GOLIAHS' HEAD Cut off with his own Sword; In a Combat betwixt little David, The young Stripling, who stands in the power and strength of his God, and great Goliath the proud Boaster, who stands in his own strength, glorifying in the arm of flesh, and contemning and despising little David, because of his youth. In a Reply to a Book, set forth by an un-named Author, under pretence of an Answer to thirty six Queries, propounded by James Parnell, whom he in scorn calls, the young Quaker. And also an Answer to several Counter-Queries, propounded by the same unnamed Author, whom I understand to be one Thomas Draton, A Teacher of the World, at Abbey Rippon, in Huntingtonshire, wherein his folly and ignorance, is much laid open, and the pride and deceit of his spirit much manifested; And also he that takes his part, who writes himself W. P. who knows not the power of God, and therefore glories in the Length of time, and the multitude of years. But Solomon, who was a wiser man then great Goliath, said, that the honourable age is not that which is of long time, neither that which is measured by the Number of years; but wisdom is the grey hair: and an undefiled life is old Age. And therefore let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, for it is vanity. Given forth from the spirit of the Lord in the behalf of Israel against the Armies of the Aliens, who muster up themselves against the Lord, and his Authority: by a friend to the Commonwealth of Israel, who is known to the World, by the name James Parnel. Who is a sufferer in outward bonds, for the testimony of the everlasting truth, in Colchester Castle. 1655. London, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Black-spread-Eagle, at the West end of Paul's, 1655. The Title of the aforesaid Book. An Answer according to truth, that trembles not, nor quakes, nor quaileth; given to thirty six Queries, propounded by James Parnell (commonly called the young Quaker) to an ancient Country Minister: with some Counter-Queries by the said Minister, unto the said young Quack and his fellows. HEre thou mayst be ashamed to style thyself an ancient Minister, Reply. Heb. 12.21. Jer. 23.9. Job 4.14 Ezek. 12.10. who manifests such an Ishmaels' spirit, who with reproachful words, makes a scoff at the power of truth, which the Ministers of God in all ages witnessed, which made them to quake and tremble: And though the truth neither quake, nor quaileth, yet all that owned the truth, owned and witnessed quaking and trembling: which truth thou manifests thyself but a professor of, and a stranger to the power, and a despiser thereof: and therefore out from among the Ministers of Christ thou art raised, Eccles. 12.3. And thy Answer is not according to truth, but a Lie, as shall further be made to appear hereafter, by him whom thou calls the young Quack, and it seems fear surpriseth the heart of the Hypocrite, P: F. 22.14, 15. Priest. so that thou art ashamed to own thy work with thy name; And whereas thou sayest, Courteous Reader, we are forced, notwithstanding so many Pamphlets extant against the people called Quakers, to give answer to thirty six Queries of James parnels, the young Quaker. Although thou hast boasted thyself an ancient Minister, Rep. and contemns me as a young Boy, yet here it appears, that thou art glad of others to help thee to answer my Queries, as these words before mentioned doth testify. And yet it is but a Pamphlet, as thou and thy helpers do confess, that those many are, that are extant against the people called Quakers. And then thou run on in way of reproach, and scorn against me, because of my youth; but the wisdom of Solomon answereth you, That a poor and wise Child, is better than an old foolish King, who will no more be admonished; Eccles. 4.13. And therefore, when you think of your age, consider also your folly, and let that stop your mouths, from professing yourselves Ancients, who manifests such a Light scornful spirit, and hates to be reform. And whereas thou sayest thou doubtest not, Priest. but his Queries are the dictates of others, deceiving, and being deceived, which they yet put under the Boy's name, for the Credit of their cause. Here also without doubt, Rep. thy unbelieving heart is manifested, who without ground, measurest others, according to thine own heart, who because thou makest use of the dictates of others, as here doth plainly appear: therefore censurest others, which doth not add credit to thy cause, because thou boasts of thy age. But according as thou believes, Priest. so be it to thee: yet nevertheless, thou shalt find that the truth I shall maintain against thee, who with thy unbelieving heart, art deceiving and being deceived, and then thou runs on in the pride of thy spirit, accusing of me, to be ignorant of the truth of God, because as thou sayest, Priest. of the false wording of my Queries. But with shame might thou speak it; Rep. for openly hast thou manifested to the understanding Reader, thyself to be a mere stranger, both to God and his truth also, who would limit the truth of God, to a humane art, which many of the Children of God had not; Act. 4.13. and therefore the power of God was the more manifested. And when Peter and John was brought before the learned men, to wit, (the chief Priests and the Rulers) and they wondered at them, because they perceived they was unlearned men; and thus with thy wisdom, and thy great learning, thou art shut out of the truth in the natural; but by this I do not own thy accusation to be truth against me; for I have a Copy of the Queries of my own hand writing, which was the original of those that was sent to thee, which will bear testimony against thee, to be a false accuser, and how thou thyself hast wronged them, and misworded them, because they was in the cross unto thy wisdom. And to maintain this, thou bringest a story in Erasmus: nevertheless, the story which thou bringest, doth not at all touch me, but may fitly be returned into thy new bosom, where it shall lie▪ Then thou and thy Agent beseeches the Reader, to read without partiality; which if he do, he will judge no otherwise of you, then as I have declared, but will see how you have uttered forth your folly, and foamed out your shame, in going about to contradict the truth. And at the end of this your Epistle to the Reader, I find W. P. which I judge to be one of thy Agents, to this your shameful work, to which thou dar'st not own thy name. My first Querie. Where, 1 Queen P: An. and how, and by, what wast thou called to the Ministry which thou professest? And in thy answer to this Querie, thou goest about to plead many excuses, whereby to fly the answering of my Queries, saying it is easier for him that is yet in darkness to propound doubts and Queries, then for some of the Children of light to answer them, on a sudden, which to prove thou quotes Daniel: & that our saviour (thou sayest) himself refused to answer the Pharises interogatories till they had first answered his, Math. 21.23, 24.: And, albeit thou sayest thou might put me off with Solomon's words Pro. 26.4. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him, I did not propound the Queries unto thee, as any doubts of mine, Rep: but that thou in thy Answer thereunto might either prove thy practice, by the Scriptures unto them that are in doubt thereof, or unto them manifest thyself to be a deceiver: which last thou hast plainly done to the least Child of light, and therefore it doth not follow that I am in darkness, or that thou art a Child of light. Neither did thou suddenly answer the Queries, though they concerned thy own condition, and therefore this place in Daniel, doth not at all stand for thee, for it was for Daniel to tell and interpret Nebuchadnezers' dream, which was a hard thing for any to tell unless it was immediately revealed to them by God's spirit, as it was to Daniel; but all the Magicians and learned men, could not find it out by their arts, but most of these Queries unto thee was concerning thy present condition and practice, and herein thou manifests thyself to be in darkness, who thus wrists the Scripture out of its place, Dan. 10.11. for thy own ends: and also Daniel was a man that feared the Lord, and trembled at his power, which now thou denies and scoffs at, and yet art not ashamed, to take daniel's words for a refuge against the light: And as for that Scripture in Mat. 21.23, 24. it shall be returned into thine own bosom, for it is thee, and such as thee who are set up by the will of man, and authorized by the authority of man, who join with the Pharises, and Scribes of these times, and combine together with the earthly powers to call us to Question, by what authority we go abroad preaching the truth from place to place, and crying against deceivers, & where we had our commission, because we receive it not from man as you do, but do witness the same power & authority as the Ministers of God did in all ages, & the same commission: for they received not their commission froon man, but was immediately called & immediately fitted, and sent forth into the work of the Ministry freely to give as freely they had received, and was persecuted by them that was set up by the will of man; which also we do witness, and therefore the Scripture aforementioned, belongs unto thy generation who was ever persecuters, and if by propounding Queries thou judgest me to be in darkness, then much more thou judgest and condemns thyself: for, for my 36. Queries thou hast propounded me 100; and here also thou accounts me a fool, as by the Scripture which thou quotes in Pro. 26.4. and therein manifests thyself so much the greater fool, in propounding so many Queries to me, whom thou accounts a fool: and thus the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee. And whereas thou sayest thou wast inwardly called to the Ministry, by the motion and gifts of God's Spirit, P. An: long before I was borne, which thou sayest hath been God's ordinary way, which to prove, thou quotes Job. 32.8.2. Chron. 20.14. Amos 5.7.15. M●ch. 3.8. Though it hath been, and is God's ordinary way by his own power and Spirit, Rep: to call and fit his own Ministers, for his own work, as those Scriptures aforementioned doth prove, which we also do witness and do come no other way, yet these Scriptures do not at all prove where and how and by what, thou wast called and jahaziell, and Amos, and Micha, which those Scriptures aforesaid bears Testimony of, to be thus called, was men that spoke the word of the Lord freely, against sin and transgression, and false-Prophets and hirelings, and their lives, sealed their Testam : and these Scriptures also bears Testimony, how and where they was called, from their outward callings to speak the word of the Lord, and so from those Scriptures thou art shut & hast nought to do to take them into thy mouth forthey do not prove that thou wast thus called from thy labour, for thou wast brought up all thy days in idleness, and at an University (as you call it) to learn Arts and Sciences without which those was called and fitted; and for any other Call than as the common national Ministers are called (who deny both immediate Revelation, and Inspiration) thou hast brought no proof that will stand for thee, but only thy own bare words, wherein thy life and practice will condemn thee, for it is one with the Nationall priests and thou art maintained and upheld by the same power as the national Teachers are, neither dost go from place to place, reproving sin in the Gate as Amos and Micha did, who was thus called, neither dost speak freely as they did, and therefore art a false Prophet, who saith the Lord saith, when he never spoke to thee, but run, and the Lord never sent thee; and therefore thou profits not the people at all, as is manifest by the fruits of thy Ministry, and thus thou wast a deceiver before I was borne, and the Lord hath Raised me up to tell thee of it. Whether is thy Call & means which thou professeth mediate or immediate. And in thy Answer thou sayest, it was both: for sayest thou besides the immediate aforesaid, thou wast ordained a Minister by the Superiors, and Governors of the Church, as the Elders and Pastors of the Churches were formerly by Paul and Barnabas, Act. 14.23. but thou sayest thou doubtest whether James Parnell well was called either way to be teacher; if so let him prove it by an infallible Testimony. Those that have an inward call to the Ministry do not stay for an outward call by man, Rep. but go forth in bedience to the word of the Lord: whosoever was called to the Ministry of the Gospel, it was immediately, and not mediately; but thine mediately by the will of man, and not immediately as before is proved, and also out of thy own mouth is made manifest. For thou sayest thou doubtest whether I was called either way, but if thou was called and guided by the Spirit of the Lord, thou wouldst know, without doubts, whether I was so called yea or nay: for the true Ministers was Epistles writ in one another hearts, and they also know the false Prophets, and the false Apostles, and the false Ministers, and declared against them as I do against thee, and without doubt I do know thee to be a deceiver, 2 Cor. 3.2.2 Cor. 11.13.14. 15 02 by an infallible Testimony, and those that thou speakest of, in Act. 14.23. whom Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders, they did not ordain them Ministers of the Gospel, neither sent them abroad to preach the Gospel, 0 neither allowed them 100 or 200 pounds by the year, as thou hast; but they chose out those that were strong in the faith and set them to watch over the weak; but those Churches, was gathered by the power and Spirit of God and was turned from darkness to light, and was washed, cleansed, and sanctified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; but out of your Church, cast Drunkards, and Swearers, and Liars, and Proud, and Covetous ones, and adulterous, and Idolaters, and Quarrellers, and Fighters, and Scoffers, 1 Cor. 6.11. and Scorners, and Backbiters, and Envious ones, and Profane and wanton ones, and the like, who are neither washed nor sanctified; and then see where will be the Church of England, and the Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, Ru. 3. and all; than you that profess yourselves to be the Church of Christ, will be found the synagogue of Satan, whose Minister thou art: and also Paul and Barnabas who ordained them Elders, was men endued with the holy Spirit of the Lord, and was immediately called and chosen to the Ministry, and had a Spirit of discerning to know who was fitted, for the Elder-ship; and all this was done without an University or serving seven years to learn Arts and Sciences, or taking Degrees, without which, you can do nothing: and also those Superiors and Governors, that ordain you teachers and governor's, have nothing but what they have gotten by art and study, and reading of others experiences; but are ignorant of the power of God, neither knows whether there be any Holy-Ghost, yea, or nay, but by the hearing of the ear: but scoffs and scorns, and and persecutes those that now do witness these things; and they themselves was also first ordained by the will of man, and thus thou hast but so much the more manifested thyself to the world, in going about to prove thyself a called Minister by the Scripture, which doth altogether witness against thee. And whereas thou wouldst have me to prove my Call by an infallible Testimony, I tell thee without an infallible Testimony I do not go, neither without an infallible Testamony do I desire to be received or owned, and to this the infallible Spirit of truth bears Testimony in all the Children of truth, and thou that hast not an infallible Testimony either with me or against me, art still in darkness and knows not the truth then fare unfit to be a teacher to others. Whether thou art guided by the same infallible Spirit that gave forth the Scripture. 3 Query And in thy answer thou sayest, P. Ans. that we ourselves teach that all men are taught and guided by that Spirit at times: and secondly thou sayest, thou praises God for it, thou art guided and assisted by that Spirit which is always infallible: and thirdly thou sayest thou doubt whether any of those that are called Quakers are always guided by that Spirit. Here all that are guided by any measure of that Spirit may easily see thy lies and confusion, for thy first is a lie, Rep. that any of us do teach: that all men are taught and guided by that Spirit at times: for I deny that thou art, who art now taken with a lie in thy mouth, which all that understands our doctrine will witness against, and secondly that thou art guided by an infallible Spirit, is a lie against the Holy-Ghost, for no lie comes from that Spirit. And again thou belies the Spirit of truth to say thou art guided by it, and yet cannot give an infallible Testimony, whether those thou calls Quakers are guided by an infallible Spirit, yea or nay, but art in thy doubts; Joh. 8.44. but that Spirit is without doubts which now judgeth thee to be a liar, and thy God thou praises to be the Devil, the Father of lies, who must both be tormented together. Whether they that are guided by that Spirit need study how or what to say. 4 Qu. And in thy answer thou sayest, P. An: Timothy had that Spirit in a greater measure than James Parnell; yet Paul saith thus unto him as in 1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. And thou sayest, if the Apostles had been put to it to preach upon a short Text or Theme, Methodically, as by long practice in the Church is expected from you, they must oft times have studied for it, as thou conceivest; though if you were left at large, to speak as the Spirit of God more es you, and giveth matter in, thou hopes some of you by God's assistance, should speak as togood or better purpose than any whonow pretend to the spiritsactings. Here thou hast sufficiently manifested thy spirit, Rep: and thy ignorance of the spirit of God, to any who understands the things of the spirit of God: and all these Scriptures which thou hast brought concerning Timothy, doth not at all prove, that he that is guided by the spirit of God, need study how or what to preach. But Paul exhorted Timothy to the gift that was in him, which was given him by, or for prophesy; for in so doing, he should save himself, and those that heard him, which you never do, by the fruit of your study, but rather destroys them; witness the fruits of your Ministry, this many years in this Nation, who have wrought no better Reformation amongst your hearers; and also this Scripture doth not at all prove, that Paul bid Timothy study old Authors, and heathenish Commentators, as you do: neither to study Arts and Sciences, as you do, who with your Philosophy, Col. 2.8. and vain deceit, do spoil the people; for thou hast manifested thyself to be altogether ignorant of the spirit of God, who by thy own conceivings, judgest the spirit of God to be unsufficient to instruct and teach the Apostles what to speak at all times, without study: when as Christ himself exhorteth them, to take no thought what to speak; for it should be given them in the very same hour; Mat. 10.19, 20. for saith he, It is not you that speaks, but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you, (which spirit speaketh not without method) which spirit you Teachers of the Church of England, are great strangers to, who think that the spirit of God can be limited to a Text, or a Theme; as thou confessest you are; but thou liar, where is now thy infallible spirit, who thus speakest thy own conceivings, and therefore be ashamed hence forward, to pretend to an infa lible spirit, who hast here so openly manifesied thy ignorance of it, and its move, so that if thou wast left at large to speak from that spirit in thee, & was shut out of thy Liberary & from any Text or Writing, Isay 56.10. thou wouldst plainly manifest thyself, to be one of the dumb Dogs that could not bark, which I saiah from the spirit of the Lord declared against, without study: for I do believe, that if thou and the rest of the national Teachers, whom thou confessest, are tied to a text or Theme, could tell how to pleafe the people, and get gain without studying or speaking from a Text, you would for the credit of your cause, (as thou sayest): for I know nothing that ties you to it, but your own covetous ends, to make a gain of these Scriptures, and to deceive the ignorant with feigned words, 2 Pet. 2.3. whom Peter without study foretold of; and therefore thou Hypocrite, pretend no more to an infallible spirit, but with the rest of thy Brethren, confess thou art void of it, as many of them have done; for in such pretences thou art but the greater deceiver, and thy folly doth the more appear. Whether is it as lawful now for Tradesmen, 5. Query. Shepherds, or Plowmen, to preach if they be led by the spirit of God, as those that spoke forth the Scripture. And in thy answer thou sayest, P. Answ. if this was wholly granted, James Parnell cannot claim any interest therein, as thou conceivest; for, thou sayest, he is neither Tradesman, Ploughman, or Shepherd, nor will take any course to maintain himself by his labour, for he hath been tried. But herein James Parnell can plainly tell thee, Reply. thou art a Liar; for he followed a Trade with his Father, until the Lord by his spirit called him from it, into his own work, & so I obeyed the word of the Lord, and left my Father with his Trade, Mat. 4.21. Mat. 10.37, 38. as James and John did their Father in the Ship; for he that will not forsake Father and Mother, Lands and Live, Wife and Children, and all for Christ's sake, is not worthy of him; in which work, neither thou nor any other can tax me for idleness; but I believe my labour and diligence in the same is more offensive to you deceivers, then if I had been Idle. But he that would call me from this work that I am set about, into the work of man, I should answer him, God must be served before