MEeting with a Paper given about the Streets, and at Coffee-Houses, it lookt at first somewhat like a Doctors Bill; but taking it into my hands to read, I quickly perceived from whence it came, and what the Author (William Pen) would be at, viz. to cast some small rubs in the way of those whom he had just cause to fear would be awakened and made to see how miserably they have been deluded and abused by one, and other heads of the Quakers, if they were either present at, or have heard of the horrible Doctrines and practi­ces of several of them (and they, none of the inconsiderablest of their Tribe) laid open and manifested in the sight and hearing of many hundreds, at a publick Meeting of Christians assembled at Barbican the 28th. of Au­gust, 1674.

The occasion of which solemn Meeting was this: It having pleased God to make Thomas Hicks very instrumental (by his Book intituled, A Dia­logue between a Christian, and a Quaker) to bring to light several of the Quakers opinions and practices, and thereby undeceive the minds of seve­ral honest and well-meaning persons whom they had brought over to their Perswasion; this turned the canting spirit, into a raging Devil, against the said T. H. insomuch, that W. P. could not forbear boldly to tell him, that his head should not go down to the Grave in peace.

But perceiving those menacing expressions to have no desirable effect for stopping his mouth, or hindring his Pen; but on the contrary, he grew more bold for God, his Truth, [...]nd the interest of Holiness, and put out his third part of [...]logues; [...] all persons, into whose hands that Book should come, [...]hat if at any time they hear he was assassinated, they would remember those words of W. Pen to him.

The Quakers think of another expedient, and that is, by courting the Baptists in and about London, to speak to T. H. as they tender the glory of God, and the honour of Religion, that he write no more such Dialogues: take it in their own words. ‘Now, if you the Teachers and Elders, &c. among the Baptized People, do not publickly clear your selves of Thomas Hicks, and these his unjust Proceedings against us; and hereafter he further persists therein, We may take it for granted, that you own his Work; and may justly deal with him, and pursue him, not only as Tho. Hicks, but as the Baptists great Champion, peculiar Agent, or Representative. But if you ingenuously clear your selves of him & his Corrupt, Perverse Work; then his future Miscarriages will be chargeable only upon T. Hicks himself, and you will appear to the World so far clear thereof, and approve your selves the more honest and sincere towards God, Truth, and Religion.’ Upon this appeal, the Teachers and Elders amongst that People desired that T. H. would in a publick Meeting, bring forth his evidence, and produce his Witnesses, as to what errors and vices he had charged on the Quakers in his three Dialogues, and which they had with so much confidence deny­ed: And because the Quakers should have timely notice of it, Mr. Kiffin, Mr. Knowls, and four others, wrote Letters the 15th. of August to W. P. and G. Whitehead, informing them of the place and time that they had ap­pointed (in persuance of their own appeal to them) T. H. in publick, to [Page 2] make good his Charge on the 28th. day of that moneth, at Barbican, stating not only the day, but place and hour. W. P. his Letter was sealed and de­livered to Philip Ford (who is W. P. his Agent in London) who returned answer, That W. P. was out of Town; yet the said Philip Ford had an op­portunity thereby given him, to acquaint the rest of the Quakers of the said Meeting, appointed at their own instance and request, and it is Reported, that W. P. himself was at home the very Night before the Meeting was, and so needed neither Letter nor Messenger to inform him.

And whereas W. P. saith, he is also assured by a Letter of G. VVhitehead from Bristol, that he received no account of the Meeting until the 29th. of the last month, being the day after its appointment; by a good providence, the contrary of that is cleared, for T. Hicks having occasion to write the Tuesday before to a Friend at the Vizes, accidentally it happened that G. VVhitehead was then in the same Town, and saw the Letter; this is ready to be attested and proved, when occasion shall serve. Yea, so careful was T. H. and his Friends to prevent the least colour for the Quakers pretending Ignorance in this Meeting, that they did not fail to inform all they met with; and as for J. Osgood, he had a Letter also delivered into his own hands upon the Exchange, in the sight of the said T. H. wherein himself and Friends were invited to hear the same, which trouble and care was more than the Baptists were obliged to be at, they having no tye upon themselves to have the Quakers there, yet were heartily glad to see so many of them come; and it is credibly re­ported, that even those, came contrary to the order of their Leaders. For the Bap­tists were the people appealed to, and these are William Pens own words, viz. That to which an Appeal is made, must be capable of giving an Infallible Iudgment, and so a true Iudge, or else the Appeal is Foolish. Spirit of truth Vin­dicated, Pag. 78.

And therefore W. P. prevaricates, when he saith, that the Baptist concerned them in a meeting; for it was they that concerned the Baptist in that Meeting; and it was purely upon the account of their own Appeal, for they were men of business and occasions, as well as the Quakers, and their time as precious to them.

As for W. P. telling the world, that he offered J. Gladman to meet the said T. Hicks with the Bible in one hand, & his Dialogues in the other; the said J. Gladman doth remember that W. P. and he, had some words about T. H. and his Book; but that there was any formal challenge urged by W. P. or rejected by him, he wholly de­nys: But on the contrary, he saith, that if any such formal challenge had been, he would have acquainted T. H. with it, who hath offered it long agoe with these Conditions. (1) That he might have liberty to produce their own Books, and to have them read openly (as they were at the Publick meeting). (2) That a rule might be agreed on, to determine their Discourse by. (3) That but one at a time might speak. (4) That W. P. would promise to speak directly and plainly to each Question. (Lastly), That any man that would, might write after them. Dialogue 3. Page 87. How­ever, W. P. is to be commended for his prudence to offer another meeting, but the time and place, that is reserved in his own brest: But however, he would do well, to tell the World what he would have for more satisfaction then hath been done; and that in the very way and manner that he hath himself propounded to be con­cluded by: For T. H. had but two sorts of Accusations to make good against the Quakers; the first was as to their Doctrine, for which he produced their own Books, the Authors being of the Eminen'st, and such as had most esteem by their own party to prove every title: the other was matter of Fact, which was so gross and palpable, that he brought witnessess Viva Voce, to the Satisfaction of all to whom they had ap­pealed: And if they will but have a little Patience, they shall have it yet more Pub­lick, and as loud as the press can speak, that the World may see their Errors con­demned out of their own Mouths; and their practices Spoken against by all that call themselves Christians.

London September 8. 1674.