A Declaration of TRUTH TO Benjamin Hoadly.

BE it known unto thee, Friend Benjamin, that albeit we, who are the People of the Lord, own thee not in thy proud Titles, neither in thy Office, as thou exerci⯑ſeſt the ſame; neither can we treat thee with that Diſtinction wherewith Men diſtinguiſh thee, foraſmuch as we do not acknowledge the ſame (as thou doſt) to be of God: Ne⯑vertheleſs I ſhall treat thee reſpectfully in this thing, whereof I am now to commune with thee, ſeeing thou haſt uttered much Truth with thy Mouth, and therefore haſt moved much Wrath of wicked Men againſt thee.

And would'ſt thou, Benjamin, faithfully purſue the Light which I perceive is in thee, and which ſhineth abroad far and nigh; I ſay, would'ſt thou act according to the Light which I plainly ſee is in thee, thou ſhould'ſt have Praiſe; for thou haſt verily done wor⯑thily, in that thou haſt reſtored the King⯑dom [4] to them to whom it ſolely appertaineth, and haſt dethroned the Uſurpations of wic⯑ked Men, who have unrighteouſly ſet them⯑ſelves up in the Throne of Jeſus.

Verily, Benjamin, thou haſt done worthi⯑ly, in that thou haſt appeared for the Cauſe of our God againſt the Unrighteouſneſs of Men; and haſt not been afraid, neither diſ⯑couraged, when they have riſen up againſt thee with great Wrath: And I am ſent unto thee to declare in words of Seriouſneſs, that thou ſhould'ſt not faint, neither be diſmay'd, for that many of the Faithful Servants of God are with thee in this thing, and do ſay unto thee God ſpeed, which thou knoweſt we are forbidden to ſay unto the ungodly, and unto Men who are not led in the right way.

Having thus given my Teſtimony to thy good Works, I communicated my Intentions to Friends: Among theſe, Aminadab, a righteous Man, fearing not the Face of Men, but fearing God only, ſaith unto thee, that his Heart is likewiſe with thee in the things which thou haſt ſaid; to wit, That the Power of Men, or the Laws of Men, have no Au⯑thority to interfere with, or to join their Power with the Right Hand of Jeſus, who allows no Partners in the Throne of his Glorious Kingdom on Earth, any more than he will admit Partners in the Throne of his [5] Gloriſy'd Kingdom in Heaven. Moreover, he hath ſent Meſſengers unto me, ſaying, Speak thou Ebenezer in the Ears of Benjamin Hoadly, and ſay unto him, Fear not the Face of Men, tho' many riſe up againſt thee, ſay⯑ing, Thou lyeſt, thou lyeſt; for verily thou lyeſt not Benjamin, but haſt ſpoken the Truth, and it ſhall prevail.

Aaron, a Man filled with Knowledge, and a Teacher of Wiſdom, ſent alſo unto me, ſaying, Ebenezer, the thing which Aminadab our Friend hath communicated unto thee concerning Benjamin Hoadly, are things which ſavour of Truth; and thou wilt do well to ſpeak unto the ſaid Benjamin, ſay⯑ing, Fear not Benjamin, for wiſe Men are with thee, and good Men are with thee; and verily they be better Men, and more in num⯑ber, that are with thee than thoſe that be againſt thee.

I might name unto thee many Friends, en⯑dowed with Wiſdom and Knowledge, who ſpeak well of thee, for that thou haſt ſpoken the Truth with great boldneſs, and haſt not feared to utter it, even in the hearing of the King, and we may not doubt but that our Lord the King will be thy ſtrong Helper a⯑gainſt all thine Enemies, and will aſſiſt thee to ſilence the Gain-ſayers of thy Doctrine; for verily, the King is an unfeigned Friend unto the Truth, and would be willing that [6] all Men ſhould walk in the path to Heaven, howbeit he may not be inlightned equal to our Friends, which nevertheleſs we hope he may hereafter be, if God ſeeth it good to bring his Heart over unto us.

