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to wifh fhe may be able effectually to clear up her Evidence of being a pure uncorrupt Church of God, in which Salvation may certainly be obtain'd, I fhould then moft gladly continue a Member of it. I fhall be defirous to hear your Remarks on this Paper, and in order to it will give you the Trouble of another Visit when my Coufin Bs time will permit him to accompany me. I thank you for your Concern for me, and I pray God to direct me to the true Way, which is but one, to Eternal Life. I am, Sir,

Your affured Friend and Servants.

After I had read this Letter I immediately reply'd in what follows.

MADAM,

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December 11. 1787.

N the Anfwer which I received to the Letter which I wrote to your Ladyfhip this Morning, you are not fo free as to let me know whether or no you are determin'd either to go over to the Roman Communion, or, by being already reconcil'd, actually are gone over to it; perhaps your Ladyfhip durft not truft me with the Secret, as others have done, who were as much Strangers to me. However, your faying that you are fo good a Daughter and Friend of the Church of England, as to wifh fhe may be able effectually to clear up her Evidence of being a pure incorrupt Church of God, in which Salvation may certainly be obtained, convinces me that if your Ladyfhip is not determin'd one of thofe Ways, that nevertheless you are too far gone for me to do you any good: For any true Son of the Church of England may fay as much of the Church of Rome as you have faid of her; and therefore, Madam, I think it to no purpose to have any farther Conference with you. But whereas you fay the Author of the Paper will, you believe, vin

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dicate it, that, Madam, I defire he would do, and be fo kind as to fend his Vindication to me. If he proves what he writes in that Paper, I fhall quickly follow you into the Church of Rome, but if he doth not he must expect a publick Answer, if God gives Life and Health, from

Your Ladyfhip's Friend and Servant

Geo. Hickes.

If your Ladyship have read the Book I lent you, I pray you to fend it to me. The Book mention'd in this Postscript is the Apologetical Vindication above defcrib'd.

SIR,

December 30. 1707.

Y difmal Misfortune fince I both faw or heard

M from you laft, the Lofs of my eldest Son in

the Small-Pox, has prevented my not anfwering yours fooner; however, I am now defirous of letting you know, that I am not fo far remov'd from the Church of England as you imagine me to be; and that I am very defirous to hear and fee your Answer to that Paper I left with you: Yet notwithstanding I beg the favour of the fight of the Copy you took of it, having mislaid the Original, and I will furely return it you again fome time this Week: It will come fafe to me by the hand of this Bearer; which, with begging your Prayers, is all at prefent from

Your Friend and Servant.

The

MADAM,

The ANSWER.

December 31. 1707.

Am forry for your Ladyfhip's great Misfortune, and pray God to comfort you. I have yet made no Answer to the Paper, of which I took a Copy, waiting for another, in which your Ladyfhip told me the Author would prove the main Point in that of which I have a Copy. I will get my Copy tranfcrib'd and collated, and then fend it to you in Two or Three Days. I am very glad to understand from your Ladyship, that you are not fo far gone from the Church of England as the Expression I mention'd made me fear you were. I am with true Respect and great Concern for you, MADAM,

Your Ladyship's most

faithful, humble Servant,

Geo, Hickes.

After Three Weeks her Ladyfhip fent me this

Letter.

SIR,

January 1. 1707.

Hope you will pardon my Importunity in beging the favour of your Opinion or Answer to that Paper of the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints, for my fatisfaction, when your Leifure permits. This is all at present from,

Honoured SIR,

your Friend and Servant.

The

MADAM,

The ANSWER.

January 23. 1707.

N your Letter of the 21, your Ladyfhip defired me to let you have my Opinion of the Paper of the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints. In anfwer to which I refer your Ladyship to the Letter I fent you. December the 6th, in which I plainly told your Ladyfhip my Opinion of that Paper; and obferv'd unto you how many things were affirmed, and fuppofed in it to be true, which we deny, and of which we require Proof.

In your Letter to me of December 11. your Ladyship told me you believ'd the Author of the Paper would vindicate it, or if he could not, you hould in a great meafure quit your good Opinion of the Antiquity, and Univerfality of their Do&rines. That, Madam, is what I would have him prove, if he can. if he can. And if he can prove their Doctrines, that is, the Trent-Doctrines to have been always taught in the Church, as necessary to Salvation, (which I am certain he cannot do) I affure your Ladyship again, as I did in the Letter I fent you December the 11th, that I will quickly follow you into the Church of Rome. But if in the Vindication of his Paper, which I defired might be communicated to me, he fails of that Proof, I told your Ladyship he must expect a publick Answer from me, I will now, add, or fome other Perfon, and therefore let him confider well what he writes. I hope the Book I lent your Ladyfhip hath fully, fatisfy'd you, as to your first Objection against the Church of England, upon the account of the numerous Sects and Schifms among us. If your Ladyfhip hath read it I defire you would please to re

turn it to

Your Ladyship's most humble Servant,
Geo. Hickes.

The

SIR,

The Lady's ANSWER.

February 2. 1701. Herewith return you your Book as you defired,

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I cannot but fay 'tis very fatisfactory touching the Matter it treats of, and will never conclude that Divisions and Separations are a Mark of an erroneous Church, from which they divide, any more than I can believe the Romish Church fuch, for our dividing from it; For, I think, all allow that to be a part of the holy Catholick Church, and that a found part most of the Fathers declare, if this Book I have prefumed herewith to fend you, quote them aright. Neither do they seem to favour that Church in matters wherein we agree, but feem to be very express for it in thofe Doctrines wherein we diffent from them; the Pope's Supremacy, Prayers for the Dead and Tranfubftantiation : Which again countenance that Paper of the Do

rine once deliver'd to the Saints, I guess by Tradition, tho' not mention'd in the Creed, nor fo exprefly in Scripture as other Doctrines. What is farther deliver'd, in fhort, in vindication of that Paper, is contained in the inclos'd; and feeing I cannot have easy recourse to the Author, who is at a great distance from hence, fhall trouble you no farther about it than to beg your Anfwer by way of confutation, and the return of my Book at your Leifure, with your Thoughts of it. I confefs it ftaggers me, tho' I am not yet gone over to the Church of Rome, neither would I, may I be well affur'd of equal fafety for my Soul in the Church I am in. But what would it Profit me to gain the whole World, and lofe my own Soul; therefore I beg your

* Nubes Teftium.

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