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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	light_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,336	5	9.0608	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56109	A testimony of truth given forth by a servant of the Lord, on the behalf of the despised servants, and professors of truth, who are made partakers of the heavenly power, which shakes the earth, and makes the inhabitants of the land to tremble, who are by the scorners of this generation called Quakers against the many lyes and slanders which the devil is the chief author of, arising forth of the bottomlesse pit, and vented forth by one James Livesey a professed minister of Christ in the county of Chester, but by his fruits is plainly manifested a minister of sin, and so of his Father who begat him, and sent him forth to oppose the living truth of God : but his folly is here manifested and declared to open view, that the simple and honest hearted may turn from him and all such deceitful workers, and may learn of Christ the light of the world, that their souls may live.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.	1659 (1659)	Wing P386; ESTC R5756	31,699	39

8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. Ans To which I say the Law is light and was written in the heart and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie which spirit is a discerner and a tryer of Doctrines and opinions but that the Scriptures themselves are the touchstone and tryer without the spirit I deny I put it upon Livesey truths opposer to prove but to give a little light to the people who do not understand aright this I say that in tryal of things and spirits there is three things to be considered of that is the tryer and the thing tryed and the Rule to try by Now if I grant the Scriptures to be a rule yet a blind man cannot see them nor walk according to them so that whosoever doth Judge of things or go about to try spirits if he have not the spirit of God in his own particular he cannot try nor Judge aright whereas he speaks of conscience being Regula regulata non regula regulans I say the conscience is not the rule but the light or spirit of God which exercises the conscience towards God man that is the true rule for as many as are the Sons of God they are led by the spirit of God Pr. And whereas he further saith It may not be unseasonable nor unprofitable to give you of this Congregation a short draught of some opinions owned and maintained by the Quakers A. To which I say in the fear of God I declare unto you who are hearers of the said Livesey that to hear a lyar and a false accuser is both unseasonable unprofitable and hear him so long as you will you shall never be profited by him nor converted to God for being out of the Counsel of God himself he cannot bring others unto God and that he is a lyer and a false accuser I shall make it plainly manifest as I come to his charges against those people for I have read over his Book or Papers and I find a great heap of filthy stuff for wanting matter wherewithall to accuse he himself layes a false foundation and then goes to build inventing lies and false things and calls them the Quakers opinions and so heaps a great deal of stuff together and to colour his deceit gathers up several texts of Scriptures and makes a great noise as though he had confuted the Quakers opinions when indeed it is nothing but his own lies and inventions that he hath confuted like unto a distracted man creating imaginations and then fights with his own created images as this opposer doth as I shall make it manifest in due time and so that which he casts upon the Quakers will justly fall upon his own head for where envy lying and false accusing is that Religion is not of God but to turn back his own words is a mellany of froth filth vanity and villanie lies and lewdness errors Heresies and blasphemies which they have invented and through covetousness and love of money have deceived the Nations long with which grieves the hearts of the righteous but the Lord in due time will throw down Babylon and mar all her Wars and spoil all her Merchants and the great Whore which hath made all Nations drunk with the cup of her fornication shall be cast upon a bed of sorrow and all who have committed whoredom with her shall drink the cup of fury and indignation of God and the Beast and false prophets which have deceived the Nations shall be cast into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone But I shall be as short as I may have liberty from the Lord and come to his charges and accusations against those whom he calls Quakers and the first is this Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that salvation is attainable without Jesus Christ Answ That is a wicked lie I detest and abhor that spirit that uttered forth those words there is no such opinion among us who are scornfully called Quakers we profess salvation by Jesus Christ and not by any other thing or things for of our selves we are not able to think a good thought nor speak a good word nor do a good deed but our strength and sufficiency is in Christs and Christ is in us the hope of our glory and by him are we saved and made free from the devils bondage and slavery and from lying and slandering and it it Christ in us that works our works and enables us to perform and do his will and we are Gods workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works and so I testifie that salvavation is attainable in Christ and not without him and that lying spirit in Priest Livesey I do deny and this is his foundation upon which he builds and the foundation being a lie and rottenness the building cannot stand Gods vengeance and wrath is kindied and all lyars and deceitful covetous hireling Priests shall be as stubble before the fire and the Lake is the lyars portion Rev. 21.8 as for the Soriptures mentioned by him I own them in their place and they stand a testimony against the lyar and false acculer and such denies Christ though in words they professe him so let every one who hears or read these lines examine your selves whether or no you be in Christ and Christ be in you for except Jesus Christ be in you ye are Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that the Scripture is not the word of