man; for if it had not been the will of God, to call me forth into his work, I should stall have served my earthly Father, sooner than any other man, notwithstanding the evil thoughts and conceivings of such like as thee, who art given up to believe lies, and tell lies; but where is now thy infallible spirit, who speakest by thy own conceivings, and thus the thoughts of thy heart deceives thee; and as for my maintenance, I need not a Law, to compel it as thou dost, neither am chargeable to the World, as thou art, who by a Law of man, takest nigh 300. l by the year of them: therefore in this thou might have laid thy hand upon thy mouth, for thou and hundreds more of thy Brethren, never followed any honest Calling, whereby to get an honest livelihood, without being chargeable to the World, but was from your youths brought up at Babylon's Schools, learning her witchcraft and sorcery, thereby to deceive the Nations, and through covetousness with feigned words, make merchandise of them, which you nowspare not. And secondly thou grants, P. Answ. that if men be made of God spiritual, whether Shepherds or Plowmen first, they may teach; But thirdly, thou sayest, every man that hath the spirit in some measure, doth not attain to that height, growth, and degree, that they did, who gave forth the Scriptures, and therefore may not as lawfully, nor as infallibly teach as they did; and thou sayest, nor can thou discern clearly, that the best amongst them called Quakers, have yet reached that degree or dispensation of the spirit; and after much dissembling speeches, thou manifests thy light and frothy spirit, still despising me, because of my youth, but thy words are not worth mentioning. And thu swhen thou opens thy mouth, Reply. concerning the Spirit, thou manifests thy folly, and ignorance of the spirit, so that a Babe may comprehend thee, and tell thee of thy folly, and when thou thinkest of thy beard or age, (as thou sayest) confusion of face may cover thee; for though every one, that hath the spirit in some measure, doth not attain to that height, growth and degree, that they did who gave forth the Scripture: yet it doth not follow, that none doth attain to that growth, height, and degree; and they that have attained to the same spirit in a measure, and by the same spirit are moved and called forth, may as lawfully, and as infallibly teach as they did, (in their measures) for the same spirit is infallible in the least measure, and its call is lawful; and thus thou showest, thou was never called, nor led by it, who art so ignorant of it; and as here also doth further appear, in that thou confessest, thou discernest not the people called Quakers; and therefore art blind, and from thee the secrets of God are hid; and it doth not follow, that they are ever the less spiritual, but rather more, (because thou canst not discern them) who pretends thyself a spiritual man; and thus they are attained to that degree, they can discern thee to be a blind guide, and deceiver of the World; and therefore is thy spirit the more against them, for all thy flattering and dissembling speeches from thy hypocritical heart, who bends thy Tongue like a Bow against them, uttering forth lies in hypocrisy, and with thy sconrful spirit, reproachest me with lies; but it was thy Generation that quaked for fear of the downfall of their Kingdom; and therefore persecuted me, and imprisoned me: yet their fear did not overtake me; for I was made as willing to suffer, as they was to inflict, as knowing it was for his cause, who will make you all to quake and tremble, who lift up your heels against him; and as thou compares Cambridg to Jericho, so the curse of Jericho shall come upon it, for its whoredom and sorceries, and stifneckedness against the Lord and his anointed; and though thou thus scornest me, and despisest me, because of my youth, yet it is because thou knowest not the Scripture, nor the power of God. Whether any are the Ministers or Messengers of Christ, but those that are guided by his spirit, Query 6. and abide in his Doctrine, as the holy men of God was in Scripture, and whether the wind doth not now blow where it listeth. And in thy answer to the first part, P. Ans. thou grants, that none are the true Ministers, & Messengers of Christ, but those that are in some measure guided by his spirit, and abide in his Doctrine. But secondly, thou sayest, men may think, that they have that spirit, and yet be led by the lying spirit, as Zedekiah who smote Michajah, was, 1 King. 22.24. Herein thou markest out thyself for a deceiver, who pretends to the spirit, Reply. and it is the lying spirit, as is before proved, and so art shut out from the Ministers and Messengers of Christ, who art not guided by his spirit, and therefore abides not in his Doctrine, as is before proved by thy ignorance of the true spirit: and therefore thou, and such false Prophets as thou, thus smites at, and persecutes us that are called Quakers, because the Lord is pleased to bestow his spirit upon us, whereby we are able to declare your deceit, and manifest your lying spirits, who have professed yourselves, the Ministers of Christ, yet strangers to his spirit, and opposers of his truth, like Jannes and Jambres, who are men of corrupt minds, and Reprobates concerning the faith, 2 Tim. 3.8. And to the second part of the Query thou sayest, P. Ans: that the wind doth blow where it listeth, if it be not stopped; yet are there many false winds, which blow likewise from a deceitful spirit, which to prove, thou quotest Eph. 4.14. that we henceforth be no more Children, tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine; and sayest, Mind this James. This I do mind, and still sees how thou markest out thyself with thy deceitful spirit; Rep. for if the wind do blow where it listeth, which thou acknowledgest: than what is that in you professed Ministers, which goes about to stop it with gainsaying and persecution, and would limit the spirit of God unto a Text or Theme, from which you with your deceitful spirits do raise, uses points, trials and motives, etc. whereby many poor Creatures are tossed to and fro, and carried about with your airy spirits, with the slight and cunning craftiness of your brains, whereby you study to deceive, as thou mayst read in the latter end of the verse, which thou hast quoted, Ephes. 4.14. which here shall stand against thee, and so, many are the Children which are tossed to and fro by you, although they have both beards and age, (as thou sayest) yea some are 30. some 40, some 50, some 60, yea 80. and never yet come to the knowledge of the truth: and thus with feigned words, through covetousness, you make Merchandise of the people, beguiling unstable souls; but think not, that all you false Prophets, with the beast that upholds you, can stop or quench this spirit, which now bloweth where it listeth; for with all the slight and craftiness that you can use, you shall be made to fall before it, and the fruits of your labours shall be given you. Whether thou wilt own immediate Revelation now, Query 7. yea or nay? And in thy Answer, thou sayest, P. Ans. the Apostle teacheth you to pray, for the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the acknowledgement of God: which to prove, thou quotes Ephes. 1.17. but sayest, there are many false lights and delusions of Satan, who too often transforms himself as an Angel of Light, 2 Cor. 11.14. which thou sayest, are entertained by unwary men, for the Illuminations and Revelations of God's spirit, as appears in Zedekiah aforesaid; which to prove, thou quotes, Ezek. 13.6. 2 Thes. 2.11. Here again, thou hast marked out thyself, Reply. and also belies the Apostle; for that Scripture in Ephes. 1.17. only makes mention how the Apostle prayed, for the Ephesians that believed▪ but it doth not at all prove, that the Apostle taught you that are of the world to pray; for the prayers of the wicked are abominable, Prov. 15, 8. and the Apostle would not teach such to pray; and though in thy Answer, the substance of my Query is confessed, yet it doth not serve to prove that thou dost witness it in thyself, or own it, where it is possessed; who would bar it from youth, and limit it to time and age, and so shows thy ignorance of it, and that by the false lights and delusions of Satan thou art deceived, who in thee rules as an Angel of Light: and so thou art one of those unwary men who takes a lying spirit for an infallible spirit, as is both here and often before proved, who art found in Zedekiahs' steps, and so art one of those false Prophets, which the Prophet speaks of, who saith, the Lord saith, when he never spoke to thee, as is before proved; and how long have you professed Ministers of this Nation, fed the people with expectations, and hopes that you would confirm what you have spoken unto them, which is not yet come to pass, neither likely; and thus you have deceived them by your lying divinations, for your dishonest gain; and therefore for this cause God hath given you up to strong delusions, that you should believe a lie, that you all might be damned who believe not the truth now it is come unto you; but still take pleasure in unrighteousness, as in those Scriptures aforesaid, which thou hast quoted against thyself, and so they shall stand. What is the Gospel which thou art a Minister of, Queen 8. and whether thy Gospel be free and without charge? And in thy Answer thou sayest to the first part, P. Ans. that the Gospel which thou preachest, is the same which Christ and his Apostles taught, which thou sayest is summarily contained in these four verses, Tit. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. wherein the Apostle speaks of the grace of God to be their Teacher, to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, justly, and godlily in this present World etc. And to the second part, thou sayest the Apostles Gospel was not every way without charge; which to prove, thou quotes 2 Cor. 11.8. and again thou sayest, Nor hath Christ, or any of his Apostles, imposed it upon you, that the Gospel should be altogether without charge, unto them which have it taught: which to prove, thou quotes Rom. 15.27. And again thou sayest, nor is James parnels Gospel, be it right or wrong, without charge: If he do not take more than it is worth, if duly examined, it is well. Thy Spirit is much against James Parnell, Rep. as Zedekia's was against Michajah, yet here he can prove thee to be a liar, and not only against him but of his Lord also: and therefore if thou beliest the Lord, how much more the servant? Joh. 1.29. for Christ Jesus the Lamb of God was the Gospel which the Apostles preached, which was free and not chargeable to any, though he was and is a burdensome stone, to them that believe not in him; yet not chargeable. And therefore thou blasphemer, how darest thou to open thy mouth thus against the Lord and his anointed, who art still in thy ungodliness and worldly lusts, who art pleading for the earth and art a stranger to the free grace of God, and therefore these verses which thou hast set down, shall stand to witness against thee, which thou sayest containeth the Gospel which thou preachest, but the Apostles Gospel could not be contained in Paper & Ink, for the heavens could not contain him, for he ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things: and also of thy Gospel thou makest a trade and a gain, Eph. 4.10 being many years at an University as thou calest it to learn to preach it: all which the Apostles did not, and so thou bringest another Gospel, and so art not to be received but held as accursed, as thou art, who art not ashamed to presume to say, thy Gospel is the same with the Apostles, and thou dost here yield thy Gospel to be chargeable, but this Scripture in 2 Cor. 11.8. doth not at all prove the Apostles to be chargeable, Gal. 1.8.9. who saith he took wages of other Churches to do them service, for it was but for his necessities, & it was freely communicated to him & therefore no charge; but now you professed Ministers instead of robbing other Churches you rob & oppress the world, ruling over them by a law with force and cruelty, for the which you have no Scripture rule, Ezek. 34.4. but amongst the false shepherds. But whom do you spare, whether you do them service or nay, if you can but get it either by fair means or foul? and therefore in this thou before many other might well have laid thy hand upon thy mouth. For whereas the Apostle there took some necessaries which was freely communicated to him by the Churches, thou takes nigh three hundred pounds by the year of the world, by a law of man, and none will spare who comes within thy bounds, whether thou dost them service or nay, and that Christ or any of his Apostles hath not imposed it upon you that the Gospel should be altogether without charge, J. 〈◊〉. 14. ●4 it is true, for they never entrusted you with it, though for sucre sake ye have run, though he never sent you, and speak a divination of your brain, but not from his mouth, and so profit not the people at all, but like ravening Wolves makes a prey upon them; but your end shall be according to your works, but they that are entrusted with the Ministry of the Gospel, Mat. 10.8. 1 Cor. 9.16, 17, 18. have this charge imposed upon them, As they have received freely, freely to give: the Apostle Paul also shown the same example, whose care was to make the Gospel free and without charge, and said woe unto him, if he preached not the Gospel, and therefore because he would not make the Gospel chargeable, he took necessaries of some, and spared others, and this was wisdom (which you Earthwormes are void of) and thus he that is taught in the word may communicate to him that teacheth in all good things and yet without charge, he that can receive it, let him; the workman is worthy of his meat: and in that thou taxest James Parnell, Mat. 10.10. he hath not been chargeable to thee nor to thy generation, neither doth any of him complain, although thou judgest him according to thy own corrupt heart, yet the answer of the just witness in my conscience shall be for me, before the righteous Judge of all hearts, when you Hirelings and false Prophets, shall wish the Mountains to cover you, and the Rocks to fall upon you, and hid you from his presence who will give you your reward in the lake that burneth, with the beast that now upholdes you in this your wickedness. Whether thou dost hold up the first Priesthood that took Tithes, 9 Query, or the second▪ Priesthood that took no Tithes & which thou dost deny, seeing thou takest Tithes? And in thy Answer thou sayst, P. An. Melchizedeck whose Preist-hood was the first Priesthood took Tithes and the levitical Priesthood, which was the second and not the first took Tithes also, so that thou fairest there is no Priesthood mentioned in the Scripture that took no Tithes: then thou Queries how thou or any other doth deny either of those Preist-hoods by taking Tithes which to prove thou quotes, Gen. 14.20. Heb. 7.2, 3, 4.5. etc. Here, thou Serpent! although thou thus twines about to cover and shelter thy deceit, Rep. under others wings it will not at all serve to prove, that thereby thou dost not deny Jesus Christ come in the flesh, who is the everlasting high Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck which is the unchangeable Priesthood, the end of the changeable, which took Tithes, and so, the end of Tithes, as is proved by that Scripture which thou hast quoted, Heb. 7. and chap. 8.1. wherein the Apostle speaks how Abraham paid Tithes to Melchizedeck of the spoils which he▪ got in the war which was a free gift without either law or compulsion; neither did stand for a law or rule to the generations following until the law was given to Israel after the flesh, and the changeable Priesthood established: which I say was the first Priesthood, to which Tithes was due, for it was so the command of God, that the Tithes should be paid unto the changeable Priesthood, and they was to have a store-house, wherein the Tithes was to be put. And the Widows and the Fatherless and the strangers was to come and be filled within their gates that there should not be a beggar in Israel; Deut. 14.28, 29. which statute is now rejected by you who now so gape for Tithes: for ye instead of doing this, do grind the faces of the poor, and oppress the Widows, the Fatherless, and the Strangers if they do come within your bounds, and, so makes beggars rather than otherwise, Isa. 3.15. so that if you profess Tithes by this law, it will witness against you, and also in so doing you deny Christ Jesus come in the flesh, who when he was offered up, was the everlasting offering, and the everlasting high Priest over the household of God, and so the fulfilling and the end of the changeable who took Tithes by a command. And so, saith the Apostle, the Priesthood being changed there must of necessity be a change of the law, and so the command was disannulled and Tithes ended: for saith the Apostle in Heb. 8.1. Now of the things that we have been speaking, Heb. 7.12. Here thy 66 Qu. is Ans. this is the sum, we have such an high Priest, that is set on the right hand of the throne, etc. Now Tithes was one thing, and the Priesthood was another thing and the law (by which they both was upheld) was another thing, of which the Apostle had been speaking of which he saith this is the sum, Christ Jesus the high Priest that is set on the right hand of the Throne, and so the fulfilling and the end of these things before mentioned, of which Tithes is one: so by this new Covenant he hath made the first old; Heb. 8.13. now that which decayeth or waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Now mark then, which Priesthood the Apostle here accounts first, because thou accusest me, that I know not which was the first and which was the last, but by this it is proved that you that now so gapes for Tithes under the profession of the Gospel, are razed out from Melchizedeck, who once took Tithes, only of the spoil which was taken in the war, which was a free gift unto him, (which now you have not) and also are razed from the changeable Priesthood which was the first to which Tithes was due, by a command for its time; and also do deny Christ come in the flesh who is the end and fulfilling of those things, which without command, for lucre sake, you now uphold, and cry up; and so are found only the Ministers of Antichrist, who oppose the true Christ, (where he is witnessed and held forth) yet under a profession of his name: therefore he will profess unto you workers of iniquity, that he knows you not, when you knock & are not able to enter. Where is thy Rule in the Scripture, Query 8. from the Ministers of the Gospel to take Tithes? And in thy Answer, P. Ans. Thou much endeavours to shelter and cover thyself by the Scripture, but it will not hid thee, nor stand for thee; to prove that the Ministers of the Gospel ever took Tithes, or that unto them Tithes belonged, as any who reads thy Answer with understanding, may see & also see thy shuffing, who runs into the old Covenant to maintain Tithes due to the Ministers of the new Covenant, which is the end of the old, as in my last Reply is plainly proved; and thou out of both to be shut▪ & therefore thou sayest, it is sufficient for thee, & other Ministers of the Gospel, that there is no Commandment in the Gospel against the taking of Tithes, which thou sayest, we must produce ere we can make the thing unlawful. Now all people may consider, how they have been blinded and deceived by you professed Ministers of the Gospel in this Nation, who upon such slender grounds as these, have and do take the tenth of the increase of the fruits of the people's labours, who many of them, themselves do rend and hire what they have, whereby you have and do live at ease, in pride, idleness, and fullness, sporting in the day time, and living in the pleasures, and wantonness upon the earth, contrary to any Rule or Example in the Scripture, from the Ministers of the Gospel; and therefore this your ground and foundation which thou hast here laid besides the Scripture, to uphold Tithes contrary to the Scripture, will not stand, and therefore your building must fall; for although there were no Command in the Gospel against the taking of Tithes: yet it doth not prove, that the Ministers of the Gospel are to take Tithes, being it was never allotted them; but that by the Gospel, Tithes are disannulled, and the Priesthood changed, and the Law by which they both was established; is fulfilled and done away, is clear by the Scripture; and therefore unlawful now for any to practise without a Command from God, as before is proved in my last Reply, ând thou to be a liar, who saith, I could not prove it by clear Scripture, that Christ or his Apostles hath taken away that maintenance; and therefore that Scripture which thou hast quoted in Mat. 23.23. shall stand and witness against thee; for when Christ spoke, that was before he was offered up, and then the Law of Tithes was not yet fulfilled, and therefore not disannulled; and therefore strictly to be observed, until Christ the everlasting sacrifice was offered up; and then the Apostles said, the Priesthood being changed, there must of necessity be a change of the Law, and so Tithes ended, as before is proved; and therefore not for the Ministers of the Gospel, to take them as their maintenance; and that Scripture which thou hast quoted in 1 Cor. 9 shall stand and witness against thee; for the whole Chapter doth not at all prove Tithes due to the Ministers of the Gospel, as any who reads the Chapter with honesty will witness; for it doth not at all mention Tithes, but only speaks of the Apostles power, that as they had planted Vineyards, so they might eat of the fruit thereof; and as they preached the Gospel, so they might live of the Gospel; and this the Apostle writ to those whom he said was the Seals of his Ministry; but where is the Seals of your Ministry? 