death Rom. 7. 23. 24. And shall sinfull man be equall with God he whose righteousnesse is but raggs drosse and dung whose goodlinesse but as the Flower of the Field Isay 64. 6. Phil. 3. 7. 8. Isay 40. 7. Whose Breath is in his Nostrils Psal. 144. 4. Whose station is lower then the Angels Psal. 8. and the best of whom is so farre from being just with God as that he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2. 3. If they affirme he is so from some worke of conversion since he was Borne 1. Then the worke of conversion is to make new gods 2. And growth in Grace shall be the growing of God and so God shall be lesse or more God according to the different degrees of Grace on the soule But the Blasphemy is so horrid that to name it is enough to make true Saints loathe it and abhorre this pretence of Naylers to an holinesse justice and goodnesse equall unto Gods As for the other Attributes powerfull omni present c. we send them to Gods Challenge of Iob. in Iob 38. Where wast thou when I layd the Foundations of the Earth ver. 4. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades and loose the bands of Orion Canst thou bring forth Mazaâ—â—th in his season Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes ver. 20 31. to chap. 40. 9. Hast thou an Arme like God Canst thou Thunder with a voyce like him 4. If equall then the same God or another other there can be none but he that was before all time T is a contradiction if another so many Saints so many Gods if he be the same then God wanted something of his infinite perfection which he receiveth by Naylers being god c. These things we should not mention but that Saints might be warned of such devilish Doctrines the very smoake of the bottomelesse Pit Position 2. That there is no distinction of Persons in the God-head Proofe George Fox layes downe such a Principle as you may see in their Booke called Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 12. with other ascertions of the same kinde knowne to some of us Confut. We hope we need not say much to the confuting of so knowne an Heresie raked up out of the dust and which the Saints have ever loathed as pulling downe one great Pillar of their Faith the Personall Deity of Christ being the maine ground of the infinite value of his merits and the Personality of the Spirit being so fully evidenced by the Divine Attributes appropriated to him in Scripture But we referre you to these unanswerable Scriptures Heb 1. 3. Mat. 3. 16. 17. 1 Iohn 5. 7. Mat. â—8 19. Isay 6. 1. 3. compared with Iohn 12. 39. 40. 41. and Acts 28. 25 c. Position 3. That the soule is a part of the Divine Essence Proofe One of us W. C. had this positively asserted by Coll. Benson and Captaine Ward at Kendale and discoursed the controvercy with them Confut. Let the Christian Reader consider 1. That if this could be so then should the Essence of God be divided into so many finite beings or parcels as soules 2. Yea and by this Doctrine that Essence of God which is infinite in him should come to be finite when it becomes a soule in man The Heavens of Heavens are not able to contain him and the finitenesse of our created spirits who doth not know 3. How shall the All Creating Essence of God become a Creature and who understands not the Creation of soules Gen. 2. Heb. 12. 9. 4. If this be so then shall a part of God be sinfull which how blasphemous unlesse men most wretchedly dare deny that there is a sinfulnesse in any soule 5. And then shall God hate himselfe burne in wrath for ever against his owne Essence and it lye under damnation for evermore for so is the state of thousands of soules How horrible iâ— any of this to be ascerted of him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy Psal. 16. and that is God blessed for ever Rom 9 5. 6. Hereupon when Jesus Christ gave himself to death for the soules of men either he dyed for himselfe and for the Essence of God or else he dyed altogether in vaine What soule not grossely Apostatized dare vent such things Position 4 That Christ is in every man and in the reprobates he is held under corruption Proofe * One of us received this assertion from James Nayler in conference with him wherein he extended the in-dwellings of Christ to Indians that never heard the Gospel 2. Those whom they call Reprobates Devils they usually tell notwithstanding that they Crucifie Jesus Christ within them As is cleare in a Letter one of us hath Read from John Aâ—dland to Edward Brigs an holy humble Saint in Westmerland whom God was pleased to deliver out of their snares with which for some time he was entangled And in ordinary experience it is very much apparant Confutation 1. 1. If so then either Christ Personall or els he is in them by his Spirit we rather suppose they understand Christ Personall and our reason is because Mr. Higgison in his Booke pag. 5. which he offred the Supreame Power to make good in his Epistle affirmes it to be their Doctrine That Christ as Man dwells in them which is so grossely Blasphemous and horrid a contradiction to the Personall Ascention of Christ Acts 1. 9. and his sitting at his Fathers right hand till the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that it needs no further confutation If Christ dwels in every man by his Spirit Then 1. Are the fruits of the Spirit in all men Gal. 5. 22. the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meâ—knesse temperance Are these in Turks Indians Papists Drunkards whoremasters Atheists c. 2. Where the Spirit is it is a quickning Spirit Ephes. 2. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6 9. yee were such and such but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God but it is most apparent that there is no such quickning in all Nay the whole world lyes in wickednesse 1 John 5. 19. If they shall affirme as they have done that the Spirit of God is in such kept under by corruption then it is so either first for want of will in the Spirit of the living God to get the Mastery over sinne Or secondly for want of Power Not for want of will For the will of the Father Christ and Spirit are all one which will is To destroy the works of the Devill wheresoever the Spirit dwels 2 Cor 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty and so not kept under corruption For the Apostle comfortably concludes that sinne shall not have Dominion over those who are implanted into Christ because they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. Nor can he secondly be kept under for want of Power 1 John 4. 4. You overcome the World because
that of George Bateman to Mr. Ledgard pag. 25. 26. aâ— also their casting away their Bibles Wâ—â— Strickland told Mr. Archer If he had never Read the Bible it had been better for him How constantly doe the Scriptures passe under no better name from them then the Saints conditions Davids Moses Isays Pauls conditions and a declaration of the condition of them that spake them forth Confut. This Position is so grosse that we hope it will never sinke into any Christian heart but will be a confutation to it selfe in the thought of any sober minded Christian yet we shall propose these things 1. That when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets Samuel Isay Iâ—remiah c. it cannot be understood of the Word that was made Flesh the Lord Iesus but must necessarily signifie that minde or message of the Lord contained in those words or Scripture Writings as 1 Sam. 15. 10. Then came the Word of the Lord to Samuel saying It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Isay 38. 5. then came the Word of the Lord unto Isay saying Say to Hezekiah c. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares Ier. 14. 1. The Word of the Lord that came to the Prophet Ieremiah concerning the dearth Iudah mourneth and the gates thereof languish It s a grosse absurdity to say this word of the Lord was Christ and it is as much to say they were the experiences of those Prophets or their conditions but they were the word of the Lord by these Prophets spoken to the Persons therein concerned 2. As for the Phrase in the New Testament the Word of God it is cleare both Christ and the Apostles in their mention thereof doe understand that which they Spoke Preached or Wrote and not the Person of Christ of the Father or Spirit So Christ speaks to the Iews Marke 7. 13. making the word of God of none effect by their Traditions which word can be understood alone of that fifth Commandement ver. 10. Honour thy Father and Mother Luke 11. 28 Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keep it which plainely hints a word spoken written or engraven c. not the eternall word the Lord Iesus Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God where the word Preached or the Scriptures of the Apostles which we now have is plainely called the Word of God 3. As for those Writings of the Prophets and Apostles that they are the word given forth from the living God and of authenticall and undenyable authority over every conscience good and bad we could fill Pages with the proofes and evidence thereof but the Reader may observe we are speaking of the Scriptures in reference to these mens cavills and no further And so shall leaving so plaine so Funâ—mentali a Principle rather fall upon their owne notion of the word of God calling it A declaration of the conditions or experiencâ—â— of them that spoke them 1. This is fully to take away the very Foundation of the Faith of Saints which is onely built upon the authority of God not upon any experience of the best Saints or the declaration of it Luke 24 25. O fooles and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken where Faith is bottom'd upon Scripture authority as Acts 18. 28. Apollos mightily convinced the Jews shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus is the Christ Acts 28 23. Paul perswaded them concerning Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Propheâ—s Now be this Law and the Prophets what they will if they fall any thing lower then the truth and word of God they can be no bottome for the Faith of Saints and Paul takes a weake argument to convince them by And yet that those were not the conditions of those Prophets or the experience of things fulfilled in themselves is as cleare as the day to any not grossely ignorant and especially from 1 Pet. 1 10. 11. 12. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who propheâ—ied of the grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of time the shirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when iâ— testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have Preached the Gospel unto you And as in this its cleare that they spoke not forth their own conditions and experiences so also the Apostle sends the Saints to a word of Prophesie as a more sure foundation of Faith then the most glorious experience or enjoyment in the World 2 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. This is to make the Scripture lose his authority save onely when we experience it or where it is fulfilled in mens soules and so doth make voyd every command and Promise and all wicked men that can experience little of it shall be left excusable before God at the last day because not having the Scripture fulfilled in themselves according to the Quakers Doctrine it had no authority over them This is the most pleasant Doctrine for desperate Atheists that can be Whereas John 12 48. He that receiveth not my words hath them not fulfilled in him yet the words that I have spoken they shall â—udge him at the last day 3. This at once nulls and destroyes the Divine Authority of the whole Hystoricall and Propheticall Part of Scripture together with all the threatnings of Scripture of Hell and iudgement unlesse they say the Sainss have those threats of Hell fulfilled in themselves and that condition of Dives in Hell is the condition of Saints as also the promises therein of mercies yet to come their futurity denying their being the already experiences of the Saints 4 Consider what impossibilities contradictions falshood doth this woefull Doctrine bring upon most parts of Scripture wherein such things there spoken of were not could not be the conditions of either God that gave the Word or the Prophets and Apostles that Published it In the close of this consideration we disire to mind you of the reproachfull earmes this people every where give to the Written Word though the Spirit Rom. 15. saith These things were Written that we through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And the holy Ghost still referres to the Written Word Luke 20. 17. John 15. 25. Heb 10. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17 because it is Written Be yee holy as I am holy where the Spirit of God doth evidently put an authority upon the Written Word which is the same in signification and thing with the word Scriptures of which see how glorious things the holy Ghost reports thereof how sleightly soever the Quakers esteeme thereof 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to salvation All Scripture is given by inspiration from God and
they were How undeservedly we are called Anti-Christian upon this account upon such pittifull grounds as this we leave it the Reader to consider Charge 3. That they stand Praying in the Synagogues Confut. We suppose this their Charge is grounded upon Mat. 6. 5. Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to stand praying in their Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men First it is evident that the challenge of Christ there against hypocrites is for their performing their private duties in publique places that they may be seen of men as is cleare from ver. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet they were much in praying in publique in the Synagogues and streets that so they might get the esteem of being holy men but little or nothing in secret before the Lord But that this text dâ—â—yes either the worke of Prayer in publique Congregations or the gesture of standing in time of Prayer is most absurd to affirme for 2. Chron. 6 32. Luke 18. 10. two men went up to the temple to pray Mat. 21. 13. my house shall be called c. and that in Acts 16. 13. is understood of one of their Synagogues And in the time of the Gospel prayer in the publique meeting places of the saints is fully proved from 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that prayer be made every where 1 Cor. 14. 14. If I pray in an unknowne tongue c. where the Apostle is treating about prayer in Church-meetings as also in 1 Cor. 11. 4. Every man praying or prophecying with his head covered c. So Acts 1. 14. 24. the Apostle prayed Acts 2. 4â— the converted Christians continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer The Apostles joyne together prayer and the ministry of the Word Acts 6 4. See Acts 13. 3. Acts 14. 23. Acts 20. 36. Acts 12. 5 And for the gesture of standing reade Marke 11. 25. and when yee stand praying forgive spoken to the disciples Luke 18. â—3 the Publican stood afarre off and prayed So that t is neither praying in the publique meeting places nor standing in Prayer that Christ reproved but the hypocriticall ostentation of Pharisees But what is this to Ministers who neither performe their private duties in publique places nor pray in the corners of the streets but are employed in the performance of that solemne part of the worship of God and yet for this cause are by these men reproached as Anti-Christian Charge 4. That they Preach for Hire Confut. It is chearefully acknowledged that we doe receive wages in our labour in the Ministry But as to our making hire the end of our worke we doe abhorre it and do appeale to the searcher of hearts to cleare up the unrighteousnesse of this reproach who tryes and judgeth all things But we are the lesse troubled with this aspersion because these inveterate adversaries of the Ministry doe condemne it because we doe receive wages for our worke Now as to our warrant in so doing we shall shew you the evident practice of the Apostles and the expresse authority of Scripture 2 Cor. 11. 8. I robbed other Churches taking wages of them Here you see the Apostle receiving wages of the Churches amongst whom he laboured 1 Cor. 9. 