Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1655. OBserve Reader That tho' the Quakers late Books seem to be more Orthodox than their Ancient Books said to be given forth tho' most Blasphemously from the Spirit of the Lord yet they are still the same in Principle tho' they otherwise word the Matter for Proof of this see their Book Primitive Christianity Revived c. by Jos Wyeth Printed 1698 viz. Our Principles says he are now no other than what they were when we were first a People c. Next see G. Whitehead's Counterfeit Convert c. p. 72. I may says he see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same c. So that it is morally impossible to understand the Quakers by their Words whilst they say and write one thing and mean another ARIUS like Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his Sword and drew it out of the Sheath thereof and slew him and cut off his Head therewith And when the Philistines saw their Champion was dead they fled And the Men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines c. 1 Sam. 17.51 52. A bundle of papers P. 1. 4 to being brought unto our hands by one of the chief Priests of Norwich which he hath rak't up in his Imaginations against the harmless people called Quakers and being full of lyes and deceit we are moved of the Lord for the truthes sake to cleare the truth from his lyes and deceit and false accusations and to lay him and his two propositions as he calls them open unto the simple minded who have been bewitched and deceived by such deceivers and blind guides as he is and put forth by one Sampson Townsend who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel and a Pastor of Saint Austins and Savours Parish in Norwich Priest THE Title of thy confused papers is †The Title of Mr. Townsend's Book The Scripture proved to be the word of God as also the only foundation of faith and rule of our obedience or a clear conviction of the errors of the quakers who blasphemously affirm that the Scriptures are not the word of God nor the foundation of Faith nor yet the only rule of our obedience to which lyes and falshoods we are moved to answer Answer The Quakers Answer THE Scriptures proved to be the word of God is false and one of the blind deceitful imaginations which thou and thy generation hath deceived people with telling them that that is the word which saith that God is the word who made himself manifest in the days of old before the Letter was which word was Moses rule who wrote forth Scripture and not the Letter but the word which word by which Moses was guided to speak forth Scripture and this is that word the Prophets prophesied of which dwelt amongst us P. 2. 4 to which was before the world was and seen before the Letter was written now with the same life and power by which the Scripture was spoken do we challenge thee to prove such a Scripture as saith that it is the word of God and thou that would make people believe that the Letter is the foundation would make void the foundation upon which the Prophets and Apostles were builded which spoke forth the Letter and thou that would build upon the Letter hateth the Light and the Foundation which is Christ from which the Letter was spoken and thy foundation and thy rule and obedience is tryed with it and by it thou art judged now that which is convicted by thy airy spirit is like unto thy self and is to be scorched up as the bryars but the children of light who are of God and in the truth cannot be convicted by such as thou art who from the light of God in thy Conscience is departed and with it art to be condemned so with the word and the life by which the Letter was declared thou art seen and comprehended to be an enemy unto that from which the Scripture was declared and here again I challenge thee to be a perverter of it notwithstanding all thy profession from it and whereas thou hast directed this confused paper unto us of whom thou hast described the names as followeth to Christopher Atkinson James Lancaster George Whitehead and Thomas Symonds now in Norwich Goale for their Errors and Miscarriages Priest Thou sayest if ever the truth of God were turned into a lye it is by us thou sayest that deny the Scriptures to be the truth of God and pretend immediate Revelations to be our rule for our actions and canst not produce any proof but the words of a dead Man like thy self which thou calls Mr. Burroughs to which we answer Answ By thee Priest Townsend is the truth of God turn'd into a lye and thou art taken with one in thy mouth who saith that we before mentioned are in the Goal of Norwich for errors and miscarriages here thou slanderer we challenge thee to prove what errors or miscarriages can be laid to our charge what is thy lyes and slanders that which you would make the people believe and are we counted deceivers for declaring the Truth and testifying against thee and thy generations as it is counted an error in us to unvail thy deceits and lay thee open to all men here in the presence of the Lord do we declare against thee for errors and miscarriages do we deny and this thy confused stuff wherein first thou sayest that we deny the Scripture to be the truth of God which is a lye as thy own words makes it manifest who in the same page of thy shameless discourse which now is laid open to the understanding of the Simple Priest And again thou sayest that we acknowledge the Scripture to be the truth and yet deny them to be the word of God here let all that sees thy confused paper judge thee who art in Babel where the confusion is and a minister of it Answ The Scripture we own as it was spoken forth by them that lived in the word and receive it as a Declaration of God and of what he spoke unto them of former ages Luke i.i. P. 3. 4 to but thy words and imaginations we do deny who would call that the word which saith God is the word and that the light which is not the light but saith Christ is the light which is thy condemnation that hates it in particular and the worlds condemnation that hates it in general as is made manifest who hates revelations and us who witness it shutting thy self forth from the Scriptures and from them that gave them forth whereas Christ saith no man knows the Father but the Son and to whom the Son will reveal him as thou may read Mat. ii 27. here thou hast plainly shewn thy self to be both without the knowledge of the Father and the Son who art in thy mediate natural knowledge which from the light
and now calls it reason which from reason was never spoken but holy men of God spoke them forth as they were moved by the holy Ghost now the Apostle which was as Minister of Christ never took wages of of the world neither did he compel them though to them he preached the Gospel and though he robbed other Churches yet he robbed not the world neither took he wages of the world nor hired with them for a certain time as thou and thy generation do and this was his boasting to cut off offences 2 Cor. 13.9 10 12. but with the light of God in the offences we find you who take wages of the world contrary to the Apostles whose practises judges you to be without their life whose entrance unto the Thessalonians he plainly doth declare that it was neither for pleasing men neither of deceit nor guile nor a cloak of covetousness neither was their Gospel burthensom as thou may read 1 Thess 2 3 4 5 6. contrary to which thou and thy generation art found in the steps of them Mark the Perversion Offences for occasion these are the Infallible Reformers the Prophets Christ and his Apostles cryed against as thou may read Isa 56. and Ier. 5. and Mic. 3. and Mat. 23. and 2 Pet. 2. and Iude 11. And this is the Gospel the Apostles preached which is witnessed by the same Spirit which to thee is hid and all thy generations who out of their steps are found walking in the steps of the false Priest Again thou sayest the Apostle intimates that God is mocked when his Ministers are not maintained and thou sayest that God will not be robbed Answ Here is another of thy lyes who perverts the Apostles words and art found adding thy lyes to Scripture when there is not such a word in all the Apostles words as intimate but thou and thy generation are seen to be both thieves and robbers who enters not in at the door but climbs up another way in your inventions consequences and imaginations which are here plainly seen and discovered to them that enter in at the door and for dishonest gain you destroy Souls Ezek. 22.25 26 27. P. 6. 4 to and as a Troop of Robbers wait for a man so do the company of Priests murther by consent Hosea 6.9 and are found Robbers of God as the false Prophets were who in the time of the Law took tythes and did not bring them to the store-house as thy generation now do as thou may read Mal. 3.8 9 10. Priest And thou says thy design according to promise is to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God the only ground of faith and rule for our obedience which thou sayest thou presented us with and bids us read it examine it if it be not truth witness against it by truth if it be so as undoubtedly you will find it truth as thou sayest and so bids us submit to it be ruled by it and undoubtedly our bodies shall be freed from our deserved Imprisonment Answ We have read it and examined it and thee both and have found thee to be a lyar and a denyer of the Word and of the rule and of the foundation which is Christ and with that which thou calls a rule and word and foundation art thou judged and with the light thou art seen to be a wrester of the Scriptures and thy Rotten foundation being already to fail thee The Holy Scriptures they say are a rotten foundation this is their Ancient Testimony from which they have not varied for it is among the blind Watchmen and greedy dumb Doggs and hirelings and among the thieves and robbers and among the Doggs and swine and filthy dreamers which the Scriptures speaks of and as for our deserved imprisonment here thou lyar do we challenge thee and them that imprisoned us to prove the breach of any law by us for they that did imprison us as many can witness could not charge us with the breach of any Law but by their wills to maintain such dumb shepherds as thou art for for the truths sake which witnesses against thee and all thy generation do we suffer for which thou and thy generation did never suffer imprisonment nor persecution of the world for ye are the world and the world speaks well of you and hears you as it did of your Fathers the false Prophets 1 John 4 5 and Luke 6.26 drunkards swearers lyars and thieves speaks well of you and fights for you and loves you and pleads for you and there is your fruits and freedom from our imprisonment will we never speak for in yielding to thy lyes and false accusations as is plainly here laid open Priest And thou sayest from thy study Ianuary 29. Answ Here thy filthy rotten stuff which thou hast been such a long time of gathering together in thy study it s tryed and seen to be fewel for the fire and thou art seen to study divinations of thy own brain and to be an inventer of lyes contrary to Scripture and where did ever any of the Saints go into a study and rake up such filthy stuff and invent such lyes as thou art disapproved in and with that which thou calls thy word thy foundation and only rule of obedience Here let the life of all the holy men of God judge thee to be both shut out of their life and out of the Scriptures Having returned answer to the former part of thy rotten stuff P. 7. 4 to Sampson Townsend wherein thy lies and deceit is uncovered to all them that have eyes to see may see thy nakedness and thy shame laid open now for the simple ones sake which thou by thy lyes and divinations makes a prey upon and through thy covetousness makes Merchandise of who pharisee-like would neither enter into the Kingdom thy self nor suffer others to enter in now for their sakes are we moved to unvail thee and thy deceit that they that see not might see thee in thy lyes and wresting the Scripture as thou hast also made it appear in the latter part of thy book wherein thou sayest Priest That thou hast undertaken against the Quakers these two Propositions i. that the Scriptures contained in the Old or New-Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed will and word of God 2. That the Scripture which is the word of God is the only foundation of our Faith and only rule for our obedience which thou sayest thou wilt prove 1. by Scripture 2. by Reason and thou sayest that he that will not hear the voice of the Scriptures is an Infidel and he that will not hear the voice of reason is a beast Ans We who in scorn by thee and thy generations are called Quakers do own Scriptures but thee we utterly deny for an evill Beast whose mouth must be stopped Tit. i. 10 11 12. who in thy filthy reason art going about to maintain those things which thou canst not prove by any plain Scripture
