with God in Holiness and Truth; therefore not to b● judged by the Practice of Evil Men: and this (to wit) their Carnal Fellowship is the cause of their thus Opposing, Gain saying and Blaspheming against the Light of Christ, which, whosoever walketh therein, hath Fellowship with God, and one with another. And this Night-Watch-man saith, If this (to wit) Bayly 's Actions▪ be not a Proof of Bayly being in Fellowship with the Quakers, than he knows not what is: and here I believe him, that our Fellowship he knows not, no more than Christendom at large doth; and in this his Ignorance must we leave him, till he can believe in the Light, which will give him to see and know, wherein our Fellowship stands.  
Another Proof that C. B. was in Fellowship with the Quakers he had, because some joined with him in Prayer, and heard him Preach, and one fell on the Ground, which is now none of the smallest Quakers in Dover saith this Accuser: All this proves not the Matter, no more than the Weakness of a Young Child can prove the Strength of a Strong Man; and now, is it Reasonable to judge the Principle of the Quakers by the Actions of them which were but just then as it were convinced, and being very young and tender (as I said before in my Looking-Glass for the Baptists) they could not easily discern, and were afraid to judge: And now, to judge the Principle and Fellowship by such, surely, amongst Wise Men this will be counted Folly, and condemned for Prejudice.  
And in pag. 9 he saith, If Duke Howard had proved by some convincing Arguments, that the Quakers Light is Christ as he Scoffingly calls it) and then made it appear, that the Baptists had Blasphemed in denying that Men are Redeemed and justified by that L●ght within themselves. and not rather by Faith in the Death, the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ without us, for us, which is the chief Point in Controversy between us (saith this Opposer of Christ, the Life and Light of Men) and so indeed it is: and now that I have in my first Answer proved, and in this second also, that Christ is the true Light, which lighted every Man that comes into the World, is as clear as the Sun: But saith this Scoffer at the Light, that if he had proved, that the Quakers Light is Christ, etc. as if the Quakers Light, and the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, were two; here we affirm to all the World, that we never spoke of any other Light in us, but that which all Men are lighted with, even Christ, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Israel: and if this Christ, the Light, Life, Wisdom and Power of God be not in us Governing and Ruling, we are Reprobate, as well as others, according to the whole currant of Scripture, which is the Mystery hid from the Rebellious in all Ages and Generations, but in all the Obedient, Christ within the Hope of Glory; and Christ in you except you be Reprobates, said Paul; and this is our Light, wherein our Fellowship stands with God, and one with another, and this all are Ignorant of, who make it their Business to Gainsay him in his second Appearance, in the Light and Spirit, in which we are to know him to our Soul's Salvation, if ever we be saved from Sin by him.  
And now what is written in the holy Scripture concerning Christ Jesus, his Birth, Sufferings, Death, Resurrection and Ascension, we do believe as much as any men living, and so I do believe Paul did, who said; Henceforth know we him no more. It is also said by John, He that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, is born of God. Do not the Papists, Protestants, and all Sects, yea, even Drunkards and Liars, that are shut out of the Kingdom, and all called Christians confess to the truth of God's manifesting himself in the Body of Jesus, which he had prepared to do the Will in, even from the Birth to the Ascension: But will or dares any man say, that those are born of God, because all those confess God manifested himself in Flesh? and this Faith is as much as this Night-Watch-man pleadeth for, or doth believe of Christ in point of Justification, as his own words witness against him, saying, But rather in Christ without us, for us.  
To which I answer by living Experience, That Christ Jesus, who offered up his Body through the Eternal Spirit, and poured out his Soul unto Death, and tasted Death for every man, those his Sufferings have a living Extent unto every one that doth believe, and feel the Power by which he laid down that Body, and took it up again; and these are they, unto whom he becomes a Saviour from Sin, and gives them an Inheritance into Glory: and those which believe only the offering up of the Body, and feel not that eternal Power to save from Sin, made manifest to them in his spiritual height, cannot have a real Sense and Feeling of the Benefit of his Death, whatsoever they may pretend to of Faith in his Blood, neither can they have Salvation to their Souls: and this is my Answer, as a Testimony to the true Faith and Christ of God, a Quickening Spirit, the same yesterday, to day, and forever, who was Glorified with the Father before the World began, from Everlasting to Everlasting, the Rock of Ages, and so Israel's Rock, which they drunk of; for they drunk of the Rock which followed them, which Rock was Christ, the Foundation of all the Generations of the Righteous in all Ages, Christ within the Hope of Glory; Christ within, except you be Reprobate; I in them, and they in me. that they may be one as we are one, said Christ Jesus the Light of Men: If any Man be in Christ, he is a New Creature: behold all things are become new, new Heart, new Mind, new Will and new Affections; the old Heart in the Earth, the new Heart is given to God; the old Mind Carnal, the new Mind Spiritual; the old Will Unsanctified, the new Will Sanctified; the old Affections in the Earth, the new Affections set upon things above; the old Conversation is after the Course of this World, which lieth in Wickedness; the new Conversation is in Heaven, where Christ fitteth at the Right hand of God: he that can read, let him understand.  
And now to his Appeal to the Inhabitants and Magistrates of Dover, if I be not a false Man, as he saith, for my saying, They creep into Holes in a Day of Persecution, and that our Rock is not as their Rock, our Enemies themselves being Judges.  
Reader, I have spoken the Truth, and I say it here again; and I appeal to the Inhabitants of Dover, Mayor and Magistrates also, unto their own Consciences likewise, whether I have wronged them in this at all? It is true, they were in their Meeting-place interrupted as all were that dissented from the Public, and their Meetinghouse Door was locked up by the Mayor's Order, and then they, or some one for them knocked off the Lock, & cast it into the Mayor's Porch, as if they were valiant Men, as the Valiants of Israel, and intended to meet again in their own hired Place; but whether so, or in Despite, there lies the Question; however, they never met there more, till the King gave a general Liberty, as I said before in the Looking-Glass to see themselves in: But we still met (said this boaster) elsewhere; it is true, they did meet; but where? I said, In Corners: for which Saying he would make me a Liar, and appeal to the Inhabitants and Rulers to be Judge, after a very confident Manner, in so false a Matter. And now let all the Inhabitants of Dover be judge, whether they did not meet so private in Corners, since it was hard for people to know either Time or Place, and with so much Secrecy, that it was sometimes at one part, and sometimes at another part of the Town, and sometimes in the Country, and one while by Five or Six in the Morning, and another while in the Evening, and at several uncertain Hours of the day: Now whether I have wronged them in saying, they met in Corners, let the Inhabitants of Dover judge; for this is a true Relation, known well to themselves, and others also. Now it was evident, and known to all, that we called Quakers always kept our Meetingplace, the Day and Hour; and their Practice of shifting Time and Place into Privacies, that they might not be known when, nor where, was laid hard to us, by way of Persuasion to do the like, by some much concerned, who were willing, that both themselves and we might be saved from Damage; but we could neither change Time nor Place; and this was our Testimony to all concerned, who had Experience of them and us by an Imprisonment in Dover Castle before that time, wherein they did but add to our Bands; for they were soon gotten out (either directly, or indirectly) by Money given to the then Martial John Slowman; which because we could not do for Conscience sake, we were born upon much the harder; and Sixteen Months, except Four Days, were we kept as it were Close Prisoners, in a Room called, the House of Office, with no Chimney in it, until the Governor Francis Vincent got an Order from the King to sit us free: and this was that he Scoffingly speaks of, my seeing through the Stone Walls of Dover Castle; where he with others might have been, if their Cause had been good, and they true Men unto it, and then he need not a mocked at my seeing through tee Stone Walls; and this Experience, with others of the like Nature, the Rulers and People of Dover had of them and us.  
And thus I have run through some part of this Night-Watchman's Work, and confounded his vain Boasting, and my Conscience is Clear, and not Seared, as he Enviously seems to charge me; and here I shall leave him, and his dark mind and spirit an absolute Night-Watch man, Scoffer and Scorner, and proceed to my Testimony to the true Light.   

