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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	hear_v	word_n	write_v	3,062	5	5.4531	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64274	Popery, superstition, ignorance, and knavery, very unjustly by a letter in the general pretended but as far as was charg'd, very fully proved upon the dissenters that were concerned in the Surey imposture / by Zach. Taylor.	Taylor, Zachary, 1653-1705.	1698 (1698)	Wing T599_VARIANT; ESTC R34648	26,353	28

Cheat to have called Mr. C. to an Account for it But instead of that it flies all over England the Party glories and triumphs in it in so much that a great Man among them was not ashamed to declare That though God had establish'd the Truth of Christian Religion many Centuries ago by Miracles yet he was pleas'd of late to vouchsafe a new one in favour of it meaning what was done at the Surey But no sooner doth my Impostor appear but the Party think to save their own Bacon by loading my Back And what must the meaning of this be I suppose it is this They resolved to wait the Strength of my Answer for had I not given the World full Satisfaction of the Knavery of the Matter there had most certainly been a Devil at the Surey and Mr. C. had been a Saint They knew that I was about it for I had given them fair Warning of it near a Year before their Demoniack was printed yet they sat snug and still expecting the Issue of what Evidence I could produce on the confidence of this Reserve That if I proved too hard for them they could overthrow me with a Cry That I charg'd on the whole Party the Miscarriages of a few But how doth my Friend clear the whole Party from having their Hands in it Why he is much surprized that a Script as drawn up by Mr. C. and so long ago censured by many sober grave Dissenting Ministers and who upon his Knowledge used their Endeavours to have it suppressed and thought they had done it should yet after some Years latency be made publick p. 2. I confess an Ingenious Friend of mine a Dissenting Minister intimated to me his Endeavours to suppress that Pamphlet He added That the Manuscript was lodged in Mr. Alsop's Hands and that he sitting by the Fire with him and discoursing about it he told Mr. Alsop he hoped he would not let that Pamphlet see the Light No saith Mr. Alsop no Light but this pointing to the Fire This was communicated to Mr. Jolly whilst I was writing the Impostor and what saith he to it You shall hear in his own Words for I have his Letter by me and then let the World judge and they are these You are informed that Mr. Alsop did express his Vnwillingness that the Surey Book should be printed Indeed as I also was credibly inform'd he did express his Dissatisfaction concerning the said Narrative according to the uncorrected Copy and before he saw the Affidavits but afterwards he and others were of another Opinion The Sum of all is this here are Seventeen Dissenting Ministers in Lancashire and Yorkshire concerned one way or other in the Narrative of the Surey Demoniack Mr. Baxter and another London Divine press one after another for the Publishing of it Mr. Alsop and others which may be the whole Party except one Man for ought I know are brought over to the same Opinion upon which the Narrative is printed and the Party in general are wonderfully proud of it extol and magnifie it till an Answer comes out that exposeth the Imposture and then of a sudden they draw in their Horns and would gladly sculk behind the Curtain But how desirous they are even yet to have it believ'd I shall in the Narrative more fully discover and thither I refer it And had the Party a mind it should be condemn'd for a Cheat what makes my Friend here and there to nibble at what he thinks in my Book liable to Exceptions Gladly would he have answer'd it if he could And all my Safety is that the Dog that barks though he would dare not or cannot bite He had a Fling at me about the word Obsession no less than thrice and much he got by it What hath he else to say Why he Queries what I have to charge the Attestors to the Surey Demoniack with Do they affirm Dugdale was possess'd or dispossess'd He confidently denies it No p. 4. and thereupon appeals to the Testimonial in which are these Words That the strange Fits of Richard Dugdale were by a Diabolical Power ib. Was he not according to their Judgment possest then You must pardon my Friend for he freely confesseth That he cannot well understand what is meant by Possession or Obsession p. 9. Only by denying it he sheweth that he hath a good Will though he wants Understanding to clear the Dissenters But my Friend is concern'd that I should say That if Dicky was a Demoniack their Prayers did not benefit him p. 24. And thence he makes me to argue thus He had his Fits after their Praying for him therefore their Prayers did him no good Now this is my Friend's Argument and none of mine for I have examined the Page he refers to and find no such thing in it