Thus, Madam, have I dealt plainly and openly with you, as I would do with my own Soul; and if you find any Good coming to you by what I have writ, give God alone all the Thanks and Praife; for, I being nothing of my felf, there can be nothing at all due to

Your Ladyship's Affectionate

Friend and Servant,

HEN: MORE.

LET

LETTER VIII

I

SIR.

HAVE had this long time an Intention A Letter to to write to you; but having this more William than ordinary fit Opportunity of fending, Penne, Efq; I could now no longer forbear. It is to about Bapthank you for your Visit at my Lodging tifm, and the in Paul's Church-yard, when I was laft at Lord's SupLondon, though I had not the Happiness per, and fome Ulages of the then to be there; and for your kind In- Quakers. tention of writing to me, and fending me fome Books. But that you did neither, I conceive, was becaufe you might be af terward informed, that I had bought the very Books that you intended to fend me (and it was an Omiflion in Mr. Kertilby, that he did not inform you fo at his Shop) and fo the Occafion of Writing ceafing, you forbore to write. Indeed meeting with the little Pamphlet of yours, newly come out, wherein fome and Twenty odd Learned and Reverend Divines are concerned, I had the Curiofity to buy it, and read it : And though I with there were no Occafion of these Controverfies and Contests betwixt thofe that have left ལ་ལམ་ the Church of Rome; yet I found fuch a Taft both of Wit and Serioufnefs in that Pamphlet, and the Argument it was about to be fo Weighty, that I was resolved to buy all of F. Faldo's, and all of Yours, touching that Subject. But before that

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X 4

J

little

little Pamphlet, I never met with any of your Writings: But was the more encouraged to read them, when I met with them, by a Question G. K. put to me when he was with me at my Chamber in Cambridge. For I taking the Liberty of Commending his Immediate Revelation, as the Best Book I had met with amongst the Writings of the Quakers, he ingenuously and honeftly asked me, Didst thou never read any thing of Will. Penn's? And I told him, I had not: And then he gave me that Character of Your Writings that invited me to buy that Pamphlet I mentioned above, fo foon as I met with it in London. prefently after G. K. had left Cambridge, I had a ftrong Inftigation to read over again his Immediate Revelation, and made fome Remarks upon the First Part of it; which hoping to fee him again at Cambridge, at his Return into Scotland, I intended to communicate to him; and spoke to W. B. on purpofe to fignifie to him, that I fhould be glad to fee him at his Return. But it feems he was gone back before W. B. was aware; and therefore I have fent thofe very Remarks inclofed to you, hoping that you can convey them fafe to him, with a Letter I have writ to

But

him. But upon thefe Occafions it was, that I had prevented your intended Kindnefs of fending me thote Books; I mean thofe two against John Faldo; and hold my felf as much obliged for your good Intention, as if you had done it.

And

A

And now that I have perufed them, I cannot but fay thus much; That I met with feveral excellent Paffages in them, that are very expreffive of a vigorous Refentment, and Experience of what appertains to Life and Holinefs: And that Texceedingly rejoice, that the Quakers have emerged above the Low Beginning of an Heartless and Hopeless Familifm, that quitting the Expectation of a Glorious Im mortality after this Life, quitted alfo all Dependance or Relation to our Saviour's. Perfon as Man; believing his Soul as Mortal as they do the reft, and that there is nothing furviving of him, but that Light that was ever, and is Common to all Men, the Eternal Word that lightens every Man that comes into the World.. I must confefs, that I have even an invincible Sufpicion (fo far as I can fee) that this was the First State of the Quakers at the Beginning of their Appearance: Touching which, fince I have faid enough, for the prefent, in my Remarks I have fent you, I fhall give you no further Trouble in this Point. ing of this Perfwalion, you cannot imagin, how much I was pleafed with my Con verfe with G. K. who fo freely and declaredly affirmed to me, That he (and he put in the rest of the Quakers) did heartsly believe the Hiftory of the Gospel in the Literal Senfe thereof; as I find you alfo exprefs therein, up and down in Your Books. And I am very glad, that the Quakers have thus far (lince for the prefent we cannot

But be

get

get them into the Church) two fuch Able and Faithful Guides, to keep them within the main Verges of Chriftianity. And, I hope, according to the Measure of their Sincerity, the Quakers Faith and Practice will grow more Ample and Articulate, till they reach at last the full Stature of Christ in the Primitive and Apoftolick Times. And for the prefent, I must confefs, that those Charges that F. Faldo lays against them, though Ldo little doubt but that they are all true against the Familifts (from whence the Quakers may fpring) yet the Quakers themselves (if they be all of the fame Mind with your felf and G. K.) are Free from the moft and chiefeft of them. And therefore, fo far as I can remember (for I have not J. Faldo here by me) the Main Difference betwixt You and Your An tagonist, is about Baptifm and the Lord's Supper; in which, I must ingenuously confefs, you feem to me to have given the leaft Satisfaction. Your main Refuge, as I remember, is this; That neither Chrift nor his Apostles inftituted, nor appointed, either of thofe Sacraments; though Chrift Celebrated indeed the Lord's Supper with his Difciples and the Apostles practifed Baptizing of Believers: But neither are commanded or inftituted by either.

But as for Baptifm, methinks there is an express Inftitution of it, Mark 16. Ver. 15, 16. Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that

be