And albeit Friend Benjamin, thou art not yet joined unto the faithful Servants of God our Friends, but that thou for a little while remaineſt, as to ſome things, in the Darkneſs of the World; yet foraſmuch as thou join⯑eſt with us in the Truth, we embrace thee willingly, nothing doubting but that the Heavenly Light which has ſhone out in thy Word, will hereafter ſhine in thy Heart, and thou wilt come over more perfectly un⯑to us Friends, who are already eſtabliſhed in the Truth.

And I am the farther confirm'd in the truth hereof, in that thou haſt ſo boldly acknow⯑ledged the Truths of God, being the ſame profeſſed by us, and for the ſake whereof we are inclin'd to think well of thee; and ſeeing I have informed thee that thou haſt ſo exactly taught what we in Principle be⯑lieve, and cloſely adhere to in Practice, I ſhall let thee know, Benjamin, how exactly thou agreeſt with us who have received the Truth, and that we hold and believe all the Truths that thou haſt taught, and that alſo even in the ſame words in which thou haſt declared them, or but with ſmall variation [7] thereof, as thou wilt farther be informed, when thou ſhalt read the following Heads, which are part of the Principles of Truth, or of thoſe things about Doctrine, which we Friends do moſt ſurely believe and recieve; to wit,

Herein, Friend Benjamin, thou mayeſt ſee, as in a Viſion of clear Light, that thou art in the ſame way of Truth with us, and I have Freedom to own thee therein; for ve⯑rily thou haſt clearly teſtified unto the Truth which we believe, in that thou haſt likewiſe ſaid, even in our Words, That every Man ought to be left free as the Lord ſhall perſwade his own Mind.

[9] Now Benjamin let it not ſeem ſtrange un⯑to thee, that I ſay unto thee, that theſe are our own Words; for I ſpeak therein with Truth and Soberneſs, referring thee for Teſtimony thereof unto a little Book pub⯑liſhed more than Forty and Five Years ſince, by a Body of our Friends, and Signed by John Crook, a Man endowed with a Spirit of a ſound Mind, and alſo by three other Anci⯑ents, who were likewiſe Men of true Wiſdom. This Book is Entituled, Truth's Principles, &c. in which Book the Words which I have written unto thee above, are to be found.

Searching likewiſe thy Book, Benjamin, which thou haſt made Publick, by the Com⯑mand of the King, I find theſe Words, which I hope thou haſt learned from our Friends above written; to wit, That the Language of the Word is, That knowing the Terrors of the Lord, we ſhould perſwade Men; but that the Language of the Mens Conduct, who profeſs to ſucceed Him that Taught the o⯑ther, is, That having the Terrors of this World in their power, they do not perſwade Men, but force their outward Profeſſion againſt their inward Perſwaſion.

Verily thou haſt ſpoken, Benjamin, as one having the Light of the Spirit; and this is a Truth which the Men of the World cannot be able to reſiſt. Verily, Friend Benjamin, we agree with thee, that the Kingdom of [10] Jeſus is not of this World, and that the Laws of his Kingdom likewiſe, and the Re⯑wards and Puniſhments of thoſe Laws, are ſuited to the end of thoſe Laws, and to the Nature of his Kingdom: Nay, Benjamin, I will uſe thy Words as thou haſt uſed the Words of wiſe Men, who went before thee; to wit,

I confirm theſe thy Poſitions and Doc⯑trines, Benjamin, with my Voice, and give thee Praiſe therefore, for verily thou art wor⯑thy of Praiſe, not only that thou haſt ſpoken boldly the Truth, but for that thou haſt done it in the Face of the Adverſary, and haſt not been afraid. And Bleſſed be the King, into whoſe Heart God hath put it to Frown upon the Gainſayers; and albeit they were gathered together againſt thee, he hath ſeattered them, and hath ſent them away diſ⯑couraged.