p. 57. yet he goes to shew his Parts in arguing against his own Shadow and tells a long Story of some Prayers being answered not instantly but at some distance of time And what then Because God delays the Answer of some Prayers that were founded on a true bottom of Devotion to a distant Season that his Wisdom and Goodness sees most proper for them therefore Prayers that are founded on a Cheat and Imposture as these at the Surey were may be answered so too Is not my Friend an extraordinary Divine Well but I said their Prayers did him no good The Truth is Mr. C. tells us p. 26. That Richard said so and I cannot but believe him For if I should pray That the Man in the Moon might be eased of the Burden on his Back I suppose he would find little Good by it But I said That before March 25. they had left off their Fasting and Prayers and he asks how I knew it I proved it from Dugdale the Fathers Information p. 56. But here is the Thorn that sticks in their Side They tell us they kept a Fast March 24 1689 90. How do I answer this Very satisfactorily saith my Friend The Narrator hath the Impudence to pretend it and Dicky knew nothing of it I doubt this is one of their Sanctified Lies p. 25. I spoke modestly if I said I did but doubt it for the Truth is they put it past all doubt The Ministers had left him as his Father tells you the Month before Richard was this Day abroad at Hindfield yet they pretend not only a Fast-day for him but as if they had been with him they tell you the very Words that Satan spake to Richard and the manner how he went out of him which is such a notorious piece of Fiction as no degree of Impudence short of what Mr. C. and my Friend are Masters of durst venture to relate or justify His next Attempt is to clear Dissenters from a natural Tendency to abuse Sacred Forms of Worship and he proves it is not natural to them p. 25. And I am very glad to hear it for though the Ethiopian cannot change his Skin if what he

the last of these I think Job was not Possest no more than my Friend is And for the other when he asserts That I deny that Natural or Preternatural Distempers can be attended with the Devil and that it 's a good Argument to prove it no Possession because a Distemper ib. p. 7. which he repeats over again and again I must desire my Friend to tell me where he learnt this of me for it is the first time I ever heard or thought of it I am sure there is no such thing in my Book and my Whalley Sermon that he hath heard something of advanceth the quite contrary Opinion I find I must discard him from the number of my Friends he is fitter for Mr. C.'s Acquaintance whose warm Brain is very fruitful in framing such Fabulous Stories and his honest Heart in falsly charging innocent Persons with them But the Man still goes on and would gladly know What they are to be blam'd for I have told him oft enough but yet he enquires further Is it for Fasting and Prayer p. 9. His own Conscience told him that was not the thing yet for all that he will go on They did believe He viz. Rich. was possess'd p. 9. And upon this Supposition what could be done otherwise Why abler Divines ought to have been consulted and more Discretion used But what means my Friend when he makes their Supposition to be the Ground of their Devotion This is but odd Divinity and surely Mr. Fra. never taught it him for the Consequence of it is that if the Supposition be false the Worship is Supersition The Quakers with all the other Spawn of Fanaticks the Papists themselves not excepted may justifie themselves on this Principle that Credulity and Supposition is a sufficient Ground of Worship That my Friend to omit all other Instances may see how good a Friend he is to Papists by this Principle he hath laid down let me ask him a Question or two Do not the Papists pay Adoration to the Sacrament of the Altar on the Belief and Supposition that Christ is personally there Do they not pray to Saints and Angels on the Supposition that they do hear them Tho my Friend exclaims against me for misrepresenting the Dissenters as instrumental to the Popish Interest if we may be allowed to infer from his own Arguments he himself will be found liable to the same Indictment for here is a Position laid down by him that will justifie them and all the Frantick Frey of Fanaticks of what Denomination soever The next Crime that he imputes to me is the charging them with Superstition but he produceth not so much as one place in all my Book to prove this Charge and have not I a very good Friend of him However Superstition is a long Word and as English it may possibly puzzle a Country Fellow p. 10. Nay he knows not but it s some ill Boggard may be Dick's Blanket p. 11. But if a Scholar should search what is the meaning of this Superstition in the Greek and find it to signifie Fearing of Demons or Worshipping of Devils it s known they viz. the Dissenters are so far from that that they Fast and Pray to dispossess him of his Dominion over Men as