Innocents no Saints: OR, A pair OF SPECTACLES For a Dark-Sighted QUAKER. WHEREBY, If he be not wilfully blink, he may discern Truth from Lies.  
BEING, A rejoinder to a Paper lately published entitled, Innocency Cleared from Lies.  
In vindication of Samuel Smith, Minister of the Word at Cressage in the County of Salop, from the Calumnies of those pretended Innocents.  
By E. D.  Psal. 62.4. 
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency, they delight in lies.  Esay 29.16. 
Surely, your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters day.  
LONDON, Printed for Francis titan, and are to be sold at the Three Daggers in Fleet-street. 1658.   

INNOCENTS NO SAINTS: OR, A pair of Spectacles for a dark-sighted QVAKER.  
Reader,  
THere are in the world Proteus-like men Metamorphosed into divers shapes, Changelings, wandring Planets, that with the Church of Ephesus have fallen from their first love and zeal they once made profession of, such is the danger and misery of these apostatising times; such wandring Planets which have left their first Station, are the persons that have lately stepped upon the Stage, To act the parts of guised seeming Innocents in the County of Salop; but how they act their parts, and come off, Judge ye? He that shall but red that book called, Malice stripped and whipped, by this Reverend Minister Mr. Smith, whom these pretend to answer in this paper of theirs entitled, Innocency cleared from lies, If there were no rejoinder at all, need look for no further satisfaction of this Minister's Innocency, and this people's turbulence. But because the said Minister hath concluded his book thus, I have done with them unless it be in my prayers, &c. If then he should add any more they might haply say, he contradicts himself: therefore being an ear and eye-witnesse of that was said and done at Cressage, when that first instigation was, I have reduced the reply to be reviewed by the ingenuous Reader, and if I can turn the wolf out of his Guisers-Lamb'skin-coat, t'will be worth your labour to see the chase. It is now eighteen monthes since that piece ( viz.) Malice stripped and whipped was first published; it seems they have travaild of an answer so long, verifying that poetical emblem, 
Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.  
The mountain travaild and did take on, as if t'would rend in sunder.  
At last there dropped a little Mouse, which made Spectators wonder.   
Such a Ridiculous birth have they brought forth, as I shall manifest briefly in three observations.  
1. That to the chief things of concernment deducible from the Minister's answer whereunto they pretend a reply, To these they have not spoken.  
2. Wherein they have replied, They cloud it rather then clear it.  
3. Some few tenants of theirs are name and shamed.  
And if these three particulars shall be made good, I hope all unbiased Readers will see that Scroll of theirs unworthy of that Title, Innocency cleared from lies, and truth shall take its place.  

First Observation.  
THe relation of the fact, proofs, and arguments penned by the said Minister have this inference.  
1. That the present Ministry of this nation doth teach and maintain the true worship of God and the Doctrine of Jesus Christ according to the revealed will and word of God, as it is contained in the Scriptures.  
2. That the present Government of the nation is the ordinance of God, and a lawful magistracy; whereunto the Ministers of the word as well as others may appeal in case of injuries.  
3. That the Ministers bringing offenders before the Magistrate, to answer for themselves is not Persecution. And that the Magistrates and Judge of assize in the whole proceedings against these pretended Innocents, did give sentence according to evident proofs, and the known laws of this nation.  
4. You are charged with a spirit of envy, bitterness, and maliciousness, in calling some of the most eminent Ministers of the land, Serpent, liar, Deceiver, child of the devil, cursed hypocrite, &c. What, not a word in answer to this charge? I hope you repent of this sin. And I trust ye shall know that we are not Reprobates, 2 Cor. 13.6.  
5. Are you not charged again, that your malice is principally bent against the Ministers, and that all men take notice that they are the object of your malice, as if you had no other work to do but to rail, scandalise, and reproach those servants of the Lord which cry down your delusions; and must this also with divers other particulars charged upon you be waived and not a word spoken to them? what will the Reader of that Malice stripped and whipped, judge, but that you either are ashamed of your doings, or know not what to say for defence of these things?  