A True Testimony to the Light and Power of Christ in the Heart.  
ANd that is, that God is Light, and in him is no Darkness at all, and Christ is the Ligt of the World, and in him is Life, and his Life is the Light of Men; and to know, God and Christ is Eternal Life; and this Life is in the Son, and he that hath the Son hath Life, and be that hath not the Son; hath not Life. Now that which is to be known of God (and of this Eternal Life) is manifested in Man, for he hath showed it unto Man, even the Manifestation of the Spirit of Truth, which is given to every Man to profit withal, as a Talon or Measure of Knowledge of the Will of God concerning Man, of his State and Condition, as he stands in the Fall (by Sin having fallen short of the Glory of God) is given of God unto Man, so hath he commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, and hath shined into our Hearts, to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God again in the Face of Jesus Christ, to wit the Knowledge of the Grace and Truth, the Fullness of which dwelled in that Body which the Father had prepared, and this Grace and Truth which Man had deprived himself of, so became Darkness, has the Lord in Love to lost Man made appear again by the Name of the Grace of God appearing to all Men, and Light shining in the Heart, where the Darkness and the Power thereof hath taken Place; so now the Grace of God which brings Salvation, hath appeared unto all Men, teaching us (to wit, all that believe in it) to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live soberly and Godlikely in this present evil World. Now the Grace that brings Salvation to as many as believe in it, is the Condemnation of those which believe not in it; for this is the Condemnation, that Light (Grace) is come, and Men love Darkness rather than Light, because their Deeds are evil: Light shineth in the Heart, by it the Lord doth search out the desperate Wickedness thereof, and so trieth the Reins, that all Men are left without Excuse in his Sight: the Talon is given to all, Light shines in all, Grace and Truth appears to all, the Possession of the Glory of God again is tendered to all through the Light which shines in the Heart, to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God again in the Face of Jesus Christ, who is God's Power to save from Sin, and the power of Darkness and Death, which rules more or less in the Hearts of all the Children of Disobedience to the Light, and those be they that rebel against the Light, they know not the Way thereof, neither do they abide in the Path thereof; for to him that believes, it is a Path shining more and more unto the perfect Day, and in it doth the Lord meet with Man; thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh Righteousness in thy Way; and he that is the Light of men, is the Way to the Father; and he that knows him, knows the Father also, for he reveals the Glory, which none of the Princes of this World by their earthly Wisdom can come to behold, or ever could; but we behold his Glory, say they, which had believed in the Light, and were Children of it, which by the wise Men were accounted Accursed, and that they knew not the Law; and so it is now, To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; but to others in Parables; To you which believe in the Light, and so receive the Power to walk in it, and know the Way of it, the Just Man's Path, which is a shining Light, and rebels not against it; To you is the Father become a Fountain unsealed; to you i● the Wellspring of eternal Life opened; to you is the Power given t●●ec-me the Sons of God; now are we the ●on of God; but it doth not ye●●ppear what we shall be; now can we call God Father, and cry to bi●● in ●iving Sense of his begetting Power for daily Bread, that we may be strengthened with might in the inward Man, and that his Kingdom may come; which comes not by Observation, as lo here, and lo there; neither doth it stand in Words; but in Power, and consisteth of Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the holy Spirit.  
And that you may have Fellowship with us, herein is the Travel of our Souls, and that you may know him whom the Father hath given to be a Leader and a Commander to all that receive him the Light and quickening Spirit, and him that hath this Hope, purifies himself as God is pure, and hath the Witness in himself by his continuing, believing and Walking in the Light, where the Spring of Eternal Power is witnessed to become the Sons of God without Rebuke, and now if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light, then have we Fellowship one with another (mark that) and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sins; and this is the Fellowship which the Saints in Light have with God, in the Church which is in God, and one with another, by one Baptism, which is our entrance, by the one Spirit, into the one Body, of which Christ Jesus is the Head, World without end.  
And this is a Plain, Faithful and True Testimony born through living Experience to the true Light of Christ Jesus, which we in scorn called Quakers believe in, and declare of to all men in the Love of God, and of no other, saith  
Luke Howard.   

Here followeth a few Queries for this Night-Watch-man to Answer according to Scripture, before ever he be by his Neighbour searched out the third time, and found again, as he hath twice been already, a raking in the Bottomless Pit to fetch up Matter against the Light of Christ Jesus.  
1. Whether the Light of Jesus be not the Light of Men, and a Measure of the Spirit of Truth given to every Man, as a Talon to profit withal? and whether it doth not convince the World of Sin, of Righteousness and of Judgement, and is not the Condemnation of all that believe not in it, seeing that the Condemnation is, that Light is come into the World, and men love Darkness rather than Light, because their Deeds are evil?  
II. Whether ever we called Quakers ever declared of, or testified to any other Light, then that which John called, the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World; we saying with Paul, That God hath shined into our Hearts with it, to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God, in the Face of Jesus Christ; and if we, or any People else believe not in it, then is●t not the Condemnation of all such? but if we do believe in it, we have the Witness in ourselves, even the Light & Life according to the Scriptures, which we do believe are to be fulfilled?  
III. Whether all that oppose the Light in the Heart, be not Opposers of the Life of Jesus, seeing that in him is Life, and his Life is the Light of Men? and whether all that gainsay and oppose this Light of Jesus, be not Fighters against God, and Blasphemers against his Temple, and the Worshippers therein, and so have no part of the Inheritance with Saints in Light?  
IU. What is the Word in the Heart, that Man may hear it, and do it? and what is that Word which is said to be the Name of Christ Jesus (the Power and Wisdom of God) by which Word we may come to know him, who is from Everlasting to Everlasting, the same yesterday, to day, and forever?  
V What is the Manifestation of the Spirit, which is given to every man to profit withal, if it be not the Light within? and what is the Light, which lighteth every Man, if it be not the Light within? and what is the Quakers Light, if it be not that which every Man is lighted with, seeing thou makest a Difference, crying out, The Quakers Light, and Woe be to him that walks by the Dark Light of the Quakers?  
VI What is the Grace of God, and where doth it appear, which brings Salvation, that hath appeared unto all Men [mark] unto all men, if it be not the Light of Christ in the Heart? and whether th● Quakers have not a share in that Common Grace, as well as others, seeing it is to all Men? then what difference between the Quakers Light, and all men's, in the first Gift to man?  
VII. What is that Leaven which the Woman took, and hid in three Measures of Meal, until the whole was leavened? and what is the Grain of Mustardseed, which a Man took and sowed in his Field, the least of all Grains, and grows the greatest of all Herbs? and what are the Fowls of the Air, which lodge in the Branches of it? And what is the Pearl hid in the Field? and what, and where is the Field? and who is the Merchant Man? and what is that he parts with for the Field? and how, and with what doth he dig deep to find the Pearl? And what is the Groat the Woman lost and found again, when she had sweeped her House? and what is the House and Broom, with which she sweeped? And what is that Talon the Housholder gave to his Servants, and then himself went into a far Country for a time, and then at his return again called them to an Account? And what is the Draw-Net cast into the Sea? and what is the Sea? and what are the Fish? and what is the Vessel and the Good Fish that are put therein, and the Bad Pish that are cast away?  
VIII. What is that Baptism that is to remain seeing the Scripture saith, there is one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism: is it john's, or is it Christ's? or is it Water, or is it Spirit? or must there be two? And what is that true Bread which comes down from God, the flesh of Christ which he gives for the Life of the World? and whether he that eats of, it shall not live for ever; and whether any have Life, but those that eat thereof; and whether your Bread be that yea or nay, which you give each other as an Ordinance of God, as you call it?  
IX. What Baptism is that now which gives an Entrance into the one Body of which Christ Jesus is the Head, seeing the Scriptures of Truth which we believe and own, say, That by one Spirit are we all baptised into the one Body? and who is the Administrator of this Baptism? and when may it truly be said of any Man, that he is baptised with this Baptism?  
Luke Howard.   

A Looking-Glass FOR BAPTISTS Being A Short Narrative of their Root and Rice IN KENT.  
Wherein the Erroneous Spirit of Richard Hobbs (Pastor of the Baptists in Dover, with some others therein concerned with him) is Reprehended.  
By Luke Howard.  
Be sober, be vigilant, because your Adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.  
Whom resist steadfast in the Faith, knowing that the same Afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World.  
But the God of all Grace, who hath called us into his Eternal Glory by Jesus Christ, aft●r that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen settle you.  
To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen,  1 Pet. chap. 5. vers. 8, 9, 10, 11. 
Printed in the Year, 1673   

THis Narrative is for the  Minds to look into, whether Baptists or others: in which short Narrative (by all such) may be seen the Rice and Root of the Baptists in Kent.  
And the Face of an Envious spirit ruling in Richard Hobbs, Pastor of the Baptists in Dover, as he pretends himself to be, with all concerned with him in it (except he has beguiled any) to set their Names to an Envious Story of one Charles Bayley, Ten Years by past; to which Story there is Nine Names, but five of them dead for several Years; and C.B. of whom the Story is, was by the Quakers denied ten Years since, and so is to this Day, as in this Narrative will appear to the Author's shame, because they have known he was denied for several years, as their own Consciences will testify against them.  
This they joined to another like itself, at the Reprinting of it, which before was sufficiently Answered, and the Forgery therein detected to all  Minds.   

READER,  
I Hearing of, and this day seeing a Scandalous Narrative from the Baptist-People of Dover, at the reading of which I could not but very much strange, that men should so much lose their Reason, as men, that as soon as they have a little Liberty given them, to abuse it so, as to employ themselves in such dirty work once and again of Nine and Ten Years by past, and so to make themselves a Scorn to Fools, and the innocent Principle of the Quakers the World's Talk, whom they hate, as Ahab did Micaiah; and therefore is their work like themselves, whose Envy destroys their Reason, which is the Cause they Print such things as are filled with Mischiefs, and no good to any; though such as envy and hate the Light of Jesus, and perfect Way of the Lord (and so bring not their deeds to it) may rejoice thereat. The tendency of which Narrative was of C. Baily's spirit and works manifested in Dover in the 8th Month, called October, 1661. to crown the rest of their work in their other Narrative (to which this of C. B. was added in the Reprinting of the same) as the Baptists in subtlety thought, or might think. Therefore it was something upon me to give forth a true Relation (according to my knowledge) of C.B. and his being denied long since by us, and so not to be by Wise Men accounted of us.  
And also, for the Truth's sake, to make a sure Discovery of the Rice of the Baptists in the County of Kent (who show what spirit they are of by their works in Print) that they should not be lifted up, and glory in the flesh above their sphere, and so preach and affirm they know not what unto the people, which are more simple (some of them) and cleaner in heart and mind, before they are Dipped, then ever they come to be again, after once they are proselited into their Yoke of Bondage; and therefore is this plain Discourse (for the Simple sake) given forth.  
The 9th day of the 5th Month, called July, 1672 L. H.   

