THE Occasion of this Meeting, was up­on the Request of Mary Man of Le­banon, who sent us Word that she de­sired to be Baptised by our Society according to the Rule given in Scripture, by Burying in the Water; and upon our re­ceiving this Message, and considering that Christ's Ordinances ought to be Publickly Ad­ministred, we drew up a Paper Signed by several of us, Signifying the time when we designed to Administer the Ordinance; which Paper was publickly set up in Lebanon, some Weeks before the time appointed; and though we ordered our Meeting there, (viz.) at Lebanon to begin on the first day of the Week, the day which we usu­ally meet on as well as the rest of our Neigh­bours, yet we appointed the second day of the Week for the Administration of the Ordinance, designing thereby to give the greater opportuni­ty to any to be present, that otherwise might be prevented by their own Meetings. And accor­dingly when the day came, we set out from our several Habitations in order to attend our ap­pointed Meeting; and as we were passing through Norwich, we were stopt by the Consta­ble and a rude Company of young Men, who [Page 4] offered great abuse to some of [...] Company, [...]rticularly dragging a Woman [...] Company by the Arm along on the Ground, and violently twitching her over the Door-Cill and throwing her on the Floor, whereby she was much hurt. The next day we were very cruelly whipt with an unmerciful Instrument, and then sent back to New-London and committed to Prison, &c.

In the next place I shall proceed to make Re­ply to the aforesaid Pamphlet, &c.

In page first he calls the Sufferers Notorious Offenders.

In his 2d. page he signifies, that the Offence which these Offenders gave, was with notorious aggravating Circumstances. In his 3d. page he declares, that the Person here named, (viz.) An­drew Davis, was one of John Rogers's Brethren in Iniquity and Transgression, and that they were Travelling from New-London and Groton, with a design for Lebanon, and all this as pernici­ously as needlessly shall be made evident, (Says he.)

In his 4th. page he signifies, that we were equally concerned in the Administration of Bap­tism, and that we knew not who should be imme­diately call'd to do it when we came there, and that there was not any of us that pretended to be an Officer more than the rest. Whereupon he argues, that we were very ignorant or unbe­lieving of that Text. Heb. 5.4. And no Man taketh the Honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

To which I answer, That by this Account which he here gives, it is very manifest that none [Page 5] of us w [...] [...]ward to take the Honour to our selves, but [...]e waiting on God to know his Mind and Will in the matter, and who he would call to the Work, like as did those Servants of the Lord that were in the Church of Antioch, Acts 13.1, 2, 3. verses; who not presuming to take the Honour to themselves, were in like manner waiting for a Call from God. By which it is manifest that they knew not who the Lord would Call to that Work, until he made it ma­nifest to them, by commanding them to separate Barnabas and Saul, and so when they were called of God as was Aaron, they immediately attended on the Work.

Now the false Teachers and Hirelings which the World heaps up to themselves, spoken of 2 Tim. 4.3. are not Called of God as was Aa­ron, but have their Call and Authority from Men, and by human Art prepare themselves for their Trade as other Crafts-Men do, and then through Covetousness with feigned or studied words, make Merchandize of the People, as it is writ­ten 2 Pet. 2. Chap. 1, and 3. verses. Now these false Teachers here described, are they who are not called of God as was Aaron, but for the lucre of great Sums of Money, presume to take the Honour to themselves of being call'd Ministers of the Gospel, &c. By all which it is manifest that he greatly wrests this Scripture through his own darkness. Now in the latter part of this 4th. page he begins to set forth, what was the Notorious aggravating Circumstance of these Notorious Offenders Offence. And first he seems to Insinuate, as if we ordere'd our coming [Page 6] into Town on purpose to meet [...]em first re­turning from their Meeting, [...] our other Company to meet them returning from their Sacramental Solemnity. Yet in the begining of his 5th. Page he seems to yield that this coming might be purely accidental, and so answers himself; and saves me the trouble of answering him to this matter. For most certain our coming into Town at that time, was purely accidental as he allows, nor did we know what business they were upon; being only designed to pass along the Country-Road to our own Meet­ing. Now let the Reader judge, whether our passing along the Road to our own Meeting, was any more just ground of Offence to them, than their doing the like was to us, or whether it was not so far wide of the Golden Rule, to do to all Men, as ye would they should do to you; that it bears the plain Image of Persecution.