God Answ The Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles are words of God a Declaration of the things of God and they testifie of Him whose Name is balled the Word God Rev. 19.13 Pr. There is an opinion among them that every man coming into the world hath in him and connatural to him a saving light Ans As this is laid down it is false invented in a false deceitful deceived heart manifesting his wickedness that gave it sorth But for the satisfaction of the upright I shall declare the truth and that is this we say that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and so it is written in the Scripture Joh. 8 12. and he lighteth every man that cometh into the world according to to the testimony of Joh. 1.9 and though darkness may be over the Nations yet light shineth in darkness but the darkness doth not comprchend the light and this light is a manifestation of the fathers love in Jesus Christ and is Gods true and faithful witness which reproves in secret for sin and evil and doth make it manifest in the heart and conscience and reproves him or her that acts and commits it and that which reproves and makes sin manifest is light as it is written all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever makes manifest is light Ephes 5.13 this light is the key that opens the door where the heavenly treasure is and no man or woman in the world

flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against spiritual wickedness in high places but I shal pass by some of his chaffy stuff and leave it to be blowne away by the breath of the Almighty and so come to the next 4. Qu. Whether are Quakers witches Ans I answer no but the Lord hath raised them up by the power of his spirit to testifie against all the sorceries and witchcrafts and inchantments which are found amongst the Merchants of Babylon the black priests who have been clouded with blackness who have long beguiled unstable souls and made Merchandize of them such as led people from the Spirit of God were witches and bewitched the Galatians and such now in England who draw people from the light life and spirit within to carnal observances without such are they that bewitch and beguil poor souls Now whereas this opposer doth bring some Scriptures whereby his intent is to prove the Quakers witches but I shall examine them the spirit of God saith he sets out impostors to the life sometimes comparing them to deceitful Merchants who can set a fair glosse upon their false ware to which I say who are more deceitful then those Merchants of Babylon the covetous Teachers who heapes a great deal of fluff together nay sometime steal a Scrmon and set a fair glosse on it and sell it to the people and when they have sold it once over and received money for it yet they oftentimes sell it over and over again and so cheats and cozens the people then he alleadges 2 Pet. 2.3 they are said with fained words to make Merchandize of souls here he hath learned of his master the Devil to leave out part of the Scripture the Apostle saith thus and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make Merchandize of you this hits the pricsts and strikes very near them and the Apostle further marks them out spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings having eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from sin begniling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practices whether this toucheth the priests of Eng. or the Quakers I leave it to the wise in heart to judge Another Scripture alleadged 2 Cor. 2.2.17 for we are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ now how can those speak in Christ that denyes Christ in them and oppose his light within as the parish priests do and so are not like the Apostles Another Scripture I find quoted Eph. 4.14 that we hencefotrh be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lay in wait to deceive But those called Quakers do not go about to draw people from God but to bring home to him that they may be presented perfect in Christ Jesus as in the 13. verse of the said fourth Chapter which the priests of England deny and sayes none can be perfect in this life and so deceive your souls by their slights and cunning craftinss Another Scripture alleadged by this opposer is 2 Tim. 3.8.9 but read from the beginning of the Chapter and there as in a glass thou maist read the Character of the parish Priests of England read the Chapter thorow and then try and let the light of Jesus Christ in thy conscience Judge without partiality Another Scripture is in Jude the 11. the words are these woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gain-saying of Core these are the several Scriptures which the adversary brings to prove the Quakers to be witches but to those whose eyes are in any measure opened there are not many such Scriptures that so nearly touchea the covetous priests and deceitful Merchants of England but their folly shall be made manifest to all in Gods day of light some other frothy things are spoken of by this adversary as tying of Ribbands or Bracelets about mens wrests oh horrible deceiti I am sure few people in all England do slight and cast off such bables more then we do and as for his speaking of falling into trances srantick postures grovelling on the ground soaming at the mouth and such like frothy stuff all this doth arise as smoke out of the bottomless pit which God will blast and hath already blasted for the Lord hath opened the eyes of thousands in this Nation to see the envy and wickedness of those who have invented such wicked lies against the people of God and they see and have found them lyars and God is causing the light to shine forth and the beauty of his people begins to appear which hath long been marred and stained by reproachfull lying and backbiting tongues Quest 5. Whether are the Quakers to be tolerated suffered or to be punished by the civil Magistrate Answ If the Priests might be judges they would soon have their hands in blood though little cause there is for it but onely their trade is like to go down and therefore if these men be suffered their Diana will fall they are nearly related to their brethren the Priests in the dayes of Christ who cryed out crucifie him crucifie him though Pilate a Magistrate sound no fault in him and as it was then so it is now the servant is not greater then his Lord we cannot expect better things from this wicked generation but sufferings and reproaches stocks and imprisonment but the Lord is our support and we magnifie his name that we are of that number who are counted worthy to suffer for his

