TRUTH CLEARED AND THE DECEIT MADE MANIFEST OR, An Answer to a Printed Paper, wherein are certain Untruths and false Aspersions, cast upon a People, called QUAKERS, by some Members of the Church of WREXHAM in WALES▪  
With some QUESTIONS answered: with other False Accusations cast upon us, by one whose name is subscribed in Print, Mr. VAVASOR POWEL, who is one of the chief Priests in WALES, being in the Generation of the Scribes and Pharisees. Let him that reads understand and be shall see it so.  
And likewise an ANSWER to other slanders and false Reports upon the same people, whom reproachfully they call Quakers, but we rather choose to suffer reproaches, slanders, and false reports with the people of God, then to deny the power of God made manifest in us.  
By his Servant who seeks the freedom of Israel's children, after the spirit, whom the world calls. RICH. HUBBERTHORN.  
ALSO, An Answer to the false aspersions cast upon the truth by William Spencer a Member of the abovesaid Church of WREXHAM.  
By John Lawson a Prisoner in bonds at West-Chester, for the Testimony of the truth.  
LONDON, Printed in the year. 1654.   


TRUTH CLEARED, And the DECEIT made manifest.  
HAving received a Narration in print, in a Book called Several proceedings of the Parliament, which is full of lies and slanders, upon a people, whom the world calls Quakers, but that name we own, else we should deny the holy men of God, as Moses, David, Job, Hab Daniel, Paul, and the rest; and lest any weak minds should stumble at the truth, and believe lies, here they are answered.  
1 You say, those Quakers would rent and divide the blessed Church of Wrexham.  
Rep. Silence, flesh, what a Church is that which 
Hab. 2. 20 Zech. 2. 13 Mark 3. 24, 25  can be rent? And what blessing is to you? Here you have divided it from the Church of God, which is the ground and pillar of truth, that is blessed, but yours is cursed, which is full of lies, as hereafter I shall make it appear from your own words.  
1 You say their main design and practices appear to the opposing of all Ministers, and public Ministry.  
Rep. I charge you to be liars, who gave forth this paper, as to say we oppose all Ministers, and public 
Eph. ●. 1  ministry; for the Ministers that are made by the will of God, we own: and here I charge you to be liars, who publish forth these lies in this paper, and set your hands to it.  
2 You say by breaking and dividing of Congregations in censuring of all Saints.  
Rep. The Saints of the most high God we censure not: the Congregation of Saints we own, and do not 
Eph. 4. 3▪ 4  divide, there you are liars: but the Congregation of the world, we do deny, and they must be broken, and the Saints of God we own, but hypocrites we do deny, for Saints cannot own hypopocrits, 
Matth. 23. 13 Jo. 8 42, 44 2 Cor. 4, 2  nor hypocrites own Saints, but here you show yourselves both to be liars and hypocrites: In the presence of God I speak it, which you shall eternally witness, for to that in every one of your consciences I speak.  
3 The total overthrowing of the works of faith and holiness in Saints.  
Rep. Here I speak, and charge you in the presence of God to be in the generation of slanderers: for the work of faith, we own, and holiness we own in Saints. 1 Thes. 3. 13. Rom. 6 19, 22. Heb. 12. 14.  
4 The bringing them again into bondage.  
Rep. The Saints freedom we stand for, which is the keeping out of your minds, and the bringing out of bondage 
Rom. 15. 21  into freedom with Christ; and saints you know not, nor mount Sinai, and you show yourselves to be fallen from grace, walking despitefully against the Spirit of truth, turning the grace of God into wantonness: which grace hath appeared to all men, which grace teacheth us 
Titus 2▪ 12  to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and such liars as you are.  
5 And as touching universal redemption.  
Rep. He that is the Saviour of the one is the condemner of the other.  