and foolish People that would have a King and what Work Joshua made with the Kings how he brought them out of the Cave a fit Place for them and all these Novices Christians that are crying up Earthly Kings And we know that these Kings are the Spiritual Egyptians got up since the Days of the Apostles Come smooth George with all thy Puritanical Sincerity why didst thou not recite this whole Quotation But it seems thou art not under a necessity to be plain-hearted What! it seems this is too plain and too manifest What! to be absolutely against all Kings and Kingly Government and thy Paint not able to cover it But George thou also say'st p. 69. Let their Books and ours be compared to clear our Innocency from these Adversaries Calumnies Ah George this is still worse what to add Hypocrisie to Treason Thou knowest George in thy Conscience if thou hast any or if it be not quite seared that at West Dereham Conference your Friends had an Opportunity were pressed to it but could not be prevailed with nay tho' there then were near Twenty of your eminent Teachers and about an Hundred of your Hearers yet not one of them could be prevail'd with either to compare your Books nay nor to own them and vindicate the Doctrine contained in them how then hast thou now the Impudence to say Let their Books and ours be compared as above Wherefore in your next be plain whether you have not deviated in any one Point from what you were in the beginning and whether you resolve to justifie your Friends Ancient Books as you say you can see the Postscript to your Ishmael annexed I will only trouble my Reader in this Place with one Citation more and it is about the Trinity and in this George is as defective and short as in the other and the reason is as plain which is to cover over their Blasphemy against the Blessed Trinity to manifest which there are several Charges out of divers Books of the Quakers in the Book intituled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies and their Bloody Treasonable Principles Destructive to Government out of which I shall mention but one to shew as well how short Whitehead is in reciting it upon his Excuse of being only defensive and thereby not under a necessity to cite the whole as above noted See Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemous Heresies c. p. 1. out of G. Fox's Great Mystery c. p. 246. The Scripture do not tell the People of a Trinity nor Three Persons but the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope To this George Whitehead Replies Truth and Innocency vindicated c. p. 50. saying Their first Objection the Scripture do not tell People of a Trinity nor Three Persons c. and so dropt the other part of the Quotation out of Fox viz. But the Common-Prayer-Mass-Book speaks of Three Persons brought in by the Father the Pope These he left out as now not proper to mention since the Act of Toleration enforces the Acknowledgment of the Blessed Trinity as the Condition of their Liberty But as a Salvo p. ibid. George Whitehead urges another Book of George Fox's stiled Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers c. Printed 1671. p. 43. Of the Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and all these are one I have with some Difficulty procuted this Book in order to trace and to find out George Whitehead in all his Subterfuges and lurking Places and I find him as false in citing Fox their Apostle as in the above-noted For of the 57 Words in Fox's Paragraph he G.W. has cited but 26 Words which is not the one half but the reason is there is no more for his Turn and his Business is only to serve a Turn Jesuit-like as his Friend Anne Docwra well observes now to the Quotation of Fox which Whitehead has split viz. Some Principles of the Elect c. p. 43. Of this Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and of Water Blood and Spirit and all these are one among us as in the Primitive time among the Apostles who gave no such outward Names to them as Trinity as the World now doth c. Who then can believe this People who thus split Sentences and mangle the Sence For here is Six Persons in the Quakers Godhead Father Son Holy Ghost Water Blood Spirit all these are one among the Quakers so that here is a twofold Trinity Trinitas Trinitas in the Unity of their Essence where no one is greater or lesser than the other nor yet one before or after the other for the Water is Spirit the Blood is Spirit and both the Light within Father Son and Holy Ghost and all within and every of these Lights is their Eternal God And to this agrees George Fox Jun. in his Works p. 66. viz. By one that witnesseth God Christ the Light the Word the Spirit the Truth the Kingdom of God within me and these are one Reader Here is in the Quakers Essence Septem Personas of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than another and all within Again p. ibid. Stumble not at the Light for if thou dost thou stumblest at God at Christ at the Door the VVay the Truth the Life the Rock the Elect Stone and all these are but one Here again is one added here is Octo Personas in the Unity of their Essence of which no one was before the other nor none greater or lesser than the other for the Stone is Light the Rock is Light the Life is Light the Truth is Light the VVay is Light the Door is Light and God is Light and all within them Only measurably as p. 72. And verily Friends if you keep not to the measure of the pure God in you so that God dwells in them by parts or measure see p. 55 83. ibid. The next thing I am to prove is their Light within to be the Eternal God this done I think I have proved that they like Thieves and Robbers have climbed up another way distinct from the Holy Apostles Primitive Christians Saints and Martyrs and all Christian Churches to this Day in order to which see p. 46 to 50. ibid. I the Light will fall upon you and grinde you to Powder All who will not own me the Light in you and I will make you to know that I the Light am the true Eternal God which created all things and that there is not another beside me can save I matter not by what Name you are called by whether it be King Protector Prince Duke Lord Judge Justice Parliament Priest Lawyer Gathered Churches Army Gentry Mean Men or Beggars I 'll break all Sects and Opinions and Gathered Churches which
are some things writ on the back-side I 'll charge you with nothing but what is printed Were you the Author of all that is printed in this Book your Name is printed at the beginning middle and end of it G. W. About three Years ago I and Four more writ it betwixt us Mr. Smith Pray tell me plainly whether you will own it or not if you will not own it at all then tell me what you will own and what not otherwise when I have proved it a most wicked Book you may disown it and so all my Discourse fall to the Ground 'T is no pleasure to me to speak or this People to hear vain Words If you will not own it speak but you may as well disown to morrow all that you say to day telling us Words are but Wind if you disown what you have Printed and affixt your Name so often unto G. W. Well I will own it prove what you can Now George lest thou should'st say this is an Adversary's Book tho' that in this Case would not help Dun out of the Mire I shall now come to thy own Book Truth defending the Quakers c. * Of Damning the B. Trinity to the Pit and Lake said in the Title-Page also to be written from the Spirit of Truth in G. W. c. P. 1. Question recited out of the foregoing Book to which this is in Answer Mr. Smith Do not you repent G. W. for your endeavouring vainly to Defend Aug. 29. 1659. in so great a Congregation these Positions printed in your Book of Ishmael c. G. W. The Positions we defended are according to the Scriptures of Truth and them we need not repent of As first in denying the Bible to be the written Word of God Secondly in asserting the Scriptures not to be the Word Thirdly that there is no such Word in the Scripture as Three Persons in the Trinity but it is a Popish Doctrine mentioned in the Popish Mass or Common-Prayer-Book Fourthly And thou that affirm Three distinct Persons in the Godhead art a Dreamer and he that Dreams and tell Lies he with his Imaginations and Dreams is for the Lake Truth Defending c. Where in the 33d Question in The Quaker Disarm'd c. thou hast falsly Charged George Whitehead's Book * Here he owns the Book and defends the Doctrine with proving several Blasphemies in it which is a wicked Lie and Slander for thou never yet proved any Blasphemy in it For that thou countest Blasphemies was our ‖ Mark Our Witnessing Witnessing against such Doctrines as thou couldst not prove by Scripture as that of a Trinity of Three distinct Persons in the Godhead and that of the Letter being the Word Truth defending the Quakers and their Principles c. P. 24. G. Whitehead therein reciting the 45th Question of Mr. Smith's out of his Book The Quaker disarmed p. 6. for I have them both before me G. W. thus Recites and then Answers viz. Do not you G. Whitehead blasphemously take to your self an Attribute of God while you pretend ordinarily to know the Hearts of Men and tell Mr. Townsend of Norwich in the second Page of your Ishmael that the Light of God is departed from his Conscience c. I think 't is the fairest Citation that ever I met with viz. of G. W.'s now comes his Answer I says G. W. take no Attribute of God to my self but what God hath given me c. And as for Townsend I never said that the Light was departed from his Conscience as thou hast belied me But that from the Light of God in his Conscience he is departed * And so are the Words in p. 2. of Ishmael as you may see A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. Truth Defending c. P. 25. In thy 46th Question thou hast says G. Whitehead charged me with Printing Railing Language with calling Priest Townsend Witch Lyar Blind Guide in p. 3. of Our Book * A plain confession and owning the Book c. c. But there is not the Word Witch but that thou would bewitch People with thy Lies c. Reader I cannot inlarge I now refer you to the Book which Geo. Whitehead owned when he and his Partners Wrote it when they Printed it when they Disputed with Mr. Smith Aug. 29. 