Neither do I flatter thee with my Lips; for Friends are not Guilty of ſuch things, and it would be in me a great Iniquity; but I ſpeak to thee in Sincerity and in Truth, and my Thoughts are moved to utter the Words of my Mouth; for verily thou haſt dethroned and pulled down that Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, which has Exalted him⯑ſelf; thou haſt valintly Encountred the Tribe of ungodly Prieſts, who have by an [12] Injurious Uſage of the Lord's People, for many Years uſurped the Authority of King Jeſus, and have exerciſed Dominion over the Souls who they have had committed by Men unto their Charge; theſe they have Tyranni⯑zed over, and have Cruelly Perſecuted un⯑der pretence of Authority from Jeſus; albeit Jeſus the true King and only Head of all true Believers, as thou haſt well ſaid, hath given no ſuch Authority unto them.

Now concerning Miniſters I will tell thee what Friends do ſurely Receive and Believe, and I will not give thee my own words, but the words of the ſaid Declaration of Truth's Principles mention'd before; to wit,

This we ſurely do Believe, Benjamin, and thou haſt done worthily in concurring with us, and in that thou haſt taken away from thoſe who call themſelves Miniſters, all that Power and pretended Authority which they aſſume, and which we ſay they uſurp contra⯑ry to the Nature of the Office of a Miniſter, which we alſo Declare to be only to Teach and Inſtruct, not to Terrify and Affright the People of the Lord; and herein we know, that altho' thou wilt offend them, and they will ſhew great Wrath againſt thee therefore; yet, I ſay, we know thou haſt ſpoken the Truth againſt them, and I concur with thee therein; nay I acknowledge thee and own thee therein, becauſe thou haſt concurred with us in the Truth, not doubting but thou wilt be farther inlightned, in the Lord's due time, to joyn with Friends in all the words of Truth which we Profeſs.

I muſt farther ſay in thy behalf, Friend Benjamin, that thou haſt ſpoken Excellent words of Wiſdom in defiance of the Men of high Notions, who are of the Tribe who thou didſt belong to in former time; for thou haſt taken the People out of their hands, and haſt [14] ſet them free from the mock Terrors of Vain Men, ſuch as they call the Artillery of the Church; which we that know the ways of Truth, are acquainted with the Deceitfulneſs of; and as I Glory in thy Words thereupon, I ſhall repeat them in thy Praiſe as followeth, to wit,

‘"Not the leaſt Tittle of Salvation or Damnation depends upon the Will of weak Men, but all upon God and your ſelves; Humane Benedictions, Humane Abſoluti⯑ons, Humane Denunciations, Humane Ex⯑communications, have nothing to do with the Favour or Anger of God: But are Hu⯑mane Engins, permitted to work (like o⯑ther Evils) by Providence."’

Theſe are Excellent Things ſpoken with Wiſdom, and thou ſhalt have due Praiſe of the ſame: Likewiſe haſt thou Batter'd down the ſtrong Holds of Satan, in thy Words on the ſame Subject.

‘"In all your Religious Concerns, that ef⯑fect your Eternal Salvation, and your Title to God's Favour, your Rule is plain and evident Chriſt is your ſole Law-giver, and your ſole Judge, as to thoſe Points. The Papiſts may Excommunicate the Proteſtant Non jurors: The Non-jurors may Excom⯑municate the High-Church-Men, as well as all other Britiſh Proteſtants, who pray for King GEORGE: Theſe again may [15] Excommunicate, Ʋnchurch, Ʋnchriſtian, thoſe whoſe Church-Government, or Wor⯑ſhip, differ from their own; and theſe a⯑gain may Exerciſe the ſame Spiritual Diſ⯑cipline, wherever their Terrors can extend themſelves: They may thus ſcatter Dam⯑nation about; Playing, one would think, as the Man in the Proverbs, with Fire⯑brands and Death, and ſaying, Are we not in Sport; and they may every one Flatter themſelves, that this Power of the Keys ſhuts out from the Catholick Church here, and from the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter: But it is in truth only from themſelves that they can Excommunicate: And this is very often their own Crime, and their own Loſs: but Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles have plainly told you what it is, and what alone that ſhall cut you off from him; and Declared a Curſe upon all who Preach any other Goſpel; and conſe⯑quently, who add any thing as abſolutely neceſſary to his Favour, which he hath not made ſo."’