1 John 5.19. are they not the world who lie in wickedness? where is the Vineyard that ye have been planting this many years? is it not still full of Briers and Thorns, and weeds, and wild Plants, which bring forth no fruit, but cumber the ground: but keep in your own Vineyards, and rob not others, and then you will not be such Thiefs as you are, but it will make you plant better, or else to fall to some other Trade; and the Apostles power was not of man, nor by man, being he was not set up by man; but yours is of man, and by a Law of man, by whom you are set up, and by whom you stand, as here in thy answer thou hast confessed; and yet the Apostle refused to use this power, and yet said, necessity was laid upon him to preach the Gospel; but what power do you refuse, be it right or wrong? and if that earthly power should be taken from you, which you have, what would become of your Gospel? nay some of you have said, that Down with the maintenance, and down with the Ministry; and therefore for ever stop thy mouth, from taking the Apostles words, for a Cloak for thy covetousness, who himself cast out such from the Ministry, 1 Tim. 3. and therefore thou knew, that none of these Scriptures would serve for thy ends; and therefore thou would shelter thyself under the powers of the earth, by whom thou art set up, whom thou sayest, did give to the Ministers of the Gospel in this Nation, and else where, and to their successor for ever, the tenth of all their grounds, and caused them to be settled by a Law. And thou askest, If this was not a lawful and pious gift, and suitable to what was paid in the old Testament. This I do deny to be lawful, but altogether unlawful; Reply. Thy 6th Query is answered in this Reply. 2 Pet. 3.16. for that hath made so many pretended Ministers as there are, who for greediness of the gain and pleasure, have pretended to the things which you never had in you, neither know any thing of them, but by others Declarations, which for your own ends, you have wrested to your own destruction and others, and so through your Philosophy and vain deceit, have spoiled the people, and by feigned words through covetousness, have made Merchandise of them, and so have deluded and led in blindness the people this many years, only for your own carnal ends; and that this is suitable to what was paid in the old Testament, I also do deny (and if it was, what is that to you? that which was given in the old Testament is disannulled by the new, and therefore no rule for you) and also that was given by the Lord to the Levites, who had no other Inheritance in the Land, and the Lord gave that which was his own, and he gave a strict Command, that it should be paid, which stood in force so long as the Priesthood endured, as is proved by the Scriptures, which thou thyself hast quoted which shall here stand against thyself, Levit. 27.30, 31, 32. and Numb. 18.24. but the Lord did not give it since to the professed Ministers of England; but thou sayest, man gave it, and therefore gave that which was none of their own; for it is unjust for any Prince or Ruler, to give away the labour or Inheritance of his Subjects unto them that never laboured for it, and unto these who under pretence of the Gospel do delude, and beguile the souls of his Subjects, for their dishonest gain, as you professed Ministers of England do; and therefore they whose eyes are opened, Mich. 2.5. do see you, and therefore accounts it a sin unto God, to uphold you, or put into your mouths, whom the Lord is against; and therefore you even prepare War against them, and it is neither pious nor lawful, for any Prince or Governor, to force any of his Subjects by a Law, contrary to their Consciences; and also the Inheritance of the Levites, was stated by a Law of God, and yours by a Law of Man, and they was ordained, and set up by God, but you by man, by whom you are upheld and maintained contrary to Scripture: so they come by the will of God, & you by the will of man; & they was maintained by the will of God, & you by the will of man, & they were of God (as all his true Ministers are now,) and you are of man, (as all the false Prophets, and false Ministers ever was,) so that there is much difference betwixt you and them, and betwixt the Interest, that they had in Tithes, and the interest that you now claim: so that they that rob them, rob God, as in the Scripture which thou hast quoted, Mal. 3.8. which shall stand against thee; and if the ground of your interest was well searched, it would be found that you have it from the Pope and his upholders, whose supremacy yourselves deny in words to blind the World; but in practice you own it, and claim it: and again, if this which thou speaks of, was given to the Ministers of the Gospel, than you that are hirelings, and the Ministers of Antichrist have no right nor title in it; and the Ministers of the Gospel, they also do deny it, whose care is to make the Gospel free and without charge; and therefore cannot oppress any, neither will their Consciences serve them to take the increase of others labours, by Law or compulsion, and therefore it is most just, that the Labourer should in peace, enjoy the fruits of his labours, and such idle drones as you (who neither labour for God, nor for the good of man, but are the destroyers both of body and soul) should not eat according to the Apostles Rule, in 2 Thes. 3.10. and thus unto it you have no legal nor civil claim, (as thou calls it,) but your Birthright is as a mess of Pottage: neither is your Claim and Title, as lawful as a Sons is to the Inheritance of his Father (as thou sayest;) but you climb up another way & so are Thiefs & Robbers, John 10.1. Whether ever the Ministers of Christ had or stood in need of an outward Law, Queen 11. to compel people to maintain them, as thou, and such as thou now hath and doth. And in thy Answer thou confessest, P. Answ. that those that are righteous or truly spiritual, needs no such compulsive Law to force them; for they are a Law unto themselves; but thou sayest, that the greatest part of the professors in the visible Church, always were, and yet are earthly-minded, and neither do nor can, rightly value spiritual and heavenly things. But in all thy pretended Answer, thou dost not at all, resolve the substance of my Query, but rather in thy silence in it, dost yield thyself out of the practice of the Apostles, and by thy own confession it is manifest, that neither you professed Ministers, nor your Auditors are righteous, nor truly spiritual, for you stand in need of a compulsive Law, to force people to maintain you, and the people stands in need of a compulsive Law to force them to maintain you, which thou confessest the righteous need not; but though you have a compulsive Law, the righteous will not maintain you: and thus out of thy own mouth thou art judged, and the rest of thy Brethren to be the false Prophets, who profit not the people at all; and again, thy own confession proves it, that the greatest part of your Church is earthly minded, and no wonder while the Teachers themselves are so; and thus your Church is the Synagogue of Satan, which is built up of such professors; and therefore blush and be ashamed of your Ministry. Oh what have you been doing this many years! who have wrought no better Reformation: and herein you show your Ministry to be earthly, who have no better seals then earthly minded professors, who stand in need of a Law to compel them to maintain you; and this is as true a saying, as any thou hast in thy Book that the greatest part of the professors in your Church are earthly minded; but, in that thou accusest the Church in the Apostles days to be the same, thou art a liar and a false accuser, neither canst bring any proof in the Scripture, to maintain what thou sayest, but it will witness against thee; Act. 4.33, 34, 35. Act. 5.1.8. for the multitude that believed, were of one heart, and one soul, so that they sold their possessions, and laid it at the Apostles feet; and it was distributed to every one, according as they had need: the Ministry took such place in them. And whereas there was two found that was earthly minded, yet there needed not a Law of man to compel them; and the Law of man also was against the Apostles, as it is against these now that walk in the same steps, yet they do not need a Law of man to force a maintenance for them, from worldly or earthly minded professors, as the false Prophets and deceivers always did, who was always sheltered and upheld by the will of man, because they could wink at their iniquity, and cry peace to them as thou here dost, because they put into thy mouth: therefore thou flatters them, and daubs them up, but it is with untempered mortar. But the Commission which Christ gave to his Ministers, was, Ezek. 22 22.28. Mat. 6.25. Mat. 12 11, 12, 13, 14. Take no thought, but into whatsoever City or place they entered, they was to inquire who was worthy; and if they was not willingly received, they was to shake off the dust of their feet, and so leave them; but is it not well known, that all your care is to take thought, where to get a fat living, instead of enquiring who is worthy; and there if you have but Authority from man, you will have it, whether they receive you, yea or nay: so with shame mightest thou bring any example from the Apostles, or the Church in their days, who were men that coveted no man's Silver nor Gold nor apparel but had forsaked all for the Gospel's sake, and many of the Church suffered the spoiling of their goods willingly by your forefather's the chief Priests and Scribes and Pharises, who was their persecutors, as you are now of them who the Gospel do own, Act. 20.33. Heb. 10.34. (and your professors also) who as thou sayest doth not rightly value spiritual things, such as are holden forth by the true Ministers and Messengers of God, (neither can) because, by such blind guides as thou art, they are kept in blindness, and darkness, lest their eyes should be opened and they come to see you, and decline from you, who was never tied to you by any command of God, and therefore you are glad to make use of a law of man, contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles: and as for the express provision, which the Lord made for his Ministers and Messengers in the new Testament, I reply, When Christ gave them their Commission, he said also in whatsoever house they entered they was to eat such as was set before them, for saith he the workman is worthy of his meat: and this is all the express provision that thou canst find allotted to them in the new Testament, and this was without any law of man too; for there was no need of any, for if they did not willingly receive them, they was not to eat with them, but to shake of the dust of their feet against them, and that was all the law they was to take against such which was earthly minded, and regardless of them: but this will not serve you because yourselves are earthly minded, and therefore will have it of every one, whether they receive you yea or nay, or else you have a law of man to take triple damage; and instead of eating such as they will set before you, you will have the tenth part of what they have by compulsion, you are such greedy devouring Woolus: and what was before allotted to the Priests in the old Testament, is before sufficiently proved to be nothing concerning you, who profess yourselves Ministers of the New Testament, and as for those Scriptures which thou quotes in 2 Chron. 31.5, 6. &c: are also as nothing to my Query, but are before answered in my last reply, but yet these shall stand to witness against thee to be a liar: for let any who reads these verses, see if there the Isralites did show any earthly mindedness, or stood in need of a law to compel them, after they knew the King's mind, (as thou accusest them) and thus thou canst find nothing either in the Old or New Testament that will cover thy deceit but altogether witness against thee, and therefore again thou flees into thy old shelter which is the will of man, by which thou art set up and upheld, therefore a false Prophet, and a deceiver, who abides not in the doctrine of Christ, and it is no Pious nor Just act for them as I said before, to take away the fruits of their subjects labours by a compulsive law to give unto such Earthworms as thee, who cares not how you get it so you get it, as thy own mouth confessest, for thou sayest it is a competent though not a liberal maintenance; and yet thou canst take it and plead for it too, yea and of worldly minded people, which is altogether contrary to the Apostles practise, and so thou fulfilleth the words which before I have spoken of thee, and whosoever denies you of Tithes do not unjustly detain them, (as thou sayest they do) being you have no right to them by any law or command from God, or example in the Scripture, as before is proved, but only claims a Title by the unjust supremacy of the Pope, by which your forefather's, the persecuting Bishops was upheld, and therefore we called Quakers do teach people them you to deny, which is not contrary to the practice of Christ or his Apostles (as thou accusest us) for saith Christ, Beware of false-Prophets that appear in sheep's clothing, Mat. 7.15.16. but inwardly ravening Woolves; by their fruits they are known, and by which sufficiently you are here marked our, and the Apostles bids from such turn away as in 2 Tim. 3.5. and again the Apostle John forbids to receive such as abides not in the doctrine of Christ, or to bid them God speed 2 Joh. 9.10. and here both Christ and his Apostles sufficiently taught people to deny you, and here thou art proved a liar who thus falsely accusest us called Quakers, in this to act contrary to the practice of Christ or his Apostles, and so here thou and the rest of the professed Ministers of this Nation, are sufficiently manifest what you are; so that all men may see your folly and deceit, but those who are blind, and love to have it so, and so the Scripture is fulfilled upon you, Jer. 5.30.31. Whether ever the Ministers of the Gospel took any necessaries of the world, 12 Que. as thou and such as thou doth all your Tithes and maintenance yea or nay? And in thy Answer thou sayest, yea they have, P. Ans. which to prove thou quotes, Ast. 28.1.9. where thou sayest Paul took necessaries of the Barbarians, yet this not serving thy turn, thou runs to old Histories which thou calls Ecclesiastical records, and saith they for 1500 years do testify the same, but yet doubting of this, thou sayest as thou said before, it sufficeth you that there is no law nor command of God, to the contrary; nor are examples thou sayest needful for every thing; as to prove that Christ called any shoemaker or cobbler to be a Prophet. Reply. But here again thou hast marked out thyself to be a false Prophet, who runs, and the Lord never sent thee, and therefore thou teachest for Doctrine the traditions of men; for the which thou hast no Scripture & therefore runs to old stories, to which I am not to give any credit, be they never so old, being they are not according to Scripture, (and therefore not Ecclesiastical) for the oldness of the thing doth not make it truth; though you have long thereby deceived the ignorant. And as for that Scripture which thou quotest in Acts 28.1.9. then Paul was a Prisoner, and he and the Soldiers that kept him and the rest of the people, was driven there by storm upon the Sea, so that in that cause the Barbarians took pity of them, and received them; but there was many besides Paul, and the Centurion, to whom Paul was committed, was to take care of him, and also that which the Barbarians did was freely, and that which nature bond them to, being they was in that straight; which was done to many besides Paul, who were heathen, so that this doth not at all stand for thee, who art in thy own Country, and yet takes all thy Tithes and maintenance of the World by compulsion: neither will this excuse serve to shelter you Hirelings and deceivers, to say that there is no Law nor Command of God to the contrary; for it is false; for Christ commands his Ministers expressly, freely to give, as freely they had received; and also charged them where they was not freely received, Levit. 25.14. Mich. 1.2. to departed thence, shaking off the dust of their feet, as before is proved, and also oppression is the Law of God against, and to take the tenth, or increase of the fruits of the people's labours, is a sore and great oppression which the Land groans under, and therefore a sin, and yet the gift doth so blind your eyes, that you cannot see all this, but thinks, because there is no Scripture for you, therefore none against you: and though there needs no example to prove any Shoemaker or Cobbler to be a Prophet (as thou confessest) though in scorn,) for it is a thing that none doth, who understands the Scripture, being there is sufficient proof, that he called other Tradesmen; yet there is a need, that you might find so much as a Scripture proof, or example, for your Tithes and maintenance, (who profess it to be your rule) being it is a great oppression of the Land; and yet sayest thou, it doth suffice you, that there is no Law or Command to the contrary: therefore this shows your avaricious minds, who are so willing to be blind in this things; but it will not, neither doth so easily suffice those that are oppressed by you, though you regard it not, according to the Prophet ezekiel's words, you seek for the fleece, and regard not the flock, but make a prey upon the sheep: and so with this stop thy mouth, and own thyself amongst the false Shepherds and Hirelings, Ezek. 34. John 10. Whether ever they had a set maintenance, Que: 13. or so much a year for preaching, as 40.60.100. or 200 l. as thou, and such as thou hath. And in thy Answer, P. Ans. i thou canst not bring one Scripture for thy Rule, to prove this your common practice, but flees to the Records, that thou sayest are to be found in several parts of Christendom, (as thou calls it) where I do not intent to seek for them, to see whether these things be true or no, which thou speakest of them; but as I said before, will conclude them to be false in this thing, being the Scripture is altogether against it, so that thou canst not find one Scripture to justify it; but sayest, if we say Where do you read of this in the Scripture; thou answers as far off again to the same purpose still, without any Scripture proof, and therefore I shall leave it for any understanding Reader of thy Book to judge, and see how weak you are, if you had not a Law of man to uphold you, who have not one Scripture that will strengthen the foundation of your Ministry, which is your maintenance: then how have you deluded the people to make them believe, that the Scripture is your Rule, when it is altogether against you, let the honest hearted judge. And whether such be not the hirelings which cares not for the sheep yea or nay; Que. 14. And whether such be not the greedy Dogs which the Prophet Isay freely declared against Isay 56.11. and makes a prey upon the sheep, which Ezekiel declared against, Ezek 34. and are the ravening Wolves which Jesus Christ declared against, Mat. 7.15. and are such as through covetuousness, makes Merchandise of the people, which Peter a Minister of Christ declared against, 2 Pet. 2.3. and such as go after the error of Balaam, for gifts and rewards, which Judas a Servant of Jesus Christ, cried woe against, Judas 11. And in thy Answer, P. Ans. after many excuses thou plainly confessest, thou canst not justify all of your Calling, and therefore thou wilt answer for thyself; and first thou sayest, thou art none of these Hirelings; for he is not an Hireling which takes the wages allotted to him for his work; for than thou dost accuse Kings & Governors to be Hirelings, who takes Tribute and Custom, yea and the Apostles and Christ himself, which to prove, thou quotes 2 Cor. 7.8, and Luke 8.23. but thou confessest, that he is one, that sets his heart upon the wages only, and delights not in the work, but is weary of the same, and longs for the shadow or rest, which to prove, thou quotest Job 7.1.2, 3. Reply. Here, thou impudent liar, for all thy shuffelings and thy cover, thou canst not hid thyself, but out of thy own mouth shalt be judged, though thou here plainly denies thy Brethren, and thinks it enough to answer for thyself, thy cause is so bad; for thy wages is not allotted by God, neither haste thou any Scripture Rule to prove them, (as is before proved) and therefore it follows, that thy heart is set upon thy hire; for which sake thou undertakes that work which thou professest, and it is for thy hires sake, that thou art not weary of thy work, or else thou wouldst not own that which is so contrary to the Scripture: so that thou canst not bring one Scripture proof for this thy practice: and, that it is thy hire that thou delights in, is sufficiently apparent, by thy thus gaping for it, and seeking to defend it, though altogether contrary to Scripture: And as for the work thou and thy Brethren professeth, you are as idle in it as you can, so that you can but hold up the World's custom, and blind the people that still you may rule over them by your means, and thus it may plainly be seen, wherein is your delight, and so out of thy own mouth judge thee to be neither conscionable nor faithful, who art not ashamed thus to seek to justify thyself in thy deceit, when as thy own mouth confesseth that it is not a liberal maintenance, and that thou canst take it and plead for it: and therefore this Scripture which thou quotest, in job. 7.2. shall stand and witness against thee, who as a hireling agrees with the people for so much a year, and as a hireling looks for thy wages at the years end, but of thy work there is no profit to any, and so with the shadow thou deceivest them for gain which doth so blind thy eye, that thou thinkest all are like thee, though they take that which is freely administered to them for their temporal necessities; which