A LETTER From two PROTESTANT MINISTERS IN ENGLAND, To the PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS and People in Glasgow in SCOTLAND.
FRIENDS we have write these Lines to you, to be rightly informed, whether the Report we have heard, concerning the Inhabitants of Glasgow, and their Deportment towards the Quakers be true or not: For it's the common Discourse in this Country, that the Presbyterians with you, do Beat, Stone, Pull, Hail, and drage them by the Head and Shoulders, out of their Meetings, teare their Cloaths, shede their Blood: And that some of them have been laid for Dead by some of you! And their Goods without Law taken out of their Meeting-house, & themselves not suffered quietly to be Entertained in common Inns, for their refreshment! This however is confidently Reported in diverse Places in England, to the great Scandal and Reproach of Professors; The Practice being very inconsistant with that Christian Maxime, worthy the consideration of all Men: Viz. Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris; But Peradventure you may say, to excuse your selves, that they differ from all other people, so say we here, and yet the Law protects them; And indeed your Actions to the foresaid people, differ from all here, except the former Popish persecutors; And assure your selves, if you proceed as we are informed, you have of late done, you will bring your selves, & your Friends here, under the same Scandalous Denomination, that the persecuting Papists have had, and do yet ly under persecution for conscience sake; Which they pretend is a thing so hateful and Unreasonable, Conscience being (as Calvin saith,) free from the power of all Men. Therefore we desire you to take the Advice of your Friends, and Well Wishers here in England, who formerly have suffered for Meeting to Worship GOD, as we perceive they now do by you: But if they by their Meeting do break any good Law, made by the Government, then we Advise you to make application to the Government, for your Assistance, and do not disquiet them by a Scandalous Rude Rable, of the Scum of the City, as they terme them; For have you not read in the Holy Scriptures, and Books of the Holy Martyers, How it was the wicked that alwayes persecuted the Righteous: By which they have left an evil fame upon Record to posterity; Read the History of Mordiea and Hamon: Sirs, We advise you, and it's for the best, if any English-men of the foresaid people come into your City, and be abused as some of late have been, if we be rightly informed, they will no doubt make Application to the Government, who will hear and relieve them, as late Experience doth shew; We beseech you therefore, be advised, for if you proceed in this Method, it will tend to the disquiet of you in Scotland, and also to our disturbance who are your late persecuted Friends and Brethren in England, F. L. and W R.
Wo unto them that seek deep to hide their Counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
Verse 16. Surely your turning of things upside down, shall be esteemed as the Potters clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed, say of him that framed it, he had no understanding?
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in the latter end.
Verse 21. There are many devices in a mans heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Sirs, If we have a more Christian account then heretofore, on the Subject aforesaid: We shall give you our Names at large, and endeavour to supperceed these Reports that are too common amongst us:
VALE.
If any Answer to this shall be returned, let it be left with Barcholome w Gibson, Farrier in the Cannongate, Edinburgh the 7th. of the 6st. M. 1692.