A TESTIMONY OF TRUTH Given forth by a Servant of the Lord on the behalf of the despised servants and professors of truth who are made partakers of the heavenly Power which shakes the earth and makes the Inhabitants of the Land to tremble who are by the scorners of this Generation called Quakers against the many lyes and slanders which the Devil is the chief author of arising forth of the bottomlesse pit and vented forth by one James Livesey a professed Minister of Christ in the County of Chester but by his fruits is plainly manifested a Minister of sin and so of his Father who begat him and sent him forth to oppose the living truth of God but his folly is here manifested and declared to open view that the simple and honest hearted may turn from him and all such deceitful workers and may learn of Christ the light of the World that their souls may live Blessed are yee when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Mat. 5.11 12. For as concerning this Sect we know that every where it is spoken against Acts 18.22 But this I confesse that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers Acts 24.14 Truth was formerly called a Sect and the way of God heresie by formal professors Therefore let none be deceived with vain words and flying reports But prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 A. Parker LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. THe Almighty wise God hath according to his promise declared by his holy Prophets and Apostles appeared in these last dayes and hath caused his light to shine forth which hath not onely discovered and manifested the deceits of the serpent and all the deceitful workers in all their deceivablenesse and cunning craftinesse whereby they have long lain in wait to deceive and many have been deceived and led away from the light which should have given unto them the true knowledge of the Mysteries of God and of those things that doth pertain unto life and peace I say the Lord our God hath not onely revealed the Mystery of iniquity but hath also to the glory and praise of his great Name revealed and in a great measure discovered the mystery of truth which is glorious and precious even that same Truth which in ages and generations past hath been the stay and comfort of Gods people and was their joy and refreshment and did uphold them in the time of their tryals and troubles which from the beginning of times ever since the fall of man hath been gain-said and opposed by the seed of evil doers and those who have from time to time born a true testimony for the truth who lived in the truth they have been reviled and reproached and suffered many and great afflictions in the world chiefly from those who have had a name and an outward profession of God but lived out of the life of God such have been the enemies of God and of his Truth and also of his Messengers and servants who have been true witnesses of Truth as the scriptures of Truth do largely testifie all along to which I refer thee that may read this to search and try and as it was then in the dayes of old even so it is now he that is born after the flesh doth persecute him that is born after the spirit and it cannot be otherwise for there can be no agreement between light and darknesse between Christ and Antichrist but enmity and discord waring and fighting one against the other and so as we are made partakers according to our several measures of that life of Righteousnesse which the Saints the people of God were made partakers of so we are made sharers and partakers with them of the like sufferings and this we do account to be our joy and great riches and do rejoyce in Christ that we are of that number who suffer for Righteousnesse sake well knowing that according as it is written all that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution Now it being so that the most high God in his dear love in Christ Jesus having visited this Nation with mercy from on high even in a time when many were wallowing in their blood and even past hope of recovery the Nation being over-run with wickedness even then did God appear and rent the thick vail which had long been over many and caused his light to shine out of obscurity and uttered forth his voyce in great power and raised up many from the grave and restored them to life again who had been dead in trespasses and sins reviving them by his quickning power and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel and revealed the great mysteries of his Kingdom which hath been hid from the worldly wise even from the beginning of time which is Christ in us the hope of glory who was revealed and manifested in the true Christians in the primitive times This was their Priviledge they were made partakers of life eternal and translated out of the kingdom of darknes into the Kingdom of the Dear Son of God they had the true light in them the word of life was in them by which they were sanctified and made holy and their bodies were Temples of God and God and Christ dwelt in them and spake in them and wrought all their works for them and in them and so by the cords of pure love they were drawn neer unto God who sometimes were afar off and their unity was in the spirit for they were written in one anothers hearts with the spirit of the living God but since those dayes there hath been a great darkness over the Nations and that Christian beauty of love meeknesse patience humility c. hath been marred and stained by the deformed spots of envy wrath rashnesse impatiency pride covetousnesse and the like and though many have retained and kept the name of Christianity yet the life and nature hath been wanting as the true light hath made it manifest for after these many years of profession and these glorious and fair pretences God is coming to view the fields and to see what fruits may be reaped in this Nation and Nations and behold a great crop of corruption may be reaped but no fruits from the good ground is brought forth which hath grieved the good spirit of God and now is he arisen as a man of War in dread and fury and will pour forth the Vialls of his wrath upon the man of Sin and will bring deliverance and hath brought deliverance unto his people and this we testifie that God is light and is appearing in the power of light to manifest and destroy sin and bring in everlasting