To theſe Truths of thine, ſuch I call them, as thou haſt been honoured to ſpeak them firſt among Men, I bear my Teſtimony, and the good People, the People of the Lord, deſpiſed by Men, of whom I am the meaneſt, have born their Teſtimony many Years ago: I ſay, with thee, that the boaſt⯑ed [16] Terms which thoſe Men make wicked uſe of, ſuch as Regular and uninterrupted Succeſ⯑ſions, Authoritative Benedictions, Excommu⯑nications, Abſolutions, &c. are Vain Words, mere Terrors of Men, not the Terrors of the Lord, Niceties and Trifles: And therefore it is that we diſown the whole Tenor and Sub⯑ſtance of the Canons and Inſtitutions of that which they Prophanely, as I doubt not thou wilt in time be led by theſe Lights to do al⯑ſo; I Deſpiſe and Contemn all the pretend⯑ed Authority of that which they weakly and impertinently call, a Power derived from Chriſt and his Apoſtles: I know no Miniſters but ſuch as is before deſcribed; as for ſuch as are brought up at Schools and Colleges, and ſo made Miniſters by the will of Man, who have not freely received perfect Gifts from God for perfecting of the Saints, but denies Perfection, and ſo denies the Miniſters Work, neither do miniſter freely, but ſeek for Gain from their Quarters, and will not Preach without a price; who are not ſanctified by the Word of God, but plead for a continuance in Sin while People walk upon the Earth: Such as Miniſter from the Letter, and not from the Spirit; who can⯑not Preach except they have time to Study, and ſo by their induſtry provide themſelves, and are not provided of the Lord (ſuch a Ministry is of Works, and not the Free Gift from God) ſuch cannot profit People, but lead them captive [17] in an empty and dead Form, always hearing, but never able to come to the true Know⯑ledge of God: Such called Miniſters we do deny, and turn from them, and teſtifie againſt them, as the holy men of God formerly did.

I doubt not, Friend Benjamin, but thy Words tend to bring thee to the ſame Juſt Contempt, that I have entertained, and that Friends moſt righteouſly do entertain of theſe uncalled Prieſts, and that in the mean time thou wilt, by thy ſober and weighty Speeches, bring all that wicked Hierarchy, which thoſe Prieſts ſo violently contend for, into Con⯑tempt among the People.

I am therefore moved to bear my Teſti⯑mony with thee againſt them; foraſmuch as they uſurping high Dignity and Authority, have erected a Kingdom which they ſay is the Kingdom of Jeſus; howbeit, as I veri⯑ly think, it is a Kingdom of this World, foraſmuch as they exerciſe Juriſdictions which be of this World therein, and have taken to themſelves Powers which be of themſelves; which nevertheleſs they take upon them to ſay, are deſcended to them, and by the no⯑tions and pretences of a Succeſſion of thoſe Powers, they aſſume a Right to Exerciſe thoſe Powers over the Conſciences of Men, which Friends ſay they have no Right to do: And furthermore we ſay and believe, That whereas they Exerciſe the Power and [18] Authority which alone belongs to King Jeſus, the King and ſole Chief of his faithful Followers; they therefore erect their own Kingdom, not the Kingdom of King Jeſus, and exerciſe the Authority and Power, which is his only, as their own.

I rejoice, Benjamin, that thou haſt publiſh⯑ed true Doctrine, and haſt given thy teſti⯑mony with us to the Truth, which we on ſo good and ſolid Foundations have receiv'd; and I queſtion not but thou wilt be aſſiſted by the Spirit of Truth to pull down and overthrow the whole Power; Hierarchy and Conſtitution of that People who call them⯑ſelves The Church; verily, they are Uſurpers of the Kingdom and Throne of King Jeſus; and thou ſhalt be a Champion of the Truth, in that thou ſhalt overthrow thoſe Eccleſi⯑aſtick Principalities and Powers, which are not of God, and ſhalt eſtabliſh true Religion in that mighty Principle of Heavenly Light, in which it is only to be found.

This is that inward Revelation which thou haſt been obliged to bear thy Teſtimo⯑ny unto, (viz) That Light which perſwades the Minds of Men, and whereby every ſtep of Reformation which hath been made in the World, hath been juſtified, and which, as thou ſayeſt well, is all the Account which Proteſtants can give for their being reform'd from the People call'd Papiſts.