A LOOKING-GLASS for Baptists, etc.  
IN the Year 1643. and 1644. the People called Baptists began to have an entrance into Kent; and Anne Stevens of Canterbury (who was afterwards my Wife) being the first that received them there, was dipped into the Belief and Church of W. Kiffin, who then was of the Opinion commonly called, The particular Election and Reprobation of Persons; and by him was also dipped Nicholas Woodman of Canterbury, myself, and Mark Elfreth of Dover, with many more both Men and Women, who were all of the Opinion of the particular Point, and who reckoned themselves of the Seven Churches in that Day, who gave forth a Book called, The Faith of the Seven Churches; which was then opposite to the Baptists that held the general (and is still the same) at which time there was great contest betwixt those Baptists called, The General, as Lamb, Barber, and those which held the Universal Love of God to all; and Kiffen, Patience, spilman and Colyer, and those that held the Particular Election; so that if any of the particular Men or Women of the Seven Churches aforesaid, did change in their Opinions from the Particular to the General, that then they were to be baptised again, Because (said they) You were baptised into a wrong Faith, and so into another Gospel, using that saying, That if any man bring any other Gospel, then that which we have received, let him he accursed; whereupon several denied their Belief and Baptism, and were baptised again into the General Opinion or Belief: But N. Woodman aforesaid, with M. Elfreth, with all of then in Kent (except Daniel Con of Canterbury, which never baptised any) held their Baptism in the particular, but changed their Opinions to the General, & some to , and the Mortality of the Soul, and many other things too redious here to relate, from whence did arise almost all the Baptists which now are in Kent, whose Root is Babel and Confusion (which so much boast themselves in this day of a little Calm) so that in their Root (to wit. Baptising into the Faith of Particular Electioners) they being false, neither Branch nor Fruit can be true, but a confused Breed, Increase, and Body is the very best state they can lay claim unto by their own Rules, if the General Opinion and Practice of Lamb and Barber be true, of whose Opinion these Baptists in Kent profess now to be of, (though they did arise from the particular Root) and devoutly preached it up, as if they were Naturalised into the Root of the General, by Baptism: and so make Proselytes to themselves in that which they know not whereof they do affirm, not being Spiritually Baptised into the Universal Love of God; and so you Leaders of this People cause them to err, and they that are led by you are destroyed (for where the Blind lead the Blind all must needs fall into the Ditch) and when they are proselited to hold Truth in Vnrigh●eousness, they are made twofold more the Children of Hell than they were before, because they are now covered with a Profession without Life, which God's Spirit leads not to, but man's Traditions, as before proved by their false Baptism: And here many simple Ones think themselves in their state to be Rich and Full, because they can now say something for their Opinion, as they have leauned of their Leaders, when as they are Poor, Blind and Naked, and as empty of the Spirit of Life to lead as ever they were in days past, and as ignorant of the One Lord and One Baptism by One Spirit, into the One Body, whereof Christ Jesus is the Head, as ever they were, because the Root and Foundation of their standing is rotten, and laid in Babel and Confusion; and all this appears sufficiently unto those whose Eyes are opened by the Eyesalve of Jesus, who counsels all to buy of him Eyesalve, that they may see (to wit) themselves in the Fall, and him who is the Light a Quickening Spirit to redeem up to God, out of the Fall; and all such behold and understand things which differ, and can see the Ground and Root of you, and of the Bitterness which remains in you Carnal Baptists, against the Spiritual Ap●eatance and Light of Jesus, and the Truth professed in it by the People of God called Quakers. Oh! the height of Enmity, and Abomination of Cruelty, which lodgeth in the Hearts of some of your proud Leaders, who call the Scripture their Rule, and yet walk so contrary to it; for doth it not say, Do unto all Men as you would they should do unto you? which in many things you do not; as in your Printing and Publishing Forgeries, and Falsehoods, and the Miscarriages of some who never were established amongst us; but since denied by us: do you not hereby seek to cast Dirt upon us all in your Pamphlets, as if it were a thing of yesterday, and allowed of by us at this time? Cannot you see your Envy and great Hypocrisy in this thing? For do not you know who are the Authors of that Story, that it is about Ten Years ago, that Charles Baily was a Prisoner in Dover? And do not you know in your own Consciences, that he hath been by us, called Quakers, denied for many Years? And is he not then to us as a Stranger or Heathen man, according to the Scriptures? And what is that in you, that lays his Miscarriages to our Charge? now, is not that against the Scriptures, which you call your Rule? And besides, you belie him too in some things, as bad as he was; and so you show your spirit to all men, and especially to the Wise in Heart, who will forever conclude you to be as you are, and that he is not to be accounted of us, nor his Actions laid to our Charge, as you envious People have done: you were moved to do it; but surely you were so moved in Envy, as were joseph's Brethren, when they sold him into Egypt (it was a Murdering Motion at the best of it) but God was with him to their Shame and Confusion of Face in due time, and so is he with us: and I do believe, though you do not now Blush, yet you shall Blush and be Ashamed, when the Fruits of your own do shall correct your Folly: For what have you to glory in, but your own Shame? If we should look back among your Society, as you deserve what might be said, as many of you well know, and some pretended Leaders too, Thou that saith, another should not Steal, dost thou Steal? here read your selves: but for the sake of the Simple I shall not here enlarge, yet suffer a little to be said concerning N. Woodman aforesaid, who was the first Baptist-Preacher and Dipper reared up in this County of Kent, from whence your Rice is, whose Evils I will not lay to the charge of the Vnconcerned in this matter; but to speak a little to inform you, which know not your Root and Rice, which before is called Babel and Confusion, and rotten; and now judge yourselves if it were not so; for there be many yet living, which know the Truth of this following Discourse, and much more.  
This Woodman took to Wife and honest sober widow Woman in Dover, named Katherine Brown, who lived in good fashion in the Town, and for his Profession's sake married him, who in idleness spent her Means, and then abused her Body with many Blows; when he had her in the wide Fields in the Wild of Kent, then would he leave her there to shift for herself, and himself go from Place to Place to preach up Water-baptism; of whose (with more since his time) filthy unheard of Abominations, both in spirit and practice, there might be more said than you can say of C. Baily, as some of yourselves well know, which we are not willing to relate in Print, except provoked to it by your hereafter Carriages. Now, C. Baily we are as clear of, as we are of you in the sight of God and Wise Men, and as clear as the Churches were of them denied by them in the Primitive Times, of which the Scripture is a full Witness for us, and against you in this Case, unto your great shame in putting forth this your Folly in Print of Ten Years conceivings.  
Now this Man, your Root, and from whence you risen, was not in his day inferior to any of you, in preaching the Scripture words without Life, as you do, and in getting Disciples to him, as you do; but his Folly was made manifest, as yours in due time will also be, who through feigned words deceive the Hearts of the Simple, and make them two fold more the Children of Hell, than they were before they came amongst you, as said Christ Jesus to the Pharisees, in whose steps you are found, with the Sheep's Clothing, but in the Wolves Nature, inwardly ravening; and so your Righteousness doth not exceed theirs, because the Ravening and Murdering Nature is standing in you, as in them, which can look seven, eight, or ten years backward, to smite with the Fist of Wickedness, and persecute the Innocent with your Tongues for want of power in your Hands to effect your Wills, whose Opinions we well know, and much more than is here said; and what is here said, is not there a cause for it? let the  in Heart and Mind judge in the Case, and let the Lord judge, who judgeth not as man in the Fall judgeth, but will judge Righteous Judgement. But to return, Now this Man your Root is gone, and many which knew him not are gotten into his Form, crying up your Water-Baptism as the Jews did Circumcision, and a Temple, with other things, which God commanded in its Day, as was Baptism to John, which was to decrease; but the one Baptism of Christ by the one Spirit into the one Body was to increase, as John testified of him, and stands a Witness in the Holy Scriptures against you all. And so we say, There is one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism to be contended for, and to be lived in, by all who are of the Church which is in God, of which Christ Jesus is the Head, World without end, when all things which are seen shall have an End.  
And this Testimony lives in my Heart for God. That it is neither Baptism, nor not Baptism in Water, that availeth any thing no more than Circumcision, but a New Creature (here read yourselves) and as many as walk according to this Rule (to wit, of the New Creature) Peace be unto them, and to the whole Israel of God; and now Wisdom is justified of her Children, and every Tree is known by its Fruit, & so are you to all, whose Eyes are open to see your Folly and Envy, in raking Ten Years back, as if you had sat brooding the Cockatrice Egg all this time, to hatch forth the Serpent's Seed of Envy, to come behind, and bruise the Heel of an Innocent People, which have denied, and do deny (and all along our Principle hath been against) such spirits as C. Bayly's was of Ten Years since, and is of now. But Richard Hobbs, who takes to himself the name of Pastor of the Baptists in Dover, s●●th in p●g● 7. of their Hatched up Envy, That ●f the Quakery should de●● Charles Bayly to be owned a very eminent Man amongst them at the time of his Imprisonment, that then they will render themselv●● 〈…〉 Persons that ever professed Religion. Thus, Capera●●● 〈…〉 ex●lts himself, as it he spoke Truth, and knew all the Q●●●●●s Minds at that time; but his Anger overruling his Knowledge 〈◊〉 to seek of his Proof, although he seems to prov●●t by his com●●● on Lord's Day after, as he saith, to the Prison, and there saw C. B. and most of the Quakers in Town with him; and he Prayed, and some of them kneeled; A poor Proof: He there neglects relating, That several of he Men Friends were then Prisoners in Dover Castle; and besides, amongst them at Liberty there were some which did not own C. Bayley so much as R. Hobbs reporteth of, though to him it was not declared; and besides, Anne Howard my Wife (I being then a Prisoner in the Castle) did so far disown him, that she sent up to London, to the Elders of Friends, and gave them an Account of his mad Actions, who sent down two Friends to look after him, and they testified against him, when they saw him; this Friends did not acquaint the Baptists with, who we knew waited for Mischief: but Friends Care was of him, to preserve him, if possible, and to restore him in the Spirit of Meekness and Love, as our Duty is according to Scripture; but when no Recovery can be, then denied, as he was and is to this day. And how can be charge the Principle or Body of our Friends with him, save Envy itself? And besides, those Friends which chief were with him in the Prison were young Convinced, and tender, and could not easily discern, and afraid to judge, not knowing what to say; but to us in the Castle Prison▪ when they came up to us, they would speak as it was, but this did not we see meet to acquaint the Baptists with, but rather endeavoured to get him to London, which was done in order to his Recovery; so that Friends are clear of him in the sight of God, and according to Scripture, although the Baptists in envy seek to lay Stumbling-blocks in the way of the Simple by it, & so do transgress the Law of God, and Scriptures, which they in words call their Rule, which say, Thou shalt not lay a Stumbling-Block in the way of the Blind, but shalt fear thy God: But they show their Spirit to the full; and the Lord judge between us and them for his Seed's sake. And surely if these men had been in the days of Christ and the Apostles, they would have done as the Jews did, lay blame to the Life and Doctrine of them, because of Miscarriages in Judas, and others, of which the Scripture declares much, and that through them the Name of God was blasphemed; but surely the Blasphemers were to bear their burden from the Lord, as well as the Cause-givers, and so mus● all now; for the Lord will not be mocked, but as every one sows so must he reap, even the fruits of their own do; and so must you for all your Blasphemy against the Light of Jesus, which we declare of, which every man is lighted withal, according to the Scriptures, though you presumpuously sometimes call it Natural, and scoffingly and enviously, the Quakers dark Light, with many more blasphemous words, as the Jews of old did, in whose steps you are found walking, and whose works you are found doing in the spirit of envy, which said, This is the Heir, come let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours: now he that envieth is a  or Murderer; and we know, that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him; and we may justly desire of the Lord, to be delivered from such unreasonable men, which so show your Teeth, as very ready to by't, if you had but power; crying out in a public Assembly of Baptists in Dover, That he which answered your false Accusations of eight or mine years Envy, deserved to have his Ears nailed to the Pillory, for only his setting two Letters for his Name; which shows your spirit to all wise men sufficiently: And therefore, let your Profession be what it will, the body of death is standing in you, in which the Persecutor and Murderer lives, for how unlike a true Christian are your works, in raking for matter ten years back, to beget in people an evil Opinion of the Quakers? and what will you get by it amongst the wise in Heart but shame and contempt? for our Rock is not as your rock is, as late experience hath shown, our Enemies themselves being Judges; and now you show, what seed you are of, by biting at our Heels, and smiting us with the Fist of Wickedness, and persecuting us with your Tongues for want of power, laying to our charge his spirit, which we have denied ten years ago. O ye Fools! so soon as ever the King gives you a little Liberty to meet, where you were afraid of man to meet but a little time since, and so crept into Corners; is this the glorious & beautifullest Fruit you have to appear with? surely this is not the Wisdom which is from Above, which is ●irst Pure, then Peaceable, and easy to be entreated; but that wisdom which is from Beneath, where the Serpent's life is, which is earthly, sensual and devilish, which bites at the Heel: Surely Dust is and shall ●e the Serpent's meat, and upon his Belly shall he go all the days of his life: ●ere read yourselves, if you can understand what it means, saith ●e who is a true Friend to all men's Eternal Peace,  
Dover, the 9th day of the 5th Month, 1672. Luke Howard.   