6. And as touching freewill.  
Rep. Of his freewill hath he begotten us, and the light 
Jam. 1, 18.  that he hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world hath he enlightened us withal; and the measure 
Hab. 1, 9  hath he given to every one according to their ability, 
Matth. 25. 15  the cross is to the will of man. If you can read me you may, which are without on the left hand in your own 
Gal. 5 4.  wills, who knows nothing of universal Redemption, (as you call it) but are the generation that stands in your own wills, out of the will of God, in the fallen estate from grace; if ye were redeemed, and stood in the will of God, and dwelled in the grace of God, you durst not utter forth your lies.  
7 You say, These men hold that every one hath a pure seed in him.  
Rep. I say, Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world, he that hates the light, is enlightened, one he loves it, and the other he hates it, and it lets him see his deeds are evil, which shall be his condemnation: here you have cleared yourselves to be in the Generation of the Pharisees, who say, and doth not 
Joh. 12.  own this light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world.  
8. You say, They boast of a gift of discerning.  
Rep. Here you have cleared yourselves from the spirit of discerning, that the Scripture speaks of, and hath showed forth your nakedness and folly, for to some was given a spirit of discerning, which now is witnessed with some, but not with you.  
Again, they who call themselves of the blessed 
1 Cor. 12▪ 10  Church of Wrexham in Wales, have cast more lies and slanders upon the Truth, and upon the servants of the Lord, by the name of one whose name is subscribed in print, Mr. Vavasor Powel, but Christ commanded his to call no man Master, and be not called Masters; but the Scribes and Pharisees love to be called of men Master; and here thou hast made thyself plainly manifest to be in the Generation, who hath published thy name in print, Mr. Vavasor Powel: and herein is his lies and false aspersions answered.  
1 You say Mr. Vavasor Powel preaching at Church, the chief Quaker with his hat on, stood up, and said, thou speakest of a power thou hast not in thee.  
Rep. Here thou hast added thy own inventions and lies, for those words were not spoken as thou speakest them, for the said Powel was declaring to the people that those who are sent to preach the Gospel, they preached it in the power of the spirit; and this was that which he was asked, with what power he preached the Gospel, or what power of the Gospel that people could witness from his preaching unto them?  
Powel answered, some are convinced and some converted.  
Then I was moved of the Lord to speak to the people, and ask them, which of them could witness they were convinced or converted by his preaching unto them, and who had forsaken their sins; but none there could witness any such thing, but pleaded for sin, and that they could not be free from sin, and it was plainly made manifest in the Congregation to all those whose understandings was enlightened, that thou wast one who ministered for Satan, and pleaded for sin, to keep people in their sins, and one of them whom the Apostle speaks 
2 Tim. 3▪ 6, 7  of, who keeps them ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and whereas thou accusest me for standing up before the Priest with my hat on.  
Rep. Here thou makest thy folly manifest, and that thou would have something to accuse; for where dost thou read in the Scripture, that ever those who were sent of the Lord to cry against the hireling Priests, and 
Matth. 23  those who were called of men Master, as thou art, who stand praying in the Synagogues, have the chiefest place in the assemblies and greetings in the markets, that ever they were accused for speaking against their deceits with their hat on: thou readest that Paul as his 
Acts 17. 2  manner was▪ went into the Synagogue of the Jews three Sabbath days, and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, but thou dost not read that he put off his hat, 
Acts 25. 13  nor that he was accused for keeping it on. He appeared before Agrippa and Festus to answer the accusations laid against him, but thou dost not read that they commanded him to put off his hat, nor did accuse him for it, as the Magistrates and Priests of England do.  
Again, thou bringst scripture to plead for sin, that thou Mayst live in thy wickedness, and keep the people in their sins; and thou saidst Paul said, he was not perfect. Phil. 3. 12. and Solomon in the 7. Eccles. 20. and Jam. 3. 2. and 1 Joh. 1. 8.  
Rep. Thou enemy of Christ, and of all righteousness; All those who gave forth these scriptures, do declare against such as thou art, and thou know'st nothing of their conditions; Paul knew Jesus Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and fellowship of his suffering, and 
Phil. 3. 10 1 Cor. 27. 6, 7 Phil. 3. 15 Col. 1. 28 Col. 4. 12.  was made conformable to his death: and he preached wisdom among those that were perfect, even the hidden wisdom of God, which is a mystery to thee thou man of sin; and he said, let as many as are perfect be thus minded, and said his preaching was to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, that they might be perfect and entire, wanting nothing, but thy spirit is contrary to Paul's, for thou preachest to maintain sin, and to keep people in their sins.  
