THE Reign of the whore DISCOVERED. And Her ruin seen.  
THis is a certain Truth revealed in the light, and witnessed to by the Scriptures, that the Whore, (the false Church) hath long reigned in her fenced City which Cain the Vagabond and murderer built; and long hath she been guarded and defended with Cain's Weapons, carnal Weapons; and long hath she sat as a queen, seeing no sorrow▪ and long hath her golden Cup passed up and down the Nations, which is full of abominations of her Fornication, whereby the Nations have been 
* That sign of long Reig  corrupted, and the Inhabitants of the Earth made drunk: But now is the hour of her Judgement come, and coming; now is her skirts lifted up, and her secret parts discovered, and discovering, and the Beast on whom she rode and rides, is seen, and his colour is known, and her secret Chambers of Imagery is found out, and her Sorceries and Witchcrafts are made manifest, and many people on whom she s; ate, and over whom she reigned, are redeemed from under her, and reigns over her in Christ the Power of God, which redeems, and which preserves in the redemption: Oh let the redeemed of the Lord praise his holy Name, and walk to the praise and glory of his Grace for ever; for the day is dawned wherein hypocrisy cannot stand, nor hypocrites hide themselves, and wherein fig-leaves cannot hide nor cover from the pure eye of the Lord God, which runs to and fro through the Earth, though they may be sowed together by such who have eaten of the choicest fruit the tree of knowledge of good and evil yields; and by such who are called Orthodox men, Learned men, great scholars, Wise Disputants, all is in valn, their labour is little worth, the Lord is come down to walk in the Garden, and his Voice, Where art thou? is gone forth, and now is the Lord come, and coming to make inquisition for blood, and to bring every man's Work to Judgement, and to reward every man according to his Work.  
And now ye Priests and Professors in Southwark, especially who are called Presbyterians, whose cry is very loud against us who are called Quakers, and the noise among you is, That we are the deceivers, false prophets, and wolves in sheep's clothing, and that we deny the Scriptures, and are Jesuits, &c.  
Answ. Must this be true because you say so? And must the people believe you before you prove it? Nay, but you will be counted false accusers, and fierce despisers of those that are good, till you make it appear by better proofs than you could find to prove yourselves Ministers of Christ at the late Dispute, & then you can find to quit yourselves from being guilty of those things you charge us withal; for indeed we count you guilty of the same things you accuse us for, and ever shall unless you can clear yourselves, and convince us to the contrary; for we see many signs, marks, and characters upon you, and many practices among you which were never found upon, nor among the true Ministers of Christ, and that are not owned by the Scriptures; and this hath been signified to you already at the late Dispute, and in Writing also given into William Cooper's hands some Weeks since.  
And also in a printed Paper, titled, The grounds and reasons why we deny the Teachers of the world; Which hath been printed six years since, and no Answer hath appeared from you the National Priests, who are concerned therein.  
And now seeing William Cooper and some others of your Brethren affirmed publicly, that we (the people called quakers) are Jesuits, and Jesuitical, and proffered to prove their affirmation, (in the bitterness of their spirits) therefore let us reason a little with you, and prove and examine you, that the people may see your Clothing or outside (if not your inside) to be Jesuitical at least; and let us and all people know how you can quit yourselves from being of that Popish Train; and as for us, let our integrity and innocency plead for us, otherwise we shall say nothing for ourselves, for the Lord doth plead our cause.  
Are not you like the Jesuits and Popish Priests, First, In your being made fit for your Call to your Ministry. Secondly, In your Call. Thirdly in your going forth, Fourthly, In your Work called to. Fifthly, In your Maintenance in your Work. Sixthly, In your Doctrines, Practices, Places of Worship, and manners in Worship. If you say nay, Make it appear not only in Words, but in Fruits; not Fruits of Violence I do not mean; but Fruits of the Spirit of God, if you know it, and answer.  
First, Are you not like the Jesuits and Popish Priests in preparing yourselves, and making yourselves fit for your Call to your Ministry you profess? Are you not prepared and fitted at those Schools and colleges first ordained by the Pope? Doth not learning some natural Languages and Arts, as logic, and rhetoric, and such like, make you fit for your Call? And are not the Popish Priests and Jesuits made fit after this manner, in such places, and by such means, for their Call? Then are you nor like them in this thing? And was ever any of the Ministers of Christ fitted and prepared after this manner that he sent forth?  
Secondly, Are you not called, appointed, and ordained by men to preach? And do you not count that your Call, if you have the approbation of some that are counted Orthodox men, which have learned the natural Tongues and Arts that are taught in the Popish Schools and colleges? And are not the Popish Priests and Jesuits called and approved after this manner? And are you not like them in this also? Was ever Christ's Ministers called by man, or approved by man?  
Thirdly, In your yoing forth to preach are you like the Ministers of Christ? Do you go gorth freely, and minister freely from City to City, and Nation to Nation, as the Ministers of Christ did? Have you received freely? Have not you bought what you have with money? And do you not strive to get the best Market place you can to sit down into sell it again, even at a dear rate? And are not the Popish old Mas-houses your Market-places, where you abide many times for term of life? Are not you the creepers the Apostle spoke of, that should creep into houses, and lead silly Women captive, laden with sin, led aside with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth? Are not all your followers such? Doth not your fruits make you appear to be such house-creepers as were in the Apostles days? Is not this the Popish priest's manner? Do not they go forth in this way? Are not you careless Watchmen, and dreaming Prophets, and idle Shepherds? Do you not say we are Wolves? And have we not had meetings several years in many of your Folds, (called parishes) in & over which you count yourselves good Wattchmen, and true Shepherds? But when did either of you, or any of you parish-Masters (who would have others count you true Shepherds) so much as come to save your sheep from being drawn or taken from, or out of your Fold? And have you not lost many of the best and soberest of your flock? Have you cared naturally for your flock, or naturally for the fleece? Have you showed yourselves like true shepherds, or like hirelings in this thing? Do you think you are wronged to be called and counted careless, dreaming, false, idle shepherds, and such who want the spiritual Weapons, and true shepherd's Crook? Put aside Whips, and Stocks, and Prisons, and compulsive Laws, and what can you do? Where's your Spiritual Weapons? Where's your shepherd's Crook then? If you lose these Weapons, what can you do to defend yourselves or flock? And if you put away the Wisdom which man teacheth, and which man hath taught you, as natural tongues, and arts, what can you say? Is your armour the whole armour of light? and have you the Sword of the Spirit? and do you speak as the Spirit gives you utterance, as Christ's Ministers did? Or do you not gain utterance as the popish priests and Jesuits gains it? and have you not bought the art of uttetance? and yet are not many of you so dull and sottish, that if you should lose your Notes (which I have seen some of you craftily hide betwixt the leaves of your Bibles that the people might not see them) would you not lose your method, matter and utterance, and so have little to say? Why do you endeavour to hide your notes? And do not some of you carry a Bible on purpose up with you into your Pulpits to hide your Notes? And are there not some of you that have 
* I have seen such  Note Books bound and painted in form of a Bible, when there is no printed Letter in it? Now could you not preach better without your Bible, then without your Notes and Note-Book? Why do you not leave your Bibles at home? Do you bring it only for a cloak, custom & fashion? and is not this the reason why people cry against us for deniers of the Scriptures, because we do not hold a Bible in our hands when we preach to people, and because we follow not your fashion, and have Notes to tell the people the Chapter and Verse? Did Christ's Ministers go forth after this manner with Notes in their pockets, or in a Book, to tell them what to preach, and how to preach? and did they ever sit down and continue in one place for term of life, unless they could hear of a people that would give them more money, and greater hire? Whose example do you follow in this, if not the Popish Priests? Come Priests, let the people hear your answer.  