1659. when G. W. Printed his Truth Defending c. which is at four or five sundry times and till 1690 which was 45 Years never disowned it Yet now he finds Quakerism sinking would insinuate he did not Write it doth not Own the Words is sorry his Name is to it and the like Dissimulation No George you must either Condemn it as rank Blasphemy or Defend it since your Hand Wrote it Signed and Sealed it as your Act and Deed. Now therefore George my Advice is That you go forthwith to your Second-Day-Meeting and together with them Condemn by Publick Censure under your Hands this your Blasphemous Book Ishmael and all other Books of yours and of your Friends of the same Nature and Tendency For as St. Peter once said to Simon Magus I fear it may be said to your Self and Partners Read Acts 8.21 22 23. Thy Heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of this thy Wickedness and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thy Heart and the Words of thy Mouth may be forgiven thee for I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity FINIS ISHMAEL AND HIS MOTHER Cast out into the WILDERNESS Amongst the wild Beasts of the same Nature OR A Reply to a Book entitulled The Scriptures proved to be the word of God put forth by one of Ishmaels Children who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel and a Pastor of S. Austins and Savours Parish in Norwich but is clearly made manifest by the light of God in his Servants to be a scoffer and an enemy to the Gospel which the Saints of God are Ministers of and sufferers for by such as he is who Ishamellike hath laid his folly open and is discovered to the faithful who are of Abraham and of the seed of Promise ALSO A cleer distinction between the Ministers of Christ who are of the seed of Abraham and the Priests of this generation who are of Ishmaels root who with the Truth are plainly made manifest by the light of Christ in us who for the testimony of God do suffer by the sons of Hagar and this Generation of the Priests in Norwich Given forth for no other end but that the truth may be cleared from such as scoff and deny it Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us that do suffer in the Goal of Norwich for the truths sake which is persecuted and slandered by the Priests and Rulers of this City Whose names in the flesh is Christopher Atkinson George Whitehead James Lancaster Thomas Simonds London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black
thy obedience and here is thy fruits and here is thy service who commits Sin and a Servant to Sin and free from righteousness Iohn 8.24 Rom. 16.20 Oh thou blasphemer and slanderer of the just when wilt thou cease from thy Lyes and Blasphemy where dost or canst thou prove such a Scripture as the most emminent believer Sin in any things when the Scripture saith he that believeth is born of God and he that is born of God sinneth not for whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him and he that committeth sin is of the Devil and there 's thy condition and he is thy Father who is the Father of all lyars as thou art i. Iohn 3.3 4 5 6 7 8. Priest And to conclude thy filthy rotten stuff thou sayest they that make not the word of God the rule for their actions are led either by their own fancies or the Devils temptations or both Ans Thee Priest Townsend art here laid open and thou art uncovered and here thou art found to be a denyer of the word and rule and foundation and thou art led by thy dreams and fancies and thy foundation * Viz. The Holy Scritures is in the dust and thou art reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for everlasting fire and here thou in all these thy lyes are shut our from God and all the Children of God among the Doggs and Sorcerers and the Lake is thy portion which is the portion of all lyars Iude 6 7 8. thus have we returned a full answer unto thy senceless stuff and in plainness have we dealth with thee and have not flattered thee at all there call it not railing lest thou violate the Scriptures so with the word of truth thou art tryed and comprehended and us shalt thou witness eternally when the book of Conscience comes to be opened and thou judged out of it so we remain Sufferers for the truth and witnesses against thee and thy generation Named according to the flesh George Whitehead Christopher Arkinson James Lancaster Thomas Symonds A Cutting Switch FOR THE Wounded Snake I have used Similitudes Hos 12.10 READER BY the Word Snake which I use by way of Metaphor alluding to the Quakers obscure way of Reasoning evermore hiding themselves in the dark by their Ambiguous and Doubtful Way of expressing themselves in their Unintelligible Way of Writing is what I call Quakerism and having taken this Snake Quakerism out of the Grass and laid her on the Table and taken out her Sting I am now coming to exercise my Switch which I lately twisted out of Jos-Wyeth's Hand as David did the Sword out of the Hand of that uncircumcised Philistine Goliah of Gath which he design'd to wound the Israelites with for this Joseph like blind Hob playing at Blind-Man's-Buff smiting every Man that passed by without all Fear or Respect being Fool hardy I was resolved to unarm him and take his Weapon from him for like Goliah's Sword there is none like it And whereas this Water-Snake has swam over Sea I am minded to send this Switch thither also that so where-ever her Spawn is gone rattling up and down in other Nations and Plantations this Switch may pursue her and deal severely or cuttingly with her for she has done much Harm And now I shall tell what is the Cause of this Snake's Fury which is as on the Title Page of this Third Part and where you may see she put forth her Sting against Mr. Townsend for that he like other Christian Champions went to prove the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God for this the Rattle-Snake came out of his Thicket and flung out his Deadly Poyson at Mr. Townsend thus Ishmael and his Mother cast out among the Beasts c. calling him a Dreamer a Deceiver a Witch a Liar a blind Guide without Christ and his Knowledge an Enemy of God an Antichrist a blind Sot a sottish blind Guide shut up in perpetual Darkness Blasphemous Beast as in P. 7 8 10 14 17 25 29. Thus Reader having shewed thee the Cause of the Dragon's Fury and the Ground why he threw out his Floods of Malice against the Gospel Ministers I shall next shew thee in short a few Words to Confirm what I have said and that out of the Snake's own Mouth as in P. 14 17 24. first That the Scriptures are not the written Word of God but a Rotten Foundation not the Means to work Faith in the Heart And because Mr. Townsend in Opposition to the Quakers Heretical Doctrine had proved the Scriptures to be the written Word of God and as such a good Foundation for our Faith in our Crucified Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the Means to work Faith in our Hearts which works by Love Oh how did Geo. Whitehead and his Partners hiss like Snakes sting like Adders and roar like Dragons calling him as before noted Dreamer Deceiver Witch Liar blind Guide Enemy to God Antichrist Sot blind Sot Blasphemous Beast shut up in perpetual Darkness with other the like Virulent Railing and Hellish Malice And this Reader is a Map of the Original Controversie between the Clergy and the Quakers for with them the Scriptures are Death Dust Carnal and Killing Serpents Meat Beastly Ware a Rotten Foundation For alas they have no need of the Scripture with them the Holy Scriptures are needless as I shall just now shew See Isaac Pennington's Book stiled Some things relating to the Royal Society c. p. 7. Now observe the Difference between the Religion which God hath taught us and led us into and the Religious of all Men upon the Earth besides our Religion stands wholly out of that which all their Religions stands in their Religion stands in the Comprehension in a Belief of a Literal Relation or Description our Religion stands in a Principle which changeth the Mind where we hear the Voice and see the express Image of the Heavenly One i. e. God and knows things not from an Outward Relation yea here say they we must profess that we so know things that we are fully satisfied about them and could not doubt concerning them tho' there had Never been Word or Letter written of them c. And to this agrees the Doctrine of Edward Burroughs in his Epistle to Fox's Great Mystery p. 17. and many other Places I could mention but I study Brevity But Reader I have not done with this Snake but must have the other Blow at her and smite off her Head lest she get into the King's High Court of Parliament and do mischief for she is mischievous Beast and full of deadly Poyson and begins to stink all the Nation over and the Cause why I shall give this Mortal Wound to this Rattle Snake which so often changes her Skin while she is the same with respect to her Venomous Nature that she was at her first Rise Anno 1650. I say the Cause is this Whereas Mr. Townsend of Norwich having proved the Scriptures
to be as indeed they are the written Word of God and a good Foundation for our Faith and a great Means to work Faith in our Hearts all which George Whitehead and his Partners opposed with great Vigor he Mr. Townsend having first proved these things he then goes on to prove a Trinity of Three distinct Persons in the Godhead according to the Faith of all sound Christians and for Proof thereof he does not only bring Scripture but many strong Reasons as well from Antiquity as of later Date To all which George Whitehead c. from the Spirit of their Lord in them as in p. 22. And here thy Antiquity and thy Reasons and the Three Persons thou dreams of which thou would divide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit c. adding by way of Corroberation respecting Mr. Townsend p. 26. thus Thou Townsend art Reserved in Everlasting Chains under Darkness for Everlasting Fire shut out from God among the Dogs and Sorcerers Having by this time not only discovered the Snake but given her a deadly Blow I shall next shew that the Quakers respecting their Principles are the same that ever they were only I am in Hopes they shall never do so much Hurt in a Hundred Years as they have done in Fifty the time of their date The Sting of Quakerism being taken out and the Bowels thereof ript up and their Inside turn'd Outward by many Infallible Proofs out of their Impious Books especially by Reprinting one of them but let us not be too secure lest the deadly Wound which she hath received should be healed and my Counsel is that as Persecution never did Good so may it not be used amongst Christians but yet a good Expedient is very proper which is to have them examined whether these things be so or no and if what has been objected against them be proved upon them let them be obliged to Retract and Condemn these their Ancient Blasphemous and Heretical Books and Pamphlets which have poysoned many Thousands of otherwise well-meaning People and as this