QUOT." He may be a great man and a good man, for aught I know."-p. 31.

ANSW. Here is a proof of the Author's consistency! -While he admits that I may be a great man and a good man, for aught he knows, he styles me-one among false brethren-a dissembler-a hypocrite-a wicked man, filled with artful cunning—a deceitful, arbitrary ruler, and one acting under the influence of Satan. Now, admitting this testimony to be true, how is it possible that I can be either a great or a good man?— How strange a contradiction! It is, however, a comfortable asssurance that my state can in no wise be altered by any thing that Mr. Thomas Oxenham is pleased to say.

The cockatrice egg is at length crushed, and out comes the viper.-Isa. lix. 5.; whose fruit is a fiery flying serpent.-Isa. xiv. 29.

QUOT.-"I have no objection to meet you (Mr. Barston), Mr. Goulding, the Rev. Mr. Raby, and the Rev. Mr. Stockdale, at any time and place, with one Christian friend only with me as a witness; and by God's assistance I will prove from his word that your present conduct is contrary to the same."―p. 36.

ANSW.-But what part of our conduct is to be proved contrary to the word of God? I suppose he means that we did, in conjunction, agree to turn him out of the pulpit at Grantham, and that our plans have proved successful; on which account Mr. Thomas Oxenham is out of humour, filled with rage, wrath, and bitterness, so as to excite his scurrility, invective, and abuse. This, I presume, is the supposed conduct that

is to be measured and condemned by scripture. Indeed, the burden of his song, or rather howling, (Isa. lxv. 14.) is, all through his book, that there has been a coalition between us, pp. 7, 10,—a council held by us, p. 11,— a confederacy formed by wicked rulers, pp. 12, 14,— a connection between us, p. 16,—an association established, p. 19,-an agreement made, pp. 22, 23,— colleagues, acting under the influence of Satan, p. 35, -conspirators, engaged in a conspiracy to expel him from Grantham, p. 39. And, in consequence of this, we are challenged to meet him, that he may display his abilities in proving us transgressors.

But, unfortunately for this poor deluded man, there never was such a coalition, &c. &c. &c. &c. as he speaks of, except in his own bewildered fancy.-That famous warrior, Don Quixotte, fought bravely when he engaged a windmill; but our Author is much more ludicrous, for he can fight with his own shadow, rather than not be a man of renown in the world. To have mispent so much time, however, on his account, would have made him of too much consequence; seeing he has made lies his refuge, and under falsehood has attempted to hide himself.-Is. xxviii. 15.

So then, after all his noise and bustle, and after sending us his mighty challenge, like Goliah of old, to show us what great and mighty feats he is able to perform, it proves that he wants to dispute with us about a non-entity; and we are to be proved transgressors for what never occurred. He forges lies-fathers them upon us-holds them up before the public as truths to disgrace us, and then challenges proof that our conduct is contrary to the word of God! And this is the man that wishes the public to believe that he has been very

ill treated by us? Away with such villany! Every honest mind must detest such "cunning craftiness," and cry shame on its author.

It is now high time that the innocent should stir up himself against the hypocrite (Job xvii. 8); that the impostor should be stripped of his false covering, and manifested in his true colours; for the man that can thus act, is a man that hath rendered himself worthy to be despised. This Author appears in my view quite as ludicrous and as complete a picture of shame, as the Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Moabites of old,-recorded Isa. xix. 14. xx. 4.-Jerem. xlviii. 26. which my reader may examine at his leisure.

QUOT." Mr. G. by his present way of writing a few letters, and conversation among what are called friends, obtains the praise without the shame; the glory without the reproach; the fame, without the scandal of the cross, of being a great man."-pp. 37, 38.

ANSW.-Our Author then admits that my labours are not in vain, insinuating, however, (as he has done before) that it is only among such as are called friends, those that are ignorant of the mind and will of God in the mysteries of the kingdom, that have merely a name to live while dead. This at first discouraged me, till I again reflected who the author was; upon which I recovered myself, finding a little faith in exercise under the consideration that my labours in writing and conversation had by his own acknowledgment been in a measure made useful to some real friends among the children of God. When the blessing of the Lord attends an epistle, it then becomes weighty and powerful, and is profitable to the soul of the reader, as we

B

read in 2 Cor. x. 10. And, when blessed with a good conversation in Christ, so as to speak of the glorious majesty of his kingdom enjoyed in the heart, and to talk of his power, by which it is established there, then we become a sweet savour of Christ among the saints, and find union and fellowship one with another, which, as it is precious to us, so it is well pleasing to the Lord. Conversation among the saints is at all times commendable, and ought to be particularly attended to in the present low estate of the church. In times similar to the present, the scripture informs us that Christian conversation appears with the marked approbation of God; for thus it is written,-" Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another" (there was great diligence in it;)" and the Lord hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels."-Mal. iii. 16, 17. Thus the conduct I have pursued appears to me to be consistent with the mind and will of God in his word, which is the best countenance I can have in justification of my proceedings.

Again. As the Author allows that I have obtained the praise, the glory, and the fame, of being a great man, it is no wonder that he views me with such a jealous eye, seeing that I am rising upon his sinking credit. Besides, our Author says, "I believe Mr. Gg to have more wisdom than you all, put you all together." If so, then I must be a proper person to become their leader. This, however, is going to the other extreme; and I must decline the honour thus conferred upon me, believing there are some in that place much

my superiors in wisdom. They are not in that low, beggarly situation, at Grantham, that our Author seems to represent. Besides, if he has occasionally laboured among them for twenty-three years, and they are yet in such a state as he insinuates, it is saying very little as to the usefulness of his ministry among them. And surely a change must of course be desirable, in hopes of finding more profitable means.

As to the particulars, supposed to have been spoken by Mr. B-n of me; I can only thank him for his good opinion, so far as he may have said any thing in my favour; and I am very sorry he has so greatly overrated any experience, gifts, or abilities, the Lord has been pleased to bestow upon me, honestly assuring my friends that he has a much better opinion of me than I have of myself: but, to the honour of God, I am free to confess, that whatever I am above a lost, helldeserving sinner, it is by his free, sovereign, undeserved grace that I am what I am; and I humbly pray the Almighty to make such use of me, in the church and in the world, as shall be to his glory.

QUOT.-(From the Appendix addressed to the Rev. Mr. Raby.)

Why did you, Rev. Sir, write such falsehood to your friend Mr. G―g, after the death of Mr. Toms? When a respectable lady, a few months after, went to London, and was at Mr. Gg's shop on business, Mr. Gg mentioned the false report you sent; but the lady soon convinced him the information was false. The same lady called upon me on her return, and informed me of the circumstance. I therefore advise you in future to write nothing but truth to your friend, lest you both be put to shame."-pp. 41, 42.

ANSW.-Will this man never have done with his