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A91468 Goliahs head cut off with his own sword; in a combat betwixt little David, the young stripling, who stands in the power and strength of his God, and great Goliah the proud boaster, who stands in his own strength, glorifying in the arm of flesh, and contemning and despising little David, because of his youth. In a reply to a book, set forth by an un-named author, under pretence of an answer to thirty six queries, propounded by James Parnell, whom he in scorn calls, the young Quaker. And also an answer to severall counter-queries, propounded by the same unnamed authour, whom I understand to be one Thomas Draton, a teacher of the world, at Abbey Rippon, in Huntingtonshire, ... and also he that takes his part, who writes himself W.P. who knowes not the power of God, and therefore glories in the length of time, and the multitude of years. ... / Given forth from the spirit of the Lord in the behalf of Israel against the armies of the aliens, who muster up themselves against the Lord, and his authority: by a friend to the common-wealth of Israel, who is known to the world, by the name James Parnel. Who is a sufferer in outward bonds, for the testimony of the everlasting truth, in Colchester Castle. 1655. Parnell, James, 1637?-1656. 1655 (1655) Wing P531; Thomason E861_1; ESTC R203310 65,568 94

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and slander his Servants and Messengers which so impudently dost it to him who is our Lord and Master but as for paying tribute 3. to Kings and Goverours in their places it is allowed of by Scripture which thine is not and they are set about temporall affaires and are the ordinance of God for that purpose for to Governe and Protect the people in bodily peace and quietnesse which if they neglect will be laid to their charge but thou and thy brethren pretend to spirituall affaires and therefore are to have your rule and example from Christ and his Ministers who was set about spirituall affaires the which thou canst not but would creepe into any hole to hide thy selfe and thy brethren from the light but by it are you found out and seene to be the deceivers who out of the doctrine of Christ are found and therefore not to be owned nor received And secondly thou sayst thou art no such greedy Dogge P. Ans whatsoever foul-mouthed Curs do bark to the contrary for thou sayst thou contents thy selfe with thy legall sallary which yet thou sayst is not contrary to evangelicall wherein thou hast already been proved a Lier sufficiently Here thy foul mouth thou hast opened wide who accounts the Prophet Isaiah Reply a foul mouth'd Cur who this Language first did speak unto the false Prophets in whose steps thou art found and therefore unto thee the same Language belongeth who seeks for thy gain from thy Quarters as they did and what hast thou else manifested but greediness of gain all along Isay 56. who rather then thou would yield thy error in it though thou couldst not produce one Scripture that would stand for it yet thou runnest to old Histories Records thereby to maintain it contrary to Scripture therefore with shame confusion of face might thou say thou contents thy self with thy legall sallary who hast nigh 300 l. by the yeare and yet thou wouldst have more if thou couldst get it thou art so greedy as may be well understood by thy saying that in former time that the Bishops and Pastors had not only a setled maintenance of that value but of a great deal more which is an unheard off thing in all the Scripture and therefore thy own mouth confest what greedy Dogs you Preist have bin since your beginning yet with the deceit of thy heart thou wouldst stil cover but the day doth make you manifest to be such who run and the Lord never sent you and therefore you profit not the people at all Therefore what is thy teaching and warning of the people which thou here boasts of and therefore art found one of the Dreamers and studiers and mutterers who speaks a Divination of thy own brain and not from the mouth of the Lord and so feeds the people with wind and aire therefore silence thou deceiver for going about to excuse thy selfe from these things as if thou wast more holy then thy Brethren for in so doing thy lying and hypocrisie doth but the more appear and therefore this shall serve to prove thee a lyer in all the rest of thy excuses and it is not uncharitable nor censorious to tell thee so though thou so accusest me but a lie in thy mouth is no wonder Whether ever thou laboured with thy hands to make the Gospel free and without charge Qu. 15. as Paul a Minister of the Gospel did And in thy answer thou dost not at all resolve my Querie but shufflest to and fro to hide thy selfe P. Ans and excuse thy selfe by pleading Pauls power in 1 Cor. 9.6 and saist that Christ your Master did not injoyne you so to doe which to prove thou quotes Luk. 10.7 and Deut. 25.4 and also pleades that in 2 Tim. 2.4 and also pleades a liberty by the Councells and Synods in the Church in former ages c. Yet all this doth not prove that ever thou laboured with thy hands to make the Gospel free and without charge Reply which any who reades these Scriptures may see and by thy silence in the same judge thee guilty and to be out of the Apostles practice and therefore these Scriptures will witnesse against thee which thou hast quoted for thou art not as Paul and Barnabas was neither wast called to the Ministry as they was neither preachest freely as they did neither labourest with thy hands as Paul did but onely makest a trade and a gaine of the Apostles words for thy own ends and therefore what hast thou to do to mention Christ or his Ministers who art so plainly found out of their practise or to call Christ thy Master who art thy selfe called Master and so robs him of his honour and art not in his Doctrine who saith be not ye called Masters and so art none of his and therefore hast nothing to do with that liberty which he hath given to his faithfull labourers whom he himselfe hath called into his Vineyard and as for that Scripture in Luk. 10.7 it is not against labour but for labour before thou canst have thy hire but thou would'st have it and be maintained in Idlenesse by others labours as the Clergy men as thou callest them in England are who are no Ministers of Christ who are called of men Master and so are out of his doctrine in the steps of the Pharises whom the wo is unto and therefore in this these Councels and Synods as thou call'st them in your Church in former ages have acted contrary to Scripture in ordaineing that you should not worke and labour with your hands for your selves and your families but that you should live in Pride and Idlenesse by the sweate of others browes to be maintained as you are which ordinance is not of God but of man by which you stand and how hast thou before falsly accused me for not working though I am not chargeable to the world and now thou art striveing by Scripture wresting and false applying and all the waies thou canst for to excuse thy selfe from labouring with thy handes as the Apostle did though thou and thy family are alltogether chargeable to the world All which Scriptures shall stand against thee for they all maintaine working before the benefit of the worke come to them be it spirituall or temporall for the Oxe treades not out the come without labour but what corne have you Clergy men trodden forth and what spirituall things have you sowne and what Gospel you have preached this many yeares in England doth not the fruits of your Ministry condemne you and witnesse against you to be such as run and the Lord never sent you and so the curse follows you and is upon your Ministry and therefore profits not the people at all but as drones lives upon the painefull labour of others yea though you do not labour with your hands yet who more intangles themselves in the affaires of this world then you that calls your selves Clergy men both by
which thou who art given up to believe lies impudently would cast upon him and those thou callest his confederacy who abhorrs all such abhomination and therefore returns it into thy own bosom from whence it comes And thus thou sayst by clear Scripture and experience Priest thou hast answered the bold Queries of him who is known to the World to be out a boy or stripling As thou begannest with a lie in thy mouth Reply so also thou endest with a lie for by plain Scripture and true experience thou hast not answered these Queries for in many things thou mayst finde no Scripture at all in the least to countenance thee then thou pleadest old stories and Records and saith also it sufficeth thee that there is no Scripture to the contrary but thou shalt know that in any thing that thou dost in which the Scripture will not stand for thee it will in the same stand against thee and also when thou didst wrest any Scripture for thy own ends it was made use of to witness against thee in the same and how hast thou answered by thy own experience when as thou stole the Apostles Declaration and set it down even word for word to prove the estate of a Christian when as it was proved out of thy own mouth that thou art not come to witness in possession the lowest estate of a Christian and thus thou might have been ashamed to boast of thy Age who art found such an impudent lyer as to say by clear Scripture and experience thou answered these Queries which are not so bold as true in which all that are not wilfully blinde will witness against thee and thus him thou contemnest as a boy or stripling is made able to cut off thy head with thy own sword and therefore henceforward let shame and confusion of face cover thee for boasting of thy age who yet knowest not That the wisdom and power of the Almighty stands not in the number of years or the arm of flesh but the righteous are as bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 And now to thy Counter-Queries as thou callest hem which for a Compeiment thou biddest me give hee leave to propound but meaned not to stay to know whether I did so or nay First concerning honour and respect to be given to men And to the substance of these