Again, thou saidst, thy way O man cannot be right, for thou censurest all the godly Preachers and Saints that are not of thy opinion.  
Rep. Here thou utterest forth thy lies, who art in the generation of liars: the godly Preachers and Saints I censure not, but such as thou, who plead for sin and ungodliness, and saith, men cannot be perfect while they are here▪ and opinions I deny, and all who are Saints deny opinions and conceivings, which thou livest in.   

Priest-Powel's QUERIES ANSWERED.  

Quest. 1. WHether Jesus Christ which died upon moun● Calvary by Jerusalem is now in that very body of flesh and blood in heaven?  
Rep. Flesh and blood enters not into the kingdom of heaven, but he that descended, is the same also that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fulfil all 
Eph. 4, 10 1 Cor. 2▪ 14 Eph. 5. 30  things, and Christ is spiritual, but thou natural man know'st him not, nor his body, which is spiritual, which we witness, who are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bone. If thou canst read me, thou Mayst, who art without, who hast shut out thyself from Christ, and know'st him not▪ but art disputing about the body of Christ, as the devil did about the body of Moses, Jude 9 And this Jesus we witness, who is the Son of God, who suffered upon the Mount Calvery, and was tempted 
Luke 23. 33  of the chief Priests, and the same Christ suffers now by the chief Priests, and is tempted as he was by such (as thou) who have the chiefest place in the Assembly, stand 
Matth 23  praying in the Synagogues, is called of men Master, and there thou art among them whom Christ cried woe against.   

Quest. 2. Whether the Bible or the word of God written by the Prophets and Apostles is the rule to try men, there doctrine and actions by?  
Rep. Here thou showest plainly thou art no Minister of Christ, and know'st not the word of God, which hast nothing to try men, there doctrine and actions by▪ but the letter which thou callest the Bible, or written word, which is natural and carnal; and art a Minister of the letter, not of the spirit, and thou goest about to try the living By the dead, the spirit by the letter; but they who are Ministers of God have the spirit of God by them: thou art tried to be no Minister of God, and thy doctrine and actions are tried to be the traditions of men the Saints witnessed the spirit of discerning, whereby they tried the spirits whether they were of God, and we do witness the same spirit by which this spirit is tried to be of Antichrist, who hath nothing to try by but the letter, which is carnal.   

Quest. 3. Whether art thou the Christ that suffered by Jerusalem?  
Rep. Dost thou believe it? Thou tempter, who art in the same generation, who said, we do adjure thee by 
Mat. 26▪ 63 1 John 5. 20 Tit. 1. 15 Revel▪ 21 8  the living God to tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God, who art an enemy to Christ, and to all who confess Christ come in the flesh; for we witness the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding to know him who is true, but thou who knowest not Christ, there is no answer of God to thee, who art an unbeliever, but thy portion is with hypocrites and unbelievers, turned out from the presence of God into the lake of fire.   

Quest. 4. Dost thou believe the Scriptures, as Isaiah saith? To the law, and to the Testimony. And as Paul saith, the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect. And to this Question thou sayst the Quakers refused to answer.  
Rep. Here thou art uttering forth more lies, for I answered thee, and thy confusion was laid open and made manifest in the congregation; for before thou saidst none could be perfect, and here thou takest the words of Paul in thy mouth, and out of thy own mouth 
Luke 19 22  thou art judged and found in confusion; and Paul whose words thou takest in thy mouth, shall condemn thee, and all who live in sin, and plead for it, for he was the Minister of God, and did not say that men must continue in sin so long as they are upon earth, as thou dost, but laboured to present every man without sin and blameless.   

Quest. 5. Where dost thou find that any of the prophet, Apostles, or Saints, did ever quake and tremble in their bodies, and yell, and howl, and roar, to the scaring and amazing of men and beasts, as you do?  