Fourthly, In your Work called to; you say 'tis to preach the Gospel, and the cry is among poor, blind, ignorant people, you are Ministers of the Gospel; But are you not Ministers of the Letter? and do you not call Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's Writings, the Gospel? and do you not take the Letter for your groundwork, which you call your Text, and then by your art which you have learned at School, raise that you call your Doctrines, Points, Reasons, Uses, Motives, and Trials, and such like? Now is not your preaching, or making an hours speech, artificial? and is not your Work herein like the Popish Priests? and are you not very unlike the Ministers of Christ in this your Work? Did any of the latter Prophets take the former prophet's Words to speak from? Or did any of the latter Apostles and Ministers of Christ, take the former Apostles and Ministers Words for their groundwork? Did not they all minister according as they had received from God? and was not their Work and Ministry for this end, To turn people to God's gift in them, from the darkness to the light, from the power of Satan to God? But is your Work so? Do not you turn people's minds to something without them? and do not yourselves hate the light, and so are you like to turn people from darkness? and are you not under the power of Satan you selves? and do you not teach the poor ignorant people, that 'tis impossible to be freed from under the power of Satan, and that they must never expect to be freed from committing of sin while living in the Body? and are not those under the power of the Devil that doth the Works of the Devil, and obeys his Will? are not those that commit sin the servants of sin, and free from righteousness? Is not he that commits sin, of the Devil? Then to what end and purpose is all your labour, pains, and study, and preaching, and praying, &c. if people must always be servants of sin, and slaves to the Devil, and never be redeemed from fin and iniquity? What spiritual things do you sow to poor people? What Gospel do you preach? What glad tidings do you bring? Is this your glad tidings, that people must live in sin, and under the power of the Devil? Are you not miserable Ministers? Have you not brought another Gospel besides that which the Apostles preached? Is not the Gospel glad tidings to such as are weary and heavy laden with sin, and in bondage to the Devil? And is not the Gospel the Power of God? And is not Christ the Power of God? and is not he appointed to save his people from their sin, and not in their sins? Have you not one thing still to learn of the Pope, and that is, to know where the time and place of Cleansing is? How come you to miss preaching up a Purgatory, or place of Cleansing after this life, seeing your Doctrine and Principles admits of no such place and time in this World? But are not the Papists and you both deceived in this thing? Doth not the Tree lie as it falls? And Judgement find as death leaves? And no unclean thing enter the kingdom? Come Priests, let us and the people here your answer.  
Fifthly, As to your Maintenance in this your Work; How can you quit yourselves from being like the Papist Priest and Jesuits? Are you any thing like the Ministers of Christ in this thing also? Have not the Pope, Cardinals, and Bishops, been the Foundation of your settled standing-maintenance by Tithes, glebe-lands, Easter-reckonings, Midsummer dues, mortuaries and Smoke penies, and such like? Are you not beholding to the Pope & Popish Laws for this your way of maintenance? And why do you deny the Pope? Is it because he hath no authority in this Nation to give you any more means, nor to take from you what you have? Is it not a great sign that the root of all evil is in you, (to wit) Covetousness, that you have swallowed down so much blood, liberty and goods of many of the poor innocent Lambs of Christ within these few years, because for conscience sake they could not put into your mouths? Have you not prepared war against the innocent people of the Lord, who living in his pure fear, did not dare to maintain you in your Idolatry, in your lightness, pride and high-mindedness? How many of you have appeared like a Troop of Robbers in taking, and causing to be taken away violently poor people's Ports, and Pans, and Kettles, and dishes from them, sometimes not leaving them things necessary to make ready their food in; and Bedding, and Clothes, and Oxen, and Cows, and Horses, and Harness, and Barns of Wheat, and cartloads of hay and Corn, and their bodies also cast into prison? Hath not this been your Work in this Nation? Hath not the Lord raised a patient and harmless people to try you, which have not striven against you in their Wills, that you might manifest what was in your hearts, notwithstanding your talk of Christianity; Have we not seen the murderer offer a sacrifice? and the profane person weep for the blessing? and the children of the Devil call God Father? Hath not our eyes seen this? And is it not manifest if the Lord God, which is the higher Power, unto whom our souls are subject, did not overpower, & chain, and fetter, and break the horns of the Wicked, no less than our lives and blood would satisfy; for had not you (to wit, you especially called Presbyterian Priests) rather sit as a Popish Synod or Inquisition, then in the spirit of meekness, lowlinss, and soundness in words, in life and conversation, and Scripture-example; prove yourselves Ministers of Christ by your fruits & effects? Was ever the true Ministers of the Gospel in any age or generation since the days of Christ, the Son of the living God, manifest at Jerusalem, maintained as you are maintained, by the ruin of others? Did they ever take any thing violently from any man? Nay, did ever they take or receive any thing at all from those that denied their Doctrine, and that would not receive nor own them as Ministers of Christ? What, are you quite without shame? Are you so greedy of filthy lucre, that you do not care how much you manifest your shame, and uncover your nakedness to all people? If you keep a Flock, eat the Milk the Flock will give you; if you plant a vineyard, eat the fruit the vineyard will yield you; should you covet your neighbour's goods, and take them away because you say he is a heretic? Should you rob your neighbour's vineyard because you cannot have fruit enough to satisfy your covetous desires out of that you have planted? Should you go reap your neighbour's field, because where you have sown there is little come up but briars and thorns? If you do thus, may not we, yea & all people, count you greedy of filthy lucre, covetous persons, and robbers? Would you have better come up then you sow? They that preach the Gospel, lives of the Gospel, and they never did, nor need petition the powers of the Earth to establish a livelihood upon them; but you smell much of Popery in this thing, and you have no example in the holy Scriptures to justify you, but the Romish black Train is your example, and therefore we deny you, and cannot but count of you as you are, and in so doing we wrong you not; But have not you wronged us, and falsely accused us, and charged us to be like, or one with those whose example you are found in, and whose steps you follow, to wit, false Prophets, false Teachers, Popish Priests and Jesuits? You shall bear your own Judgement.  
Sixthly, Concerning your Doctrine, Practices, Places, and manner of Worship.  
Are you not found, and do we nor find you in the popish Doctrine, and Jesuitical practices, and popish Mass-Houses, and in the manner of their Worship in some things, and in some other things of later invention which the Scriptures doth not own nor justify, neither did the Ministers of Christ allow of? If so, may we not count you such as do not deny the popish ways, places, and manners, but lives in them, and by them? Is it not a popish Doctrine and practice to oppose the light within, wherewith Christ hath enlightened every man that is come into the World, and to teach some other way to attain the knowledge of God, besides the light which shines in the heart, notwithstanding the Scripture testifies, that the light which shines in the heart must give man the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ? And is it not the papists doctrine and practice to deny Revelation and Inspiration, and the immediate power of God present now, as of old? and is not this your Doctrine and practice also? Doth not the Scripture say, or is it not written, That there is none that knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him? So do not the papists herein (and you with them) deny that the knowledge of God is attainable, seeing you deny the way wherein, the manner how, & the thing by which he is known, seen, and revealed, to wit, the light within? and if God be not known only, and alone, by the revelation of Christ, and you and the papists deny revelation, and say it is ceased, then by what means do you expect to attain the knowledge of God, which is life eternal?  
And how do you that deny Inspiration and immediate power from God, believe the Scriptures, wherein is promised many glorious things to be enjoyed by the children of the Lord, as the pouring forth of his spirit upon his sons & daughters? and how do you own the New Covenant, the fear in the heart, and the Spirit of the Lord in the inward parts? and you that deny the immediate voice, power, and presence of the Lord,, as of old, how do you believe Christ's words, who said to his Disciples, Lo, I will be with you to the end of the world? and is not the presence of Christ the immediate power of God? and where two or three are gathered together in his Name, is he not in the midst? and is not he and his Father one, whose abode is with his people? But is not this too wonderful for Hirelings without a meaning?  
And why do you talk of the Scriptures for your Rule? Is it not for ends to yourselves? Doth the Scriptures your pretended Rule, justify you any more than they justify the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Jesuits, friars, Monks, and popish priests? Why do you talk of three persons, or Trinity? Hath not the Pope learned you that also? Doth the Scripture speak anywhere of three persons? And where had you that word Sacrament, and the word merit? Had you not these from the papists?  
And concerning your places wherein you commonly perform your public worship; who founded and named them for you? Did not the papists? as St. Mary Magdalens Church, St. Thomas his Church, St. Stephen's Church, St. Peter's Church, St. Paul's Church: Did not the very same spirit that was cast out of Mary Magdalen, and that stoned Stephen, and that murdered Peter and Paul, build and give Names to those Steeple-houses? which you have suffered, if not taught the people, to call Churches, and the Houses of God, insomuch that it hath been a great crime among poor ignorant people to hear them called otherwise, & is still, especially in some places of this Nation: Were they not the Pope's Mass-Houses, and places of their Idolatrous Worship? And what Rule have you in the holy Scriptures for any to worship the true God in these Idolatrous Dens, and Popish Houses, and to call them such, and such a Saints Church, especially without alteration in form, in name and esteem? Did the children of Israel do so? Did the primitive Christians do so? Where is your example? And who made George a Saint? and Katherine, and Olives, & Mary Oueris, and Giles, and Gregory, &c. that your Churches are called by their Names? are they not of the Popes making? are you not ashamed that people should call those places Churches?  