A Postscript.  
This Baptist Pastor, and as many of his Flock as are of his mind, would have all people to believe, That the spirit by which C. B. was acted, when he h●d erred in his heart from God, was and is the spirit, by which all the Quakers are led by, as the very Principle of their Religion. This is the thing which his printing is for, to possess people with a Belief of; and he thinks in his Serpent's Wisdom, that he hath made it sure enough in saying, That he was owned an eminent Quaker at the time of his Imprisenment, and running out, to which I have Answered already, how he was then looked upon by Friends, whom he reputes to be a Poor, Misled and Deluded People; but in that Way which he accounts Delusion, to w●t. Believing in the Light of Jesus, which shines in the Heart and 〈◊〉 manifest in every man's Conscience, do we worship God in, even in th●●●p●●it and in the Truth, which the Devilis out of, and all which do his works of Envy: And therefore something is yet in my Heart to s●e●k t● 〈◊〉 spirit of Envy in the Baptist Pastor (as he styles himself) and that on th● wise.  
Christ Jesus was glorified with the Father before the World was, and in time manifested to the World in that Body, which the Father had prepared him to do his Will in, whose Name is called, the Word of God, by which the World was made, who took upon him the Seed of 〈◊〉, and declared to be the Son of David according to the Flesh but ●he Son of God according to the Spirit, by the Resurrection from the dea●: who had all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him, by which he gave Commission to his Apostles or Messengers, to Baptise into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, which is into the Nature and Life of each, which is one divine Nature; and these three being one in Nature and Being and every one which is herein baptised, knows the Father and the Son b● the Spirit, which to know is eternal Life, which is to increase in which they also know John's Ministry and Baptism, which was to decrease, else there must be two perpetual Baptisms; but there is one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism, which is to be contended for, and lived in by all who are of the true Church, which is in God the Father of Spirits, and of our Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam, the Quickening Spirit, the Lord from Heaven, who in his Body prepared him to do the Will of God in, went up and down doing good, and chose Twelve, and one of them was a Devil, not a Devil when he chose him [Mark that] for when he had part of the Ministry, than a Servant of God, but he erred in his heart, and fell away, and it was said, Let his Habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his Charge let another take: What now Baptist Pastor? wouldst thou not here have judged all, because he walked and professed among the rest of the Disciples? and yet afterwards in eating and drinking with them was called a Devil by him that had chosen him into his Service before, in which he had so walked, that each Disciple was ready to question himself, Is it I? and Is it I? here would not thy spirit have said, Ah! you are all alike, led by one spirit? here see thy spirit and face thou blind Pastor. And Peter, he denied his Master. and cursed and swore he knew him not; would not thy envious spirit have said, Ah! they are all alike, and led by one spirit, for all ●hey have been a preaching up the Light? yet would not thy Pharisaical spirit have condemned all for Peter? and though he found a place of Repentance, what is that to thee and thy judgement against the Truth in this ●ase? for Judas found no more place, than C. B hath yet found; and ●et he had a part, and might be, and was reckoned a Disciple, as well by ●he rest of the Disciples as C. B. was reckoned a Quaker by some of the Quakers; for to some he was manifest, as I said before, though you Baptists knew is not. And then Demas, he forsook Paul, and embraced ●he present World; what wouldst thou have said less then, Ah! they are ●ll alike, led by one spirit, let them profess what they will? for those ●hich said, the Apostles turned a the World up-side down, and contradicted ●nd blasphemed their Doctrine: What do you Baptists in this your Work ●iffer from them? And those which had the Form, and not the Power, ●hich were to be turned away from; what would thy Jewish spirit ●ave said, Ah! they are all alike, led by one spirit, for they speak ●like and act alike? as this blind Pastor said, Charles Baily did ●●st as the Quakers in all things, both in Words and Actions, ●herefore all one spirit, said he. And then John said, They went ●ut from us, because they were not of us, that it might be made manifest, they were not all of Us: He doth not say, They had never ●een among them [Mark that] but, They were not of them: ●ere wouldst not thou have been the Accuser of the Brethren, and in ●nvy have been ready to have ●rinted against them, and have ●aked Ten Years back to have proved them that went out from them to have been of them, at such a time, and at such a time, and especially at that time when they held out their Golden Cup of Profession in good words, as you do? Here may you see yourselves, if the God of this World hath not blinded your Eyes. And then in the Churches there was some Fault found with the most of them in some things; if thou Pastor of Dover-Baptists hadst been in those days, and heard of it, would not this thy spirit have said, It is all their Principles, and one spirit leads them all? as thou dost say concerning the Quakers, against whom thou watchest for Evil both in words and action, and then bringst it forth Ten Years after it is done, so much out of Time, that it was high time it had been buried long since, that it might have been rotten before now; but now to Print such long-past things, shows thy spirit and thyself to be but a Wolf in the Sheep's Clothing, and so a very unfit Pastor to overlook a Flock, and especially the Flock of Christ, when thou art always a snarling at our Heels, as the Serpent's Nature is, bringing back Blows of Ten Years old, and of that which we are no more to be charged with then the Saints of old, as before declared, might be with the false spirits, which were once amongst them, and then went out into the World, as C. Baily is gone. Now all had a beginning of the Work in themselves, before they went out from the Church, and at the first appearance of that spirits working in the M●stery of Iniquity, and transforming of itself as an Angel of L●ght; for to ●udge a whole Body and Church of People to be all led by that spirit, is not this to be the Accuser of the Brethren, and especially, when that people deny & testify against that spirit in due time, as you Baptists know in your own Conscience we have done? is not this Wickedness and Enus drunk in by you, as an Ox drinks in Water? and surely, if you had not made yourselves drunk with the Whore's Cup of Abominations, you must needs have been Wiser Men; but having drank deep, the dregs so stick in your Throats, that makes you thus vomit up your own shame, and that Nature nothing will cleanse you of short of the Divine Name of Christ Jesus, which leadeth to God; but you, in the Old Man's Nature and Envious Holiness, can get the words to talk of, and profess in the Ravening Nature, fetching up such old Matter against the Quakers of Ten Years standing, and Print it, as if People should believe it were now our Principle, Spirit and Practice; against which, with the Pastor and his Flock, which have a hand or consent to it, we have a Testimony for the Lord to bare in the Truth, which is Christ Jesus our Light and Life: For he that hath the Son, hath Life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not Life, he which hath the Son hath the Father also; unto whom be Everlasting Praise.  
And blessed are they, which are not offended in Christ Jesus the Light of men, who is the Foundation that God has laid, and chief Cornerstone of this Age, as in Ages past, though the wise Master-builders refuse now to build thereon, as the Generations of old did; but now is the Lord a taking of the Wise in their own Craftiness, with the little Foxes, which destroy the Vineyard, from and by whom Offences come; but We be to them, by whom they come, because, if they do not fall on this stone Christ Jesus, and so be broken to pieces, it will certainly fall on them, and grind them to powder, when there shall be none to deliver: Therefore the Wise in Heart will prise their time, whilst it is called to day, and whilst they have the Light to believe in it, that so they may be the Children of it, lest darkness comes upon them, and so their feet stumble upon the dark Mountains even at noon day; for Light was in Goshen, when Darkness was and is in Egypt, even such darkness as may be felt of Sodom and Egypt, spiritually so called, where our Lord was and is Crucified; he that can read, let him understand, and prise his day, and live to God, and not to himself; that so in all things God may he glorified in all, and through all, and over all, who is Blessed forever and forever, Amen. saith  
The 14th of the 5th Month. 1672. Luke Howard.   