But though you have not replied at all in any positive sense to any of these five preceding-Maxims; Yet you tell us of some circumstances as that Ministers are priests, and if thou be not a Priest thou doth the people wrong to take Tithes or hire from them, and that the said Minister is forth of the doctrine of Christ.  
What? do you sit in Peters chair, and have you authority to vote men forth of the doctrine of Christ? 1 Cor. 14.36. What came the word of God out from you? or came it to you onely? Its like you would have us believe, as the false teachers persuaded the Corinthians, that Paul was out of the doctrine of Christ: so also( say you), our Ministers of the Church of England are out of the doctrine of Christ, as though the word of God came out from you, or to you onely Oh high Transcendency  
This high Prerogative of yours calls to mind your Archbishop Naylor that false-Christ, which otherwise. I had omitted; and if you had not passed this censure, I had passed by in silence your Medaea-like Mrs. Pierson of Worcester, that would go about to raise the dead, caused a dead Corps to be taken out of the grave, and breathed upon it, and commanded it to stand up from the dead; but at last was fain to sand for the Sexton to bury it again. These are the high attempts of Innocents not Saints which the Minister hinted in his book; you were well advised, not to speak in their justification. Pray you, if you have commission to vote men out of the doctrine of Christ, expunge these Innocents of yours, out of your Saints-kalender.  
Thus I have introduced five principal matters of the charge whereto you have not replied, and to supply your blanks I have added a few things to wipe off your aspersions, to re-state the reputation of the Ministry, and to assert the authority of the Magistracy, if the Lord will help me to hold up Moses's hands.  
First then I affirm, that the present Ministry of England whereof this Minister is also a member, are not Priests, but Ministers of Christ, Their calling is of Christ; Their doctrine the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. Their office the Ministry of the word of God, Colos. 1.7. As ye have also learned of Epaphras who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ. Luke 1.2. Even as they delivered them unto us who were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the word. Rom. 15.16. 
Ministers 〈◇〉 Priests.  And that I should be the Minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles ministering the gospel of God. See here the Scripture calleth such, Ministers of the word! Ministers of Christ! But( say you) they are Priests for they receive Tithes; indeed whether Tithes be of divine right in gospel times I dispute not, yet if ye be Abrahams children, do the works of Abraham, Gen. 14. Abraham gave to Melchisedeck Tithes of all( that is) The tenth part of all, Hebr. 7.2. This was long before the law written, 
tithes.  how then did he give it? was it by the law of nature which is called the law of reason? or did Abraham give Tithes by revelation from God? If I say he gave it by the light that was in him, I suppose you'l grant that the light in him was the light of God? If then Tithes were payable by the light of God and by the law of nature, before there was any levitical precept; is it not then contrary to the light of God and the law of nature to withhold them? But if not Tithes under the gospel yet a compensation in lieu of Tithes or a sufficient gospel maintenance for the Ministers, 1 Cor. 9. Luke 10. For the labourer is worthy of his hire. Therefore where thou repliest to the Minister saying, and if thou be not a Priest, thou doth the people wrong to take Tithes or hire from them, thou judgest the law; and so, 
Gal. 6.6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things.  art found a transgressor of the law, unless thou make compensation: And moreover, the just laws of this nation do corroborated the precedent right of Tithes or a compensation in lieu thereof,( as I said before.) Therefore the Minister doth the people no wrong to receive Tithes; Cook sometime Lord chief justice of England hath determined the case in our law. None( saith he) can prescribe, in non decimando said sub modo decimandi.  
And for Priests they are not properly so called but by reason of their sacrifice; then are they( as also every faithful believer) spiritual priests by reason of their spiritual sacrifices.  