is not agreeing with the people, for so much a year, and to take it by a law whether they will agree with you yea or nay; which weapons Christ or his Ministers never made use of, and therefore thou liar how dar'st thou to accuse Christ or his Apostles to take wages for their work? did Christ heal the sick or the diseased, and the lame, and the blind, or teach the people, for money or wages? oh thou blasphemer for ever stop thy mouth from nameing his holy name who doth so slander him: well mayst thou accuse and slander his Servants and Messengers, which so impudently dost it to him, who is our Lord and Master: but as for paying tribute, 3. to Kings and Goverours in their places it is allowed of by Scripture, which thine is not, and they are set about temporal affairs and are the ordinance of God for that purpose, for to Govern and Protect the people in bodily peace and quietness, which if they neglect, will be laid to their charge: but thou and thy brethren pretend to spiritual affairs, and therefore are to have your rule and example from Christ and his Ministers who was set about spiritual affairs, the which thou canst not but would creep into any hole, to hid thyself and thy brethren from the light, but by it are you found out, and seen, to be the deceivers who out of the doctrine of Christ are found, and therefore not to be owned nor received. And secondly thou sayest, thou art no such greedy Dog, P. Ans. whatsoever foulmouthed Curs do bark to the contrary; for thou sayest, thou contents thyself with thy legal salary, which yet thou sayest is not contrary to evangelical, (wherein thou hast already been proved a Liar sufficiently.) Here thy foul mouth thou hast opened wide, who accounts the Prophet Isaiah, Reply. a foul mouthed Cur, who this Language first did speak unto the false Prophets, in whose steps thou art found, and therefore unto thee the same Language belongeth, who seeks for thy gain from thy Quarters as they did; and what hast thou else manifested but greediness of gain all along, Isay. 56. who rather than thou would yield thy error in it (though thou couldst not produce one Scripture that would stand for it:) yet thou runnest to old Histories & Records, thereby to maintain it, contrary to Scripture: therefore with shame & confusion of face might thou say, thou contents thyself with thy legal salary, who hast nigh 300 l. by the year, and yet thou wouldst have more, if thou couldst get it, thou art so greedy, as may be well understood by thy saying: that in former time, that the Bishops and Pastors had not only a settled maintenance of that value, but of a great deal more, which is an unheard off thing in all the Scripture, and therefore thy own mouth confessed, what greedy Dogs you Priest have been since your beginning, & yet with the deceit of thy heart thou wouldst still cover; but the day doth make you manifest, to be such who run, and the Lord never sent you; and therefore you profit not the people at all: Therefore what is thy teaching and warning of the people which thou here boasts of, and therefore art found one of the Dreamers, and studiers, and mutterers, who speaks a Divination of thy own brain, and not from the mouth of the Lord, and so feeds the people with wind, and air: therefore silence thou deceiver, for going about to excuse thyself from these things, as if thou wast more holy than thy Brethren; for in so doing, thy lying and hypocrisy doth but the more appear; and therefore this shall serve to prove thee a liar in all the rest of thy excuses, and it is not uncharitable, nor censorious to tell thee so, though thou so accusest me; but a lie in thy mouth is no wonder. Whether ever thou laboured with thy hands, to make the Gospel free, and without charge, Qu. 15. as Paul a Minister of the Gospel did. And in thy answer thou dost not at all resolve my Querie; but shufflest too and fro to hid thyself, P. Ans. and excuse thyself by pleading Paul's power, in 1 Cor. 9.6. and sayest that Christ your Master did not enjoin you so to do, which to prove thou quotes Luk. 10.7. and Deut. 25.4. and also pleads that in 2 Tim. 2.4. and also pleads a liberty by the Counsels and Synods in the Church in former ages, etc. Yet all this doth not prove, that ever thou laboured with thy hands to make the Gospel free and without charge, Reply which any who reads these Scriptures may see and by thy silence in the same judge thee guilty and to be out of the Apostles practice: and therefore these Scriptures will witness against thee, (which thou hast quoted) for thou art not as Paul and Barnabas was, neither waist called to the Ministry as they was, neither preachest freely as they did, neither labourest with thy hands as Paul did, but only makest a trade and a gain of the Apostles words for thy own ends: and therefore what hast thou to do, to mention Christ or his Ministers who art so plainly found out of their practice, or to call Christ thy Master who art thyself called Master and so robs him of his honour, and art not in his Doctrine, (who saith, be not ye called Masters) and so art none of his, and therefore hast nothing to do with that liberty which he hath given to his faithful labourers whom he himself hath called into his Vineyard: and as for that Scripture in Luk. 10.7, it is not against labour, but for labour before thou canst have thy hire, but thou wouldst have it and be maintained in Idleness by others labours as the Clergy men (as thou callest them) in England are, who are no Ministers of Christ who are called of men Master, and so are out of his doctrine in the steps of the Pharises whom the woe is unto, and therefore in this these, Counsels and Synods (as thou call'st them) in your Church in former ages have acted contrary to Scripture, in ordaineing that you should not work, and labour with your hands for yourselves and your families, but that you should live in Pride and Idleness, by the sweat of others brows, to be maintained as you are: which ordinance is not of God but of man by which you stand, and how hast thou before falsely accused me for not working, though I am not chargeable to the world, and now thou art striveing by Scripture wresting and false applying and all the ways thou canst, for to excuse thyself from labouring with thy hands, as the Apostle did, though thou and thy family are altogether chargeable to the world. All which Scriptures shall stand against thee, for they all maintain working before the benefit of the work come to them, be it spiritual or temporal, for the Ox treads not out the come without labour: but what corn have you Clergy men trodden forth? and what spiritual things have you sown? and what Gospel you have preached, this many years in England? doth not the fruits of your Ministry condemn you, and witness against you, to be such as run, and the Lord never sent you, and so the curse follows you and is upon your Ministry, and therefore profits not the people at all, but as drones lives upon the painful labour of others, yea though you do not labour with your hands yet who more entangles themselves in the affairs of this world, than you that calls yourselves Clergy men both by law and cunning craft and deceit, and bargaining and oppressing thereby, to make yourselves rich with the things of this life, yea what thing is there in this Nation to get riches by, (though never so unbeseeming spiritual men) but you have a hand in it, and therefore none of those spiritual Soldiers which Paul speaks of, in 2 Tim. 2.4. therefore silence thou deceiver for meddling with the Scripture, with thy Babylonious language (as prohibit, Mechanic, Synod, and Clergy) which are the words of man's wisdom, and contrary to the plain language of the Scripture, out of which thou art shut, in Babylon where thou wast bred, with thy Clergy as thou callest them. Whether thou dost not walk in the steps of the Scribes and Pharises who art called of men Master or Doctor, and hast the chiefest seat in the Synagogues, Que. 16. and uppermost rooms at feasts and greetings in the markets contrary to the practice of the Apostles, and so art under the woe which Christ pronounced against such, yea or nay? And here thou wouldst shuffle off with Questioning instead of Answering, and sayest, P. Ans. what if Christ gave the name of Master to Nicodemus, John. 3.10 and Luke the name of Doctor to Gamaliel in Act, 5.3.4. and thou sayest, Is it then the giving or taking of these names, which Christ forbiddeth or the arrogant using of them, out of an high or proud Spirit that desires to be Idolised? and thou confessest the word Rabbi signifies Doctor or Master, which names thou sayest was familiarly given both in the Old and New Testament, which to prove thou quotes, Eccles. 12.11. Eph. 4.11. 1 Cor. 12.28. Reply. The 89 and 90, Que: are answered in this Reply; and thy 92 Query also. Here thy blindness doth appear, and thou wilt need no other proof against thee but thy own words, though here thou wouldst go about to slander Christ, and his Apostles, whom thou art not worthy to name, neither dost thou thereby answer my Query, but would justify that which Christ cried woe against, & therefore a Minister of Antichrist art found to which the woe belongs for that Scripture in John 3.10. doth not prove that Christ called Nicodemus Master, as thou wouldst feign slander him, neither doth that, Act. 5.34. prove, that Luke gave Gamaliel the name of Doctor, but in way of declaration what he was accounted amongst the Jews, as any that reads with understanding may see: yea thou thyself canst not deny it, but that thou wouldst be glad of any thing to shelter thy deceit; but Christ expressly forbids his to be be called Master, and therefore it is concluded that you take these names unto yourselves, from an arrogancy and pride of Spirit that you might be Idolised as is well known, how you swell and are puffed up in wrath and rage, if you be not so called by those you account your inferiors; or else you would not own it, being Christ hath so expressly forbidden it, to his Ministers; and you professing yourselves to be his Ministers; & the word Minister signifies servant; & Paul, who was his Minister said he made himself servant to all, but you would be Masters over all, 1 Cor 9.19. bearing rule by your means though hired as Servants, yet more unreasonable & unjust, for you will have it of them you do no work for: and also whatsoever thou sayest Doctor or Master signifies, Christ hath forbidden it, and therefore in useing of it thou art out of the doctrine of Christ, and the woe is unto thee, and the more for wresting the Scripture to maintain it, and uphold it which Christ hath cried down, and it is well known to them that are not wilfully blind, that Master or Doctor are names that are given and taken, amongst you Clergymen (as you call yourselves (as Titles of honour; witness your degrees in your Nurseries of deceit, (which you call Universities) as first Bachelor, then from Bachelor to Master of Arts, and from that to Bachelor of Divinity and from that to Doctor of Divinity; which highest Title is given to thee, and therefore it is no wonder that thou so pleads for it, but the least Child of light, will judge these traditions to be upheld by the Pride; and arrogancy of the flesh that would be Idolised, but the old man must needs plead for his life: neither doth these Scriptures in, Eph. 4.11. and 1 Cor. 12.38. at all advantage thee, for neither Doctor nor Master is mentioned in these Scriptures, and thus thou art ignorant of the letter, then far unfit to be a teacher of others which thou dost assume to thyself by the name of Doctor, according to thy own meaning. And as for the chief seats in the synagogues and uppermost rooms at feasts, P. Ans. some thou sayest that are worthy, were allowed them by Christ himself which to prove thou quotes, Lnk. 14.7.8. etc. Mark. 5.22. And by Luke, Ast. 13.15. and Chap. 18.8.17. and as for salutations they are allowed thou sayest, as well in the market places as any where else. This is the truest word that thou hast yet spoken in one respect, though from a false Spirit: Reply. for your heathenish customs and salutations, are allowed-of no where, by the Scripture, neither haste thou brought any proof to the contrary, and it is also easily discerned, you rather choose them in the markets, or in Pudlique to be seen of men, that you might be accounted Courteous, and looked upon for your breeding, witness your congying and bowing, with your hats off in admiration, and Idolising of one another's persons, wherein you exalt yourselves above the Angel, who would not suffer John to bow unto him, Rev. 22.8.9. but said, he was his fellow servant: therefore let this judge you and condemn you in these practices, which by you are used from an ambitions and an in ordinate desire of them, and therefore are the most unworthy as thou confessest the Scribes and Pharises were, and therefore art out of thy own mouth judged, 1 John 5.19. although thou wouldst cast it upon the Quakers as thou callest them, but we can justly clear ourselves and cast it into thy own bosom for we use no such heathenish customs, yet we can justly say with John, we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness, which thou accounts an exhalting of ourselves, and in that thou beliest Christ and the Scriptures in saying he allowed these things to any (which he cried down) thy impudence doth the more appear that thou wouldst not stick to belly us, whom thou callest Quakers, for none of these Scriptures which thou quotes, to uphold the chiefest seats in the Synagogue & uppermost rooms at feasts, doth at all concern the matter, but only Luk. 14.7. etc. which Christ spoke as a parable to the Pharises, who loved the uppermost rooms at feasts; which also may fitly be applied to you now who take the uppermost reome, How thy 9th Query is answered. Mat. 20.25, 26, 27. Jam. 12. John 13. John 5.44. and thinks scorn to take the lowest, which may easily be discerned by you, with an impartial eye, or else you would not own these things, which Christ declared against, to his Ministers, and also taught them that he that would be the greatest, should be the least, and the Apostle forbids all respect of persons, and Christ shown an example of humility to his Ministers, when he washed their feet, and condemned the Pharises who received honour one of another, which thou art here pleading for: then if thou be'st not in their steps, let the understanding judge. What is the Church and whether it be not a delusion to the people, Que. 17. and a dishonour to Christ to call a house of lime and stone, a Church? And in thy Answer, P. Ans. thou pleadest it a custom in most ages, and by a Trope of figure; but thou confessest the word Church is first and properly a congregation of Saints, or of such as profess so to be, as in 1 Cor. 1.2. and in the second place thou sayest, this word is used for a place where such a Congregation use to assemble; which to prove thou quotes; Cor. 11.22. and ver. 18. and Chap. 14.5.23. compared with ver. 19.28. neither is this any delusion to the people thou sayest, nor more dishonour to God, then to use this phrase, the house of God; which to prove thou quotes, Isa. 60.7. and Eph. 42.4. therefore here we seek a knot in a bulrush, thou sayest. And thus thou blasphemer values thy blasphemy covering it with lies, Reply. that thou might still keep the people in blindness who makes such a small light matter of it, to put a house of lime and stone for the body of Christ which is the Church, and thus you have long fed the people in blindness with your vain customs and traditions, and they put you out of your customs, Col. 1.24. and you are vexed and troubled, as the heathen was at Paul and Silas, and said they came to turn the world upside down: and then, to cover your blasphemy and lies, Act. 17.6. you have Tropes and figures, which is the wisdom of man to cover lies; and thus you learned ones make use of your learning to make lies in hypocrisy contrary to the Scripture, for the Types and Figures in the Scripture figured forth something to come, but your steeple houses are no figures of Christ, nor his body (which is the Church) and when the substance is come, of what use is the figure? for the Temple which God commanded Solomon to build him, which was called the house of God, (where them that feared the Lord worshipped him) was a figure of Christ, but when Christ the substance came he Prophesied of its destruction, Math. 24. and Steven after him declared against it, and by them that upheld, it was stoned to death, Act. 7.47.48.49. &c: and Paul declared against it and by them that upheld it, was persecuted, Acts 17.24.25. Acts 19.26.27. as we are by you now, that uphold your Idols Temples, that figure forth nothing but the Imaginations of man, neither was ever commanded by God to be built, as Solomon's Temple was, which for its time was called the house of God; but the Prophet Isay saw the end of it, when he spoke that in Isay 66.1, 2. But that you should call your popish houses, the house of God, which was built by the Papists, and such like, without any Command of God, thou hast no Scripture proof to maintain it: neither are those fit examples to bring to prove it, as the Scholars and the School, and the Jews and their Synagogues: what doth this at all prove, that you should call your Idols Temples as the body of Christ, which was made of living stones, elect and precious; for the Scripture all along witnesses, that the Church is the body of Christ, which is the Saints, as this Scripture doth witness, which thou hast quoted in 1 Cor. 1.2. but it doth not at all prove thy lie, that the Church is a Congregation of such as profess to be Saints; for it is more than a profession, though with a profession you have long deluded the people: yet many there are that profess Christ in words, but in life deny him, who are no Saints, nor the Church of Christ, Tit. 1.16 though thou art blind, & sees no difference: yet according to thy own meaning, you do not call your Assemblies, and the place where your Assemblies meets, all one; for you call your meeting places Churches, and the people a Congregation; and so here out of thy own mouth thou art judged, yet it would be as much blasphemy, to call your people a Church, as the place where they meet, a Church; for it is well known, that all manner of unrighteous persons meets there, as thou confessest the greatest part of the professors are earthly minded, as in thy answer to my 11th Query; and I am sure the chiefest of them are blind, and led by Customs and Traditions, as thou here makes it appear, who thyself hast been a Teacher so long, and now goes about to justify it lawful, to call a house of lime and stone, a Church, which thou goest about to prove, by wresting the Scripture; but let any with a single eye, read these Scriptures, which thou hast quoted in thy Answer, concerning the Church, 1 Cor. 16.19. Col. 4.15 Act. 20.16. and see if they do at all mention any house to be a Church; but only the Saints whose bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost; for they commonly met in dwelling houses; but you call none Churches, but your Steeple-houses, which hath been your Custom long; and it is well known, how the ignorant people that go to them, have long idolised them as the houses of God, and looked upon them to be far more holy than any other place, and have envied and hated, and even murdered those in their hearts, that should say to the contrary, and you Priests have been their great Agents in it, though you have known in your Consciences to the contrary: yet you know, that where the people are the most blind, you are the more idolised and set up; and it is your greatest grief, where the light appears, as is openly manifest by the chief Priests, who now rage and rail against the light, where it appears, and persecutes them that holds it forth, that you might, if it were possible, put it out, and still uphold your Father's Kingdom, which is in darkness, and then you think you are safe, and all will be yours; but your Calamity will come on a sudden, and your downfall is nigh at hand, 1 Thes. 5.2.3. Whether thou, and such as thou, be not the Creepers into houses, Que. 18. who would confine all to your Steeple-houses, yea or nay. And in thy Answer thou grants, that Paul speaks of seducers, that creep into houses, etc. as in 2 Tim. 3.6.7. but whether this best suits with your manner of teaching, or ours, thou sayest, judge ye; for thou sayest, you do not creep into the Churches, who have the doors set wide open, and have your Congregations or Assemblies publicly called together by a Bell, and then thou vents forth a deal of frothy stuff, and sayest, why must your Houses of Lime and stone be called Steeple-houses, more than the Glaziers' Hall, or the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, be called a Glass-house, a Chimney-house, or a Storehouse, or a Stable-house; but thou askest, where did Christ or his Apostles reproach the Synagogues with reproachful names, as we do your Churches. Here thy malicious and scornful spirit is much more made manifest, Reply. together with thy folly and ignorance, so that I am able to judge thee, and the rest of the Parish Preachers, to be those creepers into houses, that Paul there speaks of, 2 Tim. 3.6.7. who have led silly women and people captive these many years, full of sin, and led away with divers lusts, who some have learned 40. years, some 50. some 60. yea some 80. and yet strangers to the truth, yea as blind and carnal as ever they was, so that they take a House of Lime and stone for a Church and a House of God, as you have taught: and ask them why they call it so, and they will answer, it was called so before they was born, and will be after they were dead: then judge ye, whether these Creatures be not blind and carnal, and led by your own Customs and traditions, and you are their Teachers, who would bear rule in your Steeple-houses, so that none shall speak but