here they did ib. I know not here what to do with my Friend I must either rank him among the Class of Ignoramus's or I must make him blaspheme Christ If the Greek word for Superstition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie wholly as he saith A fearing of Demons or worshipping of Devils Christ himself being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.18 let him tell me if according to his Exposition of it the fearing Christ may not be expounded by Jews and Pagans for worshipping of Devils I am ashamed of my Friend and yet Civility obligeth me to answer his Letter And some by the help of a Dictionary Wilson's perhaps for I suppose my Friend a Commonplace-man by chance may find that Superstition is to be wise above what is written or righteous above what is commanded and this would tempt an impartial Man such as my Friend is to cry cut Oh what a Slander This is that very thing they are most averse to c. p. 11. and so he goes on making such an Harangue in Person of a pert Scotch Presbyter as his Friend Mr. C. used to make to the Devil The Stoick in Lucian at a loss for an Argument cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so cries out my Friend O what a Slander But what is the Slander or where to be me● with Because he will not tell for I suppose he was conscious to himself of foul dishonest Play I was forced to examin my Book and I find that I charge Mr. C.'s Frothy Conferences as he calls them with Satan with gross Superstition p. 74. And what thinks my Friend of them Why he freely joins with me in condemning Mr. C.'s Fancies and he doubts unwarrantable Colloquies p. 3. Really Friend this is an Instance of the Moderation Jo. commends you for p. 32. And by this means you are like to set Things in a wonderful clear Light p. 30. as you vaingloriously pretend In another place I call the Narrative of the Surey Demoniack The Spawn of their conceived Superstition p. 73. And what thinks my Friend of it Why from the first time he heard of it he did really believe it would prove an Imposture p. 3. and that it was always suspected by him as a Cheat p. 22. Say you so Out of thy own Mouth will I condemn thee for was it a Cheat and did Mr. Jolly and the rest Fast and Pray and confer among themselves and with a pretended Devil about it and no Superstition in all this Verily my Friend you dare not speak Truth lest you should shame your Friends and the Devil On these two Accounts I charge them with Superstition and I think my Friend tho' he is none of the best will warrant me in them both and excepting the Word that is sometimes used as when I call their Easiness in believing Dugdale to be Possest a superstitious Credulity and the like I do not find that I say any more of it And for conferring with the Devil let me ask him according to his Dictionaries Definition of Superstition Whether they were not wise above what is written and righteous above what is commended I repeat the same Query as to their Fasting and Praying about what was an Imposture as himself acknowledgeth and thence leave any but my Ironically Impartial Friend to judge whether my Charge of Superstition against them be unjust Under the same Head my Friend doth rank Divisions p. 10 11. and in this he is right for Divisions are seldom free from Superstition And how doth he deport himself here Why he pretends not to vindicate them as in other Cases from the Guilt of it for it is so notorious Men see it with their Eyes but he endeavours to justifie them in

of a thousand that can find out Ways and Means to condemn Things and never name them But what do you mean by this Flourish after your Rebuke So have I seen an honest Matron been mistaken for a Strumpet p. 5. I am sorry to hear that my Friend keeps such bad Company that honest Matrons cannot pass along the Streets but he or his Comrades are for picking them up for Strumpers This is as sad a Story only I have the Charity to believe you abuse your self in it as any you tell of W.C. to whom I next proceed And as for this Person though you would make the World believe that I was very intimate to the Intrigue if any there was so Impartial is the Hand you held your Pen in I do declare that I never saw that Persons Face in all my Life that I know of And for his being setled at the Place you hint I was no way concerned in it nor knew of it till afterward And now I wonder what Innuendo's these are for Jefferians p. 2. fall infinitely short of them But I smell your Design You have heard perhaps how Joab treated Amasa such a piece of Kindness you seem to intend for that pious and good Man as you truly enough I wish it be as sincerely call him who I am apt to believe might want your good Word as well as his Curate if you did not think that by the Help of such precious Balms you might be admitted to break his Head The Truth of the Matter is thus The Bishop of Chester never collated Mr. C. to M. the Place my Friend hints at nor could never be prevailed with though