And then concerning your Manners and Worship in these places; Is it not your manner before your Worship begins, to ring Bells to call your Hearers (your Brethren) together? and whom do you imitate? and who learned you this but the papists? and why do you deny them in words, and imitate them in practice?  
And is it not your manner to get an hourglass to preach, and pray by, and to sing by? and have you not the chief seats in the Assemblies? the popish Train hath so; and are you not like them? Do not they worship, and preach, and pray, and sing by the hour? then do you not agree with them? Did ever the true Christians and Christian Ministers do so?  
And why must you have a soft Cushion with silken Jobs at the corners to lean on to read your studied, devised, framed artificial Sermon or speech to the people? And by what order was your Pulpit or high place hung with embroidered cloth, and some other of your stalls lined with cloth, when others want it to wear, even of your own heap, and sect and fold? Who are you like in this? Have you any such precedent in the holy Scriptures? What? and where is your Rule and Example? If you must have a Cushion, cut off the Jobs; and if you must have a Pulpit, take off your embroidered clothes, and clothe your brethren which are within your own Parish, and of your own flesh; and do not let them go up and down begging for clothes and food, while your Pulpits and Stalls, or other chief Seats, are clothed, embroidered, and laced; What manner of Christianity and brotherly love is there among you towards one another? And how come you by this manners among you, that he that hath a Gold Ring, and costly Apparel, and is called a rich man, must have a sumptuous seat in the principal place; and others in vile raiment can scarce have a place to sit on, but must stand afar off? Where I say did you learn this manners? Did you learn it of the Church of Christ, or the Pope and his Church? And is it not your manner and custom to respect persons, places, times, days & things? Doth not the Heathen so? and the Papists so? Then who may we compare you with, if not with those? Did ever any of the primitive Christians do so? Was it their manner to respect the person of him or her that had a Gold Ring or costly Apparel? Or was it their manner to respect or cry up the Jewish Synagogues, or Heathen Idolatrous Temple, or any particular place or house whatsoever, as the only place of Worship, and call it a Church? Or did the Church of God in the days of Moses and the Prophets, when the Lord had given them victory over the Heathen their Enemies, did they (I say) preserve the Heathenish Idolatrous places of Worship, as Altars, Groves and Temples, and teach the people to call them Churches? Was it not as lawful for those places to be called a Church, as 'tis for these popish Dens (builded with observation East and West, with a picture of a Cock and a Cross upon it, as the Papists devised and appointed) to be called a Church? Did not the Ministers of Christ gather people out of them, and bear their testimony against them, and all Temples made with hands? Did not the Lord by his Hammer, and battle-ax of War, break down, burn, and utterly destroy those places, and Images, and Groves, set up and consecrated by the Idolaters? Did not the Lord begin such a work in this Nation some years since? And hath some Instruments proved like Jehu, begun in zeal, and ended in covetousness, which is Idolatry, and hath not regarded the Law of God withal their heart, And shall that frustrate the work and purpose of the Lord? Is he not raising others to accomplish his Work, and fulfil his Decree against the Adulterous generation, of what name or sect soever? and down in esteem, if not in form, must the Popish Mass-Houses come, (and which is now the priest's Market place, and called a Church) and down must your Bells, and Pulpit-embroydered clothes, and such like trumpery come, which hath been set up in the time of Popery, and since the cry was, Who is able to make war with the Beast?  
And then is it not your manner to respect times, days, and things? Are you not like the Papists in this also? And have you not learned of the Pope, Bishops, Cardinals, Jesuits Priests, friars and Monks, and Heathens, how, and what to call your times, days, months, and quarters, &c. Have they not all Heathenish and Popish Names? The holy Scriptures you are not ashamed to say is your Rule, but in what one thing do you walk according to your pretended Rule? unless you mean the Popish & Heathenish Scriptures, or Writings, & call them your holy Rule; if you mean those, you shall be believed, because you are found walking thereafter; but if you mean the Writings which holy men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, we know you are liars, and cannot believe you, for they never learned you to follow the manners and customs of the Heathen nor Papists, as you do, in respecting, and naming, or calling your Times, days, Months and things; the Scripture of Truth teacheth to call Days and Months after this manner, First day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day, seventh day. First month, second month, third month, and so to the twelfth month. The Heathen and Papists, and their Writings, teacheth to call the first day of the Week Sunday, or dies Solis, the day of the Sun; the second day Monday, or dies Lun●, the day of the Moon, or the moon's day; the third day Tuesday; & the fourth Wednesday; the fifth Thursday; sixth Friday; the seventh Saturday; according to the Names of the 7. Planets which the Heathen and Papists talk so much of. And the first Month they call March, the second April, and so on to the eighth Month, which is called October, which signifieth the eighth Month, November the ninth Month, December the tenth Month, from the Latin words, Octo, Novem, Decem, eight, nine, and ten; and the eleventh Month you call January, and the twelfth Month February. Now do you not prefer the Heathenish and Popish Traditions, Rules, Customs, Manners, and Writings, before, and above what is delivered, prescribed, and taught in the Writings of the holy men of God? so that it is come to pass by your so doing, that if people are brought to call days, and months, and times, and places, and persons, according as those did who had the spirit of God, which the Scriptures teacheth and witnesseth unto; I say, When people are brought to this, they become a hissing, and a wonder among you, and are counted nice, and frivolous, and unmannerly, and when we speak and write of hours, days, and months, as they are recorded in the Scripture, people cannot tell what we mean, nor how to understand us, nor when such a time, hour day or month is, but will rather mock and jeer at first hour, first day, first month &c. and will have no such reckoning of times in their temporal, civil, or spiritual accounts; these are your Auditors your Disciples, or scholars; as you have learned, you teach; as you the Priests are, so are the people, imitators of the Papists and Heathen in this, as well as other things; and the Christians life, words, manners and behaviour, you are out of, and strangers to; and may we not justly with the Heathen and Papists compare you, whose example you follow?  
And then concerning the manner of your public Divine Worship, (as you call it) have you not this manner and custom as the first part of your Worship, to sing David's Psalms in rhyme and meeter, divised, or turned thereinto by Poets or Musicianers, as Thomas Sternhold, and John Hopkins, and others, with apt Notes to sing them withal, before your prayer, and after your Prayer; before your Sermon, and after your Sermon, of all the people together; Is not this your own invention? Was there any such manner of singing in the Church of Christ? You say; Let us sing to the praise and glory of God; and you keep an Officer to read the Psalm to people, which are some drunkards, some covetous, some proud, some defrauders of their Brethren, dissemblers, double▪ dealers, some Adulterers and unclean persons; some jesters, and idle talkers; some light, and vain, wild, and wanton; some scornful high-minded, and mockers; some disobedient to Parents, unthankful, and unholy, and of rude, unchristian behaviour; Of such consisteth your Church; and are not the Steeplehouse-singers such? And can such persons sing to the praise and glory of God? Or are they in a state and condition fit to sing at all? Doth not weeping and howling, mourning, sorrow, and lamentation, and woe from the dreadful Lord God of Heaven and of Earth, belong to such singers? Singing with Grace in the heart unto the Lord, we own; but singing with wickedness, with pride and covetousness in the heart, we utterly deny; Singing with the Spirit and with understanding, we own; but your singing by Letter, with Musical Notes and Tunes, customarily, ignorantly, without understanding, we wholly disown, and bear our testimony against it as abomination in the sight of the Lord, and it was never ordained nor appointed in, nor by the true Church; but it hath been ordained and appointed by the false Church, the Whore, and her Merchants, in the dark night of apostasy, since the days of the Apostles, and since the true Church fled in to the Wilderness; And is not this singing of David's Prayers, Mournings, Sighings, Complainings, and cries unto the Lord, and his Praises, Rejoicings, and magnifying the Lord, and such like conditions as David was in; I say, Is not your singing of these things, like the Papists singing? have you any more rule in the Scripture for your singing, than the Papists have for their singing? And hath it not been one of the Whores later invention and addition to your Worship, even about the time of Queen Elizabeth's reign in this Nation? but the same pure, eternal light which appeared in the hearts of some about the beginning of our English Wars, and manifested much of the Popish Trumpery which was then in being, of which choristers and singing-bois in white Surplices was one; I say, the same pure, eternal light hath manifested your singing and noise to be as abominable in the ears of the Lord, as theirs, and to be denied and witnessed against; for you have no more rule in the Scripture for your singing David's Prayers, than the choristers and singers than had to sing the Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples, which they called Pater Noster; Which of all you Mass-house Singers are, or ever were what you sing, as when you sing, O Lord I am no● puffed in mind, and that your eyes are not scornful? Are you not of such a proud and hard heart, and puffed up mind, and scornful eyes, many of you, that you will scarce look upon, nor walk with, nor relieve those that are poor, though they be of your own Church? Then do you not sing a lie in this? And is