also Dan. 5 you may read of the Hand-Writing that appeared at Belshazer's impious Feast who beholding it his Countenance was changed and he cryed out for the Astrologers Magicians and Wise Men here it failed also When Christ Jesus was born of Mary the Scribes the Pharisees the High Priests with all their Schollarships could not find out that he was the Saviour but took him for a most wicked Impostor How â—ame it then that they could not find it out seeing that they had the Scriptures that fore-told his coming nay instead of knowing him by their Hebrew Greek and Latin they persecuted him and put him to the most shameful Death however many poor illiterate Mechanicks had him revealed unto them I might bring many Scripture-Testimonies more to my Defence but at present do content my self with these not doubting but such Hoops as these will make my Vessel hold Water these following may be used also if need be Bishop Jewel in his Book against Papists writ about a hundred years ago said thus The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit Bishop â—ewel against Hard. p. 532.534 nor to abundance of Learning oft-times the Unlearned see that which the Learned cannot see therefore Epiphanius saith Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and clear Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without special Revelation without the special Help and Prompting of God's holy Spirit the Word of God is to the Reader be he never so wise and learned but as the Vision of a fealed Book William Dell It is only the INSPIRATION of GOD that enables a Man to know the Things of God William Dell confut Sims p. 114 115 116 117. and not man's Study and human Learning Dr. Barns Martyr Burnt for his Faith in King Henry the eighth's dayes saith That Man's Will Reason Wisdom Heart Soul or Whatsoever thing is in man without the Spirit of God is but the Wisdom of the Flesh Zwinglius The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very same Spirit by which they were writ Tom 3. fol. 160. Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us That the Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for the understanding of the Scriptures Peter Mart. ch 6. and that thereby we must discern between the Words of Christ and the Words of a Stranger Erasmus What 's set forth by man's Device may be received by Man's Wit Eras on 1 Pet. 1.19 ibid. or 1 Cor. 2. but the Thing that 's set forth by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit Thus Reader thou may'st see who abuses the first Reformers my Adversary or I yet he calls himself a Protestant but if he be he is very much apostatized from the first reformed ones and for my part I am a Protestant in this Case with the afore-said good men And whereas in my Book I did give my Testimony That none could understand the Mysteries of God's Kingdom by Human Learning Arts or Sciences and he hath said nothing to invalid my Assertion yet I did not say there nor was it ever in my Heart that Schollarship was not good in its place viz. to translate any History out of one Language to another as Hebrew to Greek Greek to Latin Latin to English English to Welch or Welch to English c. in these and in Commerce with men by them that travel into strange Countries and for trading with them it s of excellent use But let a man be Master of never so many Languages he cannot by them know the true Meaning of the Parable which Christ spoke The Kingdom of God may be compared to a Mustard seed and whoever say they can they are in their own Eyes wise but when they come to the Tryal they will find it deceitful as well as Pilate and the Jews and many others did And John in his Revelations gives in his Judgment in this Case he says The Whore sits upon the Waters and he says The Waters are Tongues Languages and Peoples But may some say Who is that Whore he there speaks of It s plain that a Whore is one that is Adulterated from her Husband and Christ Jesus is the Husband of the true Spouse his Church but many who have laid Claim to him for their Husband have adulterated from him in their Lives and Conversations and this is that Whore which would make People believe she is an Honest Wife she gets the Tongues and Languages and Peoples and upon these as John saith she sits as a Queen and the Cry now is to all Come out of her my People partake not of her Sins lest ye partake of her Plagues Pilate and the Jews who put Christ to Death had Hebrew Greek and Latin for Pilat wrote a Superscription in Hebrew Greek and Latin and set over Christ's Head when he was Crucified and the Jews read it and yet by these Tongues they knew not Christ CHAP. IV. Of his Reflection on me calling me COOPER c. IN this he spits his Malice at me as much as in any and indeed his Book savours of little else and in this he thought to Character to Disgrace by Reflecting upon my small Original but I am quite of another mind for if this would be so to me it would certainly be of much more to very many that I could name were it not lest any