Querie I answer that Christ himselfe cries down all earthly honour and admiration and respect of mans Person and onely attolerates the honour that is of God and cometh from God and belongs unto the seed of God which is not known amongst you Children of this world whose honour and glory is of this world in whom the seed of the Serpent rules head to which no worship not honour is due the which all the world wonders after worship the beast his image but none of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted doth at all maintaine your heathenish breeding worship honour manners and respect as you call it but now he is risen and reignes to whom all Nations must bow to whom alone belongs all honour praise dominion and thanks therefore silence proud flesh that would goe about to rob him it s you that are offended in him and persecute him because he cannot bow unto you and as for that Scripture Honour all men I answer with another Scripture which thou hast quoted Psl 15.4 in whose eies a vile person is contemned here all men are not honoured but in the Lord therefore you that abide not in the doctrine of Christ must not be received nor bidden Gods speed And as for that Scripture Lev. 19.22 which thou quotest in thy seventh Query I answer with Solomons words wisdom is the gray haire and an undefiled life is old age Wisd 4.8.9 and this is not without honour though by the world condemned And to thy 9 Query whether standing bare 9 Query with the head uncovered before the Magistrates be not a decent posture sence it is a posture that the Apostle requires in the behalfe of God which to prove thou quotest 1 Cor. 11.4.5 6 7 8. I answer no man must be honoured in respect to his person Ans and the honour of justice and equity lyeth not in the putting off the hate or keeping it on but it is a heathenish custome contrary to any Scripture rule or example and therefore not a decent but an unseemly posture as thou callest it for men so to adore one anothers persons and that Magistrate that seeks for or owns such a thing standes in his own will and is partiall and rules not for God but for himselfe and such God doth not stile as Gods upon earth as thou say'st but rather unjust stewards and thou blind guide read in the 3 verse of the Chapter aforesaid Jam. 1.2 and see what is the head of the man but thy head is the Serpent and according to thy own meaning most of ye Priests condemnes your selves in this who commonly have your heads covered with Caps when you pretend to pray or prophesy And that Scripture 1 Tim. 6.11 which thou hast quoted in thy 10. Querie and Rom. 10.10 which thou hast quoted in thy 11. Querie was not spoken to the world who accounts man in gay clothing and a Gold Ring as a superior and a man in vile and poore rayment as an inferior and accordingly prefers them respects them contrary to Scripture and you leaders cause them to erre therefore wrest not the Scripture for your own ends lest in turn to your destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Whether the pronounce of the second person Q. 12. singular may not out of the Hebrew and Greek be as well rendered you as thou especially since in the plurall number it is alwayes rendered ye not thee the Dutch tongue whence we borrow much of our language hath you Here thou sonne of Babylon Ans who art thy carnall reason in thy languages confused who stumblest at the plaine language thou what is that in thee that cannot beare the word thou which is the single proper language to a single person as well as you which thou confessest is a borrowed language thus the Hebrews the Grecians the Romans the Dutch will condemn you who are content with their naturall language Whether it hath not beene ever accounted rude Q. 13. and Rusticall in this Nation for inferior men to speake unto others their superiors by the word thou and not you and also to stand with their hats on unlesse leave were given them so to do Thou blind sot thou hast laide thy selfe naked to the world with thy rude and rusticall Querie it was never accounted so but by Dives-nature which is swelled with Pride and arrogancy yea that which would be above God which must come downe into the pit Is not God the superior of all then why do you give unto him that rude and rusticall language as thou callest it here thou manifests thy selfe amongst
abroad to preach the Gospel 0 neither allowed them 100 or 200 pounds by the yeare as thou hast but they chose out those that were strong in the faith and set them to watch over the weake but those Churches was gathered by the power and Spirit of God and was turned from darknesse to light and was washed clensed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God but out of your Church cast Drunkerds and Swearers and Liers and Proud and Covetous ones and adulterous and Idolaters and Quarrellers and Fighters and Scoffers 1 Cor. 6.11 and Scorners and Backbiters and Envious ones and Prophane and wanton ones and the like who are neither washed nor sanctified and then see where will be the Church of England and the Pastors Teachers and Elders Rv. 3. and all then you that profess your selves to be the Church of Christ will be found the synagogue of Satan whose Minister thou art and also Paul and Barnabas who ordained them Elders was men indued with the holy Spirit of the Lord and was immediately called and chosen to the Ministry and had a Spirit of discerning to know who was fitted for the Elder-ship and all this was done without an University or serving seven yeares to learne Arts and Sciences or taking Degrees without which you can do nothing and also those Superiors and Governours that ordaine you teachers and governours have nothing but what they have gotten by art and study and reading of others experiences but are ignorant of the power of God neither knowes whether there be any Holy-Ghost yea or nay but by the hearing of the eare but scofs and scornes and and persecutes those that now do witnesse these things and they themselves was also first ordained by the will of man and thus thou hast but so much the more manifested thy selfe to the world in going about to prove thy selfe a called Minister by the Scripture which doth altogether witnesse against thee And whereas thou would'st have me to prove my Call by an infallible Testimony I tell thee without an infallible Testimony I do not goe neither without an infallible Testamony doe I desire to be received or owned and to this the infallible Spirit of truth beares Testimony in all the Children of truth and thou that hast not an infallible Testimony either with me or against mee art still in darknesse and knowes not the truth then farre unfit to be a teacher to others Whether thou art guided by the same infallible Spirit that gave forth the Scripture 3 Query And in thy answer thou saist P. Ans that we our selves teach that all men are taught and guided by that Spirit at times and secondly thou saist thou praises God for it thou art guided and assisted by that Spirit which is alwaies infallible and thirdly thou saist thou doubt whether any of those that are called Quakers are alwaies guided by that Spirit Here all that are guided by any measure of that Spirit may easily see thy lies and confusion for thy first is a lie Rep. that any of us doe teach that all men are taught and guided by that Spirit at times for I deny that thou art who art now taken with a lie in thy mouth which all that understands our doctrine will witnesse against and secondly that thou art guided by an infallible Spirit is a lie against the Holy-Ghost for no lie comes from that Spirit And againe thou belies the Spirit of truth to say thou art guided by it and yet cannot give an infallible Testimony whether those thou calls Quakers are guided by an infallible Spirit yea or nay but art in thy doubts Joh. 8.44 but that Spirit is without doubts which now judgeth thee to be a lier and thy God thou praises to be the Devill the Father of lies who must both be tormented together Whether they that are guided by that Spirit need study how or what to say 4 Qu. And in thy answer thou saist P. An Timothy had that Spirit in a greater measure then James Parnell yet Paul saith thus unto him as in 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. And thou saist if the Apostles had beene put to it to preach upon a short Text or Theme Methodically as by long practice in the Church is expected from you they must oft times have studied for it as thou conceivest though if you were left at large to speake as the Spirit of God mo es you and giveth matter in thou hopes some of you by Gods assistance should speake as togood or better purpose then any whonow pretend to the spiritsactings Here thou hast sufficiently manifested thy spirit Rep and thy ignorance of the spirit of God to any who understands the things of the spirit of God and all these Scriptures which thou hast brought concerning Timothy doth not at all prove that he that is guided by the spirit of God need study how or what to preach But Paul exhorted Timothy to the gift that was in him which was given him by or for prophesie for in so doing he should save himself and those that heard him which you never do by the fruit of your study but rather destroyes them witness the fruits of your Ministry this many years in this Nation who have wrought no better Reformation amongst your hearers and also this Scripture doth not at all prove that Paul bid Timothy study old Authours and heathenish Commentators as you do neither to study Arts and Sciences as you do who with your Philosophy Col. 2.8 and vain deceipt do spoile the people for thou hast manifested thy selfe to be altogether ignorant of the spirit of God who by thy own conceivings judgest the spirit of God to be unsufficient to instruct and teach the Apostles what to speak at all times without study when as Christ himselfe exhorteth them to take no thought what to speak for it should be given them in the very same houre Mat. 10.19 20. for saith he It is not you that speaks but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you which spirit speaketh not without method which spirit you Teachers of the Church of England are great strangers to who think that the spirit of God can be limited to a Text or a Theme as thou confessest you are but thou lier where is now thy infallible spirit who thus speakest thy own conceivings and therefore be ashamed hence forward to pretend to an infa lible spirit who hast here so openly manifesied thy ignorance of it and its movings so that if thou wast left at large to speak from that spirit in thee was shut out of thy Liberary from any Text or Writing Isay 56.10 thou wouldst plainly manifest thy self to be one of the dumb Dogs that could not bark which I saiah from the spirit of the Lord declared against without study for I do believe that if thou and the rest of the nationall
