THE Wand'ring Bird's Wings Clipped: Or, A REPLY to Benjamin Bird Catholic HIS PAGAN DESIGNS.  As a Bird that wandereth from her Nest, so is the Man that wandereth from his Place, Prov. 27. 8. As the Birds that are caught in the Snare, so are the Sons of Men s 〈…〉 d in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them, Eccles. 9 12. 
THE Love I bear to the precious Truth, and the sincere Professors thereof; with the hearty Desire I have, That all Men might come to the knowledge of the Truth, and be Saved.  
Are strong inducements unto me, when I have seen both it and the Professors thereof misrepresented; to use my small Endeavours to show wherein.  
And wipe off that Dirt they throw upon us, that we may appear as we really are. And doubt not but all, that with an unprejudiced and Impartial mind, will like the Noble Bereans of Old search the Holy Scriptures, and compare our Christian Doctrines therewith, will find we do not hold any that's contrary thereunto: Neither do we desire any should receive any Doctrine we hold, but what's agreeable to those Holy Writings, of which we do in Sincerity declare we have a very Honourable Esteem; and account the Writings of the Old and New Testament the best in all the World.  

And now to this Author's Pamphlet I Reply.  
I. I know no Quaker that hath any Pagan Designs, to draw People off from the Scriptures as B. Bird, that writes himself Catholic, doth falsely affirm in his Title Page, and I charge it on him, as a false and gross Slander, and let him▪ read Prov. 10. 18. What he is that uttereth that, and remember it's said, Psal. 101. 5. That who so privily slanders his Neighbour, him will I cut off.  
But he goes on and adds,— To something above them which is in every Man, etc. What is this an Offence to Labour, that People may be gathered unto Christ, which is above the Scriptures, and to turn them from Satan's Power to God's, and his Spirit in their Hearts when it is not? For that end, that any should slight or despise the Holy Scriptures, but by that which is above them, and by which the Holy Men wrote them, they might come rightly to understand and have the Comfort of them; and if this be▪ Pagan, or to be Vile, we may say with David, we will be yet more Vile.  
Pag. 2. He saith, Thou takest pains to prove that Men may live without Sin.  
II. And is this a Crime to show and prove from Scripture, that Men may by Christ, that had no Sin, be saved from their Sins, and by him, and through his Grace and Spirit be enabled and taught to live without Sin or a daily breaking God's Commands: in opposition to his Sin▪ pleasing Doctrine, of its being impossible while Men are here to keep God's Commands.  
Let all that Read this, consider who is most to be blamed, I for advising him in my former page 5. seriously to consider the Evil Consequences of that Doctrine, viz. That it's impossible while Men are here to keep God's Commands, and for my showing it was contrary to Christ's saying; and the Apostle, Paul and John's Doctrine: Or he, for saying it's impossible to keep God's Commands, and that M●n may not live without Sin, as if it was contrary to the Duty they own to God.  
Surely this Man hath either forgot his Catechism, or doth not believe what therein is declared in Answer to the Question.   

What is thy Duty towards God?  
Answ. My Duty towards God is to believe in him, to fear him, and to love him with all my Heart, with all my Mind, with all my Soul, and with all my Strength, to Worship him, to give him Thanks, to put my whole Trust in him, to call upon him, to Honour his Holy Name and his Word, and to serve him truly all the days of my Life.  
Mind the Catechism saith, its Man's Duty to serve God truly all the days of Man's Life. But B. B. saith, we may not live without Sin, its impossible to keep God's Commands, why, because we may not live without Sin, saith B. B? What is there a necessity for it then? B. B. saith its impossible, and doth not that imply a necessity? For of necessity that must be left undone, that its impossible for Man to do.  
Moreover this Man answered none of my former Instances I brought for Proofs, nor brings none himself for what he asserteth, but his Ipse Dixit.  
Page 2. He saith, The Book of Common-Prayer doth not favour my Opinion.  
III. But answered not any thing I brought out of the Common-Prayer. Doth he think because he hath added Catholic after his Name, I must conclude he cannot Err.  
If so, I answer no, no such matter, for I have shown his Error, as those that Read my Reply may see.  
And for his Flout at me, saying, If I have no Sin to confess, I have the more for that.  
I shall only answer that I own Confession of Sin, but shall not confess mine to him, whom I esteem not sit to be my Confessor.  
Page 2. He saith, Tho' all Men are Sinners, yet good Men that confess and forsake their Sins, shall find Mercy,— and God hath made them accepted in the Beloved. This Doctrine your Friends on the other side the water cannot swallow, and though you disown them, you have been abused by them. The Jesuits brag they have been Twenty Years bringing you into Shape.  
iv I find that we are abused by B. B. and if he, through his intimacy, which the Jesuits knows we have been abused by them, why is he so ready to follow their Practice, but that confirms the Proverb like to like.  
