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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	read_v	scripture_n	see_v	3,134	5	3.6292	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81396	Christ exalted, and alone worthy to open the seals of the book. And the scriptures owned in their place. A true testimony of him, as is manifest, in answer to a book, intituled, The Quakers apostacy, from the perfect rule of scriptures. Given forth by John Timson, of Great Bowden in Leicestershire. And the deceits and blasphemies he charges upon the Quakers, is turned upon his own head, and he found guilty of what he reproaches them with, in what is written for the simples sake, and truth to clear from false accusations and lyes cast upon it. And the ten queries he saith he vindicateth, and would print but foure of them, they are all published, with the answers that he charges to be confused, dark and deceitfull, that the answers may witnesse for themselves against what is charged upon them. He that hath an understanding in the light, read and judge. / William Dewsberry.	Dewsbury, William, 1621-1688.	1656 (1656)	Wing D1258; Thomason E891_6; ESTC R206512	24,367	32

CHRIST EXALTED AND Alone worthy to open the Seals of the Book And the Scriptures owned in their place A True TESTIMONY of him as is manifest in Answer to a Book Intituled The Quakers Apostacy from the perfect Rule of Scriptures Given forth by John Timson of Great Bowden in Leicestershire And the Deceits and Blasphemies he charges upon the Quakers is turned upon his own head and he found guilty of what he reproaches them with in what is written for the simples sake and truth to clear from false accusations and lyes cast upon it And the Ten Queries he saith he vindicateth and would Print but foure of them they are all published with the Answers that he charges to be confused dark and deceitfull that the Answers may witnesse for themselves against what is charged upon them He that hath an understanding in the light read and judge WILLIAM DEWSBERRY Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me And ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5. 39 40. Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me John 14. 6. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the west end of Pauls 1656. Christ Exalted AND Alone worthy to open the Seals of the Book And the Scriptures owned in their place c. John Timson THE Book thou hath Printed is seen with the light that returned an Answer to thy first Queries and for the truths sake and it to clear from the lies slanders and aspersions cast upon it in the light here is writ to witnesse against the falshood and untruth which thou hast charged us withall that answers thy Queries which to that of God in all consciences who it minds will give them to discern that what thou hast charged against the people who in scorn are called Quakers is false and on thee is returned as the lines following make manifest wherein is writ what thou hast charged them withall and to clear the truth an answer thereunto is returned In thy Preface as thou calls it which thou presents to the Reader thou hast not much of it exprest before thou begins falsly to accuse us charging us with drawing people aside and intangling them with dark Diabolicall snares c. And thou saith The answers thou received to thy ten Queries were so obscure deceitfull and confused that it constrained thee to Reply To which thou saith an Answer thou hast received c. and hath now undertaken to give the sense of what thou understands of what is writ to thee and hath given it forth publickly to the world that we have accused thee of slanders in things that are too grosse in plainnesse of speech to publish to the world c. Reply Darke diabolical snares we deny the word of the Lord God we witnesse which was in the beginning which word is life and the life is the light of men John 1. 1. 4. which word we preach to turn the mindes of people from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to the liveing God Acts. 26. 18. in the light of his liveing word which discovers the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. to waite in his light on him for power to lead out of all the waies of darknesse into union with the father of life in Christ the light who in him walke there is no occasion of stumbling Jo. 2. 10 but who deny to be guided by his spirit is none of his Ro. 8 ver 9. but in darknesse walke and stumble at noon day and it is truth we declare as it is recorded in the Scripture of truth he that can receive it let him and for thy charging the answer to be obscure deceitfull and confused seeing the deceit in thee hath published that they are deceitfull and could not publish them to make manifest what the deceit is and some of them which thou hast published thou hath both added and diminished for the truths sake the queries with their answers is published that the answer may witnesse for it self against the falshood thou hast charged on it he that hath an eye to see let him see And for thy giveing thy sence of what thou understands of our writeing and saith we accuse thee of slandering c. Reply Thy sence thou gives of our words with thy dark understanding we deny and slandering we deny it is thy owne practise proved to thy face by thy owne words as followeth Second false accusation 2. Thou sayes that we judge our novices and all others besides our selves