[19] And doubtleſs thou haſt by the ſame Ar⯑guments juſtified all thoſe, the People of the Lord, who being perſwaded in themſelves of their being guided by Heavenly Light, have ſeparated and withdrawn from theſe Uſurpations, of which thou haſt ſpoken ſo worthily.

And what remains, beloved Friend Ben⯑jamin, but that thou ſhouldſt, according as thou haſt worthily begun, and according to the Light which ſhineth in thy Mind, ſepa⯑rate thy ſelf from theſe Uſurpers of unrigh⯑teous Authority, and joining thy ſelf with the Friends to Truth, ſhouldſt bear thy Te⯑ſtimony againſt all Ungodlineſs; for verily Benjamin, thou canſt not but ſee and abhor the Doctrine which theſe Men teach, ſaying, We are the Church, and Power is with us; which thou knoweſt is falſe, and is not of God, and that the Power which they uſe is not of God, but is the Power of Men, tend⯑ing to ungodly Dominion and Uſurpation; ſuch as is that of the Pope of Rome, which nevertheleſs they have diſowned while they yet practice.

For verily, Benjamin, it ſeemeth to me that thou who haſt received ſuch Light, and haſt acknowledged the Truths which are di⯑rectly contrary to theſe Men, canſt not any longer continue among them, or wear thoſe prophane Enſigns of Idolatry, whereby thou [20] art diſtinguiſhed from other Men, even in a manner which thou thy ſelf knoweſt is not appointed by King Jeſus: For verily, Ben⯑jamin, the Robes of Diſtinction which thou weareſt, and wherewith thou art honoured among Men, are the Enſigns of that uſurp'd Power which thou haſt ſo worthily condemn⯑ed, and thou canſt not longer abide among thoſe who thou knoweſt are the Enemies to the Light which thou haſt receiv'd, and who walk contrary to the Doctrine which thou haſt taught, and which we the Lord's People have ſo many Years ago receiv'd.

Wherefore I am mov'd to advertiſe thee, in behalf of the Truth, that thou ſhouldſt not delay any longer joining thy ſelf unto the Lord's People, whoſe Cauſe thou haſt already ſo worthily pleaded: For why ſhouldſt thou not cauſe thy Life and thy Doctrine to conform unto each other? And why ſhouldſt thou decline to profeſs openly thy adherence to the Lord's People, whilſt thou doſt not decline to teach the Principles which they believe, and which they have re⯑ceived from the beginning?

It is true, Benjamin, the mean and hum⯑ble Station of thoſe who be Teachers and Miniſters of the Lord among us, may not be agreeable to thy preſent Temper, who art exalted to be great among Men; but where⯑as thou knoweſt that the Kingdom of Jeſus [21] is not of this World, and that likewiſe his Rewards are not of this World, as thou haſt moſt worthily taught; ſo Benjamin, how ſhouldſt thou not reject the Honours given by Men, which are the Rewards iſſuing from that uſurped Power which is not according to the Laws of his Kingdom! Theſe ſincere⯑ly, according to thy own Rules, are not of God, neither canſt thou, who art now en⯑lightned from a higher Spirit, ſubmit to be deck'd with their Ornaments, but ſhouldſt caſt them off, like as Chriſtians in Primitive Times refuſed to be deck'd with the Garlands and Veſtments of Idolatrous Prieſts; and like as thoſe People who are called Prote⯑ſtants, refuſe and deteſt the Habiliments and Veſtments, Titles, Dignities and Diſtinctions, of the Popiſh Prieſts, chooſing to be called by the truly venerable Name of Miniſters of Chriſt, rather than by the Titles of Popes, Cardinals, Abbots, Monks, Friers, and the like.