In the next place he adds, that we might have gone another way. To which I answer, that I never knew or understood that there was any way to Lebanon from New-London or Groton, but that Road, except we had crossed a multitude of Fields and Inclosures, whereby we should have given just grounds of Offence to our Neigh­bours, by trespassing upon their Fences and Lands, and unaccountable Difficulty to our selves, and might justly have been punished for Trespassers; and it is marvellous that even Envy it self should so much blind any Person, as to cause them to desire to put their Neighbours upon such an unreasonable and unlawful Action.

[Page 7]He proceeds also to inform the Reader, that the first Company brought a Chair with them, to aggravate the Offence.

Reply. That there was a small Child's Chair brought for the Relief of a poor distressed Child, which the Grand-father, Grand-mother and Uncle were carrying to its Mother at Lebanon, (I grant) which distressed Child was attended with a sore Malady, whereby the Bowels often­times fell out of the Body in great quantities, to the wonderful Anguish and Distress of the Child; and there being no way to help or move the Child many times but in the Chair, so that the necessity of the Chair was so apparant to all the Spectators, that not one of them blamed us on that account; nor did the Justice make it any Article against us: And therefore it is very unfair for him to endeavour to deceive the World, by giving so unintelligible an Account of that matter.

He also adds, That some of the other Com­pany called out to the People, Did ye not hear there is a solemn Ordinance to be administred to mor­row upon a Person at Lebanon, according to Christ's Institution?

Reply. This is another of the notorious ag­gravating Circumstances which he charges the Sufferers to be guilty of. And indeed it is mat­ter of great Lamentation to consider, that such who call themselves Christians, should so long practice the Ordinances contrary to Christ's In­stitution: That they should be so hardned there­in, as not to indure to be told that they are like to be administred according to Christ's Institu­tion.

[Page 8]He farther adds as follows, And though it can­not be justly thought a matter of Conscience in them, to come to us in such Time and Manner, when they knew it was contrary to the Law of the Govern­ment.

To the first of these Assertions, (viz.) That we came to them, I utterly deny; for we were on­ly passing along the Country Road towards our own Meeting, and was got onward of our way beyond their Meeting House, I suppose the best part of a Mile, where they came to us, and with Violence stopt us, and made Prisoners of us, &c. by which it is manifest that it was they that came to us, & not we to them, as he has wrong­ly asserted.

He also asserts, That we knew it was contra­ry to the Law of the Government.

Reply. Here I think he does the Government no Honour by informing the World, that they have made Laws to debar such as differ from them in matters of Religion, the liberty of the Kings High way to pass to their own Meetings, since our Lord the King hath granted equal Li­berty of Conscience to all dissenters to hold their Meetings, and serve God according to their Consciences.

In his 7th. page he asserts, that we knew not who or whether any of us was to Baptise, or whether any Person would be Baptised, and so (says he) it proved the next time when they actu­ally went to Lebanon, under the same Pretence, Baptism was not administred, &c.

Reply. Here again I must deny his assertions; for the very next time that we went up pretend­ing [Page 9] to Administer the Ordinance, it was actually done, and another Person who was convinced by our means, (viz.) Elisha Man, was also Bap­tised at the same time. Indeed there was before this three of us that went up to visit our Friends, and hold a Meeting among them, but with no pretence of Baptising any Person at that time.

However he makes these false assertions a foundation to build some of his Mocks and Scoffs on, for he immediately adds, that our In­fallible Spirit doth sometimes deceive us, as it did our great Apostle the late John Rogers, who pre­tended from the Inspiration of it, that he was proof against all Infection of Body, &c. And to put the matter upon Tryal, daringly ventured in­to Boston in the time of the Small Pox, but receiv­ed the Infection and dyed of it, with several of his Family taking it from him, &c.