Rep. Here thou makest thyself plainly manifest to be ignorant of the power of God, and of the Saints conditions, and ignorant of the letter, for the Prophets, Apostles, and Saints did witness trembling and quaking, and did yell, howl and roar. David he roared because of the disquietness of his heart, and he 
Psal. 38. 6. 8 Psal. 22 1, 2 Job 3. 24 Jer. 47. 2 Hab. 3. 16 Jer. 4. 12▪ 20  cried in the day time, and in the night season, and was not silent. Job▪ s roarings was poured out like water. The Inhabitants of the land shall howl saith the Lord Habakuck his belly trembled. Jeremiah cried out in his bowels, that he was pained at the very heart, and that his heart made a noise within him, and these things did the Saints witness, and we witness the same; and it is to that scaring and amazing of such men and beasts as thou art, who abides not in the truth, but reviles and speaks evil of the power of God where it is made manifest in his people. There shall be a voice of howlings 
Zech. 11. 3 Amos 8. 3  of the shepherds▪ the Lord hath spoken it, and it is thy portion▪ and in that day thou shalt know howling▪ trembling and quaking.  
Priest Powel said, I read in Hab. 3. 16. Also in Job, David, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, that trembled, but not as thou and thy companions do, for either they did it when they had visions of God, or at the sight of sin, or the dreadful judgements of God approaching, but thou and thy companions do it not so.  
Rep. Here thou art uttering forth more lies and false accusations, for we do witness the same power of God now as they did then, and we do witness the promise of the Father, and the pouring down of the spirit, old men dream dreams, and young men see visions; and upon his servants and handmaids hath he poured forth his spirit, and this we witness, and he hath let us see sin, and by his grace which hath appeared to us do we deny sin, and all ungodliness, and the dreadful judgements of God. We witness against sin, but thou and thy generation of Priests deny visions and revelations, and say they are ceased, for to thee there is no vision thou man of sin, and so denies Jesus Christ the Son of God, for none knows the Father, but the Son, 
Luke 10. 22.  and he to whom the Son reveals him: and sin thou seest not, but pleadest for it; and the dreadful judgement of God thou knowest not, for if thou did, thou durst not despise and speak evil of the power of God manifested in his people, which witness these things, nor utter forth thy lies as thou dost.  
Priest Powell said, you say ye have no sin, and thou teachest this to be necessary: where canst thou find such an instance or example?  
Rep. Thou blind Pharisee, did not all the Ministers of God teach this to be necessary to deny all ungodliness 
Titus 2. 12 Rom. 6, 2 Rom. 8. 1, Numb. 23. 21 Zeph. 3. 13  and worldly lusts? and they said, how could they that were dead to sin live any longer therein? and they walked in the spirit, and did not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: and God beheld no sin Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel; and God said, the remnant of Israel 〈◊〉 do no iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; and this do we witness, 
John 3 8  who are taught by the grace of God, and do deny such as thou art, who are ministers for Satan, and to uphold sin and the works of the devil, which Christ came to destroy, and we witness them destroyed by Christ, and do deny the Antichrist.  
Again, thou sayest Mr. Powell did propound to him, whether he would ask him any questions: whereupon as thou sayst, the Quaker asked him, how he could prove that any of the Ministers of God did stand in the highest place of the Synagogue over the people?  
Rep. Here thou art adding lie unto lie, the question was, where canst thou prove that they who were sent forth by Jesus Christ, who were Ministers of the 
Matthew 23  Gospel, did stand praying in the Synagogues, had the chiefest place in the assemblies, were called of men Master, as thou art?  
Priest Powel answered, Ezra stood in a pulpit of wood above the people and prayed.  
Rep. Here thou showst plainly that Christ never sent thee, for they whom Christ sent forth to preach the Gospel, never pleaded for a pulpit of wood to stand in to be above the people as Ezra did, who was a Scribe of the law, and thou who pretendest to be a Minister of the Gospel, and goest back to the law to Ezra for this example, thou mayest offer the blood of Bulls 
1 John 4 3  and Goats, and Lambs, and go to the Priests of the law for thy example, and so deny Jesus Christ come in the fresh as thou dost.  