that to the praise and glory of God? Surely you dare not say that God is glorified with a noise of lies; not that David's Psalms are lies, but you being not in the same state, condition, and life that David was in, they are lies in your mouths: David said, Mine eyes gush out with Rivers of water, because they keep not thy law, I am afflicted, & ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer thy terrors, I am d●stracted, I am like a Bottle in the smoke; I am like an owl in the desert; I am like a pelican in the Wilderness; I am like a Sparrow alone upon the house top; all my friends and acquaintance hath forsaken me. This David said, and you sing these words ignorantly, customarily, never witnessing the same state & condition, so they are lies in your mouths, and God is not glorified, but dishonoured by you in this part of your Worship; and your singing, and the Papists, and choristers, and Surplice-boys singing, is abomination alike in the sight of the Lord, and in the sight of his servants who are redeemed from amongst you, and from under the great Whore, which sits upon the Waters; but the Lord our God is taking her seat from under her, and into the pit she (with her golden Cup full of Sorceries, Witchcrafts, and Fornications) shall fall, and none shall be able to deliver her, neither can she save herself, nor those that hath been, and still are made drunk with her Sorceries and deceivable ways of unrighteousness, of which this trick, craft, and art of singing is one; James said, Is any merry, let him sing Psalms; He wrote these words to Saints; but hear what he wrote to such as you, Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double-minded; be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy into heaviness. Such as these hath no cause to be merry, who are sinners, whose hands are uncleansed, and whose hearts are unpurified, and whose minds are double; And are not all ye Mass-house-singers in whole Christendom (so called) such? But the Lord hath redeemed, and is redeeming many thousands from among you, Babylonish singers, and hath brought, and is bringing them to godly sorrow, which leadeth to repentance never to be repented of, and afterwards to the joy which shall never have an end; and your rejoicing and singing which is carnal, customary, and formal, before any godly sorrow for sin you know, and before you are led to that repentance which is never to be repented of; I say, this your rejoicing and singing which is before repentance, must of necessity end in sorrow and anguish of heart: The Lord grant you such sorrow which leadeth to repentance in time, before Eternity seizeth upon you, that weeping, and howling, and gnashing of teeth be not your portion for ever; for if the prayers of the unregenerate, ungodly, or wicked are abomination to the Lord, is their praises and singing any better? Is praise comely in the mouth of a fool? And are not they fools that lives in iniquity, & yet rejoiceth? Consider this ye Priests, ye Jesuits, and Popish Christians, and let the Witness for God in your conscience, and in all consciences answer whether ye are not all alike.  
Concerning your praying after you have done singing.  
The Scripture saith, I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting; But what hands do you lift up? Are your hands holy, & c? Have not you Wrath, Envy, and Malice in your hearts, and doubtings, and waverings in your minds? Is not your prayings like the Popish Priests and Papists prayings? And like the Scribes and Pharisees prayings? Did Christ ever teach you to pray any more than he taught them? Are you his Disciples, or scholars, or followers any more than they? What do you learn of him? And whither do you follow him? Can you say that he hath taught you to pray as he taught his Disciple to pray? Have you not learned to pray of some other besides Christ? And do not you (instead of being led to pray by the Spirit of Christ) pray customarily? You know when you have sung out your Psalm, you make and frame a prayer, or else the people will wonder at you; so instead of waiting and staying for the moving and leadings of the holy spirit to pray by, you wait for the end of the Psalm, and then you move and stir up yourselves, and makes a mock of the movings of the spirit of God; and so instead of praying by the Spirit, you turn up your hourglass, and prays by that; so that you know how long to pray, and how long to preach, and how long to sing by your guide, the hourglass, and your eye is often towards it for direction; and when 'tis a pretty deal run, you will tell the people you see the time is far spent, therefore you must hasten; and when your Glass is out, you tell the people the time is spent, and you see the time is past, and therefore you shall conclude: Oh what do ye mean ye Priests, that ye are not yet ashamed of this device and Popish Invention in this day of the light's breaking forth in the hearts of people! Ye search the Scriptures which you falsely call your Rule, and you say you are Ministers of Christ, and succeeders of the Apostles, but in trial you are found liars, and your pretended Rule (the holy Scriptures) witnesseth against you as transgressors, out of the life of the holy men that gave them forth, wresting their words to serve your private ends to your own (and others that are led by you) destruction, and out of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ's steps, life, manners, behaviour, doctrine and practices▪ Where is it written in the holy Scriptures, and which of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ appointed and ordained that their succeeders should pray, and preach, and sing by an hourglass, and to meet together by the sound of the Bells to worship? Where is that written? And which of the Ministers of Christ appointed Bells to call their Brethren together? In which of the Christian Churches before the apostasy, was there Hour-glasses, and Bells, and Pulpits with embroidered cloth about them, and lined Stalls for the rich, with a lock and key to keep the poor out, and many such like devices which are found amongst you? I say, Where is your Rule● Where is your Example for any of these and such like things in the Scriptures of the holy men of God? Come Priests, look out the Chapter and Verse, if you can, and let us know where it is; until then, we shall conclude, yea, and it is concluded already, That you walk not, nor worship not as the Christians before the apostasy did, neither have you them for your example or pattern; but that your example and pattern is the false Romish Church your elder Sister, and the great Whore your Mother, we know, and the Beast she rides on, we have seen, which is of a Scarlet colour, and the blood she hath drunk of the Prophets, Saints, and Martyrs, the Lord is enquiring after, and making inquisition for, and a bed of Torment she shall be laid on; harken and rejoice ye Saints, ye Children of the Most High, a Bed (which betokeneth a place of Rest) shall be the whore's place of Torment, her resting place shall torment her; Alas! alas! Weeping, and wailing, and mourning over her, shall be the greatest comfort her Merchants that hath been made rich by her, and her children she hath delicately brought up, shall yield her; yea all ye shipmasters, and all ye company in Ships, and sailors, and Kings, and Merchants, shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, and cast dust on their heads, and cry, weeping, and wailing, saying, Alas! alas! that great City, wherein were made rich all that had Ships in the sea, by reason of her costliness, for in one hour is she made desolate: Rejoice over her thou Heaven, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her, you have seen the Angel take up the great stone, and give the sign of her perpetual downfall; and a great voice of much people in Heaven is heard, saying, hallelujah, Salvation, and Glory, and honour, and Power unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgements, for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his Servants. And again they said, hallelujah, &c.  
And now you National Priests, are not you the shipmasters, or Parish-Masters, Merchants, or Traders by Sea here spoken of? And the gathering together of the waters he called Sea; And the Beast with seven heads and ten horns rose out of the Sea; The wicked are like a troubled Sea: And the waters thou sawest where the Whore sitteth, are peoples, kindreds, tongues, and nations: So the sea is Waters, and the Waters is Peoples, Multitudes, Tongues and Nations, whereon the Whore your Mother hath long sat, and in, or among whom you her Merchants have built your Ships, and set up your Trade by the Authority of the Beast which rose out of the same place the Whore sat on; He that hath Wisdom, let him understand: I say, By the Authority of this Beast who hath seven heads, ten horns, ten Crowns upon his horns; & upon his heads the name of Blasphemy, unto whom the Dragon gave his power, have you, and all Parish-Masters and others of the Whores choice Merchants in whole Christendom sat and advanced your Trade above, and beyond all the craftsmen's Trade beside in the whole World: And this may appear plain to the view of all people, if these few particulars following are considered.  
First, You have got a marketplace where none must sell any Wares but yourselves, though it be never so much better than yours; neither must any come into your marketplace to give freely to poor people, whose souls are ready to starve for want of the Bread of life, notwithstanding they buy of your deceitful Wares.  
Secondly, You have had, and some of your Brethren still have a compulsive Law to compel and constrain all people within such a compass or quarter to come to your marketplace and buy of you, and none other.  
Thirdly, Whether those people within such a compass, or quarter, or parish, come to your Market, or no, or receive any of your merchandise, notwithstanding you will make them pay as much as if they did, or else you will take, or cause to be taken from them violently (it may be) three, four, or five times as much as the price was you first set upon your Commodities.  
Fourthly, Though your merchandise be never, so deceitful and insufficient, yet none must refuse them, neither will you bate of your price; and if any come to see the deceitfulness and insufficiency of what you sell at a very dear rate, and declare against it, that people might not be deceived and defrauded always with deceitful words, and devilish Doctrines, you will sue such at the Law for slanderers, and get one of the Beasts Horns that hath a Crown upon it, to grant you 100 l. damage, or some other punishment, as whip, or prison, or banishment, or life, (if ye can get it) for the Whore loves blood, and so doth her Merchants and children.  