Foraſmuch then as the Uſurpers of the Power and Authority of King Jeſus have manifeſtly invaded his Crown and Judicatory alſo, as thou haſt ſaid, and have ſet up Marks of their uſurp'd Authority, to wit, their Antichriſtian Excommunications, Abſo⯑lutions, Exorciſms, and other profane Pra⯑ctices, and have likewiſe given Honours, which our Lord and only Soveraign Jeſus [22] Chriſt never gave, it ſeemeth unto me, that thou Benjamin, who haſt ſo manfully de⯑throned their Power and Authority, and haſt expoſed their Uſurpation to ſuch Con⯑tempt, or at leaſt haſt contemned it in thy Heart, and with the Words of thy Mouth; I ſay, it ſeemeth unto me that thou canſt not receive the Honours given by that uſur⯑ped Authority without ſome Breach upon the aforeſaid Declaration of thy Principles, and acting therein contrary to the Light which is within thee.

Furthermore, Benjamin, I admoniſh thee to conſider that thou canſt not abide in the Truth which thou haſt now taught in thy Speaking Place, and publiſhed with boldneſs in Printed Papers, unleſs thou comeſt out from among that ſort of People, of whom thou art ſaid now to be a Ruler; foraſmuch as thou haſt declared them to be Workers of Iniquity, and Sons of Belial: Thy Conſci⯑ence therefore will not ſuffer thee to be call⯑ed any longer by their Name; neither canſt thou be found any longer to own and join thy ſelf unto them: Canſt thou, Benjamin, be joined unto Uſurpers of the Authority of thy Maſter and King? Canſt thou ſhare his Power, whom thou haſt ſo loudly declared to be the ſole Lawgiver and Governour of his Kingdom? Do not theſe Men continue their Uſurpations? Do they not continue to [23] claim that Authority which, as thou haſt ſaid, appertains only to Chriſt the King? And thou knoweſt, Benjamin, they will continue to claim the ſame, and to exerciſe it, as if it was granted unto them, albeit thou know⯑eſt that it is not. Wherefore, O Man, re⯑move thy ſelf ſpeedily from theſe Men; yea, I know thou wilt remove thy ſelf from them: For why ſhouldſt thou be found at laſt in the company of thoſe Men whom thou haſt filled with Contempt, ſaying, They are Enemies to the Kingdom of Jeſus in the World.

Verily, Benjamin, thou haſt done well in that thou haſt openly declared the Iniquity of thoſe who have armed themſelves with unlawful Power, and have exerciſed Ty⯑ranny over their Brethren, ſaying, Ye muſt join with us, otherwiſe ye ſhall go to Pri⯑ſon; or otherwiſe you ſhall have no Ho⯑nour, or Part or Lot among us; whereas King Jeſus never left any ſuch Command⯑ment: But it remaineth as a Difficulty, or Doubt, unto us who are Friends, how thou canſt, O Benjamin, lay a Confederacy with theſe Men! Art not thou therein an Uſur⯑per alſo with them of the Power and Au⯑thority of thy only Lord and King; and that in a much groſſer manner than they? Verily, Benjamin, if thou come not out from among them, thou wilt give occaſion [24] to wicked Men to ſay of thee, that thou haſt ſaid that in thy Teaching Office which thou wilt not put in practice in thy own Perſon; and they will ſpeak evil words of thee, ſaying, Thou teacheſt Men to do what thou ſhunneſt to do thy ſelf; and that thou ſhunneſt not thoſe things which thou teach⯑eſt others to ſhun and avoid. Moreover, Benjamin, Art thou not even at this time, and after the ſimilitude of thine own words, according to thy own Doctrine, an Uſurper of the Authority of King Jeſus, in that thou continueſt to exerciſe that ſame Power, of which thou haſt ſaid that King Jeſus gave no ſuch Power unto Men, to wit, that profane unlawful Power which thoſe whom Men call Biſhops generally exerciſe over their Brethren, oppreſſing the Lord's People in their ungodly Courts. Doſt thou not preſide in thy uſurped Judicature, exerciſing that Power there which thou haſt ſaid, the Lord hath not given thee a Right to exerciſe? And doſt thou not there make uſe of thoſe things which thou haſt owned to be Trifles and Nullities, to wit, Excommunications, Abſolutions, and ſuch like things? I ſay, Doſt thou not ſuffer theſe things to be done in thy Name, to the Subjects of thy Lord, in thoſe Seats of Evil Men called Eccleſi⯑aſtick Courts? And how canſt thou do this after thou haſt ſo plainly told us, that this [25] is to make thy ſelf King in the ſtead of thy King Jeſus. Nay, Friend Benjamin, in this thou haſt not done well; foraſmuch alſo, as thou haſt ſinned herein againſt the Light that is in thee, and haſt cauſed thy Feet to tread aſide out of the Path of Truth, which thou haſt chalked out for others, that they might walk therein: But I truſt that thou wilt be guided by the good Spirit, and by the light of Truth ſhining in thy Soul, and then thou wilt be ſure to come away and remove from the Tents of wickedneſs.