Again, thou sayest Mr. Powel gave answer to the satisfaction of the whole congregation, yea, to some of the seduced brethren, in so much that the whole congregation did wonderfully with one voice glorify God at the discovery and conviction which the Lord made that time of them.  
Rep. Thou liar and false accuser, who hast published forth thy lies in print, that all you who have set your hands to it, who call yourselves Members of the Church of Wrexham, all who read your lying libel may see you to be in the generation of liars, and of your Father the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, and when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh it of 
John 8 44  himself, for he is a liar, and the father of it. For there was many in that Congregation whom thou hast laid heavy burdens upon by thy false Ministry, and thou hast left them without satisfaction, both by thy Ministry, by thy questions and answers; and there was but few in the Congregation that uttered forth their voices to vindicate thee in thy deceit and sin which thou pleadedst for, but some whom thou hast seduced and drawn into the same height of deceit with thyself, and most especially one drunken Priest, who for his drunkenness, gluttony, pride and deceit, that his 
1 Cor. 6 10  outward practices was seen so vile and abominable to the people, that he was cast out as a profane person, and he was the chief in that Congregation to plead for sin with thee against the truth, when the word of the Lord was declared against your false ministry, and ungodly practices, which is seen by all those who live in the life of godliness, to them you are 
Ezek. 13 3  seen to be deceivers and lying Prophets. And there is a people which was in that Congregation, whom the Lord is raising a light in their hearts, whereby thou and thy doctrine is discovered, and denied as of Antichrist, and they do glorify God, on this behalf that thou art discovered, who hast so long deceived them, who under thy Ministry have been kept ever learning, and never come to the knowledge 
2 Tim. 3 13  of the truth; but now the Lord is making himself 
Isa. 23 22 Isa. 54 13  manifest in his people, and we do witness the Lord to be our Teacher, who hath discovered all false teachers, hirelings and deceivers to us▪ praises, eternal praises to him for ever.  
A Servant of the Lord, who is not greater than his Master, but in obedience as a Servant, must suffer under the same reproaches, temptations, slanders, and lying accusations by the chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites and liars, professors of the Church of WREXHAM.; but my Lord and Master Jesus Christ hath left me a good example, and as he is, so are we in this present world his followers. Whose name after the flesh, is Richard Hubberthorn.    

AN ANSWER TO certain lies and false aspersions cast upon the truth, and the Servants of JESUS CHRIST, BY One whose Name is subscribed William Spencer, and a Member of the Church of WREXHAM in WALES.  
1. THou saidst thou wast a follower of these people called Quakers for several months together, and that thou quaked thyself in the sight of many people, and that thou lay the three nights last past with one of them, and that thou heard (as it were) the noise of an humble-Bee, buzzing about the head of the stranger, which made thee terribly afraid, and would have risen out of bed, but thee stranger b●d the lie still.  
Rep. Thou liar and false accuser, thou hast published thy lies so openly, and made them so plainly manifest, that they who are enlightened in the least measure by the light of God, may discern and see thee given over to hardness of heart, and to speak lies, and publish them abroad. In thy first lying paper which was written from thy mouth, thou sayst thou wast for a weeks' space a follower of those thou callst Quakers, and here thou hast added more lies, and put them in print, and sayst for several months together, which is a lie, and that thou quaked thyself in the sight of many people: that power which made thee to quake and tremble, I do witness to be the power of the Lord, and to that in thy conscience which is of God, which did affright and terrify thee thou man of sin, and made thee to quake, I am made manifest unto, which shall eternally witness me, and condemn thee, who now goest about to speak evil of the power of God, and callest it the power of the devil; but thou shalt know it was the power of God, which shall plague and torment thee for utter in▪ forth thy lies, and blasphemies against the Lord and his power. And whereas thou saidst thou was terribly affrighted with something like the noise of an humble-bee, thou canst fear▪ where there is no fear; for I do testify from the Lord against thee that there was no such thing, but the deceit being got up in thy mind, and thou speak'st from the vain imaginations of thy heart, uttering forth such things whereby thou wouldst render the truth odious by thy lies.  