mentioned for salutations of love we own and practice according to Scriptures and what Christ said and commanded as to that we practice if we go into a house we salute the house and if the Son of peace be there our peace remaines but if not it returns back to us again and we shake off the dust of our feet as a testimony against such who reject the love of God and these salutaions we own in the fear of God according to the Scriptures but as for all the vain traditional customes of the world the capping bowing cringing and the like we deny and all vain customarie words which feeds the wrong part we denie and speak in the fear of God as we are moved of God by his spirit as for other things in this particular the ground being taken away the rest will wither as for the scriptures mentioned I own in the true meaning of them and in their places according to the mind of the spirit Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that Ordinances are not now in force we are to wait for immediate inspirations and Revelations Ans All the Ordinances and traditions of men which have been invented and set up in the time of darknesse and night of Apostacie since the daies of the Apostles which be carnal and fading we do deny but all the pure holy and substantial ordinances of Christ which abides and endures for ever we do own and practice as the pure spirit of God doth move and lead us and as for inspirations and Revelations first for inspirations this I say that no man upon earth can know God savingly in any other manner then by the inspiration of the holy spirit for the things of God knowes noman but the spirit of God and no man knowes the Son save the Father neither knowes any man the Father but the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him he that denyes Revelation denies the knowledge of God Pr. Faith came by hearing Rom. 10.14 Now hear and your souls shall live so the promise runs Isai 55.3 Now they say your souls may live though you never hear Answ It s true that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God but where is the word to be found read the 6.7 and 8. verses of the tenth Chapter to the Romans where the Apostle speakes of the word of faith Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even is thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith that we preach This was the word that faith came by the hearing of it and this word was manifested in the Prophet who saith come unto me hear and your souls shall live now whereas this opposer saith that we say souls may live though they never hear that is false we do not say so but exhort people to hearken to the voice of Christ that their souls may live and whosoever hears Christ though they never hear a covetous proud priest more who loves money and seeks gain from his quarter yet their souls shall live for such as loves mony and are envious and proud lyars and false accusers were never sent of God and shall never profit people at all such are to be turned away from and whereas this opposer Livesey speaks against Revelations and saies What need have we to waite for Revelations c. I say there is not any man that rightly knowes God nor any thing of God but by Revelation for though the Scriptures are given forth and any one may buy them for mony yet none in all the world no not the wisest nor the most learned of men can understand them except the same spirit that gave them forth do reveal and open them For as I have said the things of God knowes no man but the spirit of God And whereas he queries and saith Where hath these men a promise to incourage them thus to waite c I say many and pretious are the promises and the reward of those that wait upon the Lord for be that waits upon the Lord his strength shall be renewed and again wait upon the Lord and he will save thee there were never any that waited on the Lord in vain So I say blessed are they that wait upon the Lord and stand upon their watch and are not weary the Lord will reward them with his everlasting blessings and give them an inheritance amongst the Saints in light Pr. The great object of the Quakers is grounded on the first of Ioh. 2.27 Ye need not that any man teach this makes not for them nor their Revelations but against both See verse foregoing which speaks of Seducers Iohn meanes as is evident that they need not any of those Seducers to teach them but the spirit and the written word and the Ministers of Christ were sufficient Ans O the wickednesse of man when once turned from the holy unction and light of the spirit within how he twines and turnes and confounds himselfe as this opposer doth one while accuses the Quakers with denyal or slighting of the Scriptures and here saith their great object is grounded on 1 Iohn 2.27 what neither be contented to let us own nor disown and then like his Master brings part of the scripture and gives a wrong sense of the other part Ye need not that any man teach saith ye but the Scripture saith thus but the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things which is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Here it s plainly manifest Iohn speakes of the holy unction which taught them of all things and labours to keep the Saints to the annointing within them as a safty against all Seducers and deceivers who laboured to draw from it to their own inventions And this same holy anointing we have received of God to be our teacher we do deny and turne from all such Seducers and lyars as James Livesey for such are not of God neither can enter into the Kingdome of God Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that no reverence is to be shewed no honour nor titles of honour to be given to man Magistrate or others Ans The day of Gods mighty power is come and the Lord is staining the pride and the glory of all flesh and the everlasting Gosple is preached fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come Jesus Christ is our Captain and we follow him that did not respect the persons of men neither received honour from men who saith how can ye believe that receive honour one of an other and seeks not the honour that comes from God