Gospel and so art not to be received but held as accursed as thou art who art not ashamed to presume to say thy Gospel is the same with the Apostle's and thou doest here yeeld thy Gospell to be chargeable but this Scripture in 2 Cor. 11.8 doth not at all prove the Apostles to be chargeable Gal. 1.8.9 who saith he took wages of other Churches to do them service for it was but for his necessities it was frely communicated to him therefore no charge but now you professed Ministers instead of robbing other Churches you rob oppresse the world ruling over them by a law with force and cruelty for the which you have no Scripture rule Ezek. 34.4 but amongst the false shepherds But whom do you spare whether you do them service or nay if you can but get it either by faire meanes or foul and therefore in this thou before many other might well have laid thy hand upon thy mouth For whereas the Apostle there tooke some necessaries which was freely communicated to him by the Churches thou takes nigh three hundered poundes by the yeare of the world by a law of man and none will spare who comes within thy bounds whether thou dost them service or nay and that Christ or any of his Apostles hath not imposed it upon you that the Gospel should be altogether without charge J. 〈◊〉 14. ●4 it is true for they never intrusted you with it though for sucre sake ye have run though he never sent you and speake a divination of your braine but not from his mouth and so profit not the people at all but like ravening Wolves makes a prey upon them but your end shall be according to your workes but they that are intrusted with the Ministry of the Gospel Mat. 10.8 1 Cor. 9.16 17 18. have this charge imposed upon them As they have received freely freely to give the Apostle Paul also shewed the same example whose care was to make the Gospel free and without charge and said wo unto him if he preached not the Gospel and therefore because he would not make the Gospel chargeable he tooke necessaries of some and spared others and this was wisdom which you Earthwormes are void of and thus he that is taught in the word may communicate to him that teacheth in all good things and yet without charge he that can receive it let him the workman is worthy of his meate and in that thou taxest James Parnell Mat. 10.10 he hath not beene chargeable to thee nor to thy generation neither doth any of him complaine although thou judgest him according to thy own corrupt heart yet the answer of the just witnesse in my conscience shall be for me before the righteous Judge of all hearts when you Hirelings and false Prophets shall wish the Mountaines to cover you and the Rocks to fall upon you and hide you from his presence who will give you your reward in the lake that burneth with the beast that now upholdes you in this your wickednesse Whether thou dost hold up the first Priest-hood that tooke Tithes 9. Query or the second Priest-hood that tooke no Tithes which thou dost deny seeing thou takest Tithes And in thy Answer thou sai'st P. An. Melchizedeck whose Preist-hood was the first Priest-hood tooke Tithes and the Leviticall Priest-hood which was the second and not the first tooke Tithes also so that thou faist there is no Priest-hood mentioned in the Scripture that tooke no Tithes then thou Queries how thou or any other doth deny either of those Preist-hoods by taking Tithes which to prove thou quotes Gen. 14.20 Heb. 7.2 3 4.5 c. Here thou Serpent although thou thus twines about to cover and shelter thy deceipt Rep. under others wings it will not at all serve to prove that thereby thou dost not deny Jesus Christ come in the flesh who is the everlasting high Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck which is the unchangeable Priest-hood the end of the changeable which tooke Tithes and so the end of Tithes as is proved by that Scripture which thou hast quoted Heb. 7. and chap. 8.1 wherein the Apostle speaks how Abraham paid Tithes to Melchizedeck of the spoils which he got in the warr which was a free gift without either law or compulsion neither did stand for a law or rule to the generations following untill the law was given to Israel after the flesh and the changeable Priestood established which I say was the first Priest-hood to which Tithes was due for it was so the command of God that the Tithes should be paid unto the changeable Priest-hood and they was to have a store-house wherein the Tithes was to be put And the Widdows and the Fatherlesse and the strangers was to come and be filled within their gates that there should not be a begger in Israel Deut. 14.28 29. which statute is now rejected by you who now so gape for Tithes for ye instead of doing this do grind the faces of the poore and oppresse the Widdows the Fatherlesse and the Strangers if they doe come within your bounds and so makes beggers rather then otherwise Isa 3.15 so that if you professe Tithes by this law it will witnesse against you and also in so doing you deny Christ Jesus come in the flesh who when he was offer'd up was the everlasting offering and the everlasting high Priest over the houshold of God and so the fulfilling and the end of the changeable who tooke Tithes by a command And so saith the Apostle the Priest-hood being changed there must of necessity be a change of the law and so the command was disanulled and Tithes ended for saith the Apostle in Heb. 8.1 Now of the things that we have beene speaking Heb. 7.12 Here thy 66 Qu. is Ans this is the summe we have such an high Priest that is set on the right hand of the throne c. Now Tithes was one thing and the Priest-hood was another thing and the law by which they both was upheld was another thing of which the Apostle had beene speaking of which he saith this is the summe Christ Jesus the high Priest that is set on the right hand of the Throne and so the fulfilling and the end of these things before mentioned of which Tithes is one so by this new Covenant he hath made the first old Heb. 8.13 now that which decayeth or waxeth old is ready to vanish away Now marke then which Priest-hood the Apostle here accounts first because thou accusest mee that I know not which was the first and which was the last but by this it is proved that you that now so gapes for Tithes under the profession of the Gospel are razed out from Melchizedeck who once tooke Tithes onely of the spoile which was taken in the war which was a free gift unto him which now you have not and also are rased from the
this excuse serve to shelter you Hirelings and deceivers to say that there is no Law nor Command of God to the contrary for it is false for Christ commands his Ministers expresly freely to give as freely they had received and also charged them where they was not freely received Levit. 25.14 Mich. 1.2 to depart thence shaking off the dust of their feet as before is proved and also oppression is the Law of God against and to take the tenth or increase of the fruits of the peoples labours is a sore and great oppression which the Land groans under and therefore a sin and yet the gift doth so blinde your eyes that you cannot see all this but thinks because there is no Scripture for you therefore none against you and though there needs no example to prove any Shoomaker or Cobler to be a Prophet as thou confessest though in scorn for it is a thing that none doth who understands the Scripture being there is sufficient proof that he called other Tradesmen yet there is a need that you might finde so much as a Scripture proof or example for your Tithes and maintenance who profess it to be your rule being it is a great oppression of the Land and yet sayst thou it doth suffice you that there is no Law or Command to the contrary therefore this shews your avaricious mindes who are so willing to be blinde in this things but it will not neither doth so easily suffice those that are oppressed by you though you regard it not according to the Prophet Ezekiels words you seek for the fleece and regard not the flock but make a prey upon the sheep and so with this stop thy mouth and own thy selfe amongst the false Shepheards and Hirelings Ezek. 34. John 10. Whether ever they had a set maintenance Que 13. or so much a year for preaching as 40.60.100 or 200 l. as thou and such as thou hath And in thy Answer P. Ans i thou canst not bring one Scripture for thy Rule to prove this your common practise but flees to the Records that thou sayst are to be found in severall parts of Christendom as thou calls it where I do not intend to seek for them to see whether these things be true or no which thou speakest of them but as I said before will conclude them to be false in this thing being the Scripture is altogether against it so that thou canst not finde one Scripture to justifie it but sayst if we say Where do you read of this in the Scripture thou answers as far off again to the same purpose still without any Scripture proof and therefore I shall leave it for any understanding Reader of thy Book to judge and see how weak you are if you had not a Law of man to uphold you who have not one Scripture that will strengthen the foundation of your Ministry which is your maintenance then how have you deluded the people to make them believe that the Scripture is your Rule when it is altogether against you let the honest hearted judge And whether such be not the hirelings which cares not for the sheep yea or nay Que. 14. And whether such be not the greedy Doggs which the