But the Innocent is grieved that the Ministers are called Masters: let him see then whether this precedency be not given to the preachers of the word, 
Masters of ●ssemblies.  Eccles. 12.10.11. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, the words of the wise are as goads and as nailes fastened by the masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepherd. See here, the preachers are called Masters of assemblies! John 3.10. Jesus said unto him, Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things? Here Nicodemus a disciple of Christ is allowed the title of a master in Israel, 
Master in israel.  these are not the words of Richard Baxter or Samuel Smith, neither do they arrogate so much unto themselves. But these Scriptures let you see, that we can with as much or more innocency give the Ministers of the word this or the like reverend appellation, as you can deny them of it! And for Mr. Baxter and Mr. Smith, whom you would degrade, I tell you, They are burning and shining Lamps, if I may use the words of our Saviour applied to his holy messenger; their works this day extant in the Church of God do witness this beyond my testimony, and above your envy: if you believe not me, believe the works. Paul saith of himself, 1 Cor. 3.10. As a wise master builder, 
Master Builder.  I have laid the foundation.  
For your Questions propounded, where you say, he answered them not to his shane; if you but duly consider the Scriptures quoted in the 27 page. of his book, you might well take them for an answer, and see what esteem he had of questions of that nature, 1 Tim. 6.3, 4, 5. But doting about questions and strife of words whereof cometh envy, &c.  
To the narrative part, touching the charge laid against you and the proceedings therein, where you say, He cannot prove the things he accuses these men of, to this I say the proof is upon record, it needs no Bill of reviver, your fact was capable of a pardon, and your pardon( or release as you call it) granted by authority does presuppose an offence.  
But without compliment, touching your hats; you red of an hat, Dan. 3.12. These men were bound in their coats their hosen and their hats; a former translation hath it, their coats their hosen and their cloaks, the Septuagint, Syriack, and arabic have it, 〈◇〉 The manner of those Tiaraes hoods cloaks or hats( if you will so call them) was, that they did not cover the fore-part of the head, 
Hierom: ep. ad Fab.  but were bound to the hinder part of the head with phillets, that they could not move them usually to put off as we do, but were affixed also to the upper garments next the head and onely put off with all the rest of the garments. And interpreters give the reason, that because the king's Commandement was urgent, therefore the executioners did not stand to strip the men, but being intent to their kings command, cast them in, bound in their coats, hosen, and Tiaraes, cloaks hoods or hats which you will: yet you ask the question, Do not they that require the hats to be put off, &c. in that thing exceed nabuchadnezzar? No, for those men had such hats which were tied to the hinder part of their head and to the upper garments, and part of their heads was uncovered; but your hats cover your whole heads and they are loose and easily moved, yea and you do move them upon other ordinary occasions, and are bare-headed at your pleasures, though to the Magistrate you deny it: And now the question( as it relates to you) stand thus? Whether inferior people of the nation being convened together before a lawful Magristrate in a court of Justice, 
Putting off the hart to the Magistrate.  ought to show their civill outward respects by putting off the hats, or the like bodily gesture? To this see, Rom. 13.7. Render therefore to all their deuce, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom; honor to whom honor: But you say, you honour them in the Lord. If so, do as tis written, Exod. 22.28. Revile not the Gods nor curse the ruler of thy people, and Let your light also shine before men that they may see your good works.  
But the putting off the Hart is not commanded in Scripture?  
Admit that it be not, in express words, so written; yet every general precept includes a particular: If the precept be, Render tribute, what tribute shall I render? The tribute of the nation: if the precept be Render custom, what custom shall I render? The custom of the nation: If the precept be Rrender honour, what honour shall I render? The honour of the nation: unless it be contrary to Gods law, which it is not. And this hath always been the lawful custom of the nation, to render honour by uncovering the head, and the like civill outward gesture and deportment, 1 Peter 2.13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, 1 Peter 3.8. Be pitiful, be courteous: Where then is your submission to the ordinance of man? where then is your courtesy which these Scriptures require? If you salute your brethren onely what great thing do you, do not even the publicans the same? But you may say, I infer the putting off of the hat, by consequence; truly by better consequence then you expound the Text, Dan. 3.12. because the men were bound in their coats hosen and their hats, therefore it might be their hats were not taken off their heads when they were before Nebuchadnezzer, seeing they were bound in their hats. Here you make inferences of your own, upon probabilities and scarce so; but I have shewed you a better reason, in the beginning of this section, Their hats were sixed to their heads behind, and the kings command was urgent, therefore they did not stand to take off their hats or to strip them.  