can ever come to the true knowledge of sin much lesse to the knowledge of truth in its purity until they own the light which Jesus Christ the light of the world hath enlightened them withal thou canst never see thy ugly shape and thy foul and filthy garments which the devil hath put upon thee until thou viewest thy self in this light therefore beware of hating and despising the light within which is of Christ for whosoever hates that light which checks and reproves for sin they hate Christ and the light is the condemnation for as Christ hath said this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds be evil for every one that doth truth he loveth the light and brings his deeds to the light that they may be proved and tryed whether or no they be wrought in God but every one that doth evil hateth the light and will not bring his deeds to the light least they should be reproved Joh. 3. Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that every man may be saved if he will c. Ans This is likewise false and no truth in it for we do not say that the power of salvation is in mans will but in God who by his power subdues and subjects mans will for it is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that shewes mercy and this is the mercy and loving kindness of God who hath sent his Son into the world that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life and so salvation is of God but destruction is of a mans self for the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us c. So he that will be a Disciple of Christ must deny himself and take up his Crosse and follow Christ and the Crosse of Christ crucifies the carnal mind and subjects mans will and God worketh in the creature both to will and to do yet obedience is required of the creature that as God by his light doth shew his will and mind it is the duty of men women to do his will which is our Sanctification Pr. There is an opinion among them that there is in man no light of reason no light of nature Answ All men that be out of the true light of life notwithstanding all that which they may call light of reason on light of nature are darkness according to that Scripture Ephes 5.8 once were you darkness c. and yet in that state there is a spark orsome glimering of the true light which shines in darkness but the darkness cannot comprehend it Joh. 1. and this light is the ground of right reason and men that despise and reject the counsel of the light become brutish and unreasonable and so the understanding comes to be darkened and the sence of it is lost Pr. There is an opinion that conscience in man is nothing else but faith Ans That is not so for conscience in man may erre and may be seared but faith is pure it is the gift of God and cannot erre and the mystery of it is held in a pure conscience Pr. There is an opinion among them that the light within them is sufficient that there is no need of other teachers c. Answ That light that is of Christ in it self is sufficient but there be some that are but Babes and sucklings and the Lord takes care for them and for this end was the true Ministry given having received perfect gifts which were for the perfecting of the body of Christ until all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man even to the measure and stature and fulness of Christ and this doth not overthrow all Scripture but establish the Scriptures for this is the very end for which the Scriptures were given forth to wit that people may be brought to God and worship God in spirit and in truth and know the holy unction within them and John did not overthrow the Scriptures nor the true Ministry when he said the anointing which ye have received of him abides in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you c. and the Prophet Isaiah did not lay waste the Scriptures nor frustarte the work of the Ministry when he saith cease from man whose breath is in his nosirils for wherein is he to be accounted of and as then the work of the true Prophets and Apostles was to bring to God so now for all the children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord Isai 54.13 Pr. Their opinion is that God is not to be worshipped in places made with mens hands Ans We say God is a spirit and is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth in his own holy Temple not made with mens hands for God who made the world and all things therein seeing he is Lord of heaven and Earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is he worshiped with mens hands and this is truth and whereas he the said opposer doth bring some scriptures as Act. 20.7 8 9. how Paul preached in an upper chamber and continued his speech till midnight this proves nothing for but against him for we bear witnesse with the Apostle against the Temples made with hands that God is not worshipped there and so as the Apostles did meet together apart from the Temple worshippers so do we now and worship God in spirit and whereas he brings some other Scriptures as Luke 4.15 where Christ taught in the Synagogue and Io. 18 19 20. which we deny not but this was a time befroe he was sacrificied up and he came to fulfill all righteousnesse for he is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse sake to them that do believe and whereas he adds a scripture in Psa 132.13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever this he brings to prove that God is worshipped and dwels in a mans made house if any be so blind and ignorant to believe him for my part I believe him not but I believe what the Scripture saith Heaven is my Throne and earth is my footstool what house will you build unto me saith the Lord or where is the place of my rest not in a man made house The heaven of heavens is not able to contain him whom we worship Pr. There is an opinion among them that the place where the people of God convene to worship is not the Church nor to be called a Church Ans We say no For the Church is the body of Christ built up of living stones elect and precious and the Apostle doth not any where call a man-made house a Church and it is error and blasphemie to call a house made with mens hands of wood and dead stones a Church and therefore a