THE Water-Baptists Reproach REPELLED.  
Being A further REPLY Answering a Defence of R. Hobbs to his pretended Impartial Narrative of one C. Bayly, hereto a pretended Quaker: A Story of 11 years standing. IN Defence of an Answer to the said Narrative; clearing the People called Quakers of the Water-Baptist's Calumny and Abuse blabbed out against them.  
By T. R.  
Printed in the Year, 1673.   

TO THE Impartial Reader.  
HAving lately read a Pamphlet (whose Epistle to his Reader is subscribed Richard Hobbs) weighed the Arguments, and considered the Tendency of that Discourse; I could do no less then write a few Lines as reasonable Remarks upon it. The Piece is averred by the Author to be a Sober Reply to Luke Howard: which had the Author performed, he neither had thus abused thee, nor occasioned me this Trouble. And truly, Reader, I must tell thee, I have not often met with more Impertinency, or Abuse wrapped up in so small a Fardel; which confirms me, that the Promise of a Sober Reply in the Front of his Pamphlet was to Gilled the Poyson-Pill, to swallow the more glib; without which Artifice (I doubt not but) he's sufficiently sensible the Palate of this Age would not easily touch, much less take his Potion.  
How considerable Richard Hobbs is amongst his Brethren, I determine not; but as a Preacher, and Water dipper at Dover amongst them of his Persuasion he is exercised, and has been for some years past, and writ a Supplement to a strange Prodigy, or Miracle, pretended to be wrought by his brother R. James, a Preaching Dipper, or Water-Baptist in Lincolnshire.  
The first piece of Abuse (I mean that out of Lincolo●shire) presents the World with a Miracle, and I must say, a strange one too, a Leprosy and diseased Family miraculously cured by them, whose known and owned Belief, and Principle are, that Miracles are ceased: which exceeds the very Power of Christ's Apostles, that could not so much as cure the Lunatic having not Faith, Mat. 17.16, 17. And gain, that they should he so kind to a Quaker, and his Family, as to cure them, whom of all Persons they hate, and which of all Persons (they say) have not Faith; is beyond all Bounds of Romance. And this ushered in as a late piece of strange Providence, and Finger of Heaven of few days, or weeks standing before publication; although the Cheat was Eight or Nine, some say Twelve Years passed acted by those Water-Baptists, and now brought to light to their Shame, and their Sophistry discovered by W. S. in Answer to Ralph James his Subterfuge, etc. to which I refer the Enquirer. But to return to R. H. whose Sober piece (as he would insinuate it to be) I have now under hand, and shall (as a Friendly Reader, to whom he directs his Defence of a pretended Narrative formerly published concerning Charles Bayly sometimes a Prisoner in Dover) make such reasonable Remarks and Observations, as may give thee to understand the Author's Drift and Depth in his former, and renewed appearing in Print against us, and by which the Impartial and unprejudiced may judge, Whether it be a Sober R●ply, or an Envious Retort to his Opponent? whether writ in Love, or in ●●●roach? whether in solid and sound Judgement, or an airy and corrupt Mina? And I affirm, the Matter will best discover, of what spirit the Author is; for the Tree is known by its Fruit. Yet it's not my purpose to charge his Disingenuity upon all that may bear that Name (for there are lost Sheep, whose Innocency and Simplicity is betrayed by such as He, who cause them to err, whose State and Condition I really pity, and desire their Recovery) But with much Plainness to deal with him, who Brawls in our Streets, and utters a Reproach at our Gates, of and from which a though in the Sight of God and good Men we are clear, and innocent; yet for the sake of the Simple, and all such, with whom any Doubts of us may yet remain, is this as a Seasonable Caution, that in the sight of all Truth may be clear, and the Slander may lie at the Fool's Gate.  
London, 1673. T. R.   

THE Water-Baptist's Reproach REPELLED, etc.  
THis Water-Baptist, that he might appear a Methodical Writer, presents his Reader with an Epistle, as a Key to open the Secrets of his succeeding Discourse. But that they are of the least Alliance each to other in that sense, I cannot find; but both being wrought with Envy, and Madness; they may pass with a probatum est for Companions. It's some difficulty to determine, whether the Zeal of our Author run him more into the former; or latter? but certainly he may claim a considerable share of either. And if his Proselytes, whom he passes through his Watery Element, be no better cleansed from their Confusion and Filthiness, than his Lines of Controversy; he might better spare his Pains, and they their Trouble. 'Tis possible, R. Hobbs presuming the Impress passing the hands of the Water-Criticks, or Book-Readers of the Town, might change its ill shaped Dress, and present it more refined to the World; so spared a Review of his seven or eight Month's Pains. Yet I'll not set so little by our Author, but own to all that he barks, which may be Argument enough for Approbation, that h●'s fit to go out.  
In his Epistle he thus treats his Reader, viz. I do here present thee with a sma●l Tract, containing a brief Reply to a Book put forth by Luk● Howard, entitled, A Looking-Glass for the Baptists; The Contents of which Book and the Intents of the Author is to obscure the Truth of the Narrative, which is hereunto annexed.  
First I answer, R Hobbs has not here dealt candidly with me, and his Reader, referring us to an annexed Narrative, when there's not one Section, Chapter, or Particular in all his succeeding Discourse, or any Piece annexed, that imports any such Matter: so that the Cause of his Cavil cannot be easily examined, he not showing us what he cavils at; an Absurdity, had it been by us, would have been baited to purpose. Yet that I may afford our Adversaries that Assistance and Supplement they ever denied us, I have traced back the Controversy, and am willing to allow him the help of any Narrative formerly printed, so far as it may clear the Truth, of what's in Controversy betwixt us.  
1. Then first, I find that in the reprinted Pamphlet relating to the Lincolnshire Prodigy, there's a supplemental Letter, and a pretended true and impartial Relation of some remarkable Passages of Charles Bayly.  
As for the Letter, it bears date from Dover, June 10. 1672. by a Nameless Author, and without any Account to whom sent: stuffed full of Calumny, and Reproach, attended with such Circumstances, as might well excuse the naming either the Forger or Fosterer thereof; however its Tincture and Complexion may well discover who writ it; and should Richard Hobbs deny to father it, and cast it upon some or other of his Brethren, as did his Brother Ralph James, when charged with that notorious Lie (in the Front of his Pamphlet of Eye and Ear Witnesses of that pretended Miracle wrought upon the Leper by his and his Brethren's Prayers) who said, it was none of his Composing; yet its Language would betray it: 
See his Subterfuge, p. 13. See pag. 9  (and a further Circumstance, Luke Howard has charged it upon him, which R. Hobbs denies not by his Reply) not much differing from that Dialect in which his pretended true Relation is penned. And then  
2. The Relation relates to C Bailie; who, say they, acted several things as a Quaker from the 13th of O●tob. to the 22th, 1667. (which really was in 1661.) which the Forgers would charge upon all called by that Name, which is the Cause of Controversy betwixt Luke Howard and R. Hobbs, the first clearing, the 2d casting all the Dirt of Charle●'s ●ise cringe upon us; which R. Hobbs terms in L. Howard obscuring the Truth of the Narrative.  
And that the Impartial Reader may have a just Understanding whether R. Hobbs or L. Howard has been Malicious and Clamorous uttering a Reproach and Slander, cavilling against the Truth, and abusing his Reader; I shall descend in these few Particulars to evince to the impartial Understanding: and shall go on 

