dient to the Spirit, who witnesseth and sealeth the Truth, and beds abroad the Love of God in your hearts. Make much of your Experiences, built upon and backt with promifes: cry not woe unto them, as fome upon their revolting to Quakerifm have done. Set before you the example of stam ble Chriftians, as fo many Jerome's, ftanding like old wellrooted Oaks, and breaking the winds of Doctrines and Oppofitions which affault them on every fide. Decline infections Company: ceafe to hear the inftruction that canfeth to erre from the words of knowledge: Beware of a blinde-zealous affecting of any man. Take heed of curiofity, and a itching defire of Novelty, or of knowing any new way to Chrift and Heaven? Stand in the paths and enquire for the old and the good way, that ye may walk therein. Maintain a humble fpirit, daily abafed in the fight and fenfe of heart finfulness and inftability: The Lord will teach and root the humble. Exercife a clear Confcience in profeffion and communion with the Saints and Churches. The mystery of Faith is held in a pure Confcience; when men put away a good Confcience, or prefer a natural Confcience before a Confcience purified by Faith, they make shipwrack of the doctrine of Faith. Let Gods power be lookt after, in and with Gods own Form. The Kingdom of God may be among men, when 'tis not within their hearts; fo Luke 17. 21. Chrift speaketh to the Pharifees, enemies of his Gofpel; The kingdom of God is among vros uav. you, i. e. was preached in the midst of his enemies, and work-ic. v μrow ing upon others hearts, while they were not aware of it. They ὑμῶν, τη mem madly wreft the reading of the words [within you] who apply it to a Kingdom of Grace begun, in the enemies of Christ, by the light in every man, and would thereupon have all Christs outward Forms, and pofitive Inftitutions laid afide; But what God hath joyned together,power and form (where and to whom be pleaseth) do not you feparate. You have not hitherto been like thofe Sheep which eat no grafs more greedily then that which rots them. If our new Teachers, and their difciples boast of an astonishing Power coming along with their doErine, remember 2 Cor. 6. 7. The word of Truth, and. the Power of God (whereby Christs Minifters are ap

proved)

dio veftri,Bez.

proved) do go together. If power goes forth with a wordof falfhood, 'tis Antichrifts power, which is after the working of Satan, not the Lords. It will be fad with any Church2 Thef. 2.9. member, under Gods inftitution and form, to fall short of his power: But while you use his Ordinances in Faith of a promife of Chrifts power annexed to them, you are and shall be more wrought up to, and brought under the power promifed. And that I may be partaker of the Gospel-power, as Priviledges with you; yea, that this Reply (as weak as it is) may be accompanied (according to the truth of it) with the mighty power of the Lord, Let it be your prayer, as it is and hall be mine, who am, through grace,

Your Loving Brother,

and

Faithful Paftor,

JOHN STALHAM.

To

To all Honeft, Godly, Confcientious and Judicious Readers.

BELOVED,

A

S Honeft, Godly and Confcientious, you are invited by Richard Farnworth in his Epistle (before his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures, in Anfwer to a piece I put forth in Scotland) to the reading of all the Quakers Pamphlets (with mine) which I referred to in the Margent, and of his Answer thereunto, if any of you can finde the leifure: Now it is my request, that fuch as have met with his reviling Vindication, would in honesty do me the favor, yea, the right, fo far as to beftow a few spare hours in the perufal of this my Reply, and attending Truth, as it is after godliness, exercife in your reading a good confcience, according to a renewed principle, joyned with the diligent search of the Scriptures, And

As you are judicious, and grown up to mature and manly knowledge, I fpeak as to wife men, judge ye what I wrote before, and now write again. Many Charges my adverfary cafteth upon me in his Epiftle, as fo many fiery darts, I lift not to recriminate, but have undertaken to make good my Collection of the Contradictions at firft found among this fortand Sect of men. Judge ye whether I have wronged any mans books, or mixed my deceit with them. Judge. ye whether I have violated any of Gods Precepts or Truths, and taught men for Judge ye which of us.

twain, is given over to lie, flander and falfly accufe: Judge ye whether I have discovered a Spirit of envy against them and the Truth? I know the Scripture faith, the fpirit that dwelleth in us, i. e. Believers, fo far as unregenerate, lufteth to envy; yet I can appeal to the Searcher of hearts, that I found none of this ftirring, in my bearing witness against these mens doctrine. What I fee of the truth and of Chrift in any, I love. I wish there was not to be feen in this Sect,that which is to be pitied, not envied. Judge ye, who is the Antichrift, the Deceiver; whether I deferve his Anathema (had he authority to denounce it) Let all honeft, godly and tenderly confcientious about the Scriptures Authority, vote as the Lord, the Spirit

leads them.

The reason of this my Reply is not any consciousness of wrong done to Richard Farnworth,nor of any injury I have done to the Truth and Caufe of God: What Mr. Tindal writes in an Epiftle to Fohn Frith concerning his Tranflation of the New Teftament (fo vilified by his Adverfaries) that I can fay, in reference to my dealing with Gods Scripture,and their Scriblings, I call God to record against the day we shall appear before our Lord Iefus, to give up a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one fyllable against my confcience, &c. But I must follow the call and duâure of his providence; R. Farnworth's Answer was brought me by one of their difciples: A precious Brother informs me, they boasted much in Scotland that Fohn Stalhams Book was anfwered: Ano:her endeared Brother relates from their opened mouths in that countrey, that the Anfwer fhould be difperft and scattered throughout the nation : Next to the vindication of Gods Name, I muft look to the pre

fervation

fervation of my own, while I trust the Lord with it, where foever his befpattering pamphlet,or this Reply fhall come. I reade of a Popish lie about Luther's death, the lie coming forth in print (while he was alive) He profeffeth, as he detefted fome things,fo he could not but laugh at Satans, the Popes and their Complices hatred against him: So when I first read R. Farnworth his Legend, as I abhorred one way, fo I could not but fmile in another refpect; But God turn (as he faid) this mans heart and others from their diabolical malice. It was fome stay to my thoughts, to call to minde how ordinary it is with Bellarmine to cry out of Calvins and Chytraus lies, when himfelf is found the Mouth and Pen of the great Lie of Popery. I am not moved at R. F. his great fwelling words and threats. When Bishop Morgan fpoke fo proudly and falfly to Mr. Philpot, I tell thee, Philpot, thou art an Heretick, and fhalt be burned, and afterwards go to hell fire; Fohn Philpot was bold to reply, I tell thee, thou hypocrite, that I pass not a for thy fire and faggots; and as for hell fire, it is prepared for thee, unless thon Speedily repenteft. It is written on Heavens door (faith Martyr Bradford in one of his Epiftles) Dowell, and hear ill. I am content to bear all the blots of my name for Christs fake Gui nefcit fer and his truth. It was David Chytraus his ufual fay- obtrectationes, ing, He knows not how to live, that knows not how to convivia, injubear flanders, backbitings, railings, wrongs. Oblo- nefcit, Chytr. quies and fcorns have been one of the best projects of Enemies to discountenance the truth. To call Maleficum quidam megirChrist a wine-bibber and a glutton, a friend of pub-runt, titulues licanes and finners, is enough (they think)to disgrace fidei fervus agnofco; magum his Doctrine. Some talk I am wicked (faid Ferome) vecant & Juer mifchievous. I being a fervant of Chrift, do own dai Dominum d the meum. Hier.

rush

re calumnias,

ria,ille vivere