Wherefore, Friend Benjamin, as I know that the Truth hath been ſpoken by thee, I warn thee, for thy good, that thou come out ſpeedily from among them; lay down thy painted Veſtments, and prophane Trin⯑kets, the Enſigns of that Uſurpation upon thy Lord and Maſter's Kingdom, which thou haſt ſo faithfully born thy Teſtimony a⯑gainſt; I ſay, I exhort thee to lay them down ſpeedily, and come out from among them forthwith, joyning thy ſelf unto us, whoſe Principles thou haſt acknowledged: So ſhall thy Life and Doctrine be Uniform, and thou ſhalt be ſure to deſerve that Bleſ⯑ſing which attends thoſe who are not aſha⯑med to Practice the things which they Pro⯑feſs.

Likewiſe, Benjamin, this will enable thee to overcome the Gainſayers; for behold [26] they do already upbraid thee herewith; and verily the Man called Andrew Snape, hath ſpoken unto thee Words of ſcorning with boldneſs, in a Book which he ſtileth, a Let⯑ter written unto thee; and in the Twenty and Fifth Page thereof, that if the Caſe be as thou haſt ſaid, it is the Men called Parſons, have nothing more to do but to throw up their Orders, ſince their Church hath no need of them, and ſince they not only do no Service, but are Guilty of a Criminal Ʋſurpation.

Likewiſe hath the ſame Andrew Snape ſaid unto thee in his ſaid Book, and in the Thirty and Sixth Page thereof, theſe words, to wit, That he doth not ſee how, upon theſe Princi⯑ples, thou canſt take thy place in the Provincial Sanhedrim of the Prieſts, or how thou canſt require Subſcriptions or Declarations of thoſe of the Sons of the Prophets whom thou doſt ad⯑mit to the Prieſthood among thy People, or how thou canſt Exerciſe almoſt any Act of Epiſcopal Juriſdiction.

Now verily, Benjamin, albeit this ſame Andrew Snape is a Man by his Profeſſion in an evil way, and ſuch as I allow not to be according to the Truth; yet nevertheleſs herein hath he ſpoken unto thee words which thou ſhouldeſt conſider well of; for that they are of weight unto thee, to wit, That thou ſhouldſt ſeparate thy ſelf from E⯑vil-doers, whoſe ways thou knoweſt to be [27] Wrong; and that whereas thou haſt con⯑demned them for Uſurpation, and Invaſion of the Kingdom of King Jeſus, thou ſhould⯑eſt not at the ſame time continue among them, or ſit in thy Seat in their Aſſemblies.

Moreover, it ſeemeth unto me, Benjamin, that whereas thou haſt replied to Andrew Snape in harſh Words, ſaying, That he hath evil entreated thee, and hath written bitter things againſt thee, and things which ſa⯑vour not of Truth; yet nevertheleſs, I per⯑ceive that thou haſt not ſaid one word unto him to Gainſay what he hath told thee con⯑cerning thy coming out from among them, or that thou canſt not, by thy own Princi⯑ples, take thy Seat in the Aſſembly of thy Prieſts; wherefore I rejoice in thy behalf, nothing doubting but that thou wilt come and join thy ſelf with the Lord's People, who are Friends unto the Truth, and unto all that thou haſt ſaid of the Uſurpation of Men, and as I have already given thee to underſtand, have many Years received the Truths which thou haſt Preached at this day.