Prophet Isay freely declared against Isay 56.11 and makes a prey upon the sheep which Ezekiel declared against Ezek 34. and are the ravening Wolves which Jesus Christ declared against Mat. 7.15 and are such as through covetuousness makes Merchandise of the people which Peter a Minister of Christ declared against 2 Pet. 2.3 and such as go after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards which Jude a Servant of Jesus Christ cryed woe against Jude 11. And in thy Answer P. Ans after many excuses thou plainly confessest thou canst not justifie all of your Calling and therefore thou wilt answer for thy selfe and first thou sayst thou art none of these Hirelings for he is not an Hireling which takes the wages allotted to him for his work for then thou dost accuse Kings Governours to be Hirelings who takes Tribute and Custom yea and the Apostles and Christ himself which to prove thou quotes 2 Cor. 7.8 and Luke 8.23 but thou confessest that he is one that sets his heart upon the wages only and delights not in the work but is weary of the same and longs for the shadow or rest which to prove thou quotest Job 7.1.2 3. Reply Here thou impudent lyer for all thy shuffelings and thy coverings thou canst not hide thy selfe but out of thy own mouth shalt be judged though thou here plainly denies thy Brethren and thinks it enough to answer for thy selfe thy cause is so bad for thy wages is not alotted by God neither hast thou any Scripture Rule to prove them as is before proved and therefore it follows that thy heart is set upon thy hire for which sake thou undertakes that work which thou professest and it is for thy hires sake that thou art not weary of thy work or else thou wouldst not own that which is so contrary to the Scripture so that thou canst not bring one Scripture proof for this thy practice and that it is thy hire that thou delights in is sufficiently apparent by thy thus gaping for it and seeking to defend it though altogether contrary to Scripture And as for the work thou and thy Brethren professeth you are as idle in it as you can so that you can but hold up the Worlds custom and blind the people that still you may rule over them by your meanes and thus it may plainely be seene wherein is your delight and so out of thy own mouth judge thee to be neither conscionable nor faithfull who art not ashamed thus to seeke to justifie thy selfe in thy deceipt when as thy own mouth confesseth that it is not a liberall maintenance and that thou canst take it and plead for it and therefore this Scripture which thou quotest in Iob. 7.2 shall stand and witnesse against thee who as a hireling agrees with the people for so much a yeare and as a hireling lookes for thy wages at the yeares end but of thy work there is no profit to any and so with the shaddow thou deceivest them for gaine which doth so blind thy eie that thou thinkest all are like thee though they take that which is freely administred to them for their temporall necessities which is not agreeing with the people for so much a yeare and to take it by a law whether they will agree with you yea or nay which weapons Christ or his Ministers never made use of and therefore thou lier how darst thou to accuse Christ or his Apostles to take wages for their worke did Christ heale the sick or the diseased and the lame and the blind or teach the people for mony or wages oh thou blasphemer for ever stop thy mouth from nameing his holy name who doth so slander him well maist thou accuse
law and cunning craft and deceipt and bargaining and oppressing thereby to make your selves rich with the things of this life yea what thing is there in this Nation to get riches by though never so unbeseeming spirituall men but you have a hand in it and therefore none of those spirituall Souldiers which Paul speakes of in 2 Tim. 2.4 therefore silence thou deceiver for medling with the Scripture with thy Babylonious language as prohibit Mechanick Synod and Clergy which are the words of mans wisdom and contrary to the plaine language of the Scripture out of which thou art shut in Babylon where thou wast bred with thy Clergy as thou callest them Whether thou dost not walke in the steps of the Scribes and Pharises who art called of men Master or Doctor and hast the cheifest seate in the Synagogues Que. 16. and uppermost rooms at feasts and greetings in the markets contrary to the practise of the Apostles and so art under the woe which Christ pronounced against such yea or nay And here thou wouldest shuffle off with Questioning instead of Answering and saist P. Ans what if Christ gave the name of Master to Nicodemus John 3.10 and Luke the name of Doctor to Gamaliel in Act 5.3.4 and thou saist Is it then the giving or taking of these names which Christ forbiddeth or the arrogant using of them out of an high or proud Spirit that desires to be Idolized and thou confessest the word Rabby signifies Doctor or Master which names thou saist was familiarly given both in the Old and New Testament which to prove thou quotes Eccles 12.11 Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 Reply The 89 and 90 Que are answered in this Reply and thy 92 Query also Here thy blindnesse doth appeare and thou wilt need no other proofe against thee but thy own words though here thou would'st go about to slander Christ and his Apostles whom thou art not worthy to name neither dost thou thereby answer my Query but would justify that which Christ cried woe against therfore a Minister of Antichrist art found to which the woe belonges for that Scripture in John 3.10 doth not prove that Christ called Nicodemus Master as thou wouldest faine slander him neither doth that Act. 5.34 prove that Luke gave Gamaliel the name of Doctor but in way of declaration what he was accounted amongst the Jewes as any that reades with understanding may see yea thou thy selfe canst not deny it but that thou would'st be glad of any thing to shelter thy deceipt but Christ expresly forbids his to be be called Master and therefore it is concluded that you take these names unto your selves from an arrogancy and pride of Spirit that you might be Idolized as is well knowne how you swell and are puffed up in wrath and rage if you be not so called by those you account your inferiors or else you would not own it being Christ hath so expresly forbidden it to his Ministers and you professing your selves to be his Ministers the word Minister signifies servant Paul who was his Minister said he made himselfe servant to all but you would be Masters over all 1 Cor 9.19 bearing rule by your meanes though hired as Servants yet more unreasonable unjust for you will have it of them you do no work for and also whatsoever thou saist Doctor or Master signifies Christ hath forbidden it and therefore in useing of it thou art out of the doctrine of Christ and the woe is unto thee and the more for wresting the Scripture to maintaine it and uphold it which Christ hath cried down and it is well knowne to them that are not wilfully blind that Master or Doctor are names that are given and taken amongst you Clergy-men as you call your selves as Titles of honour witnesse your degrees in your Nurseries of deceipt which you call Vniversities as first Bachellor then from Bachellor to Master of Arts and from that to Bachellor of Divinity and from that to Doctor of Divinity which highest Title is given to thee and therefore it is no wonder that thou so pleads for it but the least Child of light will judge these traditions to be upheld by the Pride and arrogancy of the flesh that would be Idolized but the old man must needs plead for his life neither doth these Scriptures in Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.38 at all advantage thee for neither Doctor nor Master is mentioned in these Scriptures and thus thou art ignorant of the letter then far unfit to be a teacher of others which thou dost assume to thy selfe by the name of Doctor according to thy own meaning And as for the cheife seates in the synagogues and uppermost roomes at feasts P. Ans some thou saist that are worthy were allowed them by Christ himselfe which to prove thou quotes Lnk. 14.7.8 c. Mark 5.22 And by Luke Ast. 13.15 and Chap. 18.8.17 and as for salutations they are allowed thou saist as well in the market places as any where else This is the truest word that thou hast yet spoken in one respect though from a false Spirit Reply for your heathenish customs and salutations are allowed-of no where by the Scripture neither hast thou brought any proofe to the contrary and it is also easily discerned you rather chuse them in the markets or in Pudlique to be seene of men that you might be accounted Courteous and looked upon for your breeding witnesse your congying and bowing with your hats off in admiration and Idolizing of one anothers persons wherein you exalt your selves above the Angel who would not suffer John to bow unto him Rev. 22.8.9 but said he was his fellow servant therefore let this judge you and condemn you in these practises which by you are used from an ambitions and an in ordinate desire of them and therefore are the most unworthy as thou confessest the Scribes and Pharises were and therefore art out of thy own mouth judged 1 John 5.19 although thou wold'st cast it upon the Quakers as thou callest them but we can justly cleare our selves and cast it into thy own bosome for we use no such heathenish customs yet we can justly say with John we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse which thou accounts an exhalting of our selves and in that thou belyest Christ and the Scriptures in saying he allowed these things to any which he cryed downe thy impudency doth the more appeare that thou wouldest not stick to bely us whom thou callest Quakers for none of these Scriptures which thou quotes to uphold the chiefest seates in the Synagogue uppermost roomes at feastes doth at all concerne the matter but onely Luk. 14.7 c. which Christ spoke as a parable to the Pharises who loved the uppermost roomes at feasts which also may fitly be applyed to you now who take the uppermost reome How thy 9th Query is answered Mat. 20.25 26 27. Jam. 12.