Fifthly, Another thing that makes your Trade exceed all the craftsmen's Trade beside in the whole World, is, That when poor people have bought your merchandise, and paid you, or at least are liable to pay you, you take them home again in your Pockets, or Bibles, or Note-Books, and lay them up in your warehouse, to wit, your Liberary, and as you see occasion, and opportunity, you carry them to Market again, and they will yield you as much as they did at the first; and yet after you have sold your Imagery Work over and over, you can trim it, and dress it a little, and put the title Doctor of Divinity to it, or bachelor of Divinity, or Mr. William, or Mr. John such a one, Ministers of God's Word at such a Church, in such a place, and find a Chapman, some Bookseller, or Printer, or other, to give you money for it: Much like this might be mentioned, but this is sufficient to let all people which are not quite blind see wherein this whore's merchant's trade exceeds all other Arts, Crafts, and Trades, in the whole world. And also the reason may here be seen wherefore these Parish-Masters, and others of Mystery Babylon's Merchants strives and petition that their trade may be upheld even in this Nation, under this notion, Propagate or hold up the Gospel; when if they would speak as they mean, it is thus, Propagate, hold up, or maintain our mother's Authority, by which Authority we have had a good trade a great while, and our profits hath been great, and our incombs sure; and let the Romish Churches our elder Sisters, her Institutions, Ordinations, Customs, Manners, Practices and Places stand, else we shall have no certain Trade; for if we lose our Elder sister's Law which gives us tithes, and that compels people to buy our Gospel, we shall be undone, people's hearts are so hard they will give us little freely, though they have been, and still are our Auditors, and we have taught them some ten, some twenty, thirty or forty years, yet we are afraid if we lose our elder sister's Law, that those that have been our constant customers would hate us much of our price, and those that do not like our Doctrine and Church-discipline, and our chargeable Gospel, will give us nothing at all; is not this the very language of your hearts, whose cry is, Propagate the Gospel? let that which searcheth your hearts and discerns the secret intents thereof, the light of Christ in your Consciences answer; for the Gospel is Christ the power of God, which propagates, or holds up all things, and 'tis ignorance and blasphemy to cry and petition to an arm of flesh to propagate this Gospel, but 'tis another Gospel, that they who have brought it are accursed that wants propagating; and this shall all your Merchants of Babylon know, in the dreadful day of the Lord our God, when all the blood you have drunk, and Tortures, and Racks, Whips and Prisons, Stocks and Inquisitions, and other carnal weapons you have used to propagate your Gospel, shall rise up in Judgement against you; then will ye cry to the Rocks, and the Mountains to fall upon you, to hide you from the Wrath of the Lamb.  
And now is the wondrfull day at hand, wherein the Wolves, Bears, and Lions shall be afraid and seek to hide themselves from the presence of the Lamb. Consider this all ye hirelings, that rend and tear, and make a prey upon the innocent lambs of Christ for to serve your own bellies, and covetous, unchristian, greedy desires, how greatly do you dishonour the name of Christ, in calling yourselves his Ministers? have not you and all your Brethren, the Popish Christians in whole Christendom sent an ill savour throughout the Nations and Regions round about you? yea and many of those you count heathens shall rise up in judgement against you, even against you who have the sheep's clothing, the prophet's words, Christ's words, the Apostles words, but inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God in yourselves, and so have appeared devouring wolves, and destroyers of the sheep's life, & scatterers of the flock of God, hear the Word of the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Ezekiel against such as you, woe be to the Shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock; the diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost, but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them, &c. Ezech. ch. 34.  
There is much in these words; and this hath been your work, as fully and as truly as ever it was the false shepherd's work in the time of the Prophet Ezechiel, and now is the Lord manifestly appearing to be against ye shepherds, and requiring his flock at your hand, and is causing you to cease from feeding his flock, and also from feeding yourselves of his flock, and delivering them from your mouths, and gathering them from all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day, according to Ezekiel's prophecy; and this is the Lord's own work, in this his mighty day, and all the hirelings and wolvish Shepherds in whole Christendom shall not be able to withstand and hinder the accomplishing, and fulfilling of this the Lord's purpose, though Gog and Magog, beast and false prophet, join together; yet the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory, and the Plagues upon the Seat of the great Whore shall be poured, and the tongue of the Egyptian sea shall be dried up, and the waters which hath overflowed the highest Mountain shall abate and be dried up, and the shipmasters, the Parish-masters trade shall fail: And thou O Mount Seir, because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by force of the Sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end; therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee, sith thou hash not-hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee, &c. This is the portion of Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning, whose sacrifice is the fruit of that ground which is cursed, and which the dew of heaven never descended upon, nor the blessing of the most High was ever appointed for; And out of this ground, out of this earth, in which Cain is a Vagabond, springeth and ariseth that spirit that can offer a Sacrifice, and murder when he hath done, and that this spirit is manifest in and among you the national Priests is very evident, and sufficiently proved by your own fruits, acts and deeds within these few years, yea and the cry of innocent blood hath entered the ears of the Lord against you, even against you both Priests and people, who notwithstanding your pretences of worshipping God, have envy, the root of murder in your hearts, and violence in your hands, and while you regard iniquity in your hearts, your very prayers are abomination and stinks in the nostrils of the Lord.  
'Tis the Whore and her Merchants that▪ thirsteth after the blood of creatures under the notion of heretics, and that murders men about matters of Religion; the Christians and Christian Ministers never did so, neither did they wrestle with flesh and blood, but you and the papists are found wrestling with flesh, and destroying men's lives, and not saving them, and you shall have your reward together according to your Work.  

A few Queries for all that own tithes due to the present Priesthood, and for the Priesthood that takes them to consider and answer.  
1. TO what end do you the people pay tithes? and to what end do you the Priests take tithes? is your end according to the law of God that gave the tithes to the first Priesthood? then people why do you not see them improved to that end? and Priests why do you not let them be improved to that end? and was not the end wherefore tithes was given, that the widows, Strangers, and fatherless might be relieved and maintained by them as well as the Priests? And had not the widows, Strangers, and fatherless as much Right to the Tithes, as the levitical priests had? and had they not their maintenance out of them, so that there need not be a beggar among them? Was not the priests gates to stand open, that the widows, Strangers and fatherless might be relieved.  
2. Did not that law of God that gave Tithes to this end, ordain a place to put them in, a storehouse, (into which storehouse the people brought them, else they robbed God) and were they not to be taken out of this storehouse, as the Widows, Strangers, fatherless and Priests had need of them? and was not this storehouse called God's House? read Mal. 3. 10. How comes it to pass, if not by the order of the Pope, Bishops and Cardinals, and the rest of the popish train, that there is no storehouse in whole Christendom (so called) to put the Tithes of the Land in, nor no Widows, Strangers and Fatherless relieved according to their necessities out of the Tithes, but pope, chief Magistrate and priests, have, and would have them all brought into their own house? and how many of their gates stand open, that the Widows, Strangers and fatherless, and poor, might pass freely in and take part of the Tithes with them? do they not more frequently lie begging at their gates when they are shut? and lie about the Streets begging and crying for bread, and at the Steeple-houses there is a hideous, doleful noise for bread many times? was it so in the time of the Law, which commanded Tithes from the people? did not the Lord make the Tithes, give the poor, the Widows, the Strangers, the fatherless, and priests also enough? and now people that pay Tithes, and priests that receive Tithes, whom do you imitate and follow, if not the Popish train? are not you unlike both Jews and Christians? did the true Christians ever pay, or receive Tithes?  
3. Is not this a monstrous Priesthood, that hath risen up since the days of the Apostles, who denied the first priesthood, that devours and impropriates all the Tithes to themselves, and will not allow the poor, the Widows, Strangers, and fatherless any share with them of the Tithes, though they may be ready to starve for want of food and Raiment? is not this monstrous priesthood in Christendom (Who call themselves Ministers of the Gospel) exceedingly stained and laden with the blood of the poor, of the Widows, of the Strangers, and Fatherless? And you the people, how can you be clear in paying your tithes to such a priesthood, that do not let their gates stand open, nor have no storehouse, nor that do not improve them to that end, that they were improved to, in the time of the Law? are not all your Tithes given and received to a worse end, notwithstanding you say you are Christians, and live in the glorious day of the Gospel, than they were given and received in the time of the Law? How many thousands of poor, of Widows, Strangers, of fatherless, and beggars are there in thy borders, O Christendom, which want relief, which the Law of God that gave Tithes to the Priesthood which God ordained, provided for, by the Tithes that were brought into the storehouse? Why must a greedy, covetous, proud priesthood, that is not like the priesthood under the Law, nor the Ministers of the Gospel, swallow down, and devour, and treasure up to themselves, which belongs no more to them, then to the Widows, Strangers, and Fatherless? Put the Pope's law aside, the Magistrates of England, and if Tithes and priesthood must stand, let them stand according to the law of God by Moses, and not according to the Papists Law, and covetous priests desires.  