6. I onely and Barnabas have not we power to forbeare working where it is cleare that the Apostles lived by not their working with their hands but their Preaching of the Gospel and if sometimes he say he laboured with his hands 1 Thes. 2. 9. I Preached to you the Gospel of God freely 2 Cor. 11. 7. Let the Reader consider First in that same verse he calls it an abasing of himselfe yea and secondly in 1 Cor. 4. 12. he reckons his labouring with his owne hands amongst his great afflictions Thirdly Nor was this a deniall of his right to maintenance but a suspension of it for present reasons to himselfe best knowne For 1 Cor. 9. 6. I onely and Barnabas have we not power to forbeare working 2 Thes. 3. 8. 9. that we might not be chargeable to any of you but not as though we had not power Now for the fuller authority of Scripture as to this our practise reade Luke 10. 7. the labourer is worthy of his hyre where Christ layes it downe as the very reason why the Apostles should make no provision for their subsistence Provide neither gold nor scrip c. but wholly depend upon the maintenance due to them for Preaching the Gospel because the labourer is worthy of his Hyre And we hope any ingenious Reader will beleeve that we in our places might be inabled as well as others for subsistence in the world if they will looke upon us as capable to understand and practice the Callings in which others live but that in obedience to this authority we doe freely cast our selves upon the Gospel maintenance but we know our worke is to give our selves continually to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word and remember that 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth â—ntangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life But if there were no more we should propose these following Scriptures against any objection 1 Cor. 9. 7 Who goeth a warfare at his owne charges ver 9. You shall not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne Doth God take care for Oxen ver 10. or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is Written Ver. 11. If we have sowne unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we should reape your carnall things If others are partakers of this power over you are not we rather Doe you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple even so God hath ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel So 1 Tim. 5. 17. 18. as to that you may see it is a Gospel-Ordinance God hath Ordained it And thus you have the Scripture fully asserting that which these men doe so malitiously charge upon us as Anti-Christian There are many other cavills which these men doe rayse against the Ministry as that first We have been at Universities as if Pauls Learning had truely made him mad according to the the false charge of Festus Secondly Our making use of an houre glasse though our respect is herein to the weakenesse and capacities of people for though the spirit be willing the flesh is often weake Thirdly Our Preaching upon a Text though our worke be to divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. and Christ and the Apostles practisâ—â— it Luke 4 12. 22. they wondred at the gratioâ—â— words that proceeded out of his mouth which must needs be his opening of that Text So Acts 28. 23. but of this we have spoken before Fourthly As also that we run to the powers of the world to uphold us as if it were
is profitable for Doctrine for reproffe for correctiâ—r for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Position 14. The Spirits are not to be tryed by Scripture Proofe Miles Hawd in the Congregation at Kendale asserted that he that referred to any light without was a deceiver In a Paper of theirs one of them reckons this up as one of the Errors of the Priests as he â—alls them they professe the Scripture to be the rule and the touchstone to try withall A Book called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. sayes the worlds touchstone is without them and they try the living by the dead the spirit by the letter the Saints touchstone is within whereby they try the spirits whether they be of God or no which evidently demonstrates they allow no tryall of the spirits by the written word Confut. â— Heare what the spirit saith Isay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this it is because there is no light in them 2. This is to withdraw the soule from the judgement or determination of God whose revealed will the Scripture is as above is shown 3. This is to open a gap unavoydably to all Satans delusions as you may see by the short Relation of the Quakers Shaken in the case of Iohn Gilpin and we can no otherwise look upon this then the very Hold Satan hath to keep this people under his delusions by cousening them thus to stop their eyes against the light Iohn 3. 20. for what else shall be the Touchstone but the Word of God 4 And how strong are the perswasions of errour how fully doth Satan pretend in the soule to be an Angell of light and wherein shall man distinguish The Bereanâ— searched the Scriptures whether these things were so Acts 17. 11. trying the Apostles themselves by the Written Word 6. And Christ himselfe leaves the very proofe of himselfe to be the Messias to the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have â—â—â—â—â—all life and they are they which testifie of me Position 15. That there ought to be no sinse meaning or exposition given or studying of the Scriptures Proofe Their common expression is to him that opens or shews them the interpretation of any Scripture Cursed is he that addes or the plagues are upon thee for adding to the Scripture John Audland a few days since being for his Rayling and Publique disturbance called before the Magistrates and there pleading against the Ministry alledging that Text Ier. 5. 