John 13. John 5.44 and thinks scorne to take the lowest which may easily be discerned by you with an impartiall eye or else you would not own these things which Christ declared against to his Ministers and also taught them that he that would be the greatest should be the least and the Apostle forbids all respect of persons and Christ shewed an example of humility to his Ministers when he washed their feet and condemned the Pharises who received honour one of another which thou art here pleading for then if thou beest not in their steps let the understanding judge What is the Church and whether it be not a delusion to the people Que. 17. and a dishonour to Christ to call a house of lime and stone a Church And in thy Answer P. Ans thou pleadest it a custom in most ages and by a Trope of figure but thou confessest the word Church is first and properly a congregation of Saints or of such as professe so to be as in 1 Cor. 1.2 and in the second place thou saist this word is used for a place where such a Congregation use to assemble which to prove thou quotes Cor. 11.22 and ver 18. and Chap. 14.5.23 compared with ver 19.28 neither is this any delusion to the people thou saist nor more dishonour to God then to use this phrase the house of God which to prove thou quotes Isa 60.7 and Eph. 42.4 therefore here we seeke a knot in a bulrush thou saist And thus thou blasphemer values thy blasphemy covering it with lies Reply that thou might still keepe the people in blindnesse who makes such a small light matter of it to put a house of lime and stone for the body of Christ which is the Church and thus you have long fed the people in blindnesse with your vaine customs and traditions and they put you out of your customs Col. 1.24 and you are vexed and troubled as the heathen was at Paul and Silas and said they came to turne the world upside downe and then to cover your blasphemy and lies Act. 17.6 you have Tropes and figures which is the wisdom of man to cover lies and thus you learned ones make use of your learning to make lies in hypocrisie contrary to the Scripture for the Types and Figures in the Scripture figured forth somthing to come but your steeple houses are no figures of Christ nor his body which is the Church and when the substance is come of what use is the figure for the Temple which God commanded Solomon to build him which was called the house of God where them that feared the Lord worshipped him was a figure of Christ but when Christ the substance came he Prophesied of its destruction Math. 24. and Steven after him declared against it and by them that upheld it was stoned to death Act. 7.47.48.49 c and Paul declared against it and by them that upheld it was persecuted Acts 17.24.25 Acts 19.26.27 as we are by you now that uphold your Idolls Temples that figure forth nothing but the Imaginations of man neither was ever commanded by God to be built as Solomons Temple was which for its time was called the house of God but the Prophet Isay saw the end of it when he spoke that in Isay 66.1 2. But that you should call your popish houses the house of God which was built by the Papists and such like without any Command of God thou hast no Scripture proof to maintain it neither are those fit examples to bring to prove it as the Schollars and the School and the Jews and their Synagogues what doth this at all prove that you should call your Idolls Temples as the body of Christ which was made of living stones elect and pretious for the Scripture all along witnesses that the Church is the body of Christ which is the Saints as this Scripture doth witness which thou hast quoted in 1 Cor. 1.2 but it doth not at all prove thy lie that the Church is a Congregation of such as profess to be Saints for it is more then a profession though with a profession you have long deluded the people yet many there are that profess Christ in words but in life deny him who are no Saints nor the Church of Christ Tit. 1.16 though thou art blinde sees no difference yet according to thy own meaning you do not call your Assemblies and the place where your Assemblies meets all one for you call your meeting places Churches and the people a Congregation and so here out of thy own mouth thou art judged yet it would be as much blasphemy to call your people a Church as the place where they meet a Church for it is well known that all manner of unrighteous persons meets there as thou confessest the greatest part of the professors are earthly minded as in thy answer to my 11th Query and I am sure the chiefest of them are blind and led by Customs and Traditions as thou here makes it appear who thy selfe hast been a Teacher so long and now goes about to justifie it lawful to call a house of lime and stone a Church which thou goest about to prove by wresting the Scripture but let any with a single eye read these Scriptures which thou hast quoted in thy Answer concerning the Church 1 Cor. 16.19 Col. 4.15 Act. 20.16 and see if they do at all mention any house to be a Church but only the Saints whose bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost for they commonly met in dwelling houses but you call none Churches but your Steeple-houses which hath been your Custom long and it is well known how the ignorant people that go to them have long idolized them as the houses of God and looked upon them to be far more holy then any other place and have envied and hated and even murthered those in their hearts that should say to the contrary and you Priests have been their great Agents in it though you have known in your Consciences to the contrary yet you know that where the people are the most blinde you are the more idolized and set up and it is your greatest grief where the light appears as is openly manifest by the chief Priests who now rage and rail against the light where it appears and persecutes them that holds it forth that you might if it were possible put it out and still uphold your Fathers Kingdom which is in darkness and then you think you are safe and all will be yours but your Calamity will come on a sudden and your downfall is nigh at hand 1 Thes 5.2.3 Whether thou and such as thou be not the Creepers into houses Que. 18. who would confine all to your Steeple-houses yea or nay And in thy Answer thou grants that Paul speaks of seducers that creep into houses c. as in 2 Tim. 3.6.7 but whether this best suits with your manner of teaching or ours thou
sayst judge ye for thou sayst you do not creep into the Churches who have the doores set wide open and have your Congregations or Assemblies publiquely called together by a Bell and then thou vents forth a deal of frothy stuffe and sayst why must your Houses of Lime and stone be called Steeple-houses more then the Glaziers Hall or the Bull and Mouth neare Aldersgate be called a Glasse-house a Chimney-house or a Store-house or a Stable-house but thou askest where did Christ or his Apostles reproach the Synagogues with reproachful names as we do your Churches Here thy malitious and scornful spirit is much more made manifest Reply together with thy folly and ignorance so that I am able to judge thee and the rest of the Parish Preachers to be those creepers into houses that Paul there speaks of 2 Tim. 3.6.7 who have led silly women and people captive these many years full of sin and led away with divers lusts who some have learned 40. years some 50. some 60. yea some 80. and yet strangers to the truth yea as blinde and carnall as ever they was so that they take a House of Lime and stone for a Church and a House of God as you have taught and aske them why they call it so and they will answer it was called so before they was born and will be after they were dead then judge ye whether these Creatures be not blind and carnall and led by your own Customs and traditions and you are their Teachers who would bear rule in your Steeple-houses so that none shall speak but your selves if they do you have a Law to lay upon them contrary to the order of the true Church as in 1 Cor. 14.30 31 32. That all might speak one by one and if any thing be revealed to him that stands by let the first hold his peace but this is called disorder amongst you that call your selves Saints and are not but the Synagogue of Satan and by thy own Confession are led together by a Bell for which you have no Rule in the Scripture and so you lead them by Custom and Tradition and also thy own words here proves what I said in my last Reply that you do not call your Assemblies and the place where your Assemblies meets both by one for here thou callest the place a Church and the people the Congregation as I said before and thou blinde guide where dost thou read in the Scripture of Church-doores be ashamed and blush thus to presume in thy blasphemy and therefore how soever thou have taken these houses to be wherein deceivers creeps as before is proved and have taught the people so to put them out of jealousie of you to be the deceivers doth not at all excuse you from it for the Apostle himself taught in private houses and Chambers and private places Act. 20.20 and therefore by that account thou would tax the Apostle to be a deceiver if he was here as thou dost James Parnel and those whom thou scornfully calls his gang but where dost thou finde such a word in the Scripture which proceeds out of thy malitious and evill heart but thy reproaches unto us are riches and thy shame And the Reason why those Houses near Aldersgate which thou so spits thy venom at because the people of God have used to meet there may not be called as thou in contempt dost terme them as well as your Stone-houses be called Steeple-houses is because they have names fitting for them already for to distinguish them from other places and so also the word Steeple-house is the fittest name to distinguish your meeting places from others and also to take from them that holy name which only belongs to the body of Christ and also to wear out that Idolatry of the peoples mindes which they through long Custom have born to those Idolatrous places neither do we any more reproach them in so saying then Christ and his Apostles did in calling the Jews meeting places Synagogues though thou highly dishonourest Christ in calling them Churches which signifies his body Have you no other names to bestowe upon your stone houses and high places but most blasphemously to call them by the name of God's and holy men whom you are not worthy to name as you call your Colledges which are Synagogues of Satan and Cages of unclean Birds by the name of Immanuel and by the name of Christ and Trinity and the like if you had called them by the name of Glaziers Hall or Bull and Mouth or Synagogue and the like we should not gainsay it and therefore in this the Jews will condemn you who did not presume to call their meeting places by such holy names as you presumptuously do which is and hath been a great provocation of the people to Idolatry to idolize the places because of their names which was given to them by the Papists who ignorantly worship names and you cast out the Papists for Idolatry and yet upholds their Idolls therefore woe unto you blinde guides and deluders of the people your wickedness is had in remembrance before the Lord. Whether it was the practice of the Apostles to take a Text of the Prophets words Que. 19. and from thence to raise uses points Traills and motives as thou and such as thou dost who makes a Trade of their words And in thy Answer P. Ans thou sayst that it hath been the practice of the Church and her Teachers this many hundred years for the which thou hast no Scripture proof and thirdly thou sayst that none will deny that this is an useful and profitable way of teaching which is an abominable lie which I and hundreds more can testifie against And fourthly thou sayst it may be proved out of the Scriptures that all this hath been done by Christ and his Apostles which is another lie and those are the Scriptures upon which thou wouldst ground thy lies in which they will witness against thee as Luk. 4.18 and Mat. 22.31 Act. 8.35 and for to maintain thy uses points Trialls and motives thou quotes Rom. 15.4.2 Tim. 3.16.17 John 8.31 and 13.35 and Matth. 25.34 Oh thou lier Reply thy lies will not cover thee nor the Scripture stand for thee who art found out of the life and practice of them that gave them forth who art one of the lying false Teachers who have deluded the people this many hundred years Col. 2.8 which deluded ones are your Church amongst whom you have used your Philosophy and vain deceipt by which you have long spoiled them so that the greatest part of the professors therein are earthly minded by thy own confession and I am sure that another part are Drunkards and swearers and Adulterers and scoffers and scorners and proud and envious ones and the like and now where is the fruits and profitableness of your teaching therefore for shame stop thy mouth for boasting of your Church and her teachers and saying None