Reply. Here I think he plainly discovers his unchristianlike and unmanly spirit, by Raking a Man out of his Grave to be the Subject of his Game; and it is great Presumptuousness in him, to take upon him to judge one that is gone into the Hands of a Righteous Judge. For in the first place he asserts, That our Infallible Spirit deceives us as it did John Rogers, who pretended from the Inspiration of it, that he was proof against all Infecti­on of Body, &c. Now I am fully perswaded that J. R. never spake those words but that J. Bac­kus is highly guilty of slandering him in his Grave concerning this matter. He also adds, That to put the matter upon tryal, daringly ventured into Boston, in the time of the Small Pox, but re­ceived the Infection and ayed of it, with several of [Page 10] his Family. Now how presumptuous and senso­rious a Judgment is it for him to assert, that his going to Boston was daringly to put the matter upon Tryal, when it is well known that it had been his Practice for more than forty years past, to vi­sit all sick Persons as often as he had opportuni­ty, and particularly those who had the Small-Pox, when in the height of their Distemper he has sat on their Bed-side several hours at a time, dis­coursing of the things of God; so that his going to Boston the last time, was no other than his constant Practice had been ever since he made a profession of Religion. Now it is certain that J. Rogers in his life time, and all his Society to this day, do firmly believe from the testimony of the Scripture, that God's Protection is with his faithful Children through the Course of this Life, to continue them to old Age, (notwithstanding the Calamities which he sends on the Earth,) except when he Calls them to lay down their Lives for his Truth by way of Martyrdom, as may be seen abundantly in Scripture. Job. 6.26. Thou shalt come to thy Grace in a full Age, like as a shock of Corn cometh in in his Season. Psal. 91.16. With long life will I satisfy him, &c. Now the Age of Man is set forth in Scripture to be seven­ty years, as is to be seen Psal. 90.10. The days of our years are three score years and ten, &c.

Now although we have the Scripture plenti­fully to confirm us in this Principle of God's pro­tecting his faithful Children to old age, &c. Yet we know it is appointed for all Men once to die, ac­cording to what is written Heb. 9.27. and by what manner of Death it may please God to [Page 11] take them to himself, after he hath preserved them to old age, he has not revealed to us, and therefore neither J. Rogers in his life time, nor any of his Society since his Death has underta­ken to decide the matter; judging it to be one of those secret things which God has not reveal­ed to us, and therefore is not our Business to meddle with, according to what is written Deut. 29.29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, &c.

Now let every unprejudiced Reader take no­tice how little cause J. Backus has to reflect John Rogers's manner of Death upon him, who lived to the age of seventy three years, and then died in his own House, and on his own Bed, having his Reason continued to the last, and manifesting his Peace with God, and perfect as­surance of a better Life. He had also a very ea­sy Death, without any strugling or striving, as is common to many People.

He farther adds, That several of his Family also died, taking the distemper from him. To which I answer, That this is another mistake, for not one of his Family died of the Small-Pox, tho' several of my Family did.

He also adds, That more Instances of their decepti­on might be mentioned, &c. To which I answer, That hitherto he has mentioned no deception at all, and therefore very improper to say, more might be mentioned.

In his 8th. page he says, we wilfully chose the Corporal Punishment, &c.

[Page 12]And in the 9th. page he adds, That by our Re­solute Choice we constrained him to order this Punish­ment, or disregard the Law, and that in a moral sense we whipt our own Backs, and may thank our selves for it.

Reply. Here I cannot but take notice how ex­actly he speaks the Language of the Papist a­gainst the Martyrs, who always informed the World, that they chose the Flames and were guilty of their own Deaths, and were Self-mur­therers, and might escape if they would, and that the Authority were compelled to Punish them, or disregard the Laws, &c.

By which it appears, that Persecutors are not only of one spirit, out naturally speak one Lan­guage: And indeed I must confess, that accor­ding to my Judgment, the Papist spake as much Truth as J. Backus.

For the Martyrs chose the Flames as much as we chose the Whip; for neither they nor we chose either the Flames or the Whip, but as we were compelled thereto by our cruel Persecu­tors.

In the next place he labours to hide the Cruel­ty of the Whip, he signifies that the Whip was but a single Cord, without a knot in it.

All which I allow to be true, for that the Cord was so large that it would not admit of a knot, but instead of a knot it was firmly whipt with a waxed thread at least four Inches at the end, and then soaked in Liquor.

He also adds in his 10th page, That he stood by and saw every stroke, and discovered not a drop of [Page 13] Blood, save only from some strokes with the end of the Whip, under the Arms of some of them, &c.