will be easie so will it be one effectual Means to stop the Gangrene of this Pestilential Disease and this will be no Persecution POSTSCRIPT AND to shew that the Quakers are the same still notwithstanding their contrary Testimonies I shall recite some few Passages out of their Writings viz. I. In their Yearly Epistle 1696. We cannot say they but recommend unto you our dear Brethren the holding up the Holy Testimony of Truth which hath made us to be a People and that in all Parts of it * Then in Damning the Blessed Trinity for Truth is one II. The Quakers cleared c. p. 7. God is the same Truth is the same his People the same and their Principles the same III. Their Primitive Christianity c. Printed 1698. p. 6. Our Principles are now no other than what they were when we were first a People IV. They have inserted a long Paragraph in the Post-Man Numb 568. saying The Quakers not questioning but to acquit their Ancient Friends and their Writings not being Conscious of deviating in any one Point of Doctrine from what they first held †And what they held in 1655. G. W.'s Book Ishmael gives a Sample for they are all of a Piece V. But Jesuit-like G. W. thus saith in his Count. Conv. p. 72. I may says he see Cause otherwise to word the Matter and yet our Intentions be the same c. FINIS A Reply to a Book Entituled A Defence of an Apology for the Quakers in Answer to a Book Entituled Quakerism Expos'd c. wrote by Fran. Bugg Or some Papers delivered to the King and Parliament PART III. I Have read and consider'd this Book of John Field's A Defence c. in Answer to the Books and Papers aforesaid but how far his Book answers his Titlte will best be understood by comparing both For in J. Feild's Book of 32 Pages in Quarto I find but 35 Lines of mine cited which is not one Page of 64 of mine in Octavo and that not pag'd and thereby difficult for his Readers to find in order to compare the Books a right Trick of a Quaker Now how this can rightly be call'd an Answer is a Paradox to me but however an Answer they must have tho' nothing almost to the purpose and then tell their poor Hearers Fr. Bugg's Book is answered Ay that it is nay and repeatedly too tho' I do not know of one single Book of mine so answered by the Quakers but that they have left untouched the greatest Part of the Charges objected against them and Six or Seven Books of mine never so much as pretended to be answer'd Oh the Polacy and Deceit of the Ringleaders of this Sect And this has occasioned me to give and take this Advice from a wise and prudent Caution in a Book Entituled The Missionaries Arts c. wrote against the Jesuits Printed 1668. p. 32. viz. To distrust every thing they say For as the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet late Bishop of Worcester in his Discourse of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome c. p. 282. very well observes that they are as like as if the Quakers and the Jesuits were Children of one Father and brought forth by one Mother even Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots and Cage of every Unclean and Hateful Bird His Words are these viz. Any who compares them i. e. Jesuits and Quakers would imagine the Life of Ignatius Loyola had been their great Exemplar I know not said the Bishop whether any of that Innocent and Religious Order or Jesuits had any Hand in forming this new Society of Quakers among us as hath been frequently suggested but if one may guess the Father by the Child's Likeness Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Jesuits was at least the Grandfather of the Quakers c. And as I do believe the recited Caution To distrust every thing they i. e. Jesuits say 't is as applicable to the Quakers and to demonstrate this let us but observe how frequent it is with them to blame their Opponents with splitting Sentences mincing mangling and curtailing whilst themselves are ten times more guilty for instance I find a Passage in my Book Quakerism Expos'd c. p. 27 28. 4thly That you Quakers value the Scriptures above any Books in the World This is false with a Witness when you in Print tell us we may as well burn the Bible as your Writings Truths Defence p. 2 104. calling the Scriptures Dust Death Serpents Meat Beastly Ware and that Preaching out of them is Conjuration And G. Whitehead tells us in his Book Truth defending the Quakers c. p. 7. That what is spoken by the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater And many of your Books nay even that are said to be given
forth from the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and from the Mouth of the Lord how then do you value the Scriptures above any Books in the World But as Solomon said Prov. 26.3 A Whip for the Horse a Bridle for the Ass and a Rod for the Fool 's Back And so you must give me Leave to whip this J. Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit and I wish it may do him Good what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own This is such a Lie that it stabs it self when you exalt and value your own as of greater Authority and as such are commanded by your Teachers to read them in your Meetings whilst you never read nor by your Teachers exhorted to read one Chapter of the Old or New Testament in your Religious Meetings if such I may call them since you were a People neither is it agreeable to your Ancient Testimony Nay farther I am fully perswaded That should the Government think fit for a Proof of your Sincerity herein to enjoin you to read a Chapter of the Bible at the beginning of your Meetings I mean by such of your Teachers as can read a Chapter for many of them cannot you would be so far from submitting to Authority that you 'd first go to Jayl and then call it Persecution and Record it as such to Posterity But would it therefore ever the more be so I trew not since it was the Practice of the Jewish as well as the Christian Churches in all Ages of the World c. Now in Answer to this long Paragraph John Feild in his Defence c. p. 7. This Fran. Bugg saith is false with a witness and so you must give me Leave to whip John Feild for his deep Hypocrisie and Deceit what to pretend that the Quakers value the Bible above all Books then consequently above their own this is such a Lie that it stabs it self c. This Reader is all he recites neither does he go about to Refute my Reasons for what I said nay nor so much as mention them How then can this be an Answer Only he re-asserts in the same Page saying I do affirm that the Quakers always had and still have a high Esteem and true Value for the Holy Scriptures c. But this is his own bare Ipse Dixit without any Refutation of or once reciting my Arguments for what I said and therefore this Tool I am loth to say Fool must yet be more scourged for his deep Deceit and Hypocrisie And therefore Christian Reader I beg of you to dwell a little here and to consider of the Quakers way of answering Books you see my Charge and how I proved it both from Matter of Fact and Demonstration first They teach the Scriptures are Death Dust Serpents Meat Beastly Ware c. not a Word of it Deny'd or Refuted Again That Preaching out of them is Conjuration not at all by him deny'd Again And that by G. Whitehead's Doctrine That their Sayings from their Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority than the Bible not a Syllable of it Deny'd or Refuted Again You hear they command their Disciples to Read their Own Epistles in their Meetings for Divine Worship not a Word of it deny'd or justified Again That they never since they were first a People did so much as read any one Chapter in the Bible in their Religious Meetings which if they had such an high Esteem and true Value for the Scriptures even above theit own Books and Epistles they surely would or else they are very Hypocrites indeed if they will not read and recommend to be read in their Meetings to their People that which is best most esteem'd and of highest Value yet you see he cannot say that they do or ever did read a Chapter in such their Meetings Now whether this Tool Feild does not deserve to be severely lash'd as well as his Tutor Geo. Whitehead in this black Art let the Reader judge Thus much then as a Proof First Of their not citing the Substance of their Opponent's Position but by picking Sentences and breaking them in pieces thereby marring the Sense Secondly That the Quakers are guilty of the several things therein charged else J. Field who has a Fund to support him in his Charge of Printing would not so silently pass by all those several Charges without a Vindication of his dear Friends and this being a Figure of all their Answers I shall pass by many things of the like Nature and apply my self next to their Sufferings That being the best Flower in their Garden and in which they most of all glory much Good may it do them since they bring most of it upon themselves by their obstinately adhering to their blind Guides and the Dictates of their Erroneous Consciences which has befaln them thorough their Contempt and Neglect of adhering to the Rule of the Sacred Word of God I mean the Writings of the Holy Prophets and Apostles and the Practice of the Primitive Saints and Martyrs in all Ages Again A Defence c. p. 21. A Brief Abstract of some Sufferings of the People call'd Quakers given to Confront Francis Bugg 's Diminutive Account c. Reply I find of late some Alteration in the Quakers Arrogant Stile touching themselves it formerly was generally thus The People of God called Quakers or Some Principles of the Elect People of God call'd Quakers or from the People of the Lord call'd Quakers but now of late they are come a Step lower viz. The People commonly call'd Quakers or The People call'd Quakers I hope the Sermon I prepared for the Quakers which I took out of their Writings with no little Study and Pains have done them some Good see Pilg. Prog. p. 108 to 127. It was a long Sermon I confess but in regard it turn to a good Account I think not my labour vain But why is my Account of their Sufferings diminutive Were they not Sufferings Yea else they would not have recorded them were they then not recoraed Yea I took them out of their Chronicle and told them both Book and Page Well what then Oh! but they were of the least Size No matter for that if Sufferings then Meritorious else why were they so carefully Collected and put in Order even to a Row of Pins a Child's Biggen a Child's Double Clout a Woman's Cross-cloth a Night-cap a Dung-Fork and the like fit to be put into their Martyrology But to deal plainly I question the truth of them and much more the truth of this Abstract For to me they appear like Fox's Miracles in his Journal Published Thirty or Forty Years after they are said to be wrought And no Body can tell me where not when nor the Persons Names Cured or any Witnesses to attest them Even so are the Sufferings of this Abstract Nor is their one Justices Warrant cited nor any formal Trial of any one of these Sufferers