will deny the profitableness of your teaching for like people like Priest Hos 4.9 2 Tim. 4.3 as the Prophet said and you are the heaps of teachers that deceive the world and draw itching eares after you who cannot endure sound Doctrine with your fained entising words of mens wisdom but the Teacher of the true Church is but one which is its head even Christ who speaks with Power and Authority and not as you Scribes whose teaching is a profitable teaching as is much witnessed in these latter dayes Mat. 7.29 to your great shame and grief who have been the professed Teachers of the Church of England this many years neither doth any of these Scritpures prove that ever Christ or his Apostles took a Text of Scripture and by humane art and study did raise Uses Points Trialls and Motives as you do which is a commendable teaching 1 Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.4 by the wise ones of the world who know not the wisdom of God but to them the preaching of the Crosse is foolishness as was accounted amongst the Greeks because the Apostle came not with entising words of mens wisdom as you do to please men but in plainness of speech spoke the word of the Lord faithfully and also said If he yet sought to please men he should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 but this is all your care whose trust is in man and not in Christ and in all those Scriptures when Christ or his Apostles spoke of a Text of Scripture out of the old Testament it was to shew the fulfilling thereof or to witness to what they had said but you will take these Scriptures for to give your carnall meanings and interpretations of them and so from them speak a divination of your own brain for gain and lucre and this is the use you make of these points as thou calles them which the Scriptures before mentioned will not at all maintain and yet thou canst impudently quote this Scripture in Mat. 6.25.34 which forbids taking thought what to eat what to drink and wherewithall to be cloathed when it is so publickly known that it is your greatest care and that which thou hast been here much labouring to maintain all along to prove it lawful for thee to take nigh 200. or 300. pounds by the year of the world yea and for a Law to compell them if they refuse to give it and yet thou art not ashamed to say that thou dost not go in the way of Balaam for gifts and rewards and the chiefest Scripture which thou hast here quoted will witness against thee as 2 Tim. 3.16 17. which saith the Scripture was given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfected throughly furnished unto every good work but thou hates to be reproved and calles them foul-mouthed currs and the like that do reprove thee and thou teachest for Doctrine the traditions of men as to call a house of Lime and Stone a Church and the like as is before proved And how have you by all your Doctrines reproof correction and instruction this many years perfected any when as the professors therein are earthly minded as thou sayst P. Ans and you that are therefore Teachers the most of all and most of you denies perfection in this life and though thou with thy tongue profess it yet in life denies it which is worst of all and so I take thee and though thou hast been so pleading for thy way yet thou sayst you would change it for a better if any can shew it you and make your hearers beleive that it would be more advantages for them but thou saist this trade of interpreting the Scripture is an old and a good trade which to prove thou quotes Iob. 33.23 Psal 10.2 3. Pro. 1.6 Act. 8.3 Here thou blind guide Reply thy nakednesse is open to the world and thy hearers may consider it who have looked upon thee as their Teacher this many yeares and yet thou thy selfe still to learne which is the best way when as there is but one true way then thou who art ignorant of this true way must needs be in a false way then how hast thou deluded thy hearets this many yeares Jer. 32.39 and also belyed thy selfe in thy Booke And if the Teacher be ever learning then what must the herers of such a one be let the wise-hearted judge and I beleive and know that your hearers would soone beleive the same if the Preachers of truth might have liberty to speake when they come amongst you but if any come in that intent you are ready to set your people upon them to hale them out with force and also you have a law to cast them into Prison as many of us do witnesse at this day and therefore thou liar the convincing of your hearers of a better way is not your greatest care but rather your greatest feare least any should be drawne from you and so your trade come to faile as thou callest it but this I know is your greatest care that any body would shew you a better way to get mony by and also perswade your hearers into it or else thou thinks you are never the better and then you would leave interpreting the Scripture which now thou calles a good trade but thou Marchant of Babylon where doth any of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted prove or terme interpreting the Scripture a trade though you Marchants of Babylon make a trade of it to get lucre by and so call it a trade who think gaine is godliness but well may others accuse you for making a trade and a gaine of the Scriptures while you your selves confesse it and thus thou wrests the Scripture for thine own ends and paints thy work with Scripture for to make the ignorant believe it is grounded upon Scripture oh be ashamed to take it into thy mouth to make a trade of it which was freely spoken forth by the holy men of God as they was moved by the Holy-Ghost and thou makes the people believe it is of some private interpretation and so thou makes Marchandize of the people and so out of thy own mouth art judged to be a lier who before denied it Whether thou dost speake as thou art moved by the Holy-Ghost Que. 20 as they did who spoke forth the Scripture And in thy Answer thou sai'st that thou hast answered to this allready P. Ans that thou usually dost speake at the motion or assistance of the Holy-Ghost thou praises God for it But thou hypocrite I have also in this already proved thee a lier Reply 2 Cor. 4.4 and thy God to be the Father of lies who is the God of the blind world in which thou art a blind guide and an enemy to the Holy-Ghost where he is witnessed to rule and this James Parnel and those thou
that Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world P. Ans because the Apostle affirmes it Joh. 1.9 And secondly thou confessest that they which have attained to the true knowledge of this light need not that any man should teach them for they are sufficiently taught of God thou say'st Jer. 31.34 But thou say'st thou deniest that we are so taught or in such a measure but thou say'st till that full light shine in you you may have other helps and teachers which to prove thou quotest 2 Pet. 1.19.20 c. But thou deceiver thou run and the Lord never sent thee who hath beene a teacher of the people and a professor of the light so many yeares and hast not yet brought any of thy hearers to the knowledge of the light yea thou numberest thy selfe amongst them whom this full light doth not yet shine but stands in need of other helps and teachers then thou hypocrite and dissembler how shouldst thou teach thy hearers the full knowledge of the light as thou say'st they will witnesse for thee when as thou thy selfe stands in need to be taught it by thy own confession Therefore it may well be resolved that thou knowest not that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world neither wouldest confesse it but that the Apostle affirmes it in that Scripture which thou quotest in John 1.9 yea that Scripture which thou quotestin Jer. 31.34 doth witnesse against thee and thy hearers to be yet strangers to the promises therefore thou hypocrite how hast thou belyed thy own conscience in saying that thou would'st bring them to the knowledge of the light that they should not need thee or any man to teach them when as that is it thou openly strivest against for then thy Dianah would bring thee in no gaine which is thy greatest care to uphold and this is witnessed in thy conscience for a truth against thee yea and this Scripture which thou quotest in 2 Pet. 1.19 20. will witnesse against thee to be a lier of the Apostle for that speakes of the world within which shines as a light in a dark place which thou art not yet come to know and therefore thou denies the truth but I tell thee we are in that measure of light so that we are able to comprehend thee and shew thee thy confusion and deceipt therefore silence from bringing the Prophets or Apostles for thy proofe for they testify against such as thee who pretendest to teach others and to be a guide to the blind a light of them which are in darknesse and an instructer of the foolish Rom. 2.19.20 and art not yet taught thy selfe but art dark and blind and ignorant of the light and wants instruction thy selfe by thy own confession therfore what an impudent lyer art thou who before said thou usely spoke by the motion of the holy-Ghost and guided by an infallible Spirit and now not come to that full knowledge of the light that thou needest no man to teach thee but the Prophets and Apostles was come to that before they was made teachers and they by the effect of their Ministry turned many from darknesse to light Act. 16.7 Eph. 8.5.1 Jonn 2 22.31 Que. and brought them to the knowledge of the Anointing so that they needed no man to teach them therefore silence thou deceiver for thy blessings is curses and therefore profits not the people at all Whether they be not the deceivers that cry Loe here and loe there that draw people to look at a Christ in a Heaven far off without them or at a Jerusalem far off without them