Howbeit, if those he calls our Friends, (and I call his Companions, for he writes himself Catholic,) do not believe that all Men by Nature are Children of Wrath and Sinners; and that good Men that confess and forsake their Sins find Mercy, and through Faith and Obedience are made accepted in the Beloved.  
I say, they that do not own this, are none of our Friends, nor of our Mind. But if B. B. shows or any for him, that any are in the Beloved but new Creatures, and that those that are Born of God, and made new Creatures, may not live without Sin; and that its impossible for them to be other than Sinners all their days, and yet are accepted in Christ; let him if he can prove this tr●e, and according to Holy Scripture.  
The next thing I take notice of, is his Reflection and false Affirmation, which for want of Proof, he often makes use of, showing thereby he's wholly barren of real Proofs, unless it be of his own folly, in which he abounds.—  
Page 2. During King James' short Reign in Ireland, though Protestants of all persuasions were misused, yet the Quakers were friendly dealt with; a sign, saith he, the Papists know you better than you know yourselves.  
V Poor B. B. by this appears no true Catholic, altho' he assumed that Name; for he is offended the Quakers should be friendly dealt with, though by a Roman-Catholick which he once owned▪ head of that Church he pretends to, and defender of the Faith, which the Quakers never did; but because he was not unfriendly to the Quakers, as B. B. and too many of his Brethren have been, he is offended, and must Publish this unto the World, as one of his crazy Conclusions, viz. That its a sign the Papists know us better than we know ourselves.  
Shall I return this on B. B. and say, When King James came first to the Crown in England, he promised to maintain the Church of England as by Law Established. It's a sign that the Papists knew the▪ Church of England better than they knew themselves, that he made this promise to the Church of England only. This would not be well taken altho' I account there, is as much Reason for this as tother, for we are as far from Popery as they.  
B. B. Saith, We had Ordination in the Church of England before Rome departed from the Faith.  
VI And was that a Protestant Church of England, that you had Ordination in before Rome departed from the Faith, or a Popish one. Come B. B. don't Prevaricate nor Evade, let's understand what Church of England this was; and as to thy Question, whence had we our Ordination? I answer, from God and Jesus Christ, that only have power to make Ministers of the Gospel, and ordain them to that Work.  
Page 3. He saith, And do you call upon all to come off from the Teachings of Men, and to know the Teachings of God and Jesus Christ, by his Grace and Spirit in their Hearts when they are without it, and therefore he is not in them.  
VII. Yea, because God's Grace and Christ's Spirit appears and is given to all for that end; but by this arguing all are Reprobates; but I would have him know that Christ is the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and that he shines by his Light, and appears by his Spirit in them, to show what's Good▪ and reprove for Evil, altho' all are not in him, yet he is on this wise in every Man that hath not sinned out the day of his Visitation; otherwise how should any know and do those things that belong to their peace. So though many are out of him, and without a sense of him in their Hearts, by reason of their Sin and Unbelief: Yet he is so near as at the Door, and if received by Faith will come in and bind the strong Man armed, spoil his Goods, cast him out, purge the Flour, and make clean the inside that the outside may be clean also.  
B. B. Saith, You begrudge us a Maintenance which God and Man allows us.  
VIII. I may say, Nusquam sine querela aegra tanguntur, Sore things are not touched without complaint. Howbeit, this I deny and charge on him as false.  
But how agreeable a forced Maintenance for Christ's Ministers is, to his Precept, who said, Freely ye have receiv●d, freely give, I shall leave those that impartially search the Holy Scriptures to judge.  
Also, how unlike it is to the practice of Christ's Primitive and present Ministers, to sue at Law, Imprison and Seize the Goods of those that do not own them to be his Ministers, and how contrary it is to the New Testament; for Gospel-Ministers to take Tithes which are Jewish, let the truly wise Judge.  
And altho' its true what B. B. saith, Joseph gave the Heathen Priests or Princes what Pharaoh allowed them, yet, we read not that they took that allowance from any that were not of them.  
And let them that own B. B's Ministry give him what they will, I shall not bereave him of it, nor ●ob his Church or Barn; and if he would let others be as quiet with what they have and labour for, and not Molest, Persecute, Sue, Imprison, nor seize their Goods, that for good Conscience sake towards God cannot pay him, it would be to his Commendation more than the contrary.  
B. B. Hath one thing more to tell, and that is, that the Gospel accepts the will for the deed; and yet saith, that we make our humble Supplications unto God, that he would work in us both to will and to do.  