should think I did reflect on them who are now Persons of known Repute and Honour in the World who had smaller Beginnings than my self I could bring the Libeller under this Odium also if he thinks it be any if he be the Man he is said to be but Revenge is none of my Way therefore will at present reply to him of this Matter He 's fitter to Plant Tobacco or at bâ—st to mind hiâ— Ax and Saw Libeller pag. 20. the Joynter and the Adz alias Neddâ— the Criste and the Head-Knife c. Rep. It s known to many now living in this my Native Country wherein I live and it being also near the place where I was Born that my genious from a Child did lead me to Surgery insomuch that before I was Ten Years old I several times over-ran my School and Home when I heard of any ones being wounded or hurt used all my endeavours then to see Fractures and Dislocations reduc'd and Wounds dressed and have been so long missing that my Parents thought they had lost me for which I underwent severe Correction and the troublesome Times being then my Parents sustained great Plunder and my Father dyed before I was Eleaven Years old and my Mother not being then able to produce so great a Sum of Money as to set me to Chyrurgery I betook my self to this honest necessary Calling he upbraids me with with several other things that in those dayes pleased my mind yet during all
Wicklffiians Bohemians and Waldences the first reformed Protestants gave their positive Testimony against Tythes as may be found in the Marginal Histories An Estate in Tythes was as truly and justly the Right and Property of every Incombant Canonically ordained instituted and inducted Libeller p. 26. as any thing an Honest Man can call his all which the holy Apostle justifies in 1 Cor. 6.11 12 14. Have not we says he power to forbear working And if we have sown to you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your Carnal things Rep. What the Apostle sayes here agrees well with what Christ said when he sent forth his Disciples to Preach the Gospel Match 10. where he bid them make no Provision for their Journey freely ye have received freely give the work-man is worthy of his Meat Luke 10.7 8. Eat such things as are set before you In all this Commission here 's not one word of taking the Peoples Tythes but to eat what was set before them to this doth well agree what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4. Have we not power to Eat He did not say he had Power to take Tythe nor justifie it as the Libeller saith he did and it s no wonder that he will belye me when he dare be so bold with the Apostle The Apostle only there informs the Corinthians what Power they had That they that plant a Vineyard may eat of the Fruit thereof or gathers a Flock may eat of the Milk of it he doth not say they had Power to eat of a Vineyard they had not Planted nor eat the Milk of a Flock they had not gathered much less take away the Tenth of their Labours nor did he say they had as much Right and Property to them as any honest man hath in any thing he hath Nay the Apostle yet further acquits himself of the Libellers charge for in the 12th and 15th Verses he saith If others be partakers of this Power are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this Power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ Again But I have used none of these things neither have I written these things that it should be done unto me for it were better for me to dye than any Man should make my glorying void Again the 18th Verse What is my reward then verily that I Preach the Gospel I make the Gospel of Christ without Charge By this any honest Man may see that my Adversary chose a wrong Pattern to take his measure by Pope Innocent the Third did far better suit his purpose for Paul did not lay any claim to Tythes neither doth he say he had any Right to them but on the contrary Heb. 7. he said The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law To conclude this Chapter I have this to add that I have been a Sufferer in this matter of Tythes in Olivers dayes and all along ever since I have had them carried away Yearly and though he sayes all my Artillary is against them whom he sayes serves at Gods Altar and all my grumbling is against Tythes yet all this while I have not nor ever shall use any Artillary against them but my down-right Testimony that to give Tythes or take them is an Antichristian practice yet I with several Thousands of my dear Friends in England and Wales do patiently suffer when they are forceably taken away from us and it s my Faith in God and not mine only but the Faith of Thousands that God will in his due time remove this great Oppression and will daily more and more send forth faithful Labourers into his Work those who will be content with such Maintenance as Jesus Christ hath appointed for them whose glorying in him shall be that they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge CHAP. III. Of SCOLLARSHIP ABout which he vapours with such vehemency that he may be