2 And thou saidst thou wouldst have risen out of bed, but the stranger bade thee lie still.  
Rep. My exhortation was to the keeping thy mind out of the vain imaginations which the deceit had drawn thee into; but the deceit being strong in thee, and thou yielding obedience to it, it would not let thee rest; and this was thy excuse as thou sayst in bed to me, that thou wast diseased with an infirmity in thy body, & thou felt thyself not well, telling me thou wouldst get up, and when I wished thee not to disturb the man's family which was in their beds, thou repliedst again to me, and saidst, the disease had used formerly to take thee, and would hold thee for the space of a week or longer sometimes; and thou saidst to me, thou wouldst go to thy friends, for if thou stayed till morning the Disease might increase more, and so disable thee from going home, which was about four miles from that place, as thou told me; and under this pretence thou arose, and now the deceit the which thou art servant unto, hath made thee to change thy lies. And now.  
3. Thou sayst the Quaker laid his head upon thy shoulder, and did blow hard like the hissing of a Goose or Gander, (as thou hast reported it) several times towards thy face or month, which made thee leap out of bed (as thou sayest) in thy shirt in much fear and agony.  
Rep. O thou Prince of darkness, who hast hatched a multitude of lies in thy dark imaginations, which arise out of the bottomless pit to make the truth of the Gospel odious, and the servants of Jesus Christ contemptible liars; but the Gospel and servants of Jesus Christ trample upon all such as then thou scornfully calld'st me a Quaker; that name I own, else should I deny the Holy men of God, as Moses, David, Daniel, and the rest, but thou showest thyself plainly to be of that generation which always scorned the holy men of God; as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so thou who art of the same generation, seekest by thy filthy lies and false reports to oppose the generation of the righteous seed who are coming out of bondage; but shalt perish in thy gainsayings.  
And whereas thou sayest there was a great and terrible wind, and that the woman and children of the house was in great fear:  
Rep. Here thou hast uttered forth more of thy lies, for the man and woman of the house do bear witness against thee; and when thou arose and went out of the house, thou toldst the man of the house the same thing as thou declaredst to me, which is formerly mentioned, which was contrary to these lies which here thou declarest and publishest abroad▪ for which lies thou must give an account before the Lord, who will judge thee in righteousness, and will not clear the guilty to pass unpunished.  
And again thou sayest, Thou testifiedst the next day publicly to my face the particulars before mentioned, and I could not deny, but thereupon deserted the meeting.  
Rep. I charge thee in the presence of God here with another lie, for I did deny thy lies before all that people, and thou went'st forth of the meeting house before me: and here thou boasts thyself to do mischief, and showest thyself to be of the same Generation which said to David, Fie on thee, fie on thee, did we not see it?  
And thou who hast published this lying Paper, sayst, That the said Spencer ever since hath taken all opportunities publicly and privately, as at Wrexham, Oswalstrey, and elsewhere, to publish the same to the satisfying and confirming many in the truth of Christ against their Errors.  
Rep. Be silent thou Flesh before the Lord, and take not the name of Christ in thy mouth, who art satisfied and confirmed in those lies, and callest them the truth of Christ, which is the deceit▪ and lying spirit speaking from one who is departed from the Truth, and neglects no opportunity, public nor private, to speak forth his lies, and goes about to confirm others in the same Deceit with himself to speak evil of the truth, and such cause the way of Truth to be evil spoken of; but thou art discovered, and thy lies are made manifest, and all who are satisfied and confirmed in the Truth, cannot be deceived by thee nor thy Errors, but to them thou art seen and discovered to be fall'n from Grace, and art servant to the devil, whom thou servest, who is the father of liars.  
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you.  
This Scripture I witness to be fulfilled, who am a Prisoner in outward bonds for the testimony of the Truth at West-Chester, whose name after the Flesh is  
JOHN LAWSON.   
FINIS.