We acknowledge, as well as our Adverfary, that the Man Chrift Jefus is the one Mediator between God and Man, 1 Tim. ii. 15. that our Prayers and Praises to God are to be offered up in his Name, and that through him we have access to the Father; and that our Acceptance with the Father is through his Mediation and Interceffion; and whatsoever elfe the Scriptures declare concerning him, as that he took Flesh of the Virgin Mary, and was born at Bethlehem in Judea; that Jofeph, his reputed Father, afterward came and dwelt in a City called Nazareth; on Account of whose refiding there, he is frequently called in Scripture, Jefus of Nazareth; and that the Jews offended at the Meannefs of his Parentage, in way of Derifion, or Contempt, faid of him, Is not this the Son of Mary? Mark. vi. 3. But that the Scripture requires of us to use that Epithet, the Son of Mary, in all our Prayers and Praises to God, the Vicar will never prove; certainly he might have found other Appellations given to Christ, more properly expreffive of the divine Honour due to him, than that of the Son of Mary, which the Jews chofe to deride him by, and which we find not any where elfe exprefly used in holy Writ. For though the Title of Mother of Jefus be there given in Honour to Mary, yet the Title of Son of Mary is not fo given to Jefus. THE next Query propofed is, p. 191. May we offer up our Prayers directly, to Jefus the Son of Mary himself as a Perfon without us, now bodily exifting in Heaven without us, as well as to the Father in his Name?' For this he cites W. Bayley's Deep to Deep, p. 30. Upon examining that Author we do not find the Terms of the Vicar's Question used by him; he fays indeed, S 3 deed, that Chrift taught his Difciples to pray, Our Father, &c. not to look at his Perfon, and pray to him as a Perfon without them, but bid them pray to their Father which feeth in fecret, who would reward them openly. So that what W. Bayley fays, viz. That Chrift in teaching his Difciples to pray, did not bid them look at his Perfon, and pray to him as a Perfon without them, is a moft evident Truth, and fuch as our Adversary was not able to gainfay, without firft difguifing it by Alteration and Addition of Terms. As to our Adverfary's long Answer to this unfair Query, f. 191. 192. we can readily fubfcribe to all the Texts by him cited, which ought to be fufficient to fatisfy him, unless he mean somewhat more than the plain Import of them; wherein, we are by no Means bound to follow him. 'Tis certain, none of thofe Texts do exprefly mention that Title, the Son of Mary, nor direct us to make use of it in our Prayers or Invocrations, when we call on the Name of Jesus Chrift our Lord. Page 193. THE Vicar asks, What do you think then of that Saying of a Quaker, Not to Jefus the Son of Abraham, David, and Mary, Saints or Angels, but to God the Father, all Worship Glory and Honour is to be given, through Jefus Chrift.' For which he cites W. Shewen's Treatife of Thought, p. 37. BUT what will the Reader think of him, if it fhall appear that he difingenuously takes Advantage from a fmall Typographical Error to misreprefent the Quaker; and that he fo does, we shall evince, by tranfcribing the whole Paffage of W. Shewen as it ftands in his Treatife of Thoughts, P. 35. viz. The Life, Riches and Enjoyment *Not to Jefus theSon of Abraham, David and Mary, Saints ther, all Worship Honour and or Angels, but to God the FaGlory is to be given, through Jefus Chrift. THESE are W. Shewen's Words, transcrib'd in the same manner as they ftand in his Book, by which the Reader may plainly fee, that the Words cited by the Vicar, are but an Inference drawn from the Apostle's praying to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that they are placed by way of Note thereupon. 6 I FIND alfo in the Book I tranfcrib'd from, the Word as inferted in the Manufcript, after the word Jefus, and in an Account of the Typographi cal Errata prefixed,, the Place is thus noted, p. 35.1. 1. Margin, after Jefus r. as. which Correction being admitted, as in common Juftice it ought, the Paffage will be read thus, Not to Jefus, as the Son of Abraham, David and Mary, Saint or Angel; but to God the Father all Worship Honour and Glory is to be given thro' Jefus Chrift.' Of which, if any Man doubt, the Question naturally arifing will be; Whether all Worbip, Honour and Glory, be to be given to Jefus, fimply confidered, as the Son of Abraham, David and Mary? When our Adversary fhall give a direct Answer to this, we may probably have fomewhat more to say to him: In the mean time, we cannot think it fair Ufage, from the Printer's Slip of two Letters, to charge an Author as Heterodox. 6 THE laft Queftion propos'd by our Opponent in this Section, is in these Words, • Is outward Bodily Worship, or outward Signs of Reverence, as uncovering the Head, and Bowing, ⚫ or Kneeling, any true Part of God's Worship now, feeing they now that worship God, must worShip him in Spirit and in Truth? John iv. 23.' He anfwers, Yes: For the prefenting our Bodies a living Sacrifice to God, is called our reafonable Service. Rom. xii. 1. And we are to glorify God in our Body, and in our Spirit, which are God's; that is, by Right both of Creation and Redemption, 1 Cor. vi. 20. And it is faid Every Tongue fhall confefs unto him, and every • Knee fball bow unto him. Rom. xiv. 11.' But if none of these three Texts have any Relation to fuch outward Signs of Reverence, as uncovering the Head, and Bowing, and Kneeling, his producing them them in this Place is not pertinent; and that they have no fuch Relation, we shall shew; 1. THE prefenting our Bodies a living Sacrifice, boly, acceptable to God, Rom. xii. 1. plainly appears by the next Verie to be, our not being conformed to this World, but transformed by the re newing of our Mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect Will of God. 2. THE glorifying God in our Body, mentioned 1 Cor. vi. 20. is not spoken, of any outward Geftures, but of keeping our Bodies clean from the Sin of Fornication, as the Context does most plainly evince. 3. THE bowing the Knee, fpoken of Rom. xiv. 11. is not intended of external Genuflexion, but of inward Obedience, and living fo as that we may be the Lord's. ver. 8. THE Vicar feems to take Pleasure in perverting Texts of Scripture, or he would not have practis'd it in a Point that with respect to us, wanted no Proof; for, as himself says, p. 194. • These outward Signs of Reverence, of uncovering the Head, and bowing the Knee in publick Worship, are now generally used by the Quakers themselves.' And fo fay we, they were always; and if some oppos'd that Decency and Order, in fo doing they departed from their former Light and Practice, and were not countenanced by the Society therein. It appears then, that as the Quakers do not lay afide all outward vocal Prayers, fo neither do they lay afide outward Signs of Reverence in Prayer, nevertheless, they make all the Commands of God to Prayer, |