4. Did not the Pope, and the false Church (which hath risen since the days of the Apostles) who invented Tithes for the maintenance of his Ministers, exclude and shut out the poor, the fatherless, the Widows, and Strangers from having a share with him and his priests of the Tithes? and people why do you love to uphold a popish invention, and the false Churches synodical Decrees, Edicts and Ordinances? and is not this one popish Decree, that Tithes are due to God and holy Church? do you not know what God the Pope and papists mean? and what, and where the Holy Church is, that Tithes are due to, by his, or their Decree? is not their God their belly, and their glory their shame, and their Holy Church a Cage of unclean birds, a den of Idolaters, which murders, prisons, racketh and tortureth and persecuteth those that are indeed the members of the Holy Church (which is in God) and did ever the ministers of Christ, who were members of the Holy Church, preach up Tithes to be due to them, or covet after them, or receive any of them? did they not on the contrary preach against Tithes and deny them, and the priesthood that received Tithes, and the Law that gave Tithes they denied also, and witnessed the change of the Law and priesthood both? as in the 7. of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews; Then are not those priests that preach for Tithes, and plead for Tithes, opposers of the true Ministers of Christ, and their Doctrine, and upholders of the Pope, Papists and their Decrees, and Orders?  
5. Did not Christ Jesus who is the substance of all the Mosaical administrations send forth his Ministers freely, saying to them, Freely ye have received, freely give? did ever Christ bid them demand Tithes from the people they preached to? then surely they did never sue them at the Law for that they never demanded of them, as those that call themselves the Ministers of Christ do now in this age, who have been rifling men's houses and fields for Tithes; People do you not believe that it is a great abomination and blasphemy against the Lord for such to call themselves the ministers of Christ? is not Christ's glorious Gospel of God dishonoured by them? is not the Pope that ordered Tithes to be paid to the Priests, Bishops and Clergy men only, and that excluded the poor from having part of the Tithes, more honoured and obeyed then Christ, by all the Tithe-mongers and hirelings in Christendom, and people that own them? Christ said, Freely you have received freel● give. The Pope and Popish Clergy said, and saith, We have not received freely, and we will not, nor cannot give freely; and if people will not give us freely, we will compel them by force and cruelty; and whose Ministers are such? and whose Commands and Ordinances do such obey, Christ's or the Popes? hath not your fruits and works answered already, that the Pope's Command and Order is preferred above Christ's, and obeyed rather than Christ's Command and Order? Did not Christ say, Into whatsoever Town or City you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till ye go thence, &c. this he spoke to them which he sent forth. Did he ever send his Ministers into any Town, City or country, to inquire how much money by the year they would give them to preach to them, and to inquire after Tithes, and Augmentations and such like, and to agree and make bargains with people for a 100 or 200 l. by the year? if Christ sent any such Ministers forth, and if the true Christians ever owned such Ministers, priests and people, answer and declare when, till than we shall reckon you with the popish priests, and Papists.  
This following Letter containing the substance of the Dispute, was given into the hands of William Cooper about the middle of the third Month, enclosed with some Directions for him to convey it to the rest of his Brethren which were at the Dispute, if peradventure they might be showed their blindness and ignorance in the things of God; and William Cooper soon after sent word by one of his Communicants, That we should have a speedy Answer; but no Answer hath appeared: And now therefore are they further examined, and their practices and manners of Worship more fully inquired into in the former Treatise; And in both all people may see that are not quite blind, how that much and many relics of Popery are yet standing chiefly in the Presbyterian Churches, so called, and that the true Christian life and primitive Church-Order is not among them. And if they can say otherwise, let them lay aside that wisdom which man teacheth, and which they have learned at School by natural Education, and answer without logical Arguments, in plainness, according to the holy Scriptures.   

Friends,  
YOU that profess yourselves to be Ministers of Christ, and have put on the sheep's clothing, but are erred from the spirit of the Lord; the time of trial is now come, wherein secret things are brought to light, and the great Mystery of Babylon is discovered, and all false Ministers are made manifest, and the judgement of the great Whore is come, and your judgement also that hath drunk her Cup: And now something is upon me as to mind you of, and to lay something of your own ignorance and weakness before you, which appeared in you at that time of the Dispute in the Bridge-House, to the intent that you, and the people that are under your Ministry may come to see the error of your ways, and may be converted to God, and live; for it truly appears that death reigns in you, and over you, and the fruits and effects thereof doth spring from you, and the cursed Tree is yet standing that brings forth the branches of darkness, of unbelief, and of great ignorance: and the Sword of the Lord, which is the words of his mouth, will utterly slay you.  
And whereas you asked, If we owned you to be Ministers of Christ: Unto which in part we answered, and I do here more plainly testify, No, we cannot own you to be Ministers of Christ, nor sent of him, for we know the contrary, because you are different and contrary to the Ministers of Christ that were in the days of the Apostles, in Call, in Practice, and Conversation; in Maintenance, and in your Fruits and Effects; in all these things we say, and can prove, that you are not according, but different and contrary to the Apostles and Ministers of the true Churches before the apostasy; and therefore I hereby certify you, That we (to wit) the People of God called Quakers, do not own you as the Ministers of Christ, but do look upon you to be Deceivers and false Teachers, and of Antichrist, and your fruits and works doth manifest it, and thereby do we know you not to be the Ministers of Christ, but false Teachers, as I have said.  
And whereas you affirmed yourselves to be Ministers of Christ, and went about to prove it by your Arguments of invented logic, and the substance and intent of your first Argument was, Those that have the Characters and Signs upon them spoken of in 1 Tim. 3. are Ministers of Christ; but you have those Signs and Characters upon you, and therefore, You are Ministers of Christ.  
Ans. Now this Scripture which you have mentioned for proof of your Ministry, when you are truly laid to the line and measure thereof, will prove that you are not true Ministers, for you are not thus qualified in your Spirits and Conversation, as this Scripture doth signify, but the contrary fruits and effects doth appear from you, than is set down in this Scripture; Are you blameless in your conversations? And are you sober and of good behaviour, and given to Hospitality, and apt to teach? And are you not given to Wine and filthy Lucre? And are you patient, not brawlers nor covetous? And are you not lifted up with pride? And are you of good report? And do you hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience? These things were required to be in the Ministers of Christ; and have you these characters? and are you such as is here spoken of? And have you these fruits and mark upon you? now are you to be tried, and and I am searching your own proof, whether it holds sound to confirm that for which you brought it? No it is manifest by your fruits according to your own proof, that you are men of another generation, and are bringing forth fruits and works clean contrary to them, whom the Apostle allows of for Ministers; For you are not blameless, nor sober, nor of good behaviour, for you are guilty of the pride and vanity of this world, and live in envy and bitterness, and so not blameless, nor sober, nor of good behaviour, neither apt to teach; for you want the Spirit, that was in the Apostles, and you cannot speak as that Spirit gives you utterance, but you speak from human study, and what you have gathered from other men's works, and many of you are given to wine and strong drink, and are greedy of filthy lucre, and sue men at Law for wages, and remove from one place to another for more means, and for greater hire, and this is covetousness and greediness of filthy lucre, which you (to wit, genrally the Priests) are known to be guilty of through the whole Land; and ye have an ill report, to be covetous men, and proud men, and ambitious, and self-seeking men, this report you have of many that are without, and the poor unconverted people they know you to be guilty of these things; and your Consciences are not pure, neither do ye hold the mystery of faith in it; but your consciences are defiled with the evil and sinful practices of this wicked world; and that faith that you profess is not the true faith that the Apostles had, which gave them victory over the world, and over all sin; for you are in the pollutions of the world, unsanctified, and the guilt of sin lies upon you; these things are true, as the Witness in your own consciences may testifie● so that your own proof and evidence hath condemned you, and the Scripture by which you thought to prove yourselves Ministers of Christ, it hath turned upon your own heads, and manifested the contrary, and though you have said, you were qualified according to that Scripture, and therefore you were called into the mini●st●, and were the true Ministers, yet the contrary is discovered, and that you are qualified by a contrary spirit and have the marks and characters upon you, not of the true ministers of Christ, but of 〈◊〉 spoken of in 2 Tim. 3. and according to that sort of false Teachers are you qualified; and therefore in Practice and conversation you do not agree with the Apostles, but are different and contrary to them, and are according to the false Teachers, and false Apostles, and with them you do agree in spirit and in practice in many things.  