Neither let it grieve thee, Friend Benjamin, that thou ſhalt relinquiſh the things which Men call Honours and Greatneſs, and ſhalt loſe thereby the Advantages and Profits which thou doſt now receive; foraſmuch as thou knoweſt that the Rewards of the King⯑dom [28] of Jeſus, are not of this World; and if the Rewards of this World are the Sanctions of the Kingdom whereof thou haſt ſpoken, then it is not of Jeſus: So that thou ſhalt only relinquiſh the Rewards of this World, and ſhalt ſeek the Rewards of that Kingdom which is not of this World.

Theſe things being ſo naturally drawn from thy own words, I truſt thou wilt not Heſitate thereat, but wilt accept of my wholeſome Advice, and ſhew thy ſelf not to be aſhamed of the practiſing thoſe things whereof thou haſt teſtify'd, ſaying, That they are True.

Neither canſt thou, Friend Benjamin, be in danger of joyning with any other People than thoſe, whoſe Profeſſion I have here in⯑vited thee to; ſince there are not any who have received the Truths which thou haſt Preached in their full Degrees, ſo as the People, who in contempt are called Quakers; with whom, as I have ſhewed, thou haſt per⯑fectly conformed thy ſelf to the Honour of thy Judgment, and of the divine Light ſhew⯑ing forth in thee.

As for thoſe People called Presbyterians, thou canſt by no means joyn thy ſelf unto them, ſeeing they have declared themſelves in Terms greatly oppoſite to thy Doctrines, ſaying, That Men have Power to make Laws, binding the Conſciences of others; and that [29] Rewards and Puniſhments of this World ap⯑pertain to Humane Authority, exerciſed by ſuch as they call a Succeſſion of Officers: Theſe their Opinions are not according to Truth, as Friends have received it; neither are they like unto thoſe. Truths which thou haſt Preached: And therefore we ſee that queſtionleſs thou wilt avoid alſo the Errone⯑ous Opinions of Perſecuting Presbyterians, and wilt joyn thy ſelf unto us; and this I ſpeak unto thee with the more certainty, for⯑aſmuch as, Bleſſed by the Lord, thou art al⯑ready come beyond the corrupt Tenets of thoſe People: Moreover, beloved Friend Benjamin, I make known unto thee, that the ſaid Presbyterians are equally guilty of thoſe things which the People of the Lord abhor; to wit, The pretences to a Power, which, as thou ſaidſt well, Jeſus the King of all thoſe who are led by the light of the Truth, never delegated to them; and this they not only give to their Followers, but make Laws of their own; I ſay, Humane Laws, and Sanc⯑tions of Laws, ſuch as Rewards and Puniſh⯑ments, for enforcing others to comply there⯑with; to wit, That they admit none to be Teachers among them, or to Preach and Propheſy unto the People, unleſs they pro⯑feſs to believe and to receive certain Points which they call prophanely, Articles of Faith; [30] wherein theſe wicked uſurpations of Power are openly declared by them, ſaying,

Theſe things thou knoweſt, Benjamin, are contrary to the Doctrines and Poſitions which thou haſt ſo openly avowed, being no leſs than Invaſions, and manifeſt Uſurpati⯑ons, of the Kingdom and Authority of King Jeſus, and in themſelves Nullities and Trifles.

Yet theſe things, and in theſe Words, thou wilt find in thoſe Heads of Belief, which theſe ungodly Presbyterians call the Confeſſi⯑on [31] of their Faith, Article the XXX. How⯑beit, Bleſſed art thou, O Benjamin, in that thou haſt born thy Teſtimony againſt theſe alſo. Wherefore I know, that leaving be⯑hind thee all theſe wicked and erroneous O⯑pinions, and bearing witneſs to the Truth, thou wilt at length joyn thy ſelf unto us; and I rejoice over thee in this, that thou art inlightned to know the Truth; Teſtifying that I embrace thee with Affection in the Lord.

Friend Timothy Greeteth thee in like man⯑ner; as alſo James the Aged, a Lover of thoſe who forſake the Errors of the Wicked: In a word, all Friends Greet, and ſpeak well of thee.