What was it that induced these theological vanes, (one of whom, J. Owen, in particular, was moved about by every political wind that wafted him lucre and spiritual domination,) to load with the most abusive and opprobrious epithets, these servants of the Most High? What was it that made Satan roar through his ministers and emissaries, but preaching “ Christ, and him crucified.”

I must express my utter astonishment, that any one pretending to an acquaintance with the writings and principles of our early Friends, should betray so gross an ignorance of them, as is evinced in the declaration that the principles contained in this book, “are opposed to what have been the principles of the Society from its commencement to the present period." Was Barclay an "Evangelical" Friend, when he wrote even so the writings and sayings of all men we must bring to the Word of God, I mean the eternal Word, and if they agree thereunto we stand there. For this Word always proceedeth and doth eternally proceed from God, in and by which the unsearchable wisdom of God, and unsearchable counsel and will conceived in the heart of God is revealed unto us?”*

Was Barclay an Evangelical" Friend when he was telling us, how by the revelation of God's Holy Spirit in the heart, a poor Friend who could neither read nor write, detected a mis-quotation of some hireling priest, and told him to the effect that the Spirit had never said any such thing?

Was George Fox an "Evangelical" Friend when he

* R. Barclay's Apol. page 71.

informed us, "the Lord God opened to me by his invisible power how every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ." 'I saw it,” continues he, "shine through all, and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation to the light of life; but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in the Scriptures; though afterwards, searching the Scriptures, I found it.

Was William Penn an Evangelical" Friend when he so fully illustrated the influence of the Holy Spirit on the heart of man, by the experience of men and women of various climes and ages, as may be seen in his "No Cross, no Crown?” Was Isaac Pennington an "Evangelical" Friend, when he queried how are the Scriptures the rule? Are the whole Scriptures the rule, from Genesis to Revelations ?" &c. &c. "Evangelical Friends;" if this be your Evangelism, to defend the exalters of Scripture unto the throne of the highest, by decrying as pernicious and dangerous, a work written in perfect unison with the avowed design of combating doctrines so hostile to Christian Truth; if this, I say, be your Evangelism," let me entreat you to compare it carefully with the "Evangelism" contained in the writings of these now mentioned worthies, and of Samuel Fisher, especially, and then tell me whether the principles avowed in this little work, are opposed to the principles of the Society, from its commencement to the present day."

It was a service to which that dear departed servant

of Christ was called, and for which he was peculiarly qualified, to contend with the "word stealers❞ upon their favourite grounds; Scripture Supremacy, Election and Reprobation, Justification by Faith and Imputative Righteousness. And if ever false teachers were exposed in all the hideousness of naked deformity; if ever Truth, through the instrumentality of man, was set forth in triumphant beauty, in contrast to the revolting image of falsehood, it has, indeed, been done by Samuel Fisher in his " Rustic's Alarm to the Rabbies."

Amongst the slanderers and revilers of Friends and their principles of that day, four hirelings occupy a most prominent station, and stand forth conspicuously from all the rest. The names of these men were John Owen, Richard Baxter, Thomas Danson, and John Tombs.

To these four of the Clergy's chieftains," more especially S. F. directs his arguments, "which four foremen" (he says in his quaint style) "write out the sum of what is, or is to be, said by the whole fraternity of fiery fighters against the true light of Christ, and its true children."

This work, ("The Rustic's Alarm to the Rabbies,") which I intend to abridge and re-publish in a cheaper form, may be seen in some of the Monthly Meeting Libraries, and has been published, I apprehend, by the authority, and with the sanction of "the Morning Meeting of Ministers and Elders." To the work are prefixed four testimonies concerning the author and the work; amongst which, is one from William Penn; and those principles which the Friend at Liverpool had, in vain, sought to discover in the Letters of William Penn

to his family, he will here find energetically recommended, and explicitly avowed.

In this testimony, William Penn says, "He (Samuel Fisher) hath discharged himself as a conscientious, fair and learned apologist; his books being mostly in defence of our holy religion, against the misapprehenders and opposers of it; and I shall take the liberty in good conscience to say, that, in all his controversies, he has acquitted himself with that manifest advantage against his adversaries upon the points debated, that if I were not of the same mind myself, I must offer violence to my understanding, if I did not ingenuously resign to the force and evidence of his arguments. And though it pleased God to begin my convictions by the work of his own Spirit in my heart, and that it was much more my desire to feel myself enabled by the Holy Power and virtue of it, to overcome the world therein, than to entertain myself with large controversies; yet, for as much as the understanding must be convinced, as well as the heart experience the operation, and feel the truth of a principle; such labours have been, are, and will be useful to distinguish truth from falsehood, and to invalidate the works of ignorance and malice, that have either obscured, or misrepresented what we hold; and they had this good effect with me in particular, that in perusing his Rusticus ad Academicos, I found the objections of several considerable opposers so closely handled, and so plainly enervated, that my heart was not more affected, than my understanding was clearly convinced of the truth and reasonableness of those principles he defended.”

Ellis Hookes concludes his " epistle to the reader,"

in these words; "much might be wrote concerning him, (Samuel Fisher) but his works will speak best for him; which are commended to posterity, as a faithful testimony to the everlasting Gospel, against false shepherds, and every evil way; hoping they will stand upon record from generation to generation ;" and so hope I.

Luke Howard, of Dover, says of him, that he “ in patience continued in the faith of Christ Jesus, until he laid down his head a prisoner for it; a faithful witness, through suffering and tribulation, which, in his life time, he met with, and never turned his back upon them; but, like a faithful soldier in the Lamb's war, he acquitted himself as a man of God, as appears by these his labours ensuing, which may be worth the reader's perusing; wherein may be seen what great opposition there was both in Priests and Baptists against the Truth." And whilst this testimony is before me, I cannot forbear quoting the truly touching and eloquent paragraph with which it concludes. "And further concerning Samuel Fisher; after he was convinced of the Truth, and came into obedience to the same, he accounted his outward learning abundantly subordinate to the grace of Life and Truth, and gave it the pre-eminence, wherever he found it rule and live, even before his natural parts and learning, often preferring another before and better than himself; and would travel some miles to a meeting, and sit silent for a time, learning of the Lord in all subjection, until the Lord was pleased to open his mouth to declare the Truth, and made him a Fisher of men; and the Lord was with him, and his presence (which was his life) did accompany him, even