IX. Now observe if the Gospel accepts the will for the deed, what need is there to make Supplication to do the deed if willing only will serve. We read that its said, Mat. 7. 24. Whosoever heareth these say of mine, and doth them, I will like him to a wise Man that built his House upon a Rock, and he said to the Woman that said, Blessed is the Womb that bore thee, and the Paps that gave th●●●uck, that they were rather blessed that heard the word of God and do it.  
So it's not enough to think well, unless there be a doing well; and therefore it's said, Depart from evil and do good, and live for evermore▪ and its said, Glory, Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh ●ood to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles, for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified; yet it's not for the doing sake that we are justified, nor by works of Righteous that we have done that we are saved, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he sheds on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, and by that Faith which works by Love and purifies the Heart, and gives victory over the World.  
There is one thing more which B. B. falsely insinuates against me in these words: Let me desire thee to cease reviling Protestant Ministers, who are the Servants of the most High God, that show unto us the way of Salvation.  
X. I answer, his desire herein is needless, and his insinuation hase; for I love and honour the Servants of the most High God, that show unto us the way of Salvation.  
Although I esteem not B. B. such an one, but the worst I wish him is, that he was, and that he may forsake his false speaking, and misrepresenting me, my Friends, and our Doctrines; and come to an amendment of his ways, and acknowledge to the truth, that it may be well with him in his latter end.  
But there is something farther to observe, that is, his Complaint, Page 3. where he saith to me, Thou callest me Episcopalian Priest, Officious Scribbler, and Priest Bird; by which its easy to know you lighted your Candle at Lucifer's Torch, and▪ 'tis his Light within you boast of, and would Blasphemously Entitle Christ to.  
What a Rage is this Man in! Doth not he verify the Phrase? Saepe ad nos ira venit, sapius nos ad illam, Anger often cometh unto us, we oftener to it. For must I for calling him as the Common-Prayer calls him, be thus judged? For in the Morning-Prayer he is called— Priest, for the Priest is to say, Oh God make clean our Hearts within us, and take not thy Holy Spirit from us.  
Now if this Man did pray in Faith, and so experience his Heart made clean within him; such foul things would not come out of him, such Rage and Bitterness would not appear for my terming him Episcopalian Priest: I did not call him Hireling, greedy Dumb Dog, nor Turncoat, yet I must be falsely told I lighted my▪ Candle at Lucifer's Torch, and 'tis his Light within that I boast of, and would Blasphemously Entitle to Christ. What strange, false, untrue, and unscriptural Expressions are these? What Light within hath the Devil? But let him, and all know its Jesus Christ, the Beloved Son of God, that came from the Bosom of the Father; that I do believe in who is the Light of the Word, and the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, by whose Light we have come to see our own States, and also therein to see how directly contrary the Works and Fruits (of too many professing to be his Ministers) are, to those that were, and are really his; which freely give what they receive, and seek not People's goods, but their eternal good, and to gather them not to themselves, but to Christ; and to know his Teachings by that Grace that came by him, and not to set themselves nor one another as Teachers over them, to make a Gain and Profit of them, nor to cause them to spend their Money for that which is not Bread, and their Labour, for that which satisfieth not, but direct them to hear the voice of Christ, that their Souls might live, and they become the Sheep of Christ's Pastor, and experience the Living God to be their Shepherd, that they might want no good thing.  
And as to my terming B. B. Officious Scribbler, I have shown in my former, and may now a little, that he appears so by interposing officiously in a Controversy between Joseph Nott called a Quaker; and the Presbyterians in his writing a Book relating thereto, and Dedicating it to his worthy Friend William Clap; who, or some other, clapped a Title Page to it, without B. B's privity, as he now saith, Page 1. What I did was in a private Letter to a Friend, saith B. B. upon whose Request it was Printed without my privity, and the Title Page is not mine; and B. Bird is merely drawn in to bring up the Rear, Page 2.  
Poor B. B. I may say to thee,  
Invalidum omne, natura querulum est,  
All weak things are full of Complaint.  
However thou may'st the better make thy retreat, and learn to be wiser the next time, than meddle with that which don't belong to thee; and do not trust any Body with thy Scribble, lest it should be Printed again, and thy Folly and Ignorance exposed without thy privity: But remember that a Fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted Wise: And he that shutteth his Lips is esteemed a Man of Understanding, Prov. 17. 28. And only by Pride cometh Contention, but with the well advised is Wisdom, the which by the fear of the Lord, and departing from Iniquity, thou may'st come to have, is the desire of him,  
That wisheth, and prayeth for the good of all Men. I. Feild.   
FINIS.