u●c●peable to receive some of our principles as yet and therefore we study to darken the sence by subtill glozing equivocating expressions and shuffles Reply Thy false accusation we deny we doe not judge Novices besides our selves uncapeable to receive our principles we know Christ the true light hath lighted every one that comes into the world and the Gospel we preach is to turn the mindes of people from darknesse to light and who it minds it will give them an understanding the principle of pure religion to know Christ the light in whom we stand cleare of thy slanders in his light we plainly speake as moved of him and doe not study to darken the sence of our wordes as thou dost falsely accuse us the Lord is Judge between thee and us 3. The third accusation charging us with damnable heresies c. and further thou sayest what thou hast charged us withall is upon such rationall grounds that thou art sure we are convinced in the secret of our hearts and Consciences that thou lyes not In the presence of God I charge thee to be a lyar in the slanders and lyes before written what followeth will make thee more manifest thou sayest we frequently judge men by the light which gave forth the Scripture even while we are opposing the authority of Scriptures as they are the only rule of knowing God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent c. Reply Thy charge is false in saying we oppose the authority of Scriptures which Christ the light who gave forth the Scripture who spake as one haveing authority and not as the Scribes Mat. 7. 29. and the Scripture is a true testimony of him who is the way to the father none knowes the father but the son and he to whom the son reveales him Mat. 11. 27. so thou in the light art seene to be guilty of what thou chargest us withall in denying Christ the light within to be the authority of Scriptures and the perfect rule of faith and obedience therefore let flesh be silent and the lying mouth be stopped for Christ we own which was before the Scriptures and is the authority of them for when he spoke them forth he spoke as one haveing authority and according as Christ speaketh of the Scriptures we them own in their place a true testimony of him Jo. 5. 39 40.

not any can be saved by what they doe in their own wills all that is done in that nature is abomination to God as is plain in the Answer to what thou hast writ in the 70 Page It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that shewes mercy Rom. 9. 16. which he makes manifest in the riches of his grace in Christ the light who leads all that obey him in the strait way of self-deniall and the daily crosse in obedience to the will of God which is our sanctification And he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are one Heb. 2. 4. 1 Thess 4. 31. He that can receive it let him For the truths sake that the simple be not turned out of the way by the false accusations reproaches and aspersions thou hast cast upon it what is before written in Answer to thee the truth doth clear and the Answer to thy ten Questions which thou charges to be deceitfull that they may witnesse for themselves against what thou hast cast upon them that all that desire to know the truth may them read The Questions and Answers are as followeth 1 Qu. Whether the writings of the Scriptures are a declaration of the Holy will and mind of God that necessarily oblige the servants of God that professe them to believe and observe whatever is revealed therein to be believed and done and whether the Scripture alone be a perfect Rule of faith and life unto all of years amongst us yea or nay Ans The Scriptures is a true declaration of the things believed amongst the Saints and a true testimony of Jesus Christ but not any doth them know neither can believe what is written therein by the outward declaration and testimony of Scripture but by the word of Faith which is in the heart and in the mouth which is the word of Faith which we Preach Rom. 10. 7 8. 2 Qu. Whether any other Revelations and Observations not to be found in the Scripture be binding to the consciences of those persons that have the benefit of the Scripture or whether such revelations or dictates within a mans heart and soul be as binding to the conscience and to be urged to a mans self or others as the Scriptures are Ans The revelations of Jesus Christ is according to Scripture which Revelations binds up the Testimony and seals the Law in the hearts of his Disciples and what dictates is in the conscience or heart of man contrary to the Law and Testimony is not to be regarded but disowned and judged with the light which comes from Christ the Saints life who guides them in a pure life and holy conversation according to Scripture Isa 8. 20. 3 Qu. Whether any thing besides the Scripture is constituted of the blessed God to reveal Christ as Redeemer and Saviour to the spirit of miserable lost man to bring man unto happinesse or whether corrupt man without the knowledge of Scripture may ordinarily attain unto salvation yea or nay Ans No man can come to the Son any other way but whom the Father draweth by the power of his unlimited Spirit and never any shall know the Father but he to whom the Son reveals him and he that thinks to attain the way to eternall life by reading the letter of the Scripture and regards not the light that comes from Christ that witnesseth for God in the secret of the heart and conscience he deceives himself for the mystery of eternall life is sealed up in the sealed Book from all the Sons and Daughters of men and none shall ever know it by the outward testimony of Scripture but by the inspiration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who is found worthy to open the seals of the Book and is the way the truth and the life to all that in his light wait his power them to guide in faithfull obedience to the righteous and perfect Law of God written in the heart for the exercise of the conscience which keeps them void of offence towards God and towards men according to testimony of Scripture Acts 24. 