But you tell us, The second commandement says, Thou shalt not bow down thyself. Pray you, do those words forbid civill respects among men, or do they forbid all manner of Idolatrous worship? Sirs, you ought to compare one Scripture with an other, so that the whole Scripture may stand inviolate: Will ye so establish the second commandement that you abolish the fifth? Thou oughtest not to take the honour from thy parents, and to say, It is a gift wherewith I will honour God, as the Scribes and Pharisees did, whom our Saviour reproves, Math. 15.4. For God commanded saying, Honour thy Father and Mother, &c. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his Father or Mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and honours not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandement of God of none effect by your traditions: so then, if thou Parisaicall Quaker, takest the honour from thy parents, political, sparituall, or natural, and sayest, Thou wilt honour God with it, thou dost not onely bely the commandement; but, more then that,( as the Lord Christ says,) thou makest the commandement of God of none effect. For, was ever any so absurd as to imagine, that the second Commandment which prohibits bowing to Images or any creature in divine worship, should prohibit civill respects to Magistrates, or Superiors required in the fifth Commandement? And now since I have engaged in this discourse, I desire this at your hands, that you would seriously consider, that as christian verities require love and respect, so errors contrary thereto deserve scorn and derision. And I fear that in speaking seriously to that you have so fond and ignorantly asserted, some might think I countenance your assertions; That the fifth Commandement( you say) commands not, neither requires putting off the hat, nor bowing before Magistrates, Ministers, nor parents, those parents political, spiritual and natural; and to this you oppose the words of the second Commandement, Thou shalt not bow down thyself. The one speaking of religious worship to Images or to a Creature; And the other of civill duty and respect to superiors. The man must be of a meek spirit indeed, who reads your defence herein and is not moved to laughter, if this be your understanding of Scriptures, it shows plainly you are morefit to be catechised as babes, then to be reputed as teachers. The example of Gods chosen servants,( if there were nothing else said) is enough to condemn your practise in this particular: Abraham did not sin when he bowed himself twice before the children of heath, Gen. 23.7.12. And Gen. 44.14. Judah and his brethren came to Josephs house and they fell before him on the ground. Here the servants of God bow themselves in token of good estimation and reverence of the persons to whom they speak: But above all, holy Jacob's prediction shall stop your mouth for ever, Gen. 49.8. Judah thy brethren shall praise thee, thy fathers children shall bow down before thee, vers. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a Law giver from between his feet till Shiloh come. 
Bowing to the Magistrate.  Tell me now for what cause his fathers children bow before him, was it not because he had the sceptre? was it not because he was the Law-giver, The Magistrate? Therefore the Patriarch said, even as God had shewed him, That they should bow before him! Sirs, here's a Text to teach you behaviour, if you be of Jacobs household.  
And for salutations though you seldom use it, 
Salutations.]  neither do I stand upon it whether any or none, yet I tell you the servants of God and the Lord Jesus himself have saluted others, Ruth 1.4. And Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you, and they answered him, The Lord bless thee. Here is salutation given and returned, Our Saviour Christ himself after his resurrection salutes his disciples, Luke 24.36. And as they spake these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said, Peace be unto you. Again John 20.19. Jesus stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you: or, all prosperity; which was the ordinary manner of salutation among the Jews. Here is a President for you beyond all exceptions. As also the Virgin Mary entred into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth, Luk. 1.40.  