brought forth to shew whether they suffered for the Name of Jesus or for Righteousness sake Still like Fox's Miracles never an one of which are said to be wrought in the Name of Jesus but only in his own Name and by his own Power like Simon Magus whom the Samaritans Adored even as the Poor Infatuated Quakers Adore this Fox They the Samaritans called him Simon Magus the Power of God so do the Quakers call Fox and that his Kingdom is Established in Righteousness and that of the increase thereof there is no End And for these Reasons these Sufferings ought to be even as Fox's Miracles are and thatby many of the Quakers too rejected and held as Fabulous as the Papists Legend And now as a further Demonstration that this Abstract with all its Appendices ought to be rejected and held as a Fabulous Story I shall give Twelve Reasons in order to Confront John Feild's magnifying their Sufferings which can be for no other Reason than for which they at first Record them that is Pride and Ostentation And my Reasons shall be grounded upon such a bottom as all the Quakers that will see with their own Eyes and read in the Quakers Books must say Amen to even upon that lying Spirit which has entred all their Inspired Prophets And if they can tell 12 Lies they may tell 12000 Lies and then what Credit is to be given either to the Miracles of Fox or the Sufferings of the Quakers LIE 1. In that they teach by their Books That their Sufferings are greater and more unjust than the Sufferings in the Days of Christ his Apostles the Ten Persecutions or any time since Burrough's Works p. 273. LIE 2. That Sam. Cater one of their Wordy-windy Teachers said and got it recorded That he suffered Twenty Pound when he did not suffer Twenty Farthings LIE 3. In that G. Fox their Apostle and High-Priest of their Profession said He was covered from the World and that the World neither knew Him nor his Name when there was not Ten Men in this Kingdom whose Names were better known See their Book Several Petitions Answered p. 30. LIE 4. In that they teach saying HE that HATH the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the Dead is EQUAL with God Saul 's Errand to Damasscus p. 8. LIE 5. In that they teach That Geo. Fox was before Languages were See the Introduct to their Battledoor in Folio LIE 6. In that they teach That the Thundering Voice answered Geo. Fox at his Trial in Lancaster Assizes as in p. 21. of his Book and which the Quakers have left out of his Journal Saying I have Glorified thee and will Glorifie thee again And immediately his Head and Ears was filled with Glory Thus do they vye it with Christ not only in saying their Sufferings are greater than his his Apostles and all the Martyrs but as there was a Voice from Heaven from God the Father speaking to God the Son or Second Person in the Trinity saying I have Glorifed thee and will after the state of Humiliation was past Glorifie thee again LIE 7. In that Fox your Apostle said He saw a Pool of Blood and a Channel of Blood in the Town of Litchfield when there was not a Drope of Blood much less a Channel See his Journal p. 53. And the Young Prophets believe him else they would not have Printed it after his Death in his Journal LIE 8. In that William Mead the great Quaker told William Harris That this Journal of Fox is a better Book than the Bible LIE 9. In that G. Fox says and the Quakers believe it else they would not have Printed it in his Journal p. 47. viz. That he saw the Heavens open as St. Stephen did nor that the Quakers had seen David's Sepulchre so many Thousand Miles off England as Fox say they did See Truth 's Defence alias the Fountain of Lies and Blasphemies LIE 10. In that Geo. Whitehead teach in his Book Truth Defending the Quakers p. 7. That what is now spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any meaning the Quakers is of greater Authority than the Holy Scriptures LIE 11. In that Father Penn in Print Teach and whom Geo. Whitehead vindicates therein Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 52. That the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem was properly the Son of God we Quakers says he utterly deny See his Serious Apology c. p. 146. LIE 12. In that the Quakers teach That the Name Jesus and Christ belong to every Believer as well as to the Head See Pennington's Questions to Professors c. p. 27. When the Lie is so manifest as that the Name Jesus and Christ do not belong to Geo. Whitehead nor Will. Penn so well as it did belong to the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem which the Quakers utterly deny to be the Son of God And if not to them too much less to the Quakers of a lower Form whom yet they account Believers yea the only Church of Christ And that they may have full Tale I 'll give them a Baker's Dozen of Lies to confront their dubious and unintelligible Abstract LIE 13. They teach Tht there is no Salvation out of the true Church and that the Quakers are this true Church And also that in their Church there is no Tares nor Hypocrites See Josiah Coal's Whore unvailed First Impression p. 16 18 40 41 43. And R. Farnsworth's A Rod to drive out the Wild Boars c. Printed 1655. p. 13. And to prove this a loud Lie see the Cage of Unclean Birds in my Pil. Prog. cap. 14. p. 127 to 145. LIE 14. The Quakers say They are resolved to Love their Enemeis and Pray for their Adversaries And for proof of this pretence see John Feild's Defence c. p. 11 19. Saying I did not say that Francis Bugg was like Judas Contradictory to the stream of the whole Gang or that Haman and Judas his End might be his for I pray God it may not We are resolved to love our Enemeis Bless them that Curse us do Good to and Pray for them that Persecute us c. Oh! John as this is contrary to thy Natural Temper so it is to the Spirit of Quakerism else you are changed and not the same that ever you were No John I take this as a Piece of Flattery a sudden Mood a Fit that will over and be gone presently Nay John is yet more kind for I 'll give the Devil his due p. 11. ibid. I am persuaded the Quakers never designed Fran. Bugg any harm O! John I see thy Cloven Foot and will keep out of harms way as near as I can and therefore D. do thy worst But to prove this a Lie spoken in Hypocrisie to glos over their Malicious Spirit which is the most revengeful of the Seven Evil Spirtis which possesses the Leaders of this Sect and which is as contrary to their Ancient Principles as Light is contrary to Darkness see their great Apostle Fox's
against Geo. Whitehead's Book Judgment fixed c. we have continues she Knights of the Post amongst us c. This Witness is true II. That the honest Quakers for some such there are amongst them have suspected G. Whitehead by his Craft and Subtilty in defending or excusing what he must know to be erroneous amongst them to be a Jesuit at least like them This Witness is true III. That their Second-Day Meeting put Names to their Certificates and Passages into their Books without either Consent or Knowledge of the Parties or Authors This Witness is true IV. That the Quakers separate Meetings for Government with Doors shut are dangerous to the Peace of the Nation This Witness is true V. That the Magistrates look upon Common Bankers i. e. the Quakers Fund to be as bad as Arms and Ammunition and not said she without Reason for Money answers all things If Friends said she would put away this Dagon and take Money only for their present Necessity things would soon be better This Witness is true VI. That the Quakers Distinct Men's Meetings touching their Government within the Government and opposite to it serve to little Purpose but to shelter great Bellies and to protect the Proud and Vicious This Witness is true VII That their Teachers G. Whitehead Sam. Cater c. are the most confident Liars and wicked Forgers that ever she met with This Witness is true VIII That their Second-Day Meeting both added to and altered the Sence of her Letters to make Lies seem true of which Forgery she suspected G. Whitehead to be Guilty for continue she Sam. Cater is not Sophister great enough This Witness is true IX I had said she a sharp Conference with Sam. Cater for his Clamouring against Francis Bugg and John Ainsloe in his abuseful Narrative herein said she he Sam. Cater have used my Name in Print to justifie him in his Conscious Pamphlet with Francis Bugg I said she laid it before him smartly he is very bold continues she and the most confident Liar that ever I met with This Witness is true X. That G. W. forged a Certificate in 's Judgment Fixed This witness is true Thus much from a Prophetess of their own one in their Unity and that have wrote many Books in Defence of Quakerism one in 1699. by which Evidence we may know that the Quakers like the Cretians were always Liars evil Beasts slow Bellies but not only so but Liars Forgers and to speak Comparatively Knights of the Post Jesuits and dangerous to the Government Slanderers to their honest Friends whilst they protected the proud Blasphemers and Vicious Hypocrites and as St. Paul said the Evidence which a Prophet of the Cretians said was true who said and said truly that the Cretians were always Liars c. why Because he knew the Truth thereof and as to the Evidence which this Propheress Anne Docwra has given of the Quakers I say it is true why Because I know it to be so in the Cases now recited But further to confirm it I shall recite an Abstract of a Letter sent me dated January the 19th 1699. from Robert Sandiland who formerly was one of their Teachers But upon Conviction of his Errors and the gross Hypocrisies of the Quakers he has left them as many others have done and Retracted not only his Errors which he with my self G. Keith Tho. Crisp and divers others held but also his uncharitable Language to me and others tho' much of what his Books contained was as Anne Docwra says foisted in as his yet none of his and I am apt to think the same Person G. W. was the Forger in his Book for which horrible Practice he I fear has a large Account to give Now follows R. S.'s Letter somewhat abstracted Loving Friend Francis Bugg AS concerning my Book printed 1683. Entituled Righteous Judgment c. whatsoever it herein inconsistent or any other of my Books with the sound Christian Faith and Doctrine I do now wholly Disown and Retract together with all Harsh and Uncharitable Expressions on thee or any others named in my Book and particularly these Verses p. 97. viz. Team Rogers Pennyman Bullock and Bugg Dark Devil driven dungy God's desperately Lugg That are ty'd to the Tail of their separate Schism Papists Libertinism Heathenism Judaism Atheism I do say and affirm that tho' these Verses were put into my Book as mine yet I assure thee that they were none of my making I did not compose oneword of them but they were made by another Hand and put into my Book together with the whole Ninth Chapter which was likewise done by another Hand and put also into my said Book as mine whilst I was in the Country and after I had left it with the Second-Day-Meeting for the Press and they did with it what they pleas'd as thou knowest they use to Read and Correct all Books brought before them and G. W. I suppose may remember who it was that writ that whole Ninth Chapter * * Yea and I guess that it was G. W. himself from p. 91 to 100. Blessed be God that their gross Errors in the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion are now sufficiently Detected and there is nothing remains now for them to do but either openly and freely to Retract and Condemn them or else to be exposed and liable to all the ill Effects and Consequences which must unavoidably attend their obstinate persisting in their Errors Robert Sandilands But to shew the horrid Cheats wicked Forgeries and deep Hypocrisies of this their Second-Day Meeting will exceed the bounds of a Preface and therefore for a compleat System of this their black Art in their dark Divinity I refer my Reader to my Pilg. Prog. c. 2d Edit p. 149 to p. 170. And that I may not leave a Stone unturned that may discover the pious Frauds of this Painted Harlot I shall recite a brief Abstract of W. Mucklow's Book Entituled The Spirit of the Hat c. he being a Man of Note amongst them and may be called in St. Paul's Sence a Prophet of their own and whose Evidence in this Case is true yea I know it to be so For the Quakers were always Liars evil Beasts Slow-Bellies whilst yet they pretend to Infallibility and also that their Books are given forth from the Immediate Eternal Spirit of God 1. That the Foxonian Unity is to yeild Obedience to the Body tho' no Conviction inwardly of the Truth of the thing commanded saying who is able to make War with us These are the high swelling Words of proud Babel This Witness is true 2. That G. Fox c. was of an Antichristian Spirit This Witness is true 3. That their Ministers in their Meetings for Government conjoin'd together to subvert our Laws and Liberty This Witness is true 4. That G. Fox was lifted up with Luciferian Pride saying he had Power to bind and loose whom he please This Witness is true 5. That Sol. Eccles