when as they that cannot witness Christ in them are Reprobates And in thy Answer thou confessest P. Ans that they that cannot witness Christ in them are in a Reprobate condition but thou confessest that thou wilt not say that all who speak of a Christ within them shall be saved yet thou grants that those Teachers who points only at a Christ without them or to any other spiritual Kingdom of God then what must be within saying Loe here is Christ and loe there is his Kingdom may be both deceivers and deceived themselves for the present Herein thou condemnest thy Brethren Reply to be deceivers and deceived who are set up unpheld and maintained by the same earthly power as thou art who are such as cry all lo here and loe there without and wholly draw the peoples mindes without from the light within them that should lead them to the knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom incensing them that it is natural and insufficient and though thou dost here profess to the contrary yet art out of thy own mouth judged to be out of the state of salvation who only professest Christ within yet art found as deep in sin and deceipt and as void of Christ or his Light as the rest of thy Brethren who art doting without as before out of thy mouth is sufficiently proved and so thy selfe art the greatest deceiver only the Serpents subtlety more resined but that thou accusest us that we cry loe here amongst the people called Quakers Christ a lone is to be found Thou art a lier and speakest not from an infallible spinit but from a lying spirit which many can witness against yet they that are of God heare as he that can receive it let him Whether they be not out of the faith of Christ Que. 32. that receive honour or respect persons And in thy Answer thou sayst men may receive honour and yet be in the faith of Christ which to prove P. Answ thou quotest Phil. 2.19 20.2 Cor. 6.16 17.1 Cor. 11.1 2 3.2 Cor. 8.23 and many other which doth not at all concerne the matter of my Query yea thou sayst men may respect persons and be in the faith which to prove thou quotest Act. 26.25 2 Kings 3.14 Psal 15.4 but thou confessest it is a great hinderance to the faith and the believing in the true word for men to seek the honour of men more then the honour that comes from God John 5.44 And thou sayst it is also a blot and blemish to the true Believers to respect the ungodly that are great and rich in this world before the true Saints that are poor yea thou sayst it is a plain deniall of the faith and a good conscience also to respect persons in doing of justice whether for favour or reward Exod. 23.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. All these Scriptures which thou hast here quoted Reply doth not at all justifie the earthly honour which you earthly ones give and receive one of another neither was these things written to the world as thou makes use of them neither did those whom the Apostle speaks of seek after or receive earthly honour as you do who are called of men Master who are set up in the chief seats of the Synagogues and love greetings in the markets and uppermost Rooms at feasts and all
the earthly honour as may be all which Christ declared against to the Pharisees and judged them to be in the unbelief in whose steps ye are found and therefore in the unbelief also neither doth any such earthly honour belong to any vertue or grace John 5.4 42 43 44 Act. 26.31 32. Ast. 24.5 Act. 22.22 for Christ hath declared against it but they that honour God them will God honour neither doth any of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted justifie the respect of persons which the Apostle declared against in James 2. neither did Paul respect the person of Festus when he called him Noble Festus for in that he did not adore his person nor bow to nor worship it but Festus did that which was noble towards Paul and judged him not worthy to suffer bonds according to their Law which few of the Rulers of these dayes will do but rather will wrest and pervert their Law to their own wills to persecute those that now are in Pauls condition and guided by Pauls spirit and such they now call pestilent fellows and raisers of sedition and adjudge them not worthy to live amongst men though they have nothing more against them than the Heathen had against Paul and notwithstanding all this doth not justifie your adoring worshipping and respecting mens person having them in admiration for advantage sake yea though wicked corrupt men though you do not see it because the gift blindes your eye for they that are proud and persecuters are wicked and corrupt and by such you are set up upheld and maintained and therefore adore and worship their persons having them in admiration because of this advantage but the poor Saints are both by you and them persecuted and despised and you joyn together against them because they cannot worship the Beast and his Image as you do Rev. 13.8 and thus out of thy own mouth art thou judged and that Scripture which thou quotest in James 2. will witness against thee and that also in Exod. 23. for it is well known that you professed Ministers have been the greatest actors ever in stirring up the Rulers to persecute the innocent yea any in whom the appearance of God was manifested in testimony against your deceitful wayes and the Rulers through favour and respect to you have and do act in their corrupt wills contrary to all Law or equity against such and have oppressed the strangers as Vagabonds and idle fellows though the Law of the Nation allow them liberty being free-born in it which to this day is witnessed in divers places of the Nation which that of God in your Consciences will also witnes such as those deserves neither honor nor respect but must perish in their iniquity but in thou accused us to deny deserved honour and respect to be lawful is a very falshood for we honour and respect Justice grace ertue and all goodnesse in our hearts but you that are blind put injustice for justice and evill for good and turn the grace of God into laciviousness Isa 5.20 Qu. 33. Jude 4. Wilt thou own trembling and quaking now yea on nay And in thy Answer P. Ans thou seems to own it in words also stealing others expressions out of the Scripture to answer my Query but thy life doth not steal it neither dost thou own it where it is witnessed but makes a scoffe at it as before is proved and thy ignorance of the same may easily be discerned in this thy Answer by any who have tasted of the power of God who are come to the earths trembling and quaking and whereas thou denies to tremble and shake as John Gilpin and others did comparing them with the man possessed with the unclean spirit in Mark 9.20 and to be a Quaker alwayes thou deniest Thou never wast a true Quaker yet Reply as may easily be discerned by this thy discourse of it who judgest by Reports and compares the power of God unto an unclean spirit which power made the Devills to tremble in John Gilpin unto which thou art not yet come though John Gilpin from that departed and followed the deceipt and so was led into deep deceipt and Imitation and so gave occasion to such as thee who wait for occasion to blaspheme the truth and speak evil of the things thou knowest nothing of but by Reports which if the true fear of God was in thy heart placed thou durst not do therefore thou and John Gilpin shall receive your reward where thou shalt quake for ever if thou dost not speedily repent and own the truth which in thy conscience is witnessed but those others of ours whom thou accusest thou dost not nominate and therefore accusest thou knowest not who but any such foaming at the mouth and the like which thou here speaks of we do deny and returns it into thy own bosom who art foaming out thy own shame What is the pure Religion and whether in it thou dwellest 34. Qu. And in thy Answer thou hast nothing to say P. Ans but what thou stealest out of the Scripture from their experience who spoke it forth and thou quotest that in James 1.27 which saith the pure Religion and undefiled before God is this to visit the Widdows and fatherless in their affliction and to keep themselves unspotted of the world and thou also quotest that in Mat. 23.33.38.39 40. and saith It is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts minde and might and our Neighbour as our selves and in this Religion thou sayst thou desirest to dwell and walk and remain for ever without being shaken But thou must be much shaken before thou comest into this Religion for thou hast not yet proved Reply that thou art yet in it but these Scriptures which thou hast here quoted will witness against thee to be a stranger to it though it is an easie thing for to set down others Declarations when they are before thee but how dost thou keep thy selfe unspotted of the world when as thou art drowned in and art so greedy of it that thou carest not how thou gettest it so thou gettest it as before is sufficiently proved out of thy own mouth and hast been all along labouring contrary to Scripture to justifie thy taking of gifts and Rewards of the world and how dost thou visit the Widdows and fatherless unless it be for thy Tithes or that they have to maintain thee and so rather to add affliction upon them or what dost thou do in this kinde but thou hast a selfe-end in it let that in thy Conscience judge thee and if thou didst love the Lord God with all thy heart thou wouldst not have thy heart so in the earth thus to delude and deceive peoples souls for gain and lucre and to take away the fruits of their labours by compulsion if they will not give it thee though thou dost nothing for them as before is proved against thee to thy shame and