16. 23. 1. 4 Qu. Whether that light of conscience which is more or lesse in all since the fall be the remains or some reliques left of the first Adam in reference to the Covenant of works or whether common to all from the redemption of the second Adam as flowing from the Covenant of grace or how else I desire you would clearly expresse your thoughts in this Ans Man in the fallen estate hath not any light remains in him to guide him to doe any thing well pleasing to God as he stands in the state of corrupt nature for all his righteousnesse is as filthy rags and as a menstruous cloth the light that convinceth man and woman of the evill of their hearts and discovers the filthinesse of all their own righteousnesse is the light that comes from Christ the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world John 1. 9. And this light is not common to man by nature it is the great gift of God his grace that hath appeared and teacheth all that are guided by it to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live godily and soberly in this present evill world and all that walk contrary to the light this is their condemnation the light John 3. 19. 5 Qu. Whether the end of God in giving and continuing this kind of light to all men in the world was not to be a restraint and curb to the exorbitant lusts of so corrupt a creature as man and so made subservant to God in the Government of the world in order to the peace and continuance of the same and to leave all without excuse Or what besides this the end of God was that this kind of light should be minded and improved according to the power of man by what he is from creation or universall grace or redemption in order to eternall happinesse and the not heeding this light in all men shall be the only condemnation of the world Or whether this light be the Gospel or Christ or his Spirit or whether it be a light either equall with or inferiour to or of a different kind with the Scriptures Ans The light which comes from Christ is given of God to guide the creature out of its own strength and power to Christ the mighty power and wisedome of God the creature to guide with moderation in the use of all creatures and to order and govern the creation to the praise and glory of God And this light is of the pure nature of God and leads to Christ the everlasting Gospel And this is the condemnation of the world that hates the light which comes from Christ because they believe not in him John 3. 18. 6. Qu. Whether the light of Conscience the light of Scripture the light of providence the light of grace ought not to be prest upon all

who is the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the father but by him Jo. 14. 6. So none comes to the knowledge of the father by reading the Scriptures though they think to finde life there they shall not if they come not to Christ of whom they testifie and in whom the life is who saith search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me and he reproves all who will not come to him that they may have life So what thou charges us withall thou art the man that denys the authority of Scriptures and found guilty of slandering the Children of light as what is written makes manifest and what as followeth will make thee more manifest to all that have eyes to see the many falshhoods and lyes thou hast begun the booke withall in that thou calls the preface to the reader so out of thy owne mouth thou art condemned 4. The fourth false accusation thou sayst we are so drunk with delusion and impudency that we will rather charge the Scripture with deceit then question our owne deceitfull hearts Reply In the presence of God we witnesse against thee we owne the Scripture to be the Scripture of truth and do not charge the Scripture with deceit but with the light of Christ that gave forth the Scriptures and discovereth the deceit of the heart with which light we judge the deceit of the heart and witnesse against thee in the light which makes known to us the Scripture in the truth as it is in Jesus Christ the light God is our witnesse 5. The fifth false accusation thou sayst we rite and speak the L●nguage of Scripture as if we were for it and is not which is rancke hypocrisy and done of purpose to deceive Reply We in the light speak as moved of the Lord 2 Pet. 1. 21. whose Language is according to Scripture and doing any thing in hypocrisy we deny as to deceive any the Lord is our witnesse who will rebuke the lying spirit and stop thy lying mouth 6. The sixth false accusation thou sayst we boast that we are as perfect as Christ that dyed at Jerusalem Reply Thy charge is false boasting we deny or any perfection that is of self our righteousnesse without Christ is as a filthy ragg and a menstruous cloth Christ our righteousnesse who is the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world Jo. 1. 