one of their Prophets and Teachers ador'd G. Fox with Divine Attributes This Witness is true 6. That their People bowed down on their Knees to G. Fox for Absolution in particular John Fretwell Christopher Gilborn James Naylor which was Idolatry This Witness is true 7. That G. Fox's Luciferian Pride was manifest when he gave out a Paper That his Marriage with Margaret Fell Widow was a Figure of the Marriage between Christ and his Church and that his said Marriage was above the State of Adam in his Innocency in the State of the second Adam that never fell This Witness is true 8. That great Pains had been taken by Sam. Newton and John Bolton to bring to light the unheard-of Practices and Beastly Wantonness and filthy Uncleanness of their Teachers This Witness is true 9. That John Bolton had a Confession in writing of one or two of the Females concerned in their Debauched Actions shewing also that many eminent ones in their Ministry resorted to them daily giving them these Appellations Innocent Lasses and Daughters of Sion This Witness is true 10. That the Quakers represent such as discover these their Abominations Envious Malicious Distracted Bad Dirty and Factious Spirits who are gone from Truth c. This Witness is true Therefore saith St. Paul rebuke them Sharply Severely or Cuttingly who notwithstanding their high Pretences to Meekness Charity Self-Denial Temperance and other Graces of the Spirit yet are found to be Liars evil Beasts Slow Bellies great Forgers gross Hypocrites and proud Blasphemers Read over the 20 Instances and R. Saudiland's Letter of Retractation together with what else you find in this and my other Books for to them I refer for further Demonstrations of the Deceitfulness of these vain Pretenders and high Boasters If they tell you this Book of W. Mucklow's is answer'd and again complain that I take no Notice thereof as Jos Wyeth does of the Author of The Snake in the Grass c. in his Anguis Flagillatus c. to them I thus reply that their pretended Answers are in Reality no Answers otherwise than mock Answers to abuse the World and to blind their Proselytes and to paint over the Poyson of their foul Opinions and this is easie to discern by any that will be at the Pains to read what is wrote on both sides and by considering their way and manner of answering Books See G. W.'s Truth and Innocency vindicated c. in these three Instances viz. I. Their Way of Transposing II. Their Way of Adding Words III. Their leaving Out Words Of their Transposing Words First As to Transposing G. Fox having taught in his Great Mystery c. saying p. 213. You cannot know Scripture but by the same Degree of the Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles had c. this was objected against the Quakers as Pride in them that so thought and false Doctrine in them that so teach see A Brief Discovery c. p. 8. to which G. Whitehead reply'd in his Truth and Innocency c. p. 19. These Words says he should be Transposed it should run thus Thou canst not know Scripture but by a Degree of the same Spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Now by thus Transposing Words we may read Acts 12.2 That James slew Herod with the Sword and so overthrow the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures whether Doctrinal or Historical Now whether G. W.'s Method of Transposing the Words of their Prophets was not to cover and palliate their Errors let the wise in Heart judge Their Way of Adding Words Secondly Again their Way of Adding Words A Brief Discovery c. p. 26. the Clergy having objected to the Quakers a Blasphemous Position out of Burrough's Works p. 273. viz. The Sufferings says Burroughs of the People of God i. e. Quakers in this Age is a Greater Suffering and more Unjust than in the Days of Christ his Apostles and Martyrs or any time since What was done to Christ or his Apostles was Chiefly done by a Law and in Great Part by the Due Execution of a Law c. To this G. Whitehead the Quakers Soderer replies see his Truth and Innocency c. p. 44. not once mentioning the Page in the said Brief Discovery on purpose no doubt to lead his Reader from the Sight and Scent of their Blasphemy and that which confirms me therein is that he dropt the latter part of the Quotation viz. What was done to Christ or his Apostles was Chiefly done by a Law and in Great part by the Due Execution of a Law No this was so apparently Blasphemous that as hardy as he G. W. is he was ashamed to recite it but whilst he blames others for splitting Sentences Mangling and Curtailing he is a profound Practitioner of it but in p. 46. ibid. being loth to let it pass wholly unspoken to he there says Instead of Due Execution it should rather have been said by a Regular and Judicial Procedure But how far this mends the Matter let all true Christians judge viz. whether the Proceedings of the Jews against our Saviour when they Scourg'd him Spit upon him Platted a Crown of Thorns upon his Head Smote him with the Palms of their Hands when Herod and his Men of War set him at nought and mocked him and the like Indignities which were not then nor now done to the greatest Malefactors I say was this A Regular and Judicial Procedure against our Blessed Saviour as G. Whitehead he being expert in Law Terms grants it to be in favour of his Brother Burroughs Again George one Question more were the Jews Nailing his Innocent Hands and Feet in whose Mouth never was Guile nor sinful Thought in his Breast to the Cross and the Soldiers piercing his Side with a Spear so that his Precious Blood †Which the Quakers say is no better than the Blood of another Saint streamed out at five Places I say was this A Regular or Judicial Procedure Answer in your next Again A Regular and Judicial Procedure supposeth a Transgression of some Law And Burrough says expresly that he not only suffered by a Law but in a great part by the Due Execution of a Law as above Again and George since you grant that all the Indignities and cruel Sufferings our Saviour underwent for the Salvation of Mankind was by A Regular or Judicial Procedure which presupposeth a Law and that Law transgressed therefore be plain for once and tell us what Law it was by which he was for the Transgression thereof Regularly and Judicially proceeded against and consequently therefore Condemned Crucified and Slain by the Jews if you cannot do this then condemn both your Truth and Innocency as Blasphemy Of their Leaving out Words Thirdly G. Fox having taught in his Book Saul's Errand to Damascus c. p. 8. saying HE that Hath the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ is Equal with God this being urged against the Quakers as Blasphemy by the Norfolk Clergy in their Book
aforesaid i. e. A Brief Discovery c. p. 6. the Quakers Painter G. Whitehead says in his Truth and Innocency c. p. 9. We says George deny the Words as there printed tho' not until near 40 Years after printed therefore the Words He that hath should be left out Now George may not the London Jews by the same Art and with as much Truth and Innocency defend their deceased Brethren the Jews in their Blasphemy against Jesus Christ in the Days of his Flesh who said John 8.48 Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil But then by G. W.'s Rule of Arguing the London Jews may now say The Words and hast a Devil should be left out they only meant that he was the compassionate Samaritan mentioned Luke 10.33 Would this do George No sure theirs was plain Blasphemy and Fox's is as plain Blasphemy who said he was equal to God as aforesaid Thus Reader have I shewed thee the Quakers way of answering Books viz. First by Transposing Words by which if allowed I have proved that James slew Herod Secondly That by their Adding Words they likewise may excuse any Blasphemy as Whitehead here doth his Brother Burroughs who said first that the Quakers Sufferings are greater than Christ's and all his Apostles and Martyrs under the Heathen Emperors and Bloody Massacres to this Day Secondly That the Sufferings of the Quakers are more unjust than all the forementioned Thirdly That what was done to Christ his Apostles and Martyrs was chiefly done by a Law Fourthly and in great part by the Due Execution of a Law But says Whitehead It should rather have been said by a Regular or Judicial Procedure and truly this is so far from clearing Edw. Burroughs and his Brethren for they are all of one Mind being lead into these Blasphemies by their Darkness within which they call Light that it rather confirms what he Blasphemously said than otherwise And no great Marvel for the Quakers in Print deny that Person which suffered upon the Cross to be properly the Son of God * See W. Penn's Serious Apol. p. 146. For a Confutation of Penn's Doctrine read John 14.28 yea the whole Chapter and the Jews being of the same Faith they said as in John 19.7 We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Thus do both Jews and Quakers agree in their Fundamentals the Quakers deny him properly to be the Son of God and the Jews put him to Death because he said he was the Son of God and both Jews and Quakers herein resist the Testimony of God himself the Glorious Angels the Holy Apostles and Army of Martyrs yea all Christian Churches to this Day and because my self and others urge that they may be examined touching these their Blasphemous Books therefore they cry out Persecution Persecution Fr. Bugg would raise the Monster of Persecution with this they make a Noise and raise a Dust but fear no such thing they only fear being examined about their Blasphemous Books and obliged by Authority to Retract them and then down goes their beloved Darling Infallibility And what remains now but to follow the Pious Example of good King †Against the Blasphemy of Senacherib King of Syria Hezekiah 2 Kin. 19.14 And Hezekiah received the Letter of the Hand of the Messengers and read it and Hezekiah went into the House of the Lord and spread it before the Lord and prayed c. And therefore that God may give a Blessing to our Labour and for his Name Sake