yourselves: if they do, you have a Law to lay upon them, contrary to the order of the true Church, as in 1 Cor. 14.30, 31, 32. That all might speak one by one; and if any thing be revealed to him that stands by, let the first hold his peace; but this is called disorder amongst you, that call yourselves Saints, and are not, but the Synagogue of Satan; and by thy own Confession are led together by a Bell; for which you have no Rule in the Scripture, and so you lead them by Custom and Tradition; and also thy own words here proves what I said in my last Reply, that you do not call your Assemblies, and the place where your Assemblies meets both by one; for here thou callest the place a Church, and the people the Congregation, as I said before; and thou blind guide, where dost thou read in the Scripture of Church-doores be ashamed and blush, thus to presume in thy blasphemy; and therefore how soever thou have taken these houses to be, wherein deceivers creeps, as before is proved, and have taught the people so, to put them out of jealousy of you to be the deceivers, doth not at all excuse you from it; for the Apostle himself taught in private houses and Chambers, and private places; Act. 20.20. and therefore by that account, thou would tax the Apostle to be a deceiver, if he was here, as thou dost James Parnel, and those whom thou scornfully calls his gang: but where dost thou find such a word in the Scripture, which proceeds out of thy malicious and evil heart; but thy reproaches unto us are riches, (and thy shame.) And the Reason why those Houses near Aldersgate (which thou so spits thy venom at, because the people of God have used to meet there,) may not be called (as thou in contempt dost term them) as well as your Stone-houses be called, Steeple-houses, is, because they have names fitting for them already, for to distinguish them from other places; and so also the word Steeplehouse, is the fittest name to distinguish your meeting places from others, and also to take from them that holy name, which only belongs to the body of Christ, and also to wear out that Idolatry of the people's minds, which they through long Custom have born to those Idolatrous places: neither do we any more reproach them in so saying, than Christ and his Apostles did, in calling the Jews meeting places, Synagogues, though thou highly dishonourest Christ in calling them Churches, which signifies his body: Have you no other names to bestow upon your stone houses, and high places; but most blasphemously to call them by the name of God's, and holy men, whom you are not worthy to name, as you call your Colleges, (which are Synagogues of Satan, and Cages of unclean Birds,) by the name of Immanuel, and by the name of Christ and Trinity, and the like: if you had called them by the name of Glaziers' Hall, or Bull and Mouth, or Synagogue, and the like: we should not gainsay it, and therefore in this, the Jews will condemn you, who did not presume to call their meeting places, by such holy names, as you presumptuously do, which is, and hath been a great provocation of the people to Idolatry, to idolise the places, because of their names which was given to them by the Papists, who ignorantly worship names, and you cast out the Papists for Idolatry, and yet upholds their Idols: therefore woe unto you blind guides, and deluders of the people, your wickedness is had in remembrance before the Lord. Whether it was the practice of the Apostles, to take a Text of the Prophet's words, Que. 19 and from thence to raise uses, points, Traills and motives, as thou and such as thou dost, who makes a Trade of their words. And in thy Answer, P. Ans. thou sayest, that it hath been the practice of the Church and her Teachers this many hundred years; (for the which thou hast no Scripture proof) and thirdly, thou sayest, that none will deny, that this is an useful and profitable way of teaching, (which is an abominable lie, which I, and hundreds more can testify against) And fourthly thou sayest, it may be proved out of the Scriptures, that all this hath been done by Christ and his Apostles, (which is another lie; and those are the Scriptures upon which thou wouldst ground thy lies, in which they will witness against thee, as Luk. 4.18. and Mat. 22.31. Act. 8.35. and for to maintain thy uses, points, Trials and motives, thou quotes Rom. 15.4.2 Tim. 3.16.17. John 8.31. and 13.35. and Matth. 25.34. Oh thou liar, Reply. thy lies will not cover thee, nor the Scripture stand for thee, who art found out of the life and practice of them that gave them forth, who art one of the lying false Teachers, who have deluded the people this many hundred years, Col. 2.8. which deluded one's are your Church, amongst whom you have used your Philosophy, and vain deceit, by which you have long spoiled them, so that the greatest part of the professors therein are earthly minded, by thy own confession; and I am sure that another part are Drunkards, and swearers, and Adulterers, and scoffers, and scorners, and proud and envious ones, and the like; and now where is the fruits and profitableness of your teaching? therefore for shame stop thy mouth for boasting of your Church, and her teachers, and saying, None will deny the profitableness of your teaching; for, like people, like Priest, Hos. 4.9. 2 Tim. 4.3. as the Prophet said; and you are the heaps of teachers, that deceive the world, and draw itching ears after you, (who cannot endure sound Doctrine) with your feigned enticing words of men's wisdom; but the Teacher of the true Church is but one, which is its head, even Christ, who speaks with Power and Authority, (and not as you Scribes) whose teaching is a profitable teaching, as is much witnessed in these latter days, Mat. 7.29. to your great shame and grief, who have been the professed Teachers of the Church of England, this many years: neither doth any of these Scritpures prove, that ever Christ or his Apostles took a Text of Scripture; and by humane art and study, did raise Uses, Points, Trials and Motives, as you do, which is a commendable teaching, 1 Cor. 1.18. 1 Cor. 2.4 by the wise ones of the world, who know not the wisdom of God; but to them the preaching of the Cross is foolishness, as was accounted amongst the Greeks, because the Apostle came not with enticing words of men's wisdom, (as you do to please men) but in plainness of speech, spoke the word of the Lord faithfully, and also said, If he yet sought to please men, he should not be the Servant of Christ; Gal. 1.10. but this is all your care, whose trust is in man and not in Christ: and in all those Scriptures, when Christ or his Apostles spoke of a Text of Scripture, out of the old Testament, it was to show the fulfilling thereof, or to witness to what they had said; but you will take these Scriptures, for to give your carnal meanings, and interpretations of them, and so from them speak a divination of your own brain, for gain and lucre; and this is the use you make of these points, as thou calls them, which the Scriptures before mentioned will not at all maintain, and yet thou canst impudently quote this Scripture in Mat. 6.25.34. which forbids taking thought what to eat, what to drink, and wherewithal to be clothed, when it is so publicly known, that it is your greatest care, and that which thou hast been here much labouring to maintain all along, to prove it lawful, for thee to take nigh 200. or 300. pounds by the year, of the world: yea and for a Law to compel them, if they refuse to give it; and yet thou art not ashamed to say, that thou dost not go in the way of Balaam, for gifts and rewards; and the chiefest Scripture which thou hast here quoted, will witness against thee, as 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. which saith, the Scripture was given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, throughly furnished unto every good work; but thou hates to be reproved, and calls them foulmouthed curs, and the like, that do reprove thee, and thou teachest for Doctrine, the traditions of men, as to call a house of Lime and Stone, a Church and the like, as is before proved. And how have you by all your Doctrines, reproof, correction, and instruction, this many years perfected any, when as the professors therein are earthly minded (as thou sayest; P. Ans. ) and you that are therefore Teachers the most of all, and most of you denies perfection in this life; and though thou with thy tongue profess it; yet in life denies it, which is worst of all, and so I take thee: and though thou hast been so pleading for thy way, yet thou sayest, you would change it for a better, if any can show it you, and make your hearers believe, that it would be more advantages for them, but thou sayest this trade of interpreting the Scripture is an old and a good trade, which to prove thou quotes job. 33.23: Psal. 10.2, 3. Pro. 1.6. Act. 8.3. Here thou blind guide, Reply, thy nakedness is open to the world, and thy hearers may consider it who have looked upon thee as their Teacher this many years, and yet thou thyself still to learn which is the best way, when as there is but one true way, than thou who art ignorant of this true way, must needs be in a false way: then how hast thou deluded thy hearets this many years, Jer. 32.39. and also belied thyself in thy Book? And if the Teacher be ever learning, then what must the hearers of such a one be, let the judge; and I believe and know, that your hearers would soon believe the same, if the Preachers of truth might have liberty to speak, when they come amongst you: but if any come in that intent, you are ready to set your people upon them to hale them out with force, and also you have a law to cast them into Prison, as many of us do witness at this day: and therefore thou liar, the convincing of your hearers of a better way, is not your greatest care, but rather your greatest fear, lest any should be drawn from you, and so your trade come to fail (as thou callest it): but this I know is your greatest care, that any body would show you, a better way to get money by, and also persuade your hearers into it, (or else thou thinks, you are never the better) and then you would leave interpreting the Scripture, which now thou calls a good trade, but thou Merchant of Babylon, where doth any of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted, prove or term interpreting the Scripture, a trade? though you Merchants of Babylon, make a trade of it, to get lucre by, and so call it a trade, who think gain is godliness: but well may others accuse you, for making a trade and a gain of the Scriptures, while you yourselves confess it, and thus thou wrists the Scripture, for thine own ends and paints thy work with Scripture, for to make the ignorant believe it is grounded upon Scripture: oh be ashamed to take it into thy mouth, to make a trade of it, which was freely spoken forth by the holy men of God as they was moved by the Holy-Ghost, and thou makes the people believe, it is of some private interpretation, and so thou makes Merchandise of the people, and so out of thy own mouth art judged to be a liar, who before denied it. Whether thou dost speak as thou art moved by the Holy-Ghost, Que. 20, as they did, who spoke forth the Scripture? And in thy Answer thou sayst that thou hast answered to this already, P. Ans that thou usually dost speak at the motion or assistance of the Holy-Ghost, thou praises God for it. But thou hypocrite I have also in this already proved thee a liar, Reply. 2 Cor. 4.4 and thy God to be the Father of lies, who is the God of the blind world, in which thou art a blind guide, and an enemy to the Holy-Ghost, where he is witnessed to rule, and this James Parnel and those thou calls his fellows, can discern in thee though thou art blind and cannot them see. What Scripture hast thou for sprinkling Infants with water on their faces? Que. 21 and whether all are Christians and in the faith of Christ, that are so done by, or what doth it profit? And in thy answer, P. Ans. the deceit of thy heart thou utters, so that the simple may easily discern the folly, and also see how thou and the rest of thy brothers, have deluded and bewitched the Nation, for thou sayest thou holds not the Baptism of infants absolutely necessary but lawful only, and to prove the lawfulness of it thou sayest, it is sufficient, that thou hast no command in the Scripture against the sprinkling of infants in the face with baptismal water, but thou sayest thou hast the commandment of Governors, & thou art commanded to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake. Here the people now may see how they have been long deluded, for thy own mouth utters it, Reply. for whenas many of the people of this Nation who follow you blind guides, have persuaded themselves through your evil incensing, and leavening of their minds to this day, this to be absolutely necessary to salvation, and that their Children could not be saved, if they died without it: and now thou comes to the Trial, to prove it, thou confessest it is not necessary, but lawful only, and that is because there is no command of God against it, thou sayest: neither a command for it, but by man; and thus you have long deluded the nations, with your own Inventions, for the which you have no Scripture, then how is it your rule? here you run besides your rule, teaching for doctrine the commandments and traditions of men, which the Scripture is against, and therefore against infant's baptism, Math. 15.9. Col. 2.22.23. which by thy own confession is but an ordinance of man, Here thy 53. Que. is answered. but God is to be obeyed rather than man, and you do it not for the Lords sake, but for to please man: for the Lord doth not require it at your hands, and now all the ignorant people who have been in this bewitched by you, may see your blindness who have long made them believe that it was an ordinance of Christ, that their Children should be sprinkled (and one of the points of salvation) (as you call them) and now nothing but an ordinance of man, which will not stand for thee neither; for in that thou liest also, to say it is the commandments of thy governor's, for in that they leave every one to the liberty of their consciences, and all laws and ordinances afore time to the contrary are made by this nul and void: and now, doth the Holy-Ghost teach thee to lie? oh thou liar and blasphemer of the holy-Ghost, who said that usually thou speakest by the motion of the Holy-Ghost, and now art taken in a lie: oh Satan is high in thee, and thy wickedness is great, and which dost thou call thy baptismal water, this also is the deceit of thy heart, and that which is not of saith is sin, Rom. 14.2▪ therefore infant's baptism: for you say your faith is grounded upon Scripture, then where is your Scripture for infant's baptism, and thus out of the doctrine of Christ you are found, acting and doing your own works, and therefore the rest of thy pretended answer I shall leave to the impartial reader to judge of; wherein thou hast much manifested thy ignorance and bindnesse, and in vain hast thou quoted any Scripture: for if any of it would stand for infant's baptism, than it would be necessary, which thou confessest it is not, and therefore thou Serpent why wrestest thou the Scripture, thus to uphold that which is not necessary, and where as thou speakest of the promises made in the seed (but that seed is not the seed of the Serpent, which rules in all you Children of disobedience, therefore) what hast thou to do with the promises, and where dost thou prove that infant's baptism is the seal of the covenant or the badge of the Kingdom, as thou termest it: but thou liar, read what the seal is, in Eph. 1.13. and with that stop thy mouth. And whereas thou speakest of Christ's calling little Children, Here thy 54, and 55. Qu. is Ans. John. 4.2 Eph. 2.3. John. 3.3 what of that? Christ baptised none; therefore silence babbler: And how are your Children sanctified from the womb, (as thou sayest John was) when as all are by Nature the Children of wrath, and except they be borne again, they cannot enter, and therefore thou manifests, that your Church is made up of unregenerate persons, into which thou sayest they are admitted by water, and 20 or 30 years after they are thus baptised, you preach repentance to them, and this is the cause why the professors therein are earthly minded, as thou complainest, and therefore no Christian parents but blind carnal creatures, who thinks it profits their Children to be admitted into such a Church: and as the Children grow up, they show what seal you have given them, which is more like the mark of the beast than the seal of the covenant, and therefore your prayers which thou talkest of, are an abomination and availeth not, and thus hast thou foamed out thy shame and folly, to the sight of all but those who are blind and love to have it so, for here is one of the main points of your religion proved a mere delusion. Qu. 22. P. Ans. What is the estate and condition of a Christian? And in thy Answer, thou hast stolen the Apostles words, which he speaks concerning this matter, and says, There are three ages, steps, and degrees of Christianity; And the first Age, step, and Degree thou confessest is in Christ, and begotten of the Father in the hatred of sin, and love of righteousness, and by him brought to the knowledge of Redemption, from all iniquity, and Renovation in all righteousness. Here thou hast destroyed the whole faith of your visible Church; for they generally believe, Reply. that they shall never be wholly set free from all iniquity, nor be perfect in righteousness, while they are upon the earth; and if this be the lowest estate of Christianity, to be in Christ, and redeemed from all iniquity, and begotten by the Father, and renewed in all righteousness, (which is perfection in righteousness) then by thy own confession none of them are Christians, neither thou who art a teacher of them; for thou hast been openly found in sin and iniquity, as in lying, covetousness, lightness, scornfulness, oppression, and deceit, as before is proved; and now thou art again found a liar, in saying, that we know not the first estate of a Christian from the last; but we are able to discern thee, yet uncome to the first, and therefore far off the last, although in years an old man: yet a Child can tell thee thy confusion, therefore stop thy mouth thou deceiver, and sit thee down and consider, how thou and thy Brethren have for this many years deceived this Nation, and labour thyself, and repent in dust and ashes, lest the Lord in thy destruction make thee an example to all thy Brethren-deceivers. What doth the faith which thou professeth, Qu. 23. differ from the faith of the Hypocrite, and what is the faith of the Hypocrite? And in thy Answer thou sayest, P. Ans. thy faith is A trust in the Lord Jesus, to be helped up again from the fall, or to be saved from the hand of thine enemies, or of all that hate thee, and so to be renewed; through him, to be enabled to serve him, cheerfully and without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of thy life; and thou sayest, this faith brings forth obedience, and purifies the heart, and makes you conformable to Jesus, so that thou hopes for no benefit by his death, unless thou diest with him, to all known sins: but the faith of the Hypocrite, seeks all ways something by or through Christ, than what it should seek, (to wit) the putting off the old man, and the putting on the new, which is created after God in righteousness, and true holiness; and herein thou sayest, doth thy Faith differ from the Faith of the Hypocrite, and perhaps from James Parnell. Yea it doth, Reply. for my faith is, that there is no putting off the old man, and putting on the new, but by and through Christ, John 15.5. which is no more than what I should believe: and thy faith which is contrary, is the faith of the Hypocrite, which will perish; yea and out of thy own mouth I shall prove it; for by thy own confession, thou art still in the fall, in saying, that thou trustest in the Lord Jesus, to be helped up out of the fall again: hereby it is concluded, that thou art still in the fall; for if thou wast helped already out of the fall, than thou wouldst have the end of thy hope; but it's like this faith, thou hast professed this many years, and hast been a Teacher so long, and yet it hath not brought thee out of the fall; and therefore it is but a borrowed faith, and most of those expressions thou hast stolen out of Luke 1.71.72, 73, 74, 75. which hath not purified thy heart from lies and deceit: neither art thou in obedience, or conformable to Jesus Christ, who abides not in his doctrine, but teachest for doctrine the traditions of men neither art thou dead with him unto all known sins, for this is one to departed from his doctrine, and such hath not God: and this is proved against thee in many things, as in taking thy Tithes and maintenance, of the people's labours, which many of them its like do want it themselves, which is a great sin and oppression: and secondly in sprinkling infants which is a great delusion to the people; and many other things which is before proved against thee, which that in thy conscience cannot but testify against. And to prove another word, which thou callest the ingiven and Inspoken word thou quotest, Jer, 2.1. and 4.11, 13. and to prove another word which thou callest the out spoken word thou quotes, Psal. 68.11. and to prove another word, which thou callest the written word of the Lord thou quotest 2 Tim. 3.16, Here thy ignorance of God is not hid, Reply. who by thy wit and deceitful wisdom would make four of one: but all these Scriptures which thou hast quoted doth not prove any other then one, Jer. 23.29. which word was in the beginning by which all things was made, which thou confessest to be eternal powerful and living, and that word which came unto the Prophets was as a fire and a hammer to beat the Rocks in pieces, Heb. 4.12. than was it not