Here I can but marvel at his Confidence in rendering the Effects of the Whip so small. How­ever since he produceth no better Proof for his assertion than his own bare Word, which to dis­prove I shall Produce two sufficient Testimonies; the first is the multitude of Spectators, whose Eyes saw the terrible Wounds which every stroke gave, excepting a few strokes which accidental­ly took the Cloathing of one or two of the Suf­ferers.

The second Testimony which I shall produce, is the Wounds in the Bodies of every one of the Sufferers, which till the Grave shall hide, will re­main as a sufficient Testimony to discover the deceit of his Assertion.

In the same page he adds, That he saw no Per­son insult them or triumph in their Correction, but the whole multitude of Spectators with a becoming aspect of Grief, &c.

To which I answer, That although the whole Body of People (some few sober Persons only ex­cepted) had spent the greatest part of the day in as great Revilings, Mocks, Scoffs, Flouts and Derisions perhaps as has been seen in any age of the World, by Persecutors against God's Chil­dren, which is a manifest Token of the Enmity that is between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent, yet it was very observable, that in the time of the Execution of the Sen­tence, it was acted with such Barbarity, that it seemed to strike a d [...]mp upon the whole Assem­bly; in so much that I never heard of any Per­son [Page 14] triumphing in their Suffering so much as J. Backus himself, who was observed by the Spec­tators to smile at the Anguish of the tortured Sufferers: By which it is manifest, that he had no ground to take any Honour to himself of the Peoples not insulting or triumphing over the Sufferers, since himself was the most forward to have moved them to it.

In the same Page he speaks deridingly of the Sufferers for calling upon God and Christ for Assistance and Support in the time of their Tor­ment, &c.

To which I answer, That this is no new thing either for God's Children to call to their Heavenly Father for Help, when under the hands of their cruel Persecutors, or for their Persecutors to mock and deride them for it, as the History of Persecutions will fully prove; as also our Narative of the Wars in New-Eng­land with the Indians informs us, that some of the first English Words which the Natives learned of the English, was Lord Jesus Christ help me; which Words they had learned of their distressed Pri­soners, when under the Hands of their cruel Tormentors: Which Words those Salvages would often repeat by way of Derision to the English; perhaps too much in the same Spirit which J. B. here derides these Sufferers, where he calls them, Creatures in Human Shapes; and calls their Prayers wild and unscriptural Zeal, and clamorous Invocations of the Name of God and Christ for Assistance and Support, &c. However, that he may not remain so ignorant in the Scripture a­ny longer, I desire him to read Acts 7.59, 60. [Page 15] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and say­ing, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit: And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice, &c. Here he may see that it is not unscriptural for God's Children to call to their Heavenly Father when they are under the Hands of their cruel Persecu­tors, as we were at that time.

In his 13th Page he gives a Record (of his own making) relating to John Bolles, which Re­cord declares that J. Bolles acknowledged that he came from New-London, and was going to Lebanon, and that he knew it was contrary to our Law, and that they did it in defiance to the Law.

To which I answer, That God's three Chil­dren were cast into the fiery Furnace for de­claring their defiance to the King's Law, which was made to force Men's Consciences in mat­ters of Religion; and all the Prophets & Apo­stles suffered for opposing those Laws which was set up to force Peoples Consciences in matters of worshipping God: And all the Martyrs which have suffered the Flames and other Tor­tures ever since, it has been for manifesting their defiance to such Laws as have been set up by the worldly Government to uphold false Worship, or to restrain them from worshipping God according to their Consciences. Now for as much as God has justified all those Sufferers above-mentioned, for their bold defiance of such Laws as were set up by Man to prevent People serving God according to their Consci­ences, well may we have Confidence that God will justify us for the same thing. We have al­so [Page 16] farther to plead in our own Justification in this matter than those Sufferers above mention­ed had, in as much as our Lord the King has granted us the same liberty to meet together and worship God according to our Consciences, as he has given to our Persecutors: So that in the consideration of what is here exprest, I think J. Bolles and his Brethren are highly commen­dable for their faithfulness to God, in manifest­ing their defiance against such Laws as would re­strain them from worshipping God according to their Consciences.