Rebuke this Spirit of Blasphemy which have entered this our Island and if it be his Holy Will to convince the Gainsayers of his Sacred Word and Ordinances For as St. Paul Teacheth 1 Cor. 9.10 He that ploweth plows in Hope and he that thresheth in Hope shall be partaker of his Hope especially if he faint not and though to Plow and Thresh and Beat Clods be hard Work yet 't is a necessary Work to Prepare the Field For the Seedsmen who are ordained thereunto not that the Plowmen or the Sowers have wherewith to Glory for Paul may plant and Apolo water but it is God alone that giveth the increase And to him not unto us belong the Glory And tho' it has been my work to Plow and Break the Clods which is hard Labour and to thresh the Mountains that the Fields may be prepared and fitted for the Master's use yet I can say according to the discretion God has given me I have not desired to break the Bruised Reed nor to quench the Smoaking Flax by being harsh to the weak or severe to the tender but have cut down the Lofty Weeds and hewed down the Tall Ceders who stood in opposition to the way and work of God which he is bringing to pass in the Earth And therefore I shall conclude in the Prayers of our Church beseeching God of his Great Mercy to give his Blessing to my weak Endeavours And say We Sinners do beseech to thee to hear us O Lord and that it may please thee to Rule and Govern thy Holy Church Universal in the Right Way That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true Worshiping of thee in Righteousness and Holiness of Life thy Servant William our most Gracious King and Go vernuor That it may please thee to Rule his Heart in thy Faith Fear and Love and that he may evermore have Affiance in thee and ever seek thy Honour and Glory That it may please thee to be his Defender and Keeper giving him the Victory over all his Enemies That it may please thee to Illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of thy Church with true Knowledge and Understanding of thy Word and that by their Preaching and Living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility with Grace Wisdom and Understanding That it may please thee to Bless and Keep the Magistrates giving them Grace to execute Justice and to maintain Truth That it may please thee to give to all thy People Increase of Grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure Affection and to bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit That it may please thee to bring into the way of Truth all such as have Erred and are Deceived That it may please thee to Strengthen such as do stand and to Comfort and Help the weak Hearted and Raise up them that Fall and finally to beat down Satan under our Feet That it may please thee to Defend and Provide for the Fatherless Children and Widows and all that be Desolate and oppressed That it may please thee to forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and to turn their Hearts That it may please thee to give us and all Men true Repentance to forgive us all our Sins Negligences and Ignorances and to endue us with the Grace of thy
of it and then I cannot think any thing is lacking to make the Quakers Known and Understood But if after all G. W. can with his Juggles and Paint blind the Eyes of some that are dim-sighted let them look well into his own Book i. e. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. which I herewith Reprint that so he may not say I leave out the foregoing or subsequent Words his old and usual Policy to blind his ignorant Followers and I am perswaded they may see and know Quakerism to be the most horrible Heresie that ever the World knew Indeed when the Norfolk Clergy presented their Books to the Parliament of the vile Heresies Seditions and Blasphemous Principles of the Quakers I thought it almost impossible for the Quakers to withstand the Force of the Quotations taken out of their Books but rather that they would have blushed repented and have begg'd of God and the Nation Forgiveness for the Hurt they have done to Christianity and Scandal they have brought upon the Protestant Reliligion both at home and abroad but behold G. W. like the Inchanters of old Exod. 8. with his cunning Craft whereby he lies in wait to deceive as St. Peter well describes such as if he had eaten Shame and drank after it whose Face is like Brass and his Forehead like Case-hardned Steel he ventures to defend vindicate or excuse every Error every Blasphemy every Seditious and Treasonable Principle objected against them the like of which was never broached before in England And why not For by the Method he has taken if allowed he may do it Nay this I dare undertake allowing me his Method to vindicate or excuse all the Blasphemous Heresies and Treasons that ever was wrote since the Days of William the Conqueror and thereupon it came into my Heart to Reprint one of his Books herewith viz. Ishmael and his Mother cast out c. Verbatim except the Postscript to which no Hand is set to avoid his future Cavils and possibly hereafter may Reprint his Truth defending the Quakers c. and Truths Defence if I see Cause And tho' I shall not answer every Particular in his Truth and Innocency vindicated yet I shall give some brief Hints of his Method in defending the Quakers and himself from the Quotations taken out of their Books by the Norfolk Clergy which I am sure they did with great Care and Fidelity and that to my Knowledge viz. P. 6. These Words whom John said he was not we disown in that place his Intention ought to be considered P. 9. We deny the Words as there printed He that hath should be lest out P. 11. We know they intended P. 19. The Words should be transposed P. 25. They wanting due Points there wanted this Parenthesis P. 29. He means Spiritually and not Literally P. 30. He meant Earthly Persecuting Kings P. 45. His Words should run thus P. 46. It should rather have been P. 52. Here I take him to mean P. 63. Not warrantable Expressions P. 55. He means I know his Intent was not P. 59. He means not derided P. 61. Was never so intended P. 62. The Words should be transposed P. 67. It was directly intended c. I say give me but this Allowance and I dare engage to defend and excuse all the Treasonable Words Blasphemous Expressions and Heretical Principles that ever was wrote by Pen yet this is the Method that G. W. has taken to excuse all the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles quoted by the Norfolk Clergy out of the Quakers Books instead of condemning them to the Flames as he ought to have done had he had the tenth part of that Sincerity he oft pretends to Nay moreover when some of the Quotations were so apparently Seditious as that they struck at the very Constitution of our English Government viz. That a Parliament chosen by most Voices could not act for God nor the Good of his People and wrote by a Prophet too enough to raise the Mob insomuch as Whitehead did not dare to recite the said Quotation yet had he the Impudence to justifie his Brother Fox p. 33. viz. Certainly he Fox had an honest intent in what he writ on this Subject Yet nevertheless in the same Page and p. 64. his Heart so smote him that he cried out I would not says Whitehead be understood in any wise to oppose the Peoples just Rights of Elections not understood No I believe it that is tho' he owns Fox's Seditious Doctrine tho' he defends and justifies it saying Certainly he had an honest Intent in what he writ on this Subject yet he would not be understood so The English of which is this that tho' both Fox himself and the rest of their leading Gang own this Doctrine as their Ancient Testimony from which as themselves say they have not deviated in any one Point only for some Politick Reasons he would not be So Understood that is he would not be understood to be what he really is else why should he justifie that in his Brother Fox which he disowns in himself Indeed he makes an Apology for Fox that they were wrote occasionally in the Commonwealths Day what then I grant they were first wrote in 1659. but then they were Reprinted by the Quakers as one of their Ancient Testimonies Seven Years after viz. 1665. and has gone among the Friends ever since as the Word of the Lord wrote by a Prophet of the most high namely Geo. Fox Jun. But George if it was so certainly honestly writ why didst thou not recite it that others might have been Judges of it Well but since thou hast not I shall viz. A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemous and Seditious Principles and Practices of the Quakers c. p. 17. Geo. Fox Jun. in his Works Reprinted 1665. p. 87 88. intitles his Epistles A few plain Words to be considered by those of the Army or others that would have a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People c. wherein is shewed unto them according to the Scriptures of Truth that a Parliament so chosen are not like to govern for God or the Good of his People Consider these things saith he which I declare unto you which in waiting upon the Lord he by his Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding opened in me concerning the chusing of Parliaments by the Voices of the People And p. 89. he says You are not like to see your Desires fulfilled by a Parliament chosen by the Voices of the People Now if you believe these Scriptures John 15.19 Matth. 7.13 Rom. 9.27 Then may you see that a Parliament that is chosen by most Voices are not like to act for God and the Good of his People And p. 91. And likewise the chusing of Parliament Men according to the Custom of England which is called its Birthright stands in respect of Person and not in Equality for the Rich Covetous Oppressing Men who oppress the Poor they have the only Power to