31. The Priests heare rule by their means One of us laboured to convince him of this ignorance in that grosse mis-interpretation for by means he understood by their maintenance shewing that that Text doth most evidently hold this sence That those Priests bare rule by the means of the false Prophets The said I. A. presently cryed out Thou addest thou addest The same man having called another of us Deceiver was asked Whether he heard him Preach any thing contrary to the truth the day before telling him withall he Preached that which he had Prayed and studied the Scripture for presently the said Audland as if studying the word were enough to convince a man to be a deceiver cryed out there thou shewest thy selfe One of their Papers in the hands of one of us wickedly rayles thus Away with all your conjuring studying away with all your stage play Preaching And t is their knowne and constant Principâ—e Though their grand master Fox was not able enough in this point but discovered his Imposture by his Concordance to the Bible sent him from Yorke to Kendale Confut. As to this let the Reader consider Neh. 8. 8. Ezra Read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the Reading Luke 24 27. Christ began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded therein all things concerning himselfe Marke 4 34 He expounded all things to his Disciples Acts 28. 23. Paul expounded and testified the Kingdome of God out of the Prophets Act 8. 30. to ver. 35. Philip expounds the mende of the holy Ghoâ—â— in that Prophecy of Isaiah to the Eunuch who Read it and yet without Interpretation knew not the meaning of it Christ sends the Pharisees to study the meaning of Scripture in stead of cavelling Mat. 9 13. Goe learne what that meaneth And Peter tells you in the writings of Paul there are many things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also other Scripture unto their owne destruction But to say there is no sense or meaning in the Scriptures shewes so grosse ignorance nay such senselesnesse in these people that this may suffice And for the studying of the Word reade the command of Christ for searching it Iohn 5. 39. of Paul 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome Tiâ—ethy must be nourished up in the Word of truth and of that good Doctrine to which he had attained 1 Tim. 4. 6. must give himselfe wholly 1 Tim 4 15. to Reading Exhortation Doctrine that his profiting might appeare to all 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approved unto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a childe thou hast learned the holy Scriptures c. out of which the man of God must labour to be throughly furnished unto all good works Position 16 They cry downe Baptisme with Water and the Lords Supper aâ— being but types and shadowes ceasing upon the appearance of Christ within them Proofe A Booke called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. thus The worlds Baptisme is without them the Saints Baptisme is within them the worlds Communion is without them taking a little Bread and Wine c. which is carnall the Saints Communion is within Compare this with George Batemans answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 29. disputing with him about Baptisme c. sayes That Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. Christ when he was in the flesh left them as types of another nature and this pointed at Christs appearing in the spirit and as the types under the Law ended when Christ appeared in the Flesh so these types viz Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord for of them he speaks there end when Christ appeares in spirit To which adde that of Farnsworth in his Pamphlet entituled A Discovery of Faith pag. 11. All your Baptisme such as are invented from the Letter the carnall minde invents them these are for the Fire for they are the workes of the Flesh Reade him also pag. 13. Confut. What soule that lives under the Kingdome and Scepter of the Lord Iesus will not abhorre these opinionâ— that destroy and wholly take from the Saints these two greaâ— Mysteries
through beleeving not through working as we have largely proved before against their establishing of their owne righteousnesse And so what is Felix better for all his tremblings And what are these quakings but a fore-runner and fore-taste of that eternall wrath of God which is to fall shortly upon him who resteth under the convictions and actings of the Law but embraceth not the righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus to be found in that at his appearing 3. There is indeed a mention of trembling in a third sense in Scripture as a Cor. 7. 15. where the Corinthians are said to receive Titus with feare and trembling which they grossely apply to their case as also Ephes. 6 5. Servants obey your Masters with feare and trembling which holds forth no more then a reverentiall carefulnesse and obedience These last we mention lest they should charge us with passing over that which they presume to make so much for them In all this Reader we desire to professe that our so large discovery of the nature of quaking is not to discourage any poore soule that under tremblings of spirit is â—onging for Christ but to warne every man of the danger and seduction of these methods which establish such Doctrines and practises as leade the soule into the covenant of workes and leaves them there Pract. 