In his 14th. page he charges the Sufferers to be most daring and malicious Offenders, utterly disre­garding those Scriptures, Rom. 13. Tit. 3. 1 Pet. &c.

Reply. My Answer to these last Charges will consist chiefly in opening these Scriptures which he has here wrested, and restoring them to their natural Sense; by which it will appear, that he is one of those unlearned and unstable Souls spoken of 2 Pet. 3.16. who wrest the Scripture to their own Destruction.

In the first place I shall fully grant from those Scriptures, and many more that might be menti­oned, that the worldly Government is set up of God, and are God's Ministers to act in worldly matters between Man and Man, and that the Law which God hath put into their Hands is good, if they use it lawfully; that is to Punish Murtherers of Fathers and Murtherers of Mo­thers, and Man-slayers, Whoremongers, and them that defile themselves with Mankind; for Men-stealers, for Liars, for perjured Persons, [Page 17] &c. According to what is written 1 Tim. 1.8, 9, 10.

And while the worldly Government act with­in their Commission, God is with them, and has put such Carnal Weapons in their Hands, as is sufficient to rule all Carnal Persons, which are Stocks, Fines, Prisons, Whips and Gallows: Which above-named Weapons are sufficient to conquer and subdue all carnal and guilty Per­sons, so that Rulers are a Terror to evil doers. And for as much as we acknowledge the worldly Government to be set up of God, we have al­ways paid all publick Demands for the uphold­ing of the same; as Town-Rates, County-Rates and Country-Rates, and all other De­mands, excepting such as are for the upholding of Hireling Ministers and false Teachers, which God has called us to testify against. Now when the worldly Rulers take upon themselves to make Laws relating to God's Worship, and thereby to force and command Men's Consci­ences, and so turn their Sword against God's Children, they then act beyond their Com­mission, and out of their Jurisdiction; and are so far from being God's Ministers, that they are fighters against God and his Church; and God is so far from making them a Terror to his Church, that he gives his Church and People Faith and Boldness to with­stand them to their Faces; Nor are their car­nal Weapons able to overcome God's Children, whose Weapons are not carnal but mighty, to the pulling down of strong holds, &c. 2 Cor. 10.4 And that this is a right Exposition of all those Scrip­tures quoted by him, I shall prove by these fol­lowing Texts of Scripture; Dan. 5.18, 19. O [Page 18] thou King, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzer thy Father a Kingdom, and Majesty, and Glory, and Honour, and for the Majesty that he gave him, all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him, &c. Thus it appears that Nebuchad­nezzer was set up of God to act in the worldly Government, and that God laid a Terror upon all his subjects to fear and tremble at his Presence so long as he acted within the Bounds of his Com­mission; but when he exceeded the Bounds of his Commission, by acting in matters of Wor­ship which was out of his Jurisdiction, God's Children publickly withstood him, and open­ly to his Face manifested their defiance to his Laws: And God was so far from laying his Terror on them, that he gave them Faith pub­lickly to oppose him; nor was his Carnal Wea­pons able to compel them to attend his false Worship, as may be seen Dan. 3.16, 17, 18. Also saith Christ in that 10th of Mat. 27, 28. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, &c. And fear not them which kill the Body, &c. Here Christ commands his Children to be faith­ful to him, and not to fear them that kill the Body. Now we know that those which kill the Bodies of God's Children are the worldly Powers, when they exceed their Commission, (which is only to judge in worldly matters) then they turn fighter▪ against God, and per­secute his Children; for the worldly Govern­ment is the Kingdoms of this World, but Christ's Kingdom is not of this World. Joh. 18.36. And when the Man in the Gospel desired Christ to speak to his Brother to divide the [Page 19] Inheritance, he refused to do it, signifying it was not his Business to judge in such matters. Luke 12.13, 14. Nor would he condemn the Woman taken in Adultery, Joh. 8. because such Judgment did properly belong to the world­ly Government, and not to Christ's Kingdom: For Christ's Church is his Kingdom, and they are not of this World, for he hath chosen them out of the World. Joh. 15.19.