the Scriptures say that God the Father the First Person in the Trinity is the Word No Christ the Second Person is the Word proved by that Scripture above quoted and perverted by them Whitehead in Ishmael p. 9. II. They are such Teachers as tell People of a Sacrament for which there is not one Scripture and so feed the People with their own Inventions and therefore we deny them III. They are such Teachers as have told us the Letter was the Light whenas the Letter saith Christ is the Light therefore we deny them John 1 c. Query Where is the Man What is his Name What Book is it in That the Publick Ministers ever said that the Letter as they contemptuously call the Holy Scriptures was the Light mentioned John 1. or the Essential Word of God only the Written Word of God spoke forth by Men Divinely Inspired and as such are a Light or give us Light and are a Means to understand the Mind and Will of God through the Influences of his Holy Spirit assisting therein No this I take to be a false Accusation like that of Joseph Wyeth's Anguis Flagellatus p. 158. i. e. Upon Examination of Christopher Wade's Words they seem to imply as if he had affirmed of the Scriptures that they were the Eternal and Indwelling Word of God c. This is a Lie told in Hypocrisie for I have read the Page through and there is no such Saying or any thing like it And thus do they belie their Adversaries both by false Citations and Charges Wherefore as the Protestants says touching the Jesuits so may the Protestants conclude by the Quakers both in reciting their Opponents their reciting their Friends and their Sham-Creeds and Protestations in their late Books presented to the Parliament the Judges Justices c. viz. Distrust them in all they say A Specimen of all which you have in this small Treatise But to go on IV. They are such Teachers as tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel therefore we deny them V. They are Babylon's Merchants that make a Trade of the Scriptures there-we deny them VI. They are such Teachers as take a Text out of the Saints Conditions i. e. out of the Scriptures therefore we deny them These are some of the chief Reasons why the Quakers deny the Publick Ministers and not only so and there leave it no but in Magisterial Insulting Domineering manner counsel and command the People contrary to all the Laws made and established to go no more to Church The like of which I do believe never was done by a dissenting People who enjoy their Liberty by Indulgence since the World began which after I have recited Fox's Motion from God as he audaciously pretends I shall recite this Counsel against the Estabished Church and next his Authority from The Word of God as he audaciously pretends as in p. 15 54. viz. Moved of the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord for the Cleansing of the Land of all False Teachers Seducers and Deceivers and Witches who beguile the People and Inchanters and Diviners and Sorcerers and Hirelings c. All People that read these things never come ye more at the Steeple-House nor Pay your Priests more Tythes till they have Answered them for if ye do ye uphold them in their Sins and must partake of their Plagues This is the Word of the Lord God to you all G. F. Reader their First and Great Commandment is Pay your Priest no more Tythes and their Second is like unto it Never go more to the Steeple-House and upon these Two Commandments hangs their Law and their Prophets and by this you may know that his Disciples love him in that they keep his Commandments And the Reasons he gives to enforce Obedience to their Commandments are because the Priests tell them that the Holy Scriptures are the written Word of God because they tell us of a Sacrament because they tell People that Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel because they take a Text out of the Scripture and Expound it to the People And for these and the like Reasons they call them False Teachers Seducers Deceivers Witches Inchanters Diviners Sorcerers and Hirelings And for their Warrant This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Thus do they sit in the Judgment-Seat even as in O. Cromwell's Time and for the same Cause now as then they have Condemned not only the Church of England but Protestant Dissenters too But George as I have turned thee topsy-turvy so am I now turning thy Inside outward shewing by thy Ishmael c. thy Ancient Testimony and Principle and thou sayest thou art not changed See thy Ishmael to which I have neither added nor diminished only the backside of the Title-Page Running Title Marginal Notes and Observations from Pag. 11. thy Name being on the Title-Page the middle and at the end Signed and also Sealed with your Common Seal i. e. Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord in us G. Whitehead c. But let me clear up one Passage in your Truth and Innocency Vindicated c. p. 31. As for this Quotation in Ishmael c. p. 10 11. G. Whitehead hath positively disowned the Words and affirms they are none of his and that he writ not that Part of the Answer to Townsend which was in the Year * It was 1655. 1654. and that he shall neither stand by nor own these Words viz. And here thy Antiquity and the Three Persons which thou would devide out of one like a Conjurer are all denied and thou shut up with them in perpetual Darkness for the Lake and the Pit Now George tho' thy Signing and Sealing this Book with thy Hand and Common Seal as aforesaid were sufficient to Entitle thee to this Hellish Blasphemy as if thou hadst Signed and Sealed a Bond of an Hundred Pound made by a Scribe would oblige thee to Pay the Debt tho' thou didst not write the Bond yet George I have a further Demonstration to prove the Book thine and never heard that until 1690 an Act being made which enjoined all that expected Toleration to own the B. Trinity that you did disown any part of this Book But George Disowning will not now do you must Retract and Condemn it and this to do will be as bitter a Pill as it was to thee and thy Brethren to own K. W. III. Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms For I have Mr. Smith's Book The Quakers Disarmed c. and your Book Truth Defending the Quakers c. both Printed 1659. wherein he charges you with this Ishmael and you both own and defend it And first The Qua. Disarm c. Mr. Smith He that writ this Book Ishmael opens a Door to Damnable Heresies you writ this Book G. W. therefore you open a Door to Damnable Heresies G. W. I deny it I did not write all there is something scribled on it Mr. Smith True here
which comes from Christ is erred and with it to be condemned thou dreamer what hast thou to do to profess thy self a Minister of the Gospel who art but yet in thy mediate natural conceivings when the natural man knows not the things of God for they are Spiritually discerned so we from God is unto thee thou deceiver who would make people believe that that which is natural and carnal is the foundation of Faith and obedience and so would bewitch thy people with thy lyes to draw them from the anointing within to obscure something without them as they did that would have drawn away the Galations from the Spirit as thou mayest read Gal. 3. Priest And whereas thou sayest in the third Page that thou wilt reason with us and tells us that we did acknowledge the Scripture to be truth which in the Page before thou did deny and thus is making thy folly manifest who saith that it is our judgment that we are perfect and free from Sin which thou never heard us affirm but these thy lyes will clearly be made manifest by the Scriptures which thou calls thy foundation of faith and only rule of obedience by which thou shalt be judged for Christ saith unto them whom he taught be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.28 Answ But thou and thy generation hates this and says that there is no perfection to be attained here Oh thou blind guide did Christ ever command any thing that might not be accomplished or did he speak of being perfect not till after death here thou dost deny the very end for which Christ came who came to take away Sin and in him is no Sin Mat. i. 21. i. John 3.3 4 5 6. and i. John 5.18 here thou hast plainly made it manifest that thou art without Christ and his knowledge and in Antichrist now what the Scriptures speaks in our measure do we witness concerning these things and thee we do deny and all thy generation thou enemy of God who doth pervert the Scriptures and wrest them to thy destruction and here with the light that never changed art thou to be condemned from God and all the Children of God Priest Another of thy lyes is made evident thou slanderer who art not ashamed impudently to affirm that we deny the power of the Magistrates in the matters of God and that we speak not evil only of Governors but of Government and condemn the Ministers of the Church of England and despise them as false teachers P. 4. to and say they know nothing of the true light and say we condemn them for preaching for hire and say we deny Ministers should take any wages for their works Answ The powers that are of God ordained we own in our souls and for Conscience sake are subject to them and such as rule well in the things of God without respect of persons which respects of persons is contrary to Scripture such we say are worthy of double honour and such our Souls are subject to for such executed the Law upon transgressors and encourage them that do well and their honour lyes not in a hat or bending of the knee which is nothing but filthiness which thou and thy generation upholds but the honour and subjection to him that ruleth well is in our souls as it is written Rom. 13.1 and here thy lyes and thy slanders we do deny and charge it upon thee from the Lord to prove where ever we were not subject unto the power of Magistrates as it was of God or where ever we spoke evil of Governors or of Government thus art thou found with lyes in thy right hand thou enemy of God and where thou sayest we condemn the Ministers of the Church of England the Ministers of Christ we own but such as thou art we deny who seek for your gain from your quarter and such as call Steeple house Church and letter word and foundation and light and rule when Christ saith he is the way and he is the light and he is the foundation and he is the word which was before the Letter was i. John i. 9. and John 3. and Rev. i9 i. Cor. 3. i2 and here again we do deny all such as say that sprinkling of Infants is the Baptism and the seal of the Covenant as thou Sampson Townsend did affirm and take i2 pence for sprinkling of a poor prisoners child here in this prison of Norwich the sixteenth day of the eleventh Month and Scripture saith that the Baptisme is with one Spirit into one body and the Baptisme is but one and the Church but one which is in God as thou may read Ephes 4 5 6. and i. Thes i. and here thou and thy Church and thy Baptisme is shut out of Scripture and with it judged and with the light condemned to be upheld by such sottish blind guides as thou art Priest And again thou sayest that the Ministers of England speaks nothing but what is according to the Law and the Testimony of God in his word which is the rule to try all teachers by and thou sayest that this our Judgment is contrary to Tit. 2.15 Answ Whosoever read that Scripture will condemn thy blindness in these things who hast pretended thy self a teacher of others Mark Reader this their Ancient Testimony and they are the same still and yet shut up in perpetual darkness thou blind sot where is it said in all the Scriptures that the Letter is the rule to try all teachers by or where doth it ever say that the Saints did ever try the Spirits by the Letter or how canst thou prove that ever it was called by the Saints the only rule of obedience or a written word of God with these thy lyes thou and thy generation hath deceived the blind and simple taking their money for that which is no bread P. 5. 4 to making them believe lyes instead of truth Oh ye enemies of God how long will ye despise the truth if Scripture had not been these your filthy lyes would have gone forth as truth to those that are in darkness but praised be the Lord who hath discovered your filthiness and laid you open with his light from which the Scripture was spoken by which light we read you in the Scriptures to be among the false Prophets in their steps and in the wayes of the Pharises and now finding you in the latter times your condemnation is justly related in the Scriptures who go in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam as thou may read Iude 4.10 11. and 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6. Priest And again thou sayest that Christ and his Apostles gave strong reasons for their maintenance and to prove it thou brings those Scriptures Mat. 10.10 Luke 10.7 Answ Let all that read these Scriptures judge thee by me to be a lyar who formerly hast testified that the Scripture was the word of God and thy rule and foundation