9. we witnesse him the same Christ as was in that body that suffered at Jerusalem and every one of the Children of light in the measure of growth in him the same minde is in them that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2. 5. who is the brightnesse of the fathers glory Heb. 1. 3. 7. The seventh false accusation thou sayst we say that he that trusts in Christ that dyed at Jerusalem for Salvation shall be deceived Reply This charge is false as the other in the presence of God we witnesse against thee no other Christ we bear testimony of to be the salvation of lost man and woman but that Christ according to Scripture testimony who was born of the virgin and bore a good confession before Pilate and suffered at Jerusalem and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God and this Christ we witnesse the true light who lighteth every one that comes into the world and saith I stand at the door and knock who opens I will come into him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. and we witnesse him faithfull and as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and this is the condemnation of all because they beleeve not in him Jo. 1. 12. 8. The eight false accusation thou sayst we reproach Christs institutions and holy ordinances with the odium of mens tradiditions outward observations inconsistent with Gods Kingdome and compares them to Nebuchadnezzars great Idol c. Reply Thy Charge is false Christs institutions and holy ordinances we owne in the dispensation of time they were to be continued and what is now in this dispensation of time known in the administration of his spirit we owne but who upholds any Idolatry in observing any thing by tradition and not guided by the Spirit of Christ and so walke contrary to the perfect Law of God in the Conscience and though their words be never so glorious in outward appearance in crying the Ordinances of Christ while they deny to be guided by Christ they are no Ordinances of Christ but an Image set up in the proud exalted nature which Nebuchad nezzar set up his Image in which with the power of God shall be throwne downe and thou with the rest of the Idol worshipers shall be broken to peices and lyes shall not save thee for the Lord will exalt his name and his Children that observe his holy ordinances shall reigne in his his spirituall power that preserves them therein to observe the moveings of his spirit which doth lead to worship the father in spirit and truth according to testimony of Scripture Joh. 4. 23 24. And when thou John Timson hast presented thy false accusations and lyes to the Reader in the preface of thy Booke that they might receive the falsehoods and lyes that are written therein and these lyes and slanders which are here laid before thee and witnessed against in the answer there to returned will sufficienly prove to thy face and be manifest to that of God in every ones Conscience that thou hast spoken unadvisedly with thy lips when thou sayst thou lies not and all these lies found in thy mouth given forth publiquely for all to read and thou declares to the Reader that the Lord knows what diligence and tendernesse of bowels thou hast had to prepare it for them c. Reply Blush for shame O vain man to appeale to the Lords knowledge of thy d●l●gence and tendernesse of bowels to prepare so many lyes and falshoods for people to read thou shalt certainly know that the Lord takes notice of thee and he wil lay thee open and make thee manifest and lyes shall not cover thee nor be thy refuge Isa 28. 17. when our God will clear his truth and thy tongue and all others that rise up against him shall fall in judgement the day shall declare it Further thou goes on saying as for those persons that have answered me who have charged me with bringing forth many lyes and slanders and have made a noise thereof as if I were some carnall lying wretch that matters not what I write Reply To that of God in every ones conscience I appeale that lyes proceed from a Carnall wretched heart and the Lord is making thee manifest who would make lyes thy refuge which with the light thou art seen and thy lyes turned upon thee that in the light thou mayst be read what thou art and in the light our Books

the word of faith is in the heart and in the mouth and who are guided by it their hearts are kept pure faith purifyes the heart Act. 15. 9. whether they have the outward declaration yea or nay and they that have the outward declaration and though they read it if they minde not the word which is life and light which gave forth the Scripture they do not live according to the Scripture for they are without faith who are not guided by the word faith comes not by reading the outward declaration faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8 given to his Children who diligently hearken to his word which is life and the life is the light of men And for thy chargeing us with contradictions confused nonsence bitter censures and shuffles and how notorious false it is wherein we say that not any doth know the Scriptures by the outward declaration Reply To the light of Christ in all Consciences we appeale let the righteous judge a naturall man knows not the things that are of God though he read the outward declaration for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. and none is found worthy to open the seales of the Book but the Lyon of the Tribe of Juda c. Rev. 5. 