And now though I might go on to multiply Scriptures to prove this great Truth, (viz) That the worldly Rulers are not impowered by God to act in matters of Worship to God, but only in worldly Affairs; yet I must desist at present, for that I only intended Brevity in this small Volume; but do boldly affirm, that Christ's Church since his coming in the Flesh, are no where commanded to be subject to the worldly Powers relating to God's Worship, and so shall forbear at present to enlarge upon this Subject, desiring Joseph Backus (if he be able) to produce Scripture to the contrary.

In the next place it may be needful for the satisfaction of the Reader, to look back and observe what are the Crimes which he charges the Sufferers to be guilty of, and which are to be seen in his fifth page. The first is our pas­sing along the Country Road towards our own Meeting.

The next Crime which he charges us with, is the merciful act in carrying the small Chair for the Relief of the distressed Child, of which I have already given a particular Account.

[Page 20]The third Crime he charges us with is, That some of our Company asked some People if they did not hear that there was a solemn Or­dinance to be Administred to Morrow on a Person at Lebanon, according to Christ's Insti­tution? Now how Criminal these three Arti­cles will appear in the Eyes of indifferent Per­sons I know not, but doubtless they seem very great to J. Backus, otherwise he would not have made use of so much foul and Railing Language against the Sufferers as he has done throughout his Book; as in page first he calls them Notorious Offenders. Pape 2d. he charges them to be guilty of Notorious aggravating Cir­cumstances. Page 3d. he says, The Person here named, was one of John Rogers 's Brethren in Ini­quity and Transgression, and that our design for Lebanon was needlesly and perniciously. Page 9th. he calls them Notorious Malefactors. Page 10. he calls them Creatures in human shapes. Page 19. he calls them Miscreants, or Infidels, and char­ges them with transgressing the Laws of God, but doth not mention what Law of God they were found in the Transgression of. Surely passing along the Road to our Meeting, could be no Transgression of the Laws of God, nei­ther could the merciful Deed done to the Child be contrary to any Law of God, neither could our informing our Neighbours concern­ing Christ's Ordinance be a breach of God's Laws. Now I desire him to consider, whether all this evil Communication above-mentioned doth not prove him to be guilty of corrupting good Manners, according to what is written [Page 21] 1 Cor. 15.33. Be not deceived, evil Communicati­ons corrupt good Manners. Or whether such Rail­ing doth not prove him to be a Railer, or whe­ther such Reviling of his Neighbours doth not prove him to be a Reviler, which if he be such a Person he may see 1 Cor. 6.10. that no such Person shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

In his 24th Page he signifies, that some of the People at Norwich offered freely to pay the fine for some of us, and that we refused the Kindness, &c.

And that the Week after being sentenced at Lebanon to undergo the same Punishment; that our Courage failed so as to accept a Discharge by other Men's Money, &c.

To which I answer, That if he had said that some at Norwich talked of paying the Fine and did not do it, but at Lebanon they actually did pay it, he had then said Truth; for we were no more active in that matter at Lebanon, than we were at Norwich.

In the latter end of the same Page, and be­ginning of the 25th. he adds, That we chal­lenged a Dispute on those Articles, the Sabbath and Baptism, and had a publick Confutation by the Reverend Mr. Wells and Williams, &c.

Reply. Here he boldly asserts, that we had a publick Confutation on those Articles the Sab­bath and Baptism; but he produceth no better Proof for his Assertion, than his own bare Word, which I think is not a sufficient Proof to satisfy the World that it was really so. How­ever, for the better satisfaction of all Persons in that matter, we do here freely offer him to [Page 22] manage those two Points against any two Mi­nisters which he shall make choice of in New-England; either those which he has here na­med, or any other, if he knows any more capa­ble than they. And farther, that we will give him his choice to do it either in Writing or publick Dispute; and that we will be at the one half of the Charge to print and publish it to the World; whereby every one may judge for themselves, and not be confined to his Judg­ment in that matter. And that he may be at no loss in the matter, we will here state the Points to be debated.

First, We deny that the Name Sabbath is any where in Scripture imposed on the first Day of the Week.

Secondly, We deny that Christ or any of his Disciples have left any Command, Precedent or Example for the keeping the first day of the Week as a Sabbath or Holy time throughout the New-Testament, or given it any Name superior to any other day of the Week.