Titles of Honor.  And for Titles of honour, red how St. John writes to the elect Lady, A Lady she was though an elect Saint. So Paul bespeaks the Jews his brethren, Ye elders of Israel and Rulers of the people. So Luke 1.3: It seemed good to me to writ to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus. Here are honourable Titles given to men by the Sholy pirit itself, Go thou therefore and do likewise. These few things premised for a reverend esteem of the Ministers, for submission to Magistrates, and for deportment to our brethren; I proceed further to make good the second observation.   

Second Observation, That wherein they have replied, They cloud it rather then clear it.  
HEre thou hast accused them and that concerning the things of God saying, 
Reply p. 7.  They have now learned to teach the holy Spirit of God to speak. And again, for the Scriptures thou alleges I own, but they do not prove the Steeple-house a Church, neither the house of God which likely is the end, thou brings them for.  
No Do they not prove the places of Christian assemblies to be called a Church, nor the house of God? how fitting then had it been for you to have given the true sense of those Scriptures, since we take them so, and cannot without gross absurdity take them otherwise?  
When you say Steeple-houses and the spirit of God in the scripture says Churches, then are ye charged as though you would teach the Spirit of God to speak, who calls the places of public assemblies for divine worship by the name of Churches, as was in the Ministers book clearly proved against you, by, Eccles. 9.1. 1 Cor. 11.18, 19.22.28.34, 35. Acts 19.37.  
Why do ye not speak in that Idiom and propriety of speech, which the holy spirit in Scripture useth; but do rather reject it, and prefer and compare your own language with or before it? do you not then take too much upon you, you Sons of men? when he speaks of his own he is a liar, and 'tis of your own new naming and new speaking, when you call the public places for divine worship Steeple-houses: know you not that the denomination of a thing is taken from the more worthy part? Solomons Temple was not called a Slaughter-house, because of the Altar and sacrifices done therein, but the house of God because of his presence therein, 
Churches not Steeple-houses  1 Kings 8.11. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord: then not the Steeple-house but the Church, because of the assembly of Gods people therein. A dead city contains living Citizens, Our bodies our houses of day contain our spiritual souls; so in the like Metonymy of speech, The material Church contains the spiritual house, the living stones, 1 Cor. 11. v. 18.19. When ye come together in the Church, That is, when ye the living and spiritual house do come together in the material Church. Acts 19.37. These men are not robbers of Churches. Here the places of assembly are called Churches; Therefore they prove what the Minister brings them for. But to what end should we bring scripture against these men! when they alone shall interpret as sitting in Peters chair, and if they say, That is not the sense, you may not gain say it, since these persons alone would be of an unerring spirit. And now, people, strive no more about words.  
again you say, He came not to them to disprove their doctrine, &c.  
I can assure you( for I was then present), that the Minister was then employed in the Lords work on the Lords day, and had not answered his calling, if upon that provocation of yours he had turned aside, to observe your doctrine, that so he might have disproved it; besides, do you not know, that you and all others of your Sect, after so many disputations had by many Reverend Divines in the land with those Champions of yours, yea with jesuits themselves which have come masked under your names and fought under your colours; and after so many books written against your tenants and ways, to which your whole Academy could never give a Resolving or reasonable answer, I say, do you not know that after all this, the Ministry and Church of God in England looks upon you this day as Heathen and Publicans, Math. 18.17. and do avoid you as men excommunicate, and not to be conversed withall, for what conference or disputation is to be had with a people, that either do disparaged the scripture, or will make it speak their sense only? Sirs, commune with your own hearts and see if it be a leight thing, that you are thus cast off of the Church of God, and looked upon, as men given up of God to be deluded of Satan! I believe few Ministers in England will henceforth afford you that honour, as to dispute or have any thing to do with such a people; Let them alone, says Christ, They are blind leaders of the blind.  
If any bring not this doctrine receive him not to house, nor bid him, God speed: never marvel then, that further conference is not had with you.  
A Lamentation may be taken up for them that depend upon thee, or thy Ministry, or to receive the word from thy mouth who was afraid to maintain what thou preaches to them.  