sollicited thereto again and again to grant him a Licence to serve that or any other Cure That the Inhabitants of the Parish who are generally enclined to the Presbyterian way of Worship by the Mediation of the chief Man among them most earnestly petitioned the Bishop for him and would not be satisfied with any other Person that could be proposed to them After several Denials being at length tired with the Importunity of the People the Bishop suffered the said W.C. to go to them but withal assur'd the Person who solicited for him That if he ever found him guilty of any evil Practice he would proceed to the utmost Severity against him So he removed to the said Paris● and for the whole time of his Continuance there which was near two Years behaved himself so unblamably that his greatest Adversaries cannot charge him with any thing unbecoming his Sacred Function As to the Renegado Scotchman the Bishop was informed That he had once been guilty of Fornication a very scandalous Crime but was withal certified That he soon after married the Woman and by his sober chaste and pious Life for the space I think of four Years since he had given undoubted Proof of the Sincerity of his Repenttance The Bishop thereupon after a severe Examination of him as to his Morals as well as his Learning at the earnest Request of the People especially of the Presbyterian Party admitted him to the Order of Deacon As for the other Scotchman that is in Pickle in Pickle he is like to be if my Friend or any Body else can prove what he pretends for I suppose he cannot but know what a severe Process the Bishop hath used on that Account My Friend their Foreman at St. Ellens I hear hath a Copy of it and if they have any thing to say no doubt but we shall have it only we understand if Forgery was in the Case it was one of their own beloved Nephews that unknown to the Party concern'd did forge it But suppose the worst pray was not a Testimonial forged for Mr. Pendleberries Batchelors Degree at Cambridge notwithstanding Mr. O. H. mentions it as real in his Life And doth not O. H. pretend a Promise from Bishop Wilkins to his Brother N.H. in favour of the Parsonage of Aughton two Years after the Bishop was dead Good Mr. Friend did W. C. or either of our Scotchmen commit worse Things than these that O. H. hath done that hath his Praise in so many practical Books written and published by him p. 4. One of which according to the Popish Doctrin tells us the several ways that Saints above may understand our Circumstances here below viz. Heav Conv. p. 25. Now the Papist who only prays to the Saints to pray for him on Presumption that they hear him can desire no more of Mr. O.H. than he has granted to support him in his Superstitious Worship But it is pleasant to hear him p. 5. prove That the Soul is a Substance not meer Accident because it is written Prov. 6.2 The Lord weigheth the Spirits He would have done well to tell us what Weight a Soul was of But what will the Atheist say to this for if a Soul have Weight I fear it will be found Matter no matter for that It is comfortable Doctrin to such Blockheads as my Self and my Friend are for if Weight proves the Substance of Souls then the heaviest Souls such as ours are are the most substantial Souls Commend me to Mr. O.H. for this But to return Have I not reason to enquire of what Metal my Friends Forehead is made that in about a Page and an half heaps together so many Untruths He saith W.C. was Collated by the Bishop which he never was He would insinuate a Licence to another Cure he means N. Chappel which he never had c. But had it been all as true as it is notoriously false all that was done was at the Importunity of the Presbyterian Party and when they have got their End they would had it been possible have flung Dirt into the Face of him that out of meer Condescension was willing to please them This puts me in Mind of the manner that the said Party treated a Neighbouring Vicar on the Indulgence granted in the late King James's time He was a good Man and of an easy Temper which betraid him to an undue Compliance to those that pretend a tender Conscience on which Account in Compassion to them he was as I hear prevail'd with to Christen sometimes a Child without the Sign of the Cross to admit some others to the Lord's Supper though they were too stubborn to Kneel the two Things my Friend sticks at in hopes by gentle Means and Compliance in due time to reclaim them from their Errors And he was wonderfully courted by them till the late King James's Indulgence came out but no sooner did that appear but they flew from him and when he endeavoured by Arguments of this Compliance to them to regain them they retorted his own Arguments upon him and upbraided him as one false to his Oath and treacherous to the Discipline of the Church in which he was intrusted a Minister which so far seiz'd the meek Man's Spirits that it was thought to shorten his Days Such Reward do they meet with that cut of