Thirdly, We affirm from the Scripture, that Water Baptism was and ought to be Adminis­tred by Burying in the Water.

And we utterly deny that there is either Command or Example in Scripture for sprink­ling of Infants.

And these great Truths we are ready to de­fend as abovesaid.

In his 24th. page he says, That as much of Cru­elty as there was in this, (viz. our whipping,) some of them did notwithstanding their sore Backs, zea­lously expose themselves by the like Crime, to the [Page 23] like Punishment the Week after at Lebanon▪

Reply, Here he plainly makes it manifest, that his cruel Persecution wrought no effect upon the Sufferers; but even as it has always been observed, that when Persecutors have act­ed with the most Tyranical Cruelty against God's Children, that God hath at such times in a special manner appeared, by giving Faith and boldness to his Children to oppose them in their Delusions, so that they have never been able to stop their Testimony, or hinder God's Work.

Here likewise it is observable how contrary he is to himself, and how much he thwarts di­vers Passages in the foregoing part of his Book; particularly in the 6th. page where he argues, That if they had not punished us for this Trans­gression, they might have had just Reason to conclude that we would have soon proceeded to give them disturbance in the Publick Worship of the Sabbath, &c.

So that his argument in the 6th. page is as if their punishing us had prevented our farther proceedings of that nature: yet in his 24th. page he plainly confesses, that we did proceed the Week after in the same nature, notwith­standing our sore Backs, &c. Also in the 10th. page where he is labouring to hide the Cruelty of the Whipping, he says he stood by and saw every Stroke, and discovered not a drop of Blood, save only from some strokes with the end of the Whip, under the Arm of some of them. But in this 24th. page he confesses, that notwithstanding their sore Backs, they did zea­lously expose themselves by the like Crime the [Page 24] Week after. Now it is certain that what he calls the like Crime was our going the next first day to hold our Meeting with our Brethren at Lebanon, which was seven days after. Now let any one judge, whether it is likely that our Backs could remain sore seven days if there had been no Blood drawn, but only by some strokes under the Arms of some of us.

But I am willing to put the most Charitable Construction upon these gross Contradictions, and that is to suppose that they are occasioned by the weakness of his Memory.

Page 26th. he says that the word Persecute signifies to follow hard after, and when used in such a sense as is here intended, it signifies to pursue Men with wild and ungoverned Zeal for malicious designs upon them for the sake of their Religion, &c.

Reply. Here I allow his Exposition of the word to be right, and then how fully has he proved their proceeding against us to be Per­secution, who when they first took us up it was I suppose near a Mile beyond their Meeting-house, onward of the Road towards our own Meeting. And several times since at Lebanon, when we have passed by their Meeting-house along the Road towards our own Meeting, their Constable has Prest a considerable number of Men out of their Meeting-house, who with Horses have followed hard after us with an un­governed zeal, and have stopt us and made Pri­soners of us for the sake of our Religion, &c. So that by his own Confession their proceeding against us is Persecution. In the latter end of [Page 25] the 26th. and beginning of the 27th. page he falls to heaping up a great number of charges against us, in a very confused manner without any proof at all; some of which I suppose to be only the false Reports which our Enemies have scattered about the World. However, at the end of these charges he adds, That to per­swade us to forbear, our late honourable Gover­nour hath assured us, that if we would be quiet and worship God in our own way according to our Consciences, he would punish any of their People that should disturb us in our Worship. Now for as much as he concludes all his charges with this Article of the Governour, I shall par­ticularly give the Reader an Account of that matter, which is as follows, &c.

And first, I grant that the Governour did ac­tually make this Promise, as fully as J. Backus has given it, and that it was in a Publick Court before a multitude of Hearers.

