Truth Vindicated, Title page – To the reader
TRUTH UINDICATED Being An ANSVVER
To the high flown Fancies of John Perrot, (known by the name of a Quaker) in a Paper with this Inſcription, to all BAPTISTS every where, or to any other who are yet under the ſhadows and watry Element, and are not come to Chriſt the ſubſtance. Wherein is laid open the airy vain Fooliſhneſs, if not Blaſphemouſneſs of his words covered over with ambiguous and doubtful tearms, unto all unbiazed and rational men.
But I will come unto you ſhortly, and will know not the ſpeech of them that are puffed up, but the power. Cor. 4.19.
Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth and abideth not, in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God, he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath both the Father and the Son, 2 Epiſtle of John, 9.
Take heed that the Light, that is in you be not darkneſs, Luke 11.35.
By Randall Roper, a Servant of Chriſts.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, 1661.
To the Reader.
ALthough I am not ignorant of the prejudice, which a Subject of this nature, hath upon the minds of many men, and likewiſe conſcious of my own inability to ſuch a work; yet notwithſtanding I ſhall not omit Writing, according to the meaſure of the Tallent that the Lord heth given me, in regard of that encouragement that I have met with from the Lord, to this work ſince I firſt thought on it, I ſhall intreat and beſeech thee in the fear of God. to read with an unbiazed affection, and not to be raſh in judging, but on the contrary, be fond like thoſe Bereians that were more noble than thoſe of Theſelonica, and the reaſon is there rendred, becauſe they ſearched the Scriptures, whether thoſe things were ſo or no, alledged by the Apoſtle Paul, Acts 17.11. I am neſeſſiated to ſay as Laban ſaid to Jacob, (in an other caſe) it muſt not be ſo done here, the ſhort volume that I intend to comprize, what I ſhall write at this time is ſuch, that it will not bear a long Epiſtle; and therefore I ſhall with as much brevity as I can give you my reaſons of anſwering that Paper: although I think there is abundance of folly at the beſt, if not lies, as ſhall be made manifeſt, firſt reaſon that conſtrains me, is the reſtleſs condition of the People called Quakers, in giving them up and down, to People that they think, there is any hope to work upon together with that high confidence they have of it, as an Oracle of God, and that which cannot be anſwered; when it is nothing leſs than the ſenſeleſs Prophane, and diviſed words of a brain-ſick-apoſtate. Secondly that high eſtimation they have of the Author of that Paper, inſomuch that I have been told of two of his judgment (which I am ſure they will own) that he had as great a meaſure of the Spirit as ever man had, and that he had talked face to face with God, as a man talketh with his friend, and ſeveral other things of a like tendency which would be too tedious to inſert which I have cauſe to think, nay believe are lies, therefore my Friends who ever you are that deſire to abide in the Doctrine of Chriſt, having reſpect to all his Commandement that you may experience Communion with the Father & the Son: you have cauſe to praiſe him magnifie the name of your God, that hath ſo given up and in the way of his juſtice (which men hath ſo honoured) that as he is a rageing wave of the Sea, ſo he hath foamed out his own ſhame. Secondly, we have cauſe of ſorrow that any poor ſouls that aims at the glory of God, ſhould follow ſuch Teachers. And ſo I ſhall leave, but ſhall continue my Prayers, that the Lord would keep his Children and Babes from that deceit, and that the Lord would grant ſome that are already turned after Satan, Repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth, which is the end and aim of him that deſireth truth may flowriſh, and that errour and darkneſs may be done away.
RANDAL ROPER