I. To manifest the nullity of the Water-Baptists Charge by his Letter and Relation.  
TWO Our Clearness from its Impositions.    
But previous hereto I would have the Reader take notice, that its neither my Work, nor Purpose to vindicate C. B. (whose Miscarriages long since separated him from us, and against whom our Testimony was many years passed given out for his Disobedience to that everlasting Light and Truth of God: for the Sake of which Truth R. Hobbs is so enraged against us) But to clear the Truth, and the faithful Followers of Christ from the wretched Impositions and calumnious Impostures of our Malicious Adversaries. Then  
I. The Nullity of Water-Baptists Charge appears in these particulars.  

1. It's own Contradictions, and most apparent and palpable falseness.  
2. His averring those things, that absolute necessary Consequence doth contradict and deny. Which if proved, will be no hard Matter to determine, Whether R. Hobbs his Evidence in this matter be sufficient to prove us guilty of his Calumny and Reproach? for which I need to go no further, then R. Hobbs, contradicting and charging R. Hobbs by his Letter and Narrative in Print   
1. R. Hobbs, that C. Bayly's Miscarriages mightily upon us, and upon that Truth of God we bear Witness unto, he affirms in his said Letter (Pag. 17) that C. Bayly did those Actions at the same Time, when he was owned by us as a very eminent Man amongst us, yea, says he," After he had acted these things in the" Narrative, they did own him as aforesaid. Here's the Accusers Charge, from which he would evince all called Quakers to be guilty of his Miscarriage. And to prove his Position, he lays down this only Argument, and none other, viz. As appears by this (says he) One Lords day, after this Tragedy was past, I came to visit my Brethren in Prison, and went into C. Baily's Chamber to reason with him: in which Time came in most of the Quakers of the Town, 
See the Letter dated June 10. 1672.  with whom Bayly went to Prayer, and divers of them I observed fall down upon their Knees in that Duty; myself, and three more Bap●ists staved in the Chamber all the while he was in Prayer: in which Praye● I very well remember he earnestly bagged of God, that he w●●la send his A●gel, and bind me Hand and Foot, and cast m●●mo Chains of Darkness▪ Thus would he prove, Co. Bayly was owned after his Miscarriages, as divers joining with him in Prayer.  
Answ. As for most of the Quakers of the Town coming there, or joining in Prayer in such manner, as he deceitfully and falsely insinuates, is after in its place answered and refeled: but as to the Time instanced when this was pretended, I further say, R. Hobbs forgetting the Method his pretended Impartial Relation was penned in, or his Zeal out-running this Policy in the very Front of those his remarkable Passages gives us this very Story in the first Paragraph of those recorded Actions, 
See Pag. 1. & 2. of the Relation.  and there rel●tes that C. Bayly fell to praying, etc. (relating that Passage) O Lord God of my Life send down thine Angels and bind this thine Enemy Hand and Foot, for he (meaning R. Hobbs) hath opposed and resisted thy pure Spirit, etc. So that what is pretended to be last in his Letter, is first in his Impartial Relation.  
But should it be objected, That this Piece of Remark was ill placed in the History, and might be an after Passage, though first related here.  
Answ. That is not probable, for the 2d Story following this of the Prayer gins thus, About two Days after, etc. (relating plainly to the Time of the former Story) And following that gins another Paragraph thus, Within a short Time after, &c And ending the whole Relation with a Story of O●tob. 22th, 1667. so that R. Hobbs his only Proof of C. Bayly being owned by the Quakers, after his acting those Passages in the Narrative absolutely falls to the Ground without the least Colour or Pretence of Truth, if the pretended Historical Impartial Relation be in the least to be credited. And to put all our of doubt, with a most solemn asseveration that History is thus closed, viz: This Relation we that subscribe do testify in the presence of God is true: under which is printed no less than R. Hobbs, and the Names of eight persons more.  
And so if the Relation be true, the Letter is most horridly false; and whether to believe R. Hobbs in one, or R. Hobbs in the other, or R. Hobbs in either, I leave the Judicious Reader to Judge.  
2. Another Passage observable in R. Hobbs his Letter is this: near the Close thereof to give his Reader a pregnant Testimony of his Modesty about the publishing the Relation, says he, The only Reason why it was not published sooner, was, because I should seem to some as if I had boasted; And must R. Hobbs his Reader credit him in this? I must needs say, the Pharisee hath told a fair Tale to enforce a belief, that 'twas no small share of self-denial in him, that refused the proclaiming an instance of Providence, that would add so highly to his Praise. But alas! if R. Hobbs were guilty of any such ●●tter, he most grandly mistook himself in a few Lines b●●●e, where (surmising that some Readers might Question th● verity of the Relation or Honesty of the Forgers to detain it in Obscurity for so many Years before it came to Light) he excuses himself and insinuates to his Reader, that the Fault was not his: And saith R. Hobbs, If any question, why it is published now, and not before, my Answer is this, I sen a Copy of it to a Friend in London some Time ago.  
So that after this rational Account of his Innocency 'twere unreasonable to charge R. H. for keeping this Story for so many Years for fear of his appearing to some, as if he had boasted, as he gives for his only Reason, when he tells his Reader again, how little he was accessary to its being so long kept in obscurity, giving this further Reason for its Publication; I saw (saith he) the Truth of Christ might be advantaged thereby.  
Further Instances not much less absurd (in this Letter) might be brought to show the intolerable Folly and Abuse of this envious Water-Baptist, whose bitter and malicious Spirit has led him thus to be a shame to his party, Abuse to his Reader and Derision to judicious Men.  
3. The next matter is the Printed Relation itself, at the foot of which is written, This Relation we that subscribe do testify in the Presence of God is true, we being Eye and Ear Witnesses of these things, some at one time, and some at another: Tho. Partridge, Simon Lovelace, John Heale, Christopher Streeting, Thomas Williams, Richard Hobbs, John Hobbs, John Fins, Edmund Fins.  
Here's there joint Asseveration or Protestation, that the Relation is true, every Particle thereof averred unto by no less than Nine Witnesses; and this to credit thei● Story concerning Charles Bailie; which whether true or false relates not to us: yet to manifest the Unreasonable Abuse of its Forger, I shall remark his indirect Dealing with, and Imposing upon his Reader.  
1. In presenting the Relation under the hands of nine Persons, as Witness thereto, yet in Fact five of them dead before the drawing up of the same: which L. Howard charges in p. 3. upon R. H. and has no Answer to i●, and if that be not a full Testimony and Proof of that Piece of Abuse, look but to R. Hobbs his foremention'd Letter from Dover of June 10. 1672 where he confirms the same in these words, and when (says he) the Narrative was drawn, I shown it to all the Persons, that are now alive, who all own every Sentence in it. But whom alive, and whom dead, not a word: a double Abuse.  
2. But 2dly, That which has a more Scarlet-dye, and renders the Forgers of it most criminal, is, that under their hands each Person testifies to every Particular of the Relation, as each being an Eye and Ear Witness to every Passage, and Particle of the Narrative.  
Here I must take notice, that its usually observed, that the Judges (in Matter relating to meum & tuum) in case a Witness testifies beyond the Bounds of his Knowledge in any one Particular, do suspect him for all; yea, and reject him as a Person not to be credited: and shall so many, and frequent Instances of Unconscionable Abuse be exposed to the Eyes of our Understanding; and yet the Exposer stand with an untouched Reputation? I leave it to the Impartial; and return to the Matter.  
It had been Modest for these Water-Baptists to have testified; that some of them were Witness to one particular, & some of them to another (as probably they might) & not so audaciously to brazen it by their bold, though unadvised Asseveration: We (every one of them) do testify every Sentence in it to be true, and that in the Presence of God: when 'twas impossible, that all could be privy to every Sentence, as the thing itself fully demonstrates. It's easy to reconcile, who made them to Err? viz▪ their Pastor R. Hobbs, who speaks the like Language in his Printed Letter of June 10. 1672. When the Narrative was drawn, I shown it to all the Witnesses that are now alive: who all own every Sentence to be true, and still fresh in their Memories: when the greater number of them are dead, and none of them witness to one and the same Matter, as hereafter will appear.  
Yea, but return to the Relation or Narrative itself; and it presents another Complexion: not all, nor one half of them witnessing every Sentence; but clearly otherwise. To some Sentence no Witness, other one, others two or three: and so giving such Testimony to the respective Parts, as then were said to be present at the particular Action: as appears thus out of their own Relation or Narrative.  
1. The first paragraph relates a Report of Charles Bayly's coming from France, and the Noise of his coming to Dover, 
See the Narrative printed 1672. pag. 19  and being taken from the Quakers Meeting. This was but a Report to the Water-Baptists Witnesses, who then were in Prison: and so they not Eye and Ear Witnesses, as affirmed.  
2. After this Historical Discourse is an Account of C. Bayly's Preaching, R. Hobbs his Opposition, and C. Bayly's Prayer against him, that he might be bound hand and foot, etc. And this Sentence closed without Witness (with an &c.) and not one Water Baptist mentioned to be there, but R. H. much less all the pretended Eye and Ear Witnesses. See p. 19, 20.  
3. Nex● is a full Account of Charles Bayly's Prophecy (as there it's termed) against R. Hobbs; in the Body of which Relation Tho. Partridge is said to be present with R. H. and not a Word of any other. Therefore to the foot of that Paragraph is subscribed, Witness So but Two of the Nine Eye and Ear Witnesses. 