Now some time after this, John Rogers, since deceased, and several of his Society (having as good a Right to New-London Meeting-house as any in the Town) did propose to hold our Meeting there at Noon-time, between the Meetings of the other Congregation, so as not to disturb them in either of their Meetings. And accordingly we met there, and finding their Meeting not ended, we stood without Door until their Forenoon Meeting was ended and the People come out, and then John Rogers told them that our design was to make no distur­bance, [Page 26] but to hold our Meeting while they were at Dinner, and when they were ready for their Afternoon Meeting we would desist and go a­way. Whereupon I heard no Person manifest any dislike of our proceedings. Whereupon J. Rogers went into the Seat which the Town Officers seated him in, after the Meeting-house was built, and proceeded to Expound a Chapter in the Bible. But in the time of our Meeting, the Constable was sent with a Warrant to break up our Meeting, and was attended with a Rude Company of Men, who began to haul Men and Women out of the Meeting, committing some to Prison, as did Paul in his unconverted state, as may be seen Acts 8.3. And when Sarah Bolles, one of our Society, saw the Constable and his attendance carrying her Husband to Prison by his Legs and Arms, with his Belly downward, in a very Cruel manner, she and Josiah Gates, another of our Society, went to the Governour, minding him of his late Promise to defend us in our Meetings from any that should disturb us, and desired him that her Husband might not be so abused, but all the Relief they had, Josiah Gates received a Box on the Ear from the Go­vernour's own Hand, and were both turned out of Doors by the Governour, and the next day the Governour sat Judge himself of the matter, and Bound over J. Rogers to the County Court, charging him with a Riot, though all that he did was to Expound a Chapter as aforesaid, and all that his People did, was to attend to his Ex­position, in as quiet a manner as was ever in any Meeting in the Kings Dominions, till the [Page 27] Constable with his rude Attendance made the desturbance. However the Court fined J. Ro­gers Ten Shillings, for which ten shillings and the Charges, Execution was given out, and the Shereff first took ten Sheep, and then complain­ed that they were not sufficient to answer the Fine and Charges, and came a second time and took a milch Cow out of the Pasture on the same account, and so we heard no more about it; by which I suppose that the Cow and ten Sheep satisfied them for the ten Shillings and Charges. And tho' for brevity I here omit to make any Proof of this matter, yet if Joseph Bac­kus shall presume to deny any part thereof, in my next Reply I shall prove every Article that I have here asserted. And I do farther add, that I know of no Protection that we have met with from the Authority relating to our Worship, but what has been of the same nature; and I desire J. Backus (if he be able) to make the contrary appear. By which it is manifest, that his end in mentioning this Article of the Governour was to deceive the World, and to mock us.

In his 27th Page he adds as follows, But if it were Persecution, how strangely have they forgot that Advice, When they persecute you in one City, flee into another.

Reply, Here he greatly wrests and abuses the Scripture, for want of a right understanding thereof: For this Text which he mentions a small part of, has only reference to a particu­lar Commission given by Christ to his Apostles, [Page 28] as may be seen Mat. 10.5, 6. These twelve Je­sus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel, &c.

Thus it appears, that under this Commission the Apostles were strictly commanded to go to none but the House of Israel, and utterly forbidden to go to any other Nation. In the 9th and 10th Verses he commands them to provide neither Gold nor Silver, & [...] Coats, nor Shoes, &c. By which it [...] under this Commission they [...] act with all the speed [...] allowing them time to provide Money, not [...]fering them to burthen themselves with Cloath­ing, &c. And in the 23d Verse he charges them, that if they were persecuted in this City, to flee to another: For verily says he, ye shall not have gone over the Cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come.

Thus it appears, that the Reason why Christ sent his Apostles in such great haste at that time, was because it was the will of God first to proclaim the coming of Christ, and the glad Tidings of the Gospel to the House of Israel, before other Nations had the offer of it.

And the Reason why he did not allow them time to provide Money, nor suffer them to bur­then themselves with Cloathing, and command­ed them not to be stopt by Persecution, but to [Page 29] flee to the next City with their Message, was because the time that Christ would publish him­self to be the Saviour of the World was so near at hand, that there was not time for the Apos­tles first to publish it in all the Cities of Israel, and therefore the Lord soon after this, sends other Seventy under the same Commission, and with greater Injunctions to make speed than the first, for they were forbidden to salute any Man by the way, Luke 10.4.

Thus it plainly appears, that this Text of [...] has only Reference to that particular [...] on given to the Apostles at that [...]

And there can be no greater abuse of Scrip­ture, than to apply it to wrong cases; and Christ is so far from Countenancing his Chil­dren in shuning Persecution for his sake, that he hath commanded them not to fear them that Kill the Body, &c.