Lament not so much for them as weep for yourselves, yet if any of them do mourn with godly sorrow of heart for sin, though you despise them; a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise: advance not yourselves, as though you were so sinless that ye needed not to repent, Isai. 65.14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.  
There are some souls which depend upon his ministry which can in sincerity say, We bless God who hath called this servant of his to the work of the ministry amongst us, and for the manifest grace of God in him, and for the work of God we have joined ourselves to that Congregation, as some of you also somet. me did, and rejoiced in his light for a season. The Lord hath owned this servant of his, and the Church of God doth own him, as one that is faithful to him that appointed him. And for what he preaches to them it is the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles, as 'tis recorded in the scriptures; this is it which this minister of Christ doth and hath maintained, and against this truth and doctrine of Christ, the Gates of hell shall not prevail, and this he is not afraid to maintain.  
Why, 
Reply. p. 13.  what will the Ministry of the word fall, if hire be taken away? is that the foundation on which it stands?  
The minister says in his answer, This is the great quarrel of all they have against us, as the jesuits main engine to overthrow the Ministry: But here this Innocent seems to do, as they who feigned themselves to be just men, and came to Christ to ask questions, That they might catch him in his words, So, he asks the question, Is taking of hire the foundation? No, taking hire is not the foundation on which the ministry stands: The ministry and Church of God is built upon Christ the foundation, for other foundation can no man lay, than that which is already laid.  
But red, red, I say, and understand the 83 Psalm v. 3.5. and 12. See there what designs what engines the Conspirators and enemies use, to overthrow the Church of God. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, they have consulted against thy hidden ones, &c. Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. See now whether the spirit of God speak to you in plain terms, that you are the men, or such like men; Again, Psal. 74.8. They said in their hearts let us destroy them together, they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land. See sirs, The malice of Satan and of his instruments is not only against the persons of men, but against the places and profession of religion, They say, Let us take the houses of God in possession which were the Store-houses whereinto the tithes were brought, Mal. 3.10. That so there may be no residence nor maintenance; They burn up all the Synagogues of God in the land, that so there may be no place of public worship: the Psalmist shows you, to what purpose they do it, That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. If then the minister said, 
Ministers Maintenance.  it was an engine to overthrow the ministry, to take away the maintenance, he is not alone in this: the holy spirit of God in these Prophets witnesses this truth against all such conspirators as yourselves. I may fitly compare this design of taking away the ministers right and maintenance to the practise of Satan, who moved God against Job to destroy him without cause. What says the devil? hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath. Put out thy hand now and touch all that he hath. Job 1.11. The devil would leave all the servants of God as poor as Job. So Julian, Domitian, Dioclesian, those persecuting Emperours in their time, took into some of their hands the Church revenues: of which two last name Emperours, the history reports, that the one occidit presbyteros, 
Lord cook his Report.  and the other occidit presbyterium. The one slay the Presbyters, but that would not do, for the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church, but the other slay the Presbytery,( that is) took away the maintenance; so that the men, the house, the hedge, and all that they have, might be touched( as t'was in Jobs case), so the devil would have it, so those persecuting Emperours, and so would the Quakers have it! What then shall become of the schools of the Prophets, Learning, Piety, and defence of the truth? Is not this the ready way to bring in Barbarism, Heathenism, heresy, and to lay the Lords vineyard wast? when every proud fantastic spirit shall take upon him to preach, neither sent of God nor approved of his Church; yea when women also are allowed for public speakers, as your woman-speaker was in your public meeting near Cond the sixth day of July last, 
1 Tim. 2.12. I permit not a woman to teach.  1658. contrary to the manifest Scripture, Cor. 14.34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak. May not these men( as the Minister well saith) be looked upon as the greatest enemies, the Church of God hath at this day in this nation? be not you found among the number of those, who would take the houses of God, Storehouses, and maintenance into possession. And let the Synagogues of God stand in the land; for our Saviour Christ himself resorted to those public places, Luk. 4.16. And as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to red. And v. 38. He arose out of the Synagogue and went into Simons house. 
