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unjust calumny and gross falsehood? I challenge him to produce his proofs of this and his other assertions. And, if such as write falsehood are deserving to be put to shame, as he himself says, (which is asserting a great truth) then how richly has our author merited this! and I doubt not but he shall have it measured to him abundantly. What is spoken against Jerusalem is applicable enough:-"This is thy lot (the shame he cautions others against), the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood, therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear : for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare."-Jeremiah xiii. 22, 25, 26.

But my readers, I am sure, will be amazed when I inform them that the Gentleman alluded to never wrote any falsehood to me after the death of that eminent saint, Mr. Toms;-that the respectable Lady referred to was never at Mr. Gg's shop on business;that I never spoke one word to the Lady alluded to, upon any report whatever;-that this Lady, so far from convincing me of any false information received from my friend, never had any conversation with me upon the subject spoken of; for, presuming the Lady referred to, to be Mrs. Palmer of Grantham, that Lady, in the presence of two friends, declared to me, that all Mr. O. has asserted, relative to the conversation said to have passed between herself and me, is totally false; and very generously allowed me to make use of her

name.

That she called upon Mr. Oxenham on her way home, is true; but that she informed him of the circumstance of our conversation, as mentioned by Mr. O-m, is utterly false.

For a man thus to write notorious falsehood and misrepresentation, and then to advise and exhort the falsely accused (whose character sets him far above the very suspicion of falsehood, and whose principles keep him in possession of truth in the love of it) to be careful in future to write nothing but truth to his friend, lest both be put to shame; when he himself is so deeply involved in the very sin of which he is falsely accusing others and cautioning them against, is truly awful, and such conduct as shall never go unpunished; for, "The Lord God of recompences shall surely requite.” Jerem. li. 56. 66 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight."Prov. xii. 19, 22; with Psalm lxiii. 11. David was thus sorely tried by the falsehood of others; hence he says, "Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?"-Psalm cxx. 2, 3. As applicable to our Author, I presume to give this answer: "Lord, do with him as seemeth thee good!"

Who then has acted, under the influence of Satan, the part of Diotrephes, in prating against others with malicious words-me, my fancied colleagues, or Mr. Thos. Oxenham? Let the candid reader judge and decide.

As he has presumed wantonly to sport with my name and character without any just cause, I give him the whip, hoping in future that he will learn to pay more respect to the reputation and character of others, though he should still continue to make such an easy sacrifice of his own.

But when Mr. Om asks Mr. Raby, why he wrote such falsehood to me after the death of

Mr. Toms (which I have proved to be false) I imagine he alludes to what Mr. Toms said respecting himself. And that he did speak unfavourably of Mr. 0-m cannot be successfully controverted, several of the friends having heard Mr. Toms declare how burdensome Mr. Om's company was to him, that he was always shut up in bondage when in his presence, but found liberty when he was gone. In corroboration of this, I subjoin the testimonies of two respectable witnesses, written by their own hands, which are as follow:

"The substance of two conversations between Mr. Toms and Mr. respecting the feelings of the former when in the company of Mr. Oxenham. › "The first conversation took place not long after Mr. Toms came to reside at Grantham. Mr. observing him unusually silent when in Mr. Oxenham's company, quite contrary to his common practice, for he was generally very communicative of God's dealings with him, the first private opportunity pressed him closely on the subject, suspecting the cause.

"Mr. T. then confessed how burdensome Mr. O's company was to him; and, amongst other things, mentioned the circumstance of Mrs. Stones' wanting him to meet Mr. O. to dinner, which he declined. But Mrs. S. not admitting a refusal, and declaring she should come to fetch him, he assured Mr. ———— that he went out, and walked up to Mr. Hall's, when he expected her arrival, on purpose to be out of the way; during which time she actually came for him. He had agreed to go to tea, which he did about five o'clock; from that time till nine he declared he could not open

his lips, and that he felt had before in all his life. Mr. Barston. Mrs. Stones desired Mr. Toms to stay supper. After Mr. O's departure, he said, 'It was quite marvellous, but his mouth was immediately opened, and he began to talk as freely, and spent the remainder of the evening as pleasantly, as ever he had done before.'

such weariness as he never Mr. O. then went away with

"The second conversation was the latter end of the week preceding the last Lord's day that ever Mr. Toms heard Mr. O. preach.

"Mr. then called on him, and joked him on Mr. Oxenham's coming; telling him that the next week he must be content to dwell on the mountains of Gilboa, for there would be neither dew nor rain. When he said again, that really it was marvellous how he was tied and bound up when in Mr. O's company,' laughing in his way. Yes,' replied Mr.

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submit to go into the pillory again on Sunday.'

"That Sunday he heard the discourse, and afterwards made the observation alluded to in Mr. O's pamphlet.

"Mr.

also recollects having heard Mr. Toms speak of the bondage he felt when in Mr. O's company."

99

"The substance of the conversation between Mr. Toms and Mrs., respecting the feelings of the former under Mr. Oxenham's last sermon:

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"Mrs., at that time being in much soul trouble, was lamenting that she had not profited under the sermon, when Mr. Toms replied, I don't know how you should-there was nothing for you. For my part, I never sat so uncomfortably in my life: if there had

been a back door, I would have gone out.-I cannot make out the man.'

999

Having, I hope, given sufficient proof that the Author of the "Tidings" is "a liar, and his speech nothing worth," Job xxiv. 25. so far as he has ventured to impeach my character, and sully my reputation,—I now presume to offer to my reader's consideration a few reflections in reference to our Author, drawn from his insidious "Tidings."

Is this indeed true of Mr. Thomas Oxenham, who is so full of proud, confident boasting, and self-praise, all through his work?--who in his preface speaks against false brethren, who with clouted shoes, rent bottles, and mouldy bread, have in every age, by their hypocrisy and lying testimony, crept into the professional church of God?-who speaks of dissimulation, hypocrisy, and the artful cunning of wicked men ?-who is so plausible, and speaks so fair as to insinuate that his only wish has been that the truth might be stated and made plain; that the mask of hypocrisy might be removed; that men might appear in their proper colours?-that misrepresentation might be prevented?-and who declares that he presents the reader with the truth of the matter?-and who exhorts every follower of the Lamb to take care that truth is his shield and buckler; that he walks honestly, as children of the day; and that such shall have the witness of God and conscience? And is this the man who says of another, that from his long profession he might reasonably have hoped that he would have written and spoken truth, as in the sight of God, at whose bar we must shortly appear? p. 1.who prays to be delivered from hypocrisy and deceit,

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