powerful and living, and one and the same with that the Apostle speaks of which is quick and powerful, john. 1.1 1. and sharper than a two edged sword, and this is the same word of life which the Apostles spoke from and published which was from the beginning, 1 Pet. 1.23. and this was the same word which was published, which David there speaks of; and by this word was the Prophets all begotten and borne again, and this word is invisible, hid from the carnal eye, as thou thyself confessest though in confusion, but that Scripture which thou quotest in the 2 Tim. 3.16. to prove a written word, doth not mention any such thing; but if thou meanest that the Scriptures is that written word, I answer there are many words in the Scripture; but the word is but one, of which the Scriptures bears Testimony. And thus thy ignorance is manifested, and returned into thy own bosom, What is the end of Christ's coming and what is the redemption? And in thy Answer thou goest about to prove that many-fould which is but one, P. Ans. and so runs into thy sundry divisions in thy imaginations: and though thou accusest James Parnel, that he knows it not, yet he is able to discern thy confusion, for in one place, thou sayest there is a redemption from all sin, and another redemption from all evil, and this thou calls twofold; and thou sayest there is a redemption from the curse of the law, and another redemption from the guilt of sin, which also thou callest twofold. How many redemptions wouldst thou here make, of one, Reply, thou blind guide? Can any be redeemed from all sin? and not from all evil, and from the curse of the law, and not from the guilt of sin? and is not all this one, and by one, and fulfilled in one? But it may easily be concluded that thou canst witness none of this; for so long as thou art in the fall, thou art under the curse of the law, and the guilt of sin, as before out of thy own mouth is proved; and they that can witness this redemption, are Christians indeed, and cleasned from earthly mindedness: all which thou nor thy Church is not, as before out of thy own mouth is proved, but are still in your iniquity upholding the works of the Devil, and are not saved from your enemies that are of your own house; neither is the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in you, neither is your souls delivered out of the house of bondage, neither is Jesus your high Priest, who set up yourselves to be Priests in his stead, holding up the changeable Priesthood which took Tithes, and so denies Christ come in the flesh and therefore shall be judged by him, whom thou confessest is the judge of the world, all which thou sayest is the end of Christ's coming. Whether thou wilt own that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world, Que. 30. and whether they that know that light need any man to teach them, and whether thou leadest up any under thy Ministry, that they need not thee to teach them. And in thy answer thou confessest that Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, P. Ans. because the Apostle affirms it, Joh. 1.9. And secondly thou confessest, that they which have attained to the true knowledge of this light, need not that any man should teach them for they are sufficiently taught of God, thou sayest Jer. 31.34. But thou sayest thou deniest that we are so taught, or in such a measure; but thou sayest till that full light shine in you, you may have other helps and teachers which to prove, thou quotest, 2 Pet. 1.19.20. etc. But thou deceiver! thou run, and the Lord never sent thee, who hath been a teacher of the people, and a professor of the light so many years, and hast not yet brought any of thy hearers to the knowledge of the light; yea thou numberest thyself, amongst them whom this full light doth not yet shine, but stands in need of other helps, and teachers: then, thou hypocrite and dissembler, how shouldst thou teach thy hearers the full knowledge of the light, (as thou sayest they will witness for thee) when as thou thyself stands in need to be taught it, by thy own confession? Therefore it may well be resolved, that thou knowest not that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world neither wouldst confess it, but that the Apostle affirms it, in that Scripture which thou quotest in John 1.9. yea that Scripture which thou quotestin, Jer. 31.34. doth witness against thee, and thy hearers to be yet strangers to the promises: therefore thou hypocrite how hast thou belied thy own conscience, in saying that thou wouldst bring them to the knowledge of the light, that they should not need thee or any man to teach them, when as that is it, thou openly strivest against; for than thy Dianah would bring thee in no gain, which is thy greatest care to uphold, and this is witnessed in thy conscience, for a truth against thee; yea and this Scripture, which thou quotest in 2 Pet. 1.19, 20. will witness against thee to be a liar of the Apostle, for that speaks of the world within which shines as a light in a dark place which thou art not, yet come to know, and therefore thou denies the truth, but I tell thee we are in that measure of light, so that we are able to comprehend thee, and show thee thy confusion, and deceit; therefore silence, from bringing the Prophets or Apostles for thy proof, for they testify against such as thee, who pretendest to teach others, and to be a guide to the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, and an instructor of the foolish, Rom. 2.19.20. and art not yet taught thyself but art dark and blind, and ignorant of the light, and wants instruction thyself: by thy own confession therefore what an impudent liar art thou, who before said thou usely spoke by the motion of the holy-Ghost, and guided by an infallible Spirit, and now not come to that full knowledge of the light that thou needest no man to teach thee: but the Prophets and Apostles was come to that before they was made teachers, and they by the effect of their Ministry turned many from darkness to light, Act. 16.7. Eph. 8.5.1 Jonn. 2 22.31. Que. and brought them to the knowledge of the Anointing so that they needed no man to teach them therefore silence thou deceiver, for thy blessings is curses, and therefore profits not the people at all. Whether they be not the deceivers, that cry Lo here, and lo there, that draw people to look at a Christ, in a Heaven far off, without them, or at a Jerusalem, far off without them, when as they that cannot witness Christ in them are Reprobates. And in thy Answer, thou confessest, P. Ans. that they that cannot witness Christ in them, are in a Reprobate condition: but thou confessest, that thou wilt not say, that all who speak of a Christ within them, shall be saved, yet thou grants, that those Teachers who points only at a Christ without them, or to any other spiritual Kingdom of God, then what must be within, saying, Lo here is Christ, and lo there is his Kingdom, may be both deceivers, and deceived themselves for the present. Herein thou condemnest thy Brethren, Reply. to be deceivers, and deceived, who are set up, unpheld, and maintained, by the same earthly power as thou art, who are such as cry all, lo here and lo there without, and wholly draw the people's minds without, from the light within them, that should lead them to the knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom, incensing them that it is natural, and insufficient; and though thou dost here profess to the contrary, yet art out, of thy own mouth, judged to be out of the state of salvation, who only professest Christ within, yet art found as deep in sin and deceit, and as void of Christ or his Light, as the rest of thy Brethren, who art doting without, as before out of thy mouth is sufficiently proved, and so thyself art the greatest deceiver, only the Serpent's subtlety more resined; but that thou accusest us, that we cry, lo here amongst the people called Quakers, Christ a loan is to be found; Thou art a liar, and speakest not from an infallible spinit, but from a lying spirit, which many can witness against; yet they that are of God hear, as he that can receive it let him. Whether they be not out of the faith of Christ, Que. 32. that receive honour, or respect persons? And in thy Answer thou sayest, men may receive honour, and yet be in the faith of Christ, which to prove, P. Answ, thou quotest Phil. 2.19, 20.2 Cor. 6.16, 17.1 Cor. 11.1, 2, 3.2 Cor. 8.23. and many other which doth not at all concern the matter of my Query; yea thou sayest, men may respect persons, and be in the faith, which to prove thou quotest Act. 26.25. 2 Kings 3.14. Psal. 15.4. but thou confessest it is a great hindrance to the faith, and the believing in the true word, for men to seek the honour of men, more than the honour that comes from God, John 5.44. And thou sayest, it is also a blot and blemish to the true Believers, to respect the ungodly, that are great and rich in this world, before the true Saints that are poor; yea thou sayest, it is a plain denial of the faith, and a good conscience also, to respect persons in doing of justice, whether for favour or reward, Exod. 23.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. All these Scriptures which thou hast here quoted, Reply. doth not at all justify the earthly honour, which you earthly ones give and receive one of another: neither was these things written to the world, as thou makes use of them; neither did those whom the Apostle speaks of, seek after, or receive earthly honour, as you do, who are called of men Master, who are set up in the chief seats of the Synagogues and love greetings in the markets and uppermost Rooms at feasts, and all the earthly honour as may be: all which Christ declared against to the Pharisees, and judged them to be in the unbelief; in whose steps ye are found, and therefore in the unbelief also: neither doth any such earthly honour belong to any virtue or grace, John 5.4 42, 43, 44 Act. 26.31, 32. Ast. 24.5. Act. 22.22. for Christ hath declared against it; but they that honour God, them will God honour: neither doth any of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted, justify the respect of persons, which the Apostle declared against in James 2. neither did Paul respect the person of Festus, when he called him Noble Festus; for in that he did not adore his person, nor bow to, nor worship it; but Festus did that which was noble towards Paul, and judged him not worthy to suffer bonds according to their Law: which few of the Rulers of these days will do; but rather will wrest and pervert their Law to their own wills, to persecute those that now are in Paul's condition, and guided by Paul's spirit, and such they now call pestilent fellows, and raisers of sedition, and adjudge them not worthy to live amongst men, though they have nothing more against them, than the Heathen had against Paul; and notwithstanding, all this doth not justify your adoring, worshipping, and respecting men's person, having them in admiration for advantage sake, yea though wicked corrupt men, though you do not see it, because the gift blinds your eye) for they that are proud and persecuters, are wicked and corrupt, and by such you are set up, upheld and maintained, and therefore adore and worship their persons, having them in admiration, because of this advantage; but the poor Saints are both by you and them persecuted and despised, and you join together against them, because they cannot worship the Beast and his Image as you do; Rev. 13.8. and thus out of thy own mouth, art thou judged; and that Scripture which thou quotest in James 2. will witness against thee, and that also in Exod. 23. for it is well known, that you professed Ministers have been the greatest actors ever, in stirring up the Rulers to persecute the innocent, yea any in whom the appearance of God was manifested, in testimony against your deceitful ways: and the Rulers through favour and respect to you, have and do act in their corrupt wills, contrary to all Law or equity against such, and have oppressed the strangers as Vagabonds and idle fellows, though the Law of the Nation allow them liberty, being freeborn in it, which to this day is witnessed in divers places of the Nation, which that of God in your Consciences will also witness: & such as those deserves neither honour nor respect, but must perish in their iniquity; but in thou accused us to deny deserved honour and respect to be lawful is a very falsehood, for we honour and respect Justice, grace, ertue, and all goodness in our hearts; but you that are blind put injustice, for justice, and evil for good, and turn the grace of God, into laciviousness, Isa. 5.20 Qu. 33. Judas 4. Wilt thou own trembling and quaking now, yea on nay? And in thy Answer, P. Ans. thou seems to own it in words, also stealing others expressions out of the Scripture, to answer my Query; but thy life doth not steal it, neither dost thou own it where it is witnessed, but makes a scoff at it, as before is proved; and thy ignorance of the same may easily be discerned, (in this thy Answer) by any who have tasted of the power of God, who are come to the earth's trembling and quaking; and whereas thou denies to tremble and shake, as John Gilpin and others did, comparing them with the man possessed with the unclean spirit, in Mark 9.20. and to be a Quaker always thou deniest. Thou never wast a true Quaker yet, Reply. as may easily be discerned, by this thy discourse of it, who judgest by Reports; and compares the power of God unto an unclean spirit, which power made the Devils to tremble in John Gilpin, unto which thou art not yet come; though John Gilpin from that departed, and followed the deceit, and so was led into deep deceit and Imitation, and so gave occasion to such as thee, who wait for occasion to blaspheme the truth, and speak evil of the things thou knowest nothing of, but by Reports, which if the true fear of God was in thy heart placed, thou durst not do: therefore thou and John Gilpin shall receive your reward, where thou shalt quake for ever, if thou dost not speedily repent, and own the truth which in thy conscience is witnessed: but those others of ours, whom thou accusest, thou dost not nominate; and therefore accusest thou knowest not who: but any such foaming at the mouth, and the like, which thou here speaks of, we do deny, and returns it into thy own bosom, who art foaming out thy own shame. What is the pure Religion, and whether in it thou dwellest? 34. Qu. And in thy Answer, thou hast nothing to say, P. Ans. but what thou stealest out of the Scripture, from their experience, who spoke it forth, and thou quotest that in James 1.27. which saith, the pure Religion and undefiled before God, is this, to visit the Widows and fatherless in their affliction, and to keep themselves unspotted of the world, and thou also quotest that in Mat. 23.33.38.39, 40. and saith, It is to love the Lord our God, with all our hearts, mind and might, and our Neighbour as ourselves; and in this Religion thou sayest, thou desirest to dwell, and walk, and remain for ever, without being shaken. But thou must be much shaken before thou comest into this Religion; for thou hast not yet proved, Reply. that thou art yet in it; but these Scriptures which thou hast here quoted, will witness against thee, to be a stranger to it, though it is an easy thing for to set down others Declarations, when they are before thee; but how dost thou keep thyself unspotted of the world, when as thou art drowned in, and art so greedy of it, that thou carest not how thou gettest it, so thou gettest it, as before is sufficiently proved out of thy own mouth, and hast been all along labouring contrary to Scripture, to justify thy taking of gifts and Rewards of the world: and how dost thou visit the Widows and fatherless, unless it be for thy Tithes, or that they have to maintain thee, and so rather to add affliction upon them? or what dost thou do in this kind, but thou hast a selfe-end in it, let that in thy Conscience judge thee; and if thou didst love the Lord God with all thy heart, thou wouldst not have thy heart so in the earth, thus to delude and deceive people's souls for gain and lucre, and to take away the fruits of their labours by compulsion, (if they will not give it thee) though thou dost nothing for them, as before is proved against thee, to thy shame and confusion of face; and thus thy heart is adulterated from God into the earth, 1 John 2.15. and the love of God abides not in thee, who art in love with the world; and thus thou loves thy Neighbour as thyself, when for selfes-sake thou wouldst destroy him both body and soul; and thus I need no other weapon to cut off thy head, than what thou thyself bringest. What is the difference betwixt the Jew outwardly, 35. Qu. and the Jew inwardly, and how shall we know the one from the other? And in thy Answer thou sayest, the Jew outwardly desires to make a fair show in the flesh, P. Ans. or external man, with his outward Circumcision or Reformation, Gal. 6.12.13. in voluntary worship, and not sparing the body, Col. 2.23. he observes the lesser Commands, & leaves the greater undone, Mat. 23.23. & in one point he goes beyond, as thou sayest, he pays Tithes exactly; he makes clean the outside of the Cup and Platter, Reply. and makes all foul within, Mat. 23.15, 26. etc. and so here is enough to manifest that thou art the man; for here thou hast plainly read thyself, and out of thy own mouth shalt thou be judged, without contending or reviling, as thou accusest us; for thou hast been striving all along hitherto, to set out thyself, and make a fair outside, like a Reformation, though the hypocrisy of thy heart thou couldst not thereby hid from the light; and who are more strict in voluntary worship? but you can pamper your bodies, which shows your zeal is not so hot; and instead of observing the lesser Commands, and leaving the greater undone: you leave all undone that will not stand for Self; and preach up, and uphold these things for Commands, for which you have no Scripture, and so preach for Doctrine the Commandments of man, Mat. 15.9. as the outward Jew did; but if one ask you for your proof for these things, thou sayest, it sufficeth you, that there is no Command to the contrary; yea for thyself covetous ends thou art not ashamed to fetch up old Commands, (that were fulfilled, and so ended) for a cover for thy deceit; as here also thou wouldst seem to do in accusing us for not paying Tithes exactly, as the Pharisee did, which I know is the great grief of thee, and thy Brethren, because we put not into your mouths; Mich. 3.5. and therefore ye even prepare War against us, but when the Pharisee said he paid Tithes, they was then due; for the Priesthood to which Tithes belonged, was not yet fulfilled, and therefore not changed, and therefore it was his duty so to do; but you Priests have so blinded the Pharisees, and professors of these times, that they are so exact in paying you Tithes, and putting into your mouths, because you daub them up, Ezek. 22.28. crying peace to them, though they have no Command from God for it; and you take it as exactly, but you have but few such that you dare trust without a Law; for (as thou sayest) the greatest part of them are earthly minded, (like their Teachers,) and how hast thou been cleansing thy outside of the Cup, as if thou wast unblameable in this outward righteousness, and so holy in thine own eyes, that in words thou professest perfection, and as if thou knewest the highest estate of Christianity, and waste in the pure Religion without spots, & guided by God's spirit, usualy speaking by the motion of the Holy Ghost, but even condemned thy Brethren, and wouldst not answer for them; but said, thou was none of these Hirelings, nor greedy Dogs, etc. but yet could not keep thy tongue for uttering forth the foulness of thy heart, which hath overwhelmed thee all along, and out of thy own mouth hast been proved a liar; and thus thou art plainly dealt with, and judged out of thy own mouth; and the Scriptures aforesaid, which thou hast quoted, shall stand and witness against thee. But the Jew inwardly thou sayest, trusts in the Lord Christ, P. Ans. and hath no confidence in the flesh; but this thou dost not, for than thou wouldst trust him for thy maintenance▪ and not stand in need of the arm of flesh, upon which thou relyest: neither dost thou first make clean the inside of the Cup, that the outside may be fair also, as thou sayest, the inward Jew doth; but though thou hast been much labouring with feigned words of thy own wisdom, and selfe-justification, to deck and adorn the outside, painting it with Scripture-words and expressions, yet thy inside is so foul, that it defiles the outside also, so that it makes thee odious to all but the blind; and manifests thy heart to be yet uncircumcised from sin, and a stranger to the inward Cross, by which thou art not crucified to the world, nor the world to thee; for than it would not suffice thee to take the tenth part of the increase of the labour of the Labourers, by the will of man, without any Command from God, as thou dost, living at ease like a Drone upon the same, and therefore thy heart is far off uprightness: all which the Jew inwardly, thou sayest doth witness; and thus in a word, thou seest there is as much difference betwixt the one and the other, as betwixt Saul and Paul, a persecutor and an executor of Christ's Doctrine and way; and thus in a word, thou hast marked out thyself, and art found out of the way and Doctrine of Christ, persecuting, despising, and gain, saying those that abide in it; and thus by thy fruits art thou known, as thou sayest, the one may be known from the other; And thus proud Goliath, thy head is cut off with thy own sword. Whether they that profess themselves the Ministers of Christ, Que. 36. and cannot give account of their Ministry and faith, but acts contrary to the Scripture, the Doctrine and practice of the Ministers of Christ, and teacheth