Pulique places before private houses.  Pray you take notice then, if he did not prefer the public place of assembly which was the Synagogue before Simons house, which was his own disciples house? Psal. 87. The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob.  
But you say, Who now cries out against the Supreme power?  
The supreme power hath indeed very justly granted toleration and liberty to truly-tender consciences: the Minister only minds you, that you abuse not your liberty to licentiousness, and by occasion thereof go too far( as some do,) against whom the Supreme power have declared themselves in the acts of the late Parliament; And for his fidelity to the present Government I can witness, that at that very time when your meeting was at Cressage, this Minister was then teaching( among other things,) the subjection to authority, and showing the lawfulness and necessity of the Magistracy.  

Scripture misrecited.  But in your 19 page., where you quote in the Margin, Isaiah 54.13. you writ, And he alone shall teach his people whereas the words there are; And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord: Pray you, why do ye add or diminish? will you make Scripture of your own? show me where it is written, And he alone shall teach his people: God himself commands parents to teach, and Ministers to teach, Psal 78.5. For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children. So then here is a succession of teaching to be continued to the generations to come, Parents to teach their children; you may truly say, Gods teaching is supereminent above mans teaching, yet you speak of your own, when you say, He alone shall teach his people; for it is written, He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Eph. 4.11.12. So then Ministers as well as parents ought also to teach.   

The third Observation.  
Some tenants of theirs are name and shamed.  
NOt to trouble the Reader with those destructive tenants which divers of their Sect have published to their shane, laid open in a Treatise entitled, The reviler rebuked published by a Minister in Essex, and in those 24 Reasons contained in that One sheet against the quakers by Mr. Richard Baxter, to which later though they pretended an answer, yet have they not with all their might removed one objection of that charge against them, and their Sect; who so will red the enumeration of Particulars contained in those Treatises, will see the truth of this third observation manifested. That some tenants of their published to the world, as they are name so are they shamed: But not to speak by other mens books, do you remember your own disputations with some of your vicenage? to instance in few, If your tenants be( as James Naylor taught) That they that have the Spirit of God are equal to God: 
Their Tenets name. ( some of yourselves shewed me Naylor's book) and did argue for it, I say this is blasphemous and damnable doctrine: for no created soul can comprehend the holy Spirit of God in its essence, 
Ephes. 4.7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  for the holy spirit is infinite and incomprehensible: But the Saints have indeed the Grace of the spirit and the work of the spirit. But they that have it so, have it in measure, and though they be glorified in heaven, yet are they not equal to God: for who among the Gods is like unto our God? Psal 86.8. Among the Gods, there is none like unto thee( O Lord) neither are there any works like unto thy works.  
2. again, if you hold as some of yourselves have endeavoured to maintain. That Jesus Christ is not glorified in his human nature, and that he hath no real body but his mystical body, the Church; Is not this contrary to Scripture which witnesseth, that the same body of Christ which rose again from the dead, 
Christ is glorified in his human nature.  the same ascended into heaven, and the same sitteth at the right hand of God? But Christ in his real body did arise from the dead, Luk. 24.39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. Acts 3.20. And he shall sand Jesus Christ whom the heavens must receive till the time of restitution of all things. Then heaven is the place of his glorified body, John 17.11. And now I am no more in the world. If any say, Here he is, or there he is upon earth, believe them not. Hebr. 10.12. But this man( that is, Christ in the human nature) after he had offered one sacrifice, &c. sate down on the right hand of God.  
3. Again, if you say, you are without sin, you deceive yourselves, for who can say his heart is clean, 
Prov. 20.9.  I am pure from my sin? and in many things we offend all. Job 9.20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse. So Paul, Philip 3.12. Not as though I had already attained, 
None without sin.  either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehended, &c. Is your heart more clean, are you more pure from your sins, more justifiable, more perfect, then these holy men were? I tell you, nay; your contempt of the Ministers of Christ, your neglect of the ordinances of Christ, your perverting the doctrine of Christ, these are Characters of sin, whereof you are not guiltless; Gal. 3.22. The scripture hath concluded all under sin.  