Thomas Partridge,  
Richard Hobbs.    
4. Then followeth a Discourse betwixt C. B. and R. H. where there is not the least mention made of any of the many Eye and Ear Witnesses to be then present; which Sentence ends thus: This, I testify, is true; witness my Hand, Richard Hobbs.  
Certainly, R. Hobbs did much mistake the Point, when he by his Letter confidently affirmed, That all owned every Sentence to be true. But to proceed,  
5. The next Paragraph of the Narrative gives a further Relation of R. Hobbs, and closed the History of C. Bayly's Prophecies against him, which mentions not more than Three to be present; and is witnessed by Tho. Partridge, Edmond Fins, John Hobbs; and had the rest been there, we had without doubt heard of it.  
6. And lastly the Relator gives us a large Story of a Contest 'twixt C. B. and one Wollett a man frenzy in his Brain, who took C. Bayly to be one of the Locusts come out of the Bottomless Pit, because of his Hair, etc. where was present Five of the Baptists, as says the Story, viz. T. Partridge, Ed. Fins, Simon Lovelace, Jo. Hales and Chr. Streeting; not one word mentioned of their Pastor, who usually bore the greatest part in the other Acts: or of the Three other writ under in the general Attestation. Yet says R. Hobbs in his Letter, All averred every Sentence (and he himself subscribed it) to be true: although many of them (as plainly demonstrated) absent, when several of there presented Matters were acted; & most of them dead, when the Relation drawn up: as appears largely by R. H's Letter and Narrative itself.  
Now therefore I recommend it to the Judicious and Impartial, of what Persuasion soever, to judge of R. H's Labours, whether they be the Product of Love, or Envy? of sound Understanding, or a confused Mind? And whether he now brought his super-annuated and confused Story to Light in order to clear the Truth, and Love to his Opposers, as he boldly insinuates; or rather as a Relic of that Enmity and Hatred, which the Wicked One has sown in his Heart, from which his Water-Washing has not cleansed him: and to the Witness of God in all I appeal.  
Having waded through the Depths of R. Hobbs his unstable Foundation, and viewed the irregularity of this Watery-Builder; let's now return to his latter piece of Architect, and examine, What Monuments he now raises upon the old Bottom.  
1. Then first I observe, that in the Front of his Reply to encourage the Reader, who might suspect his Cause (by reason of the confused witnessing of the late Relation) he tells him, That the Truth of the Narrative is further evidenced.  
Upon the view of this large Averment, I presently turned over his whole piece, if possible to find him as good as his word; but alas; it was Labour lost: for instead of producing fresh Witnesses, and new Evidences, as he boldly insinuates; he brings pregnant Instances of his old Abuse, and that accompanied with an ill-favoured way of Canting, which issues from him much like a Proverb out of a Fool's Mouth.  
2. Then next, he proceeds to certify the Reader, That the Narrative was not published to blemish the Persons of the Quakers, nor yet from a Spirit of Envy, pag. 3. And truly, if R. Hobbs did expose his Fardel to the World in a Spirit of Love, and to advance the Reputation of the Quakers, I must acknowledge my Mistake. And whether he did it not for the End he denieth; such who weigh the Circumstances following, may judge first of 

1. An old Story of so many years standing now to be brought out in Print.  
2. And of a Person, that since these Miscarriages has never been owned amongst us.  
3. And to be accompanied with so many Instances of severe Reflections.  
4. Backed with such a number of apparent Contradictions and Falsities.    
As the Proverb is, He that runs, may read; and needs not an Interpreter.  
3. But he tells us plainly, what his Quarrel is against, that if any unkind Blows fall on us, we may know for whose sake it is, pag 3. He and his Legion are against neither Great, nor Small, but Israel's King. It's against the Light, the Power of God his Battle is pitched, says this Water-Baptist, It's their Light Within, whom I withstand. Alas! neither he, nor all the dark powers on Earth shall be able to extinguish it, whose Growth and Increase in despite of all their Opposition over-spreads the people not only in this Nation, but also in the Islands afar off; This accounts be his Enemy, and why? for any other cause, but by reason it tells him the Truth when he heeds it? This would he charge with all the Villainies and Enormities, that ever were committed, says this Water-Baptist, to show to what Enormities the pretended Light leads them. Let me tell thee, Has there been one that has caused thee to speak Evil of the Ways of God, he shall bear his Iniquity: but know, thou shalt not escape the Judgements of the Lord, who hatest the Light, and comest not thereto for Reproof.  
But certainly, thou comest up to, if not exceedst the vilest of Men, to charge gross Miscarriages upon that, which many of thy own Party acknowledge God's Gift, and good in its place; they will at least say. It's the Light of a Natural Conscience; or of the Mosaical Law, or the Relics of that Impression, that was in our first Parents, which shows Moral Duties, and to know there's a God, etc. But, says this Water Baptist, it leads them to Enormities: which yet he neither has, nor can prove. I must acknowledge, that if he takes this for good Argument. If a Person having been Water-dipt, and owned the Water-Baptist- Faith, and whilst amongst them commits one or other Enormous Crime, or Wickedness, for which they disown him, or cast him out of their Fellowship, or Communion; if the Cause of his Miscarriages must be charged upon their Faith-Ordinances, and not his Disobedience to what he professed; then R. Hobbs deals with us, as he would be dealt withal; else not. Again, the Episconalian, Presbyter, Independent, Water Baptist, etc. all pretend the holy Scriptures to be their Rule for Faith and Worship, daily Miscarriages being acted, and fallen into by Persons under those Names, or Distinctions, shall it be said, See what Enormities the Holy Scriptures lead them into? No; nothing less: no more is the Light of the Son of God to be charged by Reason of him who professed his Truth, but held it in unrighteousness: but as the Scripture saith, If we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, then have we Fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin.  
So the Light is clear from R. Hobb's his dark Impositions and our Fellowship clear from him, and all such unfruitful Workers of Darkness. But to close his Charge, he exhorts against the Light within (Terming it the dark Imaginations of our own Heads) and rather to follow the Council of the Apostle Peter, which he Sophistically words thus: we have a more sure word of the Prophets (saith he) meaning the Scriptures, to which we do well if we take heed (mark) as to a Light that shineth in a dark place, etc. when as our Translation is, word of Prophecy, and not Prophets, as the Water-Baptist insinuates, and whence he comments, that the word of Prophecy there spoken of is the Scriptures, and not the Testimony of Jesus, 
Rev. 19.10.  the Spirit of Prophecy; although the Latin and Greek, as well as English has it word of Prophecy, Lat. verbum Propheticum, and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
And if at this rate he can for his wicked End thus make bold with the holy Scriptures; I Question not, but he will wrest and expound his Opposers words to the like Purpose, yet I doubt not but to his own shame and Confusion, which I shall descend to examine.  
4. That I may not wrong R. Hobbs, who truly speaks the Substance of his matter at the first, take his own words at large. (saith he) This Quakers Looking Glass is false, it presents two Faces; one as if they did, another as if they did not own Charles Bayly for an eminent Quaker. And that this is so, see what he saith Pag. 10, viz. some new converted Friends, saith he, did own Charles Bayly; But the Men-Friends, saith he, (meaning himself and three or four more Prisoners in the Castle) did not own him so much.  
Here's the Water-Baptists Charge naturally dividing itself into these particulars, which I shall briefly examine and answer.  