2. Rayling c. Their practice herein is notoriously knowne to whomsoever hath had to doe with them and our selves some of us have had a large measure of this revilings throwne upon us In one Paper of theirs which one of us hath you have all these horrid raylings against the Ministers calling them Priests Conjurers Theeves Robbert Anti-Christs Witches Devills Sir-Simons Serpents Bloody Herodians Searleâ— coloured Beasts Babylons Merchants Wolves Dogs Swine Sodemites c. Reader we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ noâ— of the reproach of men because of it But consider how fully they make good that of Jude 13. Raging Waves of the Sea foaming mâ— their owne shame c. though Michael the Aarchangel when disputing with the Devill durst bring no Rayling accusation against him But is not the condition of the Ministers of Christ in England such that we have reason to take up the complaint of David Psal. 57. 4. My soule is amongst lyons and I lye even amongst them that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Aspes is under their lips Neither is it onely mentioned as the Saints complaint but as the strict prohibition of the spirit of God Ephes. 4. 31. Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice As also that of Timothy 2 Tim. 2. 25. The servant of the Lord must be gentle towards all men in meeknesse instructing thâ—se that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth How clearely contradictory is the way of these men to the rule of Paul when they in all their speaking to men not of their way or that oppose themselves doe fly out in those bitter raylings in calling them Devills damned and that they see the Devill in their Faces and such like expressions So 1 Peter 3. 4. The Apostle calls for meeke and quiet spirits which in the sight of God are of great price But we shall close up this with that of our Saviour Mat. 7. â— Judge not that yee be not judged And Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the Earth Pract. 3. Their pretending upon all occasions to be sent by speciall Commission from God as we shall instance in some cases following more particularly Some of them came to Kendale Church about a yeare agone and pretended they had a Commission to pull downe the Steeple Another Thomas Castley came in the time of the Preaching of one of us to the Congregation at Kendale and had he said his Commission from God to pull downe the Houre-Glasse And the same man came a long mile with no other Message from God as he pretended but this to tell of one of us Thou at an high Priest which words having spoken he went his way Another time he came with a Message from God as he pretended to the house of the abovesaid one of us at which time I was not at home yet confidently affirmed to my Wife that God had sent him and that I was at home Againe also the same man came with the like Message to my House and said that God had sent him to me and that I was at home but it being denied he was by the Schoolemaster Mr. Turner taken â—ver to his house where by providence being presently come home I went to him and asked him What message â—e had from God to me whereat he denied that he had any message to me from God at all Mr. Richard Stookes Minister at Grayrig told one of us that discoâ—rsing with Fox at a meeting appointed concerning his immediate call the said Fox affirmed He was called by a Vâ—yce from Heaven to Grayrig and at his affirming the â—ame the simple deluded soules that were there with him affirmed they knâ—w it to be true he asked them whether they saw any vision or heard any voyce they answered No but all the account they could give of it was That whereâ—â— he was walking towards Firthbanâ—e suddenly he faced about and said he was commanded to â—â—e to Grayrig One of these people when they were lately at Newcastle told a Merchant there Mr. H. T. having on his blacke cloathes that he was a deceiver c. but being told he was no Minister he shuffied pittifully as â—eeing how naked his mistake was layd Concerning this horrid pretence of being sent of God to the commission of abominable practises in Yorkeshiâ—e we referre you to a Booke called The Second Hearing of the cause betwixt the Quaerer and Anti-Quaerer c. In the view of the Stories above-written the Reader may make these Observations 1. Is it the way of the Lord to call men immediately from Heaven on purpose to tell onely of an Houre-Glasse and to have nothing to say but to call a man Priest with no other Message Were ever the Prophets of God sent forth with such triviall messages as these How fearefully is the glorious name of an holy God abused in this particular 2. Is not this to bely the all-knowing God to say in the name of the Lord That one of us was at home when he was not And that he had a Message which presently after he denied againe being demanded what it was 3. How emiâ—ent is that judgement upon the followers of these men that they are delivered up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes themselves and delude others who confidently affirmed that they knew that Fox was so sent as he peetended by an immediate voyce from God and