Say not now, I am pleading for sin; for I will not build up, that which the Lord through the might of Christ in this day of his power will help me to destroy, yet so as I shall have cause to cry out, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  
I cannot deny to the servants of God a sincerity or perfection of parts; but the perfection of degrees is onely attainable in heaven, and not to be expected on earth. Hebr. 12.23. and to the spirits of just men made perfect, when grace on earth is made perfect by glory in heaven.  
4. Next to show you, that the Scriptures are the revealed will and word of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, Jeremy 37.8. And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremy, the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lords house. From this testimony of the holy Prophet you see, That the words of the Lord are written in the book, 
Scripture, the word of God.  and The words of the Lord are red in the book. And the Temple is the Lords house. Hebr. 13.7. Remember them that have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God. Here the teaching of the Ministers of Christ is called, The word of God, 2 Cor. 4.7. not walking in craftiness, not handling the word of God deceitfully. Here when Paul handles the doctrine of Christ contained in the Scriptures, he calls it, The word of God: Yet you say, the Scripture is the letter and 'tis a dead letter; but Christ says John 6.63. The words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life. And as 'tis said of Abel in the 11 to the Heb. That he being dead yet speaketh, so I may say, that the Scripture which you call a dead letter, yet speaketh; for what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, &c. harken man, The Scripture saith, The scripture speaketh, yea and shall speak to the end of the world for though you say, It may be burnt in the fire, as the king of Judah burnt the book in the fire, yet Jeremiah took another role and gave it to Baruch, who wrote therein all the words of the book which the king of Judah had burnt in the fire, Jer. 37.32. And Christ tells you, Not one jot or tittle of the Law shall perish till all be fulfilled, Again, John 10.35. Christ saith there, If he called them Gods to whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken: learn you here of Christ himself, The scripture cannot be broken, It shall be fulfilled. Though you cut it out with a pen-knife or burn it in the fire as Jehojakim did; yet one Jot shall not perish: yea and take you notice( because the Lord Christ hath brought it to my hand) that the Rulers and Magistrates are called by this honourable Title, I have said, ye are Gods, and Christ himself doth witness to it, that this particular Scripture touching the Magistrate cannot be broken.  
Thus I have instanced some few of their tenants, which being name are shamed when brought to Scripture-light.  
But you perhaps have been taught some mental reservation, That you hold them not in such manner as I have reported, or that some hold them thus, and others not so; then I say, if ever you mean to gain credit to your doctrine deal plainly, as Luke begins. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order, a declaration of those things which are most surely believed amongst us. So do you set forth in order those things which are most surely believed amongst you.  
How often have you been put upon this, and called upon to this? in some tract of yours to make known to the world, what you hold, and what you would have; Is all your Religion comprised in Railing and Reviling of Ministers and in crying down tithes? or in speaking against Lace, cuffs, and Ribbons? Are you the men raised in the world for this work alone? and is there nothing else for us to do then this? If so, declare that this is enough to Salvation.  
Sirs, feed no longer on these husks, but return to your Fathers house where there is bread enough: Remember from whence ye are fallen, repent and do the first works; return and live. lie not down in the sparks which yourselves have lighted.  
And thus, Reader, as the searchers of the Land of Canaan brought their brethren some clusters of grapes, that they might see the fruit of the Land, so I have shewed you some of their tenants,( for they desire to be advertised of them that they may forsake them, if they be damnable), that others may see and judge whether, these be not wild grapes. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes: My prayer to God for them is, that they may be replanted into the true Vine! And they also if they continue not in unbelief shall be grafted in, for God is able to graffe them in again, Rom. 10.23.  
This I have written as much for your Conversion as Refutation, consider that all things draw to an end; and of writing books there must also be  
And End.  
E.D.