people so, be not such as abides not in the Doctrine of Christ, but brings another Doctrine, and so are the Witches, Magicians, and deceivers, Antichrists and false Teachers, who are not to be received, but denied. And in thy Answer thou confessest, P. Ans. that they which are truly such in Doctrine and life, as this Query describes, may be truly termed spiritual Witches and Magicians, and must be rejected as false Teachers, and Antichrists. Here thou hast passed the sentence unto thy own condemnation; Reply, for thou art the man, as sufficiently is proved, both out of thy own mouth, and the Scriptures, which thou thyself hast quoted as aforesaid; and so henceforward, let all people take notice, that thou Thomas Draton of King Rippon in Huntingtonshire, art a spiritual Witch and Magician; and they are to reject thee, as a false Teacher and an Antichrist, as here out of thy own mouth is plainly proved; and this, him thou callest James Parnell, doth testify, and deny thee with thy Sorcery, Ribbons, Stones, Waters, Glasses, Powders, Charms, and other like Enchantments, which thou, who art given up to believe lies, impudently would cast upon him, and those thou callest his confederacy, who abhors all such abomination, and therefore returns it into thy own bosom, from whence it comes. And thus thou sayest by clear Scripture and experience, Priest. thou hast answered the bold Queries, of him who is known to the World, to be out a boy, or stripling. As thou begannest with a lie in thy mouth, Reply. so also thou endest with a lie; for by plain Scripture, and true experience, thou hast not answered these Queries; for in many things thou mayst find no Scripture at all in the least to countenance thee, than thou pleadest old stories and Records, and saith also, it sufficeth thee, that there is no Scripture to the contrary; but thou shalt know, that in any thing that thou dost, in which the Scripture will not stand for thee, it will in the same stand against thee; and also when thou didst wrest any Scripture for thy own ends, it was made use of to witness against thee in the same; and how hast thou answered by thy own experience, when as thou stole the Apostles Declaration, and set it down, even word for word, to prove the estate of a Christian, when as it was proved out of thy own mouth, that thou art not come to witness in possession, the lowest estate of a Christian; and thus thou might have been ashamed to boast of thy Age, who art found such an impudent liar, as to say by clear Scripture and experience, thou answered these. Queries, (which are not so bold as true,) in which all that are not wilfully blind, will witness against thee; and thus him thou contemnest, as a boy or stripling, is made able to cut off thy head with thy own sword; and therefore henceforward, let shame and confusion of face cover thee, for boasting of thy age, who yet knowest not, That the wisdom and power of the Almighty, stands not in the number of years, or the arm of flesh; but the righteous are as bold as a Lion, Prov. 28.1. And now to thy Counter-Queries, as thou callest him, which for a Compeiment, thou biddest me give he leave to propound, but meaned not to stay to know whether I did so or nay. First concerning honour and respect to be given to men. And to the substance of these Querie, I answer, that Christ himself cries down all earthly honour and admiration, and respect of man's Person, and only attolerates the honour that is of God, and cometh from God and belongs unto the seed of God which is not known amongst you Children of this world, whose honour and glory is of this world, in whom the seed of the Serpent rules head, to which no worship not honour is due, the which all the world wonders after & worship the beast & his image, but none of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted, doth at all maintain, your heathenish breeding, worship, honour, manners and respect as you call it, but now he is risen and reigns to whom all Nations must bow, to whom alone, belongs all honour, praise, dominion and thanks: therefore silence proud flesh that would go about to rob him, it's you that are offended in him, and persecute him because he cannot bow unto you, and as for that Scripture, Honour all men, I answer with another Scripture which thou hast quoted, Psl. 15.4. in whose eyes a vile person is contemned: here all men are not honoured but in the Lord, therefore you that abide not in the doctrine of Christ, must not be received nor bidden God's speed: And as for that Scripture, Leu. 19.22. which thou quotest in thy seventh Query I answer with Solomon's words, wisdom is the grey hair, and an undefiled life is old age: Wisd. 4.8.9. and this is not without honour, though by the world condemned. And to thy 9 Query, whether standing bare, 9 Query. with the head uncovered, before the Magistrates be not a decent posture, sense it is a posture that the Apostle requires in the behalf of God; which to prove thou quotest, 1 Cor. 11.4.5, 6, 7, 8. I answer, no man must be honoured in respect to his person, Ans. and the honour of justice and equity lieth not in the putting off the hate, or keeping it on, but it is a heathenish custom, contrary to any Scripture rule or example, and therefore not a decent but an unseemly posture, (as thou callest it) for men so to adore one another's persons: and that Magistrate that seeks for, or owns such a thing, stands in his own will and is partial, and rules not for God, but for himself, and such God doth not stile as Gods upon earth, (as thou sayest) but rather unjust stewards: and thou blind guide read in the 3 verse of the Chapter aforesaid, Jam. 1.2 and see what is the head of the man: but thy head is the Serpent, and according to thy own meaning most of ye Priests condemns yourselves in this, who commonly have your heads covered with Caps, when you pretend to pray or prophecy. And that Scripture, 1 Tim. 6.11. which thou hast quoted in thy 10. Querie, and Rom. 10.10. which thou hast quoted in thy 11. Querie, was not spoken to the world, who accounts man in gay clothing, and a Gold Ring as a superior, and a man in vile and poor raiment as an inferior, and accordingly prefers them & respects them, contrary to Scripture, and you leaders cause them to err, therefore wrist not the Scripture, for your own ends, lest in turn to your destruction 2 Pet. 3.16. Whether the pronounce of the second person, Q. 12. singular, may not out of the Hebrew and Greek be as well rendered you as thou, especially since in the plural number, it is always rendered ye & not thee, & the Dutch tongue, whence we borrow much of our language hath (you.) Here thou son of Babylon, Ans. who art thy carnal reason in thy languages confused, who stumblest at the plain language (thou:) what is that in thee that cannot bear the word thou, which is the single proper language to a single person, as well as you, which thou confessest is a borrowed language: & thus the Hebrews & the Grecians & the Romans & the Dutch will condemn you, who are content with their natural language. Whether it hath not been ever accounted rude Q. 13. and Rustical in this Nation for inferior men to speak unto others their superiors by the word (thou) and not you, and also to stand with their hats on, unless leave were given them so to do. Thou blind sot, thou hast laid thyself naked to the world (with thy rude and rustical Querie) it was never accounted so, but by Dives-nature which is swelled with Pride and arrogancy, yea that which would be above God, which must come down into the pit: Is not God the superior of all, then why do you give unto him that rude and rustical language, (as thou callest it): here thou manifests thyself amongst the Heathen, who know not God, who excercise Lordship and authority one of another, and so you rule in your own wills, Mat. 20.25. and would not suffer your fellow creatures to put their hats on their heads, but as you give them leave, and so are out of the doctrine of Christ, with your rude and rustical Spirits; And was not (thou) the language betwixt God and Adam, and betwixt God and Moses, and so all along the Scripture to one particular person, Gen. 3.11.12. Exod. 10 11.12. then whether or nay is thine a rustical proud Spirit, that canst not receive the language thou givest unto God: and thus thou hast sufficiently foamed out thy shame: and I am sure now thou speakest not by the motion of the Holy-Ghost. Whether ever Christ or his Apostles taught us to alter or violate the civil speeches and customs of the Nation where we live, Que. 14 by which our reverence to others is expressed, and accordingly expected, if not commanded also and thou quotest, 1 Cor. 10.32. Christ is not your teacher, for out of his doctrine ye are found, in the pride of your hearts, Answ. contemning his speech and language, and are not contented with your natural language, but borrows of others, in which custom we are not to follow you, out of the language of the Scripture, and so here by thy Querie, you express no reverence of God, because to him you use the word Thou, which you do account an uncivil speech therefore now see what is that which takes offence, at that which God accepts; it must needs be of proud Lucifer, and that same took offence at the Apostle, who said Give no offenre, yet the truth is a stumbling stone, and a Rock of offence, therefore now see how thou stumblest at the noon day: Isa. 59.10. Thy next is concerning Salutations at your meetings with others, or departings from others. Unto which I answer, that your heathenish customs traditions and salutations I do deny, and know them to be contrary to Scripture: for, saith it, let him that nameth the name of God depart from iniquity; therefore you that are in iniquity do take his name in vain, and make a custom and byword of it, amongst yourselves when you meet with or departed from one another, and so your Children learn it at you, and by imitation use his name before they do know whether there be a God or nay. And to that in Ruth 2.4. and to that in Psal. 1 29.8. which thou hast quoted in thy 15. and 16. Qu. I answer, They that there named the name of the Lord knew him and that in the Psalm will witness against you, that you have nothing to do to name his name, nor to have such words spoken to you, who know him not: and read what God saith to the wicked, in Psal. 16. and why call ye me Lord and do not the things which I say: but the salutations of the Saints I own, who are not by custom lead; Luk. 6.46. And to Math. 10.12. and Luk. 10.5. which here thou hast quoted, I answer that you are no Ministers nor Messengers of Christ, who are found out of his doctrine, therefore peace is not given you to speak, but as false Prophets you speak it to that which is for death, because that puts into your mouths; and even prepares war against those that do witness the Son of peace. Thy next is concerning meat, drink, and apparel. And to thy first Query of that, I answer, All the creatures of God are good in their places, and all things for the use of man who dwells in the moderation, but cursed to you, who live under the curse, in the lust, under whom the creation groans, who know not the pure wisdom, that made all things, 1 Cor. 10.31. Rom. 14.17. to teach you how to use all things, to the glory of God, and therefore are out of the right: and thy 23.24. Qu. are here answered, but you are they whose Kingdom stands in meats and drinks and apparel, who are taking thought what to eat, what to drink, and where withal to be clothed, math. 6, 15. And to this Querie, Qu. 22. where hath God enjoined men to drink water, in any part of his word. I answer thou may'st be ashamed to boast of thy age, who askest such a childish Querie: I might as well ask thee, where God enjoined men to drink bear, for water is the original of all drinks, for in the days of old, water was the common drink; hast thou not read of jacob's well, where Christ drunk, then who art thou that despisest water, it is a sign thou servest the lust, but if any drink water who know the goodness of it, what is that to thee? who enjoins thee to drink water? And in thy 25. Querie, thou answerest thyself. And this Querie is, Whether one may not satisfy the flesh even in over fasting and overwatching the body which to prove thou quotest, Col. 2.23. Qu. 23. But I perceive thou wilt have a care of that, who hast been pleading so much for the body which is the most thou mindest; thy zeal is not so hot: but they that dwell in the power of God are free from this, and yet know how to keep under the body and not satisfying the last, but you that know not the Creator, trust in the Creature. And here thou askest, Qu. 27. whether are not the Saints to sanctify their meats and drinks, by Prayer and Thanksgiving, before and after they eat and drink, which to prove, thou quotest 1 Tim. 4.5. & Rom. 14.16. To the pure all thingsare pure, Ans. but thy prayers are abomination, who art in the lust; but which of these Scriptures maintains your Custom after meat; Tit. 1.15. but the Saints receives nothing of God, Mal. 1.2 but with Thanksgiving, and glory to God, but your blessings are cursed, and here is thy 28. Query answered also. Whether the Apostles Interdiction be absolute against all Ornaments, Queen 29. or Comparative only; and thou hast quoted a Scripture in 1 Pet. 3.3, 4. which answereth thee: where thou mayst read, what Ornaments he approves of, and here thy 30.31.32. Query is answered; but moderation in every thing I own, but what is waist is for the lust, both in Kings, Princes, and great personages, (as thou callest them) but with us there is no respect of persons, neither taking thought, what to eat, what to drink, or wherewithal to be clothed, as the Children of this world do, amongst whom thou art found; but our Kingdom is not of this world: and Israel after the flesh was a figure of Israel after the spirit: therefore now read their adorning if thou canst, and remember no Creature was made for the lust, though lustful men abuse them. Thy next is concerning Pride. And thy first Question of this is, whether pride doth lie in Apparel (though there may be much wastfulness, vanity, and ostentation committed therein) or inwardly, in the heart and mind of the poor, as well as of the rich, and thou quotest Mark 7.21.22, 23. The Scripture which thou hast quoted, Answ. doth answer thy Question, where pride lieth; but Apparel is a dead thing, and no pride in it, but the vanity and wastfulness (which thou confessest is committed therein) figures forth the pride of the heart; and where riches is, this is shown: (therefore you Priests, look at home, and judge yourselves) though poor and rich be both in one nature before the Regeneration, Eph. 2, 3. Whether one of the greatest things, that puffs up the hearts of men, be not knowledge? Queen 34. whether it be true or false, and imagined only: and thou quotest 1 Cor. 8.1, 2. You that are carnal, and fleshly, Ans. are puffed up with your fleshly notional knowledge; and in that yo usteal from others experiences; but the true knowledge of the spirit puffs not up, but judges down that which would be exalted; but this unto thee, is a mystery, because thy knowledge hath blinded thy eye, who art confused in thine Imaginations; so read thyself in the Scripture aforesaid, which thou hast quoted. Whether another thing that exalts a man in pride, Queen 35. and makes him despise his Brethren (and perhaps, those that are better than himself) be not a Conceited & selfe-chosen holiness, seeing such a proud Saint is brought in Isay 65.5. which thing also (thou sayest) is verified in the Pharisee and the Publican, Luke 18.15. Thou hast here answered thyself, with these Scriptures, wherein thou mayst read thyself, Answ. who thinkest thyself more holy than thy Brethren, and would only answer for thyself, and not for thy Brethren, though thou art found in the same practices; but thou blind Pharisee, he was not a Saint, which was spoken of in Isay 65.5. but he was a Saint, which said, We are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness, 1 John 5.19. and here also thy 36. Question is answered, with the Scripture which thou hast quoted, 1 Tim. 3.6. who art a false Teacher, doting about Questions. And here thou askest whether a young man be not the pronest of all other, Que. 31. to be thus seduced and puffed up: and thou quotest 1 Tim. 3.6. Thy spite is much against youth; but him thou shoots at, Ans. thou canst not hit, because thou art blind, and canst not divide the word aright; but thou mayst plainly have readthy self in that Chapter aforesaid, and find that thou art the novice who knows not the truth, but despisest the young man, because of his youth, which is contrary to Paul, 1 Tim. 4.12. And thy next is, to maintain Swearing. And thy first Query of this is, whether it be lawful now, Qu. 31. in the new Testament to take an Oath before lawful Authority, to put an end to controversies, and thou quotest Heb. 6.16. This which thou goest about now to uphold manifests thee an enemy to Christ and his Doctrine, Ans. who saith, Swear not at all; for saith he, it hath been said in the old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oath; but I say unto you, Swear not at all, but let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay; for what is more is evil: now here he doth not only forbid false swearing, but also all swearing, Mat. 5.33.34. etc. and also the Apostle James doth the same, in James 5.12. both which Scriptures thou hast quoted in thy 39 Query, and so here out of the Doctrine of Christ, again thou art found in the evil; and all you that cannot believe one another without swearing, and so are more than yea and nay; and what is more is evil, (saith Christ:) now read your condemnation, and as for that in Heb. 6. there the Apostle was speaking by way of comparison, how the Lord made a Covenant, and confirmed it with an oath, which is Christ Jesus the everlasting Oath, who saith, swear not at all: and the Apostle brought a comparison▪ from men in strife and controversy; but this doth not at all maintain swearing now; for strife and controversy is out of the Doctrine of Christ, and such runs into the swearing, and into the evil, amongst whom thou art found upholding the evil and opposing Christ's Doctrine, and so art found in the condemnation of the Devil, James 5.12. this was not the Saints practise; for in the new Covenant, neither strife nor swearer is; and thus you leaders cause men to err, by upholding that which Christ is against, & here thy 39 Query is answered. Here thou askest whether Paul himself did not swear, Que. 40. in these words, 2. Cor. 11.10. as the truth of Christ is in me, etc. Oh thou enemy of truth, that would hear scandal, and accuse Paul for swearing, that so thou might uphold swearing: but by what doth he here swear? this is plain Language. And thy next is concerning outward material Churches, and the public exercises therein. Most of these Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 17th Query, Answ. wherein I have declared why I object against your Steeple-houses, which thou callest Churches. Here thou askest if such meetings may not be mixed Assemblies, Qu. 44. of learned, & unlearned, of believers and unbelievers, and thou quotes 1 Cor. 14.23. But the un-believers are not owned by the believers, Answ. though he come amongst the believers, as in 2 Cor. 6.14. 15, 16, 17, 18. then the Ministers are far off, being maintained by unbelievers, as thou art; for though thou confessest the greatest part are earthly minded, and worldly minded: thou yet art maintained by them, and I am sure, they that come into the true faith, which purifieth the heart, come out from amongst you, so that you are not much mixed; for you are all one nature, like Priest, like people. And in thy 47. & 48. Query, thou askest, if Christ and his Apostles, did not frequent the Synagogues. Yea they did, Answ. and so do we your Idoll-Temples; but therein the Jews will condemn you, who suffered them to speak, as in that Scripture which thou hast quoted in Acts 13, 14, 15. which shall stand and witness against you, who will not suffer us to speak in your Steeple-houses, but suffers your flocks to hale us forth, and fall upon us like Wolves, and your Magistrates to hale us to prison; therefore read your condemnation, you persecuters, and thy 49. Query is answered already with the other aforesaid. Here thou askest, Qu. 50. if the Prophet did not complain to God, against the profaners, and destroyers of the Synagogues, in Psal. 74.4, 5, 6, 7. This Scripture which thou hast quoted, doth answer thee, but it doth not uphold your Idols Temples, Answ. who worship you know not what, wherein you teach for Doctrine the traditions of men, and there are found in the steps of the Pharisees, offering up your abominations, as Christ marked you out in Mat. 6.5. where he meant as he spoke; and all you do there, is for self, and not for God; for he saith, in vain do you worship him, Mat. 15.7, 8, 9 and here thy 51. Query is answered, but take notice, your Steeple-houses are not the houses of God, as before is proved. Is it unlawful to call, either Baptism, Que. 52. or the Supper of the Lord, a Sacrament or obliging Mystery? since that name imports no more, and you cannot deny, but that both these are mystical things, and obliging mysteries, to the washing away of sin, and the following of Christ into his life & death. Is thy Baptism now become an obliging Mystery to the washing away of sin, Answ. which in thy Answer to my 21. Query, thou said, was not absolutely necessary, but lawful only? can it wash away sin, and yet not be necessary; but this is all thou knowest of that mystery that washeth away sin, or deire after it; for where sin is washed away, this confusion stays not behind. Yea I do deny that there is any thing in your sprinkling Infants, or your Bread and Wine (which doth profit) as is manifest by these that receive them of you, who never yet was washed from their sins and pollutions, or ever tasted of the death of the Cross; 1 Cor. 12.13. but the Baptism I own, and the Supper of the Lord I own; but the word Sacrament I deny, for the which you have no Scripture, whatsoever thou sayest it doth import. And thy 53.54. & 55. Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer, to my 21. Query, and thy 56. and 57 Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer, to my 25. Query. Who is there among you who are called Quakers, Que. 58. or the other Sectarians your forefathers, that hath rightly declared the mystery of Christ's body and blood in your dissentings from us? since none of you have declared this according to our Lord's intent, John 6.33. As for Sectarians (as thou callest them) they are in your Generation: Ans. and art not thou ashamed to call them our forefathers, when as they now join with you against us, yea and in this very thing, wherein they are blind as you are; but the mystery we know, and have declared to the comfort of many a restless soul, who never could find true comfort in your dark and dead forms, as thousands in the Nation will witness; and this we have declared according to our Lord's intent: therefore thou liar and slanderer, stop thy mouth, and take not his name in vain, and that Scripture in John 6.33. which thou hast quoted, will witness against thee, in that thou wouldst uphold: and thy 59 Query is answered with thy 56. & 57 And thy next is concerning the present Ministers and Teachers, and their maintenance. Were there no Ministers in this Nation, Qu. 60. that held forth the truth amongst us, till you and your associates risen up? since we have our Lords promise, the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church, and, be hold I am with you to the end of the world. What is become then of all your forefathers, Que. 61. theirs and ours, who died since the Apostles days, till your rising up with a pretended spirit? Thou carnal one, Answ. hast thou nothing to do, but to raise the dead, to dispute about? but, to answer a fool, I say they are gone, as the just and righteous Judge hath disposed; but now he calls all every where to repent, his Trumpets are sounding a warning, and there was none that preached for hire, that held forth the truth in the life and power of it, but made a Trade and gain of the Letter, from it speaking a divination of their own brain, as you do now, and those was your forefathers; but if you had the Lords promise, that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you; for the Lord will be with you; then what need you a Law of man to set you up, uphold you, and maintain you: therefore it follows, the Lord is against you and his promises doth not belong unto you, who dare not trust him; and therefore are but pretenders, and this the spirit of truth in us can tell you. If there were some taught of God before you were called, Que. 62. why are they not owned by any of you? Thou art not one that art so taught; for thou art found out of his Doctrine, therefore with that stop thy mouth, and do not belly us: for who receive and obey the truth, we do own, whatsoever they have been, and here also thy 63▪ and 64. Query is answered. And thy 65.66. & 67. Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 9 & 10th Query. Ans. Is the teaching Priesthood to cease, Que. 68 till the spiritual Melchizedeck come unto us, to bless us after the slaughter of all our enemies, with the heavenly bread and wire, Gen. 14.18.19. Heb. 2.1, 2, 3. that you say the Priesthood of Aaron with the Law annexed of Tithes, is ceased under the Gospel. Yea, so it is ceased: and those Scriptures doth not prove to the contrary but that in Heb. 7. doth affirm it, Answ. 〈…〉 before proved; but in that you uphold it, in taking Tithes, you deny the spiritual Melehizedeck; and if that be the teaching Priesthood, which thou meanest, it is already ceased, to many who are come to see the end of it; but the gift blind your eyes, and therefore you still uphold it, and lead the blinds into the ditch, and so the woe is to you, and not the blessing; and this Scripture in Eph. 4.11, 12. etc. doth not at all maintain you, and here also thy 69. Query is answered. And thy 70.71.72, & 73. Queries are answered in my Reply to thy Answer to my 14th Query. Did ever the Church of Rome cast greater reproaches upon the Protestant Ministers, Que. 74. than you do; and are you not Jesuited by some of her Emisseries, that you would have them all one with another, rooted out at once; yea can the Devil himself desire more in this kind? I see no difference in the ground betwixt the Church of Rome and you; Answ. for they are bloody persecuters, and upheld by a persecuting Law, and so are you (who call yourselves Protestant's) and therefore no reproaches, to call you persecuters, hirelings, false Teachers, and greedy Dogs, as the Prophets of old called your forefathers, in whose steps you are found, as is before proved; but howsoever, thou with thy lying spirit termest us of the Jesuits, both thou and thy Brethren have in this been sufficiently proved liars: therefore by the sword of the Lord you must all be rooted out, yea ye must all fall together, Zach. 13.7. Ezek. 21.91.10, 11. he will make a grievous slaughter, from the least to the greatest; for his hand is stretched out against you; and therefore your Father the Devil bestirs himself amongst you, to stand up for his Kingdom; and where did ever the Church of Rome persecute any, sparing the life, more than you do: therefore let guilt strike you, and put not the Devil so far from you, when as he fights for you; ●or. 10.4, ● but carnal Weapons we shall not use against you, to root you out, but our Weapons are spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds: therefore tremble all ye enemies of God. Thy next is concerning the Inward light. Is there not a false light as well as a true light, Qu. 75. & thou quotes, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. Thou hast answered thyself with this Scripture, and I have already proved that this false light rules in thee, as an Angel of light, who art a Minister of Antichrist, transforming thyself as a Minister of Christ, but out of their life and practice art found, and therefore guided by a false light, which is an evil eye, and dangerous darkness, so that thou canst accuse others, but canst not see the falseness and deceit of thine own heart, but thinks that thou speakest by the motion of the Holy-Ghost, when as therein thou hast sufficiently been proved a liar, and thus Satan rules in thee, and makes thee believe he is God, 2 Thes. 2.4. and here is thy 76, Querie answered also, and that Scripture which thou quotest in Math. 6.23. shall stand and witness against thee. Are we not therefore, to try men's pretended light by the law and word of God, and thou quotest Isa. 8.20. You neither know the law nor word or God, P. Ans. and therefore relies upon the law and word of man, contrary to the law & word of God▪ & yet pretendest to the light & the law and the word of God and so by it art tried, and found to be a deceiver who puts the letter for the word and the letter for the law, both which is within: but according to thy own meaning, thou art out of the light, who attest many things contrary to the law and testimony as before is proved. What may men think of your pretended light, who hate so many of your brethren in the Ministry of England? Que. 78. and thou quotest, 1 Joh. 2.9. The thoughts of man is vain, Ans. and wouldst thou have the light tried by that? here thou errs from the law, and from the testimony, and so confirms my former answer: therefore cease thy false accusing, from the evil thoughts of thy heart, for none of my brethren in the Ministry of God do I hate: but I deny that thy brethren are mine, Mat. 23.35. for you are spring of another seed, and so are become another generation, in which the righteous blood is found shed, and therefore murderers; unto whom belongs this in 1 John 2.9. and Chap. 3.15. where you may read yourselves. Is there not another light to go before the light of Christ, Qu. 79. seeing the wise men that came from the East, were guided unto Christ by a star? Mat th' 2. Thy ignorance of Christ and his light, Answ. thou hast here manifested, and so confirmed my reply to thy answer to my 30. Querie, that thou wouldst not have confessed that Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, had not John so plainly affirmed it in, joh. 1. and that thou never yet saw his star, who thinks that it is not his light: therefore thou that wouldst set up another light before the light of Christ, art a deceiver and a bringer in of false lights. Is not the sure prophetical Word, Qu. 86. a light that shines in a dark corner, till the true day light arise, in your hearts? 2 Pet. 1.19. But it is the light of Christ, that leads unto Christ the perfect day? Ans. which light shines in darkness, and darkness comprehends it not, and therefore thou looks without, john 1.5. for another light before the light of Christ. Whether the life of Christ be not the true light that men are to wait for, Qu. 8 1. and wherein the true Children of light are to walk? and thou quotest, john 1.4. and Eph. 5, 9 Thou hast here answered thyself, Ans. for his life is the light of men, which they must wait to know within them, to guide them: and thou that wouldst set up another light, before this light, art a deceiver; and this is the light which now is come into the world, testifying against the world, john. 3.19.20. and manifesting you to be the de●●●ers of the world, who have long set up false lights to draw from this true light, the minds of people: therefore now you can no longer hid yourselves from this true light, you stand up to oppose it where it is set up, and some calls it a natural light, and an insufficient light, but it is your condemnation. Thy next is concerning Prophets and Prophetesses Whether some men may not be acted with a Spirit of falsehood, Que. 82. and delusion, even then when they think they Prophesy by the Spirit of God as Zedekiah was, 1 King 22. This is already answered in my reply to thy answer to any 6th. Query: Ans. and thou in divers places to be thus acted. Whether the Lord did ever send forth boys or striplings to be his prophets & public teachers, Q. 83. seeing John the Baptist who was born to be a Prophet, of the most high, and was filled with the Holy-Ghost from his Mother's womb, was not sent forth to preach and Prophesy till he was 30 years old Luk. 1.15. How often have I made thy folly and ignorance, Ans. in this to appear? and that thou might be ashamed to boast of thy age, who so often hast erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, who would limit it to time & age, in which I have before sufficiently answered thee and now I say the Lord sent forth jeremiah when he was but a Child, jer. 1.6.7. Psal. 8.2. Mat. 21. and out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings, the Lord hath perfected his praise, therefore henceforward stop thy mouth, for despising any be-because of their youth, but know this that whomsoever God calls to his Ministry, he by his power and wisdom doth fit them, for the same, and contrary to the reason of man, doth the Lord work, therefore if thou wast not blind, thou wouldst not so much look at the creature, Math. 11.25. but at the power of God in the creature: but as it is written, He hath hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto Babes: and here thy 84. Querie, is also answered. Whether the Lord will break his own orders and commands, Qu. 85 expressly set down in his word, where he saith (as you already heard) by Paul 1 Tim. 3.6. And unto this I have already answered, Answ. at to thy 37, Querie: therefore thou blasphemer, stop thy mouth and be ashamed thus to accuse the Lord, because he is pleased to make his power known, in babes and youth, for Timothy, to whom Paul writes this Epistle was himself but a youth, as Paul writes 1 Tim. 4.11.12. and there read thy rebuke, Where did Christ or his Apostles send forth women to be public prophetesses as you have done many and some of them not long since infamous for lewdness of life. Qu. 86. Oh thou impudent one, Answ. how dost thou provoke the Lord to indignation against thee, that dar'st lay any such thing to the Charge of Gods elect? oh thou liar, whom dost thou accuse of lewdness? we abhor thy words for all lewdness, and profaneness we testify against, wheresoever it doth appear, or any thing contrary to the pure divine light, which now in thy conscience, and many other consciences doth here witness, for us, against thee who art given up to beleivelies, and report them: therefore read thy portion in Rev. 21.8. and read an answer to thy Querie, in Joel. 2.28. where the Lord saith the sons and Daughters shall prophecy, Rom. 16.1.2.3.4. and none other do we own but who immediately are carried forth by the Spirit of the Lord, without the commission of man: therefore thou falsely accusest us, who sayest we send forth any. If you be extraordinary Prophets immediately inspired as many of you pretend to be, Qu. 87. where are the miracles which such inspired men wrought in times past? But that we are so inspired thou dost not believe, Ans. (as may easily be discerned by thy Querying) and therefore unto thee no sign shall be given who art in the adulterous generation who cannot see the signs that follow the truth, Math. 16.4. What have you foretold by way of predication, Qu. 88 which hath accordingly come to pass as the Prophets, Apostles and inspired men were wont to do? If thou canst tax us to the contrary thou mayst, Answ. we bear not witness of ourselves, but he that believes hath the witness within himself. And as for thy 89.90.91. and 92. Queries, they are answered in my reply to thy answer to my 16. Querie, and thy 93. Querie, is answered in my answer to thy Query concerning Salutations. Whether is a multitude of disciples and followers, Que. 94. sure signe that his doctrine is from heaven, who is followed, seeing the way is broad that leads to destruction and many there be that find it, and thou quotest, Math. 7.13. and 2, Pet. 2.22. Many are called but few chofen, Answ. and many for a time followed Christ, so that the ruler said if we let this fellow alone, all men will go after him, which is the cry of you and your rulers, now against the messengers of truth, and hast thou never read of the multitudes that followed Christ, but few there be that enter, john 11.48. Mat. 7.14. because strate is the Gate; but divide England into parts, and see if the greatest number belong not unto you, who are in the broad way: your lives preach you forth, therefore now thou should have first asked thyself this Query, and said Is it I, and so have laid thy hand upon thy mouth. Seeing this age is earthly-minded and willing to serve God, Qu. 95. with that which costs them nothing contrary to the pious and noble spirit of David 2 Sam. 24.24. is it any great wonder that your doctrine against Tithes, should find so many willing yea greedy entertayners of it, as it hath done since it was first broached? The more is your shame, who are teachers in this age, that are so earthly-minded, Answ. who have so long taken their moneys for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which profiteth not: Isa. 55.2. do you not herein manifest yourselves to be such as run, and the Lord never sent you, jer. 23.21.22.32. and therefore you profit not the people at all, but they are still earthly-minded, how have you then sown spiritual things? but I shall prove that the earthly-minded ones still stick unto you, for you have a law made by the will of man, so that if they refuse to pay you, and forsake you, then by it you cast them into prison, and by your law take triple damage, and this they know, and therefore consult with their earthly minds, that it is better to pay the lesser than the greater, there is much difference betwixt servings God and your bellies. though the lesser is a greater oppression: and thus mank deny the truth, though they are convinced in their consciences thereof, therefore that which leads any from you, to take up this cross to own the truth, and deny you of Tithes, the same crucifies the earthly mind, and lead to suffer for conscience. And the noble Spirit of David condemns you: for whereas he refused upon gift, you will take upon gift, and if they will not give it you, you will take it by force, therefore this Scripture affords witnesses against you, but hereby thou confessest, our doctrine costs them nothing; then how saidst thou before that James Parnels Gospel was not without charge, and thus out of thy own mouth art thou proved a liar. Did ever Christ or the Apostles disturb the Priests, and Ministers of these times, Qu. 96. while they were teaching the people, as many of you and yours have done? Both the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, Answ. declared against the deceivers, false Prophets, Mat. 24.24. jer. 23. Ezek. 34. joh. 10. jer. 5.31. false Priests and Hirelings, and the Apostles was haled out of the Synagogues, and out of the Temple, as Christ told them John 16.2. as we by the same spirit do now against you, whom we find in the same steps, and here thou art answered, if this be it thou callest disturbance; but it is because you would bear rule by your means, and suffer nothing to be published, that is against you, or strikes at your Diana. Doth the Gospel ordinarily call any man from his lawful Calling, Queen 97. whereby he should maintain himself and his Family? and thou quotest 1 Cor. 7, 20. Eph. 4.28. Yea it doth, and the Scripture holds forth the same that they was ordinarily called from their outward Callings, Answ. to preach the Gospel to every Creature: Amos. 7.14.15. Mark. 16.15. Math. 4.18.19.20.21.22.23. neither doth either of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted prove to the contrary; & how many Scriptures didst thou quote in thy Answer to my 15th Query to prove that the Ministers of the Gospel might forbear working, and not to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life: yet in all could not prove thyself a Minister of the Gospel, and now thou questions the truth of the Scripture, because neither thou nor thy Brethren was called, according to Scripture; but whomsoever the Lord calls unto his work, he doth take care both for him and his Family; but you that are not called by him, dare not trust him, without a Law of man. And in thy 98. & 99 Query, 2. Thes. 3. Mat. ●8. 7. thou seems to accuse us with some that turned from the truth, and yielded to the deceit of their hairs, and so gave occasion to such as thee, who wait for occasion to blaspheme the truth; but it is no new thing, 1 Tim. 14.15. but the same which the Scripture declares of in divers places: therefore saith Christ, offences must come, but woe unto them by whom they do come; Mat. 26 Mat. 27.5. for there was then many such as thee in that age who (as thou dost) waited for occasion to blaspheme the truth; but if thou hadst been then, how wouldst thou have accused Christ, who had but twelve Apostles, and one of them betrayed him, and then hanged himself, and another denied him: therefore let this stop thy mouth, for speaking evil of the things thou knowest not; and as for Spencer and Gilpin, whom thou here nominates, the truth is sufficiently cleared of them in other Books; and the Priests have owned them, as they did Judas, which is the name of all that turn from the truth, after they have received it. Have so many fallen into distraction or madness in any Sect, Queen 100 or under any Doctrine, as there hath done amongst your hearers, especially where the number of Disciples was no more? Look at home, and answer thyself, witness your Universities, Ans. as you call them; for it is the fruit of your studies, who would find out that by your wit and wisdom, which the Lord hath hid from you; and all that you cannot settle in security and blindness, you lead them into madness, confusion, and distraction, if they do not in time forsake you, as many will witness at this day that they are led by you into such a Wilderness, that they know not which way to get out, neither do you know how to direct them, for you are in confusion yourselves, Mat. 15 14. and so the blind leads the blind into the ditch: therefore this might have stopped thy mouth from falsely accusing us; but I remember truth was ever accounted madness and folly by the blind World, who know not that Godliness is great gain. And in thy 94. Query, thou wast questioning the truth of our Doctrine, because of the multitude of Disciples, and now by the fewness; and thus thou contradicts thyself, and then after much of thy filthy stuff, which all along thou hast vented forth of thy old bottle against us, which upon thee I have returned again from whence it came: thou seemest to accuse our book, but dost not show wherein, and therefore I pass it by, as knowing thy lying spirit, and then thou stealest the Apostles words, for a Cloak for the deceit of thy heart, 2 Cor. 13.7, 8, 9 which the Apostle spoke from a true and upright heart, but thou from a false deceitful heart, as all along hath been sufficiently proved, and thy prayers to be abomination, and that thou hast nothing to do to name the name of God in thy mouth, who art a worker of iniquity, and a stranger unto God, who art found out of his Doctrine; 2 Tim. 2, 19 2 joh. 9 and therefore with this Scripture I shall mark thee, 2 John 9.10. that all may know thee, and turn away their ears from thee, who art not to be received, but denied; and therefore whosoever receives thee, or thy Doctrine, the same departs from the Doctrine of Christ; and therefore let this be a Caveat to all people, to whom it shall come, and look upon thee to be as Anathema, Maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22. This from a friend, to all souls witnessed in all consciences by the eternal Light of God, by which I am known and received. I. P. THE END.