as well as of the rich and thou quotest Mark 7.21.22 23. The Scripture which thou hast quoted Answ doth answer thy Question where pride lieth but Apparel is a dead thing and no pride in it but the vanity and wastfulness which thou confessest is committed therein figures forth the pride of the heart and where riches is this is showne therefore you Priests look at home and judge your selves though poor and rich be both in one nature before the Regeneration Eph. 2 3. Whether one of the greatest things that puffs up the hearts of men be not knowledge Qu 34. whether it be true or false and imagined only and thou quotest 1 Cor. 8.1 2. You that are carnall and fleshly Ans are puffed up with your fleshly notionall knowledge and in that yo usteal from others experiences but the true knowledge of the spirit puffs not up but judges down that which would be exalted but this unto thee is a mystery because thy knowledge hath blinded thy eye who art confused in thine Imaginations so read thy selfe in the Scripture aforesaid which thou hast quoted Whether another thing that exalts a man in pride Qu 35. and makes him despise his Brethren and perhaps those that are better then himself be not a Conceited selfe-chosen holiness seeing such a proud Saint is brought in Isay 65.5 which thing also thou sayst is verified in the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18.15 Thou hast here answered thy selfe with these Scriptures wherein thou mayst read thy selfe Answ who thinkest thy selfe more holy then thy Brethren and would only answer for thy selfe and not for thy Brethren though thou art found in the same practices but thou blinde Pharisee he was not a Saint which was spoken of in Isay 65.5 but he was a Saint which said We are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and here also thy 36. Question is answered with the Scripture which thou hast quoted 1 Tim. 3.6 who art a false Teacher doting about Questions And here thou askest whether a young man be not the pronest of all other Que. 31. to be thus seduced and puffed up and thou quotest 1 Tim. 3.6 Thy spite is much against youth but him thou shootes at Ans thou canst not hit because thou art blinde and canst not divide the word aright but thou mayst plainly have readthy selfe in that Chapter aforesaid and finde that thou art the novice who knowes not the truth but despisest the young man because of his youth which is contrary to Paul 1 Tim. 4.12 And thy next is to maintain Swearing And thy first Query of this is whether it be lawfull now Qu. 31. in the new Testament to take an Oath before lawful Authority to put an end to controversies and thou quotest Heb. 6.16 This which thou goest about now to uphold manifests thee an enemy to Christ and his Doctrine Ans who saith Swear not at all for saith he it hath been said in the old time thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oath but I say unto you Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay be nay for what is more is evill now here he doth not only forbid false swearing but also all swearing Mat. 5.33.34 c. and also the Apostle James doth the same in James 5.12 both which Scriptures thou hast quoted in thy 39. Query and so here out of the Doctrine of Christ again thou art found in the evill and all you that cannot believe one another without swearing and so are more then yea and nay and what is more is evill saith Christ now read your condemnation and as for that in Heb. 6. there the Apostle was speaking by way of comparison how the Lord made a Covenant and confirmed it with an oath which is Christ Jesus the everlasting Oath who saith swear not at all and the Apostle brought a comparison from men in strife and controversie but this doth not at all maintain swearing now for strife and controversie is out of the Doctrine of Christ and such runs into the swearing and into the evill amongst whom thou art found upholding the evill and opposing Christs Doctrine and so art found in the condemnation of the Devil James 5.12 this was not the Saints practise for in the new Covenant neither strife nor swearer is and thus you leaders cause men to erre by upholding that which Christ is against here thy 39. Query is answered Here thou askest whether Paul himself did not swear Que. 40. in these words 2. Cor. 11.10 as the truth of Christ is in me c. Oh thou enemy of truth that would heare scandall and accuse Paul for swearing that so thou might uphold swearing but by what doth he here swear this is plain Language And thy next is concerning outward materiall Churches and the publick exercises therein Most of these Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 17th Query Answ wherein I have declared why I object against your Steeple-houses which thou callest Churches Here thou askest if such meetings may not be mixt Assemblies Qu. 44. of learned unlearned of believers and unbelievers and thou quotes 1 Cor. 14.23 But the un-believers are not owned by the believers Answ though he come amongst the believers as in 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17 18. then the Ministers are far off being maintained by unbelievers as thou art for though thou confessest the greatest part are earthly minded and worldly minded thou yet art maintained by them and I am sure they that come into the true faith which purifieth the heart come out from amongst you so that you are not much mixed for you are all one nature like Priest like people And in thy 47. 48. Query thou askest if Christ and his Apostles did not frequent the Synagogues Yea they did Answ and so do we your Idoll-Temples but therein the Jews will condemn you who suffered them to speak as in that Scripture which thou hast quoted in Acts 13 14 15. which shall stand and witness against you who will not suffer us to speak in your Steeple-houses but suffers your flocks to hale us forth and fall upon us like Wolves and your Magistrates to hale us to prison therefore read your condemnation you persecuters and thy 49. Query is answered already with the other aforesaid Here thou askest Qu. 50. if the Prophet did not complain to God against the profaners and destroyers of the Synagogues in Psal 74.4 5 6 7. This Scripture which thou hast quoted doth answer thee but it doth not uphold your Idolls Temples Answ who worship you know not what wherein you teach for Doctrine the traditions of men and there are found in the steps of the Pharisees offering up your abominations as Christ marked you out in Mat. 6.5 where he meant as he spoke and all you do
calls his fellows can discerne in thee though thou art blind and cannot them see What Scripture hast thou for sprinkling Infants with water on their faces Que. 21 and whether all are Christians and in the faith of Christ that are so done by or what doth it profit And in thy answer P. Ans the deceipt of thy heart thou utters so that the simple may easily discerne the folly and also see how thou and the rest of thy bretheren have deluded and bewitched the Nation for thou say'st thou holdes not the Baptism of infants absolutely necessary but lawfull only and to prove the lawfulnesse of it thou say'st it is sufficient that thou hast no command in the Scripture against the sprinkling of infants in the face with baptismal water but thou say'st thou hast the commandement of Governours thou art commanded to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Here the people now may see how they have been long deluded for thy own mouth utters it Reply for whenas many of the people of this Nation who follow you blind guides have perswaded themselves through your evill incensing and leavening of their minds to this day this to be absolutely necessary to salvation and that their Children could not be saved if they died without it and now thou comes to the Triall to prove it thou confessest it is not necessary but lawfull onely and that is because there is no command of God against it thou say'st neither a command for it but by man and thus you have long deluded the nations with your own Inventions for the which you have no Scripture then how is it your rule here you run besides your rule teaching for doctrine the commandements and traditions of men which the Scripture is against and therefore against infants baptism Math. 15.9 Col. 2.22.23 which by thy own confession is but an ordinance of man Here thy 53. Que. is answered but God is to be obeyed rather then man and you do it not for the Lords sake but for to please man for the Lord doth not require it at your hands and now all the ignorant people who have beene in this bewitched by you may see your blindnesse who have long made them believe that it was an ordinance of Christ that their Children should be sprinkled and one of the points of salvation as you call them and now nothing but an ordinance of man which will not stand for thee neither for in that thou liest also to say it is the commandements of thy governours for in that they leave every one to the liberty of their consciences and all lawes and ordinances afore time to the contrary are made by this nul and voyd and now doth the Holy-Ghost teach thee to lie oh thou lier and blasphemer of the holy-Ghost who said that usually thou speakest by the motion of the Holy-Ghost and now art taken in a lie oh Satan is high in thee and thy wickednesse is great and which dost thou call thy baptismall water this also is the deceipt of thy heart and that which is not of saith is sin Rom. 14.2 therefore infants baptism for you say your faith is grounded upon Scripture then where is your Scripture for infants baptism and thus out of the doctrine of Christ you are found acting and doing your own workes and therfore the rest of thy pretended answer I shall leave to the impartiall reader to judge of wherein thou hast much manifested thy ignorance and bindnesse and in vaine hast thou quoted any Scripture for if any of it would stand for infants baptism then it would be necessary which thou confessest it is not and therefore thou Serpent why wrestest thou the Scripture thus to uphold that which is not necessary and where as thou speakest of the promises made in the seed but that seed is not the seed of the Serpent which rules in all you Children of disobedience therefore what hast thou to do with the promises and where dost thou prove that infants baptism is the seal of the covenant or the badge of the Kingdom as thou termest it but thou liar read what the seal is in Eph. 1.13 and with that stop thy mouth And whereas thou speakest of Christs calling little Children Here thy 54 and 55. Qu. is Ans John 4.2 Eph. 2.3 John 3.3 what of that Christ baptised none therefore silence babler And how are your Children sanctifyed from the wombe as thou say'st John was when as all are by Nature the Children of wrath and except they be borne againe they cannot enter and therefore thou manifests that your Church is made up of unregenerate persons into which thou saist they are admitted by water and 20 or 30 yeares after they are thus baptised you preach repentance to them and this is the cause why the professors therein are earthly minded as thou complainest and therefore no Christian parents but blind carnall creatures who thinks it profits their Children to be admitted into such a Church and as the Children grow up they show what seal you have given them which is more like the marke of the beast then the seal of the covenant and therefore your prayers which thou talkest of are an abomination and availeth not and thus hast thou foamed out thy shame and folly to the sight of all but those who are blind and love to have it so for here is one of the maine points of your religion proved a meere delusion Qu. 22. P. Ans What is the estate and condition of a Christian And in thy Answer thou hast stolen the Apostles words which he speaks concerning this matter and says There are three ages steps and degrees of Christianity And the first Age step and Degree thou confessest is in Christ and begotten of the Father in the hatred of sin and love of righteousness and by him brought to the knowledge of Redemption from all iniquity and Renovation in all righteousness Here thou hast destroyed the whole faith of your visible Church for they generally believe Reply that they shall never be wholly set free from all iniquity nor be perfect in righteousness while they are upon the earth and if this be the lowest estate of Christianity to be in Christ and redeemed from all iniquity and begotten by the Father and renewed in all righteousness which is perfection in righteousness then by thy own confession none of them are Christians neither thou who art a teacher of them for thou hast been openly found in sin and iniquity as in lying covetousness lightness scornfulness oppression and deceipt as before is proved and now thou art again found a lier in saying that we know not the first estate of a Christian from the last but we are able to discern thee yet uncome to the first and therefore far off the last although in years an old man yet a Child can tell thee thy confusion therefore stop thy mouth thou