And as to your call to the Ministry, you are not able to make any good proof thereof at all, nor did not at that time, but some of them did deny, that the anointing, the unction of the holy Spirit, was necessary unto the Ministry; and this was the Argument, That all things were mentioned for the qualification of a Minister, in that 1 Tim. 3. but the holy unction is not mentioned; therefore, the unction of the spirit is not necessary to the Ministry.  
Answer, Something was spoken to this before, as to show the ignorance of it, and the wickedness of this Argument; and some of you were partly ashamed of it yourselves; and had not the man and you been wholly ignorant and blind, this would never have proceeded from amongst you; and are you like to be Ministers of Christ, who hath asserted, That the spirit of God, and the anointing is not necessary to the ministry? Was ever the like ignorance uttered by any before you? even your Fathers, the Friars at Rome would be ashamed of you herein, to utter such dark and ignorant assertions. Is this your Learning, and your wise logic, to prove the anointing unnecessary to the ministry? and such ministers we believe are you that have not the holy unction of the spirit, but are ministers of the letter, and by the will of man, and not by the spirit, nor of the spirit, and so your call is not the same as was the Apostles, but contrary to them and different from them; so that we cannot own you to be ministers of Christ; for ye are different and contrary to them both in your call, and in your conversations.  
And though you seemed to deny to be made ministers by your Learning and Education, yet it is manifest that through that, you received the ministry, through the attainments of such Arts and Sciences, and at last you came to attain to the Office of Ministers as you say; and it was not by the call of the spirit, nor by the gift of the holy Ghost, for that you have in part denied, and saith the unction is not necessary to the Ministry; so it is but your hypocrisy to deny that you are made Ministers by your natural learning; for we know that thereby only, and without the Gift of the Holy Ghost, did you attain to that Ministry which now you hold, cannot convert sinners to God, nor turn the wicked from his evil way; for it answers not the testimony of God in people, but people remains always blind and ignorant under it; and you go on dreaming for carnal ends unto yourselves, seeking for your hire, and for your gain, and therefore we do deny that you are true Ministers of Christ, for you can neither prove that you are so, neither doth your fruits and works prove it, but the contrary is manifest.  
And whereas you further said, The gift of the holy spirit is not sufficient to make a Minister; This is also your ignorance; for as I said, they also have received the spirit, have received the fruits thereof; and the Apostle saith, As every one hath received the gift of the spirit, so he may administer of the same to another; & who have received the spirit of Christ, they are Christ's; and if any man have not that spirit, such are none of his, but how full of confusion are you? I cannot but mind you of it; Some time you say, the Spirit is not necessary to the Ministry; and again you say, The spirit alone is not sufficient to make a Minister; and here is Babylon's stuff (Confusion) brought forth by you her Merchants, and such as these hath deceived the souls of men, one saying one thing, and others another, and thus is your kingdom divided, and that is a sign that it cannot stand, but it must fall when the kingdoms of this World becomes the Kingdom of Christ.  
And whereas you affirmed, One may be called into the Ministry by Christ, and yet at the same time be under the power of the Devil, and the selfsame man at the very same time may be a Disciple of Christ, and yet a Devil.  
Ans. I cannot but mind you of your ignorance, and return your words to you again; For a man that is under the power of the Devil, he is the servant of the Devil, and not Christ's servant; and that man that is a Disciple of Christ, and learns of him, is a child of God, and not of the Devil; for the Devil is out of truth, and so are all that are under his power, but the Disciple of Christ is in the truth, and learns of Christ who is truth; and though you would seem to prove these things by Judas & Peter, yet as for Judas he turned from Christ, and against him, and the Devil entered into him, and he lost the power of God, and erred from it, and then he was a Devil, and a betrayer of the just; but whilst he followed Christ, and was faithful in his Ministry, he was not a Devil: Neither was Peter Satan, he that was Christ's Disciple; but he that savoured the things that was of man, and not the things of God, and he that denied Christ, he was the Satan; for the Disciple of Christ, and Satan, are two, and not one; they are contrary, and not the same, though you in your ignorance would make them one; but ye know not of what spirit ye are of, nor whose work you are doing.  
And whereas you held it forth, That you had the fruits of the spirit, because you show forth faith and repentance, therefore, &c.  
Now I did, and do deny that you show forth faith and repentance; for your Works doth manifest the contrary; And to prove that you have repentante, you say you detest all sin, and therefore, &c. Now this I did, and do deny again, and do assert the contrary, and thus I prove it, Whosoever breaks the commands of Christ, and acts those things which he cried woe against, & those things which the holy Prophets cried against, they do not detest all sin; but thus you do, (to wit) you that profess yourselves to be Ministers, you act those things which Christ forbade, & which the holy Prophets cried against. therefore you do not detest all sin, and so have not the fruits and marks of the Holy Ghost upon you, that you act these things that Christ forbade, and which the Prophets cried against; it is plainly manifest Christ forbade his Ministers to be called of men Masters, but you are called Masters; & Christ cried woe against them that loved the uppermost Rooms, and the chief Seats, & greetings in the Markets, and these things are you guilty of. And the holy Prophets cried against them that preached for hire, and divined for money, and against them that fed themselves with the fat, and clothed themselves with the Wool, and did not feed the flock; and these things you are guilty of; and thus it is manifest you do not detest all sin, but lives in it; for in the fruits and works of the flesh you do abound, in pride and covetousness, in wrath and bitterness, and in many other things, whereby it is clearly manifest that you have not your own noted signs of the holy spirit upon you, and so we cannot own you, but must deny you to be the Ministers of Christ: And as for your carriages and proceedings at that Dispute, they were not agreeing with the spirit of truth, for you were wild, and vain, and scornful, which practices becomes not Christ's Ministers: And why did you run so soon away? Why had not you longer patience for the trial of all things? Were you afraid to be discovered, and that your shame should have appeared? Were you hit upon your sore, which made you fling away so suddenly, that you could not abide any longer. Many things more I had to have spoken, if you had not left us in that manner, which a shame unto yourselves, and to your company who used such wildness and violence, and laid violent hands upon me, thrusting me forth, and threatening of us with Constables, and these things ought not to have been, nor had you been Ministers of Christ would they have been, but your fruits makes you manifest, and by your fruits we know you, as Christ hath told us; for your fruits are the fruits of unrighteousness and not the fruits of the holy Spirit of the Lord, which fruits are pure and peaceable, but your fruits are otherwise, to wit, the fruits of the spirit of this world that lies in wickedness, And whereas you accused us to be Jesuits or such like; these were your false accusations, and we see you to be nearer to agreement with the Jesuits then we are, and the Church of Rome is your Mother, & from her you have descended in your Call and in your Maintenance, and in the most part of your worship and practices, therefore come, let's reason with you, Had not you (the Professed Ministers of England) this way of making Ministers at Schools and colleges, & by natural learning, from the Church of Rome? Was not she the first that instituted these colleges, & gave the maintenance to them, and gave all these names to scholars, as bachelor of Arts, and Master of Arts, bachelor of Divinity, and such like names, which yet remains amongst you, the original of which came from the Church of Rome? and was first set up in England by the whore's Authority. Did these things come from the Church of Christ, or was there such names amongst Christ's true Ministers? or have not you received these things and ways from the Whore, and drunken her cup? this way of making ministers have you had from the Whore of Rome; and from whence had you this way of maintenance in your ministry, by Tithes and glebe-lands, and Easter reckonings, and so much a year out of your Parish? did not all this proceed out of the Church of Rome, and was not in the day of the Apostles, nor practised by Christ's ministers, but from the Whore you have had this also? this way of being maintained, and suing people at the Law for your Tithes and for your money, Christ's ministers never did thus, but the church of Rome hath been the original of all these things and practices; and from whence had you this practice of sprinkling infants, and calling it the baptism into the faith, and into the visible church? did not this come from Rome? and have not you received it from thence? if there was any such Institution or Practice amongst the Apostles prove it by Scripture, else we will not believe you, but must tell you the original of this came from Rome, and you have drunken the whore's cup, and been made drunk thereby; & so now when we examine you throughly in your ways and practices, we find you agreeing with the Jesuits in many things; and while you accuse others yourselves are guilty; and now people begins to see your shame, and you cannot hide it, for the witness is risen in people, and the seed of God is coming forth, which tramples over and treads down the false church, and all her false ordinances and institutions, and her cup must be broken to pieces, and she shall no more make the Nations drunk; and as for you false ministers, though you pray and preach, and cry against heresy and Error, and would beg Laws to suppress it, as ye say; yet yourselves are found guilty of the error, and you want the spirit of truth to guide you; and your own hearts are not cleansed, and then how can you cleanse others? and that which you call error and heresy is truth; for your judgements are corrupted, and your eye is blind, and what you know, you know naturally, and not by the teachings of the spirit of God, but by Traditions, and by the words of other men without you, and the holy anointing in your own selves, you know not; for you have not received it; And whereas you queried whether the Scriptures were the word of God and the rule of life I do now answer:  
The Scriptures were given forth by the spirit of God, and are the words of God, & the word was in them that gave them forth, and Christ is that word, and the Scriptures testify of him, & the Scriptures are not the rule of life, but the spirit that gave them forth, that is the rule to the children of God; for as many as are the sons of God are led by the spirit of God, and them that walk according to that rule of the spirit peace is upon them, and so it is the spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures; that is, the rule of life, and not the Scriptures; yet where the spirit is the rule, it leadeth up according to the Scriptures in the fulfilling of them; and as for ye hypocrites who do profess the Scriptures to be your rule, and yet walks contrary to the Scriptures, your own rule condemns you, and out of your own mouths will the Lord judge you. Is the Scripture your rule to preach for hire, and to have so much a year for preaching, and if any will not pay them to sue them at the Law, and take their goods by violence, and to cast their bodies into prison? this is the practice of many ministers in this nation; but what rule in all the Scripture have you for these things, or what example, saving from the false Prophets, false Apostles? and what rule have you in all the Scriptures for sprinkling of infants, and calling it baptism into the faith? and what rule have you to take Tithes? and are not you hypocrites to profess the Scriptures to be your rule and yet act these things which the Scripture neither gives Commandment nor example for, but the rather bears witness against? but who hath the spirit, and walks by that rule, sees you, and judges you who are out of the life of the Scriptures, in the life that is contrary, and with the spirit of God are you reproved, in all your ways of darkness and error.  