1. R. Hobbs affirms that L. Howard in Pag. 10, of his Book should say, that some new converted Friends did own Charles Bayly, viz. for an eminent Quaker.  
2. But the Men-Friends (meaning himself and three or four more Prisoners in the Castle) did not own him so much.   
1. Then to the first Charge, that L. Howard saith, that some new converted Friends did own C.B. for an eminent Quaker, I Answer that in Pag. 10. or any other page of his whole Book there is not any such matter, or any such Expression of L. Howard; nay, so much from it, and L. H's words so far distant, to what this Impostor would impose, that they are clearly otherwise, for Luke reciting R Hobbs his Expression in his Letter of June 10 1672. Where Hobbs alleges, 
Pag. 17. of their Narrative.  that if the Quakers should deny Charles Bayly to be owned as a very eminent Man amongst them (at the Time of his imprisoment) that then they will render themselves the falsest Persons, that over professed Religion. Which Averment of the Water-Baptist L. Howard fully answers, and at the Close of his Discourse to that Point he tells them, Amongst them at Liberty (which then few were) there were some, which did not own C.B. so much, as R. Hobbs reporteth of: which Luke descends to particulars to show. Which way of Answer to the Water-Baptists Charge is both proper and full, giving not the admittance to his Constructions, much less to affirm, that Luke Loward saith, Some owned him to be a very eminent Man amongst them.  
2. The Water Baptist charges L. H. for saying, the Men Friends (meaning himself, and three or four more Prisoners in the Castle) did not own him so much.  
1. Here R. Hobbs turns Critic advancing his bald Criticisms to such a bulk, that they bear the Burden of his ensuing Discourse: Not so much four or five times repeated in two Pages, yet an absolute Forgery. Had the Man spoke this only to his Watery Auditory; it might upon his ipse dixit have passed for Orthodox; but he must give us leave to tell him, that he by his Lines in Print has horridly wronged his Opposer, and as considerably abused his Reader: for L. Howard has neither word or Sentence, that imports any such matter, as he most audaciously charges: nay, so far were the Men from little or more joining with C. Bayly in Prayer, which is the Water-Baptist's charge of owning of him, that they had not Liberty of Access to him, being then Prisoners in Dover-Castle, yet insinuates the Water-Baptist from this (and that as the words of L. Howard) The Men owned him, but not so much. Certainly, the Man was hard put to it, that thus strained to ease himself; could not self-Evidence of this Antiquated Relation against an Apostate, separated from us so many Years ago, have been a Probatum sufficient to have decided the Controversy betwixt us, but it must be thus redoubled, not only once, nor twice, but with more renewed Instances of Lying Abuse, and Imposture to the Shame of himself, and Sorrow of the Flock to whom he affirms to be a Pastor.  
2. And out of these very words so much has this mighty Artist framed the very Pillets of his Building: so by Theft and Violence makes be a Fortress against us. Remember R. Hobbs, though stolen Waters be sweet; her Guests be in the Depths of Hell.  
Certainly, had R. Hobbs taken a dose of Opium, he could not have more intoxicated his Brains than he has by this Occasion of Contest. And to see an instance hereof, take his own Words  
3. In pag. 1. of his Reply speaking of his Antagonist; we know not (saith he) but that he owned Bailie as much as the Rest did; well them, where's the Owning? Said R. Hobbs pag. 1. It appears by their then affirming and justifying him to be led by the True Light, as they did by their hearing him preach, and devoutly joining with him in prayer, Is this proof sufficient? Said R. Hobbs pursuing the Question, If this be not a sufficient proof they owned him. I know not what is, or can be sufficient; nor do I know any Rule the Quakers have, by which I shall know when they own one another. Here our water-Baptist tells us, if this be not the Quakers Rule ●o own one another he's at's wits end; for he knows no other. But what, will not he turn back, and show us his other side? yes: after R. Hobbs has told his Reader this fair Tale, that L. Howard owned C. Bayly as much as any, and the only proof of owning him was, by joining in Prayer, etc. and if that was not sufficient Proof; he knew not what was: he bringing again an Objection of L. Howard, that he and some more were in Prison, did not own him so much (observe L. Howard uses not that Expression of so much, but its Hobbs his Forgery) which Negation of L. Howard the Author thus answers: If by so much you mean, you did not join with him in his Devotion, I grant it; for your Restraint from him hindered you in that. What's now become of the only owning? all this (so much) fallen in the Dirt by a downright contradiction. How well then our Water-Baptist has proved his Charge upon his Antagonist, I leave it to the Considerate Reader.  
But more of Confusion I have not often found in so brief a Writer; And I cannot but take notice of this Impostors Confidence, that in despite of all his forgeries and lying Citations of L. Howard's Answer to his first confused Relation, yet he's so audacious to affirm; that he says no more of Luke, than he himself confesseth: when Luke Howard's words, sentences and expressions are as opposite to the Water-Baptist's protests and averments of them, as Light to Darkness itself.  
R. Hobbs, let me advise thee as a Friend, to receive Luke Howard's Book; and thy own Reply, and pass Just Judgement upon thy own Work: if not, give me thy Reason Let not thy Zeal, and rage against us so blind thy understanding to produce such monstrous effects; and after thou hast inspected thy own untimely Birth, and seen as well as thy Reader, of how little weight thy way of Argument is to rectify the mistakes, or resolve the Doubts of the unprejudiced and  Inquirer at this day. Answer me, whether if thy old piece of envy and new-vampt story of C Baily were really true as to himwards, what does it more concern us, than the many hundreds, that about the year 1660. and since Apostatised from you; yea, many of your Pastors and Teachers, that have Revolted, and some to that Persuasion you frequently stigmatize us with all, as being most obnoxious to the Gust of the people? We have generally forborn to put them, and their Miscarriages in Print, as being weak Arguments to found Religion, knowing that as well in the primitive times, and the first Apostolic day's, as in these Latter Ages there were still such, who made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience, and caused the Name of God and his Truth to be blasphemed and evil spoken of; and so it is now.  
But why dost thou quarrel, that an Account of our Friends dealing with C. B. was not daily brought to thee? It's more, than the Roman Priest's themselves desire of persons not nearer related, than thou and us. Must thou be a Confessor; else no plain dealing? must we acknowledge to thee all passages of Christian Care to one or other, else justify an Evildoer? strange Inference! It's scarce that time of Day: when thou hast power, command it; till then, thou and thy Calumny rest together.  
I cannot but observe, how natural it is for this water-Baptist to correct his Antagonist; yet himself double guilty of being more like a Scold, than a sober Christian: truly next after a personal knowledge of both, I recommend their Books to the Considerate Reader; who may with ease determine, where the fault lies: besides Luke Howard's solid behaviour in Dover has not bespoke him the scurrilous term of wanton and lewd Ranter as this wicked water-Baptist most falsely insinuates; whose upright Life, and sober Conversation never merited such unjust dealing from this Traducer, or any other. And so, I Justly Charge it upon him, as a false Accusation.  
And to evidence, what spirit he is of, the very dialect he writes in, and his own Work will easily Discover: Have we more Modest Expression from him, than the vilest or debauchest of men, canting at us, as if mere Lascivious and wanton. It he mentions the Women of our Friends, guibing at them thus, Their Female Companions. and such like airy Epithets: if Sufferers; upon the quaking account, and quaking Principles, with many more out of that Treasury of Envy and Hatred, which in store he has long hoarded up against us, and now belches it out, as an unsavoury stink in the Nation.  
I have read over the whole Discourse of two Sheets; and truly I think, the Press is not very often troubled to so little, or so ill purpose: and did not the Covetousness of the Printer exceed the Ingenuity of the Writer, I Judge he had never passed h●● pitiful Pamphlet. As to what is more in his piece, it's either such, as falls under the apparent nullity of the Forgers Arguments; or with the confused heaps of his mere Imposturs', and Abuse. And if any thing else remains deserving Regard, 'tis in the Knowledge of such, whose personal acquaintance with the Forger and Fact can more properly answer, if not stop the Mouth of this envious, and confused Babbler, with whom I leave him, and his Piece, as they see cause for further Reproof and Examination.  
London, the 1st Mon. 1673. Thomas Rudyard.   

A Postscript.  
THe Word of the Lord came unto the true Prophet Ezekiel against the false and foolish Prophets, who followed their own Spirits, and therein prophesied Lies, and false Divinations, and caused people to Err: And he said, Woe unto the Foolish Prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. And God said, Mine Hand shall be upon the Prophets that see Vanity, and that divine Lies, they shall not be in the Assembly of my People, Ezek. 13.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 And hath raised True Prophets in this Age to cry against the False Prophets, and particularly against Charles Bayly, who was many Years ago judged and denied by the Prophets and Servants of the Lord, because he prophesied Lies and false Divinations by the Leadings of his own unclean spirit, which ruled in his deceitful Heart: and because of these things he hath been shut out of the Assemblies of God's People (in Scorn called Quakers) for many years, although he sometimes appeared amongst them, as the false Apostles and deceitful Workers did in the days of the true Prophets and Apostles appear amongst them; and as the true then judged, and denied the false; so have we done unto C. B. in and with the Light, Life and Spirit of God, and of his beloved Son Jesus Christ; and in and with the same we do and shall judge all Dreamers and Prophesiers of Lies and false Divinations, who follow their own corrupt, sinful and unclean spirits, from which the Mysteries and Secrets of the holy pure God lie hid. And now Richard Hobbs, who sayest, That C. B. was led by the Quakers Spirit in that Delusion which he was given up to: If by the Quakers Spirit, thou dost mean the Quakers Light, which thou so much scoffest at, which I have cause to believe by thy own words in thy Book thou dost mean; then I do tell thee, thou dost speak Blasphemy against God, who is Light; and against his beloved Son, who is the express Image of his Substance, & Brightness of his Glory. For I do tell thee, and all others, unto whom these Lines may come, That we the People of God called Quakers have never preached up, or directed any man or woman unto any other Spirit or Light, wherein and whereby Salvation is brought unto the Immortal Souls of Men and Women; but the Spiritual Light of God and Christ, who is that Light, who lights every man that comes into the World, John 1.9. and 8.12. 1 John 1.5, 6, 7. God, who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined in our Hearts, to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ; and his Treasure have we in Earthen Vessels, that the Excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4.6, 7.  
W. G.   
THE END.