A Sober Answer, Title page – Dedication
A SOBER ANSWER To an angry EPISTLE, Directed to all the publick Teachers in this Nation, and prefixed to a Book, called (By an ANTIPHRASIS) Chriſts Innocency pleaded againſt the Cry of the Chief Prieſts. Written in haſt By THOMAS SPEED, once a publick Teacher himſelf, and ſince revolted from that Calling to Merchandize, and of late grown a Merchant of Soules, trading ſubtilly for the QUAKERS in Briſtoll. WHEREIN The Jeſuiticall Equivocations and ſubtle Inſinuations, whereby he endeavours ſecretly to infuſe the whole Venome of Quaking Doctrines, into undiſcerning Readers, are diſcovered; a Catalogue of the true and genuine Doctrines of the Quakers is preſented, and certaine Queſtions depending between us and them, candidly diſputed, By Chriſtopher Fowler & Simon Ford, Miniſters of the Goſpel in Reding,
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Ball in Pauls Church Yard, 1656.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Colonell WILLIAM SYDENHAM, One of his Highneſs Councill, and one of the Commiſsioners for the Exchequer, and Captaine for the Iſle of WIGHT.
Right Honourable,
THe Author of the Paper we herein deale withall, having by his Apoſtacy to the damnable Doctrines of the Quakers, and written Apologie for them in the ſaid Paper, endangered divers of our Towne, and the parts adjacent, where he was formerly in ſome eſteem; and withall in the ſame Paper, formed into the modell of an Epiſtle directed to them, inſolently challenged all the Publick Teachers of this Nation; and particularly us, who now appeare againſt him, by ſending two of the Pamphlets to us by name; we dared not betray the Truth and Glory of our Lord Jeſus, nor the precious Soules of the People, by neglecting to publiſh a timely Antidote againſt the Poyſon of ſuch a ſubtill and inſinuating peice, as your Honour, if you will vouch-ſafe to look on it, and compare it with this Anſwer, will eaſily diſcerne it to be. We perceive the deſigne of the Author, is by falſe ſuggeſtions to reproach the Miniſtry, and by Jeſuiticall Equivocation, to ſweeten the Doctrines of the Quakers to the Publick Magiſtrates. And upon that account, we thought it meete to preſent this our neceſſary vindication of that, and diſcovery of theſe, to ſome Perſon in Authority, of Honour and Conſcience; that under ſuch a ſhelter, we might gaine it a more facile admiſſion to others, of thoſe unto whom we are neceſſitated to appeale. And becauſe we can aſſuredly ſuite that Character to your ſelf; and withall are perſwaded, that by reaſon of your equability of carriage to diſſenters in late times, our Adverſary himſelf cannot reaſonably quarrell at us, for our choyce of a Patron; and laſtly becauſe we have both of us in ſome meaſure (but one of us more largely, by divers years experience) known you a cardial friend to a Godly Miniſtry, and the Doctrine which is according to Godlyneſſe; we therefore humbly put it into your Honours hands. Sir, as to the Cauſe we maintaine, we need not any Creatures Patronage, nor dare we ſubmit it to any Creatures Umpirage; for we are aſſured it (mainly) concernes ſuch foundations of Religion, as deeply ingage the honour of our Lord Jeſus, and therefore we are aſſured, he will not ſuffer them to be moved; and ſuch as will ſtand, when all Perſons and Doctrines ſhall be judged finally, and everlaſtingly according to the purport of them. But as to our candour and integrity in the managery thereof, and the proportion of ſatisfaction which we give therein, we are contented to ſtand to your Arbitration, wherein however we may fare, yet it ſhall ſuffice us, that our Conſciences tell us, that we have done our endeavour to defend the Truth, and that with meekneſſe and moderation, beyond our Antagoniſts deſerts, or the merits of his cauſe; and our experience tells us, that you will not diſdain to accept from us this ſmall Teſtimony, that we are very much,
(Right Honourable) Your Honours affectionate Servants for the Intereſt of Chriſt our Maſter,
Simon Ford.
Chriſtopher Fowler.