And whereas you queried concerning the light within, we do say, that Christ the second A●am lighteneth all mankind that be come into the world; and this light John bare witness of, and it shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, and that was it that enlightened every man that cometh into the world; and this light brings all to receive Christ that doth believe, and they that believe not, this light is their condemnation; and though you stumble at this stumbling stone, as your Fathers the Jews did; yet unto us that do believe, Christ the light of the world is precious, and all that comes to the knowledge of God, must come to the true knowledge by the light that shines 〈…〉 hearts; for it is the light that shines in the heart, that gives the knowledge of God; and although you wise builders do stumble at the foundation; yet it will break you to pieces; and confound you utterly; for the light is risen in the hearts of many, which light gives them the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of you, and all your false ways of error, and brings men to depart from them all, and to follow the Lord in righteousness, and so every man is lightened, that they may believe; and they that believe, and walk in the light shall be saved; but they that believe not, but hate the light, shall be condemned, and this is their condemnation, that light is come into the world and into their hearts; and as for you, you are but shallow men; for you want the knowledge of God, and truth stands over you, though you oppose it, and it will grow to a Mountain, where all the Righteous shall be refreshed; and the Lord is begun to work in the earth, he hath set his hand to pull down Babylon, and there shall not one stone be left upon another, and all her Merchandise shall fail, and her strong holds shall be broken down, and all her Merchants shall howl and lament; therefore now consider it ye Leaders of the people, the day of the visitation is now, but it will suddenly be shut up, with the night of darkness upon you, and you will be wounded, and you can never be healed, you will be ruined, and can never be revived; This is from a lover of your Souls,  
EDWARD BURROUGH.   

Something after.  
AND now you Priests, the black Clergy of England, who count yourselves Orthodox men, sound, able Ministers of the gospel of Christ, know and consider, and let it be known to, and considered by all people, that we slander you not, nor do you no wrong in disowning you to be the Ministers of Christ, and in comparing you to the black, bloody, Popish trait, your mother-Church; nor in comparing you with the false Prophets, idle shepbeards of Israel, and the deceivers and false teachers which crept in, in the days of the Apostles, which since hath overspread the Nations; for if ever there were a company of Priests that were like a troop of robbers, and that murdered with consent, and that preached for hire, and divined for money, and that sought their gain from their quarter, said themselves with the fat, and clothed themselves with the wool, and that cared not naturally for the flock, but for the fleece, and that taught for filthy lucre, and that said, Thus saith the Lord; when the Lord's voice they never heard; and that had stolen then Neighbours words, and that run before they were sent, and that did not profit the people at all; I say, if ever there was such Priests and Teachers, as certainly there was in the prophet's days, and Apostles days, such assuredly in thee, oh England, doth exceedingly abouned, as by the fruits in every Conntry, City, Town, and Village most evidently appeareth, in which wickedness is grown so exceeding high, and the envy & offering of Cain, in priests & people is so strong, and the Jewish blind zeal' so fierce, and the cry of the rude multitude, Away with him, Away with him, so loud, loud, and many pilate's through importunity of the priests, and cry of the multitude, so ready to deliver the innocent into the hands of such who loves Barrabas the murderer better than he that came to save men's lives, and not to destroy them; and better than his Ministers, whole weapons were never carnal, as Tucks, Rapiers, Staves and Canes, which hath been the weapons of thirty English priests already recorded within this seven or eight years, who have not only incensed and stirred up the Magistrates and people to persecute, but hath shed blood, beat and bruised many themselves, one of which number was (and is still for aught I know) priest Griffin of Bread street in London, who st●uck one Robert Ingram sorely over the head with a Kane, many blows; and by means of such priests the Prophet Isaiah called greedy dumb dogs, and that prepared war against such as could not put into their mouths, hath about two thousand of the the people of God suffered within this seven or eight years twenty six hath been murdered & imprisoned till death, and some hundreds suffered long imprisonments in filthy, unwholesome places, and cruel, inhuman usage therein by wicked, bloody gaolers, Thieves, murderers, and Felons, among which they have been cast; some others hath been robbed and spoiled of their goods for tithes, to the value of some thousands of pounds, sometimes five, six, seven, or eight times the value of what was demanded by the hi●eling Priest and Impropriator, to the ruin and destroying of many families, widows and fatherless, (as to the outward) in taking away their wearing cloths, bedding, pots, dishes, and kettles, (sometimes all was too little) seizing sometimes 100 l. worth of goods for one years' tithes, valued at six pounds, and body also imprison●●: Oh horrible Minist●y! a worse was never in any generation, I do believe, especially in times wherein the cry of Reformation hath been so loud, and liberty of conscience pretended; Oh! how is it that people are so blind and sottish as to cou●● greedy Hirelings (who are like to leave their Names upon record as a stink and a wand●● to the next generation) Christian Ministers; Christian Ministers were no sigh●ers, nor strikers, nor covetous, nor greedy of silthy lucre, nor demanders of tithes from the people, nor suers at law for the tithes; if they were, you priests and persons produce the chapter and verse that must prove it; you have proved yourselves such, and we can ●●sily prove, and have proved, that you are not like the Ministers of Christ, for the Ministers of Christ in the primitive church, bore their testimony against tithes, which God commanded to be paid to the first priesthood; and many Saints, Martyrs, and Ministers of Christ of later times mentioned in Fox's Histories, called, The Book of Martyrs, have, or did faithfully in their measure bear their testimony unto death against the tithes which the Pope and his Train had invented and set up since the Apostles days, which at this day yet stands as a main prop and upholder of a proud, high minded, self-seeking, covetous ignorant, Popish Clergy here in England, against which, and whom, we also bear our testimony, which hath already been sealed with much blood within these few years.  
And if there be any honest, tender hearted men amongst the Priests, which really desires and endeavours to have a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards 〈◊〉 let such come out from amongst them, and bear their testimony against them that hath committed such horrible things in the Land, and utterly deny them, and disown them, else the best of them will be but as a B●yar, and the most upright as a Thorn-Hedge, and a cons●ne to wickedness will be found in their hearts in the day of the Lord; therefore accept the let no people count some Priests better than other Priests, for there is little difference between those that murder, and those that consent to murder; those that rob, and those ●hat consent to robbery; those that persecute, and those that consent to persecution, and their reward will be alike at that day which God hath appointed to judge the Secrets of all 〈◊〉 by the Man Christ Jesus.  
W. S.   
The End.