compared to Goliah of Gath who had a Helmet of Brass upon his Head and Coat of Male Sword and Spear with which he disdained the Shepherd's Boy with his Sling and Stone however since with his Latin and Greek he hath disdained me and defied the Host of the living God this day I will in the Name of the living God withstand him with my disdained Sling and smooth Stone which I have found in the Brook of God Libeller I do verily believe he knows not the meaning of Beatus qui protelabitur adding a Phrase in Greek adding more That neither I nor any Quaker living can tell the true meaning thereof Rep. Behold Reader how he vapours Goliah-like with his Latin and Greek saying No Quaker living can tell the true intent and meaning thereof Doth he not in this seek to limit the great God of Heaven and Earth Psalm 25.14 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Mark this man of God makes no Respect of Persons nor doth he limit God either to Mens Wisdom or Schollarship Luke 8.10 Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of God's Kingdom but to others in Parables Mark the Mysteries of God's Kingdom were revealed to these poor Mechanick Men but were hid from Herod and Pilate and the Chief Priest with all their Hebrew Greek and Latin 1 Cor. 1.21 The World by Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Mark people how Christ and the holy men of God tell you that its the Spirit of God that must make you knowing in the things of God 1 Cor. 1.27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of this World to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought the things that are that no flesh should glory in his Presence If so why was this man so vain in his Imagination that neither I nor no Quaker living could tell the meaning of those Scripture words he mentions however if he remain in the same belief all his dayes that neither I nor no Quaker living can tell the meanâ—ng thereof I can tell him also that neither he nor any of the wisest men in the World with all their Wisdom and Schollarship can tell the meaning of them for they are the things of God and none can know them but by the Spirit of God I will subjoyn some few Testimonies for confirmation of my Judgement in this Point the first is that of Pharaoh's Dreams Gen. 41. all his Magicians Wise Men and Schollars failed and poor Mechanick Joseph by the Spirit of God made it known Dan. 4.7 You may read there how the King made a large Tryal of all the Schollars and Wise Mâ—â— of Babylon but there it failed
Fishing-trade and call them Lay-Preachers and scoff at their Fisher's Coats especially knowing them to be illiterate men did not the great Schollars who had the Hebrew Greek and Latin in those days in Derision call Christ a Carpenter's Son and Blasphemer and Devil thus their Tongues and Languages deceived them for they knew him not with all these Tongues Acts 18.3 Were not Paul and Pricilla and Aquilla Tent makers and were not these true Preachers sure they were So all people that are spiritually awakened may see how that God in the time of the Prophets and Apostles made choice of Lay-men as my Adversary hiâ— stile is to be his Ministâ—rs but it may be the Libeller thinks that now the Case is alter'd and that God hath changed his mind from Lay-men to Schollars only if not why are Lay-men excluded now adays is noâ— thiâ— to limit the Holy One of Israel who will not be limitted but is now risen in his Power in a poor and despised Remnant to whom he hath made known a heavenly Principle wâ—â—ch is the Spirit and Light of Christ Jesus God's Anointed the Second Adam who is made a Quickening Spirit as saith the Apostle in man and thiâ— was it I bore Testimony to in my Book and it s not fe lo de se to deny all outward Teaching in the days of the Gospel that springs not from Christ Jesus the Anointed of God who is enjoyed within by the true Christians in this Age as was by such in former Ages Glory to the Lord God for the same Christ saith God is a Spirit and they who VVorship him they must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth And this spirit is the true Teacher which we have believed in this is he whom God hath anointed to preach good Tidings to the Poor even Christ Jesus in his Children this is he whom God has sent to bind up the broken-hearted and to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to those that are bound and to proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Day of the Vengeance of our God to all that oppose the Appearance of his Son yea and to comfort all that truly mourn for Sin yea and to appoint to all that mourn in Sion to give to them Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of Joy for mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness that they may be called Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord. The Conclusion to the Welch Y cymry anwyl cynor yr apostol oedd at bawb yddynt brofiâ—pob peth a glynu wrth y peth sydda ag nid wgf yn disyfy dim yngwaneg genych agos gwnei di