3. 5. and then thou denys Gods speaking to his people by voice vision or inspiration and sayest they run into madnesse that expect any such thing here thou art found in the Contradictions confused nonsence bitter censures and shuffles and notorious falshoods which thou hast falsely charged us withall and it s turned upon thy owne head and proved out of thy owne mouth that while thou art makeing a shew in words to maintain the Scripture authority thou denyes both the dispensation of the spirit of God in Christ the light and the Scriptures which beare testimony of him as is manifest in the reply to what thou hast writ in the 6. and 8. Pa. And whereas thou in the 11 Pa. calls us deceivers and saith to those thou calls thy friends we have them abused by the deceite and cheats of our owne hearts c. Reply Deceite and cheats thou art proved to be in and what thou endeavors to doe in the deceit of thy heart against the truth thou wilt see thy hope faile thee and not a blessing but a curse upon thy endeavors which to thy face is proved in what is before written to be contrary to the dispensation of the spirit and Scripture for which the terror of the Lord shall take hold on thee for thy uttering words without knowledge and speaking evill of the things thou knowest not as in the 12. Pa. And whereas thou appeals to them thou calls thy friends how their hearts have been heated and warmed by the power of the word and Sacraments c. Which is now in contempt and reproach by those that seduce you Which thou charges upon us and sayest thou hast clearly discovered our slanders shifts and shuffles and our reproaching the Ordinances and Ins●tutions of our Lord as Heathenish by compareing them to that great Image of that heathen King Dan. 3. 3. and how we deny the Scripture to be a perfect rule of knowing God beleeving in him and liveing unto him and reproach thee to be a lying slander for chargeing us with that which is an apparent truth as thou sayst thou hast proved by our lying papers and that we have reproacht they falsely and the lyes are returned upon our owne heads whilest thou sayst we witnesse our selves perfect and without sin and have entred the new Jerusalem into which none shall enter that makes a lye c. Reply Them thou calls thy friends who are in the light with all the Children of light doe witnesse that their hearts were never warmed in Sacraments no such words is found in Scripture and thou that art pleading for the authority of Scripture is with the light of Christ in all his Saints denyed and thy Sacraments which is not found in Scripture and in the light thou art clearly seen the slanders shifts and shuffles is thy owne as is manifest in the answer to the same reproach and accusations in the 2. and 3. Page of thy Book and what we witnesse is according to Scripture which we owne and in many things thou hast writ as before is manifest by thy owne words the Scripture thou denyes so on whose head the falshood remains to the Children of light is made manifest and the day will further declare it wherein Christ our King shall be exalted over all in whom our perfection and cleansing from sin is and lead us into new Jerusalem into which nothing enters that works abomination or makes a lye but who enter therein are led by the spirit of Christ in whose mouth is found no guile he that hath an ear to heare let him heare And whereas thou sayst to some of them thou calls thy friends some of you have heard W. Dewsberry say of himself that he was as perfect as that Christ hat died at Jerusalem this is witnessed by one of credit and fidelity amongst your selves I forbear his name In Dewesberry new birth he thus witnesseth of himself Reply Thy spirit in the light is seen who hath published what thou hath received from a namelesse Author and thy acusation is false which thou hast published to the world there were never any heard W. Dewesberry say of himself that he was as perfect as that Christ that died at Jerusalem and that thou calls his new birth will be a witnesse against thee There is no such word exprest by him as thou sayest this namelesse Author hath related of him In the presence of God He called W. Dewesberry doth witnesse that self is imperfect and selfe righteousnesse as a filthy ragg and a menstruous cloth c. Isa 64. 6. And he doth witnesse Christ Jesus the true light which lighteth everyone that comes into the world Joh. 1. 9. which discovers the imperfection and filthynesse of self with all its righteousnesse and his perfection is in Christ the light which he doth witnesse the same Christ and no other but he which suffered at Jerusalem who is the brightnesse of his fathers glory c. Heb. 1. 3. 13. 8. which he thou falsely accuses as before written which all the Children of light doth witnesse the Righteousnesse of God in Christ the light 2 Cor. 5. 21. which for the Simples sake the truth is witnessed forth in the presence of God which the Lord will clear from the lyes and slanders cast upon it and he shall be known what he is whom you call a proud polluted worme that dare exalt himself to a perfection equall with God which are thy owne words and what thou hast gathered up from other who falsely accuse as thou dost which words were not spoken by him thou cals a proud polluted worme who can bear thy revileings but for the truths sake that the Simple do not stumble at the way of truth doth