A Second Admonition to Edward Bagshaw, Part 2 · Section 25
Sect. 25. E. B. And this alone,25th and 26th Falſehoods. I take to be the true cauſe, why ſo weakly, and ſo unlike a Miniſter of the Goſpel you inveigh againſt ſufferings. For you have never yet experienced either the comfort or the cleanſing of them, and therefore venture raſhly to ſpeak evil of what you know not; and which I fear you have neither courage nor affection to venture the tyral of: I ſpeak it to your ſhame.
R. B. 1. Thus ſin uſeth like a River to run on, the longer the greater! Wonderful! that you can believe the people that fear God to be ſo ſottiſhly credulous of all the falſhoods that you ſhall tell them, as not ſo much as to open the Book which you accuſe, and to ſee that you deceive them. If you will prove that true which you ſay, it muſt be by this argumentation: He that telleth men that ſufferings have their temptations as well as proſperity, and warneth men to fear and avoid thoſe temptations, doth weakly and unlike a Miniſter of the Goſpel inveigh againſt ſufferings: But ſo doth R. B. Ergo—
But the Major is falſe, and therefore inſufficient to ſupport your falſe Concluſion. Let the Reader but peruſe my words, and if he find one ſyllable of inveighing againſt ſufferings, let him believe you the next time, and take you for a man that hath not quite forfeited his credit.
2. And what friendſhip to ſin,9th Crime, rejecting and ſlandering readful warning. and continued enmity to vigilancy and repentance do you expreſs, when you were told an unqueſtionable truth, and but warned of an unqueſtionable danger and duty, to reject all ſo ſenſleſly, and that with ſuch falſe retortions. Tell your followers, 1. Is it falſe or true, that ſufferings have their temptations as well as Proſperity; and in particular to drive us into uncharitableneſs and extreams from them that we ſuffer by? 2. Are not you and others that ſuffer in danger of ſuch temptations, and ſin in ſufferings? 3. Should not ſuch temptation and ſin be carefully watcht againſt? Is there any falſhood in all this? 4. And is he fit to glory in the cleanſing fruit of ſufferings, that ſhall falſly ſay, that ſuch a neceſſary warning is an inveighing againſt ſufferings? &c. 5. Do you believe that they that turned Quakers in Priſon are gainers by their ſufferings? or they that loſe more of their Love, than of their Liberties?
3. If I never experienced the comfort or cleanſing of ſufferings, I have cauſe of great lamentation, as having ſuffered very much in vain. I will not with Paul here glory in my infirmities, but I ſhall confeſs, that they greatly aggravate my ſin, if your words be true: For I have born the yoke from my youth: ſince fourteen years of age I have not been a year free from ſuffering, and ſince twenty two but few dayes, and ſince 1646. (which is about twenty five years, I have had but few hours free from pain, (though through Gods mercy, not intolerable.) I have had ſufferings in Peace, and ſufferings four years in War: The firſt year I preached the Goſpel, my life was ſought by malice for my Miniſterial work, and diſſent from others: The next place I came to (where I was after more bleſt, and ſpent my labours) the firſt year I was hooted at in the Streets, but for preaching the Original ſin and miſery of mankind (which this man feigneth me to extenuate, if not deny.) The next year my life was ſought by an armed Tumult, and ſtrangely preſerved, while others were knockt down in the Streets, but for looking after my ſafety. The ſame year my life was ſought more publickly, and I was forced into a Garriſon from my habitation, through the fury that ſtill ſought my life. And ſince then, O what wholſome and conſtant ſufferings have been meaſured out unto me, almoſt continually night and day. I will ſay no more, but that above all the external diſpoſals of my moſt wiſe and gracious God, I humbly, and heartily, and daily thank him for my ſufferings. But ſurely this man is not … or permitted to write this in vain. Alas, my God, it calleth my ſin, my unfruitfulneſs to my remembrance! My cleanſing, nor my comfort have not been anſwerable to the ſharp but gracious helps and warnings which thou haſt ſo long vouchſafed me: It is true, too true, that I have ſinned ſo much under ſufferings, and been ſo unfruitful after ſufferings, that I have little cauſe to boaſt of cleanſing, and leſs experience of comfort, than otherwiſe I might have had. But yet I have ſo much experience as obligeth me to thankfulneſs, and aſſuredly to number this ſaying with his Vntruths that he utters;10th Crime Self-denying. even the twenty ſixth in number; And I think the Crime of uſurping the prerogative of God, of knowing the heart, ſhould be repented of. Can any of your followers themſelves believe, that you that never ſaw me till of late years, and never thrice ſpake with me (that I know of) and that lived at ſo great a diſtance from me, and that were unborn when my ſufferings began, and were a Child when I was in the greateſt of my ſufferings many years, I ſay that you, ſhould be able peremptorily, without any exception to conclude, that [I never yet have experienced either the comfort or the cleanſing of them] When you know how much cleanſing Peter acknowledgeth the very Apoſtates ſometimes had, and even they that are moſt terribly cautioned, Heb. 6. had taſted of the powers of the world to come. Some cleanſing and comfort even a miſerable man may have.
4. As for your fear that I have not courage or integrity enough to venture the tryal, I thank you for your warning, and ſhall beg integrity and courage of God; But to add that you ſpeak it to my ſhame, is but to ſhew that you could hardly ſpeak with any caution many ſentences together: For your fear doth but ſpeak your uncertainty: (and to have pretended to a certainty were to pretend to be a God.) And why ſhould you think that I muſt be aſhamed of that which you are uncertain of? I doubt you ſpeak it more to your own ſhame.