velly yn dy gydwybod a cymo anwyl a cei di wir far no ba wreiddin y doeth lythur ar atebwr T. W. An Epistle to my dear Friends the People in Derision called Quakers MY Everlâ—stingly Endeared and Beloved Friends my Soul in a deep sense of the great Love of God and of the Mercy of the meek and lowly Jesus doth dearly salute you all heartily desiring that both you and I may spend all the little remainder of our time with bowed down Souls in holy Obedience to the holy Precepâ—s of the Immaculate Lamb who lives forever who is now risen in Power and great Glory and hath revealed his own everlasting Arm of Power to lead us out of Captivity and Bondage and hath given every one of us in measure of his blessed eternal Spirit to be our Guide and Conducter to that blessed Inheritance prepared for us before the World began Therefore my dear Friends wait diligently and give Obedience to the pure and holy Motions of the divine Light Life Power Spirit of God and Christ in you for the Testimony of Jesus is upon record Rom. 8.14 that they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God And I desire all the Young-convinced who have not yet known what it is to wade through the many Tribulâ—tions Not to be daunted with the Vapours of any Goliah or Envious Enemy and let none in the least think much at this kind of Treatment which I and my dear Brethren have met with from this and many other Angry Adversaries but keep your Eye to Christ Jesus who is our Patern who said Learn of me for I am meek lowly in Heart And forever blessed be his Name I can in truth bear this Testimony That I have learnt to forgive Enemies to bless them that curse me and to pray for them that despightfully use me and persecute me And although the Libeller hath employed his learning his wit and parts most horridly and despightfully to abuse you above most that ever I read yet do I from my Heart desire the Lord if it be his Will to forgive him and though I have resented his ill behaviour to me and you and the blessed Truch with just Rebuke and must do yet again if the Lord will if Cause be given yet it is in the Love of God and in the innocent Nature of his Son And dear Friends It s the desire of my Soul that every one of you may be true Witnesses that this Love of God do always predominate in your hearts towards your Enemies for nothing hath happened to us but what hath abundantly more happened to our Lord himself For his Visage was marred more than any man's and his Form more than the Sons of men he hath no Form nor Comliness in him he was despised and rejected of men a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastizement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes were we healed all we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own Way and the Lord laid on him the Iniquity of us all he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth he was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb so he opened not his Mouth he was taken from Prison and from Judgment who shall declare his Generation he was cut off out of the Land of the Living and for our Transgression was he stricken Oh! dear Friends how can we but be overcome with such Love as this for it hath none to compare to it Oh that it may be imprinted in every one of our Hearts with so large a Character that our great Enemies may be perswaded that the Love of God dwells abundantly in our Hearts both towards Priests and People Professors and Prophane and that which we desire for them is that they also may partake of the same Love of God which Love will destroy Enmity and Discord and take away the ground of war and strife yea the very ground of all plotting contriving hurt to any either high or low and this dear Friends I know you have
you may be tryed and ye shall have Tribulation ten days be thou Faithful unto Death I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 As concerning the Wicked the Apostâ—e saith There is NO FEAR of God before their Eyes Rom. 3.18 Psalm 36.1 Again And unâ—o Man he said Behold the FEAR of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Vnderstanding Job 28 28. Again The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Psal 111.10 Again The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge but Fools despise Wisdom and Instruction Prov. 1.7 Again speaking of the Wicked he saith They hated Knowledge and did NOT chuse the FEAR of the Lord they would none of my Counsel they would none of my Reproof therefore shall they eat of their own Way and be filled with their own Devices for the turning away of the Simple or Ignorant shall slay them and the prosperity of Fools shall destroy them but whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of Evil verse the 29th to the end Here God speaking by Solomon saith The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge vers 7. and in vers 29. he complaineth of the wicked saying They hated Knowledge and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord. Therefore Misery and