WHereas I have lately charged you in a publick Meeting, that you are no Christians, and that your Friends of the Ministry are meer Impostors; which Charge you have endeavoured to evade with various put-offs, Alleaging that it was besides the Business of the day; which is manifestly false: for, was it not the Business of the day to examine the Charge against Tho. Hicks? And was not this the first Article in your written Charge against him, that he writ a Dialogue between a Quaker and a Christian? Now this being the first general Article, what could be more material in order to his Vindication than for him to prove (or some one in his behalf, and the behalf of Chri­stianity it self) that you are no Christians, nor worthy to bear so venerable a name? and if this be made manifest it can be no fault to oppose a Quaker to a Christian.

But when I still inforced this Charge, and by several motives pressed you to vindicate the honour of your Profession, by responding to what I had objected against you. Wil. Pen stands up and makes a Confession of his Faith in Scripture expressions, which while you declaredly own such Books (written by Quakers) as contain in them Doctrines no way reconcilable to Scipture-Language, or Christian-Religion, but are destructive both of the one and the other, as I am ready to prove, it plainly shews that this Confession was but a meer Equivoca­tion (an old art of Deceivers; who by good Words and fair speeches do the more effectually beguile the hearts of the Simple and less wary Hearers) for, what if your Discourses and Confessions of Faith be cloathed with Scripture-Language now more than formerly, this doth but render those Confessions to be gross Equivocations, unless you will renounce your former vile, absurd, and nonsensical Opinions, which I proved to your Face do make void all rules of Christian Faith and Practice. And when by force of Argument I had driven you to that strait that you could make no reply, and finding my self under some indisposition of body after nigh six hours discourse with three of you, I thought it advisable to quit the Meeting; which you making so ill an improvem [...]nt of, for want of better Arguments Will. Pen crying out (as if he had been among the Boys in Moor-fields) They run, they run; others of you report as if I ran from the Charge, as being afraid or asham'd to own it: I say, your so base and insolent behaviour in my absence, who had nothing to the purpose to answer in my pre­sence, gives me the occasion to let you know, that I am neither affraid nor ashamed to make full proof of what I have charged upon you, if you dare appoint a Time and Place for that purpose. And then appoint whom you will to Dispute the matter with me; provided none be admitted to speak but us two, unless it be to correct any disorders either in the Disputants or Auditors; as also that a certain hour be agreed on for the beginning, and another for the ending of the Disputation for that day; and that neither party shall ex­ceed the limites of that time so agreed on, unless it be by mutual consent.

Upon these terms I earnestly request a Meeting with you to prove these two things against you.

• 1. That you are no Christians, what ever you pretend.
• 2. That your friends of the Ministry (as you phrase it) are Impostors, False-Prophets, and men of lying Spirits.

Now if you shall not by all this be prevailed upon to meet according to this Request, I hope you will not take it unkindly if I conclude, that you that talk so much of the Light, care not how little you come at it, left your folly should be made manifest; but if you take this for an unkind Conclusion, I hope this will please you ( viz) that what ever you say of me, I shall pray that God would Convert you to Christianity; and Subscribe my self,

This Meeting is desired to be distinct, without respect unto any Meeting that shall be a greed on betwen Tho. Hicks, and you, touching the matters you have objected against him.