Destruction came upon them but saith God Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of Evil. So those who chuse Gods Fear and take his Counsel are kept by his mighty Power in that which is well pleasing to him and such are not terrified with the fear of Evil for they know God to be their Keeper who keeps them out of the Evil that is in the World and from the wrath and punishment which he will bring upon the Wicked who chuse not his sear nor take his counsel who saith Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Here God distinguisheth betwixt Godly Fear which the Godly do stedfastly abide in and the fear of Evil which brings Torment upon the Ungodly Again The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life to depart out of the Snares of Death Prov. 14.27 Again By the Fear of the Lord men depart from Evil Chap. 16.6 Again Better is a little with the Fear of the Lord than great Treasure and Trouble therewith Chap. 15.16 The Apostle Peter exhorted the Saints saying Fear God 1 Pet. 2.17 Again the Angel that preached the everlasting Gospel saith Fear God and give Glory to him Rev. 14.7 Many more Scripture-Testimonies might be brought to confirm this great Truth viz. that Godly Fear is to be continued in by Godly Men and Women unto the end of their dayes upon Earth but what I have already written doth sufficiently confute the Ranting Doctrines and Notions of this prophane Scribler And though I dearly own the Testimony of the holy Scriptures and therefore bring them for the confirmation of this great Truth yet that in which my greatest assurance lies is the living experience that I have had through many Years exercise of the excellency and preciousness of Godly Fear or the holy Fear of God my Heart and Soul is deeply affected therewith because of the preciousness and excellency thereof therefore I commend it unto all People as that which is indispensably needful to be come into and kept in without which no Man or Woman can come to Peace and Rest with God And I tenderly exhort and warn the Sons and Daughters of men to chuse the Fear of the Lord God in whose hand their Life is and to flee from all Ranting Atheistical Books Doctrines Principles and Practices which would keep them out of or lead them out of Godly Fear or the holy Fear of God and every one apply your Hearts to the Spirit of Truth which God hath sent which shews you what is good and what is evil believe in that and attend upon it and be careful to keep out of that which you know to be Evil and let your care be to obey God in what you know to be your duty and as you are obedient to him in what he has made known unto you to be your duty that which is further needful for you to know which you yet know not God will freely make it known unto you That which is and hath been the hurt of many is their hunting after the Knowledge of the Secrets and Mysteries of God in their SELF-WILL while they have neglected to obey God in that they already knew and by this means many have hunted themselves into Ranterism and Atheism which is lamentable to behold at this Day Others there are who desire not to know any thing but the following the foolish fleshly Lusts and vile Affections which War against their Souls who giving up themselves thereto and pursuing the same with a greedy Appetite become swallowed up therein and drowned in Perdition or Destruction thereby as the holy Apostles have testified see 1 Tim. 6.9 and 1 Pet. 2.11 The Apostle saith The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Vnjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished but chiefly them that walk after the Flesh in the Lust of Vncleanness and despise Government presumptuous are they SELF-WILLED c. Such speak Evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly Perish in their own Corruption having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from Sin beguling unstable Souls an Heart they have exercised with Covetous Practices cursed Children which have for saken the right Way these are Wells without Water Clouds that are carried with a Tempest to whom the Mist of Darkness is reserved forever For when they speak great swelling Words of Vanity they allure through the Lusts of the Flesh through much Wantonness those that were CLEAN ESCAPED from them who live in Error while they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption c. see 2 Pet. 2. verse 9 10 12 13 14 15. to the end read the Chapter through Again the Apostle saith This second Epistle Beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance that ye may be mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the COMMANDMENT of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour knowing this first that there shall come in the last dayes Scoffers walking after their own Lust c. Chap. 3. Verse 1 2 3. Again Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World and the World passeth away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth forever 1 John 2.15 16 17. Jude the Servant of